Capítulo 897: Chapter 714: How Many Times Has the World Broken Our Hearts with Memories of the Past
Gu Changsheng nodded, expressing agreement with Borjigin Nian’s viewpoint, “I think so too!”
Isn’t this a sure bet? No other outcome would appear, right?
She’s the fool if she bets!
“Haha…” Zhou Mu chuckled at the words, bent over laughing, picked up a crimson velvet flower from the stall and compared it to Gu Changsheng’s felt hat, “This one looks nicer, not too elaborate, suitable for everyday wear.”
“Yes, yes, I think so too.” Gu Changsheng nodded, hurriedly taking the crimson velvet flower.
Zhou Mu paid the silver, took the velvet flower from Gu Changsheng’s hand, and pinned it onto her felt hat, nodding, “Great, it matches the color of your outfit today. Let’s go.”
Gu Changsheng raised her hand to touch the ordinary velvet flower on her head, her lips slowly curled into a smile, and she cheerfully continued to browse.
Borjigin Nian was speechless at their act of treating ordinary cheap trinkets as playful gestures. She was sure that, even if it was ordinary, if Gu Changsheng dared to leave the bed chamber wearing such a velvet flower worth just one wen of money, the group of female officials serving her would definitely weep — certainly!
Yue Xilou glanced at the velvet flower on Gu Changsheng’s head, the beauty beneath the felt hat flickering, “The mundane meets the elegant, returning to simplicity, this kid does have quite the eye!”
Borjigin Nian’s mouth twitched imperceptibly at the remark.
Then Yue Xilou threw down an ingot, radiating a wealthy aura, saying, “Wrap up all these velvet flowers for me, no matter how lacking their colors, I want them all!”
“Yes, yes, yes!” The velvet flower vendor smiled with a grin that nearly hid his eyes at the sight.
Then, Yue Xilou turned and walked away.
Borjigin Nian not only had her mouth twitch, but her eye corner did too. After thinking for a moment, she snatched a pale yellow velvet flower from the stall vendor and pinned it to her felt hat, chasing after the three ahead.
“Hey! Guests, your velvet flowers!” Only after wrapping the velvet flowers did the vendor realize the buyers had gone far, urgently shouting.
From afar, Yue Xilou waved to the vendor.
Before the vendor could understand his intent, a person dressed as a family servant appeared at the stall, took the package of velvet flowers, and loaded them onto himself, setting off toward the disappearing four.
“When I was young, living with Zongbao, I really adored an aunt in the family. My aunt loved reading folk stories, collecting a roomful of them, and she would tell me many, many tales…” Zhou Mu strolled while chatting about ordinary topics with Gu Changsheng, consciously avoiding mentioning that he lived in the harem and his family was the Imperial Palace.
“Wow, your aunt’s interest is just like mine. I also enjoy reading storybooks!” Gu Changsheng beamed cluelessly, embracing a clay doll, with the crimson velvet flower swaying gently in the wind, appearing quite charming.
It seemed that taking a stroll wasn’t just relaxing for her; even Zhou Mu, who rarely reminisced about Wangxi, began speaking of childhood.
“And then? What happened to your aunt?” A competent listener, Gu Changsheng immediately voiced curiosity.
Borjigin Nian also moved closer, as it was rare for her to hear her family member talk about the past, knowing that his past was filled with secrets and intrigue, especially of the Great Zhou’s Imperial Harem!
As a Northern Mongolian Princess, Borjigin Nian was exceedingly curious about the secrets of the Great Zhou’s Imperial Harem!
“Then, my aunt died.” Zhou Mu hesitated briefly, greeting the statement with a faint response, “They said she died of a sudden illness, but…”
At this point, Zhou Mu hesitated, raising a hand to rub Gu Changsheng’s head, choosing not to continue.
Gu Changsheng sighed at the words, “Indeed, given your family’s situation, how could they allow a person accustomed to folk tales to live? Wasn’t your aunt quite rebellious? Didn’t she clash with your family’s norms?”
“Yes!” Zhou Mu laughed lightly, his voice carrying little sadness, yet a sense of pride, “Back then, apart from me, there was a little Imperial Sister listening to my aunt’s stories. After I was exiled to Liuzhou, decades passed without returning to the Capital City, only to find the girl had died too!”
“Is she really dead?” Gu Changsheng questioned with furrowed brows, feeling instinctively dubious.
“Who knows…” Zhou Mu said ambiguously, his voice tinged with amusement, “Aren’t you acquainted with the former Elder Du Family?”
“Yes, Fat Du’s son was delivered by me, remember!” Recalling Wangxi, Gu Changsheng smiled, pondering if Du Chenzhi, the now slimmed-down Fat Du as the Liuzhou City Lord, was managing her granted land smoothly, without leaving it in disarray.
“You may not know, I actually don’t like that Du Mingli!”
“Ah?” Gu Changsheng was stunned, Du Mingli, the former Elder, Fat Du’s father, Gu Changsheng still remembered the shocked expression on Du Mingli’s face when she asked for the consultation fee and refused his favor back then. “Is it because he was an old confidant of the elder, involved in the Eastern Palace incident…”
“No.” Zhou Mu shook his head.
No? Gu Changsheng was stunned, could there be an old grudge? It can’t be!
In this case, Fat Du came to Liuzhou City and gave her such a bear hug, which angered Zhou Mu who returned from Southern Fujian, and she actually protected him. Zhou Mu actually endured the resentment?
“Du Mingli comes from a long line of distinguished families, you probably don’t know, the current Madam Du was once just a concubine, right?” Zhou Mu held Gu Changsheng’s hand, strolling and stopping on the street while casually chatting, “Before Du Mingli entered the officialdom, he and my aunt were in love, but the family refused the marriage because Du Mingli hadn’t achieved anything. Later, when Du Mingli succeeded in the imperial examination and entered the Imperial Court, my aunt was thrilled upon hearing the news. But, as you know, our family could not let our son-in-law hold real power. Thus, one side wouldn’t give up their ambitions, while the other wouldn’t let an outsider wield power. After a few years, the family betrothed my aunt to a foreign clan, and during that time, Du Mingli took a powerful court official’s daughter as a noble concubine. It is said the noble concubine resembled my aunt quite a bit…”
“That’s truly a heart-wrenching story!” Gu Changsheng truly didn’t expect the former Elder Du, who was once seen worrying about his family, had such an emotional past. “And then? What happened afterward?”
“Later, my aunt died suddenly the day before her wedding, leaving a message for Du Mingli: ‘Regret teaching my husband to seek the title of nobility!'” Zhou Mu continued narrating as if telling a story, “Then, Elder Du heard the news, fell into a slump for a while, and then, despite family opposition and public ridicule, elevated the concubine to be his wife, vowing never to have another wife.”
“What’s the use?” Hearing this, even Gu Changsheng felt a bit upset inside and exhaled a sigh. “Elevating a concubine to a wife, what does it change? It’s still not that person; even if there is some resemblance, it’s not her, right?”
If it’s true love, then why couldn’t he compromise back then? A man’s ambition, a woman’s love, the Imperial family’s fear—it’s really hard to pinpoint who’s right or wrong!
“Indeed! It’s not that person, so I know exactly what I want. I want you! No matter who you are, or who I am, in this lifetime, having you is enough!” Zhou Mu spoke with a smile, full of deep affection.
“Pssh!” Borjigin Nian, who was moved by his master’s aunt’s tragic love story, suddenly turned away disdainfully upon hearing this sentence.
The previous parts are definitely just buildup! Buildup!
The last cheesy love talk is the focus! The focus!
“…” Yue Xilou did not speak, just turned his head away humming.
Although those around were not supportive, Gu Changsheng was still moved by Zhou Mu’s words!
As Zhou Mu said, it doesn’t matter who he is, nor who she is, they are still together!
Now, when people mention her time in Liuzhou City, they say she was Dragon Hidden Central Plains back then, but only she knew that during that time, she was worlds apart from Zhou Mu, she actually resisted associating with someone like him because, at that time, her status was unworthy of him!
But now, she is more than qualified!
“Evildoer, you made me feel cheesy!” Gu Changsheng sniffed, speaking softly.
She was touched, feeling as if she had gone through a lot with Zhou Mu!
It’s precisely that feeling of holding hands, looking back, and seeing that old friends are still around!
Indeed, those around her, Yue Xilou and Borjigin Nian, are both old friends, people she knew before she became who she is now!
This feeling is truly happiness, only wishing that years down the line, happiness will remain, not like Zhou Mu’s aunt or Elder Du, leaving behind a lifetime of irremediable sorrow and regrets.
The four paused at a hat seller’s stall, Zhou Mu picked up a little tiger hat, and spoke, “Don’t dwell on those sad pasts. Shall we continue the previous wager?”
“How do we bet?” Gu Changsheng raised an eyebrow, faintly sensing there might be a trick.
Especially after her evildoer reminisced about sad past events, the sense of trickery grew stronger.
“Are you saying that the clay doll vendor also has a virtuous wife who teaches her husband not to seek nobility?” Gu Changsheng blinked her phoenix eyes, voicing her guess.
“Heh heh…” Zhou Mu chuckled, gently tapping her brow with his finger, and spoke lightly, “If he accepts the task I assign, I’ll give him this little hat!”
Zhou Mu stretched out the little tiger hat he held, and then continued, “If he rejects the task I assign, we will give him a bigger hat, promise him power and glory, and never doubt him, how about it?”
“Brother, that big hat, the vendor is doomed not to wear!” Borjigin Nian spoke with pursed lips, “Even if, like someone in your family said, the vendor has a virtuous wife who teaches her husband not to seek nobility, poor couples lament all sorts of things. What man would give up power that’s within reach?”