Married to a Villainous Minister - Chapter 228

The boatman rowed gently, breaking the glimmering water as he steered the boat slowly toward the lakeshore.

Right by the shore stood Fuyun Pavilion, a three-story teahouse. Two jujube trees flanked the entrance, their branches heavy with green fruits.

As the pleasure boat docked, Yu Jiao and the others stood up and made their way to the shore.

Yu Qizhe had already disembarked. Tall and elegant, he stood waiting by the lake. When he saw Yu Jiao approaching the bow, he extended his hand toward her.

Yu Jiao had just reached out when he gave a firm pull and lifted her onto the shore. Only after she was steady on her feet did he release her hand. He then helped Yu Fuling up as well.

At the very back, Yang Jiyan watched Yu Qizhe’s slender, well-defined hand, elegant as jade, with a blushing face, hoping he would offer it to her too. But her hope was in vain. After helping Yu Fuling ashore, Yu Qizhe turned to speak with Yu Jiao instead.

Yu Fuling, seemingly unaware, reached out a hand to Yang Jiyan with a bright smile. Yang Jiyan hid her disappointment, took Yu Fuling’s hand, and stepped ashore.

The group entered Fuyun Pavilion. Shao Zhong immediately asked a server to lead them to the second floor. Initially, they were going to request a private room, but Shao Zhong figured that if they did, the men and women would end up seated separately.

So he turned to Yang Jiyan with a smile and said, “The second-floor hall directly faces the stage. The view’s much better here, why don’t we sit out in the main hall?”

Yang Jiyan, eager to stay close to Yu Qizhe, readily agreed.

Technically, even in the hall, men and women should sit at separate tables. But Gu Yun paid no attention to such formalities. When he saw Yu Jiao sit down at an octagonal table, he dragged Liu Ziqi over and sat down beside her.

Yu Jiao frowned slightly, but before she could say anything, Gu Yun grinned and said, “You invited me to a meal, how could I not keep you company?”

Shao Zhong, seeing Gu Yun had joined, laughed and said, “We’re all friends here. Let’s skip the formalities, eating together makes it livelier.”

He pulled Yu Jinshu to sit next to Yang Jiyan.

Yu Qizhe and Yu Zhizhou sat across from Yu Jiao.

A server came forward with tea and water, offering sunflower seeds and snacks, then handed over the opera menu with a warm smile. “Esteemed guests, what would you like to hear?”

Shao Zhong, taking the role of host, passed the menu to Yang Jiyan with a smile. “What would the young ladies like to watch?”

Yu Fuling curiously leaned over to look. Yang Jiyan gave a gentle, thoughtful smile and placed the menu in front of Yu Jiao and Yu Fuling. “What would Sister Fuling and Sister Yu Jiao like to hear?”

Yu Fuling, unfamiliar with opera, scanned the menu several times but couldn’t decide. She turned to Yang Jiyan. “You choose.”

Yang Jiyan smiled softly. “Then let’s go with Romance of the Western Chamber.” As she spoke, her gaze rested on Yu Qizhe.

In the opera, Cui Yingying is the daughter of a high official, while Zhang Sheng, when they met, was merely a poor scholar with no power or influence. Cui Yingying’s family disapproved of Zhang Sheng’s background and urged him to travel to the capital for the imperial exam. Later, Zhang Sheng won first place and finally married Cui Yingying.

Wasn’t this story just like hers and Yu Qizhe’s?

She was the daughter of a prefect, and Yu Qizhe came from humble origins. But one day, he would rise like Zhang Sheng and become a top scholar.

The curtains on stage were drawn back. The gongs and drums sounded from both sides as the actors playing Cui Yingying and Zhang Sheng entered and began singing in melodic tones.

Food arrived. Shao Zhong raised a cup to toast the other men at the table and chatted, trying to learn more about Liu Ziqi and Gu Yun.

Gu Yun had no interest in talking. But Liu Ziqi, ever polite and refined, didn’t want to cause awkwardness during a shared meal. He replied, “Gu Yun and I are from the capital. We’re traveling a bit and happened to come to Qingzhou.”

When Shao Zhong heard they were from the capital, he became even more enthusiastic. Gu Yun’s aloof demeanor didn’t bother him at all, on the contrary, it only convinced him that Gu Yun must come from an extraordinary background.

Although Liu Ziqi appeared to engage in friendly conversation, his words were cautious and discreet. He revealed nothing of their true identities, skillfully steering the conversation away.

Gu Yun, eyes lowered, watched Yu Jiao nibble on a glutinous rice cake in small bites. She was quiet and gentle, her cheeks adorably puffed, just like a little rabbit nibbling grass. The sight made his heart melt, and he had to restrain himself from reaching out to pinch her cheek.

He suppressed the urge and asked, “Is it good?”

Yu Jiao paused and looked up at him with round, bright eyes.

Her cheeks were still slightly puffed, her youthful baby fat giving her a soft, delicate charm. Her clear, dark eyes sparkled with life. After she swallowed the rice cake, she replied, “Sweet and chewy. It’s pretty good.”

Gu Yun smiled, his gaze lingering on her lips, rosy like they’d been touched with rouge. His heart itched all the more. “Is that so?”

He picked up a piece from the table and tasted it. It was sweet and sticky, overly so for his taste. Gu Yun wasn’t fond of sweets, yet he still finished the entire piece.

What he really wanted was the one on Yu Jiao’s plate. If they were back in the capital, he wouldn’t hesitate to grab the half-eaten piece from her dish. He’d always been wild and unrestrained, everyone in the capital knew this. At worst, they’d gossip behind his back.

But this was Qingzhou. No one here knew who he was or how he usually behaved. He was afraid that if he did something like that, he’d scare Yu Jiao.

“Where did you find my pouch?” Yu Jiao had no idea what Gu Yun was thinking. She took a sip of duck soup and asked him.

Gu Yun waved it off casually. “It’s just a pouch. If I want to find something, it’s no trouble at all.”

Liu Ziqi gave a wry smile. This was typical of Gu Yun, he never spoke of the effort behind his actions. He always acted indifferent, as though nothing he did was worth mentioning. It had always been that way.

To find that pouch, Gu Yun had spent days combing Qingzhou’s streets and alleys, confronting thieves. Many were just petty criminals, unconnected to the woman who had originally stolen the money.

Only the day before had he caught someone who recognized the woman. From there, he tracked her down.

But she had already discarded Yu Jiao’s pouch. The stolen money had been split among several thieves, and the jade pieces inside had been taken to a pawn shop.

Gu Yun dragged the woman to the shop, hoping to redeem the keepsake from Yu Jiao’s father. But the jade had been permanently pawned and long since sold.

So Gu Yun spent a whole night rummaging through filth in the alley where the woman had tossed the pouch. In the end, he found it among heaps of trash.

It was filthy beyond recognition. Yet Gu Yun, pampered and used to a life of luxury, brought the grimy pouch back himself, supervised the servants as they washed it clean, and put it away carefully.

“Thank you,” Yu Jiao said sincerely.

A smile crept into Gu Yun’s eyes. The corners of his lips lifted on their own. For a moment, he didn’t feel foolish at all for digging through garbage like a madman just to retrieve it.

Feigning nonchalance, he replied, “It was nothing.”