Ji Xuanke might not be particularly skilled in martial arts, but he had brought many people with him. Seeing the unfavorable situation, the Eastern Depot agents quickly retreated. After all, their orders were for assassination, and the people before them were clearly soldiers from the frontier. With so many witnesses, if word got out that the newly crowned emperor had openly killed his brother, it would be inappropriate.
“Boss, are you alright?” A burly man rode up to Ji Xuanke’s side. Though he wore the red armor of a frontier soldier, his speech was rough and unrefined.
“I’m fine.” Ji Xuanke tore off a piece of his clothing to wrap his severed finger, squeezing the jade button tightly before carefully storing it away. This wasn’t the first time he had lost this jade button. It always mysteriously slipped from his waist, despite being securely tied. It was as if it were indicating that the button did not belong to him. Yet, each time, he managed to retrieve it.
Ji Xuanke dismounted and approached Ji Yan, bowing in greeting.
“You, you’re Ji Shao? Please, rise quickly,” Ji Yan said in surprise, scrutinizing Ji Xuanke from head to toe.
“Thank you, Your Highness, for remembering Ji Shao,” Ji Xuanke replied, equally surprised.
“Of course. At fifteen, you were the top scholar, your fame unmatched. Father once showed me your essays.” The more Ji Yan looked at Ji Xuanke, the more astonished he became.
In his memory, Ji Xuanke was like an unpolished jade, or a pine tree in the wind, exuding an air of scholarly grace. Calculating in his mind, Ji Xuanke should now be seventeen. The gentle and refined quality in his eyes had disappeared, replaced by a sharpness honed by hardships.
“Your Highness flatters me. This place is unsafe for a prolonged stay; we should leave immediately.” Ji Shao waved, and his men quickly brought horses over.
The people accompanying Ji Xuanke were not regular soldiers. On his journey from the capital to the frontier, he had befriended some outlaws and intentionally recruited them. As he traveled, he gathered more followers, and by now, his group had grown considerably. This area was often snowbound, and the nearby villages frequently ran out of food. Sometimes, he led his men into the mountains to hunt, providing for themselves and sharing with the villagers.
Encountering Ji Yan today was a coincidence. His decisive intervention to save him was also a strategic move for the future.
Ji Xuanke had his men give up a few horses to Ji Yan and his remaining five guards. Ji Yan and Sun Yinlan shared a horse. The snowstorm was heavy, and Sun Yinlan clung tightly to Ji Yan’s waist to avoid falling off. Ji Yan glanced down at Sun Yinlan’s hands on his waist. As a noblewoman from the capital, she was naturally delicate and pampered. Yet, her fingers were covered in chilblains. Ji Yan suddenly reined in his horse, stopping it. He switched positions with Sun Yinlan, letting her sit in front.
Sun Yinlan looked at him in confusion but didn’t ask why. She and Ji Yan had barely exchanged five sentences on this journey. She bowed her head obediently, gripping the front of the saddle.
Ji Yan remounted, wrapping his arms around Sun Yinlan’s waist. He pulled a piece of animal hide from the side of the horse, draping it over her legs and hands. Then, he spurred the horse to catch up with the others.
Gu Jianli wheeled herself under the willow tree in the courtyard, looking up at the tree’s top. From a distance, she thought she had seen new buds, but upon closer inspection, she realized she was mistaken. It was still early in the year, just past the New Year, and this winter had been particularly cold. It wouldn’t bud so soon.
Gu Jianli returned home in the sunset’s afterglow and saw her sister daydreaming under the willow tree. She approached her.
“Why are you out here alone?”
“Sister,” Gu Jianli turned her gaze back and smiled at her sister.
“It’s getting windy. Let’s go inside.” Gu Jianli moved behind her sister’s wheelchair, pushing her back into the house.
Gu Jianli asked, “Everyone at home has been so busy lately. I can’t help with anything and feel very idle. The willow tree is about to bud, but I’m going moldy.”
Many people were alarmed and deeply regretted their previous actions regarding Gu Jingyuan’s comeback. Especially those who had kicked him while he was down; now, they were all like frightened birds. The farther they had distanced themselves before, the more eagerly they tried to ingratiate themselves now. Invitations for banquets and gifts kept coming. Fortunately, they were mindful of the Gu family’s current residence in a humble farmhouse, which was inconvenient for hosting guests. Otherwise, they would have broken down the door. Every day, Madam Tao had to deal with the flood of invitations and gifts, carefully screening them. A small portion was accepted, while the majority was returned.
The Wang Mansion was undergoing renovations, and Gu Zaili temporarily couldn’t attend to the restaurant, spending each day overseeing the repairs at the mansion. Even Gu Chuan frequently ran to the mansion to help.
As for Gu Jingyuan, he was busier than anyone. With the newly crowned emperor, the court was bustling with affairs, keeping him so occupied that he was often nowhere to be seen and sometimes unable to return home at night.
Thus, Gu Jianli was the only one left with some leisure. She wanted to help but was forbidden by both Madam Tao and Gu Zaili, who insisted she should focus on her recovery.
“Your leg’s recovery is the top priority right now; you can’t afford any setbacks. Aim to be able to attend the Flower Festival,” Gu Zaili said, pushing her wheelchair to the door.
Gu Jianli got up, holding onto the door while Gu Zaili helped her inside.
Gu Jianli chatted casually, “In the past, I would have meticulously managed these complex relationships. But after experiencing such highs and lows, I feel it’s unnecessary.”
Gu Zaili poured two bowls of tea, pushing one to her sister. She took a sip of the hot tea and said, “Some formalities are still necessary.”
Just as Gu Zaili finished speaking, Jixia came running in to report, “The old lady from the Guangping Marquis’s Mansion is here!”
“Her?” Gu Jianli’s surprise was fleeting as she immediately guessed the reason for the visit from the Guangping Marquis’s Mansion.
When the old lady saw Gu Jianli, her previous cold demeanor was gone. Her face was full of smiles, and she affectionately took Gu Jianli’s hand, calling her “good daughter-in-law” repeatedly.
“You live at your parents’ home, and I have no objections, but you and Wujing have been here for quite some time, and I miss you terribly. It’s time to come home!”
Gu Jianli felt awkward hearing her repeatedly call herself “mother.”
With a honeyed voice, the old lady continued, “Fourth Sister and Sixth Brother are also thinking of you, praising you every day at home!”
Gu Jianli hadn’t seen those two children in a long time. Their innocent, cute faces floated before her eyes, making her smile involuntarily.
Observing Gu Jianli’s expression, the old lady’s heart leaped with joy, and her voice grew even sweeter, “Li, when will you come home? Everyone at home misses you!”
Gu Jianli maintained a polite smile, her tone slightly distant, “I can’t say for sure. I’ll ask Fifth Master when he returns.”
Despite saying this, Gu Jianli knew she couldn’t stay at her parents’ home for long and would eventually have to return to the Guangping Marquis’s Mansion.
“Alright, alright!” The old lady readily agreed, “As long as you are comfortable, knowing we miss you is enough. I brought some tonics for your injured leg. Oh, and it’s easy to catch a cold with the spring chill. I made a cloak for you; wear it to stay warm.”
“Thank you for your thoughtfulness,” Gu Jianli responded politely.
After dealing with the old lady, Gu Jianli and Gu Zaili exchanged a wry but relieved smile.
“Alright, you rest now. I need to go back to my room to check the accounts and blueprints. Some parts of the Wang Mansion are severely damaged and need to be rebuilt,” Gu Zaili said, standing up.
Before leaving, Gu Zaili added more charcoal to the firepot and checked that the water in the kettle was still hot, then left, reassured.
Gu Jianli sat by the square table for a while before calling Jixia to help her into the inner room. She sat by the window and had Jixia place a lamp on the table, planning to pass the time with some needlework.
“Call me if you need anything. I’ll be in the kitchen keeping an eye on the pot,” Jixia said. She meticulously prepared nutritious soups every day, spending most of her time in the kitchen.
Gu Jianli turned her head, gazing at the sunset-tinted evening sky outside the window, lost in thought.
In fact, since that incident a few days ago, Gu Jianli had scarcely seen Ji Wujing. He seemed to be everywhere and nowhere at once. Sometimes, he wouldn’t return until late at night when she was already asleep. Occasionally, they ate together, but he was always listless and spoke little.
Gu Jianli had no idea what he was up to.
After daydreaming for a while, Gu Jianli lowered her head and picked up the half-finished knee warmer from her needlework basket, continuing to sew. She was making it for her father, who left early and returned late, worried he might be cold.
When Gu Jianli focused on something, she often ignored her surroundings. So, she didn’t notice Ji Wujing sitting on the other side of the table until he was already there.
Startled, Gu Jianli looked up at him and said gently, “You’re back.”
“Isn’t that obvious?” Ji Wujing replied lazily, propping his chin in his hand and watching her sew the knee warmer.
Gu Jianli paused before saying, “It’s not obvious; it’s a polite greeting.”
She lowered her head and continued sewing.
Ji Wujing smiled nonchalantly, casually sifting through the colorful threads, half-finished handkerchiefs, and sachets in the needlework basket.
Gu Jianli let him be, not paying him much attention.
“Gu Jianli, what is this?” Ji Wujing asked leisurely.
Gu Jianli looked up to see him twirling a menstrual cloth between his fingers. She dropped her knee warmer in shock, quickly snatched it back from his hand, and hid it on her lap, frowning at him. “You mustn’t touch that!”
Ji Wujing, initially indifferent, was surprised by her reaction. “It’s just a cloth strip. I’m not fighting you for it; is it that important?”
Gu Jianli, embarrassed, didn’t know how to explain. Jixia had just started making it for her, and the lotus pattern wasn’t even finished.
Ji Wujing glanced at the needlework basket and picked up another menstrual cloth. This one was light pink, made by Gu Jianli herself, and also unfinished.
“Give it to me!” Gu Jianli reached out to grab it.
But Ji Wujing leaned back, holding the cloth up and examining it curiously. “Hiding love letters in it?”
Gu Jianli was exasperated. “This is a woman’s item. You really shouldn’t mess with it! Give it back!”
Ji Wujing looked at her in surprise before his gaze returned to the cloth. Realization dawned on him. “Oh, I see.”
He felt the cloth, commenting seriously, “This material isn’t very soft.”
“Give it back…” Gu Jianli pounded her fist on the table.
“How do you tie this thing?” Ji Wujing, now interested, lifted a leg slightly and began measuring it around his hips.
