Jin Zijin said, "But it’s possible your maternal grandmother is truly ill."
Gu Youyou was silent.
He continued, "Always hiding isn’t a solution, it’s better to boldly face them. Beijing is their main stronghold, but at the same time, it’s where the forces are most complex. There are advantages and disadvantages, it all depends on how you use the situation."
After some thought, Gu Youyou found some sense in his words, but... life from now on would probably be even harder.
Sigh, confronting troubles as they come rather than hiding seemed to be not a bad idea after all.
She then asked, "Will your identity be of any use in Beijing?"
Jin Zijin looked at Gu Youyou in surprise, then averted his gaze after a moment, his expression a bit strange.
Perhaps the plan really needed to change, and he had to call Yue Rujing over.
He said, "Yu Jizi is getting old, and the preparation for the next State Preceptor has begun. I’m one of the candidates."
"What...?" Gu Youyou was shocked.
"But... I won’t be for much longer."
Gu Youyou remained silent.
By the time they reached Beijing, the New Year celebration had already passed.
Beijing truly lived up to its reputation as the most vibrant part of Zhuzhao Country; even nearly a month after the New Year, the streets still brimmed with festive atmosphere.
The bustling streets were adorned with big red lanterns and couplets.
The carriage stopped in front of a grand estate with a plaque bearing the name Lin Residence. By the time their carriage arrived, the entrance was already filled with people.
As Gu Youyou got out of the carriage, she saw a middle-aged man standing at the very front of the crowd, who, judging by his attire, must be her uncle, Lin Xingyi.
Gu Youyou bowed respectfully and called out crisply, "Uncle!"
"Haha, it really is Youyou!" Lin Xingyi laughed heartily, looking Gu Youyou up and down.
She resembled her sister a bit but was much paler.
Her sister had been a village girl, accustomed to labor, whereas Youyou, from a young age...
Sighing at the thought, that was all he could do.
The matters of Tianzong and Xuanzong were such that not even as a Minister could he intervene, let alone the Emperor, and at that time, his influence was unstable, rendering him helpless.
With so many political enemies, he couldn’t offer her more help even if he wanted to.
Many people stood behind Lin Xingyi, and an attractive woman stepped forward, smiling at Gu Youyou as she said, "So this is Youyou, you’ve grown up so well, it looks like you really are better now. Your eldest sister’s spirit in heaven can probably rest in peace, and mother should be happy now."
The one who could speak to her had to be Lin Xingyi’s official wife.
Madam Lin nodded with a smile and introduced the children behind her to Gu Youyou.
"Cousin, my name is Lin Qianqing, your elder female cousin!"
This girl looked quite like her mother, around fourteen or fifteen years old. Her closeness to her mother revealed she was her biological child.
She was the legitimate eldest daughter of the Lin Family, as the butler had informed her.
"Cousin, I am your cousin, Lin Shenxing!" The boy looked around the same age as Lin Qianqing; he was only half a year younger and the only son of her uncle, but his mother was not the aunt but one of the uncle’s concubines. Although he was born out of wedlock, he had been raised by the aunt because his mother died at his birth.
"Cousin, my name is Lin Zixin!" Lastly came a ten-year-old girl, also born to one of her uncle’s concubines, which the butler had mentioned to Gu Youyou.
The group of women standing behind were all her uncle’s concubines.
Looking at this array of beauties, Gu Youyou’s mouth twitched.