In a fit of anger, wasn't he driven out of the house...
Images of his father's stern face flashed in Gu Beichen's mind, and he couldn't help but shiver.
Torn, and after the servants had come to call him several times, Gu Beichen, unable to refuse, slowly made his way to the main hall.
Upon arriving, Gu Beichen was stunned by the crowd of people in the courtyard. Was it necessary to gather so many people?
And Prince Jing, since when had he become so amiable? With just one invitation from Feng Jin, he'd eagerly scurried over.
"Young Master Gu, long time no see. Have you been well these past days?"
Chu Chenyi, upon seeing Gu Beichen, quickly came over to greet him, completely ignoring Gu Beichen's ashen face.
"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness Prince Jing. This young master is doing very well... very well..."
Gu Beichen stared intently at Chu Chenyi, wishing he could directly kick the man out.
"Saying such things makes us strangers. I heard today is the grand day for Young Master Gu's apprenticeship, so I came especially to congratulate you. Guards, present the apprenticeship gift I prepared for Young Master Gu."
A servant carried a brocade box and opened it before Gu Beichen.
"I searched the entire treasury but couldn't find a single gift worthy of my heartfelt wishes. After much deliberation, I decided to present Young Master Gu with a piece of my calligraphy, inscribed with the four characters '勤加勉力' (Qin Jia Mian Li) to encourage you daily. Since you have now taken a master, you must respect your teacher and learn diligently."
Gu Beichen's face darkened further. Accepting Chu Chenyi's gift, he said bitterly, "Thank you for Prince Jing's kind gesture. This young master will pray day and night, wishing that you too can find a master as worthy."
"Then I shall trouble Young Master Gu."
Lin Yuwei, sensing the increasingly awkward atmosphere between the two, pulled Chu Chenyi aside and whispered in his ear, "What nonsense are you spouting again? You're just broke, unable to even produce a decent item from your treasury. You wanted to see Young Master Gu make a fool of himself, so you wrote a piece of calligraphy yourself, and now you're boasting about it. You truly are..."
"Mmph..." Before Lin Yuwei could finish, Chu Chenyi covered her mouth.
"If you let anything slip, I'll move all your dowry into the Prince Jing's treasury. You'll be left with nothing."
Lin Yuwei slapped away the hand covering her mouth and glared fiercely at Chu Chenyi, "If you dare touch my dowry, I'll cause a scene at the palace and let the Empress Dowager know of your good deeds."
"You... you win. It's true that women and petty men are hard to deal with. I, being magnanimous, will not stoop to your level, a mere woman."
Chu Chenyi snorted disdainfully and commanded imperiously, "What are you standing around for? Hurry and push me inside."
Lin Yuwei rolled her eyes, gestured wildly at the man's head, and gave the wheelchair a forceful shove.
Had Chu Chenyi not been sitting firmly, he would have been nearly thrown out, and he instinctively grabbed the armrests tightly.
Feng Jin, adorned in luxurious brocade robes and a headdress full of pearls and jewels, her already exquisite features enhanced by light makeup, looked even more stunning. Her appearance immediately captured everyone's attention.
Ling Mohan's expression darkened instantly upon seeing Feng Jin's attire. Was she deliberately trying to attract attention by dressing so flamboyantly?
He stepped forward, grabbed Feng Jin's hand, and pulled her into his embrace, whispering in her ear, "Who are you dressed like this for?"
"In front of everyone, don't be so clingy with me. What will people think? And you're messing up my hair. I spent so long styling it."
Feng Jin pushed the man who was entwining himself around her and tidied her hair. Just styling it had taken a full half-hour.
Today was the grand day of her apprenticeship, and she had to present herself in the best possible state. She absolutely could not let Ling Mohan ruin her image.
"Sister Feng Jin, you look so beautiful today, especially your makeup. What did you put on your eyes? They're so sparkly, it's really lovely."
Lin Yuwei's voice was full of admiration, which immediately delighted Feng Jin.
"Really? I also think my makeup today is quite beautiful," Feng Jin said, not at all shy about praising herself.
"What I've applied to my eyes is eyeshadow. There are many colors. When you go back, I'll give you a palette."
"Really? Thank you, Sister Feng Jin."
After exchanging pleasantries with Lin Yuwei for a few moments, Feng Jin saw that most of the guests had arrived. She stepped forward, cleared her throat, and raised her voice, "Today is the day I take on a disciple. Thank you all for attending. After the apprenticeship ceremony, exquisite dishes will be served for everyone to enjoy."
"Young Madam, everything is ready. When shall the apprenticeship ceremony begin?"
Feng Jin nodded slightly, signaling Cai Qing to bring Gu Beichen.
Cai Qing scanned the surroundings several times, searching for Gu Beichen. She had clearly seen him enter earlier. Where had he gone?
After a thorough search, Cai Qing finally spotted Gu Beichen in an inconspicuous corner. She approached him, "Young Master Gu, why are you hiding here? You made me look all over for you. The apprenticeship is about to begin, don't be late."
All eyes turned to Gu Beichen.
Gu Beichen gave an awkward smile. For the sake of appearances, he had no choice but to shuffle towards the center.
"Young Master Gu, the Young Madam, considering your status, has decided to keep this apprenticeship ceremony simple. You just need to offer the Young Madam a cup of tea, and the apprenticeship will be considered complete."
Cai Qing presented a teacup to Gu Beichen.
Gu Beichen, who had been contemplating how to escape, was pleasantly surprised by Feng Jin's thoughtfulness. If he didn't seize this opportunity, he would truly be ungrateful.
He would have completely disgraced the reputation of the Zhennan King's mansion. Gu Beichen took a deep breath, his heart sinking. He took the teacup and offered it to Feng Jin.
"Greetings, Master."
Feng Jin smiled, very satisfied with Gu Beichen's actions. She graciously accepted the teacup and took a sip of the clear tea.
"Cai Qing, bring the items."
"Young Master Gu, this is the apprenticeship gift prepared for you by the Young Madam."
Gu Beichen glanced at the items and couldn't take his eyes off them. It was a fan with a white jade handle and a fan surface woven from silkworm silk.
This silkworm silk was extremely fine yet incredibly strong. It took three years to produce enough to weave a single bolt of fabric.
To use silkworm silk for a fan surface was the height of extravagance.
Gu Beichen held the fan, utterly captivated. The white jade warmed to the touch in summer and cooled in winter. Combined with the silkworm silk fan surface, it was a treasure beyond price.
To become a disciple and receive such a treasure, Gu Beichen calculated that it was not a loss.
"Your martial arts are not yet refined. I am giving you this fan to protect yourself, not to show off. Do you understand?"
Feng Jin lectured Gu Beichen, truly embodying the demeanor of a strict master.