Chapter 6 The Emperor's Will Is Hard to Defy Bai Xingzhi looked at the sleepy-eyed man...
"Young Master Bai, we meet again." She finished speaking with a smile, her ears slightly red with embarrassment at being caught teasing someone.
Gu Xi felt a little embarrassed by Bai Xingzhi's gaze. She lowered her eyes and her face began to flush slightly.
Bai Xingzhi watched as her head sank lower and lower, her ears turning increasingly red, and the smile on his lips deepened.
"Ahem... Young Master, it's time for us to order." Lu Feng couldn't help but remind his young master when he saw him staring at the other person for a long time.
He was puzzled. What was wrong with the young master? This Miss Gu was nothing special. Compared to the ladies in the palace and the famous young ladies in the capital, she seemed quite ordinary. How could the young master, who was usually the most calm and composed, be so stunned twice today?
Bai Xingzhi quickly snapped out of his thoughts.
"Guests, the dishes are served!" The waiter quickly brought out all the dishes.
Zhu Yin and Lu Feng also sat down and began to eat heartily.
Gu Xi ate in small bites, and when she ate something delicious, her eyes and brows were full of smiles, and she looked completely satisfied.
Bai Xingzhi couldn't help but smile slightly.
After the meal, the two exchanged a few brief pleasantries, and Gu Xi then took her leave to return to the Gu residence.
"My carriage is parked in the backyard of the restaurant. If Miss Gu doesn't mind, I'll escort you both back." He remembered that when he came up, he didn't see any Gu family carriages in the vicinity.
Gu Xi initially wanted to refuse, after all, Bai Xingzhi's status was not that of an ordinary person, and if the Prime Minister's carriage stopped at the Gu family's residence, it might attract gossip. However, she had bought quite a few things today, and it would be a bit of a strain for her and Zhu Yin to carry them all back.
This morning they took the Yu family's carriage to the city gate. After seeing Xiao Che off, Xin Yao dropped them off on Chang'an Street and then went back. It was indeed not easy to find a carriage in such a short time.
"Miss Gu need not worry. Today I am not traveling in the Prime Minister's carriage. Lu Feng will lead you two there first. I will arrive shortly after I have finished dealing with a small matter," Bai Xingzhi explained, noticing her hesitation.
"In that case, thank you, Young Master Bai," Gu Xi replied with a slight bow.
Not long after Gu Xi and the others had settled their belongings, Bai Xingzhi returned.
Bai Xingzhi sat on one side of the carriage, while Gu Xi and Zhu Yin sat on the other side.
After dinner, Gu Xi slowly felt drowsy. She tried to stay awake for a while but couldn't resist and fell asleep leaning against Zhu Yin. In her half-asleep state, she smelled a faint scent of pine, just like the one she smelled when she fainted in the snow that day, which inexplicably gave her a sense of peace.
Zhu Yin was already used to her mistress's habit of falling asleep as soon as she got into the carriage. Anyway, Young Master Bai wasn't a bad person, so she just let her be.
Bai Xingzhi glanced at the sleeping Gu Xi, his eyelashes trembling slightly. He could hear her even breathing, very light, yet like feathers gently tickling his heart.
This feeling made him feel somewhat lost, so he simply closed his eyes.
But as soon as he closed his eyes, he saw her hair fluttering in the heavy snow that day, and her charming smile afterwards, which made him irritably tug at the collar of his coat.
Half an hour later, the carriage finally arrived at the Gu residence. Zhu Yin woke up Gu Xi, and Bai Xingzhi also slowly opened his eyes.
Bai Xingzhi looked at Gu Xi, who was still sleepy and responding to the maid in a muffled voice, and his eyes grew even deeper.
The feeling of being out of control grew stronger.
Gu Xi got off the carriage with Zhu Yin's help, while Bai Xingzhi remained inside.
After they got off the carriage, it left almost immediately.
Gu Xi was still standing there. Before she could react and was about to say thank you, the carriage had already entered the next street corner.
*
On the third day after the army set off, news came from the palace that made the Gu family very worried.
When the Emperor wanted to select concubines, eligible and unmarried women had to wait at home to be chosen and sent to the palace.
In the first year of Yongjing's reign, the new emperor postponed the imperial concubine selection to the following year under the pretext of mourning. According to the Sheng Kingdom's triennial selection system, the next selection of imperial concubines should have been held no earlier than the beginning of next spring. However, for some reason, it was brought forward this time. Moreover, in previous years, only daughters of officials of the third rank or above could participate in the selection, but this year the requirements were suddenly relaxed to daughters of officials of the fifth rank or above.
Gu Chengzhong was ranked as a fourth-rank official, and Gu Xi was among them.
Gu Chengzhong rushed home after finishing court and saw his wife's worried face, knowing that they already knew.
This morning at court, the Ministry of Rites suddenly brought up the matter of selecting imperial concubines, stating bluntly that the emperor's offspring were few and needed to be replenished as soon as possible. The officials who had spoken out all agreed, urging that the selection of concubines be initiated immediately. The Ministry of Rites seemed to have been prepared; the news spread as soon as the emperor agreed.
Gu Chengzhong thought that someone must be pushing this matter from behind. The new emperor had always been indifferent to the selection of concubines, so the person who advocated this matter must be the Empress Dowager.
Of course, some people say that the emperor also used this opportunity to win over officials and develop his own power, which is why he changed the selection criteria.
"Master, has this matter been settled?" Su Jinhe asked anxiously.
"It's settled..." Gu Chengzhong looked at his wife's eager eyes, but could only nod helplessly.
For the past six months, he has been looking for a suitable person to marry Gu Xi. Among them are many talented men with excellent character and appearance. He and his wife are thinking of letting their daughter meet them. If there is a suitable one, they will settle the matter when Gu Xiao returns.
If in the end their daughter doesn't like them and they have to raise her with them for the rest of her life, they are willing to do so.
At this moment, he felt that he had been caught off guard. He never expected that the ancestral system that had been followed for hundreds of years would suddenly be changed, and that no one in the court would object!
"Master, what should we do?" Su Jinhe was pacing anxiously. "Could we arrange a marriage for Xiaoxi now?"
"Propose marriage? Now that the imperial edict has been issued, how can we discuss it? Who dares to propose it?"
"An imperial edict?" Su Jinhe exclaimed in surprise, "How could it be so fast!"
“Yes…” Gu Chengzhong sighed helplessly. The news of the election had already spread throughout the capital, and Gu Xi was already on the shortlist. No matchmaker dared to come and propose marriage.
On that day, Gu Chengzhong sent letters to Gu Xiao and Xiao Che, who were far away at the border, to discuss countermeasures, but unfortunately there was no reply for a long time.
For several days in a row, Gu's parents were so worried that they couldn't eat, and Gu Xi felt heartbroken seeing this.
Just as they were at their wits' end, Gu Xi thought of someone.
*
Bai Mansion.
Gu Xi and Zhu Yin waited in the front hall for the servant to announce their arrival. She had to go somewhere later and couldn't show her face, so she simply wore a veil and went out today.
Soon after, the steward of the Bai family came out to greet them.
"Steward Bai, I apologize for disturbing you. I was saved by Young Master Bai that day, and now that I am recovering, I have come to express my gratitude with gifts. May I trouble you to inform him?" Gu Xi explained her purpose.
"Miss Gu, unfortunately, my young master is not at home today," Butler Bai said apologetically.
Did he say when he would be back?
“Miss Gu, the young master did not explain this to this old servant.”
"Does Butler Bai know where he went?" Gu Xi continued to ask.
Butler Bai shook his head: "Does Miss Gu have something important to discuss with my young master? I can pass on the message when he returns to the manor."
Gu Xi hesitated for a moment and said, "No need, Steward Bai. Please pass these gifts on to your young master. I will come again another day."
Gu Xi was a little disappointed that she didn't see Bai Xingzhi and planned to come back early the next morning.
After leaving the Bai residence, they headed towards the Misty Rain Pavilion.
Yanyu Tower was the largest music hall in the capital. Many high-ranking officials and nobles in the city liked to come here to relax, either to drink and listen to music or to talk about the past and present.
The courtesans here are all exceptionally talented, especially the most beautiful courtesan, Yueying, whose pipa playing is unparalleled, and she constantly creates new pieces with diverse styles. She is also upright and unyielding, and some people have spent a fortune for her, but she only discusses music and never talks about romance.
The manager of Yanyu Tower was a reasonable person who never forced her to do anything. Many of the guests came here because of its reputation, and its conduct was highly praised by the ladies and young women. Yanyu Tower gradually began to distinguish itself from other music halls, and its status in the capital was unparalleled for a time.
Gu Xi and Zhu Yin entered through the back door of Yanyu Tower. They were relieved to see the person they wanted to see and know that everything was alright.
As the two were about to leave, led by the doorman, Gu Xi saw a man walking towards her with a pretty woman in his arms, and then they passed each other.
The man didn't notice that Gu Xi was looking at him through the veil.
Gu Xi couldn't see the man's expression clearly, but she remembered that the woman she was holding was smiling radiantly and looked shy.
This man was none other than Bai Xingzhi, whom she had wanted to see today but had not been able to.
Gu Xi was immediately stunned and stood there.
"Miss, that person just now looked like Young Master Bai," Zhu Yin whispered.
"Yes, it's him," Gu Xi replied softly.
"Miss, then we..."
"Girls, come with me quickly..." the doorman urged from the front. If the two young ladies were seen in the Misty Rain Pavilion, it would be a big problem.
"Let's go..." Gu Xi came to her senses and quickly followed after Zhu Yin, pulling her along.
On the carriage.
Gu Xi couldn't explain her feelings at that moment, nor did she know what she was thinking when she went to find Bai Xingzhi. Perhaps it was because of his rescue that she had the illusion that she could trust him, or perhaps it was because she felt that he, a high-ranking official, could help her get out of trouble, or perhaps it was because their brief acquaintance had made her have some inappropriate thoughts.
Now, whatever his reason for being here, she clearly realized that their relationship was nothing more than ordinary acquaintances, far from being one where she could place her hopes or entrust her with anything.
Perhaps in his heart, they were just strangers whose names he could recall, so why should he bother making a fool of himself?
"Miss, shall we still go to the Bai residence tomorrow?" Zhu Yin asked, looking at Gu Xi who remained silent.
Zhu Yin had no idea what Gu Xi wanted to do with Young Master Bai; she only knew that her mistress had seemed off ever since they met.
"No..." Gu Xi finished speaking and turned to look out the car window. At this moment, Chang'an Street was brightly lit, and every shop was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations. The cries of vendors and the conversations of pedestrians blended together, creating a lively scene.
Gu Xi just watched quietly, as if all the noise had nothing to do with her.
The next day, the Imperial Household Department sent a nanny and a painter to the Gu family.
Before entering the palace, the candidates for the imperial concubines had to go through a selection process. Painters were responsible for drawing portraits of the candidates, while the matrons would use a jade ruler to measure the candidates' facial features and head-to-body ratio. Finally, the portraits and the measurement booklets were sent to the palace to await the results.
Gu Xi deliberately made herself look even less presentable than usual today, and she was not as enthusiastic towards the painter and the nanny.
The painter and the old woman had never been treated so coldly on their journey today, so naturally their brushstrokes were sometimes too heavy or too light, and their measurements were sometimes too much or too little.
A few days passed, and when the Gu family learned that other officials' daughters had received their selection notices two days earlier, they thought the matter of entering the palace was over. Unexpectedly, an imperial edict arrived from the palace.
Gu Xi, daughter of Hanlin Academy scholar Gu Chengzhong, has been selected and will enter the palace in three days.
Gu Xi's last glimmer of hope vanished. After receiving the imperial edict, she returned to her small courtyard and did not come out again that day, spending the entire night playing the zither alone in her room.
Ultimately, the emperor's will could not be defied.
By the next day, she had convinced herself to accept the outcome.
A note from the author:
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Guess what Lord Bai did after he left?
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