Upon hearing these words, Bai Lu and Hong Shuang both halted their steps. They turned to look at Gu Wuyou, curiosity filling their hearts—why was their mistress repeatedly mentioning this name today?
Hong Shuang, quick to speak and impatient by nature, couldn’t hold back. She immediately opened her mouth and asked, “Miss, why are you so curious about this Li Qinyuan Gongzi today?”
By all reasoning, their mistress had spent years in Langya and should never have met this Li Qi Gongzi.
Although Bai Lu remained silent, she also kept her eyes fixed on Gu Wuyou, waiting for her answer.
Gu Wuyou pursed her lips but didn’t know how to respond. Some words, when spoken to outsiders, might not raise suspicion, but the two maids by her side had been with her since childhood, never straying far from her.
Even if she managed to cover it up this time, what about later? After a long moment of hesitation, she merely said, “Don’t ask me for now. I’ll tell you when there’s an opportunity in the future.”
“Miss—”
Hong Shuang pouted, clearly dissatisfied with this answer.
Bai Lu glanced at Gu Wuyou, noting her composed expression and lightly pursed red lips. She knew their mistress wouldn’t speak further, so she gently tugged on Hong Shuang’s sleeve and turned to say, “Go ahead, but be careful when asking. Don’t let anyone know that it was the miss who asked you to inquire.”
Such matters were what Hong Shuang excelled at.
She immediately nodded and replied, “Understood.”
Gu Wuyou added, “Make sure to ask clearly and thoroughly.” Her emphasis on this matter drew side glances from the two maids. Gu Wuyou was well aware that she was acting strangely, but she couldn’t help it—she was too eager to learn about the Great General.
Bai Lu and Hong Shuang exchanged glances, their hearts brimming with unanswered questions. But knowing they wouldn’t receive any explanations for now, they remained silent.
Hong Shuang found an excuse and detoured to the kitchen—ostensibly to check what dishes were being prepared for the day, but in reality, she was going to gather information about Li Qingyuan for Gu Wuyou.
Bai Lu, on the other hand, accompanied Gu Wuyou back to her old residence.
Gu Wuyou’s former residence in the Gu family was called Zhaixing Tower. Located in the eastern section of the Duke of Ding’s residence, it was considered the best place in the estate. The courtyard was filled with rare and valuable flowers, with a swing and a rock garden. The two-story building allowed one to gaze out over the entire mansion from its windows and railings, even catching a glimpse of the distant palace’s corner towers.
The Duke of Ding, Gu Wuji, had always doted on this daughter left behind by his late wife.
Even though she didn’t like him and had spent years in Langya, he still habitually sent all the finest things to this place.
Rather than calling Zhaixing Tower Gu Wuyou’s residence, it would be more fitting to describe it as a treasure trove. Every single item inside was of extraordinary value—even the curtain, constantly battered by wind and frost, was made of Jiangnan Brocade, where every inch was worth its weight in gold.
The maids and old servants stationed in front of the doors had already received instructions. Now, they all stood in the courtyard, and as soon as they saw Gu Wuyou approaching, they knelt in unison.
The leading old maid, surnamed Meng, had been a dowry servant of Gu Wuyou’s mother. Over the years, she had continued managing the household on Gu Wuyou’s behalf. Upon seeing her, an intense emotion flickered across her face. When Gu Wuyou stepped closer, she immediately knelt down and choked out, “This old servant greets Miss upon her return to the residence.”
“Nanny, quickly rise.”
Gu Wuyou had Bai Lu help the old woman up, then instructed the others to stand as well.
“Miss, how have you grown so thin?” After rising, Nanny Meng couldn’t help but tear up again upon seeing Gu Wuyou’s frail appearance.
Bai Lu quickly smiled and interjected, “It’s cold outside, Nanny. Let’s have Miss go inside first.” This successfully cut off Nanny Meng’s words and allowed Gu Wuyou—whose small face had already been chilled stiff—to enter the house.
A maid lifted the curtain.
Nanny Meng and Bai Lu then accompanied Gu Wuyou into the room.
Inside the room, the heated flooring was burning, and as soon as they stepped in, a warm breeze greeted them. Bai Lu helped Gu Wuyou remove the fox fur cloak she had worn throughout the journey and smiled, saying, “Langya is good in every way, except that it doesn’t have heated flooring. Even if charcoal is burned in the rooms all day, it’s still hard to endure.”
After speaking, she turned to Gu Wuyou with a smile and added, “Now, Miss doesn’t have to complain about wearing so many layers all the time.”
Gu Wuyou smiled and continued observing her old residence. In truth, she had visited this place just recently, and there was no real difference from how she remembered it. If there was any change, it was that a few calligraphy paintings of the Great General were missing from the walls.
Nanny Meng, seeing her gaze lingering on the room, reassured her, “Miss, don’t worry. This old servant has been guarding this place all along—not a single item is missing.”
In reality, no one in the Gu family dared to enter Gu Wuyou’s room.
Everyone knew her temper—if anything were truly missing, this little ancestor would surely stir up a storm upon her return. Even the Seventh Miss from the third household, no matter how envious she was of the treasures inside this room, never dared to step in.
“Well—”
Nanny Meng glanced at Gu Wuyou and said softly, “His Grace, the Duke, occasionally comes by.” She spoke cautiously, fearing that her young mistress might darken her expression again.
Fortunately, Gu Wuyou did not show displeasure. In fact, she even asked in a quiet voice, “How… is his health?”
Nanny Meng was momentarily stunned.
“Who?”
After a brief pause, she finally reacted, her face full of shock, and she stammered, “G-good, he’s doing well.”
Bai Lu, who had already noticed that Gu Wuyou was different from before, saw Nanny Meng’s bewildered expression and smiled, saying, “Mammy, why don’t you have someone bring in hot water?”
Gu Wuyou was particular about cleanliness—even in winter, she insisted on bathing daily. When they were in Langya, the servants constantly worried about her catching a chill, and every bath required an extensive amount of preparation.
Now that they were back in the capital, with the warm indoor heating, things were much easier.
“Alright, I’ll have someone prepare it right away.” Nanny Meng, snapping out of her shock, composed herself and went outside to give the instructions.
—
After bathing.
Gu Wuyou wore only a single layer of inner garments and leaned sideways on the couch, letting Bai Lu gently towel-dry her hair. Hong Shuang had yet to return, and she appeared somewhat distracted.
Sitting behind her, Bai Lu didn’t notice. She continued speaking to her in a warm voice, “Miss, now that you’re back, will you be staying for a long time? In the past, it was one thing that you disliked associating with family, but from now on, you mustn’t be like before.”
Bai Lu and Hong Shuang had been personally trained by Madam Wang, the old matriarch, before being sent to serve Gu Wuyou. Though they were master and servants, their bond was not ordinary.
Especially Bai Lu—
Madam Wang dotingly indulged Gu Wuyou, but she also worried that her strong-willed personality might lead to trouble in the future. Thus, she arranged for the steady and level-headed Bai Lu to accompany her, hoping she could keep an eye on her.
Bai Lu first offered praise, saying, “The way you behaved today was very good. The old madam is your grandmother—you ought to show her more filial respect. As for the lady of the main household, even if you don’t like her, there’s no need to openly clash with her anymore… But most importantly, the Duke.”
“He is your father, and he has always cherished you since childhood.”
“But the bond between father and daughter, while tied by blood, is not truly unbreakable. In the past, you returned home only once a year—causing a scene from afar was one thing. But now that you’ll be here every day, if you still act the same way, even the strongest ties will be difficult to…”
Bai Lu hesitated, as if unsure whether she should put it so bluntly. But in the end, she gritted her teeth and softly finished, “maintain.”
As she spoke, she carefully observed Gu Wuyou’s expression, fearing she might react negatively. But seeing her remain quiet and composed, without any sign of anger or displeasure, Bai Lu finally let out a breath of relief.
Gu Wuyou had originally been thinking about Li Qingyuan.
But after hearing these words, she listened attentively. She understood that Bai Lu was speaking for her own good, so she replied, “I understand.”
“From now on—”
She paused before softly saying, “I will treat him well.”
Not for so-called benefits, nor because she feared she wouldn’t live comfortably in the Ding Duke’s Mansion and needed someone to protect her. She wanted to treat him well simply because… she wanted to.
She did not want to watch, once again in this lifetime, as that man lived in misery and sorrow, only to pass away in desolation.
She hoped he would be healthy and live a long life.
Thinking of that man, Gu Wuyou momentarily drifted away in thought. It wasn’t until Hong Shuang lifted the curtain and entered that she snapped back to reality. She immediately sat up and asked, “How did it go?” Her expression was filled with impatience and eagerness.
“I’m so thirsty.”
Hong Shuang’s cheeks were flushed red from the cold. She took the cup of water that Gu Wuyou handed her and drank a large gulp. Once her throat was moistened, she frowned and asked with an odd expression, “Miss, why exactly are you asking about that foppish young master?”
Seeing Gu Wuyou’s blank expression, as if she were completely lost, Hong Shuang realized she wouldn’t get a real answer. So, she simply relayed all the information she had gathered.
“I thought it would take some effort to inquire about him, but it turns out that just about anyone in the capital knows what kind of person he is.”
Hong Shuang pouted in frustration and grumbled, “That Li Qi-lang is one of the most infamous foppish young masters in the capital. He has absolutely no demeanor befitting a noble family’s son. He spends his days cockfighting, racing dogs, and getting into brawls. Oh, and he once studied at Luming Academy, where Third Young Master used to attend, but he was a terrible student. Apparently, he was at the bottom of the rankings every year.”
“If not for his family background, he probably would’ve been expelled ages ago.”
Hong Shuang could not comprehend why her mistress was so fixated on such a waste of a man! It was driving her crazy—like a little claw scratching at her heart—but knowing that Miss wouldn’t give her any answers, she could only stand off to the side, pouting in frustration.
Gu Wuyou had no idea what her two maids were thinking. She was completely stunned.
“Cockfighting and dog racing”
“Foppish young master”
“Brawls”
“Bottom of the rankings”
Was this really her Great General?
How was that possible?
Her Great General was supposed to be a stern, dignified, and imposing man. Even if he was still young at this point in time, he should at least be a gentle, refined, and scholarly nobleman—the kind that was highly praised by elders.
How could he be someone like this?
Since waking up in this world, Gu Wuyou had remained calm and rational. But for the first time, she felt like reality had turned absurd.
She sat dazedly on the chaise lounge, her long lashes fluttering, unable to speak for a long time.
Seeing her like this, Hong Shuang grew concerned and was just about to speak when—
A voice called from outside.
“Miss, the Duke requests your presence for dinner.”