The engagement between the Jiang and Qin families was quickly finalized, and both families were filled with joy. As for Qin Caiyin's reputation, it had also improved a great deal. After Jiang Che recovered, he went out to meet his friends and told them exactly what had happened that day.
It turned out that Jiang Che had happened to spot Qin Caiyin being abducted. He chased after the carriage all the way. Before long, the carriage plunged off a cliff, and Qin Caiyin had spent most of an hour alone with him.
Moreover, the facts investigated by Lu Jinchen served as evidence. All the fleeing bandits they had found that day had been killed by the dagger Jiang Che always carried.
The reason the news had been revealed so late was, of course, that Jiang Che had suffered severe burns and injuries and had not been able to clear Qin Caiyin's name in time. Now that the truth had come to light and the two families were engaged, it was truly a happy ending for everyone.
Upon hearing this news, Mrs. Qin was in a daze for a long time before she said, "It's a pity that the Jiang family is not an ideal place. We don't know if it will be a blessing for Caiyin to marry into that family."
Mrs. Jiang consoled her, saying, "My elder brother has been blinded by power and influence, but my nephews are all good kids. And as the saying goes, children have their own fates. Sister-in-law, don't worry about it."
After hearing this, Gu Liyue just smiled and lowered her head to continue making tassels. The jade pendant she had chosen was of good quality and in a fashionable style.
Tangyuan propped her chin up with her hand and asked, "Miss, why on earth are you learning to make tassels? Are you making it for someone?"
Gu Liyue blushed and nodded without saying much. She had made dozens of tassels, but was never satisfied, so she was determined to make a perfect one.
Seeing that she didn't want to talk, Tangyuan just shrugged and said, "Fine. Miss, you can keep making it. I'll go check on Yunniang."
Yunniang's health was improving, but the root cause of her illness remained, and she relapsed every now and then. Even taking a hot spring bath every other day didn't seem to have much effect.
Gu Liyue specifically asked the old lady if there was a suitable hot spring on any of the Gu family's manors.
The old lady thought for a while and said, "No. There are a few manors in the capital that have hot springs. If it really doesn't work out, I'll ask a few old friends for help."
After Yunniang heard this, she specifically asked someone to tell Gu Liyue not to go to so much trouble, saying that she was much better.
Just like this, the Lantern Festival soon arrived. Gu Liyue was overjoyed. Last year, she had spent the Lantern Festival with Lu Jinchen, Gu Chengzhi, and Lin Zhijie. Surely Lu Jinchen would come to pick her up this year too?
But in the late afternoon, Qin Caiyin sent a message, saying that she would go out to play with Gu Liyue that night.
Gu Liyue quickly sent Danju to reply, saying, "It's not possible tonight. Why isn't she going out with Jiang Che?"
Danju explained, "I asked. They're going out together."
Gu Liyue nodded, but she was a bit worried. She wondered if Lu Jinchen would mind so many people going out together.
But at night, Qin Caiyin came over happily. She was dressed very beautifully and kept complaining that Gu Liyue was dressed too simply. "Even if you're not going to see your sweetheart tonight, there's no need to wear such light makeup. You should dress up nicely to fit the occasion."
Gu Liyue paused and asked in confusion, "What do you mean by not seeing..."
Qin Caiyin was extremely surprised. "Don't you know? The emperor is going out of the palace tonight. As the emperor's beloved nephew, Prince Lu naturally has to accompany him and can't come to accompany you."
Gu Liyue was in a daze for a long time. Lu Jinchen hadn't told her, and he didn't even send a message. She felt very uncomfortable, but in the end, she didn't say anything and just got in the carriage with Qin Caiyin.
All the way out, they went to the Tianmi River Bank as usual. Since the emperor was coming to enjoy the view today, the Tianmi River Bank had been decorated especially beautifully. The shops selling lanterns were also much more orderly than in previous years.
The young masters of the Gu family, including Gu Chengzhi, were busy maintaining order that day and couldn't afford to be the least bit careless. So Gu Liyue could only follow Qin Caiyin and her elder brother from the Qin family.
Qin Caiyin grumbled, "My elder sister is really something. How many more days will she have to go out and play after getting married? I invited her, but she just wouldn't come."
Gu Liyue was in a bad mood, so she just replied, "There's nothing fun anyway. I shouldn't have come out. I might as well have stayed at home embroidering."
Qin Caiyin pinched her face and said, "What nonsense. You still have me. Won't you accompany me?"
Gu Liyue thought to herself that once Jiang Che came, Qin Caiyin would surely go off to play with him. She clutched the jade pendant in her palm, put it away carefully, and forced a smile.
Qin Caiyin happily bought a lantern and turned back to ask Gu Liyue, "Liyue, what kind of lantern do you want? Let's go release them together later."
Gu Liyue shook her head. "I'm not going to release lanterns."
Qin Caiyin insisted. "Why not? Let's release them together. Since Jiang Che isn't here, let's release one first."
Gu Liyue paused for a moment and then whispered an explanation. "Today is the anniversary of my parents' death. I just planned to take a stroll. I didn't plan to release lanterns."
Qin Caiyin felt very embarrassed. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."
Gu Liyue smiled. "Why apologize? Since I've already decided to come out and play, I naturally don't have any other thoughts. I just won't release lanterns."
In previous years, she had missed her parents every year. Although she couldn't remember what her parents looked like and could only imagine a faint shadow of them through Yunniang's sign language. But this year, she missed them less and less. Maybe it was because she was living a very contented life and no longer needed to use the longing for her parents to fantasize about how good her life would be if her parents were still alive.
Before long, Jiang Che came. He was much better and was holding a lantern in his hand, which he wanted to give to Qin Caiyin.
Gu Liyue was considerate and took the initiative to say goodbye, planning to go and sit in a riverside restaurant nearby to rest. There were several restaurants by the Tianmi River. The one not far from Gu Liyue wasn't very big, but since the Qin family had reserved a table in advance, there probably weren't any seats available in other restaurants. But just as she was walking towards the restaurant, she heard some young ladies in front joking with each other.
"Have you heard about what happened to the Gu family recently?"
"Do you mean the thing about Gu Liyue having a former fiancé? Tsk tsk. I already felt sorry for her before, but now I feel even sorrier. It's bad enough that she was sent to the countryside, but she was also framed by her fiancé and cousin like that."
"Now she's finally had a turn for the better."
Gu Liyue paused. Although their words were full of pity, she felt very uncomfortable. She covered her chest. She had never cared about what others said before. What was wrong with her now? She had become so sensitive and delicate that she couldn't stand their pity and sympathy?
Another young lady laughed and said, "Speaking of which, it was really a blessing for her to marry Prince Lu. Who would have thought that she had a former fiancé. It's really a pity for Prince Lu."
Maybe the other young ladies were afraid of being heard, so they pulled her and didn't say any more. But basically everyone thought the same way. A man like Prince Lu actually had to marry Gu Liyue, and this Gu Liyue had been engaged before.
Gu Liyue hesitated. It wasn't good for her to go over, but if she didn't... Where could she go?
The wind blew, and the withered osmanthus flowers fell one after another, like a fragrant rain landing on Gu Liyue's head and face. She stood there for a long time without moving.
Just then, a man walked over. He had his hair tied up with a jade crown, and the dark-golden embroidered ribbon on it fluttered in the wind. He had an extraordinary air about him, which naturally attracted the attention of the noble ladies. But he walked straight towards Gu Liyue without even glancing at them.