嫩草影院地址一二三

Chapter 257 - 257: 257. Why haven’t you come back yet? (Second update)

Duanmu Yi’s eyes were deep as he looked at Gu Ling, “I thought you wouldn’t come back.”

Gu Ling nodded slightly, “In response to Your Majesty, I traveled far and wide, and returned to the capital as soon as I heard the news of my pardon.” “Oh?” Duanmu Yi’s expression was faint, “Where were you when you received the news?”

Gu Ling answered, “A small fishing village in the southernmost part of Yin

Country.”

“Heh heh, no wonder my search parties couldn’t find you, you ran so far.”

Duanmu Yi’s tone was gentle, but he suddenly asked about Nian Jincheng, “Why didn’t the beloved Nian Minister come with you to meet me? Does he still hold a grudge in his heart?”

Gu Ling calmly shook his head, “This small minister doesn’t know where Nian Jincheng is. ”

Duanmu Yi’s eyes narrowed slightly, ‘Wasn’t it you who saved him back then?”

“When I heard about his troubles, he had already been saved by someone else.” Gu Ling said, “Since I left the capital, I haven’t seen Nian Jincheng again, and I don’t know who saved him.’

“Is that so? I thought you were together.” Duanmu Yi clearly didn’t believe him.

“The Gu Family’s rebellion has nothing to do with this small minister, please discern the truth, Your Majesty.” Gu Ling said, “When I left back then, it was not to flee from a crime, but rather not wanting to ruin my life because of other people’s mistakes.”

Duanmu Yi laughed, “After all, Gu Yuan is your father.”

“On this matter, this small minister had no choice.” Gu Ling’s expression was faint.

Duanmu Yi sighed deeply, “If I remember correctly, the last time I saw you, you were only 14 years old. In the blink of an eye, five or six years have passed. Apart from growing taller, you seem to have not changed much, but if anything, you are even more radiant than before.”

“Thank you for your praise, Your Majesty. ” Gu Ling nodded slightly.

Duanmu Yi changed the subject, his expression becoming serious, “However, as Gu Yuan’s eldest legitimate son, according to the law, you should be punished by death. Although the King of Liang Country interceded on your behalf this time, I am pardoning you because I have always known that you were not involved in the Gu Family’s rebellion. Now that you are back, remember that you are a citizen of Qian Country and do not disappoint me, do you understand?”

Gu Ling nodded again, “Yes, this small minister will keep it in mind.”

“Alright, you’ve just returned, go back and rest. If you have any complaints about Marquis Chang Xin’s residence, you can bring them to me.” Duanmu Yi appeared very magnanimous.

But as Gu Ling turned to leave, Duanmu Yi’s face darkened, and his eyes were full of scrutiny as he watched Gu Ling’s retreating figure.

Duanmu Yi arranged for Eunuch Han to guide Gu Ling and lead him to the Marquis Chang Xin’s mansion that had been granted by the emperor.

Leaving the palace, Eunuch Han sat in a carriage, while Gu Ling rode a horse behind him, heading towards the west city.

Marquis Chang Xin’s mansion was originally a royal garden in the west city called Qiuming Garden, which had the best scenery in autumn.

Three years ago, Qiuming Garden suffered a devastating fire at midnight. Most of the exotic flowers and plants, trees, rocks, and buildings were burned down, and more than a dozen people who guarded the garden were buried in the sea of flames.

It should have been rebuilt, but after the fire, strange tales of ghosts haunting Qiuming Garden spread throughout the capital, becoming ever more sinister.

The Empress Dowager Wan believed the rumors and felt that the garden, located in the west, was inauspicious. She not only ordered the destruction of Qiuming Garden but also forbade its reconstruction.

When Duanmu Yi granted the abandoned Qiuming Garden to Gu Ling as his residence, many people in the capital remembered again the eerie occurrences in the garden. Even if it was not haunted, no one knew what had become of it, and it hardly suited the identity of a Marquis.

Even ordinary people could sense that Duanmu Yi had pardoned Gu Ling and even allowed him to inherit the Gu Family’s title, but he absolutely didn’t welcome this son of a criminal minister.

Eunuch Han’s carriage stopped outside the gate of Qiuming Garden. He was helped out of the carriage by two junior eunuchs. Looking up at the mottled gate and the “Marquis Chang Xin’s Mansion” placard, he felt the new plaque

seemed out ot place.

“Marquis Chang Xin, we have arrived. This garden is such a wonderful place.” Eunuch Han’s smile was insincere as he looked at Gu Ling.

“Thank you for guiding me, Eunuch Han.” Gu Ling’s expression was indifferent.

Eunuch Han casually mentioned Nian Jincheng, “Back then, I went with General Nian to find Marquis Gu in the north, but I didn’t expect Marquis Gu to go to the south. The south is nice with spring all year round.”

Gu Ling did not respond.

“Marquis Gu, please go back to your residence and rest. I will return to the palace.” As soon as Eunuch Han finished speaking, he got back in the carriage and left with his attendants without even entering the gate.

After the seal on the front door was torn off, there were some small scraps of paper left, with a large lock hanging on it, and no one gave Gu Ling a key.

Gu Ling approached the door, cleaned up the scraps of paper, and did not break the lock to enter, but got back on the horse and headed to the market in the east of the city.

A pair of eyes in the shadows followed Gu Ling closely but not too closely.

Today, people in the capital were talking about the return of the beautiful Gu Ling. After seeing him pass by on a horse, those who had seen him with their own eyes were describing his beauty as surpassing that of the past to others.

So when Gu Ling appeared again on the street, he instantly attracted the attention of the entire street. Business owners and shoppers all stared at him intently.

Gu Ling pulled on the reins and stopped in front of Wan Family Restaurant.

The waiter enthusiastically came out to greet him and froze when he saw Gu Ling’s face. By the time the waiter had recovered his wits, Gu Ling had already entered.

The waiter quickly led Gu Ling’s horse to the restaurant’s backyard stable.

Under the watchful gaze of the restaurant’s guests, Gu Ling walked gracefully up to the second floor and entered a private room facing the street. Only when the door to the private room closed did many people finally look away.

“So beautiful!”

“Like an immortal, it seems like he could ride the wind and go at any moment.” “It looks like he didn’t see anyone and doesn’t care about anyone.”

“Gu Ling is like a cloud in the sky, untouched by dirt no matter what he has experienced. Life is so unfair!”

Wan Hui and Zhengzheng had come to the restaurant today and had just left before Gu Ling arrived, so they didn’t run into him.

Gu Ling ordered four signature dishes and a soup. The Wan Family Restaurant’s signature dishes are now all from Su Liang’s recipes.

The window was open, and people in the tea house opposite stretched their necks to look over.

Gu Ling walked to the window, glanced down and then looked in the direction of the city gate before returning to his seat.

After he had finished most of his meal, he put down his chopsticks, called the manager over, and said he wanted to rent the private room.

Wan Family Restaurant was the best in the capital, and ordinary people couldn’t afford it. Private rooms could be rented long-term, but the prices were quite high.

After quoting the price, Gu Ling handed over a silver note to the manager,

“Keep the rest on the account, I will come often.”

“Yes, Marquis, take your time leaving.” The manager respectfully saw Gu Ling off, then ordered that the room be reserved for Marquis Chang Xin for three months, and no other guests were allowed in even if he didn’t come.

Leaving the restaurant, Gu Ling went not far to the Yang Family Embroidery Workshop to buy clothes.

She had come out on purpose after learning in Su Mansion that Gu Ling had returned to the capital, hoping to catch a glimpse of him. Nian

Jincheng had asked her to help observe how Gu Ling was doing. But Nian Jincheng knew that Gu Ling was being watched by the Emperor, so they couldn’t meet for now, at least for a few more days.

“Miss.” As soon as the manager saw Yang Yu, he quickly paid his respects.

Gu Ling turned to face her, and Yang Yu, just like everyone else who saw Gu

Ling for the first time, was amazed by his beauty, “This gentleman is…?”

“Miss, this is Marquis Chang Xin who has just returned to the capital.” The manager quickly introduced them, then introduced Yang Yu to Gu Ling, “Marquis, this is our Yang Family’s young lady.”

With an indifferent expression, Gu Ling glanced at Yang Yu and did not bother to greet her, instead asking the manager, “Where are the ready-made clothes?” The manager quickly led Gu Ling up to the second floor, “Please, Marquis!”

Yang Yu looked a bit baffled but didn’t think Gu Ling was impolite. As they were not acquainted and the status difference was obvious, Gu Ling’s well-known aloofness was well known across the world. Otherwise, the saying “he only has one friend” would not exist.

Gu Ling’s “stay away from strangers” demeanor made it difficult for Yang Yu to imagine how he and Nian Jincheng had gotten along before.

Not long after, Gu Ling bought several sets of clothes, shoes, and socks, along with a ready-made money pouch, and left with them.

“Living alone and having to eat at a restaurant, buying clothes on the spot”, these were the messages spreading around the capital on the first day of Gu Ling’s return apart from his stunning beauty.

Carrying the purchased clothes, Gu Ling returned once more to Marquis Chang Xin’s Mansion. Picking up a brick, he smashed the lock on the gate. As he opened the entrance, his eyes were met with a scene full of “natural charm” overgrown weeds, scattered stones, and an atmosphere of desolation and decay.

Duanmu Yi, who had seemed quite friendly and approachable when meeting with Gu Ling, surely knew of the state of the mansion when he had bestowed it upon him. But after such a long time, he had never sent anyone to clean or repair it, nor had he arranged for any servants to be provided for Gu Ling.

Gu Ling knew that Duanmu Yi’s intention was not to scare him by making him live in a haunted house. Instead, it was to test him, to see how he would react to such circumstances. Gu Ling could go to a restaurant for food, but he couldn’t choose to stay at an inn or live at the Huguo Temple as he did before, as that would be disrespectful to Duanmu Yi.

Gu Ling had long known about this place and had mentally prepared himself.

He closed the gate and stepped over the withered yellow grass of early winter to enter.

Before Qiuming Garden was burnt, Gu Ling had come here, and it was one of his favorite places in the capital city. In autumn, the garden’s maple leaves resembled fire, and it was an incredibly beautiful sight. Gu Ling would always sneak into Qiuming Garden at dusk, choosing the most beautiful maple leaves from the forest to bring home as bookmarks or to carve landscapes and flowers on them.

During that massive fire, most of the maple forest had been destroyed. Now, there were just a few red maple trees with sparse, swaying red leaves in the wind.

After crossing most of the garden, Gu Ling finally found a relatively intact house. Climbing vines covered the outer walls, and blackened bricks and stones were exposed at the foundation. However, the house had not collapsed or suffered significant damage.

Gu Ling went in, hung his bundle on a tree, rolled up his sleeves, and carried a wooden bucket to fetch water from the nearby lake. He then began cleaning and tidying up.

Before the sunset, Gu Ling went out once more and purchased many tools to use.

At night, Gu Ling cleaned a room, fixed a bed and a chair, then went to Wan Family Restaurant tor dinner. Before the Yang Family Embroidery Workshop closed, he bought a set of bedding and carried it back to the mansion.

Qian Country’s Imperial Palace.

A master who had been tasked with tailing Gu Ling for a day was reporting to

Duanmu Yi.

“He can sweep the floor and wipe the tables, as well as do carpentry work?” Duanmu Yi’s expression was hard to read. “Have any other people appeared around him?”

“No, Your Majesty. There were no others around Marquis Chang Xin today.”

Duanmu Yi pondered, “After all these years, I still can’t see through that young man. Keep watching him. If anything unusual occurs, report to me immediately.”

Early the next morning, several carriages drove out of the Imperial Palace and stopped outside Marquis Chang Xin’s Mansion.

The gate was merely closed, and it opened with a push.

Eunuch Han led a group of artisans into the mansion, a smile piled high on his face as he met Gu Ling. “His Majesty only just learned today that Qiuming Garden had not been repaired. So he sent craftsmen and various things as rewards.”

Gu Ling didn’t refuse. He instructed the craftsmen to keep all the living trees in the courtyard, remove the weeds, and demolish all the other ruined houses, except for the place he lived in, without repairing them.

In the meantime, Gu Ling went out for a meal and didn’t pay any attention to the craftsmen working at his residence.

That day at noon, Xing Yusheng was also at Wan Family Restaurant.

He had come specifically to wait for Gu Ling. The day before, he had heard that Gu Ling had returned to the capital and had wanted to see him immediately, but he didn’t dare to recklessly make contact, knowing that the emperor would have assigned someone to watch him.

Upon hearing from Qi Yan about the situation, Xing Yusheng wanted to help but ended up holding back instead.

Lin Xueqing was also in one of the private rooms adjacent to the two men.

“Gu Ling is truly, truly so beautiful!” Lin Xueqing had just seen Gu Ling going upstairs.

Xing Yusheng nodded, “Indeed.” Gu Ling was so gorgeous that he couldn’t even bring himself to be jealous.

“Sir, will you go greet him? It should be fine, right?” Lin Xueqing asked.

Xing Yusheng hesitated, “Under the circumstances, if I were to just run up to him, wouldn’t it be awkward? He doesn’t know me either.”

“Are you afraid that Gu Ling won’t pay you any attention?” Lin Xueqing laughed softly. “How about I go?”

Xing Yusheng waved his hands in denial, “How could I let you do that? I’ll go. My father-in-law was right; it’s better to meet openly and honestly than to be secretive, which could arouse suspicion.”

“Marquis, go on then! In the past two days, you’ve been longing to meet Lady

Gu, and you’ve been unable to eat or drink!” Lin Xueqing teased Xing Yusheng.

“If he really wants nothing to do with me, then so be it.” Xing Yusheng took a deep breath, stood up, and knocked on Gu Ling’s door. “Come in.” A crisp, low voice came from inside.

Xing Yusheng pushed the door open.

As their eyes met, Xing Yusheng didn’t see any resemblance to Ning Jing in Gu Ling. Their facial features were not very similar, and at first glance, Gu Ling’s stunning beauty would make people overlook everything else. In terms of temperament, the Gu Ling of now and the “Ning Jing” he impersonated before were similar, both being too quiet and indifferent, but this similarity was quite subtle and not easy to notice.

“Marquis Gu, I’m Xing Yusheng, the crown prince of Marquis Zhong Xin’s Mansion.” Xing Yusheng bowed his hands and greeted Gu Ling seriously. Gu Ling’s expression was indifferent, “What do you want?”

Seeing Gu Ling’s attitude, Xing Yusheng did not mention the incident of him saving Bei Jingwang’s wife when they were children. Instead, he smiled and said, “It just so happens that I’m next door, so I came over to say hello.” “Hmm.” Gu Ling responded indifferently, but did not invite Xing Yusheng to sit down.

Xing Yusheng had no choice but to leave somewhat awkwardly.

Going back to his room, Xing Yusheng sighed, “He’s indeed a difficult person to get along with. No wonder he has no friends.”

Lin Xueqing shook her head, “Lady Gu does have friends, like General Nian Jincheng. ”

“Who knows where he is now?” Xing Yusheng snorted, “And that Nian Jincheng isn’t an easy person to get along with either.”

“Do you not like Lady Gu?” Lin Xueqing asked.

Xing Yusheng shook his head, “What’s there to like or dislike? It doesn’t matter. I was the one who bothered him, so if he doesn’t want to pay attention to me, that’s fine.”

Lin Xueqing was puzzled, “Wasn’t it said that General Nian was saved by Lady Gu back then? They’ve both been pardoned now, so why didn’t General Nian come back with him?”

“Who knows? His Majesty must have questioned Gu Ling about this matter. There must be some inside story that we don’t know.” Xing Yusheng was also confused.

Lin Xueqing chuckled, “Dad said that Lady Gu regained his identity so that he could have a normal life and get married and have children in the future. With his immortal-like appearance, would he think that all the women in the world are vulgar and not be interested in any of them?”

Xing Yusheng calmly said, “If he thinks all the women in the world are uglier than him, he can choose to be alone for the rest of his life. Honestly, when I greeted him just now, I felt that he was like a dead man, wanting to be alone forever and not wanting anyone to bother him.”

Lin Xueqing couldn’t help but smile, “Perhaps he’s like that only with strangers. Maybe he’s different with friends.”

“I truly hope a young lady would come and cure him!” Xing Yusheng had long expected his first encounter with Gu Ling, but it left him somewhat disappointed. So he half-jokingly said, “He’s my mother’s benefactor, of course, I hope he won’t be alone for the rest of his life. With his personality, it’s best if there’s a girl he likes, but she doesn’t like him. I want to see how he pursues her.”

Lin Xueqing looked surprised, “A girl who Lady Gu likes but doesn’t like Lady

Gu? Is that even possible?”

Xing Yusheng smirked slightly, “What’s impossible about it? If this happens to your favorite Miss Su, is it impossible?”

Lin Xueqing widened her eyes, “You’re saying that Lady Gu is fond of Miss Su but Miss Su doesn’t like him? Oh, yes, if it’s Miss Su, it might not be impossible. Thinking about her late Senior Brother Ning, Miss Su’s taste in men is quite strange. Maybe she really likes the cold, aloof type who doesn’t care about people. But it’s also possible that Miss Su likes Gu Ling, but Gu Ling doesn’t like Miss Su. Ah, that can’t be! Miss Su is so wonderful, how could anyone not like

“At first, your Senior Brother said that it was Su Liang who liked him, and he didn’t accept it. Su Liang also said the same thing.” Xing Yusheng’s tone was melancholic.

Lin Xueqing shook her head, “Senior Brother was pretending. Sigh, it’s such a pity now that I think about it. He clearly liked Miss Su but never said so. If they had been together earlier, maybe they wouldn’t have…”

Lin Xueqing sighed deeply, “Actually, I really hope that Miss Su could have someone by her side. I’m sure Senior Brother would think so too, if his soul is in heaven.”

Xing Yusheng blinked, “Then what do you think about Gu Ling?”

Lin Xueqing was startled, “What do you mean?

“Honestly, should we try to play matchmaker between Gu Ling and Su Liang?” Xing Yusheng said earnestly, “Regardless of whether he ignores me or not, his beauty is unparalleled, and he is my mother’s benefactor, so I believe he is a good person.”

“Ah? This…” Lin Xueqing felt that something was a bit strange about this matter, but she couldn’t quite pinpoint it, “Gu Ling doesn’t even bother with you, how can we play matchmaker? I’m sure Miss Su wouldn’t like us meddling in her affairs either.”

“How can we know without trying?” Xing Yusheng really wanted to give it a shot, somehow feeling that there should be something between Su Liang and Gu Ling, “Once Su Liang returns, we’ll create an encounter for them and act accordingly.”

The soundproofing at Wan Family Restaurant was actually quite good, but Gu

Ling’s hearing was even better. He heard the conversation between Xing Yusheng and Lin Xueqing in the next room, then looked out the window and whispered to himself, “Why haven’t they come back yet….”