"I understand." Zhou Gu felt helpless.
The Duchess seemed satisfied. She took out a brocade box and handed it to Zhou Gu. "This is a gift I alone have prepared for Lady Su Qi. Once you see her, give it to her."
"What is it?" Zhou Gu took the box.
"This is a pair of bracelets your maternal grandmother gave me when I got married. I've given one to your elder sister-in-law already, this one is for your future wife."
Zhou Gu immediately pushed it back, "You keep it for now. These are so valuable, aren't you afraid I might lose them having to travel so far? When she comes to the capital, you can give it to her yourself!"
Anyway, regarding this familial matter, his grandfather had decided and he couldn't refuse.
The Duchess considered it and stopped, "Fine then!"
After leaving the Duchess's quarters, Zhou Gu went to have dinner with Princess Sheng An in her quarters.
Princess Sheng An, unlike the Duchess, did not scold him. Seeing Zhou Gu, her eyes crinkled with a smile and she warmly beckoned him, "Come here, my dear grandson, you'll be going on a long journey tomorrow. Knowing you were coming over today, I prepared all your favorite dishes."
"My grandma is the only one who truly loves me." Zhou Gu sat bonelessly beside Princess Sheng An, tilted his head, and nuzzled her arm.
Princess Sheng An was ecstatic, she served Zhou Gu dishes, "Eat more. I heard that the dishes in Jiangning are rather sweet, and you've never liked sweet food since you were young. I don't know if you'll get used to it. Should I send one of the chefs from the residence with you?"
"No need," Zhou Gu shook his head. "Cooking is different from eating candy, it won't be too sweet. Besides, I've been eating the food from home for more than ten years, I've had enough of it. It'll be a good change of taste, maybe I'll find it fresh."
"That's a good point," Princess Sheng An nodded with a laugh.
The night passed without a word.
The next day, the old Duke wrote a letter and gave it to Li Yan. He also instructed Zhou Gu a few words, then waved his hand to let them leave.
Li Yan was shocked that Zhou Gu was accompanying him back to Jiangning. He initially thought the old Duke was only keeping up appearances and would reluctantly agree to the marriage. He never expected the old Duke to be so formal about it. Zhou Gu will be carrying a hefty gift and accompany him to Jiangning for Lady Su Qi's coming-of-age ceremony. This was indeed a grand event.
The Duke Residence prepared two big carts of gifts, and the old Duke also assigned a hundred guards to escort Zhou Gu.
When the procession left the Duke Residence, traveled a street, and then arrived at the main street, they bumped head-on into another procession. In front of the procession, the plaque of the Rui'an King Residence was hanging. Xie Lin was riding a horse, walking beside the carriages.
As soon as Zhou Gu saw Xie Lin, he immediately thought about his plan to stir trouble in his heart. Perhaps because he was planning to stir trouble, he was not angry at Xie Lin but instead greeted him with a smile, "Xie Lin, what a coincidence! What are you doing?"
Xie Lin turned sour as soon as he saw Zhou Gu. There's no other reason, Zhou Gu single-handedly defeated more than ten of his guards, not only did he beat the guards to a pitiful state, but he also managed to beat him up as well. This incident was widely known. He felt that he had lost face and haven't left his residence for days. Today, if it wasn't for his mother insisting on going to the big Buddha temple outside the city to worship Buddha, and wanting him to accompany her, he wouldn't want to go out to meet people.
Now that he saw Zhou Gu smiling and greeting him as if nothing happened, he was about to explode. He glared at him darkly, "Zhou Gu, are you fucking mad?"
Why was he greeting him? And with a smile on his face? Were they on good enough terms to share a greeting when they meet?
Zhou Gu continued to smile, "I am perfectly fine, no sickness or disaster, and definitely no madness. I'm just quite happy to see you, just wanted to say hi."
Xie Lin was ready to faint from anger, he glared fiercely, "Zhou Gu, we have irreconcilable differences, spare me your charade."
Zhou Gu still smiled, "No, no, irreconcilable differences are not defined this way. Killing one's father, mother, wife, or child, that's irreconcilable differences. At most, you and I had a fight, that's not irreconcilable."
Xie Lin's temper flared up, "You clearly knew that I like Qin Luan, yet you deliberately snatched her from me. I lost my love, isn't this called irreconcilable?"
"I honestly didn't know you liked Qin Luan. If I had known, I definitely wouldn't have taken her from you." Zhou Gu raised his hand, his expression sincere, "To be honest, I regret it deeply."
Xie Lin was both angry and embarrassed, "Save your act, you are probably delighted in your heart."
"What do I have to be delighted about? Although I won the girl, I couldn't keep her. I was beaten by my grandfather so badly that I couldn't get out of bed for a week. I feel wronged too." Zhou Gu sincerely planned to settle things amicably with Xie Lin, "We both got the short end of the stick. Let's reconcile?"
Once we're reconciled, I can help you find a woman from a lower-class family to lure you.
Xie Lin stared fiercely, looking angry, "No reconciliation."
"Oh my, you're really not magnanimous. So petty. It's just a woman, isn't it? Take it easy. Otherwise, I'll help you find another one and compensate you?" Zhou Gu seized the opportunity to trap him.
Xie Lin was furious, "You make it sound so easy. Who else could be like Qin Luan? How can you compensate me?"
Zhou Gu coughed, "The world is vast, there must be someone better out there. Broaden your mind, a true man will never lack a wife, right?"
Xie Lin was even angrier, "From your tone, you don't even like Qin Luan. Are you sick? Why the hell did you fight for her with me?"
Zhou Gu touched his nose, "I've said I regret it."
He wanted to pat Xie Lin's shoulder, but seeing him so angry, he gave up, "Oh well, take it easy."
Xie Lin didn't want to waste any more words with him, "Get lost!"
Zhou Gu sighed, "Fine, I'll leave. You probably won't see me for a month. Calm down, you might come around."
Xie Lin, seemingly noticing his ready-to-leave state, didn't want to bother with him, but couldn't resist asking, "Where are you going?"
Zhou Gu answered him, "To Jiangning County."
"What are you going to do there?"
Zhou Gu blinked, "To have fun."
He wouldn't tell him that he was going to hold the Coming-of-age Ceremony for his fiancee. Playing was just an incidental activity.
Xie Lin clearly didn't believe, "You're going to have fun, with such a grand entourage? Shouldn't you travel light?"
Zhou Gu, without blushing or panting, said: "I'm noble and precious, naturally, I have to bring more things to avoid not eating well, drinking well, sleeping well. I am going to have fun, not to suffer."
Xie Lin found it quite reasonable and cynically said, "I heard that there are many mountain bandits outside. Don't get slaughtered by them."
Zhou Gu smirked, "I'll take your good words."
Xie Lin: "..."
He truly thought that Zhou Gu had issues, with taking insults as blessings.
Probably because they had been talking for too long, the curtain of the carriage lifted, revealing the dignified face of Rui'an Queen. She laughed looking at Zhou Gu, "I heard the old Duke has arranged a marriage for you, is it in Jiangning County?"
Xie Lin's eyes widened in surprise, looking at Zhou Gu in shock.
Zhou Gu thought, as expected, Rui'an Queen was not easy to deal with, as tough as her mother was. The first sentence hit his sore spot. He bowed, "Replying to Queen, yes."
The Rui'an Queen smiled, "Jiangning is a good place. The mountains and rivers nourish the people there, producing gentle and beautiful girls. Although it's a bit far, be careful on your way."
"I will, thank you, Queen." Zhou Gu, in front of his elders, was always very well-behaved.
"Since you're going to Jiangning, and we're going to the Buddha Temple, our routes coincide for about a hundred miles. Stop standing here talking, let's get on the road while it's still early." The Rui'an Queen smiled again.
Xie Lin wanted to say who was going with him, but he was too shocked and curious, so he stayed silent.
Zhou Gu nodded agreeably, with two carriages of gifts, he wouldn't be going fast anyway, "Great, let's go together."
So, the two parties combined into one and left the city gate together.