Gu Jiu was listening to Xiao Cui gossip about Gu daren and Xie shi’s quarrel when Qing Zhu entered and said, “Guniang, laoye is summoning you to the outer study.”
“At this hour? Did he say why?”
Qing Zhu shook her head. “The servant delivering the message didn’t know, only that it seemed to be something urgent.”
“I understand. Tell him I’ll be there shortly.”
Qing Mei looked worried. “Laoye just quarrelled with taitai. Could it be something to do with you?”
Gu Jiu smiled. “Whether it concerns me or not, I’ll have to go anyway.”
Inwardly, she guessed that Gu daren’s summoning her now must have something to do with Xie shi.
At the door of the outer study, after being announced, Gu Jiu entered.
“Nü’er greets Father.”
“Sit down.”
Gu Jiu complied and sat quietly, carefully observing him. Gu daren had already calmed down. No trace of anger remained on his face, only a grave expression, as though something very serious had happened.
He cleared his throat with two coughs and said, “I hear from your da bomu that you’ve been doing very well at managing household affairs.”
“Da bomu flatters me. I only do my best,” Gu Jiu replied with a slight bow.
Gu daren nodded. “Knowing to always do one’s best, that’s commendable.” After a pause, he took out a list. “This is your dowry list. Look it over. If anything needs to be added, just tell me.”
Gu Jiu was taken aback. She hadn’t expected her father to show her the dowry list in advance. Then joy welled up in her heart.
“Many thanks, Father.”
She accepted it with both hands and examined it. From furniture to daily necessities, fabrics and bedding, almost everything a woman would need in her own household was included.
At the bottom of the list was the part Gu Jiu cared about most, five thousand taels of silver as her private savings.
She secretly let out a sigh of relief. With five thousand taels, she could do many things.
Along with the farmland and shops as part of her dowry, Gu Jiu could already envision living comfortably as a wealthy young wife.
After finishing, she placed the list back on the table. “Thank you for taking such pains for my marriage, Father. Everything is complete. I can think of nothing more to add.”
Gu daren nodded. “Parents’ duty is to help their children live well. As for the maidservants and older attendants to accompany you, do you have any preferences?”
Gu Jiu considered. “Tomorrow I’ll draft a list and give it to you for approval.”
“Good. The people who follow you into marriage will become your confidants. You must choose them yourself; otherwise discord may arise, leaving loopholes for others to exploit.”
“Thank you for your concern, Father.”
“Mm.”
Then Gu daren seemed hesitant, as though there was something difficult to bring up.
Seeing this, Steward Gu Quan naturally stepped in to ease matters.
“Er guniang, perhaps you’ve already heard, da guniang’s wedding is set for the seventh month. Time is short, yet her dowry hasn’t even begun to be prepared. Laoye has been greatly troubled. Since you’re skilled in managing affairs and also dutiful, now would be the right time for you to step in and relieve laoye’s worries.”
Gu Jiu stared at him in astonishment. She was to prepare her elder sister Gu Zhen’s dowry? Was this a joke?
So Gu daren, after quarrelling with Xie shi, had come up with such an idea.
She said, “With elders around, it wouldn’t be proper for me to prepare da jiejie’s dowry. If word spread, wouldn’t it invite gossip?”
“No matter!” Gu daren said bluntly. “Urgency requires flexibility. Taitai is busy with yatou’s dowry, Gu Quan is occupied with yours, and no one has the time. But Zhen yatou’s marriage date is soon, and her dowry hasn’t even started. At this point, everything else must give way to dowry preparations. Don’t concern yourself with idle talk.”
Gu Jiu lowered her head with a faint smile. Clearly, the quarrel between Gu daren and Xie shi was even more serious than rumours suggested.
She had no idea that Gu daren had actually struck Xie shi. If she had known, she would have sung a mournful tune for Xie shi.
Because Xie shi was digging her own grave. Without Gu Jiu lifting a finger, she would bring about her own downfall.
The quarrel over Gu Zhen’s dowry was only the spark. The real cause lay in the years of resentment and dissatisfaction they had harboured against each other.
Just considering what Xie Mao had done was enough to make Gu daren loathe the entire Xie family, including Xie shi herself.
The only reason he hadn’t broken with her earlier was, first, to avoid becoming a laughingstock, and second, to keep the fu stable while driving a wedge between Xie shi and her natal family.
That endurance of his had lulled Xie shi into a false sense of security.
But now, with the Empress dead, the Crown Prince’s position on the verge of collapse, and Xie Mao, an official of the Eastern Palace, facing the possibility of execution at any time, the tide had turned in Gu daren’s favour.
Why should he continue to endure Xie shi? Naturally, he seized the chance to vent all the resentment he had bottled up for so long.
Yet Xie shi believed that his disgust stemmed from her losing her looks with age.
That was part of it, of course. But the true reason was Xie Mao. Her fading beauty was only the last straw that broke his restraint, and the dowry matter was simply the spark that ignited his fury.
Gu Jiu asked softly, “Father wishes me to handle da jiejie’s dowry. But does taitai agree?”
Gu daren’s face hardened. “You needn’t concern yourself with taitai’s opinion.”
Gu Jiu lowered her head, understanding instantly. Gu daren was deliberately humiliating Xie shi.
No one knew just how fierce the quarrel between the couple had become.
Gu Jiu thought for a moment. “It is a daughter’s duty to share her father’s burdens. I wonder, how much dowry does Father plan to prepare for da jiejie? And how much betrothal gift is the Xu family offering?”
Gu daren furrowed his brows, thought it over, and said, “For your da jiejie, I’ll prepare five–”
He had meant to say five thousand taels of silver for the dowry, but at the last moment, he suddenly changed his words. “Eight thousand taels. I will privately add three thousand from my own funds. The rest will come from the household accounts. As for the Xu family’s betrothal gift, no matter how much it is, it will all be added to your da jiejie’s dowry. In a family like ours, it would be improper to keep a girl’s betrothal gifts for household use.”
Gu Jiu responded, “Leaving aside the betrothal gifts, eight thousand taels should be sufficient to prepare a proper dowry for da jiejie. The only issue is the time; it is too short to have new furniture made. Father, I have a thought, but I don’t know if I should say it.”
Gu daren nodded. “Speak.”
Gu Jiu said, “The furniture in da jiejie’s room is not outdated. In fact, the styles are all quite recent. If we invite craftsmen to re-lacquer the pieces, they can serve as part of her dowry to the Xu family. This way, da jiejie can be left with more silver at the bottom of her chest.
“Also, an estate and a shop should each be prepared for her. At least this way, she will have a steady yearly income, and her hands won’t be tied when she needs to spend money. For the rest, silk, cotton, daily necessities, we should prepare them in abundance.
“Altogether, it should be possible to make up sixty sets of dowry items. This is just a small idea of mine. I wonder what Father thinks?”
Gu daren secretly nodded. “You’ve considered everything thoroughly. Go and draft a detailed dowry list based on eight thousand taels. If there’s no problem, we’ll proceed according to it.”
Gu Jiu replied, “I will follow Father’s instructions.”
With business settled, Gu Jiu prepared to take her leave.
At that moment, a servant came in to report: “Liu shaoye and taitai have arrived.”
Gu Jiu froze. Xie shi moved quickly; she had already come, and she’d brought Gu Cheng as support.
Gu Jiu stole a glance at Gu daren. It seemed another fierce battle was about to begin.
Gu daren’s brows drew tightly together. “What are they here for?”
The servant shook his head. “Xiaode does not know.”
Gu daren snorted from his nose. “Let them in.”
The servant, as if granted amnesty, hurried out.
Gu Jiu took the chance to excuse herself.
But she was a step too late. She had not yet left the study when Xie shi and Gu Cheng came in.
The moment she entered, Xie shi shot Gu Jiu a glare. Her eyes blazed with fire, like she meant to devour someone.
Gu Jiu did not fear her. Instead, she looked at Gu Cheng.
Gu Cheng’s face looked uneasy, as though conflicted. He gave a slight shake of his head at Gu Jiu, signalling her to leave quickly, to stay clear of the conflict.
Gu Jiu gave a small nod and lifted her foot to go.
“Stop!” Xie shi’s voice rang out, halting her.
Gu Jiu turned back to look at Xie shi, then glanced at Gu daren.
This was a contest between husband and wife. She wanted to see whether the east wind would overpower the west wind, or the west wind would prevail over the east.
Gu daren said sternly, “Xiao Jiu, you may go. Just see to the task I gave you as soon as possible.”
“Yes, Father.”
Gu Jiu ignored Xie shi entirely and left the study cleanly and decisively.
Xie shi’s face turned pale with fury, her heart filled with resentment.
Gu Cheng coughed lightly. “Mother!”
It was a reminder not to make things difficult for Gu Jiu.
Xie shi gave a cold snort, unhappy even with Gu Cheng. Was this really her own son? Why was he always siding with Gu Jiu?
“You’ve come here for what? Dragging liulang along too; do you think he’s been spending too much time on his books?”
Gu daren’s displeasure toward Xie shi was evident.
Gu Jiu had left the study, and the voices from within gradually faded away.
She shook her head slightly. This domestic battle would clearly end with Xie shi’s failure and forced compromise.
But would Xie shi truly accept defeat so easily?
From what Gu Jiu knew of her, absolutely not.
Xie shi would only lie low for the time being, biding her time, waiting for another chance to strike.
However, Gu daren’s understanding of Xie shi was still superficial.
He did not know that when a woman went mad, her destructive power could be terrifying.
Just wait, someday, he would fall into Xie shi’s hands and suffer a great loss. Only then would he realise never to underestimate the women of the inner chambers, especially a madwoman like Xie shi.
Indeed, Xie shi and Xie Mao were truly siblings, sharing the same streak of madness.
As Gu Jiu walked through the garden, she plucked a fresh flower.
Should she warn Gu daren?
Even if she did, would he listen?
From the bottom of his heart, Gu daren looked down on Xie shi, so how could he possibly regard her as a threat?
Gu Jiu smiled faintly. One day, her father would pay the price for belittling women.
“Ah, this flower is so beautiful,” Gu Jiu remarked softly.
Better to keep quiet, she thought. Too many words would only make her disliked.
Some things, unless one experienced them firsthand, could never be believed.
She would just be a silent, well-behaved young lady in the boudoir, quietly watching the couple fight their battle.
Gu Jiu turned to Xiao Cui and said, “Go invite da jiejie to Zhilan Yuan. Tell her it concerns her dowry.”
Xiao Cui bowed and left to fetch Gu Zhen.
Qing Mei said, “If word spreads that you’re helping da guniang manage her dowry, who knows how many people will be shocked. Laoye is completely disregarding taitai’s face.”
Gu Jiu smiled softly. “Since Father and taitai have already torn away all pretences, how could he possibly care about saving her face? Let’s return to the rooms. Da jiejie should arrive soon.”
The garden was too hot anyway. It was much cooler back at Zhilan Yuan, where ice basins had been set up.
This year, the heat had come early, and the fu had prepared ice basins ahead of time.
If only there were chilled watermelons to eat, it would be perfect.
But unfortunately, there were none.
Gu Jiu said, “Among my dowry, I have two estates. Next year, I’ll have them plant watermelons there. Once summer comes, we’ll have chilled melons to eat.”
“Guniang really thinks far ahead, you’re already planning for next year.”
Gu Jiu laughed. “Earlier in the outer study, Father showed me the list of my dowry. There are quite a few good things. With forty thousand taels spent, it’s indeed generous. Likely one hundred and forty dowry chests in total.”
Qing Mei said, “One hundred and forty, that’s a lot. I heard san guniang has one hundred and twenty, but the contents of hers are only half as much as yours. Each of her chests is light, just for show.”
Gu Jiu said with a smile, “When it comes to marriage, appearances must be maintained. I just wonder how much ready silver taitai has set aside for san meimei. If it’s too little, with Gu Yue’s spending habits, she’ll be back at the fu begging before the year is out. And then taitai will have no choice but to give more, and give again, and give again.”
“Guniang, da guniang is here, Hu yiniang has come with her.”
Gu Jiu raised her brows. “Invite them in.”
Gu Zhen’s eyes were red and swollen, clearly from crying.
Hu yiniang also looked anxious and worried.
“Da jiejie, Hu yiniang, please sit. Qing Mei, serve tea.”
Gu Zhen, too anxious to wait, had barely sat before blurting, “Er meimei, you called me here, saying it was about my dowry. Please, tell me in detail.”
Gu Jiu pressed her lips together. “Don’t rush, da jiejie. Drink some tea first, calm your breath, and then we’ll discuss business.”
Gu Zhen was indeed impatient, but fortunately, Hu yiniang held her back, shaking her head slightly.
Gu Zhen forced herself to settle down. After drinking the tea, her excitement subsided somewhat.
“Er meimei, can you tell me now?”
Gu Jiu thought for a moment. “To be frank, I’ve just returned from the outer study. Father has ordered me to manage your dowry on your behalf.”
“What?” Gu Zhen looked astonished but delighted.
“What?” Hu yiniang was utterly incredulous.
Gu Jiu nodded solemnly. “You heard correctly. Father told me to prepare your dowry. He’s allocated eight thousand taels.”
“Really?”
Gu Zhen’s eyes lit up, overwhelmed with joy. “Er jiejie, you’re not lying to me, are you?”
Gu Jiu shook her head with a smile. “How could I lie about something so important?”
“That’s wonderful.” Gu Zhen was so happy she burst into tears, unable to contain her emotions.
But Hu yiniang’s face was full of worry. “Laoye bypassed taitai and entrusted er guniang to handle Zhen yatou’s dowry, this is a direct slap to taitai’s face.”
Gu Zhen muttered, “Serves her right.”
Hu yiniang glared. “Silence! How could you speak so recklessly? Have you forgotten all propriety?”
Gu Zhen shrank back guiltily.
Hu yiniang turned to Gu Jiu. “Da guniang spoke out of turn, but it was unintentional. Please, er guniang, act as if you didn’t hear.”
She feared Gu Zhen’s words might reach Xie shi’s ears. If taitai wanted to make things difficult, she could easily humiliate Gu Zhen in public.
Gu Jiu smiled knowingly. “Did da jiejie just say something? I didn’t hear it.”
Hu yiniang finally felt at ease. She thought to herself, Gu Jiu truly knows how to conduct herself; her words and actions are always thoughtful. No wonder Zhang shi, the ladies of the hou fu next door, and even the lao furen were all so fond of her.
In this respect, Gu Zhen was far behind her er meimei; there was still much to learn.
Hu yiniang gave Gu Jiu a grateful smile.
Gu Jiu inclined her head slightly. “Now, about the eight thousand taels. Let me explain my plan first. If you have different ideas, we can discuss them slowly and finalise a list that satisfies everyone. How does that sound?”
Gu Zhen nodded eagerly. “Er meimei, go ahead, how should we arrange it?”
Qing Mei brought out the writing materials.
Gu Jiu picked up a brush and carefully wrote out her initial proposal for the dowry, recording each item one by one.When she finished, she handed the list to Gu Zhen.
“Da jiejie, please look it over. If you find anything unsuitable, feel free to say so.”
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