Chapter 21
Return Home
Chu Yi’s long, thick eyelashes fluttered, and the faint golden sparks on the tips of his eyelashes flickered. His dark eyes were filled with interest.
“The firefighters are here!”
A deafening cheer echoed through the entire street. The firefighter finally arrived late and worked together with the guards to put out the fire.
Gu Yanfei did not care about this.
After she was done, she returned to the Gu residence on Hua’an Street.
Juan Bi was waiting for her at the back door. She was relieved to see her back and quickly welcomed her into the house.
Now that this residence was completely under Gu Yanfei’s control, the servants did not dare to say anything. Therefore, whether she left or returned, no one else was alarmed.
The Gu residence was silent. Everyone in the residence knew nothing about the fire at Danyang Manor.
For some, the night had been both long and grueling. For others, it had been a snap of the fingers, no more than a nap.
The next morning, various rumors bombarded the Gu residence.
For example, the people from the State of Yue had openly poisoned the Eldest Prince and set fire to the Danyang Manor.
For example, the Eldest Prince was blessed by the heavens and was safe and sound.
For example, most of the Danyang Manor had been burned, but the fire did not spread to the other nearby residences.
For example, the group of arsonists were ordered by a high-ranking official from the State of Yue. The authorities had already captured most of them. Unfortunately, they were not sure if the high-ranking official had been captured.
This news was shocking. Everyone in the Gu family was dumbfounded.
For the next few days, the citizens in the city discussed this matter in full swing. Every time they saw the Danyang Manor that was mostly burned down, they would feel lingering fear. They did not dare to imagine that if this fire spread to the entire city, they would probably not be able to escape.
The State of Yue people were really despicable and shameless!
On October 15th, the Emperor sent hundreds of brocade-clad guards and imperial guards to Danyang City to escort the Eldest Prince back to the capital. It was a grand affair.
It was not until October 16th that Madam Gu received the news that the city gate finally opened again.
Madam Gu had been forced to stay in Danyang City for an additional six days. She did not want to stay any longer and immediately gave the order to set off that day, afraid that something would happen if they delayed.
Therefore, the servants in the Gu residence all took action. They arranged for carriages, packed boxes, and asked for favors to leave early.
Halfway through the night, the four carriages of the Gu family drove out of the north gate of Danyang City and embarked on the journey back to the capital.
Gu Yanfei and Gu Yunzhen sat in the second carriage together. The little kitten naturally accompanied them. The two of them chatted happily.
Along the way, Gu Yunzhen told Gu Yanfei a lot about the Marquis Mansion. She talked about the layout of the mansion, about the people living in the fifth branch , about the important stewards and wet nurses, and also about some in-laws in the Gu family… It was fragmented and detailed.
Gu Yanfei naturally knew this, but she still listened patiently. She knew that Gu Yunzhen meant well. Many distant memories gradually became clear because of Gu Yunzhen’s narration.
Madam Gu had something on her mind and could not wait to return to the capital. Hence, she changed her leisurely manner and ordered the coachman to speed up. In the end, the group arrived in the capital a day earlier.
Madam Gu was in her early 50s and was not young. The long journey had exhausted her.
Even so, the first thing she did when she returned to the Marquis Mansion was not to rest, but to bring Gu Yanfei and Gu Yunzhen to the Benevolent Harmony Hall.
“Grandma, you’re finally back!”
A young girl in a red dress walked out gracefully to welcome Madam Gu.
The girl had bright eyes and white teeth. Her smile was as bright as the rising sun, and her eyes were as bright as a lotus.
Gu Yanfei recognized Gu Yunrong at a glance. That familiar face crossed 200 years in an instant…
For a moment, Gu Yanfei felt that those 200 years in the Bright Spirit Realm seemed to be just a dream, just like Chang Tzu’s dream of being a b.u.t.terfly.
Gu Yanfei tried her best to suppress her mental demons and return to her senses.
The entire Benevolent Harmony Hall became lively with Madam Gu’s return.
The maidservants were busy serving tea, fruits, and snacks. They even specially ordered Madam Gu’s favorite incense, a delicate fragrance with a tinge of herbs.
“Grandma, are you tired from your trip to Danyang City?” Gu Yunrong held Madam Gu’s arm intimately and coaxed her with a smile. “You’ve lost weight. I’ll cook for you tonight…”
She smiled brightly and a pair of tiny dimples appeared on her lips. She was clever and amiable.
To Madam Gu, Gu Yunrong was her sweetheart. Hearing her concerned words, Madam Gu’s expression softened and she beamed. “Then I’ll wait to taste your cooking.”
Speaking of which, Rong’er was probably only a month or two older than that wild girl, but she was countless times more considerate and sensible.
Sigh, back then, the Old Marquis had offered his eldest daughter to be engaged with Fang Mingfeng. Now, Gu Yunrong could only be the younger sister.
After everyone sat down, Gu Yunrong looked around and nodded at Gu Yunzhen. “Big Sister, thank you for accompanying Grandma this time.”
Then, she looked at Gu Yanfei, who was sitting beside Gu Yunzhen, and smiled. “This must be my Second Sister. I’m Yunrong.”
It was as if she was born to be good at talking and being intimate with everyone.
Gu Yanfei did not say a word. She casually stroked the kitten’s smooth back with one hand. The kitten was sleeping soundly in her arms. Its round head was buried in her arms and it did not move.
How rude! Madam Gu glanced at Gu Yanfei with displeasure.
This girl’s heart was higher than the sky and her life was thinner than paper. She had been throwing a tantrum recently probably because she wanted to compete with Rong’er.
Seeing that the atmosphere was slightly tense, Granny Li from the Benevolent Harmony Hall chuckled. Her round eyes curved into the shape of a moon as she smiled and tried to smooth things over. “Third Lady, you have another elder sister to dote on you.”
“That’s great!” The smile on Gu Yunrong’s lips deepened, like a bright sun.
Madam Gu picked up the teacup and took a sip of tea before saying to Gu Yanfei indifferently, “Since you’re in the capital, you have to abide by the rules of the Marquis Mansion.”
“Don’t go out if you have nothing to do in the future. Stay at home and do some needlework.”
“In a few days, the British government will come to make a small order. In a while, I’ll get someone to give you Crown Prince Fang’s measurements. Go and make a set of clothes, shoes, and socks.”
Madam Gu used a commanding tone. She looked calm on the surface, but she was actually burning with anxiety.
Since the Eldest Prince had arrived in the capital, the situation in the capital would definitely change. Some of the courtiers would probably stand on the Eldest Prince’s side for the sake of the so-called orthodoxy. In that case, the position of Kang w.a.n.g would not be so stable.
...
The Empress Dowager would definitely fight for all the power she could for Kang w.a.n.g. Marriage was one of the most effective ways.
And the current Dingyuan Marquis Household was not worthy of the Empress Dowager’s attention.
Madam Gu knew her limits.
To the Marquis Household, the most important thing now was to quickly settle their marriage while Kang w.a.n.g was deeply in love with Gu Yunrong. Therefore, she had to resolve the marriage between the Gu and Fang families first.