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

Page 126

Seeing that the girl was deliberately teasing him with a wronged expression, and Baochai and the others joined in the teasing, Gu Yu raised his eyebrows, could only smile wryly, cup his hands, and stand up to ponder.

Seeing his posture, Miaoyu, who was not far away, couldn't help but hold her breath and stare at his profile as he lowered his head in thought, her eyes sparkling with admiration, and she subconsciously counted the time.

One breath, two breaths... Before half the time had passed, Gu Yu raised her head triumphantly and smiled, her face full of confidence.

"Have it!"

So fast!

Daiyu and the others were all taken aback, their faces showing a mixture of surprise and joy, their eyes filled with anticipation as they waited for him to continue.

"Listen carefully, little sister, my poem is—"

"Gnarled trees stand alone against the wind, while clamorous dust reflects the setting sun. A weary horse enters the misty islet, and a long, drawn-out cry of a monkey echoes through the air."

"Evening sun...weak horse...giant cries..."

Baochai softly pondered these images, and unconsciously nodded, saying:

"Although not particularly ingenious, it fits the theme perfectly. Brother Yu is indeed quick-witted!"

Although Daiyu's face also showed pride and smugness, seeing Gu Yu's smug and self-satisfied expression, she couldn't help but let out a soft snort:

"You're lucky this time, you barely made it through!"

As he spoke, he was already considering whether to continue choosing Truth or switch to Dare, since the bad guy would definitely not miss the chance to embarrass him!

"Who will Brother Yu choose?"

Gu Yu deliberately grinned mischievously as she looked at each of them, causing the women to blush and turn their heads away. Then she turned back to Daiyu, gave a couple of strange hums, and chuckled softly:

"I choose—myself!"

"Hmph, then I'll choose—wait, what?"

Daiyu was suddenly stunned, thinking she had misheard, but before she could ask, Gu Yu was already instructing Ying'er to take out the note.

"I didn't say any sister had to be punished, did I? Let me do it myself!"

"Brother Yu..."

Daiyu's heart skipped a beat, and she suddenly felt her face burning. She was so moved that she almost couldn't help but throw herself into his arms.

"Pick up the second person in the head seat... pick them up and spin them around three times!"

"..."

"..."

Who am I? Where am I? What was I thinking just now?

Gu Yu's eyes lit up. He didn't even notice Lin Daiyu, who was frozen in place. He looked over and saw Miaoyu's location. He chuckled and walked over. He didn't expect the girls to take the initiative. He simply bent down and pulled her up.

"Miss Miaoyu, are you ready?"

Miaoyu was completely stunned until a pair of warm, large hands took her hand and she was suddenly pulled into an embrace. She felt the world slowly spinning, and then she looked up at Gu Yu's lowered eyes, as if time had stood still.

This was the second time she had felt Gu Yu's embrace. Compared to the suddenness of the last time, this time the two of them undoubtedly hugged each other tighter and for longer.

When Gu Yu gently released her, subtly touched her small hand, and helped her back to her seat, Miao Yu finally felt the delayed dizziness. She felt as if she was about to faint, her face felt like it was on fire, and she didn't even dare to touch her hands.

"There's definitely something wrong with this note!"

The girls finally realized what was happening, but they had no evidence, since Gu Yu had never touched the cardboard box.

Now they are in a dilemma. If they complete the mission and choose Gu Yu, some of them will definitely be taken advantage of. If they don't choose Gu Yu, then some of the sisters will have to tell their true feelings.

If you calculate it this way, either you'll tell the truth, your sisters will say it, or Gu Yu will take advantage of you. Wouldn't that be a losing proposition?

As for showing affection with his sisters? The envious looks he gave Tan Chun and Miao Yu just now were no joke... Now that he has a legitimate opportunity to show off his love, who would pass by?

"You are really being advantaged!"

Daiyu hummed inwardly and couldn't help but cover the blush on her face with her hand.

"I wonder how long it will take before they choose me..."

Chapter 84 Offering Unsolicited Favors

With morale low, how could they possibly organize an offensive against Gu Yu? Spoiled by this scoundrel's instigation, the sisters quickly broke their original gentleman's agreement and started fighting their own battles.

"I choose the painting!"

"My only requirement is—draw with both hands at the same time!"

"what?"

"If you don't draw well, you'll be punished! Hehehe~"

"..."

……

The banquet lasted for more than two hours, until the hour of Hai (9-11 PM) when they finally succumbed to the effects of the alcohol, their pretty faces flushed and completely devoid of their usual poise and reserve.

Seeing their disheveled state, Gu Yu didn't stand on ceremony with them and personally carried them back one by one. When he first went to carry Xi Chun, the girl instinctively wrapped her arms around his waist, almost embarrassing him.

Because it took too long, by the time it was Baochai and Daiyu's turn, they had both regained some of their senses and were clamoring to go back on their own. Gu Yu glanced at Baochai's evasive eyes, suddenly laughed, picked up Daiyu, and quickly went out the door.

"Little sister, don't push yourself too hard. It's getting late. Let's take you home to rest so you can feel better tomorrow."

As for Baochai, Gu Yu recalled what she had said to the master and servant that day, and felt the effects of the wine intensify, making her feel somewhat hot and restless.

"Ying'er's days are over, so let's seize the day...hey!"

To Daiyu's surprise, Gu Yu actually escorted her back home obediently all the way. Touched, she couldn't help but lean over and leave a wet patch as a reward, then touched her feverish face and hid under the covers.

Gu Yu hurried back, grabbed Baochai, and forcefully sealed her cherry lips with his. They were intertwined and thrown into her room, where they didn't come out for a long time...

……

The next morning, there was an unusually long silence in the courtyard. It was an urgent letter that finally woke Gu Yu up. She held the thin letter and examined it for a long time, her eyes filled with surprise.

"Wasn't His Majesty supposed to be away for the summer? How did war suddenly break out?!"

On the 23rd day of the sixth month of the fifteenth year of Jianping, the Daqian army suddenly attacked the undefended Hu people from Liaodong, Jizhou and Ningxia, with a total of 70,000 troops. They penetrated more than 300 li into the northern plains and wiped out more than 2,000 large and small tents, and seized more than 200,000 cattle and sheep and more than 7,000 warhorses, achieving a great victory.

Because this move was so sudden and unexpected, there were almost no casualties, making it a truly resounding victory!

Now that the army has withdrawn back to the interior, and the messengers are on their way, they should have arrived in the capital by now. Gu Yu sat in his study for a long time, and finally breathed a sigh of relief, understanding the reason for the strange occurrences in the city earlier.

"Could it be that the Jia family is truly colluding with the old Prince Yizhong? They're on guard like this... People say His Majesty and the old Prince Yizhong have a close relationship, and now, looking at it this way, it's fortunate that the posthumous child, Princess Leshu, is a girl..."

Shaking her head inwardly, Gu Yu then slapped her cheeks and muttered to herself:

"You can't think of Zhi'er's father like that! Now that his brother is dead, the vicious dog he raised is still alive and ready to pounce and bite at any moment. It's only right to be on guard like this."

In life, it's wise to sometimes play dumb. Jia Jing and Jia Zhen already disliked each other, so why bother with all that? He only cared about whoever provided the benefits; the Jia family's feuds had nothing to do with him.

“Uncle Lin Hai should know the intricacies of this situation. He, a proper son-in-law, hasn’t said a word. Does he expect me, the emperor’s son-in-law, to work for the Jia family? Ha!”

Gu Yu chuckled, threw the letter into the brazier to burn, then took out several other letters, composed herself, and handed them to her sisters.

After noticing something was amiss a few days ago, he thought about it carefully and finally had his subordinates explain that these were letters from the daughters of the Jia family. If they were not delivered on time, there might be some oversights. In the end, they made an exception and allowed him to deliver them.

As for the repeated inspections, they were unavoidable, and fortunately, that was indeed the case. I managed to smooth things over by joking around with my sisters.

Now that Jiang Ming has returned in triumph, the capital will surely recover soon and the daily dispatch of messages will no longer be delayed.

……

"The old lady wrote that she misses us and wonders if we had a good time. She also said that the fruits we sent last time were very much to her liking!"

In the hall, Tan Chun and the others read the letters sent from the Jia family, occasionally letting out a soft laugh. Xi Chun couldn't help but say:

"It's only been a few days since we left, and the old lady already misses us so much. What will she do when you, Second Sister and the others, get married and leave home? She'll miss you terribly!"

After saying this, Xichun immediately became the target of everyone's criticism. The other women couldn't help but laugh and joke, wanting to punish her before they would stop. However, they would occasionally turn their faces red and secretly glance at Gu Yu, who was watching the show with a smile, their meaning self-evident.

Once Xichun hid behind him, Gu Yu slowly opened his arms to stop her, and smiled:

"Fourth Sister is right. It hasn't even been ten days yet, and the old lady already misses us so much. We still have another month to play! Why don't we send some more fruits back to fill the old lady's stomach? Maybe then she'll stop nagging."

"You dare to talk badly about the old lady behind her back, but I've never seen you say the same thing to her face?"

Daiyu, with a familiar cold smile, mercilessly exposed Gu Yu's sarcasm. Gu Yu raised an eyebrow and gave her an innocent smile.

"As the saying goes, 'He who eats another's food is bound to be grateful, and he who takes another's money is bound to be grateful.' My sister is not afraid of me because she is capable, but I have to ask the old lady for help. Naturally, I have to be respectful to her on a daily basis. How can I act impulsively?"

These words were too blunt, and Daiyu's pretty face turned red. She bit her lip, wanting to scold him, but seeing that the other sisters were doing the same thing, the shame in her heart inexplicably subsided, and she lost the will to scold him.

Yingchun frowned and thought for a moment, then asked in confusion:

“Brother Yu, is there anything you need from the old lady? Sister Lin said that you take care of every plant and tree in your yard yourself. You're just borrowing a place to stay temporarily. The money you give to the old lady on weekdays is more than enough to cover your lodging expenses!”

Besides, Gu Yu wasn't without a place to stay; it was just that the old lady kept him there to fulfill her kinship obligations. So how could it be a matter of who begged whom?

Seeing that Yingchun was practically handing Gu Yu a weapon, Daiyu finally understood what a terrible teammate was, and she was so ashamed she almost fainted. In her mind's eye, she seemed to hear someone roar angrily:

"Why have I, [name omitted], become a traitor who serves three masters?!"

Sure enough, the next moment, Gu Yu spoke with a smile. Now that all the sisters had been caught in his net, what did he have to worry about?

—Wait, there seems to be one thing we haven't completely taken down yet?

Looking at Miaoyu, who was sipping tea with her head down, Gu Yu's lips curled up, and he said without stopping:

"The old lady misses you all so much after just a few days. If I want to marry all her granddaughters and great-granddaughters, wouldn't I have to be eager to please her?"

Making witty remarks may feel good in the moment, but it will lead to disaster later.

The ensuing series of attempts to coax and flatter her are best left unsaid, but Gu Yu didn't take them to heart. After dinner, she unusually went to a room where someone was alone and gently knocked on the door.

……

Chapter 85 Which method do you prefer?

Come to think of it, I've only been here once in all these days? The two of us have indeed been in less contact.

Gu Yu slowly made plans in her mind. She heard some noise coming from inside, which quickly quieted down. Without further hesitation, she gently stepped inside.

At the table in the inner room, Miaoyu stood with her back to the door, softly chanting the Heart Sutra to the Buddha statue on the table. Even when Gu Yu deliberately made some noise, she didn't turn around to look, which was obviously intentional.

Gu Yu frowned, leaned against the door and watched Miao Yu's graceful back, but did not disturb her. He simply listened quietly as she recited the scriptures.

only……

"...The Yuantong Seal?"

With a strange raised eyebrow, Gu Yu suddenly felt much better. He remembered that the fifth volume of the Surangama Sutra was specifically for calming the mind. Could it be that Miaoyu was now forced to rely on such a method to escape herself?

Lost in thought, whether it was the end or she was provoked by his burning gaze, Miaoyu finally lowered her hand, stood up and properly arranged the Buddha statue. Then, she turned around awkwardly, her face slightly flushed, not daring to look at Gu Yu, and whispered:

"Young Master Yu, is there something you need from me?"

"Of course it's something important!"

Gu Yu straightened up from the door with a smile, walked in with a calm expression, and sat down at the table, as if she had no idea what a boudoir or etiquette meant.

"Miss Miaoyu has been devoted to Buddhism since childhood and is well-versed in Buddhist teachings. I happen to have many questions that I urgently need answers to. I wonder if Miss Miaoyu could help me?"

As they spoke, Gu Yu poured herself a cup of tea. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, she happened to take the very cup that Miao Yu had used earlier that day, and before Miao Yu could speak, she drank it down in one gulp. Seeing this, Miao Yu could only hide the heat on her face and pretend she hadn't noticed.

"I heard that Young Master Yu once debated a secret passage that even the eminent monks of the White Horse Temple could not understand. Miaoyu is just an ordinary nun. How could she possibly have the ability to answer Young Master Yu's questions?"

"As the saying goes, those involved are often confused, while bystanders see clearly. Miaoyu's heart was pure; she observed the myriad aspects of the world as if standing outside a threshold, seeing even the smallest details clearly."

Seeing Miaoyu's stunned expression and the strange light in her eyes, Gu Yu secretly smiled to herself. Although it was a bit shameless to say it out loud, the right medicine really worked!

"If even Miss Miaoyu can't solve it, where in the world will there be any enlightened people?"

Miaoyu's mind was still a little hazy, her thoughts filled with the two people "outside the threshold". She felt as if someone was squeezing her heart, and even breathing was extremely difficult.

"He understands me so well!"

She has always been aloof and proud. Living in a Buddhist monastery, she has witnessed the devout prayers of ordinary people and also coldly observed the shady tricks of various wealthy families. She has always felt that the world is mediocre and that she, all alone, is fortunate to be free from worries.

After following his master's dying words to go to the capital, he never expected that there would be such a person as Gu Yu in the world. These days, the two of them can be said to be like-minded and have endless topics to talk about.

Tea ceremony, Buddhism and Taoism, poetry... it seemed like he knew everything I knew. He had a good personality, was good-looking, and seemed to radiate light, always drawing me in without my noticing.

Now, caught in a dilemma, the two have less contact since arriving at the manor. Miaoyu is feeling uneasy and wants to carefully consider her master's last words, but Gu Yu's words "outsider" disrupt her state of mind.

Even the strongest iron threshold, after a thousand years, eventually needs a mound of earth. Wasn't it this realization that made her feel like an outsider?