The maid, Chun He approached Gu Zhen.
“Da guniang, taitai wants you to come over.”
Gu Zhen’s breath caught, and her palms began to sweat. “Chun He jiejie, why is taitai calling for me?”
Chun He pressed her lips together and smiled. “Hou fu’s eldest furen and Haixi bo furen were talking and happened to mention you. Da guniang, come with me quickly—you wouldn’t want to miss this opportunity.”
Gu Zhen took a deep breath. “Please lead the way, Chun He jiejie.”
With a gentle smile, Chun He nodded and walked ahead.
Gu Zhen followed her to the grand hall.
Upon seeing this, Gu Yue snorted softly and whispered to Gu Shan, “Da jiejie really cares about this marriage arrangement, huh?”
Gu Shan replied in a low voice, “Isn’t that normal?”
After a brief pause, she reminded Gu Yue, “San jiejie, you should be careful of jiumu. She… she seems to be scheming something.”
Gu Yue pulled a face. “I don’t care what she’s planning—I would rather die than marry into the Xie family.”
Gu Shan gave her an odd look. Back in the northwest, Gu Yue and Xie Xian had secretly been in contact.
Now, she had completely changed her attitude, even going so far as to say she’d rather die than marry into the Xie family.
Gu Shan blinked a few times, pondered for a moment, and then understood.
After experiencing the wealth and splendour of the capital and meeting true noble young masters, Gu Yue naturally no longer looked favourably upon her Xie family cousins.
So what if Xie Xian was handsome and charming? He was nothing compared to the heirs of meritorious families.
Those were the true aristocrats.
Gu Shan didn’t expose Gu Yue’s thoughts but merely reminded her, “In any case, san jiejie, be careful and don’t let jiumu find an opening.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t give anyone a chance. The Xie family cousins are here—si meimei, entertain them. I’m going to chat with the young ladies of the hou fu.”
Eager to avoid meeting the Xie family cousins, Gu Yue hurried off.
Xie Yuan approached Gu Shan. “Shan meimei, why did Yue meimei leave the moment she saw me? Does she not welcome me?”
“You misunderstand, Yuan biaojie. San jiejie is busy entertaining other guests and can’t get away. If you need anything, just let me know.”
Standing beside Xie Yuan, Xie Ping said, “Shan meimei, could you introduce us to the young ladies of the hou fu?”
“Well…”
Gu Shan hesitated.
Xie Yuan quickly interjected, “Shan meimei, I wouldn’t want to trouble you. We wouldn’t dare to overreach by meeting the di daughters of the hou fu. Could you introduce us to the shu-born young ladies instead?”
Gu Shan was still unsure.
Xie Yuan, undeterred, pressed on, “Without your introduction, we wouldn’t know anyone in this setting and wouldn’t even have anyone to talk to. If someone asks us later which noble young ladies we met, we wouldn’t even know what to say. Please, Shan meimei, just give us a little help so our trip here isn’t wasted.”
Gu Shan could no longer refuse. “Please follow me, sisters. I will introduce you to the young ladies of the hou fu.”
“Thank you, Shan meimei. You’re so kind.”
Gu Shan smiled slightly and led the Xie family cousins to meet the hou fu ladies.
Just as Gu Yue had managed to slip away, she saw Gu Shan leading the Xie cousins toward her.
She stomped her foot in frustration—was si meimei doing this on purpose to spite her?
At that moment, Gu Mei, Gu Qi and Gu Jiu, along with the young ladies from Zhu guogong fu, the Lu hou fu, the Dai hou fu and the Haixi bo fu, were heading out to stroll in the garden.
None of them feared the cold; they simply draped their cloaks over their shoulders and went outside.
Seeing this, Gu Yue hurried to catch up, taking Gu Jiu’s arm. “Er jiejie, I’ll join you.”
Gu Jiu turned her head and raised an eyebrow at her.
Gu Yue batted her eyes. “Er jiejie, is that alright?”
She was even acting coy now.
Gu Qi chuckled at the sight. “Since Yue meimei isn’t afraid of the cold, she can come along.”
“Thank you, Qi jiejie.”
Gu Jiu smiled. “San meimei, could you let go of my arm now? Having someone hanging on me is quite tiring.”
Gu Yue gave an embarrassed smile. “Er jiejie, you always say the funniest things.”
Gu Jiu secretly rolled her eyes. Gu Yue was putting on an act again.
But it didn’t bother her.
As long as Gu Yue didn’t provoke her, she didn’t care.
The group arrived at the garden.
In winter, the garden wasn’t particularly scenic. The plum blossoms had yet to bloom, leaving only a few buds in sight.
The bamboo grove, however, looked rather nice, though the lighting was a bit dim.
Gu Mei said, “Once the plum blossoms bloom, let’s host a plum blossom banquet together.”
Zhu guogong fu’s Wei san guniang nodded eagerly. “That’s a great idea, Mei jiejie. I love it!”
Wei qi guniang laughed. “Why don’t we all pitch in and arrange a trip to the Baima Temple to view the plum blossoms and hold a banquet there?”
“That sounds wonderful!” Pei Man, Lu hou fu’s third young lady was visibly excited.
“Then it’s settled.”
They all agreed to hold a plum blossom banquet at Baima Temple.
Gu Jiu smiled. “I’ll join in as well. Would you all be willing to include me?”
Gu Mei took her hand. “Xiao Jiu, if you’re willing to join us, we’d love to have you!”
Gu Yue also raised her hand, “I’ll contribute as well, and my si meimei will also be included.”
Gu Mei smiled and said, “Yue meimei, there’s no rush. In a few days, I’ll have someone do a count. Everyone can just submit their names then.”
With that settled, everyone was quite pleased.
The young lady from the Dai hou fu, Han Qian, quietly walked up to Gu Mei.
With a bright smile, she jokingly asked, “Mei jiejie, when will I be able to call you dasao?”
Gu Mei’s face instantly flushed red.
The crowd burst into good-natured laughter.
Only Pei Man did not smile.
It was said that the Lu hou fu also intended to form an alliance with the Pingnan hou fu through marriage, and they had their eyes on Gu Mei.
However, the old houye and the old furen did not agree.
Firstly, the Lu hou fu’s political stance was somewhat delicate.
Secondly, if Gu Mei were to marry into the Lu hou fu, she would only become the second young mistress and not the household’s primary mistress, as the eldest son of the Pei family was already married.
Gu Mei was the well-groomed eldest daughter of the hou fu, destined to be the primary mistress of her future household.
Thus, the Lu hou fu was already out of the picture.
Soon, Gu Mei would be engaged to Han dalang, the eldest son of the Dai hou fu.
This was the first time Gu Jiu had heard of this. She arched her brows and smiled, “I must congratulate you, Mei jiejie.”
Gu Mei feigned annoyance, “Xiao Jiu, you’re teasing me too! This matter isn’t even finalised yet, so don’t say such things carelessly.”
Han Qian chimed in, “But my elder brother only has eyes for Mei jiejie. He doesn’t want any other lady.”
The group once again burst into laughter.
Gu Mei, exasperated, stomped her foot and pinched Han Qian’s cheek. “You little minx, always making fun of me! Just wait until it’s your turn to get engaged—I’ll tease you just the same!”
Han Qian pursed her lips in a smile. “By then, I’ll have to start calling you dasao. When that time comes, I hope dasao will then go easy on me.”
Gu Mei’s face was flushed crimson, making her look even more charming.
The crowd laughed again, teasing one another.
Gu Yue watched from the side, filled with envy.
If only she had been born into a hou fu—then she could chat and joke freely with these noble ladies, instead of feeling like an outsider who couldn’t quite fit in.
Gu Jiu, however, remained unaffected, joining in the conversation with ease. It was as if she had always belonged to this circle.
Whenever Gu Jiu wished, she could make everyone around her feel comfortable.
After chatting for a while, everyone thought to themselves that Gu Jiu was truly wonderful—gracious, considerate, and pleasant to talk to.
Having a friend like her was a delight.
Unknowingly, the noble ladies began to accept Gu Jiu, even taking the initiative to talk to her.
Gu Yue saw this and felt indignant.
She scoffed inwardly, determined to compete with Gu Jiu.
She refused to believe that she would lose to Gu Jiu in social skills.
Back in the northwest, Gu Jiu had been nothing!
Gu Yue hyped herself up and, imitating Gu Jiu, tried to join the conversation.
After just a few exchanges, Pei Man’s brows furrowed.
It was clear that Pei Man did not like Gu Yue.
There was something about Gu Yue that felt overly calculating. Her words, her smile, her expressions—all seemed insincere, as if every sentence she spoke carried an ulterior motive.
Teenage girls were highly perceptive. They were not like the experienced noble ladies in their forties who had weathered many storms.
They disliked Gu Yue’s approach. Even though they understood that such behavior was inevitable in social settings, their dislike remained.
Soon after, the two sisters from the Wei family also began distancing themselves from Gu Yue, avoiding her topics.
They exchanged glances.
How could Gu Jiu and Gu Yue be so different?
When Gu Jiu spoke, people felt at ease and were happy to engage with her.
But when Gu Yue spoke, she came across as shrewd and opportunistic, always trying to curry favor.
The noble ladies were well-versed in social interactions. No matter how much Gu Yue tried to conceal her intentions, she couldn’t escape their discerning eyes.
They had encountered too many people like her before.
Gu Yue, still excited, eagerly joined every conversation.
It wasn’t so hard to socialise with noble ladies, after all!
Feeling smug, she glanced at Gu Jiu. Being able to outshine Gu Jiu (or so she believed) filled her with satisfaction.
Gu Qi, finding it unbearable, lightly coughed. “There’s a pavilion ahead. Let’s go sit and talk there. The wind here is quite chilly.”
“Let’s listen to Qi jiejie.”
The group moved toward the pavilion, and their conversation momentarily paused.
Gu Yue lagged behind a few steps and walked beside Gu Jiu.
“Er jiejie, you’re not in good health, and the weather is so cold. Why don’t you head back first? I’ll stay here and accompany them, so you don’t have to worry.”
Gu Jiu looked at Gu Yue with a half-smile. “San meimei, how considerate of you. I will return when the time is right. You should also take care of yourself and be careful not to catch a cold.”
Gu Yue had dressed lightly to maintain a graceful appearance, wearing one less layer of cotton clothing. Her cloak was also thin, and when the wind blew, her face turned pale with cold.
In contrast, Gu Jiu had wrapped herself up tightly.
Except for a slight chill on her face from the wind, the rest of her body was warm and comfortable, with no fear of catching a cold.
As they walked, a group of young men appeared at the corner ahead, led by Gu Cheng, who had brought guests to visit their residence.
Gu Yue’s face lit up with joy. “Liu gege, what are you doing here?”
Gu Cheng smiled faintly. “I’m showing our guests around. Are you all heading to the pavilion? I’ll have the servants set up some wind barriers to block the cold.”
“Thank you, liu gege!”
Gu Yue was overjoyed and felt especially proud to have a brother like Gu Cheng.
Among the guests was Han dalang. The moment he spotted Gu Mei, his gaze fixed on her, staring in a daze.
Feeling self-conscious under his gaze, Gu Mei quickly lowered her head, her ears turning slightly red.
Han Qian pursed her lips in amusement. “Gege, what are you staring at?”
The others chuckled.
Han dalang rubbed his nose awkwardly. “Nothing. Just be sure to keep warm and not catch a cold.”
Han Qian grinned. “Are you worried about me, or are you worried about Mei jiejie?”
Pfft!
Someone couldn’t hold back and burst out laughing.
Han dalang solemnly replied, “I’m worried about both of you.”
“Gege, you’re so sly.”
Han Dalang bared his teeth in frustration. Was this really his own sister? She only knew how to tease him.
Han Qian made a playful face at him.
Among the crowd, there was a particularly handsome young man. He had sharp brows and bright eyes, with deep, striking features. His gaze carried a sense of hidden sorrow, as if he held many burdens in his heart.
Those eyes immediately caught Gu Yue’s attention.
Her heart started racing wildly, thrown into disarray.
Who was he?
He looked truly handsome.
Why did his eyes carry such sorrow?
She had an inexplicable urge to smooth out the frown on his brow.
Gu Yue wanted to ask Gu Cheng about him but hesitated, afraid that the man would think less of her for being too forward.
As she wavered, she suddenly heard a voice call out, “Er ge, don’t drink too much today.”
“Don’t worry, meimei. I won’t.”
Gu Yue felt as if her heart was about to leap out of her throat.
The girl who spoke addressed him as ‘er ge’ was Zhao liu guniang—could he be Zhao erlang, the young master of Haixi bo fu?
Since there was a possibility that Gu Zhen might marry into the Haixi bo fu, Gu Yue had taken the time to learn about their family.
She knew that Haixi bo had three sons. The eldest had already married, while the second son’s marriage had yet to be settled. The one Gu Zhen was set to meet was the fourth son, shu-born.
So, this man was Zhao erlang.
Gu Yue hid behind the crowd, gazing at Zhao Erlang with an infatuated expression.
How could such an outstanding person have such a terrible reputation?
Could someone be deliberately ruining his name?
Could someone be trying to harm him?
As these thoughts swirled in her mind, Gu Yue couldn’t help but feel a sense of injustice for Zhao erlang, even feeling sorrow and pity on his behalf.
A surge of emotion rose in her heart—she wanted to help him.
While Gu Yue was lost in her thoughts, Gu Cheng had already led the guests away through a side path.
Gu Yue saw no one else, only Zhao erlang’s lonely, distant figure.
Her heart ached.
This was the first time in her life she had felt this way.
Gu Yue knew she was doomed—she had fallen for Zhao erlang.
Her usual lively and enthusiastic demeanour vanished. Biting her lip, she remained silent, an unusual quietness settling over her.
Many people cast curious or concerned glances her way.
The Gu Yue who had just been chattering away a moment ago—why had she suddenly fallen silent?
The maids brought out tea.
Gu Jiu placed a cup in front of Gu Yue. “San meimei, are you all right?”
Gu Yue snapped out of her daze and noticed that everyone was looking at her. She quickly shook her head. “I’m fine. The wind just made me a little dizzy.”
Gu Mei grew concerned. “Yue meimei, you don’t look well. Should we go back and rest? It’s really cold outside.”
The capital’s winter grew colder by the day—it might start snowing soon.
Gu Yue shook her head. “Thank you for your concern, Mei jiejie, but I’m fine. I’ll feel better after some hot tea.”
With that, she picked up her teacup and took a few sips.
The warmth of the tea indeed made her feel much better.
Everyone saw that her complexion looked better and felt relieved.
They chatted idly about all sorts of things.
Gu Yue was anxious inside, thinking about how she could discreetly get information about Zhao erlang from Zhao liu guniang.
She thought it over from every angle but couldn’t come up with a good plan.
She was just a young lady—if she asked about a strange man for no apparent reason, wouldn’t that make anyone suspicious?
What should she do?
She really wanted to know everything about Zhao erlang.
Gu Jiu noticed that Gu Yue had been secretly observing Zhao liu guniang several times.
Gu Jiu found this puzzling.
Before they arrived at the pavilion, Gu Yue hadn’t shown the slightest interest in Zhao liu guniang.
Back when they were chatting in the garden, Gu Yue’s attention had been completely focused on the young ladies from Zhu guogong fu, Lu hou fu and Dai hou fu.
As for Zhao liu guniang from the Haixi bo fu, Gu Yue had treated her as a mere acquaintance and barely exchanged a few words.
But now, Gu Yue was frequently paying attention to Zhao liu guniang—how strange.
Gu Jiu couldn’t figure out the reason for this change right away.
Finally, Gu Yue found a chance to speak with Zhao liu guniang.
Noticing that Zhao liu guniang’s tea had run out, Gu Yue proactively picked up the teapot and said, “Let me refill your tea.”
Zhao liu guniang smiled at Gu Yue and said, “How could I trouble Yue jiejie with that?”
Gu Yue returned a sweet smile, her most beautiful one, and said, “Zhao meimei, there’s no need to be so polite with me. From the moment I first saw you today, I felt a sense of closeness. I’m just not good with words and didn’t know how to start a conversation. I hope you won’t dislike me for that.”
Zhao liu guniang pressed her lips into a smile. “Yue jiejie must be joking. If you’re bad with words, then I must be as silent as a wooden gourd.”
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