Chapter 4 Peach Blossoms Stealthily
As dawn broke, the light shone through the hazy window paper into an inconspicuous room in the Gu family home.
The person on the bed had their eyes closed, their brows furrowed, and cold sweat beading on their forehead.
A cacophony of wailing filled his right ear, and a sharp, dull pain shot through his head. There was killing, fire, and howling; his blood felt like it was on fire, as if a million ants were gnawing at his body.
Gu Yun Shen suddenly opened his eyes.
It's that dream again.
He struggled to sit up, fumbled around his pillow for a while, and pulled out an old cloth bag.
The long needle pierced the skin and penetrated the blood vessels, and drops of bright red, hot blood slowly seeped from the wrist.
My mind gradually cleared, and the red spots on my wrist gradually overlapped with the firelight in my dream.
The sharp pain actually gave him a vague sense of pleasure.
In a short while, the silver needles turned from white to black. He wiped his arm with a clean handkerchief and casually tossed it aside.
When Guan Nan entered, what he saw was Gu Yun Shen administering acupuncture.
The boy's eyes, which were filled with coldness, were bloodshot, and his pale arms were covered with needle marks.
Guan Nan, used to this, withdrew his gaze and whispered, "Young Master, the Marquis has invited the Second Miss Lin to go on a spring outing to Cangwu Mountain in the south of the city tomorrow. Shall we go?"
Gu Yunshen changed his clothes without changing his expression and asked, "Mount Cangwu?"
“Mount Cangwu is beautiful, but the terrain is treacherous. Many people have fallen off the cliffs and their bodies have never been found.” After saying this, Guan Nan carefully observed his expression, considered his words, and said, “At that time, the Marquis only had a girl with no strength to kill a chicken by his side, so the chances of winning were ninety percent.”
Gu Yun Shen did not answer, his gaze falling on the peach tree outside the window.
Following his movement, Guan Nan noticed a pale pink rag on the table, stained with blood, and asked anxiously, "Young Master, were you injured yesterday?"
"It's just a low-level tactic." Gu Yun Shen withdrew his gaze: "Tomorrow I'm going to Cangwu Mountain, you go and inquire about the whereabouts of the Medicine Master."
He stared thoughtfully at the strip of cloth torn from Yu Wenxue's skirt not far away.
Ask him if there is a medicine that can restore a terminally ill person to full health in a short period of time.
*
Yu Wenxue slept soundly until dawn.
I thought that changing to a new environment would cause me to have insomnia and vivid dreams, but I slept very comfortably that night without any discomfort.
The only thing I'm not used to is this pillow. Jade pillows are all the rage these days, filled with lots of medicinal herbs and herbs. They smell nice, but they're too hard.
The maid Ziyun came in carrying a basin of water, spilling half of it out. Seeing that she was awake, she quickly put away her impatient expression and said, "Miss, you're finally awake. If you wait any longer, it will be time for dinner."
Yu Wenxue sensed her sarcastic tone and awkwardly touched her hair: "Do you think it would be inappropriate for me to go and pay my respects to the old lady now?"
Ziyun pouted and said, "The old lady said you're not feeling well, so there's no need for you to pay your respects."
Yu Wenxue nodded, hugged her pillow, and yawned.
Ziyun: "Miss Chen next door spent half a month embroidering sachets as a gift for the Marquis, while you've been here for two days. On the first day, you were seasick and unconscious, and on the second day, you ran away and disappeared all day. The old lady just sent her maid Hu to bring you a lot of calming incense. Even if you don't go to pay your respects, you should at least go and thank her..."
She's either sleeping or running around aimlessly. When will I ever get ahead if I follow her?
She was quite happy when she first met this master.
There are at least eight or ten cousins in the Marquis's household, all of them beautiful and graceful. This new girl is the most outstanding among them. Even without makeup, she can outshine everyone else. However, she is a dull and unassuming person who doesn't compete for anything...
Upon hearing the words "fragrant sachet," Yu Wenxue paused in her yawning.
She remembered this scene: a young lady embroidered an exquisite sachet and gave it to Gu Rongting. Gu Rongting wanted to refuse, but he was too tongue-tied to say no. He also heard that the sachet had the effect of calming the mind, so he reluctantly accepted it.
Not only did he accept it, he also wore it on his person, which caused Lin Qingwan to cry for three whole days after returning home...
Gu Rongting wasn't stupid; he went to explain, only to recklessly utter that classic line: "I have absolutely no relationship with her; she's just my cousin..."
Lin Qingwan was even angrier.
No way!
"He accepted that sachet?" Yu Wenxue immediately jumped out of bed, her voice even louder.
Seeing that she had finally come to her senses, Ziyun was slightly relieved: "Not only did you accept it, but you also carried it with you. Are you thinking of doing something with it, Miss?"
What a big idiot!
Yu Wenxue quickly washed up and left the house without even eating.
But Gu Rongting had gone to court early in the morning, and she couldn't find him now.
What should I do?
Be a sneaky little mouse, sneak into Gu Rongting's courtyard, and steal the sachet.
Gu Rongting's courtyard was located directly south of the Marquis's residence, while the young ladies' courtyards were directly north, making it quite time-consuming to travel back and forth.
I heard that the late Madam, Gu Rongting's birth mother, loved tending to flowers and plants when she was young, so many places in the Marquis's mansion were filled with flowers.
As for Gu Yun Shen's mother, she is not mentioned in the original book. It is only recorded that he lived with his mother in a villa before he was 6 years old. After his mother passed away, he was taken back to the Marquis's mansion and later sent to the mountains.
When Yu Wenxue passed by this dilapidated courtyard for the third time, she realized she was lost.
What comes into view is a dilapidated courtyard wall, and the yard is overgrown with weeds that are taller than the wall, indicating that no one has lived there for a long time.
Only the peach tree leaning against the wall was so vibrant and beautiful that it was impossible to look away.
"Is the young lady going to see the Marquis or the Old Madam?"
Yu Wenxue turned around and saw a middle-aged man dressed simply but with gold teeth staring at her with a smile.
"This old servant is the steward of this mansion. Miss, you can just call me Qian San."
"Uncle Qian," Yu Wenxue asked, "do you know where the old lady's courtyard is?"
Qian San was somewhat surprised by her address, paused for a moment, and then said, "If you wish to pay your respects to the old lady, you should head northwest. However..."
He gave a meaningful look: "The Marquis's courtyard is right behind this one."
Qian San was an old man in the mansion, having followed the old Marquis since his lifetime, and considered himself to have seen countless people.
At first glance, he felt that this girl had clear eyes, a clean temperament, and outstanding looks, and that her future was bound to be limitless.
If we give her some help from time to time, and she becomes successful in the future, she might even become his friend.
"The Marquis has arranged to meet Miss Lin at Cangwu Mountain tomorrow. If you wish to see him, it would be best to do so tonight..."
"Mount Cangwu?" Yu Wenxue asked.
Wouldn't that be like wearing a sachet to see Lin Qingwan and offering yourself up for death?
Qian San gave him an "I understand" look, his eyes narrowing into slits: "But it's not like the young lady has no chance at all, it's just..." He twirled his fingers, making a gesture as if asking for money.
Yu Wenxue read a certain hint in his eyes.
She couldn't make it too obvious.
Under Qian San's expectant gaze, she put on a resolute expression: "Don't worry, I will definitely not bother your Marquis tomorrow."
She patted her chest: "I mean what I say!"
Yeah, right!
Qian San: "......"
That doesn't seem to be what he meant, does it?
Seeing that Yu Wenxue was staring at the peach tree, he kindly reminded her, "Miss, you are new here and don't know many of the rules. Ordinary people are not allowed to touch this courtyard."
"Is anyone still living in this courtyard?"
Just as Qian San was about to speak, the tightly closed iron gate creaked open from the inside, revealing a young man dressed in a white brocade robe, standing tall and straight like a pine tree, as if he had stepped out of a painting.
Gu Yunshen frowned slightly, staring intently at Yu Wenxue, when a pale pink peach petal fell down his shoulder.
Despite his unparalleled handsome appearance, his complexion was almost sickly pale.
Yu Wenxue was taken aback at first, then looked away.
The courtyard was overgrown with weeds and in a state of disrepair, worse than even the servants' quarters.
She peeked inside a few times; the paper windows had holes, and the tiles were covered in cracks. If a heavy rain came, they would probably shatter completely.
Why do the two brothers, both children of the old Marquis, receive such drastically different treatment?
A few birds chirped in her ear, but Yu Wenxue was lost in thought and didn't hear what Qian San and Gu Yunshen were saying.
Suddenly a cold wind brushed her cheek, and she immediately became more alert. Qian San, who had been there earlier, was nowhere to be seen.
Looking up again, she met Gu Yun Shen's unfathomable gaze.
"Were you looking at me just now?"
Yu Wenxue's eyelids twitched, and she pointed to the peach tree behind him, saying, "I'm looking at the tree. The peach tree in your yard is really beautiful."
She feigned regret, saying, "It's a pity that peach blossoms in spring are most suitable for making wine. If we pick these fresh flowers, we won't be able to enjoy this beautiful scenery."
Gu Yunshen subtly distanced himself from her, and that comforting sweet scent wafted over again, even easing the headache caused by the nightmare.
He chuckled softly: "You're right, some things are only interesting to take while you're alive."
...
It's that familiar smile again.
The last time he said he'd cut off her mouth, he was smiling like this.
Yu Wenxue didn't really want to hear what he was going to say next, so she forced herself to change the subject and said, "I'd like to take a walk around the area. Would you like to come along, Second Young Master?"
Reject me! Reject me!
Gu Yun Shen gave her a half-smile and said, "I have something to do, so I'll take my leave first."
Yu Wenxue clutched her fragile heart and exhaled.
Still alive, hehe!
The most important thing right now is to stop Gu Rongting from appearing in front of Lin Qingwan with the sachet given to him by others. As for other things, she doesn't plan to consider them for the time being.
Back in her room, she carefully analyzed the current situation.
This means that she must snatch Gu Rongting's sachet before the Lin family's carriage arrives tomorrow.
Not only that, she also needs to find ways to increase their intimate interactions so that there will be substantial progress.
Life is so tiring, Xuexue is heartbroken.
The room was filled with a faint fragrance; the incense burner contained some kind of medicinal herbs that were relaxing and made it easy to fall asleep.
Yu Wenxue lay on the bed, racking her brains for a solution for half the night, before falling asleep without realizing it.
The next day, she got up very early and secretly followed Gu Rongting's carriage after he left the mansion.
No sooner had the carriage left than Gu Yunshen spurred his horse toward the foot of Cangwu Mountain.
A note from the author:
Daughter: My neck feels cold, and I suddenly have a bad feeling. What could this be?
A random thought: This is a new theme I'm trying out. Please leave comments and give it a thumbs up, everyone! [laughing emoji]
The author is a 996 office worker, but only for this month. Next month, I won't need to work overtime and can update normally! If any of my little angels who have followed my serialization know, I am very diligent.
Currently, there's no ranking, so I update 2-3 times a week. When there's a ranking, I update according to the ranking, starting at 7 AM. Thank you for your support! [hug]
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