like pearl and jade

53

Gu Zhi Yu, as the heir to the Gu Family, was the most reliable and motivated of the four Gu siblings. Gu Cun Jing, in comparison, was more lively compared to him. Gu Pan Qi was more narrow-minded in comparison while Gu Ru Jiu was relatively lazy. He seemed to have gathered all the best traits of his siblings, and the other families all admired Gu Chang Ling for having such an heir.

And because of this, everyone agreed when Gu Chang Ling asked to make him the heir. No one was discontent.

In the view of others, Gu Cun Jing was already exceptional enough, but he encountered an older brother even better than him. He should either be jealous or have other negative emotions. But the Gu brothers had a good relationship and never had any arguments. Some people felt regret about this inside.

Gu Zhi Yu had never disappointed his family. He had both martial and literary skill, he was educated and polite. Before marriage, he had received the favour of many girls. After marriage, he was respectful and loving towards his wife, and many women praised him.

Who would dislike an almost perfect and dedicated man?

It was because of this that so many women in the capital disliked the Sima third branch after Gu Zhi Yu’s wife was killed by the only son of the Sima third branch. Even Sima Xiang was ostracized.

Before the third Sima mistress died, she always thought it was the Gu Family acting behind the scenes that caused her and her daughter to be excluded by the noblewomen of the capital. They didn’t know that they were the ones who had caused their own situation.

“Thank you for letting me win.” Gu Zhi Yu pressed the tip of his sword at the Gaoluo swordsman’s throat. Then he gave a small smile to the swordsman, turned his sword downwards and bowed elegantly to the other.

“Thank you for your teaching; this one was outmatched.” The Gaoluo swordsman was embarrassed to have lost but he accepted his loss. He respectfully bowed to Gu Zhi Yu before leaving.

“Great Feng’s swordsmanship is really as they say. Hearing is not as good as seeing. Official Gu has such swordsmanship as a civil official. Our minds have been enlightened.” Among the Gaoluo envoys who had lost, a large man with a full beard stood up. He said in a praising tone as he bowed to Jin Yang, “This subject is a first-rank general of Gaoluo, Bo Xun Ge. This subject has a daughter of seventeen years. Is Official Gu willing to have her accompany you?”

The hand of the prime minister of Karu, Duo Mi, shook as he held a winecup. Was Bo Xun Ge crazy? This Official Gu was the empress’ elder brother, the heir to a first-rank ducal establishment. How could he marry a foreign woman? Not just as the legal wife—she couldn’t even be a concubine!

After Bo Xun Ge spoke, Gu Zhi Yu’s smile turned cold. He said coolly, “Thank you, General, for your goodwill. This one has no intentions of getting married.”

“Official Gu, what do you mean—do you look down on my daughter?” Bo Xun Ge felt that his daughter, the foremost beauty of Gaoluo, should marry a good-looking and elegant man.

Great Feng was both rich and prosperous, and the men were not as rough as those from Gaoluo. As a man, he felt the men of Gaoluo were more masculine. But as a father, he felt it was better for his daughter to marry a nobleman from Great Feng.

As a father, he felt his daughter was of noble birth and beautiful. It wouldn’t be social climbing to marry a third-rank Feng official. But the other didn’t give him any face and directly refused.

Bo Xun Ge’s face immediately darkened. He narrowed his eyes and said, “Please, Official Gu, consider carefully.”

“General Bo Xun Ge.” Gu Ru Jiu, who hadn’t spoken much since the banquet started, started talking. She put down her wine cup and said neutrally, “I hear that your country has a tradition of grabbing husbands. When nobles like a certain warrior, they would steal him home to be the son-in-law?”