“Gu Ying, who do you think Gu Jia is looking at?" Su Huanfeng tried to get Gu Ying’s attention with his eyes several times, but didn’t get any response. Annoyed, he leaned over to Zhao Changdu and unhappily asked, "She keeps looking over here but doesn’t respond to me. Is she shy?"
Thinking of a possibility, Su Huanfeng just felt uncomfortable in his chest, "Could it be that she is looking at Jiang Yin?"
"What is good about that Jiang guy, today at the hunting field, I will let her see who is the promising young man worthy of her trust!"
Su Huanfeng was very noisy.
Zhao Changdu looked expressionlessly in Gu Ying's direction, and happened to see her small porcelain-white face smile shyly as she turned to the side to say something to her sister. When she got to the funny part, she raised her beautiful eyes again and looked over here.
Her long dark lashes were clearly visible even from this distance, her cherry lips slightly parted, the smile at the corners of her mouth was like undissolved March snow, clean and clear, making it hard to take your eyes off her.
She just sat there at her seat, dressed in a refreshing cyan hunting outfit, simple and neat, with her jet black hair done up in a beautiful small tidy bun, elegant and refined.
His heart stirred slightly, sword-like brows frowned, and his chest was filled with an indescribable emotion.
"Changdu, Changdu, are you listening to me? You say, Gu Ying... And... I feel she is completely different from what outsiders say... It's like I always feel she doesn't seem like a fifteen-year-old girl... On the contrary... Changdu... Changdu?"
Su Huanfeng was murmuring something in his ear, but his voice gradually faded away.
Zhao Changdu's gaze wandered absently as he picked up the glass cup on the table with his slender fingers, and drank it in one gulp.
After drinking a cup of wine, the glass was gently placed back on the table. He pursed his thin lips, his long eyes moved slightly, and happened to meet Gu Ying's gaze across from him.
However, Gu Ying quickly shifted her eyes away, as if she didn't know him.
Seeing this, Zhao Changdu felt the irritation in his chest become more pronounced.
"The Emperor arrives—"
"The Empress arrives—"
Soon, the singing voices of the palace's eunuchs rose high.
Long horn sounds followed in the hunting ground, and the imperial guard walked slowly, as the winter hunt was about to begin.
Gu Ying withdrew her gaze, watching as the emperor and empress of Dong Li walked up the dragon and phoenix thrones, then kneeled down with everyone else, shouting, "Long live the emperor, long live Her Majesty!"
Tianqi Emperor raised his hand to let everyone rise.
Only then did Gu Ying lift her skirt and stand up.
It was also at this time that she saw Gu Jia with a pale face sneak in from the tent behind and kneel down in panic among the seats, trying to pretend to calmly get up and sit down.
The Emperor sat high above, looking down at the beautiful and luxurious young ladies below, and the handsome and elegant young men, he was very gratified.
He then talked about Dong Li's founding and determination to eliminate foreign invaders, and because of this, he would first reward the generals who shed their heads and blood on the border one by one.
Among them, the most commendable was the Heir Apparent of Zhenguo Duke, Zhao Changdu.
The border had just been settled, and the Heir Apparent was only twenty-five years old. When he returned to Bianjing to take office, his first position was the Palace Front Chief Commander, a second-rank position.
Everyone was in an uproar, and they all began to congratulate Zhenguo Duke Manor.
The young ladies at the banquet were all throbbing with spring feelings as they admiringly looked at the handsome and elegant man. They blushed and were excited.
"The Heir Apparent is still unmarried to this day, I'm afraid after today, the threshold of Zhenguo Duke Manor will be trampled flat by matchmakers."
"The Heir Apparent is also very handsome, it's a pity that the Empress also wants him to be her son-in-law. I'm afraid those of us ordinary families can't reach the status of the Duke Manor."
"Ah, who isn't? The Duke Manor has been loyal for generations, and has always had handsome men. The Heir Apparent is the outstanding one of this generation. Who doesn't want to marry him?"
"I just wonder if the Heir Apparent has a woman he fancies. He is almost twenty-five now. Other men at this age already have children running around, yet the Heir Apparent doesn't even have a bed warmer."
Everyone whispered.
Only the Gu sisters were whispering to each other because Gu Jia had suddenly arrived.
Gu Wan was surprised, "Eldest sister, why are you here?"
Gu Shuang was also full of doubts. After all, with what happened last night, if it was her, she certainly wouldn't have the face to attend such an occasion again...
Gu Ying remained calm and smiled without answering.
On the contrary, it made Gu Jia furious. "Why can't I come? Today is the winter hunt, such a good day. As the only daughter of the main wife of Dongping Earl Manor, I naturally have to attend."
"Eldest sister." Gu Shuang bit her lip and gently reminded, "Second sister is also our manor's daughter of the main wife..."
Gu Jia sneered, "Watch that mouth of yours! You're from the main wife's side, yet you're mixing with the concubine's side. What's proper about that?"
Gu Shuang's eyes turned red from the scolding. She said in a low voice, "We are one family... Second sister is also sister."
Gu Jia mocked, "Hypocrite."
Gu Shuang felt wronged and kept quiet, knowing she couldn't win against Gu Jia with words anyway.
Gu Jia felt a little smug, and glanced sideways at Gu Ying, "Gu Ying, don't think you can win over the main wife's side with a few flowery words."
Gu Ying calmly said, "Doesn't eldest sister feel you look very ugly with such malicious words?"
"What nonsense are you talking about?"
"Eldest sister doesn't believe it, just look around and see how others are looking at you."
Gu Jia lowered her head and looked left and right to see the madams and young ladies of the other families take a look at her and whisper a few more words.
"She was tied up in the stable last night by someone, and stayed there all night. Who knows what happened."
"I heard it was creepy. On that pillar she was tied to were the four big words 'Vengeful Spirit Seeking Life'."
"Amitabha, how could there be such a thing, she must have provoked some unclean thing."
"Although the Jiang family is poor, they still have face. Would they still want a daughter-in-law like her?"
Immediately after, contemptuous and mocking looks followed.
Even Jiang Yin across from her sharpened his cold and indifferent eyes slightly when he met her gaze. She even saw disdain and disgust in his cold eyes.
Gu Jia's face turned greenish-white. She suddenly felt like the center of attention, wishing she could dig a hole and bury herself in it.
She glared bitterly at Gu Ying. A flash of light passed through her eyes, "Gu Ying, just you wait, I'll make you look good!"
Even Gu Jia's confident words made Gu Ying start to suspect that in her previous life, her name was placed on the abuse list by Lady Liu.
Gu Ying raised her brow, "Very well, then little sister will wait and see."
...
Time flew by quickly. After Zhao Changdu's conferral, Tianqi Emperor laughed loudly and said, "Today is the grand winter hunt of my Dong Li. Naturally, as in previous years, I will draw out the first archer to shoot the first arrow of this hunting ground."
Everyone immediately looked towards the Emperor, some expectantly, some nervously, some calmly, some unmoving like a mountain despite the collapse of Mount Tai in front of them.
Only Zhao Changdu alone sat at his seat, legs apart, the hem of his black long robe touching the ground, elbow propped on his knee, with an aura contained inwardly yet shaking outwardly, and an enchanting, cold and ascetic temperament.
