Three Wives and Four Concubines in the Dream of the Red Chamber

Page 151

Chapter Twenty-Seven: A Minor Shock

The next morning, Gu Yu woke up surrounded by layers of pink legs and arms. Her long spear was full of vitality in the early morning, but unfortunately, she didn't know who was pressing her down so she couldn't get up. However, the soft and smooth touch was quite nice.

The original plan was to focus on tenderness with passion as a secondary element, but somehow, the conversation quickly turned into a series of undressing and sexual encounters.

I remember Zhou Shuren once said that the path to a woman's heart is...

Later generations have proven us right!

Fortunately, their bed at home was very spacious, so even though the sheets on their partner's bed were completely soaked, it didn't affect their sleep.

Just as Gu Yu was about to quietly pull away, Ke Qing, who was lying on top of him, opened her beautiful, hazy eyes. Her dreamlike eyes still held the allure of last night, exuding charm and captivating beauty. With just one glance, Gu Yu abandoned his plan to get up immediately.

"Master, you're awake..."

"I'm not awake yet, I'll sleep a little longer..."

Her slender waist went limp once more, and she gritted her teeth as she endured the caresses of those large hands. Ke Qing exhaled a fragrant breath and gave the mischievous Gu Yu a reproachful glance, but she still took the initiative to lean forward to make it easier for him.

"I almost forgot this is a sensitive point..."

Although that wasn't her original intention, Gu Yu was too lazy to speak. She simply languidly ran her hand over the smooth, delicate waist, enjoying the most exquisite touch in the world.

The winter quilt always has a magical power. Last night, when the floor heating was on, I didn't feel it much. But when I turned it off at dawn, and we were all naked, the girls huddled tightly in the warm quilt and slept very soundly.

However, at this moment, a soft humming sounded in their ears again. Coupled with the close entanglement and the movements, the second sister and the others finally woke up. They closed their eyes and leaned closer before they realized what was happening.

"Master~"

With his second sister on the right arm around his right and his other hand on Keqing's waist, Gu Yu could only turn his head to kiss his third sister's forehead and greet her with a smile.

"morning."

Fortunately, no one cared whether hands or mouth were more important. After fooling around for a while, the four of them forced themselves to get up and help Gu Yu get dressed.

Despite feeling sorry for the three women's bodies, which were still being whipped, Gu Yu did not refuse their sweet sacrifice. She obediently let them finish dressing before tenderly tucking them back into bed.

"Alright, alright, now that I'm back in Beijing, I'll come back to see you every three to five days. Don't worry too much. Just learn something or play cards when you have free time."

"The little opera troupe we keep at home can finally come in handy. When we're free, we can let them sing and rehearse a few more times, so when I come home, we'll have something ready for us."

Ke Qing smiled and nodded. When she first arrived, she was worried that such a grand display would be too extravagant and cause gossip, but after Gu Yu comforted her, her mindset had changed.

Now that I am a member of the Gu family, who in the manor can find fault with me?

Having gone from being a guest to the host, Ke Qing was much more at ease. She even took back the management of the inner quarters from Gu Zhong and the others, exercising half the power of a mistress of the house, while very tactfully turning a blind eye to the affairs of the household.

Who wouldn't pity and love such a peerless beauty who knows when to advance and retreat, understands gains and losses, is so stunningly beautiful, and is devoted to him?

After leaving the house with many glances back, Gu Yu washed up and returned to the garden feeling refreshed.

Having been delayed until now, the sisters should have already gone to Rongqing Hall. Gu Yu did not linger and walked through the side gate toward Rongqing Hall.

The road was already being led by maids and servants who had been instructed by Sister Feng, and they shouted to spread the news. In no time, the roadside became lively, and passing maids kept coming to watch the excitement.

"Whose young master is this? He's so handsome..."

"You don't recognize him? He lives in the garden... See, I wasn't lying to you before..."

"…whee…"

Gu Yu walked on with a calm and composed expression, already immune to the onlookers who acted like little fangirls. After all, the prostitutes in Jiangnan were much more unrestrained and daring.

"Grand Ancestor! Young Master Yu has come to pay his respects to you again."

Inside Rongqing Hall, Grandmother Jia was reclining at the head of the table, chatting and laughing with Daiyu and the others. Fengjie, having received the news, quickly relayed it to her, then said with a smile:

“Yesterday, Brother Yu had just returned and wanted to pay his respects to the Ancestor, but the Ancestor was not in good health. I had to persuade him not to, so as not to disturb the Ancestor’s peace. I didn’t expect him to come again today.”

"Let him in quickly! It's freezing cold, he shouldn't catch a cold."

Grandmother Jia was very pleased and hurriedly called someone to let Gu Yu in. Before long, a figure came around from behind the screen wall and bowed respectfully in front of her.

"This young man greets the old lady."

"Good! Good! Please rise quickly."

Grandmother Jia called out to him repeatedly, her face beaming with smiles, and she looked down at Gu Yu, who was as graceful and elegant as a jade tree, with great satisfaction.

"Thanks to Ru Hai, our Jia family was able to benefit from his proximity to talent!"

Baoqin, standing to the side, also had her beautiful eyes sparkling as she secretly stared at Gu Yu.

Today, Gu Yu was wearing a gold-threaded, three-colored, round-topped robe and dark blue cloud-patterned boots. He had a straight nose, bright eyes, and an incomparably handsome appearance. His voice was clear and melodious, and his movements were graceful and elegant, befitting a scion of a noble family. He was a sight to behold.

"Such a person truly exists..."

Countless people on the field suddenly had this thought in their minds, but only the two of them sighed after they finished their thought.

"Unfortunately, it inevitably falls into mediocrity..."

"It's a pity his surname isn't Jia..."

Gu Yu straightened up, smiled, and looked around again, as if to greet her sisters. She was then summoned by Grandmother Jia to talk about her trip to Jiangnan over the past few months.

Since he couldn't talk about what Jiang Zhi and that goofball had done in Suzhou, Gu Yu picked up on Lin Ruhai's affairs and his experiences in Jinling, interspersing his own intelligence and a few fabricated anecdotes. This not only captivated Grandmother Jia, who hadn't returned to Jinling for decades, but also piqued the curiosity of his sisters, who listened to his eloquent talk.

“Great! Great… Back then, Wang’s Shop on Jinling South Street was just a small shop. My childhood friend and I went there a few times. I never imagined it would grow to such a scale now…”

"..."

After chatting and reminiscing with Grandmother Jia for half a day and having a meal there, Fengjie enthusiastically volunteered to personally escort them into the garden. Once the servants were a little further away, she said a few words that left Xing Xiuyan and the others speechless.

"Brother Yu, when are you going to come visit me? Your little wife has even changed her name now, you probably don't know that yet~"

Baoqin, who had come along to join the fun, frowned and glanced at Gu Yu discreetly. She hadn't expected that he already had an arranged marriage...

Before she could think too much about it, Xichun gave her a little shock in the capital with a smile.

"My eldest sister has changed her name to Qiao Jie now. She's already two years old, and Yu-gege doesn't even remember to visit her. Is he going to become a heartless man?"

"??!!"

Gu Yu's lips twitched. He didn't want to be a heartless man, that's why he didn't look at it. Otherwise, how could he bring himself to do it later?

Are you going to say something like, "Back when you couldn't even walk properly, you peed in my arms?" after you're married?

That's too much torture!

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Closing the Net

The group returned to Pear Blossom Spring Rain, chatting and laughing. When the Li sisters, Coco Lee and Li Qi, passed by Daoxiang Village, they stopped. Gu Yu was happy to have two less third wheels, so she didn't say anything and walked away without looking back.

The two girls behind him looked back with a hint of reluctance at the laughing figure that was gradually disappearing into the distance, their faces full of envy.

After all, they were just guests in this garden, so it was inconvenient for them to talk and do things. They also felt a bit cramped living in Daoxiang Village with their cousin Li Wan, who was already married.

Although it's unclear why Xing Xiuyan didn't leave earlier, Daoxiang Village isn't entirely under her control, so it's best to avoid contact with people there to avoid suspicion.

As for why Xing Xiuyan didn't leave, it was naturally thanks to Baochai's arrangement. The sisters were so close to her that she didn't have time to say she wanted to go back first.

As soon as she returned, Xiangling handed her a letter, saying it was delivered from outside. Gu Yu opened it casually, her expression paused, and after reading it carefully again, she put it back in the drawer.

Unfortunately, his every move was being watched by the sisters, and it was impossible to hide it. Daiyu picked up a green date and ate it in small bites. Seeing that he still wouldn't confess honestly, she couldn't help but raise her eyebrows, her eyes dangerous.

She remained silent, but couldn't help speaking up for another reason. Tan Chun, always shrewd, noticed his furrowed brow and knew something was wrong. Forgetting her shyness, she quickly asked:

"But what's bothering you? Why don't you share it and brainstorm for a while?"

Gu Yu chuckled and raised her hand to pat Tan Chun's head, but then remembered that Bao Qin and Xing Xiuyan were still there, so she put her hand down. However, the familiar gesture still did not escape the notice of Tan Chun and the others, and they all blushed.

"It's nothing much. We just won a great victory in our campaign outside the Great Wall this year. Today at the court meeting, they said they would hold a special imperial examination to select scholars. The announcement will be made to the world soon."

"Isn't this great news? If we're going to add an extra course, it will have to be after the New Year, and then the following year it will be once every four years. If it happens twice in a row, the chances of getting into high school will be much better."

Baoqin noticed that they were all a little unhappy and was puzzled. She assumed that these young ladies didn't know much about the imperial examinations, so she quickly tried to comfort them.

Daiyu secretly rolled her eyes. What difference would it make if it happened once or twice? Anyway, Yu-gege's talent would never fail the exam. But if it's a year earlier, wouldn't Yu-gege have one less year to spend in the garden?

Now we can still live in this garden with excuses like being young, family ties, and studying hard. But what excuses will we have when we're in high school?

Yingchun, unusually quick-witted, looked at Gu Yu with a nervous expression and said:

“Since we’re going to hold a special imperial examination, won’t we only have a few months to study? Brother Yu has been away in the south for several months and hasn’t studied. Isn’t that a loss?”

What if I lose the top scorer award because of just a few months' difference?

Gu Yu couldn't help but laugh out loud, his handsome face full of confidence. He waved his hand and said:

"Second sister has underestimated me. If it's just a matter of a few months, you might as well stay home and study for another four years to avoid making a fool of yourself."

Xing Xiuyan watched him quietly from the corner, her eyes somewhat dazed.

Although I had heard my sisters talk about this young master Yu before, and knew that he was a scholar who had passed the imperial examination at a young age, I had never met him and had no impression of him.

I met him these past few days, and he turned out to be a humorous, witty, gentle, and generous young man, making it hard to imagine the imposing presence of a scholar.

But now, seeing him dressed so dignifiedly, with such an impressive appearance, and with such confidence as he casually discussed the imperial examinations and spoke of the imperial examinations, I was suddenly astonished.

It turns out he's already a successful candidate in the imperial examinations!

Recalling the pomp and circumstance of the scholars she had witnessed before going to the capital, even a mere novice could practically walk sideways. Compared to Gu Yu, who was now laughing and chatting with her sisters, Xing Xiuyan was stunned.

As if noticing her fixed gaze, Gu Yu suddenly tilted her head, making eye contact with her, and gave her a smile.

"oops!"

Xing Xiuyan snapped out of her daze, quickly jerking her head away. She looked down at her skirt in a flustered manner, her face flushed red as if it were steaming.

What was I doing? How could I stare at him for so long...?

Seeing Gu Yu's sudden smug smile, Daiyu followed his gaze and saw Xing Xiuyan with her head down, looking particularly suspicious. She couldn't help but let out a soft snort.

Even though I was mentally prepared, this jerk has only been back for a few days and he's already hooking up with someone? He's so heartless!

"Since we're having a special imperial examination soon, Brother Yu should probably study more. We shouldn't bother you on ordinary days."

Seeing that Daiyu had started speaking ironically again, all the women looked over, covering their mouths to watch the spectacle, wondering how Gu Yu had offended her this time.

Seeing that Xing Xiuyan was preoccupied with her head down and had no time to pay attention to this side, Gu Yu gave Baochai a wink, signaling her to stop Baoqin. Suddenly, she lowered her head and, in front of the other sisters, pecked Xing Xiuyan's slightly pouting lips.

Caught off guard by this sudden attack, Daiyu nearly jumped up, barely managing to suppress the gasp that almost escaped her lips. Looking at the amused and envious glances around her, she wished she could disappear into a crack in the ground!

"you!"

With a flushed face, Daiyu glared at Gu Yu coquettishly. Baochai, ever the troublemaker, immediately stepped aside. In front of Baoqin, Daiyu was naturally too embarrassed to lash out and could only swallow this bitter pill.

"Sister, what are you saying? I've been studying entirely thanks to the help of you all. If I pass the imperial examinations, at least half the credit will go to you. Now that we've reached this crucial point, how can we give up halfway?"

Baoqin gently covered her mouth, her eyes filled with disbelief. Although she had come to know that everyone was clever and quick-witted over the past few days, and that her cousin, for example, was quite learned, she still couldn't imagine the scene of her tutoring a scholar who was about to take the imperial examination.

After all, a successful candidate in the imperial examinations could become an official!

As they were talking, another maid brought in a new brazier, and the temperature in the room quietly rose a little. Seeing that Xing Xiuyan in the corner had finally relaxed, Gu Yu quietly waved her hand, indicating that it was time to stop.

Although she knew Baochai's plans, Gu Yu still believed that she couldn't bring herself to be fickle and fickle, so she focused her main energy on her sisters and only maintained a polite and enthusiastic attitude towards Baoqin and Xing Xiuyan.

However, since he already had a preconceived notion in his mind, there were bound to be oversights in his actions. As a result, the two girls would stare wide-eyed at his frequent rudeness during his interactions with the girls, their minds in complete confusion.

Wasn't this person supposed to be extremely polite? It seems like he doesn't pay any attention to the separation of men and women at all.

However, with Xichun's matter still fresh in their minds, they were too embarrassed to bring it up again. Although they felt that Baochai and the others were not comparable to Xichun in age, they still kept quiet.

Because she hadn't informed Grandmother Jia beforehand, when it was almost time for dinner, Baoqin had to leave the courtyard first and return to Rongqing Hall, leaving Xing Xiuyan alone to stay there.

After dinner, Tan Chun and the others helped the dizzy Xing Xiuyan away, and Gu Yu saw Baochai and the others off. Looking back at the small figure in the room, she couldn't help but smile smugly.

"Today is a good day..."

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Otherwise, he wouldn't move.

Inside the house, Gu Yu had already laid a trap. Zijuan and the others pushed Daiyu, who was unaware that she had been sold long ago, to do some exercise, while Gu Yu herself leisurely took a bath first.

Winter days always end quickly. Daiyu, who had just finished a yoga class, collapsed on the big bed and gasped for breath before realizing that it was completely dark outside. Just as she was about to get up and call Zijuan to help her get dressed and go back, the curtain was suddenly lifted.

"Is my little sister feeling warm and healthy?"

Seeing the strange expressions of Xiangling and Zijuan around her, who were trying to suppress their laughter, Daiyu immediately realized that she had been tricked!

Having just finished exercising, Daiyu was exhausted and could only watch helplessly as Gu Yu, who had just finished bathing, strode onto the bed and then patted her bottom with a playful laugh.

"Looks like the food is heated up..."

"...Zijuan! You ungrateful wretch, have you been bewitched and forgotten which side you're on? How could you..."