"Ah, this—" Su Huanfeng awkwardly drawled, a faint blush rising on his handsome face, "Adu, how did you know I just wanted to go see her since the rare winter hunt was a chance to see her, I didn't expect to bump into her evil older sister trying to drug the horse she was riding tomorrow, so I helped out that one time. I didn't intentionally go looking for her!"
Hearing the shy, poorly concealed tone in Su Huanfeng's voice, Zhao Changdu frowned more severely, and said in a low voice, "In the dead of night, a man and a woman alone, how proper is that?"
"She and I are engaged to be married. Once she comes of age, I will go to her home and take her back with me as my wife. What's there to avoid? Besides, no one saw us together tonight." Su Huanfeng looked at him strangely, puzzled by his displeased expression. "Adu, you never interfere in these private matters of mine. What's wrong today?"
Zhao Changdu's thin lips pressed together slightly, his sharp jaw tensed.
He couldn't say what the reason was...
It was just that today, after yelling at her in front of the Empress' tent, and letting her know his true identity... Her stunned expression and aggrieved look kept echoing in his mind, so he wanted to go find her and explain today's events.
But he didn't expect that as soon as he arrived, he saw her chatting and laughing with Su Huanfeng, her little face flushed red, shy and charming.
Especially the scene of them smiling at each other, which was particularly grating, making him very uncomfortable, even a little angry.
Realizing he seemed to care too much about Gu Ying, his expression darkened again, and he frowned in irritation.
"It's nothing, just asking casually."
Su Huanfeng blinked, emboldened to throw his arm around Zhao Changdu's shoulder, "Just asking casually, yet you came all the way to my place?"
Zhao Changdu gave a cold laugh, feeling that what he had done tonight was indeed a bit abnormal.
She was just a stranger, and his good brother's fiancée. Now that his identity was revealed, between them was a huge gap, why should he personally come all this way?
Thinking so, he resumed his usual aloof and detached demeanor, "I had a small misunderstanding with her earlier, since she's a woman and I'm a man, remember to apologize to her for me if you see her."
Seeing his expression had eased a little, Su Huanfeng was surprised and laughed, "This really is a first, the War God of Dong Li, the Heir of Zhenguo Duke, Adu, actually apologizing to a woman too!"
Zhao Changdu was expressionless, calm and composed, "Right and wrong exist, apologies are not shameful."
Su Huanfeng cockily raised the corners of his mouth and quickly nodded, "Alright alright, don't worry, I will tell my lady this apology personally."
Hearing him say "my lady" again made Zhao Changdu inexplicably irritated.
Patience was gone from his deep and profound phoenix eyes.
He waved his wide sleeve and turned to leave, "I'm going."
"Adu, leaving already? Won't you sit for a while? I have excellent Bi Luo Chun tea, stay for a cup of tea before you go!"
Zhao Changdu felt that with Su Huanfeng's smug attitude, he would be the death of him sooner or later.
...
The next day, at dawn.
There were murmurs of people around the tent of the Earl of Dongping.
Many people had fearful expressions, gathered around the stables, pointing and whispering, "Look, isn't there someone inside the Gu family's stables?"
"It really is. Look at that outfit, doesn't seem to be a normal maid, but a proper young lady."
"There are words next to her... Don't tell me it's a ghost!"
The Gu family was surrounded by a few other moderately wealthy families, the Changping Earl family, the Zheng Feng High Official family, and the Xuanwei General's family. At this time, some servants from those three families were also watching.
Madam Liu had just finished washing up under the service of Granny Zhou. As soon as Granny Zhou heard the commotion outside, she knitted her brows and walked out to the stables. From far away, she saw that the eldest daughter of their main room was actually tied to a pillar in the stables, head drooping, her little face covered in dirt, still unconscious.
What was even more horrifying were the four large blood-colored words written on another wooden pillar in the stable: "Vengeful spirit seeking life."
The crowds buzzed with discussion.
Granny Zhou's hands and feet trembled, her old face turned pale. She pushed through the crowd and rushed in, seeing that her young miss's clothes were all intact, she was slightly relieved. She called out, "Miss! Miss! Are you alright?"
Gu Jia was groggy, an unbearable stench reaching her nose.
She blearily opened her eyes, looking at the enlarged old face before her, her unfocused gaze swept over the surrounding crowds. Her entire person was as if lost in clouds and fog, completely unaware of what had happened.
"Oh heavens, my miss! Why are you still sleeping!"
Gu Jia stared blankly at her own hands and feet, and some unsightly filth on her clothes. She murmured, "Granny Zhou, what happened?"
Granny Zhou was still relatively calm and sensible. She quickly had people untie Gu Jia and wrap her in a cloak to take her back to the tent. Then she herself stayed behind, smiling apologetically to the wives and maids of each family. "Esteemed ladies, this matter, I ask you not spread it. My young miss was sleepwalking while afflicted by nightmares!"
As she spoke, she kept bowing with hands clasped, seeing the crowds dispersing and stopping their discussions, she finally dared to anxiously return to Madam Liu's tent.
Madam Liu's face went deathly pale with fright. Disregarding Gu Jia's stench, she immediately ordered several trusted maids to heat water for Gu Jia to bathe.
Gu Jia's hair was a mess, her eyes dazed as she sat limply on the couch. The pungent smell of horse urine assaulted her nose, making her nauseous.
Madam Liu hugged Gu Jia and cried, but was also anxious that this matter would be hard to conceal. Her mind was a chaotic mess, "My child, what on earth happened? With so many people witnessing this today, whatever shall we do?"
Gu Jia was still confused. She didn't remember anything, only that she saw a ghostly shadow following her last night, then lost consciousness.
She clutched her aching head. Shaking her head, she said, "Mother, I also don't know what happened... But I saw a ghostly shadow... following me..."
"Ghostly shadow?" Madam Liu was so frightened her hands shook, her face paled, "Jia'er, you must not speak recklessly. Your grandmother detests such matters the most. If she finds out a ghost has possessed you, she will certainly be wary of you."
The tent was warm, and Gu Jia's frozen mind also became clearer.
"It must be someone trying to harm me!" Not daring to mention elder sister Xiao Jie, she held Madam Liu's hand excitedly, tearfully crying, "It must be Gu Ying! Mother! It must be Gu Ying deliberately harming me!"
Other than Gu Ying, she couldn't think of anyone else.
Madam Liu gritted her teeth, anger also rose in her heart. Gloomily she ordered, "Granny Zhou, go call that cheap wench Gu Ying over!"
At this time of day, it was when all the young ladies were grooming and dressing up to go to the hunting ground assembly.
Gu Ying and Gu Shuang had already changed into their free and easy hunting outfits, and were on their way together to pay respects at Madam Liu's tent.
The timing was just right.
"Ah, this—" Su Huanfeng awkwardly drawled, a faint blush rising on his handsome face, "Adu, how did you know I just wanted to go see her since the rare winter hunt was a chance to see her, I didn't expect to bump into her evil older sister trying to drug the horse she was riding tomorrow, so I helped out that one time. I didn't intentionally go looking for her!"
Hearing the shy, poorly concealed tone in Su Huanfeng's voice, Zhao Changdu frowned more severely, and said in a low voice, "In the dead of night, a man and a woman alone, how proper is that?"
"She and I are engaged to be married. Once she comes of age, I will go to her home and take her back with me as my wife. What's there to avoid? Besides, no one saw us together tonight." Su Huanfeng looked at him strangely, puzzled by his displeased expression. "Adu, you never interfere in these private matters of mine. What's wrong today?"
Zhao Changdu's thin lips pressed together slightly, his sharp jaw tensed.
He couldn't say what the reason was...
It was just that today, after yelling at her in front of the Empress' tent, and letting her know his true identity... Her stunned expression and aggrieved look kept echoing in his mind, so he wanted to go find her and explain today's events.
But he didn't expect that as soon as he arrived, he saw her chatting and laughing with Su Huanfeng, her little face flushed red, shy and charming.
Especially the scene of them smiling at each other, which was particularly grating, making him very uncomfortable, even a little angry.
Realizing he seemed to care too much about Gu Ying, his expression darkened again, and he frowned in irritation.
"It's nothing, just asking casually."
Su Huanfeng blinked, emboldened to throw his arm around Zhao Changdu's shoulder, "Just asking casually, yet you came all the way to my place?"
Zhao Changdu gave a cold laugh, feeling that what he had done tonight was indeed a bit abnormal.
She was just a stranger, and his good brother's fiancée. Now that his identity was revealed, between them was a huge gap, why should he personally come all this way?
Thinking so, he resumed his usual aloof and detached demeanor, "I had a small misunderstanding with her earlier, since she's a woman and I'm a man, remember to apologize to her for me if you see her."
Seeing his expression had eased a little, Su Huanfeng was surprised and laughed, "This really is a first, the War God of Dong Li, the Heir of Zhenguo Duke, Adu, actually apologizing to a woman too!"
Zhao Changdu was expressionless, calm and composed, "Right and wrong exist, apologies are not shameful."
Su Huanfeng cockily raised the corners of his mouth and quickly nodded, "Alright alright, don't worry, I will tell my lady this apology personally."
Hearing him say "my lady" again made Zhao Changdu inexplicably irritated.
Patience was gone from his deep and profound phoenix eyes.
He waved his wide sleeve and turned to leave, "I'm going."
"Adu, leaving already? Won't you sit for a while? I have excellent Bi Luo Chun tea, stay for a cup of tea before you go!"
Zhao Changdu felt that with Su Huanfeng's smug attitude, he would be the death of him sooner or later.
...
The next day, at dawn.
There were murmurs of people around the tent of the Earl of Dongping.
Many people had fearful expressions, gathered around the stables, pointing and whispering, "Look, isn't there someone inside the Gu family's stables?"
"It really is. Look at that outfit, doesn't seem to be a normal maid, but a proper young lady."
"There are words next to her... Don't tell me it's a ghost!"
The Gu family was surrounded by a few other moderately wealthy families, the Changping Earl family, the Zheng Feng High Official family, and the Xuanwei General's family. At this time, some servants from those three families were also watching.
Madam Liu had just finished washing up under the service of Granny Zhou. As soon as Granny Zhou heard the commotion outside, she knitted her brows and walked out to the stables. From far away, she saw that the eldest daughter of their main room was actually tied to a pillar in the stables, head drooping, her little face covered in dirt, still unconscious.
What was even more horrifying were the four large blood-colored words written on another wooden pillar in the stable: "Vengeful spirit seeking life."
The crowds buzzed with discussion.
Granny Zhou's hands and feet trembled, her old face turned pale. She pushed through the crowd and rushed in, seeing that her young miss's clothes were all intact, she was slightly relieved. She called out, "Miss! Miss! Are you alright?"
Gu Jia was groggy, an unbearable stench reaching her nose.
She blearily opened her eyes, looking at the enlarged old face before her, her unfocused gaze swept over the surrounding crowds. Her entire person was as if lost in clouds and fog, completely unaware of what had happened.
"Oh heavens, my miss! Why are you still sleeping!"
Gu Jia stared blankly at her own hands and feet, and some unsightly filth on her clothes. She murmured, "Granny Zhou, what happened?"
Granny Zhou was still relatively calm and sensible. She quickly had people untie Gu Jia and wrap her in a cloak to take her back to the tent. Then she herself stayed behind, smiling apologetically to the wives and maids of each family. "Esteemed ladies, this matter, I ask you not spread it. My young miss was sleepwalking while afflicted by nightmares!"
As she spoke, she kept bowing with hands clasped, seeing the crowds dispersing and stopping their discussions, she finally dared to anxiously return to Madam Liu's tent.
Madam Liu's face went deathly pale with fright. Disregarding Gu Jia's stench, she immediately ordered several trusted maids to heat water for Gu Jia to bathe.
Gu Jia's hair was a mess, her eyes dazed as she sat limply on the couch. The pungent smell of horse urine assaulted her nose, making her nauseous.
Madam Liu hugged Gu Jia and cried, but was also anxious that this matter would be hard to conceal. Her mind was a chaotic mess, "My child, what on earth happened? With so many people witnessing this today, whatever shall we do?"
Gu Jia was still confused. She didn't remember anything, only that she saw a ghostly shadow following her last night, then lost consciousness.
She clutched her aching head. Shaking her head, she said, "Mother, I also don't know what happened... But I saw a ghostly shadow... following me..."
"Ghostly shadow?" Madam Liu was so frightened her hands shook, her face paled, "Jia'er, you must not speak recklessly. Your grandmother detests such matters the most. If she finds out a ghost has possessed you, she will certainly be wary of you."
The tent was warm, and Gu Jia's frozen mind also became clearer.
"It must be someone trying to harm me!" Not daring to mention elder sister Xiao Jie, she held Madam Liu's hand excitedly, tearfully crying, "It must be Gu Ying! Mother! It must be Gu Ying deliberately harming me!"
Other than Gu Ying, she couldn't think of anyone else.
Madam Liu gritted her teeth, anger also rose in her heart. Gloomily she ordered, "Granny Zhou, go call that cheap wench Gu Ying over!"
At this time of day, it was when all the young ladies were grooming and dressing up to go to the hunting ground assembly.
Gu Ying and Gu Shuang had already changed into their free and easy hunting outfits, and were on their way together to pay respects at Madam Liu's tent.
The timing was just right.
