Riding the Long Wind – Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Most of what Gu Jiusi knew about Ye Shi’an came from his father, Gu Langhua.

His father was a merchant, but one who loved poetry and classical literature, and who had always wanted his son to study hard and earn a title through the imperial examinations. Gu Jiusi had never had any interest in studying. He had been restless since he was small, always looking for something better to do than sit with a book. To motivate him, Gu Langhua had frequently held up Ye Shi’an as the example he should be following, which meant Gu Jiusi had formed a thoroughly unfavorable impression of Ye Shi’an very early in life.

Now, hearing that this paragon was going to marry a scheming, unremarkable-looking girl like Liu Yuru, Gu Jiusi could not quite keep the glee off his face.

The corner of his mouth tugged upward. He turned it over in his mind for a moment, then tapped Chen Xun with his fan. “Find someone to keep an eye on Liu Yuru for me.”

“Keep an eye on her? What for?” Chen Xun blinked, and then his eyes went wide. “Jiusi, do not tell me you have taken a liking to Liu Yuru.”

“What are you talking about?” Gu Jiusi smacked him over the head with the fan. “Do I have that little taste? I am telling you, even if every woman in the world dropped dead, I would still never marry her.”

“Then why are you having Chen Xun watch her?” Yang Wenchang was suspicious. He had always felt that Gu Jiusi was capable of anything. Gu Jiusi raised an eyebrow. “She made fools of us today. You are both just going to let that stand? Think about it. She is Ye Shi’an’s future wife. Ye Shi’an has been looking down on us for years, and now his woman is doing the same thing. If we do not hit back, can we even call ourselves men?”

Yang Wenchang and Chen Xun considered this, and found it fairly reasonable.

Ye Shi’an was the person every wastrel in Yangzhou resented most. He had lorded his academic achievements over them for years. Now his intended was doing the same. This could not be endured. They had to retaliate.

The three reached their agreement quickly. Chen Xun immediately went to find his street contacts and arranged for someone to take up a post outside the Liu household, watching for any movement, day or night, and reporting everything without exception.

While the three of them were plotting on one side of the city, Liu Yuru had dragged Liu Siyu at a full run back to her small courtyard, calmed her down, and reassured her until Liu Siyu was finally able to breathe again. Then Liu Yuru went home.

Sitting in the carriage on the way back, she felt a headache starting.

Liu Siyu was safe now. Gu Jiusi would never agree to marry her, and with the way his family indulged him, no one would force him. The problem was that she had now made an enemy of Gu Jiusi herself.

She had always been careful. Cautious. This was the first time she had acted rashly, and she had managed to attract exactly the sort of trouble she least needed. The one comfort was that she was about to be married.

That thought settled her somewhat. She let out a slow breath and told herself to stop worrying.

Once she was Ye Shi’an’s wife, Gu Jiusi could be as displeased with her as he liked. He would still have to show some consideration for the Ye family’s face, and let the matter drop. The Gu family might look down on merchants like the Lius, but a gentry family like the Yes was another matter entirely. And besides, she was only a young girl. Gu Jiusi was a grown man. Surely he would not stoop to making trouble for her.

Still, she could not quite settle, and found herself hoping that Ye Shi’an would come home soon so the engagement could be formally announced.

In the days that followed, she kept one ear out for news of Ye Shi’an’s return while also having someone watch for any movement from the Gu household. Not two days had passed before Yin Hong came in with a grin and said: “Miss, have you heard? Yesterday Master Gu’s father was so furious he chased the young master through the street with a stick.”

At the sound of Gu Jiusi’s name, Liu Yuru’s hand gave a small tremble. She kept her head down over her embroidery and said with studied indifference: “Oh? What happened?”

“Something to do with the marriage business.” Yin Hong tidied the table as she chatted. “Apparently Young Master Gu was shouting all over the street that his marriage is his own affair, and that any proposal his parents make without his consent counts for nothing. Master Gu flew into such a rage he went back inside, came out with a stick, and chased him down the road.”

The whole room laughed. Liu Yuru could not help smiling herself.

The dream came back to her, unbidden.

Gu Jiusi was not, at bottom, a bad person. He was reckless and outrageous in his habits, but he had never done anything truly harmful or cruel. He was more the sort who made Yangzhou the scene of one spectacle after another. Someone like that, annoying as he was, deserved better than the end she had seen in the dream. That would have been too cruel a fate.