Chapter 686.2: Her Son
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S T E L L A R C L O U D
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O R A N G E S T A R
[Alma S.] [Christine G.-L.] [Fazzienaz] [K.Rom]
[Onepiece] [Suong D.] [Tori D.] [Ziana K.-P.]
Y E L L O W S T A R
[Passerby] [Xena]
G O L D S T A R
[Nevy] [Roxanne C.]
R A I N B O W S T A R
[Allie] [Debra W] [Kiiayame]
T H E S U N
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CELESTIAL CONQUEROR
[Ava C.] [BritnaeM] [Caroline] [Leticia P.] [Lily J.] [Malinkat] [Manon] [Val Nes]
Also, many thanks to everyone who bought me coffee (*≧∀≦*)
After leaving Tianqiong Academy, Gu Jiao hired a carriage to take her near Tianxiang Pavilion, walking the remaining distance on foot.
She was very cautious along the way, making sure she wasn't being followed before entering Tianxiang Pavilion through the back door.
Xu Fengxian was sitting in the backyard, scolding Gu Chengfeng, "Humph! He’s got such a temper these days! One moment, this lord comes, and he refuses to see him; the next moment, that young master comes, and he refuses to see him either! Who does he think he is? The Emperor himself?"
Yinxing, the servant girl, timidly tugged at Xu Fengxian’s sleeve.
Irritated, Xu Fengxian shook off her hand and continued her rant, "What? Am I wrong? Do you think I run this grand opera house without spending silver? If he dares to give our guests the cold shoulder again tonight, I'll kick him out of——"
She hadn’t had time to finish her words when she suddenly felt a shadow loom over her.
She looked up and exclaimed, "Good heavens!"
She was so frightened that she fell off her stool, landing on the ground with a thud.
Yinxing, summoning her courage, helped her up.
Xu Fengxian whispered angrily, "Why didn’t you warn me he was here?"
Yinxing replied pitifully, "I did warn you, but you didn’t heed me."
Xu Fengxian silently cursed her luck and then forced out a fawning smile, "Oh, the young master is here! Please, have a seat! Yinxing! Serve tea to the young master!"
"Yes!" Yinxing hurried to prepare the tea.
But Xu Fengxian quickly stopped her, "Wait, you stay here. I'll go brew the tea myself!"
She would rather do the work than stay and face the wrath of this young master.
However, Gu Jiao didn't seem to have any intention of reprimanding anyone. She simply said, "I'm here to see him," and then went upstairs.
Xu Fengxian collapsed onto a stool, wiping the cold sweat from her forehead. Still shaken, she muttered, "That scared me to death... scared me to death... Just a moment ago, there wasn't a soul at the door... How did he just appear out of nowhere?"
Gu Jiao went upstairs.
Gu Chengfeng was now thriving at the opera house. Not only did he have his own luxurious private room, but he also had several servants at his disposal.
Despite her complaints, Xu Fengxian would never actually get rid of Gu Chengfeng, her cash cow.
Gu Chengfeng was busy memorizing his script at the moment. These lines were from the stories written by Old Chief, known as "drama within a drama."
One had to admit, Old Chief’s scripts were captivating——full of twists and turns, gripping and intense. Most importantly, every play ended at a cliffhanger that left the audience on the edge of their seats, restless and eager to see the next one.
Business at Tianxiang Pavilion had picked up as a result.
With more customers coming in, Gu Chengfeng had an easier time gathering information.
However, tonight he wasn’t planning to collect information; he wanted to check if that girl had returned.
But just as he put down the script in his hand, Gu Jiao walked into the room.
"You..." Gu Chengfeng was momentarily stunned, then quickly composed himself. After giving her a once-over, he rushed over to close the door, then sat down with Gu Jiao at the table, asking in a low voice, "When did you get back? Why did it take so long?"
Gu Jiao replied, "I came back yesterday. I ran into some trouble, which delayed me."
"Some trouble?" Gu Chengfeng grabbed her hand, pulled up her sleeve, and saw the bruises on her arm. He snapped, "This is 'some trouble'?"
So many days had passed, yet she still had bruises. It was clear how bad the injuries had been when they were fresh.
Gu Jiao pulled her hand back and said, "Find a way to contact Xiao Heng and let him know that I’ve returned safely."
Gu Chengfeng snorted, "Did you come to see me just to let that guy know you’re safe?"
"Not just that." Gu Jiao said.
Gu Chengfeng’s eyes lit up, come on, say it! You’re here to show me too that you’re safe!
"I also came to ask you what you've found out recently." Gu Jiao continued.
Gu Chengfeng’s face darkened.
……
In Shengdu, opera houses were thriving. It was easier to sustain an opera house than a brothel, which was why Xu Fengxian had converted her brothel into an opera house.
Brothels were frequented by men, but opera houses attracted both men and women. In fact, if the play was good, even eunuchs from the palace would come to show their support.
The inner city was strictly regulated and it was easy to run into acquaintances, so over time, the outer city had become the top choice for visitors.
Over the past few days, Gu Chengfeng had indeed gathered quite a bit of information.
"Shengdu has become quite lively recently. The Crown Princess has returned, and some disciples and advisors from prominent families who were traveling or in seclusion have also come back. Among those I know are Taoist Qingfeng from the Feng Family and Qi Xuan, the master of Han shizi from the Han Family."
Gu Jiao heard a familiar name, “Qi Xuan? The Qi Xuan from the Tang Sect?”
Now it was Gu Chengfeng’s turn to be surprised, “How do you know?”
Gu Jiao casually responded, “I’ve crossed paths with him.”
Gu Chengfeng was shocked, “You—you fought him? Are you injured? You’re not crippled, are you? That guy is not to be trifled with! It’s said that his martial arts are so high that even the Imperial Advisor's Hall shows him respect! The reason Han Shizi became the top martial artist of his generation in Shengdu is all thanks to Qi Xuan!”
Gu Jiao shook her head, “No, he didn’t injure me. We exchanged only two moves before he left.”
Gu Chengfeng asked puzzledly, “Then how do you know he’s Qi Xuan?”
Gu Jiao replied, “Lady Nan told me. She knows him.”
After many encounters with Lady Nan, Gu Chengfeng had a sense that she was someone with a not-so-simple background. He asked curiously, “Who exactly is Lady Nan?”
“Qi Xuan’s former junior sister.” Gu Jiao answered truthfully.
Gu Chengfeng’s jaw dropped in shock.
If she was Qi Xuan's junior sister, then she must also be from Tang Sect.
Girl, what kind of master and mistress did you find for Gu Yan?
Gu Jiao hadn’t had any contact with the Feng Family, so she wasn’t particularly interested in this Taoist Qingfeng person. She was more concerned about Qi Xuan, “So, Qi Xuan is actually an advisor to the Han Family.”
That’s fine too.
They can all be in the same boat, making it easier to deal with them later on.
Thinking about why Gu Jiao had left Shengdu, Gu Chengfeng asked, "You mentioned before that you were going to confirm something. Did you find out?"
“No.”
She didn’t meet the Crown Princess.
Gu Chengfeng: “Is it related to Xiao Heng?”
Gu Jiao: “Yes.”
Humph, he knew it. This girl would risk her life for Xiao Heng after all.
Gu Chengfeng said seriously, "I don't care whether you came back safely this time or not; don’t engage in such thankless tasks again. The Crown Princess can’t handle the Crown Prince. Do you know why the Crown Princess suddenly returned to Shengdu?"
Gu Jiao shook her head.
Gu Chengfeng explained, “There are actually many rumors among the people. Some say that the Yan Emperor wanted to execute the Crown Princess, others say that he wanted to pardon her, and there’s even a rumor that the Emperor himself called her the Crown Princess. But all these rumors are false! It was the Crown Princess herself who wanted to return!”
"Can she really return just because she wants to?" Gu Jiao asked. If she remembered correctly, the Crown Princess seemed to have been confined at Guanshan to guard the imperial mausoleum.
"Of course not. This is insider information I went through great efforts to uncover!" Gu Chengfeng said with a grave expression, "The Crown Princess... has amnesia!"
Raz P.'s Thoughts
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Description:
In the suspenseful supernatural novel “Records of Mortals,” Jiang Baiyan, once a solitary and impoverished youth, finds refuge in the Shi family of Chang’an due to his extraordinary bloodline. With his clear and captivating peach blossom eyes, this seemingly innocent young man conceals a fanatical and malevolent lunatic within. Destined to succumb to darkness amidst hardship and degradation, he becomes a harbinger of chaos.
When Shi Dai suddenly transmigrates, she takes on the role of the Shi family’s young lady, the one who subjects him to countless trials, eventually leading to her demise.
The twist? She never got to finish reading the novel.
From what she knew of the plot, Jiang Baiyan was just a silent, timid, and often bullied pitiable character.
***
Jiang Baiyan had never encountered someone like Shi Dai.
After he had slaughtered all the evil creatures in the garden, the blood-stained young man, exuding a murderous aura, approached her step by step, his lips curling into a malicious smile, "Scared?"
Shi Dai responded, “You’re really amazing! I applaud you until I spin like a spiral and fly around the moon three hundred times! And also——you have dimples when you smile!"
Jiang Baiyan: ...?
—
After seeing her at a lantern festival with another man, Jiang Baiyan lowered his eyes, his fingers twirling her hair. He said in a mocking and sinister tone, "The mansion in the western suburbs...if I hide you there, no one will find you, right?"
Shi Dai replied, "Does it come with meals and lodging? Can I sleep in everyday? Oh, and your cooking is the best!"
Jiang Baiyan: ...?
—
Jiang Baiyan was supposed to dislike her, even hate her, but as their separation drew near, his eyes turned red and he grabbed her sleeve, pleading, "Don't abandon me, alri—”
Shi Dai responded, "Alright, alright, I’ll only have you. Mwah."
Jiang Baiyan: ...?
He hasn't finished his lines yet though…