Rebirth of the Excellent Daughter of the Marquis Household (REDMH) - Chapter 128

An Le Marquis thought to himself that if the item was in Prince An’s hands, he might have a chance to retrieve and destroy it. After all, the Virtuous Consort had close ties with his family, and Prince An had been raised under her care.

If not for the sake of the inferior, then for the sake of the superior, surely Prince An would consider the Virtuous Consort’s reputation at least.

But the 50,000 taels, if it were thrown into the water, at least it would make a splash. Donating it in Gu Si Yang’s name would not even leave a ripple.

The thought made An Le Marquis furious.

He shot a fierce glare at Gu Yu Qi before instructing his servants to carry away his son. After bidding farewell to His Highness Prince An, he headed back to his residence.

Seeing the An Le Marquis leave in a panic with his son in tow, Gu Yu Qi finally let out a quiet sigh of relief. Yun Ke had arrived just in time. No matter what, he had helped them out of a difficult situation. Although she had acted with good reason, the Xia family was a powerful noble family in the court after all. Xia Shuang Cheng was the heir of An Le Marquis, while Gu Si Yang was merely a concubine-born son. In the Qi dynasty, the status of a concubine-born child was awkward. They were ranked higher than that of a servant, but still akin to one within the family in many ways.

Sacrificing a concubine-born son for the sake of the legitimate heir was all too common.

Ah, the evils of ancient societies.

Gu Yu Qi was quickly made famous once again from her boldly beating the heir of An Le Marquis in public to stand up for her concubine-born brother. The news spread through the capital’s streets and alleys like wildfire.

Of course, Gu Yu Qi and Gu Si Yang were unaware that their actions had already made them the talk of the town.

“Si Yang, if you have matters to attend to, you may go. This prince will escort your sister home,” Yun Ke said casually to Gu Si Yang.

Even if Gu Si Yang was a bit slow, he understood that his future brother-in-law wanted some time alone with his sister. He quickly nodded politely, bowed, and made his exit without delay.

After Gu Si Yang left, Yun Ke picked up the weft hat that Gu Yu Qi had dropped on the ground. He gently dusted off the dirt and placed it back on Gu Yu Qi’s head, ignoring any surprise on her part.

A cold, handsome young man in white robes delicately placed the hat, with its fluttering red veil, atop the head of a stunning girl in a red gown, letting the fine silk of the veil fall to hide her delicate and beautiful features. This was a picturesque scene in itself. He was tall and noble, she was graceful and striking. They made a truly captivating sight.

Gu Yu Qi took two steps back uncomfortably, and distanced herself from Yun Ke.

Yun Ke felt a slight sense of regret. If only his movements had been a little slower.

“Let’s go,” he said softly to Gu Yu Qi, “You came to the prince’s palace to see me about something, didn’t you? Let’s find a place to talk.”

Without a word, Gu Yu Qi turned away and began walking slowly in towards the Ding Yuan Marquis’ residence. Yun Ke followed her at a measured pace.

A carriage, parked at the far end of the long street, only began to slowly drive away after Gu Yu Qi and Yun Ke had left. Inside sat Zhang Wan Yi, her silk handkerchief torn beyond recognition in her hands. Her pale pink nails had dug deeply into her palms, tearing a rip in the embroidered silk with a sharp tug.

“Your Ladyship,” the maid who followed Zhang Wan Yi, Yuan Yang, cast a worried glance at her mistress. The princess had been parked at the street corner for quite some time, witnessing everything that had just unfolded.

Yuan Yang said, “Your Ladyship’s handkerchief is ruined. Let this servant change it to a new one.” She took out a light green handkerchief from a nearby box and handed it to Zhang Wan Yi.

Zhang Wan Yi cast a glance at Yuan Yang, snatching the new handkerchief and tossing the torn one back to Yuan Yang.

“Tell me, does that Gu woman look like a seductive fox?!” Zhang Wan Yi asked with hatred.

Yuan Yang was uncertain what was happening, but she nodded in agreement with Princess Jing. “Your Ladyship, that woman is indeed quite the vixen with her slender face.”

“The prince wanted to bring her into the prince’s palace!” Zhang Wan Yi sneered, saying to her maid, “If she’d really come, who knows what chaos she would have caused in the prince’s palace.”

Is that so? Yuan Yang had not known that the Gu family’s legitimate daughter had any such connection with her master.

However, given her mistress’ abilities, even if that woman had entered the palace, she would have been dealt with swiftly.

Were there not already plenty of vixens in the prince’s palace? When the princess had first married into Prince Jing’s palace, those vixens had tried every trick in the book. After facing the princess’ decisive and swift methods, which of them dared to challenge the princess now? Those who misbehaved were either beaten to death or sold off. The rest had been left trembling in fear, obedient and compliant.

“With Your Ladyship’s methods, what is there to fear about that vixen?” Yuan Yang smiled, “But even if she had come, it would not be long before she bowed before Your Ladyship. No matter how far one goes in Prince Jing’s palace, the most powerful will always be Your Ladyship.”

Yuan Yang’s words made Zhang Wan Yi feel warm inside, gradually softening her previously harsh expression. Her red lips curled slightly. “I think the prince must have been bewitched to even ask to marry a woman like that into the palace,” she snorted disdainfully, then continued, “That woman has nothing to offer besides her looks.”

She had been unaware that Prince Jing Yun Yi had sought to marry Gu Yu Qi until her father told her that a young eunuch serving in the southern study had revealed this to him. He had even rewarded the eunuch 50 taels of silver for the information.

When Zhang Wan Yi first heard the news, she could not sleep the entire night.

She had known Gu Yu Qi’s appearance since childhood and she always had that alluring look. She had been like that even as a child, so now that she had grown up, it would only be worse! Thankfully, Prince An had acted before her own prince could. Otherwise, she did not know how she would endure life! With that woman’s seductiveness, she feared Yun Yi might become completely ensnared by her.

The fact that Prince An Yun Ke actually asked to marry Gu Yu Qi made Zhang Wan Yi even more resentful.

The night before her own wedding, she had cast aside her pride and confessed her feelings to Yun Ke, only to be ruthlessly rebuffed. Although few people knew about this, to Zhang Wan Yi, it was the greatest humiliation and stain on her life.

What was wrong with her? How could Yun Ke, an unloved prince, dare to reject her?! She had always been considered one of the finest ladies among the noblewomen in terms of character and appearance. She had been raised since she was young with the intent of becoming an empress. Her family’s influence was not insignificant either.

The fact that she had even fallen in love with Yun Ke was already a stroke of luck for him. Yet, Yun Ke had actually refused her. He had already humiliated her once and she had yet to settle that score. Now Yun Ke had even involved Princess Ping Hu to arrange a marriage proposal for Gu Yu Qi, competing with her own husband for the same woman. This was another resounding slap in Zhang Wan Yi’s face.

How could Zhang Wan Yi not be furious and anxious?

Just now, she saw Yun Ke personally placing the weft hat on Gu Yu Qi. Others would not have noticed much, but Zhang Wan Yi had grown up with Yun Ke and Yun Yi. She understood his character well. For him to do something like that for a woman made Zhang Wan Yi so shocked that her jaw dropped.

Envy, jealousy, hatred, and humiliation, all of these emotions flooded Zhang Wan Yi. With no outlet for her anger, she furiously tore at her silk handkerchief, shredding it as if she were ripping apart Gu Yu Qi’s face.

Gu Yu Qi and Yun Ke, there was no way Zhang Wan Yi would let this damned pair off so easily! Why should they be free to live happily ever after? Dream on!

“Indeed, to beat the heir of An Le Marquis in the street, what noble lady in the capital would do such a thing? She is no different from some wild mountain girl,” Yuan Yang quickly echoed her mistress’s sentiments.

“I was a little worried before, but now I see there is no need. Mother Consort was right. Leaving such a wretch for Prince An is far better. After all, one is a dog and the other is shameless. They are perfectly suited for each other,” Zhang Wan Yi sneered contemptuously.

Yuan Yang was slightly stunned. It was one thing for her mistress to curse Gu Yu Qi, but now she was also cursing His Highness Prince An? Could it be that His Highness Prince An had somehow offended her mistress as well? Yuan Yang had no idea that Yun Ke had indeed offended Zhang Wan Yi.

He had rejected her love outright, causing Zhang Wan Yi to lose face in the most humiliating way.

Neither Yun Ke nor Gu Yu Qi realised that all their previous actions had been witnessed by Zhang Wan Yi. The two of them walked one after the other down the main street, until Yun Ke stopped in front of a tea house. Gu Yu Qi looked up and saw the sign, Fenglai Teahouse.

She followed Yun Ke inside. The waiter skillfully led Yun Ke to the second floor, then knelt down to greet him, “Greetings, Your Highness.”

“Bring some tea and snacks, and then wait outside. Don’t let anyone approach,” Yun Ke ordered the waiter in a familiar way. The waiter bowed and left, returning shortly with tea, snacks, and fresh fruit before quietly withdrawing.

Gu Yu Qi curiously observed her surroundings. This Fenglai Teahouse likely belonged to Yun Ke. Otherwise, given his cautious nature, he would not have brought her here.

It seemed like a safe place to talk.

“Sit,” Yun Ke said, sitting down and motioning for Gu Yu Qi to do the same.

Gu Yu Qi had been standing nearby, which made Yun Ke feel a bit uncomfortable. She was being too reserved with him. When he thought about her attitude in the previous life compared to her demeanour now, the difference was staggering.

Picking up the teapot, Yun Ke poured Gu Yu Qi a cup of tea then pushed it towards her, “Try it.”

Yun Ke did not say much. In truth, he felt conflicted. In the previous life, when he was with Gu Yu Qi, it was Gu Yu Qi who did most of the talking. She would constantly talk about things that made no sense to him, telling him stories of impossible events.

For example, she once claimed to have seen a sea creature as large as a house that was called a whale. It was true that ancient texts recorded that in the third year of Jianping, a giant fish measuring eight zhang long and one zhang tall was spotted in the waters off Pingdu, Donglai. However, these were merely stories from old books. Even if Gu Yu Qi had read about them, how could she possibly have seen such a big fish in real life? Yet, she had described it in vivid detail, claiming that this “whale” could spout water columns several zhang high, which created rainbows when hit by sunlight and was a breathtaking sight, as if she had truly witnessed it herself.

He had heard many of her bizarre tales like this one. At the time, the more he listened, the more he thought Gu Yu Qi was out of her mind. How could she have seen such things?!

In fact, he had no idea that what Gu Yu Qi had shared with him were simply the things she had seen in the modern world which was commonplace to her.

Gu Yu Qi had been wrong. Her mistake was that she had loved Yun Ke too deeply and could not help but want to share her experiences with him. The more she spoke, the more Yun Ke found her words absurd.

Now, Yun Ke wished that Gu Yu Qi would speak to him like she had in her previous life, filling the silence with her so-called nonsense.

Because in the long years that followed after her death, he had found himself oddly missing the sound of her “nonsensical” chatter, her sparkling eyes, and the enthusiasm in her voice.

When he was 50 years old in his previous life, he heard news of such a giant fish appearing in Laizhou. His heart had stirred and he recalled Gu Yu Qi’s words. He personally travelled to Laizhou and saw the “whale” that Gu Yu Qi had once described. Unfortunately, by the time he arrived, the “whale” had long since died, its corpse rotting on the beach. Yet, even in death, the remnants of the “whale” bore a striking resemblance to what Gu Yu Qi had described.

He had stood stunned in front of the corpse of the “whale” for a long time. Eventually, he ordered the skeleton of the “whale” to be transported back to the capital, where they were sealed within the underground chambers of his burial tomb.

It turned out that Gu Yu Qi had never lied to him. Whales did indeed exist.

When the massive “whale” skeleton was brought back to the capital, it caused a great commotion among the people. He was also a little dazed as he stood atop the imperial city. He felt as if he could once again hear Gu Yu Qi’s voice beside him, saying, “See? I wasn’t wrong. These great fish really do exist. They swim freely in the vast, blue ocean, one of the most magnificent creatures of the sea. The water they spout rises several zhang high, and when the sun shines brightly, the water droplets refract the light, forming beautiful rainbows.”

Unfortunately, in the bustling crowd, except for the exclamations and cheers of the people and their extreme admiration for him, he could no longer hear the voice that dared to chatter this kind of “nonsense” in his ear.

He could only seal the skeleton carrying her stories and other memories of her within his tomb, waiting for the day he would join them in eternal rest, as though she was still with him.

Noticing Yun Ke was distracted, Gu Yu Qi coughed softly, “Your Highness, this civilian girl has a request.”

Yun Ke snapped out of his trance, realising that the teapot in his hand had tilted, nearly spilling its contents. He quickly set it down. After smoothing his sleeves and calming his chaotic mood, he raised his gaze back to Gu Yu Qi.

She had removed her hat and her bright eyes shone before him. For a moment, he felt as though he had been transported back to their previous life.

A faint smile unknowingly crept onto his lips, which left Gu Yu Qi somewhat surprised. What was wrong with him? Why was he acting so out of character? And what was with that inexplicable smile?

“Your Highness?” Gu Yu Qi tentatively called out to Yun Ke again.

“Go ahead,” Yun Ke responded, fully snapping back to reality this time. He straightened his posture, putting on an attentive and serious expression.

Gu Yu Qi told Yun Ke in detail about her conversation with the old doctor, as well as what she had discovered. Yun Ke’s brows furrowed deeply after listening.

Having been the emperor in his past life, Yun Ke understood the gravity of the situation if what Gu Yu Qi said was true.

The witch doctors of the Rouran people served their imperial family. It could be said they were basically devoted. The selection process for the witch doctors was strict and shrouded in mystery. The Rouran people would never allow their witch doctors to go outside their borders easily. If Liu Yue’s supposed cousin was truly a Rouran witch doctor, then it meant that the Rouran people had long ago embedded spies and informants within the capital.

Yun Ke fell into deep thought. In his past life, when Rouran reignited conflict, there were almost no capable generals left in the capital. Gu Huai Zhong had truly been ill and the remaining few who could lead armies had all fallen ill one after the other. This led to a crisis where the Qi dynasty found itself with troops but no generals to command them.

Otherwise, he would not have had to personally lead soldiers to the border, and Du Xia would not have had the opportunity to rise to prominence, becoming the War God General, the only commander after Ding Yuan Marquis Gu Huai Zhong who struck fear into the hearts of the Rouran people.

In his previous life, he had been puzzled why just as the wars began, all the generals had fallen ill simultaneously. The imperial doctors had confirmed that none of them were faking their illnesses.

Now, with what Gu Yu Qi had revealed and by connecting it to the past, Yun Ke felt a cold sweat forming on his back.

The Rouran had long been laying their groundwork within the Qi dynasty’s capital, and none of them had even noticed until the fighting began.

Only he could remember how difficult it had been for him and Du Xia to fight the early battles against the Rouran. Just as he had managed to stabilise the situation, he was immediately forced to return to the capital to contend with the internal strife between the aristocratic families and the battle for the throne. Everything had weighed heavily on him, so much that he had often felt suffocated. While struggling to manage the political chaos in the capital, he had also been tasked with clearing any obstacles for Du Xia at the frontlines. So many people were waiting for him to falter, to make mistakes. He remembered clearly how treacherous every step had been.

This had to be investigated. The most important was to investigate which medicine shops were closely related to the prominent families in the capital, and who they had contacted.

It was no wonder people said that Gu Yu Qi was blessed… By mere coincidence, she had unravelled one of the puzzles that had always been on his mind! Yun Ke’s gaze on Gu Yu Qi grew brighter.

“If what you say is true, this prince will ensure a thorough investigation. Rest assured, this prince will send people to look into this immediately,” said Yun Ke.

“Thank you, Your Highness,” Gu Yu Qi said, rising to her feet and curtseying, “This civilian girl will leave now.”

Leaving already?

Yun Ke suddenly felt as though time had passed too quickly. It was clear that Gu Yu Qi had no attachment to him anymore. This made Yun Ke feel a slight pain in his heart.

He felt that familiar sting of anticipation, followed by a sharp sense of neglect.

It did not feel good.

“Sit for a while,” Yun Ke could not help but blurt out.

Meeting Gu Yu Qi’s slightly surprised eyes, Yun Ke quickly tried to justify his words to make excuses for himself, “This prince means there is still something this prince needs to discuss with you.”

“Please go ahead, Your Highness. This civilian girl is all ears,” Gu Yu Qi said, nodding slightly.

“In a few days, the Gengzi rebellion is likely to begin,” Yun Ke said after thinking for a moment.

“Mhmm,” Gu Yu Qi nodded. She had lived through the Gengzi Rebellion. Luckily, she had learned some rudimentary martial arts skills and had managed to escape with Yan Zhi and Zhang Wan Yi. In her past life, the Gengzi Rebellion had broken out after she had already married into the palace. Zhang Wan Yi had happened to be visiting her that day, and they were chatting when chaos erupted out front. Thanks to Gu Yu Qi’s quick thinking, she had immediately grabbed Zhang Wan Yi and led her to the palace cellar without a word, originally meant for storing vegetables during winter.

In the previous life, Gu Yu Qi had done her best towards Zhang Wan Yi. Yet, she had ultimately been destroyed by her.

“Your mother’s current condition…” Yun Ke began.

At the mention of this, Gu Yu Qi’s expression darkened. This was the very matter that had been weighing heavily on her mind lately.

She was unable to move her mother. She had to find a safe place to hide her before the rebellion broke out, but she had not yet figured out where to place her mother to ensure her safety.

“This prince has a secluded residence at Ximu Alley,” Yun Ke said. “It is not far from the palace, but it’s discreet and heavily guarded. If you are willing, you can hide your mother there for the time being. Once you marry into the palace, you can bring your mother to live in the palace.”

Ximu Alley?

Gu Yu Qi’s eyes brightened. She knew exactly what that residence at Ximu Alley was used for! It was where Yun Ke’s secret guards lived and trained, the source of intelligence for his prince’s palace. It was perhaps the most concealed and secure location in all of the capital.

Hiding her mother there would be ideal.

“Is Your Highness serious?” Gu Yu Qi asked, looking at Yun Ke with a little doubt.

Without hesitation, Yun Ke nodded, “Of course.”

Was his credibility with Gu Yu Qi really so low? Why did she doubt every word he said?

“What does Your Highness require in return?” Gu Yu Qi asked warily.

There was no such thing as love without reason. This was something Gu Yu Qi had learned in her past life. Any act of kindness always had a hidden motive.

Yun Ke felt a pang in his chest. She was too wary of him. Whenever he extended even the smallest bit of consideration for her, she immediately assumed there was a price attached.

In truth, Yun Ke wanted to tell her that she did not need to do anything in return, but he knew that if he said such words, Gu Yu Qi would never believe him.

“All you need to do is protect yourself, survive the Gengzi Rebellion unscathed, then dress up nicely and marry this prince,” Yun Ke replied lightly.

Gu Yu Qi suddenly understood and she could not help but feel a little resistance. True, hiding her mother in Ximu Alley was the safest option, but she just knew Yun Ke was not so kind. He was intending to control her by holding her mother as leverage, ensuring she would comply with his demands.

“Rest assured, Your Highness,” Gu Yu Qi curtseyed coldly, “This civilian girl will obey the imperial edict. Or has Your Highness forgotten that we are currently allies? This civilian girl would not do anything to sabotage that.” When she raised her eyes again, the coldness in her gaze cut into Yun Ke‘s heart.

Gu Yu Qi turned and left without looking back, leaving Yun Ke sitting alone in the room, staring at the open door and her retreating figure.

She had misunderstood him yet again.