The Young Marquis Regrets Too Late - Chapter 43

Jiang Jingchun ultimately ended up being taken back by Gu Huaisheng.

If she hadn’t been sold into a brothel, she could have come up with a thousand arguments to refute Gu Huaisheng. She could have contradicted his claims about how frightening the outside world was. But her current circumstances… the red handprint on her face… and all the foolish things she’d done left her without the dignity to argue with Gu Huaisheng on this matter.

Everything about her situation now served to validate Gu Huaisheng’s words as undeniably correct.

Gu Huaisheng was far too domineering. As long as he didn’t find her, anything was possible. But once he’d found her, what else could she do?

No matter how fiercely she tried quarrelling with him, he would simply cast her a casual glance and then take her back home anyway.

Also, Gu Huaisheng had a knack for delivering the most unyielding and outrageous statements in the most indifferent tone.

Talking to him would serve no purpose other than to make herself angrier.

In the end, she decided to shut up. She didn’t want to waste any more energy on arguing with him.

Meanwhile, Huayun and Xuezhao were frantically searching for her. Eventually, Shuliang found the two of them, and when they were reunited with Jiang Jingchun, Huayun burst into tears once more.

That morning, when Huayun saw Jiang Jingchun’s room empty, she was so terrified her heart nearly stopped. She cried non-stop while searching for her, and now her eyes were red and swollen like a pair of peaches. Even Xuezhao, who was usually composed, showed rare signs of panic. When Shuliang found her, her face was pale with worry, and it wasn’t until they confirmed Jiang Jingchun was safe that she finally regained her usual composure.

After having lunch, the group boarded carriages back to the capital.

Gu Huaisheng and Jiang Jingchun shared a carriage.

Because she hadn’t slept well the night before, Jiang Jingchun lay down on the seat as soon as she got into the carriage. She turned her face toward the wall of the carriage, then closed her eyes and began to nap as if no one else were there.

Gu Huaisheng didn’t say anything. While she lay down, he sat nearby and tended to the pile of official documents he’d accumulated over the past few days.

The carriage moved steadily toward the capital. Its luxurious build dampened the jolts of the journey and made the ride smooth. Jiang Jingchun lay on the seat, lulled by the rhythmic sound of the wheels rolling over the stone-paved road. The low clunking of the wheels seemed to only lure her to sleep.

A cool breeze filtered through the carriage window, carrying the desolate air unique to autumn. It blew on her ears and lightly brushed against her cheek.

Before long, Jiang Jingchun’s eyelids grew heavy, and she drifted off into a deep sleep.

Only when her soft, even breathing reached his ears did Gu Huaisheng set down the papers in his hand.

The carriage was always stocked with ointment, just in case of emergencies.

He opened a small cabinet, retrieved a jar of medicinal salve, and approached Jiang Jingchun. Carefully, he eased her away from the wall of the carriage.

Despite his utmost care, the movement still disturbed her slumber. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly, and she murmured something incomprehensible in her sleep.

Fortunately, she only frowned and didn’t show signs of waking.

Gu Huaisheng scooped a small amount of the ointment onto his fingers and began gently applying it to the red mark on her face.

Her pale, jade-like skin bore a glaringly bright handprint. It was clear the brothel madam had struck her with malice. Half her face was still swollen, and her furrowed eyebrows suggested she might be dreaming of something unpleasant.

Gu Huaisheng brushed aside the loose strands of hair near her face and carefully applied the ointment.

The swelling was so severe that even the gentlest touch brought pain. No matter how delicate Gu Huaisheng’s movements were, the discomfort roused Jiang Jingchun from her light sleep.

Her eyes fluttered open. They were still hazy with drowsiness.

The first thing she saw was Gu Huaisheng’s cold, distant gaze. As the carriage continued its steady journey, the curtains were occasionally lifted by the breeze. At that moment, the warm afternoon sunlight spilt over his face and softened the sharpness of his features.

A faint, clean scent lingered in the air. His cool fingertips still rested lightly against her cheek.

Their gazes locked unexpectedly.

Jiang Jingchun’s mind was foggy from sleep, which made her slow to react.

To be fair, Jiang Jingchun had never harboured any true wariness toward Gu Huaisheng. From childhood until now, apart from the incident at the examination compound, he had never done anything outrageous to her. He’d also always behaved coldly and properly, and given that he hadn’t behaved inappropriately during their encounter at the brothel, she had also lowered her guard upon entering the carriage.

So when she woke to find him close, her muddled mind didn’t immediately register alarm.

After all, Gu Huaisheng wasn’t the kind of person who would take advantage of someone while they slept.

Moreover, she was still groggy and so lacked the energy to do much. She only frowned and asked, “What are you doing?”

What was he doing next to her?

She was still drowsy and wasn’t fully awake yet. Even her voice carried a hint of languid, sticky softness as she spoke.

He was afraid that she’d make a fuss if she was awake, so he’d only sneaked over to apply the ointment on her face after she had fallen asleep. However, despite his caution, he had still woken her. He expected that she’d be angry and kick up another fuss, but to his surprise, he found her relatively calm. Because of this, he relaxed a little.

In a gentle tone, he explained, “Sleep. I’m applying medicine to your face. It’ll stop hurting soon.”

Seeing her quiet compliance made him instinctively soften his voice. Indeed, his voice now carried a tenderness that was never present before.

Jiang Jingchun was utterly exhausted. She was so sleepy that she couldn’t muster the will to stay awake. The coolness of the ointment soothed the pain on her face, and indeed, it didn’t hurt as much anymore.

The past three days of travelling and rushing about had already drained her body. On top of that, she hadn’t slept well the night before. Now, with Gu Huaisheng’s soft voice as a lullaby, her drowsiness surged like a tidal wave. She let him apply the ointment and, without realising it, drifted back to sleep.

After finishing with her face, Gu Huaisheng gently rolled up the sleeves of her robe to inspect her arms.

Her wrists were slender, almost fragile, and the bright red marks around them stood out starkly against her pale skin. Upon closer examination, he noticed the rope had cut so deeply into her flesh that it had broken the skin and drawn bl00d.

What kind of torment had she endured on this trip?

How could she still think about running away after all that?

Surely, she’d have learnt her lesson this time. She’d be more cautious in the future and wouldn’t make such foolish mistakes again…

Maybe.

After all, even though one couldn’t always be taught by other people, one harsh experience could teach anyone plenty.

But with so many dangers out there, who could predict what might happen next time?

Gu Huaisheng let out a soft sigh. His fingers lightly traced the red marks on her wrist. The crimson streaks encircling her jade-like forearm made for a strange, almost poetic beauty. He could feel the faint pulse beneath his fingertips, and he couldn’t help but linger in his touch.

His expression remained composed, but his thoughts wandered to the events of that day at the examination compound.

It took him a long time before he could return to his senses.

A faint smile tugged at his lips, and for the first time in a while, his usually cold and distant peach-blossom eyes seemed to hold a hint of emotion.

She had said she’d make him regret marrying her.

But no. Never. He wouldn’t regret it even if he died.

Their group hurried back to the capital and barely made it before the curfew.

The three-day trip had thoroughly worn Jiang Jingchun out. On the journey back, she had alternated between being awake and asleep. By the time they reached the capital, though, she was still fast asleep.

Gu Huaisheng carried her directly to a guest room to let her rest. She was deeply asleep, and his steady hold didn’t disturb her in the slightest.

Many of the household staff caught glimpses of this scene. Though they found it odd, none dared to comment.

However, word of it naturally reached Madame Gu.

Yesterday, Gu Huaisheng had only just returned from the examination compound. He was supposed to have three days of rest, yet this morning, he had rushed out again. Where had he gone, and why? It was all very strange. She hadn’t given it much thought at first—after all, Gu Huaisheng was of an age where it was no longer her place to meddle in his affairs.

But now, he had suddenly brought Jiang Jingchun back with him.

She recalled hearing from Old Madame Jiang that Jiang Jingchun had gone out of town to do some sightseeing. The old madame had been quite worried and unwell as a result, and her stomach troubles had flared up again from the stress.

When Madame Gu heard that Jiang Jingchun had come, she couldn’t help finding it odd.

Hadn’t she gone out of town? Why had Gu Huaisheng brought her back today?

He had left at dawn and returned at dusk with her in tow. Could it be that his sole purpose today had been to find her? But why? Even if she had gone on a trip, it had little to do with him.

How curious.

Eventually, Madame Gu couldn’t resist her growing suspicion. Just as she was about to summon Gu Huaisheng for answers, a servant’s voice came from the door.

“Greetings, Young Marquis Gu.”

It seemed he had come to see her of his own accord.

Her curiosity only deepened as she watched him enter the room. His manner was solemn, and he seemed as if he had something important to say.

Night had fallen, and the room was already lit with candles. The flickering light cast Gu Huaisheng’s tall figure in elongated shadows, and he seemed even taller than he already was.

He greeted her politely, and she gestured for him to sit. Before she could even ask about his intentions, he spoke first.

Gu Huaisheng lowered his gaze slightly as he got straight to the point. 

“Mother, I’ve come today to discuss an important matter.”

It was rare for Madame Gu to see him acting this way, so she straightened her posture and nodded, saying, “Speak.”

She had a hunch this might have something to do with Jiang Jingchun, though she couldn’t guess exactly what.

Gu Huaisheng opened his mouth and said, “I wish to marry my cousin.”

As soon as he said that, the room fell into a dead silence.

Madame Gu’s mind had gone completely blank. For a moment, her expression was a mix of disbelief and bewilderment. Had she misheard? Did he just say he wanted to marry his cousin?

The abruptness of his statement left her momentarily stunned.

Hadn’t he always been indifferent to Jiang Jingchun? When had things taken such a dramatic turn? Why hadn’t she noticed a single sign?

Madame Gu couldn’t reconcile the cold, aloof person she knew with the one now suddenly declaring his intent to marry his cousin.

Her thoughts raced as she tried to piece things together. Eventually, her mind drifted back to an incident in the seventh month when they had encountered the Jiang siblings during a visit to Miao’en Temple.

She remembered that look in Gu Huaisheng’s eyes as he gazed at Jiang Jingchun—it had been laden with something she couldn’t quite decipher. And that night, he had insisted on escorting her down the mountain and going back home…

In the past, he had never shown such concern, such kindness to anyone, except Jiang Jingchun.

After a moment’s hesitation, Madame Gu carefully asked, “Do you feel sorry for your cousin, and you want to give her a home…?”

Her words made the room even quieter, so quiet that even the drop of a pin would have been audible.

Gu Huaisheng’s lips twitched slightly at her question. What kind of person did his mother take him for? Did she think he was someone who went around marrying people out of pity?

Gu Huaisheng wasn’t the kind of person who’d easily pity someone else. Indeed, he was not a soft-hearted person. But, when he saw Jiang Jingchun, with a frown on her face and her reddened face… Yes, he’d felt pity for her.

Still, he shook his head and said, “I simply want to marry her. It’s not out of pity.”

Madame Gu could see he meant what he said. Gu Huaisheng had never been one to make light of such matters. 

Though she didn’t know when this wish had taken root, she understood that once he had made up his mind, it would not change.

After some thought, she asked, “And what does your cousin think of this?”

She had noticed recently that Jiang Jingchun seemed less inclined to interact with him. Even if he wanted to marry her, would she agree?

Besides, hadn’t she heard just the other day that Song Xuan’an planned to visit the Jiang family to propose marriage after the provincial-level imperial examinations? What was going on here, with Gu Huaisheng? 

Before she could finish pondering, Gu Huaisheng replied, “She agreed.”

She had agreed… but that indicated nothing regarding whether she’d made that agreement willingly.

Madame Gu couldn’t help asking, “You… You didn’t force her, did you?”

She didn’t think that Gu Huaisheng would ever do such a thing. However, after she asked this, he actually fell into a long silence.

She couldn’t help pressing, “You… Did you really force her!?”

Gu Huaisheng’s expression remained unchanged as he calmly shook his head and said, “No.”

It wasn’t coercion, not exactly. He had simply made an exchange with her.

That couldn’t be considered forcing her.

However, Madame Gu no longer believed his words. His initial reaction earlier had been too genuine to be a lie.

He had truly gone so far as to force someone else to marry him.

As this thought crossed her mind, Madame Gu’s anger flared uncontrollably. Her finger trembled as she pointed at him.

“You… you fool!” she scolded. “You even still dared to deny it! Do you take me for an idiot? Your cousin doesn’t even like you right now—how could she possibly want to marry you!? Gu Huaisheng, I never knew you could be so… so shameless! When she liked you, you wouldn’t give her the time of day, but now that she doesn’t like you, you’re determined to marry her? Huh!? Are you listening to me!?”

Now it all made sense. No wonder he had been so reluctant to take a wife. So it turned out he had his sights set on his cousin all along.

Her words were harsh, but Gu Huaisheng acted as if he hadn’t heard them. He let her berate him without a word.

Madame Gu’s gaze betrayed her disappointment.

If he insisted on marrying his cousin, wouldn’t that be just outright taking her by force? Wasn’t that forceful plundering? Could a young gentleman of a respectable family truly stoop to such behaviour? She’d never seen anyone from a decent family do something so disgraceful.

If he had taken a liking to some concubine or servant, that would have been easier to handle. He could simply bring her into the household.

But no, he wanted to marry, and that meant making her his legitimate wife.

Moreover, he wanted to force her!

Gu Huaisheng had always been upright and principled. For 21 years, he had lived an honourable and disciplined life. Though he often didn’t listen to her, he had never done anything improper or shameful. But now, he was determined to do something so out of line, so contrary to his character, that she couldn’t accept it.

It was as if a straight, towering tree had suddenly grown crooked.

Seeing his silence, Madame Gu pressed on, “Don’t try to fool me. Marriage is a significant matter, one that requires mutual affection. What you’re doing is absurd. Besides, your grandmother holds Jingchun in the highest regard. What if she finds out about this? Do you intend to anger her to death?”

Even after hearing all this, though, Gu Huaisheng didn’t even so much as frown.

After a brief pause, he said, “There are few instances in the world where mutual affection truly exists between a married couple.

“I was wrong before. Yes, everything that happened in the past was my fault, but shouldn’t I be given a chance to make amends? As for Grandmother, I’ll explain everything to her.”

After all, if they were to marry, they would have to complete the formal rites—involving the matchmaker and the six rites, following proper tradition. It wasn’t something that could be skipped, even if he wanted to.

Madame Gu knew Gu Huaisheng’s resolve was unshakable. No matter how much she tried, she wouldn’t be able to dissuade him. She turned her gaze away and said coldly, “You will receive no good outcome if you go through with this.”

No good outcome.

In the deep silence of the night, Gu Huaisheng’s voice was as soft as the cold light of the moon. He laughed faintly and replied, “That would still be better than no outcome at all.”

He didn’t know when his cousin had become a lingering red scar on his heart. A physical wound, like the marks on her wrists, could be treated with a salve, but what about the one on his heart?

Perhaps it could never be healed, Gu Huaisheng thought.

Still, he knew he’d rather let her claw scars on his body than allow the mark on his heart to grow deeper, to the point where he could no longer extricate himself.

After Gu Huaisheng left, Madame Gu remained stewing in her frustration. When Marquis Gu returned home, he noticed her peculiar state.

Marquis Gu returned around the Pig hour. However, despite the late hour, she still hadn’t prepared for bed. Instead, she was lying listlessly on the chaise lounge with a troubled expression. He didn’t know what was on her mind.

A servant had informed him that Gu Huaisheng had paid her a visit earlier. Ever since he left, she had been like this.

Marquis Gu sat down at the edge of the chaise lounge.

Still, Madame Gu made no response.

Marquis Gu leaned closer and noticed that she was clearly awake but ignoring him. He couldn’t help but ask, “I heard Fuyan came by earlier. What’s wrong? Did you two argue?”

Madame Gu was furious with Gu Huaisheng, and she now extended her anger to Marquis Gu as well. While still facing away from him, towards the wall, she bitterly spat, “It’s all your fault. All you do is sit by the river fishing all day and you pay no attention to your son. Now he’s turned into a scoundrel. Let’s see how you’re going to fix this.”

Despite suddenly being scolded for no apparent reason, Marquis Gu didn’t get angry. From the sound of it, though, he could gather that Gu Huaisheng was indeed the one who had angered her.

He asked, “What did he do?”

Everyone envied their family for having such a son—how could someone like him possibly turn into a scoundrel?

Madame Gu’s simmering anger immediately found an outlet. After hearing Marquis Gu’s question, she said, “Do you know what he’s planning? He wants to marry his cousin!”

Gu Huaisheng marrying Jiang Jingchun? Marquis Gu was surprised at first, but after a moment of thought, he didn’t see much of an issue. Why couldn’t the two of them be together?

Why was she so angry?

“Like I said—you’re always preoccupied with your silly fish, and I wasn’t wrong! You truly don’t care about him at all. Look at Jingchun these days. She’s shown no signs of wanting to marry him anymore. Just the other day, when I went to visit Mother, I heard she’s interested in that boy from the Song family. But now, what? He says he’s going to marry her. Even though Jingchun doesn’t agree, he’s going to force it! Tell me, how could he not be a scoundrel!?”

Unexpectedly, Marquis Gu didn’t join in her criticism. Instead, he said, “Well, there’s not much we can do. After all, his cousin used to enjoy clinging to him. It’s only natural for him to grow fond of someone who pays attention to him, especially considering we’ve never paid as much attention to him as his parents. If you must assign blame, don’t put it all on me—you’re not blameless yourself.”

Neither of them had truly taken responsibility for Gu Huaisheng, and so, in the end, neither of them had much control over him. That he remained fixated on his cousin might seem unusual, but upon closer reflection, it also made a certain sense.

Although Marquis Gu usually appeared indifferent, he was keenly aware of everything.

Madame Gu was momentarily stunned by his words. She stared at him in speechlessness for a long while.

“When something is meant to be, it will be. When it’s not, forcing it won’t make it so. And even if we wish to intervene now, we’re already too late. Anyhow, we used to not meddle in his business much, so we can’t suddenly do it now.”

Even if they tried, would it make any difference?

In the past, at least he would listen to his teacher. But ever since he fell out with his teacher, he had stopped heeding anyone’s advice.

Marquis Gu could only offer this meagre comfort to Madame Gu. Even if she remained unwilling to accept it, there was little else to be done.

Seeing her still sulking, Madame Gu paused for a moment before suggesting, “Why not join me in the outskirts one of these days? We can go fishing together—you can clear your mind.”

“Are you trying to kill me!? You deliberately irritate me every single day—”

Madame Gu was angered again and launched into another tirade against Marquis Gu, so Marquis Gu hurriedly coaxed her again. Fortunately, her anger was now solely towards Marquis Gu, and she no longer had the mind to continue being upset with Gu Huaisheng.

In the end, the couple fell into a rare silence. Marquis Gu eventually also lay down on the chaise beside Madame Gu. 

Madame Gu pushed him away with irritation. “Why must you squeeze into this tiny space? Don’t you find it bothersome?”

“There’s plenty of room. It’s not crowded.”

After saying this, Marquis Gu unexpectedly called Madame Gu by her maiden name.

“A-Ruo.”

His sudden use of her old name startled Madame Gu. She paused before responding with the same annoyed tone. “What now?”

“Do you remember when Fuyan got into that fight as a child?”

The two of them were now lying side by side, staring up at the beams of the ceiling. At Marquis Gu’s words, Madame Gu thought back and recalled the past.

Marquis Gu was referring to an incident from when Gu Huaisheng was about six years old. There was a rare occasion when he got into a scuffle with other children.

Gu Huaisheng had always been mature beyond his years. As a child, he wasn’t talkative, didn’t smile much, and wasn’t fond of playing. Perhaps because his interests differed from those of other children, he rarely mingled with them.

The only exception was his cousins from the Jiang family.

Jiang Runchu, in particular, had always been fond of clever people, and naturally, he adored his younger cousin from the Gu family.

Initially, Gu Huaisheng wasn’t very willing to engage with him, but Jiang Runchu, being persistent and a year older, eventually coaxed Gu Huaisheng into playing together with him.

Noticing Gu Huaisheng’s solitary nature, Jiang Runchu made it a point to encourage him to join in with other children. One day, he brought Gu Huaisheng to play with a group of other kids.

For some reason, though, things took a turn. Jiang Runchu left briefly, and in his absence, Gu Huaisheng ended up fighting with the other children. He fought alone against the group and ended up sustaining injuries all over his body. Despite this, he didn’t make it easy for them either. One boy, who was in the middle of losing his baby teeth, even had two knocked out in the scuffle.

The incident was naturally brought to the adults’ attention. All the children unanimously claimed that Gu Huaisheng had started the fight, and Gu Huaisheng also didn’t offer a single word of defence. He only tacitly accepted their version of events.

In the end, Lord Gu had to apologize profusely to those families to smooth things over. Upon returning home, Gu Huaisheng was punished by being made to kneel in the Gu family’s ancestral hall for three days.

Why Gu Huaisheng had gotten into that fight was a mystery. He was normally a child who barely spoke, so what had driven him to suddenly lash out like that?

Madame Gu naturally remembered this incident. Over the years, Gu Huaisheng had always been a dependable child—except for that one time he fought with other children as a boy.

Marquis Gu turned to look at her and asked, “Do you know why he got into that fight?”

Madame Gu naturally didn’t know. Back then, upon hearing that Gu Huaisheng had hit someone, she was furious. Despite the injuries he already bore, she’d insisted on beating him a few times herself to punish him for his actions.

She had asked him why he had attacked those boys.

But no matter how she pressed, he wouldn’t say. Even when she punished him, he remained silent.

Now, she asked Marquis Gu, “Why?”

Marquis Gu recounted the reason.

“I asked him while he was being made to kneel. He was only six years old at the time, wasn’t he? He was still easy to deceive. I just bluffed a little and he spilled everything.

“He said it was because those boys had insulted you. He couldn’t hold back.”

When Jiang Ruo first married into the Gu family, the Jiang family had not yet regained its former glory. Compared to the prominent Gu family, the Jiang family was practically destitute. 

Still, she eventually adhered to the marriage arrangement between her and Marquis Gu, which their fathers had made for them. After that, she became the target of envy and gossip, and people often criticised her family background. Even after Jiang Nan slowly gained some standing in court, there were still plenty who delighted in dredging up their family’s past.

What adults said frequently became fodder for their children’s chatter.

Marquis Gu explained, “Kids are like that. They love picking on the ones who seem different. Back then, Xiaosheng didn’t like talking to others or interacting with them, so naturally, he stood out. Those children would mock him and repeat all the gossip they’d overheard from their parents. They said nasty things about you in front of him.”

Madame Gu knew what kind of things those people said about her. She had heard her fair share of those people’s unpleasant words.

However, she had never realised that Gu Huaisheng had fought those children because of her.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Madame Gu’s eyes reddened as she thought about the past. 

She had been so angry that day and had hit Gu Huaisheng several times with a rod.

“He didn’t want me to tell you,” Marquis Gu replied. “He said if I did, he’d never speak to me again.”

He fought those boys because he didn’t want them to insult his mother. He also didn’t want his mother to hear such hurtful words.

The young Gu Huaisheng at that time didn’t understand what ‘love’ was. He didn’t know he loved his mother. He just knew that he didn’t want anyone speaking ill of his mother.

That was all.

Seeing Madame Gu start to cry, Marquis Gu quickly pulled her into his arms and said, “I told you long ago—Xiaosheng is just not a talkative child. But you never believed me. Then, you insisted on having Xiaolang, and after that, you stopped paying much attention to Xiaosheng.”

When Madame Gu was expecting her second child, Gu Huaisheng said nothing. He respected his mother’s decision. What she couldn’t get from him, she could naturally seek from someone else.

But he had also stopped hoping for anything from them.

His closest parents had, in a way, given up on him, and he didn’t particularly mind. He thought, after all, that no one in this world was obligated to give their unconditional love—not even one’s parents.

Even his teacher, whom he had once admired most, had eventually cast him aside without hesitation.

No one could stand him, Gu Huaisheng thought about himself.

So, when Jiang Jingchun used to chase after him relentlessly, his first reaction was scepticism. He couldn’t believe anyone could truly like him that much. That all her girlish feelings were stirred by him seemed impossible.

But perhaps he had underestimated her devotion.

She was like a little butterfly, flitting around him for nearly two years. Slowly, his gaze began to follow hers, and his emotions started to move along with hers. But in the end, even that butterfly couldn’t endure him anymore…

Marquis Gu said, “It’s too late to intervene now, no matter how much we wish to. We can only let everything follow its course.”

Madame Gu wept silently. Her heart ached deeply, and she said no more.

The next morning, Jiang Jingchun woke up in the guest room. Seeing the unfamiliar furnishings surrounding him made her feel a little disoriented. Fortunately, after Huayun saw her waking up, she quickly stepped forward to explain, “Miss, after you fell asleep yesterday, Young Marquis Gu brought you to the marquis’ residence to rest.”

Jiang Jingchun hadn’t expected to have slept so long. Even her head felt heavy and uncomfortable.

Huayun then asked her if she wanted breakfast.

After all, she had slept from yesterday afternoon until this morning, so she hadn’t even had dinner. She was probably starving now.

As soon as Huayun finished speaking, Jiang Jingchun’s stomach rumbled.

The sound showed that she really was hungry.

Huayun wanted to go fetch breakfast for Jiang Jingchun, but Jiang Jingchun stopped her. 

She said, “There’s no rush. Let’s eat somewhere else.”

She wanted to visit the Chen family residence first. She wasn’t sure how Song Xuan’an had fared in the recent provincial-level imperial examinations or whether the incident had caused him any trouble. Moreover, she had promised to pick him up after the exams but had left without explanation. Had Chen Muqing told him the reason?

She needed to explain everything clearly. Otherwise, it wouldn’t feel right…

Yes, she should go to the Chen family residence first. After that, she’d have Song Xuan’an come to the Chen family residence and then explain everything to him.

With that in mind, Jiang Jingchun got up and left. She’d frequented the Gu family residence in the past, so she knew her way around. After passing through the corridor and exiting the courtyard, she realised where she was. She turned her head and noticed the adjacent courtyard, which belonged to Gu Huaisheng.

As soon as she stepped out, someone from Gu Huaisheng’s courtyard spotted her and ran to inform him.

Moments later, Gu Huaisheng appeared.

He strode quickly to catch up with Jiang Jingchun, who was about to leave.

He didn’t stop her. He only followed her and asked, “It’s still so early, and you haven’t even had breakfast yet—where are you going?”

She hadn’t eaten since yesterday’s lunch. Wasn’t she hungry? Why was she in such a hurry?

Jiang Jingchun initially didn’t want to respond, but a sudden thought struck her, and she changed her mind.

She turned to him. In a calm and collected tone, she said, “Oh, I’m going to see Song Xuan’an.”

She was now well-rested, and she was also in the capital. What could Gu Huaisheng do to her now?

Hearing that name, Gu Huaisheng’s eyelid twitched, but he maintained a neutral expression. While feigning indifference, he asked, “Why are you looking for him so early? You should at least eat breakfast first—”

Jiang Jingchun interrupted him with a laugh. “What’s this? We’re not married yet, are we? How can you try to control me? And what exactly is your standing to do so? My cousin? Or what? If it’s as my cousin, maybe I’ll listen. But as my husband? I’d never listen to my husband.”

Gu Huaisheng’s expression finally darkened. He pressed his lips together and fell silent.

Jiang Jingchun wasn’t fazed by his reaction. In fact, she continued to provoke him. She said, “Why don’t you just stay as my cousin? Don’t marry me. I’ll treat you like an honoured guest and listen to everything you say.”