Chapter 121: The Blind Date

Half a month had passed since they returned home. Along the way, except for Gu Li and Gu Yun, the others were tightly bound. Many guards escorted them—some from the Bai residence, others from the Gong household—all under countless watchful eyes. Fubao and the others found it utterly terrifying.

Upon returning, Fubao was embraced by her parents and burst into tears, pouring out her grievances. Afterward, she was sternly scolded. Due to her recent misbehavior, Meng Yun was resolute—Fubao was locked in a small dark room and made to copy passages from the Book of Songs. Facing the thick stacks of books before her, Fubao felt both helpless and heartbroken.

The situation in the Gong household was much better. At that moment, Gu Li was dining with his aunt.

“Li’er, you’ve lost weight. Auntie made some chicken soup to help you recover,” Lady Gong Xiaohé personally served Gu Li some black-bone chicken soup.

Meanwhile, Gong Shaoyu was kneeling in the ancestral hall.

“This boy is too disobedient. Sneaking out on his own is one thing, but dragging you along is another,” Gong Xiaohé was exasperated.

He always sneaked out like this, refusing to stay put at home and instead running around with that old scoundrel Yusheng. Not only did he refuse to marry, but he also wasted that man's son’s time. If that fellow weren’t out of office, she would have reported him to the elders by tomorrow.

Yusheng thought, “How unfair! No need for such personal attacks.”

“Auntie, don’t blame my cousin. Although… my cousin took Li’er out, he really looked after him the entire way,” Gu Li lowered his eyes and said.

“Li’er has suffered enough. Don’t worry about him; let him kneel properly. Tomorrow, we’ll arrange a marriage for him—once he has a wife, he won’t run around anymore,” Gong Xiaohé patted Gu Li’s shoulder.

But who would they arrange for him to marry?

That night, starving in the ancestral hall with his chest pressed against his back, Gong Shaoyu finally received a chicken drumstick from his cousin. Damn, he was starving to death.

“Cousin, eat slowly.”

“I’m starving. Can you believe my mother? Punishing me by making me kneel in the ancestral hall is one thing, but not even allowing the steward to bring me food?!” Gong Shaoyu complained.

“Auntie is really angry this time.”

“Ugh! Don’t I even have the right to pursue personal freedom?”

“Auntie is worried about you!”

“I don’t know what she’s planning next,” Gong Shaoyu shook his head and took a bite of the chicken leg.

“Nothing much, just arranged a dozen or so girls for you to meet,” Gu Li said calmly.

“Pfft—cough, cough, what did you say?” Gong Shaoyu felt as if thunder had struck. His mother was clearly planning to marry off the carefully nurtured “cabbage” he had been growing.

Gong Xiaohé: I’ve never grown any vegetables, only one little piglet.

“That’s right! Don’t worry—you’ll be released tomorrow to meet them one by one, and Auntie will personally approve each one,” Gu Li poured himself a glass of water and said.

“Oh no, oh no, I have to escape!” Gong Shaoyu shakily stood up and headed for the door.

“Cousin, don’t overestimate yourself. Your legs are trembling like that; how do you plan to run?” Gu Li hurriedly supported him. With legs shaking so badly, it’s better to behave.

“No way. I can’t waste my prime years here. I’ll crawl out if I have to!”

“Fine, but how do you intend to get out? There are guards outside.”

“Don’t worry. I’ve been wandering the martial world for years—I’ve developed a whole set of escape tricks. You can’t trip me up.”

“Really?” Gu Li eyed Gong Shaoyu’s smug grin with suspicion.

The next day, Gong Shaoyu was still sent to meet potential brides. Wrapped like a mummy, he was carried behind a folding screen waiting for the first noble lady to arrive.

“What’s this about, cousin?” Gu Li was dragged along at Gong Shaoyu’s insistence.

“Don’t mention it. I finally understand that old saying—old ginger is hotter than young,” Gong Shaoyu muttered.

The unlucky boy had just jumped out of the ancestral hall window when his toe was caught by an old mouse trap beneath the window—a painful sting.

Then, he sneaked over to the wall, stepped on a pile of baskets, and tried to climb over the wall. Unexpectedly, the top was coated with oil—slick and slippery. After much fumbling, he couldn’t get over and had no choice but to fetch a ladder.

He easily carried the ladder over, naïvely thinking his luck had turned, only to slip and fall after climbing up. Purely a tumble, but who could explain why the outside of the wall was lined with cacti?

Thus, the promising young man nearly suffered serious injury.

“Carry the young master back and take good care of him. Tomorrow, dress him handsomely for the matchmaking,” his mother appeared at some point and ordered the servants to carry him back.

Later, he learned that the vegetation by the wall had been placed there by his mother after his last escape attempt to prevent him from running away again.

“Zzzz, so miserable,” Gu Li muttered.

“Alas! Cousins, life is hard!” Gong Shaoyu whimpered.

Outside the folding screen, Gong Xiaohé had arranged everything, just waiting for the agreed-upon Lady Liu and her daughter to arrive.

Liu Fei’er followed her mother to Lord Gong’s residence. She knew somewhat of Lady Gong’s intentions. It was said that the eldest son of the Gong family was as handsome as Pan An, talented beyond measure.

By his early teens, he had traveled with Mr. Yusheng Yu, and his brushwork was admired by many. Most importantly, he was strikingly handsome.

“Cousin, cheer up! Look, your fiancée has arrived!” Gu Li shook Gong Shaoyu hard to pull him from his despair.

Gong Shaoyu was about to speak when a beautiful voice sounded outside: “Thank you, madam.”

He froze and perked his ears. “Hmm—this girl is not bad at all.”

After Lady Liu bid farewell to Lady Gong, she arranged a Hundred Flowers Banquet. It happened that this year it was the Gong family’s turn to host, so invitations were sent to the residences of several official families.

On the third day, Fubao was finally released. Wailing, she lamented how harsh her mother had been.

The Miss Chen family had also just been released. The two best friends sobbed together for a while before discussing the Hundred Flowers Banquet.

“This year, it’s the Gong family’s turn. My mother told me yesterday,” Miss Chen began.

“The Gong family? The family of Gong Shaoyu, the eldest son?” Fubao said excitedly.

“Yes, and I heard Lady Gong plans to find a bride for the young master.”

“A bride? Does that mean marriage?”

“Not yet. It’s just an opportunity to meet several potential matches.”

“Ah! So boring—another matchmaking banquet,” Fubao pouted.

“I also heard that a few days ago, Lady Gong invited Lady Liu to the residence,” Miss Chen whispered.

“What? Liu Fei’er?”