The atmosphere at the table gradually became more lively.
The sun was already setting in the west, and the babbling brook was tinged with a crimson hue.
The water shimmered, casting deep shadows; it was clearly not a scene of drinking, yet Gu Yaoniang still felt somewhat stifled, her face burning. She told Xie Danqiu and the other woman, rose from her seat, and walked outside with Bitao.
The scenery in Jingyuan is truly beautiful.
Following the path westward, amidst lush vegetation and chirping insects, Yao Niang found herself at the lower reaches of the Jade Belt River in the scenic garden.
The river water still carried some of the daytime heat, and under the glow of the setting sun, a faint white mist rose.
The river in the garden is not very wide. There are artificial hills and pavilions for resting around it. A winding path made of bluestone runs along the riverbank, stretching to who knows where.
Yao Niang didn't want to run into anyone else here, so she followed the path and found a secluded corner. She leaned against the rockery and stared at the water, lost in thought.
Seeing that there was no one around, Bitao was a little scared. But she also felt that there should be no bad people in the princess's residence, so she calmed herself down and quietly stayed by her side.
But then, the sound of rustling footsteps came from the direction the two had come from.
Gu Yaoniang and Bitao were both startled. However, since they were only taking a break here and had not done anything else impolite, they calmed down a bit.
They all looked in the direction of the footsteps, and were somewhat surprised when the person appeared before them.
The person who arrived was none other than Qin Yuxiu.
Unexpectedly, he came to see me before I even looked for him.
Yao Niang had imagined seeing Qin Yuxiu again a thousand times in her mind.
They might be at each other's throats, blaming one another; or they might stand in silence, tears welling in their eyes. But no one expected that they would suddenly find their eyes meeting here.
The accusations and questions, which she had rehearsed a thousand times beforehand, seemed to be stuck in her throat. Yao Niang was stunned for a moment and remained silent.
Qin Yuxiu spoke first: "Sister Yaoniang."
Gu Yaoniang didn't expect him to call her that.
Back in Qingyun County, when they were engaged, he would call her that whenever they met.
Now, time has passed, and he seems to be completely unaffected, with a calm expression and no remorse, calling his sister "sister".
Gu Yaoniang felt a sudden surge of annoyance for no apparent reason.
Seeing that she didn't speak, Qin Yuxiu continued, "I saw you at the banquet just now, but given our different statuses now, I was afraid that greeting you abruptly would only cause trouble."
I saw you leave your seat, so I followed you. Are you feeling unwell?
Qin Yuxiu sized up the woman before her. She hadn't put on much makeup, and her clear, bright face was as beautiful as ever. Now, her cheeks were flushed, and she seemed impatient, which only added to her lively and charming demeanor.
He secretly compared Gu Yaoniang's and Xie Danqiu's looks and couldn't help but feel a little regretful.
If the Gu family were a powerful and established family like the Xie family, he wouldn't have to bear the blame for being a heartless person.
He had already considered this. If he were to take Yao Niang as a concubine, it would be the best of both worlds.
He felt he could protect Gu Yaoniang to some extent, thus fulfilling their bond of growing up together.
Gu Yaoniang felt uncomfortable under Qin Yuxiu's gaze and turned to look at the grass beside her. Seeing that no one was around, she had no intention of dealing with Qin Yuxiu.
She said, "I was just looking for you. I came to Shuojing specifically to find you."
Qin Yuxiu looked surprised: "Looking for me?"
Gu Yaoniang nodded calmly.
Qin Yuxiu didn't know whether Gu Yaoniang had come to ruin her or to force her to marry her. Fearing that Gu Yaoniang might do something irreversible in a fit of resentment after the marriage fell through, Qin Yuxiu's expression was somewhat inscrutable, carrying a hidden unpleasantness.
While quickly thinking of a solution and an excuse, he pretended not to know and asked in surprise, "What do you want with me?"
Seeing his expression, and having overheard snippets of conversation from Princess Ruining and Xie Danqiu earlier that day, Gu Yaoniang already had a guess about the answer she was seeking.
But she still wanted to verify it and hear the answer from Qin Yuxiu herself.
“Lord Qin…Lord Qin,” Yao Niang almost called the wrong person again, the words swirling in her mouth before she continued, “I only want to ask you to confirm one thing.”
She spoke with utmost respect and asked with utmost seriousness, "I want to know, is it because you feel I am not good enough for you, which is why you claimed to be unmarried and sought a higher social class elsewhere, or...?"
She paused for a moment, then said, "You never expected that the sage would bestow a marriage upon us. All of this is simply in accordance with the will of Heaven."
Qin Yuxiu hadn't expected her to ask such a question.
He felt somewhat relieved. If that was the case, then Gu Yaoniang probably hadn't said anything inappropriate to Xie Danqiu. Sitting with Xie Danqiu at the banquet was likely her way of trying to curry favor with her future mistress.
He had assumed that her journey to Shuojing must be because she had feelings for him and was unwilling to give up their marriage.
Today's meeting will likely result in either desperate pleas or tearful accusations.
Unexpectedly, he was so calm, as if he was truly just looking for an answer.
Would she be able to remain so calm if a woman were to be jilted by her own newly appointed top scholar?
Yao Niang got straight to the point, so Qin Yuxiu didn't beat around the bush either, stating her previous plan: "Sister Yao Niang, the annulment of the engagement was a last resort, and I know that I owe you a lot."
He stepped forward and said sincerely, "I did not mean to let you down. My dear sister Yaoniang, the marriage arranged by the Emperor was not my wish, but since things have come to this, I cannot bear to leave you alone and helpless."
Seeing that although his tone was sincere, his eyes were shifty and he dared not look her in the eye, looking guilty, Gu Yaoniang already understood seven or eight parts of the situation.
Her insistence on seeing Qin Yuxiu was not because she harbored any romantic feelings for Qin Yuxiu, nor because she believed everything Qin Yuxiu said.
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