Chapter 38 (1/2)

“Today is for us to freely have fun. Everyone, no need for such courtesy.” Jin Yang’s gaze swept everyone before landing on Gu Ru Jiu. “Junior Sister came out to play but did not bring your horse?”

Gu Ru Jiu detected gazes falling on her from all around. She pretended ignorance and looked up at Jin Yang, saying, “I am just walking around with my good friends. We are not walking far, so we did not ride.”

“That should be the way to admire the flowers.” Jin Yang dismounted and threw the reins to the guards behind him. “Zhen also has such intentions. Would everyone be willing to accompany Zhen?”

Yang Chui Wen and the young masters of the Li Family naturally would not refuse. Gu Ru Jiu and the misses could only follow behind Jin Yang, looking very loyal to the monarch.

The young masters of the Li family were led by Li Huai Gu, but ever since Li Chu Rou’s horse-riding accident, Li Huai Gu rarely appeared at the gatherings and his reputation was inferior to before.

Other people did not know, but the Li Family knew that the family had once had intentions of a marriage with the Gu Family. So when the young masters of the Li Family saw Gu Ru Jiu, they couldn’t help but take a few glances at Li Huai Gu.

Jin Yang noticed the glances of the Li Family members. While he had suspicions, he did not show anything. He started to talk about different books and records, occasionally mentioning customs of local regions, and their governance. These young masters of aristocratic families were mostly educated and did not speak nonsense.

In terms of ability and talent, the aristocratic families were better than people who came from ordinary families. But these aristocratic family young masters cared about too many things, and were extremely self-centered. Jin Yang did not dare put them in important positions.

Among these young masters, Li Huai Gu and Yang Chui Wen were the most outstanding. After Jin Yang chatted for a while with them, he felt these two had extraordinary knowledge that surpassed the others’.

Gu Ru Jiu was listening to the lofty talks of these young masters and did not notice the dry branches under her feet. She slid and was about to fall. The moment she was falling, she only had one thought, this was so embarrassing.

“Miss Gu.” Yang Chui Wen had been close to Gu Ru Jiu, so when he saw her stumble, he quickly reached out to help support her. After Gu Ru Jiu steadied herself, he pulled his hand back like a gentleman and took a step back. “Are you all right?”

“Thank you, I am fine.” Gu Ru Jiu bowed gratefully to him. “Thank you, Young Master Yang, for your help.”

“Just a minor thing. Miss Gu doesn’t have to be so.” Yang Chui Wen smiled gently.

Jin Yang turned back to look at the pair. Seeing the smile at the corners of Gu Ru Jiu’s lips, he turned and took two steps back to walk in front of Gu Ru Jiu and block Yang Chui Wen behind him. “Junior Sister, are you injured?”

“I am fine.” Gu Ru Jiu looked around, winked at him and whispered, “Your Majesty, don’t ask. It’s so embarrassing.”

Seeing her act so childishly towards him, Jin Yang smiled. He reached out to help her take a few steps. When they were far away from the dried branch, he said, “Careful, do not fall.”

Li Huai Gu looked thoughtfully at His Majesty and Second Miss Gu’s actions. He turned back to look at Yang Chui Wen who had a faint smile without any unusual expression. He looked down and didn’t speak.

The group did not walk far when Jin Yang spoke. “It rained a few nights ago. It is slippery here. Zhen will see Junior Sister back. Everyone, as you please.” After finishing, he turned to look at Gu Ru Jiu. “Junior Sister, what do you think?”

Gu Ru Jiu looked up at Jin Yang’s eyes and saw her reflection in that pair of beautiful eyes. She looked down and said in a low voice, “Then this subject will thank Your Majesty.”

The other young masters and misses in the “as you please” category perceptively expressed their attitudes and bid farewell to His Majesty.

After Jin Yang’s group left, Yang Xi Xue and the other misses found an excuse to leave the group of young masters, leaving Yang Chui Wen and the young masters of the Li family behind.

“The Gu Family has a daughter coming of age.” Yang Chui Wen put his hands behind his back and said with a smile, “A bright jewel, calm, composed. People will fall in love with such a beauty.”

Li Ji An of the Li Second Branch raised an eyebrow and said with slight disagreement, “Just a young girl of fourteen. What kind of jewel do you see?”

“Some women’s beauty is on the surface and not inside. This Miss Gu is different. Her beauty is inside, in her aura, in her mind. Even just one of her glances can make people forget themselves.” Yang Chui Wen sighed when he said this. “If I am able to marry such a beauty, I will have no regrets in life.”

Li Ji An and the others expressed doubts about Yang Chui Wen’s judgement. In their eyes, Gu Ru Jiu was still that young and innocent little girl. They really could not see much beauty to lose their minds.

Seeing his fellows express doubts towards his judgement, Yang Chui Wen was not angry. He said, “It is good that you do not understand how to admire. This way, no one will compete with me to marry her.”

Hearing Yang Chui Wen say this, Li Huai Gu’s brows moved slightly. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, and then swallowed it back. He turned back to look in the direction the emperor had left in and sighed softly.

##

On the forest path, Jin Yang and Gu Ru Jiu walked, one behind the other. Behind them were the upright dragon guards whose footsteps caused this path to feel extremely quiet.

Jin Yang walked slowly, so slowly that Gu Ru Jiu could surpass him with a large step.

“Junior Sister, have you ever thought of what the person you admire will be like?” Jin Yang stopped walking. He turned to look at Gu Ru Jiu, his expression one that she did not understand.

Looking at Jin Yang like this, Gu Ru Jiu suddenly realized that this young emperor had grown up into a qualified emperor.

“Your Majesty, this subject has never thought of this question.” Gu Ru Jiu smiled and shook her head. “You, have you ever thought?”

“Not in the past, but now I have. I only fear that she is not willing.” Jin Yang put his hands behind his back and slowly walked forward.

Gu Ru Jiu walked silently behind him. Looking at his upright back, and his legs wrapped in the brocade robe, she couldn’t help but think that, with his appearance, he could compete to be the most beautiful man in the capital.

“Careful, there is a slope ahead.” Jin Yang turned and put his hand in front of Gu Ru Jiu. “I will help you down.”

Gu Ru Jiu looked at this hand, as white as jade, the joints well-defined. The hand was thin, but gave off a determined power.

But she felt that maybe she shouldn’t grip that hand.

She pushed off, lifting up her skirts and running down the slope in a few steps. Then she smiled and looked at Jin Yang up the hill. “Your Majesty, there is a beautiful sea of flowers ahead.”

Jin Yang saw her innocent smile and dropped his hand. He took large strides down. “Really?”

“Look, there.” Gu Ru Jiu pointed ahead. There was a large patch of wildflowers, not the tender bright flowers of the palace, but full of life.

The dragon guards carefully stood around to prevent any accidents.

Hu Yun Qi, who was closest to the pair, sighed inside. Cun Jing’s younger sister could not be kept home. Other people may not see, but he could clearly see how His Majesty looked at Second Miss Gu. Wasn’t this the feeling of love?

The Gu Family may not have such intentions, but His Majesty had intentions.

He wondered, when the imperial family asked to marry Second Miss Gu, would the Gu Family be willing to nod their head?

It was ironic to think of. The Li and Sima families did all they could but His Majesty did not even spare a glance. The Gu Family did not plan to raise a consort, but the emperor just liked their girl. This really was luck could not be stopped if it came, and if one did not have luck, they could not get it.

“I thought about what Your Majesty just asked.” Gu Ru Jiu bent down to pick a wildflower and played with it. “I do not want much, just a person willing to be considerate of me, and walk through this life with me.”

“If… ” Jin Yang turned to look at her. “If that person is…”

Woosh!

The mountain wind rose. Several birds flew out of the trees and chirped as they flew overhead.

Gu Ru Jiu looked up at the sky and then glanced at Jin Yang’s pale face. She inhaled. “The mountain wind is cold. Let’s first return.”

She worried that the weak Jin Yang would be ill after the mountain wind chill. “How about we talk as we walk?”

Jin Yang swallowed his unspoken words. He turned and took his cloak from the dragon guards before putting it on Gu Ru Jiu.

Gu Ru Jiu looked down as he used his white fingers to tie the cloak. She said dazedly, “Thank you.”

“Let’s go.” Jin Yang smiled considerately and then walked ahead.

Hu Yun Qi’s breath stuck in his throat and he almost choked. He couldn’t help but go into an internal frenzy. Your Majesty, your words have reached your lips—continue to speak!

Aren’t you usually calm, wise, and decisive? How come you are so indecisive here?

Jin Yang could not hear Hu Yun Qi’s internal shouts. Right now, he was in conflict. He had to make sure he did not touch Junior Sister but also that she did not fall. He carefully walked towards the main hall of Taihe Palace.

When one walked with someone they disliked, a few steps would be hard to tolerate. But if one was together with someone they liked, even the longest and steepest road would feel too short. When Jin Yang saw the main hall of Taihe Palace, he felt slightly disappointed.

While he and Jiu Jiu had chances to meet in Kangquan Palace, the two did not have many chances to speak in private. A chance like today was extremely rare, so he had treasured it.

But no matter how reluctant he felt, he still worried that Jiu Jiu would get sick from the mountain wind. There would be more chances to interact. But if Jiu Jiu became sick, the one in hardship would be Jiu Jiu.

“Empress Dowager, His Majesty has returned.” Matron Liu whispered softly by Empress Dowager Zhou’s ear. “County Princess Changyan came back with His Majesty.”

“I know.” Empress Dowager Zhou nodded. From afar, she saw Jin Yang and Gu Ru Jiu walk in from the outside. She turned and said to the ladies keeping her company, “This Grieving One is extremely grateful to everyone for accompanying this Grieving One to have fun. The Imperial Kitchen has prepared a special meal for you ladies to taste.”

The ladies heard this and said this was good. Inside they thought, did the empress dowager want to observe the noble misses’ manners at the table?