Rebirth of the Excellent Daughter of the Marquis Household (REDMH) - Chapter 111

“Young Master,” Ah Hui stood outside Lou Xiao’s door, gently tapping on the wooden panel.

“Come in,” came the elegant voice from inside, and Ah Hui immediately pushed the door open. “There is a letter from the capital,” he said, handing over the secret missive. Lou Xiao furrowed his brows slightly after reading it.

“Young Master, we should start making our way back,” Ah Hui reminded his young master cautiously.

“Understood.” Lou Xiao used his slender fingers to pick up the letter and placed it on the fire, turning the secret message into powder in an instant.

He stayed at the Liang residence, thinking that with Gu Yu Qi’s insight and ambition, she would not want to be just a girl confined to the inner courtyard of a house. However, he had never expected Liang Huai Yu to cause Gu Yu Qi to lose her sense of things. He had overestimated Gu Yu Qi. Liang Huai Yu was Gu Yu Qi’s weakness, and someone with a weakness would surely have reservations on the path to achieving great things. He wanted Gu Yu Qi to be as sharpened as a blade, to eliminate all impurities and be reborn in fire and ashes, becoming pure and clean.

Liang Huai Yu was the impurity in Gu Yu Qi’s life. Originally, he had planned to use Liang Huai Yu to convince Gu Yu Qi to return to the Liang capital with him, but the plan had gone awry with Liang Huai Yu’s accident.

Interesting. The Ding Yuan Marquis, who usually treasured his feathers, could not resist taking matters into his own hands?

He probably did not know that the Master of the Reincarnation Pavilion he sought advice from was living in his own daughter’s home.

What was Gu Huai Zhong afraid of? He had tried several times to kill his own wife and daughter. Now that Liang Huai Yu had encountered trouble, Gu Yu Qi would likely be next. However, he felt reassured knowing that Gu Yu Qi had sent someone to investigate the incident with the horse.

Gu Yu Qi was not as easily fooled as Liang Huai Yu. It was likely that she had already sensed something, hence her actions.

If he had the time, he would surely stay to see how this drama unfolded. Unfortunately, there were matters in the Liang capital waiting for him to handle.

Lou Xiao pondered for a moment. “What about the item I asked you to find?” he asked, looking up at Ah Hui.

“This subordinate has brought it,” Ah Hui replied, taking out a small box from his pocket, “Young Master, for now, only this single ginseng root would be almost old enough.”

“Mmm,” Lou Xiao nodded. “Put it down, then go do whatever you need to.”

“Yes.” Ah Hui turned and left. Lou Xiao opened the embroidered box placed on his desk. A whole, undamaged ginseng root with its tail neatly bound at the bottom was in the box.

Ah Hui had done well in such a short time, travelling back and forth between the Liang capital and Kuizhou to fetch this ginseng root for him.

He closed the lid of the box, then left his room with the ginseng.

“Miss, Young Master Lou requests an audience,” Yan Zhi walked in and whispered to Gu Yu Qi.

“Ask him to take a seat and wait for a moment. I’ll be out shortly,” Gu Yu Qi said softly, using a handkerchief to carefully wipe away the medicine stains from her mother’s lips, and then slowly feeding her the rest of the medicine.

Her mother hardly had any reaction, not even the basic swallowing reflex. Gu Yu Qi could only give her the medicine little by little, letting it flow down her throat.

Yan Zhi glanced at the lifeless Madam lying on the bed and her heart felt heavy too. The physicians had all said that there was no hope for Madam, but Miss still persisted. Yan Zhi knew that as long as Madam had breath left, her Miss would not give up.

May Madam have divine protection, and may Miss’ filial piety move the heavens, allowing Madam to wake up.

Gu Yu Qi finished feeding the small bowl of medicine, then sighed softly. She knew that her actions probably held little practical significance for Liang Huai Yu now. There was a medical term called “vegetative state,” and Liang Huai Yu was basically in that state.

But as long as her heart kept beating, she would not give up.

Were there not many reports in modern times about vegetative patients waking up?

However, Liang Huai Yu’s condition was worse than that. Despite using a significant amount of hundred-year-old ginseng, its efficacy was too low. It had only kept her alive, but her breath weakened everyday. She was dying slowly and Gu Yu Qi knew this well.

She handed the empty bowl to Yan Zhi, then stood up, tidying herself up slightly. In fact, there was not much to tidy. She knew she looked very haggard right now.

When she went to the outer room, Lou Xiao, who was waiting, turned around. In the bright light, the weary-looking young girl stood quietly.

“Young Master,” Gu Yu Qi curtseyed, “There have been some troubles in my family these past few days, so I didn’t have the chance to take leave properly from Young Master. Please forgive me.”

She had not attended classes for several days now. If Lou Xiao had not appeared here, she might have almost forgotten about them altogether.

“No worries,” Lou Xiao said with a faint smile, the dimples at the corners of his lips bringing a sense of warmth and comfort to Gu Yu Qi.

“I heard you were looking for millennium ginseng,” Lou Xiao took out the embroidered box and handed it to Gu Yu Qi, “I asked my servant to travel day and night to Daliang to get this. Although it’s not a thousand years old, it’s almost seven or eight hundred years old. If you don’t mind, please use it for Madam first.”

Gu Yu Qi’s absent-minded gaze suddenly brightened. She could not help but take a couple of quick steps forward, rushing to Lou Xiao, and took the box from him. Then she immediately realised her indiscretion and lowered her eyes, “Please forgive me, Young Master, I…” She could not help it. Seeing the ginseng felt like seeing a glimmer of hope.

“It’s alright,” Lou Xiao gently interrupted what Gu Yu Qi was about to say next, smiling, “How could I not understand your feelings? Although we haven’t known each other for long, and to say something offensive, I already consider Miss as my close friend. With Madam in trouble, how can I feel at ease? It’s just a pity that I can only do so much to help.”

Gu Yu Qi bit her lower lip tightly, “For Young Master to have such thoughts, I am deeply moved. By the way, how much does this ginseng cost? Whatever the price Young Master names, I won’t change it.”

“If you insist on being like this, then I’d rather destroy the ginseng,” Lou Xiao said sternly, pretending to look displeased as he reached out and took the box from Gu Yu Qi’s hand.

Gu Yu Qi panicked, “Don’t.”

“I’m just teasing you,” Lou Xiao smiled again, returning the box to Gu Yu Qi, “Just take it to use for Madam.”

This time, Gu Yu Qi managed to resist reaching for the box and instead looked at Lou Xiao, “Master Lou, although we have a good relationship, I cannot accept such a generous gift without doing anything in return.”

“Very well,” Lou Xiao did not force her, but smiled and said, “Consider this my big favour to you today. In the future, if I need your help, just do me a favour.”

Gu Yu Qi nodded, “Alright, then it will be as Young Master says.” Only then did she reach out to take the box, holding it as if it were a precious treasure, “By the way, Young Master, I wanted to…”

“You go ahead. I have something else to discuss with you. I’ll wait for you here,” Lou Xiao interrupted, knowing Gu Yu Qi was eager to give the ginseng to Liang Huai Yu. Without rushing her, he nodded with a smile.

“Thank you, Young Master,” Gu Yu Qi quickly bowed and rushed inside with the ginseng box.

Not long after, she came out again, her expression seeming slightly more relaxed.

Whether the ginseng would work or not remained to be seen, but it was better than nothing. In times of trouble, what people needed most was psychological comfort, and the ginseng Lou Xiao brought was just that for Gu Yu Qi.

“There are issues at home and I’ve been sent letters urging me to return. I’ll be leaving for Daliang tomorrow,” Lou Xiao said straightforwardly when he saw Gu Yu Qi emerge.

Gu Yu Qi was momentarily surprised, then nodded immediately, “To detain Young Master would be overly pretentious. I wish Young Master a smooth journey.” After saying this, she curtsied to Lou Xiao.

“Mhmm,” Lou Xiao returned the gesture with cupped fists towards Gu Yu Qi, smiling, “I also wish for Madam’s speedy recovery.”

After their exchange, both felt a bit awkward. They could not help but glance at each other for a moment before bursting into laughter.

Gu Yu Qi had been wearing a worried expression since Liang Huai Yu’s accident, but now her brows relaxed. Even though her appearance was haggard, the moment she smiled, a bright light burst from her eyes, which made Lou Xiao’s heart flutter slightly.

Truly beautiful, Lou Xiao could not help but admire silently.

Leaving aside her talents for a moment, just her captivating beauty alone was enough to make her stand out, especially considering she did not even care much about her appearance. Lou Xiao, who was used to straightforward dealings, could not help but feel a tinge of reluctance deep down.

“Young Master, this is really too formal,” Gu Yu Qi smiled.

“Although it’s a bit awkward, it’s nice to see your smile again,” Lou Xiao said slowly. Although he was joking, there was a hint of sincerity in his words.

He quickly added, “By the way, I have something else for you.”

“What is it?” Gu Yu Qi asked, curiosity piqued.

Lou Xiao pulled out a thick book and handed it to Gu Yu Qi, “Open it and take a look inside,” he said with a smile.

Gu Yu Qi glanced at Lou Xiao suspiciously before taking the book and opening it. A rush of warmth flooded her heart.

It was not just any book. It was a neatly bound handwritten manuscript filled with information about the geography, culture, and language of the Rouran. On one side were the Rouran characters, and on the other were beautifully written annotations in elegant calligraphy.

“This…” Gu Yu Qi looked up, her eyes filled with surprise and gratitude, shining brightly. It would be a lie to say she was not moved. The manuscript was so thick, representing the effort Lou Xiao had put into it.

Gu Yu Qi recognised the elegant calligraphy on the manuscript. It was Lou Xiao’s handwriting.

“I’ve been your teacher for a few days. I thought if I left, would it not be giving up halfway?” Lou Xiao said with a gentle smile. Gu Yu Qi’s soft gaze seemed to warm his heart in return and an indescribable emotion welled up inside him. He had not expected his simple gesture would move the girl before him so deeply.

“Young Master, this disciple…” Gu Yu Qi began, but Lou Xiao waved his hand to interrupt her.

Gu Yu Qi looked at Lou Xiao in slight astonishment. She just wanted to thank him, was even that not allowed?

“I’ve said it before, there’s no need for you to pay me respect as a disciple. In my heart, you’re a good friend, not a disciple,” Lou Xiao said. His gaze was firm, which made Gu Yu Qi too embarrassed to express her gratitude further.

“How could I be worthy of Young Master…” Gu Yu Qi said, feeling a bit guilty. She did not think of herself as a good friend to others. Despite spending time with Lou Xiao, he was the one giving lectures and she had just listened, occasionally asked questions.

“Your talent and knowledge surpasses that of any woman I’ve ever met. If you’re not worthy to be my friend, then there are few in this world who are,” Lou Xiao said gently. “Although I teach you every day, your learning speed is unparalleled. Even I find myself admiring it. Sometimes I think that if things continue like this, I’ll soon have nothing left to teach you.”

Gu Yu Qi was used to receiving praise from others and while others did not know she was not ordinary, she did. When the words came from Lou Xiao, it made her feel a bit embarrassed. Seeing him, barely 20 years old, travelling to various countries, his knowledge and experience were comparable to hers, a person who had traversed and lived twice as long. Gu Yu Qi did not blush from other people’s praise, but being praised by Lou Xiao, she really could not stand it.

Lou Xiao noticed Gu Yu Qi’s fair complexion gradually tinged with a blush, making her even more beautiful than before. He could not help but feel another slight flutter in his heart.

A beauty was a beauty after all, every smile and frown stirred people’s hearts.

“Due to time constraints, I can only do this for you temporarily,” Lou Xiao said. “When I return to the Liang Dynasty, if I have spare time, I’ll continue transcribing other materials and have someone send them to you. So please, don’t lose contact with me.”

“Mhmm,” Gu Yu Qi nodded immediately.

Speaking of this, Lou Xiao was truly a good teacher. Gu Yu Qi did not want to care about his identity, but he was most likely from a noble family in the Liang Dynasty. He was humorously witty and knowledgeable. If possible, Gu Yu Qi did not want to lose such a good mentor and friend.

“At the end of the book, I’ve written down an address,” Lou Xiao said with a slight smile, “If you ever need to find me, send a letter there. If you encounter any difficulties, don’t hesitate to come to me. No need to be polite.”

“I wouldn’t dare to be polite with you still,” Gu Yu Qi sighed deeply and sincerely thanked him, “Don’t worry, if I have any trouble, I’ll definitely come to you.”

“I hope you’ll come to me, but I don’t want you to come only because you’re in trouble,” Lou Xiao looked at Gu Yu Qi for a moment, then sighing lightly, “Well, I won’t bother you anymore. Farewell. Remember what you’ve said.”

“Thank you, Young Master,” Gu Yu Qi hurriedly replied with a curtsey, personally sending Lou Xiao out of the room.

The next day, Gu Yu Qi even went to Lou Xiao’s room to see him off, but when she arrived early in the morning, she found that Lou Xiao had already left the Liang residence with Ah Hui.

There was a note left on the table by Lou Xiao, with only two words written on it: “Take care.”

Gu Yu Qi looked at the note with Lou Xiao’s clear and sharp handwriting, and a faint smile appeared on her lips.

“You take care too,” Gu Yu Qi put away the note, silently wishing him well in the direction of the Liang Dynasty.