Xie shi asked Gu Yue calmly, “How much did you overhear?”
Gu Yue whispered, “Just a little…”
“Oh? So you already know about the dowry matter.”
Gu Yue nodded cautiously.
Lifting her teacup, Xie shi took a sip, then asked evenly, “And what do you think?”
“Nü’er… nü’er…”
Gu Yue hesitated, never daring to voice her true thoughts.
Xie shi set down her cup. “I want the truth.”
Gu Yue suddenly raised her head. “Mother, I’m not convinced!”
Xie shi sneered. “And what good is that? This matter is decided by your father. You heard it yourself, I did my best, but I couldn’t change his mind.”
“Why is Father so biased? Everything good goes to Gu Jiu! I’m also a di daughter, how am I any worse than her? Why does she get forty thousand taels of dowry while I only get twenty thousand? I can’t accept it!”
Tears spilled down Gu Yue’s face, her crying full of grievance, as if heaven itself had wronged her.
“Well, that’s because you’re not marrying the emperor’s grandson. If you were, you’d have forty thousand too, no, even more.”
Xie shi showed no pity, instead stoking her daughter’s anger, though her words were true.
Gu Yue wept louder. “Mother, I was wrong!”
She dropped to her knees, clutching at Xie shi’s feet, sobbing out her apology.
Xie shi gently stroked her hair. “Now you realise it? Too late. Still, marrying into Haixi bo fu has its benefits. I’ve heard Haixi bo is one of the few ministers who can truly speak before His Majesty. If you can secure a place in that fu and influence his stance, it could be your path forward.”
Gu Yue widened her eyes. “Mother, I don’t understand what you mean.”
“Are you stupid?” Xie shi looked at her daughter with disdain.
Gu Yue looked pitiful.
Xie shi signalled to Chun He, who went to guard the door against eavesdroppers.
Then Xie shi leaned in, lowering her voice. “Gu Jiu is marrying the emperor’s grandson. Do you know what that means?”
Gu Yue answered uncertainly, “Glory and wealth?”
Xie shi gave a cold laugh. “Not just wealth, it also means they could be ruined and jailed at any time.”
Gu Yue’s mouth dropped open, but no sound came.
Xie shi reached out and stroked her cheek. “After His Majesty ascended the throne, how many of his brothers were left standing? When the Crown Prince ascends, or another prince does, do you think Ning wang fu will still shine as it does today? And that so-called Gongzi Zhao, will he still be a prince’s son then?
“Gu Jiu is marrying him. As the saying goes, ‘marry a chicken, follow the chicken; marry a dog, follow the dog.’ If Gongzi Zhao loses his life, can Gu Jiu still live?”
Gu Yue’s eyes blazed with a fierce light.
Her gaze brightened. “Mother, you mean I should push Haixi bo fu to support the Crown Prince, or some other prince, just not Ning wang?”
“You’re not so stupid after all.” Xie shi smiled.
Gu Yue also broke into a smile. “Mother, you’re brilliant! If Ning wang fu falls, no matter how capable Gu Jiu is, she’ll never rise again.”
“Exactly. A wang fu cannot compare to an official’s family. If an official falls, as long as he isn’t executed, there’s always a chance to come back. But once a wang fu is suspected by a new emperor, their fate is usually tragic.”
Gu Yue nodded repeatedly. “Thank you for your teaching, Mother. I understand now.”
Xie shi gave her a half-smile, but didn’t forget to strike her down again. “Have you even thought about how you’ll secure a place in Haixi bo fu and influence his stance?”
“Nü’er…”
Gu Yue stammered. “Nü’er hasn’t thought that far. Please instruct me.”
Xie shi chuckled. “Silly child. Of course Zhao erlang must be the one to act. You’re just a daughter-in-law, how could you go speak directly to your father-in-law? Convince Zhao erlang, and he can handle Haixi bo. That’s how it will work.”
At the mention of Zhao erlang, Gu Yue lowered her head, smiling shyly.
Even her voice softened. “Erlang… it’s been some time since I saw him. I don’t know what he’s thinking now.”
Xie shi snorted. “What’s the rush? You two are already betrothed. Unless something drastic happens, you’ll be marrying him soon enough. Once you’re wed, you’ll see him every day, let’s see if you still don’t get tired of him then.”
Gu Yue shook her head quickly, her face glowing with bashfulness. “I’ll never get tired of him.”
Xie shi sneered, clearly displeased by her daughter’s lovesick look.
For the sake of Zhao erlang, Gu Yue had raised havoc countless times. This daughter had thoroughly disappointed her.
Suddenly, Xie shi lost all interest in talking.
“You can leave now. Think carefully on what I’ve said.”
But Gu Yue lingered, eyes pleading. “Mother, about my dowry… I want a little more.”
Xie shi’s face hardened. “We’ve prepared twenty thousand taels for you. Isn’t that enough?”
“But Gu Jiu has forty thousand!” Gu Yue said, aggrieved.
“Don’t compare yourself to her! She’s marrying the emperor’s grandson, and the heir of a wang fu at that!”
“But…” Gu Yue stared at her mother. “Didn’t Father promise another five thousand taels? Can’t you add that in too? Then I’d have twenty-five thousand.”
Xie shi straightened, glaring at her. “Yue’er, I’ll say it one last time. Your dowry is twenty thousand. Not a single coin more. As for your father’s five thousand, I’ll add it into your dowry, yes, but only so the household accounts can show five thousand less. Do you understand?”
Gu Yue was utterly aggrieved, her eyes already brimming with tears. “Mother, why must you treat nü’er this way?”
Xie shi gave a cold snort. “You should ask yourself that. Ask how this marriage came about. And besides, Zhao erlang is not the di eldest son. If you had the ability to marry the legitimate heir of Haixi bo fu, I would certainly prepare no less than thirty thousand taels of dowry for you.”
Gu Yue burst into sobs. “Mother, Mother…”
She kept calling out, but Xie shi remained unmoved.
At that moment, Xie shi’s heart was as hard as iron.
She looked at Gu Yue coldly, saying nothing.
Receiving no response, Gu Yue’s crying gradually subsided.
She choked back sobs, staring at Xie shi. “Mother has such a cruel heart.”
Xie shi furrowed her brows and snapped angrily: “If I were truly cruel, you would not be crying before me now, but locked away in a convent, chanting scriptures by the lamplight. Think carefully about that yourself.”
Gu Yue froze at once. Could it be that her mother had once really considered sending her away to a convent for reflection?
Just the thought that Xie shi had been so ruthless in the past made Gu Yue want to cry again, yet she dared not.
Pitiful and fragile, she looked especially weak.
Xie shi closed her eyes in disappointment, making it clear she no longer wished to see her.
Gu Yue sniffled twice more, but without Xie shi’s response, she knew the conversation was over.
She rose, gave a slight bow. “Mother, nü’er will take her leave.”
Xie shi remained motionless, eyes still shut in repose.
Gu Yue bit her lip, resentment rising in her heart, then turned and left.
Chun He quietly entered, cleared away the teacups, and poured fresh tea for Xie shi. “Taitai, please have some hot tea.”
Xie shi opened her eyes. “She’s gone?”
Chun He nodded. “San guniang has left. Nubi saw her with red eyes, looking very sad.”
Xie shi gave a cold laugh, a sneer on her lips. “Sad? And when I was sad, what was she doing then?”
“Taitai, you must not take it too much to heart. In time, san guniang will slowly begin to understand.”
Xie shi scoffed and shook her head. “I fear she will only truly understand after she’s married into the Haixi bo fu, once she’s been ground down for a while. Only then will she know who in this world truly cares for her.”
“Of course it’s taitai who cares for her most. These years, nubi has seen with her own eyes, taitai has cherished san guniang like a precious jewel. It’s only a pity she has yet to realise it.”
Xie shi gave a self-mocking smile. “Enough, no more of this. Bring me Yue’er’s dowry list. Let me see if anything needs to be added.”
On the fifth day of the New Year, the hou fu hosted a banquet for relatives and friends to celebrate together.
Early in the morning, the Gu family all set out together, riding carriages through the main gate to the hou fu.
When the carriage stopped at the second gate, Gu Jiu alighted and saw Gu Mei.
Smiling, she greeted her. “Mei jiejie.”
“Xiao Jiu, come quickly. Lao furen has been thinking of you. The moment she heard you were betrothed to Gongzi Zhao, she couldn’t sleep the whole night.”
“I’ve troubled lao furen with worry, it’s unfilial of me. By the way, have Qi jiejie and Ying jiejie’s marriages been settled yet?”
Gu Mei nodded. “Yes, already settled. After the first month, the betrothal gifts will be sent.”
Gu Jiu smiled. “Then I must congratulate Qi jiejie and Ying jiejie later.”
Gu Mei looked at her with worry, wanting to speak but stopping short.
Gu Jiu pretended not to notice, chatting easily as if nothing was amiss.
Everyone proceeded to the Songbai Yuan to pay respects to lao furen, Wei shi.
“Good, good, good. This New Year, at last everyone is here together. Unlike past years, when your second branch was always absent, the house felt so empty then.”
Xie shi replied with a smile: “From now on, our second branch will trouble lao furen every New Year. May lao furen not find us too noisy.”
Wei lao furen laughed heartily. “Don’t worry, I love noise and bustle best. I like to see the whole family gathered together. Come, sit down, don’t stand. Xiao Jiu, come here and let me take a good look at you.”
The others all sat down, while Gu Jiu stepped forward to stand before Wei lao furen.
Wei lao furen took her hand, carefully looking her over. “You’ve suffered grievances.”
Gu Jiu shook her head slightly. “Your grandniece has not suffered.”
Wei lao furen sighed. “You and my Wei family’s san guniang, what sort of luck is this? Both of you were granted marriage to imperial grandsons.”
The Eastern Palace had chosen Wei family’s third daughter, from lao furen’s natal family, Zhu guogong fu.
By the time Zhu guogong fu received the news, it was already too late to change the emperor’s decision.
And with the Empress herself keeping a close eye, the guogong fu had no choice but to swallow their bitterness and accept.
For this reason, the Eastern Palace officials were delighted.
Zhu guogong also held military power. The difference between him and Lu hou was that the Zhu guogong was stationed permanently in the north. The northern border was peaceful and rarely saw fighting, so naturally, their combat strength was inferior to that of Lu hou’s soldiers.
However, once war broke out in the north, Zhu guogong’s troops might well fall under Lu hou’s command.
In that case, Lu hou would instantly rise above the Zhu guogong.
If Lu hou came to command the northern forces, he would have nearly three hundred thousand soldiers under his command.
That kind of power was truly terrifying.
Because of this, the court was never short of memorials impeaching Lu hou.
Every few days, civil officials would leap up, accusing him of corruption, cruelty, draining the army’s blood, harbouring the ambitions of a wolf, and being born with a rebel’s heart.
Day after day, they incited the emperor to guard against him, falling just short of outright demanding that the marquis be seized, cut to pieces, and executed as too worthless to live.
The emperor, however, was a man of extremes: to those he trusted, he gave unwavering trust. As long as they did not pose a threat to imperial power, even if they offended the entire realm, the emperor would still favour them and entrust them with great responsibility.
But to those he disliked, no matter how brilliant their words, he would not believe a single syllable.
Lu hou was widely known as the courtier most skilled at winning the emperor’s favour.
Even though he spent years stationed in the northwest, he still enjoyed the emperor’s trust. Every time he returned to the capital to report on his duties, the emperor bestowed lavish rewards on him.
The emperor also looked after Lu hou’s family in the capital with great care.
This was precisely why the Crown Prince and the various imperial households were all trying to draw Lu hou to their side.
Gaining his support was tantamount to being only one step away from the throne.
But that bastard of a marquis would take their money and do nothing in return, driving the Crown Prince and the princes to fury. Behind closed doors, they cursed him again and again.
As the eldest di daughter of Lu hou, Pei Yun’s marriage naturally became the focus of attention throughout the entire capital.
Just yesterday, her marriage was decided.
The emperor personally granted the match: her fiancé was none other than Zhu guogong’s eldest son, Wei san guniang’s elder brother.
This was the reason for the Crown Prince’s delight.
The heir of the Eastern Palace had married Wei san guniang, and now Pei Yun was to marry into the Wei family as well.
This meant that the Eastern Palace would now be connected to Lu hou fu.
The Eastern Palace celebrated the entire night in self-satisfaction.
Some rejoiced, some worried.
While the Eastern Palace was full of joy, the Wei family of Zhu guogong fu was half glad, half troubled.
Even the Wei lao furen sighed heavily, her expression complicated.
A servant came to announce that members of Zhu guogong fu household had arrived.
Wei lao furen quickly said, “Hurry, invite them in.”
Zhu guogong furen entered with her children.
As soon as Wei san guniang saw Wei lao furen, she threw herself into her grandaunt’s arms and burst into tears.
“Grandaunt, I’m so miserable!” she sobbed uncontrollably.
Zhu guogong furen coughed lightly to remind her daughter of proper conduct. Crying and wailing in a relative’s house during the New Year festivities was hardly proper behaviour.
Wei lao furen waved her hand at the duchess. “The child is feeling wronged, let her cry it out.”
Zhu guogong furen sighed. “Grandaunt’s heart aches for her; but doesn’t ours? Still, the imperial decree has been issued. Nothing can be changed.”
Wei san guniang lifted her tear-streaked face and cried out, “I don’t want to marry into the Eastern Palace! I’ve met er gongzi there, he’s an utter fool!”
“Nonsense! Do you think you can talk any way you please in front of your grandaunt? Where are your manners?”
The furen scolded her daughter in a low voice.
Wei san guniang began crying again, even more aggrieved.
Wei lao furen pulled her into her arms, patting her back gently. “There, there, I know you feel wronged.”
“You’re the only one who truly cares for me, grandaunt.”
Wei lao furen chuckled. “You’re just a crybaby. Look at Xiao Jiu, she hasn’t shed a tear. And she, just like you, has also been betrothed to an imperial grandson.”
Wei san guniang turned curiously toward Gu Jiu.
Gu Jiu inclined her head slightly. “Happy New Year, Wei san jiejie.”
Wei san guniang wiped at her tears. “Xiao Jiu meimei, I’ve heard about your situation too. You’ve been betrothed to Gongzi Zhao, what will you do?”
Zhu guogong furen coughed repeatedly, reminding her daughter once again to mind her tongue.
Wei san guniang dropped her head and bit her lip. She knew she had overstepped, that she shouldn’t be crying in her relatives’ house and spoiling everyone’s mood. But her heart was unbearably heavy.
Gu Jiu spoke gently: “Don’t cry, Wei san jiejie. The decree has been given. Rather than grieve, we should think about what comes next.”
Wei san guniang nodded. “Thank you, Xiao Jiu meimei.”
She stopped sobbing, but Zhu guogong furen scolded her again in a quiet voice: “Get up from lao furen’s lap. She’s of advanced age, she can’t take your fussing.”
Wei san guniang quickly rose. “Grandaunt, forgive me for making a spectacle of myself.”
Wei lao furen smiled. “Why so formal with your grandaunt? I know you feel wronged, crying it out is fine.”
Wei san guniang nodded. “I’ll listen to you, grandaunt.”
Wei lao furen then advised Gu Jiu, “Xiao Jiu, take the chance to grow closer to your Wei san jiejie. In the future, it may not be so easy.”
For a moment, silence fell over the hall.
Everyone was thinking the same thing: Wei san guniang would marry into the Eastern Palace, while Gu Jiu would marry into the Ning wang fu.
The Eastern Palace and the Ning wang fu were not on good terms.
Wouldn’t that make Wei san guniang and Gu Jiu enemies in the future?
Everyone’s eyes shifted between the two girls, their feelings complicated.
This cursed arranged marriage, it was all thanks to the Empress’s clever scheme.
Leave a Reply