Married to a Villainous Minister - Chapter 201

Beyond the bamboo grove at the entrance lay a pond. The small red pavilion where Xiao Ning and the others had chatted yesterday sat by its edge. The surrounding trees, flowers, and shrubs had all been trimmed with care, and many blossoms were in bloom, making the scene peaceful and pleasing to the eye.

Yang Yuanchun led the two sisters into the main hall of the garden. “I’ve already found a blacksmith skilled in steelwork. I need to return to the yamen shortly, so Young Master Liu and little Marquis Gu will accompany you to the smithy.”

Yu Jiao gave a small nod.

Inside the main hall, Xiao Ning, Gu Yun, and a few others were chatting over tea. When they saw the Yu sisters enter, they stopped speaking.

Gu Yun stood up and said, “Since everyone’s here, let’s head out.”

At the sight of Gu Yun, Yu Fuling felt a twinge in her stomach. The memory of the kick she received from him yesterday still lingered like a shadow. She shrank back behind Yu Jiao, trying to make herself smaller.

Xiao Ning laughed heartily. “If it weren’t inappropriate for me to show my face in public, I’d definitely go with Miss Meng to see how those strange contraptions are forged!”

The gloom from yesterday, after learning the truth about the ruined hand, had completely lifted from his face.

“Well, then, General Xiao doesn’t get to enjoy that spectacle,” Gu Yun grinned charmingly as he stepped in front of Yu Jiao. “Once I’ve seen it, I’ll come back and tell you all about it.”

“Have you finished the design?” He asked her, still smiling. “Let me take a look.”

Yu Jiao pulled out the blueprints she had drawn earlier that morning from her sleeve and handed them to Gu Yun.

As Gu Yun unfolded them, he caught a whiff of charcoal. Glancing at the drawings, he clicked his tongue. “You must be really poor. Can’t even afford ink? This is the first time I’ve seen someone use burnt wood to sketch.”

Yu Jiao ignored him. She was not used to writing with brushes, barely able to write legible characters with one, and using them for drawing was simply out of the question.

Gu Yun added, “Judging from these drawings, the things you’re trying to make aren’t all that rare.”

Xiao Ning leaned in to take a look. He was familiar with weapons and instantly noticed the subtle differences in the tips of the round and angled needles. Seeing the size annotations on the side, he frowned and said, “These are really delicate. They’ll be hard to make.”

“Let’s have the smith try anyway,” Yang Yuanchun said. He still had duties at the yamen. “I’ve had a carriage prepared at the rear gate. The coachman knows the way, so I won’t be going with you.”

Worried Gu Yun might speak or act recklessly, he added to Yu Jiao, “If anything happens, just tell Young Master Liu.”

Yu Jiao nodded slightly.

After Yang Yuanchun left, a young servant led the four of them through the rear gate of the west garden to exit the Yang estate. To avoid drawing attention, Yang Yuanchun had arranged for only one carriage. The thought of sitting in the same carriage as Gu Yun made Yu Fuling inwardly dread the journey.

Gu Yun and Liu Ziqi boarded first, taking seats in the middle. Yu Jiao and Yu Fuling sat to the sides.

“So,” Gu Yun said as the carriage began to move, tilting his head at Yu Jiao with the blueprint in hand, “Tell me what these things are for?”

Yu Jiao raised an eyebrow and pretended not to hear.

“You go mute or something? I’m talking to you!” Gu Yun said irritably, displeased by her ignoring him.

He was nothing if not moody. Yu Fuling, afraid he might lose his temper again, mustered her courage and whispered, “My sister has a sore throat. She can’t speak.”

Gu Yun looked at her. She shrank back even further, sliding toward the corner of the carriage.

Seeing how frightened she was, Gu Yun clicked his tongue and turned back to Yu Jiao. “Is that true? You were fine yesterday. Don’t tell me you’re pretending just to ignore me.”

Yu Jiao, clearly fed up, shot him an annoyed look. She opened her mouth and rasped out in a hoarse, barely audible voice, “Thanks to you.”

The crisp, lively voice from yesterday had turned into a scratchy rasp that grated on the ears. Gu Yun scratched his ear and suddenly burst into laughter. “You actually sound like a little mute now? Hey, I didn’t cut your tongue out yesterday, did I?”

Yu Jiao glared at him, wishing she could block her ears, he was infuriating to listen to.

Liu Ziqi noticed the puffed-up pout on Yu Jiao’s face, a trace of childishness peeking through her anger. He said to Gu Yun at the right moment, “Why not just leave her alone for a bit?”

Still grinning, Gu Yun replied, “But how is she supposed to direct the smith if she can’t talk?”

Yu Jiao simply acted like she didn’t hear any of it, no sound, no annoyance.

Liu Ziqi’s elegant features softened with a hint of apology. “Gu Yun’s just like this. Miss Meng, don’t take his words to heart.”

Yu Jiao gave Liu Ziqi a glance, guessing to herself that his status might be even more prestigious than Gu Yun’s. She’d already noticed it yesterday in the west garden, Gu Yun seemed to listen to him. Though the two were close, Gu Yun toned down his behavior around him and even showed a hint of deference.

Yu Jiao wasn’t very familiar with titles like marquis or duke, but she couldn’t think of anyone with a higher rank than a young marquis, surely not a prince?

Yet Liu Ziqi had the air of a well-read scholar, not someone who grew up amidst imperial power and wealth.

“Miss Meng, are you from around Changkui? Do you happen to know a place called Qingshui Town?” Liu Ziqi looked into Yu Jiao’s dark, luminous eyes, and a certain figure, Su Jian, kept surfacing in his mind.

Yu Jiao couldn’t speak. She’d only done so earlier because Gu Yun had provoked her. Now she nudged Yu Fuling.

Yu Fuling wasn’t as afraid of Liu Ziqi as she was of Gu Yun. Hearing him mention Qingshui Town, she softly replied, “Our home is from a village outside Qingshui Town.”

Liu Ziqi hadn’t expected such a coincidence. His pupils narrowed slightly as he suppressed the surge of emotion in his heart. “So both of you are from Qingshui Town. I had an old friend from there, though it’s been many years since we last met.”

He looked at Yu Fuling and asked, “Miss Yu, would you mind telling me about the customs and daily life in your area?”

Yu Fuling hadn’t expected someone who appeared so noble to have an old friend from her hometown. She immediately felt a sense of warmth and familiarity.

Relaxing a bit, she asked, “What would you like to know?”

“What do you eat every day? Do you ever go hungry? Do women still work in the fields? What do you usually do with your time?” Liu Ziqi had countless questions. If Meng Qingshan had truly brought Su Jian back to Changkui, he wanted to know how she had lived all these years.

“In Chang Kui, we’re in the north. We grow corn and mostly eat steamed buns,” Yu Fuling began thoughtfully. “During busy farming seasons, if there aren’t enough workers at home, the women also help in the fields. When things are quieter, we stay home to sew and mend. If there’s extra time, we go into the mountains to gather herbs.”

Liu Ziqi listened silently. Even Gu Yun quieted down.

“As for going hungry…” Yu Fuling continued, “When there’s a bad harvest, it’s common. But my grandfather was a doctor, so our family was slightly better off than others.” She looked over at Yu Jiao, her face breaking into a smile. 

Ever since Yu Jiao began practicing medicine, their family had saved a good amount of silver. They were now among the wealthiest in their village. Even if a famine came again, they likely wouldn’t have to worry about going hungry.