Chapter 109: Arrest
Jinchao soon learned that her father had failed to retrieve the silver and heard that Qingxu Taoist Priest had prepared a box of life-extending elixirs for Gu Jinrong.
She immediately went to see Jinrong, who had just returned from the Yu family school and was examining the elixirs. When he saw Jinchao, he hurried over and studied her for a long moment. "It's been nearly half a month since I last saw you, Eldest Sister!"
He held onto Jinchao tightly, chattering excitedly about everything—how his cousins at the Yu family were doing, what their tutor had said, and the punishments he had received. He seemed much livelier now, his face animated with joy as he spoke.
Jinchao smiled along with him and took the elixirs from his hand to inspect them.
Jinrong explained, "Father's steward delivered them and said I should take one every other day." Then, with curiosity, he asked, "Eldest Sister, people say Qingxu Taoist Priest's elixirs can extend one's life—is that true? I’ve never seen anyone who took them and didn’t age. I heard Peng Zu lived for eight hundred years—was it because he took life-extending elixirs?"
Jinchao wasn’t sure whether Peng Zu had truly lived that long.
She examined the fingernail-sized elixirs before saying to Jinrong, "Listen to me—it’s best not to take these. But don’t tell anyone. Bury them quietly in the courtyard, one by one. Understand?"
Though puzzled, Jinrong trusted that his eldest sister would never harm him. He grinned and nodded. "Alright, I’ll do as you say!"
Relieved, Jinchao noticed how tall Jinrong had grown, yet he still crouched before her like a child. She patted his shoulder and said warmly, "You’ve grown taller again, Rong-ge. Your straight robe seems a bit short now. Your grandmother sent over some plain satin—let me tailor a few new robes for you. How about embroidering bamboo leaf patterns along the collar?"
Jinrong was delighted by everything she said. The idea of his eldest sister making clothes for him thrilled him. "The last time I had new robes was over a year ago—Mother picked the fabric herself and sewed the hems..."
Madam Ji believed in raising daughters in luxury and sons with frugality. Having seen how Gu Dezhao, accustomed to aristocratic extravagance, spent without restraint, she raised Jinrong with strict discipline. The same was true in the Ji family—none of his cousins were spendthrifts. Thanks to Madam Ji’s upbringing, Jinrong never squandered money. If elders didn’t offer, he wouldn’t ask for things he liked, no matter how much he wanted them.
As he spoke, Jinrong’s expression dimmed briefly before he perked up again. "Oh! There’s something I haven’t told you yet, Eldest Sister!"
It was about Gu Lan. "While I was studying at the Yu family, the second young master of the Mu family from Yuer Hutong often visited. He told me that Madam Mu had sent matchmakers to several families, but as soon as they heard it was for the eldest young master, the talks fell through. Then they thought of Gu Lan—they don’t mind waiting out the mourning period, so they want to secure the engagement first and marry her afterward. They might come to propose soon..."
Jinrong snorted. "Eldest Sister, just let her marry Mu Zhizhai! I heard he’s hideously ugly, fat and round—Gu Lan won’t have a good life with him."Mu Zhizhai was now nearly nineteen, which was considered late for a man to marry. The fact that he was willing to wait another year for Gu Lan proved he was truly desperate. A thought flashed through Jinchao's mind. Others might think marrying into the Mu family would harm Gu Lan, but she didn’t see it that way.
To be honest, Gu Lan’s marriage prospects in this life were complicated. In her past life, she had been the legitimate daughter and married a supporting general. But now, with Song Yiniang in such a state and her own reputation tarnished, how she would marry depended entirely on Gu Lan herself. If she insisted on marrying into a noble family, it wouldn’t be so simple!
Jinchao smiled faintly. "No need to rush. Let’s wait and see."
She returned to Paulownia Courtyard and began handling the transfer of shops. She summoned Luo Yongping to discuss the matter, sorting out which shops were profitable and which were losing money, then leasing them out accordingly. This reduced her workload by half while increasing her income slightly.
While organizing the letters from various sources, Jinchao was surprised to find that over a dozen estate managers had sent her detailed reports on annual harvests and tenant rents. Luo Yongping chuckled and said, "The news of you dismissing Zhao Ming has spread far and wide. Everyone feels vindicated! These managers no longer dare to underestimate you, which is likely why they’ve finally submitted these reports."
Jinchao was curious. "Did everyone know about Zhao Ming’s behavior? Why didn’t anyone mention it before?"
Luo Yongping replied, "He was notorious for taking money without doing any work, and the late madam indulged him. The estate managers were all discontented. It’s not that no one spoke up, but their complaints fell on deaf ears. Now that the Eldest Miss has punished him, everyone is delighted! However, Eldest Miss, this is how things usually are with the Villas. No matter the amount, the managers always skim a little off the top in secret."
One person’s misconduct could dampen everyone’s enthusiasm. Jinchao pondered this for a long time.
Unlike shops, where transactions were recorded and accounts were transparent, Villas made it easy for managers to embezzle. Harvests depended entirely on the managers’ reports, and unless the owner personally inspected them, discrepancies were hard to detect. She had only uncovered Manager Zhao’s wrongdoing, but the other managers might not be entirely clean either.
She said to Luo Yongping, "Shopkeepers are more respectable, with higher official wages. The estate managers steal because they lack such benefits. Why not formalize it? I’ll set a minimum harvest quota. If a manager exceeds it, they’ll receive a tenth of the surplus. This will motivate them to work harder."
Luo Yongping’s eyes lit up—this was indeed a brilliant idea!
In truth, the managers had long harbored such thoughts, but the Villa owners had never been willing to share the harvests. Little did they know that without formal incentives, the managers would steal even more, and the harvests would never improve.
Luo Yongping bowed respectfully. "A splendid idea, Eldest Miss! This servant will arrange it immediately."
Jinchao smiled. It wasn’t her idea at all—she had borrowed it from her grandmother’s method of managing distant shops outside Yanjing.
After Luo Yongping left, Mama Xu escorted him out.
Jinchao had just taken a sip of tea when Mama Tong hurried in, looking flustered.
"Eldest Miss, a group of soldiers has barged into the house..."Jinchao was shocked and quickly asked Mama Tong what had happened. Mama Tong then explained that after her return, the Taoist priest had said the resentful energy in the household had grown stronger again, so they were holding a ritual to exorcise evil spirits. Gu Dezhao hadn’t objected. Unexpectedly, halfway through the ritual, soldiers stormed into the Gu residence, loudly proclaiming they were there to arrest Qingxu Taoist Priest. The priest had hidden in the back rooms, and the master was currently stalling the soldiers’ search.
Jinchao sneered upon hearing this. “Is he trying to imply that I’m the evil spirit?”
This Taoist priest truly lacked the dignity of a cultivator! First, he claimed she brought misfortune to the family, and now he dared to say such things again!
She had no idea why the soldiers were after him either! And her father was even letting him hide in their home—what exactly was he thinking?
After a moment’s thought, Jinchao quickly changed into an overgown and headed to the outer courtyard.
The Chrysanthemum Willow Pavilion was crowded, with soldiers searching the side rooms. Gu Dezhao, however, was speaking to a man wearing a padded jacket: “You’ve got some nerve! I may only be a fifth-rank official, but the Gu family isn’t a place you can barge into as you please!”
Jinchao paused. As a woman in mourning, it wasn’t proper for her to approach.
The middle-aged man in the padded jacket clasped his hands apologetically. “Apologies, my lord. We are from the Yanping Prince’s estate, under orders to apprehend Qingxu Taoist Priest.”
The Yanping Prince’s estate? Jinchao frowned from a distance.
The Yanping Prince was an external prince ennobled by the late emperor, wielding considerable influence in court and aligned with the Marquis Changxing’s faction.
Jinchao quietly instructed Mama Tong beside her to summon Gu Dezhao over. A search was one thing, but drawing the Yanping Prince’s attention to the Gu family would be disastrous.
Gu Dezhao noticed his eldest daughter’s arrival.
He hesitated before approaching and said in a low voice, “…Chaojie, it’s too chaotic here. You should go back.”
Jinchao understood his dilemma. Qingxu Taoist Priest was, after all, his close friend, and this was happening in the Gu residence. If he didn’t protect the priest, his conscience wouldn’t allow it. Moreover, the soldiers hadn’t even stated the reason for the arrest.
Jinchao nodded. “…Father, protecting Qingxu Taoist Priest is a minor matter, but offending the Yanping Prince is serious. Let them take him—this has nothing to do with our family.”
Gu Dezhao wavered. “It’s complicated. I can’t explain it quickly.” He harbored doubts. The Yanping Prince was on good terms with Qingxu Taoist Priest, who had even refined elixirs for the prince’s eldest son. Why would the prince turn against him now? Could someone be impersonating the prince’s men?
As he pondered, Li Guanshi hurried over and whispered, “The Changxing Marquis’s Heir has arrived with his men… they’ve already passed the screen wall!”
Gu Dezhao’s expression darkened. What crime had Qingxu Taoist Priest committed… that even the Changxing Marquis’s household was involved?
Ye Xian arrived with the Changxing Marquis’s entourage, still dressed in his moon-white overgown with black trim, his delicate face devoid of any warmth. Upon entering the Chrysanthemum Willow Pavilion, he gave a slight nod, and his well-trained guards immediately dispersed to search.
Gu Dezhao hurried forward and clasped his hands. “To think the Heir would come personally! May I ask what crime Qingxu Taoist Priest has committed… that you’ve brought men to arrest him?”Ye Xian glanced at him and said, "This matter has nothing to do with the Gu family. It would be best for Lord Gu not to get involved." Noticing Gu Jinzhao standing in the distance, he lowered his voice after a moment's thought, "The eldest son of Prince Yanping has passed away. They found arsenic in Qingxu's elixir. This is a serious matter. Lord Gu should refrain from speaking on it—I will negotiate with Prince Yanping myself."
Gu Dezhao was shocked. So it was the elixir after all... Qingxu put arsenic in his elixir? How could that be!
Gu Dezhao couldn't believe it: "Arsenic is a deadly poison. Taoist Priest Qingxu's actions are far too conspicuous—why would he want to poison the prince's eldest son?"
Ye Xian smiled. "Are you unaware, Lord Gu? Consuming small amounts of arsenic can give one a rosy complexion, but prolonged use is fatal."
His men quickly located Taoist Priest Qingxu, twisting his arms as they forced him out. Qingxu's Taoist bun and robes were in complete disarray as he roared, "Who are you people? How dare you arrest me!"
PS:
Managed to finish it—second update~~
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