Twenty-Seven Demolitions Bridge

  The letter had just been sent out for a few days when news came from Tongzhou that Young Master Lu Hanxuan's illness had improved significantly, and it was expected that he would be able to return to the city in no more than a few days.

  Others were still in a daze, but Old Lady Gu couldn't help but feel overjoyed, and she began to chant Buddhist scriptures: "Amitabha Buddha, fortunately it was a false alarm!"

  Xu Ayi and Wu Ayi chatted with the old lady's maids, keeping her company.

  As they spoke, Da Ya came in with a joyful expression, saying: "Old lady, good news! Just now Wu Laoye sent word that Er Laoye has already entered the capital and will arrive soon. San Laoye stayed behind to escort Niangniang and her husband's family to Beijing as well, but they'll be slower and probably won't arrive until tomorrow."

  Old Lady Gu heard this and was even more delighted. With a whoosh, she stood up and repeatedly asked Green Fragrance to pass on her message: "Tell him that if Second Master returns to the manor, he must come to my room first."

  Lu Jing nodded and turned around to instruct without mentioning it.

  Wang also received the news and hurriedly arranged for someone to prepare Gu Boqi's clothes, shoes, and socks. He also had someone brew his favorite tea. Gu Man stood by, smiling as he watched Wang busy himself, but his heart was filled with endless sorrow despite Wang's radiant smile.

  Around noon, Gu Boqi returned to the mansion as expected. The first thing he did after arriving at the mansion was to rush straight to De'an Residence in a flurry of dust and fatigue.

  After Old Lady Gu finished asking him to take a rest, she hurriedly took two steps forward to help him up and examined him for a while before saying: "You've indeed become darker, was the journey okay?"

  Gu Boqi, nearly forty years old, had a very handsome beard and looked refined and elegant, with an air of wealth and nobility. He stood up following the old lady's hand and sat down under her, listening to her questions and hastily replied respectfully: "I encountered some trouble, but fortunately nothing happened."

  These troubles are naturally the good deeds of Liu Taiping, and Old Lady Gu thought of the news that was passed on yesterday, saying that Jing Shun County Gong also had a connection with the plot to rebel against King You, and had already been imprisoned by imperial decree. She was somewhat frightened and hastily said: "Heaven bless us, fortunately there is no harm done. How are your sister and nephew?"

  "All is well. Although they were frightened, nothing serious happened. Your third brother is escorting them to the capital at this moment and they should arrive tomorrow."

  Old Lady Gu finally put her mind at ease and instructed him: "You also know that things are difficult, this time if it wasn't for your eldest uncle's help, things wouldn't have been resolved so easily. It's all thanks to your wife's credit, you go back and rest quietly for a few days, don't stir up any trouble that would make me unhappy."

  Old Lady Gu said this, and the words that were about to come out of Gu Boqi's mouth got stuck in his throat, making him feel awkward and unable to speak, so he hastily laughed it off.

  Mrs. Gu agreed and then told him to hurry back to his room.

  Wang led Gu Man and several aunts to stand outside the Qingjiang courtyard, all dressed in black, to welcome Gu Boqi. Seeing Gu Boqi return, they hurriedly went up: "Second Master is back, was the journey okay?"

  Gu Boqi answered randomly, and with a glance, he saw Gu Man and Gu Yan standing quietly beside him.

  The two girls were getting more and more beautiful, Gu Man was wearing a light purple round-necked jacket with white gauze lining skirt underneath, on her head she wore several small flowers, and inserted a white jade circular hairpin, looking slender and elegant.

  Looking at Gu Yan again, Gu Yan was wearing a moon-white small jacket, with a water-red velvet lining on the outside, and underneath was a pink hundred-pleated skirt, with another large fur cloak draped over it. On her round little face, she wore an endearing smile, and her eyes sparkled with amusement, looking especially adorable.

  Gu Boqi was a man who loved beauty, and he felt a little proud in his heart. He beckoned to them: "Xiao Jiu, Yan Er, come over here to Father."

  Calling herself Xiao Jiu, Gu Yan is Yan Er, intimacy and estrangement are evident at a glance. However, there was not a single ripple in Gu Man's heart, she took another look at the astonished and delighted Wang Shi, and obediently went to pay her respects.

  "When I'm not at home, will you all behave?" Looking at his two delicate and pretty daughters, as well as his beautiful wife and concubines, Gu Boqi thought he was being clever. He took the hands of his two daughters, one on each side, and then turned back to tell Wang Shi: "Let them all scatter, it's not like they've never been out before, what are they doing crowded here?"

  Ma Yinniang is fine, taking care of Boqige with extra attention makes her happy in her heart. The other several concubines who are favored, such as Bai Yinniang and Jiang Yinniang, feel somewhat resentful. Especially Shen Yinniang, who speaks without restraint: "Calling everyone here just to blow cold wind?"

  Wang walked ahead, Mingming clearly heard but pretended not to know. Instead, Gu Boqi suddenly turned his head and scolded her: "If you didn't want to come, who begged you to come? You can just not attend to Master in the future, if you're impatient, let someone take you out, why so much nonsense?"

  Gu Man and Gu Yan were both shocked in their hearts, although they didn't say anything. This Shen Niang had always been favored, even Wang Shi had suffered losses because of her several times. This time, Gu Boqi actually dared to scold her in front of so many people, was the sun rising from the west?

  The other bridesmaids were shocked and no longer dared to show their dissatisfaction. They all quietly accompanied each other and left.

  Wang thought this was Gu Boqi missing her, and she was delighted. She quickly instructed Yuan Yue and Man Xing to go to the kitchen and tell the cook to make Gu Boqi's favorite dishes for lunch.

  Gu Boqi ignored all this, and led his daughter into the warm room by herself, laughing and shaking off Gu Man's hand, looking at Gu Yan and saying: "What are you staring at me for? There's no flower on my face."

  Gu Yan was the most spoiled daughter of Gu Bo Qi, even Gu Zhao couldn't compare to her. She smiled and looked at Gu Bo Qi: "Want to remind Father not to forget the gift he promised me."

  Gu Boqi couldn't help but laugh, pinching her little nose: "You're so clever, are you afraid I'll hide your things?" At the same time, he instructed Man Xing: "Go call Xing Er, let him bring over those few boxes I brought back." At the same time, he turned his head to look at Gu Man: "Little Jiu has some too."

  Gu Man suppressed the thoughts in her heart and bowed seriously: "Thank you, Father."

  Gu Boqi took a closer look at her, the former Gu Man was not so polite, at this moment she would only pull Gu Yan out of her arms and point to her nose, asking: "What are you?"

  How is it that after traveling to Nanjing, people are different?

  Wang took the heater and handed it to him, then personally went to get a blanket to cover his knees.

  Gu Boqi said: "Let Xiao Si and Yan Er go take a look at the gifts Father bought, see if they like them or not. We'll eat together later."

  Gu Man busied himself with Gu Yan to bid farewell, and when the curtain fell, Gu Man vaguely heard Gu Bo Qi scolding Wang Shi: "Looking for what kind of maternal family? Ashamed that you're not losing enough face? Others don't want to bother with you, yet you still eagerly send yourself over."

  "Our noble Marquis's estate is afraid of a mere eunuch? What an ignorant woman!"

  I knew Gu Boqi was a person who burns his bridges after crossing the river. A sneer spread across the corner of Gu's mouth as he turned and left without looking back.