Within The Sound of Swallows - Chapter 8

Chapter 8: I Want to Marry Her

Leaning against the pillar and taking a sip of wine, Gu Chaobei couldn’t help but chuckle. His eldest brother, who was always praised as an upright man, turned out to be just as despicable as anyone else when it came to women.

Second Brother’s wife, Mengdie, was already pregnant, and Liu Yiniang’s household was currently basking in favor. Eldest Brother had married the Shen family’s Fifth Miss, most likely for the sake of the child in her womb, using it as leverage to secure his position. Then, he could just go back and sweet-talk the Third Miss into forgiving him.

Gu Chaobei was curious; what if that Third Miss wasn’t so easily fooled and refused to forgive him? What would Gu Chaodong do then?

 “These next few days, help me keep the Shen family calm. Don’t let anyone cause Yan’er any more grief,” Gu Chaodong instructed Fengxiao before he turned and walked toward the bridal chamber.

Fengxiao was clever and efficient. Although it was getting dark, he immediately planned to saddle up and leave. The Shen residence was located in the official courtyard to the north of the city. It was only a short ride away.

After Fengxiao left, Gu Chaobei stepped out from behind the pillar. He thought for a moment before he casually tossed the wine jug into the flower bushes and followed Feng Xiao out. A horse went ahead, and he galloped after.

At the Shen residence, Shen Guiyan had set up a mourning hall for Qin Yiniang. Since she was merely a concubine, she was not allowed to have her memorial tablet placed in the ancestral hall, nor could her body be kept for formal mourning rituals. Her corpse had already been sent to the public mortuary; thus, they could only hang white mourning cloths and set up a spirit tablet in her own courtyard.

The rain continued to fall, and it was unknown how lively the Gu residence was. Shen Guiyan knelt solemnly, tossing spirit money pieces by pieces into the brazier. Her face was clean and devoid of tears. However, her eyes reddened beyond recognition.

 “Wuuu…” Outside, Baoshan stood under the eaves, covering her mouth as she sobbed quietly. The rain soaked her skirt hem, but she didn’t dare to come inside

Fengxiao hurried in, wearing a straw rain cape. As he entered the courtyard and saw Baoshan’s state, he quickly asked, “What happened? Where is Third Miss?”

Since Shen Guiyan and Gu Chaodong couldn’t meet often due to propriety, Fengxiao and Baoshan were more familiar with each other. Baoshan quickly pulled him to the side and whispered, “I want to cry so badly, but Miss told me not to—that it might disturb her mother’s spirit. But I really couldn’t hold it in, so I didn’t dare go in… Miss is still inside.”

Fengxiao sighed lightly, and his eyes flickered as he glanced at Baoshan. “Alright, don’t cry anymore. Come with me somewhere quiet to talk. If your lady sees me like this, it might only deepen her sorrow.

Baoshan nodded and let Fengxiao lead her away.

All the servant girls and old maids in the courtyard had been sent to the mourning hall to keep vigil for the night. Madam Qin would be laid to rest the next day. With Baoshan gone, Shen Guiyan was left alone in the courtyard.

Gu Chaobei, drunken and disheveled, stumbled in unceremoniously. His clothes were muddy from scaling the walls and were now soaked and smeared by the rain. Despite his sorry appearance, he paid no mind and crept into the mourning hall, crouching in a corner.

He wasn’t there to do any misdeed. He was simply curious, as he had heard endless praise of the Shen family’s Third Miss over the years. He just wanted to see what she really looked like.

Shen Guiyan was unaware of her surroundings as she quietly burned the spirit money. After she offered kowtows, she knelt in silence on the prayer mat, lost in thought.

A gust of wind swept through the door, nearly extinguishing the incense sticks on the altar. Shen Guiyan came back to her senses and stood up to close the door.

As she turned around, she unexpectedly bumped into Gu Chaobei, who had been trying to sneak around behind her for a better look.

 “Ah!”

The scream did not come from Shen Guiyan, but from Gu Chaobei. He stumbled back three steps in fright and shouted toward the door, “Thief! Someone catch the thief!”

Shen Guiyan stared at him, stunned.

She was too overwhelmed by grief to even react. Had this been any other time, finding a scruffy man behind her, she would probably have screamed louder than he did.

Only after shouting did Gu Chaobei realize that he wasn’t at the Prime Minister’s estate, but at the Shen residence. He was the intruder here, not the victim.

He let out a few sheepish laughs, thinking he had probably drunk too much today. He gave Shen Guiyan a clumsy bow and said, “I was merely passing through. I beg the young lady to pardon my intrusion.”

He looked up and froze.

“Is there a thief in that courtyard?” Voices of the family servants were faintly heard from outside, and they were clearly drawing near. Gu Chaobei should have fled, but his gaze lingered on her face, unable to look away.

As one of the four notorious young masters of the capital, Gu Chaobei could recognize women by their scent alone. He had once recited the names of all the courtesans in the capital’s Drunken Blossoms Pavilion while blindfolded, and without a single mistake. He had encountered countless women, enough to fill a long street, but he had never seen someone who stunned him like this.

It was a face that evoked comfort to the one who looked at it; together with her rosy lips, willowy brows, almond-shaped eyes tinged with red, and cheeks flushed with grief. Her eyes, though dulled slightly by sorrow, were uncommonly clear, like a mountain stream. The faint red mark between her brows gave her an otherworldly charm. Altogether, she was dignified and serene.

Upon a closer look, there was nothing particularly striking; she was just a little prettier than most women. And yet… why had her appearance just now struck him like a flash of light? Gu Chaobei rubbed his eyes. Was it just a drunken illusion?

At this moment, the servants have already arrived at the door. Shen Guiyan looked at the person in front of her without much reaction and simply said to the servant behind her, “Tie him up and hand him over to the steward.”

As hands gripped down his shoulders, Gu Chaobei finally snapped out of it. He frowned and asked, “Do you take me for a petty thief?”

Hand him over to the steward?

Shen Guiyan coldly looked at him from head to toe and turned around to kneel again on the prayer mat. “Even if you were a notorious bandit, I’d still ask you not to disturb my mother’s peace.”

Truly, there was no sorrow greater than a heart that had gone numb. Here he stood, a dashing young lord, and yet she did not even react; it must be because she was too overwhelmed with grief.

Gu Chaobei looked at her with sympathy, then shook off the servants behind him. With a loud thud, he knelt down beside Shen Guiyan.

 “Madam, is it? I am Gu Chaobei, and I wish to marry the third young lady of the Shen family. I ask that you bear witness to this.” Gu Chaobei, eyes half-lidded and reeking of alcohol, bowed solemnly three times in front of Qin Yiniang’s memorial tablet without the slightest hesitation.

Shen Guiyan’s body stiffened. Even the servants were frozen in shock.

Gu Chaobei? Wasn’t that the infamous Fourth Young Master Gu from the rumors?

Baoshan and Fengxiao hurried back upon noticing the commotion, only to see a roguish figure dragging Shen Guiyan away.

 “Fourth Young Master?” Fengxiao’s expression changed as he recognized the man, his hand tightening. “What are you doing here?”

The servants were unsure whether to intervene or not. After Fengxiao’s exclamation, none of them dared act recklessly. Gu Chaobei, stumbling along, said nothing more and continued to drag Shen Guiyan with him toward the main courtyard.

As it was still raining, the two of them were soaked in no time. Shen frowned and asked, “You’re drunk, aren’t you?”

“I’m not drunk!” Gu Chaobei grinned foolishly, “Do you want to see me walk in a straight line?”

Shen Guiyan: “…”

Although most people of the Shen residence had already retired for the night after a long day, the ruckus brought everyone awake again. Master Shen put on a robe and came out to see what was happening.

 “I wish to marry your third daughter!” Gu Chaobei boldly declared as he stood in the main hall, holding Shen Guiyan’s hand. He then said to Lord Shen, “Give your daughter to me!”

Lord Shen’s face turned pale; who in the capital didn’t know that this Fourth Young Master Gu was not suitable for marriage? It was already bad enough that there were many concubines in the rear court, but he also had no significant achievements to his name. He was a prodigal son who only knew how to indulge in pleasure. If Yan’er married him, how could she expect a good life?

Madam Shen, however, treated the whole affair as a joke. With Madam Qin dead and her Guiya already married off, all her worries had been lifted. If Shen Guiyan were to marry a scoundrel, it might even bring her amusement.

 “Young Master Gu, this…” Master Shen didn’t know what to say and quickly looked at Shen Guiyan.

Shen Guiyan had been struggling. To be pulled and tugged at like this in front of a crowd, what kind of behavior was this? But the man’s hand was hot and strong, making it impossible for her to break free.

“I won’t marry,” she said. “My birth mother has just passed. I must observe mourning.”

Gu Chaobei grinned shamelessly and replied in a mischievous tone, “And how long must you mourn? I’ll wait. Either way, I’ve already taken a liking to you. Whether you marry me willingly or not, in the end, you’ll still be my wife.”

Shen Guiyan shot him a furious glare. Unable to suppress her anger anymore, she brought her heel down hard on the top of his foot. Her heart was brimming with grievance, and yet she had nowhere to vent it. Why should anyone be allowed to treat her with such disrespect?

Gu Chaobei’s face turned blue from the pain. Gritting his teeth, he looked at her and said, “If you break my foot, your husband will become a cripple!”

***

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