Soon, the next day arrived, and Gu Chen departed with his luggage and Junior Preceptor Li in a carriage.
Watching from the gates, Gu Xici felt a familiar wave of melancholy settle over him, his eyes filled with a trace of reluctance as he gazed at the distant carriage.
When… will my elder brother return?
Sigh, better not dwell on it; I hope my brother has a safe and smooth journey.
Right now, I need to start investigating the matter of the men in black from the jade pendant and see if I can unearth any further clues. Come to think of what my brother mentioned yesterday about the palace, could it have some connection to this incident?
Whatever the case, let’s just dive in and do it!
“Brother Xici!”
From not far away came a clear, youthful voice. Following the sound of footsteps, Gu Xici craned his neck to look and spotted a somewhat tender-faced young man dressed in a beige tunic.
Catching sight of Gu Xici, the youth waved his arms and ran toward him.
“Brother Xici, it’s me, Xiaoxiao!”
Xiao Xiao! His good playmate!
“Xiao Xiao? Why are you here! Weren’t you going to the border to visit your uncle?” Gu Xici asked, somewhat surprised.
The youth gave a naive, good-natured smile, awkwardly rubbing the back of his head as he replied, “Don’t bring it up. As soon as I got there, my uncle complained that I ate too much and didn’t pull my weight, so he chased me back.”
“Huh?”
Gu Xici’s mouth twitched slightly.
What?
Just how much could Xiao Xiao possibly eat to actually get chased back by his own uncle?
“What are you ‘huh’-ing about?” With that, Xiao Xiao threw one arm around Gu Xici’s shoulder while using his other hand to link arms with Gu Xici, saying happily, “I’m in a good mood today, Brother Xiao, so I’m taking you to the Bieyi Restaurant for a meal.”
“Since when did you get so rich? Xiao Xiao, you went to the border and came back with actual money? Don’t you usually always make me treat you?” Gu Xici looked at Xiao Xiao with a healthy dose of suspicion.
“Aiyah, don’t worry about all that, Brother Xici. I’ll tell you all about it on the way.”
Gu Xici glanced at him. “Alright, let’s go then.”
Thus, Xiao Xiao and Gu Xici walked arm-in-arm down the street, where the surrounding market was exceptionally lively and an endless stream of buyers and sellers bustled back and forth.
“Brother Xici, let me tell you, right in front of the restaurant there’s the Zuihong Pavilion. The two of us used to go hang out and play there all the time!”
Zuihong Pavilion?
Isn’t that the brothel I frequented in my past life?
Good grief, Xiao Xiao… actually goes to places like that to play and make merry? Back in my past life when I went with him, I never saw him pick anyone, so I assumed he wasn’t interested in that sort of thing. Bah, how did I never notice? Turns out he loves going to Zuihong Pavilion for entertainment just as much.
However, with so many people on the street, if anyone overhears… My reputation is already in tatters; if this gets out, it’ll become truly unsalvageable.
“I know, I… Xiao Xiao, keep your voice down… In broad daylight like this, do you want me to lose all my dignity?” Gu Xici glanced left and right, hurriedly reaching out to cover Xiao Xiao’s mouth.
I hope he stops talking right now!
“Mmph—!”
Xiao Xiao glared at Gu Xici, gesturing for him to take his hand off immediately.
What on earth is Gu Xici playing at? Didn’t he often talk to me like this before? And besides…
Severely glared at by Xiao Xiao, Gu Xici promptly dropped his hand.
“What are you doing, Gu Xici! Why did you cover my mouth? You weren’t like this before!”
Xiao Xiao questioned him with utter incomprehension.
Gu Xici opened his mouth to reply, only to discover that they were now surrounded by a considerable crowd of onlookers, who appeared to be treating them to a show.
Among them, a young woman in plain attire said to the matron beside her: “Auntie, I heard that the Heir is utterly overbearing and tyrannical, bullying men and women alike. But now, to think he wouldn’t even spare another man!”
Meanwhile, the matron wore an expression of utter disbelief as she clicked her tongue in disdain: “Aiya, who’s to say otherwise? Who knows which unfortunate young master crossed paths and fell victim to the Heir’s vicious clutches, tsk tsk…”
The surrounding onlookers also began murmuring and discussing among themselves in low voices.
“Y-You guys… This lord has never done any such thing!” Gu Xici’s face flushed bright red with anger. “All of you, shut your mouths!”
Seeing this, the crowd didn’t dare provoke him further and hurriedly scattered in all directions.
Only a young man clad in white robes walked slowly toward them, holding a folding fan, a look of disdain playing across his face.
“Yo, Your Lordship the Heir… feeling a bit guilty, are you?”
Hearing this, Gu Xici’s fury flared even higher, a pair of brown eyes nearly spitting fire. “I never did it in the first place, what’s there to feel guilty about? And if you utter another word of nonsense, I’ll tear that mouth of yours apart!”
The man offered a mocking, contemptuous smile as he snapped his fan shut. “Such a fiery temper. If your brother the General weren’t protecting you, do you really think you’d still be the Heir? You’re nothing more than an overbearing, unruly spendthrift. Heh, what did I say wrong? Ignorant fool.”
In an instant, Gu Xici felt as though his temper was about to blow sky-high. This damned wretch deserved to have his head cracked open right on the spot.
Without a second thought, Gu Xici prepared to strike, itching to teach this fellow a lesson.
Before he could throw a punch, however, he was grabbed by Xiao Xiao.
“What are you doing?”
“Gu Xici, that’s the Third Prince! You can’t afford to provoke him!” Xiao Xiao signaled frantically with his eyes to Gu Xici.
“The Third Prince? I don’t give a damn who he is, I’m going to wipe that smug look off his face!” Gu Xici gave a cold snort, though he slowly reined in the raging anger within his chest and refrained from striking.
Seeing this, the Third Prince curled his lips into a cold, derisive sneer. “An overbearing, bully-fearing, spineless spendthrift of an Heir.”
“Y-You…”
Gu Xici was rendered entirely speechless by his barbs.
And Gu Xici’s furious reaction only served to validate the Third Prince’s internal assessment of him.
Consumed by rage, Gu Xici angrily tossed out a parting remark: “You just wait, I’m not settling accounts with you today.”
With that, he yanked Xiao Xiao along by the arm and turned on his heel.
As for the Third Prince standing behind them, he slowly waved his folding fan, a rather cold, sinister smile tugging at the corners of his lips—a smile that formed a sharp, jarring contrast with his otherwise gentle countenance.
As I surmised, this so-called Heir is nothing more than a brainless bag of straw, completely unlike General Gu. At the very least, Gu Chen possesses some shred of intelligence; as for the Heir… he has virtually none at all.
The Third Prince truly couldn’t fathom why Gu Chen had such an exceedingly foolish younger brother.
It seems… my Phase Two plan can officially be put into motion.
Restaurant.
Indeed, the moment Gu Xici and Xiao Xiao arrived at the restaurant, they ran straight into the Grand Preceptor, Ye Shu, who happened to be dressed in civilian attire.
This brings us right back to what transpired just moments ago.
Gu Xici had dragged Xiao Xiao away in a fit of exasperated fury, sulking the entire way because he felt he had acted utterly spineless. Furthermore, Xiao Xiao kept chattering endlessly beside him on the road, leaving Gu Xici feeling exceptionally depressed.
Naturally, his gloom wasn’t solely born from this; it was also tied to the incident from yesterday.
Ever since yesterday up until now, Gu Xici had crossed paths with two individuals who had left him thoroughly aggrieved. While neither of them possessed particularly venomous tongues, from Gu Xici’s perspective, their hostility toward him felt completely inexplicable and unprovoked.
Lost deep in these thoughts, he was snapped back to reality when Xiao Xiao shouted excitedly beside him, “Xici, we’ve arrived at the restaurant!”
Yet Gu Xici remained thoroughly immersed in his own mental world.
Noticing Gu Xici standing motionless, Xiao Xiao felt a bit puzzled. He gave him a light slap on the shoulder and cried out, “What are you spacing out for, Xici? Stop daydreaming and hurry inside to eat.”
Thus, the moment Gu Xici raised his head, he was greeted by Xiao Xiao’s startled gasp.
“What are your shouting for, making such a fuss over nothing!”
Gu Xici snapped impatiently, tilting his head to look in the direction Xiao Xiao was staring.
Following that line of sight, what came into view was none other than Ye Shu, clad in deep purple robes, wearing a deeply pensive expression.
What the hell—why is Ye Shu here?
Could it be… is he really just here to eat? No way… Is he here to settle the score for that slap I gave him back then?! But Ye Shu never even brought that matter up with me before.
I give up. What offense did your lord here commit to anyone? Everyone’s attitude toward me is so viciously hostile.
At the very least, Ye Shu’s attitude toward him had improved slightly by comparison.
Meanwhile, Ye Shu on the opposite side had also noticed the gaze directed at him, his eyes sharpening into an even keener edge as he locked his gaze upon the two figures standing before him.
The target of his gaze was none other than Gu Xici who had bolted from his residence not long ago—alongside a youth standing right beside him.
“Heir Gu?”
Ye Shu raised an eyebrow as he spoke.
“What is it? It’s me. Are you looking for me for something?”
Seeing Ye Shu speak up, Gu Xici felt an inexplicable flutter of nervousness, yet he maintained his upright posture and replied with stubborn straightforwardness.
Beside him, Xiao Xiao caught a whiff of gunpowder in the air, sensing that the atmosphere was turning rather ominous.
Xiao Xiao’s mind began racing frantically.
This isn’t looking good. Didn’t Brother Xici and the Grand Preceptor have history… Right, Brother Xici gave the Grand Preceptor a slap across the face! Oh holy heavens, we’re doomed.
Are these two going to throw punches right here and now? Though… I doubt it’ll spill over onto me, right? After all, I didn’t do anything; I’m completely innocent in all of this.
Lost in these turbulent thoughts, Xiao Xiao stared at the two men standing before him, sinking deeper into worry.
Yet, to Xiao Xiao’s utter bewilderment, things did not unfold along the disastrous trajectory he had anticipated. Judging by the scene playing out right before him, the two of them showed no sign of coming to blows. Instead, they appeared to be engaging in a fairly normal conversation.
When Xiao Xiao finally registered that they were actually communicating civilly, his inner peace instantly dissolved into fluttering anxiety.
At this moment, a visibly agitated Gu Xici was arguing about something, casting a sharp glare at Ye Shu that left Xiao Xiao gaping in absolute shock.
“Since you’re in such a rush, let’s head inside the restaurant to eat first. We can talk while we dine once the dishes are served,” Ye Shu proposed, adding, “Heir Gu, this is your friend, I presume?”
A trace of bewilderment crossed Gu Xici’s eyes. “That’s right. Well, I’ll go place our food order first.”
Returning to the present, the three of them sat together at a round table inside the restaurant, ordering a selection of dishes.
Because Gu Xici was plagued by inner gloom, the three jugs of wine brought out by the waiter were entirely consumed by him alone, leaving Xiao Xiao completely powerless to stop him.
At the round table.
Gu Xici was thoroughly plastered. Slumping face-down across the wooden table, he babbled on incoherently, demanding yet another cup of wine.
Finding the spectacle somewhat unbearable, Ye Shu reached out to block Gu Xici’s hand as it blindly fumbled toward the wine jug again.
Interrupted in his pursuit, an irritated Gu Xici muttered indistinctly, “What are you doing? I want to drink, I can still drink another cup.”
Shaking his head helplessly, Ye Shu gripped the arm that kept reaching for alcohol and stated, “Gu Xici, you’re already thoroughly drunk; you cannot drink anymore.”
As for the intoxicated Gu Xici, he remained sprawled across the round table, his face flushed an alarming shade of crimson as he continued rambling, “I’m not drunk… I want to drink…”
Standing nearby, Xiao Xiao looked toward Ye Shu with an expression of helpless distress, then glanced back at the drunken mess that was Gu Xici, and asked, “Grand Preceptor… what should we do now?”
Ye Shu sighed softly. He couldn’t quite sort out what emotions he ought to feel toward his former arch-enemy, yet he felt a profound strangeness churning within his chest.
“I’ll go settle the bill. Keep an eye on him for a moment; I’ll be right back.”
Xiao Xiao nodded, indicating that he would handle it.
However, the moment Ye Shu turned away, Gu Xici threw a drunken tantrum, tossing and turning while shouting curses and complaints.
“Damn Ye Shu… if you’ve got the guts, slap your lord back…”
He continued muttering things that Xiao Xiao couldn’t make out clearly, forcing Xiao Xiao to prop him up against the back of his chair.
Fortunately, the restaurant wasn’t particularly crowded at this hour, otherwise Gu Xici and Xiao Xiao would have completely lost all face.
Right on cue, Ye Shu strode back into the area.
Xiao Xiao briefly averted his gaze away from Gu Xici, but when he turned back around, he was met with a scene that left him utterly dumbfounded.
Accompanied by a dull thud, Xiao Xiao looked over to discover that Gu Xici had slumped face-first right against Ye Shu’s chest.
Ye Shu was struck with the full weight of the impact. He hastily pushed Gu Xici away to arm’s length and signaled Xiao Xiao to help pull the lightweight-heavy-weight drunkard up.
Seeing this, Xiao Xiao scrambled forward to haul Gu Xici to his feet, but Gu Xici was dead weight, making it impossible for him to hoist him up alone. Finally, with immense effort, they managed to get him upright, whereupon Gu Xici resumed his incoherent rambling.
If one listened closely, his muttered words carried a vaguely ambiguous tone.
“I know I was wrong… I shouldn’t have made you lose face that day. How about… you hit me back? …You have no idea how heavy-handed you were, you nearly choked the life out of your lord, my neck’s still red from your grip, damn it…”
Listening to Gu Xici’s rambling complaints, Xiao Xiao turned to stare at Ye Shu with a gaze full of sheer astonishment. Under Xiao Xiao’s bewildered stare, an unmistakable look of awkwardness flickered across Ye Shu’s face as he hurriedly hauled the drunken Gu Xici away from the premises.
Leaving a thoroughly baffled Xiao Xiao standing frozen in place all by himself.