The (1) in the chapter title doesn’t mean I’m splitting chapters into parts. The title itself is named that way. I’m vehemently against splitting chapters.
As soon as Gu daren returned home, he learned that Gu Jiu had given gifts to everyone, but had completely overlooked Xie shi.
Gu daren was about to scold Gu Jiu for being thoughtless and improper, when he heard that she had quarreled with Xie shi because of the Su family.
The steward, Gu Quan, reported: “Taitai said the Su family was impolite and not qualified to attend the wedding banquet. Er guniang was furious and argued with her. I’ve heard it got quite heated.”
Gu daren frowned. “The Su family is er yatou’s maternal family. When she marries, the maternal uncle is an elder and has precedence, does Xie shi not understand this? It’s certainly wrong for er yatou not to give her gifts, but Xie shi brought this on herself.”
So, Gu daren decided to pretend he didn’t know about the matter. He even made sure someone reminded Xie shi that, on Gu Jiu’s wedding day, no one was to be disrespectful to the Su family.
Xie shi, angered repeatedly, fell ill that same evening.
Zhang shi whispered to Xiao Zhang shi, “Er taitai’s body is getting more and more delicate. In my opinion, she’s narrow-minded and always looking for trouble. The Su family is er yatou’s maternal uncle’s family. If they weren’t in the capital, fine, but since they are, how could she refuse to welcome them at the wedding banquet?”
Xiao Zhang shi added, “Er shenniang is confused with anger. She doesn’t understand the principle of the maternal uncle taking precedence.”
Zhang shi said, “It’s not that she doesn’t understand; she’s deliberately playing dumb. She wants to rely on being the taitai of the second branch to embarrass the Su family.
“Your Su shenniang passed away years ago, yet she’s still a thorn in her side. Though the Su family has declined, they maintain the tradition of learning and farming, one day they’ll rise again.
“The Xie family, however, is different. They’re just nouveau riche, with no foundation. With Xie Mao dead, the Xie family returned to its original state.
“Facing the Su family, she lacks confidence and feels guilty, so she doesn’t want them at the wedding.”
The insecure Xie shi didn’t realize she was insecure. She was convinced that Gu Jiu was disloyal and unfilial, a villain.
Even more disheartening to her was Gu daren’s attitude.
Gu daren didn’t scold Gu Jiu for her audacity, yet sent people to reprimand Xie shi, how did that make sense?
Unable to think clearly, Xie shi lay in bed, refusing to rise as the wedding day approached, deliberately trying to cause trouble at Gu Jiu’s wedding.
Zhang shi took the opportunity to visit Xie shi and tried to counsel her to let go.
“At least give Gu Jiu some face on her wedding day.”
Xie shi cried in front of Zhang shi, “Dasao, my heart is bitter! As a stepmother, I’ve been cautious and careful all these years, like walking on thin ice. I’ve treated er yatou and the three siblings with utmost fairness, never failing them. And what did I get in return? All these years of effort, it wasn’t worth it!”
Zhang shi secretly rolled her eyes, Xie shi really dared to glorify herself.
Yet she still comforted her: “Alright, alright, I know your heart is bitter. In a few days, Gu Jiu will be married. Once she leaves, the house will quiet down again.”
Xie shi stopped crying. “I understand your good intentions. It’s just my body won’t cooperate, I can’t rise yet. But rest assured, on er yatou’s wedding day, I’ll personally see her off, no matter what.”
Seeing Xie shi deliberately sulking, Zhang shi didn’t continue.
Several of the maids were worried.
“Will taitai’s illness affect the wedding?”
Gu Jiu laughed. “What’s there to fear? It’s better she doesn’t show up.”
Fang mama also commented, “Taitai is just being pretentious. If she were twenty years younger, she could get away with these antics and still earn Gu daren’s pity. Now, at her age, this behavior will only anger him.”
Gu Jiu said, “Ignore her. Fang mama, please take these two herbal prescriptions to Gu laoyezi. Tell him to take care of his health and live a few more years.”
Fang mama took the prescriptions. “Er guniang is thoughtful.”
Gu Jiu shook her head. “Grandfather has treated me well. I’m just doing my duty.”
“I’ll deliver the prescriptions to laoyezi right away.”
When Gu laoyezi received them, he grumbled about Gu Jiu being meddlesome, but inside, he appreciated it.
After Fang mama left, he whispered to his concubine, “Xiao Jiu really does care about me.”
The concubine smiled. “If er guniang truly cared, why didn’t she pay her respects in person?”
“You don’t know anything. With your piggy brain, you’re only fit for drinking.”
Soon it was the fifteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, the day for presenting the bridal trousseau.
The bride’s dowry, 40,000 taels, plus a betrothal gift of 25,000 taels, filled the Flower Hall to the brim.
Xie shi refused to appear, and Gu daren didn’t press her. He had little hope for her anyway.
He directly asked Zhang shi to handle the guests.
Zhang shi, accompanied by Xiao Zhang shi, received the guests in the Flower Hall.
The family from the hou fu arrived first. Seeing the abundant dowry, they were happy for Gu Jiu.
Wei shi told Gu Jiu, “With this dowry, once you enter the wang fu, you’ll have confidence and security.”
Then, Wei shi added a set of head ornaments, worth several hundred taels, to Gu Jiu’s trousseau.
Gu Jiu hurriedly said, “Thank you, tang bomu. You’ve spent too much.”
“This child, why do you treat me so formally? The hand warmers you sent last time were very useful. It was thoughtful of you.”
Gu Jiu blushed. “The stitching wasn’t perfect. Please don’t mind, tang bomu.”
Wei shi smiled, “The stitching is fine, just the materials weren’t as refined.”
She then had her maid bring out a newly made hand warmer.
It was indeed far more exquisite than the one Gu Jiu had sent.
The inner layer was cotton, warm and soft. The outer layer was satin, embroidered with peonies and trimmed with gold thread, a clear sign of a wealthy lady’s item.
Gu Jiu blushed. “It’s still the maids by tang bomu who are skillful. This hand warmer is exquisite, pretty, and keeps your hands warm.”
Wei shi smiled, “You really know how to speak, child.”
Second furen, Wang shi, gifted Gu Jiu a pair of jade bangles.
Third furen, Duan shi, gave several bolts of brocade and cotton cloth, plus a number of gold and silver ornaments.
Zhang shi also gave Gu Jiu a pair of jade bangles.
Xiao Zhang shi, gave fabric as well.
The daughters of the hou fu pulled Gu Jiu into a side room to talk.
They presented their carefully prepared dowry gifts, which were far more varied than those outside.
There were stationery sets and ancient books and paintings.
“I know Xiao Jiu loves reading, so I specifically gathered these from the old houye’s study. Do you like them, Xiao Jiu?”
Gu Jiu held the ancient books in her arms, unwilling to let go, her face full of joy. “I like them.”
Gu Shan, Gu Lin, and Gu Jun also presented dowry gifts.
They had prepared various needlework items.
Gu Shan made thirty sachets embroidered with gold thread. “When er jiejie goes to the wang fu, she’ll inevitably have to tip the servants. I thought making extra sachets would be convenient for you.”
“Thank you, si meimei. You’ve thought of everything,” Gu Jiu said.
Each gold-thread embroidered sachet was worth five qian of silver, enough to tip a maid generously.
Last night, Qing Mei had worried that there weren’t enough sachets for tipping.
She and Qing Zhu had prepared 200 sachets together.
But when Fang mama checked, she said it still wouldn’t be enough, which worried Qing Mei terribly.
Qing Mei, Qing Zhu, Xiao Cui, and the other maids in the courtyard stayed up all night making another hundred sachets, bringing the total to 300.
Tonight, they would continue making more.
The thirty gold-thread sachets from Gu Shan solved a big problem for them.
Embroidering with gold thread was difficult, and it was too late to make more in time.
Gu Shan’s gift was perfectly useful.
Gu Lin and Gu Jun also gave needlework items, handkerchiefs, sachets, all very practical.
A maid reported, “Da gu nainai, san gu nainai, and Madam Han have arrived.”
Madam Han was Gu Mei, Mei jiejie.
Hearing that Mei jiejie had arrived, Gu Jiu hurried out to greet her.
“Mei jiejie!”
Gu Jiu’s eyes immediately noticed Gu Mei’s slightly rounded belly.
She smiled right away. “Congratulations, Mei jiejie! Best wishes, Mei jiejie!”
Gu Mei blushed, smiling shyly, and took Gu Jiu’s hand. “It’s my turn to congratulate you, Xiao Jiu meimei.”
Then she whispered, “Xiao Jiu, can you take a look for me later?”
Curious, Gu Jiu asked, “How many months?”
Gu Mei looked down, smiling. “Over three months now. I hadn’t said anything before. Today is the perfect day to make it public.”
Once Gu Mei’s pregnancy became known, many people came to offer their congratulations.
Gu Zhen and Gu Yue also returned.
Gu Jiu went to greet Gu Zhen, taking her hand. “Da jiejie, you finally came back. Oh!”
Gu Jiu stared at Gu Zhen’s belly.
Gu Zhen was a little embarrassed but nodded secretly, whispering to Gu Jiu, “Just two months along.”
Gu Jiu was overjoyed. “Congratulations, da jiejie! Best wishes, da jiejie! Your husband must be very happy too.”
“He is very pleased. Today he wouldn’t let me go out for fear I might bump or fall. I told him it’s er meimei’s dowry day and insisted on coming. So he took leave and personally brought me here.”
After speaking, Gu Zhen looked shy, her ears flushed.
Gu Jiu teased, “Your husband cares for you, da jiejie. You should be happy about that.”
Gu Zhen was infinitely charming, utterly captivating.
“Don’t laugh at me. When you marry Gongzi Zhao, you’ll be just as loving as we are.”
“Thanks for your kind words, da jiejie.”
Gu Jiu invited Gu Zhen into the side room to sit.
Gu Yue was still in the flower hall, looking at the overflowing dowry, her heart burning with anger.
Today, she had applied heavy makeup, her face thickly powdered.
Gu Shan, of course, had been thinking about her all along.
When she heard Gu Yue had arrived, she immediately came to the flower hall.
“San jiejie, why not go to the side room for tea?”
Gu Yue looked up at Gu Shan upon hearing the movement.
Gu Shan looked at Gu Yue with a half-smile. “San jiejie, why have you dressed so poorly? This makeup does not suit you. Could it be that san jiefu has laid hands on you again?”
Gu Yue lowered her voice, “Don’t speak nonsense.”
Gu Shan snorted. “San jiejie, dare you bare your face? If not, don’t show off. Look at this, all of Er jiejie’s dowry is more than double yours. Even the gifts from friends and relatives are much more valuable than those given to you. Are you envious, san jiejie?”
Gu Yue gritted her teeth. “It’s not even your dowry. What are you so proud of?”
Gu Shan leaned close to Gu Yue’s ear, lowering her voice. “As long as san jiejie is miserable, I’m happy.”
“You…”
Gu Shan stepped back from Gu Yue, her eyes curved with delight, almost giddy.
“San jiejie, the marriage you begged and struggled for, finally marrying Zhao family’s jiefu, are you satisfied? I’m sure you are. But just look at your makeup, it’s like someone plastered a layer of wall cement on your face. Didn’t anyone tell you that you look awful like this?”
“Shut up!”
Gu Yue whispered sharply at Gu Shan.
Gu Shan smirked, half teasing. “Don’t worry, san jiejie. Today I won’t ruin your makeup. Today is er jiejie’s special day, I won’t spoil it for her.”
Gu Yue ground her teeth. “You traitor…”
“Shut up.”
Gu Shan snapped back at her.
Her eyes reddened, and her gaze was fierce. “You, who commit murder and arson, what right do you have to scold me? I only regret not betraying you sooner, not stripping you of your power earlier, letting you run rampant until this year. But heaven has its eyes, you ended up marrying a villain. As the saying goes, an evil person needs another evil to deal with them. You deserved it.”
Gu Yue clenched her fists tightly.
She hated, she raged!
Anyone could step on her, but not Gu Shan.
What right did Gu Shan have to criticize her?
“San gu nainai, si meimei, why are you standing here? Go to the side room for tea; all the ladies are inside.”
Xiao Zhang shi quickly intervened when she saw the tension.
She held Gu Shan’s hand and linked arms with Gu Yue. “Come on, come on. Don’t make everyone wait. You know, Madam Han and da gu nainai are both pregnant. What joyful news!”
Gu Yue’s heart filled with anger and malice.
She blurted out, heading straight for Xiao Zhang shi. “Dasao, you and Mei jiejie got married around the same time. Why is your belly still empty?”
Xiao Zhang shi was embarrassed.
The reason her belly hadn’t moved was because she and Gu Ban were often apart. His duties kept him away for months. She had planned to conceive during the New Year, hoping for a month-long holiday together.
But Gu Yue had to blurt it out, showing no tact.
Xiao Zhang shi immediately disliked her.
“Can you speak properly?”
She glanced at Gu Yue’s abdomen. “San meimei, are you pregnant yet?”
Gu Yue, feeling guilty, kept a stiff expression. “Not yet. I’m not in a hurry.”
Xiao Zhang shi smiled. “Neither am I. When you are pregnant, make sure to tell the family. I’ll come to visit and bring gifts.”
Gu Yue twisted her handkerchief. “You’re kind, dasao. As the eldest daughter-in-law, you should hurry and have a child yourself.”
Xiao Zhang shi smiled. “That’s my business, san meimei. You should worry about yourself first, don’t get beaten by Zhao erlang again.”
Gu Yue’s face turned pale, but the heavy makeup hid it.
She shook off Xiao Zhang shi’s arm. “I’ll go by myself.”
Xiao Zhang shi was not pleased to have her pull away. “San meimei, you’re always different. When everyone is happy, you wear a solemn face. When everyone is sad, you’re cheerful again.”
Gu Shan covered her mouth to suppress a laugh. Dasao’s comment was perfect.
Gu Yue stopped. “Does dasao dislike me?”
Xiao Zhang shi covered her lips with a smile. “Not at all. Don’t misunderstand, san meimei. I’ve been looking forward to your return. After winter began, er shenniang has often been bedridden. As your mother, you should come to see her. Of course, it’s understandable you haven’t returned yet, you were busy showing filial respect to your in-laws, forgetting that er shenniang also needs you.”
Gu Shan sighed. “Mother isn’t showing herself today because she’s unwell. San meimei, will you come with me to see her later?”
Gu Yue’s expression shifted repeatedly, her face stiff. “I will visit Mother myself. Dasao needn’t worry. Our branch affairs are none of your concern.”
Xiao Zhang shi didn’t argue further.
Gu Yue had been married for months and still hadn’t improved. Every word she spoke was like a dagger, offending everyone. She deserved her own predicament.
The side room wasn’t far; they soon arrived.
Gu Jiu, Gu Lin, and Gu Jun turned to see Gu Yue’s heavily made-up face. The thick layer of powder clearly hid injuries.
The young ladies of the hou fu were surprised; Gu Yue usually dressed to be beautiful, not to cover her face with a thick, unappealing layer of powder.
Her appearance today was bizarre.
“San meimei, you’re here. Thank you for helping with my makeup.”
Gu Jiu stepped forward politely.
Gu Yue cleared her throat. “It’s your wedding day, I naturally had to come.”
She had her maid present the gift for touch-up makeup: a pair of red-gold earrings and a matching hairpin.
Gu Yue’s generosity was unusual, very abnormal!
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