Vol 2 Chapter 8 (1/2)

Chapter 24: Brilliant Smile

“I won’t enter the city with you. I’ll go in first.” Huo Qu Bing thought and agreed “Fine. There is bound to be a lot of confusion upon entering the city, and I need to enter the Palace to see the Emperor first. Are you going back to Luo Yu House?” I sighed “Where else can I go? Hong Gu is sure to berate me to death.”

Huo Qu Bing looked amused “You are the one at fault, if you get yelled at you deserve it. But if you want some peace and quiet, you can always go to my estate directly. Housekeeper Chen will take good care of you. From now on, my home is your home. Luo Yu House won’t be the only place you can go in Chang An.”

I shook my head “It’s time to face the music, isn’t that what you said? I can’t avoid it forever, and if Hong Gu knew I was back in Chang An and I didn’t go see her, I would commit an additional grievous infraction.” Huo Qu Bing smiled and nodded “Finally. Here’s the brave Jin Yu I know.”

After half a year away, Chang An appears not to have changed at all. Crowds of people are coming from the city gates towards the road leading to the Palace. They all want to see the man responsible for instilling fear in the Xiong Nu, Huo Qu Bing, as well as the captured Xiong Nu princes and dukes. I am moving against the flow of traffic and I break a sweat. It takes me three times as long to arrive at Luo Yu House.

The door is open a crack and the two doormen are sitting under the shade staying cool. They are drinking tea and chatting. I walk in and they scramble up “Young master, if you want to watch dancing you have to go through the front door. This is for the servants to use.” I laughed and c.o.c.ked my head “You can’t recognize me?” They stared at me and quickly bowed “We heard Madam was out on a business trip and we apologize for not recognizing you right away.”

The yard is filled with shady trees and I can see the sparkling lake, giving off a cool breeze. Xing Yen is sweeping the courtyard and I go stand next to her. She startled and looked at me, stunned for a moment before starting to scream. I had to plug my ears and I tease her “Stop sweeping and prepare some water for me. I need a bath, it’s so hot today.” She nodded and went off.

Before the water arrived, Hong Gu is storming into my room. One hand is on her waist and another had a finger pointing at me “You ungrateful, heartless, cruel……” Xing Yen pa.s.sed me a bowl of cold green bean soup and neither of us dare to speak, only glancing at each other. I listen to Hong Gu berate me and drink my soup “…..how can you be so heartless, leaving us weak ladies all without a by-your-leave, not caring about whether we live or die, not caring about our friends.h.i.+p……All this time, I’ve been praying daily and hoping nightly…..”

I finish my soup while Hong Gu keeps yelling at me. After listen some more, I finally can’t resist and laugh. Her eyes are red “How can you laugh?” I reply “It’s just that you’re making me sound like a faithless boyfriend who deserted you.” She thought about it and couldn’t help but smile, but then she started crying and I had to comfort her “Hong Gu, this time it’s all my fault.”

Hong Gu wiped her tears “Xiao Yu, I’m not angry because you left. There isn’t a party in this world that doesn’t end. The girls come and go here many cycles already, and there will be a day when you’ll leave. I was hoping you can marry someone and live a peaceful life. But you really shouldn’t have left without saying anything, just leaving a letter. Not even a face to face farewell. You might be a carefree person but I’m not.”

I walked up and held her hand “I do things based on my own whim, and I didn’t consider your feelings. I won’t do that again. Please chalk this up to my youthful folly and forgive me this once.”

Hong Gu glared at me and then finally smiled after a few moments. “I heard General Huo returned to the city today. How coincidental you also returned to the city today?” I was like a girl who just had her personal life splashed open like a book. I demurely lower my head and didn’t answer her. Hong Gu looked at my countenance and suddenly understood. She tightly grasped my hand and happily asked “You and General Huo….you and him…..is it for real?”

I laugh and pull my hand free, turning around to look for a change of clothes. I still don’t answer but Hong Gu claps her hands “Oh yes! Oh yes! I can finally stop worrying. Hurray for running away! Three cheers for leaving! This runaway trip was totally worth it.”

I was behind the panel bathing when Hong Gu stood on the other side to talk to me “……Xiao Yu, thanks to you running away, I actually got to meet the Big Boss of the s.h.i.+ Enterprises. I couldn’t have imagined it was such a handsome young man. His every word was gentle and refined, and he was so polite to everyone…..”

Bam! The water ladle in my land fell on the floor and Hong Gu quickly asked what happened? I pick up the ladle and continue bathing “Nothing, just accidentally dropped the ladle. What did the Big Boss want with you?”

Hong Gu huffed “Of course it was because of you. He wanted to know all the details of you leaving. Because of what you asked, I burned the letter and didn’t mention it. But I was so angry at you then, and I could care less who could find you and bring you back so I could yell at you. So I told the Big Boss that you left a letter for General Huo, which I had already sent to his estate.”

Did he need to ask how I left Chang An? Since he already didn’t care, why did he have to constantly do these little things that make him appear to care? I splashed more water over my head, as if I could wash things away. “Hong Gu, tell everyone who saw me to keep quiet about the fact that I’ve returned.”

Hong Gu happily agreed “Fine! Rest for a few days, but don’t forget to enter the Palace to personally thank Consort Li. When you were gone, she didn’t visit personally but would send Master Li to play songs here. This helped deflect a lot of potential problems. She is very loyal. Others would try to shake off their inglorious past, but she is a caring person and knew you were gone and helped take care of us.”

I stood there in a daze. In the future…..what to do? Li Yan, I know your pain and your sorrow, which is why I don’t want to hurt you. But in the end must I pick a side? I chatted with Hong Gu some more and the time flies. It’s nighttime already and she tells me to rest after we finish dinner.