Chapter 10: Fate

“Grandmother.” The young girl walked toward Old Madam Gu with a face full of smiles, her voice as melodious and clear as the first chirping of an oriole.

“Rong-jie’er, why are you back so early?” Old Madam Gu’s expression shifted from overcast to sunny. She looked at Gu Yunrong with a beaming smile, and the aura around her softened instantly.

Gu Yunrong had been sent to the capital by Su Niang when she was only a few months old. Old Madam Gu had named her personally and raised her herself, watching her grow from a jade-carved, babbling infant into a budding young girl with bright eyes, pearly teeth, and a graceful, slender figure.

Their grandmother-granddaughter bond of over a decade was genuine; she doted on Gu Yunrong, and Gu Yunrong was the most filial toward her.

By comparison, that other girl was nothing more than a stranger, with not a shred of affection for the Marquis’s estate. Her constant fussing and trouble-making were likely born of resentment toward the household!

A flash of gloom crossed Old Madam Gu’s eyes.

Gu Yunrong sat down beside Old Madam Gu and affectionately linked her arm, acting like a spoiled child: “I missed you, Grandmother.”

Old Madam Gu felt as if she had been fed a spoonful of honey; her heart was completely at ease. She asked lovingly, “Was the flower banquet at Prince Jing’s mansion fun?”

At the mention of Prince Jing’s mansion, the corners of Old Madam Gu’s eyes crinkled with a smile.

Ever since the eldest son passed away, the status of the Dingyuan Marquis estate in the imperial court had become somewhat awkward. With a lack of successors to bridge the gap, the late Emperor had been somewhat cold toward the Gu family. The nobility and clans in the capital were always opportunistic, and in recent years, they had rarely sent invitations to the Gu family.

Half a month ago, when Gu Yunrong said that Princess Changqing of Prince Jing’s mansion had invited her to the Chrysanthemum Appreciation Banquet, Old Madam Gu had been overjoyed. Princess Changqing’s banquet had been held for three consecutive years, and every young master or lady qualified to attend was from a prestigious and powerful family.

“It was fun. My pot of ‘Phoenix Spreading Wings’ was named the runner-up of today’s banquet.” Gu Yunrong nodded with a radiant smile, her face blooming like a flower. She reached out to show Old Madam Gu the jade bracelet on her wrist. “This bracelet was the prize given by the Princess Consort. Grandmother, am I impressive?”

“Impressive, very impressive. Our Rong-jie’er truly has a discerning eye. Grandmother will reward you with a jade pendant.” Old Madam Gu reached out and tapped Gu Yunrong on the nose, unable to stop smiling.

Old Madam Gu knew the origin of Gu Yunrong’s “Phoenix Spreading Wings.” It was a lucky find that Gu Yunrong had stumbled upon last month when she encountered a distressed flower farmer in the suburbs.

Gu Yunrong had been kind-hearted since she was a child, and her luck was equally good.

When she was six, amidst the chaos of war in Yangzhou, she saved the then-Seventh Prince, Prince Kang, which in turn secured the Gu family’s title.

When she was nine, while out on an excursion, she dug up a two-hundred-year-old ginseng root, pulling Old Madam Gu back from the gates of death when she was critically ill.

When she was thirteen, it happened to be the time the southwestern vassal states offered the rare treasure, the Nine-Curved Pearl. The envoy challenged the imperial court with the riddle of “threading the Nine-Curved Pearl.” The civil and military officials were all at a loss, and the late Emperor had no choice but to post a public notice. In the end, it was Gu Yunrong who answered the challenge, stunning everyone with her skill of “threading the Nine-Curved Pearl with an ant.”

Such incidents were too numerous to count.

Old Madam Gu had once taken Gu Yunrong to see the Abbot at Bailong Temple to have her fortune told. The Abbot had said that her destiny was too noble to be described.

“I wasn’t asking for a reward, Grandmother.” Gu Yunrong tilted her head, her smile sweet. “When my chrysanthemums beat Prince Kang’s next time, you can reward me then.”

“Prince Kang was there too?” Old Madam Gu’s eyes flickered, and the smile on her face deepened.

“Yes, the Prince brought me back.” Gu Yunrong nodded, her eyes shimmering, looking bright and beautiful. “Grandmother, the Prince recently acquired a few jars of top-grade Longjing tea. Hearing that you enjoy tea, he asked me to bring a jar for you.”

Gu Yunrong’s head maid quickly and deftly presented a cloisonné tea canister decorated with the “Three Friends of Winter.”

“The Prince is very thoughtful,” Old Madam Gu sighed with pleasure, her mind racing: Prince Kang’s sincerity toward Gu Yunrong was beyond doubt, but the problem was the Empress Dowager.

To get past the Empress Dowager, Gu Yunrong had to distance herself from Fang Mingfeng as soon as possible.

“Nurse Xu, you’re back.” Gu Yunrong looked at Nurse Xu, who was kneeling on the ground, as if she had only just noticed her presence. She said with both surprise and concern, “Does that mean Second Sister is back too?”

Only then did Nurse Xu look up and answer respectfully, “Replying to the Third Young Lady, the Second Young Lady is still in Danyang City.”

Meeting Gu Yunrong’s puzzled gaze, Nurse Xu continued to explain: “Third Young Lady, you don’t know… the Second Young Lady is truly behaving in an outrageous manner…”

Nurse Xu rambled on, recounting all of Gu Yanfei’s faults once more.

Old Madam Gu’s expression darkened by another three degrees; anyone could see she was extremely displeased.

“Grandmother, Second Sister hasn’t had an easy life since she was young. Coming all the way from Huaibei to a place where she doesn’t know anyone, it’s inevitable that she would feel uneasy.” Gu Yunrong comforted Old Madam Gu in a gentle voice, leaning affectionately against her shoulder. “You have always been kind to us juniors, Grandmother. Please don’t hold it against Second Sister.”

“How about this? Grandmother, why don’t I go to Danyang City to bring Second Sister back?”

Gu Yunrong suggested thoughtfully; both her tone and her sweet, obedient smile were indescribably comforting.

Old Madam Gu’s expression softened slightly after being coaxed by Gu Yunrong’s few words. She patted the back of her hand kindly but shook her head to reject the idea: “That won’t do. In two days, aren’t you going to offer incense at Huangjue Temple with Princess Changqing?”

Old Madam Gu weighed the pros and cons and quickly made a decision.

She sighed and said in a low voice, “Forget it. I suppose the second girl is full of grievances. Children are all debts; I might as well make the trip myself, old bones and all.”

“Grandmother…” Gu Yunrong wanted to say something more, but Old Madam Gu raised a hand to interrupt her.

“Rong-jie’er, Grandmother knows you are filial.” Old Madam Gu stroked her hair. “Alright, we’ll do as I say. You stay in the capital and behave yourself; I’ll have your eldest sister accompany me.”

“…” Nurse Xu was dumbfounded. She pinched her thigh, and the pain told her this was not a dream: The Old Madam had actually agreed to the Second Young Lady’s unreasonable demand!

Old Madam Gu’s travel arrangements were naturally not taken lightly. The servants of Cihe Hall hurriedly packed their luggage, working for an entire night.

Early the next morning, the Dingyuan Marquis estate’s carriage drove out of the capital, heading south along the main road.

Traveling and resting along the way, it took a full four days to reach Danyang City.

“Knock, knock, knock-knock-knock…”

“Old Li, hurry and open the door! The Old Madam is here!”

A rough-looking servant woman pounded heavily on the gate, the bronze door knocker making the gate vibrate incessantly.

Old Li responded while running to open the door, simultaneously sending a young maid to the inner courtyard to inform Gu Yanfei.

Inside the carriage, Old Madam Gu sat with her eyes closed, her fingers slowly turning the prayer beads in her hand.

The carriage was silent, but the street outside was quite lively. Aside from the peddlers shouting their wares by the roadside, passersby walked past from time to time.

“The bailiffs are patrolling again. Let’s take another route,” a rough, mature male voice shouted not far away, his tone filled with resentment.

Immediately after, another younger male voice replied, “I don’t know what’s going on these past two days. The bailiffs are patrolling everywhere, and even the city gates are being searched layer by layer. I was stuck at the city gate for nearly an hour before I could get in.”

The two voices were particularly loud, and Old Madam Gu in the carriage heard them clearly.

She waved her hand to summon Nurse Xu and instructed, “Go and find out what happened in the city.”

Nurse Xu hurriedly acknowledged the order.

(End of chapter)