Zhao Changdu glanced at him lightly, as if seeing through all the secrets hidden deep in his heart.
Ye Qingchi said irritably, "Prince Zhao, can you please not look at me like that?"
Zhao Changdu said leisurely and complacently, "Her wedding with the Fu family is set for early May. If you want her, you still have time to find a way."
"Do you think I have a bandit's temperament like you?" Ye Qingchi said disdainfully, "A forced marriage would be worthless to me."
Zhao Changdu's eyes were deep and he said solemnly, "But if you don't seize her, you won't even have a moment's possession."
Just like him, he simply couldn't watch A Ying marry someone else. Unless he died, no one could take his A Ying away.
Upon hearing this, Ye Qingchi pressed his lips into a tight line. With his Ye family's upright reputation, he absolutely could not force a marriage.
He knew well what he wanted, and was also clearly aware of what he could not do.
People are like this - the more sober-minded, the more heartache inside.
Moreover, for Gu Shuang, she loved Fu Xun. The Fu family was the best place for her.
As for him...he just needed to continue treating her like a sister. On her wedding day, he would present her with a gift, congratulating her on holding hands with another man and growing old together.
He gave a self-deprecating laugh and said lightly, "Liking does not necessarily mean getting. After all, people with affinity but no destiny cannot force it."
Zhao Changdu stopped talking. He knew Ye Qingchi's disposition well, and persuasion would be useless.
It would be better if Gu Shuang married soon, so Ye Qingchi could give up sooner and find another good marriage prospect.
"Your Highness, Young Master Ye, you were so hard for this old slave to find!"
Eunuch Guo suddenly appeared, smiling as he said that His Majesty had asked them to talk in the Imperial Study.
Zhao Changdu looked back expressionlessly at the empty dragon chair in the main seat of Changyin Pavilion.
Li Hao, looking frail, sat behind Concubine Wan in a cloak, glancing lightly in this direction.
Zhao Changdu nodded almost imperceptibly and went to the Imperial Study with Ye Qingchi.
After Zhao Changdu and the others left, Li Hao's cold gaze finally turned to Ning Si, who was not far away.
Seeing her looking down with her attention not on the stage, from his perspective, the woman had a slender figure, disheveled hair and a pointed chin. Her face no longer showed the panic from last night, and his eyebrows relaxed slightly.
He had been too impulsive last night and shouldn't have treated her like that.
She had cried pitifully all night and her eyes were red and swollen this morning, which made people's hearts ache when they saw her.
The corner of his mouth curled up in a faint smile as he deeply reflected for a while - he had wronged her and needed to make up for it properly after the evening banquet ended.
Just as Li Hao was about to withdraw his gaze, he saw her slowly place her small hand on her bulging belly, a shallow smile appearing at the corners of her mouth. His eyebrows instantly wrinkled.
After just one trip to Yueyang, she had such deep feelings for Zhou Yan's child?
She was willing to give up her affection for him over so many years for the sake of a Zhou Yan?
Li Hao unconsciously clenched his fists tightly as the fire in his heart instantly blazed up.
...
The carriage from the Duke of Dongping's residence came out of the palace gate all the way down Zhengyang Avenue in Bianjing.
The evening scenery of Bianjing was great. Shops lined both sides of the wide street, and the Yangtze River's embankment was lined with willows. A light breeze blew by, making it extremely pleasant.
After passing Zhengyang Avenue, it started to turn into Anning Alley. After traveling for a cup of tea's time, it would reach Changning Avenue where the Duke's residence was located.
Gu Ying and Gu Shuang chatted happily along the way.
When they passed an intersection, there was a century-old famous shop where Gu Shuang got out and specially bought a box of red bean cake.
After getting back on the carriage,
Gu Shuang reluctantly started speaking, "Second sister, Grandmother always says she wants to see you but has been too busy. Shall we go to the residence today and take the chance to see little Qingqing?"
Gu Ying took a piece of red bean cake and fed it into her mouth. Her eyes were indifferent as she said, "Grandmother wants to see me?"
"Yes." Gu Shuang licked her lips hesitantly, "She said it was about tomorrow's martial arts training."
She hadn't wanted to be the go-between, but Grandmother kept pressing Mother on the matter of being the wife of the Duke of Dongping, so she had no choice but to pass on the message here.
Gu Ying's mouth curled up as she gave a cold laugh, "It's about A Ning's martial arts master, right?"
Aunt was very efficient and quickly found Shen Muyun for her. She then announced that she had found a martial arts master for A Ning, the renowned number one swordsman of Jianghu, Li Yunzhi.
Naturally, given Uncle and Aunt's doting on A Ning, they also conveniently invited Li Yunzhi over.
Li Yunzhi had outstanding martial arts skills but was also arrogant. He rarely took disciples, only accepting A Ning due to the Ye family's face.
As a result, when Grandmother heard that the disabled A Ning could be taught by Li Yunzhi, she could no longer sit still. She sent people here several times to communicate, but she was easygoing and pretended not to hear, nor did she mention it to Aunt.
Now Grandmother was still not willing to let it go, sending Gu Shuang here as a go-between for the eldest son of the main branch. Why was she so good to the main branch?
Strangely, she really didn't understand Grandmother's indulgence and pampering of the main branch. Father and Eldest Uncle were both her own sons. One was just an idle official while the other was the nation-protecting General. How could she be so blatantly partial to the main branch?
Over so many years, had she ever cared about Father's life and death on the border?
Even with Gu Ying's good temper and tolerance of Grandmother, when she thought of Grandmother's indifference to her own family, she still felt somewhat angry.
Gu Shuang smiled awkwardly, "Second sister, don't overthink. I also feel it's quite embarrassing to go begging someone to accept a disciple... If he wants to learn martial arts tomorrow, we can hire a master ourselves. But Aunt Wang cried in front of Grandmother, so Grandmother softened a bit and insisted A Ming should be under Li Yunzhi like A Ning. Mother has advised against it, but Grandmother said... Second sister is the daughter-in-law of the Duke's main heir. If second sister goes to plead with the Ye family, they will certainly accept A Ming as well..."
The shamelessness of the Gu family made even Gu Shuang unable to continue.
Gu Ying almost laughed when she heard this. "On what basis should the Ye family accept A Ming?"
Gu Shuang said awkwardly, "Grandmother said it's because he's A Ning's brother."
Gu Ying's mouth turned up mockingly. "My mother only gave birth to us two siblings. Where did he get a brother from? Tell Grandmother to give up on this. Li Yunzhi accepted A Ning as a disciple due to my Aunt Qin's face. If Grandmother insists on having Gu Ming learn martial arts together with the Ye family, then let her personally go beg my Aunt."
As an elder, even with her favoritism, there should be a limit. With Father not at home, the glory and wealth of the Duke of Dongping's residence over so many years were all thanks to the main branch. And now they actually wanted to take advantage and reach into the Ye family?
On what basis should the Ye family help the Gu family? They were thinking wishfully!
Aunt Qin had a fiery temper. If Grandmother really went begging, she could probably make it known all over the city in less than a day.
What face would the Gu family have left then?
