Chapter 116: with translation of chapter title

At noon on the second day, after the onset of autumn, the weather became unbearably hot.

Gu Jiu Ling lay half-reclined on the cool mat, sweat covering her head; now that the child is older, she is utterly exhausted.

Fresh fruit was chilled in the well water; I don't know where Xiao Yin got it, but it's quite delicious.

He always manages to obtain strange and odd things; I always feel that this person's hidden strength is too formidable, to the point that she can't even guess what kind of important figure he really is.

Never mind; as long as she is treated well, that's enough—I don't want to think about it any further.

"My lady," Jiu Yue hurried over, stood before Gu Jiu Ling and made a bow.

Gu Jiu Ling sent her out to gather news; seeing her hurry, sweat beading on her forehead, she picked up a fruit soaked in ice water and handed it to Jiu Yue.

"Eat some chilled fruit first; if you have anything to say, we can talk later!"

Jiu Yue ate one piece of fruit, and Gu Jiu Ling fed her another, but she held it in her hand, her expression somewhat uneasy.

"Come on, isn't it that Gu Kang kid who's run into bad luck?" Gu Jiu Ling's eyes turned slightly cold; she still couldn't forget how this younger brother of hers had schemed against her and acted like a lackey to an enemy.

Jiu Yue had been sent by the Du family earlier to look after the Gu siblings, and Chen Granny, who had been poisoned to death by Lady Lin, were both utterly loyal to the Gu siblings.

Now those loyal servants who had once served the Du family—some are dead, some are disabled, and others have left, disheartened.

These days Gu Jiu Ling has sent Yun Duo to seek out people from the Du family, finding them one by one; these are all her trusted confidants.

Jiu Yue's eyes reddened slightly; she drew a breath and said, "The Gu family are utterly despicable."

"They even claimed the Second Young Master was unwell, then the Gu family patriarch took a list to the Bei Di Villa and brought back everything the old master had left behind—five whole carts full of gold, silver, and valuables!"

"That would be bad enough, but..."

Jiu Yue burst into tears, angry: "But they actually locked the Second Young Master in the firewood shed; Zhou Fu's family secretly sent a word out saying the Gu family hasn't given him food or water for a day and a night—they seem intent on killing him."

Gu Jiu Ling's eyes were clear and cold; Jiu Yue's voice, trembling with tears, made the atmosphere under the eaves feel somewhat oppressive.

Although the Second Young Master is no good, Jiu Yue heard from Granny Chen while she was alive that the former lady, pregnant with this son, had high hopes; even before his birth she had already hired a tutor, a martial instructor, and a music teacher—all top-notch figures in the capital.

She also said her son would surely be a stunningly talented and outstanding young man of this age!

Nowadays, let alone stunning talent—his very life is hanging by a thread.

Jiu Yue plucked up her courage, cautiously looked at her own mistress, steadied herself, and then blurted out: "My lady, the Second Young Master is your own maternal brother; if you don't think of a way to save him, he will really die."

Gu Jiu Ling lowered her gaze to the crystal-clear fruit in the plate and gave a cold laugh: "It's not yet the time."

Jiu Yue moved her lips but dared not urge further; the Second Young Master had gone too far, and as a servant she couldn't sway him.

She let out a quiet sigh in her heart, not wanting Gu Jiu Ling to look at her and smile, saying, "You, you're just too kind-hearted!"

"How about this: you have the Zhou Fu family help keep watch, and if things seem off, send in some food and drink; actually the Gu family wouldn't let him die outright, after all they can't lose face."

Gu Jiu Ling lightly patted her own face and gave a cold laugh.

Jiu Yue was instantly at a loss, wondering what "not yet the time" meant and what "won't die" meant.

The eldest miss and the prince are both people with eight hundred hearts; sometimes they truly can't keep up with the pace.

Having said that, Gu Jiu Ling, Jiu Yue didn't dare say anything more; although the mistress is kind-hearted, her actions are especially principled—whatever the mistress says, she obeys.

"Princess Consort!" Yun Duo came in holding a visitation card, saying, "The Duke of An'guo's mansion is going to hold a flower-viewing banquet, and they also want to discuss the cuju match a few days from now for the Double Ninth Festival."

Gu Jiu Ling sat up and took the card Yun Duo handed over.

The card appears to be personally written by the Heir Apparent of the Duke of An'guo's mansion, Lin Jingyuan; the brushwork is excellent, and a refined, enduring aura leaps from the paper.

The background of the Duke of An'guo's mansion is also deep; an ancestor produced a formidable grandmother who, when she entered the palace for selection, was merely a modest talented lady, yet later became the favored consort of Emperor Longqing's grandfather, Emperor Qiwu.

Following the Empress Lin, the Lin family swiftly rose, establishing the Duke of An'guo's mansion; generation after generation received hereditary titles, enjoying boundless wealth and honor, after all they are imperial relatives.

However, such families often lack real authority; they merely enjoy their ancestors' glory, and being intertwined with the foundations of other great clans, the emperor dare not harm their interests.

Therefore, the descendants of the Duke of An'guo's mansion often step forward to host gatherings such as poetry meetings, and they enjoy doing so without tiring.

Previously, the Prince Rui's mansion could never break into this circle, but now they have personally sent her an invitation, asking her to come.

Gu Jiu Ling flicked the card and laughed softly: "After all, it's still our prince's face that carries weight—just having regained his fief, he has now re-entered the circle of first-rate families, and they're even dragging us along to play."

Jiu Yue laughed: "Besides the prince, our princess consort is also extraordinarily talented; earlier she suppressed that Bei Di woman in archery, giving the Southern Qi women a vent for their anger, and that alone is reason enough to invite the mistress."

Since the Duke of An'guo's mansion has issued an invitation, Gu Jiu Ling cannot refuse; after all, offending such an old-line aristocratic house is unthinkable—who knows when they might strike from behind and make you unable to bear it.

Moreover, at the last poetry gathering, the Heir Apparent of the Duke of An'guo's mansion, Lin Jingyuan, left her with a very good impression—a genuinely down-to-earth young man.

"Good! Let's go take a look! I've heard the Duke of An'guo's mansion cultivates chrysanthemums well; let's go flower-viewing, right…"

Gu Jiu Ling recalled something: "And we're still supposed to discuss the cuju matter?"

Jiu Yue laughed: "Yes, every year at the Double Ninth Festival, the capital holds a cuju match; I've heard there's also a polo match—not just the men, but even the women of our capital can participate in that polo match, and each year there are all sorts of prizes, making it very lively."

The original host didn't like these things, and neither did Crown Prince Xiao Ting; thus she rarely participated in such activities, not wanting to have come over and still have to watch an ancient football game, which actually sounds rather interesting.

That evening, after Xiao Yin returned, Gu Jiu Ling helped him take off his cloak.

After Xiao Yin regained his fief, he became extraordinarily busy, only returning late at night.

Gu Jiu Ling had Jiu Yue bring a sand pot to warm for Xiao Yin, and also warmed a pot of wine for him.

After the heat steamed up, Xiao Yin's handsome brows and eyes revealed a hazy beauty.

"Your Highness, today the Duke of An'guo's mansion sent out a card inviting me to attend their flower-viewing banquet, and they also mentioned something about cuju."

Xiao Yin stared, recalling how seven years ago he and his close comrades from the army returned to the capital to compete in cuju and polo matches, year after year taking first place.

After the battle at Qi Sha Gu, he never participated again; the brothers who played polo with him all died in the past, and now, upon hearing his wife mention it, he actually felt dazed.