Chapter 112: Sudden Change
The next day, news arrived that the Yanqing Temple had been shut down by the authorities.
Ye Xian sipped tea in his room, the warm steam casting a hazy glow over his jade-like face. Outside, the autumn rain pattered softly as he pondered over the unfolded case files.
Yu Qin, the head maid of Gao Shi who had come to deliver the news, couldn't help but lose herself in the sight of the young master. Who else could possess such ethereal beauty, as if painted by the gods?
She suddenly recalled Qiushui, the second-rank maid who had been expelled from the young master's quarters. That maid had always served in Ye Xian's study, but one day, as if bewitched, she had climbed into his bed. When Ye Xian discovered her upon retiring, he had dragged her out and thrown her away. Gao Shi then had the maid beaten to death with sticks, and from then on, no one dared to inquire about her again.
Yu Qin had seen Qiushui before—she was quite charming, with eyes that seemed to speak and entice. Was the young master truly unmoved by such temptations?
Could any man remain indifferent in such a situation?
Ye Xian looked up to find Yu Qin lost in thought. He lowered his gaze and said, "Did Mother send you here just to stare at me?"
Yu Qin snapped back to reality, her face flushing red. "This servant was rude! The mistress has summoned you."
Gao Shi had no particular reason for calling Ye Xian. She had made him a new overgown, crafted from fine, water-blue patterned fabric, soft and comfortable to wear. Ye Xian held it up to inspect before handing it to Zhi Shu beside him. Then, turning to Gao Shi, he asked, "What is it you truly wish to discuss, Mother?"
He knew Gao Shi well—if she had merely wanted to give him an overgown, she wouldn’t have summoned him personally.
Gao Shi wore a light brown brocade jacket with auspicious ruyi patterns and a dignified moon-hued skirt, her hair styled in a round bun. Ye Xian bore a fifty percent resemblance to her. With a faint smile, she gestured for him to sit. "It’s been so long since I’ve seen you—I miss you."
Ye Xian propped his chin on his hand and shook his head. "You’re not missing me at all!"
Gao Shi paid no mind to her son’s minor skepticism. She had a maid bring over some durian pastries. "...Your aunt sent these as a gift, said they were tribute from Jiangnan."
Ye Xian picked one up, sniffed it, and finally took a reluctant bite. Gao Shi watched him with amusement as he ate something he disliked. He was always so slow and delicate, almost like a young girl. But since she had offered it, he wouldn’t refuse.
"I heard you took guards to Physician Gu’s residence in Shi'an the other day," Gao Shi remarked as he finished the pastry, wiping his fingers with an embroidered handkerchief.
Ye Xian gave a noncommittal hum. "...The murderer who harmed the eldest son of the Prince of Yanping was hiding in the Gu household. I went to apprehend him."
Gao Shi pressed her lips into a smile. "It was just a Taoist priest. You could’ve sent anyone to capture him, yet you went personally. As I recall, you invited Mr. Xiao back to treat the former mistress of the Gu family, didn’t you?"
At the mention of Xiao Qishan, Ye Xian felt even more uncomfortable. Until the matter concerning Xiao Qishan was clarified, he wouldn’t discuss it with anyone.
"What are you trying to say, Mother?" Ye Xian asked.
Gao Shi replied leisurely, "The Gu family in Shi'an has two daughters. The eldest, Gu Jinzhao, is stunningly beautiful but notorious. The younger, Gu Lan, is delicate and refined, though born of a concubine. You must have seen them when you visited. Which of the two do you prefer?"Ye Xian finally understood Gao Shi's implication. As for Gu Jinzhao, initially, he treated her slightly better than others simply because he found her peculiar—quite different from the rumors. Later, he felt comfortable with her personality and enjoyed her company, which led to his extra care. As for Gu Lan, he had only met her once or twice, never even spoken to her, and was thus even less familiar.
Ye Xian frowned and said, "Mother, don't overthink it. Helping the Gu family was merely a trivial effort for me."
Gao Shi found it even more amusing. "When you were little, you wouldn’t even save your grandfather’s bird from drowning in a water vat, flapping its wings helplessly. Now your heart has softened so much? You’ve learned to lend a trivial hand to others?"
Ye Xian had never considered this question. Nor did he wish to.
Just then, his father sent someone to summon him, so he took his leave. Before he left, Gao Shi added, "...Just remember, you’re nominally the cousin-uncle of the Gu family’s young ladies. Besides, one has a poor reputation, and the other is a concubine’s daughter. Neither is fit to be your concubine, let alone anything more."
Ye Xian left Gao Shi’s western chamber without a word, though he disagreed inwardly. Gu Jinzhao... was far better than most noble young ladies!
Marquis Changxing was waiting for Ye Xian in the study, his expression grim.
Seeing his father’s demeanor, Ye Xian knew something serious must have happened.
"You’ve come just in time," Marquis Changxing said through gritted teeth. "...Guess what. What has the Prince of Yanping done now!"
Without waiting for Ye Xian’s response, the Marquis continued, "When their eldest son was in trouble, our Changxing household helped them so much. And now they’re turning on us, accusing us of poisoning him and planning to impeach us before the censor!"
Ye Xian was stunned. What on earth had happened?
After hearing his father’s account, he felt a chill in his heart, unable to recover for a long time.
Marquis Changxing instructed him to first stabilize matters within the household while he took two advisors to meet with the censor and handle the situation.
After some thought, Ye Xian immediately ordered his guards to saddle a horse—he was heading to Shi’an.
Jinzhao had also heard the news of Yanqing Temple’s closure. She sighed, realizing the thousand taels of silver would not be recovered.
She went to Cui Xuan Yuan to discuss the relocation with Gu Lan, who seemed somewhat distracted. Gu Lan wanted to ask Concubine Song what to do—whether she should move with them.
Jinzhao knew what she was thinking and said, "Concubine Song will stay in Shi’an. It’s not suitable for her to relocate now."
Gu Lan was surprised. Gu Jinzhao was far too perceptive.
Since she insisted on moving, why should Gu Lan fear her? She smiled faintly and said, "Whatever Eldest Sister says, this younger sister will obey."
She then called for Mu Jin and had her bring over a red glass bottle. "...This is osmanthus honey I made for Eldest Sister. I hope you won’t disdain my humble skills."
Jinzhao glanced at the bottle and replied with a smile, "Of course not."
She certainly didn’t believe Gu Lan was trying to poison her, but she wouldn’t eat it either.
Jinzhao then spoke with Gu Jinrong, Gu Yi, and Gu Xi, none of whom raised objections.
After returning to Paulownia Courtyard, Gu Jinzhao pondered for a long time.When it came to moving the family, Jinchao was actually the most opposed. She knew Madam Feng's temperament all too well. The distinctions between legitimate and illegitimate, noble and humble—no one could wield them more precisely than the old lady. If there were benefits involved, it might be manageable. Like in her past life when she married Third Master Chen, Madam Feng's attitude toward her improved significantly. But without such incentives, staying at the ancestral Gu family home would likely be worse than remaining in Shi'an, and she would face restrictions at every turn.
Her father was now implicated in the case involving the murder of the eldest son of the Prince of Yanping. Although the prince hadn't pursued the matter, that didn't mean he had let her father off. Moreover, her father was aligned with Lin Xianzong... His position in the Ministry of Revenue was truly precarious! Without a powerful backer, it would be extremely difficult.
As Jinchao was lost in thought, Qingpu entered to announce that Gu Dezhao had summoned her to the Chrysanthemum Willow Pavilion.
In the pavilion's flower hall, not only was Gu Dezhao present, but Ye Xian was also seated there. Gu Dezhao looked grim, while Ye Xian's expression was unreadable.
Jinchao's heart skipped a beat. She understood people like Ye Xian—if nothing major was afoot, he would appear lazy and indifferent. But if something serious had happened, he would seem calmer than anyone, a sign that things had already deteriorated to a critical point.
Ye Xian said to Gu Dezhao, "I'd like to ask your niece about orchid care. I hope you don't mind, Lord Gu."
Gu Dezhao glanced at Jinchao and left the flower hall.
Ye Xian motioned for Gu Jinzhao to sit but remained silent. His gaze fixed on a distant cluster of tree shadows, unmoving.
Since he said nothing, Gu Jinzhao naturally stayed quiet as well. After what felt like an eternity, Ye Xian finally spoke: "This morning, my father told me that the Prince of Yanping found arsenic in the medicinal herbs we sent. That was the real substance that killed the prince's eldest son."
He seemed eerily calm as he turned his gaze back to Gu Jinzhao. "The herbs were prepared by Xiao Qishan, and he was the one who inspected them. Now that the Prince of Yanping has severed ties with our Marquis Changxing's household, neither my father nor my grandfather suspects Mr. Xiao. Instead, they believe the prince himself orchestrated this plot..."
"I believe you now. Can you tell me everything you know, without omitting a single word?"
Gu Jinzhao wasn't sure how to explain it to Ye Xian. After a moment's thought, she said, "I only heard about the weapons, and that Mr. Xiao seems to communicate with Prince Rui through bandits. If you want to investigate, you could trace the movements of the bandits in Guizhou. I only know that Mr. Xiao is untrustworthy... Beyond that, I'm not certain."
Ye Xian was far calmer than she had expected, and Jinchao felt a wave of relief. She believed that with just a slight hint, Ye Xian would grasp the situation.
Ye Xian murmured a quiet "Thank you," then stood to leave. Pausing, he added one last thing: "Originally, the Prince of Yanping didn't pursue your father because I intervened. Now that the Marquis Changxing's household has broken ties with the prince, he will surely make a scene. Be careful..."
So that was what he had been discussing with her father earlier!
Gu Jinzhao nodded. After Ye Xian left, she went to find her father.
Gu Dezhao had just returned from consulting with his advisors. "I was about to look for you," he said gravely, his voice low. "...The Prince of Yanping will likely impeach me. Right now, the Grand Secretariat is under Lord Zhang's control. If he finds any leverage against me, he will surely exploit it... Without strong support, I may lose my official position!"Jinchao understood all too well that while she knew the outcome of court affairs, she couldn't influence their course. The complexity and intrigue of political struggles were beyond the grasp of even the most cunning veterans.
Seeing his eldest daughter silent, Gu Dezhao sighed and said, "Father knows you must dislike returning to the Gu family like this... But after all, your grandmother is your own flesh and blood. She won't treat you too harshly."
Jinchao smiled and replied, "Father, what are you saying? Your daughter understands the importance of the bigger picture."
Gu Dezhao was pleased. "Tomorrow I'll go see your grandmother and coordinate with your second uncle first... Once we've settled everything, we'll begin the move. You should start preparing."
Her father's matter couldn't wait.
After returning to Paulownia Courtyard, Jinchao summoned Mama Xu and instructed her to compile a list of all the servants in the household—both indentured and free. If they were to move, not all servants could be taken along. She also sent word to her younger sisters and the concubines, so they could begin preparations.
Fortunately, the shops that had belonged to her mother had already been subleased where necessary, with the sublease agreements in her hands. The deeds for the villa and shops were also secure. As long as she held onto these, the annual income of over ten thousand taels of silver couldn't be taken away by anyone.
In the future, she would merely have to pay morning and evening respects to her elders. Jinchao reflected that moving wasn't entirely disadvantageous. At least with her grandmother overseeing things, her father wouldn't run into trouble. After all, as a junior, there were many matters she couldn't rightly admonish him about. Her second and fifth aunts were also women of excellent temperament. These matriarchs of great families were all easy to get along with—as long as you didn't encroach upon their interests.
She wondered if the Marquis Changxing's household could avoid this calamity. If they could, her fifth aunt wouldn't meet the tragic fate that awaited her later. And Gu Jinxian probably wouldn't sever ties with the Gu family either.
P.S.:
Second update delivered~~
OpenNovel