Chapter 43 - 43 Favored Child

43 Favored Child

Gu Yanfei looked up at the blue sky without shock or anger on her fair and beautiful face. She thought to herself, “As expected of the favored child of the heavens.”

Gu Yunrong probably thought that Heaven’s Will was unfair to her, so she kept saying to the Empress Dowager that heaven and earth were heartless.

However, Gu Yunrong was wrong.

The world treated everything equally.

Even the favored children in a small world would not have endless providence.

Chu You felt as if his heart was being cut by a knife. He blamed this on Gu Yanfei and wished he could make her bleed on the spot.

Holding Gu Yunrong’s hand tightly in his hands, he expressed his feelings to Empress Dowager Yuan in a clear voice, “Mother, I won’t marry anyone else but Rong’er!”

“Don’t listen to nonsensical slander and be instigated by others!”

He pulled Gu Yunrong away, his eyes as firm as a rock.

“…” Gu Yunrong shook off Chu You’s hand without a word. Her cherry lips pursed tightly, and bitterness spread in her mouth.

In the past, she had thought that her background and status were not important. As long as Kang Wang treated her sincerely, it was enough for her to repay him sincerely.

It was only at this moment that she felt the supremacy of imperial power and filial piety in this era.

Even as a prince, Chu You could not resist the Empress Dowager!

One word from the Empress Dowager could decide her marriage… or even her fate.

Heaven was unfair!

Gu Yunrong bowed respectfully to Empress Dowager Yuan and left without looking back.

“Rong’er!”

Chu You knew she was annoyed and quickly chased after her.

The entire hall was silent and the atmosphere was stiff. Everyone looked at each other and kept quiet, afraid that the Empress Dowager would vent her anger on them.

“…” Furious, Empress Dowager Yuan’s right hand tightened around her sleeve.

She was a daughter of an aristocratic family and valued etiquette and self-restraint. Even though she was furious, she did not lose her composure, but her body was slightly stiff.

“Empress Dowager.” At this moment, Li Zhulang approached Empress Dowager Yuan and took the initiative to lighten the atmosphere with a smile. “Have you placed your bet just now?”

Li Zhulang’s maternal grandmother was Empress Dowager Yuan’s cousin. He was a smoothtalker and was doted on by the Empress Dowager.

Empress Dowager Yuan adjusted her emotions in an extremely short period of time and said calmly, “Zhulang, you guys opened a bet?”

Seeing that Empress Dowager Yuan did not vent her anger on Li Zhulang, the others heaved a sigh of relief, and the atmosphere eased a little.

Li Zhulang nodded with a smile. “It’s rare for me to be the banker.”

“We fought to a draw, which meant that everyone lost. However, you, the banker, won.” Princess Changqing said with a faint smile.

“Princess, you’re wrong!” Li Zhulang wagged his index finger. “Someone bet on a draw.”

As he spoke, the young man in luxurious clothes brought over a box full of bets and handed it to Gu Yanfei with a smile.

Even if he did not name anyone, everyone had already guessed that the person who had bet on a draw was Gu Yanfei.

There was silence, then another uproar.

For a moment, Gu Yanfei became the focus of everyone’s attention again.

Changqing blinked and asked in surprise, “Second Miss Gu bet on a draw?”

“Yes, yes.” The young man nodded repeatedly. Until now, he still felt that it was unreal.

The chances of a draw were less than 10%, but this beautiful girl actually won. She was too lucky!

If it wasn’t for the fact that his cousin didn’t have the ability to convince Princess Changqing and the others to play fake balls, he would have suspected that his cousin was trying to give money to this beautiful girl.

Li Zhulang handed the box to Gu Yanfei. His burning gaze lingered on her exquisite and beautiful face, and his heart beat faster.

Great, so this beautiful girl was not engaged. Then he still had a chance!

He was not afraid of competitors, but he was afraid of husbands!

Li Zhulang’s eyes lit up and he asked, “Second Miss Gu, how did you guess?”

The few young masters at the side waved their folding fans disapprovingly. They felt that Li Zhulang was so eloquent that he didn’t even know how to speak when he met such a beautiful girl. What was there to ask? Such a peerless beauty was naturally always right!

Gu Yanfei shook her finger and smiled casually. “I calculated it.”

Li Zhulang did not take it seriously. He clapped his hands happily and exclaimed, “So you can read fortunes!”

He took the initiative to send his left palm towards Gu Yanfei with his palm facing up. “Miss, take a look for me.”

Gu Yanfei glanced at him casually and raised her eyebrows slightly. She reminded him, “Mr. Li, you have to be careful of birds today.”

“Cousin, didn’t you overturn a crow’s nest the day before yesterday? I heard that crows are the most vengeful.” The young man laughed gloatingly, thinking that Gu Yanfei was joking.

Li Zhulang did not take it seriously and tried his best to talk to Gu Yanfei. “Is it a crow?”

A group of young masters who were on good terms with Li Zhulang also came over and spoke one after another.

“Brother Li, I think you might as well not go out for the next few days. Crows are as good at forming gangs as monkeys.”

“Crows also like to peck at their feathers. How ugly it would be if you were completely bald.”

“…”

Everyone knew that Li Zhulang was a good-tempered person and teased him.

The atmosphere became lively again with their laughter.

Empress Dowager Yuan’s eyes were cold. After sitting for half a cup of tea’s time, she used the excuse of being “tired” to get up and leave.

Princess Consort Jing and Princess Changqing also stood up and escorted Empress Dowager Yuan away.

Everyone stood on the spot and bowed in unison to send the Empress Dowager off.

After that, the surroundings fell into an awkward silence. Only the sound of sparrows brushing past the branches could be heard.

After the episode just now, everyone was a little distracted and would glance at Gu Yanfei from time to time. After all, the other three protagonists had already left.

The atmosphere was no longer as lively as before.

In particular, many of the noble ladies were here for the Empress Dowager. Now, they felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured on them, and their interest was waning.

Since the polo match was over, the noble ladies asked to leave one after another. After a while, half of them left.

Gu Yanfei followed Gu Yunzhen and bade farewell to Princess Changqing. When the sisters arrived at the inner gate, most of the carriages in the other residences had left.

The two carriages from the Marquis Mansion were parked alone.

Gu Yunzhen originally thought that Gu Yunrong had already left, but since Gu Yunrong’s carriage was here, it meant that she had not left.

Gu Yunzhen tightened her grip on the handkerchief and frowned worriedly. She asked a scullery maid accompanying the Marquis Mansion, “Have you seen Third Miss Gu?”

The scullery maid shook her head.

Gu Yunzhen looked around but still did not see Gu Yunrong. She said gently, “Second Sister, get into the carriage first. I’ll wait here.”

She summoned the maidservants of Prince Jing’s Mansion and asked about Gu Yunrong’s whereabouts.

Gu Yanfei brought Juan Bi out of the inner door and arrived at the second carriage.

Lifting the carriage curtain gently, Gu Yanfei held Juan Bi’s hand and got into the carriage. As soon as she stuck her face into the carriage, she saw two figures, one big and one small.

In addition to the cat Qing Guang, there was a tall and slender figure sitting in the carriage. His black hair was half tied and half draped over his shoulders, forming a contrast against his white shirt.

The man sat on the left while the cat crouched on the right.

The man and cat faced each other three feet apart, staring at each other in silence.