Rebirth of the Excellent Daughter of the Marquis Household (REDMH) - Chapter 177

Yun Ke gazed at Gu Yu Qi for a moment, then let out a long breath and spoke calmly, “Very well. Since you believe this prince is merely playing some sort of trick on you, then let it be a game.” A sharp pain spread through his chest. At last, he had come to taste the bitterness of being misunderstood. It was truly an awful feeling.

“Even if it’s a game, you must play it properly,” Yun Ke said slowly.

If this was the only way to keep her firmly by his side, then he did not mind.

“Yes.” Gu Yu Qi let out a breath of relief. This was the Yun Ke she knew.

Yet, a faint sense of confusion and subtle disappointment swept across her heart.

“If we are in front of others, you must act the part of a loving couple with this prince.” Yun Ke deliberately made his tone flat and indifferent.

Though, it was not what he truly wished for.

“Yes.” Gu Yu Qi lowered her eyes and agreed.

“In the future, if this prince has no business elsewhere, this prince shall stay in your Tong Xin Courtyard,” Yun Ke added, still thinking it necessary to inform her.

“Yes.” Gu Yu Qi nodded. “This concubine understands.”

“Good. As long as you understand.” Seeing Gu Yu Qi so obedient, Yun Ke felt no joy. Instead, a dull ache remained lodged in his chest.

“You may go. This prince wishes to be alone for a while.” Yun Ke waved his hand.

“Yes.” Gu Yu Qi responded and did not forget to take the calligraphy from the table as she left.

Once she stepped out of the study, Gu Yu Qi finally let out a long sigh of relief. It was so stifling.

Watching her leave, Yun Ke also exhaled deeply. His heart ached.

He sat down a little dejectedly into the chair where Gu Yu Qi usually sat, propping his head up with his hand. Everything felt dazed and heavy. When it came to her, he truly felt utterly powerless now.

Whatever she wanted, he could give it to her. He could give her the title of Empress, grant her the highest honour a woman could receive in the empire, and offer her his sincere heart. But what if she did not want any of it?

For the first time, Yun Ke suddenly felt that even if he ascended the throne and ruled all under heaven, it would mean nothing because he could not give Gu Yu Qi what she truly wanted. Or perhaps… he could not even begin to fathom what it was she truly desired.

Gu Yu Qi stepped out of Dan Xia Courtyard and silently made her way toward Gu Si Yang’s residence. Tomorrow, he would be leaving the Marquis’ residence and she was bringing Yun Ke’s calligraphy to give to him.

As she walked somewhat absentmindedly across the zigzag bridge, she saw a man in a green robe standing composedly on the bridge, watching the fish below.

“Prince Fu.” Caught off guard by the encounter, Gu Yu Qi could only offer a respectful curtsey.

“Oh it’s my sister-in-law,” Prince Fu replied with a faint smile and returned the gesture with a cupped-fist salute.

“Did Your Highness rest well last night?” Gu Yu Qi knew that Prince Fu was staying at the Marquis’ residence, so she asked politely out of courtesy.

“The arrangements within the Marquis’ residence were thorough and proper, so naturally I slept well,” Prince Fu answered with a modest smile.

“That is good to hear,” Gu Yu Qi nodded with a slight smile.

“Your Highness Prince Fu, so you are here after all.” Gu Si Yu’s voice rang out from the distance. The people on the bridge turned toward the sound.

Gu Si Yu hurried over, her face full of charm as she smiled sweetly at Prince Fu. “This minister’s daughter has been looking for Your Highness for a long time.”

“Second Miss Gu was looking for this prince for…” Prince Fu asked with a smile.

“This minister’s daughter just finished embroidering a sachet for Your Highness,” Gu Si Yu said as she produced a delicate pouch. “Please accept it, Your Highness.”

Under normal circumstances, an unmarried young lady giving something to a man would be considered inappropriate. However, since they were already betrothed, it was a different matter altogether.

“Many thanks, Second Miss Gu,” Prince Fu replied, not rejecting Gu Si Yu and accepting the sachet openly.

Gu Si Yu beamed with delight before turning to Gu Yu Qi. “Oh dear, Eldest Sister is here too.” After speaking, she glanced behind her. “How come His Highness Imperial Prince An is not with you?”

Gu Yu Qi could not help but sneer inwardly. She had been standing here for quite some time, was Gu Si Yu really unable to see her? She had obviously rushed over just to flaunt Prince Fu in front of her.

She really had the mentality of a child. Even if she had not pulled such a stunt, Gu Yu Qi had no interest in stealing Prince Fu away.

“His Highness Imperial Prince An is in the study at Dan Xia Courtyard,” Gu Yu Qi said with a light laugh. “What is it? Does Younger Sister also have a sachet for him?”

Caught off guard by Gu Yu Qi’s jab, Gu Si Yu’s face flushed red in an instant.

How could she not understand that her elder sister was mocking her for not being self-disciplined?

“His Highness Imperial Prince An is your husband, Eldest Sister. Naturally, it is your place to gift him things, what does it have to do with me?” Gu Si Yu quickly retorted. “Unless… Eldest Sister does not know how to do embroidery?” Come to think of it, she had seen Gu Yu Qi play the zither, excel at chess, calligraphy and painting, ride horses, and shoot arrows, but never embroider.

Gu Si Yu’s eyes lit up immediately. “In my heart, Eldest Sister is capable of anything. Speaking of which, Eldest Sister has not left me anything to remember you by after getting married. With Prince Fu here, I’m going to ask for a favour. Since the weather is so lovely today, let’s each embroider a handkerchief in the garden and exchange them with one another. That way, when I marry into Prince Fu’s household in the future, I shall have something to remember Eldest Sister by.”

Gu Yu Qi had initially wanted to say it was childish and boring.

Who would have expected Liu Yue to suddenly appear from nowhere and chime in? “How wonderful! You’re sisters now and will be sisters-in-law in the future. Exchanging handkerchiefs like this will surely become a tale admired by all.”

“Your Highness Prince Fu, don’t you agree?” Seeing that Gu Yu Qi was silent, Gu Si Yu grew even more pleased with herself and turned to Prince Fu with a bright smile.

This little vixen had barely disappeared for a short while before returning to seduce Prince Fu again. Did she not mind that he had a scar on his face? That flirty behaviour of hers was truly unbearable. It would be satisfying to embarrass her a little in front of Prince Fu.

“As you please. Everything shall be as my sister-in-law wishes,” Prince Fu replied, smiling gently as always. He would not impose on anyone.

Yet when he saw that fleeting cunning flash in Gu Si Yu’s eyes, he sighed inwardly.

Though they were half-sisters, their temperaments could not have been more different.

He could only hope that with time, she might be softened and transformed, so that she could shed these petty, self-serving tendencies.

“Alright,” Gu Yu Qi finally nodded.

News that the young ladies of the Gu family would embroider handkerchiefs in the garden and exchange them spread swiftly through the Marquis’ residence. Though it was said to be an exchange, everyone knew full well that it was a contest.

After all, everyone was curious. Between the secondary consort to an imperial prince and the soon-to-be legitimate princess consort to Prince Fu, who was the better at needlework?

Gu Si Yu had made a grave miscalculation.

Gu Yu Qi was, after all, an old soul who had lived through three lifetimes. The fact that she did not usually pick up a needle or practise embroidery did not mean she could not do it.

In her previous life, while waiting endlessly in the palace for Yun Ke, Gu Yu Qi had indeed taken up embroidery to pass the time.

She had been terribly bored in the palace, which offered little in the way of entertainment.

Gu Yu Qi had even studied under a renowned embroidery master, learning several techniques before settling on her favourite one to practise.

Now, in the garden, the embroidery frames were set up, and brightly coloured silk threads laid out. They each selected a design, and their maids transferred the pattern onto the cloth.

Gu Si Yu sat down first, casting a smug glance at Gu Yu Qi before picking up her needle.

Gu Yu Qi, on the other hand, remained calm and composed, slowly choosing her threads with care.

When Gu Si Yu noticed that Gu Yu Qi was still sorting her threads, her contempt deepened. So what if she sorted them till dawn? If she could not embroider, then she simply could not embroider.

Moreover, she saw that the colours of the silk threads Gu Yu Qi had selected were completely chaotic. The embroidery pattern was clearly elegant and refined. Using so many colours would only be superfluous, like painting legs on a snake.

Did she even understand what she was doing?!

Once Gu Yu Qi had selected the colours, she began to stitch.

And the moment her needle moved, the difference became clear.

Although Gu Si Yu had been practising embroidery for some time and her movements were gentle and slow, Gu Yu Qi’s speed was astonishing. She was using several needles at once, each threaded with a different colour. One moment she would stitch a few strokes with one needle, then immediately switch to another. It was seemingly in a chaotic order, but her technique was extremely skilful.

Prince Fu was a man who appreciated fine craftsmanship. As he observed from the side, he could not help exclaiming in surprise, “Is this perhaps double-sided embroidery? The ‘fluffed-thread’ technique?”

“Your Highness Prince Fu also knows of this?” Gu Yu Qi was a little surprised.

“In a temple, I once saw a donated embroidered piece. It was a double-sided embroidered image of the Buddha, purchased at great cost,” Prince Fu said in admiration. “When I first saw it, I thought it was miraculous. I never imagined I would see it here.”

Gu Si Yu’s heart sank when she heard this.

She had never even heard of this double-sided embroidery technique, so how come Gu Yu Qi knew it?

Her hands began to tremble slightly, her stitches becoming unsteady.

An hour later, Gu Yu Qi had finished embroidering her handkerchief. She used a small pair of scissors to snip the excess threads and carefully tucked away the loose ends. Then she displayed her finished piece. As expected, it was double-sided embroidery. On the front was the floral pattern the maidservants had traced for her, while the reverse side held a completely different design.

“Simply exquisite craftsmanship,” Prince Fu exclaimed. He cupped his hands towards Gu Yu Qi in respect. “I am impressed. Truly impressed.”

“Prince Fu is too kind,” Gu Yu Qi gave him a curtsey. When she looked up, she suddenly noticed that His Highness Imperial Prince An was standing at a distance, gazing at her.

When had he arrived? Gu Yu Qi’s heart gave a jolt of panic and she quickly lowered her head.

In truth, Yun Ke had been there for quite a while. From the moment Gu Yu Qi had stepped out of Dan Xia Courtyard, he had silently followed her.

He simply had not approached and only watched her from afar.

He saw her laughing and chatting with Prince Fu.

At that moment, his chest was filled with pain.

In their previous life, he had never tasted such bitterness. Now, he was experiencing it all one by one.

So, it turned out that she could be so lively and at ease with anyone but him.

Only when she stood before him would she wear a mask, behaving so properly and restrained.

What on earth was he supposed to do with her?

Just moments ago, when she had been embroidering, the confidence shining from her eyes and the brilliance she naturally exuded were truly dazzling.

Yun Ke found himself completely captivated.

What else could she do? She was like a book he could never finish reading. Each time he turned a page, a new surprise awaited him.

He had not even known was capable of so many things.

And yet, what Yun Ke could not have realised was that the very person who had created this version of Gu Yu Qi was himself.