Chapter 6, Engagement

Changsun Wuji rolled his eyes dramatically, but his sister was indeed right. That blackguard had the audacity to claim he was handsome, speaking with such confidence and nonchalance, it was infuriating...! ... Huh!

Thus, Changsun Sheng and Gao Shilian took a small boat and pursued into Gaojipo, while Changsun Wuji, who was responsible for guarding, was uneasy and intercepted a fishing boat along the river. He brought only two servants with him into Gaojipo, and then the subsequent events unfolded.

Changsun Wuji cast a furtive glance at his father and uncle chatting at the bow of the boat, and in a lowered voice asked, "Guanyin Maid, have you taken a liking to that Gao Bufan?"

Changsun Wuji let out a sigh of relief, squatting down beside Changsun Wugou, and with a flattering expression, he clasped his hands in a gesture of respect and said: "I spoke without thinking, dear sister, please forgive me this once, otherwise, father will scold me again, and it will be quite terrible"

I dare not, I dare not! Changsun Wuji laughed and casually picked up the green-shelled turtle. For some reason, he couldn't help but think of his good friend Li Shimin. Oh, this turtle is too green, so green that it makes one a bit uneasy

Changsun Sheng nodded: "The pure and innocent body is weak, drinking turtle soup is just right."

Equestrian archery is an essential skill in chaotic times. Gao Bufan is quite fortunate; after traveling to the Great Sui Dynasty, he finds that his family runs a horse farm. As the saying goes, "The pavilion by the water gets the moonlight first," Gao Bufan naturally will not miss the excellent opportunity to practice equestrian archery. Therefore, he studies diligently and works hard, and his results are remarkable

Changsun Wuji suddenly let out a light sigh, his face filled with concern as he stared at Changsun Wugou. The latter's smile gradually faded, and with a puzzled expression, she touched her own face and asked, "What’s wrong?"

Changsun Wuji breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this, patting his chest and murmuring to himself: "Fortunately, fortunately, otherwise what would happen to Brother Shimin?"

Changsun Wuji, feeling somewhat envious, said: "Alright, alright, my brother is a reckless man, but Gao Bufan is not. He is handsome and elegant, like a jade tree standing in the wind, courteous and polite, exceptionally talented, unparalleled in the world, and I humbly bow to his excellence!"

However, the power of the aristocratic families during the Sui Dynasty remained quite strong, a situation that continued even into the Tang Dynasty. In order to maintain or enhance their own power, these aristocratic families often chose to form marital alliances. Specifically, they would closely monitor the talented youths of other aristocratic families, and if a suitable match was found, they would hastily arrange for their daughters to be betrothed to them, thereby creating a bond of mutual interest, where they would prosper together or suffer together.

Changsun Wugou shot him a glance and said, "The young master Gao is certainly not some rustic brute."

Today, Zhang Jincheng's second-in-command, Sun Yan, led dozens of brothers to launch a surprise attack on the ship before dawn, killing many of the crew members. However, they were ultimately repelled by Changsun Sheng and his troops, while Changsun Wugou unfortunately fell victim to the bandits' abduction

This small village is called Liu'anli, located approximately 30 miles from the Gao family's horse ranch. Each time Gao Bufan goes to Gaojibo for a swim, he first rides his horse to Liu'an Village, leaves the horse in the village, and then rows a boat into the bay

Changsun Wuji, in a moment of urgency, pointed at the bound green-skinned turtle and exclaimed loudly

Gao Bufan and his three companions had just entered the manor when a small boy, dragging his snot, came running over barefoot, loudly reporting a grievance

Look at him, all those muscles, dark and unrefined, running around in broad daylight dressed like that to catch turtles in the mountains and fields, what part of him resembles a scholar? Isn't he just a rustic brute? Long Sun Wuji grunted, clearly still a bit resentful about the nickname "Little Chubby".

Zhangsun Wugou then turned her anger into a smile and huffed, "Let's see if you dare to make wild arrangements again in the future"

Young Master Bufan, you have returned just in time; a stranger has stolen your horse

"Your face is not as thick as his!" Changsun Wugou said, covering her small mouth as she giggled, her bright eyes curving into beautiful crescent shapes.

... ...

Since the horse had not been stolen, Gao Bufan was not in a hurry. He took out two wild water chestnuts from his pocket and handed them to the little boy, who happily accepted them and began to eat without any hesitation.

Changsun Wugou's delicate face flushed suddenly, and she said with a hint of shyness and annoyance: "That's not true, stop talking nonsense!"

Changsun Wugou let out a chuckle and said: "Brother, there is no need to be sarcastic; in fact, you are slightly better than Gao Gongzi in one aspect."

It is said that Emperor Wen of Sui, Yang Jian, abolished the "Nine Ranks and Six Classes System" that had been in place since the Wei and Jin dynasties in order to suppress the power of the aristocratic families. He established the imperial examination system, breaking the rigid class structure of "no commoners in high ranks, no aristocrats in low ranks," allowing common people the opportunity to become officials and ascend to the upper echelons of society. Furthermore, after Yang Guang ascended to the throne, he further improved the imperial examination system, actively recruiting talent from the lower strata of society, completely dismantling the monopoly of the aristocratic families over the officialdom.

If swimming is Gao Bufan's first skill, then horseback riding is his second skill. In fact, almost everyone in the Gao family can ride, as the family runs a horse farm. If one cannot ride, wouldn't that be a source of great embarrassment?

Then it is said that Gao Bufan and his two companions sailed away from Gaoji Port, following a small river to the outskirts of a small village. They tied their fishing boat under a willow tree by the shore and prepared to disembark and retrieve their mounts from the village

The little boy sniffed the mucus that had flowed to his lips and shook his head, saying: "No, the person has been captured and is tied to the big tree outside the ancestral hall. The village head said to wait for Young Master Bufan to return before dealing with it."

Changsun Sheng and Gao Shilian exchanged a smile, their sibling bond being profound. Occasionally, they would engage in a bit of banter, thus they did not take it to heart, turning away to continue their conversation

Changsun Wuji's eyes lit up, and he asked with confidence, "Which point?"

Now the crew of the ship has either died or scattered, and the ship itself is severely damaged, making it impossible to continue sailing. After discussing with Gao Shilian, Changsun Sheng decided to disembark and travel by land.

The boat sailed along the winding waterway towards the canal outside Gaojibo, while the young girl, Long Sun Wugou, gazed absentmindedly at the floating duckweed drifting with the waves. Suddenly, her eyes brightened, and she murmured to herself: "Meeting by chance on the water... Meeting by chance on the water, so this is how it is; this phrase is indeed quite evocative."

Although Gao Bufan's historical knowledge is relatively limited, he is aware that the Sui Dynasty was a short-lived dynasty, much like the powerful Qin Empire, both of which ended after two generations. Yang Guang was the second and also the last emperor of the Sui Dynasty, which was ultimately replaced by the Tang Dynasty

It is said that Li Shimin had a remarkable appearance and a bold, chivalrous character. At a young age, he had a wide circle of friends, and he and Changsun Wuji could be considered close companions, often gathering to discuss literature and martial arts. This provided him with many opportunities to meet Changsun Wugou, and regarding this exceptionally beautiful "fiancée," Li Er was naturally very pleased and attentive, always seeking chances to get closer. However, although Changsun Wugou was young, she was raised with strict family values, and especially after learning about the "betrothal," she became even more cautious, trying to avoid Li Shimin as much as possible to prevent any rumors from spreading. This left Li Er feeling both delighted and troubled.

"Our horse has been stolen?" Gao Shou asked anxiously

Changsun Wuji's face turned red with displeasure as he said: "Guanyin Maid, why are you turning your arm outward, helping others to harm your own brother"

"Cursed the neighbor, daring to steal our horse; if you don't beat them to a pulp, consider yourself clean!" Gao Shou and Gao Ren rolled up their sleeves and rushed towards the ancestral hall with great momentum

The change of dynasties often signifies turmoil, and turmoil inevitably leads to suffering for the common people. As the saying goes, in chaotic times, a person is no better than a dog. Living in such an era, no one can remain unscathed; one must either become a hero of the times or perish as mere fodder. Gao Bufan naturally does not wish to be a victim of the chaos, so he has been striving to strengthen himself. With each additional skill, he naturally increases his ability to survive.

The practices of the Changsun family were no exception. Changsun Chi, who is the elder brother of Changsun Sheng, had long set his sights on Li Shimin, the second son of the Duke of Tang, Li Yuan. He intended to marry his niece, Changsun Wugou, into the Li family. However, Changsun Sheng politely declined, citing his daughter's young age as the reason, yet he did not completely dismiss the idea, implying that he wished to observe the situation for a few more years before making a final decision. Thus, the two families effectively established a vague verbal engagement.

At the age of five, Gao Bufan was already able to ride a tall horse without a saddle across the pasture. By the age of ten, he could even stand on the back of a galloping horse to shoot arrows. Although his aim was somewhat lacking, he at least did not miss the target, which greatly pleased his father, Gao Kaishan, who sighed with relief that the Gao family finally had a successor

That child turned around and ordered someone to stew this turtle. Changsun Wuji said this while secretly signaling Changsun Wugou for mercy, but the latter turned her small face away and ignored him

Changsun Sheng and Gao Shilian turned their heads upon hearing the sound. Changsun Wuji's face turned red, and he hurriedly waved his hands while shaking his head, speaking incoherently: "I... I didn't... I... I just asked Guanyin's maid if she wanted to drink turtle soup, that's all."

Changsun Wugou shook her head lightly and said: "Brother, judging a person by their appearance is beneath you. Moreover, although he may be a bit dark-skinned, his eloquence is refined, and he speaks with great fluency. In terms of literary talent, you may not be able to match him; as for martial skills, I fear you may fall short as well. Not to mention character, you are always rather rough around the edges. If Young Master Gao is a brash man, then you are even more so."

When Gao Bufan was three years old, Laozi Gao Kaishan personally selected a young colt for him to learn to ride. Gao Bufan took this learning very seriously, partly because he genuinely enjoyed horseback riding, and partly as preparation for the impending chaotic times.

"I am merely addressing the matter at hand," Changsun Wugou said helplessly

To return to the main topic, it is said that Changsun Sheng and others sailed out of Gaojibo and returned to the canal, where a three-story ship was anchored. This was the very ship that Changsun Sheng and his family were aboard. Due to the luxury of this ship, as soon as they entered the territory of Bohai County, they were targeted by Zhang Jincheng and his gang of bandits.

"Father, brother is bullying me!" Changsun Wugou stamped her foot in great anger

Fortunately, it is not far from the county seat of Yang County, and it takes only half an hour to walk there. Thus, the group abandoned the boat and disembarked, heading towards the county seat of Yang County

Changsun Wuji, who was nearby, nodded and said: "This phrase is indeed used wonderfully, quite novel. I did not expect that a rustic boor could possess such literary talent, how strange!"

Gao Bufan often visits Liuwan Village, and he never comes empty-handed. He always brings some novel items or snacks to distribute to everyone. Moreover, Gao Bufan has invented several innovative fishing tools, which, after being used by the villagers, indeed led to a significant increase in their catch. Additionally, Gao Bufan has a good temper, is easygoing, and does not put on airs, making him very popular among the villagers, especially the children in the village