The crowd around her buzzed and chattered, but Song Shiwen couldn’t hear a single word.
She listened to the young men’s unfamiliar words of praise, her heart filled with resentment. She thought, Song Chuzhao must be possessed by a demon. Why does she always outshine me?
This thought, as soon as it arose, felt absurd, yet it slowly took root and sprouted in her mind, refusing to be shaken off.
Song Shiwen realized something and was startled. by carpreads.pages.dev
She didn’t know if Song Chuzhao could write in the wild cursive script, nor did she know if the other had studied scriptures at the border. However, from some point onwards, Song Chuzhao’s personality had indeed changed.
Before, although Song Chuzhao had never laid a hand on her, her eyes held an impatience and irritation towards everyone, and her tone was impulsive, clearly not adept at concealing her emotions.
Later, her gaze held only a chilling coldness that made people recoil. Her dark pupils seemed to be able to see through everything, looking down upon them with a mocking attitude. Even Miao’er, who had once been so full of confidence, was cowed by her and dared not speak.
Song Chuzhao had only returned recently, and everyone was unfamiliar with her. This change, if not carefully observed, might go unnoticed. But once suspicion arose, the strangeness of it all became obvious.
Therefore, even though the Gu family had never met Song Chuzhao, they were exceptionally attentive to her. Fifth Son Gu, in a departure from his usual behavior, even fought with others on her behalf.
In this world, how could someone simply like another without reason? Unless they had been bewitched.
Song Shiwen’s breath hitched.
Gu Wulong’s unusual behavior couldn’t be her overthinking. Even Tang Zhirou thought the same!
Song Shiwen nervously lifted her eyelids and glanced to the right. Gu Fengjian, with his drooping eyelids, happened to be looking at her. His gaze, filled with warning and intimidation, made her heart tremble. She quickly averted her face.
“Third Girl Song,” Tang Zhanglian asked with interest, “What was your life like at the border? Did anything interesting happen? How did General Song usually train his troops? Was he strict with you? Also, I wonder who was the teacher who taught you calligraphy? He was willing to go to the border?”
A barrage of questions hit Gu Fengjian. He remained silent for a moment.
He could answer, but he didn’t know all the details.
Tang Zhanglian laughed and said, “Feel free to speak casually. Everyone, don’t be so formal. I’m here to attend this literary gathering today. Just treat me like an ordinary person.”
Everyone responded with a few forced laughs, but the laughter behind those words was not truly sincere.
After all, Tang Zhanglian was just saying it casually.
At this moment, Song Chuzhao spoke up, “General Song is indeed strict with his subordinates. The military camp has clear discipline. As for other things, they should be similar to the capital, except that there are more trivial matters at the border.”
Tang Zhanglian asked, “Fifth Son Gu knows?”
“Third Miss told me,” Song Chuzhao took over the conversation, “Some experienced elite soldiers are responsible for patrolling the border city on a daily basis. They practice without slacking off. Occasionally, foreign enemies will make probing moves at the border. These elite soldiers will lead the troops to drive them back and deter them. There are also some scattered soldiers, mostly local strong men. They will fight alongside the army in times of war, and when there is no war, they will help their families farm the land and serve as laborers.”
“All soldiers must learn how to convey military orders, how to form battle formations and march, and how to set up camp quickly. In the past two years, the country has been prosperous and the people have been peaceful, and the border has also been peaceful. Sometimes, merchant caravans will pass through and want to leave the country. They are worried about their safety, so they will ask the soldiers for help in escorting them and send some winter clothes as a thank you. So the soldiers in the military camp are doing well. As long as there are no major natural disasters, they can eat their fill and stay warm.”
Tang Zhanglian slapped the table excitedly and said, “It’s good that they can eat their fill and stay warm! They are all good sons of our Great Liang!”
Everyone followed suit with more flattery.
Fu Changjun looked at Song Chuzhao with some surprise. He hadn’t expected that these two had already exchanged so much privately. He felt a slight dissatisfaction with Fifth Son Gu, but he didn’t take it too seriously.
However, Song Shiwen’s face grew even paler, and the sense of incongruity in her heart intensified.
She noticed that Third Girl Song had hesitated for a moment before answering, so Fifth Son Gu stepped in to help her out. But Song Chuzhao had grown up at the border. How could she hesitate over such a simple question?
Something was clearly amiss. It was not simple.
Because Song Chuzhao had helped answer, Tang Zhanglian assumed that Third Girl Song didn’t like to speak in front of people, so he didn’t ask further. He wanted to hear more from the others, but Fu Changjun reminded him that it was getting late and urged him to leave.
Tang Zhanglian saw that he had indeed wasted too much time today, and that these young men wouldn’t be able to have enough fun with him around, so he reluctantly got up and left first.
As soon as he left, Song Shiwen also excused herself, claiming that she was feeling unwell.
Her face was pale, a sure sign of discomfort. No one suspected anything amiss. They expressed their concern with a few words and ordered someone to escort her away.
Tang Zhirou wanted to leave the gathering as well, but she was still upset and didn’t want to run into Song Shiwen. Seeing the other woman’s flustered expression and guilty look, she worried that if she left too, people would gossip about the incident at the beginning of the event. So she decided to wait a while.
Tang Zhirou was losing interest, but Fan Chongqing and the others were like monkeys let loose from their cages, rushing towards Song Chuzhao.
These rough men weren’t comfortable bothering Gu Fengjian, but they didn’t hesitate to surround Song Chuzhao, urging her to tell them more about the border.
Men, especially those who practice martial arts, have a special fondness for tales of war and horses, finding them exciting.
Ji Yutang and the others, not to be outdone, approached with their wine cups, eager to discuss her poem from earlier.
Song Chuzhao suddenly felt the air around her grow thick and suffocating. She found these men utterly repulsive.
Fourth Son Gu shared her sentiment, but he was being held back and couldn’t escape the situation.
Gu Fengjian sat in the distance, his expression unreadable as he stared at Song Chuzhao.
He still didn’t understand why these people were surrounding Song Chuzhao. He also felt a pang of annoyance, finding them utterly distasteful.
Perhaps Gu Fengjian’s gaze was too direct, for Fan Chongqing felt it. The sharp, piercing look felt like a knife in his back, impossible to ignore.
But Fan Chongqing was a man with a thick skin. He never considered the possibility of avoiding the situation. Instead, he turned his back, pretending not to notice. Then he poured a cup of wine and offered it to her with a boisterous gesture.
Song Chuzhao was talking to someone and didn’t pay attention. When she saw Fan Chongqing offering her something, she took it without thinking. Then she heard him say, “I offer you a toast!” He urged her to drink, and she followed suit.
Drinking was allowed in the military camp, and the wine there was stronger and tastier than what was sold in ordinary taverns. Although father Song had forbidden her from drinking, Song Chuzhao had secretly indulged in a few sips. She had an impressive tolerance for alcohol, inherited from someone, she wasn’t sure who. A couple of cups of rice wine were nothing to her.
Seeing her drink Fan Chongqing’s wine, Ji Yutang was excited. He rolled up his sleeve, revealing a section of his arm. Then he grabbed a nearby wine jug and offered her two cups.
Fan Chongqing sarcastically taunted him.
Song Chuzhao was annoyed by their behavior. She didn’t want them arguing in front of her, so she simply drank the wine and told them to leave her alone.
In the blink of an eye, she had accepted and emptied several cups.
Because of the crowd around her, Song Chuzhao couldn’t see clearly. She didn’t notice that across the walkway, Gu Fengjian had a look of astonishment on his face and had nervously stood up.
Fourth Son Gu reacted faster. In a moment of distraction, he noticed his younger brother being forced to drink and shouted, “Stop it! What are you giving my brother to drink? He can’t hold his liquor!”
Everyone present was startled and the room fell silent. Song Chuzhao wanted to retort, but as she opened her mouth, she realized her tongue felt sluggish and a wave of heat surged up her throat.
She was terrified. She realized she was slightly tipsy and if she continued drinking, she would surely get drunk. It finally dawned on her that her current tolerance for alcohol wasn’t her own.
Even so, she was incredibly shocked.
Just a few cups of rice wine? Could there really be people in the world who could get drunk from that?
Fourth Son Gu quickly pushed through the crowd, bending down to ask, “Fifth Brother, are you alright?”
Song Chuzhao shook her head. Her mind was still clear and she didn’t feel any discomfort, just a gradual warming of her cheeks.
Fourth Son Gu noticed the blush on her face and gave the group of boisterous brothers a disapproving look. They felt ashamed and took a few steps back, chuckling sheepishly.
Song Chuzhao quickly glanced towards Gu Fengjian and saw that he was indeed looking at her with a helpless expression.
Seeing that she had finally noticed him, Gu Fengjian shook his head and pointed towards the door. Song Chuzhao cleared her throat and said, “I’m going to leave now. Enjoy yourselves, no need to see me out.”
Another young man in the room raised his hand and said, “I’m leaving too!”
The man, like her, was conscious but not a heavy drinker, and was feeling the effects of the alcohol. To avoid saying anything foolish after drinking, he would usually leave the table as soon as he felt a little tipsy.
Song Chuzhao got up and walked towards the door. The person on the other side, seemingly wanting to accompany her, rushed over quickly.
The other person’s steps were unsteady. He didn’t see clearly as he rushed over, and tripped over the corner of the table, stumbling and bumping into a wooden pillar nearby.
The wooden pillar near the entrance of the banquet hall was not sturdy, having been temporarily erected to hang decorative paper lanterns. The pillar, struck by the adult male’s sudden impact, toppled forward.
Shrill screams immediately came from the direction of the young ladies.
Song Chuzhao was walking away, her back to the pillar, and didn’t see what happened. Upon hearing the screams, she instinctively looked towards the young ladies. In her turning gaze, Gu Fengjian charged towards her like a whirlwind, reaching her in the blink of an eye, his momentum unabated.
Song Chuzhao instinctively dodged, but Gu Fengjian, with outstretched arms, caught her squarely, sending her crashing to the ground.
A series of thudding sounds followed, and Song Chuzhao saw the scattered paper lanterns on the ground, realizing her current predicament.
A pair of hands cushioned her head, and she could smell a faint, familiar scent. The owner of the hands quickly climbed out of her embrace and helped her sit up.
Gu Fengjian furrowed his brow, quickly smoothing it out. He checked her head, making sure she hadn’t hit it. Seeing that she remained silent, he asked in a gentle voice, “Are you alright?”
Song Chuzhao shook her head and asked, “Are you alright?”
Gu Fengjian withdrew his arm from around her shoulders, pressed his right arm, and said in a low voice, “I think I hit my arm.” Song Chuzhao immediately looked at his injury.
In the face of the situation, Gu Fengjian had timely used his right hand to push away the approaching pillar, allowing them to narrowly avoid it.
But he hadn’t learned martial arts and didn’t know how to deflect force. He had only relied on brute strength, so his right forearm inevitably bore a scratch. It was red and swollen, and the skin was broken.
If she had been injured like this, Song Chuzhao might not have felt the pain, but seeing it on Gu Fengjian, she felt the pain acutely real. She involuntarily gasped.
Ji Yutang and the others rushed over, wanting to help Song Chuzhao up. Gu Fengjian, recalling the recklessness of these people, coldly ordered, “Don’t come any closer.”
The young men sensed his hostility and stopped where they were.
Everyone was still in shock, especially the young ladies. The calmest person on the scene was actually Gu Fengjian himself.
Gu Fengjian said calmly, “Let’s go.”
Song Chuzhao was still holding his sleeve, and he pulled her along, taking a step forward and walking out, closely following his footsteps.
Seeing her guilt, Gu Fengjian lowered his voice and comforted her, “It’s alright. It’s just a minor injury.”
Song Chuzhao nodded.
Gu Fengjian paused and asked, “Does your head hurt from drinking too much?”
“No,” Song Chuzhao replied, adding, “I didn’t drink much, just a little.”
Gu Fengjian smiled, “A little is fine. But if you don’t want to drink, then don’t…”
As their figures gradually faded into the distance, the people present finally came to their senses.
Fan Chongqing still held the wine jug in his hand, muttering, “Third Girl Song is truly…”
That gentle whisper, that reliable and strong arm.
He had thought she was a flower that understood the gentleman’s heart, but it turned out she was a shelter from the rain!
He envied them.
Ji Yutang followed with a sigh, “They say Third Girl Song is a martial arts prodigy, and today I finally saw it for myself. That move just now, it was faster than my own eyes. What a heroic rescue!”
Fourth Son Gu: …Are you sure you’re not saying something weird?
Once they were out on the street, the night wind blew away the few ounces of wine Song Chuzhao had consumed.
She wanted to look at Gu Fengjian’s hand, but he subtly blocked her.
Gu Fengjian had originally wanted her to feel a little sorry for him, but seeing her discomfort, he found it pointless. He simply said it was nothing.
After walking for a while, Song Chuzhao belatedly asked, “Where are we going?”
Gu Fengjian said, “Aren’t you going to send me home?”
Song Chuzhao shuddered. Would her grandfather kill her?
But, even if she died, she had to go.
To express her gratitude, Song Chuzhao emphasized, “Send you! If you get tired, I can carry you back!”
Gu Fengjian was silent for a moment, then said, “To the He Mansion, the road is quite long.”
Song Chuzhao also remembered, sighing, “Ah.”
Gu Fengjian: “…”
Gu Fengjian, spurred by her sigh, took a step back and jumped onto her back.
Song Chuzhao: “…” Why make things difficult for your own body? They both knew each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
However, she had been the one to bring up the topic, so she could only grit her teeth and carry him back.
Gu Fengjian: “Let’s go.”
Let’s go then!
Song Chuzhao walked step by step on the icy pavement, navigating through the night. For the first time, she realized her own body was quite heavy. Especially with him resting his chin on her shoulder, something, perhaps his hair, brushed against her neck, causing a slight itch.
Song Chuzhao wanted to conserve her energy, after all, the road was long, so she just let her mind wander and didn’t speak. The two of them were silent for a moment, then Gu Fengjian suddenly tightened his arms.
Song Chuzhao felt a pang of suffocation and hurriedly said, “Fifth Son Gu, don’t choke me.”
Gu Fengjian quickly loosened his grip and asked, “Are you close with Fan Chongqing?”
Song Chuzhao was confused, “Not really.”
Gu Fengjian: “What about Ji Yutang?”
“Not really either,” Song Chuzhao said, “I’ve only met them a few times. I’ve only seen Ji Yutang twice. They both came to me on their own initiative.”
Gu Fengjian hummed in agreement.
Song Chuzhao thought he was worried she didn’t have any friends, so she continued, “I have a pretty good relationship with your fourth brother. He’s a bit reckless, but he genuinely cares about you. He’s also a good person, quite loyal. As for being impulsive… well, at this age, impulsiveness isn’t entirely a flaw.”
Gu Fengjian: “…”
Song Chuzhao choked again: “…Fifth Son Gu, don’t choke me!”
When she arrived at the He Mansion, Song Chuzhao had expected Master He to be furious. She had mentally prepared herself for a storm of anger.
Master He was indeed extremely distressed when he learned of his granddaughter’s injury, but when he found out that the injury was sustained while saving someone, not because she was bullied, he didn’t take it seriously at all. He sent for a doctor and then brushed the matter aside, even thanking Song Chuzhao for bringing him back.
Song Chuzhao had been worried the whole way, but now that nothing had happened, she ran away happily. She didn’t hear Master He ask in a low voice behind her, “Your legs weren’t injured, why did you let him carry you back? Your grandfather thought you were seriously hurt, I was so scared.”
Gu Fengjian’s expression didn’t change. “She insisted on carrying me…”