Love is More than a Word, Chapter 39: Linked in countless ways (3)...

Love is More than a Word《识汝不识丁》Shi Nu Bu Shi Ding
Love is More than a Word, Chapter 39: Linked in countless ways (3)...

The roof of the magistrate's court really had a few holes in it, the worst of which was almost open-air, notably Tao Mo's room.


The fallen broken tiles have been packed away, but traces of destruction can be seen everywhere in the room. Tao Mo found his room so bright for the first time, it was hard to adapt, and he couldn't get back to his senses after a while of staring as he raised his head to the blue sky.

"Young Master, natural and man-made disasters are inevitable, so don't take it to heart. I'll pack your bags for you." What's done is done, even if you're reluctant. Hao Guozi then took out the package he used when she moved to Tangyang County and packed it with single-mindedness.

Tao Mo looked at his busy figure and had a feeling of not really. Is it really necessary to move into the Gu residence? Thinking of Gu She, his heart shifted back and forth between hot and cold.

"Young Master? Did you bring the scratching stick?" Hao GuoZi wanted to place the scratching stick indulgently across the room, but one end is always exposed.

"I guess," said Tao Mo slowly, "I'd better not go, huh?"

Hao Guozi's eyes lit up, "Has the young master thought about it?"

Tao Mo: "It's just adding to the trouble if I go."

"Where is the young master adding trouble? Hasn't Young Master been solving their problems for them since he became a magistrate?" Hao Guozi saw his hesitation and knew that he wanted to be close to Gu She very much in his heart, and finally relented a bit and said, "Actually, it's just a few days' stays, it doesn't matter. According to what Master Mu said, that Gu She is quite well-connected in Tangyang County, and if you can befriend him, it will benefit the young master to establish roots in Tangyang County in the future."

Tao Mo: "Actually, I don't have any friendship with Gu She." Even though he wanted to get close to it a hundred times, the closer he got, the more he felt himself falling short. It was as if Gu She was an insurmountable mountain to look up to and admire, but it was always difficult to approach the summit.

Hao Guozi's lips moved and he whispered, "I see that Gu She is still different from Young Master."

Tao Mo's eyes brighten, then frustrated, "He's okay."

Hao Guozi really can't associate that indifferent person with a good person, but looking at Tao Mo's muddy appearance, she can't bear to Throwing cold water on the situation, I had to say, "If the young master doesn't want to go again, why don't you stay in my room and I'll just squeeze in somewhere."

It just so happened that Mu Chun came in through the door and saw the package and his eyes lit up, "Packed already?"

Hao Guozi: "Young Master doesn't want to go."

"Doesn't want to go?" Mu Chun smiled kindly, "Why?"

Tao Mo: "I am not familiar to Gu She."

"The magistrate is a parent official, and Gu She is a citizen of the county, how can you say that we are not familiar?" Mu Chun said.

Tao Mo: "But my friendship with Gu She is not deep."

Mu Chun smiled, "I can see that Mr. Gu and his Excellency have a shallow friendship."

Tao Mo wondered, "But he didn't say anything either?"

"Really never?" Mu Chun said, "Although Mr. Gu is a stickler for words, he is absolutely word-perfect." A person like Gu She would never speak nonsense. Since it's not nonsense, it's certainly word-for-word true.

After thinking about it, Tao Mo really felt that Gu She's words to himself were not much, but when you thought about it, they were indeed profound.

Mu Chun said, "A man is born into the world, and a promise is worth a thousand words. Since you have an agreement with Mr. Gu at the Gu residence, you should keep your promise. To go back on your word is not something a man should do."




Tao Mo was said to be like a wrongdoer child filled with guilt.

Hao Guozi looked at Mu Chun suspiciously, "Why is Master Mu so intent on pushing the young master towards Gu She?"

Mu Chun said, "Since Master has hired me as the Magistrate Residence Steward, I have to make plans for Master. The lawsuit masters of Tangyang County are all over the place, and the hands of Mr. Yichui and Lin Zhengyong are the best. Although they are incompatible with each other, they are good at scheming and calculating to bend the law, they will never let his Excellency win. Chances are if his Excellency want to go left and right and side with one the other, they might plot things so that he might even be expelled together." His words weren't alarming; there were indeed magistrates who had previously been demoted and relocated as a result. "So, instead of walking on thin ice between the two, it would be better to first use one of them to stand firm."

Hao Guozi heard the reasoning and nodded his head repeatedly.

Tao Mo frowned, "I don't want to use Gu She."

"I'm afraid Gu She is no less smart and clever than Mr. Yichui, and I'm afraid that his Excellency wants to use him" Mu Chun closed his mouth, but the meaning of this goes without saying.

Hao Guozi was confused by him. "Didn't you just say you were going to use one of the parties to get a foothold against the other?"



Mu Chun: "Of course, this is just my opinion, but it's easier to know than to do. It can be done unless his Excellency is more calculating than Gu She."

Hao Guozi didn't speak. This time it's not that he's trying to boost others' ambition and undermine his own authority, but he knows what he's doing. In terms of calculation, his young master might not even be ranked a hundredth in plotting-ness in this Tangyang County.

"Or," Mu Chun continued slowly, "To be honest with each other."

Tao Mo busily said, "I have no intention of toying with Gu She in any way."

“...”

Hao Guozi looked up at the sky.

The sky was high and blue and clear.

Mu Chun coughed and said dryly, "I trust his Excellency."

Tao Mo knew he had used the wrong words and was embarrassed: "I mean, I don't have any intention of using him."

"The gentleman is frank. His Excellency has no desire to use him, so why should he be afraid to go to Gu residence for a small stay?" Mu Chun circled around in a big circle and finally got the topic back.

Tao Mo wanted to stop talking. Although he has no intention of using him, it doesn’t mean he may not have no intention of plotting.

Hao Guozi saw that it would be difficult to get a foothold in Tangyang if he continued to push back, and in turn advised, "It's only a few days' stays. Young master only needs to sleep there at night and return to the magistrate's office a while."

Mu Chun raised his eyebrows.

Tao Mo's eyes wandered between the two for a long time before he nodded, "So be it."

But to show the sincerity of the loan, he went up the street with Hao Guozi to personally arrange a thin gift, which he then brought to the door with his baggage.

Gu Xiaojia seemed to know when they would come and waited at the door early in the morning, seeing them carrying big bags and a scratching stick exposed. Half ahead, a corner of the mouth moved in a sneer, "You're not bringing all your possessions to prepare for permanent residence, are you?"

Hao Guozi is trying to choke back, but Tao Mo pulls his sleeve.

Tao Mo held the gift and took a step forward, "A small token, not a token of respect."

The gift-giving Gu Xiaojia had seen many, but there were few so shabby. But he knew that his own son saw him differently and didn't dare to remain difficult, nodding towards the concierge standing by.

The concierge picked it up immediately.

This was a relief for Tao Mo.

"Come with me and I'll lead you to the guest room." Gu Xiaojia turned around and headed inside.

Tao Mo and Hao Guozi hurriedly follow.

There are so many residences in the Gu residence that Gu Xiaojia specifically picked the one farthest away from the main courtyard, where Gu She is located, to settle them in the farthest courtyard (Xianju) in the residence.

Hao Guozi got a headache from his left and right turns and couldn't help but say, "Why do we  need to live so far away?"

Gu Xiaojia said, "No way, the residence is so big, a casual walk will take half an hour, I've already picked a very close one. If you can't remember, I'll draw a map with you."

Tao Mo smiled, "Thanks. But I'll remember."

Gu Xiaojia was slightly surprised. He had just deliberately detoured back and forth so much that they might not even remember it all over again, but he remembered it all? "Are you sure?" He will believe it.

Tao Mo's jaws straightened and he nodded.

Hao Guozi threw a proud glance at Gu Xiaojia.

Gu Xiaojia said, "Since you remember, I won't be here to pick you up for dinner at dusk, so follow the road to the main hall. That's it."

Tao Mo thanked him repeatedly.

When Gu Xiaojia left, Hao Guozi complained, "He's obviously a servant, but he's proud as if he were a young master of an important family."

"Nonsense!" Tao Mo lightly rebuked.




Hao Guozi: "Did Young Master really remember all those roads? Why do I feel like I've gone down some roads twice?"

Tao Mo: "That garden, and those two bridges, we did go and pass them twice."

Hao Guozi spoke with annoyance, "I knew that Gu Xiaojia was a restless annoyance!"

Tao Mo: "We are guests, don't make troubles."

Hao Guozi looked at him with a heart full of relief. Although he knew that the young master had matured a lot since the old master's incident, this feeling was extraordinarily strong at the moment. "Yes. Young Master."

The sun is setting and the lights are coming up.

Tao Mo took Hao Guozi through the heavy archway and finally arrived at the main hall that Gu Xiaojia said.

They thought they were the only ones dining in the hall, but Gu She was also present.

"Please." Gu She faintly.

Tao Mo swept away the loneliness of his consignment and settled down with glee.

Hao Guozi saw Gu Xiaojia standing to the side waiting and also stood behind Tao Mo.

Tao Mo looked at Gu She with eyes wide open, waiting for him to ask something polite like how he lives and if he can get used to it. Gu She picked up his chopsticks and put a piece of eggplant in his mouth.

“...”

Gu She saw him dumbfounded, so he couldn't help but look over as well.

Four eyes stared at each other.

Tao Mo's face mischievously reddened.

Gu She an eyebrow, "Hot?"

Tao Mo said: "Still, it's okay." He hurriedly picked up his chopsticks and stuffed several chopsticks of eggplant into his mouth.

Gu She said no more words.

After muffling the evening meal, Tao Mo was trying to find a topic to talk about when he heard Gu She: "Can you play chess?"

Tao Mo nodded evenly.

Gu Xiaojia knowingly sets up the chessboard.

Tao Mo saw Hao Guozi standing on the side with a hungry stomach and couldn't bear to say, "You go eat first."

As soon as he finished speaking, Hao Guozi's stomach rumbled in a series of rumbles.

Gu Xiaojia spurted out a laugh.

Gu She, "You take him down to dinner."

"Yes." Gu Xiaojia looked at Hao Guozi's shame-faced face and felt great relief, gladly obeying the order.

After Gu Xiaojia and Hao Guozi left, only Gu She and Tao Mo were left in the main hall.

Tao Mo looked at Gu She's handsome face close at hand, and inevitably his heartbeat out of order, and his play was also a mess, but in a few moments, he was defeated by Gu She easily.

Looking at the ghastly position on the chessboard, Gu She threw the pieces back into the chess box.

As if seeing his displeasure, Tao Mo mended his ways, "Can we play another game?"

Gu She raised up his eyes.

Tao Mo held up his index finger, his form pitiful.

Snap, snap, snap.

Gu She took Tao Mo's black knight and cut down the five pawns without mercy. [1]This is actually a Chinese chess move I read about it last night it didn't make any sense so it tried to simplify it

Tao Mo was stunned: "You made me lose five and a half tiles?" [1]Chinese chess uses tiles instead on figurines

Gu She: "Not enough?"

"That's enough." Tao Mo thought, and added, "It should be enough."

Actually, he was illiterate, but his chess skills were not weak. As the two played, Gu She down the pieces and slowed down.

The game lasted a full hour and a half, and Gu Xiaojia and Hao Gaozi looked around the door several times before it ended.

Gu She won, but only narrowly missed it.

Tao Mo shamefully said, "I'm not very good at chess."

"Again tomorrow."

"Huh?" Tao Mo looked happy.

Gu Xiaojia and Hao Guozi saw Gu She up and came in to clean up the mess.

Gu She suddenly asked, "Where do you live?"

Gu Xiaojia's heart is tight.

"Staying at the outer residence the Xianju Courtary." Tao Mo can't read the name of the residence, and the answer was given by Hao Guozi.

Gu She looked at Gu Xiaojia with a deep look

Gu Xiaojia felt a chill down his back and his kitchen life seemed to beckon him again.

Tao Mo went back to his room, his mind was still repeating the chess game with Gu She, he was overwhelmed with joy at one moment, and annoyed at himself for not learning the art. He tossed and turned like this until midnight, and then barely slept.

In the early morning, he woke up naturally without waiting for Hao Guozi to call the door. Thinking that he is now in the Gu residence, he can't help but feel a bit like a dream.

By the time he pushed the door open, Hao Guozi was awake, too, and was bringing him a basin of hot water to wash up.

It wasn't their territory after all, and they were both a bit reserved and silent for a while.

Eastern sky was fading whitish.

Tao Mo was about to go out to the magistrate court when he saw the concierge of the Gu residence rush in and say, "Tao Da-ren, there is an errand boy asking for an audience."

His heart skipped a beat, "Come in, please."

Hao Guozi muttered beside her, "There's not another case, is there? It's only the beginning of the year, why are they so restless?"

Tao Mo is also a new official for the first time, so he don't know if this is normal, so he tried to be silent.

A little later, the errand boy enters and speaks of private matters. "Master Mu said that Tao Da-ren's best friend visited."

"Best friend?" Tao Mo's heart thudded.




Hao Guozi's eyebrows immediately furrowed.

I'm afraid there's only one person within a hundred miles who can be called an old friend, right?





~ Love is More than A Word ~







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