Chapter 21

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Chu Yi’s long, thick eyelashes fluttered slightly, the tips trembling with faint golden sparks that twinkled, while a hint of amusement flickered in his dark eyes.

“The fire brigade is here!”

A deafening cheer erupted throughout the entire street as the fire brigade’s soldiers finally arrived, albeit slowly, to assist the yamen officers in extinguishing the fire.

Gu Yan Fei, however, paid no attention to any of this.

After finishing her task, she headed straight back to the Gu residence on Hua’an Street.

Juan Bi was waiting for her at the back gate. Upon seeing her return, she let out a sigh of relief and quickly ushered her inside.

The entire residence was now under Gu Yan Fei’s control, and the servants did not dare to question her actions. As a result, her comings and goings never disturbed anyone.

The Gu residence was peaceful, with no one inside aware of the fire at the Dan Yang Prefecture office.

That night was long and tormenting for some, yet for others, it passed in the blink of an eye, nothing more than a night’s sleep.

Early the next morning, rumors spread rapidly to the Gu residence like a bombardment.

For instance, there were rumors that the Nan Yue people had openly poisoned the First Prince and even set fire to the Dan Yang Prefecture office.

There were also rumors that the First Prince, being under divine protection, was completely unharmed.

Another rumor claimed that although most of the Dan Yang Prefecture office had been burned down, the fire thankfully did not spread to the nearby residences.

It was said that the arsonists were a group of Nan Yue people acting under the orders of a high-ranking Nan Yue official. The authorities had managed to capture most of them, but it was unclear whether the Nan Yue official had been apprehended.

These shocking pieces of news left everyone in the Gu household stunned.

For several days, the people in the city were fervently discussing the incident. Every time they passed by the half-destroyed Dan Yang Prefecture office, they shuddered at the thought of what could have happened. If the fire had spread across the entire city, they feared they wouldn’t have been able to escape.

“Those Yue people are truly despicable and shameless!”

On October 15th, the Emperor dispatched several hundred Jinyiwei and imperial guards to Dan Yang City to escort the First Prince back to the capital, creating quite a spectacle.

It wasn’t until October 16th that Old Madam Gu received the news that the city gates had finally reopened.

Old Madam Gu had been stuck in Dan Yang City for six extra days and was eager to leave. She immediately gave the order to depart that very day, fearing that any delay might lead to unforeseen complications.

As a result, the servants of the Gu household sprang into action, arranging the carriages, packing up the luggage, and handling the necessary farewells.

By mid-morning, four Gu family carriages passed in single file through the northern gate of Dan Yang City, setting off in grand style on their journey back to the capital.

Gu Yan Fei and Gu Yun Zhen shared the second carriage, with the little kitten naturally accompanying them. The two women and the cat chatted happily, enjoying each other’s company.

Along the way, Gu Yun Zhen spoke at length about various matters concerning the Marquis’ residence. She described the layout of the residence, mentioned how five branches of the family were currently living there, and talked about several key stewards and older maids. She even brought up some of the Gu family’s extended relatives by marriage. Her explanations were thorough and detailed.

Although Gu Yan Fei was already aware of most of this information, she patiently listened. She knew that Gu Yun Zhen was speaking with good intentions, and many distant memories gradually became clearer thanks to her detailed recounting.

Old Madam Gu had something weighing heavily on her mind and was eager to return to the capital. Thus, unlike the leisurely pace they had taken on the journey there, she ordered the coachmen to quicken their pace, pushing forward without delay. In the end, the group arrived in the capital a day earlier than they had on the way to Dan Yang.

At over fifty years old, Old Madam Gu was no longer young, and the tiring journey left her utterly exhausted. Yet, despite her fatigue, the first thing she did upon returning to the Marquis’ residence was not to rest, but to bring Gu Yan Fei and Gu Yun Zhen to Cihe Hall.

“Grandmother, you’ve returned!”

A young girl dressed in a crimson gown came out lightly, greeting Old Madam Gu with a graceful step.

The girl had bright eyes and white teeth, her radiant smile like the morning sun breaking through the clouds. Her eyes sparkled, as brilliant as lotus flowers floating on a rippling lake.

Gu Yan Fei instantly recognized her—it was Gu Yun Rong. That familiar face seemed to bridge the gap of two hundred years in an instant.

For a fleeting moment, Gu Yan Fei felt as though the two hundred years she had spent in the Yaoling Realm had been nothing but a dream, like Zhuang Zhou dreaming of being a butterfly.

She fought to suppress the stirrings in her heart, forcing herself to remain grounded in reality.

With Old Madam Gu’s return, Cihe Hall bustled with activity. The maidservants hurried around, serving tea, offering fruits and snacks, and even lighting the incense that Old Madam Gu favored. The delicate fragrance of medicinal herbs gently filled the air.

“Grandmother, did the trip to Dan Yang City tire you out?” Gu Yun Rong affectionately linked arms with Old Madam Gu, smiling sweetly as she tried to cheer her up. “I think you’ve lost some weight. Tonight, I’ll cook something special for you to help you regain your strength.”

She beamed, her smile revealing a pair of small dimples, making her appear both lively and endearing.

To Old Madam Gu, Gu Yun Rong was her treasured, considerate granddaughter. Hearing such warm, caring words, her expression softened, and she broke into a smile. “Then I’ll be looking forward to tasting your cooking.”

In terms of age, her Yun Rong was only a month or two older than that wild girl, but she was far more thoughtful and mature.

Ah, back when the old Marquis arranged the engagement with Fang Ming Feng, it was meant for the eldest daughter of the main branch. Now, poor Yun Rong had to settle for being the younger sister instead.

Once everyone was seated, Gu Yun Rong glanced around the room before nodding politely to Gu Yun Zhen. “Eldest Sister, it must have been hard on you to accompany Grandmother on this trip.”

Then, she turned her attention to Gu Yan Fei, who was sitting beside Gu Yun Zhen, her lips curling into a soft smile. “This must be Second Sister. I’m Yun Rong.”

She seemed to be naturally gifted at socializing, warm and affectionate with everyone she interacted with.

Gu Yan Fei, however, remained silent, absentmindedly stroking the sleek, glossy back of the little kitten in her arms. The kitten slept soundly, its round head buried in her elbow, completely still.

So disrespectful! Old Madam Gu shot a sidelong glance at Gu Yan Fei, her expression laced with displeasure. This girl had an inflated sense of pride but was as fragile as paper. Over the past days, she’d been acting out, likely trying to compete for attention with Yun Rong.

Sensing the slight tension in the air, Li Mama let out a cheerful laugh. Her round face beamed as her eyes squinted into thin lines, and she stepped in to ease the situation. “Third Miss, now you have another sister to dote on you!”

“That sounds wonderful!” Gu Yun Rong’s smile deepened, radiant and full of warmth.

Old Madam Gu picked up her teacup and took a sip before turning to Gu Yan Fei with a calm yet stern tone. “Second girl, now that you’re in the capital, you need to follow the rules of the Marquis’ residence. From now on, unless there’s a reason, don’t go out. Stay at home and focus on your needlework.

In a few days, the Duke Ying’s residence will be coming over to finalize the preliminary engagement. Later, I’ll have someone bring you the measurements for Young Master Fang. You are to make him a set of clothes and shoes.”

Old Madam Gu’s words were delivered as a command. Though her demeanor was calm, inwardly she was anxious. With the First Prince having arrived in the capital, the political landscape was sure to shift. Some courtiers, in the name of legitimacy, would likely support the First Prince. This could destabilize King Kang’s position.

The Empress Dowager would undoubtedly work to secure every possible advantage for King Kang, and one of the most effective methods was through marriage alliances. However, the current Dingyuan Marquis’ residence was not yet prestigious enough to catch the Empress Dowager’s eye.

Old Madam Gu was acutely aware of this.

For the Marquis’ residence, the most pressing matter now was to solidify Gu Yun Rong’s marriage with King Kang while his affection for her was still strong. But first, she had to resolve the engagement between the Gu and Fang families.