The Rebirth Of The General Who Always Sees Himself As A Replacement

Chapter 76: You All, Calm Down.

Mu Zhiming was taken aback: “General Yulin’s Residence?”

Caiwei nodded: “Exactly.”

“What did they send?”

That question actually made Caiwei show a troubled expression on her face. However, after a brief hesitation, Caiwei finally replied: “It’s a marriage proposal…..”

Thinking he had misheard, Mu Zhiming asked confusedly: “What?”

Caiwei had no other choice, but to repeat: “Young Master, it’s a marriage proposal letter and a betrothal gift. But the letter has no words, the betrothal gifts aren’t treasures, nor gold and silver, but something broken…..”

Not long after, all the items that were sent early in the morning to the Mu Residence from General Gu’s Residence were placed in Mu Zhiming’s wing room.

The marriage proposal letter was made of red paper sprinkled with gold dust, which made it look solemn. But there wasn’t a single word written on it. Mu Zhiming couldn’t tell whether this was a hasty or careless decision.

Mu Zhiming carefully placed the engagement letter on the table, and at that moment, his eyes fell on the betrothal gift box.

The box was lacquered in vermilion, with golden patterns of a pair of mandarin ducks playing on the water, while large red silk flowers were draped around the top, emanating a festive vibe. However, considering it was a single betrothal gift box, it was hard to tell whether it was a shabby or a superficial gift.

Caiwei didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, so she simply said: “Young Master, look at this…. Is General Gu joking with you?”

Mu Zhiming didn’t reply. Instead, he stepped forward and opened the gift box. When he saw what was inside, the eyes of the only son of the Duke of Yan instantly opened wide.

The Sun and Moon Hunting Crossbow was quietly resting inside the box.

Mu Zhiming still remembered that warm Spring. He remembered the shade cast by the parasol trees, lightly swayed by the gentle breeze. He remembered the melodious chirping of the birds resounding in his heart. He remembered himself, as a child, when saw this extraordinary crossbow for the very first time, enthusiastically exclaiming: “It’s such a privilege to see it with my own eyes!”

“Why…..?” Mu Zhiming reached out to gently caress the crossbow. With a trembling voice, he blurted out: “When he has obviously treated me with such indifference….”

Caiwei, puzzled by Mu Zhiming’s reaction, called out to him in a low voice: “Young Master?”

Mu Zhiming took a deep breath and abruptly raised his head, brimming with determination: “I’m going to General Gu’s Residence! Right now!”

—

The sound of horses’ hooves echoed as the wheels of the carriage rolled on the stone pavement. The street was crowded with people, the noise from all around was both bustling and chaotic. Mu Zhiming, sitting inside the carriage, for the first time in his life, felt that the distance between the Mu Residence and the Gu Residence was too far.

The more he thought about it, the more confused and uncomfortable he became.

‘In my past life, Gu Heyan and I were nothing but strangers. We weren’t even friends.’

‘In this life, although we are friends, and have experienced many things together as well, Gu Heyan’s occasional cold words and indifference make me simply not dare to even imagine becoming any closer with him.’

The inexplicable betrothal gift and the sloppy marriage proposal letter seemed nothing more than a joke at first glance, but why did Mu Zhiming care so much?

By the time the carriage stopped at the entrance to the Gu Residence, Mu Zhiming rushed in with hurried steps. Wen Zhongcheng wasn’t surprised to see him. On the contrary, he stepped forward to greet him: “Mu-gongzi, you’ve come.”

“Where’s General Gu?” Mu Zhiming asked bluntly.

“Our Young Master got drunk last night and has just woken up. He still seems to have a headache.” Wen Zhongcheng replied.

Mu Zhiming was stunned: “He….got drunk last night?”

“Yes, Mu-gongzi. Let me take you to the Main Hall, so you can take a seat while I go call our Young Master.” Wen Zhongcheng bowed and made an inviting gesture.

Mu Zhiming followed Wen Zhongcheng into the Main Hall, sat down, and anxiously waited. Not long after, Miss Juan brought tea and an osmanthus cake that let out a sweet aroma. With a smile, Miss Juan said: “Mu-gongzi, eat some snacks first. Our Young Master will be here soon.”

“Mm-hmm.” Mu Zhiming nodded gratefully. After Miss Juan left the Main Hall, Mu Zhiming took a couple of deep breaths to calm himself down. Then, he took a piece of the osmanthus cake from the white porcelain plate and put it into his mouth. The soft texture and fragrant aroma immediately entwined with his tongue and lips, bringing some relief to his uneasiness.

Just then, Mu Zhiming heard footsteps approaching.

When Mu Zhiming turned his head, he found Gu Heyan stepping into the Main Hall dressed in elegant white robes. Gu Heyan walked into the Main Hall with long strides, yet a certain trace of tiredness from the hangover could still be discerned in his eyes. However, although his face remained serene as usual, at this moment, that calmness seemed somewhat awkward.

Mu Zhiming swallowed the piece of cake in his mouth and abruptly stood up.

The two looked at each other in silence, and surprisingly, Gu Heyan was the first one to speak. With a lowered gaze, Gu Heyan softly said: “Yesterday…. I got drunk and did something that has upset you. I’m so—”

“Gu Heyan.” Mu Zhiming interrupted him.

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This was the first time Mu Zhiming addressed Gu Heyan so directly, calling him by his surname and given name with no formality. His firm and stern tone made Gu Heyan raise his head to look at Mu Zhiming.

“Why would you want to send me a marriage proposal while in a drunken state?” Mu Zhiming asked with some aggressiveness. As if he couldn’t wait to know the answer. With an anxious tone, Mu Zhiming asked again: “Why?”

Gu Heyan: “…..”

Mu Zhiming took a step forward and anxiously continued: “Gu Heyan, I don’t want to hear any apology. I don’t want to hear that you were drunk. I simply want to know why. Whether it was a confusion or an act made by your muddled mind, what I really want to know is… What were you thinking when you decided to use the Sun and Moon Hunting Crossbow as a betrothal gift?”

Gu Heyan’s eyes trembled, and his chest heaved slightly, as if shocking waves had been unleashed within his heart. But Gu Heyan remained silent, like a stone quietly buried for years under the freezing snow.

“Gu Heyan.” Mu Zhiming said almost pleadingly. “Say something. Answer me, why?”

Gu Heyan closed his eyes tightly. When he opened them again, his gaze became as hard and cold as unbreakable ice: “I…. the Emperor wanted to grant a marriage with Princess Qinghe to me, but since I don’t want to link myself to the Imperial Family through marriage, I told the Emperor that I like men. This gesture was just to make the Emperor believe me, to show him that I wasn’t lying to him. There was…. no other intention in doing it.”

Mu Zhiming froze in place, his gaze glued to Gu Heyan. After a while, Mu Zhiming spoke in a barely audible voice, as if a louder tone would break the almost invisible hope in his heart: “Is that so?”

Gu Heyan lowered his gaze. At that moment, it was like the fierce wind on the desolate borderlands swept up the cold snow, echoing it from the previous life to the present, making the bone-chilling cold to never dissipate or disperse. 

“…..Just like that.”

As soon as those words fell from Gu Heyan’s lips, the dream of golden millet1 was utterly shattered. Mu Zhiming choked, at a loss for words to say, simply opted to bow slowly in a respectful gesture. Without even being able to utter a farewell word, Mu Zhiming turned around and walked out of the Gu Residence. It wasn’t until he boarded the carriage that Mu Zhiming’s lips quivered slightly, and with a self-deprecating tone, he muttered: “Of course…. what was I thinking….? I’m such a fool….”

After those words, a choked sob and a sigh were swallowed up amidst the bustling crowd.

Footnotes

黄粱梦 huáng liáng mèng; A metaphor for an illusory dream. It comes from the Tang Dynasty [618-907] novel《枕中记》by Shen Jiji (沈既济 shěn jì jì). It describes a character named Lu Sheng, a poor scholar who dreamt that he had become a high official. However, when he woke up, the millet rice he left steaming was still uncooked, leaving him with nothing, but an empty dream.