Destiny
“Grandmother.” The young girl walked towards Madam Gu with a smile. Her voice was like the first cry of a black-naped oriole, melodious and pleasing to the ear.
“Rong’er, why are you back so early?” Madam Gu’s expression turned from gloomy to bright. She looked at Gu Yunrong with a warm smile, and her aura softened.
Gu Yunrong was sent to the capital by Mother Su when she was only a few months old. Madam Gu personally named and raised her. She watched her grow from a delicate baby to a beautiful young girl.
They had been close for more than ten years. She loved Gu Yunrong, and she was also the most filial to her.
In comparison, that girl was just a stranger and had no relationship with the Marquis Household at all. She probably had a grudge against the Marquis Household!
A sinister look flashed across Madam Gu’s eyes.
Gu Yunrong walked over to Madam Gu and sat down. She intimately held her arm and said coquettishly, “I missed you, Grandma.”
Madam Gu felt as if she had been fed a mouthful of honey. She felt extremely at ease and asked lovingly, “Was the flower banquet at Prince Jing’s Manor fun?”
At the mention of Prince Jing’s Manor, Madam Gu smiled until wrinkles appeared at the corners of her eyes.
Ever since the death of her eldest son, the Dingyuan Marquis Household’s position in the imperial court had been a little awkward. The old emperor had been a little cold to the Gu family and the powerful imperial family in the capital rarely sent letters to the Gu family over the years.
Half a month ago, when Gu Yunrong said that Princess Changqing of Prince Jing’s Manor had invited her to attend the chrysanthemum viewing banquet, Madam Gu was overjoyed. Princess Changqing’s chrysanthemum viewing banquet had been held for three consecutive years. All the young masters and young ladies who were qualified to attend were from noble families.
“Yes, it was fun. My pot of ‘Ruffling Phoenix Feathers’ was chosen as the runner-up of today’s flower banquet.” Gu Yunrong nodded with a smile. Her smile was like a flower as she stretched out her hand to let Madam Gu see the jade bracelet on her wrist. “This bracelet was given by the consort. Grandma, am I impressive?”
“Impressive, impressive. Our Rong’er has a discerning eye. Grandma will reward you with an emerald jade pendant.” Madam Gu reached out and adoringly tapped Gu Yunrong’s nose, smiling from ear to ear.
Madam Gu also knew the origin of Gu Yunrong’s ‘Ruffling Phoenix Feathers’. This pot of chrysanthemums was accidentally picked up by Gu Yunrong last month when she met a flower farmer in the suburbs.
Gu Yunrong had been kind since she was young and had good luck.
When she was six years old, she saved Kang Wang, who was still the seventh prince at that time, in the chaotic Yangzhou. As a result, she saved the Gu family’s title.
When she was nine years old, she dug up a 200-year-old ginseng when she was hiking and pulled the sick Madam Gu back from the gates of hell.
When she was 13 years old, it just so happened that a rare treasure, the Nine-Curved Pearl, had been presented to the southwest. The envoy had provoked the imperial court with the stringing of the ‘Nine-Curved Pearl’, but the civil and military officials had been helpless. The previous emperor had no choice but to announce it. In the end, it was Gu Yunrong who shocked everyone by handling the matter with her wits.
There were countless such incidents.
Madam Gu had once brought Gu Yunrong to the White Dragon Temple to seek the abbot’s help to tell her future. The abbot said that her fate was indescribably precious.
“I’m not here to ask for a reward from you, Grandma.” Gu Yunrong tilted her head and smiled sweetly. “You can reward me the next time my chrysanthemum wins against His Highness Kang Wang.”
“His Highness Kang Wang also went?” Madam Gu’s eyebrows moved and the smile on her face deepened.
“Yes, His Highness sent me back.” Gu Yunrong nodded. Her eyes were bright and moving. “Grandma, His Highness has recently obtained a few jars of high-grade Longjing tea. He heard that you like tea and asked me to bring one back for you.”
Gu Yunrong’s maidservant quickly handed over a silk enamel tea pot.
“His Highness is so thoughtful.” Madam Gu sighed happily as her thoughts raced. There was no doubt that Kang Wang was sincere to Gu Yunrong. The problem was the Empress Dowager.
If she wanted to get past the Empress Dowager, Gu Yunrong had to cut ties with Fang Mingfeng as soon as possible.
“Granny Xu, you’re back.” Gu Yunrong looked at Granny Xu, who was kneeling on the ground, as if she had just noticed her existence. She said with surprise and concern, “Then is my Second Sister also back?”
Only then did Granny Xu raise her head and answer respectfully, “Third Lady, the Second Lady is still in Danyang City.”
Meeting Gu Yunrong’s puzzled gaze, Granny Xu continued to explain, “Third Lady, you don’t know. The Second Miss is really too outrageous…”
Granny Xu chattered on as she criticized Gu Yanfei again.
Madam Gu’s expression darkened. Anyone could tell that she was very unhappy about this.
“Grandma, Second Sister has had a hard time since she was young. She came all the way from Huaibei to an unfamiliar place. It’s inevitable that she’ll feel uneasy.” Gu Yunrong comforted Madam Gu kindly and leaned on her shoulder affectionately. “Grandma, you’ve always been loving to us juniors. Don’t be calculative with my Second Sister.”
“Tell you what, Grandma. Why don’t I go to Danyang City and pick up my Second Sister?”
Gu Yunrong considerately suggested. Be it her tone or her sweet and obedient smile, they were indescribably comforting.
Madam Gu’s expression softened slightly after being coaxed by Gu Yunrong’s few words. She patted the back of her hand benevolently, but she still shook her head and rejected it. “No. Aren’t you going to the Huangjue Temple with Princess Changqing to offer incense in two days?”
Madam Gu weighed the pros and cons and quickly made a decision.
She sighed and said in a low voice, “Forget it. I think your Second Sister is full of grievances. My descendants are all my debts. It’s better for me to make a trip personally.”
“Grandma…” Gu Yunrong wanted to say something, but Madam Gu raised her hand and interrupted her.
“Rong’er, I know you’re filial.” Madam Gu stroked her head. “Alright, do as I say. Stay in the capital obediently. I’ll get your elder sister to accompany me.”
“…” Granny Xu was dumbfounded. She pinched her thigh. The pain told her that this was not a dream. Madam had actually agreed to the Second Lady’s rude request!
Madam Gu naturally would not be careless when she went out. The servants of the Benevolent Harmony Hall hurriedly packed up and busied themselves for the entire night.
The next morning, the horse carriage of the Dingyuan Marquis Household drove out of the capital and headed south along the official road.
It took them four days to reach Danyang City.
“Knock, knock, knock…”
“Old Li, open the door. Madam is here!”
A gruff old woman banged on the front door, rattling the bronze knocker nonstop.
Old Li ran to open the door. At the same time, he sent a maidservant to the inner courtyard to inform Gu Yanfei.
In the carriage, Madam Gu closed her eyes and slowly twisted the prayer beads in her hand.
The carriage was silent, and the street outside the carriage was quite lively. Apart from the hawkers setting up stalls on the street, there were also passersby passing by from time to time.
“The guards are here to patrol again. Let’s go another way,” a rough, mature male voice shouted from nearby. His tone was filled with resentment.
Immediately after, another younger male voice said, “For some reason, the guards have been patrolling everywhere for the past two days. Even the city gate has been checked layer by layer. I was stuck at the city gate for almost two hours before I came in.”
Their voices were especially loud, and Madam Gu, who was in the carriage, heard them clearly.
She waved for Granny Xu and instructed, “Find out what’s happening in the city.”
Granny Xu quickly nodded.
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