He Is Too Anxious
Choosing a cloudy day, the members of Marquis Gu’s Manor mightily set out.
Gu HuaiJiang’s status was noble, and even if he did not want to go out in a carriage, Yu Fu naturally needed to ride in one.
Aside from this, Gu ShuBai and the others all set out on horseback. Initially, this group was not particularly mighty, but quite a few “uninvited guests” tagged along.
First, the second prince arrived with Princess DanYang in their carriages. They said that Princess DanYang also wished to go and see the lake, while the second prince had been unable to dissuade her and was dragged along.
Following this, the eldest prince also arrived. He said that he had come to Marquis Gu’s Manor to train in archery. Who knew that they would be going out to play. It would not do to have the eldest prince go back just after arriving at the manor, thus they also brought him along.
There was also a group of people who often accompanied the two princes when they were out. They were all relatives of the imperial family in the capital or the sons of prominent families.
With all of these people gathered together, the group quickly grew many times bigger. The sidewalks were filled with civilians gathering to watch this scene unfold.
While passing through the streets, there were even soldiers who held up a rope to ensure that the civilians on the sidewalks did not bump into the procession; however, the civilians were very at ease. They just shouted out about General Gu and opened up a path.
“Have you heard? Today, General Gu is taking his daughter to West Lake to see the sights. Who knows what this young miss looks like?”
“I’ve heard that she is extremely beautiful and all who see her love her. Lord Marquis dotes on her to no end! That’s not all. Even His Majesty personally granted her use of the Imperial Boat just to let her play!”
The second prince raised the curtain slightly and looked outside, his face unexpressive.
“Lord Marquis Gu… He really is loved by the people.”
This sort of love, not to mention the eldest prince not receiving this much love, but even their father emperor might not be able to compete.
The boat granted by the imperial family was docked at the white embankment. Getting out of the carriages and dismounting their horses, everyone looked over at the boat and saw that there was a large patch of shadow at the front of the ship.
Yu Fu was finally able to understand what Gu Xiang was saying. She could run around on this ship without any need to worry about falling into the water because the deck had tall and sturdy railings that would not even allow a drop of water to leak through.
The most dazzling feature was the golden dragon carving at the prow. It was lifelike and resembled a dragon that had poked its head out of the water.
It was a truly astonishing sight.
“Go and fetch a tarp to cover up the golden dragon. That’s something that only His Majesty can display when out and about.”
Gu HuaiJiang gave this order to Qi Zhou, and the latter nimbly began to direct the workers. Very quickly, the lifelike golden dragon was tightly covered up.
Seeing him pay such close attention to etiquette, the second prince stepped forward with a smile, “Uncle Gu, Father Emperor often said that you have made many great contributions yet refused to be rewarded. It’s because of this that the imperial boat was granted for Yu Fu to play. It is his way of showing his affection. You are being too formal.”
The eldest prince had fallen a step behind, and everything had already been said by the second prince. He simply expressed his agreement then greeted Yu Fu.
“Brother Yi Zhao.”
On today’s trip out, Yu Fu was clearly in a very good mood. When calling out to people, she was especially sweet.
Gu HuaiJiang looked down with a kind smile then looked back up at the second prince.
He had always acted in this way. He followed the reasoning that being close to a ruler was like being close to a tiger. Regardless of how much Emperor Ning trusted and loved him, he could not act too proudly and give him a reason to feel suspicious or envious.
“That is what was said, but Yu Fu is still just a young child. She cannot bear His Majesty’s kindness. Eldest prince, second prince, please-”
He waved to Yu Fu and brought her to his side, allowing the eldest prince and the second prince to board first before following behind them.
On the boat, Yu Fu looked all around. Under the cloudy sky, the mist-covered waters of West Lake extended into the distance. Its surface was covered in lotus leaves. She was absolutely elated.
“Head general, West Lake is really beautiful!”
She ran over to the railing and looked down. The clear water of the lake was pushed aside, creating ripples on the surface. The nearby lotus leaves rose and fell with the waves as if a graceful fairy was about to appear from within the flowers.
Everyone followed her over to the railing.
They saw her grab a hold of the railing and push herself onto her tiptoes, struggling to poke her head over.
This looked exactly like when a piglet was waiting for food to be delivered. Gu HuaiJiang was amused by this and began to laugh.
The eldest prince and the others seemed to figure out what he was laughing over and could not stop themselves from laughing along. Only the second prince stepped forward.
“Yu Fu, you are too short. How about I pick you up to take a look?”
Everyone froze, feeling that the second prince’s words were a little unexpected.
He had only met Yu Fu once. They were not familiar, yet he said that he would pick her up to look at West Lake.
Moreover, males and females were different. No matter how young Yu Fu was, she was still a girl. How could she be picked up so casually by an unfamiliar male?
Seeing the looks of doubt on everyone’s faces, the second prince realized his impropriety and hastily tried to remedy the situation, “I noticed that Yu Fu was struggling with standing on her toes and did not think things through properly. This boat should have a shorter chair. Bring one out for Yu Fu to stand on!”
Before he finished speaking, Qi Zhou was already walking out with a small stool. It was the perfect height for Yu Fu to stand on.
The eldest prince stood to the side and watched in silence, sneering in secret.
Second eldest saw that he and Yu Fu got along well and was feeling anxious.
Princess DanYang smiled and said: “It’s no wonder second brother would feel worried from seeing Yu Fu struggle. I also like sister Yu Fu to no end. Father Emperor is also the same. Before even meeting sister Yu Fu, he heard that she wanted to see the sights of West Lake and decided to grant the use of the imperial boat. Even as his daughter, I have not been given this sort of treatment!”
She half-jokingly and half-seriously said this jealous statement. Seeing Gu ShuBai, Gu JiuGe, and the others standing next to Yu Fu, she worried that they would notice something strange about her expression, and her feelings of jealousy intensified by a bit.
“You’re actually jealous of Yu Fu? Father favors Uncle Gu, so it’s natural that he would also dote on the people that Uncle Gu loves. But it must be said that we are all mooching off of Yu Fu. It’s only because of her that we can come on the imperial boat to enjoy West Lake.”
The second prince picked up on the conversation. Yu Fu heard her name mentioned, but she pretended to not notice and continued to look at the sights of the lake.
“Eldest brother, look. What is that?”
She tried her best to reach out her hand and pointed at something in the distance. It was actually a golden carp that had leaped out.
“What, what? Where is it?”
When Gu Xiang and Gu Yi looked over, the carp had already landed back in the water. All that remained were the ripples in the water.
“Hah, it’s already fallen back into the water. None of you saw it!”
Yu Fu was a little disheartened. She had seen something that she liked but had nobody to share it with. It was really dispiriting.
Gu ShuBai covered his mouth and smiled, his eyes glimmering slightly.
“I saw it. It was a large golden carp. It was really beautiful.”
Yu Fu instantly rejoiced, “Right, right, right, that’s the one! It’s a good thing that eldest brother saw it!”
Gu Yi snorted with dissatisfaction.
“Who told you to call out to eldest brother first? If you called out to me first, I would definitely have been able to see it. If you don’t believe it, let’s go again!”
…
“Food and drinks have been prepared in the cabin. If everyone is tired from the sightseeing, go inside to rest a little. ShuBai, take good care of Yu Fu. Don’t let her fall into the water.”
After standing on the deck and observing for a long time, Gu HuaiJiang spoke up then entered the cabin first.
He left the space to the group of younger people, but this caused the eldest prince and the second prince to come up with their own ideas.
The two exchanged a glance expressing tacit understanding. The second prince looked over at Yu Fu’s situation, as the brother and sister were currently chatting and laughing.
“Hah, I’m getting a little tired from standing around and will be going into the cabin first. DanYang, you keep Yu Fu company. You are both girls and will definitely have more to talk about with her.”
After saying this, he followed Gu HuaiJiang and left this scene to Princess DanYang.
Naturally, Princess DanYang understood his intentions. Between the two siblings, one would go and get close with Marquis Gu, and one would get close to Yu Fu. They would not miss out on either side.
The eldest prince paused for a moment. Seeing the second prince hastily depart, he ended up turning around.
His gaze landed on Yu Fu.
Being surrounded by Gu ShuBai and his brothers, she was the shortest and had the sweetest smile. Even the usually stoic Gu HanMo had the faintest of smiles.
She was like a moon surrounded by stars, being treated like a treasure by the brothers of the Gu family.
This was not only limited to the brothers. There was also Gu HuaiJiang. He was the most important one.
He suddenly smiled. With a well-thought-out plan in mind, he walked toward Yu Fu, “What are you guys laughing about? Tell me about it too.”
He Is Too Anxious
Choosing a cloudy day, the members of Marquis Gu’s Manor mightily set out.
Gu HuaiJiang’s status was noble, and even if he did not want to go out in a carriage, Yu Fu naturally needed to ride in one.
Aside from this, Gu ShuBai and the others all set out on horseback. Initially, this group was not particularly mighty, but quite a few “uninvited guests” tagged along.
First, the second prince arrived with Princess DanYang in their carriages. They said that Princess DanYang also wished to go and see the lake, while the second prince had been unable to dissuade her and was dragged along.
Following this, the eldest prince also arrived. He said that he had come to Marquis Gu’s Manor to train in archery. Who knew that they would be going out to play. It would not do to have the eldest prince go back just after arriving at the manor, thus they also brought him along.
There was also a group of people who often accompanied the two princes when they were out. They were all relatives of the imperial family in the capital or the sons of prominent families.
With all of these people gathered together, the group quickly grew many times bigger. The sidewalks were filled with civilians gathering to watch this scene unfold.
While passing through the streets, there were even soldiers who held up a rope to ensure that the civilians on the sidewalks did not bump into the procession; however, the civilians were very at ease. They just shouted out about General Gu and opened up a path.
“Have you heard? Today, General Gu is taking his daughter to West Lake to see the sights. Who knows what this young miss looks like?”
“I’ve heard that she is extremely beautiful and all who see her love her. Lord Marquis dotes on her to no end! That’s not all. Even His Majesty personally granted her use of the Imperial Boat just to let her play!”
The second prince raised the curtain slightly and looked outside, his face unexpressive.
“Lord Marquis Gu… He really is loved by the people.”
This sort of love, not to mention the eldest prince not receiving this much love, but even their father emperor might not be able to compete.
The boat granted by the imperial family was docked at the white embankment. Getting out of the carriages and dismounting their horses, everyone looked over at the boat and saw that there was a large patch of shadow at the front of the ship.
Yu Fu was finally able to understand what Gu Xiang was saying. She could run around on this ship without any need to worry about falling into the water because the deck had tall and sturdy railings that would not even allow a drop of water to leak through.
The most dazzling feature was the golden dragon carving at the prow. It was lifelike and resembled a dragon that had poked its head out of the water.
It was a truly astonishing sight.
“Go and fetch a tarp to cover up the golden dragon. That’s something that only His Majesty can display when out and about.”
Gu HuaiJiang gave this order to Qi Zhou, and the latter nimbly began to direct the workers. Very quickly, the lifelike golden dragon was tightly covered up.
Seeing him pay such close attention to etiquette, the second prince stepped forward with a smile, “Uncle Gu, Father Emperor often said that you have made many great contributions yet refused to be rewarded. It’s because of this that the imperial boat was granted for Yu Fu to play. It is his way of showing his affection. You are being too formal.”
The eldest prince had fallen a step behind, and everything had already been said by the second prince. He simply expressed his agreement then greeted Yu Fu.
“Brother Yi Zhao.”
On today’s trip out, Yu Fu was clearly in a very good mood. When calling out to people, she was especially sweet.
Gu HuaiJiang looked down with a kind smile then looked back up at the second prince.
He had always acted in this way. He followed the reasoning that being close to a ruler was like being close to a tiger. Regardless of how much Emperor Ning trusted and loved him, he could not act too proudly and give him a reason to feel suspicious or envious.
“That is what was said, but Yu Fu is still just a young child. She cannot bear His Majesty’s kindness. Eldest prince, second prince, please-”
He waved to Yu Fu and brought her to his side, allowing the eldest prince and the second prince to board first before following behind them.
On the boat, Yu Fu looked all around. Under the cloudy sky, the mist-covered waters of West Lake extended into the distance. Its surface was covered in lotus leaves. She was absolutely elated.
“Head general, West Lake is really beautiful!”
She ran over to the railing and looked down. The clear water of the lake was pushed aside, creating ripples on the surface. The nearby lotus leaves rose and fell with the waves as if a graceful fairy was about to appear from within the flowers.
Everyone followed her over to the railing.
They saw her grab a hold of the railing and push herself onto her tiptoes, struggling to poke her head over.
This looked exactly like when a piglet was waiting for food to be delivered. Gu HuaiJiang was amused by this and began to laugh.
The eldest prince and the others seemed to figure out what he was laughing over and could not stop themselves from laughing along. Only the second prince stepped forward.
“Yu Fu, you are too short. How about I pick you up to take a look?”
Everyone froze, feeling that the second prince’s words were a little unexpected.
He had only met Yu Fu once. They were not familiar, yet he said that he would pick her up to look at West Lake.
Moreover, males and females were different. No matter how young Yu Fu was, she was still a girl. How could she be picked up so casually by an unfamiliar male?
Seeing the looks of doubt on everyone’s faces, the second prince realized his impropriety and hastily tried to remedy the situation, “I noticed that Yu Fu was struggling with standing on her toes and did not think things through properly. This boat should have a shorter chair. Bring one out for Yu Fu to stand on!”
Before he finished speaking, Qi Zhou was already walking out with a small stool. It was the perfect height for Yu Fu to stand on.
The eldest prince stood to the side and watched in silence, sneering in secret.
Second eldest saw that he and Yu Fu got along well and was feeling anxious.
Princess DanYang smiled and said: “It’s no wonder second brother would feel worried from seeing Yu Fu struggle. I also like sister Yu Fu to no end. Father Emperor is also the same. Before even meeting sister Yu Fu, he heard that she wanted to see the sights of West Lake and decided to grant the use of the imperial boat. Even as his daughter, I have not been given this sort of treatment!”
She half-jokingly and half-seriously said this jealous statement. Seeing Gu ShuBai, Gu JiuGe, and the others standing next to Yu Fu, she worried that they would notice something strange about her expression, and her feelings of jealousy intensified by a bit.
“You’re actually jealous of Yu Fu? Father favors Uncle Gu, so it’s natural that he would also dote on the people that Uncle Gu loves. But it must be said that we are all mooching off of Yu Fu. It’s only because of her that we can come on the imperial boat to enjoy West Lake.”
The second prince picked up on the conversation. Yu Fu heard her name mentioned, but she pretended to not notice and continued to look at the sights of the lake.
“Eldest brother, look. What is that?”
She tried her best to reach out her hand and pointed at something in the distance. It was actually a golden carp that had leaped out.
“What, what? Where is it?”
When Gu Xiang and Gu Yi looked over, the carp had already landed back in the water. All that remained were the ripples in the water.
“Hah, it’s already fallen back into the water. None of you saw it!”
Yu Fu was a little disheartened. She had seen something that she liked but had nobody to share it with. It was really dispiriting.
Gu ShuBai covered his mouth and smiled, his eyes glimmering slightly.
“I saw it. It was a large golden carp. It was really beautiful.”
Yu Fu instantly rejoiced, “Right, right, right, that’s the one! It’s a good thing that eldest brother saw it!”
Gu Yi snorted with dissatisfaction.
“Who told you to call out to eldest brother first? If you called out to me first, I would definitely have been able to see it. If you don’t believe it, let’s go again!”
…
“Food and drinks have been prepared in the cabin. If everyone is tired from the sightseeing, go inside to rest a little. ShuBai, take good care of Yu Fu. Don’t let her fall into the water.”
After standing on the deck and observing for a long time, Gu HuaiJiang spoke up then entered the cabin first.
He left the space to the group of younger people, but this caused the eldest prince and the second prince to come up with their own ideas.
The two exchanged a glance expressing tacit understanding. The second prince looked over at Yu Fu’s situation, as the brother and sister were currently chatting and laughing.
“Hah, I’m getting a little tired from standing around and will be going into the cabin first. DanYang, you keep Yu Fu company. You are both girls and will definitely have more to talk about with her.”
After saying this, he followed Gu HuaiJiang and left this scene to Princess DanYang.
Naturally, Princess DanYang understood his intentions. Between the two siblings, one would go and get close with Marquis Gu, and one would get close to Yu Fu. They would not miss out on either side.
The eldest prince paused for a moment. Seeing the second prince hastily depart, he ended up turning around.
His gaze landed on Yu Fu.
Being surrounded by Gu ShuBai and his brothers, she was the shortest and had the sweetest smile. Even the usually stoic Gu HanMo had the faintest of smiles.
She was like a moon surrounded by stars, being treated like a treasure by the brothers of the Gu family.
This was not only limited to the brothers. There was also Gu HuaiJiang. He was the most important one.
He suddenly smiled. With a well-thought-out plan in mind, he walked toward Yu Fu, “What are you guys laughing about? Tell me about it too.”
