Gu Jiu caught a cold.
She had overestimated her constitution. She thought that since it was summer, the pond water would be warm, and she would be fine. But just a few hours later, by nightfall, she began feeling dizzy and weak all over, with a runny nose.
Gu Jiu wiped her nose, feeling miserable.
Qing Mei entered the room with a bowl of herbal medicine.
“Guniang, please drink this while it’s hot.”
Placing the medicine by Gu Jiu’s side, Qing Mei started nagging, “Guniang, don’t act tough anymore. You nearly scared me to death today! Nubi was so afraid you’d fall sick like last year and not recover for a long time.”
Gu Jiu pinched her nose, feeling congested and uncomfortable.
“It’s not that serious. I probably caught a chill when the wind blew as I got out of the water. A good night’s sleep should fix it.”
She picked up the bowl and downed the medicine in one go.
Warmth spread through her body, and beads of sweat began to form on her forehead.
Qing Mei gently wiped the sweat from her forehead and said, “Guniang, you must take better care of yourself.”
Gu Jiu nodded. “Don’t worry, I value my life more than anyone else.”
Had she known that Xie shi would make such a ruthless move today, she would have never let Gu Yue drag her into the water. If she had to go in, she would have made sure Gu Yue went in with her.
Qing Mei gathered up the empty bowl and then said, “Nubi heard that taitai personally appointed Bai yiniang to serve her. From now on, Bai yiniang will be living in the main chamber, solely attending to taitai. Who knows what kind of torment she’ll suffer? Will she be able to endure it?”
Gu Jiu chuckled upon hearing this. “Don’t worry about Bai yiniang. Someone as cunning and resourceful as her will find a way out of that place sooner or later.”
Qing Mei nodded. “Guniang is right. I also heard that wu guniang has been crying in her room nonstop, terrified that Bai yiniang will never return.”
Gu Jiu smiled but said nothing. Her fifth sister, Gu Lin, was still too young to understand the situation.
Someone as shrewd as Bai yiniang would never let Xie shi control her easily.
Qing Mei continued, “Also, da guniang has locked herself in her room and refuses to see anyone. Hu yiniang is worried sick.”
Gu Jiu said, “Hu yiniang will find out sooner or later that it was Bai yiniang who orchestrated da jiejie’s embarrassment at the banquet. When the time comes, those two are bound to clash.”
Hu yiniang had managed to give birth to a son and a daughter under Xie shi’s watchful eye, yet she had never drawn Xie shi’s ire. That alone proved she was not as gentle and simple-minded as people thought.
In the Gu family’s inner courtyard, any woman without scheming abilities would have long been cast out by Xie shi. Every woman who remained had her tricks up her sleeve.
Gu Jiu asked, “Besides Bai yiniang, is there any other news from shangfang?”
“Nubi heard from Xiao Cui that liu shaoye went to the main chamber.”
Xiao Cui was simple and good-natured, so no one was on guard around her. Because of this, she had become Zhilan Yuan’s little informant. After one outing, she could return with all the latest news from the various courtyards.
Gu Jiu laughed and said to Qing Mei, “Give Xiao Cui some money. Tell her to go out more often in the next few days and gather more news.”
“Yes, guniang.”
SHANGFANG
Xie shi sat at the head of the bed, her gaze complex as she looked at Gu Cheng.
Gu Cheng was clearly avoiding her eyes. “Mother, I heard that you are pregnant and need to rest. Coincidentally, I have also decided to move to the academy to focus on my studies.”
Xie shi was shocked. “You want to move out?”
Gu Cheng nodded. “I’ve already spoken to Father. He supports my decision.”
Xie shi felt a sense of panic rising in her heart. She asked cautiously, “Cheng’er, are you moving out because of what happened today at the general’s fu?”
Gu Cheng shook his head. “You’re overthinking it, Mother. I’ve wanted to move out for a while.”
Xie shi looked devastated, as if she had suffered a heavy blow. “Liulang, can you not leave?”
Gu Cheng finally met her gaze for the first time since entering the room. Slowly, he shook his head. “My decision is final.”
At that moment, Xie shi felt guilty and ashamed.
Tears welled in her eyes as she said, “It’s my fault. I’ve hurt you. Perhaps it’s better that you leave.”
“Mother, don’t say that. I know that every decision you’ve made has been for my sake. It’s my incompetence that I cannot follow through with your plans.”
Right now, all Gu Cheng wanted was to escape—from this place, from Xie shi.
Xie shi felt crushed. She knew that because of what had happened with Pei Yun, she had lost her most treasured son.
From now on, their mother-son relationship would never be the same. After crying, she wiped her tears and asked, “Who will be moving to the academy with you?”
Gu Cheng replied, “Si ge and qi di will join me.”
Si shaoye, Gu Heng, was Hu yiniang’s son. Qi shaoye, Gu Hun, was Wei yiniang’s son.
Both of them enjoyed studying, and Gu daren intended to groom them. That was why he agreed to let them move to the academy with Gu Cheng.
Xie shi looked at her son, feeling bitter. “When will you leave the manor?”
Gu Cheng said softly, “Early tomorrow morning.”
“So soon?” Xie shi frowned. Gu Cheng’s decision left her no room to object.
Gu Cheng said, “I want to settle in at the academy as soon as possible.”
Xie shi felt deeply saddened, but she forced herself to hold back her tears. “Take a few more servants with you. If anything happens, send word back to the manor. Do you have enough silver? Chun He, open the chest and take out all the gold and silver ingots for the liu shaoye.”
“There’s no need, Mother. I’ll return to the manor at the start of each month.”
Xie shi finally smiled through her tears. “As long as you come back once a month.”
Gu Cheng felt restless. Every extra moment he stayed was a torment.
Hurriedly, he said, “Mother, take care of yourself. I need to return and study. I’ll take my leave now.” With that, he quickly left.
Xie shi opened her mouth to stop him, but the words never came out. She could only watch as he walked away, her heart aching.
Chun He worriedly said, “Taitai, please don’t cry. You’ll hurt your eyes. Doctor Xu repeatedly reminded you to rest.”
Xie shi leaned against the bed, feeling weak and helpless, as if she had lost the will to live.
She said to Chun He, “Call Ping mama. I have something to discuss with her.”
“Yes, taitai.”
Soon, Ping mama arrived.
“Nubi greets taitai. Is taitai feeling better?” she asked respectfully.
Xie shi dismissed the servants. Once they were alone, she asked, “Mama, liulang will move to the academy early in the morning tomorrow. From now on, he will only return once a month. Do you think he resents me?”
Ping mama hurriedly comforted her, “Taitai, don’t overthink. Liu shaoye is still young and doesn’t fully understand things yet. Nubi will go see liu shaoye and speak to him.”
Xie shi shook her head. “Don’t go. Liulang came out of my stomach. I know his temper. He is proud and deeply influenced by his father. He cannot accept underhanded schemes against innocent girls. If you try to persuade him, he will only resent me more.”
Ping mama was deeply worried. “If liu shaoye refuses to listen, what should we do about the matter entrusted to us by da laoye? Are we really going to send san guniang to become a qie1?”
Xie shi let out a self-deprecating laugh. “I called you here because I want you to send a letter to the capital. Tell my da ge that I cannot fulfil his request. He should find someone else more capable.”
“Taitai, how can we do that? If da laoye blames us…”
“So what if he does?” Xie shi interrupted. “I’ve done everything in my power for da ge’s sake, and what did I get in return? My own son has turned against me and is moving out first thing in the morning. This is like cutting my heart out!”
Saying this, Xie shi burst into tears.
“Taitai, please don’t cry. Nubi understands. Nubi will write back to da laoye and tell him that we won’t handle this matter anymore.”
The moment Ping mama finished speaking, Xie shi abruptly stopped crying.
Ping mama’s mouth twitched—so taitai had just been putting on a show for her.
Xie shi wiped away her tears and said, “Tell my brother this: The door of Lu hou is of too high and the Gu family is unworthy of such an alliance. Failing to complete this task is not my intention but rather beyond my ability. Now that I am expecting a child, I am even more powerless to help. He should find someone else capable of assisting His Highness in achieving great things.”
Ping mama took up her brush and wrote the letter according to Xie shi’s words. The letter was soon completed.
“Taitai, is this written correctly?”
Xie shi carefully examined it, then nodded. “Send it out first thing in the morning. On your way out, call Bai yiniang to see me.”
“As you command.”
After leaving the main residence, Ping mama went straight to her room to rest. She lit a candle, took out the letter, glanced at it, and held it to the flame. Watching as the letter burned to ashes, Ping mama picked up her brush and rewrote an entirely different letter.
- Concubine ↩︎
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