Chapter 320: Banquet (13)

Mrs. Cui stood to the side, completely dumbfounded.

Even Qin Yuan couldn’t help but click her tongue.

However, those around them showed not the slightest bit of surprise, as if Gu Baoshu’s way of speaking and acting was nothing out of the ordinary.

Old Madam Gu, in her fury, couldn’t help but laugh: "Which family of civil servants doesn’t have many rules? Which family’s maiden can tolerate your unbridled mouth? You’re still young now, but if you speak like this a year from now and you aren’t ashamed, others will die of shame."

Only then did Mrs. Cui come to understand that daughters of military families were this unruly and rough. If not for Qin Yuan marrying into the Gu Family, she wouldn’t have thought it possible.

Though Gu Baoshu fell silent, she was inwardly defiant, muttering softly, "Can’t I find someone whose parents are both deceased, and has no sister-in-law at home?"

Qin Yuan secretly gave Gu Baoshu a thumbs-up in her heart, quickly grabbing a playbill to hand to Old Madam Gu, deftly changing the topic.

"Mother, this time I’ve invited the best opera troupe from Tong’s Theater. They’ve recently debuted a new play, but the whole opera takes several days to perform. Fortunately, they have many signature performances. The troupe master prepared a playbill. How about selecting a few for them to perform? If there’s time afterward, we can add more, and keep listening until we’re satisfied."

The women loved listening to operas and, hearing this suggestion, all looked over.

Old Madam Gu, forgetting her quarrel with Gu Baoshu, smiled as she took the playbill, handing it to Mrs. Cui, letting her choose first. The two politely declined back and forth until Mrs. Cui, unable to refuse further, selected a play called "Dream." Old Madam Gu, fond of excitement, chose "Drunken Beating the Mountain Gate," then proceeded to let others pick plays.

Qin Yuan looked at the playbill and couldn’t help but laugh.

Gu Baoshu secretly asked, "Third Sister-in-law, why are you laughing?"

Qin Yuan replied, "I’m laughing because Mother picked this particular play; perhaps she means it for you? Weren’t you just throwing your hairpin—isn’t it because you were a bit too merry from drinking? Not to mention what you said; Mother probably thinks you’ve gone a bit daft."

"Drunken Beating the Mountain Gate" tells of Lu Zhishen, who, after committing murder, hid in a temple as a monk, but couldn’t stand the ascetic life, sneaked out to drink, and drunkenly damaged the statues at the mountain gate, leaving the monks beaten badly and demanding the elder monk expel Lu Zhishen.

It seems... quite fitting indeed.

Gu Baoshu angrily said, "Third Sister-in-law, are you laughing at me, comparing me to the warrior monk Lu Zhishen?"

Qin Yuan responded, "Aren’t you talking about learning martial arts to fight your future brother-in-law?"

Gu Baoshu couldn’t help but laugh, but then she pursed her lips, her eyes darting around as she slipped downstairs, having a servant around Sixth Master Gu to call him out.

Sixth Master Gu, with a flushed face from drinking, staggered out, asking, "Treasure Bead, why are you calling me at this hour?"

Gu Baoshu said, "I heard that Third Sister-in-law’s cousin is also here. Who is he? Point him out to me."

Half the alcohol in Sixth Master Gu instantly dissipated, and he stood straight, asking, "What are you up to?"

Gu Baoshu gritted her teeth, "Isn’t it that Xu Zhen fancies him? I want to see what kind of person he is."

"Ha, what are you, a child, learning if not good things, then such improper ways?" Sixth Master Gu said disapprovingly, "I always said the Xu family wasn’t suitable, but Mrs. Xu insisted on bringing Xu Zhen to teach you needlework. What has she taught you? Go back to watch the opera."

Gu Baoshu stood her ground, hands on her hips, asking, "Sixth Brother, tell me, isn’t Young Master Qin exceptionally learned?"

"Of course."

"Isn’t he handsome and dignified?"

"Certainly."

Gu Baoshu said, "Since you like him so much, why not make him our brother-in-law, so you can be close to him forever?"

The other half of Sixth Master Gu’s inebriation also vanished in shock.

"I say Xu Zhen won’t do, what more to say about you? Quickly leave; I’ll pretend I didn’t hear this. He’s a talented man; how can I watch a fresh flower being stuck in a cow dung?"

"What?"

Gu Baoshu was nearly exasperated to death, shaking her body while glaring, "Sixth Brother, am I not your biological sister?"

"Yes," Sixth Master Gu replied, looking at her curiously, "I watched with my own eyes as Hidden Woman carried you out of the delivery room."

Gu Baoshu stomped her foot in anger, with Sixth Master Gu softly coaxing, "Please, young ancestor, hurry up and leave. What’s the point of causing a scene here? What if someone hears?"

Not being able to persuade her, Sixth Master Gu said, "If Third Brother happens to see you making a scene later, he’ll probably lock you up again."

Gu Baoshu didn’t want to return to the opera, so she turned and headed to the martial arts practice ground, where she could hear some boys yelling from afar.

As she got closer, she saw two of her nephews and two children she didn’t know from whose families riding horses.

Brother Kang ran over, shouting, "Aunt, why aren’t you watching the opera? Why are you here?"

Fuguo’er was on horseback talking to Xiao Dong, while Qin Heng, with unfamiliar riding skills, was slowly ambling along.

Gu Baoshu said, "I couldn’t be bothered to watch, so I came to ride for a bit. On Mid-Autumn Festival, I want to play polo, and it’s been a while since I practiced, so I’m afraid I’ve become rusty."

"Playing polo?"

The little ones widened their eyes in amazement.

Gu Baoshu proudly raised her chin, instructing the servant at the practice ground to call her coachman to bring her horse.

Fuguo’er immediately boasted to Xiao Dong, "My aunt is great at riding horses. Every year she plays polo and is a crucial member of their team; they can’t do without her."

Xiao Dong looked envious and said, "When can we play polo too? Maybe your aunt can teach us a few tricks."

Qin Heng remained silent, continuing to slowly trot along on his horse.

Fuguo’er, staying on his horse, playfully begged Gu Baoshu from afar, "Aunt, teach us a couple of tricks, and we’ll cheer for you during Mid-Autumn."

Gu Baoshu snorted, "There’s already a lot of people watching your aunt play polo; we don’t need you there."

Fuguo’er sat upright and made a gesture of formal request on horseback, imploring, "Dear Aunt, show Qin Heng and Xiao Dong the horseback riding skills of our Gu Family."

"Qin Heng?" Gu Baoshu asked, "Is he one of the Qins?"

Brother Kang said, "Yes, Aunt. During the time we were at Feng Mansion, Fuguo’er and I were both at the Imperial College, and it was two uncles from the Qin Family looking after us. Qin Heng is Third Aunt’s brother."

Gu Baoshu asked in a whisper, "What does Qin Siyuan look like?"

Brother Kang, wise beyond his years, said, "Naturally, he’s a handsome gentleman, as everyone in Third Aunt’s family is good-looking. Father says he’s gentle as jade, a model gentleman. I’ve seen him, and there’s hardly anyone in the Imperial College better looking than him. Father said he’s sure to pass as an Advanced Scholar next year."

Gu Baoshu was overjoyed upon hearing this.

Brother Kang asked, "Aunt, haven’t you seen him yet? He’s been to our house several times and is even friends with Father."

"I haven’t seen him," Gu Baoshu said through gritted teeth.

This touched on her sore spot; she had been under house arrest for these past months and had just been released.

Brother Kang considerately offered a clever suggestion.

"Tonight, they’re going to recite poems influenced by fireflies. Let’s go together to watch. Father says they’re Poetry Worms and will compose poems upon seeing them. We don’t need to write poems, just watch the fireflies."

Gu Baoshu patted his little face and said, "You’re truly my good nephew. Later, Aunt will take you for a couple of laps."