The Young Marquis Regrets Too Late - Chapter 18
A few days had passed since Jiang Jingchun returned to Chongming Hall, but her condition still hadn’t seemed to recover. Lady Li naturally noticed her state and concernedly asked her what was wrong. However, Jiang Jingchun refused to tell her anything.
Lady Li was left with no other option but to visit the Chen family residence and invite Chen Muqing over. They were close in age and had always been good friends. If Jiang Jingchun wasn’t willing to confide in her, perhaps she would open up to Chen Muqing.
The moment Chen Muqing arrived at the Jiang residence and saw Jiang Jingchun’s lifeless demeanour, she immediately knew what was going on.
Only Gu Huaisheng could reduce Jiang Jingchun to such a state.
However, when Chen Muqing asked, Jiang Jingchun kept insisting that nothing was wrong and refused to say anything else.
Chen Muqing decided to take her out of the Jiang family residence for an outing. If Jiang Jingchun stayed cooped up at home for much longer, Chen Muqing feared she might truly fall ill.
Besides, with Lady Li covering for them, it wouldn’t matter even if they returned late.
Inside the carriage, Chen Muqing asked her, “Should we go to Zuixiang Pavilion?”
Zuixiang Pavilion was a well-known tavern in the capital. Chen Muqing wanted to take Jiang Jingchun there to drink away her sorrows because she thought it might help.
The Chen family was from a military background. Chen Muqing’s mother had passed away early, and her father and brother were both away fighting on the battlefield. Chen Muqing lived only with her father’s second wife, her stepmother, with whom she didn’t get along. Ever since Chen Muqing’s stepmother married into the family, the Chen household had been in constant chaos because of this.
Chen Muqing was bold and uninhibited. She cared only about living her life in the way she wanted to. Her father and brother were away, and she also refused to listen to anything her stepmother said. As such, she had effectively made herself the head of her household.
Taverns like Zuixiang Pavilion were usually frequented by men. If women went there, rumours would inevitably spread about them. However, Chen Muqing didn’t care about such things. There wasn’t a sign outside saying ‘Men Only,’ so why couldn’t they go and drown their sorrows in drink there?
As far as she was concerned, they could book a private room, drink until they were thoroughly intoxicated, and leave.
She raised her eyebrows at Jiang Jingchun and asked, “Do you want to go? If you do, I’ll have the coachman turn the carriage around right now.”
Chen Muqing’s way of solving problems was simple and direct. When in a bad mood, one could just drink until one felt better.
Perhaps because Jiang Jingchun had bottled up her emotions for so long, her eyes looked hazy and her expression seemed blank as she looked at Chen Muqing. She hesitated and couldn’t seem to decide whether she wanted to go.
Seeing her like this, Chen Muqing decided not to wait for an answer. She lifted the curtain of the carriage and instructed the coachman, “Take us to Zuixiang Pavilion.”
The coachman obeyed and changed direction.
The carriage had hooded cloaks stored in it for occasions like this when they needed discretion. When the two of them arrived at Zuixiang Pavilion, along with their maids, they donned the cloaks and entered.
Women weren’t explicitly forbidden from entering the tavern, but to maintain their reputations, it was best for them to avoid such male-dominated spaces. As a result, it was rare for women to frequent places like this.
Today, though, two hooded young girls had appeared in the tavern. Their attire clearly suggested that they were from wealthy families.
Their entrance immediately drew attention.
Chen Muqing was unfazed by the curious glances. She just turned to the waiter and requested a private room. She paid no mind to the stares. After all, their faces were hidden under the hoods. Let them look—it wouldn’t matter.
Still, she had the foresight to send for Song Xuan’an.
If Jiang Jingchun ended up passing out from drinking, she’d need Song Xuan’an to come help.
Once they were inside, Chen Muqing ordered several bottles of wine.
When the wine was brought in, she pushed a bottle towards Jiang Jingchun and said, “Drink.”
Jiang Jingchun didn’t hesitate. She picked up the bottle and took a big gulp.
She wasn’t a good drinker, and after just one swig, she choked and started coughing uncontrollably.
Chen Muqing chuckled, took the bottle from her hand, and swapped it for a less strong one.
“Xiaochun, what kind of bad luck do you have? Of all bottles, you chose the strongest one.”
In just a moment, a rosy flush appeared on Jiang Jingchun’s face.
Before Chen Muqing could ask what had happened, Jiang Jingchun began pouring her heart out.
“What should I do? My cousin seems to like someone else. My aunt has already started arranging marriage proposals for him. He’s even begun meeting potential matches. Last time, during the Dragon Boat Festival, I invited him to see the lanterns, but he refused. Then, when I went out, I saw him with another young miss.”
The capital wasn’t that big, and there was only one main street for such festivities. It was almost inevitable that they’d run into each other.
She had mustered the courage to ask him to go out with her and waited all day, only to later see him with someone else.
“I asked him if he liked that young miss, and he actually said, ‘She’s acceptable.’”
Jiang Jingchun’s voice trembled, and she sounded like she was on the edge of breaking into tears.
“I like him so much, but why doesn’t he like me? What kind of person does he like? I can change, but… if he doesn’t like me, then he doesn’t like me…”
Doesn’t like me.
Those words crushed her heart. She hated them so much…
If only, when she got lost in the countryside and was rescued back then, the person who saved her had been anyone except Gu Huaisheng.
But that one meeting had ruined two whole years of her life.
For two years, she had done everything she could to win his heart, but it was all in vain.
She could have endured it if only Gu Huaisheng hadn’t liked anyone else. But if he was about to get married…
Then, there would truly be no hope for her.
She had never felt quite this way before. After bottling up her feelings for so long, she finally broke down after a few sips of wine. Now, she was pouring everything out.
She clung to Chen Muqing. The more she thought about what was making her feel so bad, the more miserable she felt. She cried uncontrollably until snot and tears streamed down her face. “I really like him. A-Qing, what do I do…?”
Chen Muqing pulled her into a hug. Seeing Jiang Jingchun cry so bitterly made her sigh, and she gently stroked her head in an attempt to comfort her.
Matters of the heart were strange and perplexing. How could she possibly understand them?
At most, her understanding of ‘love’ came from the romance storybooks she’d occasionally flipped through. Her grasp of these feelings didn’t extend beyond what she had read in those pages.
She began recalling the stories from the books, but she’d only read those out of spite towards her stepmother. Her stepmother detested such frivolous tales, so she purposefully filled her room with them just to annoy her.
It was just that… Seeing Jiang Jingchun cry so heartbrokenly made Chen Muqing feel terrible as well.
She racked her brain and tried to come up with any advice she could muster from her limited knowledge.
Suddenly, an idea sparked. She seemed to have managed to think of something.
She sat up straight and said to Jiang Jingchun, “I’ve got it! I know what you should do!”
Jiang Jingchun, who was already drunk and disoriented from crying, looked at her in a daze. “What…?”
Chen Muqing leaned in close and whispered in her ear.
It took Jiang Jingchun a while to process what she heard.
When she finally understood, she froze and stared at Chen Muqing with disbelief. She was so shocked that she momentarily forgot to cry. “A-Qing, are you joking?”
Chen Muqing actually found it odd herself, but she nodded earnestly and said, “I wouldn’t lie to you. I read it in the storybooks, and that’s exactly how it works!”
Jiang Jingchun also enjoyed reading storybooks, but it seemed the ones she read were quite different from Chen Muqing’s.
Chen Muqing explained, “There’s this virtuous monk, right? He stays untempted even when surrounded by all sorts of distractions. But the moment a mischievous demoness kissed him, he couldn’t help but fall for her completely! It’s true! And there’s more! This lofty celestial being used to look down on mortals, but when one of those ‘lowly’ humans kissed him, he couldn’t get her out of his head after that!”
There must be some kind of mysterious magic on people’s lips.
Jiang Jingchun felt more confused than ever after hearing this.
Her tipsy brain tried to process the idea. If she were to plant a kiss on her cousin…
He’d probably strangle her to death on the spot.
Just imagining it made her feel chills down her spine, and the fright sobered her up a little.
Jiang Jingchun dazedly took another swig of win. She then put the bottle aside and lay flat on the floor.
Chen Muqing lay down beside her. She turned her head to look at Jiang Jingchun, then seriously said, “I wouldn’t make this up. Why not give it a try? What if it works? You’ve already come this far. Even if it doesn’t work, what do you have to lose? But if it does work, you’ll have exactly what you wanted!”
Reason told Jiang Jingchun this was an absolutely terrible idea, but a part of her thought Chen Muqing’s words made some sense.
Even if it didn’t work, could things really get worse?
Probably not. She was already at rock bottom.
Jiang Jingchun turned to look at Chen Muqing and giggled foolishly. After a moment, she said, “A-Qing, I think you might be right.”
She decided she’d find a good opportunity to kiss him.
Even if he didn’t like her, she’d at least steal this one moment for herself.
The two drank some more after that. Eventually, Chen Muqing noticed Jiang Jingchun was on the verge of passing out. She decided that it was time to stop, so she snatched the wine bottle from Jiang Jingchun.
She wasn’t too drunk herself, and her mind was still relatively clear.
She wondered why Song Xuan’an hadn’t shown up yet. Perhaps something had come up at home, and he couldn’t make it.
So be it. If she couldn’t rely on him, she’d handle it herself.
She put on their cloaks and, with Huayun’s help, lifted Jiang Jingchun up and carried her out.
However, just as they reached the staircase, they encountered a group of men.
“Are the two lovely girls leaving already?” one of them asked. His tone was practically dripping with mockery and bad intentions.
Upon hearing him, Chen Muqing looked out through the hood of her cloak and saw some men standing on the landing of the staircase and blocking their way.
The men were dressed in fine robes, young in age, and looked like the sons of wealthy families out for a bit of leisure.
However, they didn’t seem to come from the highest circles. After all, young masters from influential families would usually carry themselves with a sense of pride, and it would be rare to see them behave so shamelessly in a public place like this.
Moreover, if they were truly renowned ruffians, Chen Muqing would have recognised them.
Perhaps because Chen Muqing could sense the ill intent they were practically exuding, her mind sobered up almost immediately. While still supporting the heavily drunk Jiang Jingchun, she looked at the group of men with increasing wariness.
The men were now blocking their way. They must have noticed them when they entered the building and, seeing that they were all women, had ill intentions. Now that they were about to leave, these men had followed them to pester them.
When the men noticed Chen Muqing didn’t respond, they took a few more steps towards her and Jiang Jingchun. Chen Muqing immediately tugged at Jiang Jingchun to prevent her from moving forward.
She spoke in a stern voice, “Stop! If you take another step, I’ll scream for help!”
It was broad daylight, and she didn’t believe these men would dare do anything too extreme because of that.
However, the men didn’t seem inclined to back down.
The leader of the group smirked and said, “What’s the matter? Didn’t you come here to have fun? Why are you leaving already? Did you have enough fun? If you hadn’t, we can all enjoy ourselves a little longer together.”
In their eyes, any woman who came to a public tavern like this must be seeking pleasure. What kind of respectable woman would be here? They thought since they weren’t proper respectable women, anyway, what was the harm in having some fun with them?
The men were almost right in front of them now, and they seemed to have no intention of stopping. Chen Muqing realised the situation was becoming difficult to handle.
She meant to reveal her identity. Her father was a general renowned for his military achievements. Surely, these men would hesitate to offend her if they knew who her father was.
It was just that… If word got out that she had come to a tavern and caused a scene, her father would be furious when he returned home for the New Year. She would be in for a serious scolding.
However, she really had no other way now.
When she was just about to announce her identity, she heard a cold voice say, “Didn’t you hear her? She’s already expressed that she’s not going with you.”
Chen Muqing turned towards the source of the voice and was surprised to see it was Gu Huaisheng.
He was climbing the stairs and was wearing his official robes. It wasn’t a holiday or a time for his shift to be over, so what was he doing here?
Chen Muqing noticed that he was accompanied by two men dressed in official uniforms. They were clearly there on some kind of business.
What a coincidence. How strange that they would run into him here!
By instinct, she tightened Jiang Jingchun’s cloak to prevent him from seeing them.
Even though she and Jiang Jingchun were equally accustomed to being reckless and bold, she couldn’t help but feel a bit uneasy in Gu Huaisheng’s presence. Besides, if he discovered that they had come here to drink and visit a tavern, who knew what he’d think?
Gu Huaisheng was such a rule-abiding person; surely, he’d be furious…
Chen Muqing couldn’t help but feel anxious as she glanced at him. She was afraid of being recognised by him.
Still, the moment he appeared, the unruly men noticeably quieted down.
The leader of the group turned his gaze to Gu Huaisheng. It was clear they didn’t recognise who he was, but also that his commanding aura was enough to intimidate them.
Despite Gu Huaisheng uttering only a simple sentence, it struck fear into them and rendered them temporarily immobile.
The leader stiffened at first but quickly attempted to regain composure. He stood tall and added an air of arrogance to his demeanour. Then, he forced himself to sound assertive by saying to Gu Huaisheng, “And who are you to meddle in our business!?”
His tone was clearly one of indignation and irritation.
He was just about to get what he wanted, so why did this person have to interfere? How annoying.
Even though Gu Huaisheng stood at the bottom of the stairs and was looking up at the unruly men, he didn’t seem to be at a disadvantage at all compared to them. Instead, his demeanour exuded a suffocating authority that intimidated the men. Upon hearing the man’s question, a faint smile curved his lips. On his face, that smile carried an uncharacteristic arrogance—like that of a young man emboldened with confidence.
However, the look in his eyes remained cold. He looked at the group of men with utter scorn.
It was rare to see such an expression on Gu Huaisheng’s face. Despite his noble upbringing, he usually refrained from arrogance.
He must be very angry now.
“Who am I?” Gu Huaisheng asked, still with a smile on his face. “I’m from the Gu family household of the capital, the heir of Marquis Heyang, who currently serves as the left assistant censor-in-chief.
“Why? Are you looking to cause me trouble?”
His tone was calm. In fact, he even had a slight smile on his face as he spoke.
However, his words sent a chill through the men. They froze in utter shock.
While they hadn’t recognised Gu Huaisheng by appearance, all of them had heard of the young marquis of the Gu family. Besides, how could they not know how significant a fourth-rank official was?
How could they not have noticed the crimson official robes that he was wearing? Now, though, after his reminder, they definitely noticed it.
The leader of the group knew he had picked the wrong fight, but he still tried to save face by saying, “They came to the tavern themselves. We were only looking to have some fun with them—what’s the harm in that?”
Chen Muqing was furious upon hearing this, to the point that she started trembling with anger. How dare he speak like this?
She was about to lash out when Gu Huaisheng spoke first.
“They clearly don’t want that.” Gu Huaisheng’s smile had faded. His tone grew colder. “And another thing—why is it that you can come to a tavern, but they can’t? Do you think that just because they’re women, they should endure harassment from filth like you?”
The man turned red with anger, and his face was the colour of a pig’s liver as he said, “But they’re women—”
Gu Huaisheng interrupted, “So what you’re saying is that women shouldn’t frequent such places for leisure?”
“What else? If they’re out in public, breaking the rules of propriety and acting so shamelessly, why shouldn’t I flirt with them? If they were walking properly down the street, do you think I’d grab them?”
The absurd logic spilt from his mouth as though it were the most natural thing in the world.
“You’re full of nonsense!” Chen Muqing erupted in fury. Her sudden outburst startled the unconscious Jiang Jingchun in her arms and caused her to stir. However, Chen Muqing was too enraged to notice.
Instead of growing angry, Gu Huaisheng smiled faintly at the man’s words. He nodded, as if he was seriously considering his reasoning.
“You make a valid point. Then if they’re behaving properly—which they are, and you still cause trouble for them, then the problem must lie with you. So perhaps the solution is simple, which is to remove you from the equation.”
Gu Huaisheng ignored the man and turned to the tavern waiter standing nearby. “Did you see these people?
“From now on, don’t let them set foot in here again. I’ll send 500 taels to your establishment later.”
The waiter, who had recognised Gu Huaisheng long ago, didn’t dare to accept his money. He was unwilling to offend Gu Huaisheng over such scoundrels, anyway.
He said, “Young Marquis, you’re too generous. They’ve offended you, and we’ll ensure they’re barred from entering in the future. We can’t possibly accept payment for it.”
Gu Huaisheng continued, “Take it. I also need you to run a few errands.”
The waiter, who was humble and deferential, bowed deeply. The way that Gu Huaisheng was acting so politely to him clearly frightened him. He said, “Young Marquis, please, just give the order.”
“Inform the other taverns in the capital to refuse entry to these individuals.”
“You have no right!” the man shouted angrily.
Gu Huaisheng ignored him and continued speaking calmly to the server. “Tell them it’s because they offended me.”
The implication was clear—anyone who dared host these men in the future would be going against Gu Huaisheng himself.
Since they couldn’t control themselves, he would help them out.
The waiter, who was momentarily stunned by the weight of Gu Huaisheng’s words, quickly agreed after he returned to his senses.
With Gu Huaisheng’s status and reputation, these men would find it nearly impossible to live comfortably in the capital after this. It was no more than they deserved. The young marquis, who was known for his clear and upright conduct, would naturally not tolerate the sight of men harassing women. Now that he had seen it with his own eyes, how could they expect to escape unscathed?
The waiter, who was worried the scoundrels might continue to cause trouble and offend Gu Huaisheng further, promptly called for other staff to throw them out.
Once the troublemakers were gone, peace returned to the tavern.
The sudden quiet left Chen Muqing looking at Gu Huaisheng with complicated emotions. She had never understood why Jiang Jingchun adored Gu Huaisheng so deeply, but now, she began to grasp it.
While it wasn’t wrong for them to come to the tavern, public opinion would undoubtedly place the blame squarely on them if word got out.
Yet Gu Huaisheng didn’t see it that way at all…
As she mulled over this, the person in her arms let out a faint groan, which startled Chen Muqing. She was worried that Gu Huaisheng might hear and recognise them, so she hurriedly covered Jiang Jingchun’s mouth to muffle any sound.
She glanced at Gu Huaisheng, who was now looking in their direction, though his expression remained indifferent. His gaze seemed to land on Jiang Jingchun.
Gu Huaisheng frowned slightly. His expression was tinged with dissatisfaction as he said, “If you can’t handle your liquor, then avoid places like this next time.”
His tone carried the weight of an elder’s reprimand, and Chen Muqing instinctively felt it wasn’t directed at her but rather at the unconscious Jiang Jingchun in her arms.
Chen Muqing feared that she might say too much and expose herself, so she quickly replied, “Understood. Once she wakes, I’ll make sure to tell her. Thank you for your help today. We’ll take our leave now.”
With that, Chen Muqing and Huayun hoisted Jiang Jingchun and began descending the stairs.
As they passed Gu Huaisheng, they didn’t dare linger. They carefully adjusted Jiang Jingchun’s hood to ensure it stayed in place. After all, any mishap now could spell disaster.
When they finally reached the bottom of the stairs, Chen Muqing breathed a sigh of relief. She turned to glance back at Gu Huaisheng, who was now heading upstairs with his companion. The man beside him seemed to be chattering incessantly to him about something.
After that matter was settled, Gu Huaisheng and He Chuan ascended to the private room upstairs. They had come today to investigate a corruption case related to the Tianlu Terrace construction project.
A spy had informed them that a director from the Court of Judicial Review, who had presided over the last trial, would be meeting someone at this tavern tonight. Likely, it was the person bribing him to protect the director from the Ministry of Works.
They had arrived half an hour early to set up a discreet ambush and catch the culprits red-handed.
Now, however, He Chuan worried that Gu Huaisheng’s earlier actions might have alerted their targets.
As they climbed the stairs, He Chuan muttered, “Why did you have to intervene? What if they got wind of this and fled? Wouldn’t it be a wasted trip?”
Gu Huaisheng calmly replied, “They won’t.”
He had arranged for people to stand guard outside, and they would ensure that what had just occurred would not spread.
He Chuan couldn’t fathom why he seemed so confident, but since Gu Huaisheng was his superior at work and he’d already said so, there was nothing more He Chuan could say.
He Chuan shut his mouth but couldn’t help muttering after a while, “Then you could’ve at least resolved it quicker. Why did you have to cause such a big fuss and waste so much time?”
Why had he wasted so much time?
Why did he escalate the situation to that point?
Earlier, it seemed like he was genuinely angry.
He Chuan didn’t actually expect Gu Huaisheng to respond to his question. When he saw Gu Huaisheng glance at him with a cool, detached gaze, He Chuan sensibly closed his mouth again and no longer dared to utter another word.
Fine. If he couldn’t speak, he wouldn’t speak.
As the two were heading upstairs, they suddenly heard a commotion from downstairs. He Chuan couldn’t resist and turned to look.
“Why didn’t you wait for me in the private room!?”
A young gentleman hurried in from the entrance. He anxiously approached the two women from earlier.
Chen Muqing quickly nudged Song Xuan’an to shut up out of fear that Gu Huaisheng would hear them.
“What do you mean, why didn’t we wait for you? Wait for you? My dear busy man, we didn’t know how long we’d have to wait for you! We didn’t even know if you would show up at all. How dare you blame us?”
The young man had arrived at the worst possible time. He had been absent when trouble struck but showed up immediately after everything was resolved.
This was all his fault. If he had come earlier, they wouldn’t have been harassed by those men, and they wouldn’t have run into Gu Huaisheng.
She glared at him and said bitterly, “You’re useless. You’re always messing things up, too.”
Song Xuan’an scratched the back of his head awkwardly and explained, “I was at home listening to my mother nagging me. I only heard that you’d sent word after she was done.”
Then, he noticed Jiang Jingchun, who was barely conscious, and exclaimed, “How much did you drink? How did she end up like this?”
Chen Muqing held up her fingers to indicate the amount.
His vision darkened.
“And you didn’t eat?” he asked.
Chen Muqing nodded.
Song Xuan’an was exasperated. “Didn’t I tell you before to eat something before drinking? Now, her stomach and head are going to pay for it. She’ll regret it tomorrow.”
Chen Muqing muttered, “We know, we know. But she was feeling upset, so she drank a bit more than usual.”
Song Xuan’an’s face was grim, but he said nothing more. He moved to take Jiang Jingchun from her arms and carry her horizontally.
Chen Muqing hesitated. “How about carrying her on your back?”
Carrying her like this would attract attention, wouldn’t it?
Song Xuan’an glanced at her. “Do you want me to get gossiped about to my death?”
Alright, that made sense.
Song Xuan’an scooped Jiang Jingchun into his arms. Her head lolled to one side. The white scarf she was wearing slipped off to reveal her soft, pale cheek. Her loose hair framed her pale face, which was tinged with two rosy patches from the alcohol.
Chen Muqing was caught off guard when Jiang Jingchun’s face was exposed. Worse yet, her head tilted in the direction of the staircase.
She was surprised and hurried to cover her face again.
She glanced up and saw that Gu Huaisheng was looking in their direction.
Chen Muqing wasn’t sure if he had seen anything, but guilt gnawed at her like a thief caught in the act. She hurried Song Xuan’an along.
“Let’s go, let’s go. This is no place to linger.”
The group quickly disappeared from sight.
He Chuan withdrew his gaze.
He had met Jiang Jingchun before, at the Jiang family’s residence during Old Madame Jiang’s sixtieth birthday banquet. That glance just now confirmed her identity.
“Miss Jiang is quite bold, isn’t she?” he muttered.
He couldn’t imagine the chaos that might have ensued had things gone wrong earlier.
When Gu Huaisheng remained silent for a long time, He Chuan turned to look at him, only to find his gaze still fixed on the spot where the group had left. His jawline was taut, and his cold, pale face was unreadable.
Wait a minute…
He Chuan suddenly pieced it together.
“So you’ve known all along that she’s your cousin?”
No wonder he had been so angry earlier.
Gu Huaisheng’s younger cousin had gone to a tavern and was nearly molested by some ruffian men. He must have been truly enraged to see that happen.
But… Why did he look angrier now than before?
Gu Huaisheng was a man who rarely ever showed his emotions openly. Since his expression was now showing hints of his anger, he must be truly furious at this moment.
Gu Huaisheng didn’t reply to his question immediately. It was only after a moment of silence that he said, “Don’t mention this to anyone.
“It would ruin her reputation.”
After all, she had passed out drunk in a man’s arms…
Gu Huaisheng’s mind was still replaying the moment Jiang Jingchun’s flushed face was accidentally revealed. Her rosy cheeks were even more vibrant than blooming peach blossoms.
His frown deepened as he tried to banish the image from his mind, but it lingered stubbornly.
Jiang Jingchun’s silhouette was unmistakable, and he had heard Chen Muqing’s voice before. He had recognised both of them from the start. Her drinking hadn’t initially concerned him. Though he valued propriety, he wasn’t rigid enough to believe alcohol was solely for men.
However, after seeing her drunk and cradled in another man’s arms, he felt his temples throb violently.
It was just like last time—when he looked at the smudged rouge on her red lips.
He was feeling the same frustration now as he did then.
She was too reckless, he thought. How could she so casually engage in such things with other men?
“Hah.”
Gu Huaisheng let out a cold laugh.
Children’s affections sure bloomed and faded quickly.
He rubbed his aching temples and turned his gaze away.
Meanwhile, Jiang Jingchun was barely conscious as Song Xuan’an and Chen Muqing hurried to bring her back to Jiang family residence.
They waited by the back gate and had Huayun call Lady Li to come out.
Chen Muqing reminded Song Xuan’an, “Put her down and support her instead. Otherwise, Aunt will be upset.”
Song Xuan’an didn’t understand. “What’s wrong with carrying her?”
What parent would like to see their daughter in a man’s arms? In their eyes, it would certainly be highly improper, and if word got out, it would surely prove scandalous.
However, seeing the clueless look that Song Xuan’an was sporting made Chen Muqing lose all willingness to explain further. She just told him to listen to her.
Lady Li soon arrived and was alarmed to see Jiang Jingchun in such a state. “Heavens, how much did she drink to end up like this?”
Her tone carried a hint of reproach.
Chen Muqing felt a bit guilty and scratched her nose, while Song Xuan’an shot her a glare as if to scold her, too.
After delivering Jiang Jingchun safely, the two quickly left. They only stayed to watch Lady Li bring Jiang Jingchun inside before departing.
Lady Li supported Jiang Jingchun back to her quarters, only to run into Jiang Nan on the way.
The smell of alcohol hit him immediately. Seeing Jiang Jingchun utterly intoxicated, his eyebrows furrowed in anger, and he said, “This reckless girl! Where has she been? Wandering around like a wild horse without reins—when will she learn to stay home!?”
Lady Li retorted sharply, “It’s not even late at night! So what if she drank a little? You can drink, but she can’t? Don’t impose your rules on her.”
Jiang Nan was left speechless. He wanted to argue further, but then, a guard approached him and whispered something in his ear.
Whatever the guard said, it made Jiang Nan’s expression change dramatically. A look of joy flashed across his face, and he hurried off without another word.
He had gone off before Lady Li could even ask him where he was going or why.
“How strange,” she muttered. However, she didn’t think much more of it and just helped Jiang Jingchun into her quarters.
Jiang Jingchun slept through until noon the next day.
She woke up groggily. Her head throbbed painfully from the hangover.
She raised her head and saw the sunlight streaming through the window. It told her it was already late in the day.
Huayun noticed she was awake and hurried to help her sit up. She propped her against the bedhead, then handed her a bowl of hangover soup.
Jiang Jingchun took a sip of it before rubbing her throbbing temples. She then asked, “What time is it now?”
“Past noon, Miss. Madame came by earlier, but you were still asleep, so she left.”
Jiang Jingchun hadn’t realised she’d slept so long. She nodded to acknowledge Huayun’s answer.
She glanced outside. The summer sun was glaring. It cast a harsh light through the lattice windows. Slowly, her mind cleared.
How long had she been drinking yesterday? How much?
She could barely remember. She could only recall the cup after cup she downed before she could no longer stay conscious.
After she finished the hangover soup, her head still ached. She massaged her temples. Somehow, she felt like she was forgetting something.
She vaguely remembered hearing Gu Huaisheng’s voice yesterday…. but how could he have been at the tavern?
Was it just a dream, then?
She wasn’t sure.
However, thinking of Gu Huaisheng reminded her of something she’d forgotten.
The story of the monk and the demoness…
Chen Muqing had told her that the demoness kissed the monk, and he fell for her.
It sounded absurd.
However, the idea had taken root in her heart. Now, it stubbornly lingered in her mind.
Gu Huaisheng had almost become a youthful obsession for her, by this point. It had started when he had rescued her, when she was fourteen. Two years had passed since then, and she was now sixteen.
Although Chen Muqing’s advice sounded unreliable, Jiang Jingchun had reached the end of her rope. No matter what she did, her cousin would not smile at her, nor would he ever like her.
Kiss him?
She thought, why shouldn’t she give it a try?
She turned her head and asked, “Huayun, what day is it today?”
“The tenth. What’s the matter, miss?”
The tenth. That meant Gu Huaisheng wouldn’t be working today.
Jiang Jingchun remained silent for a moment before getting up and walking over to the desk. She turned to Huayun and said, “Go find someone to deliver a letter to my cousin for me. I want to invite him to go out this afternoon.”
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