78 Affection
◎His position is not as a friend, but——◎
"What's wrong, you look so downcast?"
Just after passing through the Chuihua Gate, Gu Ningxi met his eldest sister heading west, probably to pay her respects to her grandmother.
Gu Ningwan signaled the maid to step back and talked with Gu Ningxi as they walked.
"My family won't let me leave the house."
"What's the reason?"
Gu Ningwan's eyes were also filled with confusion. The women in the family were not allowed to leave the house unless necessary, but Xier was assuming the identity of a man and was an official in the court, so she was never restricted in coming and going.
The family also prepared a special carriage for Xier. Sometimes when she wanted to buy something, she would ask Xier for help.
"I don't know either."
Gu Ningxi had already found it strange. She had only requested to be sent out on her own initiative, so why did he abandon her duties? Now, her family was restricting her travels for no apparent reason.
There may be some connection behind these two things.
"Your foreign mission—"
"Erlang Jun is here."
Gu Ningxi and Gu Ningwan fell silent at the same time. The man who came was a close follower of their grandfather and was very respected in the mansion.
Liang Xing bowed slightly and said, "I'll pass on the old master's message. I invite you to dine at Songmo Hall tonight."
"Okay, I understand. Thank you, Manager Liang."
Songmo Hall is located in the northeast of the mansion. After my grandfather retired, he moved to Songmo Hall to spend his remaining years.
It is a quiet place, and the younger generations rarely have the opportunity to set foot there except during the New Year holidays.
After Liang Xing walked away, Gu Ningwan lowered her voice and asked, "Even grandfather was alarmed?"
"Yeah." Gu Ningxi looked at the sky at noon. "I wonder what we'll talk about tonight."
…
As a junior, Gu Ningxi came to Songmo Hall early at 5 p.m. to pay his respects.
Soon, the attendants in front of the hall announced that Daoxuan Pinghou had arrived.
Gu Ningxi stood up and waited for the formalities to be completed. Lord Gu said, "Now that everyone is here, let's set the table."
"Father is right."
Gu Ningxi followed behind, moving to the side hall. At today's family dinner, only she and a younger generation were present; even Gu Ningzheng wasn't present.
It seems that it was designed especially for her.
The rules in Songmo Hall are strict, and servants come in one after another carrying dishes.
Gu Ningxi sat down in his seat. His grandfather had never been close to the younger generations in the family, but he was very prestigious.
Even though he has been retired for many years, he still has the final say in this marquis's mansion.
In the past, it was only with the approval of her grandfather that her father was able to raise her as a boy since childhood.
The maid served the dishes, and soon a lot of dishes were piled up in the small bowl in front of Gu Ningxi.
Xuanping Hou said, "You have a poor appetite recently. Eat more."
Gu Ningxi agreed, but in fact, she was not the only one who was absent-minded during the meal.
By the time we finished eating, it was already dark.
After rinsing his mouth with tea, Marquis Xuanping waved his hand and all the servants in the hall withdrew.
The room fell silent. Gu Ningxi curled his palms slightly under his sleeves, waiting for what would happen next.
It was the grandfather who spoke, and his words always represented the decision of the Gu family, and no one could change it.
"The new emperor has ascended the throne. Ning Xi once served in the Eastern Palace and is no longer suitable to stay in the court."
Facing his grandfather's gaze, Gu Ningxi argued, "I plan to ask for a post outside Beijing in exchange for my cousin returning to Beijing."
In fact, she kept it a secret from her family when she submitted the case to the Ministry of Personnel.
"No need."
At the glance of Old Marquis Gu, Marquis Xuanping continued, "When you were born, your family had already paved a way out for you. You're not young anymore, so it's a good opportunity to return to your original status."
In terms of the order of girls, Ning Xi was the fifth and the second daughter in the family.
"Your eldest sister's marriage has been promised. When you have some free time in the future, you can learn some household management skills with her."
These words were not meant to be discussed with Gu Ningxi, but to inform her.
Gu Ningxi lowered her eyes, just as she had been ordered by the Marquisate to assist the King of Shu. She knew she was the pathfinder, paving the way for Gu Ningzheng, yet she had no right to say "no." The Marquisate's words were particularly flattering: "This is a good opportunity for some experience. We've already made arrangements for you."
Marquis Xuanping was pleased: "You have always been sensible, and your family has always made sufficient arrangements for you."
He originally wanted to give him some advice, but the child was no longer the same as before, so he had to speak more carefully.
He couldn't help but admire his father's plan back then. The baby girl who grew up in Gu's villa was the same age as Ning Xi and could help her change her identity legitimately.
The dinner passed peacefully, with Gu Ningxi's silent compromise.
She returned to Leyouyuan and saw the candlelight in her bedroom from afar.
She pushed open the door and saw her mother embroidering a tunic for her in the candlelight.
"Are you back?"
"Um."
Gu Ningxi reached out to take the candle snips and dimmed the light for his mother.
"Has your father made it clear to you?"
"Um."
Gu Ningxi saw no sign of surprise on her mother's face, figuring her father had told her ahead of time. Perhaps he was still using the excuse of "doing it for our daughter's own good" to appease her mother.
Seeing that her daughter was in a bad mood, Madam Meng comforted her, "It's just a nominal death. When your status as a daughter is restored, I will take you back and find a good marriage for you."
"Marriage?"
"Have you forgotten? You are old enough to get married."
In the candlelight, Madam Meng's expression was joyful. Ever since Xi'er came of age, she had been worried about her daughter's marriage, fearing that she would miss out on her prime years. Fortunately, the Marquis was concerned about Xi'er, and at her age, it wasn't too late to discuss marriage.
Madam Meng said regretfully, "It's a pity that your cousin is not in Kyoto right now."
The reason she had revealed Xi'er's identity to Mingxuan was, firstly, because she valued her nephew's character and wanted him to protect Xi'er. Secondly, if the two children were destined to be together, they could just let it flow. This was to prevent Mingxuan from worrying about Xi'er's identity and causing any misunderstandings, thus giving up on the idea early on.
Mrs. Meng and her sister-in-law could more or less see Mingxuan's feelings for Xier. She asked subtly, "You have been with your cousin for the past few years. Have you treated him well?"
In response to his mother's question, the chaotic thoughts in Gu Ningxi's mind suddenly became clearer.
"No," she said frankly, without any hesitation, "I only have a brotherly and sisterly relationship with my cousin."
…
In the imperial study in the afternoon, Sun Jing waited for the time to go in to add more tea and tidied up the memorials that His Majesty had reviewed.
On the spacious imperial desk, a small number of items previously used in the palace were moved. The first to take up space was a drum cart, a gift from Lord Gu.
Sun Jing didn't dare to say more. After the emperor ordered people to send Lord Gu back to the marquis's mansion that day, he no longer allowed Lord Gu to attend court.
I don’t know what serious incident happened between the two of them that has led to the stalemate until today.
Sun Jing couldn't figure it out, but the drum wheel was not affected and continued to turn slowly on the imperial desk as usual.
He shook his head and sighed, then quickly stepped aside to serve.
The imperial pen moved across the paper, and Lu Jing read another memorial in his hand.
The news from the Gu family is normal, and the Xuanping Marquis Mansion is always aware of the current situation.
He ordered: "Pass it on to the secretary."
Sun Jing perked up a bit: "Yes, Your Majesty."
There were four Zhongshu Sheren, who took turns waiting in the imperial study's wings. Although their rank was not high, Zhongshu Sheren was in charge of drafting imperial edicts, making them the emperor's trusted confidants.
Soon, Zhao Feng, the Zhongshu Sheren on duty that day, received an order from His Majesty to draft an imperial edict, conferring the title of First-Rank Lady Yiguo on a certain lady in the imperial court. Since His Majesty didn't mention a name, Zhao Feng left the beginning blank.
But he secretly thought that the first-rank state lady was an honor that only the emperor's mother or the empress's biological mother could have.
Your Majesty's mother's family is the Zhending Palace, so there is no need for such an imperial decree.
Zhao Fengyan kept the news strictly confidential and focused on his own work.
…
In the next few days, Gu Ningxi still could not leave the house, so she invited her elder sister to have a chat in the pavilion in the garden.
"marriage?"
Mrs. Shen's family had not received any news about this matter. When Gu Ningxi heard about it, one can imagine how surprised Gu Ningwan was.
"Sister, don't you think this is absurd?"
She was a fifth-rank official in the capital. Just after she died of illness, the Xuanping Marquis's Mansion took back a girl who looked exactly like her and even arranged a marriage for her in a grand manner.
Does this mean that everyone in the capital is a fool?
Gu Ningwan nodded. The excuse given by the Marquis' Mansion was full of loopholes. They would never act like this. This was a blatant deception of the emperor.
Gu Ningxi thought for the Gu Mansion. If they really wanted to solve this hidden danger of hers and prevent her from implicating the family in the future, the Marquis' Mansion might as well get rid of her. This would be much easier than going through so much trouble to change her identity.
She thought in despair, if she was really killed by the Marquis's Mansion, and her death was mysterious, after all, they had known each other for so many years, so even if he was angry, he should at least seek justice for her, right?
But this was absolutely impossible. She was an official appointed by the imperial court, and the Marquisate could not let her disappear without a word.
Although Gu Ningwan also found it unbelievable, she still said rationally, "Even my grandfather has come forward to tell me about this matter, so it's most likely true."
They did plan to marry Xier off.
After exchanging information, Gu Ningxi said, "Sister, please go back first. It would be inappropriate for others to see us if we stay for too long."
Gu Ningwan nodded, guessing that Xier must have something else to arrange.
She didn't ask any more questions, but got up and left first.
Gu Ningxi moved the teacup and watched the sunlight gradually shift.
This road is the only way for Gu Ningzheng to return to the inner house after school.
"Oh, what a coincidence today, why is Second Brother here?"
Gu Ningzheng had just received a reprimand from his teacher in the study. Thinking that his father would still ask about his schoolwork, he was so angry that he had no place to vent.
"Shouldn't Second Brother be on duty at the Ministry of Works? Oh, I forgot. Now it's the New Dynasty. Second Brother should have a lot more free time, right?"
Gu Ningzheng's tone was full of gloating. Since he was a child, his father loved to compare Gu Ningxi with him, saying that he was not as talented as others and even less hardworking than others, and asked him to make more progress.
He failed the exam repeatedly, and happened to have a brother who was only the first or third place in the imperial examination, which made him extremely annoyed.
It was a true wheel of fortune. He watched Gu Ningxi's career come to an end with a cold eye. But he was different. Once he passed the imperial examination, a bright future awaited him.
By then, he would have to support the Marquis's residence. When he inherited the title, the first thing he would do would be to drive Gu Ningxi and the Meng family out, and not let them get much of the family fortune.
Gu Ningzheng kept making sarcastic remarks, and Gu Ningxi felt displeased no matter how she looked at his face.
When Gu Ningzheng came closer, she kicked him without thinking.
When she was young, His Royal Highness Prince Zhao was afraid that she would suffer a loss in a fight, so he taught her a few moves.
This kick required some strength and skill.
Gu Ningzheng was caught off guard and was kicked out of the pavilion. He fell on the ground with his back facing up, looking very embarrassed.
When his buttocks landed on the ground, Gu Ningzheng was even more incredulous: "Gu Ningxi, you actually dared to hit me!"
"Well, so what?"
Gu Ningzheng looked around and saw that many servants had seen the scene in the pavilion.
Gu Ningxi was not afraid at all because he was going to school, and his family was afraid that Gu Ningzheng would cause trouble outside, so they only assigned him a thin servant.
Seeing that Gu Ningxi was followed by attendants, Gu Ningzheng became much smarter.
He rolled over and got up, saying viciously, "Just wait!"
There were so many eyes watching him, but he didn't fight back at all.
Gu Ningzheng didn't even bother brushing the dust off his robe as he hurried to the main courtyard. Gu Ningxi must have been frustrated by his career and had lost his mind. If anyone dared to attack him at home, he would definitely punish them according to his father's family rules!
A gleam of light flashed in Gu Ningzheng's eyes. As long as he could endure it for a while, he would be completely right in front of his father.
Gu Ningxi walked slowly towards his father's yard.
By the time she arrived, Gu Ningzheng's lawsuit had almost been completed.
Gu Ningxi's clothes were spotless, but Gu Ningzheng looked a little ridiculous.
"Father." She raised her hand in greeting.
Marquis Xuanping had not originally planned to send anyone to call Gu Ningxi, but when he saw that she came anyway, he didn't say much.
Gu Ningzheng waited for his father's response, but he didn't expect his father to respond sharply. Instead, he turned to him and asked, "Were you the one who provoked him first?"
"baby……"
Gu Ningzheng was speechless for a moment: "I just said a few words to my brother, and he took action without saying anything."
The evidence was clearly on his clothes, and there were many people in the garden who could testify.
"If Father doesn't believe it, he can just summon them all."
Gu Ningzheng was full of confidence, but the Marquis of Xuanping didn't hesitate: "You are disrespectful to your elder brother, disobedient and unfilial. Where have you studied?"
Gu Ningzheng never expected this to happen. He said loudly, "Father, it's——"
Marquis Xuanping gave Gu Ningzheng a look and he shut up awkwardly.
"Go out and kneel down. Don't get up without my order."
He raised his hand slightly, and the servants carried Sanlangjun out.
Gu Ningzheng's eyes were full of disbelief, but he dared not disobey in front of his father.
Gu Ningxi watched all this coldly. If it were in the past, her father would never support her.
Even though he always felt sorry for Gu Ningzheng, his father undoubtedly loved him the most as his only son.
No matter how smart and sensible a daughter is, she can never compare to a legitimate son.
If the disputes among the younger generations were brought to their father's attention, they would all be punished with fifty lashes, even if Gu Ningzheng was the first to provoke them.
In the past few days, she has even noticed a change in her family's attitude towards her.
She intentionally ate less, so the kitchen would change the dishes and send them to Leyouyuan, fearing that she would eat less.
In such a situation, what else does Gu Ningxi not understand?
What kind of huge benefits could make the Gu family not afraid of the crime of deceiving the emperor and still help her get married?
The answer is obvious.
…
The candles in Leyouyuan were lit until midnight.
Gu Ningxi leaned against the couch, looking at the newly hung "River Boats and Landscape Painting", which was almost the same as his dream.
The candlelight is bright, reflecting the majestic landscape.
She smiled self-deprecatingly.
It turns out he already knew it.
No wonder the Empress said she had no energy to change her fate; it turns out that destiny is always determined by fate. Just like this painting, it finally came into her hands, and it is difficult to change it.
Whether it was His Royal Highness Prince Zhao in the past or the current Emperor, neither of them needed a political marriage to consolidate their position.
He had no intention towards the Gu family.
Gu Ningxi couldn't help but wonder when and why he had discovered her identity?
In Wangyun Tower, he told her that he would grant amnesty to the whole country, pardoning all crimes except treason.
At least at that time, he was already hinting at her.
Also in the imperial study, he asked her whether she felt that being an official in Jiangnan had a better future than in Kyoto.
So he had planned to preserve her official position.
But she refused them all, which made him angry.
His position is not as a friend, but——
All the answers were about to come out, and the light on the candlestick popped twice.
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