61 Key
"Xia Lian, go and get the key," Gu Yunrong instructed the maidservant in a low voice.
Stunned, Xia Lian bowed and accepted the order before turning around and entering the inner room.
After a while, she slowly walked out with a copper key. When her gaze swept past Gu Yanfei, there was a hint of indignation in her eyes.
"Miss." Xia Lian handed the copper key to Gu Yunrong, wanting to say something. In the end, she swallowed the words that were about to come out of her mouth.
!
Gu Yunrong turned around and handed the key to Gu Yanfei. "Second Sister, this is the key."
Gu Yanfei accepted it without another word and planned to go over and take a look.
She had something on her mind and was about to leave when she heard Gu Yunrong say, "Second Sister, I know it wasn't easy for you to live in Huaibei in the past. It's only right that you don't like me."
"But that incident back then… I was also innocent. At that time, I was just a newborn baby. I didn't know anything and was even more helpless."
"Second Sister, I've returned everything I can to you."
"Be it your identity, brother, engagement… or this key."
Gu Yunrong stared at Gu Yanfei with a solemn expression and said word by word, "I don't owe you anymore."
Recalling the scenes in the Benevolent Harmony Hall, Gu Yunrong's expression became even more determined. The dust had settled in her heart. Gu Yanfei had returned with hatred and could not even tolerate her grandmother, so how could she tolerate her?
Suddenly, a cold wind whistled in through the half-open window and extinguished an octagonal palace lamp near Gu Yunrong.
Half of the room was dark, except for another lamp on the other side that was still quietly emitting light.
Half of Gu Yunrong's face was dark, and the other half was bright. Her usually smiling face was solemn at this moment.
Xia Lian quickly relit the extinguished lantern, turning the house as bright as day again.
As the lights lit up, Gu Yunrong returned to her usual self and said gently, "If you still can't get over the hurdle in your heart, we'll mind our own business from now on."
She would not back down again, nor would she put on any sisterly act.
So much for that.
Gu Yanfei tilted her head with a faint smile and pursed her lips into a faint smile. She asked calmly, "You said you're innocent, but what about the person who swapped us?"
Gu Yanfei was naturally referring to Mother Su.
Gu Yunrong's throat seemed to be choked up with something, and she was rendered speechless.
Ever since she was young, Mother Su had been by her side as a wet nurse. She took care of her clothes, food, accommodation, and transportation. She even paid attention to her emotions and cared about her every frown and smile.
Mother Su might have let Gu Yanfei down, but she was extremely good to her.
Gu Yanfei continued, "Is she dead?"
"Has she been turned over to the court?"
"Where is she?"
Gu Yanfei threw out three more questions in a row. They were concise, but every word hit the nail on the head.
Gu Yunrong's expression turned unnatural as she pursed her lips and her eyes darted around.
Half a year ago, after the matter of the real and fake daughter broke out, Madam Gu was originally going to drug Mother Su, but she stopped her and spared her life…
Gu Yanfei took a step forward and looked down at Gu Yunrong, who was sitting on the chair. Her voice was cold and firm as she continued, "Is she still in the residence, living a life with a little maidservant serving her?"
Gu Yunrong looked straight into Gu Yanfei's eyes with her lips pursed and said righteously, "Second Sister, do you want her to die? That's a living life!"
In this era where imperial power reigned supreme, human life was as worthless as grass.
The main family could kill the servants at will and throw the corpses into the mass grave without any responsibility. Even if the family of the deceased reported it to the authorities, it would be useless and they might even be beaten up.
Gu Yanfei, who had grown up in Huaibei, should understand this very well. She should know the helplessness and inferiority of the commoners at the bottom the best.
Gu Yunrong looked at Gu Yanfei with an indescribable gaze and sighed in her heart. Indeed, humans were the most forgetful animals. As soon as Gu Yanfei returned to the capital, she completely forgot about her past self and put herself back in the position of superiority, looking down on all living beings.
"The mistake has been made. Even if we kill her, time can't turn back." Gu Yunrong first tried to reason with her, then tried to persuade her with emotion. "Second Sister, back then, she brought you and me out of the battlefield in Yangzhou. Even if she made a mistake, she still worked hard…"
"Mother Su is in the wrong, but everything she did was for me… Although all of this was not what I wanted, I have already thought of ways to make it up to you." Wasn't that enough?!
These words were exactly the same as what Gu Yanfei had heard from Madam Gu in her previous life.
She smiled as the image of Mother Su acting as a superior benefactor in her previous life appeared in her mind.
Gu Yunrong bit her lip slightly, her fingers curling around the handkerchief.
Gu Yanfei's eyes were clear and cold. "You said you've already returned everything to me…"
"What about my father? I should have been with him for six years."
"And 14 years of my dislocated life. 14 years in heaven for you and in hell for me."
"The Gu family has shaped the current you. Even now, you still enjoy everything the Gu family has given you with a clear conscience and refuse to let go… You can't repay me!"
Every word she said rendered Gu Yunrong speechless.
Gu Yanfei did not want to listen to Gu Yunrong's excuses anymore and said the last sentence calmly, "Gu Yunrong, listen carefully. I'm the legitimate daughter of the Marquis Mansion, and you…"
"You're just the daughter of a slave."
After saying that, she ignored Gu Yunrong's reaction and left with the key.
The curtain rose and fell, swinging back and forth, as if laughing mockingly.
Gu Yunrong froze in place, dumbfounded. It was as if an invisible mountain was pressing down on her shoulders and back, preventing her from moving.
Gu Yanfei's words pierced Gu Yunrong deeply and her face gradually lost its color.
Xia Lian did not send Gu Yanfei off. She looked at the swaying curtain in front of her and said indignantly, "My Lady, the Second Lady really doesn't know what's good for her. To think that you treated her so well and said so many good things for her in front of Crown Prince Fang. You even gave her First Madam's dowry…"
Xia Lian really felt aggrieved for her lady.
...
Gu Yunrong pushed open the window again and let the bleak cold wind blow against her face. From the window, she could see Gu Yanfei's back gradually disappearing into the night.
She had retreated again and again, giving way to Gu Yanfei only because she felt that she was the beneficiary in this matter. However, this did not mean that she was a punching bag.
It did not mean that Gu Yanfei could rely on her concession to lord over her.
The night air was cooler, the sky darker, and the silver moon bent like a hook.
62 That's Right
After Gu Yanfei left Cai Ling Courtyard, she brought Juan Bi to the west storeroom in the inner courtyard.
Granny Shi, who was guarding the storeroom, saw that Gu Yanfei only had the key in her hand and did not read the cards. She was shocked and wanted to stop her, but she could not stop Juan Bi, who was born to be extremely strong.
500: Internal Server Error
Gu Yanfei instructed Juan Bi to unlock the door to the west storeroom.
When he pushed open the door, he was greeted by a pungent musty smell. The storeroom was extremely cold.
Juan Bi led the way in with the lanterns. She quickly lit seven or eight lanterns, illuminating the two-room western storeroom.
The storeroom was filled with old wooden boxes and rows of shelves.
Gu Yanfei did not know where exactly the things she was looking for were placed. She looked at the boxes one by one and matched the items in the booklet.
She instructed Juan Bi to make the corresponding marks on some of the checked boxes and asked her to move all the jewelry out of the west storeroom.
Heavy old boxes were placed on the stone brick floor outside the storeroom one after another with all the lids opened.
The gold and silver jewels glittered in the candlelight of the lantern.
Gu Yanfei reported the names in the booklet and asked Juan Bi to find and check them one by one from these boxes.
When she was halfway through, there was a noisy commotion outside the nearby archway and many people seemed to be heading their way.
"Madam, the Second Lady is inside!" The cold wind brought Granny Shi's anxious voice.
Juan Bi looked in the direction of the voice and saw two old women walking over with a palanquin on their shoulders. Madam Gu was sitting on the palanquin, wearing a thick rust-colored cloak and still looking haggard with the black embroidered cloth on her forehead.
"Gu Yanfei!" Madam Gu shouted word by word. Her voice was still a little hoarse and filled with surging anger.
"Bang!"
The sound of a wooden clapper came from afar, its sound extremely penetrating in the quiet night.
Only then did Gu Yanfei casually look up from the booklet and look at Madam Gu, who was four or five steps away.
The golden light shone on an exquisite and beautiful face.
In the night wind, the girl in thin clothes did not seem to feel the cold at all. Her clothes fluttered and her eyes shone.
The palanquin stopped 10 feet away. Madam Gu, who was sitting on it, looked down at Gu Yanfei and questioned in an unfriendly tone, "Where did you get the key from? Did you cause trouble with Rong'er?"
Madam Gu actually already had an answer in her heart and her heart had already begun aching for Rong'er.
Rong'er was so outstanding and had been pampered since she was young. However, because of Gu Yanfei's appearance, she had lost everything overnight.
Rong'er was a blessed and magnanimous child.
Compared to her future glory, she did not care about these external things at all. However, she had still called them her parents for so many years, so how could she leave their relationship behind just like that without leaving some memories?
After the old women placed the palanquin on the ground, Madam Gu stood up from the palanquin and glared at Gu Yanfei with a threatening gaze. She said coldly, "Hand over the key to the storeroom!"
"Key?"
Gu Yanfei took out a copper key from her sleeve pocket and shook it in her hand. A faint smile appeared on her lips.
"Give it to me quickly!" Madam Gu's burning gaze was immediately glued to the key.
Gu Yanfei moved and slowly took a few steps closer to Madam Gu. The key in her hand approached Madam Gu's palm…
Madam Gu's eyes lit up even more, and her right palm reached forward eagerly.
When the key was in Madam Gu's palm, Gu Yanfei stopped. The copper key stopped only an inch away from Madam Gu.
Gu Yanfei calmly met Madam Gu's eyes. Her eyes were as clear as water, and her thin dress fluttered in the night breeze, like a night cloud blooming under the moon.
She smiled and suddenly said, "I've found the jade pendant that the British Duchess wants."
What?! Madam Gu's pupils constricted uncontrollably, and the corners of her eyes trembled slightly. She could not control the subtle changes in her expression at all.
Gu Yanfei understood Madam Gu's expression and took another step closer to her, stopping only two feet away from her face.
She smiled, her eyes bright and alert. Her elegant and otherworldly temperament was difficult to look at. She was calm and confident, as if she knew everything.
She flicked her sleeve, and her wide cuffs floated like clouds.
In the next moment, a muffled thunder suddenly exploded in the sky, shocking everyone with its loud rumble.
Madam Gu staggered and fell onto the palanquin behind her in a slightly sorry state. She was instantly shorter than Gu Yanfei and her aura had mostly disappeared.
The muffled thunder came too suddenly. Madam Gu and the others subconsciously looked up at the night sky and saw the moon in the sky.
The cold and clear winter night seemed to have the smell of sand in the air that made it difficult to breathe.
Madam Gu felt her heart constrict violently, and she was still in shock.
It was so quiet that she could hear her slightly heavy breathing.
Gu Yanfei looked down at Madam Gu, who had fallen onto the chair. A little talisman ash floated out of her sleeve.
The night wind swept up the talisman ash and disappeared in the blink of an eye.
After a few breaths of silence, Gu Yanfei sighed and said, "Although the Gu family never raised me, now that I'm back, I'm tied together with the Gu family."
The girl's slow voice seemed to come from the clouds above the nine heavens, sounding calm, detached, and indifferent. There was an extreme rationality and inexplicable dignity in her words.
"…" Madam Gu was stunned for a moment. She was uneasy and her mind was in a mess.
"My surname is Gu, and my brother's surname is also Gu." Gu Yanfei softened her tone, making one's thoughts be drawn to her.
Madam Gu did not speak for a long time, her heartstrings swaying from side to side.
Yes, Gu Yanfei was right. Benefits were the best rope to tie each other up…
The swaying trees above cast shadows on her pale face, making her old eyes look extinguished.
...
"What do you think, Madam?" Gu Yanfei asked softly. Her voice was soft and clear, like a clear spring flowing into Madam Gu's heart.
In the cold wind, the sleeves of a young girl in plain clothes fluttered, as if she was in an ethereal mountain and was as pure as an immortal.
Madam Gu could not help but nod in response to her question.
That's right. If the Gu family was good, Gu Yanfei would be good.
It was for the good of the Gu family, and also for her own good!
63 Spiritual Energy
Madam Gu composed herself. She gripped the armrest of the chair with one hand and softened her voice slightly. "Yanfei, it's good that you can understand. Everything I do is for the sake of the Marquis Mansion, and it's also for your eldest brother and yourself."
"Since you're unwilling to marry into the Fang family, I can agree to it."
Madam Gu comforted Gu Yanfei nicely.
Gu Yanfei's smile was as bright as the stars in the night sky and she only asked, "What's the use of that jade pendant?"
Or rather, what secret of the British Monarchy was this jade pendant hiding that made the British Duchess want it at all costs? It had been like this in both lives.
"…" Looking up at Gu Yanfei, Madam Gu pursed her lips in silence and her body tensed up slightly.
Her thumb subconsciously rubbed against the prayer beads as her thoughts raced, as if she were hesitating or weighing the pros and cons.
The night wind howled, wantonly scraping the leaves and rustling their clothes. Candles in the lanterns flickered.
The surrounding servants did not dare to make a sound and looked down at the tips of their shoes.
To Gu Yanfei, the more Madam Gu acted like this, the more certain she was.
This jade pendant was very important!
The corners of Gu Yanfei's lips curled up again and she suddenly took the jade pendant from the box held by Juan Bi. She raised it high and looked like she was about to smash it…
Under the light, the jade pendant in her hand was not very clear, so all Madam Gu could see was a round jade pendant.
"Stop!"
Madam Gu's eyes suddenly widened in unconcealable shock and panic.
If Gu Yanfei really smashed the jade pendant, she would not be able to answer to the British Monarchy. The relationship between the Gu and Fang families would come to an end!
Nothing must happen to this jade pendant!
The veins on Madam Gu's forehead twitched. It was clearly winter, but beads of sweat rolled down her forehead.
Her cold gaze froze on Gu Yanfei. The two of them looked at each other and engaged in a silent stalemate.
Silence spread.
At this moment, even the wind had stopped, and the shadows of the trees in the dark had all stopped moving.
Madam Gu's breathing gradually thickened, and her chest heaved more and more violently. Slowly, she began to calm down again and her eyes settled, as if she had made a decision.
After a while, Madam Gu waved her hand.
The maidservants beside her immediately understood and silently retreated.
Juan Bi, who was holding the box, looked at Gu Yanfei's expression and also retreated 50 to 60 feet.
Only the two of them were left in silence after the servants left with the lanterns.
Within a radius of dozens of feet, only the silver moonlight poured down from the night sky, scattering silver frost on the ground.
Gu Yanfei was still standing in thin clothes and a long skirt that touched the ground.
Madam Gu sat on a chair on her shoulder, looking old and haggard.
Madam Gu cleared her throat and confessed in a low voice, "The British Duchess does want a jade pendant."
Once she confessed, it seemed easier to go on.
Madam Gu sorted out her thoughts and said tirelessly, "In May 50 years ago, Emperor Taizu led his troops into the capital. On the day they entered the capital, the last Emperor of the previous dynasty burned the imperial city in a fire. Along with the Empress, the concubines, the princes and the princesses all died in the sea of fire."
"The last Emperor's surname was Yu, and he came from the Yu family of Yingchuan."
"She's the first aunt of the British Duchess."
At this point, Madam Gu paused for a moment and her eyes flickered, as if she had recalled something from many years ago.
Gu Yanfei did not rush her and just looked at her steadily.
A moment later, Madam Gu continued, "After your mother married over, I noticed a jade pendant in her dowry. This jade pendant belonged to Empress Yu back then… I've seen it before."
Madam Gu's maiden family's surname was Qi. In Yingchuan, Yuzhou, although they were not an aristocratic family, they were still a famous local family. When she was young, Madam Gu had also gone to the Yu family to play and had seen the noble Empress Yu.
On the day of Empress Yu's marriage, according to the local customs, boys and girls needed to say something auspicious to the bride. At that time, Madam Gu was young and was also called over. She had once seen with her own eyes that the great-aunt of the Yu family was wearing this jade pendant.
This jade pendant was rare, especially since the carvings were the work of the local sculptor, Master Lu. The phoenix patterns were carved vividly and skillfully. Moreover, unlike ordinary jade pendants, the phoenix head had no eyes.
Therefore, Madam Gu could recognize it at a glance.
Thinking of the past so many years ago, Madam Gu sighed.
The prosperity and liveliness of the past were still in sight, but things had changed.
Madam Gu calmed herself down and said, "14 years ago, not long after Rong'er arrived in the capital, the British Duchess came to offer an engagement."
Back then, the British Monarchy was far stronger than the Dingyuan Marquis Household, and it was still the same now.
However, the British Monarchy did not object to the Marquis Mansion's sudden suggestion to change the candidate for the marriage. In fact, the last time the British Duchess came, she even expressed her intention to keep the engagement. Her words implied that no matter who the Gu family married, this engagement could not be broken off.
Madam Gu was not a fool and had long sensed that the British Duchess clearly had other motives.
In Madam Gu's opinion, the only thing that the other party could want from them was the phoenix-patterned jade pendant.
Gu Yanfei raised her hand to brush away her hair that had been blown astray by the night wind and asked casually, "If that jade pendant really belongs to the Yu family, why is it in my mother's dowry?"
"I don't know about that." Madam Gu sighed faintly and lowered her face to cough a few times, looking weak and haggard.
She wiped her mouth with a handkerchief and extended her hand to Gu Yanfei again. She said amiably, "Yanfei, give me the jade pendant."
Gu Yanfei stared deeply at Madam Gu, as if she wanted to see through her. Then, she put the jade pendant into her sleeve pocket.
Madam Gu, who had originally forced a kind expression, changed her expression like she was flipping through a book. A sinister glint shot out of her eyes and her hand froze in midair.
Gu Yanfei flicked her sleeve with a faint smile and stood leisurely with her hands behind her back. Her voice was clear as she said, "Don't worry, Madam Gu. I'm on the Gu family's side. When you need the jade pendant, I'll give it to you."
...
After a pause, she added slowly, "But not now."
"If there's nothing else, Madam Gu, I'll continue to count my mother's dowry."
"…" Madam Gu's expression turned even uglier.
Before she came, she had clearly made up her mind to force Gu Yanfei to hand over the key, but now, she had even handed over her trump card.
A remnant leaf was swept over by the evening wind and happened to land in Madam Gu's hair without her noticing it.
Gu Yanfei ignored her and turned around, calling Juan Bi into the small storeroom.
After entering the house, she opened her right palm.
On her palm was a suet white jade pendant engraved with a circle of phoenix patterns. Its carving was outstanding, simple and smooth, carrying a vast and simple concept.
Gu Yanfei had picked this jade pendant from a few pieces of the Xie family's dowry.
She was certain that this was what the British Duchess wanted, because among the things in the storeroom, only this jade pendant emitted a faint spiritual energy.
This spiritual energy came from the jade itself.
...
In fact, its spiritual energy was very weak. If it was in the Bright Spirit Realm, it would be inferior to low-grade spirit stones and far from being a natural treasure. Gu Yanfei would not even look at it in the Bright Spirit Realm, but in this small world, it was extremely rare.
64 Engagement
The evening breeze blew against the door of the west storeroom.
The rough creaking sound of the door was extremely piercing in the quiet night.
Madam Gu, who was outside the west storeroom, did not leave. Her face was tense as she stared fixedly at the swinging door of the storeroom, unable to calm down for a long time.
Apart from feeling surprised, angry, and frustrated, she also had a headache.
If the British Duchess agreed to her conditions today and she could not take out the jade pendant, would the British Monarchy think that she was deliberately playing with them?!
Just thinking about it made Madam Gu feel suffocated, as if something had been stuffed into her chest.
However, she had no choice but to coax Gu Yanfei.
Over the years, Madam Gu had been used to being the head of the Gu family. This feeling of being out of control made her very uncomfortable, and her expression darkened.
"Back to Benevolent Harmony Hall."
She spat out the words coldly and sat on the palanquin to be carried back to the Benevolent Harmony Hall. Along the way, she was silent and uneasy.
That night, Madam Gu tossed and turned in bed, almost unable to sleep the entire night.
For the next three days, she was in a bad mood and kept sending people to keep an eye on Gu Yanfei.
She watched helplessly as Gu Yanfei spent a day tidying up everything in the west storeroom and built a small kitchen in the Yuheng Garden. She even ignored the steward in the residence and found someone outside to repair the Yuheng Garden. A small door in the backyard that connected to the racecourse northeast of the Marquis Mansion was built soon after.
All her actions were challenging Madam Gu's patience, but she had no choice but to endure it.
The people in the Marquis Mansion were used to reading the situation. Seeing that Gu Yanfei was acting ostentatiously now, they only thought that she had received Madam Gu's favor, so they began to curry favor with her. Even the food sent to Yuheng Garden became much more sumptuous.
Madam Gu was in no mood to care about these miscellaneous matters. She thought about the jade pendant every day, but she did not know where to start… It was not until November 10th that an old maidservant came to report early in the morning. "Madam Gu, the British Duchess is here!"
Madam Gu could not help but be shocked that the British Duchess would visit without informing her.
Madam Gu did not have time to think carefully and quickly instructed Granny Li, "Go and welcome her personally."
Granny Li hurriedly nodded.
In the end, Granny Li hurried away and returned in a panic. Panting, she reported, "Madam Gu, the British Duchess brought a matchmaker… She said she's here to make an engagement with the Third Lady."
What?! Madam Gu's hand trembled and the prayer beads in her hand almost slipped.
She had thought that the British Duchess was here for the jade pendant, but she did not expect this!
Madam Gu clenched the prayer beads in her hand tightly, trying to suppress the anger in her heart that was about to condense into a ball.
Obviously, the British Monarchy wanted to blow things up!
There would probably be no peace this time.
Just as Madam Gu guessed, the British Monarchy made a huge scene this time. The matchmaker they invited was the wife of the prince's uncle. Not only that, but they had also come today with gongs and drums. They carried more than ten boxes of small gifts and scattered money along the way. Along the way, they arrived at the entrance of the Marquis Mansion under the watch of the commoners in the capital.
Because of the huge scale of the British Monarchy, news spread from one to 10 people, from 10 to 100, from 100 to 1000… In less than half a day, almost the entire capital knew about this.
The entire capital was excited.
"Look at this scene. The British Monarchy attaches great importance to this marriage."
"When the convoy from the British Monarchy passed by just now, I ran over to take a closer look. Every box of small gifts was heavy and bent the pole carrying it."
"I followed them all the way from the British Monarchy today and picked up a total of 20 copper coins. It's enough for me to drink a pot of good wine."
"…"
The lobby of a restaurant was full and lively as the customers drank alcohol and gossiped.
The conversation below was clearly transmitted to a private room on the second floor.
Kang Wang, Chu You, was sitting by the window, his eyes burning with majestic flames. He held a white porcelain wine glass tightly in his right hand, almost crushing it.
There was a clatter as the flagon beside him was knocked over by his elbow. Liquor flowed from it and spilled onto the table.
An eunuch hurried forward and tidied up the table nimbly before replacing the broken flagon with a new one.
Inside the booth, the atmosphere was oppressive and so quiet that even a pin drop could be heard.
Opposite Chu You sat a refined man in his 27s or 28s, dressed in a straight indigo robe with his hair tied up. Wearing a silver crown, this man called Yuan Zhe, who was Chu You's cousin, exuded a calm and reserved aura.
Yuan Zhe picked up his wine glass and his eyes flickered as he recalled the scene of the convoy from the British Monarchy passing through the streets.
Taking two sips of wine and looking at Chu You's indignant expression, he suddenly understood something and sighed faintly.
"Your Highness, is this 'Miss Gu' the person you like?" Yuan Zhe asked bluntly.
The interests of the Yuan family and Kang Wang were naturally on the same side, so when facing Kang Wang, Yuan Zhe did not beat around the bush and spoke bluntly.
Chu You nodded silently. He suddenly raised his head and downed the wine in his glass. His entire body was as tense as a drawn bow, as if it would snap at any moment.
At this moment, his heart changed from initial anger to panic, as if something was about to be dug out of his chest.
If the Gu and Fang families really signed the marriage contract in person today, would he still have a chance?!
It was obvious that once things developed to this point, the Empress Dowager would not agree to his marriage with Rong'er!
Chu You's eyes were turbulent as he tightened his grip on the empty wine glass in his hand. He wished he could rush to the Dingyuan Marquis Household now.
However, Chu You still suppressed the urge in his heart.
He had already gone to the Gu family to propose once. Last time, Madam Gu did not agree to it. He knew that Madam Gu valued Rong'er and did not want Rong'er to marry casually, and he could not make any promises to the Gu family…
This was not the Gu family's fault. It was all the Fang family's fault for being aggressive, and his fault for not being able to convince the Empress Dowager.
Chu You picked up the flagon and poured himself another glass of wine. Then he downed it again.
Cold wine trickled down his throat and burned in his stomach.
Chu You calmed down a little and looked at Yuan Zhe with a deep gaze. He slowly and firmly said the decision he had been considering for several days, "Cousin, I want Chu Yi to enter the court."
...
As soon as these words were spoken, even Yuan Zhe, who had always been expressionless, changed his expression slightly. He raised his eyebrows in confusion. "His Highness?"
Chu You pursed his thin lips and his eyes darkened.
When the late Emperor was still alive, the first time he proposed to abolish the Crown Prince, Chu Qi, he was strongly opposed by half of the courtiers in the royal court on the grounds that he could not abolish the Crown Prince for no reason and that he was the eldest son of the first wife. Most of these pedantic people were civil servants from poor families who relied on imperial examinations.
Due to the constraints of these ministers from humble backgrounds, the late Emperor did not hesitate to spend more than ten years setting up the imperial court and implementing the "Nine-Rank System" to gradually strengthen the power of the aristocratic families in the imperial court. It was to accumulate power for him and wait for an opportunity.
The efforts of the previous Emperor for more than ten years were not in vain. Now, although Chu Qi had ascended the throne, he had yet to stabilize his position. He was suppressed by the aristocratic families in the royal court, making it difficult for him to take a single step.
65 About to Die
After Chu Qi returned to the capital, he had planned to let his only son, Chu Yi, enter the court today. However, he was objected to by the aristocratic families led by the Yuan family on the grounds that he had lived in the State of Yue for a long time and had not completed his studies. The Yuan family even took the initiative to recommend a candidate to be the Grand Tutor.
Hence, the court started arguing over who could be the Eldest Prince's Grand Tutor. Until now, there was still no result.
Ever since Chu You entered the palace three days ago to meet the Emperor and Chu Yi, Chu You had thought about it. Now, the only condition for the Emperor to step forward and fulfill this marriage was to relent on this matter.
Chu You knew that if he did this, it would upset the balance in the current imperial court and even harm the situation that his father had carefully planned for him when he was still alive.
He had been thinking about this for the past few days, but before he could think it through, he was caught off guard by what the British Monarchy had done today.
He could not wait any longer!
Chu You's heart tightened and his gaze darkened. He repeated firmly, "I want Chu Yi to enter the court."
"…" After a short moment of shock, Yuan Zhe calmed down and understood that Chu You's actions were most likely for the Gu family's lady.
Yuan Zhe pursed his lips and twirled the wine glass in his hand noncommittally, his expression already filled with obvious disapproval.
His expression was calm and composed.
The Yuan family was an aristocratic family that had existed for more than 300 years. It was only in the past 20 years that the situation changed.
When the late Emperor was still alive, Empress Dowager Yuan and Kang Wang were favored. The late Emperor supported the Yuan family greatly, causing the Yuan family to faintly suppress the other three aristocratic families.
Emperor Taizu had the intention to suppress the aristocratic families, so the aristocratic families, including the Yuan family, had been united all these years in placing high hopes on Kang Wang.
Half of Kang Wang's bloodline was from an aristocratic family. In their opinion, he was the most noble. Only with Kang Wang's succession could these aristocratic families revive their might and return to the glorious era of "holding the power of a dynasty".
This time, Yuan Zhe had come all the way from Yuzhou to the capital on the orders of his father and ancestor to assist Kang Wang and help him advance.
Now that they had finally suppressed the Emperor, if Kang Wang took the initiative to back down at this critical moment for a woman and a little personal relationship, wouldn't it ruin the current good situation!
Even if Yuan Zhe did not say it, Chu You understood what he was thinking. He calmly said something shocking, "Chu Yi doesn't have long to live."
Yuan Zhe was shocked again and asked, "What happened?"
Chu You personally filled Yuan Zhe's cup with wine before continuing, "Chu Yi was born a premature baby, so his body has been weak and sickly since he was young. From the news of the State of Yue, he hasn't recovered in the past eight years. It's equivalent to growing up in a medicine jar."
"After he returned to the country last month, my brother has already summoned the imperial physician for him a few times. The bedroom is always filled with the fragrance of medicine."
As they spoke, Chu You closed the window, blocking out the commotion in the lobby downstairs and making the private room much quieter.
As Yuan Zhe listened, he took a sip of wine. His eyes were calm as he cautiously questioned, "Your Highness, could the Eldest Prince be pretending to be sick?"
"No." A confident smile appeared on Chu You's lips. His eyes were sharp as he said in a low voice, "After Chu Yi returned to the capital, the imperial physician's decree personally checked his pulse and prescribed him a prescription. However, a few days ago, his illness acted up, so five days ago, Imperial Physician Yan entered the palace to check Chu Yi's pulse."
"Imperial Physician Yan said that Chu Yi doesn't have long to live. There's a 80 to 90% chance that he won't live past his prime… He'll probably die even earlier than my brother."
Chu You's smile deepened as he said the last sentence.
Sometimes, he had to admit that he had underestimated his brother. His only son did not have long to live, but Chu Qi was still so calm and did not reveal any flaws.
Chu You's slender fingers gently fiddled with the edge of the wine glass, and his eyes darkened.
Yuan Zhe had seen the Emperor three times since he entered the capital and thought of the same thing as Chu You. He thought for a while and said in a low voice, "Your Highness, this is no small matter. Can you confirm if it's reliable?"
"Yes," Chu You said with a slight nod, his narrow eagle eyes narrowing.
What he did not say was that he had something on the Yan family. This was equivalent to him holding the lives of the entire family in his hands, so Imperial Physician Yan did not dare to play tricks on him.
The private room fell silent.
Yuan Zhe drank his wine in silence. After drinking two cups in a row, he relaxed slightly. "If that's the case, it's not impossible…"
Chu You was overjoyed when he heard this.
On this matter, he had to obtain the support of the Yuan family and let them deal with it.
Chu You sorted out his thoughts and continued. "Cousin, now that the royal court has aristocratic families, nobles, and poor families, this balance has been maintained for decades. It seems stable, but it can be broken at any time."
Just as Chu You had said, the power in the royal court was mainly divided into aristocratic families, nobles, and powerful ministers. Those nobles represented by the Fang family and the Li family were in charge of the military power. The ancestors of these people had basically followed Emperor Taizu to conquer the world back then and only submitted to Emperor Taizu. Emperor Taizu had personally chosen the current Emperor, so most of them were biased towards the Emperor and his son.
As for those ministers from the poor families, these people were all scholars who mostly came from ordinary backgrounds. Because Emperor Taizu strongly promoted the imperial examination system, these people were able to jump through the dragon gate and enter the royal court, so these scholars were extremely pedantic.
"The aristocratic families have always been at odds with the poor and noble families, but we can't be at odds forever. Taking a step back is to let them know that I have tolerance."
A few years ago, because of the previous Emperor's intention, the status of the Yuan family and other aristocratic families kept rising. However, this change harmed the interests of the poor and noble families, causing the aristocratic families to stand opposite the poor and noble families.
"Cousin, Father is no longer around, and Chu Qi is sitting on the throne now. We can't just stay stiff with the nobles and the poor. Now is the best time to let Chu Yi enter the court." Chu You looked at Yuan Zhe, who was sitting across the table from him, without blinking.
The cousins' gazes met in midair. One was domineering, the other gentle.
Chu You did not hide the exuberant ambition in his eyes. He was like an extremely aggressive wild leopard.
Yuan Zhe was expressionless at first, but as he quietly stared at Chu You, a little light gradually appeared in his eyes.
As a king, Kang Wang's strength and ambition were necessary. If he kept being submissive, he would be a docile sheep. How could he compete with the Emperor for the world?
Moreover, as Kang Wang had just said, now was indeed an opportunity to break the stalemate between him, the nobles, and the humble class.
Chu Yi was a person who was about to die, so it did not hinder them much. He could even use this to please the Emperor and make Kang Wang happy.
66 Agree
Yuan Zhe was the first to move.
This time, he picked up the flagon and refilled Chu You and his wine glass.
Then, he put down the white porcelain wine pot, held the cup respectfully with both hands to Chu You, and downed the wine in one gulp.
He toasted Chu You with this glass of wine.
Yuan Zhe did not need to say anything else for Chu You to immediately understand his meaning.
Chu You finally heaved a sigh of relief. He held the cup in one hand and toasted Yuan Zhe before drinking the wine in one gulp, his every move bold and unrestrained.
Yuan Zhe filled their glasses again before saying, "Your Highness, leave this matter to me."
He was not only talking about convincing the aristocratic families in the imperial court, but also convincing Empress Dowager Yuan.
"Then I'll entrust this matter to you." Chu You's eyes were instantly filled with joy. He was no longer as violent and gloomy as before and looked energetic.
Meeting Chu You's burning and bright eyes, Yuan Zhe felt a little complicated. A strange glint flashed across his eyes.
After thinking for a moment, Yuan Zhe still chose his words carefully to remind him. "Your Highness, you have to think carefully. The Third Lady of the Gu family can't help you with anything, so…"
He paused for a moment and fixed his firm gaze on Chu You's face, then continued clearly. "If Your Highness doesn't want to marry her as your main consort, you have to marry a daughter from an aristocratic family as your secondary consort."
Chu You was speechless.
His expression instantly changed and tensed up.
Yuan Zhe continued saying, "Your Highness, this is my condition."
Yuan Zhe rarely told Chu You what condition he had, which clearly showed his businesslike attitude.
Chu You did not say a word. His thin lips pursed into a straight line, and his hands on his knees clenched tightly, trying to suppress the dissatisfaction churning in his heart.
There was dead silence in the booth and the atmosphere was stiff as the silence spread. The air gradually froze, as if a storm was brewing.
Yuan Zhe met Chu You's cold and hard gaze without avoiding it. His face still maintained his persistence as he advised kindly, "Your Highness, you need an aristocratic family."
He was not exaggerating, nor was he threatening Kang Wang. The truth was that Kang Wang indeed needed an aristocratic family to back him up.
Chu You drank silently, his body still like a taut bowstring.
Yuan Zhe observed the change in Chu You's expression and continued logically, "Your Highness, although my Yuan family currently has some influence on the other aristocratic families, the reason why aristocratic families are aristocratic families is because they are noble and unyielding. If you want the aristocratic families to be willing to sacrifice their lives for you, Your Highness, you can't treat them as servants."
"The daughter of an aristocratic family from a noble background will surely feel aggrieved to be a concubine. Your Highness, you have to let the aristocratic family see your sincerity."
Yuan Zhe spoke in one breath. In the end, he added earnestly, "Your Highness, the Emperor never rules the world alone."
His unfinished words were that the world had always been governed by the Emperor and his subjects.
If Kang Wang wanted to rule the world, he had to rely on these aristocratic families. In the future, if he wanted to rule the world, he also had to rely on these aristocratic families. The Emperor and the aristocratic families relied on each other.
After that, Yuan Zhe stopped talking and just looked at Chu You steadily.
Chu You also did not speak for a long time and the surroundings were silent.
After an unknown period of time, Chu You finally nodded with difficulty.
Yuan Zhe was relieved. He had been afraid that Kang Wang would be stubborn and love the beauties more than the country. As long as Kang Wang had the big picture in his heart, he could rest assured and have enough confidence to persuade the Empress Dowager.
Chu You bowed to Yuan Zhe. "I'll have to trouble you, my cousin."
"Not at all!" Yuan Zhe stood up and bowed solemnly to Chu You.
Chu You stood up and stroked his sleeve. "Cousin, I still have something on, so I'll leave first."
"Take care, Your Highness." Yuan Zhe bowed and sent Chu You off. He could roughly guess where Chu You was going, but he did not say anything.
As Yuan Zhe had expected, after Chu You left the restaurant, he rode straight to the Dingyuan Marquis Household. His handsome face was anxious, expectant, happy, and a little uneasy.
He spurred his horse and galloped all the way through a few bustling streets. In less than ten minutes, he arrived at the Dingyuan Marquis Household.
The eunuch knocked on the corner door of the Marquis Mansion. Without waiting for the doorkeeper to report his arrival, Chu You rudely pushed open the door and barged in aggressively.
Chu You had been to the Marquis Mansion before, so the gatekeeper naturally recognized the dignified Kang Wang. He did not dare to stop him forcefully and only chased after Chu You from behind. "Your Highness Kang Wang!"
Chu You pretended not to hear him and strode forward. His figure was as straight as a sword, and he had an unstoppable aura.
Along the way, some servants of the Marquis Mansion came over, but these servants also did not dare to stop the dignified Kang Wang.
Chu You arrived at the main hall without any obstruction.
He immediately saw Gu Yunrong in red. Her face was lowered and she stood with her knees bent. Her porcelain skin had lost its usual vigor, and her eyes were filled with suppressed grievance and unwillingness.
Beside Gu Yunrong was the British Duchess, Madam Yu. At this moment, Madam Yu was picking up a hairpin from the tray held by a maidservant and slowly inserting it into Gu Yunrong's bun…
Chu You looked as if he had been slapped. His face instantly turned ashen, and he released a sinister pressure.
He rushed into the hall like a gust of wind. The low cries of maidservants and old women rose and fell around him, but Chu You did not care. He rushed to Gu Yunrong's side with a clear goal.
"Slam!"
Chu You raised his arm and slapped down, knocking over the red-painted wooden tray in the maidservant's hand.
The corner of the tray struck the back of the British Duchess' hand as the hairpin and the tray both fell to the ground with a clang.
The pearls on the hairpin scattered, and pearls the size of rice grains rolled to the ground.
"Rong'er!" Chu You reached out his other hand at lightning speed. His thick palm grabbed Gu Yunrong's wrist and he pulled her to his side.
The moment Gu Yunrong saw Chu You, her originally dim eyes bloomed with a dazzling light like a morning star. Her cherry lips moved slightly and she called out, "Your Highness."
Her voice was husky and restrained, but her slightly moist pupils seemed to contain a thousand words.
It was as if an invisible knife had stabbed deeply into Chu You's heart and was being pulled out again.
He could not believe that if he had come any later, Gu Yunrong and Fang Mingfeng's marriage might have been decided… He could have lost her!
Just thinking about this possibility made Chu You want to die.
Fortunately, he arrived in time! Fortunately, he did not lose Rong'er!
In the hall, Madam Gu, the British Duchess, and the matchmaker watched this scene with different expressions. The atmosphere was awkward and stiff. Kang Wang's actions were tantamount to slapping the British Monarchy's face in public.
Outside the hall, pairs of curious eyes watched the commotion inside. One of the eyes belonged to Juan Bi.
If Juan Bi knew, it meant that Gu Yanfei also knew.
"My Lady, it's a pity that you didn't see it with your own eyes. At that time, Kang Wang rushed in like a crazy bull and damaged that good hairpin. That's a hairpin from Jinyu!"
"Kang Wang held the Third Lady's hand and swore to Madam Gu that if she would give him three more days, he would definitely come back to propose marriage in style."
"The Third Lady was so touched that her eyes turned red."
Juan Bi talked nonstop and gestured with her hands and feet as she spoke. When she reached the point of interest, she clapped happily.
Gu Yanfei sat leisurely by the window with her back against the back of the chair. She listened absent-mindedly, playing with the phoenix-patterned jade pendant in her hand.
The jade pendant was smooth and cold to the touch.
Gu Yanfei gently rubbed the jade pendant with the finger of her right thumb. She focused on mobilizing the spiritual energy in her body and slowly guided the spiritual energy in the jade pendant into her body through the pores on her finger.
Warm spiritual energy slowly flowed through the veins of her body…
67 Disfigurement
Eh?! Juan Bi's gaze landed on the phoenix-patterned jade pendant in Gu Yanfei's hand that seemed to have lit up just now.
Was it her imagination? Juan Bi rubbed her eyes and, at the same time, her mouth did not stop moving as she said, "My Lady, at that time, the British Duchess' face was extremely dark, as if it was covered in dust. However, she did not dare to show off to Kang Wang, so she could only pressure Madam Gu to ask what the Gu family meant and if the engagement was still on?!"
"Before Madam Gu could answer, Kang Wang rushed to say that he wanted the British Duchess to go back and ask if the British Duke really wanted to go against him and the Empress Dowager?!"
Juan Bi beamed with joy and added fuel to the fire. She even deliberately imitated the tone of the British Duchess talking to Kang Wang to watch the commotion.
Juan Bi's words went in Gu Yanfei's left ear and out the right ear. She did not care much about Gu Yunrong and Kang Wang's matters and focused more on the jade pendant in her hand.
Gu Yunzhen, who was sitting beside her, frowned worriedly. Her fair hands subconsciously clenched her handkerchief, wanting to ask what would happen next.
Gu Yunzhen inevitably recalled the scene of Gu Yunrong, Kang Wang, and Fang Mingfeng fighting over a woman at Prince Jing's Manor that day and her beautiful frown deepened.
Kang Wang and Fang Mingfeng were both unruly. As long as Gu Yunrong's marriage was not settled, the residence would not stop.
Sometimes, Gu Yunzhen really hoped that Gu Yunrong would quickly settle the marriage with Fang Mingfeng and end everything.
"Ring, ring…"
On the ground, a vine ball wrapped in bells rolled to Gu Yunzhen's embroidered shoe. The kitten meowed and chased after the vine ball.
Her green cat eyes met Gu Yunzhen's.
In an instant, Gu Yunzhen completely fell into those deep and charming cat eyes that were as deep as the sea. She wished she could give her body and mind to it.
She leaned over and picked up the vine ball, tossing it out.
"Meow!"
Qing Guang leaped out and slapped the rattan ball. It rolled quickly across the mirror-smooth ground.
The winter sun poured into the house. The kitten's glossy fur shone in the winter sunlight, and its green eyes sparkled.
Juan Bi looked at the kitten in a daze. Then, as if fascinated, they squatted down and played with Gu Yunzhen.
"Ring, ring…"
The rattan ball rolled around and around, and the calico cat chased after it happily, its fluffy claws waving now and then, swatting, pouncing, and scratching.
Only the sound of the bell echoed in the air.
Gu Yanfei closed her eyes, unaware of her surroundings.
Having already entered a state of mind-and-body fusion, she focused on absorbing the last bit of spiritual energy from the jade pendant into her body and converting it into her own spiritual energy. Spiritual energy washed through her limbs and organs, as if she was bathing in warm sunlight.
When Gu Yanfei opened her eyes and looked at the phoenix-patterned jade pendant in her hand again, she realized that the jade pendant had already dimmed. It was no longer as lustrous as before, like a petal lacking water.
It became an ordinary jade pendant.
Gu Yanfei casually threw the jade pendant that she had been playing with for three days to the side and focused on sensing the spiritual energy in her body again.
She was still far from drawing it into her body, but the spiritual energy absorbed from the jade pendant was very beneficial to her.
When she had just been reborn, in order to save Juan Bi, who was on the verge of death, she had not hesitated to use her blood essence to draw talismans to pull her back from the gates of hell. However, this resurrection technique was forbidden by the rules of this small world and cost her lifespan.
After being cleansed by the spiritual energy in the jade pendant this time, it was enough to make up for her lost lifespan. She felt refreshed and unprecedentedly relaxed.
The skin on her face, neck, and hands was even more delicate and smooth than before, as if it was shining.
When she opened her eyes, what she saw stunned her.
Gu Yunzhen and Juan Bi were both squatting on the ground. One of them was holding a peacock tail feather and swinging it gently. The other was holding a box filled with chicken slices, waiting for the cat emperor to come.
Qing Guang was like a fish in water as it patted the peacock tail feathers twice, ate some chicken slices, and came to Gu Yanfei's side with the rattan ball in its mouth. It stuffed the rattan ball into her mouth and gestured for her to play with it.
"…" Gu Yanfei was speechless. She grabbed the "soft meat" on the back of the kitten's neck and picked it up.
The cat widened its green eyes in shock. It could not believe that Gu Yanfei learned bad things and actually treated it like that "bold and unruly person".
Gu Yanfei placed the kitten on her knees and covered the peephole with her other hand.
Gu Yunzhen, who was squatting on the ground, blinked before returning to her senses. Her beautiful face revealed a hint of embarrassment.
She quickly stood up from the ground. When she got up, her bangs were blown by the wind, revealing a slightly protruding scar on her forehead. It was about half an inch long and stood out against her fair and smooth forehead.
Gu Yanfei's gaze could not help but fall on the scar.
The Heavenly Tao had its own checks and balances. A person's fate was actually not so easy to change.
In her previous life, Gu Yunzhen was disfigured in Prince Jing's Manor, leaving behind irreparable regrets for the rest of her life. In this life, Gu Yunzhen avoided the calamity of Prince Jing's Manor, but her face was injured by Madam Gu and her appearance was damaged again.
It could be seen that some things had their own karma that could not be avoided.
Because of this, Gu Yanfei had always been worried that Gu Yunzhen would leave a scar. More than half a month had passed, but this wound still did not heal. Instead, the scar worsened, becoming slightly protruding and red.
Seeing Gu Yanfei staring at Gu Yunzhen's scar, Gu Yunzhen's maidservant, Fei Cui, could not help but say, "The Third Madam has hired many doctors for the Eldest Lady. She's used all kinds of methods, but her injuries haven't healed."
"Last time, because of the Third Lady, Madam Gu vented her anger on the Eldest Lady and even hurt her face. It's been so many days, but Madam Gu has never cared about the Eldest Lady."
"Today, the British Monarchy came to make an engagement. Madam Gu wants to call the Eldest Lady over to accompany the Third Lady again. Fortunately, Second Lady, you sent Juan Bi to invite the Eldest Lady earlier today…"
As she spoke, Fei Cui looked indignant.
Now that things had turned out like that, Madam Gu might take it out on her daughter again and blame her for not going over to protect the Third Lady.
"Fei Cui," Gu Yunzhen chided softly, interrupting Fei Cui.
Gu Yunzhen looked at Gu Yanfei and reminded her gently, "Second Sister, don't appear in front of Grandma for the next few days…"
She stopped there to remind Gu Yanfei that if the marriage with the Fang family failed, Madam Gu might have designs on Gu Yanfei again.
Gu Yanfei smiled.
Gu Yunzhen had always been like this. She was gentle and strong, forbearing and not weak.
"I'll listen to you, Big Sister," Gu Yanfei replied with a smile. She pulled Gu Yunzhen to sit beside her. "Big Sister, when I was in Huaibei in the past, I was lucky enough to meet a traveling Taoist priest and learned some skills from him…"
As she spoke, she gently tapped Gu Yunzhen's forehead with her index and middle fingers.
68 Rules
There was clearly no wind in the room, but at this moment, a few strands of bangs on Gu Yunzhen's forehead fluttered slightly.
Gu Yanfei poured spiritual energy into her fingertips, then moved them gently and drew a few strokes on Gu Yunzhen's fair forehead. Her simple movements had an indescribable beauty.
Gu Yanfei poured spiritual energy into her fingertips. Then, her fingers moved gently and drew a few strokes on Gu Yunzhen's fair forehead. Her simple movements were indescribably beautiful.
With just a few strokes, she drew a talisman smoothly with her fingers.
Gu Yunzhen subconsciously closed her eyes. She vaguely felt a warm and comfortable sensation on her forehead, as if it had been cleansed by an invisible airflow from her forehead to her entire head.
After a moment, Gu Yanfei moved her hand away.
It was as if an invisible airflow was connected to Gu Yanfei's finger and Gu Yunzhen's forehead. Gu Yanfei flicked her finger and the airflow broke.
Gu Yanfei smiled in satisfaction.
The faint red scar on Gu Yunzhen's forehead had become extremely faint, only slightly paler than the surrounding skin. If one looked closely, they would notice that it was worlds apart from its previous slightly protruding and red appearance.
Dumbfounded, Fei Cui stared at Gu Yunzhen's forehead and shouted in surprise, "My Lady, the scar on your forehead has faded! It really has faded!"
Her eyes stung with excitement and she beamed.
Thinking back to the divine power that Taoist Shangqing Spiritual Master used in the Benevolent Harmony Hall that day, it seemed to be nothing much.
It was said that people who were good at Tao techniques had the ability to revive the dead. Could it be that the Second Lady was the same?
When Fei Cui looked at Gu Yanfei again, there was more than gratitude on her face, and she was about to kneel down.
Gu Yanfei guessed what Fei Cui was thinking and smiled without saying anything.
She had already seen the methods of the "Taoist Doctor" in this small world. This was a Tao technique within the rules of the Heavenly Tao. Others could use it, but she could also use it without harming her lifespan.
Ever since she met Shangqing Spiritual Master, she had begun to slowly explore the limits of the rules of the Heavenly Tao.
Gu Yunzhen subconsciously raised her hand to touch her forehead. Seeing this, Fei Cui quickly took a mercury mirror beside her and showed it to Gu Yunzhen.
The mercury mirror was invented by Emperor Taizu. Not only was Emperor Taizu's martial arts far superior to that of mortals, but he was also an inventor who was good at mechanics. He invented the mercury mirror, windmills, artillery, and so on.
The palm-sized mercury mirror was as smooth as ice, clearly reflecting Gu Yunzhen's face.
Gu Yunzhen looked at herself in the mirror in a daze, her face still filled with disbelief…
A faint smile bloomed on her beautiful lips and slowly spread to the corners of her eyes and into her eyes, like a peony flower suddenly blooming under the dazzling sunlight.
"Second Sister, you're really amazing!" Gu Yunzhen praised sincerely.
Fei Cui nodded repeatedly and sighed. "Second Lady, the Taoist priest who taught you this method must be a god!"
Fei Cui was even more excited than Gu Yunzhen.
Her eldest daughter had always been gentle, magnanimous, and understanding. Despite having the scar on her forehead this time, she always said that it was fine, and that her bangs could cover the scar. However, how could a girl not care about her appearance!
Thinking of her master, Gu Yanfei's smile was tainted with nostalgia. She nodded and said, "Of course!"
"To him, this is just a small trick."
Gu Yunzhen also looked fascinated when she heard this. "This is also your opportunity, Second Sister."
Gu Yanfei smiled happily.
Fei Cui thought of Gu Yunzhen's wedding date and said to Gu Yunzhen in high spirits, "My Lady, when the Third Madam sees that your face has recovered, she will definitely be overjoyed."
"Meow, meow, meow!" The kitten meowed angrily on Gu Yanfei's knee, dissatisfied that it had been ignored.
Gu Yunzhen subconsciously looked for the cat and gently stroked its fur. Its glossy fur was smooth and soft, and it felt extremely good to the touch.
Just as she was about to hug the kitten, she heard the maidservant's slightly uneasy report from the central room outside the curtain. "Second Lady, Miss Bai Lu from the Benevolent Harmony Hall is here."
Seeing the look that Gu Yanfei gave her, Juan Bi lifted the curtain and left. When she returned, she was followed by Bai Lu, who was dressed in an aqua loose coat.
Bai Lu walked up to Gu Yanfei with a smile and bowed politely. "Second Lady, I'm here on Madam Gu's orders to take that phoenix-patterned jade pendant."
"Madam Gu asked me to remind you that only when the Gu family is well will you be well."
Bai Lu observed Gu Yanfei's expression and subconsciously clenched her handkerchief.
Gu Yanfei smiled and nodded. "Madam is right."
She covered her clear eyes and did not let it cause trouble. With her free hand, she picked up the phoenix-patterned jade pendant that she had thrown aside just now and casually rubbed the jade pendant with the finger of her index finger.
Where her fingertips brushed, a white light flashed unnoticeably across the jade pendant.
The smile on Gu Yanfei's lips deepened as she handed the jade pendant to Bai Lu.
"Thank you, Second Lady." Bai Lu took the phoenix-patterned jade pendant respectfully with both hands and heaved a sigh of relief.
There was a huge commotion in the hall, and neither Kang Wang nor the British Duchess were willing to back down. The British Duchess did not dare to go against Kang Wang, so she took her anger out on Madam Gu and threatened to get the British Monarchy to impeach the Gu family.
Madam Gu did not want to fall out with the British Monarchy. She comforted the British Duchess and quickly instructed Bai Lu to come and find Gu Yanfei to take this phoenix-patterned jade pendant.
Bai Lu was originally worried that Gu Yanfei would not be willing to hand over the jade pendant readily, and did not expect things to go so smoothly.
"Then I'll go back and report to Madam." Bai Lu smiled in relief. She curtsied and left in a hurry.
Watching Bai Lu's back disappear through the curtain, Gu Yunzhen frowned and could not help but whisper, "Second Sister, that jade pendant is Aunt's…"
She was only halfway through her sentence when Gu Yanfei casually stuffed Qing Guang into her arms. At the same time, she let go of her hand covering the green cat's eye, and its eyes met Gu Yunzhen's.
Qing Guang was really cute! Gu Yunzhen immediately submitted to the charm of a cat and fell under the magic of those blue eyes.
"Qing Guang, play with Big Sister for a while." Gu Yanfei stood up with a smile and flicked the cat's forehead, meaning to play with her.
"Meow!" Qing Guang meowed proudly.
After a while, the bell of the rolling rattan ball sounded again in the room.
Everyone's attention was on the cat, so no one noticed that Gu Yanfei had walked out of the boudoir alone.
The ringing behind her faded. When she walked out of Yuheng Garden, nothing could be heard.
Gu Yanfei went straight to the outer gate.
The capital was even colder in mid-November. The cold wind howled, but Gu Yanfei did not feel cold at all. She was only wearing a thin and simple dress, and her plain clothes fluttered with the cold wind.
Not long after, they saw the British Duchess walking elegantly in their direction. Behind her were seven or eight maidservants carrying heavy boxes.
The British Duchess in a dark red cloak trimmed with mink fur was as dignified and luxurious as ever. Her graceful face was tense, and her eyes were surging with extremely complicated emotions. They were filled with anger, irritation, and panic.
The moment she saw Gu Yanfei, she slowed down slightly. Her beautiful lips pursed into a cold line, and the anger that had been suppressed in her chest for a long time finally had an outlet at this moment.
69 Honesty
"Isn't this Second Lady Gu?!" The British Duchess stopped beside her twin horse, the Emerald Pearl Eight Treasures Carriage. She sneered softly. "Does the Gu family have any rules?!"
"Why did you come here to stop me? Could it be that you can't bear to part with your engagement to the British Monarchy? Shameless!"
The British Duchess did not hide the disdain and contempt in her words. She vented all the coldness and mockery she had suffered from Kang Wang on Gu Yanfei.
She subconsciously touched the jade pendant hidden in her sleeve pocket. Since she had this jade pendant, she had nothing to worry about.
!
Hmph, she did not like Gu Yanfei or Gu Yunrong. They were all the same and were not worthy of her son at all!
"Does your grandmother know that you're here?" The British Duchess took another step closer to Gu Yanfei, her chin high, her expression sharp, impatient, and disgusted.
Gu Yanfei stood rooted to the ground and looked at her calmly.
The British Duchess' fussy and disgusted face overlapped with that of her previous life, and the other party's mean words seemed like yesterday.
Gu Yanfei smiled casually.
"Does the Crown Prince know that the Duchess is here today?" she asked.
As if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her head, the British Duchess' anger was suddenly extinguished, and her expression froze for a moment.
Although she quickly regained her composure and was expressionless, that short moment of loss of composure did not escape Gu Yanfei's eyes.
Gu Yanfei remained where she was. Her sleeves and skirt floated in the direction of the British Duchess, as if she was approaching her.
"If the Crown Prince finds out that the Duchess didn't come for him today, he will be very disappointed," Gu Yanfei said coldly and calmly.
"…" The British Duchess' pupils constricted, and the shock in her eyes intensified.
She had made this trip and made such a big hooha that had also embarrassed the British Monarchy. Of course, it was not for the sake of making a decision, but how did Gu Yanfei know?!
She told herself: No, that's impossible. It's impossible for Gu Yanfei to know!
As if seeing through her thoughts, a faint smile appeared on Gu Yanfei's face. She sighed and said, "Sigh, the Crown Prince is really pitiful. Not only was his love snatched away, but he was also bullied by his mother while kept in the dark."
"How disappointed he'll be when he finds out."
"Is it so difficult to be honest?!"
Her voice was fleeting and ethereal, and there was an indescribable bewitching quality to it. The air seemed to be lifted by the demonic words and flowed directly toward the right sleeve pocket of the British Duchess.
The sleeve pocket lit up quickly, but no one noticed.
The cold wind was like a knife, hurting the face of the British Duchess, and her eyes flickered with uncertainty.
The British Duchess composed herself and said coldly, "What are you trying to say?!"
She had suspected that Gu Yanfei was waiting for her here to ask for the jade pendant, but now, it didn't seem like it.
Gu Yanfei smiled politely from beginning to end. She reached out and said, "Have a safe trip, Duchess."
The more polite she was, the more the British Duchess felt that Gu Yanfei had ulterior motives. She stared fixedly at the other party's big black eyes, feeling uneasy.
However, she could not bring herself to say anything more to Gu Yanfei, and only said coldly to her nanny, "Return to the residence!"
Holding her nanny's hand with one hand and holding her skirt with the other, she hurriedly stepped onto the horse stool, intending to get into the carriage. Unexpectedly, she accidentally stepped on her skirt and staggered forward.
Even as the maidservant and nanny hurried to help her, the British Duchess' knee slammed into the carriage and she cried out in pain.
Even the hairpin in her bun was askew and disheveled.
Gu Yanfei chuckled and left. Her laughter disappeared in the strong cold wind.
"…" The British Duchess had never been so embarrassed in her life and her face burned. After she stabilized herself, she hurriedly got into the carriage as if escaping.
Soon, the luxurious carriage drove out of the west corner gate and left the Dingyuan Marquis Household.
On the way back to the British Mansion, the British Duchess kept feeling uneasy. One moment, she was thinking about Kang Wang, the next moment, she was thinking about Gu Yanfei, the next moment, she was thinking about her son, Fang Mingfeng, and the next moment…
Thoughts raced through her mind and she hadn't even taken a sip of tea. When the tea cooled and she arrived at the British Mansion, her heart was still in turmoil.
Just as her feet landed on the bluestone floor of the British Mansion, she heard Fang Mingfeng's anxious and excited voice.
"Mother!"
Fang Mingfeng rushed towards the British Duchess like a gust of wind. Half of the young man's well-defined face was perfect, and the other half was covered in fine scars that were slightly covered by his bangs.
A few feet behind, two guards were chasing him. They were relieved to see the British Duchess back.
"Mother, where did you go just now? Is it the Gu family's manor?" Fang Mingfeng stopped three steps away and asked anxiously, his eyes shining with anticipation.
For the past few days, he had been more or less depressed after being ordered by his father to be locked in his room and was not allowed to go out. It was only today that he heard from the old woman sweeping the courtyard that the Duchess had gone to the Gu family to propose an engagement that he regained his spirits.
Meeting her son's expectant eyes, the British Duchess stiffened and her eyes wandered.
She had another motive for going to the Gu family today.
The British Duchess clenched her fists in her sleeves. She wanted to brush it off casually, but just as the words were about to leave her mouth, Gu Yanfei's ethereal voice suddenly sounded in her ears. Every word seemed to be engraved in her heart, especially the last sentence: "Is it so difficult to be honest?!"
Was it so difficult to be honest?!
Yes, the mother and son had once been close and honest with each other.
The jade pendant in her sleeve pocket burned slightly, and a heat flowed from the pores of her skin into her heart. An inexplicable urge rose in her heart.
Her eyes gradually unfocused, and they looked empty, as if her soul had been extracted.
"Mingfeng," the British Duchess said involuntarily. "I just went to the Gu family to propose an engagement with Rong'er."
That was good news! Fang Mingfeng was overjoyed and in high spirits.
The British Duchess continued with a look of realization, "Rong'er agreed…"
Fang Mingfeng's eyes shone with an irresistible light, but his mother continued, "But Kang Wang suddenly barged in and pulled Rong'er away…"
"…" The corners of Fang Mingfeng's lips that had just curled up froze. His flying heart suddenly raced, and his heart constricted tightly, such that he could barely breathe.
...
The British Duchess said stiffly, "Kang Wang broke the hairpin I prepared for Rong'er and even chased me out of the Gu family…"
Fang Mingfeng clenched his fists tightly, and his entire body seemed to be enveloped in frost. His hatred for Kang Wang rose with his mother's few words.
It was as if a treasure had been forcefully snatched away!
He hated Kang Wang!
70 Broken Jade
Whoosh—
A bone-chilling wind howled and crackled against the branches.
The cold wind burrowed into her collar and the British Duchess shuddered. Her dazed eyes were focused again, and her mind returned to the present.
She came to her senses and it was only at this moment that she realized that she had said everything she shouldn't have.
!
Her heart was pounding uncontrollably, and she was flustered. She did not understand what had just happened to her. Why had she blurted out everything!
Was she possessed by a ghost?!
Thump thump thump!
Feeling uneasy, the British Duchess looked around anxiously and felt a cold wind blow past her.
"Mingfeng…" She wanted to remedy the situation and explain, but she felt a burning sensation in her right sleeve. It was so hot that it was as if a flame was burning.
The British Duchess let out a soft cry and quickly took out the phoenix-patterned jade pendant from her sleeve pocket. She realized that the suet white jade pendant had shattered into seven or eight pieces. The fragments of the jade pendant were so hot that they almost burned her.
How could this be?! The British Duchess was shocked and bewildered. She felt as if countless ants were drilling through her heart and did not notice Fang Mingfeng's ugly expression at all.
Fang Mingfeng's eyes were red as he clenched his fists tighter and tighter, his joints cracking.
Kang Wang, it was Kang Wang Chu You again!
What could he not compare to Kang Wang?!
In the next moment, he could not help but think of what Gu Yanfei had said back then.
"Fang Mingfeng, in terms of status, you can't compete with Kang Wang."
"In terms of looks… What do you plan to use to compete with Kang Wang?"
That disdainful voice pierced Fang Mingfeng's heart like a nail, filling his heart with excruciating pain.
It was also as if he had been pushed into a bottomless abyss from behind. Fang Mingfeng felt that his surroundings were dark and cold, completely engulfing him, making him unable to see any hope.
His throat was filled with a fishy sweetness.
He vomited a mouthful of blood from his throat, staining his thin lips red.
"Mingfeng!" The British Duchess shouted in shock, her heart aching. "Quick… quickly get a doctor."
Worried about her son, she forgot about the broken jade pendant in her hand. The pieces of the jade pendant slipped out of her hand and fell to the ground, but no one paid attention to them.
The surrounding servants were in chaos.
Fang Mingfeng pretended not to hear her and rushed out. Behind him, the British Duchess shouted in a trembling voice, "Mingfeng, where are you going!"
He was going to settle scores with Kang Wang! Fang Mingfeng stumbled out of the residence. The doorkeeper and the other servants were at a loss and hesitant, not knowing if they should stop him, until a loud and dignified male voice came from the northwest.
"Men, capture the Crown Prince!"
A young and rough-looking man in a sapphire blue brocade robe strode over. He had a beard and a strong, burly figure. As he walked over, he stared coldly at Fang Mingfeng with bright eyes.
Behind the man was a pageboy who was panting. Just now, when he saw the Crown Prince hurt the guard and run out, he quickly ran to report to the Duke. Fortunately, he was not too late.
"Yes, Duke!" The guards hurriedly cupped their fists at the man in the embroidered robe and accepted the order.
The guards no longer hesitated and boldly stepped forward to stop Fang Mingfeng. They did not hold back at all and firmly restrained his arms.
"Let go of me! I want to find Chu You!" Fang Mingfeng's heart was filled with anger and jealousy. He roared hysterically and struggled, revealing the left side of his face that was covered in thin, abnormally ferocious scars.
The British Duke frowned and waved his hand. The guards immediately understood and forcefully dragged Fang Mingfeng down.
"…" The British Duchess looked at her son's back and hesitated. In the end, she did not dare to plead for her son.
The British Duke's heavy gaze shifted to the British Duchess again. Noticing the pieces of jade pendant scattered by her skirt, he took a second look.
"My Lord…" The British Duchess quickly took a step away, her long skirt blocking the broken jade pendants.
The British Duke didn't want to listen to her nonsense at all and interrupted her. "Well?"
The British Duchess gritted her teeth nervously. Cold sweat broke out on her back, and frustration, anger, and suppressed emotions filled her chest.
She pretended to be calm and said in a low voice, "You asked me to go to the Gu family, so I went. Kang Wang also came… As you wished."
She gritted her teeth as she said the last few words. She glared angrily at the British Duke, her body trembling with anger.
In the past few days, not only had Fang Mingfeng been depressed, but so had the British Duchess. It was as if the world had suddenly reversed overnight and the person beside her had become a stranger who terrified her.
She really did not understand why he wanted her to go to the Gu family to be humiliated for no reason!
Fortunately, her trip this time was not fruitless. At least she had retrieved the jade pendant…
A strange glint flashed across the British Duchess' eyes, and her plump chest heaved violently. She looked up into the British Duke's eyes and said, "Fang Huairui, our son is going to become the laughing stock of the entire capital. Are you happy and satisfied?"
Fang Huairui's gaze was like a knife stabbing at the British Duchess. Cold air filled the air as their gazes met fiercely in midair in a silent showdown.
An extremely complicated emotion flashed across Fang Huairui's eyes, and in the end, there was only deep disappointment.
He flicked his sleeves heavily and walked in the direction of the outer study. "Madam Yu, don't go out for no reason."
This sentence was equivalent to a grounding order for the British Duchess.
"…" Madam Yu trembled in embarrassment and anger.
She wanted to chase after him, but her years of upbringing made her unable to let go of her pride as a daughter of an aristocratic family. In the end, she did not move.
Her face flushed and she felt as if the servants around her were looking at her with thorns.
"Bang!"
The door of the British Mansion closed tightly, shutting out the commotion in the mansion. Outsiders were not allowed to snoop, but it could not stop them from gossiping.
Today, the British Duchess had gone in a flashy manner, so almost half of the capital knew that the Fang family had gone to the Gu family to propose an engagement. Now that the British Duchess had returned with all the engagement gifts, it made people wonder if the Gu family had rejected this marriage.
...
Logically speaking, for the marriage to reach this stage, the two families must have been discussing the marriage long ago. It was impossible for the British Monarchy to come and propose marriage for no reason.
Especially with Kang Wang's sudden intrusion, this marriage was the focus of heated discussion.
In the next few days, everyone in the capital could not help but make guesses. All kinds of rumors spread like wildfire and became more and more lively. There were even busybodies who ran to the British Monarchy to test the waters. Unfortunately, the British Monarchy closed its doors and refused guests.
Many people were waiting to watch a good show. They were looking forward to seeing if there would be some melodramatic scene between Kang Wang and the British Monarchy.
The British Duke Fang Huairui, who was the center of public opinion, finally left the residence and entered the palace after three days.
He did not go to court, but was led all the way to the East Warm Pavilion by the eunuch.
"Your Highness, the matter has been settled."
Fang Huairui lowered his head and solemnly cupped his fists at the person behind the desk.
An incense burner was lit in the corner, filling the air with the thick scent of sandalwood.
Behind the desk, Chu Yi sat leisurely in a red brocade robe.
...