"Are you alright?" Zuo Zihei forcefully pulled the dazed Zuo Xiangning out of the man's embrace and asked with concern, "Are you hurt anywhere?"
"I'm fine." Zuo Xiangning shook her head at Zuo Zimo first and then said to the man, "Thank you for rescuing me, young master."
"Princely Heir?" It was only then that Zuo Zimo clearly saw the man opposite him, and he hurriedly stepped forward to greet with a cupped fist, "Thank you for helping my... my brother just now."
The man's sharp phoenix eyes deeply examined Zuo Xiangning, who was dressed as a man, and then he asked Zuo Zimo, "You are?"
"My father is the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel." Zuo Zimo replied respectfully.
The man gave Zuo Zimo a fist and palm salute, "Young Master Zuo, no need for formalities."
After speaking, the man shook off his clothes and strode away.
"Third brother, who is he?" Zuo Xiangning quietly asked Zuo Zimo.
"Marquis Zhongyuan's Heir, Lingxiao." Zuo Zimo pulled her toward a nearby tavern and said, "You were really lucky today to not be kicked flying by him."
"Why?" Zuo Xiangning curiously asked.
"He is the eldest son of Marquis Zhongyuan, arrogant, haughty, and rude. Those who catch his eye are fine, but those who don't, he hits or curses whenever he pleases, even the imperial princes give way to him."
Zuo Xiangning blinked, "He doesn't seem like that kind of person, does he?"
"What can you tell just by appearances?" Zuo Zimo said in a low voice. "But he has the capital to be arrogant, the old grandmother from Marquis Zhongyuan's Mansion is the aunt of His Majesty and has always been honored in the palace, and Marquis Zhongyuan himself has fought side by side with His Majesty, earning illustrious battle achievements."
"Oh." Zuo Xiangning glanced back again.
In her past life, the corpses of her elder brother and her uncle had been brought back to the capital by Marquis Zhongyuan's Heir, Lingxiao.
"Right, he's also fickle as hell, changing his face at the drop of a hat," Zuo Zimo warned again. "Anyway, just keep your distance from him in the future."
"Brother Zuo?" Suddenly, someone called out to Zuo Zimo from behind them.
Zuo Xiangning stiffened, her expression tense as she grasped the railing beside her.
However, Zuo Zimo had already passed her and walked down two steps toward the staircase, "Brother Gu, what brings you here?"
"I had arranged to dine with a few friends." Gu Zhiqing looked at the petite figure with their back to him on the stairs and asked, "Brother Zuo, are you also here with a friend?"
"I came with that, my younger brother." Zuo Zimo smiled and called to Zuo Xiangning, "Younger brother?"
"Is it the Fourth Miss?" Gu Zhiqing walked up next to Zuo Xiangning.
Zuo Xiangning had no choice but to look up at him, the man she abhorred to her very core.
This man possessed a handsome appearance.
He was in the prime of youth, gentle and refined, noble and dignified.
But Zuo Xiangning knew he was nothing but a sanctimonious beast in gentleman's clothing!
Gu Zhiqing saw Zuo Xiangning's startled look, her shoulders like cut jade, skin like smooth cream, beautiful eyes, and rosy lips, like a delicate rosebud waiting to bloom.
This was a woman.
In the Southern Jin Dynasty, it was common for women to go out in public, but to avoid unnecessary trouble, women from prominent households often ventured out dressed as men.
Gu Zhiqing only needed a moment's thought to guess who this woman was.
However, he didn't expect that although the Zuo Family's Fourth Miss had put on some weight, her eyes and eyebrows were so remarkable. No wonder King Qi had said that even though she was born of a concubine, she did not disgrace his second brother.
But the way she looked at him puzzled him, as if she was hiding many things.
"I originally wanted to introduce Brother Zuo to a few friends, but since it's inconvenient for Brother Zuo, let's talk about it another time when the opportunity arises," Gu Zhiqing looked deeply at Zuo Xiangning, nodded at Zuo Zimo, and let the siblings go upstairs first.
Once inside the private room, Zuo Xiangning sat silently on the chair.
"That was none other than Eldest Young Master Gu, Gu Zhiqing," Zuo Zimo said excitedly, "I heard his younger brother looks quite similar to him, but seems to be even taller."
Zuo Xiangning glared at Zuo Zimo with furrowed brows.
"Don't tell me you don't know about the Gu Family coming to propose a marriage," Zuo Zimo sat next to her and said with a smile, "Sister, the Gu Family is really not bad, their household is simple, with a clear and upstanding family reputation..."
"Third Brother, when did you meet Gu Zhiqing? How come I wasn't aware?" Zuo Xiangning asked, voicing the doubts in her heart.
"I was introduced by Second Brother a few days ago," Zuo Zimo said somewhat proudly, "Although his relationship with Second Brother is just average, we really hit it off."
Zuo Xiangning looked at her foolish and naïve Third Brother and patiently said, "You don't know him well, it's better to keep your distance."
"But he's Tanhuang Lang!" Zuo Zimo said with envy, "His Majesty has nothing but praise for him."
"Then, if I, as your sister, ask you to keep distance from him?" Zuo Xiangning asked.
"Okay, okay, I'll keep my distance," Zuo Zimo asked perfunctorily, "What do you want to eat? Shall I order a couple of signature dishes?"
Zuo Xiangning looked at Zuo Zimo who obviously had not taken her words to heart, and she was secretly frustrated.
After they finished eating and were ready to pay the bill, they discovered that Gu Zhiqing had already settled it.
"Brother Gu is really meticulous in his ways," Zuo Zimo said to his sister, "I'm going to greet him."
After saying that, he scurried off, and Zuo Xiangning called out to him, but he didn't even turn his head back.
A while later, Zuo Zimo returned beaming with joy, "His friends are all young and promising talents, all very worthwhile to make acquaintances with. I mentioned I bought a barren mountain at Mingyue Mountain today, and they were rather interested, even proposing to go check it out with me tomorrow..."
Zuo Xiangning felt chills run up her spine.
Gu Zhiqing going to Mingyue Mountain? Could he have heard something?
Seeing Zuo Xiangning's displeased expression, Zuo Zimo quickly tried to appease her, "Why are you still angry? I won't go with them tomorrow, and I'll keep my distance from them in the future, alright?"
Zuo Xiangning was definitely unhappy, but she also knew that her Third Brother was a loyal and honest person—forcing him would only backfire.
"I'm not angry," Zuo Xiangning said gently, "I'm just afraid someone might deceive you. Those who appear to be gentlemen on the surface often have a different side underneath."
Zuo Zimo nodded in agreement, "I'll be careful."
Zuo Xiangning knew her Third Brother hadn't taken her seriously and, feeling uneasy, she cautioned him again. "Third Brother, I really like that mountain. No matter who has designs on it, you must not entertain the thought of selling it."
Zuo Zimo nodded with a smile, "I know."
When the carriage arrived at the front gate of the house, the butler rushed forward anxiously, "My good young master, good miss, where have you been? Madame has been going frantic with worry!"
Only then did Zuo Xiangning remember that she had hurried out in her eagerness about the gold mine and had forgotten to inform Madame Jiang.
"You didn't tell Mother?" Zuo Zimo instantly wilted like a frost-bitten eggplant, "Now we're in for it."
When Madame Jiang saw them enter the house, she started scolding her son first, "You really have some nerve. Your sister has just recovered from her illness, and you took her out for the whole day. What would we have done if something had happened?"
"Mother, I was wrong," Zuo Xiangning moved close to Madame Jiang, tugging at her sleeve with teary, pleading eyes, cooing, "It was I who insisted that Third Brother take me out. I won't dare to do it again."
Madame Jiang, seeing her daughter's delicate, darling state, could hardly bear to scold her further, so she lifted her hand to touch her forehead, ensuring she wasn't feverish, before asking, "Where did you go?"
"We..." Zuo Xiangning stepped forward, wrapping her arms tightly around Madame Jiang's arm and said with a beaming smile, "Mother, we've bought a mountain at Mingyue Mountain. There are hot springs, fruit orchards, and rivers. We can build a villa, we can build farmsteads..."
Madame Jiang gave her children a skeptical look and questioned, "Bought a mountain?"