The following day, Gu Chaoyan was getting ready to return to the Gu Mansion.
Qing packed some things. There were not many of them. They did not bring much when they came to Lord Huai’s Mansion, and they had been using what Lord Huai gave to them.
Gu Chaoyan did not think that they needed to bring anything back home, but Qing insisted on doing so. She said that the dresses Lord Huai made for her Miss were very pretty and that she should have them. She even brought with her some clothes that her Miss had not touched home.
Gu Chaoyan approved of Qing’s decision, seeing that she was happy.
As for the four Swords, Sword One and Sword Two were following her all the time. However, Gu Chaoyan did not want them to be dressed in black. Sword One was a girl, so she was dressed like Qing and stayed next to her as a maid. Sword Two was a young boy who helped around whilst Sword Three and Sword Four were hidden in the darkness.
Gu Chaoyan liked the four very much.
The four did not talk much at all.
Uncle Zhou prepared the wagon for them.
Gu Chaoyan failed to see Zhou Huaijin before she left. She assumed that he must be busy with something of his own. During the past few days, he had not done anything but keep her company, so she understood why he was not here seeing her off.
She had just made herself believe this idea, when Gu Chaoyan saw Zhou Huaijin riding on a beautiful horse, smiling at her right at the gate of Lord Huai’s Mansion.
Gu Chaoyan’s face sank. “What are you doing here?”
Zhou Huaijin pointed at the team at the gate. “I am seeing you off.”
He pointed at the team that Gu Chaoyan had failed to notice. She saw that the team was so enormous. There were dozens of guards and some maids. Most importantly, at the head of the team, there was a large yellow banner that belonged to Lord Huai.
“That is way too exaggerated!” Gu Chaoyan said with confusion.
“It is half of what I have originally planned, so it’s not exaggerated,” Zhou Huaijin said with a reasonable tone. If not for Uncle Zhou who stopped him, he would have made the whole team bigger.
Uncle Zhou whispered. “Lord had planned to make the team twice as big, but I stopped him.” Uncle Zhou looked as if he were waiting for Gu Chaoyan to speak highly of his decision.
Uncle Zhou was experienced and he had met many people in his life. He understood what Gu Chaoyan was like – she was not a vain girl.
Gu Chaoyan thought for a while. She was, after all, going back to the Gu Family now.
And the Gu Family were precisely the family that wished to reach the peak of the mountain, otherwise they would not have married their daughters to the families that got them profits. They would not have married her mother even if they despised the Lin Family.
Zhou Huaijin got those things ready for her, because he wanted to make her look radiant.
With the whole team following her, she would have less difficulty in dealing with the Gu Family.
When she thought about this Gu Chaoyan nodded seriously. “Not exaggerated.”
Zhou Huaijin showed a bright smile.
Uncle Zhou gasped – had he made a wrong judgement of this girl?
Before Uncle Zhou had time to think anything more, Zhou Huaijin jumped off the wagon, stretched out her hands and helped Gu Chaoyan into the wagon. When Gu Chaoyan sat down in the wagon, she said casually, “Qing, Sword One, join us.”
Qing jumped up, but Sword One was a bit hesitant. She was a maid after all.
“Come in, I don’t have such a servant-master rule here.” Gu Chaoyan said, seeing Sword One’s hesitation.
Sword One obeyed Gu Chaoyan.
The wagon and team from Lord Huai’s Mansion marched towards the Gu Family.
Everyone was watching the whole gang with surprise.
One hour later, the team stopped at the Gu Mansion.
As the housekeepers saw the yellow banner showing Lord Huai’s Mansion, they collapsed and fell several times before going indoors to pass on the message.