Chapter 244: What a Beauty
Qin Ying smiled. "I wonder if Mr. Xu has heard? Next month, the Guardian Lady is hosting a poetry gathering in her newly built garden. She’s entrusted me with inviting some talented women."
Mr. Xu raised an eyebrow. "I see."
"It’s just that Miss Gu is a commoner. Her status is too low. I’m afraid she wouldn’t be a suitable guest."
Qin Ying said lightly, "The Guardian Lady has already stated that as long as a woman is talented or beautiful, she may enter the garden, regardless of her status. Since this Miss Gu was able to earn praise from Young Master Su, she must have some extraordinary qualities. I must ask Mr. Xu to tell me more."
With the conversation having reached this point, Mr. Xu couldn’t refuse. "That Miss Gu opened an inn, Youjian Inn. It’s just a short way east on this very street."
Qin Ying curtsied to him. "Thank you, Young Master."
With that, she glided gracefully toward the exit.
A handmaid standing in the corner hurried to follow.
Mr. Xu watched her leave, a slight sneer on his face. ’As if no one knew. I heard the Mountain Master holds Su Chen in high regard and intends to marry his granddaughter to him.’
’Of course, it’s just a rumor. But seeing Miss Qin act like this, the rumor is probably seventy or eighty percent true.’
Qin Ying left the bookshop but didn’t get into her carriage. Instead, she walked slowly eastward.
She paid attention to the shop signs on both sides of the street. Before long, she spotted a large storefront with a black sign and gold lettering hanging above the entrance: "Youjian Inn."
Qin Ying drew closer, slowed her pace, and turned her head to look inside the inn.
She saw that the inn’s furnishings were novel and exquisite, quite different from any inn she had seen before. There was even a miniature rockery and pond in the main hall.
Looking again, she saw a young woman sitting behind the counter.
She could only see a small part of her face. Her skin was fairer than snow, her features delicate and lustrous, and her jet-black hair was like a crow’s wing. The young woman was looking down, embroidering.
Just then, someone came over to speak with her. The young woman looked up, revealing a pair of bright, autumn-water eyes under willow-leaf brows, sparkling with life.
Qin Ying couldn’t help but sigh internally. ’What a beauty.’
She hesitated for a moment, pausing at the entrance for a few seconds before continuing straight on.
Lan Zhi was sitting behind the counter, speaking to Lian’er. "Where has Little Fei run off to now? That girl, her hand is injured, yet she still won’t sit still."
Soon, it was noon, and the inn began to fill with customers for lunch.
Since Gu Fei had injured her hand today, she didn’t help in the kitchen. Instead, she sent Lian’er to keep an eye on things in the back, afraid someone might take advantage of the chaos to put something in the food.
After what Housekeeper Wu had said, she felt a constant sense of unease, wondering what methods he planned to use against her.
Business was especially good today, and the main hall was completely full.
One wave of customers left and another arrived. In the midst of the bustling activity, five or six government officials walked in. They swept their eyes over the inn, and one of them shouted, "Who is the shopkeeper here?"
Gu Fei hurried out from behind the counter. "I am the shopkeeper. How may I help you, officers?"
One of the government officials, who had a mole next to his nose and seemed to be the leader, flashed a token at Gu Fei. "We’re from the government office. Someone reported that you’re harboring a fugitive from the court. We need to conduct a search."
Gu Fei was startled. She quickly put on an apologetic smile and discreetly tried to press a ten-tael silver ingot into the man’s hand. "Officers, there must be some mistake. For every guest who stays here, we’ve checked their travel permits and registered them carefully. You can look at our registration book, officers."
The man waved his hand, refusing the silver, and sneered, "We’ll look at the book later. First, we search!"
With another wave of his hand, the government officials behind him shouted at the customers who were still eating, "Official government business! All uninvolved personnel, clear out!"