FBC – Chapter 43 Gossip

Zhao Yuwen and Sun Chongyang were startled by Mu Junyan’s sudden dark expression. They quickly followed his gaze.

“Oh ho, why isn’t that girl avoiding suspicion?”

“Maybe they’re engaged to be married…”

Zhao Yuwen blurted out, but then glanced at Mu Junyan’s face.

This guy… Could he actually know that girl over there?

Heavens, did the sun rise in the west today?

This bit of gossip must be thoroughly dug into.

“Someone come here.” Zhao Yuwen sounded inexplicably excited.

An inner attendant appeared.

“Go find out what the relationship is between those two on the second floor.”

“Yes.”

Mu Junyan realized his loss of composure and quickly retracted his gaze, but he didn’t object to Zhao Yuwen sending someone to investigate. He merely pretended it had nothing to do with him.

…

Just as Pei Yi was about to speak, footsteps sounded outside the door.

Gu Hua quietly raised her cup and sipped her tea.

Pei Yi, observant of expressions, felt that Gu Hua didn’t seem to like Concubine Pei and didn’t want her to know anything.

At this moment, he wisely kept silent and also lifted his cup.

As Concubine Pei entered the room, she saw the two sitting across from each other politely, drinking tea. The atmosphere was far from the flirtatious vibe she had imagined.

She sat down and gave Gu Hua a cool command: “You go back to the carriage first. I have something to say to your cousin.”

“Yes.”

Pei Yi watched Gu Hua’s slender figure as she left, feeling a strange sense of lonely emptiness in his heart.

He couldn’t shake the feeling that his little cousin was very unhappy.

“Yi’er.” Concubine Pei greeted with a smile.

“Aunt.” Pei Yi came to his senses and warmly poured her some tea.

“Do you still like Hua’er?” Concubine Pei got straight to the point.

She had to settle this today. Then she could publicly announce to the Duke’s residence that Gu Hua was already engaged.

Pei Yi was taken aback. “Aunt, what do you mean by that?”

“Before, your parents and elder aunt broke you two up for the sake of your future. Now you’re already married, and Hua’er is seventeen. As her birth mother, I want to find her a good match. But no matter how I look, only you are the best fit.”

Pei Yi’s eyes widened, and he was at a loss for words.

“Your elder aunt knows you vowed not to take concubines when you married your wife. Hua’er could be your mistress first, and once she has a child, you can talk to your wife. She wouldn’t ignore her own husband’s child.”

Pei Yi abruptly stood up, staring at her in disbelief.

“Aunt, how could you treat Cousin Hua like this? She’s your own daughter! Do you want her to live her whole life with her head down in shame?”

First a bed companion, then a mistress—he could hardly believe it.

At this moment, he fully believed what Gu Hua had said. His aunt treated the legitimate daughters of the marquis’ residence better than her own birth daughter. She didn’t see Gu Hua as her own at all.

Concubine Pei rolled her eyes inwardly. Such a fool.

“It was Hua’er who begged me to come speak to you. Otherwise, she’s my own child—how could I bear to let her be a mistress?”

Pei Yi looked at her blankly, disbelief written all over his face.

Concubine Pei smiled and tried to persuade him gently.

“Women don’t ask for much. Even as a mistress, if you dote on her and make sure she has no worries, she’ll be content. Otherwise, as a concubine-born daughter, her marriage is decided by the main wife. Madam Wang hates both me and the Pei family. What good match would she find for Hua’er? If she ends up with some brute, with her soft nature, she’d be bullied to death. Could you bear that?”

Seeing him moved, she didn’t push further. She stood and prepared to leave.

Men… Keep them wanting, and they’ll come running.

“Think about it. If you agree, find a small courtyard to settle her in. Then you two can live in harmony. How wonderful to have a beauty at your side to bring fragrance to your life.”

Pei Yi’s mind was a mess. The girl he liked wanted to be with him?

It was like a massive blessing had dropped from the sky.

But… as a mistress?

That was too unfair to Cousin Hua.

After escorting his aunt downstairs, Pei Yi deliberately walked her to the carriage, wanting to see Gu Hua again.

But she hadn’t gotten in the carriage. She stood under a nearby tree.

A breeze blew, and golden leaves floated down.

Under the tree, the girl stood gracefully, her smile dazzling like a radiant pearl.

Pei Yi blinked and was momentarily dazed.

Such a beautiful girl—who wouldn’t want to make her theirs?

Meanwhile, on the second floor across the street…

Mu Junyan stood by the window, coldly watching the scene by the door below.

Another deep and affectionate gaze.

He felt an inexplicable tightness in his chest.

Zhao Yuwen leaned over, following his line of sight. “Eh? Isn’t that the same girl from the second floor earlier?”

He turned back. “Where’s the person we sent to ask about them?”

Sun Chongyang also came over to look, but Mu Junyan had already turned away from the window.

“Here he comes!” The attendant ran in hurriedly.

“You damn turtle, what took you so long?!” Zhao Yuwen kicked him hard.

Ignoring the pain, the attendant quickly reported, “The man is the eldest son of the Pei family, in-laws to the Marquis of Wenchang. His name is Pei Yi. The girl is his cousin, the second daughter of the Gu family.”

Zhao Yuwen raised his brows and looked at Mu Junyan with a knowing smile. “So she’s the daughter of your in-laws…”

That identity… makes things difficult, doesn’t it?

“So, there’s no gossip,” Mu Junyan said coldly, sitting back down and pouring tea.

A concubine-born sister of his future daughter-in-law…

No gossip at all?

But the air still seemed thick with the scent of jealousy.

Zhao Yuwen and Sun Chongyang exchanged sneaky glances.

Something’s off—very off!

…

In front of Pei Yi, Gu Hua said to Concubine Pei, “Aunt, I need to buy a suitable writing brush so I can copy manuscripts for the late wife of the Duke. Once I’m done, I’ll return to the Duke’s residence.”

Concubine Pei frowned in disbelief. “The Duke’s residence doesn’t have good enough brushes and ink? You need to find your own?”

“I’m writing in the Zanhua Miniature Script. I need an extremely fine brush. The Duke prefers cursive, and the brushes he uses aren’t suitable. Besides, no one at the Duke’s residence knows what kind of brush I need.”

Pei Yi’s expression turned to one of astonishment.

So what Gu Hua had said earlier was true.

She was really copying manuscripts in the Duke’s study, and it was because of her miniature calligraphy that she was valued.

Concubine Pei didn’t understand any of this. But seeing Pei Yi staring fixedly at that little wench, she felt both pleased and irritated.

Pleased because her plan was working.

Irritated because—for now—that little wench was bewitching her precious nephew.

“Go on, then,” Concubine Pei said slowly.

Gu Hua curtsied to both of them. “Aunt, Cousin, I’ll take my leave.”

She walked away with Donghua.

Pei Yi continued to stare at her retreating figure in a daze.

“Yi’er?”

“Aunt.”

Pei Yi came back to his senses, face flushed from meeting her smiling gaze.

Concubine Pei smiled even more. “The house should be in the West Market, far enough to avoid running into anyone from your household. A golden house for your beauty—distance is a good thing.”

“I’ll do as Aunt says.” Pei Yi’s ears turned red.

Seeing him agree, Concubine Pei was delighted. “Once you’re ready, just send word. I’ll report to the marquis and send word to the Duke’s residence that Gu Hua is already engaged. We’ll pick her up and wait for you.”

She got into the carriage, which slowly drove away.

Pei Yi’s mind was still buzzing. He couldn’t tell if he was dreaming or awake.

His beloved cousin was really going to be his woman?

He suddenly turned to his most trusted servant. “There was a two-entry courtyard for sale in the West Market. Go buy it immediately, renovate it well—as soon as possible.”

The servant, a lifelong Pei family retainer, was surprised by the request but never disobeyed the young master.

Pei Yi’s heart felt full to the brim.

He suddenly recalled her offer to help. Perhaps he should find a way to see her again soon to talk about this.

Gu Hua, unaware of the self-directed agreement between the two behind her, hurried toward Shuhai Zhai.

She needed money.

Without silver, nothing could be done.

After a few steps, she suddenly stopped and glanced back at the small building across the street.

Yunxiang Courtyard.

She instantly understood what kind of place it was.

Elegant buildings with names like that, located in such a bustling area, were always the private residences of retired top courtesans who continued to entertain clients in private.

And how did she know this?

Of course, because Mu An’s Yao Yao had just such a place.

A soft retreat for high officials and nobles—no chance of it being clean.

Any man coming here was no better than Mu An—a lustful degenerate.

Gu Hua withdrew her gaze and quickened her pace toward a nearby alley just fifty steps ahead.

After two steps, she happened to pass by Linlang Pavilion.

She was just passing by when a luxurious carriage suddenly stopped at the entrance, blocking her path.

Gu Hua didn’t mind and was about to go around it—
—when she suddenly heard someone mention Mu Junyan.

She paused mid-step and turned to look back.