The servant stood outside the pavilion, trembling with fear.
The master has been playing the piano all night.
The sound of the piano was very pleasant, but the servant knew that it was a sign of the young master's anger.
This is a luxurious mansion, not far from Baiyi Lane where the powerful and wealthy gather.
It was prepared by the servants before Zhou Jin came to Beijing.
Since returning from the Marquis' Mansion, Zhou Jin has been sitting in the pavilion playing the piano.
The sound of the piano rises and falls, sometimes lingering, sometimes filled with wind and snow, sometimes whispering the heartfelt feelings, sometimes flowing like a river of blood.
The servant stood outside the pavilion, growing increasingly nervous as he listened, fearing he would be murdered if he could peek into his master's inner thoughts.
It was not until the steward hurried over that the servant secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
"Sir, it's late at night and the dew is heavy. Be careful not to catch a cold. Go back to your room."
The sound of the piano stopped abruptly, as if it had been cut off by someone with a knife.
Zhou Jin looked up at the steward.
The steward was a little flustered, but still said, "Young Master, you should at least take care of yourself."
Zhou Jin laughed, "What do you think of me?"
"The young master is naturally excellent."
"What about in the eyes of women?"
"Of course, he must be top-notch. Which of those courtesans doesn't have a crush on you, young master?"
Zhou Jin laughed sarcastically, "But there are people who disdain me. They treat me like a piece of trash."
The steward was speechless, afraid to touch Zhou Jin's weak spot.
Zhou Jin suddenly exploded, picked up the guqin worth a thousand gold coins, and slammed it heavily on the stone table.
Hit after hit, the guqin was smashed to pieces, leaving no hope of repair.
This peerless guqin was thus ruined.
The manager felt sorry for the guqin, and even more sorry for the money.
Master, what you smashed was not the piano, but the money.
But he didn't dare to say anything, he could only stand aside with his head lowered, like a quail.
After smashing the guqin, Zhou Jin seemed to have calmed down.
He laughed, picked up the wine jug and poured it directly into his mouth.
"It's really ridiculous. To think that I, the great Zhou Jin, the overlord of the sea, would also be trapped by a woman one day, don't you think it's ridiculous?"
"The young master is drunk!"
Zhou Jin was holding a wine jug and walking around in the pavilion, swaying from side to side.
He shook his head repeatedly, "You're wrong, I'm not drunk, I'm more sober now than ever. Isn't she just a woman? I really like her, right? Yes, I really like her. However, she won't even look at me straight in the eye."
"That's because Madam Zhao doesn't know the young master's true identity."
"What's your identity? Overlord of the sea?"
Zhou Jin kicked over the stone bench.
"Have you forgotten that this young master's identity cannot be made public?"
"The little one deserves death."
Zhou Jin pointed at the steward and said, "You really deserve to die."
The manager knelt on the ground and apologized.
The servants behind also knelt down and apologized.
Zhou Jin snorted twice, with only indifference in his eyes, without any emotion at all.
"If Gu Jiu is my doom, I accept it. But I won't accept my fate."
So what if you get married? So what if you have children?
If he likes a woman, he will get her even if he has to use any means necessary.
Even if she hated him, resented him, or even wanted to kill him, he would do whatever it took to hold her in his arms.
He is the king of the sea and his woman is the queen of the sea.
He doesn't care about the emperor's grandson at all.
Zhou Jin drank all the wine in the jug in one gulp.
Then he instructed the steward, "Pick out a few boats. This young master wants to cooperate with Madam Zhao to form a fleet."
The steward was horrified and said, "Master, please think twice."
Zhou Jin slumped down on the chair with his arms and legs, "Do I have no boats or no people? Can a few boats bankrupt me?"
The steward said hurriedly, "It would be more trouble than good to form a fleet with Madam Zhao. What if her people discover our identities?"
"You don't understand the principle of killing to silence someone, do you? If anyone can't control their mouth, just throw them into the sea and that's it."
The steward frowned, "But there are eunuchs among the people Madam Zhao sent to the south."
"A damned eunuch, I don't think he'd have the guts to go out to sea. Okay, do as I tell you. From now on, I'm going to clean up my act and become an honest businessman."
The manager looked at Zhou Jin as if he were a lunatic.
Zhou Jin laughed heartily, then his face turned cold. "On land, we are honest businessmen. But at sea, we will kill gods and Buddhas if we meet them. Anyone who dares to stop us will be killed without mercy!"
“Kill without mercy!”
The servants were all excited.
They followed Zhou Jin for the money, women, and the pleasure of revenge. If they didn't like it, they would just go for it.
After everyone got excited, Zhou Jin announced: "Get ready, we'll set off back south in a few days."
The next time he comes to the capital, he won't be so passive.
He would definitely make Gu Jiu look at him straight in the eye and make Gu Jiu remember him firmly in his heart.
…
Gu Yue followed Xie to Xiangguo Temple to burn incense.
Xie has been very worried recently.
Another year is about to pass, but the marriages of the two daughters have not yet been settled.
Gu Shan’s marriage can’t be delayed any longer, and neither can Gu Yue’s marriage.
From last year to this year, she looked at more than ten houses for Gu Shan, but didn't like any of them.
Xie Shi was planning to marry Gu Shan off to a higher status, at least not lower than Gu Jiu.
As for Gu Yue, since it’s her second marriage, the standards can be lowered a bit.
But even so, I still haven't found the right one.
Either others look down on Gu Yue, or Gu Yue looks down on others, or neither side looks down on the other.
Xie was very upset.
In addition, her daughter-in-law, Mrs. Hu, was very powerful. She wanted to seize her power as soon as she entered the house, and the quarrel went on for several rounds.
Xie was able to tie with Hu by relying on her status as mother-in-law.
Now, she has no control over Hu at all, and she can't expect Hu to set rules by relying on her status as a mother-in-law.
Privately, Xie and Gu Yue complained, "They say girls from scholarly families are gentle, but look at Hu, she's like a shrew. She even controls me. Does she even take me, her mother-in-law, seriously?"
Gu Yue echoed a few words.
Xie was filled with anger.
Two days ago, after attending the wedding banquet at the Marquis' Mansion, Gu Yue suggested going to Xiangguo Temple to burn incense and pray, and Xie was immediately attracted by the idea.
Today, they arrived at Xiangguo Temple.
Gu Shan was a little bored and her mind was not on burning incense.
The Marquis's Mansion introduced two excellent marriage proposals for her, but both were rejected by Xie. If she spoke in a way that offended others, the man's family would lose interest in continuing the relationship.
Gu Shan felt resentful.
There are a number of good families in the capital, and there are also a number of unmarried young people with ambitions.
If she continues to waste time like this, she will become an old maid.
She looked at the mother and daughter in front of her who were kissing and talking affectionately, and felt even more resentful.
Gu Yue is her nemesis.
Ever since Gu Yue came back from Haixibo Mansion, her marriage has been unsuccessful.
Countless times, she suspected that Gu Yue had done something secretly, but she was unable to find any evidence.
"Why doesn't Fourth Sister go to burn incense?" Mrs. Hu asked Gu Shan.
"Didn't my sister-in-law go either?" Gu Shan was in a low mood.
Mrs. Hu looked at the main hall and said with a smile, "I'll burn some incense after my mother-in-law finishes."
Gu Shan asked curiously, "Sister-in-law, are you praying for a child? You should pray to Guanyin, the Goddess of Childbirth."
Mrs. Hu pursed her lips and smiled, then said generously, "I'm not just praying for a child, I'm praying for everything, for my family's safety, and for my husband's wishes to come true."
Gu Shan nodded. "The provincial examination is coming up soon. I hope that Sixth Brother can achieve his wish and pass it on his first try."
Gu Yan is currently only a scholar.
If he can pass the provincial examination this year, he can participate in the big examination next year.
Mrs. Hu smiled and said, "Fourth sister is so thoughtful. Let's go burn incense too."
The aunt and sister-in-law walked into the main hall together, lit incense and candles, knelt in front of the Buddha, and prayed devoutly.
All Gu Shan wanted was a happy marriage.
Her requirements were not high, and she was very satisfied with the marriage proposed by the Marquis' Mansion. Unfortunately, it was rejected by Xie.
Gu Shan made a wish, hoping that next time, she could persuade her father to arrange a marriage for her.
The father is definitely more reliable than the mother.
After making a wish, kowtow and stand up.
The vegetarian food at Xiangguo Temple is very famous.
Since it's a rare opportunity to come here, I naturally have to stay and have a vegetarian meal.
The monk in charge of reception arranged for them to rest in the backyard.
Gu Yue said, "I've heard that the maple leaves at Xiangguo Temple are extremely beautiful. Mother, I'm going to take a walk in the back mountains first. I'll be back before noon."
Mrs. Xie nodded. "You have to be careful. Go early and come back early."
Gu Yue covered her lips and smiled, "Don't worry, mother. I'm an adult now. I won't get lost."
Gu Shan looked towards Hu.
Mrs. Hu smiled and said, "Fourth sister, let's go enjoy the maple leaves too."
Mrs. Xie was old and didn't want to move, so she stayed in the side room to rest.
Gu Yue walked out of the hospital and hurried forward, but after turning a corner, he disappeared.
Gu Shan chased out and looked around, "Strange, Third Sister was clearly here just now, how come she disappeared in the blink of an eye?"
Mrs. Hu laughed at her, "Fourth sister, you usually dislike Third sister so much, why did you choose to appreciate the maple leaves with her today? Wouldn't it be better for you if she wasn't here?"
Gu Shan stamped her feet. "I don't want to go with her to appreciate the maple leaves. She seems to be acting suspiciously, so she must have bad intentions. I want to keep an eye on her."
Mrs. Hu shook her head and smiled, saying, "Fourth sister, why bother? It's a rare opportunity to come to Xiangguo Temple, so let's go to the back mountain. Don't waste your precious time on irrelevant people."
Gu Shan looked around but couldn't find Gu Yue, so she had no choice but to give up and go to the back mountain with Hu to enjoy the maple leaves.
Gu Yue hid in the dark and secretly breathed a sigh of relief, finally getting rid of Gu Shan, the follower.
Seeing that there was no one around, she entered the moon gate again and headed towards the most remote courtyard.
The door opened and Gu Yue threw herself into Xie Shi's arms.
"Cousin, I miss you so much."
Xie Shi hugged Gu Yue tightly, "I miss you too."
The two people kissed passionately, as if burning their lives.
It took a long time for the two to calm down.
Gu Yue looked at him, and without any sign, tears rolled down her face like beads on a string.
"Why are you crying?"
Xie Shi was a little panicked and used his sleeve to wipe Gu Yue's tears.
Gu Yue turned her head and dodged.
She asked him, "Have you made any progress on what I told you last time?"
Xie Shi's face darkened. "Do you dislike me so much and don't want to be with me?"
Gu Yue lowered her head, bit her lip, and looked aggrieved.
Her voice was as soft as a mosquito, "Cousin, I might be pregnant."
"What? What did you just say?" Xie Shi frowned, as if he was hallucinating.
"I might be pregnant." Gu Yue suddenly raised her voice, then lowered it again. "I might be pregnant. I still dare to see a doctor, but I feel like I might be pregnant."
Xie Shi was surprised at first, then showed an ecstatic expression.
"Really? She's really pregnant? It's my child, right?"
Gu Yue nodded.
Xie Shi laughed heartily, "I'll marry you, and you give birth to the child."
Gu Yue pushed Xie Shi away expressionlessly, "You want to marry me? What are you going to marry me with? By the time you marry me, I guess I won't be able to hide my belly. Giving birth to a child after three to five months of marriage, even a three-year-old child would know what's going on."
Tell me, will I still be able to face people when the time comes? After the child is born, will he be able to hold his head high and live as a man? Cousin, we can’t have this child.”
"Do you want to abort the child?" Xie Shi's face was gloomy and cold.
Gu Yue cried silently, "Do you think I want to abort the child? I was married to Zhao Erlang, but I didn't get pregnant for such a long time. I once thought that I would never be able to have children in this life.
Do you know that when I learned that I might be pregnant, I was more ecstatic than you, ten or a hundred times happier than you.
But I cannot bear a dishonorable reputation, and neither can you. Cousin, please grant me your wish. If you do, I will marry you. In the future, we will have children.
"Ridiculous! Since you've decided to marry me, why are you aborting our child? Let outsiders say whatever they want. I'll come to propose today and try to have the wedding next month. That way, when the baby is born, we can just say it was born prematurely."
Gu Yue shook her head desperately, her expression painful, "Cousin, you don't understand."
Xie Shi smiled coldly, "It's not that I don't understand, but from the beginning to the end, you never thought about marrying me. You kept saying yes, and you insisted on aborting the child, but those were all excuses. You were trying to force me, weren't you?"
Xie Shiqi stepped forward and forced Gu Yue into a corner.
"Gu Yue, do you have a heart? Are you even human? How could you be so cruel as to abort your own child? Tell me!"
Xie Shi's eyes were bloodshot, like a trapped beast, unable to find a way out.
Gu Yue looked frightened. "Cousin, don't be like this. You scared me. I, I am not what you think. I am not as bad as you say."
"So how are you? Tell me!"
Gu Yue cried and threw herself into Xie Shi's arms again.
"Cousin, forget me. I'm a bad woman. As for this child, let's just assume he has no connection with us."
"No, the child must be born."
Gu Yue gritted her teeth and said, "If you want to give birth to a child, there is only one way."
"What method?"
Gu Yue looked up at him and said solemnly, "Send me to the palace."
"You're crazy!" Xie Shi pushed her away.
Gu Yue pressed on, pressing forward. "Didn't you always ask me to give birth to the child? How could you not be willing to give the child a noble status? In the final analysis, you are still selfish. You just want to possess me and let me bear a child for you. But you have never considered my feelings."
Xie Shi angrily retorted, "Nonsense. I will raise my own child. A son will not despise his mother's ugliness, and a dog will not despise his family's poverty. Even if I don't have a noble status, my son will not despise the surname Xie."
You are clearly jealous of Gu Jiu. You want to climb the ladder and try to suppress Gu Jiu, so you are deliberately trying to enter the palace. Even if you enter the palace, you are still a concubine, and you are not as good as Gu Jiu.
Moreover, you are pregnant, so you cannot enter the palace, let alone change the child's appearance and become the prince's son. From the beginning to the end, you are just daydreaming."
Gu Yue sighed softly, "There's something I haven't told you, cousin. Last month, when we met, I slept with the prince."
"What? You?"
Xie Shi was horrified and couldn't believe it, "How is it possible!"
"You had something to do and left at the time. But you didn't know that the prince saw me and was very interested in me. I just went along with it and agreed to marry him. Afterwards, I specifically reminded him not to mention me in front of you."
Xie Shi took two steps back and pointed at Gu Yue's abdomen, "What about the baby in your belly?"
"It's yours!" Gu Yue said in a resounding voice, "But it can also be the prince's. Cousin, the future of this child depends on your choice.
Send me to the palace, and my child will become a royal, and live a life of wealth and glory. The two of us will work together to support our child to inherit the throne.
Just think about it, when your child grows up and inherits the throne, what glory it will be. The Xie family will also be able to leap over the dragon gate and rise to prominence. Cousin, this opportunity is rare, can you really bear to give it up?
Xie Shi's expression changed, his eyes moved left and right, and his forehead was covered with beads of sweat.
"Have you been plotting this from the very beginning? From the very beginning, you used me to kill Zhao Erlang, and now you're using me to try to enter the palace. Gu Yue, are you serious?"
Gu Yue looked at him sadly, "Cousin, you are wrong. I have never used you. From the beginning to the end, we are all on the same boat. If you die, I die. If you live, I live. Do you want me to die or live?"
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