Male Lead Is Always That Heartless

Chapter 45

The group only stayed at this post house for one night, and the next day, they set off towards Qu City, which was further south. Gu Yi sat in the carriage and looked around curiously. It was nearly the end of the year, and they were not the only ones on the official road. Many people were rushing back to their hometowns to celebrate the New Year. In front of them was the largest city within a hundred miles because two rivers meet in this city, so it was called Qu City.

In the book, the Spring Southern Expedition took a boat from Qu City along the Luo River to the south, all the way to the outside of Qingzhoufu. When Xiao Yan went on an expedition, his whereabouts were secretive. It was common for him to change the route when he arrived at a place, and several black carriages were going in different directions to provide cover. Ordinary bandits could not get close to him, and if there were a trap, it would be difficult to determine the whereabouts of this group. Few people in the court knew that Xiao Yan was going to Fuzhou, and even she knew it at the last moment before departure. The attendants who served him closely would not gossip about him.

Seeing Gu Yi frown, Tao Jia said, “When we arrived at Qu City, Mr. Gao said that he would stay for a few more days so you can rest well then.”

After only a few days, Tao Jia had familiarized herself with her new persona. Gu Yi nodded and sighed, “It’s good to be able to rest for a few days!” Her body was still weak, and every time she rode in the carriage, it was unbearable.

When she arrived at Qu City, the first thing Gu Yi did when she got off the carriage was take a refreshing bath and sleep. She slept until evening, and no one came to disturb her. When she woke up, there was no one in the room, only a lamp on the square table, with tea and a plate of pastries next to it.

She wondered where Tao Jia was —

Gu Yi got up, took a sip of tea, wrapped her light brown cloak around her, and walked out of the room to the downstairs of the post house. She saw Zhao Wan standing in the doorway with Xiu He and two attendants, wearing a red cloak and holding a hand stove, as if she was about to head out of the post house.

Zhao Wan raised her eyes to see Gu Yi coming downstairs and called out, “Sister Yi, do you want to go to the market with us?”

Gu Yi asked, “What market?”

Zhao Wan explained, “As New Year’s Eve approaches, Qu City has always organized bazaars to watch and enjoy the lanterns, and there are many buyers and sellers. So, since the group is stopping here and there is nothing to do, would you like to go with A Wan?”

Gu Yi looked around and didn’t see Xiao Yan. She thought it was a group of women shopping, so she nodded, “En, I’ll go with you.”

Before leaving the door, she did not forget to instruct the servant who stayed at the post house, “If you see my servant girl, Tao Jia, please tell her that I am going out to the market.”

After leaving the post house and heading towards the city gates, one could see the Qu City Market, with two crisscrossing long streets bustling with pedestrians. Vendors were hawking along the roads: fur vendors, vegetables and fruit sellers, and a few small stalls selling snacks.

Gu Yi smelled the sweet, silky aroma of the fried chestnuts and was instantly hungry. She looked sideways and saw a store with a small flag of ‘Guan Tang Xiang.’ In front of the store was a big black iron pot with white smoke. In the pot, there was a pile of chestnuts fried to a deep yellow color. The attendant saw she didn’t move her feet and immediately went forward, bought a bag, and handed her, “Mrs. Yi, taste it. We can’t eat countryside snacks in the palace — home.”

Gu Yi smiled and took it, “Many thanks.” Following this, she began to shell and eat chestnuts.

Zhao Wan saw that she was extraordinarily devoted to eating and curiously said, “Are these chestnuts that good?”

Gu Yi handed her one, “You try it too. It’s sweet!”

Zhao Wan took it and pinched it in her fingertips when she heard a slightly old voice say, “This madam has a good face.”

The two ‘madam’ turned their heads in unison and looked at the sound. It was an older man who had set up a divination stall, wearing a black furry hood, and closed his eyes tightly. On the table were a few rusty copper coins and a pair of old tortoise shells, very shabby.

Jianghu cheats.

Zhao Wan turned away her eyes, but she heard the diviner continue, “Madam, you were born with a phoenix life. I can predict your future without charging any money.”

Zhao Wan was creeped out and turned her head to look at Gu Yi.

Gu Yi smiled slightly and said, “I guess …… he’s talking about you, sister A Wan.” What kind of fortune-telling master is this? So heaven-defying!

The old diviner’s ears flicked, “Mrs. Wan, what’s the harm in trying it?”

Zhao Wan walked to the table and stopped, “How do I try?”

The old man pushes the tortoise shell on the table forward, “Madam, please put the copper coins into the shell and shake it gently; when the coins fall on the table, I will predict your future.”

Gu Yi couldn’t help but curiously stick her head out to look. This fortune-telling master was not simple!

Zhao Wan gently shook the tortoise shell and heard several tinkling sounds. Four copper coins fell onto the wooden table one after another.

The older man reached out to touch the copper money. He said, “Mrs. Wan was blessed with a good life when she was young. Unexpectedly, the family suddenly meets a big change, but Mrs. Wan’s heart is firm so that she turns the crisis into safety, and in the future, she will rise to the sky, which is the life of a phoenix after the fire.”

Zhao Wan’s face changed slightly. She lightly scolded: “Nonsense!”

The diviner laughed softly and shook his head, “If you don’t believe me, then so be it. Heaven determines fate, and I’m just an interpreter.”

Zhao Wan turned her head to look at Gu Yi and saw that she looked curious and did not show any anger. “Sister Yi, can you try it and see if this old man is accurate?”

Gu Yi had already secretly believed in this diviner in her heart. After all, his predictions about Zhao Wan were all reasonable and well-founded. She walked over to the table and rubbed her hands together, “Then I’ll try it too?”

The old man made a ‘please’ gesture.

Gu Yi put the copper coins back into the shell, and while gently shaking it, she meditated in her mind: can I get out of the palace and be a happy, wealthy woman?

The copper money suddenly fell, crackling several times.

Gu Yi looked at the empty tortoise shell before saying, “Already throw it.”

The old man once again reached out to touch it. After a few moments, he frowned tightly.

Gu Yi was alarmed: “Master, is there something wrong?”

The old man said repeatedly, “Strange, strange, strange ……”

Then what? Master, continue to say it!

Gu Yi waited for a few moments but still didn’t wait for the following, so she had to ask him, “How is this strange?”

The old man took a deep breath and said with difficulty, “Madam’s destiny seems to be the sign of an early death ……”

Before the words left his mouth, the attendant at the side said, “Presumptuous!”

Gu Yi hurriedly stopped the attendant and turned to the diviner, saying, “Master, continue ……”

The old man stared secretly. Although this person’s fate was indeed an early death, he saw that she was an extraordinary person. He slowly shook his head and deliberated, “To be safe, Madam, please, throw it again!”

Gu Yi was suspicious in her heart and reached out to shake the shell again. After the coin fell, the older man once again went to touch the coin.

Strange! Why did the divination change again? He didn’t dare to be negligent and meticulously went to touch it. The look on his face changed. Why is this person also a phoenix life? It’s not right!

Seeing his facial expression change significantly, Gu Yi whispered, “Master…” What is going on? Give a precise word!

The old man shook his head and said dejectedly: “I am not talented. I can not see through Madam’s divination ……”.

Okay.

Gu Yi felt disappointed but still said: “No harm. It’s just making fun ……”

Zhao Wan also felt disappointed. He’s just a jianghu liar. The correct things he said were probably just something casual.

The clouds in the sky were blown away, and the moon’s color grew thicker. A group of people strolled through the long street and walked to the edge of the Luo River. Three or two female companions were in the river to release the lanterns. Lotus lanterns, rabbit lanterns, and rows of different lantern shapes create beautiful halos on the water’s surface.

The attendant bought a few lanterns and laughed, “Madams, are you also going to the water’s edge to set off lanterns?”

Zhao Wan picked up a rabbit lantern but saw that Gu Yi didn’t move. “Sister isn’t going?”

Gu Yi shook her head while wrapped in her cloak, “I’m not going; it’s cold at the water’s edge. I’ll watch you set off the lanterns.”

Zhao Wan didn’t try to persuade her, so she took Xiu He to set off the lanterns.

Xiu He was young, and it was her first time traveling so far from the capital. It was also the first time she had set off lanterns, so from time to time, there were sounds of laughter and giggles.

Gu Yi stood and looked at the river lanterns, only to see an ingot-shaped lantern fluttering in the water. She remembered the money she secretly brought and wondered if she could find a merchant in the Qu City to change it into bills. Should Tao Jia go out tomorrow and do it quietly? She was lost in thought. Behind her, suddenly came a human voice: “Why are you standing here? You don’t go to release the lantern?”

Gu Yi was shocked by the sound and turned back to see Xiao Yan in a black fur coat. With a smile, she said, “Young Master is here? When did you come?”

Xiao Yan saw her eyes shining brightly and the fine fluffy hair of her cloak encircled her snow-white cheeks. From a distance, she looked like a round fur ball. She stood there alone and motionless, looking like a — fool.

He couldn’t help but laugh.

Gu Yi: It feels like I am being laughed at. What is going on?

Xiao Yan saw her eyes turn slightly, blinking, revealing a few confused looks. He couldn’t help but touch the embedded hairs on the edge of the hat on her head, warm and soft to the touch. He slowly said, “Busy with official business in the daytime. When I returned to the station, I heard you guys came out, so I came to look.”

Gu Yi nodded and pointed, “They are all setting off the river lanterns there. Do Young Master want to go?”

Xiao Yan glanced over and heard their laughter, shaking his head. “I’m not going; they should be uncomfortable if I go.” Saying so, he stood beside her and did not move.

Gu Yi twisted her head to look closely at his side face. His eyebrows and eyelashes were slightly trembling, and his pair of dark brown glazed eyes reflected the sparkling waves; his line of sight fell on the river as if watching people put river lanterns.

She turned her eyes away reluctantly.

Xiao Yan was indeed looking at the Luo River. This river flowed southward through Qu City and was a significant waterway. The Luo River flowed into Qingzhoufu and became their source of life- only when the river was clear and the sea was calm could there be a source of life.

He slightly curved his right hand in the sleeve and gently rubbed his index finger and thumb. The dried blood turned into powder and dispersed. Xiao Lu dared to put his people in Qu City garrison, but unfortunately, this person had no loyalty and wanted to be a second minister, so he deserved death.

Zhao Wan finished releasing the white rabbit lamp in her hand and turned back to see that, at some point, there was an additional figure beside Gu Yi.

Emperor.

She reached out and gently tidied her robes, walking towards the two. Walking before them, she spread her face and smiled, softly saying, “The River Lantern Festival in Qu City is so lively. I don’t know when Young Master came. Did you see the dragon boat lanterns passing by just now?”

Xiao Yan shook his head and smiled lightly, “I came late and did not see it. It’s good that you guys enjoyed yourselves.”

Gu Yi realized that Xiao Yan always spoke politely to Zhao Wan; his attitude was gentle and courteous. Could this be the oppression from the rank?

Zhao Wan lowered her eyebrows and smiled lightly. “Sister Yi and A Wan also went to the market, which was very lively. It seems that Qu City is really a good place.”

Xiao Yan made an “oh” sound and asked with a raised eyebrow, “Is there anything rare in this market?”

Zhao Wan laughed and said, “The countryside snacks are not bad. Sister Yi loves chestnuts and bought a bag of sugar-filled chestnuts.”

Xiao Yan chuckled. “Is that so?” His gaze looked at Gu Yi.

Gu Yi nodded and sincerely stated, “It is indeed delicious.”

Xiao Yan gave her an amused look. “It’s late, so it’s better to return to the posthouse early. It’s not too late to go for a stroll tomorrow, and you won’t leave Qu City until the day after tomorrow.”

On the way back, Gu Yi paid extra attention to the two banks in the city and noted down the directions.

In the posthouse, Tao Jia was already waiting for her in the room. “Madam, I went out to buy a scented sachet but didn’t want to wake you up. I wanted to look for you but don’t know where you guys went.”

Gu Yi waved her hand, “It’s fine.” She whispered, “But I have something important that I want you to do tomorrow ……”

Tao Jia’s face was stunned, and she also whispered, “What is it?”

Gu Yi told Tao Jia the task of exchanging bills and the detailed location of the bank in the city.

After listening, Tao Jia slightly nodded, “It is not difficult. I’ll try it tomorrow. But if you want to subsidize the Gu family, you can give the money directly.”

Gu Yi shook her head and insisted, “No …… it’s better to change it into bills……”

As soon as the words fell, duk duk duk, three soft sounds came.

Someone knocked on the door.

Gu Yi turned back, and her heartbeat suddenly became fast. She wondered if the person outside heard much, but she and Tao Jia were talking very low. If not intentional eavesdropping, one should not hear anything —

She raised her voice and asked, “Who is it?”

“Mrs. Yi, it’s me, Steward Gao.”

Tao Jia watched Gu Yi nod before getting up and pulling open the door. “Steward Gao, what is it?”

Gao Gui smiled faintly, “Young Master has invited Mrs. Yi to his room.”