Seeking Happiness

Chapter 197 The marriage

In the end, they slept at different places at night.

Gu Xiran gave up his place for Shu Huan and Shang Xin. Liangchen and Meijing stayed in the place where Shu Yue used to live. There was no bed on this temporary place and they could only lie on a flat wooden board. They spread a sheet as a quilt. It was very uncomfortable. However, knowing that Gu Xiran was not far away, Shu Huan still slept well and peacefully. It could be considered the night she slept the best during this one month.

When she got up early the next morning, there was already a fire outside. The people who Shu Huan was familiar with, sat together. Gu Xiran poked the fire and was talking with Ji Danqing. Seeing that Shu Huan had come, he (JDQ) quickly moved aside to make place for her. While he (GXR) was at it, he grabbed her hand and warmed them on his chest. He whispered, “Are you cold?”

Shu Huan shook her head. Seeing the small pot hanging above the fire which was emitting a warm steam, she looked inside of it. She saw that there were not delicious things cooked inside of it. It was porridge mixed with wild vegetables and miscellaneous grains. She quickly called Meijing to go get the sesame-coated cakes she had bought in the neighboring city. After she spread them to everyone and baked it a bit on the fire, it was also very fragrant.

It was a delicacy to have such a thing to eat during a disaster.

Gu Xiran took out two yams that had been buried under the fire. After he cooled them for a while, he gave one to Du Qiu and Ji Danqing. He put the other one in Shu Huan’s hand and whispered, “The weather is a bit cold. Hold it to warm your hand.”

Everyone was chatting. Shu Huan looked at the yam in her hand and then looked around.

In fact, the sky hasn’t completely lit up. There was fire and smoke everywhere. It could be seen that there was a lot of people who took up temporary shelter here, but they weren’t noisy at all. the voices of the people seemed distant and absent with the quietness that was unique in the morning.

When Shu Huan turned her head back, she broke that yam in half and gave a half to Gu Xiran. Then, she asked, “Where is Zhang Zirong? Why haven’t I seen him?”

The others didn’t answer yet when Meijing said first, “Someone came last night when miss was asleep, saying that Zhang household had sent him to look for young master Zhang. They had been searching for him these past few days and finally got news about him. The two talked for a while. When I woke up in the morning, they were nowhere to be seen.”

Gu Xiran said, “He and that servant went to Suhe City. Zhang household had relatives there.”

After a slight pause, he spoke again, “Gu Da’s illegitimate brother is also in Suhe City.”

He already didn’t call Gu Da master anymore. It seemed that Gu Xiran was sick and tired or Gu household and wanted to completely have nothing to do with them. Shu Huan knew his true identity and didn’t feel that there was anything wrong with that, but the eyes that the others casted over was full of surprise.

Ji Danqing spoke first, “What? You don’t plan to go back anymore?”

Gu Xiran shook his head and said, “My tolerance is limited.”

Meijing couldn’t help but quickly say, “Then, what about miss?!”

In this world, only the elders could refuse to recognize the grandchildren ad drive them out of the home. When had there been someone like Gu Xiran who acted the opposite? It happened that Gu household had arranged a marriage for him, then, wouldn’t he and Shu Huan’s matter be delayed?

Gu Xiran didn’t think that he was disobedient. He held Shu Huan’s hand and said without panic, “I’ve thought about it. Gu household’s letter of announcing divorce had been handed to the feudal office. It had been long lost under the current circumstance, so, a divorce hasn’t happened.”

“Not right!” Ji Danqing shook his head. “The original one is in old madam’s hand”

Gu Xiran said, “I’ve decided to let the prefectural magistrate separate the household registration of both of us. To be properly prepared, I will send out a letter of appointment to marry her again. As for the marriage that old madam arranged, let her deal with that herself.”

The prefectural magistrate was still relying on him to make decisions. Moreover, Jingtian City had suffered a catastrophe and it was naturally necessary to re-examine the population afterwards. It was easy to arrange such a small matter as a household registration.

Liangchen was thoughtful and interjected, “It isn’t a small matter to cancel a marriage. If old madam doesn’t deal with it well, what will second young master do?”

“Simple!” Gu Xiran laughed. “If Zhang household isn’t afraid of losing face and want to see me in court, I will be up for this challenge!”

Shu Huan casted a glance at him smilingly.

Insidious! Insidious!

In this era, cancelling a marriage was something that would damage a girl’s reputation seriously. People who didn’t know about the inside of the matter would think that there was a defect on the girl’s body or that she had a bad character. Zhang household would be anxious to bury this news; how would they not be afraid of hurting their face and go to court?

If they truly didn’t care and went to court, they would completely have an acrimonious fall-out with Gu household. If they win the lawsuit, would Zhang Hanfang have a good life after she married into Gu household? If they didn’t win, then, does Zhang Hanfang still want to marry in the future? No matter how you look at it, they would suffer either way! However, they asked for this themselves. Otherwise, Zhang household should’ve used the reason that Gu Xiran was already married to decline old madam’s proposal. Instead, they turned a blind eye and let old madam cross the sea by trick and used the excuse that the wife had already been divorced.

• Cross the sea by trick: achieve one’s aim by underhanded means

Du Qiu had been listening silently. Suddenly, he said, “Then, what about my sister? What do you plan to do with her? You already won’t go back. You can’t let her continue to carry that identity and let her continue to stay in Gu household, right?”

Gu Xiran was stunned. He had truly forgotten about concubine Yun. Now, there was no need to worry about Gu Da’s reaction anymore. He immediately laughed, “I will write a letter of announcing divorce and give her to you. I will also change her name and return her status as being unmarried, so, she can marry easier in the future. What do you think?”

“I know you would say this!” Du Qiu casted a glance at him helplessly. “Fortunately, my mother was worried and went to Suhe City with her. Otherwise, if she had heard your words, she would cry again.”

On the day of the earthquake, he had rushed into Gu residence to search for Yun Yan. Originally, he wanted to take her out of there, but then he got to know that Gu household had a place where they could seek refugee from. It was safer than following him. Therefore, he let her go with Gu household. As for mother Du, she didn’t want to be separated once again from the daughter she had just found. Du Qiu saw that she was sad, he persuaded her and let her go with Yun Yan.

Regarding concubine Yun, Gu Xiran only could help till here. He couldn’t take more care of her even if mother Du wasn’t satisfied. Hence, he didn’t mention this matter again and only teased Du Qiu, “I will say something you won’t like to hear. Don’t only worry about your little sister. You should also marry and have children.”

Du Qiu casted him a cold glance and said, “Second young master doesn’t have to worry about me!”

Gu Xiran didn’t mind that his teasing didn’t work. He only touched his nose and laughed.

After they chatted some more, the sky had become brighter. Successive bailiffs came over to report. Someone asked Ji Danqing over to look at a patient. Shu Huan saw that Gu Xiran was busy and didn’t disturb him. She sent the maids to clean up their places. Since, she had nothing to do, she helped that old servant of Ji Danqing sort out the herbs.

She wasn’t familiar with the medical herbs, so, she sorted very slowly at first. After she gradually became familiar with them, she was fully invested. She didn’t expect that suddenly someone came in and asked, “Is the doctor here? Quickly ask him to come out and have a look at my young master!”

The tone of this person was extremely arrogant and rude. Shu Huan was unhappy the moment she heard that. She turned and saw that it was one master and one servant. One was holding the other. The one who asked was the servant. The young master looked like he had injured his leg. He was groaning, but when he saw Shu Huan, he went stunned.

Of course, when Shu Huan saw him, she was also stunned. Not only was she stunned, she felt headache and disgust.