Chapter 4: Wan Xin Zhai

It seemed that to find out the cause of the matter, they would need to find the little white puppy first.

Gu Yu Qi thought for a moment and then said to Yan Zhi, “Let’s go to Madam’s place.” Then she took Yan Zhi to Liang-shi’s Wan Xin Zhai.

The Marquis’ residence was gifted by the imperial government and it occupied a very large area.
Gu Yu Qi’s father once saved the emperor’s life on the battlefield.
He won the emperor’s good graces and had also won a victorious battle.
The emperor was overjoyed and as soon as he returned to the capital, he had given Gu Yu Qi’s father, Gu Huai Zhong, the title of Ding Yuan Marquis.
He had also remodelled a prince’s palace from the previous dynasty and had given it to the Gu family. 

For a time, the family was unparalleled and they seemed to be the first upstart in the capital.
However, an upstart was just an upstart after all and they were incomparable to the aristocratic families.
The Gu family was only seen by those aristocratic families as nouveau riche.

Wan Xin Zhai was not the prettiest yard in this residence, unlike the Ming Yue Ju that Concubine Liu lived in.
Concubine Liu was the concubine of Gu Yu Qi’s father, Gu Huai Zhong.
She was from the border and had been by Gu Huai Zhong’s side for nearly ten years and had given birth to a pair of twin girls, both only one year younger than Gu Yu Qi.
In other words, Gu Huai Zhong had been with this Concubine Liu the first year he went to the border.

When she followed Gu Huai Zhong and first arrived in the capital, she naturally lived in the most beautiful courtyard of the Marquis’ residence.
Even when her mother, Liang-shi, who was the Marquis’ first wife, had come from Jiangnan to the capital, she did not give up the Ming Yue Ju.

Her mother was someone who did not like arguing with others, however, it did not mean that she did not mind.

Her father had been out to battle for ten years and although he had gained a noble title, he had concealed his affair with Concubine Liu from her mother for ten years.
How could Liang-shi not be heartbroken?!

As a matter of fact, Gu Huai Zhong had come from a poor family.
His family really had not been able to support him before he joined the army, which happened to be under the command of Gu Yu Qi’s grandfather.
He had been able to endure hardships and practice martial arts diligently, and was able to stand out among the first class soldiers.
He won the favour of Gu Yu Qi’s grandfather, Liang Kun Lin, who was General Zhen Guo at that time.
He was promoted to captain and was kept by his side.
In his spare time, he taught him to read and study the art of war.

When General Zhen Guo returned to Jiangnan to recuperate, he brought Gu Huai Zhong back with him.
Coincidentally, Gu Huai Zhong inadvertently saved Liang Huai Yu, Liang Kun Lin’s only daughter, and they were married.
Not long after they were married, Gu Huai Zhong followed Liang Ku Lin back to the border.
At that time, Gu Yu Qi’s mother, Liang Huai Yu, was already pregnant with Gu Yu Qi.
The husband and wife had been separated for ten years.
How could the little bit of fate when they had first met withstand the Concubine Liu’s love and accompaniment by Gu Huai Zhong’s side through wind and rain for ten years?

Perhaps it was because Liang Kun Lin was still alive that Gu Huai Zhong concealed the affair with Liu-shi.
He hid Liu-shi very well and even his father-in-law did not know that such a woman existed.
Later, General Zhen Guo died of illness at the border and the Liang family army was disbanded.
Gu Huai Zhong became the new General Zhen Guo and took over his father-in-law’s position.
Even when General Zhen Guo’s coffin was sent back to Jiangnan, he could not follow him back.
At that time, because of the Rou Ran’s invasion and the emperor being on a personal expedition, Gu Huai Zhong, General Zhen Guo, had to stay at the border and defend the country against foreign enemies.
The battle was fought for three years and finally ended with the victory of Da Qi.
Gu Huai Zhong was also granted the Marquis title for this reason.

In her previous life, Liang-shi had fallen ill shortly after she came to the capital.
It had a lot to do with her father’s unfaithfulness, and of course, it also had to do with Gu Yu Qi.

Every time Gu Yuqi thought about this, her heart was full of guilt and regret.

In the previous life, she had transmigrated into the body of ten year old Gu Yu Qi and naturally felt no affection for her unfamiliar mother.
Moreover, she felt that Liang-shi was the lady of the Marquis’ residence, yet she let the concubine have her way in everything and this was really disdainful, so she became more and more indifferent to Liang Huai Yu.
Liang Huai Yu had already been disheartened by her husband’s aloofness, and now her daughter was cold and indifferent towards her.
The grief in Liang-shi’s heart was heavy, and she became more and more depressed.
In the end, she remained indoors, fell ill for four years, and finally died.

Now that she had a new life, Gu Yu Qi would never make the same mistakes again no matter what.
Through time-travelling and rebirth, only her mother and Yan Zhi had sincerely stayed by her side.
She had already let them down for all her life.
In this life, she would not hurt them again.

Although Wan Xin Zhai was not very big, it still looked elegant and warm after being decorated by Liang-shi.
After all, Liang-shi had come from a family of generals, an aristocratic family from Jiangnan.
Although the people of Liang Huai Yu’s generation had withered, their family background was still different from those of ordinary people.
Gu Yu Qi had seen the furnishings in Ming Yue Ju.
Liu-shi practically stuck money to the walls to show off her identity and status and it was unbearably vulgar.
Yet Wan Xin Zhai looked elegant and comfortable as soon as she entered. 

When Gu Yu Qi entered the yard, she found that her mother was practising swordsmanship.

She gave a silent gesture to the maid who was waiting by the side.
Then she silently stood aside and watched her mother in the yard.

In the previous life, she never really took a good look at her mother.
Seeing her now, it seemed like Liang-shi really was a Jiangnan beauty.

She was wearing a light blue outfit with her hair neatly tied into a simple bun at the back of her head and fastened with a silver hairpin engraved with plum blossoms.
Her face was slightly pale because of her illness, but her eyebrows were tinted and her eyes were inky.
Her lips were painted neither too thick nor too light, but just right, and she had a small chin.
Her swordsmanship was better than Gu Yu Qi had expected.

Her wrists fluttered and the sharp sword was swift and fierce like a swimming dragon.
Her swordsmanship flowed freely like clouds and water.
It was extremely skilful and adept.

“Good!” When Liang-shi’s swordplay ended, Gu Yu Qi could not help but clap her hands excitedly and call out.
“Mother is amazing!”