Chapter 386: Arriving in the Capital
The journey had been smooth and uneventful. After over twenty days of travel, they transitioned from the Bohai Sea into the Yongding River. A few days later, they finally reached the outskirts of Fanjing.
The heavy rainfall had tempered the sweltering heat somewhat, but as they moved further south, the oppressive ‘Autumn Tiger’ heat still lingered. Fortunately, with Yue Yuan’s proficiency in the jiusha technique, she regularly treated her lady. This eased Gu Ye’s discomfort significantly.
To add to the liveliness, two young companions were now aboard—a proper and mature-acting Xue Kaitong and his adorable and playful sister, Xue Shanru.
Their innocent chatter and antics brought much amusement to Gu Ye. This made the journey feel far less arduous!
Gu Ye was teasing Xue Kaitong, who was now blushing furiously. As she burst into triumphant laughter, Gu Xiao couldn’t help but turn to Elder Xue with a sigh. “Ye’er simply hasn’t spent enough time with peers her own age. She’s so precocious that it’s easy to forget how young she really is. To be honest, many of our family matters are managed by her. There’s a heavy burden on her shoulders, and it has forced her to grow up quickly. But she’s still only thirteen!”
Elder Xue patted him on the shoulder reassuringly and replied, “Don’t blame yourself too much, Brother. From what I’ve seen, this girl genuinely seems to enjoy what she does. The spark in her eyes when discussing new medicines, her focus when dealing with critical illnesses, and the joy she feels when a patient recovers…
How can one judge a fish’s happiness without being a fish themselves? Perhaps you see it as a burden, but she may view it as the true meaning and value of her life! Let’s observe further. If she genuinely loves pharmacy and medicine, as elders, we should support her rather than impose our own intentions under the guise of what’s best for her.”
“You are absolutely right, my friend!” Gu Xiao agreed.
He understood deeply how passionate his granddaughter was about her work, particularly when it came to developing the smallpox vaccine.
During the height of summer, she devoted herself completely, forgetting to eat or sleep, losing awareness of the people and things around her—even her typical summer ailments seemed to fade into insignificance as her mind was consumed by her research. It was likely this dedication and genuine love that enabled her to make such rapid progress and achieve groundbreaking advancements in her field!
Upon disembarking, the Xue family was greeted at the dock. Xue Jiaxing, having already received news, arrived with his eldest son to welcome the patriarch. To Gu Xiao’s surprise, the greeter was a familiar face…
“General Gu, words cannot express our gratitude. Your life-saving kindness towards my father is something I will remember forever!” This was Xue Jiaxing, courtesy name Tingyu, and a Senior Grand Secretary of the Imperial Cabinet. When Gu Xiao had resigned his post, Xue Jiaxing had been a promising young fourth-rank official in his thirties, already a rising star.
“So, the Grand Secretary Xue is your son!” Gu Xiao remarked, turning to Elder Xue. “You have two extraordinary sons—truly dragons among men!”
Elder Xue stroked his beard and smiled, “Brother Gu, you flatter us! He’er, I feel as though I’ve known your Uncle Gu forever—there’s no need for formalities.”
“Does Uncle Gu have a place to stay in the capital? If not, it would be an honor to host you at our humble abode…” The Grand Secretary was polite and genuinely hospitable.
Elder Xue waved it off. “Your Uncle Gu has an imperial residence in the capital, so you needn’t worry about his accommodations! Once he’s settled, we’ll all go for a visit and become more familiar, treating each other as family.”
When invited to travel with the Xue family, Gu Xiao politely declined. Dealing with overly refined scholars often exhausted him. He preferred the comfortable company of his own family!
Fortunately, despite the prestige of the Jun family of Yan City for producing many distinguished scholars, they spoke in a down-to-earth manner that fostered closeness. This was what people called genuine warmth!
Gu Xiao cast a glance at Jun Qicheng, a young scholar already honored with the title of Juren.
Jun Qicheng caught the old man’s gaze but was puzzled by its meaning.
Was it because he’d been playfully teasing the mild-mannered Gu Ming lately? Could it be that the old man was displeased and protective?
Gu Ye rode in a specially-made carriage, unmatched in comfort and impossible to find elsewhere, which had been transported with them by ship. The Gu family’s horses had also traveled with them in a specially fitted hold, with caretakers on hand.
Soon, everyone from the Gu family mounted their horses or boarded their carriage, ready to continue their journey. Among the accompanying personnel, there was one more person – Dongzi, who had a hand tendon injury.
The plaster cast on his hand had long been removed, and he had already started rehabilitation. Since different phases of rehabilitation required different approaches, the old captain decided to simply send his nephew to the Gu residence.
According to information leaked by the Fourth Young Master Mei, Miss Gu would eventually marry their master. Hence, it wouldn’t hurt for Dongzi to run errands for the future mistress, possibly earning a brighter future than the captain himself!
The carriage moved at a slow pace. Through the window, Gu Ye looked outside at the lush crops growing along both sides of the road. The farmers working in the fields looked healthier and better-dressed than those from the northern regions. Every face was radiating the joy of an imminent harvest.
To understand the rise and fall of a dynasty, the most direct way was to observe the common people. This alone was enough to show that Emperor Zhao Rong was a diligent and benevolent ruler.
After traveling for most of the day, as evening approached, they finally saw the city gates in the distance. The imposing arrow towers, the grand archway, and the towering, ancient city gates together created a magnificent, awe-inspiring structure. At the city gates, soldiers clad in armor stood guard, adding an extra layer of solemnity and strength to the gate.
Gu Ye got out of the carriage outside the city gates and looked up at the weathered green bricks, feeling the weight of history pressing down on her. Looking around at the ancient-dressed citizens coming and going, it felt as if she had stepped onto a historical drama set. Life was like a play, and she and those around her were simply performing their roles with seriousness.
Hidden from the soldiers guarding the city, Yin Mei produced their travel pass and secretly slipped a bag of silver to one of the guards. The group smoothly passed through the gates and set foot on the blue stone bricks of the imperial city.
On both sides of the street were rows of teahouses, taverns, pawnshops, and workshops, while many small vendors had set up stalls in the open spaces along the street. The street was bustling with people: some carrying loads and heading out of the city, some driving ox carts delivering goods, some riding carriages hurrying back from outside the city, and others riding horses, displaying the noble airs of the aristocracy…
Gu Ye did not get back into the carriage but instead strolled along the street, admiring the hustle and bustle of the capital city. Suddenly, the sound of galloping hooves rang out behind them.
She stopped and turned around. She saw a fine horse speeding down the street, with a young man dressed in luxurious clothes sitting on it. His face was flushed, his eyes dazed, clearly intoxicated.
She frowned. Drinking and riding on the street? In modern times, that would get a driver’s license revoked and the person detained!
As she was thinking, the sound of people gasping filled the air. The man was acting wildly, and despite the crowded street, he didn’t slow down at all, causing pedestrians to scramble out of the way.
Meanwhile, Gu Ye, lost in thought, stood right in the middle of the street, looking dazed, like a frightened child. The kind-hearted people around her shouted at her to move, some tried to rush over to help but were scared off by the galloping horse, while others anxiously stamped their feet…
Peek-Aboo 
Leave a comment