Chapter 31: No Longer Will I Let Him Have His Way

Gu Xixi had never used such a tone before.

Mu Nan Zhao finally looked at her, "It's just a failed purchase, how big a loss could it be?"

"Nothing?!" Gu Xixi laughed in anger.

She simply stopped walking, "You were born male, so you naturally don't know how hard it is for a woman to survive on her own in this world."

"She sincerely wanted to buy pearls, saw hope in you, yet you only used her."

"Just this, and you can still say what a big loss it is?"

Gu Xixi finished speaking and stormed off angrily.

Mu Nan Zhao frowned and asked, "What are you going to do?"

Gu Xixi didn't look back, "I'm changing back into my own clothes!"

"Wearing this useless junk that can't be used for work back to the village, you'll be laughed till your teeth fall out!"

Mu Nan Zhao lowered his head to look at himself, then stepped forward to follow.

Leaving the county town, Gu Xixi and Mu Nan Zhao hitched a ride on a cart someone was pulling firewood with.

Midway, they got off the cart and continued on foot.

Gu Xixi remained silent the whole time, keeping a cold face and ignoring Mu Nan Zhao.

Probably out of boredom, Mu Nan Zhao asked, "Are you angry?"

Gu Xixi calmly said, "I wouldn't dare."

They stayed silent for a while longer.

Mu Nan Zhao said in a deep voice, "Meng Dangni zi's younger brother is the garrison commander of Qing Tian County; he's young and capable, directly under the Northwest Army's commander-in-chief, and has earned the commander-in-chief's trust."

Gu Xixi understood, "You plan to use Meng Dangni zi to meet the person you truly want to see."

Mu Nan Zhao nodded, since he had already involved Gu Xixi, he no longer needed to avoid suspicion.

"The Imperial Court is now dominated by relatives of the empress, who collude with the young emperor to throw the court into chaos."

"Princes and clan members from all regions will certainly not submit."

"Before long, this world will usher in a time of great chaos and great order."

Gu Xixi said indifferently, "I'm just a farmer who tills the land; why are you telling me all this?"

Mu Nan Zhao gazed deeply at her.

"When the nest is overturned, no egg stays whole; with your intelligence, you should understand this important principle."

"Otherwise, why did you tell Zhang Shen that after the autumn harvest you must store at least two years' worth of food for the whole family, and sell the rest to convert into gold and silver to keep on hand?"

Gu Xixi lifted her head displeased, "You were eavesdropping on my words?!"

Mu Nan Zhao said lightly, "Living under the same roof, you can't help hearing even if you don't want to."

Gu Xixi looked at Mu Nan Zhao, a sneer escaping her nose, "You speak so righteously."

"Is there no self-interest of yours in this?"

Mu Nan Zhao stared into her eyes, "Go on."

When Gu Xixi agreed to help Mu Nan Zhao, she already knew the consequences.

But only when she actually threw herself into the situation did she realize how tangled her heart felt.

Her irritable mood had reached its peak, so she simply let it all out.

"You want to seize back power, to be acclaimed by ten thousand again, you want to revenge on those who plotted against you, who drove you out of the capital, making them taste double the suffering you endured."

"For that, you can even use a child."

"For example, today you deliberately arranged for someone to lure Qinger away to get lost, then you led me to discover Qinger."

"You and I sending Qinger back, Meng Dangni zi will regard us as benefactors and won't be too guarded against you."

"Being with you, I am truly afraid."

"Afraid that one day I'll unknowingly be used by you, hurting others and harming myself without realizing it."

Mu Nan Zhao's gaze darkened, like heavy black clouds before a storm.

"What you say is quite right."

"I am precisely this sort of person who stops at nothing, with no bottom line."

His expression furious to the extreme, like a beast about to erupt.

Gu Xixi looked around and saw that besides the two of them, there was no one else on the road.

She guarded herself, stepping back, and slipped a hand into her small cloth pouch.

"What do you intend to do? Don't forget what you promised me."

Fortunately she had asked Lao Langzhong for some soporific drug.

If Mu Nan Zhao dared to act rashly, she would no longer let him have his way as before!

However, the anger in Mu Nan Zhao's eyes gradually faded, returning to endless indifference.

Just like the look Gu Xixi had when she first saw him.

Mu Nan Zhao walked ahead alone.

He didn't walk too fast, so Gu Xixi could always stay three or five steps behind him.

The two returned home one after the other, neither speaking again.

Zhang Shen sensed the atmosphere was off, she stopped Xixi and whispered, "What's wrong with Xiao Chen? I see he's unhappy, not saying a word, he went straight back to his room upon entering."

Gu Xixi forced a smile, "Nothing's wrong, maybe he's just tired."

After thinking, she added, "Auntie, later bring his meal to his room; perhaps he doesn't want to come out to eat."

In the evening, Zhang Shen went to the west wing to deliver food.

Under the lamplight, Mu Nan Zhao lay on the bed while Lao Langzhong was cleaning the silver needles nearby.

Hearing the footsteps, Lao Langzhong turned and made a shushing gesture, "Shh, keep it down."

He just had the acupuncture and fell asleep.

Zhang Shen nodded, slowly and gently placing the tray on the table, and whispered, "Just let him sleep; you come over and eat first."

Lao Langzhong washed his hands, sat down, and sniffed contentedly.

What a good day today, we have meat to eat.

In the center of the table, a plate of roasted meat sent its aroma wafting.

Accompanied by a plate of verdant water spinach, a few soft wheat pancakes, and a bowl of lukewarm mung bean and corn soup.

Zhang Shen said with a smile, "This afternoon I traded with a hunter for a piece of wild boar meat; everyone's been tired lately, we need to nourish ourselves."

There's still more in the pot, help yourself.

She walked two steps toward the door, then turned back and said, "Please take good care of Xiao Chen's health."

Our Xixi hasn't had good luck with relatives since she was little; we should find her a husband to keep her company for the long haul.

Lao Langzhong grinned. "I know you worry most about that girl."

Don't worry, as long as I'm around, this kid will stay alive.

Gu Xixi was still busy in her room at that time, completely unaware that it had already grown dark.

Until Zhang Shen knocked on the door, "Xixi, it's time to eat."

Gu Xixi hurried to open the door, took the tray from Zhang Shen's hands, and said, "When it's mealtime, just call me; no need to bring it over yourself."

Zhang Shen laughed, "When you're busy you don't even know you're hungry; I can only come over to eat with you!"

The two sat opposite each other under the lamp and ate.

Zhang Shen said, "I just brought food to the west room; Xiao Chen is asleep, he must be worn out from wandering."

Gu Xixi startled.

Although she had just quarreled with Mu Nan Zhao, she had no intention of caring about him.

But after a moment, she still asked in a light tone:

He... is he feeling unwell again somewhere?

Zhang Shen took a sip of soup, "Lao Langzhong gave him the needle, didn't say anything else; probably nothing serious."

Gu Xixi grunted, head down, eating.

Over the next two days, Gu Xixi either shut herself in her room or went out and was nowhere to be seen for most of the day.

Mu Nan Zhao was the same.

The two rarely saw each other; even when they happened to meet at home, no one spoke.

Even if they sat at the same table for lunch, Zhang Shen and Lao Langzhong would pick up a topic and chat idly.

Gu Xixi and Mu Nan Zhao each spoke their own lines, the only thing being they didn't respond to each other.

Zhang Shen sneaked over to ask Zhang Lao Langzhong, "Have you noticed that Xixi and Xiao Chen have been acting strange?"