NOVEL WEB
Chapter 417
Gu Ying directly brought Xiao Gutou back to the Ye family.
When Qin saw her bring back such a dirty little boy, she didn’t ask much. She immediately arranged for people to prepare a bath and change of clothes for him.
After changing into brocade robes, the handsome young man had clear brows and bright eyes, pale skin, sharp facial features, broad forehead, large eyes, tall stature, and one could still see a hint of beauty in his brows and eyes.
It was evident that his parents were not bad looking, it was just that he was kidnapped when he was young, and then got separated from his sister, which led to his current circumstances.
Seeing Xiao Gutou sitting awkwardly in the chair, Gu Ying said to Qin, "Auntie, I want Xiao Gutou to stay at the Ye family with A Ning to study reading and writing, and learn martial arts. I wonder if that would be okay?"
"That's no problem," Qin smiled. "A Ying has a kind heart. Of course I'll go along with what you say. But looking at his age, sixteen or seventeen? We can't keep calling him Xiao Gutou. We should give him a new name."
Gu Ying thought for a moment. That's right, Xiao Gutou was the name she had given him in her previous life.
Having lost his family since childhood, and been kidnapped and sold off, he didn't know his own surname or given name. For his whole life, if he wasn't called Little Beggar, then she called him Xiao Gutou. He never had a name of his own.
Gu Ying pondered for a moment, and sincerely asked the youth, "Xiao Gutou, would it be alright if from now on you take my surname Gu?"
The young man's mouth quirked slightly, his eyes showing joy, and he nodded heavily, "Mm."
Gu Ying thought for a moment, then curved her lips and said, "How about Gu Xun?"
He had searched for his sister his whole life. Although it was futile, the tenacity of the young man was admirable.
She didn't plan on telling the youth that his sister was already dead, so as to let him keep a bright lamp in his heart, and live a safe, healthy, and peaceful life.
"That's good, A Xun, it sounds nice," Qin said supportively, sincerely happy for Xiao Gutou.
Gu Ying smiled and asked, "Do you like it, Xiao Gutou?"
The youth looked steadily at Gu Ying, with indistinct emotions churning in his eyes. After a long while, he solemnly said, "I like it."
And so Gu Xun's matter was settled. Qin arranged a courtyard for him right next to Gu Ning's.
When the two children met, they were both silent, yet strangely harmonious.
At least it was much better than when Gu Ming was "bullied" by A Ning at the Ye family.
Gu Ning did not reject Gu Xun, and even looked at him a few more times.
Shen Munian and Li Yunzhi were shocked when they saw Gu Xun, thinking him a talent from heaven at first glance, and competed to take him as a disciple.
Seeing Xiao Gutou properly settled, Gu Ying felt much more at ease.
Her uncle and aunt were so understanding and handled matters in a thoughtful and appropriate way.
Why was she deceived by villains in her previous life, estranging herself from her own family, and stubbornly fawning over the main wife of the Gu family?
Looking at the busy and radiant Qin, Gu Ying was moved. She leaned her head on Qin's shoulder, her nose turning sour, "Auntie is so nice."
Qin's smile softened, "Then move to live with auntie for a period of time, and let me care for you on behalf of your mother. Would that be okay?"
It was as if a warm current flowed through Gu Ying's heart. She spoke softly, "I'll come after my fourth sister's wedding matters are over."
Qin grinned from ear to ear. "A Ying approves of Frost and A Chi's marriage too?"
Gu Ying smiled, "Of course, cousin getting married is a big deal. Auntie should make careful arrangements."
She had advised Gu Shuang to consider carefully and given her a choice, but actually she had a strong premonition that this marriage could not be avoided.
The Fu family was in for regret.
As long as her fourth sister married her cousin, what awaited her would only be a lifetime of glory, wealth, food and clothing without worry, and her cousin's affection.
The men of the Ye family were all good people, none of them bad.
Qin smiled with eyes bent, saying, "I've already had your uncle write a letter to Haizhou, telling your maternal grandfather and other uncles and cousins to all come."
"They're all coming?"
Her mother's only brother was Ye Zhuohua, but the Ye family had countless branches. If they all came... wouldn't this wedding be extremely grand?
"Of course. This is the eldest grandson of my Ye family taking a wife. How could we not make a grand occasion of it? Your grandfather even wrote asking about A Chi's wedding a while ago. It would be unfair to Frost if we didn't properly hold a grand wedding ceremony, no?"
Gu Ying smiled amusedly, "I suppose so."
The more grandly the Ye family held this wedding, the more the Fu family would lose face.
Qin happily discussed the betrothal gifts list with Gu Ying for quite a while before letting her leave.
...
The Ye family moved so swiftly it left people breathless.
When all of Bianjing still thought the Ye family was just joking, Qin had already led the matchmaker to the doors of the Duke of Dongping's manor.
From formal proposal to selection of an auspicious wedding date, the Ye family only took five days.
Five days!
Ordinary families would still be preparing the betrothal gifts, yet the Ye family's procession that stretched a whole street had already been delivered to the gates of the Duke of Dongping's manor.
It was said that the leading servant boy had already entered the Hall of Eternal Life, and there were still ten carriages blocking the gates, unable to get in. Such a spectacular scene set all of Bianjing abuzz.
Someone passed on this news to the Fu family.
The Fu family matriarch was completely incredulous. She squinted her eyes and sent someone to investigate.
The person who returned said they saw with their own eyes Qin personally leading the convoy of betrothal gifts to the Duke of Dongping's manor, and had ostentatiously hired three or four matchmakers to give the Gu family sufficient face.
Now common folk were all talking about the Ye family's wedding, and some even said the nearly ninety year old Ye family elder had already set out to Bianjing, saying he wanted to personally oversee the Eldest Young Master Ye's marriage.
The Fu family matriarch still could not believe it. She had someone harness a carriage and went personally to the manor gates to see.
If she hadn't seen with her own eyes those redwood boxes filled with gold, silver, pearls, jewels, antiques, and paintings, she would never have believed that with Gu Shuang's status, she could really marry into the Ye family?
She knitted her brows, her body swaying, so angry her old eyes went dark.
"Did you investigate clearly? It really is Fourth Young Lady Gu?"
The maid said, "Yes, Old Madam..."
The Fu matriarch's complexion darkened. "Quickly return to the manor! What are you standing around looking at!"
The maid was badly frightened, and quickly said, "However I heard that Eldest Young Master Ye didn't come himself, only Qin came. Old Madam, does old servant need to go investigate some more?"
"What else is there to investigate, isn't this embarrassing enough!"
The Fu matriarch was extremely upset. Hearing this, her sagging old face relaxed a little. "That makes sense. Qin's words sound nice, but in the end she may not like a girl like Gu Shuang from a small family. And that heir of the Ye family, what kind of character is he, to be able to appreciate Gu Shuang? It must have been in the heat of the moment that day at the Fu residence that he impulsively said he wanted to marry her, and now he can't get out of it. Even if they do get married, two people so incompatible living together will certainly lead to good shows to watch."