The night curfew began after sunset. The street drum would sound, beating 600 times to remind people still outside to return home early or find a nearby place to spend the night.
After the 600 drum beats were finished, anyone still lingering on the streets would be considered in violation of the law, and the night patrol would arrest them and throw them in jail.
Wen Jiang, the eldest son of the Marquis of Changning, had been out of the city on official business for a few days. When he returned to the city, he arrived just as the street drum was halfway through its beats. He had originally planned to find a place to stay for the night and return home early the next morning, but remembering the letter his mother had sent through someone, he forced himself to ride his horse back home.
After arriving home, he first went to his own courtyard to change out of the official clothes he wore while on duty. After changing, Wen Jiang saw his wife, Madam Wu, bringing a plate of winter jujubes. He was surprised and asked: “Weren’t they all sent to Wangyue Pavilion? How are there still some left?”
Wangyue Pavilion was where Wen Xi lived. As the eldest brother, although Wen Jiang liked to tease Wen Xi and watch him get frustrated but unable to do anything about it, he still doted on Wen Xi in his heart. Knowing that Wen Xi loved fruit, he had ordered that his own portion be sent to Wen Xi as well.
Hearing Wen Jiang’s question, Madam Wu smiled and said: “These were sent by your younger brother.”
Wen Jiang thought he had misheard: “Who?”
Madam Wu picked up a jujube and held it to Wen Jiang’s mouth: “You heard correctly. It was sent by your younger brother.”
Wen Jiang took a bite of the jujube from his wife’s hand and exclaimed: “It’s not even spoiled. It was really sent by him?”
Seeing his reaction, Madam Wu couldn’t help but laugh: “Didn’t your mother send you a letter? Why do you look like you don’t know anything?”
Wen Jiang took another bite, the sound particularly crisp: “Mother did have someone send me a letter, but she only mentioned that the little guy has been acting a bit strange lately. She didn’t say exactly what strange things he did…”
After finishing the jujube in Madam Wu’s hand, Wen Jiang took another one from the plate to eat: “Has he really changed?”
Madam Wu thought for a moment: “To say he’s changed… not exactly. He still seems to dislike you very much. To avoid letting you know the jujubes were from him, he specifically had someone from your mother’s courtyard deliver them. But your mother told me that these jujubes were indeed sent by him.”
Wen Jiang also laughed. This was indeed something his younger brother, who was inexperienced in the ways of the world, would do.
“What else has he done?” Wen Jiang asked.
Madam Wu counted on her fingers: “Your younger brother has been going out less often, and when he’s at home, he’s always asking questions about everything. He even asked the maids in your mother’s courtyard and found out that the jujubes he could barely finish were actually allocated from our courtyard and your second brother’s courtyard. That made him quite upset. And there’s more. He also learned that your second brother had offended someone in the Imperial Guard and had been having trouble with them for the past few days. Let me tell you, after he heard about this, he left the mansion once, and after that, there were no more reports of your second brother being harassed by the Imperial Guard. Others might not see a connection, but I can’t help feeling that he must have done something to resolve the situation for your second brother.”
Wen Jiang: “Your guess might be correct.”
Madam Wu patted Wen Jiang’s chest, chiding him: “You’re teasing me again.”
“I’m serious,” Wen Jiang said, grabbing Madam Wu’s hand and pulling her into his embrace. “Let me ask you, where did he go after leaving the mansion?”
This was something Madam Wu actually knew. Due to the Marchioness’s excessive concern, every time Wen Xi returned from an outing, she would call in the person who accompanied him to inquire about the details. Madam Wu happened to be with the Marchioness at that time—
“They said he went to Grand Tutor Wei’s residence.”
Wen Xi had shown exceptional talent in poetry and literature from a young age, which led to an imperial audience when he was still a child.
Grand Tutor Wei was present at that time and was greatly impressed by Wen Xi, immediately taking him as a disciple.
However, he also recognized Wen Xi’s shortcomings, knowing that the boy had been too sheltered. He realized that if this continued, Wen Xi’s works would become increasingly ornate but lacking in substance, remaining superficial. To prevent Wen Xi from being ruined by his comfort zone, instead of having him study solely under his guidance, Grand Tutor Wei deliberately sent Wen Xi to an academy to gain more exposure to the ways of the world.
As Grand Tutor Wei’s most beloved student, Wen Xi naturally had the privilege of visiting him at any time.
Here’s the translation:
Hearing this answer, Wen Jiang said: “That makes sense then.”
Madam Wu didn’t understand: “What makes sense?”
Wen Jiang explained to her: “Grand Tutor Wei is most wary of imperial in-laws, and the commander of the Imperial Guard is the Empress’s nephew. If that little brat let Grand Tutor Wei know about the Imperial Guard’s behavior, Grand Tutor Wei would certainly report it to His Majesty.”
Madam Wu was shocked: “When did your younger brother become so clever?”
Wen Jiang caressed his wife’s slender waist: “Maybe he didn’t think it through that much. Perhaps Grand Tutor Wei is just the highest-ranking person he knows, so he thought to ask him to help resolve the second brother’s trouble. It might have been a lucky coincidence.”
Madam Wu, softened by Wen Jiang’s wandering hand, blushed and pushed him away: “Oh, that’s enough. Your mother is still waiting for you. Go quickly, go quickly.”
Wen Jiang chuckled, taking Madam Wu’s hand as they went together to the Marchioness’s courtyard.
The Marchioness had been both joyful and worried these past few days. She was happy that her unworldly youngest son had finally become aware and was actively trying to understand mundane affairs, unstoppably so. But she was worried that this change in her youngest son must be related to his yet-to-be-settled marriage.
The Marchioness thought, if her youngest son was truly so averse to this marriage arrangement—to the point where he no longer just willfully refused as before, but was carefully using actions and changes to tell the family that he didn’t need this arrangement—then shouldn’t they reconsider it?
The Marchioness had spoiled her youngest son too much. Just thinking about him bottling up his sadness made her feel terribly upset.
When Wen Jiang came to her, she shared her thoughts with him.
Wen Jiang comforted his mother and asked again about all of Wen Xi’s recent actions.
The Marchioness knew more details than Madam Wu. She recounted everything from start to finish without missing anything, feeling increasingly that Wen Xi’s changes were so drastic it hurt her heart. She sighed, “My child has grown up.”
Wen Jiang left Madam Wu to accompany his mother and headed to Wangyue Pavilion, where he found his brother in the small storeroom, painfully going through account books.
“What are you doing here?” Wen Xi had never been friendly towards his older brothers, always bristling like an angry cat with raised hackles whenever he saw them.
Wen Jiang had intended to have a good talk with him, but seeing his brother’s attitude, he couldn’t resist teasing him.
“You’ve changed quite a bit these past few days,” Wen Jiang said, sitting down in a nearby chair. A maid from Wangyue Pavilion served tea and respectfully withdrew.
Wen Xi snorted, “What’s it to you?”
Wen Jiang smiled, “Hmm, it’s not my business. I’m just curious. I heard you went to Mingshan Street the other day?”
Feeling guilty, Wen Xi straightened his back silently, “So what if I did?”
“Who invited you to go?” Wen Jiang asked.
Not wanting anyone to know that Gu Fu had gone to a place like Mingshan Street, Wen Xi stubbornly replied, “What do you mean who invited me? I went because I wanted to. Do I need an invitation?”
Wen Jiang calmly skimmed the foam off his tea, “So you’re already favoring the Gu family’s second daughter?”
Wen Xi jumped up, “Who’s favoring her! Even if it wasn’t her, if any other young lady invited me to Lingyin Pavilion, I absolutely wouldn’t tell…”
Wen Xi suddenly stopped, then widened his eyes as he realized, “You… you tricked me! How could you do that?!”
Wen Jiang took a light sip of tea and said coolly, “You’re just too naive.”
He had just learned from his mother that Wen Xi had been to Mingshan Street, and he knew that the person who invited Wen Xi was the Gu family’s third child, Gu Zhu. He also knew that there was another person in the private room at Lingyin Pavilion, but because the servant who followed them didn’t serve inside the room, Wen Jiang couldn’t know what they said or did.
However, that servant had mentioned that Gu Zhu referred to that person as “Second Brother.”
Perhaps ordinary people would think this “Second Brother” was a sworn brother of Gu Zhu, but Wen Jiang had already investigated when they were choosing a bride for Wen Xi. He knew that Gu Zhu was solitary and had no friends other than his younger brother.
Moreover, Wen Jiang had always dared to think what others wouldn’t, so he boldly came up with a shocking guess that others couldn’t even imagine: the “Second Brother” who met his little brother on Mingshan Street was actually the Gu family’s second daughter.
“You’re the stupid one!” Wen Xi ran in front of Wen Jiang, threatening, “You’re not allowed to tell anyone! If you tell anyone, I’ll write you to death with my brush!”
Wen Jiang, amused by his little brother’s adorable display of anger, couldn’t help but laugh. He offered his little brother a piece of advice: “I won’t tell anyone, but I think you’ll regret it.”
Wen Xi was stunned: “Regret what?”
Wen Jiang: “Missing out on the Gu family’s second daughter. You’ll definitely regret it.”
“I won’t regret it,” Wen Xi said with certainty, because he already had someone he liked, and his heart wouldn’t change.
Thinking of this, a smile that he himself didn’t notice appeared on Wen Xi’s face.
Wen Jiang, who knew his brother very well, could tell who he was thinking about just by the change in his expression. He sighed inwardly: “Be happy now. When you find out what kind of person your beloved really is, you won’t be able to be happy anymore.”
…
After waiting for many days, they finally received news that the Marquis of Changning’s household had come to apologize. Gu Zhu immediately ran to report the good news to Gu Fu: “Second Sister, you really are prophetic.”
Gu Fu, who had somehow acquired a konghou, responded: “Huh?”
Gu Zhu came closer and said in a low voice: “People from the Marquis of Changning’s household have come. They said that Zi Quan (Wen Xi) is still young, and they want to wait a few more years. But they didn’t want to keep you waiting, so they decided not to arrange the marriage with our family. As compensation, they’ve sent over many gifts.”
“So, Second Sister, everything you said that day was correct. Zi Quan must have done as you suggested, which is why his parents listened to him and aren’t forcing him to marry you.” Gu Zhu, having spent more time with Gu Fu recently, spoke more naturally and admiringly added, “Second Sister, you’re so amazing. How did you know this would work?”
Gu Fu: “I didn’t know.”
Gu Zhu: “Huh?”
Gu Fu plucked a string on the konghou and told Gu Zhu, “I just thought that even if young master Wen cried, threw tantrums, or threatened extreme measures, it might not necessarily stop this marriage arrangement. But if he suddenly changed his behavior because of this marriage, the Marchioness would surely feel sorry for him and delay the marriage for his sake. He’s young enough to delay, but I’m not, so the cancellation of the marriage was inevitable.”
Gu Zhu was dumbfounded: “Then… what if it hadn’t worked?”
Gu Fu: “If it hadn’t worked, we’d have thought of another way.”
It wasn’t a matter of life and death in one attempt; she could always find a way to make the Marquis’s household change their mind.
Gu Fu had thought that with this matter settled, she and Wen Xi would no longer have any connection. However, two days before the Lantern Festival, young master Wen sent a message through Gu Zhu, inviting Gu Fu to go out during the Lantern Festival, saying he had something he wanted to consult her about.
Moreover, he didn’t invite the Gu family’s second daughter, but rather Gu Zhu’s “Second Brother.”
When Gu Zhu came to deliver the message, his face was full of confusion: “How come he’s calling you Second Brother too?”
“Who knows?” Gu Fu glanced at the window. Although she didn’t see anyone, she knew someone was hiding outside.
So she said, “We’ll find out when we meet.”
The Lantern Festival is a special day. On the day before the Lantern Festival, the night curfew in the city is lifted, and it doesn’t resume until two days after the festival.
Gu Fu had already gone out with Mu Qingyao the day before the Lantern Festival. On the day of the festival, Gu Fu changed into men’s clothing and went with her third brother to the meeting place they had agreed upon with Wen Xi.
The two rode out on horseback, and behind them, at the corner of Quyu Lane, there was a parked carriage that looked quite inconspicuous.
The coachman, seeing them ride off, immediately drove the carriage to follow.
The carriage followed them for two streets when suddenly, Gu Fu, who was riding on horseback, pulled the reins and turned her horse around, heading towards them.
The coachman remained calm and continued to drive forward, showing no sign that he had been following Gu Fu all along. But Gu Fu wasn’t fooled. As she passed by the coachman, she asked, “Secret Cabinet?”
The coachman stopped the carriage.
Gu Fu reached out and lifted the carriage window curtain, seeing the person sitting inside.
The person wore a white outer garment with a hood that covered most of his face, but Gu Fu still recognized his identity from his chin and the few strands of white hair visible from under the hood.
Gu Fu was somewhat surprised: “Why is it you?”
Then, thinking about it, she realized it wasn’t so strange. If it weren’t related to the Secret Cabinet, how would the Imperial Preceptor know her identity?
At this moment, Gu Zhu also turned back: “Second Brother?”
Gu Fu lowered the carriage curtain: “It’s nothing, just met an acquaintance.”
She handed her horse to Gu Zhu and climbed into the carriage.
The coachman tried to stop her, but Gu Fu simply threw him off the carriage.
Gu Zhu: “…”
Is this really an acquaintance, not an enemy?
Gu Fu took over the coachman’s position, pondering how to drive the carriage when she heard the Imperial Preceptor’s voice from behind—
“Let him drive; you come in.”
Gu Fu thought this was fine, so she lifted the door curtain and entered the carriage.
The coachman, who had been thrown to the ground by Gu Fu, got up and quietly returned to his original position. He turned to look at Gu Zhu, as if asking him to lead the way.
Although Gu Zhu was confused, he didn’t dare to ask more questions and led the carriage towards the place where Wen Xi had arranged to meet them.
While the carriage looked modest from the outside, the interior was extremely luxurious and comfortable. Gu Fu sat down next to the Imperial Preceptor and asked him: “Do you have something to discuss with me?”
Given that he had sent people to eavesdrop and was now following her personally, it must be something important, she thought.
However, the Imperial Preceptor shook his head and said: “No.”
Gu Fu didn’t believe him, so the Imperial Preceptor added: “I will be following you for now, until you return to your residence.”
Gu Fu: “Just following?”
The Imperial Preceptor nodded.
Gu Fu pondered for a moment: “It’s not impossible, but you’ll have to get out of the carriage at some point, right? Your clothes are fine, as it’s not unusual to wear anything during the Lantern Festival. But your hair showing like that is too conspicuous.”
The Imperial Preceptor remained silent, waiting for Gu Fu to reveal her true intentions. Sure enough, Gu Fu added—
“How about I braid your hair into a small plait? Once it’s braided and hidden under your hood, it won’t be noticeable.”
Gu Fu’s suggestion was quite bold, and she expected the Imperial Preceptor to refuse. To her surprise, the Imperial Preceptor nodded without much hesitation and said, “Alright.”
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