Three Wives and Four Concubines in the Dream of the Red Chamber

Page 161

She recounted everything that had happened in one breath. Baochai and Qingwen, who were watching the commotion from the side, didn't react much, but Xiangyun chuckled with satisfaction.

You bad guy, you've finally gotten what you deserve!

"Then why don't you hurry up and go apologize? I don't believe you'll just give up like this. It's better to talk things out with Miss Xing as soon as possible."

Gu Yu glanced at Xiangyun, who was trying to appear casual as she offered advice, and couldn't help but smile. She reached out and patted Xiangyun's head, then sighed softly.

"If only Miss Xing were as easily fooled as Sister Yun, but alas, she cannot be fooled. I am in a state of utter confusion right now and cannot think of any good solution. Sister Bao, do you have any way to help me?"

Xiangyun glared at him angrily. She was trying to give him advice out of kindness, and he actually mocked her? No good deed goes unpunished!

However, now that things have come to this, after she has revealed the truth, she feels stupid and that she was completely manipulated by others. Where is she now to say anything?

Anyway, it's all this bad guy's fault!

Baochai covered her mouth and chuckled softly, calming the agitated Xiangyun down. Then she turned to Gu Yu and offered some advice:

"I think you've made it too easy for you to deal with that silly girl Xiangyun, which is why you've misjudged the situation."

"Ok?"

"In my opinion, that Miss Xing looks a little like Yingchun on the surface, but in fact she is more like Lin Daiyu and the Third Sister on the inside."

"In addition, she comes from a poor background and has always been cautious and prudent in her actions. Now that she has encountered a wealthy family like yours, it is inevitable that she will have some concerns."

Gu Yu was slightly taken aback, as if she understood why Xing Xiuyan had cried earlier.

"Does Sister Bao mean... that she misunderstood my feelings?"

That's a misconception? Absolutely!

Baochai couldn't help but roll her eyes at him. Which of her sisters hadn't been tricked and deceived by him, losing most of their innocence? It's said that feelings should be expressed but restrained by propriety, but his only flaw is that he doesn't seem to restrain himself very well.

"In my opinion, you should ask your second sister to talk to her and explain your character to her in detail. Then she will naturally stop thinking about it."

"Or we could send Sister Yun and Sister Xichun together, that would be about the same—wait, I almost forgot about the living Buddha!"

Baochai counted on her fingers, pointing out names to Gu Yu, when suddenly her eyes lit up, and she looked up and smiled:

"Isn't Miss Miaoyu an old friend of Miss Xing? Wouldn't it be the best idea for you to send her? Miss Miaoyu was bullied so badly by you..."

Gu Yu's eyes widened, but her attention wasn't on the first half of her sentence. She subconsciously leaned closer and asked with a puzzled look:

How do you know I bullied her terribly?

"this…"

Upon hearing this, the three girls blushed and avoided eye contact, stammering and refusing to speak. Gu Yu then turned her attention to Qingwen, who was the easiest to manipulate.

"Yes...it was when Master wasn't back before, and we were just chatting casually..."

So what do you girls talk about in private?!

Gu Yu's lips twitched, feeling a sense of absurdity that seemed to break the monotony of the situation. So, it's not uncommon for girls to talk about anything in private, regardless of time or place? Is this how much fun they have these days?

“…Then I’ll go back and talk to her.”

Regardless, the immediate crisis was resolved, and Gu Yu finally breathed a sigh of relief, her expression relaxing.

"It is said that a virtuous wife brings less trouble to her husband, and this is certainly true. If it weren't for Sister Bao, I probably would have had a hard time getting through this."

Seeing Gu Yu fawning over Baochai while holding her hand, Xiangyun pouted jealously. She had given advice herself, hadn't she?

Fortunately, Gu Yu's intelligence returned to its peak at this moment, and she quickly noticed Xiang Yun, who was jealous on the side. She happily came over and showered her with affection, soon making the girl, who was not being honest, secretly very happy.

The weather hasn't been very good these past two days. The wind gets really strong in the evening. Although Baochai and the others haven't had enough time to stay, Gu Yu doesn't dare to linger. After thinking for a while, he comes up with a plan to send them back separately.

As for the hardworking and dutiful Ying'er, she could only accompany Cuilu, the maid who served Xiangyun, throughout the entire process, trying her best to cover up her shortcomings in front of her.

Fortunately, Cuilu's personality was just like her master's—simple, naive, straightforward, and careless. She only knew how to happily enjoy the hot tea and pastries from the pear blossom spring rain, completely captivated by them.

"I wish the girls could come over for a get-together every day when the weather gets warmer..."

"You mean a girl? Your girl's nowhere to be found."

Ying'er secretly rolled her eyes. Qingwen had just secretly come over to tell her, so she had been keeping an eye on the outside of the room.

Seeing that Miss Yun was being half-embraced and half-carried by the master, her maid was still praising how delicious the food was. It was truly hard to know what to say.

"You need to be more careful...!"

Shaking her head helplessly, Ying'er muttered something under her breath, which was overheard by Cuilu, who was drinking tea with her head down.

"Snacks? What other snacks are there?"

"...Eat, eat, eat! I'll give you all the food, I don't have an appetite."

Pushing the plate in front of her over, Ying'er lay directly on the table, afraid that she would completely lose control and ruin Gu Yu's plans. Her pretty face buried in her arms, she clenched her teeth tightly to keep herself from breaking down.

"So delicious~ Young Master Yu's pastries are all good, but they're too expensive. I've heard of them, I think they're from Yingkexuan."

Not at all bothered that these were leftovers from Ying'er's meal, Cuilu happily stuffed another bite into her mouth, her eyes crinkling with delight as she commented on the delicious food.

As dusk settled, after getting up with Ying'er to say goodbye to Xiangling, Cuilu, who was so full she could barely walk, belatedly realized what had happened:

"Where are Miss and Miss Bao?"

"..."

Chapter 49 Prevention is better than cure

While Ying'er was trying to fool the silly Cuilu with a headache, Gu Yu licked his lips with lingering pleasure and couldn't help but lean in and kiss Xiangyun's lips.

"No~"

The girl, who usually liked to argue with him, now had incredibly soft lips, letting him do whatever he wanted. Her delicate nostrils were panting, exhaling thin streams of warm breath in the dim winter night.

"Like it?"

"Like it~"

Whether it was the mark left on the girl by the previous training or her true nature, every time the two got into the mood, Xiangyun would cling to her fiercely, becoming even more proactive than the docile Xiangling.

Noticing Gu Yu's movement to leave, the girl took the initiative to hum softly and tiptoe to chase after his tongue, her hands tightly wrapped around Gu Yu's neck, as if she wanted to press his head down and bury it in her arms.

After another gentle, tender moment, Gu Yu patted her head and finally forced their lips apart.

We agreed to kiss one more time before leaving, but we kept kissing until dawn.

"You little glutton... Why haven't I seen you being this clingy on other days?"

"Woo~"

Xiangyun buried her head in his chest and refused to speak. How could she possibly admit that she was reluctant to lose face? Only in moments like these did she experience a strange sense of emptiness, allowing her to follow her inner instincts without hesitation.

"Alright, alright, it's cold, go back now, okay? Stay over when you come tomorrow, I'll let you kiss me as much as you want. Enough."

Gu Yu patiently comforted Xiangyun, who was still clinging to him, and watched her enter the gate of Hengwu Garden, turning back every few steps. Only then did Gu Yu straighten his collar and turn to walk towards Longcui Nunnery in another direction.

After the lesson he learned in the afternoon, he was much calmer now. It just so happened that granting special permission to take the imperial examination had both advantages and disadvantages. Although he might lose his reason to stay in the Grand View Garden sooner, it also meant that he could marry these girls sooner.

Therefore, Gu Yu doesn't need to be so eager to take advantage of them. Wouldn't it be better to wait until next year when they have their wedding night and be more formal?

Before she had gone far, Gu Yu heard another commotion at the gate of Hengwu Garden behind her. Without turning around, she heard Ying'er and Cuilu chattering as they returned, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank goodness we didn't continue kissing, otherwise this girl would have hated me to death!"

Although they claimed they were "forced to work," it's obvious who would be blamed if something went wrong.

Walking towards Longcui Nunnery under the moonlight, Gu Yu, who was in a good mood, soon frowned as she looked at this most easily overlooked corner of the Grand View Garden.

The Jade Emperor Temple and Longcui Nunnery were originally placed here for two reasons: first, for their tranquility; second, to avoid obstructing the view; and third, because Shan Ziye always advocated for natural scenery. In the height of summer, the lush greenery is quite refreshing, but on winter nights, it looks chilly and eerie.

Moreover, almost all of the servants in the Jia family were lazy and cunning, so the night patrolmen rarely came this way, and it was even more difficult for them to come here in this cold weather.

Gu Yu walked along the passage for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. There were only a few lamps along the way, which were obviously just a haphazard arrangement by the maids who were adding oil.

Gu Yu didn't believe in ghosts or gods, and he was not afraid of the cold or heat. He also had exceptional eyesight, so he wouldn't believe everything he heard or mistake any noise in the forest for something bad. Even so, he still felt a little uneasy.

As we approached Longcui Nunnery, the streetlights gradually increased, though they were still sparse. At least we weren't completely reliant on the moonlight to find our way.

"No wonder that after the Jia family fell into ruin, bandits were able to come in and kidnap people... No one cared about such a remote place."

The location is secluded and unpatrolled, making it a natural entry point.

Although the Jia family was far from such a state of ruin and chaos, Gu Yu couldn't help but worry about Miaoyu's safety as she lived alone here.

Better safe than sorry. I've already come to the Red Chamber, what's impossible? If something happens to Miaoyu beforehand, wouldn't I be devastated?

"Looks like I'll have to persuade her to move out of here..."

With that thought in mind, Gu Yu no longer hesitated and quickened her pace, arriving at the gate of Longcui Nunnery to knock on the door.

After a long while, a maid called out from inside:

"Who is it?"

"It's me, Gu Yu."

"Is that Young Master Yu?"

The noise inside immediately stopped, and a series of light footsteps came running over and quickly opened the door.

Miaoyu's maid stood by the door, her face slightly flushed, making room for Gu Yu. After closing the door, she then attentively led the way for Gu Yu.

"Why did you come over at this hour, Young Master Yu? It gets dark so quickly, the young lady must have already gone to bed. She only got up again when she heard the noise."

Miaoyu was just coming out wearing a cotton coat when she heard the maid's boastful report. She gave her a weak glare, but before she could say anything, Gu Yu stepped over and hugged her.

"Why are you out here dressed so scantily? Go back to bed."

The maid behind them stuck out her tongue, closed the front door behind them, and then went back to doze off. Ever since she had forcibly taken Miaoyu's virginity, Miaoyu's miserable state could not be hidden from her personal maid, making her ecstatic.

Such a handsome young man, he really became my son-in-law? Most importantly, I don't have to be a nun with the girl for the rest of my life! I'll be released soon!

Gu Yu scooped up Miao Yu in his arms and slipped into the inner room. The warm air enveloped her, and he could clearly feel the delicate body in his arms, which had been trembling slightly, relax. He quickly went to the bedside and tucked her into bed. After removing her cotton coat, he straightened the blankets for her.

"It's just a few steps, why bother getting cold? Are you in such a hurry to see me?"

Miaoyu blushed and pursed her lips. "If it's not this, then am I deliberately trying to be cold?"

"Why are you here at this hour? It's windy tonight, what's the rush..."

She took the initiative to reach out her jade-like hand and pulled Gu Yu's hand into her bosom. Miao Yu leaned against Gu Yu's leg, feeling very happy.

This unexpected surprise is more important than anything else.

"What could be wrong with me? I just missed you a bit, so I came over."

Even though she knew Gu Yu's words were ridiculously false, Miao Yu couldn't help but smile happily. The sleepiness that had just dissipated surged up again with the warmth in her heart, and she subconsciously hugged Gu Yu's arm and rubbed against it.

"Now that you've finished watching, are you leaving?"

"Ahem...actually, there are two things I'd like to mention in the meantime..."

The slap in the face came so quickly that even Gu Yu, with his thick skin, couldn't quite take it. He cleared his throat awkwardly, then squeezed in a little, leaned back, and, resting against Miao Yu's bedside, stroked her head and coaxed her gently:

"It's getting colder and colder these days, and I've noticed you're not moving around much. Aren't you bored staying here all by yourself? Why don't we go somewhere else, where someone can keep you company and talk to you? What do you say?"

"Where else can I go in this garden?"

Miaoyu was still in a daze and hadn't realized what was going on. She just thought that Gu Yu wanted her to move to the west side of the garden so that she wouldn't be all alone here.

Chapter Fifty: Paying Off Debts with Flesh

"What I mean is... how about moving out of the garden and into my house to keep Keqing and the others company?"

Gu Yu gently stroked Miao Yu's loose hair, quietly took out her plan, and spoke so calmly that Miao Yu almost didn't react.

"Leaving the garden...it seems—hmm?!"

The girl was suddenly jolted awake from her light sleep. She quickly sat up, looking at Gu Yu with a wronged expression, wondering what she had done to upset him and why he was kicking her out.

"Don't rush, listen to me!"

Before she could get up and speak, Gu Yu quickly pressed down a corner of the blanket, leaned down, and hurriedly began to comfort her.

"Now that the news of the upcoming imperial examination has spread, it should only be a few months away. Once I participate in the provincial examination, it will definitely be inconvenient for me to stay in the Jia family any longer."

“Since it’s inconvenient for you to move around in winter, why don’t you go out earlier and spend more time at home with Keqing and the others? It would even be easier for me to go out and see you then, instead of having to go so far and avoid the Jia family’s servants.”

Miaoyu blinked, thinking that what he said seemed to make some sense. In any case, it was indeed difficult to see him more often in the dead of winter, and when spring came, Gu Yu would be preparing for the imperial examinations, making it difficult for her to get close to him.

If I go to his home beforehand to get to know him, I won't make him worry, and I can also get used to the feeling of being with a family beforehand. This is very different from the relationship and mindset I had in the village before.