Chapter 128: Moon Sinks Beside the Willows

Gu Shiliu has returned?

Both of them were slightly surprised.

Gu Jinghui hesitated for a moment, put down Qin Yuan, and said, "Yuan’er, I’m going."

Qin Yuan nodded in surprise.

Counting the days, if Gu Shiliu returned alone, it would be a bit slow, but if he came back with others, it would be a bit fast.

Could something have gone wrong?

Seeing Gu Jinghui already tidied up his clothes and face tensed, he strode out.

Just as Marquis Gu left, Hong Ye came in with a mysterious expression and said, "Miss, Gu Shiliu returned alone."

"What?"

Qin Yuan was even more shocked.

Hong Ye said, "He was exhausted, and his horse nearly died, so he changed horses at the relay station. The new horse wasn’t fit, which delayed him by a day; otherwise, he would have returned yesterday."

Qin Yuan furrowed her eyebrows tightly.

"The people from the Pang Family didn’t want to come up?"

If the people from the Pang Family were unwilling to come up, Gu Shiliu wouldn’t have been delayed by several days.

Something must have happened.

Hong Ye also frowned and shook her head, "I don’t know."

Qin Yuan sighed and asked, "Is Cui Ming better now?"

Hong Ye said, "Much better. As soon as the incense you prepared was lit, she fell asleep and slept all afternoon. Her spirits have improved a lot."

Qin Yuan nodded, "That’s good."

Cui Ming was weak and often overthought, and she needed rest to recover after being frightened.

Hong Ye worriedly said, "She can come to serve tomorrow. Miss, don’t focus only on Cui Ming. What should we do if Lady Zhao’s husband’s family doesn’t come?"

She’s still sick, and her husband’s family hasn’t come.

The Marquis won’t have the heart to send Mrs. Zhao and her child out of the Marquis Mansion to fend for themselves, surely.

If she were to marry, someone to sustain the household would require her consent.

Qin Yuan said, "It’s too early to talk about that now. Once the Marquis returns, everything will be clear."

Hong Ye said regretfully, "That Gu Shiliu has such a tight mouth, just like a clam shell."

Qin Yuan said, "He’s someone close to the Marquis. If he were loose-lipped, what would become of him."

Hong Ye thought it through and agreed, finding some topics to discuss with Qin Yuan, "Did the Marquis mention how to thank Prince Qi?"

"No, I already conveyed my father’s message. How Marquis Gu plans to proceed is not within my rights to discuss," Qin Yuan said. "Go heat some water for me; I want to bathe and change clothes, then rest."

Hong Ye stared in shock at Qin Yuan, "Again sending the Marquis to sleep in the side room?"

Qin Yuan pressed her lips and chuckled softly, "Don’t worry about it."

"Oh," Hong Ye left dreamily to call for water.

Was Miss implying what she’s thinking?

Is Miss planning to consummate tonight?

Hong Ye sighed deeply; finally, she doesn’t need to worry.

The little maid came over eagerly and asked, "Sister Hong Ye, why did you sigh?"

Hong Ye glanced at her, noting she had argued with Sun Accountant earlier in the day, and said, "You wouldn’t understand, you’re still young. Wait until you grow up, and you’ll understand."

The little maid pursed her lips and stayed silent.

Hong Ye asked, "What’s your name?"

"Parrot."

"Let me speak to Madam about changing your name, okay? How about calling you Hong Mian, do you like it?"

Parrot said, "I like it, from now on, I’ll be someone under Sister Hong Ye’s protection."

Hong Ye tapped her forehead lightly, "Smart. You’ll definitely become a first-class maid in the future. Just don’t betray your master, don’t climb into beds, be clever and willing to learn. Our master is generous and wise, truly the best."

Hong Mian said, "Then Sister Hong Ye, please speak well of me in front of the master."

Hong Ye nodded proudly.

She liked this maid for her ability to argue vocally.

Hong Ye and Hong Mian watched outside, staying until the moon hung on the willow branches, yet Gu Jinghui hadn’t returned.

"Ah, Miss is asleep, truly the Marquis..."

Hong Ye sighed.

Yet she didn’t notice a shadow had slipped into the main room.

Qin Yuan, troubled, didn’t sleep deeply and was eventually awakened by the heat again. She moved slightly, only to be pulled back again.

"Are you still hot?"

"Yes," Qin Yuan mumbled, softly pushing away the warm body behind her.

"Then wait a moment."

Gu Jinghui repeated his old trick, going out once again. This time, instead of an ice basin, he brought back the ice chest from the outer room.

A large ice flower had only a base left unmelted.

The room instantly cooled down.

Gu Jinghui took the round fan and lightly fanned the breeze, complaining, "You’re such a little ingrate, always having Hong Ye wait outside to block me, wanting me to sleep in the side room."

Qin Yuan hummed softly, "No."

"What do you mean no? I saw that girl waiting eagerly outside just to block me."

Qin Yuan couldn’t help but chuckle.

With that laugh, sleep fled away.

"When did you come back?"

"It’s been a while."

Gu Jinghui’s eyes shone brightly in the dark as he stared intently at Qin Yuan’s lips, making her shrink and timidly turn away. "Why did you return so late? Was there a mishap in Gu Shiliu’s task?"

More than just Gu Shiliu’s task encountering setbacks.

Gu Shiba found that there were more peddlers, vendors, and beggars loitering near the mansion gates than elsewhere, and the gatekeeper said that there had been more in recent months. Surely among them are spies, but who sent them is hard to say.

Princes are eyeing that position.

The Crown Prince’s health is frail, and not being the eldest, inevitably leads to unrest.

Gu Shiba sought punishment, and Gu Jinghui felt at fault too. The commander was neglectful, leading to the subordinates handling matters superficially, so he only punished Gu Shiba with twenty lashes.

These details, Gu Jinghui found unnecessary to tell Qin Yuan, only saying, "It’s not just Shiliu’s task; Shiba overlooked the manor, causing some lapses, and I punished him with twenty lashes."

Qin Yuan shuddered.

As a child, she was whipped by Mrs. Cui and then made to kneel all night in the ancestral hall.

Gu Jinghui quickly embraced her and whispered, "Did it scare you?"

"Yes."

"I’m not going to whip you; why are you worried?"

Gu Jinghui thought, he couldn’t bear to hurt her.

Such a delicate little person, light as a feather, soft as a kitten; one can never be too careful.

Qin Yuan asked again, "Did Gu Shiliu not find Brother Pang’s family?"

Gu Jinghui released her, lying flat on the bed, his voice filled with confusion and exhaustion.

"You won’t believe it; Pang Hai claimed his family was a major clan in Jizhou, but when Gu Shiliu visited, the Pang Family all said they didn’t know Pang Hai."

Qin Yuan asked in shock, "Could Pang Hai have changed his name or surname? I’ve heard many change their names when joining the army; he might be surnamed Pang but not called Pang Hai. If he’s from a major clan, joins the army, he might be a concubine’s child or might have committed some mistake, hoping to gain merit and return home."

Gu Jinghui nodded and said, "You’re right. Gu Shiliu thought of that too, so he stayed longer at the Pang Family to investigate. No one mentioned anything, and the Pang Family males are all reportedly short, with their ancestors being southern Miao descent, migrating to Jizhou. But the Pang family’s two kids you saw are like Pang Hai, tall and robust."