Gu Zhang quickly said, "Slow down. Be careful with your back."
Gu Fei was truly frantic. The Imperial Music Bureau… what kind of place was that? It was a government-run brothel!
The only difference was that the Imperial Music Bureau exclusively served officials.
Besides the girls who were bought, most of the women inside were the family members of disgraced officials.
Gu Fei didn't know if it was even possible to buy someone out of the Imperial Music Bureau. She turned to Gu Qing anxiously. "Big Brother, I have to go into the city tomorrow."
Gu Zhang, standing nearby, immediately disagreed. "Your injuries haven't healed yet. Why would you go into the city? Whatever it is, just have your big brother handle it for you."
Gu Fei shook her head. "I'm afraid Big Brother can't handle this. I'm going to the Imperial Music Bureau to buy someone out."
Gu Qing was stunned. "Buy someone out?"
"Sister, you probably can't get anyone out of that place without hundreds, or even a thousand, taels of silver, right?"
"Where would our family get that much silver?"
Gu Zhang waved his hand dismissively. "It's not just a matter of silver."
"We can't even get into the Imperial Music Bureau. Even if you want to buy someone out, only an official can do it."
Gu Fei stared blankly at her father. 'How does a farmer like you know about this?'
Seeing his sister's dumbfounded expression, Gu Qing chuckled and patted Gu Fei's head. "Did you forget? Dad was a child student. He only stopped pursuing the exams after our family fell on hard times. Our dad is very knowledgeable."
Gu Zhang nodded. "I heard a fellow student mention it once, many years ago. It should be correct."
Gu Fei murmured, "Then what do we do? Where are we supposed to find an official?"
'And you'd have to get that official to actually listen to you and obediently go buy the person out. Is that even possible? Our family is full of commoners. What official would be willing to stick their neck out for us?'
Gu Fei was worried sick. She had a feeling that with Second Miss's personality, she wouldn't survive more than a few days in the Imperial Music Bureau.
She was such an adorable young girl. How could Gu Fei just stand by and watch her life be cut so short?
Gu Fei lifted her head. "Big Brother, I still have to go tomorrow. I'll see if I can figure something out."
Gu Qing nodded. "But your injuries—"
Gu Zhang sighed. "Then let's just hire a horse-drawn carriage for you."
Gu Fei turned to look at her dad. "Dad, hiring a carriage costs silver. Don't we have any silver left? Are you just going to let me act so recklessly?"
Gu Zhang smiled. "So you do know you're being reckless?"
"Since you're so determined to go despite your injuries, the person you want to save must be very important to you. It's good for you to go take a look. You might even get to see her."
"Today, we registered our household, bought you clothes, and got some grain. There's still one tael of silver left. That silver is yours anyway, so you can spend it however you see fit."
Gu Fei turned to her brother. "Big Brother, you're not against it either?"
Gu Qing gave a simple, honest smile. "Why would I be against it? If the family weren't completely broke, I wouldn't have accepted your silver in the first place."
Gu Fei's nose twitched, and she pouted. "You all spoil me so much, I…" Her voice choked up as she spoke.
She had been an orphan, never knowing the warmth of a family. When the apocalypse came, she had struggled to survive all on her own. She never expected that after transmigrating to ancient times, she would find the familial love she had always dreamed of.
Gu Zhang's large hand came to rest gently on Gu Fei's head. "Your mom, dad, and your brothers—it's only natural for us to dote on you and spoil you."
"You're my only daughter. When you were born, I was so happy. I finally had a little girl."
"I named you Gu Fei because 'Fei' refers to the most precious red jade. In my heart, my daughter is my most precious jade."
Tears streamed down Gu Fei's face. Even though she had lived a whole other life, she had only been a young woman in her twenties when she died in her past life. How could she possibly withstand her father suddenly being so sentimental?