Resplendent – Chapter 503

Chapter 503: A Hasty Escape

The little girl didn’t expect her to be so agreeable. She choked up, covering her face as she sobbed, “I don’t have any family left. I’m an orphan… I know the young master didn’t mean to hurt anyone, but my family is poor. My parents died early, and only my grandfather raised me by planting and selling vegetables. I-I’m unfilial, I don’t even have the means to buy him a proper coffin…”

“Xiao Ming, go to the coffin shop and get a coffin. Don’t ask about the price, the thicker and sturdier, the better. We can’t let the old gentleman leave this world unsettled!” Gu Ye said, her expression full of grief, eyes red with emotion.

The little girl’s crying paused for a moment, and she couldn’t help but think bitterly. 

How leisurely could this young master be? At a time like this, shouldn’t he be hurrying home for dinner with his family? Normally, in a situation like this, wouldn’t most people just throw down a silver ingot and call it a day?

“You’re just a little girl; handling the funeral on your own might be beyond your strength. How about I lend you my guards to ensure the old gentleman can be laid to rest properly?” Gu Ye said, her face full of pity and guilt.

The surrounding onlookers quickly agreed with her suggestion, thinking that the little girl had met someone truly sensible. If it had been a ruthless bully instead, not only would the deceased have been disturbed, but it could have brought trouble upon everyone.

The little girl frowned, covering her face with her sleeve as she pretended to cry, all the while frantically thinking of a strategy. Just as she was at a loss, Gu Ye spoke again, “Miss, you’re all alone and might be taken advantage of by bad people. After the old gentleman is properly buried, come with me to my residence. I’ll find you some light work and give you a monthly wage of one or two silver coins. Don’t worry. I won’t make you sign a servitude contract…”

“This young master is really kind-hearted,” the commoners nodded approvingly.

“Exactly! He must truly come from a good family. Even though he’s young, he thinks of everything carefully.” The common people had encountered plenty of wealthy but heartless people. Very few, like Gu Ye, considered everything for the little girl’s benefit.

Suddenly, the little girl shouted through her tears, “Stop pretending to be kind! You’re just like the son of Squire Li, trying to trick me into your house to be your servant. My grandfather said it. No matter how poor we are, I will never serve rich people like you as a concubine!”

With that, she angrily pushed through the crowd, quickly fetching a cart. A few villagers stepped aside to help lift the ‘body’ onto it. The little girl then pushed the cart at full speed, disappearing from sight.

Watching her flustered retreat, Gu Ye let out a mock sigh: “I really wanted to help that young lady, but unfortunately she misunderstood my good intentions. Xiao Ming, follow her and give that little girl a silver ingot. The deceased comes first—let him rest in peace.”

The crowd of onlookers gradually dispersed. Some said that the young master’s intentions were good, but unfortunately the little girl had misunderstood him. Others whispered that a rich young master, barely in his teens, was already worldly-wise, and the little girl looked rather delicate. Maybe the young master had some improper thoughts.

At this, someone immediately refuted them, “The young master is barely over ten! How could he be as depraved as you imagine? He looks like a perfectly sculpted boy, just like the golden children in paintings. Would he really be interested in a plain little girl?”

“After eating rich meals all the time, who’s to say he wouldn’t like a taste of something simple? As Buddha says: cabbage and tofu bring peace and good health!” someone couldn’t help but joke.

“You even dare to joke about Buddha? Aren’t you afraid he’ll punish you and make it so you can’t get married?” A familiar friend teased him back.

The Chu brothers had long sensed that something was amiss. But seeing their sister so entertained, they quietly watched from the side. Their sister really was mischievous. Look at how she’d scared the poor little girl!

Ling Juechen took the opportunity to step closer and whispered, “That girl was using the Turtle Breathing Art. She hasn’t mastered it yet, at most it can last an hour.”

No wonder the little girl was desperate to get away! Gu Ye shrugged. Ling Juechen added, “I had our shadow guards follow her. I want to see who’s bold enough to openly extort someone in the capital’s territory.”

Gu Ye turned her head and glared at him: “Prince Ning, you’re quite busy. How could I possibly trouble you with such a small matter?”

“No matter how my status changes, I am still your Brother Chen. There is not a single thing about you that is ‘small’!” Ling Juechen, hearing the little girl speak, even if in a tone half-teasing, half-serious, felt it like music to his ears.

“Sweet words, honey-tongued but with a heart of gall!” Gu Ye snorted, swung herself onto her horse, and without another word, rode straight toward the Duke’s manor.

Chu Mubai, who had always idolized the War God, narrowed his eyes skeptically at Ling Juechen and whispered to Chu Mushan, “Hey…do you think this Prince Ning might be an imposter? The mighty, invincible general, the legendary cold-faced killer: how could he really be such a shameless, slick-tongued fellow?”

Ling Juechen cast a faint glance over, and Chu Mubai immediately felt his heart leap violently. He felt a suffocating pressure wash over him, making him break out into cold sweat. 

Seeing this, Ling Juechen was satisfied and relaxed. He reminded himself that this was his future brother-in-law. He couldn’t offend him. Otherwise, he’d be the one suffering!

When Ling Juechen turned back, resuming the image of the perfect, filial, attentive young man, Chu Mubai shivered all over, goosebumps rising on his arms. In the end, he dared not say another bad word about Prince Ning. The look he had just given him would be remembered for a lifetime. 

Terrifying!

With each autumn rain came a chill. In the following days, the skies were clear, but the air carried autumn’s crispness. Accompanied by a few of her brothers, Gu Ye inspected the outskirts north and south of the imperial city, finally deciding that the two estates in the west city were the most suitable.

However, one of the estates belonged to Prince Tai’s mother as part of her dowry, and the other was the one where Marchioness Dongping resided long-term. It wasn’t appropriate to bring up purchasing either of them. Unable to obtain the land she wanted, Gu Ye couldn’t help feeling a little down.

During these past few days, Ling Juechen continued shamelessly sticking close to the little girl, following her everywhere. Although she still didn’t pay much attention to him, her cold remarks had significantly decreased. That counted as some progress, at least. A persistent suitor can conquer even the fiercest woman—he was determined to succeed!

Feeling distressed for the little girl, Ling Juechen privately went to speak with Prince Rong. But since the estate was part of Princess Rong’s dowry, even though Prince Rong was willing to do him a favor and sell it to him, he couldn’t make that decision himself. Prince Rong, like his youngest son Prince Tai, was the type who dearly loved and deeply feared his wife.

It wasn’t only him who felt sorry for the little girl. Chu Bufan, a father who spoiled his daughter to the extreme, also couldn’t bear seeing her unhappy. He quietly slipped a land deed into his daughter’s hand: “Didn’t you want a place with both mountains and water? This estate is at the foot of Xiang Mountain. Aside from five hundred mu of good farmland, it also includes more than two hundred mu of mountain land. It should be more than enough for you to build your factory.”