Han Yunxi circled around the room before stopping in front of Gu Beiyue. “It wasn’t peaceful.”
“What happened?” Gu Beiyue asked hastily.
“Gu Beiyue, when you suddenly decided to get married, we all thought you were ‘hiding a mistress in a golden hall.’ But it’s almost the wedding date and you haven’t even set up a proper room yet. Are you fooling us?” Han Yunxi asked seriously.
Gu Beiyue exhaled, then asked, “Princess, why didn’t the little master come along?”
Gu Beiyue’s wedding date was so tight that Han Yunxi and Long Feiye would have to rush back to work on establishing a new kingdom after attending the wedding. She didn’t want to drag Rui’er around with her as she dashed about!
Too lazy to explain all that, Han Yunxi only asked again, “Where are the bridal chambers?”
“Just my quarters,” Gu Beiyue smiled helplessly. Gu Beiyue’s courtyard was located in the southern part of the medical academy and the biggest, quietest location. It had a total of three entrances, each of them forming a mini four-sided courtyard of their own.
The first courtyard was for receiving guests, the second had Gu Beiyue’s study, prescriptions, and research room, the third made up the actual living quarters. Currently, they were in the first courtyard.
Han Yunxi began heading deeper inside with Mu Linger following. They had heard way too many rumors on the trip here, including the fact that Gu Beiyue had no wedding decorations set up in the medical academy. If they hadn’t seen it for themselves today, they wouldn’t have believed it at all.
Gu Beiyue dismissed the tailor and followed the duo inside.
When the two females entered the third courtyard, they could only gape. Even though this was supposed to be the bridal chambers, it was still its usual self. There wasn’t a hint of wedding cheer or decorations about the place at all.
Everyone outside was claiming that Gu Beiyue was wronging himself by marrying Eldest Miss Qin. But as women, Han Yunxi and Mu Linger sensed that Eldest Miss Qin was the one being wronged instead!
Gu Beiyue didn’t look like he was preparing for a wedding at all. It was already past noon, but how much more could they prepare in the next two days? He was going to pick up the bride in the morning two days from now.
“Doctor Gu, if you don’t want to marry here, then don’t. And if you’re facing any difficulties, say it outright so we can help you think up a solution,” Mu Linger couldn’t help blurting out. “Doing things like this…isn’t that seriously wronging her? Although Eldest Miss Qin can’t find a husband, you still…you still can’t do this if you’re going to marry her!”
Gu Beiyue was quite calm as he replied, “Qin Min[1] says she prefer simplicity and that there’s no need for anything special. I don’t like elaborate affairs either, so we’ve decided on a small ceremony. I didn’t invite many people, only a few good friends. Today I’ll settle the matter of my wedding clothes and I’ll clean up these rooms and the guest hall outside this afternoon.”
“But women never say what they mean!” Mu Linger protested.
“Qin Min isn’t lik that. She’s always told me whatever she wanted,” Gu Beiyue answered.
Mu Linger began to grow agitated. “Doctor Gu, you don’t understand what I mean.” She thought it over before trying an analogy. “Doctor Gu, it’s like…it’s like when you’re gifting a girl something without worrying about whether she likes it or not! People ask others if they like the gift after giving them the present. They don’t ask if they like the present before giving them a gift! Do you get it? It’s not the same thing!”
Gu Beiyue begin to think and felt that made some sense. Han Yunxi wasn’t as restless as Mu Linger, but she did go outside and sit down. Seeing this, Gu Beiyue ordered someone to bring over the tea.
“When did you meet Qin Min? Have you really been ‘hiding a mistress in a golden hall?’”[2] Han Yunxi asked. “Why didn’t you say so earlier? Long Feiye was even talking about finding you a matchmaker a while back.”
When would Long Feiye ever care about things like that?
Gu Beiyue knew the princess was probably planning to probe him for answers. “We’ve known each other since we were young,” he began, “I used to consult with her frequently about the medical arts. Later on I went to Tianning, but I came back a few times to visit my relatives…”
Gu Beiyue looked a bit embarrassed, but it was hard to tell whether he was just faking it. He didn’t meet Han Yunxi’s eyes and put on a slightly self-mocking smile. “All the times I said I was visiting my relatives, I was actually meeting her in secret.”
Han Yunxi knew about Gu Beiyue going to visit the medical academy back when he was still in Tianning. She was surprised and smiled. “So you two are childhood sweethearts! Why didn’t you introduce her to us earlier? Isn’t it a disfavor to her to hide her for so long?”
Now Gu Beiyue grew more embarrassed. “There were heavy responsibilities on my shoulders before and my life or death was uncertain. Later on, more matters kept me occupied. I was afraid of delaying her prospects. She didn’t even tell me about her father wanting to marry her off. If I hadn’t gone to Medical City because of Bai Yanqing’s matters, I would have never found out. That’s why I sent someone with a marriage proposal back then.”
Han Yunxi listened carefully without saying a word.
Gu Beiyue went on, “His Highness wants me to enter the palace as the Grand Tutor, but I’m afraid I’ll delay her again if I just leave like that. That’s why I rushed back from Northern Li to marry her began His Highness’s matters begin. Then I can bring her to Yunning with me,” Gu Beiyue’s words made perfect self while his face was as shy as a boy’s.
Han Yunxi looked at him left and right, but couldn’t find anything off. She only felt he seemed awkward. So even the calmest, most rational man can lose his cool when dealing with the person he loves.
Aren’t I the same? Even that iceberg Long Feiye has looked happy or angry before because of me and my matters.
At this point, Gu Beiyue got up and went to take out a large brocade box from the rooms. He opened it in front of Han Yunxi and Mu Linger, revealing a thick stack of medical books!
Gu Beiyue explained, “These are medical books personally penned by my grandfather. My father and I both added supplements. I learned my medical skills from these books and recorded knowledge here that I learned elsewhere.”
Han Yunxi and Mu Linger stayed silent, wondering what he was getting at.
Gu Beiyue went on, “Qin Min told me twice to keep things simple.”
Han Yunxi and Mu Linger waited quietly for him to go on.
Gu Beiyue smiled, seeming a bit bashful as he went on. “Whatever she says goes, so I didn’t think much of it. Miss Linger’s words have merit too, but there’s no time to prepare anything anymore. Shall I give her these medical books as a token of my sincerity?”
These were Gu Beiyue’s most precious items! If Qin Min wasn’t someone truly on his heart, would he be willing to give them away?
Han Yunxi and Mu Linger finally believed in his feelings for Eldest Miss Qin. It looked liked they were overthinking things and meddling in his business.
Han Yunxi mused, Gu Beiyue is just as smart a fellow as Long Feiye, but he’s an absolute idiot when it comes to women.
Long Feiye was an idiot too, but he was super domineering and even used force. Gu Beiyue was the complete opposite and yielded unconditonally. He would do whatever the other party said.
If Eldest Miss Qin really was a woman who didn’t mean what she said, she’d probably be depressed for the rest of her life.
Han Yunxi wasn’t here to ruin other people’s marriages. She only wanted to confirm that Gu Beiyue wasn’t wronging himself or Eldest Miss Qin just for the sake of setting up a chessboard in Medical City and the medical academy. If they were childhood sweethearts, then this truly was enduring bitterness to find the sweet. Gu Beiyue really had a vast capacity for tolerance, while Eldest Miss Qin knew how to take on burdens and bullying to wait so long.
Although everything had happened in a rush, these were still Gu Beiyue’s private affairs. Nobody was suited to meddle too much. As long as he liked and acknowledged her, they would be a happy couple.
Han Yunxi glanced at Mu Linger and teased, “Linger, what do you think about gifting these medical books?”
“She’ll definitely be moved!” Mu Linger said, before thinking. “But I still think we should decorate this room! We can do simple ones, just leave it to me!”
Mu Linger looked around the room as she muttered to herself. “Big sis, thank goodness we came early. We can still salvage the situation! I heard big sis Ning said Tang Li stuffed the bridal chamber with daisies when she got married. It was really pretty.”
“Doctor Gu, do you know Eldest Miss Qin’s favorite flower?” Mu Linger turned to ask with a grin.
Gu Beiyue had no idea, so he just blurted out the first thing that came to mind, which was the name of a medicinal plant. “Forsythia.”
“Forsythia flowers, is it? These are medicinal flowers and super easy to find! I’ll take care of it!” Mu Linger grew excited. Although she had been frustrated in love, seeing other people happy still made her feel the world was a beautiful place worth being happy about!
Gu Beiyue had pulled off an impressive act this time!
Mu Linger rushed off to make preparations as if she was the one getting married instead. Han Yunxi and Gu Beiyue chatted a while before she let him make his own preparations. She went off to visit Bai Yanqing on her own.
Bai Yanqing was like a deathly ill old man, lying on the thatched grass inside his prison cell. The Perplexing Butterfly Illusion concoctions had destroyed his undying body. His internal injuries were bad enough, but his external ones were bad as well, including his missing teeth.
Large patches of his body were covered in festering wounds, making his days numbered. Perhaps he’d only survive a dozen more days. Still, these were nothing short of terrifying tortures ahead of him!
But he had brought all this on himself!
Han Yunxi didn’t come to kill him, much less forgive him. She only wanted to tell him one thing.
Standing by the cell door, she said coldly, “Bai Yanqing, Ning Cheng has conquered Northern Li. The Black Clan troops are also for my use now. On the first day of the ninth lunar month, Long Feiye will establish his empire and name it ‘Qin.’ However, there will be no more East and West Qin, much less two royal families. There will only be the Xuanyuan imperial clan!”
Bai Yanqing didn’t react at first, but Han Yunxi’s last wods caused him to raise his head and look at her. She looked down at him from above and added, “That’s right. Ning Jing fixed her teeth, so she’s as beautiful as ever. And many thanks for you protecting my child back then. He’s a boy, named Xuanyuan Rui. He has the blood of both East and West Qin and will be the heir to our kingdom.”
Bai Yanqing was too weak to speak, but his gaze on Han Yunxi filled with venom and hate. Yet Han Yunxi’s last words made him lower his head.
She said, “What’s been forgiven is forgiven, what’s dead is dead. Take your time and repent. From this day on, no one else will come to disturb you anymore.”
So speaking, she turned to leave, locking the door behind her.
—
Three days later, Long Feiye arrived at Medical City before daybreak and fortunately made it to Gu Beiyue’s wedding. Mu Linger had decorated the third courtyard in a clean, concise, and yet un-plain style. The wedding procession was also very simple, but it cleared the streets of Medical City all the same.
Han Yunxi and the rest sat waiting in the courtyard for Gu Beiyue to bring back the bride…
1. Qin Min (秦敏) – Qin is the surname, Min means quick, nimble, agile.
2. AKA keeping a secret lover hidden away.
