Chapter 5

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Chapter 5: Title

After Gu Hengbo reported Gu Ran’s misdeeds to Gu Cheng, Gu Yuanqing didn’t come looking for her again, but she did hear that Gu Ran had been severely punished. As for the specifics of the punishment, Gu Hengbo had no idea. For the past month, she had been living quite comfortably, with her mother’s care and Gu Cheng, her doting big brother, occasionally bringing her treats and toys. Ever since Gu Cheng returned and she stopped acting foolish, no one dared to bother her or her mother. Gu Hengbo was enjoying her newfound peace.

She was no longer the old Gu Meisheng, the one who let others walk all over her. "If others don’t mess with me, I won’t mess with them. But if they do, I’ll pay them back tenfold." With her current temperament, she had already shown remarkable restraint.

Just yesterday, Madam Dou came to tell her that Gu Yuanqing, that old turtle, had ordered her not to leave the house for a few days. The Empress was hosting a poetry gathering in Taoyuan, and all the eligible young men and women had been invited—except for her, Gu Meisheng. Last year, only Gu Ran had been invited, but she had sneaked Gu Meisheng along, which led to a series of embarrassing incidents that even startled the Empress. Naturally, Gu Ran had pinned the blame on the "foolish" Gu Meisheng, claiming she had no idea how she had ended up there.

As Madam Dou recounted this, her eyes welled up with tears. Everyone knew the true purpose of the Empress’s poetry gathering. While it was ostensibly a gathering of talented men and women, it was really a matchmaking event. Every family of influence had been invited—except for her, the Second Miss of the Prime Minister’s residence, who was widely known as a fool. Even though Gu Yuanqing had insisted she had recovered, the Empress still refused to include her.

Gu Hengbo wiped Madam Dou’s tears away. "Mother, it’s not a big deal. Your daughter isn’t foolish anymore; she won’t have trouble finding a husband. Didn’t we already clear things up at the city gate? This poetry gathering isn’t something we need."

Madam Dou shook her head. "Meisheng, it’s not that I’m upset about this. You’re well-behaved and just as pretty as anyone else. I’m just frustrated with myself. They’re clearly bullying us." She felt she had failed her child.

Gu Hengbo’s heart ached for her. This woman had sacrificed so much. She hugged Madam Dou tightly. "Mother, I’m not unhappy. You’re the only one in this world who loves me, and that’s enough. Now that I’ve grown up, let me protect you, okay?" She said this for Madam Dou, for Gu Meisheng, and for herself. She would protect this woman with her life. In this world, only Madam Dou truly cared for her.

After comforting Madam Dou, Gu Hengbo lazily flopped back onto her bed. It had been a while since she arrived, and apart from Madam Dou, she had no maids or servants. The thought made her grind her teeth in frustration.

"Gu Yuanqing, you old rascal, I hope you don’t end up in my hands!"

Gu Hengbo lay on the bed, feeling drowsy, but a pressing need to relieve herself forced her awake. She called out for Madam Dou a few times, but when she got no response, she realized Madam Dou was out of earshot. She propped herself up, slipped on her shoes, and headed outside. Due to the lingering effects of her whip scars, she walked with her back unnaturally straight, which made her gait look rather odd.

From a distance, Gu Cheng saw her walking out and hurried over, taking her arm gently as he asked with concern, "If you need something, just call for me. Don’t wander around on your own."

Gu Hengbo rolled her eyes internally. He was treating her like she was some fragile pregnant woman. She wasn’t that weak. "Big brother, I’m fine. I just need to use the restroom."

Gu Cheng paused, then chuckled awkwardly. "Oh, go ahead then."

Gu Hengbo straightened her posture and was about to leave when Gu Cheng called her back. She rolled her eyes toward the direction of the outhouse and turned around, smiling sweetly. "What else does big brother want?"

Gu Cheng’s fair face flushed slightly. "Meisheng, as you grow older, you need to be more careful with your words. It’s fine with me, but others might not take it well."

Gu Hengbo nodded. "Got it. Anything else?" She was about to burst!

"Nothing else."

Gu Hengbo flashed him a smile and turned to leave. If she didn’t hurry, she might have an accident.

After taking care of her business, Gu Hengbo sighed in relief. When she stepped out, she noticed Gu Cheng was still waiting for her. She suddenly felt the urge to bang her head against a wall. Just then, Gu Cheng asked, "Meisheng, do you still want to go to the poetry gathering?"

Though she had no intention of attending, she understood Gu Cheng’s good intentions. She was about to refuse outright, but then she thought that since she didn’t want to go to the poetry gathering, perhaps he could take her somewhere else to have fun. She hadn’t been out since arriving, and it was all Gu Yuanqing’s fault for keeping her cooped up.

At that moment, Gu Yuanqing, who was in the palace discussing matters with the Emperor, suddenly sneezed. Everyone turned to look at him. "Minister, are you feeling unwell? If necessary, you may take a leave."

Gu Yuanqing awkwardly remained silent, thinking someone must be bad-mouthing him behind his back.

Gu Cheng agreed to take Gu Hengbo out, but on the condition that they return before Gu Yuanqing got back. Gu Hengbo simply said it was fine, and whether they returned would depend on her mood.

The Gu family had been officials in the court for generations. Several of their elders had supported multiple emperors, and General Gu Bailong, who commanded a quarter of Dongyin’s military power, was Gu Yuanqing’s nephew. The Minister of War, Zhou Li, owed his position entirely to Gu Yuanqing. Many of the Gu family’s daughters had married into the royal family. Gu Yuanqing’s sister, Gu Meisheng’s aunt, was the only current favored concubine, enjoying prestige rivaling that of the Empress. This was why Gu Yuanqing, a civil official, wielded such immense power. Political alliances and schemes had always existed throughout history, and Gu Yuanqing’s current position was undoubtedly tied to many such maneuvers.

In the time she had been here, Gu Hengbo had heard about why Gu Ran was still unmarried. The Emperor’s princes had yet to marry, so it wasn’t hard to guess Gu Yuanqing’s intentions. Gu Ran wasn’t just any woman; she was the legitimate daughter of the Prime Minister, unlike Gu Hengbo, who felt like a counterfeit.

As she followed Gu Cheng onto the bustling street, she knew there was no such country in history, yet she couldn’t help but feel a sense of reverence. She hadn’t been out for a month. Though she had faced some unfair treatment when she first arrived, she reminded herself that these were ancient people. The first thing that came to mind about that unfair treatment was the masked woman. Weren’t masks usually worn by men to look cool? What was a woman doing wearing one? Oh right, that woman was a creep, and the mask probably helped her commit crimes.

"Meisheng, where do you want to go?" Gu Cheng asked her.

Gu Hengbo looked around and asked, "Big brother, are there any gambling houses nearby? It’s been a while since I played, and my hands are itching."

Gu Cheng was taken aback, looking at Gu Hengbo with surprise. “Meisheng, when did you ever enter a gambling house? That’s not a place for women.”

Gu Hengbo realized she had slipped up and quickly waved her hand. “Oh, I’ve only been there in dreams. Don’t take it seriously, big brother.”

Gu Cheng’s lips twitched. Ever since Meisheng stopped acting foolish, he felt something was off about her, though he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. She had always been simple-minded, so he wasn’t sure what to expect now that she was acting normal. To him, her current behavior still didn’t feel quite right.

“How about I take you out for something delicious?” Gu Cheng offered.

Gu Hengbo’s eyes lit up. “Let’s go!” She was bored anyway, so she didn’t mind where he took her, as long as he didn’t try to sell her off.

Gu Cheng led her to a grand restaurant, looking at her with pride. “Meisheng, this place is mine. From now on, you can eat here for free.”

Gu Hengbo nodded to herself. Gu Cheng really had some skills. While their father held a high position in court, Gu Cheng had gone into business—something the elite families usually looked down on. It seemed Gu Yuanqing had no control over him.

As they entered, a shopkeeper approached Gu Cheng and whispered something. Gu Hengbo paid no mind and walked further inside.

“Meisheng, a friend of mine just arrived, so I can’t stay with you. Shopkeeper Liu will take you upstairs. Order whatever you want, and I’ll come back for you later,” Gu Cheng said.

Gu Hengbo smiled and nodded, slyly pocketing some of Gu Cheng’s silver. Once he left, she followed Shopkeeper Liu upstairs, already plotting how to sneak into the gambling house.

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