The Whole Family is Reborn, But I Transmigrated into a Book - Chapter 16

Liu Qingyue felt that the scholar was a talent. Judging by his words, he wasn’t someone who chased fame or hollow reputation; rather, he was very down-to-earth. If he became an official in the future, he would undoubtedly be an upright and blunt one.

She reached out and poked Gu Qingjia, leaning into his ear to whisper, “Husband, what do you think of this scholar?”

She felt Gu Qingjia should get to know him. If Zhao Wenzhang ever attained a high position, perhaps he could speak on Gu Qingjia’s behalf.

Gu Qingjia was in no hurry. He gave Zhao Wenzhang a faint glance and replied softly, “No rush. Let’s observe a bit more.”

He could more or less guess her thoughts, but if one wanted to recruit talent, one must never act with undue haste. They knew nothing of the man’s character or depth of learning yet; it required a long-term plan.

“I see that his speech is refined. If he is a reliable person, it wouldn’t hurt to make an acquaintance. But you’re right, we should watch further. It would be bad if he turned out to be someone just fishing for a reputation.”

Liu Qingyue agreed that being cautious was best. After all, given their status, there were already people attempting assassinations in the shadows.

“We are resting in Ruzhou for a few days; we are bound to see him again.” Gu Qingjia was someone who could keep his composure; otherwise, he wouldn’t have survived all those years in the deep palace without fighting or grabbing for power.

However, that Zhao Wenzhang truly had a temper. Unable to find common ground with Zhang Boyuan and the others, he took his leave. Since the “protagonist” had left, Liu Qingyue stopped paying attention and focused on her food.

The restaurant truly lived up to its reputation as the best in Ruzhou; the dishes were exquisite, and both color and flavor were excellent. Liu Qingyue ate to her heart’s content, while Gu Qingjia poured a cup of wine and sipped it, subtly scanning their surroundings.

They were fresh faces in Ruzhou, and by coming straight to a famous local restaurant, it was difficult not to attract attention. However, he hadn’t expected some people to be so unable to sit still.

Liu Qingyue also sensed people watching them, though she didn’t know if they were there to assassinate them or had some other purpose.

“Don’t mind them,” Gu Qingjia said softly, bringing the wine cup to his lips. Even if they were ill-intentioned, they shouldn’t be allowed to ruin a meal. Hearing this, Liu Qingyue acted as if nothing was wrong and continued eating. Her mindset had always been quite resilient.

“Sir, Madam, my master invites you both for a talk.”

The messenger was observant; he only approached to invite them after Liu Qingyue had finished eating. Gu Qingjia raised an eyebrow, gave him a cold look, and said flatly, “Your master invites me—is this how he invites guests?”

There were many people hidden in the restaurant; clearly, they were determined to see them.

“I hope the Young Master will forgive us.” The man bowed slightly, the smile on his honest-looking face never fading. “My master has no ill intent; he simply hopes you will grace him with your presence and bring your lady for a chat.”

Gu Qingjia didn’t care if they had ill intent, but he had no guards with him and feared he couldn’t protect Liu Qingyue.

Liu Qingyue took Gu Qingjia’s hand and said with a smile, “Husband, since they’ve invited us so earnestly, it would be rude to refuse. Let’s go and meet them.”

She spoke up to tell him not to worry about her. If they refused, they likely wouldn’t be able to leave easily anyway. Unless they left Ruzhou immediately, the other party would just come knocking at their door. In that case, it was better to go gracefully now and not appear suspicious.

Gu Qingjia squeezed her hand back, stood up, and pulled her into his arms, loosely encircling her waist in a protective stance. “Lead the way.”

He was always a man of few words with strangers, especially when they “invited” him in such a manner. The messenger didn’t mind his attitude; his only goal was to complete the task.

“This way, please. My master is in a private booth on the third floor.”

The third floor was not open to ordinary people. Gu Qingjia narrowed his eyes; it seemed this person’s status was unusual.

“Master, the two guests have arrived.” The guide’s attitude was respectful, clearly showing great fear of this master.

“Please, come in!” A clear, refined voice of a young man rang out from inside.

Gu Qingjia had never left the Imperial City and had lived in seclusion even after becoming a King and establishing his estate. He naturally didn’t know anyone in Ruzhou, so he was curious about the reason for this meeting.

Upon pushing the door open, he was met with a magnificent layout, every detail dripping with luxury. The person did not show his face, remaining hidden behind a screen. It was an intricately carved glass screen—a treasure hard to find even for a thousand pieces of gold. This clearly didn’t look like an ordinary booth for hosting guests.

Gu Qingjia grew more curious about the person’s identity, and his grip on Liu Qingyue’s waist tightened.

“Young Master, there is no need to be nervous. I am aware of your identity, and I have no ill intent.” The person spoke and let out a light chuckle. “My subordinates are clumsy. If they have offended you, please forgive them for my sake.”

Gu Qingjia let out a cold snort. “How does someone who doesn’t even dare show his face have the nerve to say such things?”

“It is not that I dare not show my face.” The person sighed faintly, sounding helpless. “You and I were not meant to meet at this time, but since you have come to Ruzhou, I thought I ought to see you…”

“If you want to meet, meet openly. If you don’t want to, then there’s no need to meet in the future.” Gu Qingjia didn’t care for his excuses. In this world, aside from his Imperial Father and the woman in his arms, no one was worth wasting time playing games with. He was a Prince and a King; he was of noble status, and not just anyone could demand his tolerance.

The person clearly understood the pride hidden beneath Gu Qingjia’s restraint. Since reaching adulthood, the Prince had never let himself be mistreated. He raised his hand, and the attendants beside him moved the screen away.

“My surname is Jiang. The world calls me Young Master Jiang.”

He opened his thin lips and met Gu Qingjia’s gaze. His face carried the air of illness, and he sat in a wheelchair. Gu Qingjia looked at the somewhat familiar features and frowned. If he had seen such a unique individual before, he should have remembered.

Before he could speak, Young Master Jiang raised a finger to his lips, signaling him to be silent. Gu Qingjia gave him a long, deep look, then led Liu Qingyue away. This time no one blocked them; it seemed this Young Master Jiang truly only wanted to see him once.

After they left, Young Master Jiang coughed up blood. He felt somewhat fortunate that Gu Qingjia hadn’t given him “face”; otherwise, it would have been bad for the Prince to see this.

“Master, you were still too hasty.”

“Hasty?” Young Master Jiang wiped the blood from his lips with a handkerchief and said indifferently, “I have waited for nearly twenty years. I have been patient enough.” He tossed the handkerchief aside, a faint smile playing on his lips. “Send people to protect them in secret. If they are harmed, none of you need to remain alive.”

His eyes flashed with ruthlessness; he would never allow Gu Qingjia to be hurt.

“Yes, Master,” a voice answered from the shadows.

Young Master Jiang reverted to his sickly, weak appearance, took a cup from a maid, and rinsed his mouth. “All of you, leave.” He closed his eyes, his voice tinged with weariness. He always presented himself as someone in poor health and low energy, yet not a single person around him dared to betray him.

Along the way back, Liu Qingyue remained silent. She remembered that in none of the books did this person appear. Now that the plot for her and Gu Qingjia had changed, this Young Master Jiang had appeared. Who was he? What was his purpose? They had no way of knowing.

Gu Qingjia was also lost in thought, unable to judge if the man was friend or foe. After returning to the inn, they didn’t speak immediately, both contemplating the sudden incident.

“Lady, do you regret coming out with me?” Gu Qingjia asked after a long while.

Liu Qingyue gave him a strange look. “Why would I regret it? I find the things we’ve experienced on this journey very interesting. Although it’s been a bit dangerous at times, aren’t you doing your best to protect me, husband?”

Gu Qingjia wasn’t sure why he had asked. They weren’t a couple in love; they were merely tied together by an Imperial decree of marriage. “It’s nothing. Just a random question.” He felt a bit flustered but quickly regained his calm.

“But this Young Master Jiang is really a bit strange. Going to all that trouble just to see us, yet saying nothing once he did.” Liu Qingyue spoke as if complaining. Not knowing if Gu Qingjia recognized him, she spoke her thoughts directly.

“I don’t know his purpose either, but whatever it is, it has nothing to do with us. We’ll be leaving in a few days.” Gu Qingjia didn’t want to get involved in too much trouble. Liu Qingyue didn’t support him fighting for the throne, and he hadn’t planned to anyway.

The throne was good, but an Emperor also faced many things beyond his control. His Imperial Father had labored for decades, yet there were still those with hidden agendas in court and enemies at the borders. Since he received the support of the people, he had the responsibility to be a good Emperor and ensure they lived in peace. But being a good Emperor—how could that be easy?

Gu Qingjia certainly had the confidence to be a good Emperor, but he would have to pay an enormous price. He knew Eldest Brother had political talent and could be ruthless; Second Brother held military power and could guard the land; even the Third Brother, though a bit of a playboy, could probably manage a few schemes if forced to be Emperor.

He turned his head to look at the woman beside him. He would rather be a carefree, idle Prince. He just didn’t know if his brothers would allow him that grace. After all, his Imperial Father had climbed to the top over the corpses of his own brothers. In the Imperial family, blood relations were far less important than that high seat. His father had walked that path, yet still wished for his sons to be harmonious and brotherly. Even his Princess, a weak woman, could understand this.

Gu Qingjia smiled mockingly at the thought.

“Tomorrow, we’ll find a chance to meet that Zhao Wenzhang. If he truly has talent and learning, I could take him in as a guest retainer.” Gu Qingjia’s estate was very simple; there were only servants, and not a single guest retainer. In contrast, the other Princes had many strategists around them.

“Putting him in the Prince’s estate is too risky. If he is truly that kind of person, he’s more suitable in the court,” Liu Qingyue shook her head. She could see that for a man like Zhao Wenzhang, getting him to sincerely acknowledge a master would be difficult. Their time was short; it was better to simply make a connection for now.