Cheng Ruyi couldn't help but sigh inwardly: This name is very nice; it sounds gentle, dignified, and very elegant!
"That's right. Although those who remain in the prefectural city are only from the collateral branches of the Gu family, she is the legitimate daughter of the collateral branch. Moreover, if you really count, she can be considered Consort Gu's cousin. In addition, she was the most beautiful woman in Chongzhou when she was young... Tsk tsk tsk, how glorious she was back then! Even I heard about her in Yongzhou next door!"
Her status, wealth, and beauty are all top-notch. If she were in a novel, she would definitely be an important supporting female character, even if she wasn't the female lead. She certainly has the right to be arrogant. If it were her, she would walk sideways!
What's strange is that such a famous person had absolutely no recollection of the original owner? Considering their ages, they shouldn't be too far apart, so the original owner should have been an adult when Gu Da Meiren became famous. Was it because the original owner wasn't interested in these things when she was young? Or was it because she lacked access to this level of information?
"But I don't know her at all, why would she help me?"
"I'm not entirely sure about that either, but I think it's definitely related to Wen Jingqing. Someone as cold as her only becomes incredibly docile and submissive when she's with her husband..."
Huh? Gossip? Cheng Ruyi suddenly perked up. "What do you mean by that?"
"You don't know? Back then, Gu Pinting fell in love with Wen Jingqing at first sight and refused to marry anyone but him. Isn't that something everyone in Chongzhou Prefecture knows?" Guo Qinglan was surprised. How come this older sister didn't know anything?
Seeing Ruyi's blank expression, she immediately looked at her with disappointment and couldn't help but recount the story in detail.
Before Wen Jingqing went to the capital to take the imperial examination, he visited the prefectural city. There, he happened to meet Gu Pinting, who not only fell in love with him at first sight but was also ruthlessly rejected.
Ultimately, the two were actually well-matched in terms of social status, and they were a perfect couple. Many people were very optimistic about them, and some even thought that Wen Jingqing rejected Gu Pinting because he wanted to pass the imperial examinations and then propose to her in a grand manner. Even Gu Pinting herself thought so.
Unfortunately, fate is cruel to talented people. Who could have imagined that Wen Jingqing would suddenly fall ill with a serious disease, thus forcing him to abandon his future?
What's even more surprising is Gu Pinting's unwavering devotion. Even when the imperial physician said that Wen Jingqing might not live past the age of twenty, she remained devoted and married him despite her family's objections.
This is what Guo Qinglan admires or envies most about her, so even though she was hurt by the other party's cold attitude, she still felt good about her.
"Now, under her meticulous care, Wen Jingqing has not only survived past the age of twenty, but the two have also had a son and a daughter. Ah, what a perfect couple they are!" Guo Qinglan said, her mouth dry, and she downed several cups of tea on the spot.
So that's how stories are told! Cheng Ruyi was touched after hearing it. It seems that no matter what kind of world it is, there are still women who would give their all for love... Although she didn't quite understand, she still respected and wished them well.
"So, you think Wen Jingqing asked his wife to help me? That doesn't make sense. I've never had any dealings with the Wen family, so why would he help me?"
Snap!
Guo Qinglan suddenly slammed down her teacup and said decisively, "Young Master Wen is a true gentleman! He is gentle and refined, of noble character and high moral standing. It's not surprising that he would help you after learning about this!"
Ruyi was startled by the other party's excitement. He even used the title "Young Master Wen." Well, she finally realized that Guo Qinglan was definitely a die-hard fan of the Wen family couple.
"Miss, don't talk like you've met them. In the past year, when have you ever sent an invitation and they've ever paid any attention to you?" Guo Xiaoyu finally had a chance to interject after finishing the rest of her food.
"Of course I've seen him! You've only been here a year, so you don't know, right? When Luo Xian first took office, the Wen couple came to the county government for a banquet!" Guo Qinglan stood up, unconvinced, and said seriously, "Although men and women don't sit at the same table, I still saw Young Master Wen from afar through the gap in the screen. The phrase 'a gentleman as jade as jade, unparalleled in the world' perfectly describes him!"
"Oh? Wen Jingqing is well now? He can even attend banquets?" Cheng Ruyi was quite concerned about this. Young Master Wen should only be in his twenties. Even if he were to continue taking the imperial examinations now, it would still be perfectly fine.
After listening, Guo Qinglan looked at Cheng Ruyi, sighed heavily, and said in a somber tone, "No, they only appeared briefly and then left. I heard that Young Master Wen's condition has recently worsened, and the Gu family is scrambling to find elixirs at great expense..."
"Oh, I see..." Ruyi was also a homebody in her previous life and had many friends who were fans of celebrities, so she could understand Guo Qinglan's current behavior.
After hearing such an earth-shattering love story, Cheng Ruyi's attention was successfully diverted, and her mood lightened considerably.
Afterwards, the three of them drank some more fruit wine and ate some snacks, and then chatted idly about all sorts of things.
Cheng Ruyi asked the two of them out today not only to learn about the case, but also because she had an important matter to ask them.
"By the way, besides escorting goods, does your escort agency offer any other services? Like bodyguarding? Or perhaps teaching martial arts?"
In fact, the biggest unexpected gain from this incident was that Ruyi learned that this world has its own complete martial arts system, and it is the kind of real martial arts in novels that allows one to fly over rooftops and walls, possess internal strength and true qi, and can fight against a hundred people and kill people invisibly.
She had seen You San Niang's skills before, and at the time she thought that the other party was too modest or unwilling to reveal them in front of her. However, after witnessing Guo Xiaoyu's martial arts, she realized that what You San Niang said about "poor aptitude" and "only learning the basics" should be true.
It's estimated that she hasn't even reached the "first glimpse" of the basics.
Therefore, what Guo Xiaoyu said before about the very strict threshold for learning martial arts should be true, and the threshold is higher than Yi imagined!
Moreover, the key point is that these martial arts skills seem to be kept secret, which meant she had never had the opportunity to learn them before.
Now the most likely opportunity is right in front of her, and no matter what, she wants to seize it, otherwise it would be a waste of the physical changes brought about by the elixir.
"There are guards, but what's the point of teaching martial arts?"
Guo Qinglan didn't quite understand, so she turned to look at Guo Xiaoyu, seemingly asking her with her eyes.
Unfortunately, Guo Xiaoyu also shook his head, indicating that he didn't understand either.
Seeing this, Cheng Ruyi gathered her thoughts and then said, "Uh... it's like a school, where classes are held and one or more masters teach the students martial arts... something like that? Hmm? Do you understand?"
"Where did the apprentice come from?" Guo Xiaoyu asked.
"You mean... people who live nearby and are interested in learning martial arts?"
The two seemed increasingly confused as they listened. Guo Qinglan frowned and continued to ask, "So, does 'apprentice' mean someone like Xiaoyu? Someone who will join our Changfeng Escort Agency?"
Cheng Ruyi had heard them talk about Guo Xiaoyu's background before. She was an orphan with no name or surname. The Guo family bought her and trained her because they saw that her physique was suitable for martial arts. So they gave her the surname Guo and she became a member of the Guo family.
Hearing this, Ruyi understood that there was probably no such thing as opening a class to teach apprentices. In fact, she could also imagine how precious a unique skill would be in this era, and who would easily teach it to an outsider?
But she was still unwilling to give up. "If I don't join your escort agency, can't I learn your martial arts? What if I just want to learn some basic fist and foot techniques? Are there any basic martial arts that are more common and that all martial arts practitioners know? Can you teach those?"
Hearing this, the two members of the Guo family finally understood what Cheng Ruyi meant.
Guo Qinglan asked in surprise, "You want to learn martial arts???"
"Yes, I think so!" Cheng Ruyi nodded seriously and firmly.
Seeing Ruyi's attitude, the two realized that she was not joking, and they couldn't help but seriously consider how to talk to her without hurting her self-esteem.
"Ahem, well..." Guo Xiaoyu finally broke the silence, "I said before that not everyone can learn martial arts. Learning martial arts requires a person's physique and talent to be extremely high. Back then, there were at least fifty or sixty children who were sent to the Guo family with me, but in the end, only I was left behind!"
"And even if you have no problem with your physique and talent, you still need to start learning martial arts from a young age. You... Sister Cheng, how old are you this year?"
Although Cheng Ruyi knew that Guo Xiaoyu did not mean to mock her, she still felt as if an arrow had been shot into her heart.
"I... am thirty... three this year."
In modern times, thirty-three years old might not be considered young, but it's definitely not old either. At least, one would still be in their prime. At this age, no one would question whether she was learning to dance or box. Besides, she didn't actually want to become a master like Guo Xiaoyu.
Ruyi understood that there was a huge gap between her and their thinking, but she still earnestly analyzed it with them: "I understand that you may have never heard of someone learning martial arts in their thirties, but I believe that the sea of learning is boundless, and as long as you have the will, it is never too late!"
"Moreover, my goal is not to become a master like you. I just want to learn about martial arts and improve my physical fitness, hoping that if I face villains in the future, I won't be completely flustered and confused. I'll at least know how to dodge more effectively, and if I have the opportunity to get my hands on a weapon or fight someone, I'll know how to generate power and how to use the weapon..."
"To be honest, I still feel that this matter is not completely over. My whole family consists of the elderly and the young. The other side doesn't even need to send a highly skilled fighter; just a few strong ordinary people would be enough to make us surrender obediently..."
Guo Xiaoyu immediately retorted, "You can come to us. Do you think we'd just stand by and watch someone die?"
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