“Ahem… ahem…”
Gu daren cleared his throat twice. “Er yatou, watch your words.”
Gu Jiu replied respectfully, “Father’s instruction is well received.”
Gu daren then glanced at Xie shi. “Enough. I know you mean well on behalf of er yatou.”
Xie shi, still with a stern face, said, “As long as Gu daren knows I have good intentions, I’m satisfied.”
Gu daren turned back to Gu Jiu. “Taitai’s words do have some sense. There are too many young, beautiful maids in the wang fu. If you don’t have a capable maid by your side, you might suffer a disadvantage.”
Gu Jiu lowered her head and smiled; Gu daren truly thought like a straight man.
She addressed him earnestly, “Father, you speak wisely. However, I have a different thought and am unsure if I should voice it.”
“Go ahead, speak your mind.”
Gu Jiu said, “Earlier, Father said that the wang fu has too many young and beautiful maids. That is true.
“Gongzi Zhao has been surrounded by beauty since childhood. Father and taitai’s good intentions are to provide me with maids to compete for favor. But tell me, what kind of beauty can compare to that large group of young, fresh maids in the wang fu? What kind of beauty can truly catch Gongzi Zhao’s eye?
“From what I know, the young maids in the wang fu are not only beautiful but also talented, they are skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.
“I know nothing. If I marry into the wang fu with only two pretty maids, won’t they be outshone, making a laughingstock of myself?”
“Hmm?” Gu daren’s expression wavered.
The wang fu lacked nothing, except beauties.
Seeing Gu daren hesitate, Gu Jiu pressed her point. “Father, taitai, I appreciate your kindness. I was thinking: once I marry in and understand the situation, if maids competing for favor are truly needed, we can then ask Father and Mother to select two outstanding maids to send over. There’s no rush now.”
Gu daren nodded secretly. “Your thinking is mature. Indeed, the wang fu has too many beauties. It’s best to understand the situation first before deciding.”
Xie shi, unwilling to concede, said, “When the time comes for maids to compete for favor, where will you find them on short notice? Better to select two now while there’s time and take them to the wang fu immediately.”
Gu Jiu lowered her head and gave a sarcastic smile. Xie shi’s biggest flaw was her terrible manners.
She countered directly, “Even when the time comes to have maids compete for favor, it won’t be urgent those few days. Taitai truly knows how to joke.”
Gu Jiu looked at Xie shi with a half-smile, subtly reminding her not to forget Tan yiniang.
Xie shi, flustered, said, “Er yatou, I am only thinking for your sake. My good intentions are met with nothing but insults.”
Gu Jiu replied, “Thank you for your concern, taitai, but I don’t need it.”
“You–”
“Enough. Say no more.”
Gu daren did not give Xie shi face and cut her off.
Xie shi frowned, her eyes briefly showing a complex emotion, then, unusually, she relaxed slightly. “I will follow Gu daren’s orders.”
Gu daren turned to Gu Jiu. “Hearing what you said, it seems you have thought this through.”
Gu Jiu bowed slightly. “Father overpraises me. Marrying into the wang fu as the wife of an imperial grandson, I dare not slacken for a day. I do not aim to add to the family’s prestige, but at least I will not bring misfortune.”
Gu daren said approvingly, “It’s good that you think this way. You have not disappointed your father’s expectations. Once you arrive at the wang fu, stay vigilant, observe more, speak less. Whatever the wangfei asks you to do, do it. Don’t be stubborn, don’t let people say you’re ill-mannered.”
“I will obey, Father. I will strictly follow the rules and not make a single mistake,” Gu Jiu replied.
Her attitude was exemplary, she appeared contrite but was unrepentant at heart.
Telling her to obey the wangfei? Whatever the wangfei said, she would follow? Impossible! She wasn’t a submissive bride, and she hated being controlled.
Gu daren, holding the dowry list, said, “There are a few fewer people, but if you think it’s enough, I won’t force you.”
Gu Jiu smiled. “Thank you for your support, Father.”
Gu daren reminded her, “While there is still time before the wedding, take care of your health and don’t overexert. When the time comes, marry with pride and glory.”
The season had entered the coldest month of the year, the twelfth lunar month.
The cold wind howled, and snow fell early this year.
In such weather, one wished to stay indoors for all twelve hours of the day.
The room was warm with a brazier.
With only a few days until the wedding, Zhang shi and Xiao Zhang shi had already begun preparing the wedding.
Gu daren had reserved fifty tables for Gu Jiu’s wedding banquet, inviting classmates, friends, and colleagues, making it lively.
Preparing fifty tables in midwinter was no easy task.
The banquet could not be held outdoors, only inside.
The three floral halls could accommodate at most thirty tables.
Fortunately, the male guests would dine in the outer courtyard.
The outer courtyard’s floral hall could also hold thirty tables.
They estimated that some guests might not attend, but others might come uninvited, so Zhang shi asked the kitchen to prepare three extra tables.
Xie shi picked up the guest list and reviewed it. “Even distant relatives of the family are invited? Is that necessary?”
Zhang shi said, “This is your husband’s list. If you have objections, take them up with him.”
Xie shi snorted. “These relatives will surely try to take advantage of the occasion. Are you ready, dasao?”
Zhang shi said, “Don’t worry, I’m prepared.”
After managing the family for so many years, she knew exactly which relatives would try to exploit the situation. Handling poor relatives was second nature.
Xie shi continued browsing the guest list. “Minister of Rites’ family, all attending. Why haven’t I heard my husband mention them before?”
Zhang shi laughed, “That, I don’t know.”
Xie shi looked at the list and saw a familiar name. “I can understand Su Zheng, but who is this Su er laoye? When did the Su family arrive in the capital? How come I didn’t know?”
Seeing the name of Su er laoye, Xie shi’s face changed.
Zhang shi glanced at the list. “Yes, it is Su er laoye. I heard he just arrived in the capital and has already gone to the yamen to meet er di.”
Xie shi’s face turned pale. “And the Su family still dares to call themselves a scholarly family? They come to the capital and don’t even think to pay a proper visit?”
“The Su family only has uncle and nephew in the capital, and no female members with them. There’s no need to visit dimei. Going straight to the yamen to meet er di is perfectly proper.”
Xie shi ground her teeth. “Even if they don’t come to see me, shouldn’t they at least inquire about er yatou’s situation? Or about Gu Ting?”
Zhang shi looked at Xie shi with a half-smile. “Su er laoye comes to the capital, and you react so strongly? Gu Ting is in the military camp for training. By the time er yatou’s wedding comes, uncle and nephew will see each other. As for er yatou’s situation, you can ask er di, it’s clear enough.”
Xie shi’s anger boiled over, and she threw the list onto the table.
“This list includes Su family members, all relatives and friends, but not a single Xie family member!”
Zhang shi picked up the list. “When Shan’er gets married, you can invite the Xie family, and the Su family won’t know a single thing. What’s there to be angry about?”
Xie shi stared at her. “That’s easy for dasao to say. You’re not in my position. How could you understand my difficulties? On er yatou’s wedding day, when friends and relatives see that not a single Xie family member is there, what will they say? How will I save face?”
Zhang shi suggested, “Just tell everyone that the Xie family is observing mourning and it’s inconvenient for them to attend the wedding.”
Xie shi paused. Zhang shi was right, the Xie family was indeed in mourning and truly couldn’t attend.
Still, Xie shi felt quite displeased.
She clutched her handkerchief, nearly twisting it to pieces.
“Su er laoye didn’t even give a proper greeting and just came to the capital, could it be he’s here to mooch off us?”
Zhang shi rolled her eyes, silently judging Xie shi.
“Even if the Su family is poor, they wouldn’t come to our Gu household to mooch. You’re overthinking.”
Xie shi sneered. “Impossible. Back in the Northwest, Su Zheng went out of his way to make a big detour, wasn’t that exactly to mooch off us?”
Zhang shi asked, “Did you give him any money?”
Xie shi choked.
Though she knew Su Zheng came to mooch, she really hadn’t given him a single coin.
“I didn’t give him anything, but our laoye surely did,” she said stubbornly.
Zhang shi scoffed. “Do you even know how much allowance er di gave Su Zheng?”
Xie shi replied, “Not more, not less.”
Zhang shi laughed. “Dimei, I advise you not to speak about things you don’t know, lest it cause misunderstandings. From what I heard, during those days in Jinzhou, Su Zheng only focused on copying books. When he left, he didn’t take the allowance er di prepared.”
“Who told you that? Was er yatou talking nonsense in front of you to save face for the Su family?”
Zhang shi shook her head. “When I checked the list with Gu Quan a few days ago, we talked about the Su family. Gu Quan personally told me that Su Zheng didn’t take a single penny from er di.”
Xie shi frowned. “Impossible. Su Zheng, a poor guy, refuses allowance to act high-minded, does he want to starve?”
Zhang shi smiled. “Su gongzi didn’t starve. I heard he rented two rooms in the capital to study in peace.”
Xie shi snorted. “These scholars, they love to act high-minded, insisting on pride even at their own suffering.”
Zhang shi didn’t bother arguing further. “Since you’ve seen the list and there’s no problem, I’ll get back to my work.”
Xie shi nodded.
Once Zhang shi left, Xie shi summoned Gao Sanfu. “Find out where that Su Zheng boy is staying. I heard Su er laoye also came to the capital, figure out why he came.”
“Yes, taitai.”
While Xie shi was pondering the Su family matters, Gu Jiu quietly left the mansion and went to the small courtyard rented by Su Zheng in the southern part of the city.
Originally, Su Zheng rented two rooms at a cheap rate.
After Su er laoye came to the capital, Su Zheng rented a small courtyard to live in.
Seeing Su er laoye, Gu Jiu hurried forward and bowed. “Greetings, er jiujiu.”
Su er laoye was very excited. “Get up, get up! Once I received your letter, I rushed here, managing to arrive before the river froze.”
Gu Jiu smiled sweetly. “Thank you, er jiujiu. It must have been exhausting to come to the capital in the middle of winter.”
Su er laoye waved repeatedly. “I should be the one thanking you. Without your help, our family wouldn’t have managed the New Year properly.”
Gu Jiu laughed. “Why let outsiders profit from our family’s resources? If there’s good fortune, naturally my two uncles should get a share.”
This time, Su er laoye came to the capital mainly to deliver medicinal herbs.
The Su family’s ancestral home was known for producing medicinal herbs.
Gu Jiu, planning to open an herbal shop, immediately thought of her two idle uncles.
She had Song Zheng take money to the Su ancestral home to find the two uncles.
Though the Su family had declined, they had once been influential, with wide connections and many acquaintances.
Having the Su family handle her herb purchases ensured quality, allowed bargaining, and avoided exploitation by local bullies, saving her much trouble.
Gu Jiu intended to help her uncles profit a little by selling her the herbs at market price.
To ensure they agreed, Gu Jiu wrote them a long letter and encouraged Su Zheng to write back, persuading the family.
Hence, Su er laoye personally came to the capital to deliver the medicinal herbs.
With Song Zheng escorting them and the official documents Gu Yu had helped Gu Jiu obtain, they arrived in the capital without any trouble.
Thanks to Gu Jiu’s care, the Su family finally saw some improvement this year.
Su er laoye was deeply grateful to his niece Gu Jiu.
Su Zheng personally brewed tea and poured it.
“Xiao Jiu biaomei, please have some tea.”
Gu Jiu smiled. “Su biaoge, you’re too polite. Please, sit down and talk as well.”
Su Zheng nodded and sat at Su er laoye’s right-hand side.
Su er laoye was very concerned about Gu Jiu’s medicinal herb shop, worried she might suffer losses.
“Xiao Jiu, have you opened the shop mentioned in your letter?”
Gu Jiu shook her head. “Not yet.”
Su er laoye immediately looked worried. “So many herbs, what will we do with them?”
Gu Jiu smiled. “Er jiujiu, don’t worry. The shop has already been secured. Once your batch of herbs arrives in the capital, we’ll pick an auspicious day and start business.”
Su er laoye relaxed, exhaling in relief. “Xiao Jiu, don’t blame your jiujiu for speaking out, but the medicinal shop business isn’t easy. You need an experienced doctor to oversee it and several signature prescriptions to ensure success.”
Gu Jiu reassured him, “Er jiujiu, rest assured. We’ve already found a reliable, experienced doctor. The signature prescriptions are ready as well. Once the auspicious day comes, we can open for business.”
Su er laoye finally felt completely at ease. His facial muscles relaxed, and even his gray-white beard seemed lighter.
Su Zheng refilled Su er laoye’s tea cup and quietly said, “Shufu, there’s no need to worry about Xiao Jiu meimei. She will soon marry into the wang fu. As the wife of the Imperial Grandson, no one will dare interfere with her medicinal shop, and business will thrive quickly.”
Su er laoye wasn’t as optimistic as Su Zheng. He had witnessed court intrigues and had seen how Emperor Kaiyao violently suppressed the imperial clan in the past.
Those years, the blood spilled by royal relatives could have filled the entire Xingqing Palace.
The decline of the Su family was intricately linked to the imperial clan purges.
Su er laoye stroked his beard. His washed, pale robe was fraying at the sleeve.
He said, “Ning wang, he left quite an impression. Back then, he was extremely talented, almost rivaling the Crown Prince. But after certain events, he became more and more reckless. The most outrageous time, he even slept with palace maids from Xingqing Palace.”
Ah?
Ning wang was courting disaster. He even dared touch the emperor’s palace maids.
Su er laoye continued, “That time, Ning wang was beaten nearly to death and locked in a small room in the imperial mausoleum for an entire year. Later, he bribed people close to the emperor and managed to return to the capital. After that incident, no matter how reckless Ning wang acted, the emperor didn’t mind. Looking back now, his initial act with the Xingqing Palace maid may not have been mere recklessness; perhaps it was deliberate, placing himself in a perilous situation to emerge unscathed.”
“Really?”
Gu Jiu was astonished, greatly admiring Ning wang’s courage and strategy.
From the beginning, Ning wang had reset his own limits, effectively giving the emperor a preemptive warning. Since then, all of his reckless acts were trivial compared to that first scandal.
The emperor had accepted Ning wang’s new baseline. As long as he didn’t cross that limit, the emperor wouldn’t punish him for any further misbehavior, in fact, he would indulge it.
It was like someone with all five vices suddenly giving up four and keeping only one. How could family and friends not tolerate it?
Not only would they tolerate it, they’d even praise him for reforming.
Ning wang had dared to take that gamble, and it paid off.
Su er laoye solemnly advised Gu Jiu, “Ning wang, your grandfather said, is cunning and ruthless. He’s harsh to others and even harsher to himself. Xiao Jiu, when you marry into the wang fu, remember this, do not anger Ning wang under any circumstances. For anything involving him, don’t handle it yourself. Let Gongzi Zhao deal with it.”
Gu Jiu rose and bowed. “Thank you for your reminder, er jiujiu. I will remember it well.”
Even Fang mama didn’t know all of these details that Su er laoye had mentioned.
After all, her view was limited to the inner palace and household; she knew nothing of the affairs of the court.
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