133. Numerous Maidens Scale the Scholar’s Bed

Gu Fei successfully departed from the Small Mo Family residence without losing a single soldier. Given her expectations, this was the best possible outcome, and so her mood was quite good. As for what would become of the Small Mo Family in the future, or what state Mo Yan and Mo Yuhua would find themselves in, that was no longer her concern.

As she stepped down from the main gate, Ku Ma darted out. "Young Miss, are you alright?"

Feeling the chill of the spirit tablet in her arms, Gu Fei felt a sense of stability she had never known before. "I am fine."

Hearing this, Ku Ma breathed a sigh of relief. She turned to the side and gestured toward the shadows. Gu Fei saw silhouettes flickering within the bottomless depths of the alley; it was clear that many people had been hidden there.

Gu Fei cast a sidelong glance at You Hu, who was pushing her wheelchair. She knew that the reason the You brothers had not appeared earlier was that they had gone to make these arrangements, but she had not expected that in such a short time, they could have gathered so many people.

Feng Lizhi lingered at the back, hesitating for a long while before saying, "A-Fei, I will not be returning with you."

Gu Fei turned back, her lips pressed together, an indescribable gloom in the corners of her eyes. "Where do you intend to go?"

Feng Lizhi’s lips trembled as he forced a stiff, faint smile. "To enlist."

His answer remained unchanged.

Gu Fei’s pupils contracted. Her fingers tightened around the spirit tablet as she sighed, "Then you should at least return to see Elder Feng first. He is very worried about you."

At the mention of this, Feng Lizhi’s brows clouded with melancholy. He nodded in agreement, "I will naturally return there first."

Gu Fei knew that she could not go against his wishes, and seeing as it was not appropriate to persuade him further, she said, "You Er, escort Master Feng back to the residence."

Feng Lizhi did not insist otherwise; they were still at the gates of the Small Mo Family, and if another mishap were to occur, it would be a loss that outweighed any gain. Thus, he calmly accepted Gu Fei’s arrangement, bowed, and turned to leave.

Watching Feng Lizhi’s figure grow distant, Gu Fei traced the name on the spirit tablet with her fingertips, a trace of melancholy rising in her heart. She only hoped that in the future, Feng Lizhi would not regret this decision.

"Young Miss, let us go," Ku Ma reminded her with keen perception. She was holding a spirit tablet while leaving the Small Mo Family, and with the constant flow of people in the streets, it had already attracted some attention. It was not suitable to stay any longer.

Gu Fei agreed, and You Hu immediately pushed her toward the peach forest. After a while, she said faintly, "Ku Ma, choose an auspicious day and find a Taoist priest; I need to relocate the graves of my parents."

This was something that should have been done long ago, so Ku Ma was not surprised at all. She lowered her head and replied, "Yes, this old servant has noted it."

Upon returning to the peach forest, Gu Fei drank some soup. She had intended to craft another ink ball, as business at Xuanzhu Workshop had improved significantly recently and the monthly orders had increased. Since Feng Lizhi could no longer make ink, the burden fell entirely on Gu Fei. However, just as she touched the soot, You Hu walked in with a smile, his phoenix eyes curved. He did not speak, simply leaning against the doorframe, watching her.

Gu Fei was silent for a moment. She set down the soot and said with a hint of annoyance, "If you have nothing to do, go study your classics; there is no need to pester me."

You Hu gave a low laugh, an unclear expression on his handsome face. "Logically, Young Miss should take a short rest; this is not the time to touch ink."

Gu Fei looked down at the ink mold on the desk and said coldly, "I cannot sleep."

"Clap." You Hu clapped his hands. "That is perfect. Then let me discuss our future plans with you."

Gu Fei raised her eyes, her clear, black-and-white gaze fixed on him, a hint of coldness already in her eyes. "Plans? I do not recall asking you to make any arrangements. I have my own judgment regarding what is important and what is urgent."

She could not tolerate being controlled. She had always believed that her body and heart were her own; if she were not free, she would rather die. Naturally, she felt displeased by You Hu’s words.

You Hu acted as if he did not see her expression. He took a few steps to the desk, braced his hands on it, and leaned in close to Gu Fei. "Young Miss, let us make a deal. Of course, if you agree to be my sharp spear and not go against me, then it is not a deal."

Gu Fei ignored the latter part of his sentence and coldly spat out one word: "Speak."

You Hu lowered his head, moving closer to her, whispering in a tone that sounded like a lover’s murmur, "Young Miss, the next step should be to swallow the Gu Family, then the Small Mo Family, and finally the Yizhou Ink Merchants Association. From there, we control the entire Yizhou ink-making industry, establish a firm foothold, and make Yizhou an impregnable fortress before we speak of matters in the Great Capital, yes?"

The darkness in Gu Fei’s pupils suddenly tightened. Her small, pointed chin was cold and rigid, like a sculpture of ice.

"The Gu Family, the Small Mo Family, and the Ink Merchants Association—how much time does Young Miss intend to spend bringing these three forces under your wings?" You Hu asked.

Gu Fei frowned. She had actually been considering this since the day she opened Xuanzhu Workshop. However, despite Yizhou’s small size, it was filled with families and small workshops, making it far more complex than the Great Capital. Thus, it could not be conquered with a single method.

She did not have the luxury of time to proceed slowly. Once Mo Geyi returned to the Great Capital, Mo Qingge would inevitably learn of her news, and she did not believe that woman would sit still and not strike at her first.

Therefore, she had to secure Yizhou as her solid retreat before the true storm from the Great Capital’s Mo Family arrived.

"If," You Hu’s voice was low and intoxicating, like the fragrance of aged wine. The warm air he exhaled brushed against Gu Fei’s dense eyelashes like the most bewitching spell, "If I have a way to make you the president of the Yizhou Ink Merchants Association within a mere month, would you consider my previous proposal?"

Gu Fei naturally knew what proposal he meant: that she should submit to him completely.

In her dark pupils, which were larger than those of most, the handsome face of You Hu was reflected. Gu Fei curled her lips and reached out to twine a stray lock of hair falling by his ear around her finger. The silk-black hair looked especially striking against her lily-white skin. "You Hu, what is it that you want?"

This question made You Hu’s laughter grow more languid and intoxicating. His phoenix eyes arched, his brows filled with a hint of amorousness. Paired with his peerless face, he looked like a banished immortal stained with the color of rouge. "What do you think, Young Miss?"

He paused, then continued, "From the moment I first saw you, I was stunned by your beauty. Ever since, I have been deeply enamored, desiring only to win your heart and spend our days in romance."

"Hmph," Gu Fei sneered. She was not some sheltered girl of the inner chambers to be fooled by such words. Even if this man had a good appearance and his expression seemed as deep and sincere as the sea, she knew him to be cold-hearted and indifferent. "A fine beauty trap. Did you learn this in some brothel?"

Since he was being dishonest, she naturally retorted, neither willing to yield.

You Hu suddenly laughed. This time, the smile spread from his lips to his brows, truly reflecting in his eyes with a warm glow. "Young Miss, I am a man who studies the classics; I would never visit such places of indulgence. It is just that..."

"There are simply too many women who wish to crawl into my bed."