It Turns out that I am Beautiful, Strong and Miserable [Quick Wear] - 90

 

ITOTIABSAM | Young General | 90

Xie Ye is very dangerous?

Without even turning his head, Gu Cong felt that this Crown Prince Yan Beilin likely had a screw loose in his head.

As he strode out through the palace gates, with Lu Jin leading the royal guards eagerly awaiting, they all exchanged excited glances when their general nodded imperceptibly, almost bursting into cheers on the spot.

But Gu Cong paid no mind to this bunch of monkeys. Instead, he was thinking about bringing Xie Ye back to Sanggan City. He should prepare a carriage for him, not the usual crude style used for luggage, but one with curtains, spacious enough to shelter from wind and rain, and stocked with some entertainment to alleviate boredom. He had seen a carriage like that on his way to court earlier, seemingly from the noble family of the Imperial Concubine, and it looked quite decent.

But such things were probably not readily available for purchase at short notice. He'd have to return home and ask Money Bao about it. As for entertainment... With a turn of his step, Gu Cong mounted his horse.

The bewildered Lu Jin quickly exclaimed, "General, where are you going?"

"Wait for us!"

The roads in Yanjing City were spacious, and for those accustomed to dealing with the grasslands, their horsemanship was beyond reproach. They could travel slowly without harming the common people. However, as they followed along, Lu Jin began to sense that something was amiss:

Why did the route chosen by the general not seem like the way home, but rather like they were heading to the East Market?

That place, aside from having higher prices than elsewhere, held no appeal in his eyes. Moreover, the West Market had Huns merchants with their curly hair and blue eyes, which were far more interesting than any jewelry or calligraphy.

To his surprise, as if summoned by his thoughts, their general actually stopped in front of a paper and ink shop.

With a flash of insight, Lu Jin suddenly exclaimed, "You're not buying him a gift, are you?"

Immediately after, he received a deathly stare from their general.

Initially, Lu Jin thought he had guessed correctly, and the general was annoyed—or perhaps embarrassed. Three seconds later, feeling a chill creeping up his spine, he suddenly realized something and corrected himself, asking again, "You're not buying a gift for Xie Ye?"

Gu Cong was satisfied.

He thought to himself, "What kind of nonsense is he saying? If others hear this, it will surely lead to gossip."

"It's not a gift," Gu Cong dismounted decisively, his expression serious. "It's a necessity."

Xie Ye had a throat condition and relied on written communication in daily life. Without paper and ink, would they have to resort to having him grab everyone's hands and gesture? Just thinking about it made Gu Cong uncomfortable.

Meanwhile, Lu Jin, trailing behind, muttered quietly, "A necessity? Not just any paper and ink will do."

The more he explained, the more it sounded like a gift.

However, upon entering the shop, Gu Cong realized that there were at least a dozen varieties of ink, paper, and inkstones, and he had no idea about Xie Ye's preferences.

It was the shopkeeper who guessed Gu Cong's intentions and took the initiative to introduce, "Is the general planning to give a gift to Xie Ye? This Songyan Ink is as firm as jade, grinds silently, and has a lingering fragrance. It has always been Xie Ye's favorite."

The shopkeeper continued, "And there's this Purple Hair Xuan Brush. Look at its shape, sharp, even, round, and robust. Although it's not as good as tribute-grade, it's not far off."

Lu Jin couldn't help but interject, "Purple hair? Isn't that just rabbit fur?"

The shopkeeper immediately retorted with a glare, "You're mistaken! This is the fur of a mature male rabbit that has eaten bamboo leaves and drunk spring water, and only a small tuft of fur is qualified to be harvested from its back in autumn."

Lu Jin replied, "Got it, Sir Rabbit."

All that fancy talk earlier.

Honestly, while Gu Cong himself was low-key, the General's Mansion was not short of money due to years of rewards and gifts. What he cared about was not wealth, but:

"You said Xie Ye likes it, has he personally visited here?"

The "my wife" remark earlier was purely impulsive, just to teach those two rascals a lesson. But now, Gu Cong couldn't bring himself to say it again.

The shopkeeper muttered a couple of words, then fell silent.

The men and women from the Mingyue Tower, casually brought out for a stroll, couldn't really be called Qingguan. They were just some young masters and misses rushing here to find some rare items to please Xie Ye. Over time, Xie Ye's preferences spread within specific circles.

Gu Cong wasn't foolish either. He glanced at the shopkeeper's expression and turned to leave.

This time, Lu Jin caught on quickly and followed the general as soon as he moved.

When they were far away from the shop, he added, "Without asking, who would have known? It seems that Xie Ye's life in the capital is quite enjoyable. There's no need for you to come to his rescue."

If it weren't for the engagement binding him, he probably would have run off with some prestigious lady from a noble family long ago.

Hearing Lu Jin expressing grievances on his behalf, Gu Cong remained calm and just asked, "If I were to put you in that Mingyue Tower, pampered with delicious food and drink every day, would you be willing?"

Lu Jin waved his hands repeatedly, "How could that be? Didn't you see the shopkeeper's expression? Even going out to a shop is difficult, let alone being confined like a caged bird. I couldn't stand it."

Gu Cong asked, "Then how do you know he's enjoying himself?"

"Because of a rabbit fur brush? Because of ink priced as if it were gold? If I were to give you the same, would you be willing?" Lu Jin, usually so eloquent, was unexpectedly speechless.

His initial impression, combined with the misunderstanding of the arranged marriage, led him to subconsciously harbor some hostility towards Xie Ye.

But the General wasn't like that.

It seemed that he only believed in what he himself had seen of Xie Ye, rather than what others in the capital said about him.

"Um... I apologize," after thinking carefully for a moment, Lu Jin scratched his head and whispered, "Then why are you upset?" You left without even buying a gift.

Gu Cong replied, "I'm not upset."

Gu Cong continued, "I just think I should ask him in person."

Instead of relying on hearsay and doing things that aren't much different from other "guests."

Although he said that, when Gu Cong returned to the mansion, he still carried a carefully wrapped wooden box in his hand, not handing it over to anyone, but carrying it himself all the way.

Gu Cong had assumed that Xie Ye would still be in his chamber, considering that he hadn't been moving around much these past few days. However, as soon as Gu Cong entered the mansion, he spotted the young man not far away.

Despite the strong sunlight today, Xie Ye didn't seem to have broken a sweat. His skin was as fair as snow, as clear as jade, giving off a refreshing aura.

Without hesitation, Gu Cong left behind his group of guards and quickly approached him. "Why are you out here?" he asked.

Xie Ye replied, "Worried."

"Because General didn't take me to the palace."

"Other officials on this street have all returned from court."

Despite the fast pace of writing, it was still not as convenient as speaking. The young man's expressions were concise, albeit somewhat disjointed, but Gu Cong understood.

He had gone to the East Market for a while, which naturally caused him to return home later than other ministers.

"Buying things took some time," Gu Cong explained as he shook the wooden box in his hand. "Everything went smoothly, and we'll be able to set off in a few days."

Apart from the last world, Xie Ye rarely accessed Gu Cong's surveillance perspective. For him, maintaining a sense of mystery was just as important as possessiveness.

So, his curiosity seemed particularly genuine. "Is it for me?" he asked.

Gu Cong nodded. "Yes."

"Just happened to pass by," Gu Cong added. "Take a look and see if you like it."

Lu Jin, who had been accompanying them, chimed in with a puzzled expression: "Just happened to pass by? I've been wandering around with sore eyes."

The wooden box was not large, so there was no trouble unpacking it on the spot. Inside were two small round boxes resembling tea cups, each containing black and white Go pieces made of jade, giving off a cool touch.

Catching a glimpse of the slight smile on Xie Ye's lips, 1101 couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy: "I'm feeling sour."

For someone like Xie Ye, as well as for any ordinary noble son, this was indeed the most foolproof gift one could think of, especially considering Gu Cong's busy schedule with military affairs.

As for Xie Ye, even if Gu Cong had brought back a blade of grass he picked up on the way, Xie Ye would likely still be happy, let alone the carefully selected items Gu Cong had chosen.

"I really like it," Xie Ye praised generously as he closed the wooden box again. "Thank you, General."

Because he needed to write, their hands occasionally touched, giving the impression from afar that they were extremely intimate. Watching their "chitchat" as they left together, Qianbo, who had been reminded to buy a new carriage, quietly watched their departing figures, finally feeling somewhat relieved of the anxiety that had been hanging over him since Gu Cong returned to the capital.

He had seen Xie Ye before.

He was gentle, kind, but that was all from over a decade ago. No one could say for sure how the young boy who used to cry over a fall, causing both the Xie and Gu households to worry, would turn out after experiencing such great changes.

With numerous eyes both within and outside the court scrutinizing the actions of the General's residence, there was no room for error. Fortunately, the return journey was unimpeded. Even if Xie Ye harbored any other thoughts, once they reached Sanggan City, it would hardly cause any ripples.

"Qianbo, what are you looking at?" Naturally outgoing, Lu Jin leaned in beside him. "Come with us. There's nothing good to stay for in the capital."

"Forget it, forget it. My old bones can't handle all that excitement," Qianbo chuckled, shaking his head before returning to his usual kindly demeanor.

To ensure the peace of mind of the one on the Dragon Throne, someone from the General's residence had to stay in Yanjing. The ancestral hall and ancestral tablets couldn't be moved either, so as the steward, it was Qianbo's duty to stay behind and take care of things for the young master.

It was fortunate that Xie Ye was a man; otherwise, he would likely have been sent back to the capital like the female relatives of the General's residence in the past, especially after becoming pregnant.

Time waits for no one, and the heart of a sovereign is unpredictable. Before the old emperor could change his mind, Gu Cong quickly made all the necessary arrangements. Just before leaving, he hesitated when he saw the small round jar that the youth had been using as a poultice under his pillow.

There probably wouldn't be such a thing in Sanggan City.

"General, General, are you ready? I'll move the books Xie Ye requested onto the carriage first," suddenly came Lu Jin's noisy voice from outside. Gu Cong instinctively hid the jar, but by the time he regained his senses, the small round jar had already rolled into his sleeve.

As the youth holding the chess set reminded him, tapping on the precious treasure box, standing at the door waiting for him.

Now Gu Cong had no chance to put the item back, so he had to make do and lift his foot. "Coming."

Since the bride price had been given, Gu Cong didn't intend to take it back. When he was counting the luggage, he had planned to bring back all the unopened boxes of red silk to Sanggan City, but Xie Ye shook his head to stop him. In the end, Xie Ye only wanted the jade hairpin, the Go set, a box of books from the General's residence, and a box of conversation books used to pass the time.

So their journey turned out to be much lighter and simpler than Gu Cong had anticipated.

Xie Ye's clothes were all flowing wide-sleeved robes with an ethereal air, specially chosen for their suitability for riding. Xie Ye stood calmly in front of the main gate, watching a line of spirited horses. Just as he was about to be lifted onto one by someone, all the guards stepped aside in unison. Qianbo appeared from behind with a sturdy and comfortable carriage, exquisitely crafted.

But someone remained oblivious, sincerely inviting praise: "What do you think?"

"Isn't it much more impressive than the Shen Noble Consort's family?"

Previous TOC Next

The author's note:

General Gu: Seeking praise.

Xie Ye: ...

(The mention of the Shen Noble Consort is because the troublesome matchmaker harassing Xie Ye is sent by her.)