Chapter 22. New Year’s Money Mu Jiulu: “Everything from last night, I…”

Mu Jiulu and Gu Tingsong didn’t know what they had said, staying in the room for a long time.

Gu Sui and Li Fuyu had already toured the Regent’s mansion with Jiang Fu, and when they returned, the two were still not finished.

Taking advantage of Jiang Fu’s inattention, Gu Sui held Suisui and approached the door, wanting to hear something.

He was still worried that the two might start fighting if they disagreed.

But whether it was because the room had good soundproofing or because their voices were low, Gu Sui only heard a few scattered words.

Like “late emperor”, “Moqi”, and “fate” and such.

Gu Sui couldn’t make sense of it, and gave up eavesdropping reluctantly. His slender fingers ran through Suisui’s long fur as he walked back to sit at the table.

As it was nearing noon, another guest arrived at the mansion.

“Imperial Sister! I’ve come to celebrate your birthday!”

Mu Yi didn’t need anyone to announce him, bouncing in familiarly. However, upon seeing the people in the courtyard, he was stunned.

“Why are you all here?”

Jiang Fu stepped forward and bowed: “Your Highness Yuan Yi, the Regent is currently in conversation with the General in the room. Please wait a moment.”

Mu Yi’s eyes widened. Gu Tingsong was here too?

Why would Gu Tingsong come to see Imperial Sister? Was she here to cause trouble?

Seeing Mu Yi frown and look warily towards the room, Gu Sui, who was lazily leaning against the stone table, spoke up.

“We’re here to celebrate your sister’s birthday and pay a New Year’s visit. Don’t overthink it.”

Mu Yi eyed him suspiciously: “Really?”

“Of course, what benefit would I get from lying to you?”

Mu Yi snorted: “You dare try to deceive this prince!”

Gu Sui chuckled lightly, finding this little brother quite cute.

“Li Fuyu, since you’re here too, come kowtow to your little uncle and I’ll give you some New Year’s money.”

Mu Yi also walked to the table and sat down. Li Fuyu rolled his eyes at him in disgust.

“Dream on!”

Mu Yi: “Don’t want the New Year’s money?”

In previous years, the two would always compete over who got more New Year’s money.

But this year Li Fuyu wasn’t with the Li family, so Mu Yi thought he wouldn’t have money and didn’t want to compare with him.

Lest people say that he, the noble Yuan Yi Jun, was bullying a junior, how unsightly that would be.

Li Fuyu took out the silk pouch from his bosom and waved it in front of him.

“Pah, I don’t care for it. Madam Gu hasn’t shortchanged me at all.”

Mu Yi: “……” Just Gu Tingsong?

“Hmph, it’s definitely not as much as mine. Just the Empress Dowager alone gave me a whole box of gold ingots!”

Li Fuyu, unwilling to be outdone, took out the contents of his silk pouch and said proudly.

“Gold is nothing. Madam Gu gave me a shop on East Dragon Street, and is even sending someone to teach me how to manage it.”

This was a way to be self-reliant, naturally much better than gold and silver that would eventually be spent.

At first, Li Fuyu was a bit hesitant to accept, but Gu Tingsong insisted on giving it, so he accepted it with great emotion.

He felt he had never received such a meaningful New Year’s gift before.

Mu Yi’s lips moved, but he was left speechless.

Though he was spoiled, he wasn’t stupid. He knew what this meant for Li Fuyu.

He just hadn’t expected Gu Tingsong to do such a thing.

“Madam Gu is truly open-minded, not only allowing Brother Sui to join the army but also willing to teach me these things. She’s so much better than my mother who always wants me to get married!”

Li Fuyu carefully put away the silk pouch, praising without reservation. Gu Sui nodded in agreement beside him.

“Of course, my mother is the best in the world, one of a kind.”

Mu Yi puffed up his cheeks, feeling a bit stifled.

In his eyes, Gu Tingsong had always been a treacherous official who opposed his Imperial Sister, so his impression of Gu Sui had also been quite poor before.

If asked to change his view of Gu Tingsong all at once, he simply couldn’t do it.

“Let’s not talk about this anymore. You came to celebrate Imperial Sister’s birthday, so you must have brought gifts, right? Your gifts definitely can’t be as valuable as mine!”

Mu Yi raised his chin, wanting to gain an advantage in this aspect. Gu Sui clicked his tongue lightly.

How did giving a gift turn into a competition?

Mu Yi: “This prince has carefully selected a coral tree from the Purple Gold Pavilion, harvested from the deep sea, rarely seen in the world!”

Li Fuyu: “How vulgar. Birthday gifts should be handmade to show sincerity. Like me, I wrote a ‘Hundred Longevity’ painting, and Brother Sui also made his by hand.”

Gu Sui covered his mouth with one hand, coughed lightly, and couldn’t help but speak up.

“Actually, whether it’s valuable or not isn’t that important…”

Mu Yi interrupted him: “How is it not important? I see you just can’t compare to me!”

He had won this round!

Rebuttal ineffective!

Gu Sui: “…But I gave her mine as soon as the zi hour passed, definitely the earliest one.”

“You…”

Mu Yi glared fiercely at Gu Sui. Why wasn’t he following the script!

“Alright, alright, don’t be angry. There’s also a birthday cake, which I made. I asked Sui Yu to bring it over. We can eat it together at noon.”

Mu Yi’s puffed-up cheeks finally deflated a little, a glimmer of light passing through his eyes.

“Is it the same thing you made for Li Fuyu’s birthday last time?”

Li Fuyu pouted: “It’s bigger than last time.”

Mu Yi unconsciously licked his lips: “Bring it over, bring it over, let this prince see it first!”

The exquisite cake was soon placed on the stone table. As soon as the food box lid was opened, a faint fragrance wafted out.

Suisui twitched its little nose, straightened up and climbed onto the edge of the stone table, trying to reach out its little paw to poke at it for a taste.

“Hey, hey, hey, you can’t eat it now.”

Gu Sui quickly grabbed Suisui’s little paw. Only then did Mu Yi notice the small bundle on his lap, and a surprised voice came out.

“Hm? Suisui actually lets you hold it!”

His reaction actually made Gu Sui feel a different kind of satisfaction.

“Of course, Suisui is my cat.”

Mu Yi didn’t know about this and was a bit confused.

“But it was clearly raised by Imperial Sister.”

Gu Sui: “She snatched it from my hands!”

And took the opportunity to change its name, hmph!

Mu Yi felt that Gu Sui was just making things up about his Imperial Sister. How could she do such a thing!

“What are you all doing?”

The door of the room was slowly pushed open, and Mu Jiulu’s clear voice came from inside.

“Imperial Sister!”

Mu Yi excitedly ran towards her, but as usual, was held at arm’s length by Mu Jiulu.

“Imperial Sister, Gu Sui said you snatched his cat. He’s lying, right?”

Gu Tingsong’s eyes glanced over quietly.

Mu Jiulu: “……”

“Don’t pry into adult matters.”

Mu Yi lowered his little head pitifully: “But I’m an adult too.”

“Are you sure? Adults don’t get New Year’s money.”

Mu Yi immediately became anxious and covered his little money pouch: “Imperial Sister!”

“Alright, it’s already noon, you must all be hungry. Why don’t we eat first? Look, Suisui has been wanting to eat cake.”

Gu Sui spoke up, and Mu Jiulu nodded, then instructed Jiang Fu to serve the meal.

Gu Tingsong suddenly felt that something was not quite right and silently drew in a cold breath.

Logically speaking, Sui Zhi was a guest, but why did these words sound like this mansion belonged to him?

Such an obvious role reversal, yet the Regent didn’t react at all. How strange.

*

Gu Sui couldn’t stay at the Regent’s mansion for long. At the wei hour, Gu Tingsong took him and Li Fuyu back home.

Gu Sui reluctantly held Suisui in his arms, his peach blossom eyes clear and spirited, with her figure reflected in their depths.

“Can I take it home to raise for a while?”

When he first got it, it was only palm-sized. Now it was almost as long as his forearm. Gu Sui always felt like he had missed a lot.

Gu Tingsong and the others had already gotten into the carriage. At the gate of the mansion, only the two of them remained.

Mu Jiulu pursed her lips and said: “Suisui is delicate and attached to home. It’s hard for it to adapt to new environments.”

Between the big one and the small one, she had to keep one by her side now.

Gu Sui was a bit disappointed. He brought Suisui up to his eyes, kissed it once, and then handed it to Mu Jiulu.

“Then I’ll give it to you. Take good care of it, okay?”

Mu Jiulu took it, and the young man’s fingertips touched her palm. The small white cat pressed on top, hiding the view beneath from anyone’s sight.

The inadvertent touch made Gu Sui’s heart skip a beat, and as if possessed, he curled his finger and scratched lightly.

Mu Jiulu’s deep gaze made him feel a bit guilty, but he still didn’t withdraw his hand.

He reached out again to stroke Suisui’s back, smoothing its fur.

At the same time, his left hand was mischievously teasing in her palm.

“Be good, Suisui. I’ll come see you again.”

“Meow”

Mu Jiulu’s gaze fell on his lowered head, her eyes faintly reflecting the cage of flames.

“I really have to go now. Don’t miss me.”

Gu Sui finally held Suisui’s little paw one last time. His low, clear voice slowly seeped out, unclear who he was speaking to.

“I remember everything from last night.”

As Gu Sui withdrew his hand, Mu Jiulu suddenly spoke, making his movement pause abruptly.

He raised his eyes to look at her, his gaze flickering. As he looked up, his long swan-like neck was exposed, his Adam’s apple visibly bobbing up and down.

Utterly tempting.

Mu Jiulu suppressed the desire in her eyes, but her voice carried a different kind of huskiness.

“But you don’t seem to remember?”

Gu Sui’s eyelashes trembled lightly, refracting tiny sparkles in the afternoon sunlight.

“…That tusu wine was too strong. I only remember part of it.”

A meaningful smile tugged at the corner of Mu Jiulu’s mouth.

“Is that so?”

Gu Sui suddenly felt a bit panicked. He hadn’t done anything more outrageous, had he?

“The birthday gift was very nice.”

Mu Jiulu’s words seemed unconnected, but Gu Sui felt slightly relieved and smiled at her.

“I’m glad you like it.”

“Mm, go back then. Be careful on the way.”

Gu Sui stared at her for a few more seconds before slowly turning around, walking towards the carriage while looking back three times with each step.

Mu Jiulu watched his retreating figure until the carriage completely disappeared from her sight.

She lowered her head to look at Suisui, who was lying on her arm licking its paws. Her eyes suddenly darkened considerably.

“Did he just kiss you?”

The cool voice fell on Suisui’s pink ear tips. Not understanding, Suisui raised its head to look at its suddenly changed master, its blue eyes full of confusion.

“Meow?”

Mu Jiulu reached out to mess up its fur, her movements without rhyme or reason.

In the end, the slightly puffed-up Suisui straightened up and looked at her with accusing eyes.

“What are you looking at?”

Mu Jiulu mercilessly pressed it back down and continued to rub it haphazardly.

It was only because it currently smelled like him that she didn’t throw it on the ground to walk by itself. Did it still want her to carry it back to the courtyard?

Her affection was very precious, okay!

The completely puffed-up Suisui who failed to resist again: “Meow!”