Chapter 644: Chapter 646: The Gu Family Lads

Ancient Wen Heng stayed in the private room with He Gaofei and his two companions for a good four hours.

What exactly they talked about, no one outside could discover.

But it made one thing clear to everyone: Ancient Wen Heng had, without anyone noticing, already cultivated a network of connections.

On the day of their departure, the Gu Mansion’s carriage procession stopped at the Ten-Mile Pavilion.

They had expected to depart quietly, but to their surprise, a large group of people was waiting at the pavilion to see them off.

He Gaofei and his two companions were there, as were He Nan and his wife.

Also present were Madam Cao, and the second son of Niu Taifu with his wife.

After a round of heartfelt farewells, the procession finally began to move forward slowly.

Only when the procession was out of sight did the group bid each other farewell and go their separate ways.

"We were up so early. You should lean back and get some rest," Ancient Wen Heng said, noticing the exhaustion in Jin Qianqian’s eyes as he started removing the pearl hairpins from her hair.

Since they were traveling, Jin Qianqian had kept her hair ornaments as simple as possible.

"You should rest for a while, too. Reading in a moving carriage is bad for your eyes," Jin Qianqian said, placing the book he had set on the side table into a cabinet.

For this long journey, they had requisitioned all the available carriages from the Gu Mansion. With plenty of space, they sent their servant girls to ride in the carriage behind, granting the couple a rare private space on the road.

With no outsiders present, Ancient Wen Heng was much more relaxed.

He snuggled up close to Jin Qianqian. "It’ll be some time before we stop to rest at the next station. Go ahead and sleep."

Jin Qianqian wrapped her arms around his waist. "This journey is over a month long. If I just sleep the whole time, I’ll probably have gained a whole layer of fat by the time we get there."

Ancient Wen Heng patted her back. "What’s there to worry about with your slender figure? It’s fine if you gain a little weight."

Jin Qianqian propped herself up on her elbows to look at him. "My dear husband, I think you’ve misunderstood. I was talking about *you*. Feel this flab on your waist. If you get any rounder, you’ll start looking like a pregnant woman a few months along."

Ancient Wen Heng looked down at his waist. "I’ve been so busy lately that I’ve forgotten to exercise. Darling, you’re not starting to despise me, are you?"

He looked at Jin Qianqian with a wronged expression. "I’ve truly been too busy to find time to exercise. You can’t despise me for it."

Jin Qianqian reached out and pinched his cheek. "You’ve certainly gotten shameless. But really, your two sons should see this. When it comes to pouting and acting cute, they’re no match for you."

Ancient Wen Heng hugged her even tighter. "Just as I thought. I’m not the most important person in your heart anymore.

Every word you say is about those two little rascals. My status in this family just keeps falling."

"Such a grown man, and you’re jealous of your own sons." Jin Qianqian laughed, leaning her head on his shoulder. "Like father, like sons, I suppose. The boys were making a fuss earlier, wanting to ride in this carriage with me. They wanted to trade places with you."

Ancient Wen Heng chuckled. "When we stop at the next station, I’ll assign them extra homework. That should burn off some of their boundless energy and keep them from being a nuisance."

Jin Qianqian yawned. "Don’t go too far. They’re still growing boys..."

Watching Jin Qianqian drift into sleep, Ancient Wen Heng pulled the blanket over her, then closed his own eyes and fell asleep as well.

As for the two boys they had all but forgotten, they too were sound asleep in their own carriage, their little faces flushed and rosy.

The members of the Gu Family accompanying them on this trip were situated in the two carriages farther back.

Gu Lexi snatched a book from Gule Shun’s hands. "I told you to wait until we stop to read! You’ll ruin your eyes, and then it will be too late for regrets."

Gule Shun smiled shyly and made no move to take the book back. "I was just feeling a bit bored. If you’re feeling restless too, Brother Le Xi, we could chat for a bit."

"When we get to his new post with Seventh Uncle, what kind of work do you think he’ll assign to us?"

Le Shun shook his head. "I honestly don’t know. But our tutor always said you can’t go wrong with more studying."

Gu Le Ping leaned back against the carriage wall, one leg crossed over the other. "Well, my father made it clear to me that once we arrive, we’re to obey Seventh Uncle in all things.

I’m not as smart as you guys, and I can’t force myself to study. I don’t expect to have some grand future. My dad will be happy enough if I can just stick with Seventh Uncle and see a bit of the world."

Gu Le Kai suggested, "Why don’t we go ask him together when we stop for a rest?"

The other brothers quickly shook their heads. "We wouldn’t dare. You go."

Gu Le Kai said, "Then what should we do? Everyone on this journey has a task, but the few of us are the most idle.

If we’re too scared to go, then those guys behind us will be even more terrified."

Gu Le Kai was referring to the other members of the Gu family in the carriage behind them. They were all young men who, no matter how rambunctious they might have been back in the village, had been cooped up quietly for the entire trip.

"What if we all go together later?" Gu Lexi suggested, looking at his brothers in the carriage. "This endless guessing is just tiring.

If we go as a group, there’s no reason to be afraid, right?"

Gu Le Kai agreed. "Yes, let’s go together. We should get the others from the carriage behind us to come along too.

My dad always says the law doesn’t punish the masses. If we all go at once and share the responsibility, it’ll be fine."

Gu Yuanshui had no idea that his son had just sold him out in the blink of an eye.

"So, should we get them when we stop for the next rest?"

"It’s a deal..."

...

Seeing the line of boys arrayed before him, Ancient Wen Heng’s eyes twinkled with amusement.

His expression, however, was stern. "What is it? Have the staff not been looking after you properly?"

"N-no, that’s not it." As the eldest of the brothers, Gu Lexi had naturally been pushed to the front.

He had worked up his courage just moments before, but standing in front of Ancient Wen Heng, he was suddenly at a loss for words.

"If you weren’t cared for properly, then go find the steward. Identify who was responsible and punish them directly."

"No..." Gu Lexi nearly bit his tongue and shot a pleading look at his brothers behind him.

Gu Le Kai had no choice but to step forward and take over. "The staff have been taking excellent care of us. It’s just... we feel that we’re old enough that it isn’t right for everyone to just look after us. We’d like to help do something."

Ancient Wen Heng asked, "Is this your idea, or do all of you feel this way?"

Gu Le Kai replied, "It’s what we all think. Seeing everyone working so hard on this trip, we feel ashamed to just sit idly by.

Seventh Uncle, our families sent us here to work and learn, not to live comfortably. Please, just tell us what to do. We are not afraid of hard work or getting tired."

Hearing their purpose finally articulated clearly, the other young men from the Gu family standing behind him all nodded in agreement.

Ancient Wen Heng sized them up seriously. "Since this is what you want, I will have someone delegate tasks to you shortly.

You’ve volunteered for these duties, so you are now expected to perform them well.

If you have second thoughts, now is the time to voice them.

Once the work is in your hands, if you fail to do it properly, then I will punish you."

The young men of the Gu family nodded eagerly, each one promising they would do as he commanded.

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