ebookland Chapter 203: An old acquaintance?
Chapter 203: An old acquaintance?
As City Lord Gu finished his words, he hurried towards the door, obviously attaching great importance to Prime Minister Hua's visit.
Gu Chengjin felt a little disappointed when he heard this, but he also understood his father's intention, so he suppressed his emotions and sat back in his seat.
Seeing this, Xinghan immediately noticed Gu Chengjin's subtle emotional change. He sighed softly, then turned around, gave Gu Chengjin a gentle look, and gently patted his shoulder to comfort him.
"Mr. Gu, City Lord Gu must have gone to greet you personally out of respect and importance for Prime Minister Hua. You don't have to mind. We are still here. Why not take this opportunity to continue to discuss the tea ceremony in depth?"
Gu Chengjin looked up at the stars, his warm and sincere eyes were like a ray of sunshine, penetrating the haze in his heart.
He forced a smile and nodded, "Mr. Xinghan is right, I care too much. Since my father has something important to do, it would be a good thing for me to enjoy tea with you here."
So the two of them sat down again.
The room was silent for a moment, and even the servants' breathing could be heard clearly.
Xinghan glanced at them lightly, and Gu Chengjin waved his hand gently, and the servant immediately retreated tactfully.
After careful consideration, Gu Chengjin finally mustered up the courage to confess his inner struggle to Xinghan:
"Mr. Xinghan, after these days of reflection, I feel more and more that not pursuing the matter of poisoning further may be the most beneficial option for the peace of the Gu family. After all, this matter seems to be inextricably linked to my eldest brother. I am afraid that once it is exposed, it will not only bring shame to the family, but may also hurt the relationship between father and son, which is something I don't want to see."
Xinghan heard this, a hint of approval flashed in his eyes, he smiled calmly, and his tone revealed a kind of confidence:
"Mr. Gu, I understand your concerns. But please rest assured, I, Xinghan, know how to act. I have already anticipated the complexity and sensitivity behind this matter. Since I said I have a good plan, I will not act rashly. You just need to watch the show, I will take care of everything. However, I also understand your concerns. After all, your elder brother is ruthless and his style of doing things is unpredictable. But please believe me, Mr. Gu, I will act with extreme caution and will not let things get out of control, let alone put myself in danger."
After hearing this, Gu Chengjin felt a little relieved, but he still couldn't hide his worry:
"Mr. Xinghan, I have always admired your wisdom, but this matter is of great importance. It concerns the peace of our family and the friendship between brothers. I cannot let it go. If you really take any action, please be careful and do not let my eldest brother know, so as to avoid any more trouble."
Xinghan gently patted Gu Chengjin's shoulder to comfort him:
"Mr. Gu, please relax. I know this matter is serious and I will handle it properly. We must not only solve the crisis at hand, but also consider the future of the Gu family. Believe me, I will use my own way to get everything back on track and protect each and every one of us."
The two looked at each other and smiled.
Then, Gu Chengjin took out a rolled paper from his sleeve, handed it to Xinghan, and said it was a confession.
"Sir, you once said that in order to expose this poisonous hand hidden in the dark, we need to proceed step by step and not alert the enemy. I followed your instructions and started with the bronze container. I have thoroughly checked all the bronze containers in the mansion, and paid special attention to those that have been used recently. Since this container is both the source of the poison and the key to solving the mystery, it will definitely help us figure out the specific situation. I asked my confidant to carefully check every corner, especially those places where food and cleaning supplies are stored."
Xinghan slowly stood up, his sleeves fluttering, as if he was about to embark on an unknown adventure. "What was the result?"
Gu Chengjin immediately understood what he said, "We have gained a lot. At that time, my people came to the kitchen in person and said that they seemed to smell a strange smell in the air."
"I know, it must be citric acid... There must be something fishy. Xiao Zhang probably likes lime and citron, right?" Xinghan looked relieved.
"Sir, you are right. Although there are a row of earthenware jars in the kitchen, we still managed to find the container of the citric acid you mentioned. However, I have never asked about Xiao Zhang's preferences, but the container has been found." Gu Chengjin leaned closer to Xinghan and said, "At this moment, the servant is waiting outside."
Xinghan pondered for a moment, then slowly sat down, "Very good, I'll do an experiment later."
A moment later, City Lord Gu led Prime Minister Hua into the house. Prime Minister Hua immediately noticed Xinghan sitting next to Gu Chengjin, and a look of surprise immediately appeared on his face. He took a few steps forward and greeted him cordially, "Nephew Xinghan, you are here too. What a coincidence."
Xing Han stood up upon hearing the voice, saluted respectfully to Prime Minister Hua, and said with a smile: "Prime Minister, how are you? I was also invited by City Lord Gu to come here to drink tea by chance. I didn't expect to meet the Prime Minister here. It is really a blessing."
Seeing this, City Lord Gu couldn't help but feel a little curious. He looked at Prime Minister Hua and asked, "Prime Minister, are you and Mr. Xinghan old acquaintances? This really surprises me."
Prime Minister Hua smiled slightly and explained:
"City Lord Gu, you may not know that my nephew Xinghan's son Xingyun and my naughty granddaughter Huaniao have been engaged since childhood. In a few days, they will be married and become a couple. Speaking of which, this is also a rare and beautiful story."
Upon hearing this, City Master Gu was stunned for a moment, then a complex expression appeared on his face, with both blessing and a bit of sourness. He sighed softly and said half-jokingly and half-seriously: "I see, Mr. Xinghan is so lucky to have such a marriage. On the other hand, my two sons have not received such good news so far, which really makes me, as a father, a little anxious."
Gu Chengjin was listening with mixed feelings. He was happy for Xinghan, but also a little disappointed that his own marriage was still unsettled.
But on second thought, marriage is a matter of fate, and perhaps his destiny has not yet arrived, so he felt relieved.
Upon hearing this, Prime Minister Hua patted City Lord Gu on the shoulder and comforted him:
"City Lord Gu, don't worry too much. Your children and grandchildren will have their own blessings. Besides, your two sons are both outstanding people. Why worry about not finding a good marriage partner? Maybe, there is a better one to come."
After hearing this, City Lord Gu felt a little relieved and laughed, saying, "Thanks to the Prime Minister's good words, I hope so."
A small episode made the already warm and harmonious atmosphere even more intense.
Everyone continued to sit together, drinking tea and chatting, and Xinghan did not expose Prime Minister Hua's lie about the "childhood engagement".
Presumably, he was afraid that City Lord Gu would be unhappy, so he used this as an excuse to reject the marriage proposal from City Lord Gu's two sons.