"Very well, Mother will take a look first."Meng Dongyuan frowned and glanced at his eldest daughter disapprovingly. He had never liked this eldest daughter since she was born. Born under an unlucky s...Meng Jin Yao: "..."
A lighthearted remark delivered a devastating blow to her fragile heart. She sought distractions, anything to keep herself busy, just learning randomly. Even with casual study, others could master it and even become top scorers, while she, despite her earnest efforts, saw no progress at all.
Some people are truly blessed, born with a naturally sharp mind and exceptional talents. They can grasp anything they learn effortlessly and achieve twice the results with half the effort, something others can only envy.
But he actually has a rebellious side too
This is truly unexpected. The mature and composed Lord Gu, could be like this when he was young She thought he had always been steady, she really couldn't imagine this side of him.
After a moment, Meng Jinyao's eyes fell on his face. In the blink of an eye, this man was already thirty years old, at the age when he should have settled down, but looking at him, there was no change. He was still as elegant and refined as ever.
Many men start growing beards by the time they reach thirty, but he doesn't. He looks completely like he's in his twenties, not thirty.
Meng Jin Yao curiously asked, "Husband, many men grow beards when they reach middle age. Why don't you"
Gu Jingxi was taken aback at first, then touched the area above his upper lip, and shook his head: "I'm not used to having stubble, so I haven't grown a beard."
"But isn't it said that men look more imposing and authoritative when they grow beards after a certain age"
Gu Jingxi chuckled and said, "If a man has to rely on his beard to show off his authority, then that proves he's not capable."
As he spoke, a hint of disdain lingered in his voice, a disdain for men who were inadequate.
This reminded Meng Jin Yao of her father. In her memory, her father had a beard even before he was thirty years old. Now that she heard her husband say this, she felt that her father relied on his beard to show the dignity of the head of the family.
Gu Jingxi looked at her, and then asked, "Aiyao likes me having a beard"
Meng Jin Yao hurriedly shook her head: "I don't like it, I think my husband looks good this way, there's no need to change."
Gu Jingxi nodded lightly, and solemnly said: "I also think that at present, I don't want to be said by others when we go out that I am a good father taking my daughter out to play."
Upon hearing this, Meng Jinyao let out a giggle and teased, "Then you'd have to be like those men who married young, getting married at twelve and having their wives pregnant by thirteen. That's the only way you could possibly have a daughter as big as me. But judging from what your husband just said, based on his personality when he was young, I doubt he'd be interested in women at twelve and wouldn't marry."
Gu Jingxi's face paled, then he nodded in agreement: "When I was twelve, I really wasn't interested in women."
Meng Jinyo suddenly became interested in his childhood, looking at him eagerly and asking with great interest, "What were you interested in when you were young"
Gu Jingxi replied, "I'm interested in fortune-telling."
"Fortune telling"
Meng Jinyao was stunned, she stopped in her tracks, staring at him incredulously. She couldn't believe he would be interested in such a thing.
Gu Jingxi also stopped in her tracks, seeing the surprise on her face, and smiled, "Surprised"
Meng Jin Yao nodded mutely. Was this unexpected Lord Gu, the former Prince Gu, had at least read the classics and been cultivated according to the standards of an heir since childhood. It wasn't surprising that he would be interested in fortune-telling.
“Actually, I was just curious and wanted to see if it was really accurate. I wanted to verify it. I even secretly followed the fortune teller to learn, but I didn't learn anything before being caught by my father and beaten up. I knelt in the ancestral hall all night thinking about my mistakes. After that, I went back to learn again, but after being caught three times in a row, I gave up. Gu Jingxi wore a smile on his face, with a hint of nostalgia in his eyes.”
Although his father wasn't a particularly good husband, he was a decent father who never neglected his children's education. He focused on educating both his legitimate and illegitimate children equally. Therefore, despite the fact that his two half-brothers might have some petty thoughts, they were inherently good people. The three brothers never engaged in the kind of cutthroat schemes common in other households.
Meng Jin Yao was astonished. This was another Gu Jing Xi, a Gu Jing Xi she had never heard of. When she heard about Gu Jing Xi before, people always said: erudite, god-like in solving cases, noble character, high morals, gentle and elegant, or even the most handsome man in the capital.
These reviews are far removed from that somewhat rebellious, mischievous and lively young man. But as the pampered and beloved eldest son who has been held in his parents' hands since childhood, he would indeed live like that. He is intelligent but retains the nature that a young man should have. This is the nature that his parents have carefully protected.
Gu Jingxi glanced at her and smiled, "Don't be too interested in your husband's youthful past. I definitely wasn't the kind of person you'd like back then."
Meng Jin Yao raised a smile, her tone firm: "No, I still like them. The dashing young men in fine clothes and armor."
She still lived the way she envied and longed for.
At that time, Gu Jingxi must have been very likable. Although he had a little bit of rebelliousness, it wasn't really rebellion, just the way young people are. But his character was definitely as good as it is now, and he was also extremely intelligent. How could people not like him
Upon hearing this, Gu Jingxi's smile deepened. After a moment, he added, "Before I turned sixteen, I was completely different from who I am now. It wasn't until after I turned sixteen that I gradually became more composed."
After sixteen
Meng Jin Yao's heart clenched. The year she turned sixteen was also the year he was injured saving her life. That autumn, something major happened, and afterwards, he was disengaged by his fiancée, severely traumatized. It could completely change a person's temperament. Previously, she had accidentally seen his old poems in the study, and every word revealed a deep melancholy.
Gu Jingxi noticed her sudden silence and reached out to hold her small hand, saying softly: "I don't regret saving the emperor, and I'm even glad I saved him. Back then, if the emperor had died, King Duan's cruel methods, stubbornness, and lust for pleasure would have led to him becoming a tyrannical, extravagant ruler upon ascending the throne. The people would have been deeply resentful, and there wouldn't be the peaceful days we have now. There is gain and loss in everything. If I was injured in exchange for peace throughout the land, it would be worth it."
Meng Jinyao didn't think too much, she was simply moved by his pain and murmured softly, "Besides the deposed Prince Duan, there's also King Liang. At that time, King Liang wasn't a child either, he could have inherited the throne."
Gu Jingxi gently shook his head: "Although King Liang is kind and benevolent, his methods are too soft and indecisive. He lacks the grand vision and talent of an emperor. He is easily manipulated by ambitious ministers and could become a puppet emperor. Only the current Emperor, with his combination of firmness and kindness, diligence in governance, and love for the people, possesses the talent to rule the country. During his reign, the people have lived peacefully and prosperously."
Upon hearing this, Meng Jin Yao was stunned for a moment, then she felt proud of him: "My husband is a wise minister with a heart that worries for the country and its people."
Gu Jingxi smiled faintly: “To be in a position is to worry about the affairs of that position. To eat one's salary and bear one's worries, I have only done what I should do.”oftly, "I've only been married for a short time; being a widower wouldn't be very good, would it"Meng Jin Yao: "..."Just now she was deeply moved, but now her heart is choked up in an instant.She snap...