Madam Xu did not understand why Huan Che had suddenly brought up the matter. She paused for a moment, then nodded.
Gu Yunrong, however, paid little attention to it. Huan Che was simply trying to distract her mother. She secretly glanced toward the window, her eyes shifting slightly.
It seemed his condition had not improved. The private room was fairly spacious, and there were quite a few people inside. It was also raining outside, yet he still insisted on keeping the windows open.
She had heard that having someone nearby could help ease his condition. In her previous life, she had even wondered whether he visited her every night because her presence helped him sleep peacefully.
But that theory clearly did not hold up.
First, if he arranged his bedroom the way he used to, he would have no trouble falling asleep. Second, if he simply needed someone to keep him company, why did he have to come to her? There were countless people who would gladly accompany him. And third, on most nights, he would end up making love to her. It was hardly a peaceful night’s rest.
Gu Yunrong lowered her head.
She felt that even if the Crown Prince knew about his seventh brother’s weakness, he would still be no match for Huan Che.
Gu Yunrong had been waiting for the Gu family’s servant to arrive with their carriage, and she was growing increasingly anxious. Fortunately, after what seemed like an endless wait, the wind finally died down and the rain stopped. However, Madam Xu was still chatting with Huan Che, who showed no intention of seeing them off.
Just then, a waiter came in to report that someone from the Gu family had arrived.
Gu Yunrong felt as though she had been granted a new lease on life. She quickly whispered to Madam Xu, urging her to hurry home.
Huan Che’s hearing was exceptionally sharp. Every word of Gu Yunrong’s quiet whisper reached his ears. He watched her eagerness to leave, then lowered his eyes to the clear green tea in his cup.
In an unhurried voice, he said, “I’ll go downstairs with the two of you.”
His tone was perfectly calm, but Wuwu and Nayun could both hear the displeasure he was suppressing.
Gu Yunrong did not know whether Huan Che was doing it deliberately, but once they left the private room, he walked behind her.
She deliberately slowed down, hoping he would pass her. To her surprise, he stopped as well.
When he noticed her looking back, he even raised a hand slightly in a gesture inviting her to proceed. His expression revealed nothing.
“I should also thank you, Miss Gu, for taking me to Matu Niang Temple last time.”
Gu Yunrong suddenly understood. So he had helped her today because of what she had done for him before.
That meant he had probably discovered the Shen family’s smuggling operation. She wondered whether he intended to use this matter against the Crown Prince.
However, she could not let him know that she understood. She was not supposed to know any of this.
Yet she was also afraid that if she pretended to be confused, he would see through her act. In the end, she could only lower her head and remain silent.
Thinking about her broken shoes, her face turned red. She stammered that he should go ahead first, but Huan Che seemed completely unaware of her embarrassment and remained where he was.
Gu Yunrong secretly gritted her teeth.
She had been his guide and had even bought bayberries for him. Surely, even if he had noticed her broken shoes, he could at least have spared her this embarrassment!
She clenched her sleeve, took a deep breath, and finally made up her mind. She bowed to Huan Che, then headed toward the staircase with the determination of someone prepared to make a painful sacrifice.
So what if he saw her in an embarrassing state?
She no longer cared what he thought of her. Even if he saw everything, so what? He was the one who had chosen to conceal his identity. If she behaved improperly, he could hardly blame her for it!
Gu Yunrong straightened her back, and her eyes suddenly became sharp.
In her previous life, she had always been extremely careful around Huan Che.
She worried that he might notice a flaw in her makeup. She worried that the little ornaments she made for him might not suit his taste and that he would dislike them. She worried that visiting him at the wrong time might annoy him.
She spent every day worrying about one thing after another, constantly watching her words and actions, afraid of making even the slightest mistake.
At first, she thought she was simply afraid of losing him. But later, she realized that was not even the case. She had never truly possessed him in the first place.
She had merely been greedy and foolish enough to indulge in wishful thinking! What made her believe that a man whose heart had remained cold for more than a decade would ever fall in love with her?
He had never cared what kind of makeup she wore, what ornaments she made, or why she came looking for him. All those years of caution and anxiety had been utterly ridiculous.
Yet she had stubbornly refused to give up.
Now, at last, she could let go completely.
The thought made her feel wonderfully free.
Huan Che noticed the strange expression on her face. Her eyes, which had previously seemed dull and subdued, suddenly shone like lightning beneath a rocky cliff. He was rather surprised.
Hearing something unusual in her footsteps, he lowered his gaze. Only then did he notice the wooden soles of her boots dangling loose with every step.
Nayun glanced down once, then expressionlessly turned his eyes away.
With a master like His Highness, who went out of his way to make things difficult for a young woman, he would be lucky if he ever managed to get married. His ancestors would have to accumulate an extraordinary amount of virtue for that to happen.
For a brief moment, Huan Che felt at a loss.
His mind had been entirely occupied with Gu Yunrong’s attitude. Even while speaking with Madam Xu, he had been distracted. He had not noticed her broken shoes at all, much less deliberately tried to embarrass her.
He had intentionally slowed down earlier because he wanted to see whether she had anything to say to him. He simply could not bear to let her leave just like that.
But judging from her expression and behavior, she might have misunderstood his actions and thought he was deliberately making things difficult for her.
Perhaps she was angry with him now.
Huan Che watched her figure disappear down the staircase. For some reason, he felt strangely lost.
An impulse rose within him to hurry after her and explain himself. But when he remembered her attitude just now, he became uncertain and helpless.
He still could not understand why her attitude toward him had changed so drastically.
He was certain he had not misread her before. She had liked him.
By the time they reached the teahouse entrance, Gu Yunrong had not yet climbed into the carriage when a commotion suddenly approached from a distance.
She turned her head and saw a man wearing a dark blue-green robe hurrying toward Huan Che, followed by several young servants. The man bowed repeatedly, bending so low that he nearly doubled over. He said he wished to invite Huan Che for tea and repeatedly apologized, insisting that everything had been a misunderstanding.
Gu Yunrong paused.
The man was Shen Xing, the Second Master of the Shen family. He was Shen Biwu’s uncle and Shen Biyin’s father.
Seeing that Huan Che was about to leave, Shen Xing bowed again and again, almost dropping to his knees.
“Please, Your Highness, show us mercy! Even for the sake of your elder brother, I beg you to spare us! I am willing to pay for the repairs to the city defenses so that we may make amends for our mistake!”
Huan Che was already irritated. He called Wuwu over and quietly gave him a few instructions.
Wuwu immediately stepped forward and pulled Shen Xing aside.
Gu Yunrong had no interest in getting involved. She thanked Huan Che, said her farewells, and entered the carriage without looking back.
Huan Che stood there for a long while. Only after the Gu family’s carriage had disappeared from sight did he finally turn around and leave.
That evening, Madam Xu brought up the young man who had helped them out of their predicament.
Her story made Gu Tongfu curious. He began asking who they had encountered that day. The husband and wife continued exchanging details, talking about the mysterious young man all the way until dinner was over.
The more Gu Yunrong listened, the more uneasy she became.
After washing up and preparing for bed, she thought she could finally rest. However, Madam Xu came to question her again.
“Even if he really is some distant relative from a branch of the family several generations removed, he must have recognized us before asking us to come over. That young man was so handsome that I would certainly remember him if I had met him before. Since he didn’t recognize me, he must have recognized you. Are you really going to tell me that you don’t know him?”
Gu Yunrong had been exhausted from running around all day. She yawned and replied, “Perhaps he was ugly when he was little. Mother and I might have met him before, but neither of us remembers. Meanwhile, you and I have remained just as beautiful as ever, so he recognized us at a glance.”
Then she looked at her mother suspiciously and asked, “Mother, don’t tell me… you’re thinking of making him your son-in-law?”
Madam Xu shot her a look.
“You’re still a young girl. Aren’t you embarrassed to say such things?”
She continued, “I simply thought that young man was exceptionally well-spoken and seemed to have some connection with our family. I wondered whether your father and brother could become acquainted with him.”
She sighed.
“After what happened to your father, I have become truly frightened. In the eyes of those powerful officials, the lives of ordinary people are worth no more than blades of grass. Without someone influential in the family who can speak up for us, we can be bullied however they please.”
Gu Yunrong fell silent.
Her mother was right. Having someone powerful to rely on had always been an advantage.
But that powerful person could not be Huan Che.
Seeing that she had questioned her daughter for quite some time without getting a clear answer, Madam Xu decided not to press her further. She patted Gu Yunrong’s head and changed the subject.
“Are we still going to watch the tides this year? The time is almost here.”
Gu Yunrong nodded without hesitation. After thinking for a moment, she added, “If the Japanese pirates haven’t all been driven away before the eighteenth day of the eighth month, we should stay home to be safe.”
People could visit the Qiantang River to watch the tides from the first to the fifth and from the fifteenth to the twentieth day of each lunar month. However, the tide on the eighteenth day of the eighth month was the most spectacular of the year.
Every year at that time, local residents of Hangzhou and visitors who had traveled thousands of miles would gather along the riverbanks to witness the magnificent sight.
The Gu family also went to watch the tide every year on that particular day.
But the Japanese pirates were still lingering around Zhapu. The danger facing Zhejiang had not truly passed.
Madam Xu nodded.
“After your father holds the banquet, I’ve been thinking that if the situation with the Japanese pirates doesn’t settle down, we should go stay with your maternal grandparents for a while.”
Gu Yunrong was taken aback.
“Have you and Father already discussed this?”
Her maternal grandparents had moved to Huizhou Prefecture several years earlier. Huizhou belonged to the Southern Metropolitan Region, outside Zhejiang.
Since it was in another province and quite far away, the families did not visit each other often. They usually went there only once a year, before the Lunar New Year.
However, her maternal grandparents were very close to her mother. Whenever they met, they were always affectionate toward one another. Gu Yunrong also got along very well with her cousins there.
Madam Xu sighed.
“Your father agreed. However, he is reluctant to give up his new position. He wants to prove himself and make a name for himself in his new post. He’s also unwilling to leave our ancestral home. So I’m not sure whether he’ll actually come with us when the time comes.”
She continued, “Things are not peaceful in Zhejiang right now. If the Japanese pirates really manage to attack Hangzhou Prefecture City, we might not even have anywhere left to hide.”
Gu Yunrong secretly shook her head.
As long as Huan Che remained in Zhejiang, Hangzhou Prefecture would be safe.
However, completely eliminating the Japanese pirate threat along the coast would require much more than simply driving them away once.
Three days later, Huan Che returned to Listening to the Maples Retreat with only a small entourage.
He had inspected the coastal patrol offices and military garrisons, spending three full days traveling around the area.
At first, he had thought he would be able to return to the capital by the end of the year at the latest. Now, however, he suspected that he might not be able to leave until the middle of next year.
When he ordered his men to keep watch near Matu Niang Temple, they had not only seized a large quantity of copper, iron, and saltpeter but had also uncovered the Shen family’s smuggling activities.
It was no secret that wealthy merchants and influential local families bought goods from coastal pirates and resold them at enormous profits. But the Shen family was different from the local gentry along the coast.
The Shen family was connected to the Crown Prince.
If news spread that the family of the Crown Prince’s wife was secretly cooperating with Japanese pirates, the Crown Prince’s reputation would be ruined.
Unfortunately, someone in the Shen family had been foolish enough to expose himself.
In truth, this matter would never be leaked. It would not become a major scandal either. His father, the Emperor, would never allow such a thing to happen. The dignity of the imperial family had to be protected.
Nevertheless, Huan Che needed to maintain a firm attitude. What he wanted was for the Shen family to make a promise to pay for the repairs to the coastal city defenses.
There had been no major wars along the coast for many years. As a result, the defenses of the cities and counties around Hangzhou Prefecture had either fallen into ruin or had never been properly built in the first place.
Repairing them would require an enormous amount of money.
Since the Shen family had now given him something to use against them, he would be doing the people of Zhejiang a disservice if he did not make them pay a substantial sum.
Besides, even if the Shen family suffered a huge financial loss this time, they could only swallow their anger and accept it. The Crown Prince’s side would not dare to object.
Huan Che had deliberately allowed the Shen family’s gatekeeper to reveal his whereabouts to Shen Xing that day. Otherwise, Shen Xing would never have been able to find him.
Now, the matter of repairing the city defenses had been temporarily settled. But there were still many other tasks waiting for him.
For example, recruiting soldiers and punishing those who had committed crimes and betrayed the country.
During wartime, all houses near the outside of a city wall had to be cleared away. Otherwise, the enemy could use them as cover when attacking the city and avoid the defenders’ attacks.
Huan Che had predicted the Japanese pirates’ escape route in advance. He had already issued orders for Haining and the other counties to burn down every house near their city walls.
Most of these houses belonged to wealthy local families. The gentry in Haining had ignored his orders and joined forces to resist them. As a result, many houses outside the city remained standing.
When the Japanese pirates retreated there, they set fire to the houses themselves. The flames spread into the city, making it almost impossible for the defending soldiers to hold their positions. Haining County had nearly fallen.
That was why Huan Che had lost his temper so badly at the county government office.
His anger was not solely because of the failure to clear the houses. The resistance to his orders was only the surface of the problem.
The real issue was that the local gentry had grown too powerful.
They were involved in smuggling, supplying goods to the enemy, obstructing military affairs, and committing all kinds of wrongdoing.
They could no longer be allowed to get away with it.
Furthermore, this war had revealed another serious problem. The soldiers stationed at the coastal military garrisons in Zhejiang were practically useless.
It would have been a miracle if such troops could win a battle.
Earlier, Huan Che had written to his father requesting reinforcements for Zhejiang. The Emperor had probably found it difficult to arrange, and in the end, he had only transferred three thousand soldiers from Chuzhou Prefecture in inland Zhejiang.
Huan Che had joined forces with Yu Sixian and used these hastily assembled troops to barely drive back the Japanese pirates.
But this was not a long-term solution. A new army had to be recruited.
There was also the matter of Ni Hongtu opening the city gates without authorization. Japanese spies might have slipped into the city among the refugees. Huan Che had a feeling that this could lead to trouble, so he ordered all the counties under Hangzhou Prefecture to intensify their patrols and inspections.
As Huan Che was considering these matters while getting out of his carriage, Nayun suddenly approached and whispered, “Your Highness, the Shen family’s mother and daughter are here.”
Huan Che turned his head and saw Shen Biyin and Madam Zeng standing at a distance, bowing respectfully to him.
He paid them no attention and walked straight inside.
Shen Biyin hurriedly tried to follow him, but Madam Zeng grabbed her arm and held her back.
After quietly scolding her daughter, Madam Zeng turned toward Huan Che and greeted him with a flattering smile.
She then explained the purpose of their visit. She had heard that Shen Xing had offended Huan Che, and since they happened to be passing by, she had come to apologize on his behalf.
“The eighteenth day of the eighth month is when the Qiantang River’s tide reaches its greatest height of the year. Would Your Highness honor us with your presence and come watch it? You have been working tirelessly for so long. It would do you good to take a little time to relax. Just give the order, and the Shen family will make all the arrangements.”
Before she could finish, Huan Che replied coldly, “The Japanese pirates are still lingering along the Zhejiang coast. How can you speak of going to watch the tide?”
Shen Biyin quickly stepped forward and gave him a graceful bow.
“With Your Highness here, the pirates will surely be driven away within a few days.”
Huan Che did not even look at her. He simply continued walking inside.
Shen Biyin was left feeling humiliated. Her lips moved as though she wanted to say something, but she did not dare.
Once they were back in the carriage, Madam Zeng shot her an angry look.
“Who told you to get out just now? You can’t even control your impatience! You still want to compete with your cousin? I think you’d better forget about it!”
Shen Biyin sulked for a long while before finally taking her mother’s arm.
“Then what do you suggest we do, Mother? His Highness could return to the capital at any time. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I want to spend more time in his presence…”
Madam Zeng waved her hand.
“Our family is already in trouble. Judging from his attitude just now, this matter won’t be easy to handle. I’ve already discussed it with your father. We’ll select the best viewing spot at each of the tide-watching platforms and towers. Then His Highness can choose whichever place he prefers.”
She continued, “Every year, officials and wealthy families from all over the province attend the tide-watching event. If he refuses to go, he might appear rather unsociable.”
After returning to his study, Huan Che ordered Wuwu to bring him the almanac.
Wuwu handed it to him and was immediately dismissed.
When Nayun saw Wuwu coming out with a confused expression, he heard him mention that His Highness had asked for the almanac.
Keeping a straight face, Nayun said, “His Highness is probably arranging his schedule for the next few days.”
Wuwu smiled.
“You’re always good at guessing what His Highness is thinking. Then tell me, do you think he’ll go watch the tide if the Japanese pirates retreat by then? I’ve seen all those officials coming to invite him several times lately. Besides, the Qiantang River’s tide is famous throughout the world. Surely His Highness would want to see it at least once?”
“Whether he goes or not,” Nayun replied, looking at the clouds rolling in the distance, “depends on who he goes with.”
His Highness had offended Miss Gu this time. Nayun wondered whether he would find some way to make it up to her.
Gu Yunrong sometimes felt that if there was one thing she had in abundance, it was male cousins.
There were so many of them that if they all gathered together, they could probably form an entire troop. If they lined up, they could easily circle her little courtyard.
Even after excluding those who were already married, there were still plenty left.
And perhaps it really was true that the scenery and climate of Jiangnan produced handsome men. Every one of her male cousins was good-looking. Not a single one was unattractive.
Gu Tongfu spent quite some time going through the guest list, struggling to decide which relatives to invite.
Even after carefully narrowing down the names, the number of invitations he sent out was still considerable.
When the day of the banquet arrived, the Gu family’s small courtyard was almost unable to accommodate everyone.
Fortunately, the relatives were on good terms with one another, and nearly everyone they had invited showed up. Their attendance was a great honor to Gu Tongfu.
Gu Jiayan had been specially called back from school by his father to join the celebration.
He noticed that the relatives seemed much warmer toward the family than they had been before. He could more or less guess the reason.
His father had been caught up in such a serious case, yet he had come out completely unharmed and had even secured a position at the Governor’s Office.
Anyone who heard about it would naturally wonder whether the Gu family had found some powerful backing.
Even when Gu Jiayan returned to the prefectural school, some classmates who had rarely spoken to him before began approaching him and trying to become friends.
It seemed that the Gu family had somehow turned a disaster into a blessing.
Gu Tongfu went around the banquet, raising his cup and toasting the guests. He was just beginning to feel tipsy when a young servant suddenly rushed inside in a panic.
He was so out of breath that he could barely speak.
“M-Master! There… there’s an honored guest outside! Please, you must come and see!”