GTB Chapter 57

Chapter 57: Matching Birthdates

Chapter 57: Matching Birthdates

Although the people in the room wanted to ask more, seeing Shí Qingya’s attitude, they understood her meaning. After exchanging glances, they all left the room.

“Sister-in-law, thank you.” Jiang Jiuchu didn’t expect her sister-in-law to help her avoid this predicament with a single sentence.

“Thank me for what? You two, go fetch some hot water.” Shí Qingya instructed the two maids.

Upon hearing this, Green Willow and Green Intentions quickly retreated and soon brought the hot water.

After a brief wash, the two sat on the edge of the couch, soaking their feet together.

“Does Jiuchu know that after you left like this, the world would no longer have a Jiang Jiuchu? From then on, you would have no way back.”

Jiang Jiuchu wasn’t surprised by her sister-in-law’s words and honestly replied, “Sister-in-law, this is the only way to avoid causing trouble for the Jiang family and to be with the person I love.”

“Then why did you come back?” Shí Qingya directly asked the most crucial question.

“I… Brother Fu must have had something urgent come up and didn’t come.”

Jiang Jiuchu’s words lacked confidence, feeling that her sister-in-law would definitely say that Brother Fu was unreliable.

But only she knew that Brother Fu was very reliable and would never break an appointment without a reason. He must have been held up by something, and she would go to Mo Feng Pavilion tomorrow to ask Brother Fu to explain.

Listening to this, Shí Qingya indeed felt that Song Fuge was very unreliable, and, taking Jiang Jiuchu’s hand, she earnestly advised:

“Regardless of the reason, the fact that he didn’t come remains. Even if he was helpless, it means his capabilities are lacking, and it may inevitably happen again in the future.”

“Moreover, things shouldn’t happen repeatedly. This kind of important matter is even more so. You’ve already gone so far once, and your sister-in-law hopes you won’t be impulsive again. Think thrice before acting, because this is a path of no return.”

“Yes.” Jiang Jiuchu nodded, knowing that her sister-in-law was doing it for her own good, but she had to ask Brother Fu before making any decisions.

At this moment, Song Fuge was in the Misty Valley of the Yue Ling Mountain Range.

Having been poisoned with Muscle Weakening Powder, he lay motionless on the bed in the wooden house. He turned his head and stared out the window, watching the full moon slowly move across the windowsill and disappear.

He closed his eyes, and the feeling of anxiety and panic had long overtaken the regret in his heart. He only prayed incessantly in his heart, praying that his Jiuchu would return early and not foolishly wait for him, praying for her safety.

It wasn’t until the sky gradually brightened that the torment in Song Fuge’s heart subsided slightly.

The door creaked open from the outside, and a red-clad woman named Xiaoyue walked in, carrying food.

She placed the tray on the old wooden table, then walked to Song Fuge’s bed, took out a pill, and handed it to him, saying, “The antidote is for you.”

Song Fuge’s expression froze, and he looked at the red-clad woman in disbelief. She was giving him the antidote so easily?

Seeing that he didn’t raise his hand to take it, the red-clad woman, realizing he was too weak to even lift his hand, directly stuffed the pill into his mouth.

Although Song Fuge was suspicious, he didn’t refuse. After all, in his current state, he could do nothing if this person wanted to harm him. He might as well take a chance; if it really was the antidote, he could leave immediately.

Slowly, probably as the medicine took effect, he felt as if he had regained a trace of strength throughout his body. He quickly sat up, got out of bed, and walked quickly towards the outside.

However, before he could take a few steps, his body instantly weakened again, and he quickly grabbed the doorframe, leaning against it.

Xiaoyue walked over with a smile, wanting to help him, but Song Fuge hurriedly shook her off. “Didn’t you say this was the antidote? Why do I still feel so weak? Could it be that the time hasn’t come yet?”

“It is indeed the antidote, but it only has less than 10% efficacy. As long as you don’t walk so fast, slow down, and conserve your strength, you can still walk twenty or thirty steps at a time, enough to solve your problems of using the toilet and eating.”

Song Fuge’s expression turned cold upon hearing this. “What exactly do you want?”

“My aunt said that debts should be repaid by the son for the father. The romantic debts that your adoptive father owed should be repaid by you. It just so happens that I’ve taken a liking to you, so don’t think about escaping. Obediently wait for my aunt to come out of seclusion and marry me, becoming my kept husband.”

“You… don’t even think about it.” Song Fuge looked at the woman in front of him with cold eyes. This was the first time he had hated a woman so much, and it was also the first time he had felt so aggrieved.

Xiaoyue didn’t seem annoyed and only said to herself, “Being able to meet you means we are destined. I’ve taken a liking to you, which means we are fated. Therefore, you are mine.”

Song Fuge regained some strength and didn’t respond, but instead walked outside, looking at the valley surrounded by mountains on all sides, filled with mist and possibly miasma.

He narrowed his eyes, thinking that even without being poisoned, it would probably take some effort to get out. In his current state, it was completely impossible to leave. He could only plan for the long term.

Thinking about the girl saying that her aunt was in seclusion, he thought that he had to quickly find a way to get the antidote and escape from this valley.

Jiang Residence, Crabapple Courtyard.

Green Willow reported to Jiang Jiuchu, “Miss, Young Master Fu is not at Mo Feng Pavilion, and Leng Da is also not there.”

“Not there?” Jiang Jiuchu was puzzled and worried, wondering if Brother Fu had gone on some mission? But Brother Fu knew about last night’s appointment and wouldn’t stay away for so long. She felt inexplicably worried.

“Oh, right, Miss, I passed by the front hall just now and saw a governess from the palace.”

Green Willow spoke of what she had inquired about, “I heard from Xiao Lan, who delivers tea in the front courtyard, that the governess was ordered by the Empress Dowager to come and get your birthdate.”

“Get my birthdate?” Jiang Jiuchu was a little surprised. They hadn’t even met, hadn’t asked about her personality, talent, or virtues? They came to get her birthdate first, which meant that the Empress Dowager attached great importance to this.

Then, if her birthdate didn’t match that of the Seventh Prince, wouldn’t this marriage be off?

Thinking of this, a light seemed to appear in her eyes, and she quickly began to pray in her heart, hoping that their birthdates didn’t match and that this was just a thrilling process with no real danger.

However, her prayers didn’t seem to work. After Governess Li returned to the Cining Palace with Jiang Jiuchu’s birthdate, the Empress Dowager quickly had someone invite Master Zhang.

“Master Zhang, how are these birthdates? Is she a blessed person? Does she match well with my grandson?”

Seeing that Master Zhang was constantly scrutinizing the two people’s birthdates, his excessively serious expression made her a little nervous.

Master Zhang was a famous Taoist priest in Dong Yue Kingdom, knowledgeable in astronomy, geography, and versed in Yin-Yang and the Five Elements, but he traveled outside all year round and rarely returned to the capital.

This time, the Emperor was uneasy about the Crown Prince’s matter. After learning that Master Zhang had returned to the capital, he immediately invited him into the palace to foretell the fate of the country, seeking advantages and avoiding disadvantages.

Therefore, after the Empress Dowager learned that Master Zhang had entered the palace and would only stay for two days before leaving, she suddenly sent Governess Li to the Jiang residence to retrieve Jiang Jiuchu’s birthdate.

Master Zhang put down the two pieces of paper with the birthdates written on them and stroked his half-white beard, saying, “Both are blessed people, and their birthdates match well, but…”

As he spoke, he pinched his fingers and calculated, making the Empress Dowager afraid to breathe loudly.

After Master Zhang finished calculating, he continued, “However, an auspicious day suitable for the two to marry must be selected within a month.”

“Within a month?” Although the Empress Dowager felt it was a bit fast, she thought that with more people to arrange things, a decent wedding could be held within a month.

But she was a little curious, “May I ask Master Zhang, why is this? Is it that besides the auspicious days this month, future auspicious days are not suitable?”

Master Zhang shook his head and said in a profound manner, “Heaven’s secrets cannot be revealed.”