elder brother
"It's not certain yet, but it's almost certainly going to work out."
He smiled and accepted the grapes that Gu Yu had picked for him. "The grapes are quite sweet. Miss Gu is really amazing; you even know how to grow grapes."
"I learned it from books."
Gu Yu was pleased that this person was sensible and even knew to praise her. It wasn't easy for her to grow these grapes, and she wanted to share some with him.
She would definitely have been unwilling if it weren't for the fact that he was very useful.
"Miss Gu is intelligent and learns everything very well."
Gu Yu nodded and sent the man away, afraid that he might want something else.
After Xu Qiu left, Gu Yu complained to her maid, "You see, once you give someone a little something, they'll start pestering you. They're so annoying."
Before choosing Xu Qiu, she had thought about him carefully.
He lost his parents at a young age and lived under the roof of others. Then, he was sold into the palace by relatives who thought he was a burden, and was adopted by Xu Shanhai as his godson.
Such a person has never experienced emotions since childhood. They had little family or friendship when they were young, and they know even less about love when they grow up. Gratitude may be the only sweetness they have ever known.
Therefore, he was willing to give his life and die for Xu Shanhai.
For him, emotions are the last thing he needs.
Wealth and fame can come first; feelings must come last.
So what would it be like if such a person fell in love with a girl one day?
He was probably only thinking about how to use this girl, and then telling himself, "I don't like her, I'm just using her."
They're just for show; once they've achieved their goal, they discard it like worn-out shoes.
Later, he belatedly realized he actually liked her, only to find that the girl was heartbroken and had no intention of talking to him at all. And then...
Gu Yu ate the grapes that Qiu Ju had peeled for her, and lazily lay under the grape trellis to cool off.
...The girl must be heartbroken to know that everything was a ploy and she doesn't want to forgive him, but Xu Qiu, having tasted some sweetness, is unwilling to let go and won't allow the girl to live a normal life.
Therefore, she said that any girl who is liked by Xu Qiu is destined to be unlucky...
Chunyue listened closely and whispered to Qiuju, "I told you not to let Miss read those storybooks. You like reading them, fine, but you even dragged Miss to read them with you. Listen to this, she's talking nonsense even in her dreams now."
Qiuju said helplessly, "It really wasn't me. It was at the palace banquet last time that Miss watched the excerpts of opera performed by Princess Yuning and suddenly became interested in reading these stories about talented scholars and beautiful women. You know, I can't refuse Miss, and there's nothing I can do about her."
"However, Miss is feeling much better after taking the medicine prescribed by Doctor Nan. So let her go see the doctor. I will keep an eye on her and make sure it doesn't disturb her rest."
Chunyue didn't know many characters and couldn't understand those romantic novels, so she asked curiously, "Are they really that good?"
Qiuju pulled her away, saying, "Let me tell you something. Keep your voice down and don't disturb Miss's nap."
"Tell me about it..."
"Then I'll tell you a story," Qiuju said in a low voice, whispering mysteriously in Chunyue's ear.
*
"Father, leave it to me. Just go and invite my brother over at Shenshi (3-5 PM)."
Gu Yu, dressed in a light-colored dress, stood gracefully in the lobby, confidently patting her chest to assure everyone.
Seeing that his own daughter was ready to get engaged, while 23-year-old Gu Jin was still single, how could Gu Hanying bear to leave the capital for the north?
Fortunately, his daughter was very thoughtful. She had already planned to find a wife for her brother. As soon as he returned to the capital, she discussed holding a flower-viewing banquet and inviting young ladies from noble families to visit the mansion.
While we're at it, let Gu Jin take a look and see if there's anyone he likes. Maybe we can get to know each other better. If we're mutually attracted, we might be able to arrange a marriage soon.
"Alright, I'll leave the affairs of the manor to you. It's not appropriate for a grown man like me to get involved. A-Yu, please take care of things."
"Definitely, definitely."
After seeing off her adoptive father, Gu Yu began to decorate the mansion. If there was anything to admire in the height of summer, it would definitely be the lotus flowers planted in the pond.
So she chose the pavilion in the center of the pool as the venue for the banquet, and arranged many ice blocks around it to cool it down. Fortunately, the pavilion was surrounded by tall trees, so it wasn't hot.
The breeze blowing from the center of the pond is cool and refreshing, making it a pleasant way to beat the summer heat.
“Ayu, I was the first one here.” Zhang Liuying handed her the gift she had brought. “This is a new hairpin from the Treasure Pavilion. I knew you would like it when I went to see it last time.”
"Thank you, Liuying." She led Zhang Liuying to the pavilion and had her sit down.
The pavilion was very large; it could comfortably accommodate more than twenty young ladies, though Gu Yu found it a bit noisy.
They ate snacks, played games like the "Flying Flower Order" game, and composed poems about lotus flowers. In the end, some of the young ladies played leaf cards, while others wanted to go boating on the lake, and still others had their eyes on the lotus pods in her pond.
Everyone had a good time, but by late afternoon, Gu Yu still hadn't seen Gu Jin, which was a bit strange.
As dusk settled and everyone rested from their play, sitting in the pavilion admiring the fading sunlight, the white lotus blossoms bathed in the afterglow, Chunyue finally led Gu Jin there.
Gu Yu called out to him happily, thinking that Gu Jin was not coming. "Brother, you've finally come!"
The invited ladies all knew Gu Yu's intentions, and they all came prepared today. They didn't expect that the protagonist would arrive so late, after waiting for half a day.
They almost forgot the purpose of this flower-viewing banquet, and upon seeing Gu Jin, they all began to pay attention to their demeanor.
Gu Yu introduced her friends to Gu Jin one by one, while observing her brother's expression.
His face was expressionless, serious, and showed no unusual expression.
Gu Yu sighed. She had put in so much effort, but Gu Jin didn't like any of them. Did he really like celestial fairies?
Zhang Liuying looked at Gu Jin with a flushed face, and mustered up her courage to speak, "Young Master, could you accompany me for a walk by the pond? I... I have something I want to tell you."
Gu Yu was also surprised by Zhang Liuying's boldness. In her eyes, Zhang Liuying had always been the most timid one, and her voice was always soft.
It was the first time she had ever heard her speak so loudly.
“Brother, why don’t you accompany Liuying for a walk? She’s a guest, and I don’t want people to say I’m not hospitable.”
Seeing that he remained unmoved, Gu Yu said aggrievedly, "What if this kind of reputation gets out and they no longer want to befriend me or come to my residence?"
"Alright," Gu Jin conceded.
The other reserved young ladies, seeing Gu Jin being taken away by Zhang Liuying, gritted their teeth and hated themselves for not being more capable. Why didn't they volunteer? Now they had no chance.
Gu Yu smiled and saw the others off, thinking that even a strong woman can be swayed by a persistent suitor, and the same would be true if the roles were reversed.
Zhang Liuying, you'd better live up to expectations. You're the daughter of the Vice Minister of War. Getting married will at least give you an extra ally in the court.
Is the thing that makes cowards willingly stand before others, as if they've been given a magic potion, completely transforming them into different people, really the love between men and women?
Gu Yu chose not to disturb the two, but returned to her own courtyard and ate some pastries. However, Gu Jin came to her courtyard.
"Ayu, why didn't you discuss what you did today with me beforehand?" Gu Jin frowned.
Are they here to interrogate me?
“I think this is a pleasant surprise for your brother,” Gu Yu replied. “How did your talk with Liu Ying go?”
“I have no interest in these things right now, Ayu. You don’t need to do these unnecessary things for me.”
Why? Gu Yu found it very strange. It seemed that getting married and having children was something all men had to do, even if they had no feelings for their wives, it was still for the sake of continuing the family line.
However, her brother is twenty-three years old this year, and he is already one of the few unmarried men in Shengjing City.
“Because it’s unnecessary,” Gu Jin said to her earnestly. “Because I haven’t met a woman I truly love, there’s no need to get married.”
Gu Jin rarely thinks about starting a family on his own; it's mostly something he's forced to do. His father brought it up, his grandmother brought it up when she was alive, and now his younger sister, who's grown up, is bringing it up.
He was a very responsible person. Protecting his country and his home was his responsibility as a man and as someone from a military family.
Taking care of his younger sister was also a responsibility ingrained in his bones from birth.
He was two years older than Gu Yu and spent more time with his father and mother. He could better understand his father's deep love for his mother and his mother's almost sacrificial love for his father.
He had watched the two of them grow up together, living in harmony and mutual support, so he firmly believed that only such deep affection could lead to marriage.
The responsibilities on his shoulders were too heavy, and he carried too many lives on his shoulders. He would get tired, and sometimes he would have the thought of escaping.
It wasn't exactly a noble idea, but at least within his options, he didn't want to take on the responsibility of caring for a strange young lady.
If you're going to get married, you have to make sure he's willing.
Gu Yu found it strange that her brother was thinking this way, as if he was running away from something.
If he wants to marry the woman he loves, he should at least give those ladies a chance to get close to him and understand each other.
However, judging from her observations over the years, he rejects all women, almost as if they were monsters. It's no wonder that someone like him would never find a woman he truly loves.
Does he not like women?
A thought suddenly popped into Gu Yu's mind, and she quickly shook her head to get it out of her head.
Whatever the reason, Gu Yu could hear the weariness in her brother's words.
Her brother was always busy. As soon as he returned to the capital, he was appointed by Emperor Shengyuan as the commander of the three major camps in the capital region. Then he had to get familiar with the situation of each camp.
He must be very tired.
“Ayu, something happened in the camp today, so I came back late. I was supposed to be back by Shenshi (3-5 PM).
He didn't blame her at all; instead, he explained to her why he came home late.
"If I made you break your promise in front of those friends, it's my fault."
With guilt in her eyes, Gu Yu watched him holding his forehead and rubbing his throbbing temples. She took a step closer and reached out to massage his tired temples.
Her hands were small, with soft fingertips and no calluses—typical hands of a pampered young lady who had never been exposed to the hardships of life.
The force was controlled perfectly, as if he did it often.
Gu Jin let his sister approach him, then closed his eyes and calmly accepted her concern and comfort.
It's a strange feeling, as if my heart has softened a bit.
His younger sister has grown up and become more considerate. She has learned to protect herself when he and their father are not around.
And then...
She is old enough to get married.
He had actually considered that if A-Yu didn't want to, she could remain unmarried for the rest of her life, but he was more afraid that his timid and weak sister would be hurt by the harsh and sarcastic words of the world.
So he and his father were looking for a husband's family that could protect his sister for the rest of her life.
It can't be too high, or his sister will feel wronged; it can't be too low, or his sister will feel wronged.
At that time, the Shen family, who extended an olive branch, was actually a very good choice.
He knew that Xu Qiu had visited his father and, though he didn't know what he had said to his father, had somehow changed his father's mind. Coincidentally, A Yu also liked him.
They are getting married.
"Brother, you must be very tired. You need to learn not to take on all the responsibility sometimes. What if you break down one day?" She said these comforting words in a teasing tone.
Before she turned ten, Ayu was always very attached to him, and liked to hold his hand and call him "brother". Later, he went to the battlefield and came back with a bloody and violent atmosphere. She was afraid of him and always hid in her room, unwilling to see him.
He felt both heartbroken and helpless.
She doesn't know when it started, but she approached him again, learning to be considerate, understanding, tolerant, and comforting, just like a mother.
With her by his side, he was finally free from the need to wear armor.
Even if she knew that his hands were stained with blood and that he carried the weight of countless lives on his shoulders, he would still be vulnerable and weary, unlike the invincible general in the people's mouths or the omnipotent god in the plays.
He was also a mortal, an ordinary person.
She was still willing to approach him and call him brother.
She was different from other women; the blood ties that were etched into their bones could not be erased by anyone.
“I don’t think so much in front of A-Yu,” he emphasized. “In front of A-Yu, I am just an older brother.”
"Is Ayu getting married? Time flies."
He smiled wearily, "Even though Ayu is married, don't forget me. I'm still your older brother."
"Of course not, brother, what nonsense are you talking about? You've always been my brother," Gu Yu replied, her expression earnest.
Gu Jin is different; both before and after, he is different to her.
He was like the sun high in the sky, the one who brought hope to her in this cold world.
However, she knew that he wouldn't be her only hero, so he became her brother.
This is good, there's nothing wrong with it. She can wear her sister's skin, cowering in the shadows, secretly gazing at the sun that doesn't belong to her alone.
She approached him openly, basking in the warm glow of the sun, and as she cautiously reached out her hand, she realized that the heat no longer burned her; it was different from before.
Things are different now than before.
“Even if you’re not a general or an admiral, you will still be A-Yu’s brother,” Gu Yu said. “If you’re tired, you can just be yourself.”
"...On my wedding day, brother, you must put aside all your official duties and send me off in style. If you are late on that day, I will be really angry," Gu Yu threatened softly.
"Okay, I understand."
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