Chapter 5

“Has the Male Empress not come yet?” Yu Yunji asked the servant beside her.

The young servant was quite troubled: “Well, the Male Empress has locked himself in the Half Moon Hall. He doesn’t respond when I call, and the servants really don’t dare…” He hesitated, and Yu Yunji understood his meaning.

Given Gu Qi’s madness, if anyone dared to intrude, he would drag them down and beat them to death.

Zhou Zijing sat astride, hearing this and laughed: “Yu Mi, when it comes to young men, if they’re still fresh, a few words of coaxing should do.” Yu Yunji was quite headache-inducing: “He’s not an ordinary young man.” Zhou Zijing clicked her tongue: “Strange that sister didn’t consider thoroughly. What will you do then? Surely a great woman like you won’t stoop to go and invite him?”

Zhou Zijing didn’t dare to assert too much. This Xian Male Empress was indeed no ordinary man. An ordinary man should be waiting on the side to serve tea at this moment, but he locked himself in the room, even requiring his wife-master to invite him.

Women should uphold wifely authority. How could a dignified daughter go coax a little young man? How could this be allowed?

“No need, I’ll come myself.” A cold voice sounded from behind the two.

As soon as this voice came out, Yu Yunji felt a chill down her back, causing Zhou Zijing to turn and look.

Gu Qi had changed out of that golden pheasant robe, wearing a sea-red pearl-embroidered gold brocade gown, with a hollow gold hairpin binding a lock of hair at his temple. With that face, it was the ultimate in bewitching charm.

Zhou Zijing drew in a sharp breath.

Gu Qi didn’t look at her, his cold eyes meeting Yu Yunji’s: “No need for you to condescend.” Yu Yunji covered her mouth with her fingers, somehow feeling caught doing something wrong even though she hadn’t said or done anything. Gu Qi’s gaze made her heart uneasy.

“The Xian Male Empress is truly as breathtakingly beautiful as the rumors say!” Zhou Zijing came to her senses and said to Yu Yunji.

She wasn’t an inexperienced woman, having tasted many fine dishes over the years, but she was still stunned for a moment upon seeing Gu Qi.

Yu Yunji patted her, signaling her to calm down.

“Miss Zhou is also as eye-opening as the rumors say.” Gu Qi smiled lightly.

Zhou Zijing’s reputation in the capital wasn’t much better than Yu Mi’s. Gu Qi was clearly mocking her.

He, a man, how dare he!

Zhou Zijing widened her eyes and looked at Yu Yunji: “Yu Mi.”

Her face was full of shock, writing: aren’t you going to manage your husband? Yu Yunji was also at a loss.

“Zhi Yue, say less.” Yu Yunji said thus.

Zhou Zijing looked at Gu Qi, then at Yu Yunji, her eyebrows raised high: “Oh you, Yu Mi, you’re still one who values beauty over friendship.” Gu Qi quietly picked at the dishes with his chopsticks, not at all like the usual master of the house, serving food and pouring wine for his wife-master.

Yu Yunji didn’t mind, but Zhou Zijing’s mouth couldn’t close, her gaze towards Yu Yunji filled with surprise.

“You two are so in love, there’s no place for me anymore,” Zhou Zijing sighed sadly, “The capital is full of rumors about you, Yu Mi, flirting with the Male Empress in the carriage and being henpecked. Oh Yu Mi, you’ve truly changed.” She seemed to have suffered a great grievance. Yu Yunji pressed her fingers to her forehead, raising her hand to stuff a lotus cake into Zhou Zijing’s mouth.

Facts proved that Zhou Zijing was the most talkative woman in Youzhao, even cake couldn’t stop her mouth.

“Oh right, did you know that the Yun family is going to get engaged to your Imperial Elder Sister?” Zhou Zijing said casually while chewing the lotus cake.

Yu Yunji turned her head slightly, and saw that Gu Qi’s silver chopsticks, originally picking up food, had frozen, his expression not looking good.

“Which young master from the Yun family? That’s truly good fortune,” Yu Yunji asked, pretending not to know.

There was indeed such a passage in the book, where the female lead got engaged to the Yun family’s second son, but was interfered with by Gu Qi.

But now it won’t do. This matter would greatly stimulate Gu Qi.

Yu Yunji had a new idea, but these were not within her control.

Gu Qi was a change in the entire plot. If she stimulated this person, Gu Qi might do anything to marry the Gong Wang.

As long as she still wanted to live, she had to find a way to resolve this engagement, and instead make the female lead fall in love with Gu Qi.

Otherwise, as long as Gu Shanlai was around, Gu Qi would linger on the edge of blackening, and her life would be in danger.

“Naturally it’s Yun Zhuye. The eldest son Yun Mengze is busy with the Yun family business, so his marriage will probably be later. Mainly because no one has caught his eye,” Zhou Zijing said thus, “It has to be the Yun family, the only noble family in Youzhao that cultivates men without distinguishing between legitimate and illegitimate sons.” In Youzhao, men’s status was not as good as women’s. The legitimate sons in the family were still better off, while illegitimate sons were often not seen as people.

But the Yun family, now whether legitimate or illegitimate, could hold up half the sky.

No man didn’t want to marry into the Yun family, to be a blessed husband.

Yu Yunji nodded, understanding: “That may be so, but it seems Imperial Elder Sister already has a man she fancies. What can be done about this?” Clatter.

The silver chopsticks fell from Gu Qi’s hand, dropping onto the white jade dish.

Zhou Zijing turned to look at Gu Qi, then continued: “Is this true? Your clear and cold Imperial Elder Sister is like an immortal all day, could she really fall for a mortal?” Yu Yunji shook her head slightly, quite regretfully: “Although the Yun family’s second son is good, it seems he can’t satisfy Imperial Elder Sister.” Then, as she wished, she saw Gu Qi’s knuckles turn white as he clenched them.

“But that’s the Yun family! You actually look down even on the Yun family. Yu Mi, what’s wrong with you?” Zhou Zijing was heartbroken.

Yes, that was the first-ranked Yun family, the Yun Chief Minister who grasped both scholarly and merchant sons, legitimate and illegitimate.

She said: “That’s right, that’s my Imperial Elder Sister. Of course I want her to marry a man she’s satisfied with. How could we ruin the man she fancies for the sake of a noble family alliance?” Zhou Zijing’s expression grew increasingly strange: “Yu Mi, are you sick? Is this something you would say?” Men were mere playthings. The most profligate, ruthless, and profit-driven person in the capital actually took men so seriously.

It was really unbelievable.

Yu Yunji constantly observed the expressions of those around her. She knew that Gu Qi cared so much about Yu Zhiyuan, how could he not be moved hearing this? But what she said earlier about inquiring about the fancied person was just for him to hear.

How could the female lead have someone she fancied? There were plenty of young men pursuing her.

But now she needed Gu Qi to let down his guard against her. They would be family sooner or later anyway, it was too tiring to always be like this.

Gu Qi was like a sword hanging over her head. She really didn’t want to live in fear for her life every day.

“An engagement with the Yun family’s second son is something many noble families seek but can’t get,” Zhou Zijing was still chattering, “Your Imperial Elder Sister…”

Gu Qi spoke up, seemingly casually: “Who is so fortunate to have caught the eye of Her Highness Gong Wang?” Yu Yunji had an idea, and after going through a few names in her mind, she pointed to one person.

“The one Imperial Elder Sister fancies is the Yun family’s eldest son, Yun Mengze.”

Clatter.

The chicken bone Zhou Zijing was nibbling also fell onto the plate. She was so shocked her jaw dropped: “Yun Mengze?” It was said that he was an extremely shrewd man, handling business and family affairs with an iron fist. With a man so capable, people in the capital discussed endlessly, wondering what kind of wife-master he would have in the future.

But Yu Zhiyuan and Yun Mengze, how could they possibly match?

So the rumored celestial-like, clear and cold Her Highness Gong Wang actually liked this kind of shrewd and decisive man?

Yu Yunji silently apologized in her heart and continued: “But you also know that the eldest young master Yun is busy with accounts every day and has no mind for marriage. Mother Emperor chose the second son, I didn’t know. Now that I know, I can’t let Imperial Elder Sister suffer.” “As expected of Yu Mi, only you could speak up for Her Highness Gong Wang.” Zhou Zijing nodded vigorously.

“What do you plan to do?” Gu Qi said coldly.

Yu Yunji held the wine cup in her hand, lowering her eyelids in thought.

Zhou Zijing interjected: “Yu Mi is so kind, of course she won’t stand idly by.” Gu Qi frowned, looking at the kind Her Highness Xian Wang beside him and her greatly praising close friend with mixed feelings.

He didn’t want to respond to Zhou Zijing’s flattery, his gaze finally locking onto Yu Yunji.

“I also shouldn’t pry into Imperial Elder Sister’s private affairs. This matter needs further discussion.” Yu Yunji changed the subject.

Zhou Zijing sighed: “Yu Mi, this isn’t like when you told me about those palace affairs.” It was really that Yu Yunji had just been so serious, completely piquing her interest.

Which of the two sisters’ gossip had they not discussed? Even the current Holy Emperor, Yu Yunji’s Mother Emperor, had been discussed by her, let alone the Imperial Elder Sister.

But the speaker meant nothing by it, while the listener took it to heart.

The dark clouds on Gu Qi’s face dispersed, and he gave her an inscrutable look.

The courtyard was filled with the clinking of cups. It was near dusk when the sky turned dark and everyone dispersed.

In today’s conversation with Zhou Zijing, Yu Yunji roughly understood the current situation. Mother Emperor had been troubled by the rebel party these days, led by her own aunt, the Wang of Chuan’an.

And in the original book, the old Emperor always had a knot in her heart that her beloved daughter Yu Yunji was not up to the task. For this heir to the throne, she was more inclined towards Yu Yunji.

Out of self-interest, if she could sit on this throne, she wanted to change the tragic fate of the people in the book at that time.

“What did Her Highness mean by what she said today?” Gu Qi said, drawing his thin robe around his shoulders.

The dazzling hairpins and rings that had adorned his head were all removed, leaving only a hair clasp binding a few strands of hair at his temples, adding several hints of the charm of an unmarried young master.

But that overly pale face revealed his current mood.

Yu Yunji raised her eyebrows: “I don’t know what the Male Empress is referring to. I said many things today.” Gu Qi met her eyes and gritted his teeth slightly: “Of course it’s about the Gong Wang matter.” “Imperial Elder Sister?” Yu Yunji understood, “I estimate Imperial Elder Sister doesn’t want to worry Mother Emperor. When the time comes, it will depend on Imperial Elder Sister’s decision.”

With a crisp sound of jade pendants, Gu Qi stepped quickly to stand before her.

“It must not be!” he said loudly.

Yu Yunji looked up at him: “Why not? After all, it’s the parents’ order. If Imperial Elder Sister is unwilling to disobey, what can the Yun family’s eldest son do? The Yun family doesn’t produce servants.” Gu Qi’s fist clenched slightly in his sleeve: “You know, that’s not what I meant.” She nodded slightly.

“Since the Heavenly Lady has spoken, how can it be changed?”

“Fine, so the Xian Wang’s earlier righteous words were just talk. I really thought the Xian Wang was some Liangshan hero.” He sneered coldly, lowering his eyelids.

A layer of dark clouds seemed to gather around him, and the air pressure around also seemed to sink with it.

Gu Qi was a major threat to her life safety. If the two villains couldn’t unite against a common enemy, the future results would probably be one worse than the other.

If he wanted her, Yu Yunji, to help him marry gloriously into the Gong Wang’s mansion, he would have to show more sincerity. Fortune favors the bold, otherwise she would truly follow in the original’s footsteps.

Yu Yunji said nonchalantly: “I forgot about this. The Male Empress has Imperial Elder Sister in his heart.” Gu Qi laughed coldly.

His movements just now were a bit large, and the jade pendants at his waist were still swaying slightly. Gu Qi tightened his fingers, his knuckles turning white from the grip, but he refused to speak again.

Yu Yunji asked again: “Then what does the Male Empress plan to do?”

He lowered his eyelashes, and when he looked up again, there was a chilling coldness in his eyes: “I, Gu Qi, always do things as I please.” His answer was ambiguous, but Yu Yunji smelled danger in it.

This Gu Qi, to be able to survive in a noble family like the Gu family, relied on nothing but a mad spirit, adhering to the thought of causing trouble to the death, frightening the Gu family people so much that they trembled at the sound, and no one was willing to provoke him actively.

This “as I please,” according to the plot in the original book, was probably going to ruin or shed blood.

“After all, we are now husband and wife. If the Male Empress needs any help, just ask me,” Yu Yunji looked at him and said quite sincerely.

She originally held a book, curling her legs and leaning against a soft pillow, fully displaying her profligate appearance, but her eyes unusually carried a hint of gentleness, which seemed somewhat incongruous for a moment.

Gu Qi, who had been sitting on the edge of the couch, sneered when he heard this.

“Heh, Yu Yunji, don’t act so high and mighty. I don’t need your charity.” He leaned forward, seemingly wanting to fully exert his pressure on her. That soft body pressed against her arm.

The spring clothes were thin, and the nightclothes even more so.

That faint scent of tuberose enveloped her entirely. Her arm unintentionally pressed against his arm, his warm breath close at hand.

Yu Yunji suddenly had an illusion that those unforgiving red lips seemed about to kiss her the next second.