Chapter 59

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“Meaning!” screeched the five-colored parrot nearby, hopping in place as it opened its beak.

The Emperor extended a finger and gently scratched the parrot under its chin, appearing utterly unruffled.

Chu You’s body grew taut, the veins in his neck bulging. Ever since the Emperor ascended the throne earlier this year, he had introduced a series of benevolent policies. Some praised him as broad-minded and magnanimous, while others saw him as indecisive and overly soft-hearted. Who would have guessed that this time, he would break from his usual ways?

Anxious, worried, and uneasy, Chu You felt as though a massive spiderweb had ensnared his chest. He wasn’t afraid of the Emperor, nor did he fear the Duke of Ying’s household. His only concern was that Gu Yun Rong might believe she had dragged him down—and to spare him trouble, she would swallow her own pride and consent to that marriage.

Chu Yi took a leisurely sip of hot tea before speaking again. “Seventh Royal Uncle, you certainly are devoted to the Third Young Lady of the Dingyuan Marquis’s household. But you have to give something up if you want to gain something, don’t you agree?” A faint smile curved his lips.

Chu You’s gaze grew even colder as he stared at Chu Yi, sharp as a blade. He fully understood what Chu Yi was implying.

“Cough, cough…” Chu Yi turned away, lowering his eyes as he covered his mouth with a plain white handkerchief. His shoulders trembled slightly, betraying his weariness. He coughed for a long while before finally settling, then looked up, picked up his tea cup, and took a few gentle sips as his cheeks flushed slightly.

Chu You squinted his eyes and coldly fixed his gaze on Chu Yi for a long, long while…

Inside the Eastern Warm Pavilion, silence reigned—broken only by the occasional flutter of a parrot’s wings on its perch, producing a soft rustle. After what felt like an eternity, the stiffly standing Chu You finally moved. With a curt bow to the emperor, he said, “Imperial Brother, I must take my leave now.”

Without waiting for any response, he dismissed the moment with a flick of his sleeve and strode away at a brisk pace, his back as upright as a pine. Not pausing for the little attendant to draw the curtain, Chu You roughly pulled it aside himself. The curtain was hoisted high before falling heavily, swinging wildly in midair. Along the way, several palace attendants and maidservants bowed to him, but he ignored them completely as he departed the Eastern Warm Pavilion in a hurry, taking three steps for every two.

Before him, a familiar figure came into view. It was a man, about thirty-seven or thirty-eight years old, dressed in a straight-cut Taishi-blue robe adorned with dark patterns, his waist cinched with a rhinoceros horn belt. Complementing his attire were a small seal carved from chicken blood stone and a sky-blue pouch. His neatly trimmed sideburns and imposing bearing left little doubt of his refined presence.

“Greetings, Your Highness Kang Wang.”

He stopped five steps away, respectfully clasping his fists in salute to Chu You. His manner was beyond reproach, yet Chu You’s expression visibly darkened. Of course, he recognized this man: Fang Ming Feng’s father, the current Duke of Ying. Clearly, the Duke of Ying had come to petition the Emperor for Fang Ming Feng’s marriage at this precise time.

Chu You merely gave the Duke of Ying a sidelong glance before sweeping away in silence, flicking his sleeve with force. After crossing a courtyard, he finally halted, unable to resist looking back. He caught sight of the Duke of Ying entering the Eastern Study, greeted by the little eunuch’s polite welcome. The entrance stood empty now, save for a single withered leaf caught in a gust of wind, spinning and drifting to the ground.

My heart is sinking… he thought as he watched that solitary leaf. Given the Emperor’s attitude earlier—and with the Empress Dowager’s decree—there was a real chance His Majesty might indulge the Duke of Ying’s request. Chu You clenched his teeth, almost to the point of cracking them, as Chu Yi’s words rang in his ears: “…Sometimes you have to sacrifice something to gain something. Wouldn’t you agree, Imperial Uncle?”

Even though Chu Yi hadn’t said so explicitly, the meaning was obvious: If Chu You wanted to get what he desired today—if he wanted the Emperor to take his side—what could he possibly offer in return?

If he wanted to marry his Yun Rong, he needed something valuable to offer in exchange.

But what could he possibly give?!

Chu You’s expression darkened further. A wild beast seemed to be roaring inside his chest, thrashing violently in frustration. The cold wind howled, the sky hung heavy with gray clouds, and his mind churned with restless thoughts. His steps quickened.

He needed to see Yun Rong—immediately.

By the time he reached the palace gates, he spotted his attendant in the distance, holding the reins of his horse while anxiously craning his neck in search of him.

“Your Highness!” The attendant hurried forward. “Just now, I heard that the Duchess of Ying went to the Marquis of Dingyuan Residence.”

Chu You’s eyes widened sharply, flames flickering within his pupils. His rage surged like wildfire. One thought burned through his mind—The Duke of Ying went to see the Emperor, and now the Duchess of Ying has gone to the Gu family…

Could they be trying to force Yun Rong into submission?!

At that very moment, the Duchess of Ying had indeed arrived at the Marquis of Dingyuan Residence.

For days, Gu Jian and his wife had sent invitations to the Duke of Ying’s household, only to receive no response—like stones sinking into the sea. The Fang family had remained completely silent. Growing anxious, Old Madam Gu had finally ordered a trusted servant to visit the Duke of Ying’s estate in person. Only then did the Duchess of Ying finally agree to come.

This matter naturally didn’t escape Gu Yan Fei’s notice. The Duchess of Ying’s arrival at this moment could only mean that Old Madam Gu had made some sort of promise.

Old Madam Gu wouldn’t easily give up on Kang Wang as a “grandson-in-law.” If she wanted the Duke of Ying’s household to back down, she must have offered them something in return…

With that thought, Gu Yan Fei sent Qing Guang to Cihe Hall once more.

Qing Guang was no stranger to sneaking into Cihe Hall. Familiar with the layout, the little cat slipped in and out without alerting a single soul. A single incense stick’s time later, the kitten returned, its bright eyes gleaming with excitement and its belly full of words.

With a swift leap, the milk cat sprang onto the desk, launching into an endless stream of meows. Its expression was unmistakably smug, practically boasting as if to say, Without me, what would you even do?

“Meow, meow… Meow, meow, meow…”

It went on so long that its mouth grew dry, but when it saw that Gu Yan Fei wasn’t showering it with gratitude, it finally realized—Gu Yan Fei didn’t understand a word.

The cat froze on the spot, its fluffy fur visibly deflating in disappointment.

Gu Yan Fei reached for a small wooden box nearby. As soon as she opened it, the rich aroma of crispy dried fish filled the air. The dejected kitten’s emerald eyes suddenly widened, shimmering with excitement at the sight of the dried fish. Instantly revitalized, it clamped onto Gu Yan Fei’s sleeve with its tiny teeth, tugging with all its strength to pull her toward the vanity.

With a few nimble leaps, the cat landed on the dressing table and began pawing through the jewelry box. It rummaged around for a moment before hooking its curved claws around a jade pendant and proudly holding it up, gesturing wildly.

“Meow, meow, meow…” Qing Guang chattered excitedly.

Gu Yan Fei took the jade piece from the cat’s paw, utterly perplexed. 

It was an ordinary round jade pendant, its edges carved with a cloud motif and a butterfly design in the center. This wasn’t anything special—every young lady in the Gu family had one, though the patterns varied slightly. Some had dragonflies, others swallows or larks…

She lifted her hand slightly, letting the jade pendant dangle from her index finger, swaying back and forth. Qing Guang was immediately captivated, its emerald-green eyes following the swaying jade pendant, letting out soft miwu, miwu sounds of fascination.

Of course, Gu Yan Fei didn’t believe that the Duchess of Ying was after this particular jade pendant. It had to be something far more valuable—valuable enough for the Duchess of Ying to stop at nothing to obtain it.

Her mind spun through past events. In her previous life, the Duke of Ying’s household had clearly looked down on her, yet they had begrudgingly accepted the engagement. Just a few days ago, the Duchess of Ying had even brought her son to personally plead for the marriage…

Could it be that the only reason they were willing to let Fang Ming Feng marry her—a mere substitute—was for the jade pendant? Or perhaps, to the Fang family, it never truly mattered whether the engagement was with Gu Yun Rong or Gu Yan Fei. 

What mattered was the pendant itself.