71 Chess Piece
Usually, Chu Yi was dressed in snow-white clothes. Today, he was wearing a rare red dress that made his skin look even fairer and peerlessly beautiful.
It was clearly a bright red color like a peony, but he wore it with a clear and aloof temperament.
He was playing with a short sword between his slender fingers, and his movements were carefree and agile. An unfathomable aura surrounded him and added to his unruliness.
The warm room was as warm as spring, but cold sweat seeped out of Fang Huairui's broad forehead, and his tall body was tense.
He had experienced the tempering of the battlefield and the turmoil in the royal court and was considered a person who could hold his own. However, when facing the Eldest Prince, he was actually suppressed to the point of being unable to raise his head.
Fang Huairui did not dare to move and maintained his cupped fists. Time seemed to have slowed down.
"Swoosh!"
The short sword was drawn an inch from its sheath. The silver blade shone coldly, and the subtle sound echoed in Fang Huairui's ears like lightning, making the sweat on his neck become denser.
Chu Yi said calmly, "Very good."
His voice was as clear as a zither, neither fast nor slow, neither light nor heavy, but also unclear. It was unknown if he was saying that the sword was very good or if he was talking about something else.
The two words suddenly relaxed the stagnant air, and some of the invisible authority dissipated.
Fang Huairui felt relieved, as if he had been forcefully pressed into the water for the time it took to brew a cup of tea, and had only now been picked up.
He roughly raised his hand to wipe away his cold sweat with mixed feelings.
The Eldest Prince, Chu Yi, had left the Great Jin Dynasty for eight years, so no one in the imperial court knew him well and most people did not have a high evaluation of him. After all, having been a hostage in the enemy country for eight years, it was obvious that the State of Yue would not raise him well!
Therefore, the nobles in the imperial court were all waiting and watching the Eldest Prince's attitude, including the Fang family.
Furthermore, after Chu Yi returned to the capital, he had been silent and allowed Kang Wang to press on and make things difficult for him. To outsiders, he looked helpless. At that time, Fang Huairui did not take Chu Yi seriously.
He never expected Chu Yi to be so shrewd at such a young age. It was fine if he did not make a move, but once he did, he was unstoppable.
Over the past few days, Fang Huairui had already deeply experienced the power of the Eldest Prince and did not dare to slight him anymore.
"As long as Your Highness is satisfied," Fang Huairui said. A forthright smile appeared on his bearded face.
Recalling the entire sequence of events, he still felt a little shocked.
The marriage between the Fang and Gu families had been decided more than ten years ago. However, a few months ago, the Gu family suddenly proposed to change people at the last minute without giving a reason. What did they mean by who gave birth to whom? These messy matters were all family matters of the Gu family, so Fang Huairui did not care and could not be bothered to investigate.
Since the Gu family was not sincere about this marriage, Fang Huairui thought that they would not get married. However, Madam Yu insisted, so he did not interfere.
Until four days ago, the Eldest Prince, Chu Yi, had summoned him to an audience and asked him to submit a memorial to impeach Kang Wang for snatching his wife.
The British Monarchy's status was stable, so there was no need to take sides at all, nor was there a need to fight for meritorious service. Therefore, Fang Huairui originally did not want to be involved in the internal strife between the two sides of the royal family and planned to pretend to be stupid and reject it. However, Chu Yi showed him a ledger, scaring him out of his wits.
Only then did he know that Madam had helped her family use the name of the British Monarchy to secretly occupy a few iron ore mountains in Yuzhou to privately mine stones. The local authorities turned a blind eye and did not dare to interfere.
Although the people who benefited from this matter were the Yu family, the Yu family was fighting against the Fang family in the name of the outside world. The two families were in-laws, so the Fang family could not sever ties at all, and he could not escape the crime of "not strictly controlling his wife"…
According to the law, iron ore was owned by the country and could not be privately mined by the people.
The crime of seizing iron ore was not light. It could give the Emperor enough excuse to seize the hereditary title of Duke of the Fang family and lower his status to a Marquis or even an Earl.
The Fang family's current status was obtained by the Fang family's ancestor at the cost of his life, flesh, and blood. This status could not be lost because of him!
After weighing the pros and cons, Fang Huairui had no choice but to agree.
That was why he had submitted a letter of impeachment for three consecutive days.
After that, under Chu Yi's instructions, he asked Madam to go to the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion to propose an engagement and cause a commotion that could shock the entire capital.
In fact, Chu Yi had never explained his intentions. He would only instruct Fang Huairui to do what needed to be done. However, Fang Huairui had eyes that could see and a brain that could think.
In the past few days, Fang Huairui had been panicking at first. Later, he gradually calmed down and planned to find a new turning point in the crisis. Ever since then, he had been quietly observing the young Eldest Prince.
It had to be said that Chu Yi's strategies, his grasp of timing, his estimation of the human heart, and his understanding of the big picture made Fang Huairui look at him in a new light. He was so young, but his thoughts were so meticulous. He hid behind the scenes and managed to push things step by step to the situation he wanted.
Everyone was just a pawn in his hands.
Thud! Thud!
Fang Huairui's heart suddenly raced twice. His eyes were bright and filled with excitement.
With Chu Yi's schemes and methods, he was clearly a wise master worthy of loyalty.
Kang Wang was powerful, and Chu Yi needed the help of the nobles. The Fang family also needed Chu Yi. Hence, working together was beneficial to both sides.
In fact, if the Fang family could help Chu Yi achieve something, they could even rise to a higher level!
At this moment, Chu Yi completely pulled out the short sword and carefully sized up the thin and sharp blade. Without looking at Fang Huairui, he said, "Fang Huairui, sit down."
Fang Huairui was finally relieved when he heard this, and the smile on his face deepened.
Being in no hurry to sit down, he cupped his hands casually and bargained with Chu Yi with a smile. "Your Highness, on account of the fact that I've done this job for you, can you exonerate me? Don't worry, Your Highness. I'll definitely handle Madam Yu!"
Fang Huairui smiled warmly, as if he had known Chu Yi for many years. From his words, it was as if he had not been forced by Chu Yi this time, but had received an errand.
He was indeed sincere in his words. After this lesson, not only would he restrain the Yu family, but he would also not let them off easily.
Chu Yi chuckled and casually waved his sword. His simple movements were as smooth as flowing water.
The silver sword light reflected in Fang Huairui's eyes, making him a little dazzled. His heart tightened and he was shocked.
Feeling that something was wrong, he recalled what he had just said, but could not think of anything wrong with it.
Chu Yi simply sheathed the sword, then put it aside with a clatter. He asked, "Fang Huairui, do you know that there's another person hidden in the Yu family?"
His tone was very calm, as if he was chatting with Fang Huairui.
"…" Fang Huairui looked at Chu Yi in shock and confusion.
Chu Yi said slowly, "In February of the first year of the Heavenly Calendar, a great-aunt from the Yu family returned with her newborn son."
"A year ago, when Empress Yu and Emperor Hongwu died in the sea of fire, she was said to be eight months pregnant.
...
When Chu Yi said these two sentences, it was as if he was talking about an unimportant matter or a needle hidden in cotton wool.
72 Court Attendance
There was an instant silence in the East Warm Pavilion and time seemed to have frozen.
When the incense in the incense burner burned out, the eunuch quickly replaced the new incense without making a sound.
"…" Fang Huairui felt like there was a mountain of blades and a sea of fire under his feet. He almost jumped up and clenched his fists so hard that his knuckles turned white.
No matter how slow he was, he understood what Chu Yi meant. His face was as calm as water.
Fang Huairui's tall and burly body tensed up again, like a spear standing on the battlefield filled with corpses.
He took a deep breath and asked clearly, "Your Highness, do you mean that the Yu family took in the prince of the previous dynasty?"
The words were almost squeezed from between his teeth, and his heart constricted into a ball.
Chu Yi smiled without saying anything.
Fang Huairui panicked even more, as if countless ants were crawling in his heart.
Originally, although the account book in Chu Yi's hand would cause some damage to the Fang family, he knew that with his and the Fang family's status, as long as he was willing to submit to Chu Yi, this matter would most likely be resolved.
And now, the nature of the Yu family's matter was completely different.
If the Yu family really died as Chu Yi had said, even if they did not deserve to offend their married daughter, this matter would not end well. Since the Yu family dared to privately occupy the iron mine for the Yu family behind his back, they might even do something treasonous under the name of the British Monarchy behind his back.
Thinking of this, Fang Huairui felt a chill in his feet and a bone-chilling coldness rushed to his head.
His beard trembled slightly and he could not help but ask, "This matter is not trivial. Does Your Highness have evidence?"
Instead of answering, Chu Yi asked, "Why does the Yu family insist on marrying into the Dingyuan Marquis Household?"
Fang Huairui: "…"
In fact, Fang Huairui had also asked Madam Yu this question. Madam Yu said that the Gu family's Gu Yunrong had good birth characters, and she had even hired someone to calculate that Gu Yunrong could help her husband's family.
Fang Huairui could not say if he believed in these things, nor did he care too much.
Anyway, Madam Yu would not harm her biological son, right?
But now that she thought about it, the entire matter was filled with doubts and puzzling things.
Thud! Thud!
Fang Huairui's heart suddenly beat faster like a drum, and cold sweat began to break out on his forehead again.
From Chu Yi's appearance, he did not seem to be spouting nonsense.
A gentle smile appeared on Chu Yi's lips, and the dark red mole under his eye was as dazzling as a gem in the sunlight as he said, "The Yu family's great-aunt, whose surname is Bai, is a noble family in Qingzhou. Her husband is weak, so she only gave birth to a son after seven years. In February of the first year of the Heavenly Calendar, the Bai family burned down and the entire family died. Because the Yu family was visiting her family, she was lucky to escape. After that, the Yu family made the decision and the Bai family's patriarch allowed her to return with her son."
"After that, not only did the Yu family give the thousand acres of land in Qingzhou to the Bai family, but they also gave the salt in Qingzhou to the Bai family… Fang Huairui, why do you think this is?"
"…" The muscles on Fang Huairui's cheeks trembled rapidly, and he was speechless again.
He did not like the arrogant aristocratic family in the Yu family and had been far away from them all these years. However, he did not expect the Yu family to be so bold!
After a pause, Chu Yi smiled gently. "Do you want me to continue?"
Without waiting for an answer, Chu Yi continued, "The previous dynasty's Empress Yu had a suet white jade pendant that was passed down in the Yu family. It was round and engraved with eyeless phoenix patterns."
"One of Empress Yu's portraits was accompanied by this jade, but this jade pendant was never seen again after Empress Yu's death."
"Have you seen it before?"
Chu Yi looked straight at Fang Huairui with certainty. His eyes locked onto him, and his smile was warm. He was clearly smiling, but it made one's heart turn cold.
Fang Huairui's eyes widened and a hint of confusion flashed across his eyes. For some reason, he felt that the jade pendant Chu Yi described seemed familiar, and Chu Yi's words seemed to be meant for him.
Could it be that he had seen Empress Yu's jade pendant somewhere?!
Fang Huairui tried his best to search his memories, his eyebrows tightly furrowed.
An image flashed through Fang Huairui's mind.
That day, there was a broken jade pendant made of suet white jade by Madam Yu's skirt. At that time, Madam Yu even took a step back to try to block the broken jade pendant, obviously up to something.
Fang Huairui recalled the appearance of the broken jade pendant. It had been smashed into five or six pieces, but judging from its outline, it should be a round jade pendant with a phoenix engraved on it…
The phoenix had no eyes!
Fang Huairui's eyebrows twitched and his breathing deepened.
He slowly raised his head to look at Chu Yi again. His neck was stiff, his eyes were even more respectful, and his heart was in chaos.
The problem was, how did Chu Yi know that he had seen Empress Yu's jade pendant?!
How did Chu Yi know about the British Monarchy?!
Chu Yi had been a hostage in the State of Yue for many years. When did he set up spies in the British Monarchy?! Did he also set up spies in other mansions in the capital?!
Fang Huairui immediately felt a chill run down his spine. He felt as if Chu Yi had seen his every move.
The Yu family thought that they could hide it from the world, but they did not know that neither the Yu family nor the Fang family had any secrets from Chu Yi!
At this moment, Fang Huairui really wanted to slaughter the entire Yu family.
"Fang Huairui, do you think I can absolve the Fang family of their crimes?" Chu Yi threw Fang Huairui's question back at him, a graceful and leisurely smile on his handsome face.
Those beautiful phoenix eyes were so dark that they were bottomless. They were as vast as the night sky and as bright as the stars, quietly shining with a cold light.
Finally, Fang Huairui lifted his robe and knelt down silently. He knelt on the cold and hard golden brick floor with his head extremely low.
It was a gesture of submission.
In the time it took to brew a cup of tea, Fang Huairui felt as if he had walked through an abyss of suffering and tasted all the flavors of life.
It was so quiet that one could almost hear the leaves floating down the branches outside the window.
Fang Huairui held his breath and waited, his heart in his throat. Suddenly, light footsteps sounded from behind. A thin middle-aged eunuch came to Fang Huairui's side and bowed to Chu Yi. "Your Highness, the Emperor invites you to court."
...
Fang Huairui's eyelids trembled as he knelt on the ground. He could not help but look up at Chu Yi, who was sitting behind the imperial desk. The big red leather robe he was wearing shone faintly under the light of the rising sun.
The leather robe was the uniform of the prince.
It was obvious that Chu Yi had expected everything today and was even certain that Kang Wang would submit.
Every step of the entire matter was within his calculations, showing how his meticulousness had reached an admirable level!
Everyone said that Kang Wang was talented and good at martial arts. In his opinion, Kang Wang was probably far inferior to his nephew.
Chu Yi got up gracefully, ignored Fang Huairui who was kneeling on the ground, and went out of the East Warm Pavilion.
The middle-aged eunuch followed behind him like a most loyal shadow.
The brilliance of the rising sun poured down, reflecting dazzling light on the glazed tiles above the palaces, resplendent and magnificent.
The entire palace was empty and quiet, as if no one was there.
Chu Yi walked unhurriedly from the East Warm Pavilion to the main entrance of the throne room.
In the throne room, the emperor sat on a high golden dragon chair. On either side of him were the civil and military officials standing in two rows.
...
Everyone from the emperor to the ministers obviously noticed Chu Yi's arrival, and their eyes flocked to him like waves.
73 Omen
Chu Yi's appearance eclipsed the golden splendor in the room, making the civil and military officials in the hall the backdrop.
Facing everyone's gazes, Chu Yi's eyes were calm and quiet as he walked slowly at his own pace. His sleeves and robes fluttered in the wind with his every move, elegant and noble, as if he was stepping on clouds, making people find it extremely pleasing to the eye.
Everyone only had eyes for him, and everything else around him had disappeared.
Silence filled the hall as everyone held their breaths and focused. Hundreds of gazes stared at Chu Yi in a daze. Some were sizing him up, some were thinking, some were looking forward to it, some were weighing it, some were disapproving, and some were anticipating.
How would the Eldest Prince's entry into the court affect them?!
This question appeared in the minds of the ministers. Everyone was silent, each with their own thoughts.
Perhaps only the Emperor looked at Chu Yi with heartfelt joy and bright eyes.
His son was finally back!
The moment Chu Yi stepped into the throne room, the sky outside suddenly darkened. The rising sun was blocked by dark clouds that covered the sky.
"Sizzle!"
A huge bolt of lightning split the sky like a huge blade that slashed down from above.
Immediately afterwards, a heavy rainstorm fell from the sky, pouring down like a waterfall.
The storm formed a dense curtain of water, and bean-sized raindrops hit the tiles fiercely. They made noises as they hit the branches and the ground, making the wet air feel unusually oppressive.
In the boudoir, Gu Yanfei was drawing talismans. Her hand was still as steady as ever, and she only put away her brush after drawing the last stroke.
In the next moment, a faint light rapidly reversed from the end of the big red rune back to where it started. The light flashed and disappeared in the blink of an eye.
The talisman was completed.
Ever since she absorbed the spiritual energy of the jade pendant, the success rate of Gu Yanfei drawing talismans had far exceeded in the past few days.
Now, not only could she draw talismans with cinnabar, but she could also draw talismans with spiritual energy.
That day, she had drawn a bewitching talisman on the jade pendant she had given to the British Duchess. Coupled with the charm of speech, the effect was not bad.
However, that was also because the phoenix-patterned jade pendant was not an ordinary item to begin with, so it could unleash 70 to 80% of the effect of the bewitching talisman.
Of course, she had not spent so much effort just to scare the British Duchess and Fang Shiming!
Putting down her brush, Gu Yanfei looked up at the rain outside the window in the direction of the palace.
Normally speaking, she wouldn't be able to see the palace from where she was, but at this moment, her gaze seemed to pass through the limits of space and land on a distant point.
A few drops of rain occasionally splashed into the house, soaking the table and Gu Yanfei's sleeve.
Gu Yanfei smiled nonchalantly.
Her whole person was like the sunrise and the scattered clouds, exuding a faint brilliance, dazzling, bright, and refreshing.
She stared into the distance in a daze. After a long time, her pitch-black eyes, as vast as the night sky, seemed to be able to see through all the mysteries of this world.
Even if Gu Yanfei did not calculate, she could tell that this was a sign that Heaven's Will had changed.
His master had said that Heaven's Will was not eternal.
Even if a person was abandoned by the heavens, he would only have a harder time than others. However, once he broke through a certain shackle, the shackles of the Heavenly Tao would weaken.
Gu Yanfei looked at the rain in a daze as her master's words sounded in her ears again.
"Yanfei, you've been abandoned by the Heavenly Tao. Although the path of cultivation is difficult, on this Great Tao, it's to defy the heavens and change fate. If you follow it, you'll become a mortal. If you go against it, you'll become an immortal."
The smile on Gu Yanfei's face deepened, adding a hint of honey.
Chu Yi was someone like her. They were abandoned by the heavens, but they did not abandon themselves.
Gu Yanfei's heart rippled slightly, as if a person who had been traveling alone for many years had suddenly found a companion.
The storm passed as quickly as it had come. It took only a moment for the rain to subside, leaving only bean-sized raindrops dripping from the eaves.
The sound of the raindrops was like a piece of music played by the heavens.
After the storm cleared, the air was fresh, and even the passage of time seemed to have slowed.
Gu Yanfei was watching the rain, while Juan Bi was watching her. She only felt that her skin was so delicate that she could almost squeeze out the water, and her lips were like peach blossoms, which made people feel pitiful.
Juan Bi was stunned and sighed in her heart. Her lady was really getting more and more beautiful!
At this moment, when she recalled Gu Yanfei's sallow and skinny appearance when they first met four months ago, Juan Bi felt like she was in a dream, as if they were two lifetimes apart.
A few drops of cold rain blew in and landed on the back of Juan Bi's hand.
Only then did Juan Bi come back to her senses. She remembered something important and hurriedly reported, "My Lady, the Third Madam just sent two rolls of Songjiang's fine cloth and a basket of oranges. She said that the oranges were just sent up by the manor for you to try."
Gu Yanfei knew that Madam Yan was doing this for Gu Yunzhen and smiled. "Keep the two rolls of cloth first, and distribute the basket of oranges for everyone to try."
Juan Bi beamed in response.
After settling those things, they both left.
The rain had stopped, making the air thick with condensation and the ground outside wet. When the wind blew, the raindrops on the leaves fell with it, as if another rainfall was happening.
Juan Bi carefully held up an oil-paper umbrella for Gu Yanfei.
Gu Yanfei walked forward unhurriedly, her posture elegant and valiant. Along the way, her snow-green dress was not stained with mud at all.
Gu Yanfei was going to the Benevolent Harmony Hall now.
Because Gu Yanfei had "obediently" handed over the jade pendant, Madam Gu was quite satisfied and felt that Gu Yanfei was finally obedient. In addition, she had been in a good mood recently and treated Gu Yanfei better.
The day before yesterday, Madam Gu had sent Gu Yanfei a bolt of soft blue veil.
Yesterday, Madam Gu had rewarded Gu Yanfei with a plate of wine-brewed steamed duck.
This morning, she got someone to call her over for breakfast again.
...
This was something that had never happened in two lifetimes.
Of course she would go!
Gu Yanfei led Juan Bi leisurely into the courtyard of the Benevolent Harmony Hall.
A few scattered leaves were blown down from the treetops by the cold wind and fluttered towards Gu Yanfei.
Gu Yanfei flicked her sleeve and raised her hand, bumping into a familiar face in front of her.
When their gazes met, Mother Su's pupils constricted. She wanted to hide behind the pillar guiltily, but she had only taken half a step back when she stopped. Madam Gu's words when she comforted Gu Yunrong in private appeared in her mind.
"Rong'er, you don't have to worry too much about your Second Sister."
"Mother Su is in the wrong, but 14 years ago, she was also the one who saved your Second Sister from the chaos and even narrowly escaped death. Today, your Second Sister is standing here safe and sound because of her."
Mother Su held her head high and stroked her sleeve, staring at Gu Yanfei fearlessly.
Yes, Madam was right.
She was Gu Yanfei's savior. Gu Yanfei should be grateful to her!
...
She didn't have to panic at all! Mother Su said to herself over and over again.
74 Seeking Medicine
Gu Yanfei glanced at Mother Su indifferently and did not stop walking. Under the guidance of the maidservant, she passed through the central room and entered the eastern room.
Madam Gu was not the only one in the room. Gu Yunzhen and Gu Yunrong were also invited for breakfast today, and the four of them sat around a mahogany round table.
As soon as Gu Yanfei arrived, Madam Gu instructed Granny Li to prepare the meal.
After a while, the table was filled with sumptuous food in an orderly manner. Salty shredded chicken rice porridge, sweet pumpkin millet porridge, crab roe soup dumplings, bamboo rolls, yam jujube mud cake, and golden fried cake… All of them were delicious.
!
Mother Su served at the side obediently and eagerly. One moment, she would serve a bowl of wontons to Madam Gu, and the next moment, she would serve dishes to everyone. From time to time, she would glance at Gu Yanfei from the corner of her eye.
Seeing Gu Yanfei eating a bowl of pumpkin millet porridge without looking up, Mother Su felt a little relieved. She was smug and raised her orchid fingers.
In the past 14 years, she had only been to Huaibei twice. Her impression of Gu Yanfei was that she was weak and obedient. Her family also said that this girl had already been raised to be useless.
Last time, when Gu Yanfei saw her in the Benevolent Harmony Hall, her cold gaze was clearly filled with hatred. But now, her daughter was going to be the consort, which meant that her status was going to be incomparable as well.
Gu Yanfei was still that weak girl after all, who was too afraid to provoke her!
While she was thinking, Mother Su carefully picked up a piece of golden fried cake and placed it in Gu Yunrong's bowl. She smiled ingratiatingly, well aware that her daughter was the only one she could rely on in the future.
Gu Yunrong smiled back at her, revealing a pair of shallow dimples on her cheeks. Her eyes flickered under her beautifully curved lids.
For a moment, she wanted Mother Su to go out and not appear in front of Gu Yanfei… Why did she have to poke someone's scar!
Gu Yunrong thought of the last time they parted on bad terms.
Thinking about it now, the words "daughter of a slave" was still stuck in Gu Yunrong's throat.
However, instead of showing it, Gu Yunrong picked up the golden fried cake with her chopsticks and told herself that Gu Yanfei was insignificant in her life.
The Imperial Clan Court would soon come to the Marquis Mansion to propose marriage. She would leave the Gu family and embark on a new journey in her life, while Gu Yanfei would still stay where she was.
Gu Yanfei was just lucky to have been born into a good family. A person's background was only the starting point of life and did not represent everything.
Her fate was in her own hands!
Gu Yunrong gently bit into the golden and fragrant crispy skin of the fried cake. The outer skin was crispy, but the inside was soft and tender. The sweet taste filled her mouth, and the corners of her lips curled up as an indescribable pleasure appeared in her heart.
The house was silent except for the occasional clink of cutlery and spoons.
After breakfast, Mother Su instructed the maidservant to serve the masters freshly brewed flower tea. The faint fragrance of roses floated in the air with the heat.
Gu Yunrong had just picked up the teacup when she seemed to have thought of something. She put it down and said to Gu Yunzhen with a sweet smile, "Big Sister, Sun Medical Hall in the capital has recently invited a doctor from the State of Yue. He's best at beautifying and removing scars."
Her words were gentle, considerate, and thoughtful.
A smile of approval appeared on Madam Gu's face as she said before Gu Yunzhen could, "Rong'er, you're really considerate. In a while, I'll get someone to go to the Sun Medical Hall to invite Doctor Miao."
Rong'er was kind and knew how to love her sisters.
"Grandma, Third Sister, there's no need." Gu Yunzhen smiled gently. "The scar on my forehead has completely recovered."
She raised her hand and lifted the bangs from her forehead, revealing a forehead that was as smooth as jade and porcelain, delicate and flawless.
Gu Yunrong stared at Gu Yunzhen's forehead in surprise, her eyes shining.
She clearly remembered that the scar on Gu Yunzhen's forehead was still clearly visible a few days ago, but now, the skin on Gu Yunzhen's forehead had completely healed without leaving any traces!
"Big Sister, what prescription did you use? It's really amazing. There's actually such an expert in the capital!" Gu Yunrong clapped her hands with a smile and asked curiously, making it impossible for her to say no.
Gu Yunzhen smoothed her bangs again and subconsciously looked at Gu Yanfei, who was sitting on her right.
After that day, Gu Yanfei even gave her a prescription and asked her to go to the pharmacy to get medicine to make an ointment for her forehead. In just three days, the shallow scar had completely disappeared without a trace.
Gu Yunzhen could feel the smoothness and delicateness under her fingertips. Her skin was even more delicate than before.
Even if Gu Yunzhen did not say a word, Gu Yunrong understood.
Her smile faltered and her hands gripped her handkerchief under the table.
After only a moment of hesitation, a bright and warm smile appeared on her face, and she asked affectionately, "Second Sister, which doctor in the capital prescribed the prescription for removing Big Sister's scar?"
She looked at Gu Yanfei with a smile, as if there was no conflict between her and Gu Yanfei.
"How can a doctor in the capital have such ability!" Juan Bi blurted out proudly. "The Spiritual Master taught this to us girls!"
After saying that, Juan Bi realized that she had said something wrong. She hurriedly covered her mouth and looked at Gu Yanfei nervously.
Gu Yanfei took a sip of rose tea and looked at Gu Yunrong. She raised her eyebrows and smiled faintly. "You shouldn't be injured, right?"
Her clear eyes were like a clear lake that could reflect all the secrets in the world.
Even though she could tell that Gu Yanfei wanted to reject her, Gu Yunrong's smile did not diminish at all.
She had visited famous doctors for Fang Mingfeng.
She had asked for the prescription for Fang Mingfeng.
When she was in Prince Jing's Manor, it was all to save her that Fang Mingfeng's face was injured. The once gentle and elegant young master who used to be flawless was now flawed because of her.
She had always been clear about gratitude and grudges. How could she sit back and do nothing?
Even if she did not get along with Gu Yanfei, she still wanted to give it a try for Fang Mingfeng.
Gu Yunrong called out with a sincere smile, "Second Sister…"
"Madam, I'll take my leave first." Gu Yanfei suddenly stood up and interrupted Gu Yunrong.
Her snow-green sleeve cascaded down, and without waiting for Madam Gu to respond, she turned around and walked out. Her gaze swept lightly across Mother Su, and there was a hint of a smile on her lips.
"…" Gu Yunrong's smile froze on her face.
Madam Gu frowned slightly and scolded Gu Yanfei's back with a displeased expression. "How unruly!"
Although she reprimanded her, she did not ask anyone to stop Gu Yanfei.
Madam Su was unhappy and secretly stomped her feet. Seeing that no one was paying attention to her, she quietly moved out.
...
After leaving the east room, Mother Su quickened her pace and caught up to Gu Yanfei, who had just stepped out of the central room.
"Second Lady, please wait."
As she spoke, Mother Su rushed in front of Gu Yanfei like a gust of wind and blocked her path righteously.
They were indeed here.
Mother Su was used to pushing her luck.
Gu Yanfei smiled. The eaves above cast a faint shadow on her fair face, making her eyes look especially deep and cold.
75 Caning
The ground in the courtyard was already dry, except for a few drops of rain on the treetops. It was winter, but there was no warmth, and the cold wind was bone-chilling.
"What's the matter?" Gu Yanfei stopped on a certain stone step under the eaves. She casually brushed away her hair that was blown by the wind and looked down at Mother Su, who was a few steps away.
In Mother Su's eyes, she only felt that Gu Yanfei was really stubborn. A trace of disdain appeared in her heart. Her daughter was about to become the princess consort, and would rise to the top from now on. What was Gu Yanfei worth?!
Other than throwing a tantrum in front of Madam Gu, what else could Gu Yanfei do?!
!
Mother Su raised her hand and pointed at Gu Yanfei's face, scolding unhappily, "Who are you trying to show off your thorny appearance to?!"
"The Third Lady has never let you down and has accepted you sincerely. Don't be ungrateful!"
"You have to know your place!"
Mother Su's aggressive voice grew louder, and she raised her chin boldly.
She had to teach this girl a lesson so that she would never dare to be impudent in front of her and her daughter again.
The commotion attracted some maidservants and old women, who sized them up carefully in twos and threes.
Looking at Mother Su, who was chattering non-stop, waves rose in the depths of Gu Yanfei's eyes again. It was like a monstrous wave that covered the sky and destroyed the world… A moment later, it returned to calm.
"Drag her away and give her 20 strokes of the cane."
A soft and faint voice escaped her lips.
The old women and maidservants around them were stunned. They looked at each other in silence.
The Third Lady was the future Princess Consort, so how could they dare to hit the Third Lady's wet nurse? Wouldn't they offend the Third Lady for no reason?!
A smart little maidservant hurriedly ran in the direction of the east second room.
"…" Mother Su was shocked at first, but seeing that everyone was standing rooted to the ground, she could not help but smile smugly.
That was true. In the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion, who would listen to Gu Yanfei?! She had no need to be afraid at all.
However, while others did not dare to move, Juan Bi did.
Juan Bi approached Mother Su majestically and said at the top of her voice, "A mere wet nurse actually dares to be rude to the Second Lady. According to the rules of the Marquis Mansion, those who offend their superiors will be punished with 20 strokes of the cane."
Juan Bi quickly snatched a broom from a maidservant who was sweeping and hit Mother Su directly in the butt.
"Pa! Pa!"
Juan Bi did not hesitate at all and slapped Mother Su twice, each blow solid.
Mother Su screamed and tried to dodge, but how could she outrun the agile Juan Bi? She was struck in the calf by the broom again and screamed again.
"Stop!"
Madam Gu's stern shout came from the central room.
Gu Yunrong held Madam Gu's hand and quickly walked out of the east room. Gu Yunzhen was a step behind, followed by four or five maidservants and grannies.
"Third Lady…" Mother Su looked at Gu Yunrong aggrievedly as if she had been pardoned. A few strands of hair had escaped from her bun, and the hairpin was askew. Tears appeared in her eyes.
Gu Yunrong looked back and forth between Gu Yanfei and Mother Su. She frowned slightly, her heart as clear as a mirror.
For her sake, Mother Su most likely came to look for Gu Yanfei to help her get the prescription. It was fine if Gu Yanfei did not give her the prescription, but she actually asked a maidservant to hit her…
It was too much.
Madam Gu stood in the middle of the central room, her temples throbbing. She shouted sternly, "Yanfei, what are you doing?!"
Mother Su lowered her head and wiped her tears with a handkerchief. She looked pitiful, but her eyes were rolling around to observe other people.
"Why is she still here?!" Gu Yanfei asked instead of answering.
Of course, she meant Mother Su.
The servants did not know the inside story and naturally did not understand what Gu Yanfei meant. However, Madam Gu and Gu Yunrong understood the threat in Gu Yanfei's words.
"…" Madam Gu was speechless.
Madam Gu's eyes flashed as she suppressed her anger and reprimanded coldly, "I thought you were sensible, but it turns out that you've been restraining it."
"Then what do you think we should do with Mother Su?!"
Gu Yanfei smiled instead of being angry when she heard the reprimand that was similar to her previous life.
In her previous life, when faced with Madam Gu's reprimand and questioning, she was filled with grievance and indignation and did not know how to confide in her. At that time, she was like an ignorant child, hoping that her grandmother would make decisions for her.
And now she had an answer.
"There's a saying in the 'Law of Jin': Those who sell people will be punished with 100 strokes of the cane and be exiled for 3,000 miles." A faint smile appeared on Gu Yanfei's face as she asked, "Madam Gu, do you think the laws established by Emperor Taizu are wrong?"
"…" Madam Gu held the prayer beads tightly in her hand, her eyes sinister.
Madam Gu could naturally tell that Gu Yanfei was using the law to threaten her, the biological grandmother. Gu Yanfei clearly meant that if Madam Gu did not follow the family rules, Gu Yanfei would follow the law.
The dilapidated flowers and trees in the courtyard swayed in the cold wind, adding to the oppression and desolation.
Mother Su had forgotten to wipe her tears and looked up blankly.
She originally thought that Madam Gu would definitely help her on account of her daughter, but she did not expect Madam Gu to hesitate because of Gu Yanfei's few words.
Now she panicked, too nervous to move.
Madam Gu's expression was dignified, and her lips were pursed into a cold and determined line.
Gu Yanfei had even mentioned the law. It could be seen that Mother Su had already become a sore point for her, so it was better to let her vent her anger and deal with this matter.
Moreover, no matter how bad Gu Yanfei was, she was still of the Gu family's bloodline. How improper was it for Mother Su, a servant, to make a fuss in front of her!
After a while, she said sternly, "Mother Su was disrespectful to the Second Lady. Drag her away and flog her!"
Mother Su felt as if she had been struck by lightning. Her heart raced and she knelt down weakly, her face pale.
...
With Madam Gu's order, a few burly maidservants in the courtyard took action without hesitation. They restrained Mother Su from both sides, covered her mouth, and forcefully dragged her out of the courtyard.
Madam Su was at a loss, her entire body was cold, and her limbs were weak. She could only look pleadingly at Gu Yunrong, the tears in her eyes thickening.
This time, she really wanted to cry.
Gu Yunrong looked at Mother Su with a hesitant warmth. As she looked around, her pink neck outlined beautiful lines.
After a while, she seemed to have made up her mind and said gently to Madam Gu, "Grandma, these 20 strokes of the cane are enough to lacerate one's flesh. Mother Su is just a weak woman who doesn't even have the strength to truss a chicken. She might…"
She might not even be able to keep her life.
It was only at this moment that Gu Yunrong deeply felt this.
In this Great Jin Dynasty, the master could easily decide the life and death of a person.
Selling, beating, and killing were all matters of the master's word.
In the hearts of these people, a servant's life was not a life!
This made it difficult for her to agree.
...
76 Selfishness
"20 strokes is too heavy of a punishment," Gu Yunrong said seriously.
Even if she went to jail, it was only a prison sentence, and being exiled for 3,000 miles would not kill her.
Madam Gu was stunned. She thought that as just a young lady, it was inevitable for Gu Yunrong's heart to soften.
Thinking that Madam Gu was hesitating, a trace of hope rose in Mother Su's ashen eyes and she trembled.
!
"Third Sister, you're wrong."
A gentle female voice retorted firmly. It was neither loud nor soft, but it was powerful.
Gu Yunrong looked in Gu Yunzhen's direction in shock.
Gu Yunzhen stared fixedly at Gu Yunrong and said methodically, "Mother Su has offended her master. If we don't punish her severely as a warning to others, won't everyone learn from her?!"
As Gu Yunzhen spoke, the shock in Gu Yunrong's eyes intensified, as if she did not recognize her anymore.
Gu Yunzhen was a gentle person and had always been kind to the servants. Gu Yunrong thought that at least she would stand on her side and disagree with the flogging.
Gu Yunrong asked in a daze, "Big Sister also thinks she deserves to be beaten?"
"Of course." Gu Yunzhen nodded affirmatively.
She raised her hand and pointed at Mother Su, whose eyes were filled with tears, and said firmly, "Grandpa once said that the way to control one's subordinates is to distinguish rewards and punishments clearly. The master can't have selfish motives and not distinguish right from wrong."
"Third Sister, do you have selfish motives?"
Her tone remained gentle, but the meaning behind her last sentence was as sharp as a sword.
"…" Gu Yunrong's eyes widened, as if some hidden illness in her body had suddenly been exposed in broad daylight.
Gu Yunrong instinctively wanted to say no, but she hesitated, her expression conflicted.
Madam Gu pressed her palm and looked at her comfortingly, meaning that she knew what to do.
Gu Yunrong pursed her lips, as if something was about to come out of her eyes. Sad emotions appeared between her eyebrows, but she did not say anything in the end.
As if she had fallen into an icehouse, the last flame of hope in her heart was extinguished. As if she had lost her soul, she forgot to struggle.
The old maidservants roughly dragged Mother Su to the entrance of the courtyard.
Gu Yunrong helped Madam Gu sit down at the head of the hall. She looked at the calm Gu Yunzhen for a moment and then at Gu Yanfei, who had already sat down and was drinking tea, as if she did not care about the outcome.
Her eyes flickered a few times as she held back her anger and asked herself, 'Do I have a selfish motive, or are they too cruel?'
At this moment, for the first time, Gu Yunrong felt out of place. For the first time, she had a deep understanding that she was different from them…
"Slam!"
The sound of the board outside woke Gu Yunrong up and she looked over.
Sticks as thick as an arm slapped against flesh, time and time again. Each blow was solid and merciless, accompanied by the loud counting of the maidservant. "One, two, three…"
Mother Su's pants were taken off and her body was pressed against a bench. Most of her bun was disheveled, and even her hairpin had fallen to the ground, as if she were a madwoman in a sorry state.
She let out a painful scream with every slap. Her voice was shrill, like thin needles stabbing at the softest spot in Gu Yunrong's heart.
No matter how wrong Mother Su was, she was a good mother to her.
Gu Yunrong lowered her head, her manicured nails digging into her soft palm until the knuckles of her fingers were faintly white.
Madam Gu also saw Gu Yunrong's abnormality and sighed in her heart. Her Rong'er was still too soft-hearted. She would have to face this in the future when she married into Kang Wang's Manor.
Madam Gu waved her hand silently. Granny Li immediately understood and sent away all the irrelevant people around her.
Only Madam Gu, Gu Yanfei, and the other two were left in the central room.
The sounds of sticks slapping on flesh and Mother Su's screams outside did not stop, making the atmosphere in the room heavy.
Madam Gu said without too much emotion, "Yanfei, I know you hate Mother Su, it's only human nature. Today, I'll let you vent your anger."
"But…"
Her voice suddenly turned cold as she continued, "Although Mother Su is in the wrong, you have to remember that back then, Yangzhou was in chaos. She was the one who fought her way out of the mountains of blades and the sea of blood to bring you out of Yangzhou…"
"She was in the wrong, but she saved you and raised you. You should be grateful too. A girl can't be so vicious and kill indiscriminately, or you won't be able to avoid retribution."
Her words were heart-piercing and it was obvious that she was warning Gu Yanfei. At the same time, she gave Gu Yanfei a sweet date to stop her.
"11, 12…" The countdown outside did not stop and was clearly transmitted into the room.
Mother Su's screams grew weaker. Her bare buttocks were so red and swollen from the beating that sme of the younger maidservants outside could no longer bear to look at her.
Gu Yanfei smiled faintly.
Madam Gu had thought that Gu Yanfei would lower her head and that she would simply leave. Unexpectedly, Gu Yanfei nodded slightly and said, "Thank you for your teachings."
A faint smile appeared on Gu Yanfei's face as she tilted her body and propped her elbow on the coffee table. She rested her chin on her right hand and continued, "Madam, don't be too hostile, lest you kill indiscriminately and suffer retribution in vain."
Madam Gu's face darkened and she reprimanded in a low voice, "How dare you!"
She was her grandmother and an elder, but a junior actually criticized an elder! How rude!
Gu Yanfei counted on her fingers and continued, "In June this year, when Zi Yu cut your nails and it bled, you ordered a beating of 30 strokes. After Zi Yu was sent home, she was severely injured and died before she even reached adulthood."
"Last December, when the attendant in Second Uncle's study 'collided' with you, you ordered to make her mute with poison and sell her."
"Last July, the big warehouse in the inner courtyard was in disrepair for a long time. Coincidentally, a thunderstorm leaked and destroyed a lot of materials. You ordered the He Danian family, who was guarding the warehouse that day, to be beaten to death."
"…"
Gu Yanfei's words echoed in the room. The air in the central room gradually froze, as if a storm was brewing.
By now, the old woman outside had counted to 20. The clubbing stopped, and silence fell outside the courtyard at the same time. Mother Su was slumped on the bench like a dead fish, her dangling arms trembling gently.
Inside and outside the house, there was silence.
...
Madam Gu's face turned pale, then purple. The colors changed brilliantly. Every word Gu Yanfei said was like a slap to her face, making her ears ring.
Gu Yanfei chuckled and said, "There's something that Juan Bi was right about. The prescription I gave Big Sister was given by Spiritual Master Lingxiao. Back then, when I was in Huaibei, Spiritual Master Lingxiao not only gave me this prescription, but also taught me the ability to read fortunes."
"Why don't I read Madam's fortune?"
77 Retribution
Gu Yanfei tilted her head with a smile, but Madam Gu frowned even more. She did not know what Gu Yanfei was up to.
Meeting Madam Gu's angry eyes, Gu Yanfei raised her hand and casually pinched her fingers with her thumb.
This simple action was done by her, inexplicably giving off an unfathomable feeling.
Madam Gu had also seen some enlightened people with profound Tao techniques calculate and could not help but be stunned at the girl's decent posture.
!
As she examined her, Gu Yanfei looked up at her and said, "Madam, have you had a nightmare recently?"
Madam Gu's eyes widened slightly and she immediately recalled that strange dream. Her hand that was holding the prayer beads trembled violently.
In her dream, she became a cat at the mercy of others and died a tragic death.
After that dream, she often had nightmares. Sometimes, she dreamed of herself dying. Sometimes, she dreamed of the day her eldest son, Gu Ce, died. Sometimes, she dreamed that her second son, Gu Jian, and her grandchildren also died in vain…
She had been wondering if she had hurt her virtue by killing a cat in the past.
However, how did Gu Yanfei know?
Madam Gu's gaze was exceptionally sharp.
Gu Yanfei stroked her sleeve and said calmly, "Dreams are often a sign."
"This nightmare was supposed to be a reminder to Madam. Unfortunately, Madam ignored it and didn't restrain herself."
"You've killed too many people. It seems that retribution will befall your descendants."
"Second Sister, stop being so mysterious." Gu Yunrong endured it and finally could not help but retort.
Even though she had always been kind and slick, she could not put on a good expression when facing Gu Yanfei.
"Third Sister, don't interrupt," Gu Yunzhen scolded Gu Yunrong gently, like an elder sister.
With that, she looked at Gu Yanfei seriously.
"Madam, don't you believe me?" Gu Yanfei chuckled softly. As she raised her hand and calculated with her fingers again, the casual smile on her face deepened. "First your son, then your grandson."
The last word was like a sigh.
Son?! The faces of Gu Jian and her other sons appeared in Madam Gu's mind, and her expression changed again.
What Gu Yanfei meant was that Gu Jian and the others would encounter some calamity?!
Was this girl talking nonsense, or…
As she was thinking, Madam Gu's gaze landed on a few red plums outside the window.
The red plum blossoms were beautiful and bloomed in full swing in the cold wind. In the past, she thought it was festive, but at this moment, she felt that this blood-like red emitted an ominous aura.
Gu Yunrong snorted at these life skills in her heart and tried her best to be tactful. "Grandma, this is a superstition…"
This was superstition and could not be trusted.
Before she could finish, a breathless female voice interrupted. "Madam!"
Outside, a sweating maidservant in green ran toward them. As she ran, she shouted intermittently, "Madam!"
Granny Li, who was guarding outside the house, did not dare to stop her. The old woman in green walked into the central room with trembling legs and bowed to Madam Gu. "Madam, the Marquis was thrown off a startled horse and has injured his leg!"
Like a thunderclap, time seemed to stop for a moment.
Madam Gu's eyelids twitched a few times as she looked at Gu Yanfei in shock. A subtle crack appeared in her originally firm heart. This girl was right… No, her calculation was right!
In the next moment, Gu Yunrong met Gu Yanfei's bright pupils and her heart skipped a beat.
"Next, it'll be you." Gu Yanfei's voice was clear and cold, like a clear ice spring flowing past.
Gu Yunrong frowned slightly. She still did not believe in divination, but Madam Gu was even more agitated than her and hurriedly reprimanded, "Enough! What nonsense are you spouting?!"
Other than surprise, there was also a hint of uneasiness in Madam Gu's eyes. She was afraid that Gu Yanfei would be right again.
Gu Yanfei's expression did not change, and she still said casually with a smile on her face, "Madam will know soon if I'm talking nonsense."
"I heard that the Ministry of Internal Affairs is coming to propose marriage."
The Ministry of Internal Affairs was about to propose marriage!
These words echoed in Madam Gu's ears like a valley echo.
"…" Madam Gu's heart seemed to be beating like a drum. The crack in her heart was spreading rapidly and she was uneasy.
Gu Yanfei was just short of saying that there would be twists and turns in Gu Yunrong's marriage…
No, it won't.
Madam Gu told herself that Rong'er had been lucky since she was young and had always had a smooth-sailing life.
"You're misleading the public!" Madam Gu's eyes were uncertain as she berated in a low voice, "Someone, bring the Second Lady back to Yuheng Garden and watch her carefully."
What she meant was that she had ordered Gu Yanfei to be grounded.
When the two maidservants outside heard this, they walked in in bewilderment.
They had not heard what Madam Gu and the Second Lady had said just now, but from Madam Gu's furious expression, they could tell that this was no small matter.
"It's useless." Gu Yanfei stood up with a smile and casually stroked her dress, unperturbed. "My divination can't be wrong. The wind in this swamp is strong, and the external divination is Dui, pointing at water. The internal divination is Xun, pointing at wood. It's not appropriate to drown wood in water."
"If Madam doesn't believe me, just wait."
"Three days."
Gu Yanfei's smile was firm and unfathomable, as if she had already seen through it all. Madam Gu's heart skipped a beat.
Gu Yunzhen, who had just opened her mouth, silently shut her mouth. Her eyes darted around as she thought to herself, 'It seems that my Second Sister has her own plans. There's no need for me to plead for leniency.'
Gu Yanfei flicked her sleeve and left leisurely. In the end, she said lightly, "I'll wait for Madam in Yuheng Garden."
...
As she spoke, she stepped out of the central room, her words blown away by the cold wind.
The girl's dress fluttered in the wind, and her black hair fluttered. She looked indescribably carefree and elegant.
As she watched Gu Yanfei leave, Madam Gu felt as if countless ants were crawling in her heart. She did not expect Gu Yanfei to leave so decisively.
Gu Yanfei walked further and further away, and her slender figure quickly disappeared into the forest at the entrance of the courtyard.
Accompanied by the two old women, Gu Yanfei returned to Yuheng Garden with Juan Bi.
Madam Gu had given her a grounding order not to go out. Hence, a few old women took turns guarding Yuheng Garden for three consecutive days.
However, to Gu Yanfei, this grounding order was unimportant. In any case, she had no intention of going out.
Even if Gu Yanfei did not go out, she would know a lot.
For example, a maidservant called Du Juan in Gu Yunzhen's courtyard secretly copied out the prescription she had given Gu Yunzhen and gave it to Xia Lian.
For example, Gu Yunrong had asked Xia Lian to make a trip to the British Mansion.
For example, after Fang Mingfeng received the prescription and heard the servant's "message", he cried tears of joy and almost went crazy.
...
Gu Yanfei smiled and quickly finished reading the messenger pigeon in her hand, then casually threw it into the charcoal brazier. Bright yellow flames rose from the charcoal and engulfed the silk paper in the blink of an eye…
78 Fighting for a Wife
"Cuckoo," the pure white pigeon purred docilely. As it flapped its wings, it looked warily at the calico cat not far away.
Qing Guang licked its claws with disdain.
"How obedient!" Gu Yanfei rewarded the white pigeon with a few pieces of bird food and stroked it. Then, she picked it up with both hands and said with a smile, "Let's go back to your master."
Chu Yi's white clothes could not help but appear in her mind. The smile on her face was even brighter and more beautiful than the rising sun outside the window.
It was pleasant to work with smart people!
After she threw the pigeon out of the window with both hands, it flapped its wings and flew high into the sky.
Gu Yanfei looked at the white pigeon soaring in the blue sky from afar. Her raised chin made her neck look as slender as a swan.
"My Lady," Juan Bi's lively voice came from behind, accompanied by the sound of the curtain being lifted. "The Imperial Clan Court is here to propose marriage on behalf of His Highness Kang Wang."
The Imperial Clan Court was here to propose marriage to Gu Yunrong on behalf of Kang Wang.
Gu Yanfei said calmly, "I understand."
As the cold wind moaned, she withdrew her gaze from the distance and sat down at the messy table. In the middle was a palm-sized piece of wood surrounded by debris and sawdust.
Gu Yanfei rubbed her fingers gently on the wood.
This was a piece of gloomy golden-threaded cedar she had accidentally obtained a few days ago. It was good material for making the Eight Trigrams Compass.
For the past few days, she had not left her house because she was focused on making the compass.
The smaller the compass, the more detailed it was. After three days and three nights of careful polishing, she had only completed 80 to 90% of it.
Gu Yanfei gently stroked the sawdust on the compass. Her movements were gentle, as if she was touching a rare treasure.
She casually dialed the magnetic needle in the center, which spun gently twice before stopping.
Gu Yanfei smiled and said meaningfully, "Oh, it's a bloody calamity."
"Meow, meow, meow!" The cat came over obsequiously and circled her chair, rubbing its head affectionately against the folds of her skirt.
Gu Yanfei glanced at it. Even if she did not know cat language, she understood its meaning.
This cat just wanted to watch the show.
"Go ahead." Gu Yanfei waved her hand perfunctorily and focused all her attention into the compass with all her heart.
The cat scampered off happily.
It had only lived in the Marquis Mansion for less than two months, but it was even more familiar with this place than Gu Yanfei. It even knew where the dog and rat holes were.
Gu Yanfei had been grounded for the past few days, but no one could control the cat. It still wandered around the residence and could not even be bothered to hide its whereabouts.
The closer they got to the main hall, the livelier the surroundings became. From time to time, servants would walk past and talk about the marriage proposal from the Imperial Clan Court. Occasionally, words like "Kang Wang", "The Imperial Clan Court", "Marriage Proposal", and so on floated over.
The kitten walked all the way to the Hall for Cultivating Virtues at the front of the inner courtyard.
Today, Prince Li had brought the marriage decree from Empress Dowager Yuan to represent the Imperial Clan Court to propose marriage, which could be regarded as giving the Gu family enough face.
Kang Wang and Chu You followed in high spirits because they wanted to see Gu Yunrong.
Although Gu Jian, the Marquis of Dingyuan, had a leg injury, he still supported himself with his walking stick and personally welcomed the esteemed guest into the Hall for Cultivating Virtues.
Qing Guang chose the best-looking plum among the bunch of red plums and squatted in the most suitable position to watch the show. It happened to be able to see everything in the Hall for Cultivating Virtues through the open window.
Prince Li exchanged a few pleasantries with the Marquis of Dingyuan, Gu Jian, before waving at the middle-aged eunuch accompanying him. The fair-faced and beardless middle-aged eunuch walked over with a red lacquered wooden tray with a red gold-sprinkled invitation.
"Marquis, this is the letter of appointment I drafted. Please take a look," Prince Li said with a smile.
Looking at the bright and dazzling red betrothal letter, Gu Jian was overjoyed and his eyes bright.
Ever since the British Monarchy impeached Kang Wang for stealing Crown Prince Fang's wife, Gu Jian had thought that Gu Yunrong and Kang Wang's marriage would probably be difficult, but he did not expect things to turn around in the end.
Chu You's eyes were the hottest and most straightforward. His burning gaze landed on Gu Yunrong.
Gu Yunrong met his focused gaze in midair, and the dimples on her lips seemed to hold honey. Without a need to say anything, she understood his intentions, and he understood hers.
Outside the window, the kitten yawned lazily and found it extremely boring. It reached out a paw to pull at the red plums on the branches. Buzz, buzz…
A few red plum petals fell and were blown into the main hall by the wind, landing on the betrothal letter.
79 Fighting for a Wife
Gu Jian exchanged a few more pleasantries with the Prince Li before he picked up the letter of appointment in feigned calmness and read it word by word.
After confirming that there was no mistake, Gu Jian picked up a brush, dipped it in ink, and placed the tip at the end of the betrothal letter.
The marriage was decided by the parents and the ceremony would only be completed after Gu Jian confirmed it in the name of his father.
However, just as the tip of his brush touched the paper, he heard an agitated male voice suddenly speak from outside the main hall.
!
"Wait!"
Gu Jian's hand trembled, and the tip of his ink-stained pen left a twisted curl on the letter of appointment.
The originally joyous atmosphere in the room suddenly changed.
Everyone from the Gu family looked towards the door like a tide and saw a tall young man in blue standing outside the threshold.
Behind him were two Gu family servants, both panting from running. They did not dare to look at the masters in the main hall.
"Mingfeng!" Gu Yunrong blurted out.
It was the British Crown Prince, Fang Mingfeng.
Fang Mingfeng stood with his back to the light. His well-defined face was blurry in the shadows and looked a little ferocious.
He flicked up his robe and crossed the high threshold. His strong chest rose and fell rapidly, his breathing ragged. Those deep black eyes seemed to hide a snarling beast about to pierce his refined skin.
Qing Guang, who was squatting on the treetop, also saw him. Its eyes lit up in high spirits and its green cat eyes widened.
Gu Jian, Madam Gu, and the others' expressions were stiff.
They all recalled that when the British Duchess came to set a timer, Kang Wang's intrusion had ruined the ceremony and caused a complete uproar between the Gu family and the Fang family.
Now that the past had repeated itself, the saboteur this time was someone else.
Thump thump thump!
Madam Gu's heart suddenly raced.
Gu Yanfei's words from three days ago rang in her ears again.
"First the son, then the grandson."
Those six words lingered in her mind.
Fang Mingfeng's appearance was like an ominous omen, indicating something.
Madam Gu tried her best to control her thoughts and not think about it.
Gu Jian smiled dryly and said, "Nephew, why are you here?"
As he spoke, he took his anger out on the two panting servants outside the main hall.
"Heh, of course the Marquis doesn't want me to come!" The corners of Fang Mingfeng's mouth twitched with a cold mockery and more of a madness.
In the past, Fang Mingfeng had treated Gu Jian like an elder for Gu Yunrong's sake. This was the first time he had been so rude to Gu Jian.
Gu Jian's expression froze. Thinking that the Gu family was in the wrong for this marriage between the Gu and Fang families, he suppressed his displeasure.
Fang Mingfeng did not intend to say anything more to Gu Jian and glared at Chu You angrily. His anger rose steadily, and his gaze was like a knife.
Fang Mingfeng actually did not blame Gu Jian. The main culprit was Kang Wang.
"Chu You, Rong Rong and I have a letter of appointment." Fang Mingfeng's stubborn and high-pitched voice echoed through the entire hall. Every word was like ice and thunder. "Don't even think about taking Rong Rong away from me!"
As he spoke, he took two large steps forward. The fine scars on the left half of his face became clearer. Coupled with his cold expression and red eyes, he looked terrifying. The gentle young master that everyone used to praise no longer existed.
Looking at Fang Mingfeng, who seemed to have become a different person, the others from the Gu family had complicated expressions and sighed in their hearts.
Chu You met Fang Mingfeng's gaze with a cold expression, and his eyes locked onto Fang Mingfeng's persistent gaze.
Their eyes met silently, like shooting stars colliding fiercely, sparks flying.
Neither of them was willing to back down.
Chu You was first angry that Fang Mingfeng had jumped out to disrupt the situation, but he quickly calmed down and sneered.
"Fang Mingfeng, there's no need to mention old matters," Chu You said word by word, not hiding the pride of a victor.
Rong'er had already chosen him. He and she were meant to be together, while Fang Mingfeng was just a clown. Not only did he embarrass himself, but he also overestimated himself.
The marriage decree had been issued, which meant that the deed was done.
"How can it be child's play!" Fang Mingfeng's voice was slightly hoarse, and his eyes were even redder. His eyes were burning as he turned to look at Gu Yunrong in a daze. "Rong Rong."
He said these two words with such tenderness.
He knew that Rong Rong was not uninterested in him. Otherwise, she would not have agreed to the Fang family's request.
His mother wanted him to marry a beauty, but Kang Wang ruined it.
"Kang Wang suddenly barged in and pulled Rong'er away…"
"He broke the hairpin I prepared for Rong'er and even chased me out of the Gu family…"
His mother's words that day lingered in his ears.
Fang Mingfeng wanted to settle the score with Kang Wang, but his father was afraid of him and even locked him up.
For the past few days, he had been placed under house arrest by his father.
Every night, he tossed and turned, unable to sleep. He would always dream of the scene his mother had mentioned, that he was also there and wanted to stop it, but he couldn't move as if his hands and feet were bound…
Nightmares passed night after night.
Until yesterday afternoon, when he received something from Gu Yunrong—a scar removal prescription.
The servant even told the person that this prescription was not easy to come by. He said that they had grown up together and appreciated each other, so he should understand Third Lady Gu's intentions that she wanted to leave the capital with him. He also said that she wanted to see him today.
...
Fang Mingfeng held the prescription and did not sleep the entire night, thinking of how close they had been in the past.
Yes, of course she had him in her heart. There was no doubt about that.
Therefore, early in the morning, he took advantage of his father's appearance in court to knock out the guard and run out of the residence.
Fortunately, he was here.
Fortunately, he did not disappoint her and had arrived in time!
80 Fulfillment
"Rong Rong!" Fang Mingfeng took a few more steps closer to Gu Yunrong and extended his hand to her.
He was using his actions to tell her that he was here to take her with him.
Knowing him well, Gu Yunrong naturally saw through his intentions. He actually wanted her to leave with him!
Was he crazy?!
!
The dimples on Gu Yunrong's face froze and her lips pursed in displeasure.
On account of them being childhood friends, she had tried everything she could to persuade him, but he wouldn't listen.
And he was embarrassing her on such an important day.
Her face turned cold and she looked away from Fang Mingfeng. Her refusal was obvious.
To Fang Mingfeng, her action was no different from stabbing him in the heart.
Fang Mingfeng felt as if a piece of his heart had been gouged out and he could barely breathe. He did not understand why she had rejected him in public when she was clearly the one who had asked him to come.
Chu You looked at Fang Mingfeng coldly and sneered provocatively. "What right do you have to compete with me?!"
He had Rong'er's heart. Just based on this, he had won!
"Chu, You!" Fang Mingfeng shot a burning gaze at Chu You and came to a realization.
Right, it was because of Kang Wang.
Kang Wang had forced her. That must be it!
The anger in Fang Mingfeng's heart erupted like a volcano. His eyes were even redder, as if they were stained with blood, and he pressed towards Kang Wang with a murderous aura.
Chu You's personal guard frowned and wanted to stop Fang Mingfeng, but Chu You confidently raised his hand to stop him, so the guard could only retreat silently.
Chu You nimbly flexed his hand joints, causing his knuckles to crack. He suddenly kicked out with his right leg and gathered his strength to his knees which was aimed at Fang Mingfeng's abdomen. Fang Mingfeng nimbly turned sideways and swept his left leg towards Chu You's head, his movement as fast as the wind and irresistible.
Chu You immediately blocked with his right arm when his attack failed. At the same time, he used his right leg to support himself, and his left leg swept towards Fang Mingfeng's right knee joint…
The two of them exchanged several moves in the blink of an eye, and the exchange became more and more intense.
Jealousy and anger intertwined, eroding Fang Mingfeng's rationality. Taking advantage of his shorter height, he quickly pulled out a dagger from his calf and rushed towards Chu You.
The dagger in his hand was cold and chilling.
The temperature in the house seemed to have plummeted, and the air was so cold that it seemed to freeze.
The others' expressions changed when they saw this, but the kitten watching outside the window let out an excited howl.
"Chu You!" Gu Yunrong's face turned pale. She ran towards the two of them without hesitation and used the momentum to push Fang Mingfeng with both hands.
When facing Gu Yunrong, Fang Mingfeng was afraid that he would accidentally hurt her. He hesitated for a moment before she pushed him and staggered back two steps.
"Rong Rong…" Fang Mingfeng was stunned.
A cold glint flashed across Chu You's eyes. He slashed Fang Mingfeng's wrist with the edge of his palm, snatched the dagger, and stabbed the blade of the dagger into Fang Mingfeng's stomach.
Dark red blood quickly gushed out of the wound, dyeing Fang Mingfeng's blue robe red…
All of this happened in the blink of an eye.
"Crown Prince Fang!"
"Nephew!"
In the main hall, shocked shouts rose and fell. Several people stood up from their chairs.
Gu Yunrong was also shocked. She subconsciously wanted to walk towards Fang Mingfeng, but she hurriedly stopped in her tracks. Her eyes flickered as she thought to herself, 'Fang Mingfeng is already a little paranoid. I can't let him misunderstand me again!'
Besides…
Thinking of how Fang Mingfeng had inexplicably come to the Gu family to cause trouble, Gu Yunrong's burning anger flashed across her eyes and she clenched her fists.
"…" Fang Mingfeng stared blankly at Gu Yunrong, who was a few steps away. A hurt expression appeared on his pale face.
The action of Gu Yunrong pushing him away had stabbed him deeply. It was even more painful than the wound from the dagger in his abdomen, and was heart-wrenching!
The terrifying blood-red color in Fang Mingfeng's eyes faded, and he seemed to have woken up from a long nightmare.
Extraordinary complicated emotions surged in his eyes, rising like waves… Finally, they condensed into a clear thought: She had pushed him away!
Meeting Fang Mingfeng's tragic eyes, Chu You revealed a cold smile that belonged to a victor. He directly pulled out the dagger, drawing more blood.
Fang Mingfeng had asked for this!
He casually discarded the bloodstained dagger with a clang.
Fang Mingfeng turned a deaf ear and held the wound on his abdomen tightly with one hand. A line of blood flowed from the corner of his mouth, but his gaze was still on Gu Yunrong, and the corners of his eyes were red as he shouted in despair, "Rong Rong…"