After the banquet ended and the guests had departed, Gu Jiu and the others stayed behind – they would be living in the hou fu for the next few days.
Xie shi was uneasy and couldn’t help but remind them repeatedly, especially Gu Yue.
“Now that you’re living in the hou fu, you must abide by their rules. Don’t cause trouble over nothing. If you run into a situation where you can’t decide what to do, ask your si meimei – or one of your elders.”
Gu Yue lowered her eyes meekly. “Mother, don’t worry. I’ll follow the rules, I won’t act recklessly.”
But how could Xie shi truly feel at ease?
She left step by step, turning back again and again, afraid that Gu Yue might commit some unforgivable blunder and end up offending everyone.
Zhang shi spoke up with a smile: “Dimei, children have their own blessings. You can’t worry on their behalf for their whole lives. Once it’s time to let go, you must let go.
These girls are already at marriageable age – if they still don’t know how to behave properly, then fretting won’t help either.”
Xie shi kept silent – there was no point arguing about this with Zhang shi.
Zhang shi arched her brows and smiled faintly, letting the matter drop; she couldn’t be bothered to keep nagging.
She called Gu Jun over. “Have a good time here in the hou fu. If you don’t understand something, ask your elder sisters.”
“I will listen to Mother.”
After seeing Xie shi and Zhang shi off, the young ladies of the hou fu led Gu Jiu and her cousins to settle into their quarters.
Gu Jiu was placed in the same courtyard as Gu Mei.
“Xiao Jiu meimei,” Gu Mei suggested, “how about sleeping with me tonight? We can talk for a while.”
“So long as Mei jiejie doesn’t mind if I snore or make noise in my sleep,” Gu Jiu replied with a laugh.
Gu Mei chuckled. “I’m more afraid that you’ll mind me. The maids say my sleeping posture is dreadful.”
Gu Jiu laughed again. “My sleeping posture isn’t good either.”
“Well then, that works perfectly – we make a pair.”
Gu Jiu had just finished unpacking and was about to ask what diversions the hou fu usually offered, when a maid rushed in from outside.
“Da guniang, something’s wrong. Er guniang is crying terribly – you should come and comfort her.”
Gu Mei’s expression changed at once. “Is Qi meimei crying that badly?”
The maid nodded rapidly. “Er taitai has tried everything but can’t calm her. Da guniang, please go quickly.”
“I’ll go right away.”
“Mei jiejie, I’ll come with you,” said Gu Jiu.
Gu Mei nodded. “Xiao Jiu meimei, follow me.”
Gu Jiu went with Gu Mei to the neighbouring courtyard where Gu Qi lived.
Sure enough, as soon as they entered the gate, they heard Gu Qi’s sobs echoing from inside.
Worried, Gu Mei practically ran the last few steps into the room, with Gu Jiu right behind her.
“Qi meimei, are you alright?”
Gu Qi lay sprawled across the bed, weeping bitterly. She looked up at the sound of voices, then promptly burst into fresh sobs.
Wang shi sighed again and again. “Mei yatou, you’re close with Qi’er. Please, try to comfort her.”
“Er shenniang, what’s wrong with Qi meimei?” Gu Mei asked.
Wang shi sighed. “It’s all because Zhao wang fu wishes to propose for Qi’er. And she doesn’t want to.”
The Wang family, Wang shi’s natal family, had distant kinship ties with the Xue family – the family of Xue guifei, Zhao wang’s maternal relatives.
But as the struggle for succession grew fiercer, the Wang family, Zhao wang fu and the Xue family had all but drifted apart, keeping only surface-level courtesies.
At such a time, any family with foresight would avoid taking sides.
Everyone knew that the man who sat on the dragon throne was no benevolent ruler – when angered, he confiscated estates and exterminated whole clans.
Better to stay quiet and unobtrusive.
But the way of the world was this: even if you wished to remain uninvolved, others would not allow you to. Someone would always push you, forcing you again and again to lower your boundaries, to compromise.
And now, Zhao wang fu had come knocking on the gates of Pingnan hou fu.
Gu Qi was not opposed to wealth and status – so long as she could survive to enjoy it.
She had no beloved of her own, but neither did she wish to marry into a wang fu.
Her tears were born from grievance, from feeling disrespected, from feeling wronged. Deep inside, she resisted the idea of marrying into a wang fu.
The rules in a wang fu were suffocating; beyond the wangye and wangfei themselves, there were the august figures of the imperial harem looming over them.
Just the thought of marrying into such a household – of enduring endless rules and pressures – filled Gu Qi with dread.
Worse still, if Zhao wang failed in the succession struggle, his entire household would be doomed to extermination.
The more Gu Qi cried, the more frightened she became; the more frightened, the sadder she grew.
She wailed to her mother, “Mother, please think of a way. I don’t want to marry into the wang fu. Find me any other family – anything at all. Just don’t let me go there.”
Wang shi sighed. “This is not for me to decide.”
“Then what shall we do? Mother, will you stand by and watch your daughter be sent into that man-eating household?”
“Don’t speak nonsense.”
“Nü’er isn’t speaking nonsense. If it were truly so wonderful, why would the noble families of the capital all be unwilling to marry their daughters into a wang fu?”
Wang shi had no idea how to comfort Gu Qi, so she could only smile bitterly.
Gu Mei produced a handkerchief and wiped Gu Qi’s tears. “Qi meimei, don’t cry yet. There’s always a way. The old houye and lao furen, my father, and second uncle – they’ll all think of a solution. No one will just sit by and watch you be forced into Zhao wang fu.”
Gu Qi hiccuped through her sobs. “Thank you, da jiejie, for your comfort. But to reject Zhao wang’s proposal won’t be so easy.”
With that, she dissolved into fresh tears.
Gu Jiu had stayed silent this whole time.
It was obvious: Zhao wang’s proposal for Gu Qi was nothing but an attempt to win over the hou fu, to strengthen his own faction.
But while the hou fu might oppose the Crown Prince, that didn’t mean they wanted to be in-laws with Zhao wang either.
If Zhao wang fu decided to play hardball – declaring, marry you must, whether you wish it or not – then the matter would become grave indeed.
Ordinary tactics would never dissuade the wang fu from pursuing this match.
Unconventional means would be required – entering the palace, using the harem’s influence to affect Zhao wang’s decision.
Gu Jiu lowered her voice and asked: “Does the hou fu have anyone in the palace?”
Wang shi shook her head slightly. “There used to be someone, but since that person passed away, our hou fu no longer has any say in the Inner Palace.”
“Perhaps there is still a way.” Gu Jiu spoke softly.
Gu Qi suddenly sat up straight on the bed. “Xiao Jiu meimei, do you have a way?”
Everyone turned to look at Gu Jiu.
Gu Jiu carefully said, “I have an immature idea. Since I don’t really understand the situation inside the palace, it may not be feasible.”
Wang shi replied, “You don’t need to worry about that. Just tell us what you’re thinking. Whether it will work or not, we’ll weigh it carefully.”
Gu Jiu nodded. “My thought is this: if Zhao wang fu wants to marry Qi jiejie in order to win over the hou fu, the person most unwilling to see that happen – aside from our hou fu – is actually the Empress.
“If we can convey the hou fu’s intentions to the Empress niangniang, I believe she would have a way to make Zhao wang give up on this marriage.”
Gu Jiu’s confidence in the Empress came from the fact that she had managed to raise her frail son to the position of Crown Prince, and for so many years had protected that position from being shaken.
Everyone said that as long as the Empress was alive, the Crown Prince’s throne was as steady as a boulder.
This alone showed how formidable her influence was over the court and the emperor.
Just those two achievements proved the Empress was a woman of great strategy.
If she were to intervene in this marriage, nine times out of ten, Zhao wang’s plans would collapse.
Gu Qi looked anxiously at Wang shi. “Mother, is Xiao Jiu meimei’s idea workable?”
Wang shi frowned deeply. “This still requires careful consideration.”
Gu Jiu knew what Wang shi was worried about.
She said, “Working with the Empress niangniang is a double-edged sword for the hou fu. The greatest danger is that she may use this matter to coerce houye into siding with the Crown Prince, turning us into his vassals.”
Wang shi nodded repeatedly. “Xiao Jiu is right – that is exactly what I fear.”
Gu Jiu smiled faintly. “To speak a forbidden truth, if the Empress were destined to live a long life, this would indeed be a great risk – one misstep, and the hou fu could be ruined beyond recovery.
“But everyone knows the Empress has little time left. Right now, working with her actually leaves the hou fu with plenty of room to manoeuvre – we could advance or retreat freely.”
“Hm?” Everyone looked puzzled. “Xiao Jiu, don’t be so mysterious. Tell us quickly.”
Gu Jiu asked, “Tang bomu, what do you think is the Empress’ greatest worry right now?”
Wang shi was momentarily dazed, but quickly responded. “She must be most worried about the Crown Prince’s safety after she’s gone. And also the people of Weiyang Palace, all those she carefully cultivated – if they were to be lost, it would be heartbreaking.”
“If the hou fu promised the Empress to help her with one thing – tang bomu, do you think she would be willing to cooperate with us in breaking Zhao wang’s marriage plan?”
A gleam shone in Gu Jiu’s eyes, a glimmer of excitement.
Wang shi nervously asked, “What could we possibly do to help the Empress?”
“There are many things. For example, protect the Xue family, protect the people of Weiyang Palace, or ensure the Crown Prince’s safety for the coming year.”
“This… is that even possible?” Wang shi was bewildered.
“The hou fu doesn’t have such power.”
Gu Jiu chuckled softly. “Tang bomu, whether the hou fu has such power – that’s for the old houye to decide.”
Wang shi frowned again.
Gu Qi stared at Gu Jiu, even forgetting her tears.
Gu Mei whispered to her, “Xiao Jiu meimei, is what you’re saying reliable? Did you hear it from someone else, or think of it yourself?”
Gu Jiu answered quietly, “All of this is just my own thoughts. I only mention it in passing, you can listen in passing – there’s no need to take it seriously.”
Gu Mei gave a wry smile. “At a time like this, you still joke. How could we not take such a matter seriously? Even if you say it’s only in passing, your words are already etched into our hearts – impossible to forget.”
Gu Qi nodded repeatedly.
Wang shi said, “This is a weighty matter. I must discuss it with lao furen and the old houye. Qi’er, don’t be anxious. Until the very end, no one can say for certain how this will unfold. Mei yatou, Xiao Jiu, stay with Qi’er.”
“Er shenniang, go ahead. With me here, you don’t need to worry about Qi meimei,” Gu Mei reassured her.
Wang shi hurried away.
Only then did Gu Qi ask Gu Jiu, “Xiao Jiu meimei, will your idea really work? Does it mean I won’t have to marry into Zhao wang fu?”
Gu Jiu said, “Everything depends on human effort. But to avoid retaliation from the Zhao wang fu, once this matter is resolved, it would be best for you to settle a marriage quickly and marry soon.”
Gu Qi gasped. “But in such a short time, where can we find a suitable match?”
Gu Mei comforted her. “Don’t worry, Qi meimei. With Grandmother around, your marriage will be quickly arranged.”
“Thank you, Mei jiejie. And Xiao Jiu meimei, you’re truly amazing. Something so difficult, and you come up with a solution in just a few words. What sort of little head do you have on your shoulders?”
By now, Gu Qi had recovered enough to even make a joke.
Gu Jiu replied, “This little head of mine? It’s grown by eating, of course.”
“Hahaha…”
Everyone laughed.
At last, Gu Qi also smiled, and Gu Mei quietly let out a sigh of relief.
By the time it grew late, Gu Jiu and Gu Mei took their leave of Gu Qi and returned to their rooms.
After washing up, Gu Jiu planned to read a little before resting, but a pozi from lao furen’s quarters came looking for her.
“Is Xiao Jiu guniang here?”
“Is that Yu mama? Please, come in.”
Yu mama entered, bowed to the two young ladies, and said: “Lao furen sent this servant to check in. If Xiao Jiu guniang hasn’t gone to bed yet, please come to Songhe Hall for a talk.”
Gu Jiu was puzzled, but faintly guessed what it was about.
Gu Mei hurriedly asked: “It’s so late – why would lao furen ask Xiao Jiu to come speak with her? Yu mama, has something happened?”
“Nubi doesn’t know the details. Nubi is only following lao furen’s instructions to invite Xiao Jiu guniang.”
Gu Mei grew worried.
Gu Jiu said to her, “Mei jiejie, don’t worry. I think it must be about Qi jiejie’s matter.”
“Then I’ll go with you.”
Gu Jiu nodded.
The two sisters followed Granny Yu to Songhe Hall.
The main hall was already filled with people.
Lao furen, the old houye.
The eldest master, eldest madam.
The second master, second madam.
Gu Jiu stepped forward and paid her respects to each of them.
“No need for so much formality. Xiao Jiu, Mei yatou, come sit.”
The old houye was a spirited elder, with eyes that seemed to see through the ways of the world.
He looked at Gu Jiu. “Xiao Jiu, I heard about the words you said to your tang bomu. Your thinking is quite remarkable.”
Gu Jiu quickly replied: “Old houye flatters me. I was only speaking casually.”
“Speaking casually, yet you stirred the whole fu. If you had spoken in earnest, it would have been even more extraordinary.”
The old houye laughed heartily, easing Gu Jiu’s tension.
After laughing, he stroked his beard and said, “The Empress is not someone easy to deal with. Working with her, one must be careful not to be skinned alive. But Xiao Jiu’s line of thought is correct – asking the Empress to step forward against Xue guifei and Zhao wang fu is indeed the best approach.”
Second master, Gu Zhiwu looked at the old houye. “Father, I can’t bear to see Qi’er married into Zhao wang fu. But if sacrificing our entire hou fu is the only way to dissolve this engagement, then I would rather send Qi’er there.”
The old houye waved his hand. “Lao’er, don’t be hasty. The Empress is truly difficult to handle, but as Xiao Jiu said, she doesn’t have much time left. Rumours from the palace say she could pass away at any moment. For our fu, this is actually a favourable circumstance.”
Eldest master, Gu Zhiwen asked: “Father, do you truly intend to adopt Xiao Jiu’s plan and cooperate with the Empress? But if we do so, won’t we be tying ourselves to the Crown Prince? In the future, it will be difficult to extricate ourselves.”
The old houye laughed again and pointed at Gu Jiu. “Xiao Jiu, explain your reasoning to everyone.”
Gu Jiu grew nervous. She took a deep breath, steadied herself, and said: “My thought is that our hou fu should cooperate with the Empress – not with the Crown Prince.”
“What difference is there? The Empress’s interests are the Crown Prince’s interests,” Gu Zhiwu challenged.
Gu Jiu shook her head slightly. “Tang shufu, I don’t quite agree. In my view, there is a fundamental difference between the Empress and the Crown Prince.
“No mother can fully represent her grown son – not even the Empress. Working with the Empress does not mean working with the Crown Prince. The Empress is the Empress. The Crown Prince is the Crown Prince. They are not the same.”
“How are they different?”
Gu Jiu smiled and said: “Weiyang Palace and the Eastern Palace – are they truly the same group of people? Old houye, do Weiyang and the Eastern Palace really have no conflict, as if they were one family?”
The old houye chuckled. “Impossible. Even the upper and lower teeth clash from time to time – how could two entirely different groups be free of conflict?
“On the surface, Weiyang Palace and the Eastern Palace share interests. But behind the scenes, they have contradictions and rivalries. Each side refuses to yield to the other. The Eastern Palace people want to command those of Weiyang Palace, and the Weiyang people look down on those of the Eastern Palace. This is a common thing.”
Gu Jiu laughed, and said to Gu Zhiwu, “This is what I mean by different. And this difference is precisely what makes cooperation with the Empress advantageous.”
Gu Zhiwu half understood, half didn’t – grasping part of the idea, but not the whole.
He turned to the old houye. “Father, tell us what to do. Your son will follow your decision.”
The old houye did not rush to decide, but instead looked at Gu Jiu. “Xiao Jiu, in your opinion, how should our hou fu go about cooperating with the Empress?”
Author’s Note (extra scene):
Gongzi Zhao: “After dozens of chapters, I’ve only made a cameo once. Even the readers feel sorry for me. Author, do you want to die or do you want to die?”
Author (cowering): “I’ll give you more scenes, right away.”
Gongzi Zhao: “That’s more like it.”
Author (wiping cold sweat): “The male lead is definitely a big devil… sobs… timid author begs for mercy!”
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