Chapter 29: A Change of Target

“What did you say? She went to find Fourth Young Master Gu?!”

…

That night, Su Zhenyue lay in bed, running through a list of every person she had ever known. Among those she could reach, she truly couldn’t think of anyone more suitable than Shen Ji.

The only unmarried, age-appropriate men in the Jing An Marquis Estate were the twin brothers from the second branch.

Third Young Master Gu was definitely not an option. Although he was not yet married, Su Zhenyue knew his future wife was a woman named Wan Yonglan, the daughter of a military official, and they would marry at the end of next year. The couple, though they bickered, loved each other deeply. In the second year of their marriage, they would have twin daughters, and their family would be happy and complete.

She could not interfere.

That left only Fourth Young Master Gu. The Fourth Young Master was frail but open-minded and benevolent. It was said that he didn’t want to be a burden to anyone, so he remained unmarried until his death from illness three years later. If she were with him, she wouldn’t have to bear that kind of psychological burden.

However, the Fourth Young Master was, after all, a member of the Gu family, living in the Jing An Marquis Estate with the male and female leads. If he agreed, even if she could escape the arranged marriage, she feared there would be an endless stream of trouble in the future.

—If she didn’t marry far away, Princess Chengping might not be at ease, nor would she necessarily let her go.

The Gu family might not agree to it either.

As the night deepened, Su Zhenyue’s head throbbed the more she thought about it.

Forget it, she thought. The path with Shen Ji had already failed, and she had no idea how things would turn out with Gu Yuanjing.

She forced herself to stop thinking about these things, trying her best to empty her mind. After an unknown amount of time, she finally drifted off to sleep.

She slept fitfully. In a state of half-sleep, she seemed to once again see Yuan Ye’s pale, ghastly face, right outside her bed curtains, staring at her fixedly.

Su Zhenyue cried out, jolting awake from the nightmare, her back drenched in a cold sweat.

It was a long while before she managed to fall back asleep.

The next morning, Su Zhenyue woke up a little late. She felt a dull ache in her head and had no heart to do her makeup as she sat before the mirror.

Doukou tiptoed in, a mysterious look on her face. “Miss, Xiao Wu from the Heir Apparent’s side asked me to give this to you.”

She handed over a letter.

Xiao Wu was the Heir Apparent Gu Yuanchen’s trusted personal servant. This was surely Gu Yuanchen’s doing.

Su Zhenyue frowned. Right now, she really didn’t want to deal with Gu Yuanchen anymore. If he hadn’t rushed over to question her, pressing her at every step, Shen Ji wouldn’t have found out about her affairs so quickly.

“Miss?” Seeing her hesitate to take it, Doukou was a little puzzled.

Su Zhenyue sighed and reached out to take it, reading it carefully.

In just a few short lines, Gu Yuanchen dispensed with pleasantries and said only that Duke Cheng had owed him a favor in the past. He wanted to ask Duke Cheng to step in, adopt Su Zhenyue as his goddaughter, and then mediate the situation. He reckoned that out of respect for Duke Cheng, the Princess would likely not force her anymore.

Su Zhenyue stared at the letter for a long time, her feelings a complicated mess.

That day, she had repeatedly emphasized that she didn’t want Gu Yuanchen to meddle in her affairs anymore. He had agreed, yet he had turned around and planned to seek out Duke Cheng anyway.

He was truly stubborn.

Duke Cheng was the elder brother of Princess Chengping’s first husband; perhaps he held some sway with the Princess.

But would that be enough to make the Princess change her mind and no longer insist on marrying her off to the Shu Region?

Su Zhenyue didn’t believe it, nor did she dare to gamble on it.

She knew Gu Yuanchen probably meant well, that he felt he owed her and wanted to make it up to her.

But he didn’t know about her dream. He didn’t know that the problem she had to solve now was not just about survival.

Duke Cheng’s intervention might save her life, but she was more afraid that the Princess would find out it was Gu Yuanchen working behind the scenes, become even more convinced that her existence was a threat to her daughter’s happiness, and thus be determined to send her far away.

“Doukou, has Xiao Wu left?”

“Not yet.” Doukou shook her head.

“Ask him to relay a few words for me,” Su Zhenyue said slowly. “Tell him I’ll pretend I never saw this letter, and that he should stop meddling in my affairs. The farther he stays from me, the safer I’ll be. His proximity will only bring me harm.”

“This…” Doukou hesitated for a moment before finally nodding. “Alright, I’ll go right away.”

She quickly went out into the courtyard and repeated the words verbatim to Xiao Wu.

Xiao Wu’s brows furrowed tightly as he listened. “Did Miss Su really say that?”

“Yes, not a single word is different. Just relay the message,” Doukou said with a serious expression.

Xiao Wu snorted coldly. It wasn’t his place to comment on his master’s affairs, but he still muttered, “Truly mistaking good intentions for ill will!”

Doukou was incensed. “What did you say? What good intentions? What ill will? Say that again!”

Xiao Wu ignored her and strode away.

Doukou stomped her foot in anger.

It was Su Zhenyue who called to her from the window. “Doukou, don’t be angry. Come help me with my hair.”

“Mm.” Doukou had no choice but to set the matter aside for now and go help her mistress arrange her hair.

Inside Shushixuan Residence.

Gu Yuanchen’s brows were knitted together. “She really said that?”

“Xiao Wu wouldn’t dare to lie.”

“I understand. You may leave,” Gu Yuanchen waved his hand, his expression quite unpleasant.

After knowing each other for so long, he had, in the end, truly become a source of disaster and a burden in her eyes.

But Xiao Wu remained standing where he was. “Heir Apparent, it’s not my place to say, but you truly don’t owe Miss Su anything. You’ve gone to such lengths to think and plan for her, and in return…”

“Get out!” Gu Yuanchen snapped harshly.

—Though his temperament was cool and detached, he rarely spoke with such severity.

“…Yes.” Xiao Wu was startled. He resentfully shut his mouth, bowed, and retreated.

Just as he stepped out of the study, he saw Chang Le Princess arriving with a food box.

Xiao Wu quickly bowed and stepped aside.

Chang Le Princess Wen Shan had come to deliver chicken soup. Last night, Gu Yuanchen had once again stayed in the study. Feeling dejected, the Princess had personally gone to the kitchen early in the morning to brew soup for him.

Although she was a princess of noble rank, she never lorded her status over her husband. Instead, she adopted a very humble posture.

Unfortunately, Gu Yuanchen was not particularly fond of the chicken soup she had so carefully prepared. His expression was indifferent. “If you can’t do it well, then don’t. Just leave this kind of thing to the servants.”

A pang of bitterness shot through Chang Le Princess’s heart. “Mm,” she answered in a low voice.

The moment she returned to her room and saw Sun Momo, who had raised her, Chang Le Princess’s eyes reddened. “Momo, it’s only been half a month since I returned. And he’s already…”

Gu Yuanchen had already spent several consecutive nights in the study. She had taken the initiative to bring him chicken soup as a gesture of goodwill, but his reaction was cold. She knew his personality was aloof, but he was a little too cold to her.

“It must be because of that little slut with the surname Su,” Sun Momo said, filled with righteous indignation. “Your Highness, you don’t know, but the Heir Apparent just sent Xiao Wu to the West Wing Courtyard. On the day of the Laba Festival, the Heir Apparent left the banquet early and went to the West Wing Courtyard as well. All that talk about not seeing her again was just to placate you. Hmph, that vixen doesn’t know her place, only how to seduce men. The way this old servant sees it, we should just tear her face apart and see if she can still bewitch anyone.”

Chang Le Princess Wen Shan frowned. “That’s enough, Momo. Stop it. I don’t like hearing such words.”

“Your Highness, it’s not that this old servant is lecturing you, but you need to learn some of the Princess’s methods. With your status and position, you can’t let that vixen bully you…” Sun Momo looked at her with an expression of deep disappointment.

A dignified princess, even if not throwing her weight around, was actually letting herself be wronged like this.

“I’m tired. I want to rest,” Wen Shan said, her mind in turmoil, cutting her off directly.

Sun Momo had no choice but to fall silent, though her heart still ached with injustice for the princess. She had watched the princess grow up, and in her heart, she saw her as both her mistress and her daughter. She couldn’t bear to see her suffer the slightest grievance.

Therefore, while the princess was resting, Sun Momo went to the West Wing Courtyard.

At that moment, Su Zhenyue was about to go out. Before she even reached the door, she was startled by Sun Momo rushing toward her.

She remembered Sun Momo. This was the female lead Wen Shan’s wet nurse, a reckless woman who was fiercely protective of her charge and willing to do anything for Wen Shan, including sacrificing her own life.

In that long dream, Su Zhenyue had lived a difficult life in the Shu Region, nearly losing her life on several occasions. She had tried three times to write to the Jing An Marquis Estate for help, hoping the Gu family would send someone to rescue her from her sea of suffering. Unfortunately, the letters she sent were like stones sinking into the ocean.

Only later did she find out that they had been hidden by Sun Momo, who claimed she was afraid Su Zhenyue’s letters would rekindle Gu Yuanchen’s old feelings.

In the midst of day after day of torment, Su Zhenyue had lost Nanxing…

Thinking of the old dream, Su Zhenyue couldn’t help but clench her fists.

Sun Momo’s face was stern. The moment she entered, she said, “Miss Su, a person must have a sense of propriety, righteousness, integrity, and shame. If a person doesn’t even want their sense of shame, then they shouldn’t be a person at all.”

Su Zhenyue was so angry she almost laughed. It was just like in the dream—that same condescending arrogance.

Doukou, standing to the side, was indignant and retorted, “It’s precisely because our Miss knows about propriety, righteousness, integrity, and shame that she wouldn’t barge into someone else’s courtyard first thing in the morning to spout nonsense.”

Nanxing wanted to stop her, but it was too late.

“You…” Sun Momo had always been treated with respect. When had she ever been subjected to such ridicule? Her face immediately turned ashen. “I’ll make things clear today. The Princess is kind-hearted, but Her Highness Princess Chengping is not to be trifled with. Don’t think you can seduce another’s husband just because of some old affection. If you truly anger Her Highness, you won’t even know how you died!”

Doukou was furious. “So, the assassins at the estate that night were sent by you, weren’t they?”

Sun Momo’s expression changed. She had vaguely suspected as much, but she wouldn’t admit it. “You wretched girl, how dare you slander the Princess.”

With that, she raised her hand to slap Doukou across the face.

Su Zhenyue reacted quickly, pulling Doukou behind her and dodging the blow. “I’ll make things clear today as well. I am not interested in your princess’s husband.”

“You—” Sun Momo’s face grew even uglier.

Su Zhenyue sighed inwardly. Not wanting to cause more trouble, she added, “There’s no need to target me like this. I have my heart set on someone else, and I cherish my life. Once the national mourning period is over and the Old Madam makes the arrangements, I will leave this place for good.”

Doukou’s eyes widened. “Miss?”

Nanxing, on the other hand, looked worried. Was her mistress talking about Young Master Shen? But things with the Young Master…

Sun Momo was taken aback, half-believing and half-doubting. “Fine, then I’ll wait a few days. If I find out you’re secretly seducing the Heir Apparent, I won’t care about any national mourning period. I’ll slash your face myself.”

Then, she swept out of the courtyard.

Doukou’s eyes were red with anger. “She’s too outrageous, she has no respect for anyone. Miss, let’s go to the Old Madam and have her judge this…”

“Forget it, don’t go.” Su Zhenyue was very calm. “Let’s just endure it for a month. It will be fine once we leave this place in a while.”

“Miss!”

Nanxing said in a low voice, “The Old Madam might not help us; she’d most likely just smooth things over. Miss is right, it will be good when we can leave this place in the future. Behind Sun Momo is Princess Chengping, and behind the Princess is the Emperor. We can’t afford to offend them.”

Doukou knew she was right, but she was still too angry to let it go. “So we can only endure it?”

“What else can we do? No, wait, we can also hide,” Nanxing said, her tone filled with helplessness.

Su Zhenyue sighed. “You’ve been wronged, following me.”

Both Doukou and Nanxing said, “How can this be your fault, Miss? It’s clearly them who are being unreasonable.”

Su Zhenyue forced a smile and said no more, her mind deep in thought.

The end of the national mourning period was drawing closer, and Sun Momo’s visit today was another reminder that the situation was urgent and could not be delayed.

Looking up at the gloomy sky, Su Zhenyue quickly made a decision: she would try the path with Fourth Young Master Gu.

She didn’t go to Qingfeng Courtyard again. Instead, she returned to her room and picked up the white porcelain vase from yesterday.

After a night, the red plum blossoms in the vase were still vibrant. At first glance, they looked no different from the day before.

Su Zhenyue told Doukou and Nanxing, “I’m going out for a bit.”

Nanxing was startled and asked tentatively, “Are you going to find Young Master Shen?”

“No.” Su Zhenyue shook her head. “I have something to discuss with Fourth Young Master Gu.”

Nanxing was surprised but didn’t ask further, simply nodding.

Fourth Young Master Gu was in poor health, so the elders of the estate doted on him, specially choosing a south-facing, sunny, and pleasant location for him. And because he loved painting, his residence was named “Zhongmo Study.”

Su Zhenyue had been in the Jing An Marquis Estate for many years and had long known of this place, but this was her first time visiting.

It was indeed a pleasant place to live.

The young servant at Zhongmo Study was also surprised to see her and hurried to inform Fourth Young Master Gu.

Fourth Young Master Gu had recently acquired a new painting and was admiring it. When he heard that Su Zhenyue had come to visit, he was stunned for a moment. “Quick, invite her in.”

A short while later, Su Zhenyue glided in, holding the white porcelain vase with the red plum blossoms.

She smiled faintly, looking a little embarrassed. “I’m not disturbing you, am I, Fourth Brother?”

“No, not at all.” Gu Yuanjing explained with a smile, “I don’t have much else to do every day besides look at paintings. It’s good that you’ve come; we can look at them together.”

Having said this, he belatedly remembered to ask, “By the way, A Yue, you came to find me for…”

“I came to find Fourth Brother to continue yesterday’s topic,” Su Zhenyue said with a light laugh.

Fourth Young Master Gu was taken aback, then he too began to laugh. “I thought you were just saying that casually yesterday. I didn’t expect you to be serious.”

“Of course I’m serious. Didn’t Fourth Brother say yesterday that red plum blossoms are more suitable for painting?” Su Zhenyue’s expression was sincere. “Look, I even brought the red plum blossoms with me.”

As she spoke, she tilted her chin slightly, gesturing for him to look at the red plum blossoms in her arms.

The smile on Gu Yuanjing’s lips deepened. “I happen to have a painting of red plum blossoms here. I wonder if you’ve seen it. Wait a moment, I’ll find it for you.”

The two had known each other since childhood. Although they weren’t close, they couldn’t be called distant either. Gu Yuanjing had a gentle personality and was very friendly. Su Zhenyue had conveniently started with a topic he was interested in, so they got along quite harmoniously.

He generously took out his long-treasured red plum blossom painting and invited Su Zhenyue to admire it with him. Afterward, he began to paint the red plum blossoms Su Zhenyue had brought onto paper.

Su Zhenyue watched him paint in silence from the side, occasionally offering a word or two of praise or helping to pass him his painting tools.

During this time, there were no superfluous actions, nor were there any superfluous thoughts.

Before she came, she had already made up her mind to take the path with the Fourth Young Master. But now that she was actually in front of him, she found herself hesitating again.

It didn’t feel quite right.

The Fourth Young Master and Gu Yuanchen were cousins. Even if he paid no mind to worldly affairs, he must have heard a little about her and Gu Yuanchen’s past.

Besides, they had all grown up together; they were too familiar. She really couldn’t bring herself to actually make a move.

Furthermore, with the lesson from Shen Ji fresh in her mind, she didn’t dare to rashly do this kind of thing—using feelings—again.

As her thoughts were running wild, there was a sudden “smack.” A paper ball landed in front of her, and Gu Yuanjing’s smiling voice sounded, “Zoning out again. What are you thinking about?”

“Nothing, it’s nothing,” Su Zhenyue replied casually. She looked up at Fourth Young Master Gu, and a thought suddenly struck her.

It didn’t necessarily have to be seduction.

Perhaps, she could use another method?

Shen Ji hadn’t slept well for three consecutive nights.

The first night was due to a drunken hangover, and the following two nights were spent tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep.

But he was young and healthy after all. Despite sleeping poorly, he was still full of vigor when he woke up in the morning. He went out when he needed to and read when he needed to, as if the events of that day had had no effect on him at all.

As the hour of Si approached, Ping An came in to replace his tea with a hot cup. His movements were extremely light, afraid of disturbing his master.

However, Shen Ji suddenly spoke, asking faintly, “Did you not pick anything up at the door today?”

As he asked this, he didn’t raise his head, his gaze still fixed on the book in his hands.

“Ah? Pick what up?” Ping An was stunned for a moment, then it dawned on him. “Oh, you mean Miss Su? Miss Su didn’t come over today, nor did she leave anything at the door.”

Shen Ji’s expression froze. “She didn’t come over?”

She actually didn’t come over again?

“Right.” Ping An mused that perhaps Miss Su had taken his advice from yesterday to heart. It seemed Miss Su was someone who listened to reason.

Shen Ji’s eyes flickered, and then he let out a derisive laugh.

It’s only been a few days? Has she lost her patience already?

Giving up so easily? Was this the extent of her so-called sincerity?

Shen Ji’s eyes narrowed slightly, barely suppressing the churning emotions within him. He then thought of another possibility and asked nonchalantly, “Was a doctor summoned to the West Wing Courtyard?”

She couldn’t be sick, could she?

“Summon a doctor? No.” Ping An thought for a moment, and fearing he wouldn’t believe him, he emphasized, “Really, no. I just saw Doukou a moment ago. She didn’t mention anything about calling for a doctor.”

Shen Ji let out a soft “mm.”

Warming to the topic, Ping An added another sentence, “She only said that Miss Su took a vase of red plum blossoms to Zhongmo Study to find Fourth Young Master Gu…”

Shen Ji froze, his phoenix eyes narrowing unconsciously. “What did you say? She went to find Fourth Young Master Gu?!”

“Yes.”

“Did she say what for?”

Ping An shook his head. “She didn’t say.”

“Mm.” Shen Ji’s eyes shifted. For some reason, he had a vague, ominous premonition.