FBC – Chapter 88 Proposal and Betrothal Gifts

Zhou Zhilan glared at her. “You big fool. You think Lord still needs you to go save anyone?”

Gu Hua murmured, “If it happened again, I’d still jump.”

Zhou Zhilan, frustrated by her stubbornness, gave her forehead a light slap. “Enough already! The manor will be a madhouse these next couple of days. You just focus on resting and getting your strength back—eat well, sleep well, and get yourself into tip-top shape. Just wait for your good day to come.”

Gu Hua didn’t understand what kind of “good day” she was supposed to be waiting for. As long as Jiang Ruoxi was around, how could there be any good days for her?

She stared blankly as Zhou Zhilan strode off.

Though she wasn’t Concubine Pei’s biological daughter, she had grown up by her side since childhood.

Concubine Pei was the kind of woman who measured everything with calculation, who believed that nothing should be given without getting something in return.

Her time with Mu Junyan hadn’t been long, but Gu Hua knew she hadn’t truly moved him. At most, she was just a plaything in his bed.

She was painfully aware that pleasing a man in bed wasn’t a long-term strategy.

Today, she’d jumped into the lake to save someone—helping him avoid the Empress Dowager’s scheme to shove a Jiang family girl at him. It also made him feel a little guilty, gaining her a small bit of leverage.

People… if they want something, they have to be willing to pay a price.

Still, there was one thing she didn’t quite understand: she’d risked her life to save Jiang Ruoxi, yet Mu Junyan had scolded her for it.

He had seemed very angry.

A flicker of suspicion stirred in her chest.

Could it be… he actually cared about her?

Was he angry because she didn’t cherish her own life?

Unfortunately, even though she nearly gave her life, she ultimately failed.

If someone like Jiang Ruoxi were to marry into the household, she’d be even more domineering than Gu Wanru.

Once Mu Junyan went off to war, Jiang Ruoxi, as the proper mistress of the Guogong Manor, definitely wouldn’t tolerate her presence.

Gu Hua was filled with regret. The stabbing pain in her abdomen flared again, and she curled up, clutching her stomach.

When Dong Hua came in and saw her like that, she jumped in fright. “Heavens, miss, are you hurting again?”

Gu Hua raised her head and forced a weak smile. “It’s not that bad.”

Better than yesterday—yesterday she felt like she was going to die.

“Your face is all pale, and yet Young Master Mu insists on seeing you. I’ll go turn him away and check if Miss Shen’s medicine is ready.”

Dong Hua chattered as she moved to go, but Gu Hua suddenly grabbed her wrist. “Why does Young Master Mu want to see me?”

“No idea. He looks like someone bullied him or something. He’s been standing outside the courtyard gate for over an hour. Won’t listen to anyone. With the master away, no one dares to drive him off.”

Gu Hua was silent for a moment. “Go check if the medicine is ready.”

Because of Mu Feng, Mu Junyan had misunderstood her and was still angry—she’d be wise not to provoke him.

“Alright, alright.”

Dong Hua carefully tucked in her blanket before hurrying out.

Before long, Shen Li came in carrying her little medicine bag, and Dong Hua followed with a bowl of herbal decoction.

After drinking Shen Li’s medicine, Gu Hua felt much better. Shen Li also gave her acupuncture. By the time she was done, more than half an hour had passed.

Shen Li frowned at her, hesitating to speak.

“Am I dying?” Gu Hua looked at her nervously.

Shen Li rolled her eyes. “Pfft. Die what? Not with me here—you’re not allowed to die!”

Gu Hua patted her chest in relief. “Good. I’m terrified of dying.”

Shen Li’s brows pinched together. “For a woman, not being able to bear children is worse than death.”

“Infertile?”

Gu Hua opened her mouth in surprise, then smiled with understanding. “I already knew.”

She could more or less guess it.

Shen Li glared at her fiercely. “No way, I will make you pregnant.”

Gu Hua: “……”

Whether she had a child or not… really didn’t matter to her.

Shen Li stormed off angrily, and it was only after Gu Hua regained some energy that she remembered Mu Feng. “Has Sixth Young Master Mu left?”

Dong Hua shook her head. “The gatekeeper just came to ask if you’re willing to see him.”

“The Duke hasn’t returned yet?”

Dong Hua shook her head again.

“Then… let’s go see him.”

It wasn’t proper to keep him waiting at the front gates. If Mu Junyan found out, who knew how angry he’d get?

She was honestly scared of Mu Junyan’s temper now.

Gu Hua sat in a chair covered with thick blankets, another one draped over her. When Mu Feng saw her, he was startled.

He rushed over anxiously. “What happened? Are you sick?”

“I’m fine. May I ask what brings you here, Sixth Young Master Mu?” Gu Hua asked weakly.

Mu Feng stared at her with red-rimmed eyes.

As if she had broken his heart.

His intense gaze made Gu Hua uneasy. She braced herself and said, “Sixth Young Master, it’s not appropriate for us to meet. But since you insisted, you must have something important to say?”

Seeing her distant demeanor, Mu Feng looked full of grievance and sorrow. He took a step forward and stared at her intently.

“Gu Hua, I like you. As long as you say the word, I’ll never marry the Miss from the Qu family.”

Cough cough cough cough!

Gu Hua choked on her own saliva, her face turning red from coughing.

Had this boy… misunderstood something?

Dong Hua quickly handed her some tea. After she composed herself, Gu Hua sat upright and looked seriously at the young man.

“Sixth Young Master Mu, we’ve only met once, and yet you say you’re in love with me? Isn’t that a bit hasty?”

Mu Feng quickly shook his head. “Even if we only met once, I’ve been thinking about you nonstop these past days. I read storybooks and asked my married brothers—they said this is what it means to like someone.”

Gu Hua had a headache.

She forced a smile. “You don’t even know me. You only see my appearance. What if I’m a woman with a black heart and rotten soul?”

Mu Feng panicked. “How could you say that about yourself?”

Gu Hua interrupted him, speaking plainly, “I’ll never be able to have children. The Mu family would never accept a woman like me as their wife.”

Mu Feng froze, disbelief written all over his face.

Gu Hua suddenly smiled. “Besides, I don’t like childish boys like you.”

Back at Yayun Pavilion, Gu Hua thought about the boy’s face and felt a little sour inside.

If she were the legitimate daughter of the Gu family, maybe she’d also have the chance to be with a good young man.

And the chance to marry honorably, openly.

But… there were no ifs.

Dong Hua helped Gu Hua comb her hair. Seeing her melancholic expression, she couldn’t help but say, “I heard it was the Duke who arranged the match with the Miss from the Qu family.”

Gu Hua turned her head in surprise. “You mean the Duke arranged a marriage for Sixth Young Master Mu?”

“Mhm. I heard Sixth Young Master had a huge argument with the third master and even got a few beatings.”

Gu Hua was taken aback.

No wonder Mu Feng had looked so dispirited earlier, and why he’d been limping a bit.

Gu Hua propped up her cheek. “Was it my fault he got hurt?”

Dong Hua and Dong Qing exchanged a glance.

“It was all his wishful thinking. It has nothing to do with you,” Dong Qing said softly.

Gu Hua quickly pushed Mu Feng to the back of her mind. She had more urgent things to deal with—like Concubine Pei and Gu Wanru.

“Dong Hua, sneak out tonight to find Jinkui…”

“Alright.”

What Gu Hua didn’t know was that, at that very moment, Mu Junyan had suddenly arrived at the Gu residence like a heavenly figure descending, frightening the entire household into nervous chaos.

Gu Yuan and Madam Wang looked at the eighteen large redwood gift boxes placed outside the courtyard, completely stunned.

Zhou Chunyu smiled. “Lord Gu, Madam Gu, these are eighteen betrothal gifts. Please have a look and see if they’re satisfactory.”

Gu Yuan was dumbfounded. His mind raced through the names of all his daughters and still couldn’t figure out which one was being proposed to.

“Which daughter does the Duke wish to marry?”

“These are the Duke’s betrothal gifts for the Gu family’s second young lady.”

Gu Yuan and Madam Wang were both shocked.

This… what were they supposed to call Mu Junyan now?

In-law? Or son-in-law?

But—this was the Duke Yong proposing marriage! Such a great opportunity, Gu Yuan couldn’t dream of refusing. He had just opened his mouth to speak—

“Absolutely not!” shrieked Concubine Pei from the side.

Gu Yuan glared at her in disapproval. “Insolent!”

But Concubine Pei didn’t care about manners now. She hurried to kneel in the middle. “Your Grace, Gu Hua comes from lowly origins—she’s not worthy…”

Mu Junyan’s expression turned dark, his voice cold and ominous. “So the Marquis of Wenchang’s residence has no sense of propriety?”

Gu Yuan barked angrily, “Concubine Pei, it’s not your place to speak. Step back!”

Concubine Pei was unwilling but didn’t dare speak further. She could only retreat bitterly.

Gu Yuan forced a smile. “She only spoke out of concern for Your Grace. She herself comes from a merchant background, and Hua’er truly isn’t worthy of Your Grace.”

Mu Junyan said calmly, “I am rumored to bring misfortune to my wives. I can only ask Gu Hua to suffer as a noble concubine. As long as you both agree, the day after tomorrow is an auspicious day—ideal for marriage.”

Madam Wang frowned. “So sudden? Even if she’s to be a concubine, it’s still her first marriage.”

“A concubine?”

Concubine Pei couldn’t hold her tongue again. But the moment she met Mu Junyan’s cold, sharp gaze, she shrank back in fear.

So it’s just a concubine.

All the anxiety on Concubine Pei’s face vanished. Seeing Madam Wang’s unhappy expression, she secretly smiled.

So what if you’re the official wife? Your daughter is still just a concubine.

Once her daughter held power, a mere concubine could be dismissed for the smallest reason.