Duke Ding’s Manor.
Ever since Gu Jiufei was injured a few days ago, he had been recuperating at home. In truth, he did not think much of it—his injuries had long since faded, and even the wounds on his leg had mostly healed. As long as he did not run or exert himself, there was hardly anything noticeable.
However, his mother was worried that he might get into trouble again and insisted that he stay home to rest properly, forbidding him from visiting the Yu family. Unable to argue with her, he simply stayed at home.
Fortunately, he had long since mastered everything the teacher was teaching, so even if he missed classes, it would not hinder him in any way.
Today, the weather was clear and bright. Gu Jiufei leaned against the warm couch by the eastern window. The window was wide open, allowing a few branches of red plum blossoms to peek inside. As the wind blew, a faint and elegant fragrance of plum blossoms drifted toward him.
On the tea table beside him, a plate of plum blossom pastries sat in quiet harmony with the scene.
These were not made by the manor’s kitchen staff but were instead brought to him yesterday by Gu Wuyou after school. She had said that she found them delicious and wanted him to try them.
Over the past few days of his recuperation, Gu Wuyou had come to see him every day after school. Each time, she would bring a variety of things—candied hawthorns, imported stuffed candies, and pastries from Baohui Pavilion.
All were things she liked.
Sometimes, he found it amusing. Gu Wuyou was already past the age of wearing her hair up—old enough to be married—yet she was still so naive. She never considered what others might like and instead acted like a child, always saying:
“This is my favorite! I’ll give you my favorite—do you like it?”
A warm breeze brushed against his face…
Gu Jiufei turned a page of his book and let out a quiet chuckle. “Truly enviable.”
Because she had been pampered since childhood, she had the privilege of being willful and never growing up. Meanwhile, he had seen the treachery of human nature from an early age, growing accustomed to people’s two-facedness. Naturally, he could not afford such childish indulgence.
If it were in the past—
Seeing Gu Wuyou like this would have only made him jealous and resentful. He would have cursed the unfairness of the world and sought every means to… destroy her.
But now—
His gaze shifted to the plate of pastries. He seemed to hesitate for a moment before finally reaching out. Unlike Gu Wuyou, he had never liked eating these. Though pastries were always stocked in his room, he rarely touched them throughout the year.
Anhe entered with a teacup in hand. Seeing him frowning as he ate the pastry, she paused for a moment before smiling, “Does it not suit your taste?”
Gu Jiufei flipped another page of his book and replied indifferently, “…It’s alright.”
Pastries from outside were far inferior to those made at home—overly sweet and greasy, with dubious ingredients. He truly did not understand why she liked them so much.
Anhe poured him a cup of tea and was about to say something when a servant entered and reported, “Ninth Young Master, the Third Young Master of the Liu family has come to see you.”
Upon hearing this title, Gu Jiufei had yet to respond, but Anhe chuckled, “He’s probably worried about your injuries and came to check on you. I’ll go invite him in.”
“Mm.” Gu Jiufei answered absentmindedly, his expression unchanged. He simply closed the book in his hands and set it aside, then retrieved a stack of papers from the cabinet and placed them on the table.
Soon—
Anhe led the guest inside.
Liu Yu was frail. In terms of height, he was similar to Gu Jiufei, but his frame was much thinner. When he was born, he weighed less than four jin—no bigger than a kitten—so the Liu family had always feared he wouldn’t survive. As a result, he had been raised like a girl since childhood.
His features were delicate—his slender willow-leaf brows arched above a pair of gentle, intelligent eyes, and his complexion was remarkably fair.
The walk over had left a faint flush on his cheeks, making his lips appear redder, his teeth whiter, and his overall appearance even more refined and handsome.
He saw Gu Jiufei and smiled. While unfastening his cloak and handing it to Anhe, he greeted him and, as he walked closer, carefully examined him once more before sighing softly, “I was recuperating at home for the past few days and only returned to the academy today. When I heard that you were injured, I was truly startled.”
Then he asked, “Are you alright?”
Gu Jiufei was usually indifferent to people outside, and his tone remained detached even now despite the concern in the other’s words. He merely replied flatly, “I’m fine.”
Liu Yu, however, didn’t mind in the slightest. Hearing this, he simply smiled and said, “As long as you’re fine.” Then, when Anhe handed him a cup of tea, he accepted it with a gentle smile and even thanked him warmly, “Thank you.”
Among the students from the Yu family, Anhe liked this Third Young Master of the Liu family the most. He was good-looking, mild-mannered, and carried an easy warmth. At this moment, Anhe couldn’t help but comment, “You’re still the best, Young Master Liu. A few days ago, when the young masters from the Yu family came over, it didn’t seem like they were visiting out of concern at all. Instead, they were more like—”
“Too talkative,” Gu Jiufei interrupted him coldly.
Anhe dared not speak further. He stuck out his tongue playfully at Liu Yu, who smiled at him, then returned to preparing the tea.
Liu Yu continued speaking to Gu Jiufei, “Have you found anything? I heard the ones who attacked you have already been taken to the authorities. Has it been determined who was behind it?”
Gu Jiufei maintained his usual expression, holding his teacup as he replied evenly, “Since someone deliberately hid the truth, how could it be that easy to uncover?”
Hearing this, Liu Yu sighed again. “It still has to be investigated. If they dared to do such a thing in broad daylight, who knows what they might do in the future?” His tone was earnest, and his face full of worry. After saying this, he added angrily, “Those thugs are truly audacious.”
As soon as he finished speaking—
The movement of Gu Jiufei drinking his tea halted. He lifted his gaze and looked at Liu Yu, remaining silent for a long time.
Liu Yu was taken aback by his stare and stammered, “What’s wrong?”
“How do you know they were thugs?” Gu Jiufei asked him.
Liu Yu froze, momentarily speechless. Then he stuttered, “I… I heard it from the Yu family. Is there something wrong?”
Gu Jiufei did not answer him. Instead, he called out, “Anhe.”
Anhe had already turned pale. He was still holding a small folding fan, but when he heard Gu Jiufei’s call and looked at Liu Yu’s figure, disbelief filled his eyes, and he could barely form words. “When I went to deliver the message to the Yu family, I never mentioned who was behind the attack.”
Seeing Liu Yu’s face turn white, Anhe found it even harder to speak. “The capital’s authorities were also specifically instructed not to leak any information.”
Having been raised in the Duke’s manor since childhood, Anhe was a sharp-witted person. How could he not understand what was happening at this moment?
All this time, he and the young master had privately speculated about countless suspects—even the two young masters of the Yu family had been considered.
Yet he never imagined that the real culprit… would be Third Young Master Liu.
Wasn’t he the young master’s best friend?
Why… why would he do this?
Unlike Anhe, who was panicked and in disbelief, Gu Jiufei’s expression remained unchanged. Apart from the brief pause earlier, he seemed to have returned to his usual self. Even after knowing that the true culprit was Liu Yu, he only asked, “Why?”
Liu Yu did not respond.
From the moment Anhe spoke those words, he knew he could no longer hide it.
The room fell into a heavy silence.
Then, Liu Yu’s voice broke through, no longer carrying its usual warmth and gentleness. Instead, it seemed to be shrouded in a layer of darkness.
He lifted his head and looked at Gu Jiufei. His voice was cold.
“Why? Do you really not know?”
Gu Jiufei frowned at him but remained silent.
“Look, it’s that same lofty gaze again. Gu Jiufei, do you know what I hate most about you? It’s that expression, as if you’re so superior.”
Liu Yu, now that his secret was exposed, no longer bothered to conceal anything. He tilted his head slightly and sneered, “But what’s so great about you, really? The only reason those old men from the Yu family fawn over you is because of your superior birth.”
“If we truly compare talent and knowledge, do you think you can surpass me?”
“So it’s about next year’s quota for Luming Academy.” Though phrased as a question, Gu Jiufei’s tone was certain.
A flicker of malice crossed Liu Yu’s pale face. His voice suddenly turned sharp and ruthless. “Yes. Why?! Why did the teacher decide on you without hesitation and take you to the academy? Our academic results have always been nearly identical, yet he didn’t even ask me before making the decision?!”
“Why?!”
He looked almost deranged, his face and neck flushed red with anger. His eyes were filled with pure venom, completely devoid of his usual gentle and affectionate demeanor.
Gu Jiufei gazed at him deeply. He seemed as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he merely curled his lips in a faint, mocking smile. “Leave.”
“Young Master!” Anhe was the first to exclaim in protest.
How could they let someone so ungrateful just walk away? They should inform the lady of the household and have him bound and sent straight to the capital’s authorities!
Liu Yu seemed momentarily stunned as well. His expression froze. “You’re… letting me go?”
Gu Jiufei no longer looked at him. Holding his teacup, he lowered his gaze and took a sip. His tone was colder than ever.
“Mm, get lost.”
“Young Master—”
Anhe still wanted to argue, but when he caught Gu Jiufei’s gaze, he found himself unable to say another word. Pouting in frustration, he eventually gritted his teeth, strode up to Liu Yu, and coldly ordered, “Did you not hear? Get lost. If you don’t, I’ll have someone drag you out!”
Liu Yu ignored Anhe and cast another look at Gu Jiufei.
But the young man’s head was lowered, his expression obscured, revealing only an indifferent and distant silhouette—colder than ever before.
Liu Yu said nothing more. He set down the teacup, picked up his cloak, and turned to leave. As he reached the fabric curtain at the entrance, his steps suddenly faltered. He seemed to hesitate for a long time before finally gripping the curtain and turning back. His expression was complicated as he looked at Gu Jiufei, bathed in the sunlight.
“I truly did consider you a friend.”
There was no response.
It seemed he hadn’t expected one, either. After saying those words, he lifted the curtain and left.
Once Liu Yu was gone, Anhe couldn’t hold back his anger. “This is infuriating! Young Master, why did you let him go just like that?! Someone like him—he could die a hundred, even a thousand times, and it still wouldn’t be enough!”
If not for the fact that the princess and Lord Li happened to pass by that day, who knew what would have happened to the young master?!
How could someone like that be let off so easily?!
Gu Jiufei said nothing. He simply held his teacup and drained the last sip. Then, setting it down, he picked up the stack of papers on the table and handed them to Anhe.
“Throw them away.”
Anhe froze. In a daze, he asked, “What is this?”
The wind stirred the pages, revealing what was written on them—years’ worth of past exam questions from Luming Academy.
Every question had been personally compiled by Gu Jiufei. He had originally planned to give them to Liu Yu today.
And then he recalled a conversation he’d had with the teacher earlier.
—”You seem to have something to ask me?”
—”Yes. I wish to know why, Teacher, you only chose to take me.”
—”You wish to ask why Liu Yu was not selected as well?”
—”…Yes.”
—”Liu Yu’s academic performance is decent, but his temperament is lacking. Luming Academy is full of hidden talents. Given his current age and mindset, entering the academy wouldn’t benefit him—in fact, it might even lead him astray. It’s better for me to keep him by my side and teach him for a few more years. Besides, you all are still young.”
As Gu Jiufei recalled these words, a mocking smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
So be it.
Anhe likely sensed that his master was in a foul mood. Seeing that Gu Jiufei remained silent, he dared not speak further, merely pressing his lips together and carrying the papers outside. However, when he returned, his expression had completely changed. Breathless, he called out, “Young Master!”
Gu Jiufei watched him stumble in, his expression unreadable, but his voice carried a hint of seriousness. “What is it?”
“The Princess—something has happened to the Princess!”
“What did you say?”
Gu Jiufei, who had been calmly seated on the couch, immediately stood up at these words. His usual composed expression was gone, replaced by an intense gaze fixed on Anhe. “What happened to her?”
“A messenger from the academy just arrived—he said the Princess’s horse went mad. The Duke is already preparing to leave…”
Before Anhe could even finish his sentence, Gu Jiufei had already lifted the curtain and rushed out.
Fifteen minutes later, he arrived at the manor’s entrance, panting heavily. His gaze locked onto Gu Wuji, who was seated high atop his horse, his expression grim. Behind him, a group of armored guards stood ready.
Breathless, Gu Jiufei said, “Father, I’m coming with you.”
Gu Wuji had already been about to set off.
Hearing this, he lowered his gaze and looked at Gu Jiufei. The young man was still wrapped in his cloak, clearly having run all the way here. His cheeks were flushed, and his breathing was uneven. Gu Wuji frowned slightly and said in a deep voice, “Your body has not fully recovered. Why are you coming out?”
Afraid his father would refuse him, Gu Jiufei spoke urgently, “I’m fine now.”
Gu Wuji studied him for a moment before finally shifting his gaze away. He turned to Changshan beside him and ordered, “Give him a horse.”
With that, he pulled on the reins and galloped toward Luming Academy.
Meanwhile, at Luming Academy—
Gu Wuyou was actually not seriously injured. She had delicate skin and a fragile frame, so when she was thrown from her horse, she suffered some scrapes. Fortunately, Zhang Nanny had already applied medicine, and she was recovering well.
Because of the ointment, it was inconvenient for her to move around too much, so she was still in the medical ward.
Just as she stepped out, she spotted Li Qinyuan standing nearby.
She hadn’t expected him to actually be waiting for her, and her bright face flushed slightly.
Before she could say anything—
Fu Xian pulled Li Qinyuan over and asked her, “How are you?” As he spoke, he frowned and scrutinized her from head to toe, then added, “You nearly scared us to death just now.”
One moment, she had been riding her horse normally; the next, it had gone wild, bolting uncontrollably.
He had been terrified.
Seeing the worry on Fu Xian’s face, Gu Wuyou felt too embarrassed to look at Li Qinyuan. She turned to Fu Xian instead and said sheepishly, “I never expected the horse to go crazy like that either.”
She was about to say more when Gu Yu entered from outside.
The sunlight cast a crimson glow on her, making her appear unsettled and restless.
Her face was particularly pale.
Concerned, Gu Wuyou turned her gaze to her and asked gently, “Ah Yu, are you alright?”
Seeing no response, she called her name again.
It was only then that Gu Yu seemed to snap out of a trance, slowly lifting her head.
“What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?” Gu Wuyou frowned in concern.
Gu Yu parted her lips as if to say something, but her voice was hoarse. It took her a moment to regain composure before she finally replied, “…I’m fine.”
She composed herself and walked over, looking at Gu Wuyou as she asked, “What about you? Are you alright?”
Gu Wuyou smiled. “I’m fine. Just some scrapes, but I’ve already applied medicine. I just need some rest.”
“…Mm.”
“What’s wrong?” Gu Wuyou felt that Gu Yu was acting strangely. Normally, by now, Gu Yu would have rushed over to scold her. But today, she hadn’t said a single word.
Fu Xian also noticed that something was off about Gu Yu. He wanted to ask out of concern but didn’t know how, so he could only mutter from the side, “Did you get kicked dumb by the horse?”
Gu Yu turned and snapped at him, “None of your damn business!”
“You—” Fu Xian’s face turned red with anger. He pointed at her for a long while but could only manage to huff, “If your family’s etiquette nanny heard that, she’d have you beaten with a board!”
Gu Yu couldn’t be bothered to argue with him.
But that brief exchange livened up the atmosphere in the room. Gu Yu no longer seemed as downcast as before.
Only Li Qinyuan glanced at Jing Yubai, who had followed Gu Yu inside, and lowered his voice to ask, “Did you go check the horse?”
Jing Yubai nodded.
“And?” Li Qinyuan pressed.
He had suspected earlier that something might have been wrong with the horse, but when the little girl had looked up at him with those bright, watery eyes, he had pushed the thought aside and chosen to accompany her here first.
Jing Yubai didn’t immediately answer. Instead, he glanced at Gu Yu.
He recalled how, back at the stables, Gu Yu’s face had suddenly turned deathly pale. His thin lips pressed together slightly—Miss Gu Qi (Seventh Miss) must have figured something out.
But she wasn’t saying anything.
If he spoke up now, it might cause a rift between the sisters.
Following his gaze, Li Qinyuan also looked toward Gu Yu and frowned. Just as he was about to say something, a voice suddenly rang out from outside—
“Duke Ding has arrived!”
The room instantly fell silent.
Even Gu Wuyou seemed momentarily stunned. After a long pause, she muttered in disbelief, “Why is Father here?”