Chapter 274 - Chapter 274: 274. Capricious Miss Gu

Chapter 274: 274. Capricious Miss Gu

Translator: 549690339

The Lin Family Brothers and Lian Shun were happy after the initial surprise of hearing from Gu Ling that Su Liang was on her way to the capital city of Liang Country.

“Hold on!” Lian Shun suddenly frowned, “Is King Yue implying that he has already sent people to invite Su Liang, but the Emperor might not really let her come, right?”

Gu Ling’s expression was indifferent, “He will.”

Nian Jincheng seemed thoughtful, “As long as the ‘reward’ offered by King Yue is high enough.”

“Since it’s Emperor Liang’s order, the reward will naturally not be low.” Lian Shun happily clapped his hands upon hearing both Gu Ling and Nian Jincheng believe Su Liang would come, “Great! Once Su Xiaoliang arrives, I can finally witness how she pursues Gu Xiaoling! Hahaha!”

“Are you really going to live in Prince Masion?” Nian Jincheng asked Gu Ling.

Lian Shun hugged Gu Ling with one arm, “Of course, we’re going together! I heard that Prince Masion is also called the Mansion of Beauties, where both the young and old are outstanding beauties! I want to see for myself!” “Yes, Lian Shun will go with me.” Gu Ling nodded slightly.

He was not yet clear about Duanmu Yi’s purpose for sending Su Liang, but it was definitely not to treat Emperor Liang’s illness, nor was it a trivial matter, and it was most likely related to Situ Xie. This was the reason for Gu Ling to agree to live in Prince Masion. While at the prince’s mansion, Su Liang could pursue him more easily, and it would make sense for her to move in if she wished to.

“Will Big Lin and Little Lin be safe at the inn?” Lian Shun asked. Over time, he had become close friends with the Lin Family Brothers.

Nian Jincheng shook his head slightly, “As long as you guys don’t cause any trouble in the Prince Masion, there’s no need to worry about our safety.”

Lian Shun chuckled, “I won’t, but I can’t say the same for Gu Xiaoling. By the way, has King Yue mentioned when he sent his people to invite Su Xiaoliang, and when is she expected to arrive? I’ll go outside the city to meet her!”

Gu Ling shook his head, “I don’t know.”

“I’ll ask King Yue when I see him again,” Lian Shun said.

When Situ Jing, the eldest grandson of Situ Xie and Situ Yao’s elder brother, came to the inn to pick up Gu Ling, snow started to fall in Yao City once again.

Lian Shun was talking with Gu Ling, and the door was open. Seeing the handsome young man approaching in the wind and snow, Lian Shun couldn’t help but exclaim, “Your cousin is really good-looking!”

The people from the Situ Family all had very fair skin, even more so for Gu Ling, whose skin was so flawless that women would be envious of him.

Situ Jing had a tall figure, deep and exquisite facial features, eyebrows and eyes quite similar to Situ Xie, and his demeanor was like a younger version of Situ Xie—gentle, polite, and versatile.

Watching Situ Jing exchange pleasantries with Gu Ling, Lian Shun felt that overall, this person was more perfect. Comparatively, many people would not like Gu Ling’s aloof and taciturn character.

“This must be General Lin? I’ve heard a lot about you.” Situ Jing’s smile was sincere.

Lian Shun smiled even more earnestly, “Mutually, mutually. I have a question for Master Situ.”

“Oh?” Situ Jing nodded, “Please feel free to ask, Master Lin.”

‘Who is the most beautiful person in the Prince Masion?” Lian Shun asked seriously.

Situ Jing chuckled, “I haven’t thought about this before, but I can answer Master Lin now. Of course, the most beautiful person in the Prince Masion is my cousin Gu Ling.”

“Excluding him?” Lian Shun asked again.

Situ Jing looked at Gu Ling and sighed lightly, “Then it would be my aunt. But she has passed away.”

Situ Xie only had a daughter, Gu Ling’s mother Situ Ning.

Hearing Situ Jing mention ancestors, Lian Shun didn’t think it appropriate to inquire further or make jokes, so he dropped the topic.

Knowing that Gu Ling would bring Lian Shun along to live in the Prince Masion, Situ Jing expressed his warm welcome, and even invited the Lin Family Brothers to come along if they wished.

By the time they were ready to leave, Lian Shun and Situ Jing were already getting along well, chatting as they walked in front, while Gu Ling trailed behind by himself, looking like an outsider.

Situ Jing stopped and waited for Gu Ling, while Lian Shun casually draped his arm around Situ Jing’s shoulder and continued walking. “You don’t need to worry about Gu Xiaoling. He finds talking tiring, and if you insist on chatting with him, it would only be a burden for him.”

Situ Jing smiled, “It is said that Gu Ling only has one friend, but now it seems that the rumor is untrue.”

Lian Shun nodded, “I’ve known Gu Xiaoling since we were young, but it’s just that no one knows about it. Young Master Situ, apart from Princess Yaoguang, do you have any other sisters?”

Situ Jing shook his head, “We have many men in our family, so I only have one sister. ”

Lian Shun expressed his regret, giving people the feeling that he intended to become a son-in-law of the Situ family but had no opportunity. However, he was secretly thinking that it was great. Since Situ Yao was already engaged to Duanmu Chen, and there were no more young ladies in the Prince’s Mansion, there was no need to worry about someone trying to take Gu Ling away from Su Liang! Even if there was, they wouldn’t succeed!

Situ Jing smiled slightly, “I have several cousins.”

Lian Shun immediately expressed his interest in meeting them.

The carriage stopped, and as Gu Ling got off, he saw many people standing outside the gate of Prince Masion, including Situ Xie.

Lian Shun scanned the crowd and couldn’t help but sigh, “This truly is a home of beauties!” To be fair, the people of Prince Masion were all very good-looking, there was not a single ugly one, and even the average-looking were not present.

However, no one was more beautiful than Gu Ling… this was Lian Shun’s

“Cousin!” Situ Yao stood next to Situ Xie, waving at Gu Ling with a sweet smile.

Situ Jing had two younger brothers who were twins and the same age as Gu Ling. They looked almost exactly alike.

As Lian Shun was trying to distinguish the twin brothers, he heard Situ Xie calling him.

“Master Lin, please.” Situ Xie smiled.

“Prince Yue is too polite.” Lian Shun walked to Situ Xie’s side. “I heard that Su Liang is coming to treat Emperor Liang? Do you know when she will arrive approximately?”

“Are you familiar with Physician Su, Master Lin?” Situ Xie asked.

Lian Shun nodded, following him in, “Very familiar. She is my best friend. I pursued her back then but got rejected. I’m completely fine with her being interested in Gu Xiaoling. Everyone else wouldn’t do.”

Situ Xie couldn’t help but grin and told Lian Shun when someone was sent to Qian Country. If things went quickly, it was estimated that Su Liang could arrive in Yao City in about eight or nine days.

Lian Shun’s first impression left on the people of Prince Masion was that he was straightforward and talkative, saying whatever he thought.

Situ Xie personally led Gu Ling and Lian Shun to the courtyard where Situ Ning had lived before she got married, called Ningxiang Residence. The courtyard was quiet and elegant, with cold plum blossoms reflecting on the snow and giving off a cold fragrance.

Gu Ling had stayed here when he was young and visited Liang Country.

Situ Ning’s room was still the same. On the table, there were a few jade carved dolls with cute expressions, which had been given to Gu Ling by Situ Xie many years ago when Gu Ling visited. However, Gu Ling did not like them and did not take them away when he left.

Lian Shun saw a painting hanging on the wall and went over to take a look. In the painting, a young girl stood under a plum tree, looking up slightly, smiling faintly amidst the falling petals, and looking incredibly beautiful.

It was Situ Ning, but Gu Ling had never seen this painting before. Looking at the date on the signature, it was painted this year by Situ Xie.

“Every year on Ning’er’s birthday, I paint a portrait of her and hang it in this room until the next year.” Situ Xie sighed, “Ling’er, do you want to stay in this room?”

Gu Ling nodded.

“You two can rest for a while. Due to the emperor’s illness, it is not appropriate to have a big banquet. Tonight, I will host a banquet in the mansion to welcome Secretary Lin and General Lin and wash away their dust from the long journey.” With that, Situ Xie left.

“Prince Yue has only one daughter, and since he loves her so much, how could he bear to marry her off to Qian Country?” Lian Shun was puzzled. “Now he wants to marry his only granddaughter there as well. Although it can’t be said that marriages abroad are definitely bad, they are so far away, and there are no relatives from the bride’s family to back them up if something happens. If I have a daughter in the future, she must not marry far away. She must stay under my watch, where no one can bully her!”

Lian Shun sighed at Situ Ning’s painting and turned to find Gu Ling had disappeared.

Looking outside, Gu Ling was seen folding plum blossoms.

“Do you like plum blossoms?” Lian Shun walked over, “They’re really beautiful, but too cold. I prefer brightly colored flowers.”

Gu Ling folded three branches of plum blossoms and placed them in the white porcelain vase on the windowsill.

The servant appointed to Ning Xiang House by Situ Xie wasn’t a maid, but a handsome young man named Gu Ming, who was the younger brother of Gu Yue and Gu Xiang, who had gone to Qian Country to invite Su Liang.

After tidying up a bit, Gu Ling and Lian Shun went to the garden of Prince Yue’s Mansion.

“Walking in the snow, if I were Su Xiaoliang, we could be reciting poetry and talking about love in the snow.” Lian Shun said earnestly, “If you were Su Xiaoliang, it would be nice too, we could have a fight in the snow.”

Unfortunately, only Gu Ling and Lian Shun were present, making a poetry contest awkward. A fight was possible, but Lian Shun, who was sure he would lose, chose not to. Although he wasn’t sure he could win against Su Liang either, the gap wouldn’t be as big.

As they followed Gu Ling around the garden, Lian Shun noticed that he was paying close attention to the scenery and felt something was amiss.

“The trees are not bad.” Gu Ling said.

Lian Shun was puzzled, “So what?”

“The Marquis Chang Xin’s Mansion is too empty.” Gu Ling said.

Lian Shun rubbed his forehead, “Don’t tell me you plan to uproot all the trees in

Prince Yue’s garden and plant them in your house in the capital city of Qian Country?”

Gu Ling nodded, “That’s exactly what I had in mind.”

The two sat in a pavilion by the lake, which was covered with thick ice.

After ensuring that no one was around, Lian Shun leaned in closer to Gu Ling and whispered, “Are you trying to provoke your grandfather on purpose? Want to see how far he can tolerate you?”

Gu Ling shook his head, “You’re overthinking it.”

Lian Shun scoffed, “Even though I don’t know why you don’t like your grandfather, it’s not excessive for you to want to take away the garden of Prince Yue’s Mansion since he married your mother away back then.”

“I want ten of your orange trees.” Gu Ling said. Lian Shun shook his head immediately, “No way!”

Gu Ling nodded slightly, “End of friendship.”

Lian Shun explained to Gu Ling that the orange trees wouldn’t bear good fruit if taken to the capital city of Qian Country due to the change in climate.

“How about this, every year when the oranges turn red, I’ll send you ten baskets of oranges via fast horses!” Lian Shun insisted he was not a stingy person.

“Deal.” Gu Ling agreed.

“But you didn’t give me anything, how can it be a deal?” Lian Shun suddenly felt like he was at a disadvantage.

“Then let’s end our friendship.” Gu Ling said.

Lian Shun: …So he had to rush to send gifts just to be friends with him? But breaking off their friendship was out of the question. He was still waiting to have his son or daughter marry Gu Ling and Su Liang’s daughter or son. A strong relationship must be established and their union ensured!

However, Lian Shun was correct on one thing. Gu Ling wanted to move Prince Yue’s garden, not because of the deceased Situ Ning, but to see how long Situ Xie could pretend.

Personally going to the city gate to borrow Gu Ling, personally sending him to the inn, bringing the whole family to greet him at the door, painting portraits for Situ Ning every year… Since Situ Xie cared so much about his grandson, Gu Ling would be wilful and indifferent to the end, to see how long Situ Xie could bear it.

The banquet at Prince Yue’s Mansion was grand, with almost all of the ministers of Liang Country present, including people from General Peng’s Mansion. The royal family was represented by the crown prince and another prince.

Peng Wei had fully recovered from his severe injuries, but his hair had turned completely white, and he had lost a lot of weight. However, his spirit was still quite good.

Peng Qian’s movements were no longer hindered, and he didn’t need to sit in a wheelchair or be helped by others.

The protagonist of this banquet was Gu Ling, but not long after it started, he

excused himself due to a headache and letf. Lian Shun did not leave with Gu Ling but stayed behind to entertain the Lin Family Brothers.

It was obvious that Gu Ling didn’t want to deal with the Liang Country’s royal family and was quite solitary, not liking to interact with others.

Gu Ming followed Gu Ling back to Ningxiang Residence, and Gu Ling ordered him to prepare hot water.

Only after Gu Ling bathed and read a few pages of a book while lying on the bed did Lian Shun return.

“Gu Xiaoling, can you not use your good looks as an excuse to do whatever you want and disregard everyone? You just up and leave, and your Crown Prince cousin’s face darkened at that moment!” Lian Shun complained, “Is it that uncomfortable? Can’t you at least pretend a little?”

Gu Ling shook his head, “I’m not good at acting.”

If Su Liang were here, she would definitely give Gu Ling a big eye-roll.

Lian Shun shrugged, “Fine, they’re all your relatives anyway; let’s see just how much your grandfather dotes on you! Concerning the matter the emperor entrusted to you, do you plan to discuss it with King Yue tomorrow, or wait until Su Xiaoliang arrives and treats Emperor Liang before discussing it with him?”

“Wait,” Gu Ling said succinctly.

Although it was true that Situ Xie held substantial power in Liang Country, in name, it was Duanmu Yi who sent Gu Ling to discuss cooperation with the Liang Country’s emperor, and to visit the elder Situ Xie on the side.

Gu Ling still didn’t know what Duanmu Yi wanted Su Liang to do, so he intended to wait until Su Liang arrived, confirm her purpose, and then decide his next move. Before that, he would do nothing.

Lian Shun thought that was fine too. In case Su Liang arrived late, they would have no reason to stay once they finished their business.

The next day, when Gu Ling met Situ Xie again, he mentioned that he liked the Prince Mansion’s garden, and the Marquis Chang Xin Mansion he was rewarded with in Qian Country was a burned ruin.

Situ Xie immediately stated that he would quickly send craftsmen to the capital city of Qian Country to repair Gu Ling’s garden.

Lian Shun, who was standing nearby, felt something was off – wouldn’t this be slapping Duanmu Yi in the face, letting everyone know how he mistreated Gu Ling?

However, Gu Ling said that there was no need for craftsmen; he only wanted the trees from the Prince Mansion’s garden to be sent to Qian Country and handed over to Nian Jincheng.

Situ Xie agreed, saying that those trees had accompanied Situ Ning as she grew up, and he was willing to give them to Gu Ling if he wanted them.

So, that day, the Prince Mansion began to dig out the trees, many of which were valuable old trees requiring large carts for transport. Moreover, delivering them thousands of miles to Qian Country in the freezing cold would be very costly.

When the news spread, Gu Ling’s reputation in Yao City plummeted, as everyone thought that though Situ Xie was extremely indulgent with him, he was just too willful and behaving absurdly.

“Since we’re not discussing serious matters now, let’s go out and have fun!” Lian Shun wanted to take Gu Ling out.

Gu Ling pushed Lian Shun away, “You go out with Boyan and Bojun. I’m not going. ”

“Why?” Lian Shun asked, puzzled.

“You tell others that I get rashes on my face when the wind blows.” Gu Ling’s expression was calm as he turned another page of the book. Lian Shun coughed lightly, “I forgot. But you can wear a mask.”

Gu Ling shook his head, “It’s too cold. I’m not going.”

No matter how much Lian Shun cajoled him from every angle, it didn’t work.

Suddenly, he chuckled, “It’s settled then! Since this is Su Xiaoliang’s first time

in Liang Country, she probably wants to sightsee here. You don’t have to go now, wait until she comes! I’ll scout around with Big Lin and Little Lin to see where the fun places and good food are. In a few days, let Su Xiaoliang take you out!”

Just like that, Lian Shun grabbed Gu Ling’s cloak and left.

The window was open, and Gu Ling watched as Lian Shun disappeared from the entrance of the courtyard. He nodded slightly in response to his previous words, “I’ll wait to play with her..”