Gu Huai Jiang gave him a glance.
“Come here.”
His tone was a little gentler than normal.
Gu Yi3Gu YiGu family sixth son was startled by the sudden favor, not daring to believe that his usually imposing father would be this gentle towards him.
Just as he was about to go forward, he suddenly saw Yu Fu fluttering little hands flying towards Gu Huai Jiang.
So turns out he wasn’t calling him.
“This flower bud bun that was comb with great difficulty is all dirty now.”
Gu Huai Jiang lowered his head, searching for flaky pastry crumbs on Yu Fu’s head, using his hand to help her remove them. He even had to be careful as to not mess up her hair.
Her age was still small, so she couldn’t comb her own hair properly. And in the army, there were only rough men, so there further wasn’t anyone that could comb her hair for her.
This hairstyle was when they’d temporarily stopped in the suburbs of the capital, a passing by village woman saw her stick her head out from the horse carriage, and finding her lovable and cute, she couldn’t help but fix her messy hair for her.
Yu Fu had her head lowered, very naturally letting Gu Huai Jiang dig around on the top of her head. However, Gu Xiang2Gu XiangGu family fifth son and Gu Yi to the side were both dumbfounded.
When have they ever……seen Gu Huai Jiang be this good to a child?!
Even eldest brother, Gu Shu Bai, who’s excelled in both character and his studies since youth, didn’t get this kind of treatment either!
Not only were they stunned, even Qi An, who’s served in the Marquis Manor his whole life, also seldomly seen Gu Huai Jiang be this gentle.
His old eyes slightly narrowed, sizing up little Yu Fu.
Could it really be as the young masters guessed, this little miss was Marquis’s illegitimate daughter from the outside?
“Marquis, ever since madam passed, our manor doesn’t even have a single servant girl. Only the back kitchen have a few old woman cooks. Miss Yu Fu doesn’t have anyone at her side to take care of her, so how about letting this old servant’s granddaughter Qi Ting come attend to her?”
Qi Ting was fifteen years of age and was Qi An’s one and only granddaughter.
Her father, Qi Zhou, also occupied an important position in the manor, so since childhood, she was also delicately raised like half miss, very rarely doing rough work.
Gu Huai Jiang thought for a moment, and then nodded.
“Alright, otherwise, without a girl taking care of Yu Fu, I really won’t feel at ease either.”
Qi Ting’s age was suitable and was also Qi An’s granddaughter. Having her take care of Yu Fu, Gu Huai Jiang felt reassured.
Qi An nodded in response, yet stormy waves stirred in his heart.
He mentioned having Qi Ting come take care of Yu Fu partly in attempt to sound out Gu Huai Jiang, wanting to know just how much Gu Huai Jiang cares about Yu Fu.
Unexpectedly, Gu Huai Jiang actually readily agreed. Looks like he really regards Yu Fu very highly.
Then that guess, nine times out of ten is true…….
“In the morning, I’d already ordered someone to pass on a message to sort out a clean courtyard, has it been taken care of?”
Gu Huai Jiang asked. And just as Qi An was about to reply, Gu Xiang unexpectedly spoke first.
“Because don’t know what father needed it for, second brother ordered people to have all the usable courtyards in the manor all tidied up. Father wants to give to Yu Fu to live?”
As soon as Gu Yi heard this, he became impatient, “Father, just let Yu Fu live here with us! Older brothers all like living in their own courtyard, but we like the liveliness, so just let Yu Fu live together with us!”
Gu Xiang and Gu Yi had only played with Yu Fu for half a day, yet in their hearts, towards this little sister, they already like her a lot.
Even if they weren’t born from the same mother, they still plan on taking care of Yu Fu.
That’s why, when Gu Huai Jiang mentioned courtyards, Gu Yi quickly opened his mouth to request letting Yu Fu live together with them.
When Gu Huai Jiang heard this, his face almost turned green.
Behind him, Qi An didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, thinking to himself, their family’s sixth young master was only sixteen, and still didn’t understand the etiquette between male and female.
“Nonsense! Yu Fu is a young lady, how can she live together with you two?! Just now, you were that improper, I still haven’t punished you, go to the ancestral hall yourself to receive ten beating with the rod!”
With that said, he brushed his sleeves and lead Yu Fu away, holding her little hand.
Well, Gu Yi originally could have escaped this calamity, but his words ended up bringing him ten whole beatings.
“Gu Xiang, say, why did father punish me?”
Although he’s gotten used to getting beat since childhood and didn’t really care about this mere ten beatings, he still wanted to figure out the reason why.
Gu Xiang was born only an hour earlier than him, but he faintly understood something.
“Because, Yu Fu she…..is a girl.”
Gu Yi curiously turned to look at him, like as if he didn’t comprehend what the concept of a girl was.
For as long as they could remember, the Marquis Manor has never had servant girls. Towards girls, this concept, they’re truly unfamiliar with.
And towards the concept of little sister, they were further unfamiliar with…..
“Marquis, these courtyards have all been neatly tidied up. Where do you want Miss Yu Fu to live?”
Holding Yu Fu’s little hand, Gu Huai Jiang didn’t dare to walk too fast, fearing that his strength might break her hand.
Hearing Qi An ask this, he stopped in his steps. After a moment of pondering, he crouched down and asked Yu Fu.
“Our manor has many courtyards, where do you want to live?”
Qi An was dumbstruck.
The heir was twenty this year, coming of age, and changed to a new courtyard. But Gu Huai Jiang didn’t let him pick for himself either!
Unexpectedly, towards Yu Fu, he actually was this indulgent.
Yu Fu wasn’t mindful of Qi An’s astonishment in the least. In her eyes, Gu Huai Jiang has always been a very benevolent elder, and a very dignified great general.
“Great General, I want to live a little closer to you! I don’t know anyone here, if I’m closer to you, if something happens, I can still look for you.”
Because they met in the army camp, Yu Fu thus followed Old Jin and them in calling Gu Huai Jiang Great General. It has already become a habit.
Gu Huai Jiang normally only hear rough men call him this. Only a little miss like Yu Fu can make the words ‘Great General’ come out softly and sweetly. It was surprisingly pleasant to hear.
He nodded, feeling Yu Fu’s thoughts were very reasonable.
“In the manor, which empty courtyards are the closest to the main courtyard?”
Gu Huai Jiang stood up and asked Qi An behind him. After all, the Marquis Manor was too big. He also couldn’t remember clearly what all courtyards there were.
Towards everything in the manor, Qi An knew very well by heart and quickly replied, “Pure Fragrant Courtyard is the closest, and that area along the lake still has two three courtyards. They are also not far from Marquis’s main courtyard.”
Gu Huai Jiang shook his head.
“Pure Fragrant Courtyard is too small, and that area along the lake is too far.”
“Then…..” Qi An thought for a moment and said, “Then there’s only the Western Wing left.”
The Western Wing was actually a courtyard. That place was the closest to the main courtyard, only separated by a corridor with hanging flowers.
The reason why it was called this was because back then, Gu Huai Jiang especially wanted a daughter and said that in ancient times, daughters all have to live in the family’s western wing. Thus, he specially opened up a neighboring courtyard, ordering people to nicely decorate the place, and also personally named the place Western Wing.
Afterwards, Madam Gu died from a difficult birth while giving birth to Gu Xiang and Gu Yi, and this courtyard thus was sealed up. And in the manor, no one dared to mention again.
If not for Gu Huai Jiang ordering them to clean the courtyards this time, no one would have opened the Western Wing gates once more.
Gu Huai Jiang carried a bit of hesitation on his face.
Yu Fu however couldn’t wait any longer, and stood on her tippy toes, pulling his sleeve.
“Great General, what’s wrong?”
Gu Huai Jiang finally returned to his senses.
“Nothing, I’ll take you to the Western Wing.”
