Chapter 138 Plum Blossom
At this moment, a maid came in, bowed to Madam Wu, and said, "Madam, there is a woman named Yan Yaqin outside who wants to see you."
Madam Wu frowned and asked, "Yan Yaqin? What is she doing here?"
Mei Zixu stood up and said, "Mother, Yan Yaqin is my classmate and friend. Maybe she just came to see me. I'll go and take a look."
Mei Zixu walked up to Mrs. Wu, bowed slightly, and then turned to walk out the door. Mrs. Wu looked at her son's back, with a hint of worry in her eyes, but she didn't stop him.
When Mei Zixu went out, he saw Yan Yaqin. She was wearing a light blue dress, with long hair draped over her shoulders, and her eyebrows and eyes were picturesque, looking gentle and generous. When Yan Yaqin saw Mei Zixu, she smiled slightly and said, "Brother Mei, I came to visit Mrs. Wu and yours."
Mei Zixu smiled back and said, "Miss Yan, please come in."
The two returned to the house together, and Mrs. Wu had already stood up to greet them. Yan Yaqin bowed to Mrs. Wu and said, "Mrs. Wu, I'm sorry to bother you."
Madam Wu smiled slightly and said, "Miss Yan, you don't have to be polite. Since you are here, please sit down and talk."
The three of them sat down as host and guest, and the maid brought tea. Yan Yaqin looked at Madam Wu and said with a smile, "Madam Wu, I heard that you were a talented woman in the palace when you were young, and you were proficient in everything from music, chess, calligraphy and painting. I wonder if you can let me see you?"
Madam Wu's eyes moved slightly, and she smiled and said, "Miss Yan, you are too kind. I have long abandoned those skills. However, since Miss Yan is interested, let Zixu play the piano with you."
Mei Zixu was slightly startled, then nodded in agreement. They came to the piano room, Yan Yaqin gently stroked the strings, and Mei Zixu accompanied her. The piano sounded melodious, like heavenly music.
After the music ended, Yan Yaqin looked at Mei Zixu and said with a smile, "Brother Mei, your piano skills have improved. Would you be willing to teach me a few moves?"
Mei Zixu smiled slightly and said, "Miss Yan, you are too polite. I am willing to serve you."
From then on, Yan Yaqin often came to the Mei Mansion to learn the art of playing the qin with Mei Zixu. Seeing this, Mrs. Wu couldn't help but feel suspicious, and she secretly observed Yan Yaqin's every move.
One day, Mrs. Wu was alone and called Yan Yaqin aside and asked, "Miss Yan, why are you suddenly interested in the art of playing the zither?"
Yan Yaqin smiled slightly and said, "Madam Wu, to be honest, I have loved the art of playing the zither since I was young, but I have never had the opportunity to learn. This time when I came to the Mei Mansion and saw that Brother Mei was a great zither player, I decided to learn."
Mrs. Wu looked at Yan Yaqin, a hint of doubt flashed in her eyes, but she didn't ask any more questions in the end.
Mrs. Wu found that the relationship between Yan Yaqin and Mei Zixu was getting deeper and deeper, and she couldn't help but start to worry. One day, she called Mei Zixu to her and said seriously: "Zixu, mother has something to ask you, you must answer truthfully."
Mei Zixu was stunned and said, "Mother, please ask."
Madam Wu looked at Mei Zixu and said in a serious tone, "What is your relationship with Yan Yaqin?"
Mei Zixu was slightly stunned, then said calmly: "Mother, Miss Yan is my classmate and friend. We studied the art of playing the zither together, nothing else."
Madam Wu frowned and said, "Zi Xu, you know that in ancient times, there were strict rules for the relationship between men and women. You and Yan Yaqin are too close, which may cause criticism."
Mei Zixu was silent for a moment, then said, "Mother, Miss Yan and I are innocent, we are just friends. I believe that as long as we are open-minded, there will be no criticism."
Mrs. Wu looked at Mei Zixu and couldn't help feeling a little helpless. Her son had grown up and had his own ideas. She sighed and said, "Well, if that's the case, then you should cherish this friendship."
Mei Zixu nodded in agreement, feeling a little relieved in his heart.
However, at this time, Yan Yaqin suddenly received a letter from home, saying that her father was seriously ill and needed her to go home to take care of him. Yan Yaqin said goodbye to Mei Zixu and Mrs. Wu in tears and set off on the road home.
Mei Zixu was reluctant to leave, but Yan Yaqin had to go home to take care of her father. He could only pray silently in his heart, hoping that Yan Yaqin's father would recover soon.
Several months passed in a blink of an eye. One day, Mei Zixu received a letter from Yan Yaqin, saying that her father had recovered and she would return to the Imperial College. Mei Zixu was overjoyed.
The day Yan Yaqin returned to the Imperial College, Mei Zixu was waiting at the door early. When he saw Yan Yaqin's familiar figure, he couldn't help but feel warm in his heart. He walked up to her and said with a smile: "Miss Yan, welcome back."
Yan Yaqin smiled slightly and said, "Brother Mei, thank you for your concern all the time. From now on, we will move forward together."
……
Jiang Shuyuan was thinking about something, so when faced with Mei Zixu scratching his head, she seemed a little impatient for the first time.
She frowned slightly, her tone more serious than before: "Mei Zixu, why are you always so flustered? The Imperial College is a place for studying, how can you lose your composure like this."
Mei Zixu was a little embarrassed when he heard this, but he still asked, "Jiang Shuyuan, you really don't know about that? Last night, the masterpiece "Plum Blossom Album" disappeared in the back garden of the Mei Mansion. The whole Imperial College knows about it."
Jiang Shuyuan was slightly stunned and her thoughts returned to reality.
She pondered for a moment and said, "This matter is of great importance. We should immediately report it to the Director of the Imperial College and help with the search."
Mei Zixu nodded, but his face was still anxious: "I have reported to the Minister of State, but he is busy with state affairs and I am afraid he will not be able to spare time. Jiang Shuyuan, you are very smart, do you have any clues?"
Jiang Shuyuan smiled slightly, with a glimmer of wisdom in her eyes: "Mei Zixu, don't worry. We might as well start with the guards and people coming and going in the garden last night, maybe we can find some clues."
As they talked, they began to look for relevant people in the Imperial College. Along the way, they met many classmates who asked about the whereabouts of "Plum Blossoms". Some people looked indifferent, while others looked terrified.
In a remote corner, they met a student named Lin Rui. Lin Rui's face was pale, and there was a trace of panic in his eyes. Jiang Shuyuan keenly caught this detail. She frowned slightly and asked, "Lin Rui, did you go to the back garden of Mei Mansion last night?"
Lin Rui stammered, "I, I did go there last night, but, but I didn't see anything."
Mei Zixu's eyes widened and his tone was stern: "Lin Rui, do you know the seriousness of hiding the truth?"
Lin Rui was so frightened that his face turned pale, and he finally couldn't help crying: "I, I really don't know anything. I passed by the back garden last night, just wanting to see the plum blossoms, but I didn't expect to encounter that incident. I'm just an ordinary student and don't want to get involved in this dispute."
Jiang Shuyuan looked at Lin Rui, a trace of sympathy flashed in her eyes. She gently patted Lin Rui's shoulder and said, "Don't be afraid, we just want to know the truth. Tell us everything you know, maybe it can help us find the Plum Blossom Book as soon as possible."
In Lin Rui's narration, they learned an important piece of information: Last night in the back garden, Lin Rui saw a man in black hurriedly leaving. Jiang Shuyuan and Mei Zixu looked at each other and had the answer in their hearts.
They decided to act separately, Jiang Shuyuan was responsible for investigating the identity of the man in black, while Mei Zixu continued to look for clues in the Imperial College.