201 Not Marrying
During this period of time, Gu Yunzhen had followed Madam Yan to her maternal ancestor's house. She had only returned yesterday and probably did not know that Murong Yong had finally obtained the job of battalion commander in the Divine Arms Battalion.
Gu Yunzhen's dark eyes were bottomless. She stared at Madam Gu's old and graceful face without blinking, as if she wanted to penetrate that hypocritical shell and capture the subtle change in her face for a moment.
As if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her head, Gu Yunzhen felt a bone-chilling coldness from head to toe that seeped into her bones.
Gu Yunzhen's usually gentle eyes flashed with an almost sharp light at this moment. Cold and clear, she said slowly, "He… stole Big Brother's job?"
!
She was asking, but her expression was firm, as if she already had a clear answer in her heart.
She thought that since their surnames were all Gu, the family had to support each other. Thus, her grandmother and Second Uncle would definitely help her eldest brother, Gu Yuan.
It turned out that she was too naive.
Her hope was no more than a self-righteous hope. It was like a seemingly gorgeous soap bubble in the sun that broke when the wind blew.
In the east room, the scene froze and the atmosphere turned even colder.
Madam Gu frowned unhappily and said lightly, "How can this be called 'stealing'?"
The eldest girl had indeed learned bad things from Gu Yanfei. She could even say such things!
Madam Gu said righteously, "Yuan'er was transferred to be an imperial guard. He was the one who took the initiative to give up the position of battalion commander of the Divine Arms Battalion."
How could this be called stealing!
In the end, without Gu Yuan, no matter how much money the Marquis Mansion spent, it was impossible to create a job for Murong Yong in the Divine Arms Battalion.
The more Madam Gu thought about it, the more righteous she became. She said, "Zhen'er, the Murong Family won't treat you badly. Your brother gave up the job, and you helped his Old Madam rush good fortune. The Murong Family will owe you from now on and will think highly of you in the future. In this life, your status is stable. No one can surpass you."
"Grandma and your Second Uncle did all this for you."
Madam Wang nodded repeatedly at the side. The person who benefited the most from this matter was Gu Yunzhen.
"It's for Gu Yunrong!" Gu Yunzhen hit the nail on the head and broke Madam Gu's thoughts. A suffocating feeling filled her heart.
"Big Brother wants to fight on the battlefield, just like Big Uncle, and not live a stable life in the capital."
"But for Gu Yunrong, you helped Murong Yong snatch Big Brother's job and did not hesitate to ruin his future!"
Gu Yunzhen could not hide the disappointment and sorrow in her voice. Her cherry lips were pale, and her eyes were as deep as the night.
There seemed to be a string in her heart that tightened bit by bit.
She could accept her grandmother arranging her marriage for the sake of the family's interests and give up on pursuing the mutual love that Emperor Taizu had promoted.
She could rush good fortune and joy for her future husband's family.
She could be like all women and mothers. She could be filial to her in-laws, serve her husband, take care of housework, discipline his concubines, and raise her children.
However, she had a bottom line.
Clunk!
Gu Yunzhen vaguely heard the sound of the string snapping, and her heart skipped a beat.
She stood up without warning. This sudden action attracted the frowns of Madam Gu and Madam Wang.
Facing the shocked or dissatisfied gazes in the room, Gu Yunzhen's voice was no longer as gentle as usual. She said firmly,
"I'm not getting married!"
These words were neither light nor heavy, but they were like thunder.
Everyone was dumbfounded and could not believe their ears.
The room was silent.
…
"My Lady, I just heard that the Eldest Lady isn't getting married."
At dusk, the news of Gu Yunzhen's rejection reached Gu Yanfei's ears.
Gu Yanfei gently plucked the needle on the compass. The needle spun…
The needle moved quickly, then slowly, and gradually stopped.
The westering sun shone through the window and onto the small compass. The needle and the surface of the compass glowed like a pearl.
Juan Bi knew that the girl was reading fortunes. She stared at the compass with bated breath… When the needle stopped, she took a deep breath and asked curiously, "My Lady, have you read it?"
"The hexagram has changed." Gu Yanfei looked at the hexagram displayed on the compass and raised the corners of her eyes happily.
And then? Juan Bi stared at Gu Yanfei with burning eyes, waiting for her to continue.
Gu Yanfei rested her chin on one hand and looked down at the compass. The knuckles of her right hand tapped gently on the table in deep thought.
Before today, she had read several fortunes for Gu Yunzhen's marriage.
The results of the hexagram had always shown that fate was irreversible.
Therefore, Gu Yanfei did not dare to interfere roughly. She was someone abandoned by the heavens. If she forcefully interfered in the karma of "fate", she would harm Gu Yunzhen.
But now, the hexagram showed a turning point—
"Breaking out of the cocoon to become a butterfly," Gu Yanfei muttered to herself.
Juan Bi did not know what Gu Yanfei meant, but she could roughly guess from the words "breaking out of the cocoon to become a butterfly" that the result of the divination should not be bad.
"My Lady." Juan Bi was first happy, then worried. "Will Madam make things difficult for you? And will the Murong family…"
Everyone in the residence knew Madam's personality. She had always been high and mighty and did not tolerate anyone in the residence questioning her decision. Probably only the Marquis and Gu Yunrong had a say in front of Madam.
The Murong family was Gu Yunzhen's future husband's family. If Gu Yunzhen refused to rush good fortune and joy, it would be equivalent to offending the Murong family. Then would the Murong family let it go?!
Compared to Juan Bi's worry, Gu Yanfei looked casual.
...
To break out of the cocoon and become a butterfly, this "cocoon" was binding the butterfly.
If an external force broke it out of the cocoon, the result would only be destruction. Gu Yunzhen had to tear apart the thing binding her to break out of the cocoon and have the beauty of a butterfly.
From this hexagram—
A crack appeared in the "cocoon" on Gu Yunzhen's body. Her fate was no longer "irreversible."
202 Substitute
Gu Yanfei looked up at the colorful sky outside the window and asked, "Do you know why Big Sister suddenly changed her mind?"
"I don't know either." Juan Bi shook her head in confusion. "I only heard that Third Madam also went to the Benevolent Harmony Hall and advised Eldest Lady not to be rash. 'Rushing good fortune' is good for both families. However, the Eldest Lady was determined and didn't say a word."
"Madam is furious. She even reprimanded the Third Madam for not teaching her daughter well." Juan Bi sighed.
Gu Yanfei casually played with the compass and did not comment.
!
"Second Lady." At this moment, the little maidservant's report came from outside the curtain. "Granny Li is here. She said she's here to 'bring a message' from Madam Gu."
"I won't see her," Gu Yanfei said calmly. She leaned lazily on the back of the chair, too lazy to move.
Juan Bi immediately understood and obediently went out to pass on her lady's words.
In less than half a cup of tea's time, Juan Bi returned. She looked a little angry and troubled as she reported hesitantly, "My Lady, Granny Li is here to reprimand you on behalf of Madam Gu."
Under Gu Yanfei's gaze, Juan Bi continued, "Madam Gu said that it was improper for My Lady to go out for the entire night a few days ago and not return."
"She said that My Lady encouraged the Eldest Lady to disobey her elders and deliberately wanted to stir up trouble at home."
"She even said… she said that this small temple in the Marquis Mansion can't afford a big Buddha like you. She asked you to stay in the Benevolent Silence Nunnery after the new year and learn the rules from the nuns."
Juan Bi looked at Gu Yanfei carefully, unable to hide her righteous anger.
Madam was clearly venting her anger!
There was also something else that Juan Bi had not dared to report. Three days ago, when Gu Yanfei was brought back from the manor in a coma, Madam was very unhappy. She had once asked Granny Li to come to Yuheng Garden. Not only had she reprimanded Gu Yanfei for staying out all night, but she had also criticized the Eldest Young Master.
At that time, Juan Bi was very unconvinced. She had clearly asked someone from the manor to return to the capital to pass a message. It was obvious that the residence had not sent a carriage to pick her up!
"That's all?" Gu Yanfei raised her eyebrows calmly as a hint of mockery flashed across her eyes.
In her previous life, she did not understand and only felt inferior and self-pitying. She always felt that something was wrong with her, causing her biological grandmother to like Gu Yunrong more.
This became a knot in her heart that finally turned into a mental demon that she could not let go of for a long time.
Even though she had long been used to Madam Gu being biased against her, even after her rebirth, the mental demons engraved in the depths of her soul were still difficult to dispel.
But now, when she realized that there were other possibilities, she felt relieved. It was as if she had suddenly seen a glimmer of light after an endless night.
If her father, Gu Ce, was really not born to Madam Gu, then she would not be her biological granddaughter.
To Madam Gu, she and Gu Yunrong were not related to her by blood, so it seemed natural that she would prefer Gu Yunrong, who had been raised by her since she was young.
Gu Yanfei subconsciously covered her chest, and the mental demon that had been entangled in her heart loosened a little.
"There's more…" Juan Bi swallowed. Her gaze shifted, and she finished her sentence in one breath. "Granny Li also said that Madam Gu wants you to kneel in the ancestral hall until tomorrow. Granny Li is still waiting outside…"
Juan Bi's voice grew softer and softer.
"I won't go," Gu Yanfei said without thinking, then casually brushed it off. "Tell Granny Li that I'm going to perform a ritual overnight to pray for the Marquis Household. I won't go…"
Wait! As Gu Yanfei spoke, she closed her mouth and suddenly thought of the ancestral hall.
If Madam Gu was not her father's biological mother, then her grandmother should be someone else… It was impossible that there were no traces left in the Gu family's ancestral hall.
Juan Bi had already turned around and was about to go out to answer Granny Li when she heard Gu Yanfei change her words. "Then I'll go."
What?! Juan Bi was dumbfounded, and her jaw almost dropped.
Before she could react, Gu Yanfei had already strolled past her and left the small study.
Not only was Juan Bi stunned, but even Granny Li, who was waiting under the eaves, was also stunned. She looked at Gu Yanfei in a daze.
She thought that the Second Lady would casually dismiss her as usual. She did not expect the Second Lady to really kneel in the ancestral hall?!
Granny Li almost pinched herself to see that this was not a dream, but she barely maintained the smile on her face. She smiled and extended her hand in invitation. "Second Lady, please."
203 Substitute
Gu Yanfei did not stop and walked straight ahead.
Along the way, Granny Li felt that it was a little unreal. She silently arrived at the Gu family's ancestral hall on the west side of the Marquis Mansion.
Compared to other seasons, the ancestral hall in winter was solemn and cold.
From afar, he could see rows of icicles, long and short, hanging from the eaves. The icicles glittered in the evening sunlight, like ice swords hanging upside down from the eaves, loyally guarding the Gu family's ancestors.
!
The old woman guarding the ancestral hall immediately opened the door for Gu Yanfei.
The inside of the door was dark. Only the sunlight that shone in the moment the door opened gave a hint of light.
The old woman thought that Gu Yanfei was here to be punished and said in a threatening tone, "Second Lady, go and kneel inside and reflect on yourself in front of the ancestors. Madam is kind-hearted. As long as you sincerely repent, she will definitely forgive you."
"The Eldest Lady is already kneeling inside."
Big Sister was also there?! Gu Yanfei was slightly stunned and walked into the ancestral hall.
The door to the ancestral hall was closed from behind again. The room was dark and silent.
The darkness did not affect Gu Yanfei's passage at all. Gu Yanfei walked unhurriedly through the front hall and arrived at the sacrificial hall at the back.
There was only one candle lit in the empty and silent sacrificial hall. The small flame could only illuminate a radius of six to seven feet, and the light was very dim.
The layers of dark red memorial tablets directly ahead were clearly sinister in the flickering candlelight.
A familiar figure was kneeling motionless on the futon in front of the memorial tablet.
That slender back was so dignified and upright, exuding an elegant aura.
Gu Yunzhen heard the commotion behind her and turned around, only to meet Gu Yanfei's smiling almond-shaped eyes.
"Yanfei!"
Gu Yunzhen was shocked to see Gu Yanfei.
Then she frowned again, thick self-reproach between her brows.
She had implicated her second sister.
Even though she did not mention her second sister at all, Grandma was still certain that her second sister had instigated her.
"Big Sister, you didn't do anything wrong. Stop kneeling." Gu Yanfei pulled Gu Yunzhen up and gestured for her to sit down on the futon.
Gu Yanfei also did not intend to kneel. She took a few steps forward and looked up at the dense, dark red memorial tablets in front of her.
Soon, she found her grandfather Gu Xuan's memorial tablet in the second row from the bottom to the top.
There was an empty seat beside Gu Xuan's memorial tablet. In the future, this seat would have Madam Gu's memorial tablet.
Below, the two memorial tablets of Gu Ce and Madam Xie were placed side by side. The dim candlelight gently caressed the two memorial tablets, as gentle as Gu Yanfei's gaze.
Gu Yanfei stared at her parents' memorial tablets for a while, then at her grandfather's memorial tablet for a while.
Unfortunately, she could not see any tricks.
It was quiet except for the occasional crackle of burning candle oil.
Gu Yunzhen watched as Gu Yanfei looked around. She did not ask further and only looked at her gently.
Gu Yanfei casually looked around at the other memorial tablets around her but did not gain much.
After 10 minutes, she took another futon and dragged it to Gu Yunzhen's side.
Gu Yunzhen sat with her arms around her knees in a delicate posture. Gu Yanfei sat cross-legged, looking very relaxed.
Gu Yanfei was about to ask Gu Yunzhen how she had thought it through when she heard a low meow from the front hall.
"Meow~"
The muffled meowing of the cat sounded happy.
"Qing Guang!" Gu Yunzhen blurted out in surprise.
In the next moment, a long-haired calico cat walked in valiantly with a snow-white pigeon in its mouth. Its long tail was straight, and it was almost in the sky.
Its green eyes seemed to glow in the darkness.
Gu Yunzhen was instantly bewitched by the cat's charming eyes and looked at the cat in a daze… When she came back to her senses, Gu Yanfei had already untied a small bamboo tube tied to the messenger pigeon's foot and taken out two pieces of silk paper that were folded into long strips.
An elegant and distinctive handwriting entered her eyes. The handwriting was so beautiful that it made her feel energetic.
Gu Yanfei raised her eyebrows and fixed her gaze on the first line, at the word "Liu". She muttered to herself in surprise, "That was quick."
After she returned from the Murong family at noon, she wrote to Chu Yi. It had only been less than four hours.
According to the letter, Miss Liu's name was Muyu, and her father was Liu Wencheng. During the previous Emperor's reign, Liu Wencheng was beheaded for failing to provide disaster relief. The men in his family were exiled for 3,000 miles, and all the women were integrated into the imperial music office.
The letter also included Liu Muyu's birth characters at Gu Yanfei's request.
The women of the Liu family were all in the imperial music office. Their names were recorded in the Ministry of Rites, and there were dossiers to check their birth characters.
Gu Yanfei stared at Liu Muyu's birth characters for a long time and whispered, "As expected!"
Gu Yunzhen, who had come back to her senses, happened to hear it and asked casually, "What do you mean?"
"12th year J8, 52nd year B4, 1st year D4, and 6th year F6 of the 60 year cycle ." Gu Yanfei looked at the piece of silk and read each word clearly, her clear eyes flashing with interest.
Gu Yunzhen blinked and blurted out in surprise, "My birth characters?"
Gu Yanfei smiled mysteriously and said, "It's also Miss Liu's birth character."
"Miss Liu's birth characters are exactly the same as yours."
What?! Gu Yunzhen's eyes widened slightly, and her face filled with surprise.
Two people with the same birth characters could be said to be one in a million. She did not believe that it was a coincidence.
...
Since it was not a coincidence, it must be inevitable to a certain extent!
204 Price
The windows and doors around her were clearly closed, but at this moment, Gu Yunzhen felt the cold wind outside blow at her face like a knife.
She felt a faint chill rise under her feet.
The faces of Madam Murong, Murong Yong, Old Madam Murong, Murong Hui, Liu Muyu, and the others flashed past her eyes. Suspicion rose in her heart as she speculated on the various possibilities behind this.
For a moment, she could not help but think of the plays and scripts she had seen in the past. Keywords like "first love", "cinnabar mole", "family encounters change", "deep love", "involuntary love" and "substitute" filled her thoughts.
"A substitute," Gu Yunzhen muttered. She seemed to be talking to herself, but also seemed to be asking Gu Yanfei, "Am I a substitute?"
After saying it, she felt that her guess was a little ridiculous. She had only heard of people looking for substitutes who looked similar, but she had never seen anyone looking for a substitute with the same birth characters.
"Indeed. However," Gu Yanfei smirked cynically, "Miss Liu should be your substitute."
There was a hint of mystery at the end of her sentence.
Coupled with the clues from her previous life, Gu Yanfei was 90% sure that Liu Muyu was Gu Yunzhen's substitute.
"…" Gu Yunzhen was confused and could not guess what Gu Yanfei meant.
Gu Yanfei then looked at the second piece of silk paper in the pigeon letter. It was about Shangqing Spiritual Master.
Taoist Shangqing Spiritual Master had joined the Wuliang Temple since he was young and had been the disciple of Celestial Rectifier Spiritual Master for more than 30 years.
It was said that he was like the legendary Celestial Rectifier Spiritual Master. He was born with a Taoist bone and extraordinary intelligence. He was especially good at talismans, alchemy, and feng shui. After entering the temple, his Tao techniques quickly improved, and in the past seven to eight years, he had revealed many divine powers.
For example, he had once seen through the mishandling of General Feng's ancestral grave at a glance.
He had once done something to revive the Second Lady of Changning Manor, who had been demented for five years.
He had used just a talisman to pull the Seventh Young Master of Wangan's Manor back from the gates of hell…
There were countless such miracles. As a result, Taoist Shangqing Spiritual Master's reputation rose, and he became known as a "living immortal".
After Gu Yanfei finished reading, she handed the two pieces of silk paper to Gu Yunzhen.
Gu Yunzhen also read it seriously. When she saw that the second piece of paper was about Shangqing Spiritual Master, she raised her eyebrows in surprise.
Gu Yanfei rubbed the hollow spot under her lips thoughtfully with her index finger. The Old Madam of the Murong family lying on the bed appeared in her mind again. The death energy around her was as thick as a cocoon, binding her tightly.
"I once heard a story…"
As soon as Gu Yanfei raised her head, Gu Yunzhen looked up at her in confusion.
This was actually something that Gu Yanfei had personally witnessed in a mortal town when she was in the Bright Spirit Realm.
In a small town, a scholar happened to save a girl from a squire's family. Because of her life-saving grace, the girl married the scholar.
However, the girl was weak and died of illness less than two years after their marriage.
The scholar accidentally found an evil book. In order to revive his wife, he used sorcery to lock her soul in her skull. Then he buried the skull in the ground and watered it with blood every day. From rats to chickens to cows… The amount of blood required increased day by day until it needed human blood to water it.
For this reason, the scholar did not hesitate to kill one person after another.
Flesh and blood grew bit by bit on his wife's bones. Her skin was like seeds taking root and germinating in the ground, but her body no longer had any warmth. Her limbs were stiff and she still could not see the light.
His wife did not want to be resurrected, let alone become this half-human half-ghost.
However, the scholar still forced it, unable to let his wife die.
This was because the scholar's family had fallen. If not for his wife's wealth, he would have lost everything long ago. He relied on his in-laws to make a comeback.
Once his wife died, without the help of his in-laws, the scholar would return to being poor.
Gu Yanfei suddenly stopped here, her eyes deep.
Gu Yunzhen's heart rose and fell with the story. At first, she was touched by the scholar's "deep love". Later, she was conflicted that the scholar had killed several people to save one person. When she heard this, she hated the scholar's selfishness and ruthlessness.
"What happened after that?" Gu Yunzhen asked. She felt that the wife in this story was too pitiful.
Later…
Gu Yanfei blinked, as if she had returned to those memories from a hundred years ago.
205 Price
Later, that wife was completely "resurrected" and had flesh and blood, except that her blood was black. She became an evil creature without rationality and killed everyone in the city.
At that time, Gu Yanfei had gone down the mountain under her master's orders to eliminate the evil creature.
She had witnessed a living hell. The wife was covered in human blood in her mouth and in her hands. She was still clutching bits of flesh between her fingers, but she was crying. Two black lines of tears gurgled down her face as she begged her, "Kill me!"
Gu Yanfei's eyelashes fluttered slightly, but she did not say this part in the end. She only said casually, "Later, that scholar was personally killed by his wife, and his wife died."
!
"There's a price for any sorcery."
As Gu Yanfei spoke, she took out a handkerchief from her sleeve and handed it to Gu Yunzhen.
"…" Gu Yunzhen's eyes widened slightly and turned red.
She was still immersed in Gu Yanfei's story and felt empty in her heart.
The candle flame danced slightly twice, and a drop of transparent candle oil flowed down like a line of clear tears. Under the candlelight, it was crystal clear.
"Coo, coo."
The pigeon called softly. As one, the sisters looked for the sound and saw the calico cat eyeing the carrier pigeon menacingly. The carrier pigeon flapped its wings innocently.
Gu Yanfei grabbed the calico cat and tapped its pink nose. "Don't bully Gu Gu all day. Gu Gu is much more sensible and capable than you."
Gu Gu was the name Juan Bi had given the carrier pigeon.
"Meow, meow!" When the cat heard that, as a dignified spiritual beast, it was actually compared to a mere pigeon, it almost stomped its feet. It raised its butt and ground its claws twice in a show of force.
Gu Yanfei continued to lecture the cat in all seriousness. "You always eat and sleep. Don't you know that you'll become stupid?"
"Look at you. You're as fat as a ball. You might not be able to jump far next time!"
Gu Yunzhen looked at them and was amused. She covered her mouth and laughed, and the little worry in her heart dissipated.
Seeing that she was finally smiling, Gu Yanfei smiled as well.
"Meow~" The cat leaned over and rubbed against Gu Yanfei's skirt affectionately. It circled around her and whined cutely, meaning that it was the cutest, most capable, and most sensible.
"Alright, stop acting cute and go to work obediently!" Gu Yanfei lowered her head and whispered into the cat's ear. Then, she gently patted the cat's butt, indicating for it to hurry up.
It was the most powerful! The cat raised its tail high, glanced at the white pigeon not far away, and walked elegantly out of the ancestral hall.
The sky darkened especially quickly in winter. Night had already fallen, and the Marquis Mansion at night was empty and silent.
Tonight, the moon was bright and the stars were sparse. The bright moonlight shone gently on the courtyard.
The cat swaggered through the residence, jumped briskly up the tree, jumped over the wall, stepped on the tiles on the roofs of other houses, and took a shortcut north of the city.
It was going to the Murong Manor.
The night belonged to cats. Qing Guang did not recognize the Murong family, but other cats did. Some cats even led the way eagerly.
The calico cat only took the time for an incense stick to burn to reach Anping Alley, where the Murong Manor was located.
It was really amazing. It ran faster than a horse!
Qing Guang thought smugly as it licked its nose and then its claws.
Squatting on the top of the high wall and looking down at the gloomy mansion below, it tilted its cat face and thought for a long time before it finally remembered.
Oh right, Master said that the old lady's courtyard was in that direction!
Meowing happily again, it leaped northwest toward the Murong Manor…
It displayed its ability to climb walls and trees. In a few moves, it found the courtyard that Gu Yanfei had mentioned, with old pine trees and ponds that had dried up. It found the tree closest to the window and nimbly climbed up.
This time, it made a little too much noise. A section of branch rustled from the impact.
Dead leaves fell from the branches.
The calico cat took advantage of being high up and glanced through the window. It saw an old woman lying on the bed against the wall in the house, and a man and woman in their 40s sitting at the coffee table talking.
There was only one goat horn palace lamp lit in the room. The light was slightly dim, making the atmosphere a little oppressive.
It simply laid on the branch and stopped moving.
The couple naturally heard the sound outside the window, but they only thought that it was because the wind was strong at night. Madam Murong glanced in the direction of the window and immediately looked away.
"Master, the Gu family has already agreed to rush good fortune. According to Shangqing Spiritual Master's advice, I've set the wedding date for New Year's Eve," Madam Murong said happily.
"Good, good!" The Old Master, Murong Hao stroked his goatee and said in satisfaction. Then, he asked unhappily, "Did Yu'er run out today?"
Madam Murong nodded awkwardly. Read lat𝙚st chapters at nov(𝒆) Only
Liu Muyu was her niece. She could not absolve herself of the blame for causing such a problem at such a critical moment today.
Madam Murong coughed dryly and cleared her throat. "I was originally afraid that they would be angry. Fortunately, Madam Gu is a sensible person and did not pursue the matter."
Her full lips curled smugly as she spoke.
After all, the two families had already exchanged invitations, and the marriage was set. With her second son's character, the Gu family would not be able to find such a good son-in-law!
Murong Hao heaved a sigh of relief and did not dwell on it. He only reminded her, "Madam, since nothing will happen to this marriage, let's marry her off."
"Don't worry, Master," Madam Murong agreed seriously and quickly changed the topic. "Shangqing Spiritual Master will come tomorrow and will go to the Marquis Mansion with me."
"I'm relieved to have Shangqing Spiritual Master." Murong Hao stroked his beard again.
Outside the window, there was another rustling sound. The swaying leaves left sinister and strange shadows on the window paper, as if something was hiding in the darkness and spying on them.
206 Seductive
Murong Hao could not help but look at the shelf bed.
The old lady, who was sleeping under the bed canopy, still had her eyes closed. Her skin was pale and dry, and her body was so shriveled that she was almost skin and bones. Her eyebrows were protruding, and her eyes and cheeks were deeply sunken. Breathing between her mouth and nose was barely visible. She was lifeless, like a living dead.
"Bang!"
The sound of a clapper pierced through the night and came from afar, as if a hammer had hammered into the couple's hearts.
!
Murong Hao punched his fist lightly on his knee twice and looked at the old lady with flickering eyes.
The emotions in them were abnormally complicated. There was sadness, helplessness, sighs… There was also a hint of pity.
"Master, this is all for the Murong family." Madam Murong naturally saw that her husband was wavering and advised him softly.
Yes, for the Murong family.
Murong Hao's gaze only shifted for a moment before turning as deep as an abyss.
"Mother," Murong Hao said in a low voice to the unconscious old lady on the bed. His voice was a little hoarse. "Hang in there for a few more years. Our Ah Yong is about to get married…"
He dragged out the end and finally let out a long sigh.
At some point, a flying insect had appeared in the lampshade. The flying insect flapped its wings inside and rampaged mindlessly. The magnified shadow of the insect cast on the walls of the house made the originally heavy atmosphere even more strange and sinister.
The old lady on the bed extended a finger from under the embroidered blanket. The finger moved slightly, and her shriveled, purple mouth opened slightly in a silent sigh…
Rustle…
The flying insect in the lantern flapped its wings even more violently, making a subtle scraping sound as it hit the lampshade.
The cat outside the window was attracted by the rapidly fluttering light and shadow and the flapping wings of the flying insects. Its mind went blank, and it flew towards the window…
Its hind legs kicked off the branch, and it swayed again, causing the cat's calculations to deviate a little. The cat's front paws clung to the window threshold, but its hind legs missed, and it could only cling to the window in a slightly sorry state.
At this moment, Gu Yanfei's sigh sounded in the cat's ear again. "Look at you, you're already as fat as a ball. You might not be able to jump far next time!"
The cat's face almost collapsed. Its front paws reached out and hooked the window sill with its sharp nails. Its hind legs hung in midair as it tried to pedal the air…
"Meow!"
With a roar, the cat finally pushed himself up with a burst of strength and struggled up the window sill. Then it eagerly raised a paw to tug at a talisman stuck to the window.
"Where did this wildcat come from!" a slightly sharp female voice shouted.
The commotion caused by the cat was naturally noticed by the couple in the house.
Madam Murong and Murong Hao frowned at the long-haired calico cat in the window and were shocked.
"Guards!" Murong Hao was about to order someone to hit the cat when he saw it turn to look at them. Its emerald eyes glittered in the candlelight.
"Meow~"
The cat's eyes were clear and spotless. They were so shiny and dazzling.
Its charming eyes were like silk, captivating them.
Murong Hao and Madam Murong looked at the calico cat in a daze. They were mesmerized, and their eyes were filled with infatuation and piety.
"Kitty, do you want that?" Murong Hao said gently as he pointed at the talisman stuck to the window.
The middle-aged man deliberately softened his rough voice, making it seem a little flattering and comical.
"Meow!" The calico cat meowed bossily, cockily leering at the two stupid humans.
"It's too high for you to reach, right?" Madam Murong understood and approached the window eagerly. She smiled like a flower, and her eyes were filled with flattery. "I'll get it for you."
The calico cat meowed again, chin high, elegantly crouched, tail wagging happily behind it like a feather duster.
Murong Hao rushed to the window, but Madam Murong tore a talisman off the window before he could.
Then, she held the talisman in both hands and respectfully handed it to the cat. She even asked considerately, "Kitty, are you hungry? Do you want to eat some dried fish before leaving?"
The cat's eyes lit up and it salivated, but Gu Yanfei's words rang in its ears again. "You're as fat as a ball."
The cat trembled and quickly calmed down. It meowed and bit the talisman handed to it. Then it turned around and leaped towards the tree outside the window…
207 Seductive
The Murong couple looked at the cat's elegant back in a daze. Madam Murong sighed softly. "It's really beautiful!"
The swaying branches outside the window seemed to respond to her.
As the night deepened, the capital became quieter. The lights were extinguished one by one, and only the stars and moon in the sky were still shining.
The cat ignored the night and carried the talisman through the ink-black night, unaffected.
!
"Swish, swish, swish…"
In a few light leaps, it returned to the Marquis Mansion and quietly jumped into the sacrificial hall of the ancestral hall. It saw Gu Yunzhen and Gu Yanfei standing side by side in front of the memorial tablets.
Gu Yunzhen looked at Gu Ce and Madam Xie's memorial tablets and said in a low voice, "… My mother told me that Uncle and Aunt are a real immortal couple. They're each other's only one."
"In the years after Aunt passed away, countless matchmakers persuaded Uncle to remarry. They said that Eldest Brother and Third Sister needed the care of a mother, but Uncle never thought of remarrying."
"Mother said that men like Uncle are too rare. Most men are like Father and Grandfather…"
Gu Yunzhen lowered her eyes and sighed.
Gu Yanfei stared deeply at her parents' memorial tablets. Her eyes were gentle, and her expression was quiet.
The candle beside her had burned down to two inches. The yellow flame flickered.
"Meow!"
Realizing that neither of them had noticed her arrival, the cat meowed unhappily.
Gu Yunzhen's attention was immediately attracted by the cat. She smiled happily and said, "Qing Guang, you're back!"
The cat raised its tail proudly again and walked up to Gu Yanfei with its head held high. It handed the talisman in its mouth to her.
Then, it squatted proudly on another futon beside it, raising its small chin and waiting for praise.
The talisman had been in the cat's mouth for a while, and a third of it was soaked with saliva.
Gu Yanfei swung the wet talisman and flicked it between its eyebrows in disdain. She teased, "It's all your saliva!"
"Meow, meow, meow!"
The cat was furious and barked several times in dissatisfaction.
Gu Yanfei chuckled. She lowered her head and gently bent down to hook the cat's chin with her finger.
The cat instinctively rubbed back against her palm, meowing at her like a spoiled child.
However, Gu Yanfei only said calmly, "I don't understand."
The cat's eyes widened, and its long tail exploded again!
Gu Yanfei couldn't help but smile. She casually took out a piece of chicken jerky from her pouch and threw it to the cat.
The cat swallowed the chicken jerky in a few bites and licked its claws. It still felt unsatisfactory, but it would gain weight if it ate too much supper.
As the cat thought about it, Gu Yanfei pinched the talisman and studied it carefully, concentrating.
The runes on the talisman paper were black.
Gu Yanfei brought the talisman close to her nose and sniffed it. She raised her eyebrows.
This rune should have been drawn by cinnabar mixed with blood and dark gray stone powder.
It was a talisman drawn by mortals in this small world. It was very different from what Gu Yanfei had learned in the Bright Spirit Realm.
However, nothing changed.
As long as it was a talisman, there must be a pattern to it…
"Meow!" The cat leaned over again and meowed pitifully.
It had worked hard to cross half of the capitol at night, but it was actually sent away by a mere piece of chicken jerky. It was really too perfunctory for the cat.
Hence, Gu Yanfei took out a bell ball from her sleeve and casually threw it out.
Qing Guang meowed and happily chased after the bell ball.
Gu Yunzhen finally came back to her senses and continued, "Grandpa and Grandma used to be an immortal couple. Unfortunately, it was only for less than two years."
Gu Yunzhen noticed a little candle oil on her grandfather's memorial tablet.
She took out a square of handkerchief and gently wiped the memorial tablet. The memorial tablet accidentally bumped into the incense table with a thud.
Gu Yunzhen carefully adjusted her grandfather's memorial tablet and said faintly, "When my grandfather passed away, I was only two years old. I don't have a deep impression of him. Many things about my grandfather were told to me by my ancestral concubine mother and birth mother."
The "ancestral concubine mother" Gu Yunzhen was referring to was Third Master's biological mother, Old Aunt Sun.
Gu Yanfei silently moved the candle to the side.
Gu Yunzhen looked at Gu Yanfei beside her and thought that her second sister had just returned to the Marquis Mansion and probably did not know much about the residence. Especially since her eldest cousin was a man and was not so meticulous, he probably would not tell her too much.
Gu Yunzhen sorted out her thoughts and said tirelessly, "Our Dingyuan Marquis Household is only the fourth generation in this generation. My great-grandfather only got his only son at the age of 40. He naturally raised him carefully."
Although there were so many ancestral tablets in the Gu family's ancestral hall, the Gu family was actually not an ordinary farmer in the previous dynasty. It was only because their great-grandfather, Gu Yao, rebelled with Emperor Taizu and established illustrious military merits that the Dingyuan Marquis Household came to be.
The memorial tablets above were all unknown people. Even their names were not presentable. Even the memorial tablets of many relatives were offered in this ancestral hall.
"Grandpa didn't disappoint my great-grandfather. He made a lot of contributions to the imperial court."
"My great-grandfather was even more concerned about my grandfather's marriage. He chose the daughter of the Qi family of Yingchuan, Yuzhou… which is my grandmother. Back then, my great-grandfather even asked Emperor Taizu to issue a decree to betroth her to me. This marriage was considered glorious and praiseworthy."
At that time, the nobles who had followed Emperor Taizu to establish unparalleled merits were basically low-born generals.
After the new dynasty was established, they would either divorce their wives and marry other women, or marry the daughters of aristocratic families for their children and grandchildren. They hoped that the next generation would have the nobility of the "high-class families".
Yingchuan's Qi family was not considered a noble family and could only be considered a scholarly family. It was also because his great-grandfather felt that it was not a coincidence that he chose the Qi family's daughter-in-law.
...
208 Out of Line
"Ring, ring, ring…"
Qing Guang brought the bell ball back with its mouth and meowed. It walked in front of Gu Yanfei and swayed in front of her eyes.
"Good boy!" Gu Yanfei praised it perfunctorily. She stroked the cat's head and let it play.
Gu Yunzhen simply took the bell ball and gently threw it away. The cat jumped up again and chased after the ball happily.
!
Gu Yunzhen squatted on the ground and played ball with the cat. She quickly continued, "After the marriage, Grandpa and Grandma were happily married. Unexpectedly, not long after Uncle was born, Grandpa fell seriously ill and almost frightened Great-Grandpa."
"At that time, my great-grandfather was already old and covered in old injuries. If my grandfather had passed away at that time, with my great-grandfather's health, he probably wouldn't have been able to last until my uncle grew up. Then, the Marquis Mansion would have completely declined."
"My great-grandfather looked for doctors and medicine everywhere for my grandfather. He invited a lot of doctors, imperial physicians, witches, and Taoist priests. During that period of time, the residence was filled with the fragrance of medicine every day."
"It took a month for Grandfather to recover."
Gu Yanfei spared half of her attention to look at the rune. Her right index finger drew in the air as she asked absent-mindedly, "What happened after that?"
"After that," Gu Yunzhen caught the bell ball that Qing Guang slapped over and shook it before continuing, "Grandpa has always been very healthy… However, his relationship with Grandma is not as good as before."
"After Grandfather recovered from his illness, he took in his concubine not long after…"
As she spoke, Gu Yunzhen's expression was a little subtle. Her eyelashes trembled slightly as her mother's meaningful voice sounded in her ears.
"Zhen'er, remember Mother's words. Friendship is the most useless. Look at your grandmother. Even if her relationship with your grandfather is ordinary, she's still the Madam of the Marquis Mansion. No one can surpass her."
Their third branch was a concubine's family. Ever since the Old Marquis passed away, their status in the Marquis Mansion has been very awkward. It could be said that they lived in the cracks.
Old Aunt Sun had specially given Third Madam Yan some pointers. Now that Madam Yan thought that her daughter was about to get married, she also told her about these old matters in the Marquis Mansion to remind her.
"Sizzle…"
Another teardrop slowly trickled down, and the candle flame swayed gently.
Gu Yunzhen's black hair fell softly behind her. The jade hairpin at her temples reflected a bleak luster in the candlelight.
Her eyelashes were lowered, and half her face was lost in the flickering shadows of the candlelight. She exuded a quiet aura.
Gu Yunzhen raised her wrist and threw the bell ball in her hand again.
This simple action carried a desperate feeling, as if she was venting something.
Gu Yunzhen stood up again and exhaled silently. "14 years ago, Grandpa suddenly fell seriously ill. He was on his last breath in a few days…"
"From what my ancestral concubine's mother said, Grandpa seems to know that he doesn't have long to live. He even told them not to hire a doctor anymore."
Her last sentence attracted some reaction from Gu Yanfei. Gu Yanfei looked up at her. At the same time, the fingers of her right hand drew the last stroke in the air.
In an instant, something seemed to vibrate in the air, swinging out invisible loops of air, like fleeting ripples on water.
Then, Gu Yanfei slowly put down the talisman in her hand, her heart shining.
Sure enough, she'd been right.
Gu Yanfei's pupils were dark, clear, and bright in the candlelight, like a deep ancient well that rippled slightly.
"How pitiful." Gu Yanfei sighed softly.
Her voice was so soft that Gu Yunzhen could not hear her clearly. Hence, Gu Yunzhen asked, "What's wrong?"
Gu Yanfei did not answer and asked, "Big Sister, are we giving away the dowry tomorrow?"
"I'm not getting married," Gu Yunzhen said calmly.
There was neither hysteria nor righteous indignation. Just a smile on her lips, as dignified and virtuous as ever.
Gu Yanfei smiled and said meaningfully, "… You're not getting married."
Gu Yunzhen was infected by her smile and smiled too, even if she actually did not understand what Gu Yanfei meant.
Gu Yanfei raised her hand and moved the talisman closer to the candlelight.
The candlelight instantly ignited the talisman paper, and greedily devoured it. There was a faint black aura hidden in the bright yellow flames.
Gu Yanfei casually threw the talisman into the treasure basin used to burn paper money.
The burning talisman floated down. The flames flickered, sometimes high and sometimes low. The flickering flames left crisscrossing shadows on her fair face.
209 Out of Line
"Ring, ring, ring…"
The bell ball rolled around and around as the cat slapped it. The bell rose and fell with increasing urgency.
The commotion inside was heard by the old woman guarding the door.
The old woman opened the door, crossed the front hall, and jogged over in a hurry. However, not only were the sisters not kneeling, but Gu Yanfei was also burning things in the cornucopia. It was unknown if she was burning paper money or keeping warm.
The old woman was shocked and raised her voice to reprimand, "Eldest Lady, Second Lady, I asked you to kneel as punishment, not to play in the ancestral hall!"
"If you don't kneel well, I'll tell Madam."
The old woman took a few more steps toward the two of them and puffed out her chest.
The talisman paper in the treasure basin had been completely burned to ashes by the flames, leaving only some sparks.
It was much darker around them again. The candle, which had burned down to an inch, was still burning.
Gu Yanfei yawned lazily and could not be bothered to argue with the old woman. She called out again, "Qing Guang."
Qing Guang, who was playing ball, immediately heard the commotion and meowed softly.
It was having the time of its life. Its green cat eyes shone brightly in the candlelight, shining charmingly. In an instant, it had stolen the old woman's heart.
"Kitty." The old woman bowed and looked at the calico cat obsequiously. She rubbed her hands and asked ingratiatingly, "Do you want to warm yourself by the fire? I'll get you a charcoal fire."
Gu Yanfei threw a pouch at the cat, so the cat brought it to the old woman and wagged its tail in the direction of the candle.
The old woman poured out a dried fish from her pouch and immediately understood. She said self-consciously, "I'll help you roast the dried fish."
"Roasting dried fish one by one with candlelight tastes the best."
Taking advantage of this moment, Gu Yanfei directly held Gu Yunzhen's hand and swaggered towards the front hall of the ancestral hall.
Gu Yunzhen was still a little reluctant. As she walked, she turned around and sighed enviously. "I want to help Qing Guang roast dried fish too!"
"There will be a chance," Gu Yanfei said perfunctorily. Then, she changed the topic. "Big Sister, follow me to Yuheng Garden to rest tonight."
Gu Yunzhen: "…"
Gu Yunzhen had been taught to be gentle, dignified, and obedient since she was young. She was already not used to being punished for kneeling today, but she did not. Now that she still had to sneak away, she felt even more uncomfortable.
Seeing through Gu Yunzhen's thoughts, Gu Yanfei smiled and held her hand as they walked forward. "It's fine. We'll come early tomorrow and rush over before everyone does."
"That's not good," Gu Yunzhen said, but her body honestly followed Gu Yanfei away.
When she stepped out of the ancestral hall and stood under the eaves, Gu Yunzhen still felt like she was in a dream.
She really came out?!
This was the first time in Gu Yunzhen's life that she had done such an outrageous thing.
Gu Yunzhen shivered in the face of the night wind, but she smiled. Instead, she felt very comfortable and carefree.
It was as if the breath that had been held in her chest for a long time had suddenly been released. Her vision cleared and she felt refreshed.
The sisters held hands as they walked east. Gu Yunzhen looked at the stars and moon in the night sky and said, "Yanfei, when I told Madam that I wouldn't marry, I was actually a little afraid."
But she knew she wasn't alone.
She knew that even if her mother didn't stand by her, her second sister would.
The silver moonlight poured gently down from the night sky, giving them a faint glow and casting two long shadows on the ground.
The two slim figures snuggled against each other.
It felt so good to know that someone would stand on her side!
"I like my second sister the most."
Gu Yunzhen leaned her face affectionately on Gu Yanfei's shoulder, her smile like stars rippling in her eyes.
The girl under the moonlight had a pair of soft, watery eyebrows that cut through the blue water like a wave. When she smiled, her eyes were gentle and beautiful.
Gu Yanfei also smiled, and her eyes bloomed with the same dazzling light. In an instant, they were overflowing with light, and an indescribable joy surged into her heart.
Her big sister should have been like this, beautiful and elegant, blooming against the cold wind like the bright camellia, not withering early like in her previous life.
Gu Yanfei's heart rippled. She held Gu Yunzhen's arm and said in high spirits, "Big Sister, I'm not sleeping anymore. Let's go drink!"
Ah?! Gu Yunzhen was still in a daze as she looked at Gu Yanfei in confusion.
When did they talk about drinking?
"I obtained a jar of good plum blossom wine a few days ago. It's from Qiongfang Shop." Gu Yanfei had a hint of playfulness, smugness, and bragging. "It's also a limited edition wine. There are only 20 jars in total."
"…" Gu Yunzhen really did not like wine, but she was actually moved by Gu Yanfei's unrestrained appearance, which made her look like a little fox.
Since she had already gone overboard today, she might as well go out of line.
"Alright!" Gu Yunzhen smiled and nodded. "Let's go drink!"
The sisters chatted happily all the way back to Yuheng Garden.
When the maidservants saw Gu Yanfei return, they hurriedly went to inform Juan Bi. After a while, Juan Bi ran over to welcome her with a smile.
There was a warm pavilion in the backyard of Yuheng Garden. According to Gu Yuan, it was built by his father for his mother when she was still alive.
With Gu Yanfei's instructions, Juan Bi and the other maidservants moved. They started the heater in the heater pavilion and brought over a screen to block the wind and two high-backed chairs. They also brought over a small red clay stove and a basket of charcoal fire to heat the wine.
The plum blossom wine was not a strong wine, and the taste of the wine was very faint. Gu Yanfei would not be drunk even if she drank a jar of such wine, but Gu Yunzhen's alcohol tolerance was clearly a little poor.
After three glasses of wine, Gu Yunzhen's fair cheeks were stained with a peach blossom-like blush, as if she had applied rouge. Her eyes rippled and were still filled with water, making her look charming.
As soon as she was drunk, she began to recite poems related to wine, from "a pot of wine in the flower room" to "drinking in high spirits"… to "asking the sky for wine" by Emperor Taizu.
She read until Juan Bi was sleepy, but the last person to fall asleep was the drunk Gu Yunzhen. Gu Yunzhen collapsed and fell asleep on the table in a daze.
...
Gu Yanfei was not asleep. Her clear eyes seemed to be sparkling after drinking.
She smiled at Gu Yunzhen for a moment and said softly, "Don't worry, the marriage tomorrow won't happen."
210 Breaking the Engagement
Because she was drunk, Gu Yunzhen was sleeping very soundly. It was not until she heard the crisp chirping of birds that she suddenly opened her eyes.
The sky was brightening, and a few birds were flying happily outside the pavilion, playing and singing.
Gu Yunzhen blinked, then slowly blinked again as memories of last night surged through her.
Oh no!
!
Gu Yunzhen hurriedly straightened her sore upper body. Still not fully awake, she rubbed her temples sleepily and said, "We have to return to the ancestral hall!"
After the words left her mouth, she realized that her voice was a little hoarse.
It was the rasp of a hangover.
"There's no hurry," Gu Yanfei, who was sitting beside Gu Yunzhen, said with a smile.
Gu Yanfei had woken up long ago. She held her chin with one hand and spun the needle of a small compass with the other.
She had also slept on the table last night, so her clothes were a little wrinkled, but she was in good spirits. Her big eyes were sparkling in the morning sunlight, and she did not look hungover or tired at all.
At the side, Juan Bi took out two bowls of porridge from the food box and echoed, "Eldest Lady, there's no hurry. Eat some porridge to fill your stomach before going to the ancestral hall. It's still early!"
Looking at the pale sky, Gu Yunzhen finally heaved a sigh of relief and smiled gently and shyly.
Still a little groggy and hungover, she asked, "Yanfei, what are you doing?"
Gu Yanfei raised her hand and pointed in the direction of the Murong family. She looked at the compass in her hand and said thoughtfully, "The Sheng hexagram represents wind, and the sky above it is Gou."
In the blue sky above, a sparrow spread its wings and flew past them, casting a twisted and strange shadow on the compass that disappeared in a flash.
Gu Yunzhen was confused. Just as she was about to ask Gu Yanfei what this divination meant, she heard a maidservant's uneasy and panicked voice from the southeast. "Third Lady, please allow me to inform My Lady."
"Why go through so much trouble?" Gu Yunrong's clear and mellow voice sounded. "I saw her."
To the southeast, Gu Yunrong, who was wearing a purple cloak with mink fur, walked over, ignoring the little maidservant's obstruction. The cloak embroidered with gold thread shone faintly, making her look as beautiful as peach blossoms in spring.
Behind her was her maidservant, Xia Lian, holding a red lacquered golden food box.
The maidservant glanced uneasily into the warming pavilion, her round face red with anxiety.
Juan Bi, who was in the warm pavilion, frowned. She felt that their little maidservant from Yuheng Garden was still too timid to let the Third Lady barge into the backyard.
Gu Yanfei raised her hand and gestured to the maidservant to leave. The people on both sides had already arrived.
"Big Sister, I guess you're here." Gu Yunrong did not stop walking. She walked unhurriedly to the outside of the warm pavilion.
An expectant expression appeared on her bright face.
As they got closer, Gu Yunrong could clearly smell the alcohol on Gu Yunzhen. She could not help but frown when she saw her still dazed eyes and wrinkled dress.
Gu Yunrong's gaze swept past the two people in the pavilion. She did not greet Gu Yanfei and spoke to Gu Yunzhen, "Big Sister, I just went to the ancestral hall to look for you…"
"I heard that you kneeled in the ancestral hall all night. I thought you must be hungry, so I brought some food over. I didn't expect you to be away."
When Gu Yunrong arrived at the ancestral hall, she saw the old maid guarding the ancestral hall sleeping soundly on the futon. After waking her up, the old maid was submissive and did not say a word for a long time.
After Gu Yunrong asked repeatedly, she realized that Gu Yanfei had taken Gu Yunzhen away last night.
Gu Yunrong did not go to Gu Yunzhen's courtyard and guessed that she was most likely in Yuheng Garden. As expected!
However, she did not expect Gu Yunzhen to be so drunk.
If it were in the past, Gu Yunzhen would not have escaped secretly since she had received her punishment.
Gu Yunrong looked straight at Gu Yunzhen and felt that the girl in front of her had suddenly become blurry. She was not at all like the dignified and virtuous big sister she knew.
"I didn't do anything wrong. "There's no need to kneel," Gu Yunzhen said calmly, her voice still hoarse from alcohol.
Three or four sparrows bickered at the top of the branch, chattering nonstop. They pecked at each other and scratched at each other. A few stray feathers fluttered down with the wind.
Gu Yunrong's frown deepened, and her eyes darkened.