Chapter 384

【8】

Interpretation: "The Li family members provoked Xiao Yin and suffered a bout of bad luck; naturally they didn't dare say anything else, and hurriedly retreated."

He provoked Xiao Yin and suffered a bout of misfortune.

【16】

Interpretation: Xiao Yin looks at Gu Jiu Ling, feeling somewhat nervous, then says: "Don't overthink it; in a few months I will arrange a good marriage for Ying Gu; I have nothing with her, it's only because she covets my looks."

Xiao Yin looked at Gu Jiu Ling, feeling somewhat nervous in his heart, and then said: "Don't overthink it; in a few months I will arrange a good marriage for Ying Gu; I have nothing with her, it's only because she covets my looks."

But we need to keep the quote marks? We'll keep as is.

Gu Jiu Ling stared at the man before him with utter shock; he truly was a self‑absorbed guy so narcissistic that even the heavenly king would be left dumbfounded.

Interpretation: Gu Jiu Ling looked astonished at the man before her; indeed he is a guy with a strong inner self, so narcissistic that even the Heavenly King and old master would be embarrassed to death.

【25】

We'll produce: "Gu Jiu Ling stared at the man before her in utter astonishment; indeed he was a fellow with a strong inner self, so narcissistic that even the Heavenly King and the old master could be embarrassed to death."

She chuckled softly: "My lord, that joke is a bit flat; I'll be going now, please rest."

Interpretation: She chuckled lightly: "Your joke, Prince, is a bit cold; I take my leave, Prince, please rest."

【35】

Interpretation: Gu Jiu Ling didn't want to continue arguing with Xiao Yin outside, turned and took the children toward the courtyard.

Translate: "Gu Jiu Ling didn't want to keep arguing with Xiao Yin outside, so she turned and led the children toward the courtyard."

Xiao Yin hurriedly shouted: "Don't you want the gift I bestowed upon you?"

Interpretation: Xiao Yin hurriedly shouted: "Don't you want the reward I gave you?"

Translate: "Xiao Yin hurriedly shouted: 'Don't you want the reward I gave you?'"

【45】

Interpretation: "You just said you were happy to accept my reward."

Translate: "'You just said you were happy to accept my reward.'"

Gu Jiu Ling didn't even dare to look back, fearing outside distractions, and waved his hand, saying loudly: "No, I was just playing with the dog."

Interpretation: Gu Jiu Ling didn't dare turn her head, worried that external objects would confuse her, she waved her hand and loudly said: "No thanks, I was just playing with the dog."

Translate: "Gu Jiu Ling didn't dare turn her head, fearing that external objects would distract her, she waved her hand and loudly said: 'No thanks, I was just playing with the dog.'"

【55】

Interpretation: Xiao Yin instantly felt stifled, wondering who was being scolded.

Translate: "Xiao Yin instantly felt stifled, wondering who was being scolded."

After a moment's thought, she wondered if she had offended someone from the Li family, but she still cared about him.

Interpretation: Afterwards he thought maybe he had scolded the Li family people, and he actually cared about him.

Translate: "Then he thought perhaps he had scolded the Li family folks, and he actually cared about him."

【65】

Interpretation: After Gu Jiu Ling returned to the warm pavilion, the two children were already asleep.

Translate: "After Gu Jiu Ling returned to the warm pavilion, the two children were already asleep."

Having not been back to the capital for a while, she dispatched Jiu Yue to find out what had been happening there lately, so she could formulate a plan before her return.

Interpretation: She hadn't returned to the capital for a long time, so she sent Jiu Yue out to inquire what had happened in the capital these days, so that before returning she would have a plan and countermeasure.

Translate: "She hadn't returned to the capital for a long time, so she sent Jiu Yue out to inquire what had happened in the capital these days, so that before returning she would have a plan and countermeasure."

【75】

Interpretation: Jiu Yue was best at gathering news; not long after, she hurried in with a tense expression.

Translate: "Jiu Yue was best at gathering news; not long after, she hurried in with a tense expression."

Yun Duo had already helped Gu Jiu Ling bathe and change, and the two infants were carried by the wet nurse to the outhouse.

Interpretation: Yun Duo had already served Gu Jiu Ling with bathing and changing clothes; the two little babies were held by the wet nurse and taken to the rear wing.

Translate: "Yun Duo had already served Gu Jiu Ling with bathing and changing; the two little babies were held by the wet nurse and taken to the rear wing."

【85】

Interpretation: Gu Jiu Ling sat at the small desk by the bed, looking at the ledger; seeing Jiu Yue's expression off, she hastily put down her pen.

Translate: "Gu Jiu Ling sat at the small desk by the bed, looking at the ledger; seeing Jiu Yue's expression off, she hastily put down her pen."

"What did you find out?"

Interpretation: "What did you find out?"

Translate: "'What did you find out?'"

【96】

Interpretation: Jiu Yue stepped forward, lowered her voice, and said: "The Gu family really has encountered a major incident."

Translate: "'The Gu family really has encountered a major incident,' Jiu Yue said, stepping forward and lowering her voice."

Jiu Yue stepped forward, lowered her voice, and said: "The Gu family really has run into a serious matter."

【102】

Interpretation: Gu Jiu Ling startled, Jiu Yue continued: "The eldest young master was beaten to death by the Third Prince in the Reflection Pavilion outside the city."

Translate: "Gu Jiu Ling startled, and Jiu Yue continued: 'The eldest young master was beaten to death by the Third Prince in the Reflection Pavilion outside the city.'"

I've heard that Consort Duan has kept up her relationship with her former lover from before she entered the palace, and to meet him secretly she had a passage dug leading directly to Chongwen Hall; the earlier reinforcement of Chongwen Hall's foundations was supervised by the eldest son.

Interpretation: "It is said that Consort Duan maintained a relationship with her old lover before leaving the palace; in the palace, Consort Duan, to facilitate secret meetings with her lover, actually dug a secret passage leading directly to Chongwen Pavilion; the earlier repairs to Chongwen Pavilion's foundation were overseen by the eldest young master."

Translate: "'It is said that Consort Duan maintained a relationship with her old lover before leaving the palace; in the palace, Consort Duan, to facilitate secret meetings with her lover, actually dug a secret passage leading directly to Chongwen Pavilion; the earlier repairs to Chongwen Pavilion's foundation were overseen by the eldest young master.'"

【112】

Interpretation: "It is said that the one who initially brought up this scandal was the Shangshu."

Translate: "'It is said that the one who initially brought up this scandal was the Shangshu.'"

I heard that the one who first stirred up this rumor was the prime minister himself.

【18】...

【116】

I heard that the one who first brought up this gossip was none other than the prime minister.

【118】

Jiu Yue vividly recounted: "This is no small matter; I don't know who leaked the news, but the Third Prince, upon hearing it, rushed over and accidentally beat the eldest son to death."

【120】

Later, the Second Son actually purchased the Gu family's estate from the prime minister, and now he has hung the Du family's sign on his doorway.

【122】

Gu Jiu Ling frowned slightly, and his heart gave a sudden jolt.

【124】

Gu Jiu Ling drew a deep breath and exclaimed: "What a formidable guy; this kid is ruthless!"

【126】

Gu Jiu Ling mused and said: "We'll go into the city tomorrow morning; once there, please take a message to the Second Son saying I want to meet him."

【128】

She had previously thought Gu Kang was good‑for‑nothing, a clueless fool, and had deliberately staged an incident to shake him awake, hoping he would return to the proper path.

【130】

That proper path was a bit intimidating.

【132】

These days, Xiao Yin brings trouble wherever he goes.

【134】

Gu Jiu Ling had just led his entourage out of the courtyard when he spotted Ling Feng waiting outside.

【136】

Ling Feng bowed and said: "Madam, the Prince says if you want these things, keep them; otherwise, just toss them out in the street."

After saying that, he glanced at Jiu Yue standing nearby, then hurriedly departed, taking the estate's guards along.

Clearly, this was intended to compel Gu Jiu Ling to abandon the jewelry and the land deeds.

Otherwise, with such a huge empty estate, if she didn't take these items, it would be tantamount to giving them away to others.

Gu Jiu Ling was stunned; he hadn't anticipated that Xiao Yin would subject him to this.

"My lord, what are we to do?" Jiu Yue looked troubled at the chest.

Gu Jiu Ling clenched his jaw and said: "If he doesn't want it, we'll take it; having extra money is never a burden, right?"

Jiu Yue hurriedly told Yun Duo to have the workers load everything onto their convoy.

Upon reaching the capital, Gu Jiu Ling settled into a three‑courtyard, three‑gate residence in the western district.

Living in the southern part of the city would be too crowded and unsafe for him and his two children.

The eastern part of the city is filled with imperial kin and nobles, and the Prince Rui's residence lies there, so she naturally would not wish to live there.

The western part of the city is mainly home to affluent merchants, and the area is comparatively safe.

The residence is also quite large; in recent years, affluent merchants and tycoons have often ignored traditional building customs, bringing running water into the estates and constructing ponds and rockeries in their rear gardens, resulting in very pleasant scenery.

Gu Jiu Ling was attracted to the estate's tranquility, and before her return, Li Qiao'er had already organized a thorough cleaning of the residence, after which the entire family moved in.

In the evening, a visitor arrived and handed over an invitation.

After receiving the notice, Gu Jiu Ling quickly had the visitor escorted to the inner chambers; soon after, Jiu Yue entered with Gu Kang, who wore a dark‑blue cotton robe.

At that moment, Gu Kang wore a half‑mask, draped in a dark cloak, stood tall, and upon seeing Gu Jiu Ling, he bowed to her.

He then fixed his gaze on his elder sister and asked: "Elder sister, how is it that you've returned?"

Gu Jiu Ling's expression betrayed a hint of displeasure, and from Gu Kang's perspective, Xiao Yin had already positioned himself opposite the siblings.

Now that the elder sister is accompanying Xiao Yin back to the capital, how will the issue concerning their maternal grandfather be settled?

Gu Jiu Ling hesitated in her speech and said: "I cannot not go back, he is just a lunatic, I don't want to implicate the innocent on Peach Blossom Island."

Gu Jiu Ling's words had just fallen when Gu Kang gave a light laugh, that laugh mixed with a hint of ridicule.

Gu Jiu Ling couldn't help but feel somewhat annoyed; when did it become this stinky brat's turn to ridicule her?

Not talking about me, what's going on with you? I've only been gone a few months, and you've caused such a big commotion!

Gu Kang slightly raised his brow, the corners of his mouth holding a hint of an innocent smile: "The Gu family's this result, elder sister, you don't like it?"

Gu Kang's question left Gu Jiu Ling unable to speak; she lifted her gaze and stared fixedly at her own brother: "Like it? How could I not like it? Those despicable lot of the Gu family, each and every one of them deserves to die!"

"I just feel you've changed..." Gu Jiu Ling paused her words, "Gu Kang, are you hiding something from me?"

Gu Kang froze; he had said everything he could say, except for the secret that Mr. Wen was hiding, which he could not reveal.

Gu Jiu Ling sighed and said: "Gu Kang, my previous actions toward you were only hoping you would turn from evil to good, but I don't want you to meddle too much in court intrigues; our maternal grandfather died because of this, you..."

"Elder sister," Gu Kang laughed, interrupting Gu Jiu Ling's words, slowly rising to his feet, "I'll take you to see something."