Chapter Forty-Nine: The Only Daughter of a Reclusive Family

After enjoying a good meal and drink, it was time to sleep. Gu Zhi and the others headed to the third floor, while Gu Hua, having changed rooms, went up to the second. As expected, the soundproofing in the lower rooms was inferior; the noises from the hallway and adjacent rooms could be heard with unsettling clarity.

Gu Hua was untying her clothes, preparing to sleep, when the squeaking of a bed came from next door. Thankfully, at over two hundred years old, she was no stranger to such disturbances; she immediately cast a barrier to silence the racket.

That night, mosquitoes plagued her relentlessly, making sleep impossible. She retreated to her inner realm and played the qin all night.

Upon her return to the space, she received joyful news: both the Mirage Spirit and the Living Bone Grass had completed their dormancy, their cultivation soaring!

"Master!"

"Hmm? Little Ling! You and Bone are awake?"

"Yes, Master! Our dormancy is over. It’s all thanks to your space. If it were before, we’d barely be one ten-thousandth of this strength, and sleeping in a secret realm was dangerous!"

Gu Hua gently rubbed Mirage Spirit’s tiny head. Now, her space housed two little white spheres: one furry, one bald.

She embraced them both, while they giggled endlessly in her arms.

Gu Hua wished her space could be larger, ideally vast enough to contain an entire world.

She regretted that Jiang Jiu had not gone to the Jiang Kingdom’s border before; she could have brought a precious jujube tree branch to nurture within her space.

Seeing how everything—plant or animal—thrived in her space, she longed to expand it further, plant orchards, raise chickens, ducks, geese, birds, and beasts. With spiritual springs, energy, and soil, the resources were so rich it would be a shame not to use them.

Little Rascal kept track of time, and as dawn broke, he called Gu Hua out of her space.

As Gu Hua exited her room, the door next to hers opened simultaneously. Out stepped a man with a face full of rough flesh, holding a young woman in his arms. The girl nestled shyly against his ample form, her cheeks flushed.

Gu Hua gave them a meaningful look, then headed downstairs.

Only the man and the girl remained, faces puzzled.

The man’s skin had reacted badly to beef last night; itching all over, his wife—the girl in his arms—had scratched him diligently. Upon waking, he praised her for her care, and she blushed, refusing to rise from his embrace.

He remembered marrying her for his sturdy physique and the sense of security it provided.

Gu Hua reached the ground floor to find Gu Zhi and the others already waiting. After tidying up, they prepared to enter the city.

Just as Gu Hua and her companions departed, Ning Xue’er descended, summoned two servants, and headed in the same direction as Gu Hua.

Along the way, many merchant caravans passed Gu Hua. During a rest, she overheard an important piece of news:

Their main purpose in coming to Red Moon City was to present their goods at the auction of the First Pavilion.

[Master, the First Pavilion is your Gu Clan’s property!]

Gu Hua felt her cheap father might very well toss gold anywhere; the name “First Pavilion” alone sounded formidable!

Why settle for second place? Country folks like us only aim for the top!

[Not only that, Master, the First Pavilion’s business is so extensive it’ll make your fingers numb! Teahouses, restaurants, inns, auction houses, intelligence stations—they cover everything. You’re now their young mistress, a bona fide heiress!]

Gu Hua asked eagerly, “So last night, Ning Xue’er claimed her family is the wealthiest. Compared to the First Pavilion?”

[It’s the difference between grandfather and grandson!]

Little Rascal, sensing a flaw, added, [The First Pavilion is the grandfather, the Ning family is the grandson.]

Gu Hua understood.

To her, the First Pavilion now seemed as wealthy as a nation! Astounding. Her net worth had quietly soared, exhilarating!

Gu Zhi watched Gu Hua’s ever-changing expressions, sighing. Apparently, Uncle had never told her of the wonders beyond their home—it was really her mother who should have.

Little Rascal, who could hear Gu Zhi’s thoughts, noted with glee that his store of odd knowledge had grown again, but the mysteries of heaven must remain unrevealed, or risk divine retribution!

Following the caravans, the gates of Red Moon City—the main city of the Red Moon Dynasty—loomed ahead.

“Merchants up front, step back for routine inspection!”

The city guards stopped those sneaking into the imperial city, only allowing entry after checking for danger.

The guards were exasperated; every day, some innocent-looking caravans acted like fugitives, only to be caught, checked, and let in.

Was this fun? Not at all! The guards were busy enough!

After the caravan ahead was inspected, it was Gu Hua’s group’s turn.

Suddenly, two familiar faces approached. The guards beamed, “Ah, Miss Ning of the Ning family! Please, come right in!”

Ning Xue’er glanced at Gu Hua, smugly entering the city, “Hmph, country bumpkins.”

Gu Hua found her inexplicable; next time they met, she’d return the favor with a few sharp words.

This time, Little Rascal was cleverer. Without system restrictions, he acted independently, quietly sprinkling a packet of stinky powder on Ning Xue’er from across the space.

“Little Rascal—”

He was laughing mischievously in the space when Gu Hua’s voice startled him, expecting a scolding.

“Rascal! Well done! I couldn’t stand her either! You know me best!”

Little Rascal put his nervous heart back where it belonged:

[Master, I only have one heart; be gentler next time, or I’ll have none left…]

Gu Hua pouted, “Oh, you did great! I’ll reward you with that gold nugget.”

[Master, I think my psychological endurance is actually quite good!]

After Ning Xue’er entered, Gu Hua urged Gu Zhi and the others to hurry, lest some caravan cut the queue and force them to wait forever!

Once inside, they marveled at the city’s prosperity.

Gu Hua, unfazed, recalled that she had once briefly been a princess herself; the Jiang Kingdom’s glory was comparable to that of the Red Moon Dynasty.

“The World’s First Pavilion,” she read.

In the lower right corner, a small “Gu” character was engraved. Gu Hua smiled, “Let’s go sit in the World’s First Pavilion!”

Gu Zhi and the others spotted the “Gu” and followed her lead.

Upon entering, they were struck by the Gu Clan’s extraordinary business acumen.

The hall was packed; nearly every seat was occupied, and the few vacant ones had reserved signs.

It was breakfast time, and the place was nearly full.

Gu Hua led Gu Zhi around before finally finding two empty tables, though they were bathed in sunlight, which might dampen one’s appetite.

As luck would have it, just as they sat down and hadn’t even ordered, Ning Xue’er arrived with a man whose face was handsome and clear, dressed in snowy robes, a dragon-shaped jade pendant hanging from his waist. They sat at the reserved table beside them.

“Why is it you lot again?!”