Chapter 31

Gu Jiu Ling was completely dazed. What does this guy mean? What do you mean by not going back? The bed in the Warm Pavilion is just this one; the remaining space isn't large either, and even if we temporarily set up another bed, there wouldn't be that much room. If he sleeps on the bed, where would she sleep? Surely she can't be pregnant and still sleep on the floor, right? Gu Jiu Ling stared straight at Xiao Yin, who waved at her. She instinctively went over. Xiao Yin slowly got up, freeing up the space inside: "Rest now, it's not late."

I'll wear you out!" She opened her mouth, the scolding words rolled in her throat and she swallowed them anyway. Xiao Yin's glistening peach-blossom eyes made her scalp prickle. Gu Jiu Ling carefully crawled onto the bed, and Xiao Yin ordered Jiu Yue to bring another blanket in. Jiu Yue and the others dared not linger in the warm pavilion; they retreated cautiously, extinguishing the lamps inside. Tonight's moonlight was still alluring, moonlight like water pouring onto the bed. Gu Jiu Ling tried to shrink into a corner, keeping distance from Xiao Yin, not wanting him to raise his hand and rudely rub her head peeking from the blanket. Gu Jiu Ling wore an expression of utter hopelessness; her retort hadn't even spread in her heart when Xiao Yin slowly leaned over, scooping her up together with the blanket wrapped around her and pulling her fully into his embrace. Gu Jiu Ling stared dumbfounded, wanting to struggle. "Don't move, Prince will just hold you a bit," Xiao Yin murmured, eyes half-closed as if exhausted to the limit, his stern chin resting on her head, pressing against her soft hair, and he actually fell into a deep sleep. Xiao Yin himself didn't know what was happening; the last time he slept beside her on their wedding night, he had felt an unprecedented sense of peace. Holding her like this now made it even easier to drift off. For seven years he had survived in the bloodthirsty valley, scarcely having a night of peaceful sleep; nightmares tormented him, making him wish to die. Only by embracing this woman did he feel the missing piece inside him filled, complete, at ease. Gu Jiu Ling widened her eyes at the sleeping face before her, her heart stirred. Asleep, Xiao Yin completely shed his cruel façade; his handsome brows slightly furrowed, unaware of what he dreamed, even a hint of grievance, like an abandoned child. Gu Jiu Ling sighed; this poor soul also had an ill fate. So stunningly talented, a figure renowned throughout the world, seven years ago he was violently torn of his wings, trampled into mud—no one could endure that. At first she had been wary of him, but his warmth gradually enveloped her, and she too fell asleep. Next morning, Gu Jiu Ling woke to find his side of the bed empty, only a lingering warmth beside her, leaving her dazed, feeling that last night's shared sleep had been like a fantastical dream. "Jiu Yue!"

Gu Jiu Ling slowly got up, rubbing the hair messed up by Xiao Yin's pressure, when a commotion came from outside. Jiu Yue hurried in, quick steps, to help Gu Jiu Ling wash and dress. "When did the Prince leave?"

In reply to the mistress, the Prince rose before dawn and ordered the servants not to disturb the mistress's sleep.

Jiu Yue pressed her lips and smiled, feeling that the Prince and the mistress's relationship was quite good; earlier, when the mistress married into the Wangfu, she had been nervously gripping her palms. The Prince was wife-killing, brutal, notorious abroad, yet in these days of contact with the mistress he had been rather gentle. Gu Jiu Ling stared for a moment; she too was now confused by Xiao Yin's antics, wondering if her protection fee for him was insufficient, so he wanted to sell himself for money? Thinking this, Gu Jiu Ling's lips twitched upward; if Xiao Yin were a male consort, he would still be easy on the eyes. She hastily shook her head, flinging those crazy thoughts from her mind, and the commotion outside grew louder. "What's happening out there? Such a huge disturbance!"

Jiu Yue smiled and said, "In reply to the mistress, the Prince said the Peach Blossom Woods here have good feng shui, and he wants to expand another courtyard nearby, saying it is for our young masters to live in later."

Gu Jiu Ling held a bowl of goat milk, but this time the bowl stalled in midair and she froze. Building a courtyard for the baby in her belly—who knows who might want to move in? What on earth does this person intend? "Mistress!!"

The steward Zhuang Bo hurried over from the front courtyard and waited outside the warm pavilion. "Reporting to the mistress, the eldest master of the Gu family has come to see you! He is waiting in the front hall, sipping tea."

Gu Cheng has come? Gu Jiu Ling's eyes darkened, a hint of mockery appearing at the corner of her mouth—indeed, Lady Lin has suffered. "Understood! I'll go right away!"

Yes!

Zhuang Bo turned and left the Peach Blossom Pavilion, heading to the front courtyard to greet the guests, for it was the Prince's great-uncle who had arrived, and the people of the Wangfu could not be negligent. Jiu Yue leaned close to Gu Jiu Ling and whispered, "Just now I was about to report to the mistress, but early this morning the Zhou family sent someone over, and the mistress was still asleep then."

What did they say?

Gu Jiu Ling ate at a leisurely pace, letting Gu Cheng wait. Jiu Yue said, "The Zhou family said that yesterday the Shangshu flew into a rage, even slapped Lady Lin, saying her greed would ruin their whole family, and that this matter had already implicated the eldest master's official career, giving him a bad reputation."

Last night the Shangshu had Lady Lin locked up, and this morning, upon waking, a piece of news suddenly spread: the Shangshu had invited several matchmakers from Shang Jing, intending to take a concubine, and the news has already spread.

Hah!

Gu Jiu Ling let out a light laugh, set down the snack in her hand, wiped her hands, and said, "Is my father planning to remarry?"

What position does Lady Lin hold now?

Jiu Yue laughed softly, "Naturally she is still the aunt-grandmother!"

Gu Jiu Ling slowly rose, stretched her arms, and said, "Come on, let's go see the eldest brother!"

Gu Jiu Ling had eaten her fill and drunk enough, tidied up, and brought Jiu Yue to the Wangfu's Qian Ting. Xiao Yin had been busy these days, returning late and leaving before dawn, as if plotting some great affair, which was not her concern. Walking along the carved corridors, Gu Jiu Ling arrived at the Qian Ting and from afar saw Gu Cheng seated in the guest seat, wearing a dark blue brocade robe, his black hair tied back with a sash, appearing modest yet in control of the future of the Shangshu's residence. He was the child born of her father's affair with Lady Lin, a few months older than she, the legitimate eldest daughter. Clearly a bastard unfit for the table, yet he had seized the position of eldest master of the Gu family, calling the shots in the Gu household; though his glory had been enough, the past debts still needed to be repaid slowly. Gu Jiu Ling entered, but did not offer him a salute—he was unworthy! She strode straight to the seat of honor and sat down. Gu Cheng rose, giving her a perfunctory salute, saying, "Princess Consort, greetings."

"What wind blew you, elder brother, here today? How rare!"

Gu Jiu Ling lifted her tea and took a sip. Gu Cheng stared coldly at the pretentious Gu Jiu Ling, hatred surging in his heart. Earlier they had still underestimated this woman, thinking that after experiencing that incident in the palace she had lost her mind, which was why she later behaved aberrantly. But yesterday's incident made alarm bells ring in Gu Cheng's heart; he must now reassess the woman before him, perhaps even more difficult to deal with than those old slickers in the court. They now have no time to ponder why Gu Jiu Ling has become so hard to handle, or whether this woman has been playing the pig to eat the tiger all these past ten-odd years. Each of her strikes catches him off guard, though it will soon end. At this moment, with no one else in the Zheng Ting, Gu Cheng dropped his pretense, coldly gazing at Gu Jiu Ling: "Gu Jiu Ling, let's talk."