Gu Chaobei froze, then laughed. “If you truly killed me, wouldn’t you be preparing to marry only to become a widow?”

The horse had already galloped far away, leaving the pursuers behind and out of sight. Wanting to return was too late. Shen Guiyan sighed helplessly and simply relaxed. Since she’d be punished upon return anyway, there was no need to fear anything.

“I’ve been very curious—why did Fourth Young Master suddenly run to the Shen family to arrange a marriage with me? We’d never met before, and my looks may not necessarily have captured Fourth Young Master’s eye.”

Shen Guiyan had been pondering this question for several days and finally had the chance to ask.

Gu Chaobei slowed the pace. As the horse moved along the quiet street, he lowered his head near her ear. “Though we’d never met, I had long heard of Third Miss’s great reputation. The Third Miss who from age five was different from ordinary people—rumored to be precociously intelligent and clever.”

There were also rumors in the market that the Shen family’s Third Miss was born with exceptional gifts, born with a phoenix jade in her mouth—perhaps destined to be Empress.

Shen Guiyan pressed her lips together. She didn’t know why people believed such frightening nonsense. At age eight, she was betrothed to Prime Minister Gu; otherwise, she might have been fought over by several imperial princes. The destiny of an empress—did those people truly believe that marrying her would make them emperor?

Absurd.

“I was very curious why the dazzling Third Miss would fade into mediocrity after age eight. So I went to the Shen residence to take a look.” Gu Chaobei said leisurely. “After one look, I became very interested in you—like a beautiful jade completely wrapped in mud, wanting to take it home and carefully chip away the mud to see what’s inside.”

Shen Guiyan froze.

“Mud?”

“That’s right.” Gu Chaobei rested his chin on her shoulder, his tone teasing. “Complicated rules, constantly thinking about not making mistakes, being so cautious that you’re no different from ordinary people—isn’t that being covered in mud?”

Snorting lightly, Shen Guiyan turned her head away.

If one weren’t helpless, who would willingly fade into mediocrity?

Gu Chaobei raised his riding whip, and the horse quickened its pace, heading all the way to West Street. When Shen Guiyan came to her senses, before her was a half-open door with a plaque reading “Intoxicated in Flowers.”

Intoxicated in Flowers—a famous pleasure house in the capital, and also the place where Gu Chaobei made his name.

Shen Guiyan’s jaw dropped. “Why did you bring me here?” Weren’t they going to Sunset Mountain!

Gu Chaobei lifted her down from the horse, draping one hand over her shoulder. “To broaden your horizons. Want to look inside? They’re all acquaintances.”

Shen Guiyan: “…”

All his acquaintances—not a single one of hers!

“Oh my, why has Young Master Gu come at this hour?” Madame Ying walked out in surprise, glancing back. “At this time, the girls have just gone to sleep. This person is…”

Shen Guiyan instinctively wanted to retreat but was held in place by Gu Chaobei’s grip on her shoulder.

“This is Third Miss Shen.”

Madame Ying understood immediately. Without any panic, she only smiled. “In broad daylight this place isn’t lively, but the two of you can come in for tea.”

Shen Guiyan was somewhat surprised. The girls here were said to all know Gu Chaobei. She was soon to become his legitimate wife—yet this madame showed no avoidance?

Following him inside, she saw how Intoxicated in Flowers differed from other places. There were no excessive gauze curtains or draperies—it looked more like an ordinary tavern. Two early-rising girls with disheveled hair sat below eating pastries. Seeing people enter, they hurriedly tidied their faces.

“Young Master Gu?”

Gu Chaobei brought Shen Guiyan to sit casually, and Madame Ying brought tea and breakfast.

“Sisters, please continue your meal. I’m just passing through with her.” Gu Chaobei waved at the two girls. They smiled shyly, nodded at Shen Guiyan, then turned back to their pastries.

Shen Guiyan looked around, feeling something was off. How could a pleasure house be like this?

“What did you imagine a pleasure house would be like?” Gu Chaobei asked her quietly.

Shen Guiyan gestured with her hands. “Over there should be crimson gauze curtains, brocade cloth on the tables, colored silk on the stairs, girls dressed revealingly…”

Gu Chaobei nodded. “From books?”

Shen Guiyan coughed lightly, tacitly agreeing. She read all kinds of books—besides the Four Books and Five Classics, strange tales and oddities, including some pleasure house chronicles… But this couldn’t be spoken aloud.

“Being a singer or dancer isn’t easy.” Gu Chaobei said flatly. “The fear is that beauty fades with time—they only have these few years to earn a living. If they can’t save enough for old age, leaving this place, they might starve to death.”

Shen Guiyan paused slightly and glanced at the two girls ahead. They looked only sixteen or seventeen, without makeup, appearing somewhat pale. When not looking at people, their faces showed no trace of a smile.

She had always thought pleasure houses were dens of extravagance, the women inside debauched and only loving money. So there were such hidden truths.

Reaching to pat herself down, having just changed clothes, her purse contained only two taels of silver—her monthly allowance saved from last month. Shen Guiyan looked at this bit of silver with some distress, thought for a moment, then placed it on the table.

“What are you doing?” Gu Chaobei raised an eyebrow.

“Breakfast money.” Shen Guiyan buried her head to finish the porridge and stood up. “You can’t eat people’s food for free.”

“That’s too much.” Gu Chaobei didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “When I eat here, I never pay.”

Madame Ying happened to be bringing pastries over. Shen Guiyan took one look and quickly grabbed Gu Chaobei’s hand, desperately running outside.

“Hey.” Gu Chaobei was pulled into a stumble, staggering as he ran out with her.

Shen Guiyan was afraid Madame Ying would return the silver. Though two taels wasn’t little, in such a place it truly wasn’t much. She didn’t know why her brain had short-circuited to give the silver, but running first was best.

Outside, unable to mount the horse, Shen Guiyan anxiously looked at Gu Chaobei. “Quickly lift me up.”

Lift? No longer avoiding impropriety? Gu Chaobei’s eyes brightened slightly as he reached out to lift her onto the horse. Shen Guiyan grabbed the reins. Once Gu Chaobei was seated firmly, she imitated his manner. “Hyah!”

The horse whinnied and charged out. Shen Guiyan suppressed a scream. Adapting to the horse’s speed and jolting, she discovered riding was quite interesting.

Gu Chaobei was scared half to death and quickly snatched the reins back. “It’s just two taels of silver! Give it if you want—is it necessary to run that fast?”

Shen Guiyan’s ears reddened as she pressed her lips together without speaking.

Gu Chaobei couldn’t help but chuckle softly, reaching for the reins. “I originally wanted to wait for a few sisters to wake up and show you a dance. Since we’ve run out, let’s go directly to Sunset Mountain.”

Logically, Sunset Mountain was best visited at dusk for the beautiful sunset glow. But clearly they didn’t have time to wait until dusk—they had to quickly visit Sunset Mountain before being caught by the Shen residence.

As for why they were going to Sunset Mountain, Gu Chaobei didn’t say, and Shen Guiyan didn’t ask.

Sunset Mountain was full of graves, new and old tombs covering the hillside. Gu Chaobei brought Shen Guiyan before a new grave.

Concubine Qin was of the Shen family. If her birth had been better, she could have entered the Shen family ancestral tomb. But she was of maid origin and unloved by Madam Shen, so her body was sent directly to the charity mortuary for casual burial.

Shen Guiyan looked at the characters carved on the tombstone, her body stiff for a long while without moving.

Tomb of Shen Qin Shi, erected by unfilial daughter Guiyan.

It was Concubine Qin’s grave.

This plot had relatively good feng shui. Shen Guiyan raised her eyes to survey the surroundings—no graves crowding Concubine Qin, the mountains and water just right.

Slowly kneeling before the grave, she kowtowed several times. Gu Chaobei pulled incense and fruits from the saddle bags—he had clearly prepared them early.

Shen Guiyan looked at him deeply. Gu Chaobei still smiled carelessly, yet facing the tombstone, he put away his smile, kneeling beside her and kowtowing respectfully.

“I thought you probably wouldn’t have the opportunity to leave the residence, much less erect a grave for your birth mother.” Gu Chaobei said softly. “Since I’m going to marry you anyway, I should do some good deeds. So I helped you do what was probably the thing you most wanted to do.”

Finishing, he turned his head to look at her. “How about it? Very moved? Don’t you feel marrying me has no regrets?”

Upon seeing the tombstone, Shen Guiyan was truly very moved, but hearing this person speak these words, the corner of her mouth couldn’t help but twitch—she very much wanted to punch him.

Couldn’t he learn from those young masters to speak a few tender, affectionate words? Must he so directly state his purpose? Shen Guiyan looked at the tombstone with tears and laughter.

Mother, look—your daughter is marrying such a scoundrel. He’s called a scoundrel, but perhaps he’s more reliable than refined gentlemen?

Wind blew over the grave mound, carrying some warmth. Shen Guiyan arranged the fruits before the tombstone, lit incense, and knelt with Gu Chaobei waiting for the incense to burn out.

Descending the mountain, Shen Guiyan felt much lighter inside. Looking at Gu Chaobei, he seemed somewhat more pleasing to the eye.

“Are you falling in love with me?” Gu Chaobei touched his chin, casting her a bewitching smile. “I also think such a man really should be loved!”

Shen Guiyan: “…”

She took back what she just thought—for this person to become pleasing to the eye was still very difficult!

The two mounted the horse to return. The closer they got to the Shen residence, the more rigid Shen Guiyan’s expression became.

“Don’t be too nervous.” Gu Chaobei smiled. “Everyone knows I abducted you. Even if there’s punishment, it falls on me, not you.”

Moreover, at the Shen residence, how could Gu Chaobei possibly be punished? He’d planned this from the start.

Shen Guiyan covered her face, thinking no wonder this person could grow up safely to now in the Prime Minister’s residence despite being so rule-breaking. Truly a disaster lasting a thousand years.

Madam Shen with two concubines was already waiting in the main hall. Baoshan knelt below, her face having already received several slaps, yet she didn’t cry—only gritted her teeth with lowered head.

When Gu Chaobei brought Shen Guiyan in, they heard Madam Shen’s sharp voice: “This is the first time I’ve heard of a groom running off with the bride right before the wedding!”