However, as she looked at his handsome face, she walked only ten steps towards him. When she saw the faint shimmering light in his eyes, her footsteps slightly veered leftwards, her graceful figure fluttering as her cyan skirt swayed. She walked towards Fu Xunzhi who was standing at the far left.
A faint, delicate fragrance swept past.
Jiang Yin awkwardly held out his hand in midair. As he caught a whiff of that familiar scent that penetrated his bones, his entire body inexplicably froze on the spot. A sharp pain wrenched at his heart, and cold sweat broke out over his head.
Everyone was greatly shocked, their expressions vivid.
They had never expected the second young lady of the Gu family to be so astonishingly remarkable upon gaining fame.
She actually gave up pairing up with the young marquis, and instead chose an unknown fifth-rank little official whom most did not even know the name of. This was just too preposterous!
Yet Gu Ying paid no heed to anyone's gaze. She stood steadily in front of Fu Xunzhi and folded her hands in courtesy. The fine silver tassels hanging by her temples swayed, giving off soft halos of light.
The corners of her lips curved up as a blossoming smile graced her lips, alluring and ethereal, pure and elegant.
She held out the jade tablet in her hand. "Master Fu, may I have the honor of galloping with you across the hunting grounds?"
Fu Xunzhi looked up in disbelief at the exquisite beauty before him with eyes like autumn waters. He stared blankly for a moment at her soft, red and translucent hand holding the jade tablet. "Ah, this..."
The person beside him was the new top scholar, and the other two were sons of prestigious dukes.
How could Second Young Lady Gu choose him...
He thought he would be left partnerless...
"Master Fu?" Gu Ying tilted her head slightly, a charming naughtiness in her posture.
Meeting her pretty eyes, Fu Xunzhi immediately flushed red. He hastily took the jade tablet and clutched it tightly. "I'm deeply honored by Second Young Lady Gu's favor. I... I am also willing to attain an outstanding score together with you."
"Then let us go, Master Fu."
Gu Ying smiled gently and vibrantly, radiating brilliance.
Fu Xunzhi had seen many beauties before, but it was his first time seeing such an animated maiden.
He did not dare to defile her beauty. Bowing his head, he followed along Gu Ying's side as they headed towards the already formed teams.
Su Huanfeng was so angry he nearly exploded.
He had thought the scoundrel Gu Ying was interested in was Jiang Yin, but unexpectedly it was Fu Xunzhi. What was Fu Xunzhi worth?!
Now there was nothing more he could say. He could only randomly pick one of the remaining girls to pair up with.
But none of them were Gu Ying.
What difference did it make who he chose?
Huo Qiyan happily paired up with Zhao Changdu. When she passed the jade tablet to Zhao Changdu, his refined, cold features were extremely aloof.
Yet he only looked at her deeply for a few moments before accepting her jade tablet. His gaze would occasionally and subtly glance at Fu Xunzhi's back, as well as Gu Ying beside him, laughing exceptionally purely and innocently.
But who Gu Ying chose to pair up with had nothing to do with him.
He had not come to the Winter Hunting Grounds for hunting in the first place.
Huo Qiyan's charming face was rosy as she followed behind Zhao Changdu, feeling somewhat grateful to Gu Ying. She made a mental note to properly thank her someday.
Su Huanfeng ended up pairing with Princess Yue Yan, while Jiang Yin could only pair up with his current fiancée, Gu Jia.
Gu Jia was originally still brimming with anger, but upon seeing that Gu Ying had actually chosen Fu Xunzhi, she was delighted but did not know how to react.
"As expected, a whore can never make it to the grand stage. So what if she's in the limelight today? With so many people present, how could the Marquis let her smear his household's reputation? After the hunt ends, I'm afraid the engagement between the Marquis manor and the Gu family will be called off! By then, Grandmother surely won't let her off either! Hahahaha! This is truly heaven helping me!"
Jiang Yin remained silent.
Gu Jia smiled at him. She now felt that Jiang Yin was not bad either. At least he looked better than Fu Xunzhi, and was the new top scholar. Once the Emperor granted him an official position, she could persuade Grandmother and Mother to spend money helping him navigate the bureaucratic system. Perhaps he could still accomplish great things in the future.
Thinking this, she voluntarily moved to Jiang Yin's side.
"Master Jiang, shall we go?"
Jiang Yin expressionlessly nodded.
Sensing something off about Jiang Yin, Gu Jia could not pinpoint what, so she kept silent.
The teams had all been formed. Next, everyone mounted their horses, took up bows and arrows and provisions, and plunged deep into the Black Forest to hunt.
Whoever hunted the most fairy deer would win.
Gu Shuang pulled Gu Ying's sleeve worriedly. "Sister, what were you thinking? How could you choose Master Fu?"
The corners of Gu Ying's lips slightly lifted. She sincerely praised, "I feel that Master Fu is very good."
"But Sister, have you really not considered what would happen if Grandmother and Mother find out—"
Gu Ying patted Gu Shuang's shoulder and smiled gently, a reassuring power in her smile. "Younger Sister need not worry. I have my own plans for this matter. You're still young and not yet of age to join the hunt, so remember to stay put in the tent and wait for my return."
Gu Shuang anxiously stamped her feet. How could she not worry?
The marriage alliance between the Gu family and the Marquis manor was of utmost importance to Grandmother. If Second Sister lost the engagement with the Marquis manor for the sake of Master Fu, Grandmother would certainly beat her to death.
Wouldn't that make it even easier for Mrs. Liu to fan the flames in front of Grandmother?
Second Sister still had to deal with Mrs. Liu. To let Mrs. Liu gloat in triumph because of Master Fu at this time was truly unwise!
Gu Ying did have her own considerations.
Not only did she have to bind Gu Jia and Jiang Yin tightly together during the hunt, she also had to deal with Qingfeng and Mingyue, Mrs. Liu's eyes and ears, and deprive her of two capable helpers.
When she left to fetch the horses, she did not notice Jiang Yin's gloomy, cold gaze fixed unwaveringly on her back. It was a wolfish, tigerish, and resentful gaze, as if wanting to devour her.
She had her own horse, its fur snow-white and figure nimble.
Leading it by the reins, she smiled and asked, "Master Fu, where is your horse?"
Fu Xunzhi was somewhat nervous. He pointed to the brown horse in the stable to Gu Ying's right and laughed rather foolishly. "That brown one is mine, its name is Rufeng. Though named 'Like the Wind', it actually runs rather slowly, ambling along clumsily like a turtle."
Gu Ying looked over to see a sturdy, gentle brown horse in the stable that, although not valiant or handsome, had a silly lovability with its drooping ears and huge blank eyes glancing everywhere.
She had heard of the romantic love story of Fu Xunzhi often riding with his beloved wife along the riverside on their old horse.
Seeing Fu Xunzhi with his horse now, she found it all especially idyllic.
She used to be so envious of Fu Xunzhi's wife, and had hoped so much that Jiang Yin could spend more time accompanying her. But it was not meant to be. You can feel it when someone does not love you.
That sort of perfunctoriness, indifference, coldness and neglect could all be honed into the sharpest of knives, heart-piercing and bone-cutting.
Pain stabbed at Gu Ying's heart for a moment as she suppressed the past. She would no longer keep her sights set on Jiang Yin alone.
