Chapter 19

Originally, the matter of the sachet could be considered covered up. Shang Rongyue had only just breathed a sigh of relief when Shen Sanniang’s sudden question stumped her.

How many had she made? What did that mean?

“What does Sanniang mean by that?” She did not even call her “Chief” anymore and instead directly called the other woman by name.

Although that hand cord could not compare with gold or silver ornaments, the pearl at the end had been removed from one of her earrings. Though when she first fled the wedding, Shang Rongyue had not chosen that pair of earrings when selecting valuable items to take.

The craftsmanship of the earrings was rough, but the two pearls hanging from them were still fairly lustrous. Shang Rongyue had removed the two pearls, weaving one into Gu Wan’s hand cord and stringing the other into a pendant, which was now hidden against her neck.

If one day she suddenly had to run away and did not have time to pack her valuables, wearing it as she fled would be convenient.

To her now, every coin and every tiny bit of value was precious.

Those were all funds to preserve her life!

Although she thought this in her heart, Shang Rongyue did not show it on her face. She still looked as though she were questioning Gu Wan. “Could it be that in Sanniang’s heart, Yueyue is someone with nothing better to do? For no reason at all, should I just weave a longevity cord for anyone who comes along?”

So I really don’t feel bored. Stop making trouble for me and asking me to make sachets!

“Yueyue is merely a weak woman, not a Bodhisattva who saves all living beings. I only have so much energy. I can’t take care of so many people!”

Shang Rongyue deliberately turned away angrily, then added, “Yueyue is careless and clumsy. In the future, Chief should stop asking Yueyue for things.”

Shang Rongyue sighed inwardly. Sure enough, her reaction was quick. She had seized the right moment and immediately put on the air of a pampered young lady, thoroughly cutting off any path for the other woman to ask her to embroider another purse or sachet.

However, the reason Shang Rongyue dared to push her luck like this was because Gu Wan had not torn off the hand cord on the spot just now. Instead, she had carefully hidden it into her sleeve. Shang Rongyue could tell that Shen Sanniang liked this gift very much, and that question was most likely just said in a moment of anger.

On the other side, this was Gu Wan’s first time seeing a woman act like this.

In her own upbringing, the most delicate person should have been her younger female cousin Shen Rong. But Gu Wan did not have much personal friendship with her. Usually, aside from the warriors in the military camp, the only people by her side were Su Zhaoyun, Lanxi, and Ziying.

Lanxi and Ziying had followed her in practicing martial arts since childhood, so there was no need to mention them. As for Su Zhaoyun, she was a woman Gu Wan’s father had saved from Southern Xinjiang.

Back then, Sangxie had repeatedly invaded, and Southern Xinjiang, which bordered Sangxie, was plagued by epidemic after epidemic. In court, none of the families were willing to go. Only Gu Wan’s father, the Marquis of Yong’an, led troops there alone. With five hundred people, he carved out a bloody path for Great Zhou with his own flesh and blood.

According to the deputy general who returned, the moment they entered Southern Xinjiang’s borders, they saw corpses strewn across the land. The fallen people’s skin had rotted, their flesh a bloody blur.

Among them, there was one child who fortunately still had a breath left. When the Marquis of Yong’an set out, aside from five hundred elites, he had also brought a team of ten medical officers.

Su Zhaoyun was the first person rescued then.

Her parents had long since died in the epidemic. After she recovered, the Marquis of Yong’an saw that she was around Gu Wan’s age and brought her along with him.

Su Zhaoyun then followed those ten medical officers, helping them as an assistant.

Later, when the Marquis of Yong’an was brought back from the battlefield, he had only one breath left. ​unauthorized copy​The enemy army had intended to bind him in fire. The Marquis of Yong’an rode his warhorse, leading the soldiers behind him, and charged out of the flames’ encirclement. Because of that, in the end, the skin all over his body had been burned by the fierce fire.

It was terrifying to look at.

Su Zhaoyun watched him from the side and cried silently. The medical officers were helpless and could only shake their heads again and again.

Later, the Marquis of Yong’an passed away.

That was the second time Su Zhaoyun felt powerless against the passing of life.

The first time had been when she watched her parents suffer from the epidemic and pass away.

Their bodies were still warm, but no matter how you called out to them, there was no response.

Like drifting smoke, no matter how desperately you tried to grasp it, it was useless.

Su Zhaoyun did not want to see such a scene a third time, so she chose to study medicine.

After so many years, Gu Wan could no longer remember how many times Su Zhaoyun had come back carrying a bamboo basket, covered in mud, the hem of her skirt torn, wounds on her face, yet still smiling as she showed Gu Wan how she had found another precious medicinal herb, and how valuable it was.

So an act like Li Yueyue’s—getting angry at the slightest disagreement, turning away and ignoring someone, even pushing someone out—only felt novel to Gu Wan.

By the time she reacted, she had already been pushed outside by Li Yueyue.

Quite impressive.

But what Gu Wan had not expected was that this was not the end.

For several days in a row, Li Yueyue did not come to teach her writing, nor did she come to see her. Instead, she became very close with Lanxi.

Gu Wan did not know what the two of them were discussing. She only knew that every time, they looked very happy, their laughter as clear as silver bells, drifting leisurely into her ears.

And by coincidence or not, it was always in places where Gu Wan would pass by. Yet the moment she approached, Li Yueyue would turn and leave.

If it had happened once or twice, Gu Wan could have understood it. But for several days in a row, it became somewhat mysterious.

Gradually, Gu Wan realized that Li Yueyue seemed to be good to everyone around her. She and Ziying could talk about anything. She and Su Zhaoyun were as close as sisters. She could even laugh and chat so happily with Lanxi.

Even the towering walls Gu Wan had built for her sake had, at some unknown point, gradually dispersed.

Perhaps this was what made Li Yueyue formidable.

She treated people well not for any other reason, but simply because she treated everyone around her well.

Yes, that was it. Gu Wan comforted herself. It was only a hand cord. It did not mean anything.

Just as she could ask Shen Rong for a sachet and also give Shen Rong a bracelet, it was nothing more than courtesy and exchange.

Clearly, Li Yueyue’s food, clothing, and daily necessities were all stolen contentunder Gu Wan’s control. Making a little trinket to please her was simply human nature.

Just like her current way of getting along with Lanxi. They were merely using each other.

From the very beginning, had she not approached Gu Wan with the intention of using her?

Thinking of this, Gu Wan felt as if there were a ball of mist in her chest, making her feel stifled. She could not chase it away, nor could she blow it apart.

That day, Gu Wan heard the voices outside again. When Lanxi came in to report, the smile at the corner of her mouth still had not fully faded.

“Young General, the matter you instructed has been handled properly. It’s just that the buyer still hasn’t appeared.”

“I understand. Continue watching.”

After discussing official business, Gu Wan suddenly lifted her lashes and gestured toward the window. “When did the two of you become so close?”

The two of us?

Lanxi hesitated for a moment before realizing that Gu Wan meant herself and Li Yueyue. So she explained honestly, “Young General has misunderstood. You know this subordinate usually has no other hobbies, only that I like reading illustrated storybooks. A few days ago, Miss Li borrowed a few from this subordinate, and we merely discussed them together.”

After saying this, she hurriedly added, “We only discussed the contents of the books. We did not touch on any military affairs. Please rest assured, Young General.”

Illustrated storybooks. No wonder the two of them were so happy.

“So what did you read?”

“The most ordinary Record of Mulan. It’s just that Miss Li’s interpretation of it was very novel and coincided with this subordinate’s own thoughts.”

Record of Mulan—was that not the story of the woman Mulan joining the army in her father’s place? Gu Wan had heard of it before.

Lanxi explained, “This version of Record of Mulan is a sequel from the West Street bookshop. It tells the story of Mulan helping and cherishing a general on the battlefield, then returning home and becoming a loving husband and wife with him.”

Gu Wan gave a faint “Oh.”

These days, in order to make money, bookshops hired many scholars to continue writing stories. Some used real people and real events as a background, but most took familiar stories and compiled things similar to unofficial histories.

And these had to be related to romance for people to discuss them with relish. After all, who would not be curious about what upright historical heroes were like in private?

Lanxi continued, “But Miss Li’s thinking is very unique. She said Mulan had already become a noble general, yet in the end, her destination was still to fall into the inner residence and fight with a group of concubines. Would that not disgrace her heroic bearing and reputation on the battlefield? Moreover, since that man could bring concubines back, it proves he was not truly sincere toward General Mulan either.”

“So you are here to tell me the story of an illustrated book?” Gu Wan lifted her eyes and swept a cold glance over Lanxi.

Normally, when Gu Wan looked at her like this, Lanxi would immediately shut her mouth obediently. But today, she mustered her courage and continued.

She chuckled and said, “Young General, Miss Li said that if she were the one writing it, she would not arrange it this way.”

Lanxi lowered her voice, deliberately making it sound deep and mysterious.

“During General Mulan’s campaigns, she once rescued a young girl who had been locked in read the original at bailiantales.com a cage with wild beasts among the Xiongnu. Later, that girl blocked a fatal strike for General Mulan and died because her wounds could not be treated. Miss Li said that in her heart, this young girl was the one who liked General Mulan the most.”

The brush in Gu Wan’s hand suddenly stopped.

The ink on the brush tip dripped down, the pitch-black mark landing right in the center of the white paper.

Bold and intense.