Gu Jiu entered the study in the outer courtyard.
“Nü’er greets Father. Now that Father has returned safely, nü’er’s heart is filled with joy.”
“Sit and speak.”
Gu Jiu bowed in acknowledgement and sat upright on the chair.
Gu daren looked her over and asked, “Have you been taking your medicine recently? How is your health? Have you gotten used to the climate in the capital?”
Gu Jiu inclined her body slightly and replied, “Thank you for Father’s concern. Nü’er is still taking the medicine, and my health has improved greatly. The capital isn’t as cold as the northwest, so nü’er can adapt to the weather here.”
“That’s good. If anything is lacking, just say so – don’t keep it bottled up. Your past illnesses all came from worrying too much.”
Gu Jiu bowed again. “Nü’er will keep Father’s teachings in mind.”
Gu daren made a sound of acknowledgement. “Weifu heard you went to pay respects to laoyezi a few days ago?”
Gu Jiu froze for a moment – she hadn’t expected this matter to already reach her father’s ears.
She nodded calmly. “Yes, a few days ago nü’er went to greet laoyezi.”
Gu daren fixed his gaze on her, as though trying to read her thoughts from her expression.
“What made you think of paying respects to laoyezi?”
Gu Jiu pressed her lips together. “No special reason. I just suddenly thought of greeting him and offering regards. The New Year is coming soon – as a junior, it was only proper for nü’er to do so.”
Gu daren nodded. “Yes, the New Year is almost here. I heard you talked with laoyezi for nearly half an hour. What did you talk about? Can you tell weifu?”
Gu Jiu weighed the implications behind his words. Was he simply asking casually – or had he already guessed something?
She said, “Laoyezi was drunk and not very clear-headed at first. He didn’t even recognise nü’er. Later, I asked a maid to brew some tea and persuaded him to drink it, and he sobered up. “Though nü’er stayed in his room for quite a while, the actual conversation was very limited. Most of the time, he was still drunk.”
“Is that so? After you left, laoyezi ran out of the fu. Did that have anything to do with you?”
Gu Jiu shook her head and looked innocently at her father. “Nü’er was just as confused. I can’t understand why laoyezi would run outside in the freezing winter.”
Gu daren’s eyes were sharp. “You truly don’t know?”
Gu Jiu nodded. “Nü’er truly does not know.”
Gu daren frowned.
Ma shiye, the advisor, stepped forward. “Er guniang, this morning daren went to the hou fu to pay respects. According to the old houye, daren’s safe release from prison was not the hou fu’s doing.
“This matter is confusing not only to daren but also to me. Who exactly helped daren regain his freedom? Why would someone do such a good deed yet refuse to leave their name? Er guniang, what do you make of this?”
Gu Jiu looked blank. “I always thought it was the hou fu that intervened to rescue Father. Was it not?”
“It truly was not houye’s work. Daren and I have made a bold guess – that the person who helped must either be from the palace, or an official with influence before His Majesty. The second possibility has already been ruled out. That leaves only the first. Er guniang, can you guess who in the palace would most likely take the initiative to help daren?”
Gu Jiu shook her head. “I can’t guess. Could it perhaps be the Empress?”
Ma shiye shook his head firmly. “Not the Empress.”
Gu Jiu ventured, “Then perhaps someone close to His Majesty? Their words would carry more weight than ordinary officials. Especially with Father’s case – it could be painted as very serious, but in truth it was little more than a fabricated charge.”
Ma shiye studied her. “Oh? I didn’t expect er guniang to reach the same conclusion as I did. Yet daren had no ties of favour in the palace. That makes this all the more puzzling.”
Gu Jiu lowered her head, pretending to think deeply.
In reality, she had secretly left the residence, met with Liu Zhao, and persuaded laoyezi to hand over certain things – only then did Liu Zhao fulfil his promise to have Gu daren released. None of this was something Gu Jiu intended to speak of.
She hadn’t yet discerned where her father’s attitude toward her truly lay.
She had saved him out of her own interest – for the sake of the bigger picture. If Gu daren was safe, their whole family could remain safe. If he fell, as a daughter of the Gu family, she would also face ruin.
As for whether her father’s attitude toward her was driven by genuine paternal affection or by the recognition of her usefulness, perhaps both played a role.
Either way, Gu Jiu did not mind.
Having value in others’ eyes was itself an affirmation of one’s ability. A person with no value at all – that was truly pitiful.
The reason she kept the truth hidden was also because she did not know how far her father would go in exploiting her if he learned of it. Would he use her ruthlessly, without scruple?
She also worried he might act impulsively and ruin the current balance if he learned that Liu Zhao had been the one to save him.
It was obvious Gu daren would not look kindly on Liu Zhao. If he knew Liu Zhao had helped, who knew what reckless actions he might take.
For matters she could not control, Gu Jiu preferred to let them proceed slowly, cautiously.
The truth wasn’t important. What mattered was that Gu daren had returned safely, been reinstated to office, and that the Gu household now brimmed with joy.
As children, they could continue enjoying their father’s shelter and live in peace.
Gu Jiu said, “If Ma shiye cannot figure it out, then I can even less so.”
Gu daren said gravely, “Filial devotion is good. But you are a young woman, and laoyezi lives a dissolute life. Without elders accompanying you, you must not go see him again, lest you witness something unseemly.”
Gu Jiu bowed. “Nü’er will follow Father’s words. From now on, I will be cautious in speech and action, and not act willfully.”
“Good. When you return, make preparations. On New Year’s Day morning, accompany your mother into the palace to offer New Year’s greetings.”
“Nü’er obeys.”
Gu Jiu rose, took her leave of Gu daren, and departed from the outer courtyard study.
Gu daren asked Ma shiye, “Well? What do you think?”
Ma shiye hesitated for a moment, then said cautiously, “Xiaguan believes that er guniang did not tell the truth.”
Gu daren frowned. “Why do you say that?”
Ma shiye replied, “In xiaguan’s impression, er guniang is someone with firm opinions and ideas. Yet today, she only echoed your words, daren. From beginning to end, she never once put forward her own view.”
“Why would that be?”
Ma shiye said, “Xiaguan has a bold guess, if daren would hear me out. Perhaps er guniang knows the reason why you were released from prison safely, and she may even know who the person behind it is. But, for certain reasons, she cannot speak it out loud.”
Gu daren first gave a small laugh, then his expression grew very grave. “Your guess is far too bold. Xiao Jiu is merely a young girl not yet of age. Even the hou fu couldn’t manage such a thing – how could she? She’s just a girl of the inner chambers; how could she possibly know anyone in the palace?”
[T/N: There he goes, brushing past the truth again.]
Ma shiye himself also felt his speculation was far-fetched. “Daren is right. This matter most likely has nothing to do with er guniang. Still, xiaguan remains curious why she went to see laoyezi.”
Gu daren furrowed his brows. “I’ll go ask laoyezi later, hear what he has to say.”
When Gu daren went to see Gu laoyezi, the old man certainly wasn’t polite. He jumped up, pointed at Gu daren’s nose, and cursed him as an unfilial son.
“All because of you, the entire household is in chaos. What kind of official are you? Better to come home and live off nothing but idle meals. Shameful! Disgraceful! A disgrace unto death! How did I ever give birth to such a fool as you?”
Gu daren’s face turned dark as pitch.
The steward, Gu Quan, hurried to slip away, not daring to listen further, afraid that Gu daren might ‘silence him to cover it up.’
Gu daren clenched his fists, barely managing to control the fire of rage in his chest.
“Father, that day when Xiao Jiu came to pay her respects to you, did she say anything?”
“What? Who are you talking about? Who is Xiao Jiu?”
As laoyezi spoke, he spat, and spittle flew onto Gu daren’s face.
Gu daren closed his eyes, wiped his face, and tried to remain calm as he said, “I mean the er yatou – when she came the other day to greet you, what did she say?”
Laoyezi smashed his wine cup. “Over some trifling matter you come to bother me? Don’t you have anything better to do? How would I remember what she said? A young slip of a girl, frighten her a bit and she bursts into tears. Hmph! In the future, don’t let me see any of your children again. Every last one of them is nothing but a little debt collector, not a single one who knows how to behave.”
Gu daren frowned. “When er yatou came to pay her respects, at least it was out of filial devotion. Couldn’t you have said something kind in return?”
“What, are you dissatisfied with me? This is my house! I’ll do as I please, scold whomever I please. I scold you, don’t I? And I can’t scold your daughter? Are you an idiot? To have fathered such a fool as you, I must have sinned grievously in a past life. Get out! Out! Whenever I see you, I feel suffocated with anger.”
Gu daren’s innards burned with fury – having such a father was truly life’s greatest misfortune.
“You still haven’t left? I’ll beat you to death!” Laoyezi snatched up a teapot and hurled it toward Gu daren’s head.
Of course, Gu daren wasn’t about to stand still and be struck. He leapt aside and dodged the teapot.
Right after, laoyezi grabbed a wine cup and threw it at him.
Gu daren, pelted and berated, had no temper left – he was literally driven out of the room.
His fists clenched, then loosened, then clenched again. Listening to laoyezi’s curses, his face turned stony. “Father, there’s no need to scold further. Your son will leave at once.”
He stormed off, flicking his sleeves in fury.
Bang!
Laoyezi slammed the door shut and still did not forget to shout a few more insults, “Idiot! Fool! A whole family of fools!”
Gu daren ground his teeth, restraining himself.
Sometimes, he truly wished he could just be an unfilial son. Then, he wouldn’t have to suffer such torment.
After cursing to his fill, laoyezi collapsed into his chair. Wiping sweat from his forehead, he was exhausted.
Fang pozi pushed the door open. “Laoyezi, nubi has come to tidy up the room.”
Laoyezi kicked over a stool at his side. “Clean it properly, then bring me two more jars of wine. And tell the kitchen to prepare two dishes to go with the drink. Tonight, I’ll drink myself into a stupor.”
Fang pozi stretched out her hand, her meaning clear.
If you want wine and dishes, hand over money. These are extra expenses – the household account does not cover them.
Laoyezi bristled, glaring and blowing his beard. “Wretched servant, all of you have eyes only for silver!”
But Fang pozi wasn’t the least bit afraid. Holding her head high, she said, “This is the rule of the fu, laoyezi. Best if you hand it over quickly.”
“Hmph!” Laoyezi tossed her a tael of silver. “Go at once! If I go hungry, I’ll beat you to death.”
Fang pozi picked up the silver, curled her lip, and sashayed out the door.
Gu fu had no secrets. Very soon, everyone knew that Gu daren had gone to pay respects to the Gu laoyezi , only to be beaten and thrown out by him.
The servants whispered among themselves in secret, laughing at Gu daren’s humiliation.
When Zhang shi heard of this, she frowned and said, “Er laoye knew perfectly well that laoyezi acts absurdly – why go and invite unhappiness?”
The maid Shaoyang replied, “But er laoye just got out of prison. He ought to pay respects to laoyezi.”
“Laoyezi disgraces his years. Who has he ever spared? Hasn’t he only brought harm upon the whole family? Enough, enough – let’s not talk about this.”
When Xie shi heard that Gu daren had been driven out by laoyezi, her brows immediately knitted.
She was furious, her long-harboured resentment toward laoyezi flaring up.
She complained, “Truly, what was laoye thinking? With laoyezi’s character, why lower yourself to pay respects? And what came of it? Thrown out, made a laughingstock.
“I really don’t know what goes through laoyezi’s head. Laoye is a government official, yet he was cast out by his own father – if word spreads, how shameful will that be? Laoyezi seems determined to plunge the whole family into chaos and misery – only then is he satisfied.”
Speaking thus, Xie shi clenched her teeth, almost wishing she could go argue with laoyezi herself. But of course, laoyezi would never give her face. He might scold her until she had no shred of dignity left.
After all, when Gu daren had sought to elevate Xie shi to his official wife, laoyezi had resolutely opposed it. From the beginning, he had never approved of Xie shi as his daughter-in-law.
Born from a humble family, poorly educated, reeking of petty airs – what right did she have to marry into the Gu clan?
But Gu daren had been insistent. And besides, it was only a matter of making her the proper wife, not his first match. With no alternative, laoyezi had grudgingly allowed it.
Xie shi herself knew she had no dignity before laoyezi. So, she never tried to get close, only dared to grumble in private.
Unlike Zhang shi, who, when angered, would directly confront laoyezi and even order servants to throw him out, Xie shi didn’t dare.
She lacked that kind of confidence.
Zhang shi was different – she was the di eldest daughter-in-law, formally married with honour, backed by a powerful natal family, gifted in her own right, and mother to three sons.
If laoyezi angered her, she would deal with him without the slightest hesitation.
Chun He tried to comfort Xie shi, “Taitai, don’t let your anger rise. Laoyezi has been absurd not just a day or two. After today, laoye will surely learn his lesson and keep a respectful distance from him in the future.”
Xie shi nodded repeatedly. “Yes, he ought to keep a respectful distance.”
Not long after, Gu Yue and Gu Shan came to visit Xie shi.
“Mother, are you feeling any better?”
Xie shi smiled. “Much better. Shan’er, come sit beside me.”
Gu Shan hesitated, sneaking a glance at Gu Yue before walking forward and sitting down close to Xie shi.
Gu Yue remained standing where she was, stunned, as if she could not believe what she was seeing.
That seat – until now – it had always belonged to her. Only she was allowed to sit right next to her mother, while Gu Shan could only sit aside, watching enviously.
And yet in just a few days, everything had changed.
This change struck Gu Yue so suddenly that she didn’t know how to respond.
Chun He reminded her, “San guniang, don’t just stand there. Sit down quickly.”
Gu Yue came back to herself, her eyes reddening at once. She looked at Xie shi with pitiful longing. “Mother, nü’er, nü’er…”
Xie shi’s face was indifferent as she said, “Sit down and speak. Don’t stand there like a block.”
A wave of bitterness welled up in Gu Yue’s heart, and tears fell at once. She wiped them away and sat lower down from Xie shi.
Gu Shan gently asked, “Mother, on the first day of the new year, we must go into the palace. What should I prepare?”
Xie shi smiled. “As for that, when the mama from the hou fu comes later, you can ask her.”
In truth, Xie shi wasn’t very sure herself. It would be her first time entering the palace to present New Year’s greetings as well. She would have to rely on Zhang shi to instruct her in the details.
Gu Shan nodded. “Nü’er will listen to Mother.”
Gu Yue wiped away her tears, resentment burning in her chest. She wanted to win back her mother’s attention, so she said, “Mother, Haixi bo fu will also be entering the palace that day, won’t they?”
Xie shi gave a perfunctory “Mm.”
“Then, in the palace, could we perhaps–”
“No.” Before Gu Yue could finish, Xie shi cut her off sharply.
She had no patience for Gu Yue’s notions. Whatever they were, they were bound to be foolish.
With a stern expression, she warned her daughter, “Yue’er, the palace is not like anywhere else. Once inside, every word and deed of yours represents the Gu family. If you make a single mistake, you’ll implicate the whole household – even jeopardise your father’s career.
“So once we enter, you will stay by my side. You are not allowed to wander anywhere. If you offend someone of rank, I will act as though I have no daughter by that name.”
Gu Yue’s mouth fell open, speechless. Tears welled again, making her look pitiful.
Xie shi emphasised once more, “I am not joking this time. If you dare act recklessly in the palace, even if your father beats you to death, I will not stop him. You had better govern yourself well.”
Gu Yue lowered her head and said weakly, “Nü’er obeys. I won’t dare to act out of line.”
“I hope you mean what you say.”
Leave a Reply