The window was slightly ajar, and a cool breeze drifted in, dispersing the lingering fragrance in the room. Gu Fu and Fu Yan were seated on the couch, both dressed in loose, white sleepwear, with peach blossom patterns adorning the edges.
Gu Fu had just finished bathing and casually dried her hair. Then, she took a clean cotton towel and carefully began to dry Fu Yanâs white hair. They sat facing each other, and Fu Yan obediently lowered her head to make it easier for Gu Fu to dry her hair.
After a short while, there was a knock at the door. Gu Fu lazily responded, “Come in.”
Yi Ye entered, looking rather listless, holding a wooden basin in his arms. Without looking around, he walked straight to the bed opposite the couch, where he bundled up the soiled bedding and threw it into the basin. He then opened the wardrobe beside him, took out fresh bedding, and neatly made the bed before leaving with the basin.
Gu Fu found the scene amusing, but before she could react, Fu Yan lifted her up and carried her to the bed.
âStay until morning,â Fu Yan said as he pulled the blanket over both of them.
Gu Fu propped her head on her hand and protested, âNo, I still need to deliver the letter and jade pendant back to Qingyao.â
Upon hearing this, Fu Yan raised his voice and ordered Yi Ye to deliver the letter and jade pendant to the Gu residence.
Gu Fu couldnât help but laugh, âAlright, alright, Iâll stay here for the night.â
However, although Gu Fuâs body was tired, her mind was still too stimulated to sleep, so she coaxed Fu Yan into talking with her a bit more to relax and hear his voice.
âEarlier, I heard you had someone send messages to Weizhou and Huzhou. Are you preparing for the winter?â
Weizhou and Huzhou were the closest to the capital, making them the best choices for deploying troops to guard the city.
Fu Yan held Gu Fuâs hand, gently kneading and playing with it. âYes, the winter hunt will take away most of the Imperial guards and Chiyao troops. In the past, troops were also transferred from these two states to guard the capital, so the emperor wonât be suspicious.â
Gu Fu turned her hand to clasp Fu Yanâs, asking, âThe emperor will surely realize later that youâve kept this from him. How do you plan to explain it?â
Fu Yan looked at Gu Fu and said, âIâll just tell the truth. At worst, Iâll be dismissed by the emperor. Iâve saved up quite a bit of money, so when that happens, Iâll just move into the Marquis Zhongshunâs residence.â
Gu Fu laughed out loud, âYouâre really willing to go that far. What exactly is the grudge between you and Prince Ying?â
This time, Fu Yan thought for a moment before replying, âPrince Ying has always seen me as the emperorâs lapdog. After the late emperor passed away, he and his mother caused me a lot of trouble.â
Gu Fu raised her eyebrows. Perhaps it was because the term “lapdog” was being used to describe Fu Yan, she found it somewhat endearing.
However, Fu Yan assumed that Gu Fu was unhappy about being viewed this way, so he pulled her closer before continuing, âAt first, I just wanted revenge. But he was young and impulsive, bitter about losing his position, and unable to oppose the emperor, so he targeted me instead. I couldnât let him get away with it every time, and thatâs how things escalated to the point where he wants me dead, and I want him dead too.
âIf I donât take care of him completely, another incident like Princess Yulouâs will happen again.â
Gu Fu understood. She lay down on the pillow, and the drowsiness that gradually overtook her made it hard to keep her eyes open. Before falling asleep, she reminded Fu Yan, âRemember to get Lin Yuezhi out of Prince Yingâs residence ahead of time.â
Fu Yan reached out and held her in his arms, âAlright.â
The next day, Gu Fu woke up earlier than Fu Yan. With her long hair loose and disheveled, she sat on the bed for a while before turning to wake him up.
Fu Yan opened his eyes, still groggy, and looked at her, murmuring, âI wish I could open my eyes every morning and see you.â
Gu Fu ran her fingers through her hair and replied, âSoon.â
After the New Year, the two of them would be able to marry, and it would be no more than three months away.
Perhaps because of this, the emperor did not scold them this time. He simply ordered the imperial physician, who had been sent to the Gu residence earlier, to stay there, and he added Gu Qizhengâs name to the list of officials accompanying the winter hunt, instructing Gu Fu to go with her father as well.
Gu Fu was stunned at that moment. âYour Majesty, I canât sleep without Wangxi.â
The emperor, smiling kindly, exposed Fu Yanâs lie, âDonât worry, heâll be able to sleep. Before, when you couldnât go to Qitian Tower because of Princess Yulouâs case, he was still able to sleep on time. What, didnât he tell you?â
Gu Fu looked at Fu Yan in a daze.
Fu Yan: ââŚâ
On their way out of the palace, Fu Yan didnât dare to speak. Gu Fu was quiet for a moment before saying, âIâm a little angry, but Iâm also afraid that if I get angry at you, it would be just what the emperor wants.â
Fu Yan, under the cover of his sleeve, quietly hooked Gu Fuâs finger with his, âI know I was wrong. I was just foolishly hoping youâd worry about me a little more.â
Gu Fu was pleased by this and said, âI forgive you.â
Fu Yan knew that Gu Fu didnât want to go to Xishan Mountain, not just because she was worried about him being unable to sleep, but also because she was concerned that Prince Ying might rebel, and she feared he wouldnât be able to handle it alone in the capital. So, he carefully explained his plan to Gu Fu, assuring her not to worry.
Meanwhile, over at Prince Anâs residence, after discussions with the Mu family, they set a date for the engagement ceremony.
Gu Fu didnât return Mu Qingyao to the Mu residence until the morning of the engagement ceremony. After the ceremony, she brought Mu Qingyao back to the Gu household. She was as wary of the Mu family as one would be of a thief, afraid that Wu Xiao might cause trouble for Mu Qingyao again.
As it turned out, something quite distressing indeed happened during that time. After Mu Qingyao left home, the entire Mu residence fell into Lady Wu Xiaoâs hands, and she even managed to retrieve the servants’ contracts from Mu Qingyao’s courtyard.
Because of this, on the day of the engagement, a servant, under Lady Wu Xiaoâs orders, led the Prince of Yi into the inner courtyard where the ceremony was being held.
The gentle and refined prince stopped in front of the entrance to Mu Qingyao’s courtyard. Just as he was about to step onto the stairs, a cold warning came from above, “Take one more step, and I’ll chop off your leg.”
The Prince of Yi paused, then stepped back and looked toward the white wall next to the courtyard gate. There, on the roof’s dark green eaves, was Gu Fu.
The Prince of Yi smiled slightly, with a hint of confusion, and asked Gu Fu, “Isnât this General Mu’s study?”
Gu Fu replied, “No.”
It seemed the Prince of Yi understood something and apologized, âIâm sorry, I must have lost my way.â
Gu Fu pointed to the path on the left and said, “Go that way, pass through the side gate, turn right, and follow the corridor straight ahead. You’ll see the hanging flower gate. Once you exit from there, ask someone, and they will take you to my uncleâs study.”
The Prince of Yi thanked Gu Fu and then turned to leave.
Watching his tall and slender figure, Gu Fu suddenly recalled that the day their carriage was blocked, the Prince of Yi seemed to have been there as well.
Although Gu Fu’s vigilant protection shielded Mu Qingyao, it also had an impact on her. At least in the eyes of outsiders, the relationship between Mu Heng and Mu Qingyao seemed distant, leading to the perception that despite being the daughter of the great general of the northwest, marrying her wouldnât bring any substantial benefits to Prince An’s household.
Mu Qingyao didn’t care about this and didnât want to hear any nonsense about relying on her family after marriage. She thought to herself, it would be a miracle if her father and stepmother didnât kill her. Rely on them? She wasnât that eager to die.
As for Prince Anâs residence, Princess An had long been interested in having Mu Qingyao marry her son, even before Mu Heng returned to the capital. This was primarily due to Mu Qingyaoâs graceful demeanor as a noble lady, which was why she even went out of her way to ask Gu Fu how to get along with Madam Mu (Wu Xiao).
Later, when the incident occurred, both she and Prince An thought that it was their sonâs ignorance that nearly caused harm to the girl. While she felt sorry for her son, who was punished with kneeling and flogging, she couldnât help but pity Mu Qingyao as well, thinking that the Mu family was such a mess that reducing contact might actually be a blessing.
Prince An, on the other hand, felt a bit of regret. But being a leisurely prince with no real ambition for fame or power, he only cared for the well-being of his family and didnât dwell on the matter.
As winter approached, the officials who were to accompany the imperial entourage to Xishan Mountain became busy. After all, they would be gone for about half a month, so they needed to temporarily hand over their duties to their colleagues who would remain in the capital.
By the Emperorâs decree, Gu Fu was to go along with Gu Qizheng. Mu Qingyao originally intended to stay in the capital, but she received a letter from the Prince Anâs residence saying that Prince An and his wife would also be going to Xishan Mountain. Princess An invited her to accompany Gu Fu so they could keep each other company and relieve the boredom once they arrived.
Mu Qingyao, who had an easy-going nature, didnât mind and went to ask the Second Madam Li for the task of preparing the luggage for the main household, which was a great help to Second Madam Li.
On the day of departure, the Xihe Gate was wide open, and the Imperial Guards were lined up along the Xihe Avenue, which was known as the Imperial Road.
The imperial entourage left the city through Xihe Avenue, while the officials who remained in the capital gathered at the Xihe Gate to see them off. Among them, the most conspicuous was Fu Yan, who was also staying behind in the capital. He stood out not only because of his status but also because of his striking white hair, which was dazzling under the sunlight.
This led to many people seeking out Gu Fu during the journey, hoping to establish a connection with her so that if they ever needed advice on matters concerning spirits and gods, they could go through her.
Gu Fu, tired of dealing with each person individually, simply changed into menâs clothing and rode on horseback.
When the Empress saw this, she even sent her a pair of bracers with a precious floral pattern as a gift.
After Si Ya had spread the word about the sacrifice of unmarried girls under the guise of a half-immortal, many women were still afraid to go out. Even after the establishment of the academy, there were many women who still hesitated to venture outside. It was only after a young lady, who had studied with Gu Fu in the palace, took the lead in wearing menâs clothing, following Gu Fuâs example, that her family did not oppose it. They all thought it was safer this way, leading many women to imitate the practice and start wearing menâs clothing.
Among the female companions accompanying the entourage this time, there were some who liked wearing menâs clothing and were skilled at riding, but they didnât dare to do so because of the occasion.
Now, seeing Gu Fu dressed in menâs clothing and even receiving a gift from the Empress, they gained the courage to follow suit, dressing in menâs attire and riding alongside their brothers.
Once, Gu Fu returned on horseback from the Empress’s place and saw Mu Shaoqing leaving from beside her familyâs carriage, looking utterly dejected.
On the day of the Old Dowager Consort’s birthday, Mu Shaoqing got drunk at Prince An’s residence. When he sobered up, he was so shocked by what had happened that he almost thought he was dreaming. He even rushed to the Gu family to find Mu Qingyao, intending to take her home.
However, being a person with little determination, Mu Shaoqing couldnât get Wu Xiao Niang the punishment she deserved, nor could he prove her innocence. In the end, he left in defeat and, in his despair, turned to drinking.
When he saw Gu Fu, Mu Shaoqing tightened his grip on the reins and unconsciously muttered, “Heaven is really unfair.”
Gu Fu chuckled, “What has heaven done to you?”
Mu Shaoqing softly and indistinctly replied, “Youâre a woman, yet youâre so talented. My father is the Great General of the Northwest, but Iâm just a useless person. I couldnât stay in the Northwest, and now that Iâm back, I canât even protect my own sister.”
Gu Fuâs smile faded slightly. “There’s no need to belittle yourself so much.”
Mu Shaoqing shook his head, wanting to say more, but fearing it would be inappropriate if others saw him, he ultimately rode away.
Gu Fu returned to her familyâs carriage, got in, and handed her horse to the guard standing nearby.
Inside the carriage, Mu Qingyao appeared calm, but Gu Fu knew she had just spoken with Mu Shaoqing and was probably still upset.
Wanting to cheer her up, Gu Fu whispered, “I just thought of something.”
Mu Qingyao asked, “What is it?”
“We’re cousins, right? But once we’re married, your father-in-law will be my husband’s brother. That makes our relationship a bit confusing.”
Mu Qingyao was taken aback. “So, following the Prince Anâs family line, what should I call youâŚ?”
Gu Fu responded, “Auntie.”
Mu Qingyao’s usually composed face cracked.
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