Ji Wujing asked, “Do you want to go out and play?”
“Where to? The lake in front or the small forest at the back?” Ji Xinglan asked.
“No, out of the residence. Let’s stroll around the marketplace.”
“Wow—” Ji Xinglan ran two more steps forward, placing her small hands on Ji Wujing’s knees, looking up at him with disbelief. “Go out and play? Outside the residence? I’ve never been outside the residence before!”
“Then do you want to go tomorrow?” Ji Wujing asked.
“Yes, yes! Go! Will Daddy… go too?” Ji Xinglan asked cautiously.
Ji Wujing smiled, “Of course.”
Ji Xinglan was overjoyed.
Beside them, Ji Xinglou stretched his neck, wanting to speak but then closing his mouth, turning his head to the side, pretending not to care.
Ji Xinglan glanced back at her brother, thought for a moment, and asked, “Brother will go too, right?”
Ji Wujing looked at Ji Xinglou’s features and slowly said, “Your brother doesn’t seem interested.”
Ji Xinglou opened his mouth but said nothing, his neck stiff with pride.
Ji Xinglan tilted her little head, thought for a bit, then shook Ji Xinglou’s hand, smiling, “Brother, will you go with me? Little sister is scared!”
Reluctantly, Ji Xinglou said, “You little girls are so troublesome!”
He secretly glanced at Ji Wujing’s face, afraid he wouldn’t allow it. He waited and waited, but when he didn’t hear his father refuse, he quietly let out a sigh of relief.
All day, Ji Xinglou acted as if nothing unusual had happened. But at night, in his sleep, he smiled with delight. No one knew how much he envied others who could go out and see what the world outside the residence looked like…
On the first day of business, the restaurant stayed open very late.
Gu Zaili stepped on the wooden stairs to go upstairs. The guests downstairs watched her graceful figure, their minds wandering. Many of today’s guests came to see the beauty of the twin stars of Anjing. When Gu Jingyuan was still around, they didn’t have a chance to appreciate the elegance of the twin stars up close. Who would have thought that Gu Zaili would become the proprietress now?
Gu Zaili was aware. She didn’t shy away, personally managing things. As long as safety was ensured, if her face could attract business, why not?
Gu Zaili pushed open the door, and Gu Jianli looked up and called out, “Sister.”
“It’ll be more than an hour, you should go home first, and take Xiao Chuan with you. Don’t walk alone at night; let Ah Da and Ah Er accompany you.”
Gu Jianli hesitated, wanting to stay with his sister but worried about his brother getting sleepy, so he nodded in agreement.
“Leave through the back door to avoid the guests in the hall,” Gu Zaili instructed.
The restaurant was about two quarters of an hour’s walk from home. Gu Jianli held Gu Chuan’s hand. Ah Da and Ah Er, the hired escorts, followed behind them, only turning back towards the restaurant once they reached the alley’s entrance.
“Although we’re busy lately, Xiao Chuan, you must still study hard and not be lazy,” Gu Jianli said gently.
“I know!”
“If you don’t, I’ll have you stay at home tomorrow instead of going with us.”
Gu Chuan shook his head, “No, I want to protect sister!”
“You’re still so young…” Gu Jianli laughed, ruffling his hair.
As they reached the house entrance, Gu Jianli was about to push the door when it opened from the inside.
Two unfamiliar men appeared in the doorway. It was too dark to see clearly, and Gu Jianli didn’t look closely, lowering her eyes as she stood aside with Gu Chuan to give them space.
The two men emerging from the courtyard were clearly a master and servant from their attire and demeanor.
The young master leading them bowed, and Gu Jianli slightly curtsied in return.
After the two men left, Gu Jianli took her brother’s hand and walked into the courtyard. From that brief glance, she felt the young master looked somewhat familiar but couldn’t place him. She didn’t dwell on it. In the past, many nobles visited their residence when her father was home, so the man was likely an old acquaintance of her father’s she had seen before.
Gu Jianli glanced at the front hall, where she could hear faint laughter. Her father had guests again. She frowned, not knowing who her father had been meeting recently or what he was planning. This ignorance made her even more worried. She had thought about asking but knew her father wouldn’t tell her.
Ji Lan sat in a small, seemingly ordinary sedan chair. He lifted a corner of the window curtain, revealing his refined and gentle face, and asked, “Was that Gu Jingyuan’s eldest daughter?”
“Your Highness,” the servant replied in a sharp voice, “that should be Lord Gu’s younger daughter.”
Ji Lan was slightly surprised, remembering that little girl with her hair in twin buns, still very young.
He lowered his gaze, pondering for a moment, then realized, “The one sent to the Marquis of Guangping’s residence?”
“Yes,” Xiao Liuzi answered respectfully. “On New Year’s Day, Lord Gu brought his daughter back. Right after they left, the Marquis reported the matter to the Emperor.”
Xiao Liuzi looked up at his master and asked, “Forgive me for being dull, but I still don’t understand why nothing more came of it.”
Back then, if the Emperor had been furious and executed Gu Jingyuan, that would have been the end of it. No one would dare plead for mercy in his wrath. But Gu Jingyuan was lucky; it coincided with the Empress Dowager’s birthday and the New Year, leading to a general amnesty. Later, someone suggested tampering with the marriage decree, forcing the Gu family to resist the order before the end of the year, and the Gu family indeed sent the daughter to the Marquis of Guangping’s residence.
Bloodshed was forbidden during the New Year. Delaying further would make it hard for the Emperor to execute Gu Jingyuan, as the old ministers would kneel and beg until the Emperor relented. There were things that couldn’t be said openly. Those old ministers wouldn’t let the Emperor kill a general over a woman. Throughout history, there have been ministers who offered women for power and kings who bestowed concubines to win favor.
As for whether the Emperor would deal with Gu Jingyuan in the future, that was uncertain. After all, the Xuanjing Sect was involved in these shady dealings.
Ji Lan slowly turned the jade thumb ring on his finger, not explaining but rather smiling, saying, “The Marquis of Guangping is quite pitiful.”
Xiao Liuzi was even more confused, but his master had already let down the curtain, indicating he wouldn’t explain further.
The next morning, Gu Jianli followed her sister to the restaurant to help. Gu Chuan insisted on coming along. He patted his small cloth bag and said, “I brought my books, so I’ll study there!”
Only then did Gu Jianli agree.
The restaurant had hired runners and accountants, so it wasn’t very busy. Gu Zaili occasionally checked upstairs and downstairs, but she didn’t allow Gu Jianli to show herself easily.
Gu Jianli and Gu Chuan sat in a small private room. Gu Chuan was diligently writing out memorized poems, while Gu Jianli stared out the window, lost in thought.
She remembered the Lantern Festival banquet she had heard about from the guests the previous day.
Her father wouldn’t allow her to return to the Marquis of Guangping’s residence. Thinking about the ten or so days she spent there made her frown. In fact, she didn’t want to go back. Now that her father was awake and the family was together, she didn’t want to return to that dangerous and cold place.
Moreover, she believed that even if she asked Ji Wujing, he wouldn’t agree to take her into the palace. That terrifying man.
She thought of her aunt. She wanted to see her aunt not just to uncover the truth but because she didn’t want to believe her aunt had conspired with others to frame her father.
Her mother had died before she turned one, and her sister said her aunt looked very much like her mother, so she had always relied heavily on her aunt. Her aunt had also been very fond of her and treated her exceptionally well…
The more she thought about it, the more upset she became.
Gu Jianli, agitated, looked out the window. The restaurant had a good location, and from the second floor, she could see the distant Shijin Pavilion. But when she saw the person standing in front of the Shijin Pavilion, she was taken aback.
Ji Wujing?
Gu Jianli stood up, placed her hand on the window ledge, and looked carefully.
It really was Ji Wujing.
He was standing at the entrance of Shijin Pavilion with Ji Xinglan. Ji Xinglan was looking up and talking to him, and he was looking down at his young daughter. Gu Jianli could only see his profile. Ji Wujing was wearing red, making him stand out among the crowd below; he was almost immediately noticeable.
“Why is he out…” Gu Jianli murmured. This man had many enemies, yet he had come out with Ji Xinglan without even bringing Changsheng along. Whether it was because of his striking attire or his distinctive appearance, many passersby were looking at him.
Wouldn’t he be afraid that his enemies might seize this opportunity to retaliate against him?
Just as this thought crossed her mind, she saw seven or eight people approaching Ji Wujing.
“Sister, what are you talking about?” Gu Chuan asked.
Gu Jianli didn’t hear Gu Chuan’s question. She clutched her handkerchief, watching the father and daughter in the distance with a worried expression.
The seven or eight men surrounded Ji Wujing. Gu Jianli could only see their mouths moving as they spoke, but she couldn’t hear a word. Ji Wujing, on the other hand, maintained his lazy and disdainful demeanor.
He was acting as if he owned the place.
Gu Jianli thought this man was really reckless. Had he never heard of the saying, “A true man knows when to yield and when to stand firm”? What was the point of being stubborn at this moment?
One of the men surrounding Ji Wujing suddenly patted his shoulder. Although the large hand landed on Ji Wujing’s shoulder, it was Gu Jianli who felt a shudder.
Ji Xinglan stepped back two paces and hugged Ji Wujing’s leg.
Gu Jianli gritted her teeth and turned to run downstairs.
“Sister, where are you going?” Gu Chuan called out loudly. The only response was the sound of Gu Jianli’s rapid footsteps down the stairs.
“Jianli?” Gu Zaili hurried to the door, watching her sister’s quickly disappearing figure.
Gu Jianli ran through the bustling crowd of the marketplace, heading towards the Shijin Pavilion. From the second floor, the situation hadn’t seemed so intimidating, but now, facing those seven or eight men up close, she felt a surge of fear. These men were all tall and burly, with fierce and menacing expressions.
Unconsciously, Gu Jianli took a step back.
“You’re here!” Ji Xinglan suddenly shouted.
Ji Wujing looked up, seeing Gu Jianli through the gaps in the crowd, noticing the fear she couldn’t hide in her clear eyes.
The seven or eight men followed Ji Wujing’s gaze and turned to look at Gu Jianli.
With so many eyes on her, Gu Jianli felt even more afraid. She clutched her handkerchief tightly inside her sleeve, forced herself to squeeze through the crowd, took Ji Xinglan’s hand with one hand, and linked arms with Ji Wujing with the other. She spoke softly, “What are you doing here? We’ve been waiting for you for a long time.”
After speaking, she blinked at Ji Wujing.
Oh, it had been seven or eight days since he had last heard her sweet and soft voice. Ji Wujing suddenly realized how melodious her voice was, even more pleasing than listening to a song. Ji Wujing licked his lips and said, “Say that again.”
Gu Jianli grew anxious. Didn’t he realize she was trying to help him? She discreetly pinched him, blinked again, and repeated, “Let’s go home!”
Ji Wujing slowly curled his lips into a smile.
