Chapter 292: Settled
Miss Shi had been gone for less than an hour when Gu Yan arrived.
“What did she come for?” Gu Yan asked Li Xiaonan as soon as he saw her.
Li Xiaonan, who had just come out to greet him, had her eyebrows shoot up at his abrupt question. She took a step back and turned to go inside.
“What did she come for?” Gu Yan asked again, following closely.
“She said you weren’t good enough for her,” Li Xiaonan replied curtly.
“What does that mean? She’s not someone who acts on impulse. What’s her intention in saying that? Didn’t you realize?” Gu Yan moved to Li Xiaonan’s side, then in front of her, turning to block her path.
Li Xiaonan nimbly sidestepped him.
“She said she’s only eating two meals a day now.”
“Why would she mention that?” Gu Yan craned his neck from beside Li Xiaonan, looking ahead.
“She was just making small talk.”
“What else did she say? Tell me everything. You need to understand her true intentions. She’s someone who thinks three steps ahead, unlike you,” Gu Yan pressed insistently.
Li Xiaonan stopped in the middle of the courtyard, looked at Gu Yan, and let out a long sigh.
“I know why she came, and I know her true intentions. So what?” Li Xiaonan asked.
“That depends on what she wants to do,” Gu Yan observed Li Xiaonan. “You’re quite sharp too. Do you know what she wants?”
“Why are you looking for me?” Li Xiaonan changed the subject.
“Let’s talk about Miss Shi first!” Gu Yan was unyielding.
“She wants to find something to do, like with the Ze Lou Garden.”
“The Ci Yu Association?” Gu Yan reacted with lightning speed.
Li Xiaonan’s eyebrows rose. “You two really are quite a match.”
“It’s you and I who are a match!” Gu Yan retorted impatiently. “Did you agree to it?”
“Is the Ci Yu Association yours?” Li Xiaonan asked, then immediately added, “Even if it were yours, it’s not my place to agree to it.”
Gu Yan looked at Li Xiaonan and chuckled. “It’s practically ours. If she wants it, it has to be with your approval. If you’re willing to manage it, then she won’t get it. The Ci Yu Association is currently managed by the Old Madam of the Changsha Prince’s Estate, partly because my mother dislikes the numerous social obligations and sacrifices. Did you agree?” Gu Yan looked down at Li Xiaonan.
“What if I agreed, and what if I didn’t?” Li Xiaonan countered.
“She’s coming to you now because she’s bullying you, taking advantage of your ignorance about people and affairs in the Capital City. But~” Gu Yan drew out his words and snorted. “She’s always been like this, too clever for her own good. With your current status, what’s the use of agreeing? Don’t worry, that Old Madam from the Changsha Prince’s Estate is muddled in small matters but sharp in important ones. She won’t easily hand over the Ci Yu Association.”
“I’m not worried; you are,” Li Xiaonan said.
“I’m worried about you!” Gu Yan bent down towards Li Xiaonan’s face.
Li Xiaonan leaned back and, as she did, took a step back.
“What did you want to see me about?”
“Did you tell my mother that I’m causing trouble by having to handle everything for you?” Gu Yan closed his folding fan, gripping it.
“Did you say that, or did your mother say that?”
“You said it!” Gu Yan’s folding fan, which had been about to fall, turned upwards again.
“I didn’t say it. Although that’s the implication, I didn’t phrase it that way.”
Gu Yan straightened up, gripping the folding fan tightly, and took a deep breath. “You’re certainly honest!”
Li Xiaonan looked at Gu Yan, then suddenly turned and went into the house. Gu Yan started to follow but stopped, feeling it wasn’t appropriate. Just as he turned to look for Wan Jing, Li Xiaonan had already dragged out a heavy armchair with armrests from inside.
Gu Yan stepped forward and picked up the armchair. “Why are you dragging that out?”
“For you to sit on. Put it here.” Li Xiaonan immediately let go and pointed to the side of the door, indicating where Gu Yan should place it.
Gu Yan’s expression softened immediately. “The Northwestern barbarians have broken through a border city. I need to discuss troop deployment and general selection with the Ministry of War. I’ll only be a moment, so you don’t need to sit.”
“Sit down, and I’ll say one thing to you, a long sentence,” Li Xiaonan urged Gu Yan to sit.
“Go ahead,” Gu Yan sat down.
“Can we talk properly from now on? If you’re polite to me, I won’t retort.”
Gu Yan’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. He wanted to laugh but held it back, quickly nodding. “Okay!”
“I think Miss Shi is quite good. I don’t think she’s trying to scheme against me, nor do I think she has any lingering feelings for you. If she’s let go, you should let go too. Don’t react like that every time you hear her name.” Li Xiaonan descended one step, standing at a level that was just right for talking to Gu Yan.
Gu Yan glanced at Li Xiaonan, then after a moment, nodded. “Okay!”
“Have you said what you needed to say?” Li Xiaonan asked.
“My mother has more or less agreed, but,” Gu Yan paused, choosing his words carefully, “it’s because His Majesty is ill, and he wants to see me at least engaged first. My mother agreed for that reason.”
“Mm.”
“You have no one to rely on, so I have to look after you. Don’t say whatever comes to mind from now on,” Gu Yan stood up.
“Okay.”
Li Xiaonan’s simple “okay” surprised Gu Yan. He then smiled and said, “You don’t need to be too constrained. I’m leaving.”
Li Xiaonan accompanied Gu Yan to the screen wall and watched him mount his horse and leave. She returned and sat in the armchair.
It’s settled, so she should start thinking about the future, about many things. Where should she begin?
Li Xiaonan sat in a daze for a long time, her mind a tangled mess, unable to figure out where to start. She knew that marrying him was a sure thing, but now that it was confirmed, a feeling of extreme unreality washed over her, making everything around her, this world, seem hazy and unreal.
……………………
On the official road from Jianle City to Jiangdu City, two wide rammed-earth paths, one north and one south, were filled with a constant stream of carriages and horses traveling in both directions, each keeping to their own lane.
On the fast horse track heading south, an attendant on two horses galloped forward. He overtook a convoy of carriages bearing the seal of Liu. At a bend ahead, the attendant turned his horse around, rejoined the official road heading north, caught up with the convoy, slowed his horse, and rode alongside it.
Foreman Liu lifted the carriage curtain and peered out.
The attendant, covered in sweat, rode parallel to the carriage window. He bowed slightly and reported, “Steward Zhou sent me to inform you: Yesterday morning, the Ministry of Rites invited Master Li Wenliang and Master Hong Shi’an to a ceremony rehearsal, which is for the Young Lord’s engagement.”
Foreman Liu’s eyes lit up, and he burst into laughter.
The attendant stared at Foreman Liu, who was laughing heartily, momentarily forgetting that he shouldn’t stare at his master like that.
“Thank you for your trouble,” Foreman Liu picked up a small silver nugget and handed it to the attendant. “Hurry back and tell Old Zhou to serve Master Li well. Give him whatever he needs, no matter what. Take this silver for your expenses, eat well, and drink well. Go now.”
“Yes!” The attendant took the silver nugget, turned onto the fast horse track, and galloped away.
“Increase speed. From now on, no stops, no rest, travel day and night,” Foreman Liu commanded.
The nearby steward acknowledged the order and loudly assigned individuals to take turns resting.
