Chapter 117 [VIP]
Gu Zhizhuo sat cross-legged on the chaise longue and placed the cat in front of him.
Her previous two divinations were about timing.
The left side indicates that the sooner the better, but the hexagram signifies great misfortune.
The right side indicates waiting; the marriage talisman will last at least three to six months, giving her ample time to choose a better opportunity. The divination result is uncertain, but leans towards auspiciousness.
She set up her counting rods and asked eagerly, "Which side do you choose?"
"Mmm?"
The cat looked left and right.
It placed its paws on the counting rods on the right and raised its voice excitedly.
"Meow!"
It happily pounced over, grabbed a counting rod with its paws, and grinded its teeth with delight.
Gu Zhizhu handed the counting rods on the left to the cat, who slapped them all to the ground with its little paw. It poked its head out from the chaise longue and gave a displeased "Ha—" at the scattered black counting rods.
How annoying is that?
The Qilin cat favors misfortune and dislikes good fortune.
Gu Zhizhu bent down to pick them up. She moved slowly, and after picking up all the counting rods, she smiled at the cat and said, "I've decided, I'll listen to you!"
I can't wait any longer.
Once Gu Zhizhuo made a decision, she rarely hesitated. She asked, "Qiongfang, do I have a small villa near Lotus Manor?"
“Yes,” Qiongfang replied.
They sent the Ji family to Lotus Manor.
Firstly, because this village is relatively remote, far from the main road.
Secondly, it was also because Gu Zhizhuo had a small villa nearby. This villa was recently given to him by the Grand Madam, and even Ji Shi was unaware of it.
“Take the entire Ji family to my little mountain villa, including Ji Huacheng.”
Qiongfang readily agreed and went to instruct Zheng Qi.
Gu Zhizhuo went into the inner room and took out the repeating crossbow, placing it on the octagonal table. She squatted beside the chaise lounge, touched the cat's ears with her fingertips, and asked, "Do you want to go out and play with me, or go home?"
"Mmm?"
The tabby cat, munching on counting rods, raised its little head and rubbed against her face.
"Come with me?"
Gu Zhizhuo picked it up and put it on his shoulder, casually saying, "What if your owner comes looking for you?"
"Meow!"
"Can't understand."
It should be okay to take his cat away, right?
"Chunxin, have someone prepare a carriage."
You can't ride a horse if you bring a cat.
Once the carriage was ready, Qiongfang returned, and Gu Zhizhuo only took her and Qingmei with him when he went out.
The carriage moved at a leisurely pace through the streets of the capital, with a tabby cat peeking out and scratching at the window.
"Thump!"
The piercing sound of the gong startled it, and it jumped up, burying its head in Gu Zhizhuo's arm with a soft "meow meow".
"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid." Gu Zhizhuo patted its little head.
Outside the car window, yamen runners were parading through the streets, banging gongs. The men from the Five Cities Garrison had seized a burly man, but instead of taking him away, they simply chopped off his head with a single stroke.
This scene terrified Qiongfang so much that she dared not look directly at it.
"Ahhh!"
The passersby screamed in surprise.
"Anyone who breaks into a house and robs during the chaos shall be killed without mercy."
"Thump!"
A strong smell of blood wafted into the carriage, and Qiongfang's lips trembled slightly: "Miss, isn't this... a bit too bloody?"
Executions were usually carried out at the execution grounds, not in bustling city streets like this.
"In times of chaos, harsh measures must be taken."
Gu Zhizhuo didn't even blink, looking outside as he said, "Without sufficient shock, the chaos cannot be controlled immediately. This will only cause greater harm."
At this time in my previous life, the capital city also suffered from continuous turmoil for several days, resulting in the deaths of thousands of people.
"Oh, it's your master."
Gu Zhizhuo's eyes lit up as an incredibly expensive carriage with four glass lanterns hanging at the front and back emerged from the alley at the other end, with Sheng Jiang riding alongside on horseback.
Gu Zhizhuo quickly picked up the tabby cat and made it look outside.
"Master, it's a cat."
Sheng Jiang reported to the carriage in a low voice.
Gu Zhizhuo grabbed the cat's little paw and waved it in his direction. With a snap, the carriage curtain fell, obscuring those captivating peach blossom eyes.
"Your master has a really bad temper."
"Meow!"
At least now I've explained to him that the cat is with me.
The carriage slowly drove away from the bustling city. Once outside the city, the clattering of gongs ceased, and the cat became energetic, running around wildly in the carriage.
The small mountain village was quite remote and far from the main road; the carriage took a full two hours to travel there.
Exhausted from its madness, the cat lay down on her lap to sleep. When the carriage came to a stop, it raised its little head, shook its ears, and leaped out of the window.
Gu Zhizhuo picked up the crossbow beside him and got off the carriage.
"Mmm?"
Having grown up in the capital, Shenmao had never seen such a vast world before. In amazement, she raised her Qilin tail and pounced towards the birds not far away.
The bird flapped its wings and flew to its head, angrily pecking at it hard.
"Meow!"
This small mountain villa is not large, located halfway up the mountain, occupying a hilltop, with excellent scenery. There is also a hot spring in the villa, but because the journey is not very convenient, the old lady had hardly ever come here before.
The sweltering heat of August was even more unbearable, with even the oncoming wind carrying an indescribable stuffiness.
Gu Zhizhuo looked up to the north, where there was a pavilion. Going down the hillside from the pavilion and through the woods, you could see Lotus Village.
"Young lady."
The head steward, Zheng Qi, came out from the manor to greet them, accompanied by the manor's steward, who was about thirty years old and rubbing his hands together with a harmless smile.
Gu Zhizhuo told them to dispense with the formalities and said with a smile, "Thank you for your hard work. Let's go inside and talk."
"Please go ahead."
"cat."
Hearing her call, the cat released the little bird under its paws, flapped its limbs and rushed over, affectionately circling her legs with its tail, and walked into the villa with her.
"Did the Ji family members bring their own?"
Gu Zhizhuo gently stroked the repeating crossbow in his hand and asked.
"We're still on our way, we should be there in about half an hour," Zheng Qi said. "Seventh Master Ji has arrived first, would you like to meet him?"
Ji Huacheng is the seventh son in his generation in the Ji family, and is always referred to as Seventh Master Ji.
“Take him to Wangshan Pavilion.”
Zheng Qi agreed.
Gu Zhizhuo leisurely ate lunch and drank a glass of chilled fruit syrup to cool off in the summer heat. When she arrived at Wangshan Pavilion with the cat, Ji Huacheng was already waiting there.
Ji Huacheng was arrested in Yizhou. Over the years, he had lived a very comfortable life, accumulating a large fortune, thanks to the silver given to him by the Ji family. When he was caught by the Gu family, he wondered if the Ji family's affairs had been discovered.
He asked to see the Ji family several times, but no one paid any attention. He even wondered if the Gu family had forgotten about him until recently when he was brought over from the small courtyard where he was being held.
"Young lady."
The guards all paid their respects.
Ji Huacheng turned around nervously and saw a girl with a thin veil covering her face, holding a cat, walking slowly towards him.
Miss Gu?
Is this my cousin's stepdaughter?
Ji Huacheng initially thought it was Gu Baibai who had him captured, or perhaps it was the young master's doing. He never expected that it would be this delicate little girl who came. He had heard from his cousin that this Miss Gu had been spoiled rotten, a beautiful but foolish and spoiled good-for-nothing.
Was she sent to sound out the Crown Prince on his behalf?
Ji Huacheng said warmly, "Oh, it's a young lady. I'm your Uncle Cheng. Do you remember me? I met you a few years ago."
Gu Zhizhu walked past him and sat down, leaning against the chaise lounge.
I have indeed seen it; it must have been at the Ji family's place.
Ji Huacheng's appearance hadn't changed much, and she remembered him after thinking about it carefully.
"You were this small back then, and now you've grown into a young woman." Ji Huacheng looked around and asked, "Are you all alone?"
Ji Huacheng asked indirectly, "Didn't your mother come? I haven't seen her for a while either."
"You mean Aunt Ji?"
Gu Zhizhuo looked him up and down with a smile. The calculation and probing on his face were too obvious, as if he were treating her like a fool.
Aunt Ji...?
Ji Huacheng was stunned. What did that mean? Ji Ruo had been demoted to a concubine?
"Miss Gu," Ji Huacheng said with a smirk, "who agreed to demote the Gu family's wife to a concubine?!"
His body instinctively leaned forward, but Lao Dan grabbed his shoulder and pressed it down.
Gu Zhizhuo leaned against the balustrade and calmly uttered two words: "Your Majesty."
Ji Huacheng: !
His heart skipped a beat.
Gu Zhizhuo said meaningfully, "As for the reason, I'm sure Seventh Master Ji knows it too."
Ji Huacheng's breathing faltered slightly, and he said with feigned strength but inner weakness, "What does Miss Gu mean?"
Gu Zhizhu gave a wink, and Lao Dan slapped him hard across the face. Ji Huacheng was stunned and stared at her blankly.
"Meow."
The tabby cat perched on her lap, curiously observing the person in front of it, meowing at Ji Huacheng with a joyful tone at the end.
Gu Zhizhuo said casually, "It seems that Seventh Master Ji has forgotten that he is a prisoner, and it's just me asking questions and you answering."
Ji Huacheng said sternly, "Miss Gu, I am your elder."
Old Dan slapped her again, this time on the other cheek, causing both cheeks to swell up simultaneously, making her face look deformed.
Gu Zhizhuo held the cat's paw pads and said, "Does Seventh Master Ji know that Ji Ruo is being married off in place of him?"
Ji Huacheng froze, forgetting the pain in his cheek, and swallowed hard, saying, "I...I don't know."
"Do you know the cause of death of your eldest cousin from the Ji family in the twenty-second year of the Taiyuan era?"
"I have no idea."
Ji Huacheng shouted, instinctively using loud noises to cover up his guilty conscience.
"You must know why the Ji family is trying to bribe you with money."
Ji Huacheng was covered in sweat.
She was nowhere near the foolish, ignorant, and beautiful good-for-nothing that Ji Shi described; her imposing aura was so overwhelming that she could hardly breathe.
"I have no idea!"
Ji Huacheng gritted his teeth and only managed to utter four words: "I don't know."
It wasn't that he was particularly trustworthy or committed to keeping his promise to the Ji family, but rather that there were certain things he would surely lose his life if he spoke them aloud.
As long as he doesn't talk, the Gu family can't do anything to him. At most, they'll lock him up and provide him with good food and drink.
"Mimi".
The tabby cat became even more excited, its pupils narrowing into thin slits.
Gu Zhizhu clapped his hands lightly: "Bring it over."
Well?
Ji Huacheng followed her gaze, suddenly sat up straight, and blurted out, "Clan...Clan Chief? Father, Uncle, what brings you here too?!"
The people brought over by the guards were the patriarch and elders of the Ji clan of Jiangnan.
His own father, Master Ji, exclaimed in astonishment, "How come the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion has even arrested you?!"
When the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion went to Jiangnan to arrest Ji Ruo, they surrounded the entire Ji family ancestral home, informing them that the emperor had decreed that Ji Ruo had been demoted from wife to concubine due to her forced marriage. At the time, Ji Huacheng was not in Jiangnan, and the Second Master Ji thought he had escaped this calamity.
After Master Ji spoke his mind with a mixture of hatred and anger, Ji Huacheng began to make plans.
The emperor certainly wanted to use the charge of a substitute marriage to cover up other scandals, but the Gu family had obviously discovered more, so they wanted to force him to confess.
"This is the eldest daughter," Zheng Qi said expressionlessly as he introduced Gu Zhizhuo to them.
The Ji family members looked at each other, and the clan leader politely bowed, saying, "Miss Gu."
My aunt's relatives aren't really relatives, so there's no need to return the gift. Gu Zhizhuo rested her chin on her hand and continued to say to Ji Huacheng, "I'll give you one last chance. Do you want to tell the truth?"
Ji Huacheng gritted his teeth: "Miss Gu, my eldest cousin and I aren't close. I only came to deliver a New Year's gift once..."
"Never mind."
Gu Zhizhuo coldly interrupted him, "I gave you a chance. If you don't want to talk, then don't."
Ji Huacheng: What do you mean?
"Let him go."
As soon as she finished speaking, the two guards holding Ji Huacheng immediately released him.
Gu Zhizhuo said slowly, "Seventh Master Ji, I'll let you go now." She pointed to the mountain path below, "You can go down the mountain from here, and once you cross the forest, you'll reach the official road. After you reach the official road, you can go wherever you want."
Ji Huacheng asked in a trembling voice, "You...you really want me to go?"
Gu Zhizhuo smiled faintly and said, "Of course."
Ji Huacheng felt instinctively uneasy. Was she trying to use the clan chief and his father to coerce him? Did she think that by holding their lives and fortunes in her hands, he would eventually have to submit?
"Meow!"
With its whiskers raised high, the cat excitedly pounced down, causing Gu Zhizhuo to hug its little belly.
"Don't go over there. You'll just rub against any trash. Be careful your owner doesn't want you because you're dirty," Gu Zhizhuo casually coaxed.
The cat lowered its head, licking its paws with a look of utter despair.
Ji Huacheng took two steps cautiously, and the guards stood still without stopping him.
He glanced at Master Ji, indicating that he would find a way to save them after he left.
"Don't worry about us, let's go." Master Ji gestured with his eyes.
Ji Huacheng's heart pounded with anxiety, and he took off running.
The instant his foot stepped out of the pavilion, Gu Zhizhuo raised his repeating crossbow and aimed it at him.
The arrowheads of the iron arrows reflected a chilling silver light in the sunlight, sending shivers down one's spine.
Master Ji's expression changed drastically, and he cried out in alarm, "Cheng'er, be careful!"
Whoosh!
Before he could finish his sentence, Gu Zhizhuo pulled the trigger.
An iron arrow shot out with a piercing whistling sound. Ji Huacheng instinctively turned his head, and the arrow grazed his cheek, striking the large tree behind him. The force of the impact made the trunk tremble violently, and leaves fell to the ground.
Ji Huacheng wiped his throbbing cheek with the back of his hand, and the sight of blood made his legs tremble.
He was on the verge of tears: "Miss Gu, you promised to let me go."
"Yes. You've already left, I never lie."
Gu Zhizhuo pointed the crossbow at him: "But I can't guarantee you'll make it to the main road alive."
After she finished speaking, she pulled the trigger again, and this time two iron arrows shot out at the same time, landing at his feet on the left and right.
"Miss Gu," Master Ji exclaimed, his face pale, "Ji Ru's substitution for marriage was my eldest brother's idea alone! We knew nothing about it! Cheng'er knew even less. If you have any complaints, take them out on my eldest brother. Don't hurt Cheng'er, he knows nothing..."
Gu Zhizhuo adjusted the repeating crossbow: "You don't know anything, huh?"
The clicking sound of the crossbow made Ji Huacheng's heart tremble.
The crossbow was once again aimed at Ji Huacheng.
The guards held down Master Ji's shoulders, and he could only shout hysterically, "Cheng'er, run! There's a manor down this mountain. I saw it with my own eyes when we came here. Run to the manor; there are outsiders there, so she won't dare to do anything reckless. Run!"
Ji Huacheng's mind went blank, and he took off running into the mountains.
Whoosh!
This time, three arrows struck simultaneously, with one iron arrow piercing his calf.
Ji Huacheng fell to the ground in pain.
The Ji family patriarch, his lips trembling, questioned, "Miss Gu, this is the foot of the imperial city. Although my Ji family is not an official family, we are still citizens of Daqi. How dare you harm people without authorization?!"
Ji Huacheng hugged his legs and scrambled into the forest.
"Clan Chief Ji."
Gu Zhizhuo turned to look at him and said calmly, "The Ji family has been a family of scholars for generations, passing down the tradition of combining farming and reading. Ji Jingwen, the ancestor of the Ji family, was upright, respectful and intelligent. He once said, 'Loyalty and integrity go hand in hand. A person without integrity will decline, and a family without integrity will perish.'"
“The Ji family started from a small academy and produced three great Confucian scholars in more than a hundred years, writing countless books and biographies. If the Ji family were to fall, it would not be because they could not serve in government, but because the family lacked integrity.”
The clan chief, Ji, is now sixty-one years old. He has witnessed the glory of the Ji family firsthand, and the family's honor is far more important than his own life.
His face turned pale and then flushed: "What do you mean, Miss Gu?"
Gu Zhizhuo pointed down the mountain: "Clan Chief Ji, would you like to come with me to take a look?"
“Look at the family tradition that the Ji family has been proud of for over a hundred years.”
A note from the author:
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