The next day—
Qiu Lan said, “Miss, the Marquis only traced the matter back to Steward Wang. He never discovered the Second Miss’s involvement.”
Steward Wang was the son of Marquis Yong’an’s wet nurse. Relying on that relationship, he behaved quite arrogantly within the Marquis Household. Aside from the masters of the household, he feared no one.
Steward Wang possessed a bit of cleverness. Seeing Marquis Yong’an favor Jiang Yiniang, he had attached himself to her several years ago and had been working for her ever since.
Wen Yunyue was not surprised upon hearing this.
The reason she had brought up the rumors during breakfast was because she had already anticipated that Marquis Yong’an would fail to uncover the truth.
Marquis Yong’an believed he had everything under control, yet he did not realize that many people in the Marquis Household had long since sided with Jiang Yiniang. Trying to uncover the truth using the household’s own servants was no different from a fool’s dream.
“Jiang Yiniang is certainly decisive.”
By pushing Steward Wang out as the scapegoat, Jiang Yiniang had not escaped unscathed. Steward Wang was the steward of the front courtyard and knew Marquis Yong’an’s movements better than most. He had passed along plenty of information to Jiang Yiniang over the years.
Now that he had been sacrificed, Jiang Yiniang was surely feeling quite miserable.
If she could not deal with Jiang Yiniang for the time being, making her suffer for a while was still good enough.
Some matters had to be handled slowly.
“And also, the two maids serving the Second Miss died suddenly.”
This was exactly the kind of person Jiang Yiniang was—ruthless and decisive.
Wen Yunyue inwardly sighed. It was no wonder her mother had lost to someone like her.
Back when Marquis Yong’an’s Wife was still an unmarried young lady, she had been raised with affection and pampering. Her schemes had never run especially deep. Even after years of tempering herself within the Marquis Household, she still could not compare to Jiang Yiniang.
“This matter ends here. There is no need to mention it again in the future.”
Qiu Lan pressed her lips together, looking somewhat worried.
“Miss, Jiang Yiniang will likely vent her anger on you.”
Wen Yunyue curved her lips into a faint smile.
“I doubt she has the energy for that right now.”
Qiu Lan’s eyes were filled with confusion, but Wen Yunyue did not explain further.
Prince’s Estate
After learning everything that had happened at the Marquis Household, Gu Lin’s expression turned cold.
“He cannot even manage his own household affairs properly. Utterly foolish.”
Wen Sixin’s methods were far too clumsy. Since Wen Yunyue could uncover the truth, Gu Lin naturally could as well.
Seeing that Marquis Yong’an had only punished a steward, Gu Lin was naturally dissatisfied.
The next day after court, Gu Lin stopped Marquis Yong’an once again.
Marquis Yong’an hurriedly said, “Does Your Highness have instructions for this official?”
Gu Lin glanced at him indifferently.
“I heard that the household authority in your residence is controlled by a concubine?”
Marquis Yong’an’s face instantly turned pale.
“Absolutely not! It is only because my wife’s health has been poor that this official temporarily allowed the concubine to assist with part of the household management. The household authority was never entirely handed over.”
Seeing Gu Lin’s increasingly displeased gaze, he quickly continued, “However, my wife’s health has improved greatly over the past few years. She no longer requires assistance managing the household.”
Hearing this, Gu Lin gave a slight nod.
“Favoring a concubine over the legal wife is a grave taboo. Zhan’er’s wedding date with the eldest daughter of your household has already been set. This Prince does not wish for him to have a maternal family that drags him down.”
Gu Lin’s words were extremely unpleasant to hear, yet Marquis Yong’an did not dare offer a single rebuttal. He could only nod repeatedly.
“Your Highness is correct. This official will obey your teachings.”
As soon as he returned to the Marquis Household, Marquis Yong’an immediately revoked Jiang Yiniang’s authority over household management. No matter how hard Jiang Yiniang tried, she could not reclaim it.
In Marquis Yong’an’s heart, his official career would always come first.
Jiang Yiniang could only temporarily give up and wait for another opportunity later.
Wen Yunyue naturally received the news as well. Qiu Lan smiled.
“Everything happened exactly as Miss predicted.”
At present, Jiang Yiniang truly had no spare energy left to deal with Wen Yunyue.
Wen Yunyue remained silent, countless thoughts flowing through her eyes.
This was the power of authority. A single sentence from Gu Lin was enough to make Marquis Yong’an abandon Jiang Yiniang.
And as Gu Lin’s most beloved younger brother, Gu Zhan’s influence could not be underestimated either.
Wen Yunyue lowered her eyes, her resolve strengthening further.
…
As for everything happening in the Marquis Household, Gu Zhan knew nothing about it. He did not even realize the rumors surrounding him had already disappeared. These past few days, he had remained within the Prince’s Estate.
Because he had accompanied the Old Royal Consort to stay at Zhen’guo Temple for over a month previously, the Old Royal Consort had become even more devoted to Buddhism. From time to time, she would summon Gu Zhan to Jing’an Hall and have him copy Buddhist scriptures alongside her.
At first, Gu Zhan had cooperated fairly well. But after several visits, he could no longer endure it. This kind of dull copying always made him feel as though he were still in school, even though he had already graduated long ago.
After several days of copying scriptures, Gu Zhan finally began protesting.
“Mother Consort, can your son stop copying them?”
Rather than becoming angry, the Old Royal Consort looked pleased.
“Zhan’er has become much more patient,” she said, amazed that he had endured for so long.
Gu Zhan: “…”
At that moment, he suddenly realized that the original owner’s former behavior had actually been rather useful. At the very least, it lowered everyone’s expectations of him.
Being burdened with great expectations was ultimately very stressful.
The Old Royal Consort waved her hand.
“Since you are tired of it, you may leave.”
The Old Royal Consort had not kept Gu Zhan confined in Jing’an Hall without reason. Earlier, Gu Lin had told her about the matters within the Marquis Household. She simply did not want Gu Zhan getting involved, which was why she had him copy scriptures.
However, the fact that Wen Yunyue had never come to the Prince’s Estate looking for Gu Zhan improved the Old Royal Consort’s impression of her once more.
With the Old Royal Consort’s permission, Gu Zhan finally regained his freedom. The moment he stepped out of Jing’an Hall, he immediately left the Prince’s Estate and headed for the cuju field.
After several days without training, even his feet felt restless.
Seeing Gu Zhan step down from the carriage, Liu Kang asked, “Why doesn’t Second Young Master ride horses anymore?”
In the past, the original owner had loved riding horses, especially charging recklessly through the capital’s streets. There was clearly something wrong with him mentally. Watching people panic and scramble to avoid being hit brought him great joy.
Seeing Gu Zhan constantly arrive by carriage recently, Liu Kang found it rather puzzling.
Gu Zhan paused upon hearing this. If Liu Kang had not mentioned it, he would have forgotten that he actually knew how to ride horses. However, those were only memories belonging to the original owner. Gu Zhan himself had never truly tried it before.
Even with the original owner’s memories, he would still need practice before becoming proficient.
“What, do you want to race horses with me?”
Gu Zhan countered. He could hardly admit that he had forgotten he knew how to ride.
Liu Kang hurriedly shook his head.
“Second Young Master misunderstands. I absolutely did not mean that.”
Liu Kang’s riding skills were far inferior to Gu Zhan’s, so naturally he had no desire to embarrass himself.
Gu Zhan smiled and let the matter go.
The two trained at the cuju field for several hours before finally stopping once exhaustion overtook them.
There were now many more people at the cuju field. Liu Kang had recruited quite a few additional players, most of them commoners.
These people could help Liu Kang and the others sharpen their skills. They could not improve by shutting themselves away from the world.
Gu Zhan urged Liu Kang once more to quickly gather all the official team members. Only after Liu Kang repeatedly promised to do so did Gu Zhan leave.
On the road, Gu Zhan instructed, “Go to the other estate.”
Although Gu Zhan had no shops under his name, he did own a separate estate. Gu Lin had gifted it to him specifically for raising horses.
The original owner loved horses and had collected many fine breeds, hiring dedicated caretakers for them.
“Yes, Young Master.”
After receiving the order, Pingliang changed direction once they entered the city.
Upon arriving at the estate, the steward quickly opened the gates to welcome Gu Zhan inside before leading him to the stables.
“Please rest assured, Young Master. Every horse is being cared for excellently.”
Of course they were.
These horses were Gu Zhan’s treasures, more precious than gold. No one dared neglect them.
Gu Zhan nodded.
“You’ve done well. There will be rewards.”
This had been the original owner’s usual behavior, so Gu Zhan simply copied it.
Afterward, he ordered someone to bring out the chestnut horse the original owner used most often and lead it to the training grounds.
Looking at the tall horse before him, Gu Zhan felt rather excited. After watching so many television dramas, he had always thought riding horses looked incredibly cool.
Back in his previous life, he had once planned to visit a riding ground and learn properly when he had time, but he had never gotten the chance. Unexpectedly, he was now fulfilling that wish.
Gu Zhan circled the horse once before gently patting its head. The chestnut horse had always been his mount and was very familiar with his scent, so it did not resist him at all.
Sensing the horse’s affection, Gu Zhan grabbed the reins and swung himself onto its back in one smooth motion.
Afterward, following the original owner’s habits, Gu Zhan began riding through the capital while gradually familiarizing himself with the riding techniques stored in his memories.
Once he completed a circuit, Zhang Liu asked, “Second Young Master, shall we take Hongying out for some fresh air?”
Hongying was the chestnut horse’s name.
The moment Zhang Liu finished speaking, Hongying let out a long neigh and raised its hooves as though agreeing with him.
“Second Young Master, look. Hongying must be bored from staying at the estate for too long.”
Gu Zhan felt tempted upon hearing this. The estate’s riding grounds were not very large, and he also wanted to ride around outside.
“Then we’ll take Hongying out for a while.”
Gu Zhan finally made his decision.
The moment he decided, the servants at the estate immediately opened gate after gate so he could pass through swiftly.
Then Zhang Liu and Pingliang could only watch helplessly as Gu Zhan rode away without bringing either of them along.
Zhang Liu widened his eyes.
“Second Young Master abandoned us?”
Pingliang did not reply. He silently returned to sit in the carriage and wait for Gu Zhan’s return.
Zhang Liu looked at Pingliang, then at the horses in the stable. In the end, he dejectedly walked over and sat beside Pingliang.
Zhang Liu did not know how to ride, and these horses were all Gu Zhan’s treasures. He did not dare touch them recklessly.
Meanwhile, Gu Zhan quickly rode Hongying out of the alley and onto the main street. There were still plenty of people around, so Gu Zhan tightened the reins and slowed Hongying down. There would be plenty of time to speed up after leaving the city.
Gu Zhan was not the original owner. He had no interest in tormenting others. He had merely ridden out because he wanted to visit the horse grounds outside the city.
That place was the royal horse grounds and also where Emperor Xuanwu held hunting events. Normally, outsiders were forbidden from entering.
However, Gu Zhan was a member of the imperial clan and was naturally exempt from such restrictions.
Unfortunately, Gu Zhan had underestimated just how infamous the original owner truly was within the capital. The moment people recognized him riding through the streets, their faces turned pale with fright. Vendors hurriedly packed up their stalls and fled, while pedestrians no longer dared linger to shop. Everyone wished they had extra legs so they could escape faster.
In less than a moment, the enormous street was left with only Gu Zhan standing alone upon his horse. A gust of wind blew through, making the scene appear especially desolate.
Sitting atop Hongying, Gu Zhan’s mouth twitched.
Was he really that terrifying?
Meanwhile, in a teahouse not far away, Wen Yunyue was drinking tea with Lin Yuwei.
As the two chatted about meeting Gu Zhan previously, Lin Yuwei remarked, “Yue’er, when I met Gu Zhan that day, he didn’t seem as frightening as the rumors say.”
According to common gossip, Gu Zhan was arrogant, overbearing, looked down on everyone, and possessed a violent temper that nobody dared provoke.
Yet after watching him interact with Wen Yunyue that day, Lin Yuwei felt his temper was not nearly as bad as rumored.
“Or perhaps he only behaves that way toward you?”
Lin Yuwei blinked mischievously as she voiced another guess.
She had heard that Gu Zhan was the one who had taken a liking to Wen Yunyue and insisted on marrying her.
It was perfectly normal for someone to restrain their temper in front of the person they liked.
Looking at Lin Yuwei’s gossip-filled expression, Wen Yunyue smiled and explained, “The rumors are simply inaccurate.”
She still had not figured out the matter of borrowing a corpse to return to life, but Wen Yunyue believed there was a high possibility that Gu Zhan would continue maintaining his current state.
Lin Yuwei was dissatisfied with that answer and continued teasing her.
“I think Gu Zhan treats you quite well.”
Wen Yunyue looked rather helpless.
“What makes you think that?”
That man was always trying to avoid her.
“That day… hm? Isn’t that Gu Zhan?”
Following Lin Yuwei’s gaze, Wen Yunyue saw Gu Zhan riding through the streets. Before either of them could say anything further, they watched as the people on the street reacted as though disaster had arrived, frantically packing up and fleeing. In the blink of an eye, only Gu Zhan remained on the street alone.
Lin Yuwei looked puzzled.
“What happened?”
Coincidentally, a servant had come over to refill their tea. Hearing her question, he answered, “Misses may not know this, but the man on horseback is the Second Young Master of the Prince’s Estate. This lord once injured many people while riding horses through the streets. The common people dare not offend him, so they can only avoid him as much as possible.”
“He injured people?” Lin Yuwei widened her eyes.
She had only just developed a slightly favorable impression of Gu Zhan, but upon hearing this, all goodwill instantly vanished.
Lin Yuwei frowned tightly.
“Did no censor ever impeach him?”
The servant gave a bitter smile.
“He’s royalty. Who would dare impeach him?”
In the eyes of ordinary commoners, the imperial family stood above all others. No one could oppose them.
Hearing this, Lin Yuwei’s frown deepened further. Even when the Son of Heaven broke the law, he was supposed to be judged the same as commoners. How could Gu Zhan be allowed to act so lawlessly?
Wen Yunyue did not hear the conversation between Lin Yuwei and the servant. She was staring at Gu Zhan below. Seeing his stunned expression after everyone fled in fear, as though he could not believe it, she then watched him lower his head slightly, seeming somewhat dejected.
After observing him for a while, Wen Yunyue suddenly stood up.
“Weiwei, I have something to do, so I’ll leave first… Qiu Lan, return to the residence first. You don’t need to follow me.”
With that, she turned and left downstairs.
Lin Yuwei and Qiu Lan exchanged confused glances.
“Where is Yue’er going?”
Qiu Lan shook her head.
“This servant does not know either.”
However, Lin Yuwei’s confusion was quickly answered.
From where she sat, she clearly saw Wen Yunyue walk over to Gu Zhan. The two exchanged a few words, though she could not hear them. The next moment, Wen Yunyue grabbed Gu Zhan’s hand and climbed onto the horse, riding together with him.
Riding the same horse together!
Lin Yuwei was stunned. She had just been dissatisfied with Gu Zhan’s past behavior, yet Wen Yunyue had climbed onto his horse. Her feelings suddenly became extremely complicated.
At this moment, Gu Zhan felt uncomfortable all over. He kept shifting backward, afraid of accidentally pressing against Wen Yunyue. Right now, he regretted agreeing to let her climb up more than anything.
For some reason, whenever Wen Yunyue looked at him with those moist eyes, Gu Zhan simply could not refuse her. Yet afterward, he would always regret it. It was as though he had been cursed.
“Miss Wen, behaving like this in public may damage your reputation. Why don’t you get down instead?”
Wen Yunyue was far calmer than Gu Zhan. Hearing this, she calmly countered, “We have done nothing improper. Why should we fear idle gossip from others?”
“But men and women should not touch freely. That has always been proper etiquette.”
“We are already engaged. Such rules do not apply to us.”
No matter what Gu Zhan said, Wen Yunyue always had a reasonable rebuttal prepared, leaving him feeling utterly defeated.