“San guniang is far too vicious. Should we tell da guniang about this?” Qing Mei asked.
Gu Jiu replied, “Da jiejie should certainly be told. But it cannot be us who tell her.”
Qing Mei didn’t understand.
Gu Jiu put down the book in her hand and then said, “Sisters turning against each other is never a good reputation to have. If da jiejie learns the truth, she’ll definitely have a big fight with san meimei. Once it blows up, word will spread throughout the entire household, even throughout the capital.
“If this gets out, it won’t just ruin san meimei’s name – every Gu daughter’s reputation will be tainted. So we must let da jiejie know the truth, yet still control the situation. And the best person to handle that is Hu yiniang.”
“Guniang means, to leak the truth to Hu yiniang, and let her be the one to tell da guniang?”
“Exactly!”
Qing Zhu asked curiously, “But if Hu yiniang steps in, can she really stop da guniang from making a scene?”
Gu Jiu smiled lightly. “What does Hu yiniang care about most right now?”
“Of course, da guniang’s marriage.”
Gu Jiu nodded slightly. “Besides da jiejie’s marriage, she also cares about si gege, Gu Heng’s future. At this point, instead of having da jiejie cause a huge ruckus with san meimei, wouldn’t it be better to use this as leverage to gain actual benefits?”
Qing Mei asked, “What benefits do you think Hu yiniang would bargain for?”
Gu Jiu smiled faintly. “If I were her, I’d demand that taitai find Gu Zhen another marriage, with a generous dowry. Secondly, she’d arrange a good marriage for Gu Heng, and demand a sufficiently lavish betrothal gift. Otherwise, she could just let the scandal blow up and utterly ruin Gu Yue.”
Qing Mei nodded repeatedly. “If things go as you say, Hu yiniang and da guniang can turn passivity into initiative, and bite a piece of flesh off taitai.”
Gu Jiu sneered, “Taitai failed to discipline her daughter properly. If she gets bitten, she deserves it.”
Qing Mei added, “But if da guniang refuses to listen and insists on making a scene, the outcome might not be favourable. As long as taitai is around, san guniang might at most suffer some physical punishment and confinement. da guniang won’t truly be able to ruin her.”
“That’s right.” Gu Jiu nodded. “That’s why I said the truth should only be told to Hu yiniang, not da jiejie. Also, even if we are to inform Hu yiniang, it cannot be done directly by anyone from Zhilan Yuan, or we’ll be implicated if things escalate. Qing Mei, you have experience in such matters. I’ll leave this to you. How about it?”
Qing Mei smiled and said, “Rest assured, guniang. This is exactly what nubi is good at. Once Hu yiniang hears the news, she’ll never suspect it came from us at Zhilan Yuan.”
“That’s very good.”
Qing Zhu then asked curiously, “Actually, guniang could just pretend not to know and let them fight it out. Why bother telling Hu yiniang the truth? Is it just to spite taitai?”
Gu Jiu shook her head and said casually, “I’m not doing this just to spite taitai. Gu Yue simply needs to be disciplined. I want to take this chance to give her a hard lesson. Taitai has spoiled her far too much, to the point she thinks she’s untouchable.”
“I fear san guniang won’t learn her lesson. These past six months, she’s been confined many times, but never once did she reflect. She still does as she pleases, never knowing restraint.”
Qing Mei was very dissatisfied with Gu Yue.
Among all the Gu daughters, Gu Yue had the worst attitude toward Gu Jiu, always opposing her both openly and secretly.
As Gu Jiu’s personal maid, Qing Mei had accumulated a belly full of resentment toward Gu Yue.
Gu Jiu laughed. “Whether Gu Yue learns her lesson or not doesn’t matter. What matters is that she deserves to be punished, and punished hard. She must learn that everything has a price. One day, she’ll realise that even taitai won’t be able to protect her.”
Qing Mei asked curiously, “But since you won’t step out yourself, how will you make sure san guniang is severely punished?”
Gu Jiu smiled faintly. “Why would I need to act personally? Just Father alone is enough to make Gu Yue suffer miserably. Wait and see – there’s more drama to come.”
Two days later, Gu Zhen seemed to have come to terms with things, and she quieted down completely.
Xie shi and Hu yiniang both breathed a sigh of relief.
They had feared Gu Zhen would keep making trouble, disturbing the household and stirring up gossip.
Still, Hu yiniang was not at ease and went to check on her every day.
That day, as Hu yiniang was about to leave the house, her maid Hong Mei told her an astonishing piece of news.
Hu yiniang’s face stiffened. She stared hard at Hongmei. “Are you telling the truth?”
The maid Hong Mei nodded. “This servant wouldn’t dare lie to yiniang. It’s absolutely true. The maid from Zizhu Yuan said it herself – there’s no way it’s fake. Yiniang, san guniang is far too cruel. For the sake of a man she only met once, she destroyed da guniang’s whole future. This cannot be left alone.”
Hu yiniang gnashed her teeth. “Of course it cannot be left alone. That wretched Gu Yue has gone too far!”
“What will yiniang do?”
Hu yiniang was so angry she paced back and forth in the room.
That little wretch Gu Yue had been rotten since childhood.
Zhen yatou had always yielded to her, and yet she had the heart to strike, to ruin Zhen yatou’s lifetime prospects.
This absolutely could not be left alone.
Countless ideas flashed through Hu yiniang’s mind, but she dismissed them one by one.
She not only had to make Gu Yue pay, but also force Xie shi to bleed.
The maid Hong Mei asked cautiously, “Yiniang, should we tell laoye about this?”
Hu yiniang’s eyes widened in fury. “Of course we’ll tell him – but not yet.”
After venting her rage, Hu yiniang gradually calmed down.
With just blind anger, nothing would be resolved.
She went through everything from beginning to end, and finally made up her mind.
First, Hu yiniang went to see Gu Zhen.
She told Gu Zhen the truth.
Gu Zhen burst into loud sobs on the spot, screaming that she wanted to kill Gu Yue.
“My great aunt, keep your voice down! Afraid people outside can’t hear you?”
Through her tears, Gu Zhen cried, “Yiniang, Gu Yue ruined my marriage just so she could marry Zhao erlang. Am I supposed to let her off?”
“Of course you can’t let her off. But throwing such a tantrum won’t solve anything. Gu Yue will still end up carefree.”
Wiping her tears, Gu Zhen said, “I’ll do whatever yiniang says. I don’t ask for anything else – I just want Gu Yue to suffer, to be utterly miserable, far worse than me.”
Hu yiniang took her hand and said, “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure Gu Yue falls into misery. Doesn’t she want to marry Zhao erlang? Well, that Zhao erlang not only brings misfortune to his wives, he also has a violent temper. Then let’s simply make sure Gu Yue marries him.”
“Why should she?” Gu Zhen flared up in rage. “She ruined me precisely so she could marry Zhao erlang. And you’re not stopping her – you’re even helping her get what she wants! Won’t that make her smug and satisfied?”
Patiently, Hu yiniang coaxed, “Silly girl, do you really think Gu Yue will end up satisfied? Even if she survives him – not killed by Zhao erlang’s curse – and successfully marries into Haixi bo fu, do you think she’ll have a good life?
“I’ve already asked around – Zhao erlang has a terrible temper. At the slightest disagreement, he raises his hand. And you know Gu Yue’s temper – she might hold back once, maybe twice, but can she endure three times?
“Just wait. Once she marries him, they’ll probably be fighting before the wedding candles burn out. And when that happens, we’ll fan the flames. Don’t believe for a second Gu Yue won’t end up miserable.”
Gu Zhen clenched her teeth, unwilling, aggrieved, unable to find peace.
“Even if everything happens just as you say – even if Gu Yue doesn’t have a good life after marrying him – she still gets what she wants in the end. But what about me? What should I do? Am I supposed to stay in this household forever as an old maid?”
With that, Gu Zhen broke into loud sobs again.
Hu yiniang patted her back. “Silly child, don’t cry. Am I not already thinking of a way for you? Since Gu Yue destroyed your marriage, I’ll make taitai compensate you with another one.”
“I won’t marry Xie Ding. Even if I die, I won’t marry that beast worse than a pig or dog!” Gu Zhen cried, refusing outright.
Hu yiniang said softly, “Don’t worry. I’ll never let you marry Xie Ding.”
Gu Zhen lifted her tear-streaked face, looking at Hu yiniang. “If not Xie Ding, then who else could I marry?”
“No matter who it is, I’ll make sure it’s a marriage of wealth and honour. You just wait for my good news.”
Then Hu yiniang left, heading to Furong Yuan to see Xie shi.
Gu Zhen sat by her bed, laughing one moment, crying the next. Most of the time, she clenched her teeth, cursing Gu Yue bitterly, wishing her a terrible death.
When Hu yiniang arrived at Furong Yuan, she was not polite with Xie shi. She went straight to the point: “Taitai, regarding Zhen yatou’s marriage, biqie has a few words to say.”
Xie shi’s face darkened.
These past days, not a single day had gone smoothly for her.
Haixi bo fu had rejected the proposal, Gu daren had scolded her, and Gu Yue was still making a scene – threatening life and death, insisting she must marry Zhao erlang. Gu Zhen, at least, had quieted down, but her marriage had now become a thorny issue.
And at this very moment, this tactless Hu yiniang came running to say she had “a few words” about Gu Zhen’s marriage.
Wrinkles creased Xie shi’s brow. She glared at Hu yiniang in displeasure.
“Why aren’t you looking after Zhen yatou? What are you doing here? As for her marriage, your laoye and I will decide. You have no need to meddle.”
But Hu yiniang raised her head, looking straight at Xie shi – very unlike her usual submissive manner.
“Taitai, since san guniang ruined Zhen yatou’s marriage, shouldn’t we talk about it?”
“You’re insolent!”
Xie shi slammed the table, her face changing colour, staring at Hu yiniang in disbelief.
Hu yiniang, however, remained calm under her gaze.
Gritting her teeth, Xie shi turned to Chun He. “Go guard the door. Without my orders, no one is to enter.”
“Yes!”
Chun He stole a glance at Hu yiniang, thinking she must have lost her mind.
She went to stand guard at the door, drove off the other maids, then pressed her ear against the door, eavesdropping on the conversation inside.
Xie shi seethed. “Hu shi, do you even know what you’re saying? How dare you spout such nonsense? Insolent!”
“Biqie dares not be insolent. But taitai, there are no walls in the world that don’t leak wind. What san guniang did was hardly a well-kept secret.”
“You–you, what did you just say?”
Xie shi’s eyes widened. Who had given Hu yiniang such nerve? Who was backing her?
Hu yiniang spoke calmly, neither humble nor arrogant.
“Zhen yatou’s marriage was ruined, and the culprit is none other than san guniang. Yet san guniang has received no punishment at all. For Zhen yatou, this is most unfair.”
Xie shi barked angrily, “What exactly are you trying to say?”
Hu yiniang replied steadily, “I only wish to remind taitai – it’s time to arrange another marriage for Zhen yatou.”
“Who do you think you are, to dare speak to me this way? Get on your knees!” Xie shi shouted, furious. For a mere concubine to try and lord it over her – did she think the household rules were just decoration?
But Hu yiniang did not kneel.
“If taitai cannot arrange another marriage for Zhen yatou, then even if it costs me my life, I will tell the truth to laoye. And once laoye knows, you know better than I what the consequences for san yatou will be.”
“You dare threaten me? Who gave you such courage? Tell me!”
A faint smile tugged at the corners of Hu yiniang’s lips, but in the next instant, her face returned to its usual impassive expression. That trace of a smile seemed as though it had never appeared.
She said to Xie shi, “Of course, it was san guniang who gave biqie the courage. When san guniang schemed against Zhen yatou’s marriage, it was as good as handing the handle straight into my hands. If biqie doesn’t make proper use of it, how could I face poor Zhen yatou, who has cried until she’s nearly blinded?”
“You, you…” Xie shi pointed at Hu yiniang, too furious to speak.
“Taitai, let’s not waste time on meaningless quarrels. Why don’t we discuss Zhen yatou’s marriage together instead?”
Xie shi let out a cold laugh. “Good, very good. To think I once treated you with sincerity, and this is how you repay me.”
“Biqie is a mother too. How could I just stand by and watch Zhen yatou suffer such a grievous wrong? I beg taitai to understand my heart.”
Xie shi gnashed her teeth. “Fine! Sit down and talk – we’ll take our time.”
“Many thanks, taitai.”
For Gu Zhen, Hu yiniang had thrown caution to the wind.
She knew perfectly well that from now on, Xie shi would never trust her again, and might even make things difficult for her at every turn. Yet she still stepped forward without hesitation.
Only in this way could she be true to herself – and true to Gu Zhen.
No one knew what Hu yiniang and Xie shi discussed. Even Chun He, who was waiting at the door, heard nothing of their conversation.
She only saw Hu yiniang walk out of Furong Yuan with a calm expression.
When Chun He entered the room –
Crash!
Xie shi hurled the teacup to the floor, shattering it into pieces.
“Taitai, please quell your anger.”
Xie shi panted, closing her eyes against the pounding in her head.
“Taitai, shall I fetch the physician?”
Xie shi waved her hand. “No need. That wretched girl Gu Yue was born just to collect debts.”
Chun He dared not respond to those words and could only stay silent.
Xie shi ground her teeth. “What is da taitai busy with right now?”
“Da taitai is currently in the council hall. Ah, and er guniang is also there.”
Xie shi frowned. “Why would Gu Jiu be in the council hall?”
“Has taitai forgotten? Da taitai asked er guniang to stay by her side to learn household management.”
“Absurd. How could something so important be hidden from me?”
In a small voice, Chun He said, “A few days ago, nubi did mention it.”
Xie shi slapped the table. “I mean, why didn’t Gu Jiu come tell me herself? Is she not still a daughter of our second branch?”
After venting her anger, Xie shi left with her maids and attendants for the council hall.
Inside, she could indeed hear Gu Jiu’s voice.
Xie shi’s brow creased as she strode in with displeasure all over her face. “Er yatou, what are you doing here? Your bomu has to manage the household. Your presence here only adds to the confusion. Why aren’t you hurrying back to your room?”
Gu Jiu had been busy with the accounts when Xie shi stormed in and unleashed her fury.
She looked up at Xie shi, wondering if she had swallowed gunpowder.
Then, recalling Xiao Cui’s report that Hu yiniang had gone to Furong Yuan to see Xie shi, Gu Jiu smiled knowingly.
So it seemed Hu yiniang’s efforts had gone smoothly – enough to provoke Xie shi into such a temper.
“Dimei, it was I who asked Xiao Jiu to stay. She’s quick and accurate with the accounts – just the help I needed.”
Before Gu Jiu could speak, Zhang shi stepped forward to explain on her behalf.
Xie shi gave a cold snort. “My good dasao, you certainly know how to make use of others. Er yatou is our second branch’s child. If dasao means to put her to work, at the very least you should have told me first.”
Zhang shi raised an eyebrow and smiled. “In this matter, dimei is the one at fault.”
Xie shi’s face hardened. “And how exactly am I at fault?”
Zhang shi cast her a sidelong glance, her eyes full of disdain.
Then, lifting her teacup with casual ease, she said lightly, “The daughters of your second branch are all growing up now. And yet, you’ve never once thought to arrange for them to learn household management.
“If they don’t know how to keep accounts, don’t know how to run a household, what will happen when they marry? Will they be bullied by servants their whole lives? If they cannot share their husband’s burdens, won’t they be despised by their in-laws?
“You may not care about your daughters’ futures, but I cannot turn a blind eye. Out of goodwill, I let Xiao Jiu learn household management by my side. Yet instead of gratitude, you come here to reproach me. Tell me, where is the sense in that?”
T/N:
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