FBC – Chapter 138 The Zither Master Wu Yuan

The next day, before dawn broke, Gu Hua was already awake.

She got up full of energy, changed into a short tunic and trousers, and tied her hair up tightly.

Dong Hua and the others had already prepared breakfast early. After serving her the meal, Zhou Zhilan arrived.

“Oh, looking pretty good in that getup,” Zhou Zhilan laughed as she patted Gu Hua, seeing her looking so spirited.

“The Lord gave me a dagger.”

Gu Hua handed her the dagger.

Zhou Zhilan took it and recognized it as one the Lord usually carried.

She glanced at Gu Hua — the Lord truly treated her well.

“Alright, I’ll teach you some close-combat self-defense techniques. You’ll be able to learn enough to protect yourself in a short time.”

“Great!” Gu Hua was overjoyed.

She hadn’t expected to learn martial arts.

“Come on, do as I do.”

Zhou Zhilan took a horse stance.

Gu Hua mimicked her posture, and Zhou Zhilan adjusted her form.

“Just like that. Don’t move.”

Zhou Zhilan drew her sword and began practicing by herself.

Less than a quarter of an hour passed before Gu Hua’s legs began to tremble.

“H-How long do I have to stand like this?”

Zhou Zhilan shouted while performing her sword dance, “Until I finish!”

Gu Hua: “……”

Her legs had already gone weak — she desperately wanted to sit down.

Oh my god, is learning martial arts this hard?

Why does Zhou Zhilan look so graceful and cool when she practices?

Gu Hua, feeling wronged, said, “Sister Zhilan, I want to learn your sword techniques.”

“You can’t even hold a horse stance. Your legs are weak, your foundation is unstable — what sword techniques?”

Zhou Zhilan twirled her sword and ended her routine, then tilted her head and looked at Gu Hua’s trembling skinny legs, bursting into laughter.

Gu Hua saw she had stopped and pitifully pleaded, “Can I get up now?”

“Go ahead.”

Gu Hua happily tried to get up, but her legs gave out, and she plopped to the ground, her rear aching painfully.

“Ow!”

Dong Hua and Dong Qing cried out and rushed over to help her.

Gu Hua wore a miserable expression. “Am I totally useless?”

“Who said that? Even Chiyan says you’re smart.”

Gu Hua perked up at that. “Really? Chiyan is the smartest among the Lord’s guards!”

Seeing how delighted she looked, Zhou Zhilan couldn’t help but flick her nose. “It’s true.”

She took out a silk handkerchief and wiped her sweat, then whispered, “We’ve found out who the new owner of the ironworks is.”

The two went back inside, and Gu Hua eagerly asked, “Who is it?”

“He’s Yaoyao’s cousin. His name is Yan Yu.”

“Yan Yu?”

Dong Qing brought them warm tea. Gu Hua accepted it and repeated the name under her breath.

“Where is he from?”

“Juzhou.”

Gu Hua pondered the name, then suddenly widened her eyes. “Juzhou? That’s near the southern border, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

Gu Hua opened her mouth in shock.

“What’s wrong?”

She glanced at Zhou Zhilan. Judging by her reaction, she didn’t know about the spy situation. Even when Chiyan spoke about it, he was vague — clearly, this was a serious matter and not something to speak of lightly.

“So Yaoyao is also from Juzhou?”

“That we haven’t looked into, but it should be easy to check at the local yamen. Is something wrong?”

“Was Yaoyao’s registration document handed over to the Duke’s manor?”

Zhou Zhilian shook her head. “Young Master said he already registered her as a good citizen, so there’s no longer a contract for her as a bondservant.”

Gu Hua was somewhat shocked.

The deeper she investigated, the more dangerous it felt.

If Yaoyao was connected to spies… that would be terrifying!

Gu Hua helped Zhou Zhilian handle the Duke Manor’s household affairs. Zhou Zhilian watched Gu Hua, who was attentively reviewing the account books.

“Starting tomorrow, you’ll officially be in charge of the household affairs of the Duke Manor.”

Gu Hua looked up at her. “What?”

“Before the Lord left, he instructed that once Madam is familiar with things, she should officially take over. I’ll follow Madam’s lead from now on.”

Gu Hua blushed. “That won’t do. I’ve never studied household management. The things you and the stewards and servants explain give me a headache. This is such a large manor with complex affairs—handing it to me? What if the Lord returns and finds the place in chaos?”

“Oh, come on.” Zhou Zhilian shot her a glance. “You already look like you’re up to the task.”

Gu Hua pouted. “Looking like I am doesn’t mean I actually understand. Good sister, I really can’t handle it yet. I’ll still need to trouble you.”

The military’s winter supply arrangements were about to begin—she really had no time to manage the manor’s internal matters.

Besides, Zhou Zhilian was doing a fine job. If she took over, wouldn’t Sister Zhou feel hurt?

Zhou Zhilian shook her head helplessly, smiling with closed lips. “I have to follow Madam’s orders.”

Gu Hua smiled sweetly. “Sister Zhilian is the best.”

Just then, a stewardess in charge of overseeing people came to report. “Madam, Miss Zhou, the Young Madam said she wants to learn the qin, so Concubine Yao invited a qin master—he arrived at the manor today.”

Gu Hua was surprised. “She suddenly wants to learn the qin?”

Gu Wanru was notoriously lazy. In the past, Gu Hua had even helped her with her studies from behind the scenes.

The qin required public performances to complete assignments, so she simply hadn’t bothered to learn it.

What kind of whim was this?

Zhou Zhilian asked, “Where did Concubine Yao find this qin master?”

“They say he’s a newly arrived master at the Yichun Courtyard. His name is Wu Yuan.”

“Yichun Courtyard!”

Gu Hua nearly exclaimed aloud, barely suppressing her shock.

Zhou Zhilian also felt something was wrong and frowned. “Why would they hire someone from there? Couldn’t they find a better one elsewhere? Even the government’s music bureau would be better.”

“The Young Master said Qin Master Wu Yuan is only registered nominally and isn’t someone who sold himself, so there’s no issue.”

The customs in Great Liang were liberal. The official music bureau allowed both men and women to perform, and many noble ladies even invited each other to enjoy music there. It wasn’t a big deal.

Private entertainment houses and taverns were considered lower-class. Noblewomen rarely visited them, though men were less restricted.

After all, those places had more uninhibited performers—unlike the music bureau, where most were proper artists or criminal slaves and thus less entertaining.

Zhou Zhilian thought for a moment. The Lord hadn’t given any strict orders about Mu An. He’d always been reckless, and the Lord hadn’t said anything, so it wasn’t her place to interfere too much.

“Tell the people at Zui Mo Pavilion to keep a close eye. If this Wu Yuan does anything inappropriate, report immediately.”

“Yes.”

Zhou Zhilian noticed Gu Hua’s pale face. “What’s wrong? Why do you look like that?”

“Sister Zhilian, I think we need to meet this qin master. After all, we must be cautious about anyone entering and leaving the Duke Manor.”

Seeing her serious expression, Zhou Zhilian felt she was right. She instructed the maid to summon the person and quietly said to Gu Hua, “I’ll have Chiyan investigate his background again.”

Only then did Gu Hua feel slightly at ease.

The maid soon returned with the guest.

Yaoyao followed closely behind, her expression tinged with nervousness.

Gu Hua and Zhou Zhilian sat in the main hall, separated by a white gauze screen.

It was bright outside, so the people outside couldn’t see in, but those inside could see out.

The visitor wore a robe of pale moon-white, with a dark blue silk sash at the waist, inlaid with a piece of warm, creamy white jade. Carved into the jade was a delicate magnolia flower, displaying the wearer’s refined taste.

His hair was tied with a jade hairpin, black locks cascading down. A guqin was slung at his side, his robes flowing lightly, as though a gentle breeze followed him.

Gu Hua secretly praised him—just his bearing alone was enough to seem elegant and charming.

Yaoyao stepped forward respectfully and bowed. “This servant greets Madam and Miss Zhou.”

Zhou Zhilian asked, “You’re the one who recommended him to the Young Madam?”

“Replying to Miss Zhou, the Young Madam said she wanted to learn the qin. This servant didn’t know any other skilled qin masters, but it so happened a new master had arrived at the Yichun Courtyard, with excellent skills, so I invited him.”

Gu Hua and Zhou Zhilian exchanged glances.

Yaoyao had always held her head high—at most she would nod slightly to Zhou Zhilian, and never even looked directly at Gu Hua.

But today, she was this respectful.

Gu Hua suspected—she was nervous.

She couldn’t help but carefully observe the qin master.

He stood slightly with his head bowed. Due to the gauze screen, his facial features couldn’t be clearly seen, only his elegant figure.

Gu Hua asked gently, “May I ask, where is the qin master from?”

Ji Xuanyu heard that familiar voice and couldn’t help but raise his head, staring intently through the screen at the woman he’d longed for day and night.

Worried Gu Hua might recognize his voice, he forced down his emotions and answered in a calm, slightly hoarse tone:

“Replying to Madam, this humble one is from Shuzhou.”

“Shuzhou?”

Gu Hua blurted out.

How could that be?

Ji Xuanyu suppressed his inner turmoil. “Madam knows Shuzhou?”

Gu Hua murmured, “I have an old acquaintance from Shuzhou.”

Old acquaintance!

Ji Xuanyu nearly rushed forward to tell her—that old acquaintance was right here in front of her!

But now, with this face, Sister Hua wouldn’t recognize him.

After he fell off the cliff years ago, his face had been destroyed. His foster father had gone to great lengths to find a shaman doctor from the southern borderlands, and with special medicine, he had been healed.

But it was almost like he’d changed faces.

And after all these years, he’d grown older and his bones had matured—no wonder she couldn’t recognize him.

But he had recognized Sister Hua at a glance.

She’d grown up and become even more beautiful.

Yet now, entering the manor in such a lowly identity, he couldn’t let her know how far he’d fallen, how dark and ruthless he had become.

Only once he escaped this shameful identity could he walk into the light and reunite with her openly.

Sister Hua, wait for me!

Ji Xuanyu stared intently at the gauze screen, a gentle smile blooming on his face.

Yaoyao looked at him, jealousy flashing in her eyes.