Chapter 137.1: Blush
Chapter 137.1: Blush
Gu Jinyu felt a little disappointed when she thought that the Crown Princess had an ulterior motive for giving her a gift.
“Young miss, the Crown Princess invites you to attend the academy. Will you go?” The servant girl at her side asked.
“I don’t know.”
A woman was not supposed to appear in the public eye, but this was another opportunity to further make a name for herself. Staying at home, her great reputation could only spread so far. She wished that more people could witness her talents, and there was no better place than the academy to achieve that.
But she was worried that Old Madame Gu and her mother wouldn’t agree.
Old Madame Gu’s thoughts were rather old-fashioned. Back then, it was her father who lobbied for a long time to invite a teacher for her.
If she learned that she was going to study outside——
Gu Jinyu frowned.
Just as she was feeling distressed, a servant reported that Marquis Gu had returned to the estate.
Gu Jinyu hurried to the gate to meet him.
After drowning himself in official business in the Ministry of Works for several days, Marquis Gu felt his whole person lost a layer of skin.
He got off the carriage looking haggard. Crossing the gate, he saw his daughter coming towards him with a smile on her face.
“Dad!” Gu Jinyu called sweetly.
Marquis Gu felt that all his exhaustion had disappeared upon her call of dad. He smiled and gave his daughter a pampering look, saying, “It’s so cold, what are you doing outside?”
“I’m waiting for Dad!” Gu Jinyu smilingly replied.
Marquis Gu said with satisfaction, “You truly are the most considerate! By the way, how is your mother? Is she at home?”
“Yes, Mom has just gone to rest.” Gu Jinyu answered.
Marquis Gu asked with a frown, “What’s wrong? Why did she rest so early?”
As soon as his voice fell, he caught a glimpse of the invitation in Gu Jinyu’s hand. He inquired, “What do you have in your hand?”
Gu Jinyu handed the invitation to Marquis Gu and said, “The Crown Princess started a women’s academy and wants me to attend it.”
Marquis Gu opened the invitation and read it. “What did your mother say?”
Gu Jinyu said in a soft voice, “Mom has already gone to rest before I have the time to tell her. What does Dad think?”
Marquis Gu said, “If your Mom thinks it’s okay, then you can go.”
Gu Jinyu said hesitantly, “Grandmother’s side…”
“I will speak to her.” Marquis Gu didn’t think this was a difficult matter. What was there to think about? Marquis Gu asked, “Is there only one invitation? Did it say how one can enter the academy?”
Gu Jinyu responded, “Just one. The person who sent the invitation said that all prominent and talented young ladies in the capital are directly admitted to the academy without having to take the entrance exam. If anyone else wants to enter, they have to pass the entrance exam.”
“There’s also an entrance exam?” Marquis Gu frowned deeply. Surely, that girl only knew how to farm and whatnot, unable to read and write a single word. How could she pass the entrance exam then?
“Is there any other way to get an invitation?” Marquis Gu asked.
Gu Jinyu innocently questioned, “Does Dad want my sister to attend the academy? If possible, I can ask the Crown Princess if she could also give my sister an invitation to attend the academy. If it’s not possible, I am willing to teach my sister to read and write.”
“I’m only afraid that she won’t appreciate it even if you are willing. Forget it, put away the invitation yourself.” Marquis Gu returned the invitation to Gu Jinyu and saw that she seemed to want to say something but was hesitant. He asked, “What’s the matter?”
Gu Jinyu said in a mutter, “Dad hasn’t been home for several days and probably didn’t know that something occurred at home.”
Marquis Gu asked, “What happened?”
Gu Jinyu drooped her eyes, pinched the handkerchief in her hand and said, “Third brother… and second brother have been locked up in the ancestral hall by eldest brother.”
Marquis Gu sucked in a breath of air, asking, “What did they do this time? Not right, your second brother has long stopped causing mischiefs. It’s your third brother, isn’t it? What did he do now?”
Gu Jinyu showed a difficult look on her face as she said, “It seems that… Some conflict happened between third brother and sister, and third brother was beaten up by sister. Third brother was badly hurt right now.”
“How can that girl just beat up everyone?” Marquis Gu felt his tooth ache. He flicked his sleeves and asked coldly, “Has that girl finally returned home?”
“Sister…”
“Eldest young miss hasn’t returned home yet.”
In the middle of Gu Jinyu’s speech, she was interrupted by Grannie Fang, who appeared nearby at some point.
Grannie Fang gave the two of them a salute before saying neither servile nor overbearing, “Third young master bullied the young master first, which caused the young master to have a heart attack. Eldest young miss was so angry that she taught the third young master a lesson. Third young master only sustained superficial injuries, which was not worth mentioning compared to the suffering of the young master. “
Right, it was superficial injuries indeed, the kind that would make one unable to get out of bed for a month.
In fact, Gu Yan was already healthy and active again. On the other hand, Gu Chenglin’s suffering had just begun. Every night, he was in so much pain and taking medicine didn’t have any effect whatsoever.
Grannie Fang said with a sigh, “Third young master has always been spoiled; he would cry for his parents for just a simple skin injury. Meanwhile, my poor young master, even if he’s already suffering from a heart attack, doesn’t cry for attention at all. How dispirited must he really be, and yet people thought he’s okay.”
Gu Jinyu’s face was burning.
Grannie Fang’s words not only ridiculed Gu Jinyu, but also gave Gu Chenglin a negative image. After this, even when Marquis Gu saw Gu Chenglin wailing in complaint, he would only think that he was delicate and unmanly.
Marquis Gu furrowed his brows and said, “Has Yan’er met Chenglin?”
Grannie Fang sneered, “It’s also a coincidence that the third young master is attending the same academy as the young master. On the first day of school, third young master recognized the young master, but the young master didn’t realize it was him. Third young master dragged him to the woodshed, tied him up and locked him up for a whole day. Then the young master had a heart attack and narrowly escaped death.”
Marquis Gu was enraged at once upon hearing it. He thundered, “Rebellious son! Let him kneel in the ancestral hall for me!”
After his cold spiel, Marquis Gu didn’t go to check Gu Chenglin’s injury and instead got into the carriage and went to Bishui Alley to see Gu Yan.
Grannie Fang and Gu Jinyu were left in the yard.
Gu Jinyu opened her mouth to say something.
Grannie Fang bent her knees in salute and said, “Second young miss, it’s getting late. You should go back to rest. This old servant will also return to wait on Madame.”
“Grannie!” Gu Jinyu stopped her, saying, “I… was about to say it.”
Grannie Fang nodded her head, “This old servant understands. Although the second young miss is not the flesh and blood of the Marquis Estate, she was after all brought up and cared for by the Madame. How is it possible for the second young miss to not help the Madame but others? Wouldn’t that make the second young miss heartless and ungrateful then?”
Gu Jinyu’s face turned white.
Grannie Fang smiled faintly and said, “This old servant is just a servant and is unable to speak with tact. May the second young miss forgive me.”
Gu Jinyu didn’t know what to say. Grannie Fang technically didn’t accuse her of anything, and yet she felt she was scolded.
Grannie Fang was Yao shi’s confidant after all. Gu Yan could be angry with her, but Gu Jinyu, who had an image of a well-behaved young lady, could not.
“Grannie exaggerates.” Gu Jinyu said, “Grannie, go and take care of my mother.”
Grannie Fang said earnestly, “Second young miss might as well remember the Madame’s words and have less contact with the other three young masters. They won’t accept second young miss and won’t be your support in the future. With all due respect, the only people that second young miss can really rely on are the Madame and eldest young miss.”
Gu Jinyu showed a slight smile, saying, “I remember, Grannie.”