Chapter 114: One Strike (Part 1)
Xue Ye shook her head, gazing at her with a mixture of sadness and longing in her eyes. Her voice was slightly hoarse but still clear, "Young Master, Xue Ye has been by your side for two years, yet I still can't gain your trust... After the firefly dance, Xue Ye no longer has the qualifications to stay in the inner courtyard, to stay by Young Master's side."
Gu Huanli's expression gradually dimmed, and tears welled up in her eyes. "I'm just a student now, what unexpected things could happen? Why can't you and Dark Shadow stay in your own country?"
Xue Ye helped Gu Huan Li put on a white shirt, with a soft pale purple outer garment draped over it. The light and elegant attire was both beautiful and refined, yet still exuded an air of nobility. Her slender white fingers grasped the peach wood comb as she gently combed through Gu Huan Li's long black hair that reached down to her waist. Her expression was unusually focused, as if what she held in her hand wasn't Gu Huan Li's hair, but rather something she cherished deeply. "It's only natural for a master to dote on their young lord, let alone one with such an esteemed status... Xue Ye is fortunate to be able to serve by your side..."
Gu Huanli turned around and grasped Xueye's hand, "You're about the same age as me, why do you always have to say such old-fashioned things? Moreover, even if the Jiufengyuan family has to use such words, what about at school?"
Xue Ye thought for a moment and laughed too.
"Is that so, it's really strange, isn't it?" Gu Huanli raised her head and saw the branches swaying outside the window, the night deepening, although the bright moon was not visible, but there were twinkling stars.
"Would you like to go out for a walk, young master?" Xue Ye asked lightly.
"Sigh, if the old lady didn't send someone to keep an eye on me, I would naturally go out and take a look around." Gu Huanli stood up and leaned against the railing of the west-facing door, as if admiring the flowers and trees in the courtyard. However, she suddenly thought of her brother who was still in Kyoto, and her heart felt even more anxious and frustrated.
She didn't understand why the night had to arrange such an identity for her, as if it were a retreat. She could accept the "cheap" grandmother's "training" from Jiufengyuan Yiyi, but she was really unable to bear the Snowfield and Dark Shadow that Jiufengyuan Yiyi forced upon her.
Refuse?
She had thought of this, but the consequences that Kurenai Yuhi told her and the results of her repeated inquiries all proved that if she returned Setsuna and Kagerou, they would have no choice but to disembowel themselves.
What's all this and what's going on?
She didn't believe it at first, that year she left Japan to return to the US for further studies, and flatly refused to take Yuki and Kage with her on the road. As a result, these two said nothing and went straight to the shrine to prepare for seppuku. If she hadn't wanted to bid them farewell before leaving, they would probably be separated by heaven and earth now.
It was precisely because of this that she made a pact with them, as long as they learned Chinese well, she would allow them to stay by her side. Years passed and the pact remained in effect, however, Gu Huan Lian, Xue Ye and An Ying did not mention it again.
Forgotten?
Maybe.
Gu Huanli sighed and was about to say something when she heard a low voice outside the door, "Miss, Mr. Tian Gong has sent a gift and a letter."
Xue Ye saw Gu Huan Li, silent and wordless, got up and walked to the door, gently pulled open the paper door, took over the thing in Hei Ying's hand while slightly shaking his head, then closed the paper door.
Inside the exquisite black nanmu wood inlaid with mother-of-pearl wooden box, there was a bottle of eye drops. On one side was a letter sealed with autumn-colored wax, emitting a faint scent of ink and cedar. Gu Huanli pulled out the pale yellow letter paper inside, on which was written: "Night's elegant and refined appreciation, I wonder what thoughts it evokes? When we parted ways, my emotions were in disarray, this is unprecedented, beyond words."
Every stroke is strong and powerful, revealing the owner's tenacious personality. Gu Huanli smiled wryly to herself, but it was just a recent separation, even if she had good intentions and sent her eye drops, there was no need to write love letters, right? Relying solely on one meeting to pursue a completely strange woman, she wondered if she had suddenly traveled back to the peaceful era.
It's hard to believe that it would be like what was described in "The Tale of Genji", starting with writing love letters to pursue, and soon entering the boudoir for a secret meeting...
Please
Gu Huanli took out the eye drops and handed them to Xueye, "I got sand in my eyes last night, this young master from Tiangong said he would use eye drops to rinse, it was delivered to my doorstep, I guess it won't be too bad."
"Master." Yuki no Mika deeply knelt on the ground, bowing her head to the earth, and said in a low voice, "This subordinate deserves to die ten thousand times for not noticing Master's eyes..."
"Take the medicine." Gu Huanli leaned against her leg, a gentle curve on her lips, "I should be leaving tomorrow, if you want to give me some more eye drops, I don't know when it will be possible again."
"Master" Yuki's hand trembled, his eyes filled with desolation. "Yes, it's not time for vacation yet, so why would Master stay in the inner courtyard?"
Gu Huanli couldn't help but notice the sorrow in her eyes, and a gentle smile spread across her lips. "If I stayed here, I'm afraid I would be a nuisance to you and Anying."
Xue Ye gently applied eye drops to Gu Huan Lian's eyes, watching as she quietly closed them. Only then did he say, "Young Master, do you still remember the promise you made with us back then?"
"I remember." A soft voice.
"So few masters have thought of how to arrange me and Kage?" This time, Yuki used standard Chinese, but her hand hidden in her sleeve was shaking slightly.
"Before I graduate, be my senior first." Gu Huanli's mouth corners slightly raised, today was so tiring, she wanted to sleep well...
Xue Ye gently placed the moon-white silk sleeve cover on Gu Huan Li, watching as the faint night wind occasionally lifted Gu Huan Li's fine, silken long hair. She spoke softly, "Young Master, sleep well, Xue Ye will always guard you."
It wasn't until the next day when Gu Huan Lian and Kurenai Haori said their goodbyes that she remembered what she had agreed to with Setsuna and Kage.
She had wanted to find an excuse to delay, but unexpectedly, Setsuna and Kage knelt down in front of her.
"The young master, those who are qualified to enter the inner court must abandon their past, including family and friends."
"You are our everything."
The sky, shrouded in dark clouds, grew increasingly hazy. Time continued to flow without pause. In Gu Huan's mind, the bright and gentle eyes of Xue Ye appeared, just as they had when he first stood before her. It was the first night she was abandoned here, with everyone casting suspicious glances at her, even restricting her freedom with chains. Only Xue Ye stayed by her side, taking care of her, comforting her.
"Zi Ji, in the Jiufengyuan household, women are the masters, and this does not contradict the rules of a patriarchal society. Perhaps love is one-on-one, but the women of the Jiufengyuan household will never belong to just one man, will never become someone's wife. Whether it's fate or karma, this is the reality." Jiufengyuan Yiyi stretched out her hand and hooked her lover's neck, smiling ambiguously as she gazed at her, "Before you leave, don't forget to reply to Tian Gonglian's letter, after all, this is his first time taking the initiative to pursue a girl."
Gu Huan Lian raised an eyebrow and glanced at Xue Ye and An Ying, who were still kneeling there. "So, you're saying my trial is over?"
"The result was unexpectedly good." Kyofu-in Uwai smiled, "That gentleman is also very satisfied. Now, he should be waiting for you there, right?" After finishing speaking, she let her lover kiss her lips, not caring that there were others present.
"That's why I'd rather call her an old hag than a grandmother." Gu Huanli gritted his teeth, saying to Xue Ye and Anjing who were kneeling there, "Alright, now you two come with me."
Standing in the courtyard, Gu Huanli furrowed her brow and thought for a long time before slowly saying, "If there are no unexpected events, I will go to Kyoto in two days' time and then return to my country."
She paused for a moment, then continued, "I don't have a way to make you follow me immediately, but a promise is a promise. So, you guys go to this address first and find him, then come with him to find me." After finishing speaking, Gu Huanli handed a business card to Xueye.
"Master?" Yuki looked at the completely unfamiliar name on the business card, and a thread of worry flashed through her mind.
"This is someone I trust." At the thought of Cassidy dressed in an Arabian outfit, three black lines would appear on her forehead. "You help him take care of things first, then you can come see me."
As expected, Yukiya and Kage exchanged a glance. Although the master of the house publicly declared that the young master was studying abroad, in the Kyofu-in household, except for the master himself, even the elder members had no right to know the whereabouts of the young master.
Is this considered as the first step of Young Master accepting them?
Gu Huanli hesitated for a moment before taking out a letter and handing it to Anying, "This is my reply to Mr. Tiangong, you can help me deliver it later."
The shadow received the letter with both hands and carefully tucked it into his bosom.
"From now on, you all belong to me, Jiufengyuan Ziqi. You will have no more relations with your family, friends, or even the Jiufengyuan household. Do you understand?" Gu Huanli said as she turned around, her twelve-layered long skirt fluttering out a trail of crimson light, and left without hesitation.
When Tian Gonglian received the reply letter, it was already dusk. He looked at the man who came to deliver the letter and said faintly, "Is Ziyu's eyes better?"
The shadow nodded.
"You can withdraw now." Tian Gonglian nodded and signaled for the people beside her to send Anying away.
The female attendant beside Tian Gonglian said in a low voice, "Young Master, aren't you going to respond to the letter?"
"She's already gone, who should I send my letter to?" Tian Gonglian unfolded the letter paper, not surprised at all by the words that were difficult to hide in Yuanshu's elegant script. "'The apricot blossoms bloom and wither, meeting again is also sad. How can we meet again and part ways, this matter is unbearable to think about.' Zi Shang, your meaning is, you don't want to meet me again?"
The maid said discontentedly, "Young master, she actually dares to refuse you, as if her eyes have grown on top of her head."
"You go out too, I want to be alone quietly."
"Yes."
Listening to the faint footsteps fading away, Tian Gonglian took out an ancient scroll from the bookshelf behind her. After gently unfolding it, she saw a painting of a woman holding a pipa and sitting lazily under a cherry blossom tree. Beside the painting was a poem that read: "Falling flowers must be destroyed, bitter love will eventually part. It's worth plucking this cherry blossom, only today is suitable for plucking. Wanting to pluck the cherry blossom but fearing to break the branch. How about staying by the flower and watching it fall?"
Tiangong Lian's hand slowly swept across the beautiful face of the woman on the painting, and he murmured to himself, "Finally returned, my Zi Zhi Shang, my Bei Zhi Fang."