Rebirth of the Excellent Daughter of the Marquis Household (REDMH) - Chapter 118

As soon as Gu Yu Qi entered the capital, word of her arrival spread like wildfire.

There was no helping it. Lately, Gu Yu Qi had become the talk of the town among the noble ladies of the capital. Even if she wanted to keep a low profile, it was impossible. Opinions about her were divided. Some hailed her as a national hero, while others condemned her as rebellious and unfilial. Ultimately, the most crucial opinion was that of the Emperor.

Most of the noble households viewed the situation with a sense of detached amusement, but a few took it very seriously and became genuinely busy.

Yun Yi had been itching to act ever since hearing the news. He had stared at her portrait for ages, and now that the real person had returned, he could not content himself with merely looking at her portrait any longer.

He had been on good terms with Gu Si Yang for a while now, and now he could use him.

That very night, he found a reason to send a note to Gu Si Yang. Then he took a few ancient books and dressed in his finest attire, climbed into a soft sedan chair, which swayed gently as it carried him to the front gate of the Ding Yuan Marquis’ residence.

When the gatekeeper saw that it was His Highness Prince Jing, he did not dare delay and immediately opened the main gate, welcoming His Highness Prince Jing inside.

Yun Yi made his way directly to the Jing Si Pavilion to find Gu Si Yang and handed over the books.

Gu Si Yang was delighted and, after expressing his thanks, also wanted to do his best in being a good host.

Yun Yi relied on his familiarity with Gu Si Yang and wasted no time in requesting to see Gu Yu Qi.

Gu Si Yang did not think much of it. If Prince Jing wished to meet his elder sister, it could only be a good thing. He had always liked the approachable Prince Jing. The prince had already lowered himself by visiting his own courtyard. It was rare of him to make a request, so how could he refuse?

Moreover, Prince Jing had a well-earned reputation as a gentleman, so he would never do anything improper towards his elder sister.

Therefore, Gu Si Yang asked the prince to wait in the garden while he went to fetch Gu Yu Qi.

Gu Si Yang went to Danxia Courtyard and informed Gu Yu Qi that Prince Jing wished to see her. Gu Yu Qi frowned, “Si Yang, you’re no longer a child. How can you be so thoughtless?” she said with displeasure, “In the capital, one cannot simply meet a young lady of another family just because one wants to, not even if it’s Prince Jing.”

The capital was unlike any other place. Gossip spread particularly quickly, especially in this household where everyone harboured their own motives. Gu Yu Qi had to be cautious.

Meeting Prince Jing might not be an issue in itself, but why should she meet him? Gu Yu Qi had plenty of her own affairs to attend to and she was not about to waste her time.

Moreover, what were Liu Yue and Gu Huai Zhong scheming? If they used this meeting to make a fuss, it would be endlessly troublesome.

Gu Si Yang had clearly not expected such a firm refusal from Gu Yu Qi. He felt a bit dejected but on second thought, he realised his behaviour had indeed been inappropriate. How could he suggest his elder sister meet a man alone in the garden?

So, he had no choice but to return to Yun Yi.

The less he could see her, the more eager Yun Yi felt. Knowing that the beauty was so close yet being forced to go back to staring at her portrait was unbearable.

On the surface, he accepted the refusal and left the Marquis’ residence. However, as soon as he turned a corner, he slipped out of his sedan chair and stealthily climbed over the walls of the Marquis’ residence.

While at the Marquis’ residence, he had roughly inquired about the location of the Danxia Courtyard. Using this information, he snuck his way there under the cover of night.

Gu Yu Qi had just finished feeding her mother medicine and had returned to her room after taking a bath. The night breeze was pleasant and the scent of sweet osmanthus in the courtyard was fragrant. Gu Yu Qi left the window open and sat under a lamp with her hair cascading loosely over her shoulders, reading the “The Local Records of Rouran” written by Lou Xiao. Lou Xiao was really thoughtful. He had written a new volume and sent it to the Liang residence in Kuizhou, from where Li Da had it delivered to Gu Yu Qi.

They had long ago arranged a system of communication with secret codes, so sending a book to Gu Yu Qi was a simple matter for Li Da, especially since they were both shareholders in the Ji Shun Express courier service.

Gu Yu Qi practically could not put it down after receiving it. This book supplemented the previous volume by covering topics that had not been discussed before and included illustrations of Rouran’s landscapes. Lou Xiao’s writing was good, and his drawings even more so, bringing the human and cultural aspects vividly to life.

Gu Yu Qi was mesmerised while reading the book.

She was so absorbed in reading that when Yun Yi caught his first glimpse of her, he was unable to look away.

Under the moonlight and the soft glow of the lamp, through the intricately carved flower-shaped window, a slender figure in red sat elegantly.

Having just bathed, her long hair hung loosely over her shoulders, still slightly damp. Her hair was not completely straight, but curled subtly at the ends which made it even more charming than straight hair. She stood barefoot on the carpet and her feet were exceptionally beautiful, like white jade carved into form. Her toenails, though uncoloured, were full and smooth with a healthy pink hue. Her slender ankles were partly hidden by the layers of gauze. The flickering candlelight cast her almost perfect profile on the opposite wall, making her look as serene and graceful as water.

Her eyebrows were strikingly beautiful, as if they were poppies blooming in the night. She was engrossed in her book, her lips gently curved upwards with a hint of a smile. Her lips were as lustrous and fresh as newly picked cherries.

She was too beautiful. No wonder Gu Si Yang had been so frustrated, claiming his artistic skills were inadequate and that his portraits could not capture her true essence. Now, seeing the real Gu Yu Qi, Yun Yi felt that everything he had seen before paled in comparison. Only the Gu Yu Qi before him, illuminated by the moonlight at the window, was vibrant and radiant.

He was determined to possess her!

He wanted not only the kingdom of the Qi dynasty but also its most beautiful woman!

Yun Yi wanted to get closer, but accidentally stepped on a dry twig which snapped loudly underfoot, startling Gu Yu Qi in front of the window.

“Who’s there?” Sensing something strange outside, Gu Yu Qi swiftly grabbed the sword hanging by her bed and spun out the door with lightning speed.

When she thrust her sword towards the spot where Yun Yi had just been hiding, she found nothing.

“Strange,” Gu Yu Qi murmured, glancing around, “Could it have been a stray cat?” This courtyard had been unoccupied for a long time and had become a haven for stray cats. Just this evening when they moved in, Chun Xing had chased away several of them.

Perhaps she was just being overly cautious. After a thorough search and finding nothing amiss, Gu Yu Qi reluctantly sheathed her sword.

Yun Yi was drenched in cold sweat from fear. If he had not moved quickly, he might have been caught by Gu Yu Qi.

Not bad, not bad. Not only was she extraordinarily beautiful, but she also possessed remarkable skills! Yun Yi longed to take her back to his Prince Jing’s residence immediately.

However, this was not the time. He needed to be patient for now. The Crown Prince still securely held his position and this was a critical period of power struggles. He certainly could not afford to give his rivals any ammunition against him.

Now that she was back in the capital, she was not far from his grasp. Yun Yi cast one last, lingering look at the beauty by the window, resolving that he would have to visit the palace tomorrow to speak with his mother the Consort.

Meanwhile, Yun Ke was also paying a visit, but to the residence of Princess Ping Hu.

He had come to seek Princess Ping Hu’s assistance.

“Imperial Aunt, Gu Yu Qi has returned to the capital,” Yun Ke said respectfully, presenting the gifts he had brought.

Princess Ping Hu opened the gift box to find a necklace made of rare oriental pearls. Each pearl was uniformly sized and had a lustrous sheen. Finding one such pearl was not difficult, but assembling dozens of identical ones was a challenge. As someone with an eye for fine things, Princess Ping Hu was naturally delighted.

“It seems Xiao Qi has gone to great lengths for the Ding Yuan Marquis’ daughter,” Princess Ping Hu teased with a smile.

“It’s not because she’s the Ding Yuan Marquis’ daughter, it’s just because she’s Gu Yu Qi,” Yun Ke replied calmly.

“You’re right. The Ding Yuan Marquis does have another daughter by a concubine,” Princess Ping Hu mused, “But I’ve heard that the Virtuous Consort also mentioned the Ding Yuan Marquis’ daughter to His Majesty,” she added tentatively, “Could it be that Yun Yi also fancies Gu Yu Qi?”

Yun Ke’s heart sank, “I request your assistance, Imperial Aunt.”

“Is it worth it for the two of you brothers to turn against each other over one woman?” Princess Ping Hu remarked lightly, “If you both desire Gu Yu Qi, one of you will have to yield.”

Princess Ping Hu was well aware that Yun Ke had always given in to Yun Yi.

“Imperial Aunt,” Yun Ke said, dropping to his knees before Princess Ping Hu, “I have never asked for anything in my life, but this time I truly need Imperial Aunt’s help. If I cannot marry Gu Yu Qi, I won’t be at peace even in death.”

Princess Ping Hu’s brows knit together slightly in surprise. The usually accommodating Yun Ke making such a plea was entirely unexpected. She was really surprised.

“Aren’t you afraid of incurring the wrath of Prince Jing?” Princess Ping Hu asked in a low voice.

“Imperial Aunt, I have always yielded to Fifth Brother. However, on this matter, I cannot give in. I hope Imperial Aunt can understand my feelings.”

Hearing Yun Ke’s sonorous and determined words, Princess Ping Hu could not help but feel a pang of sympathy.

It was clear to her that her usually reserved nephew was genuinely enamoured with Gu Yu Qi.

She looked at Yun Ke with pity. The young man was still kneeling steadfastly before her, his posture straight and unwavering as a mountain.

“Alright, stand up,” Princess Ping Hu sighed after a long pause, “I understand. I will visit the palace tomorrow to speak with your Father the Emperor.”

“Thank you, Imperial Aunt,” Yun Ke replied, bowing deeply and kowtowing respectfully. He then slowly rose to his feet.

“That girl’s reputation has been tarnished. I cannot promise she will be accepted as your main wife, but making her a concubine should be possible,” Princess Ping Hu continued, contemplating the situation. However, fulfilling the mother’s wish will only incur the sister-in-law’s displeasure. If the Virtuous Consort also speaks to the Emperor, it would become difficult.

The Virtuous Consort’s words always carried weight with the Emperor and her requests were rarely denied.

Princess Ping Hu looked at her nephew’s refined, handsome face and sighed again. This time, she realised she would have to put her long-standing influence to the test.