It seemed to sense my confusion, as Wu Tingxiu said to me before we entered, "Bai Zhujing did some work for my grandfather back then."
I nodded without saying much. The inscription on the plaque was identical to that of Yipinzhai, which was the Bai family's unique seal.
That's why I felt a bit puzzled when I saw the seal earlier, unable to figure out why Wu Tingxiu brought me here.
Now, with her explanation, I finally understood.
It made sense. Bai Zhujing was a prominent figure in the Guangling antique circle, so it was natural that he would have had dealings with the Wu family.
This was my first time at the Bai family's residence. Upon entering, to the right, there was an "凹"-shaped pond with a rock garden in the middle. Several large koi swam in the pond, and not far away was a pavilion with a round stone table surrounded by stone stools.
To the left, many bamboo plants were grown, reaching high.
The feng shui layout was quite good, with the Azure Dragon on the left and the White Tiger on the right. Generally, the Azure Dragon should be higher than the White Tiger, hence the tall bamboo on the left towering over the pavilion.
Of course, my understanding of feng shui was only superficial. However, judging by the environment, this place was exceptionally well-kept.
As expected of a prominent family in the Guangling antique world, their residence was so full of ancient charm.
Wu Tingxiu seemed very familiar with the place, following the bluestone path with practiced ease further inside. I followed behind her, feeling like her bodyguard.
Soon, we arrived at a side hall. As soon as I entered, I smelled the scent of sandalwood.
The room was a study. A large rosewood tea table stood in the center, with several bookshelves against the wall.
Bai Zhujing was sitting behind the tea table, with several teacups on the table. His granddaughter, Bai Hanyan, stood beside him.
As we entered, Bai Zhujing slowly raised his head, a smile on his face, and greeted us, "Miss Wu, young friend Xiang."
I nodded and said, "Mr. Bai, it's been a while."
Bai Hanyan, standing beside him, frowned and shot me a glare for some reason.
I was quite bewildered, thinking I hadn't offended her. Why did she always give me a cold shoulder whenever she saw me?
"Please be seated," Bai Zhujing said, gesturing with his hand.
We sat down at the tea table. Bai Zhujing picked up a purple clay teapot and poured two cups of tea, placing one teacup on the tray and the other outside the tray.
I found it a bit strange. There were three of us sitting at the table, yet he only poured two cups.
After pouring the tea, he looked at Wu Tingxiu and remained silent.
Wu Tingxiu then picked up the teacup that was outside the tray and placed it back onto the tray. After that, she cupped the teacup with both hands and made a gesture of invitation. Only then did they both leisurely take a sip of tea.
Seeing this, the concept of the "Jianghu tea ceremony" that my father had told me about in my childhood flashed through my mind!
Judging by their expressions, I understood. This was indeed a tea ceremony!
If I wasn't mistaken, this was a Mu Yang formation.
In the past, those who ventured in the Jianghu placed great importance on etiquette. There were rules for eating, rules for drinking, and also rules for drinking tea.
Bai Zhujing setting up this "Mu Yang formation" was a way of testing Wu Tingxiu. The way to break this tea formation was, undoubtedly, to do as Wu Tingxiu did: place the teacup outside the tray back into the tray, and then drink with the host.
And so, without a word spoken between them after sitting down, the number of teacups on the table gradually increased. They began to communicate through the tea formation.
My understanding was only rudimentary; I couldn't decipher the more complex tea formations.
After exchanging moves for over ten minutes, Bai Zhujing suddenly sighed, picked up the teacup in front of him, and drained it in one gulp, saying, "Since you've come to find me, it's naturally because of your grandfather's matter, isn't it?"
Wu Tingxiu cupped her hands and replied, "Precisely. I hope Mr. Bai will tell me the truth."
"It seems your grandfather told you all about those matters before he passed away?" Bai Zhujing asked.
Wu Tingxiu said, "He only gave me a general overview; he didn't go into specific details."
"I understand," Bai Zhujing nodded. "You've come to me this time because you want me to take you to that place, right?"
"Indeed," Wu Tingxiu replied.
Their conversation was so vague that I couldn't understand anything, listening from the side in a daze.
"It's not impossible to go to that place, but I can't take you personally," Bai Zhujing said. "I'm tied up at the moment."
"What does Mr. Bai mean?"
Bai Zhujing glanced at Bai Hanyan, who was standing beside him, and said, "Hanyan."
"Dad," Bai Hanyan stepped forward.
Bai Zhujing said to Wu Tingxiu, "I'll have my daughter take you."
Wu Tingxiu was slightly taken aback. She glanced at Bai Hanyan. Before she could speak, Bai Hanyan interjected, "Don't worry, I'll definitely take you to that place... Of course, I'll only be responsible for leading the way. I won't be involved in anything else."
Wu Tingxiu hesitated for a moment, pursed her lips, and said, "Alright then. I'll trouble Miss Bai."
Bai Hanyan crossed her arms, tilted her chin, and looked at me, asking, "Does he have to go with you too?"
Wu Tingxiu nodded. "Mr. Xiang is someone I invited to help."
"Him?" Bai Hanyan said dismissively, "What help can he provide? He'll just end up messing things up."
Hearing this, I felt a bit displeased and retorted, "Miss Bai, you should focus on yourself. We don't know who will mess things up!"
"You!"
"What about me? I'm just stating the facts."
Bai Hanyan gritted her teeth and glared at me, as if she wanted to devour me.
Bai Zhujing chuckled, "It's not bad to have young friend Xiang go along... I hope Miss Wu, you achieve success quickly."
"Thank you for your kind words, Mr. Bai," Wu Tingxiu replied.
After leaving the Bai residence and getting into the car, I couldn't help but ask, "Where are we going this time?"
Wu Tingxiu said, "I don't know the exact location myself. Only the Bai family knows about that place."
"Then what are we going to do there? You must know that, right?"
"To find the Suihou Pearl."
Upon hearing those five words, I was stunned and fell silent for a moment.
My purpose in Guangling was to find the Suihou Pearl. I never expected to end up on Wu Tingxiu's expedition by chance.
It seemed I had no choice but to go on this trip, whether I wanted to or not.
"When do we leave?" I asked.
Wu Tingxiu said, "Within these few days. Go back and prepare. I'll call you when it's time."
I nodded and said, "Alright."
As if afraid I would go back on my word, she added, "Don't worry, once this matter is settled, I'll give you some compensation."
I smiled and said, "Thank you very much, Ms. Wu."
Soon, the Tiger Head Benz arrived at Hongyuan. After getting out of the car, I parted ways with Wu Tingxiu and returned to the shop.
I didn't know how long I would be gone this time, so I needed to make arrangements for the shop.