Peaceful World
As A-Qiu was carried along the street, the crowds on both sides parted to make way for her, and people frequently cast admiring glances at her.
She had never been so prominent in her life. If there was a previous time, it was when she first walked side by side with Shangguan Yuqi, the most beautiful woman in the Southern Dynasty, on the long street inside the palace. But at that time, the palace maids and guards were just whispering among themselves, and it was nothing like the spectacular scene before her.
She clung to Gu Yi's shoulder and whispered, "I... I'd better get down and walk by myself. This isn't good."
Beneath the veil, Gu Yi's voice rang out without any emotion: "Is there something wrong?"
A-Qiu lowered her eyes, her face almost buried in his chest, and said sadly, "Men and women should not touch each other. It's rather...unseemly for you to be carrying me like this in the street."
Gu Yi said calmly, "No. Because you are beautiful."
His irrelevant answer left A Qiu speechless for a moment. Caught off guard, her cheeks flushed red as she remembered that Gu Yi in this state would indeed speak without thinking.
When he was lucid, he never uttered a single word of praise for her appearance. At most, he would say earnestly, "Appearances are a minor matter."
The streets were teeming with people, and the clamor rose in waves. Amidst the shouts, laughter, singing and dancing, A Qiu heard a familiar sound of a luan bell coming from afar. It was particularly clear and distinct among the many voices with different characteristics.
Gu Yi had already heard it, and even through the heavy veil on her face, A Qiu could see his sharp gaze flash by.
A pleasant male voice sounded beside them, sounding very polite: "Is this young lady unwell and unable to walk? I heard that you two are going to 'Tiangongfang' and 'Tianxiangpu' in Baihuatan in the east of the city. I happen to be going there as well, and I can give you a ride."
A carriage with embroidered blue curtains stopped beside them. Inside, the curtain was lifted to reveal a handsome and refined young man in a blue robe. A white and pink peony was tucked behind his ear, giving him an air of carefree elegance.
Gu Yi said, "No need." He then picked up A Qiu and walked forward slowly.
Historically, those who offer unsolicited favors are either treacherous or thieves. Moreover, they are from out of town. Although this young man seems to have no ill intentions, he has taken note of every word they said at the inn and has now followed them. He must be someone with ulterior motives.
Given Gu Yi's style, he would never want to cause trouble or associate with this kind of person.
Unexpectedly, the young master was not angered by being rejected in public. Instead, he drove his carriage slowly to follow and said with utmost sincerity, "These silk brocades and famous flowers are well-known specialties of this county. However, you two are strangers from out of town. If you come to our door so suddenly, I'm afraid the weavers and flower farmers in the workshops and gardens may not recognize you as distinguished guests. Not only will they refuse to show us their finest goods, but they may also cause offense. This would be quite unpleasant."
Ah Qiu nestled on Gu Yi's shoulder, knowing that although the young master's words contained a hidden threat, they were also true. Local gangs and merchants have always had their own power and influence. If they and Gu Yi were to openly visit, their subordinates wouldn't be able to discern their background or whether they were good or bad. They would likely prefer to send them away quickly rather than let them wander around aimlessly.
Even so, Gu Yi would never accept the kindness of a complete stranger so easily, just as she herself would not have been so casual when she was traveling the world.
As he spoke, the young man lifted the curtain and jumped out of the carriage, standing tall and elegant in the street: "You two came out for a trip, hoping to have a good time. Why let these trivial matters affect you? If you are worried that you will be questioned all the way after receiving my favor, I happen to be a person who does not like socializing. I will lend you this carriage and I can go back on my own."
He added with a smile, "In the end, it's just a small matter of borrowing a car. I don't expect to be able to bribe you two with this. I'm just doing you a favor. Being kind to others is cultivating virtue for oneself. That's how people who travel often are."
A Qiu noticed that although he appeared respectful and sincere on the surface, his eyes kept glancing at her several times without making a sound.
But this couldn't be called offensive, because of the two, Gu Yi didn't show his face. If the other party wanted to read his expression and guess his intentions, he could only look at her. Besides, she knew that she was more beautiful than ordinary people, and even among the prostitutes on the street, she was considered outstanding. It wasn't unusual for the other party to look at her a few more times out of curiosity.
A Qiu asked herself, if she were traveling alone in the world and encountered such a situation, she would definitely decline, no matter how enthusiastic the other party was. The more enthusiastic the other party was, the more likely there was something wrong with them. Although she was highly skilled in her youth, she always went out on missions, and naturally, it was better to avoid trouble on other people's turf.
Unexpectedly, Gu Yi stopped in his tracks, seemingly glancing at her, and said stiffly, "Then thank you." Without further ado, he picked her up and bent down to get into the car.
The carriage then drove forward, but the young master stood still and smiled, saying, "When the time comes, you two only need to mention my name, 'Little Mengchang' Meng Jue, and the people in the workshops and gardens will give you a warm welcome. I will not get in your way."
This person is far too thoughtful. To prevent A Qiu and Gu Yi from feeling awkward after receiving his favor, he simply decided not to go himself.
Upon hearing the name "Little Mengchang," A Qiu was both surprised and somewhat enlightened, thinking that this man was indeed both righteous and romantic, truly deserving of the name "Little Mengchang." However, she still felt uneasy and whispered to Gu Yi, "You were initially unwilling, so why did you agree to get into his car?"
Gu Yi bent down to get into the car, but didn't put her down. She then whispered in his ear, her breath brushing against his face even through the veil. A Qiu felt Gu Yi stiffen, but he immediately sat up straight as if nothing had happened and whispered in her ear, "If I really carried you all the way, my back would get tired."
A warm breath brushed into her ear, and A Qiu was immediately embarrassed, realizing how Gu Yi felt when she spoke so close to his ear.
She immediately tried to sit up straight, just like him, but realized that no matter how she sat, she couldn't sit properly.
—After all, she was sitting on his lap.
She had already firmly remembered the rule that she couldn't touch him, and said softly, "I can sit by myself."
Gu Yi snorted lightly, but did as she said, putting her down and sitting opposite her. He said coolly, "If an arrow were to be shot through the car window right now, and I fail to catch it, don't blame me."
A Qiu herself was an assassin, very familiar with the rules of such assassinations and sneak attacks. After weighing the options, she knew that if the situation he described really happened, she would definitely not be able to catch the arrow, nor would she have the speed or agility to dodge it, and she would definitely be hit by the arrow. However, if Gu Yi held her, their movements and dodges would be as one, which would be much faster. Therefore, she carefully said, "Then I'll trouble you to hold me."
To everyone's surprise, Gu Yi sat upright and remained motionless, as if he had not heard anything.
A Qiu had no choice but to shout louder, "Gu Yi, come and hug me."
Gu Yi remained unmoved and said, "If you can sit by yourself, can't you walk over by yourself?"
A Qiu then suddenly remembered that Gu Yi had carried her earlier because he was worried she would get tired, but she herself wasn't paralyzed. However, for some reason, she seemed unusually clumsy in front of Gu Yi, and immediately said awkwardly, "I can come by myself."
Before she could move, the coachman outside the curtain finally couldn't stand it anymore and laughed, "In this peaceful world, under the clear sky, my Huanhua City has always been prosperous and peaceful, and there are also reclusive sects who uphold justice and chivalry. Right now, the bustling city streets are crowded with tourists. Where would there be any thieves or swords? This young master's words are too frightening."
A Qiu then realized that Gu Yi had tricked her, and that this plan wouldn't work on ordinary people. Only she, as an assassin, could understand it so well. She froze in place, unable to move forward or backward, and angrily shouted, "Gu Yi!"
The next moment, she was lifted into his arms. Even through the veil, Gu Yi's eyes could be seen flashing with a sharp light. He smiled faintly and breathed into her ear, saying, "Don't shout so loudly. People don't know what I did to you."
A-Qiu was both ashamed and indignant. She had always been sharp-tongued, so she retorted, "What can you do?"
The moment she finished speaking, she felt a sense of danger wash over her. A tense atmosphere filled the car, instantly becoming very strange.
After a long silence, Gu Yi said in a deep voice, "Are you trying to provoke me?" His voice was unusually hoarse.
Upon hearing this, A Qiu shuddered and immediately said, "No, no." She took the opportunity to move away from him and sit about three feet away.
Gu Yi didn't bring her back, but just snorted coldly, "You're quite sensible."
For some reason, A Qiu felt that facing Gu Yi like this was extremely dangerous. She had witnessed Gu Yi's unrestrained and reckless speech in the underground chamber, and now that she was completely powerless to protect herself, she was ultimately somewhat afraid. She couldn't help but look out the window, thinking about how to change the subject.
Gu Yi remained silent, as still as a statue. But A Qiu could tell that his breathing was slightly more rapid than usual. He seemed to be trying his best to calm himself down.
Ah Qiu couldn't help but say, "You must have been lying to me just now."
Gu Yi remained motionless beneath the veil and asked, "Which question are you asking?"
A Qiu didn't know whether to be angry or amused. The young master Gu Yi used to be known for his golden words and never lying, but now, it seemed that almost nothing he'd said to her since getting into the car was true.
She shouted, "You said your back was tired!"
Gu Yi said meaningfully, "I never said my back was tired. My back is perfectly fine."
A-Qiu realized she had been led astray again, and only now did she realize something:
I used to think Gu Yi was just a man of few words, who would rather say less than more. But when he does speak, every word he utters is insightful, and it's hard not to understand his reasoning.
She decided to stop trying to outwit him, knowing full well that she probably couldn't win. She swallowed her anger and whispered, "You'd be willing to get into this little Mengchang's carriage, of course not because... you can't carry me."
A sharp glint flashed in Gu Yi's eyes as he said, "Because his surname is Meng."
Only then did A Qiu see clearly the embroidered curtain hanging at the door. It was exquisitely embroidered with silk thread jacquard, and a large square character "Meng" was embroidered on it with silver thread.
Suddenly, something occurred to her, and she asked, "The innkeeper said that 'Tiangongfang' and 'Tianxiangpu' are both properties of the Meng family, the prefect. So this young Mengchang, Meng Jue, is very likely a member of the Meng family, and the place we are going to is one of his family's properties?"
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