Chapter 264
In the novel, after being accused of killing his father and mother, Gu Zezhi lives in hiding for a few years. And while he was in hiding, he was already also planning a big surprise for the heir, killing him in one fell swoop and taking control of the military power of West Xinjiang with swift and decisive force.
Gu Zezhi picked up the teacup, and elegantly brushed the tea foam with the tea lid calmly and with a relaxed manner looking like a bright moon, pure and honest.
When he was in West Xinjiang, he was suppressed by his father and his heir so all the people around him were basically her father’s people. And in order to ease his father’s mind and to show that he had no intention of competing with the heir, he was always under his father’s orders all those years.
However, his concession was only reciprocated with constant pressure from them instead. From the time his father recalled him from the front to Luo’an City when he was seventeen years old, he saw everything clearly and then began to arrange his plan secretly. Today, although he hasn’t met many people he could trust, it was still enough.
After taking a shallow sip of hot tea, Gu Zezhi raised his head and proposed again, “Mother, should we bring your dowry to the capital as well?”
Madam Xiao felt that her son was too thoughtful and gladly responded, “Good!”
Looking at her son and her soon daughter-in-law, Madam Xiao couldn’t help but think of the future, it would be good for their family to live in the capital for a long time. They don’t need to pay attention to the troubles in the west. Besides, Qin Jiu doesn’t need to marry far away and her son could also stay in the capital and earn a career by himself.
Seeing Madam Xiao’s generous and magnanimous expression, Gu Zezhi felt completely relieved: mother is finally over it.
Gu Zezhi smiled: “Mother, after a while the weather will be warmer, how about you go back to your uncle’s place for a while? You haven’t been back to Jiangnan for many years.”
When Madam Xiao heard this her eyes instantly lit up and got really excited.
The capital was far from Jiangnan, and since she got married, she has never been back to her parent’s house, later, with Duan Wangye, she went to West Xinjiang. It had been thirty years and this was the first time she had left West Xinjiang in these years.
She has not seen her brother and sister-in-law, nieces, and nephews for many years...
And for so many years now, her brother and sister-in-law have also kept her parents’ courtyard for her. She doesn’t know if the wutong tree which was three hundred years old at home was still there, nor was the swing and flower garden...
The picture of her family and their fu flashed through Madam Xiao’s eyes. That was the place where she grew up, but even though she hadn’t returned for so many years, it was still deeply engraved in her memory.
Madam Xiao couldn’t wait just thinking about it.
Anyway, she was very free now and could leave whenever she wanted.
She was enthusiastically thinking about when would be better to start her journey, “We have to travel by boat from the capital to Jiangnan, so we need to check if ice has already melted this year and whether there is spring flood along the way...”
Qin Jiu’s small body was always afraid of the cold, although she was covered with a thick cloak, her hands and feet were still cold. She raised her hands and breathed into her red hands.
She was dressed in three layers on the inside and three layers on the outside, almost wrapping herself in a quilt while Gu Zezhi next to her was only wearing a thin purple robe forming a stark contrast.
“Give me your hand.”
Gu Zezhi said suddenly.
Qin Jiu obediently handed him her right hand, his dry and warm palm covered her small, cold hand in, warming her hand and giving a tingling sensation.
It’s so warm!
The two held hands, arms next to each other, and moved even closer to each other that when the wind blew the pleasant scent of his body penetrated into the tip of her nose, accompanied by his gentle and melodious voice:
“Xiao Jiu, have you ever been to West Xinjiang?”
Qin Jiu looked at his clear profile and shook her head honestly. “Never.”
“There are many sandstorms in the western Xinjiang, so it’s better not to go there.”
Gu Zezhi smiled, “It’s cold in winter and hot in summer. At the beginning of spring, there are many insects and ants so people are often bitten by poisonous insects, this is also the reason why people in the West have the habit of wearing insect-repellent sachets.”
Qin Jiu blinked her confused eyes.
Gu Zezhi stopped and covered her left hand instead, his smile deepened, “The heir has cared for my mother so much so I just brought a gift for him as well.”
When he said this, Qin Jiu naturally understood and blinked. In other words, Gu Zezhi returned the favor by adding the Chifeng grass to the incense sachet and giving it back to the heir.
Right?
Qin Jiu looked up at Gu Zezhi and asked with her eyes.
Gu Zezhi smiled and said nothing. Instead, he looked at Qin Jiu and silently affirmed her guess.
***