Chapter 317: Behind the Scenes
"Originally, it was Second Madam who promoted you," Madam Chen said calmly after taking a sip of pine nut tea. "You may rest for a few months first. Let the deputy steward assist Third Madam with her duties. I’ll also deduct two months of your wages. Go back and reflect on this!"
Steward Liu broke out in a cold sweat. He had worked his way up from a mere servant to become a steward of one of the household’s branches—how could the hardships he endured be easily put into words? With just a few light words, Madam Chen could undo years of his efforts... It seemed he had truly misjudged the situation before!
Not daring to say another word, he accepted the punishment and withdrew.
Changsuo turned his head to look for his mother, stretching out his chubby little arms, his tear-streaked face still damp.
Gu Jinzhao smiled apologetically at Madam Qin. "This child is still a bit shy around strangers!" She reached out and took Changsuo back into her arms. The little boy immediately clung to his mother’s neck, sniffling incessantly, clearly aggrieved. He refused to let anyone else hold him again.
Madam Chen said softly, "Jinchao, the child seems hungry. Why don’t you take him back first?" Then she turned to Wang Shi, Madam Ge, and the others. "You may all withdraw as well. I’d like to rest for a while."
Madam Qin’s expression was icy, her back rigidly straight.
The group quickly dispersed.
Madam Chen then spoke. "Second Madam, do you know why I asked you to stay?"
Madam Qin smiled faintly. "It must be about Steward Liu... This matter is my fault. I didn’t think it through beforehand and failed to clarify things with him."
Madam Chen shook her head, her tone still indifferent. "Don’t think that just because I’m old, I’ve become senile. Someone you personally ** would never be so ignorant. Third Madam may indeed have her shortcomings, but she’s young and inexperienced. What about you? Were you not deliberately scheming against her? Let me make this clear—this time, I’m making an example out of him. If I catch you doing this again, the consequences will be far more severe."
Madam Qin sneered inwardly. Both she and Gu Jinzhao were at fault, yet only she was being warned?
Outwardly, however, she sighed. "I was foolish. It won’t happen again."
Madam Chen nodded and closed her eyes, leaning back against the indigo silk pillow embroidered with auspicious patterns. Her face was as pale as if drained of blood.
Madam Qin watched silently, thinking to herself that Madam Chen’s health seemed to be deteriorating further...
After the hundred-day celebration, Changsuo’s formal name was finally decided. Gu Jinzhao mentioned to Third Master Chen her wish to visit the Ji family, and he agreed. "Take Changsuo with you and stay with the elders for a few days..." He paused while writing, then added carefully, "Make sure to bring guards for the journey. Don’t overexert yourself each day—no reading late into the night or doing needlework. If Changsuo disturbs you, have him sleep with the wet nurse. Understood?"
Gu Jinzhao found his fussing excessive. "I’m only going for a few days... Why say so much?"
He set down his brush, wrapped an arm around her waist, and chuckled. "It took so much effort to put some meat on you. If you lose it all again, I won’t allow it!" He kissed her cheek lightly and murmured, "How about I have Chen Yi accompany you?"
Gu Jinzhao shook her head. "Chen Yi needs to stay by your side. I don’t need him."
Seeing her reluctance, Third Master Chen arranged for another guard captain to escort her back to Tongzhou Baodi.
After informing Madam Chen, Gu Jinzhao set off early the next morning with Changsuo in tow.
The journey to Tongzhou Baodi was long, and they arrived only by the following morning.Ji Wu Shi had long received the news and sent a steward to wait for her on the official road. Upon being escorted back to the Ji family residence, Gu Jinzhao was greeted by her eldest aunt, second aunt, and two sisters-in-law. She distributed the gifts and pastries she had brought before accompanying Ji Wu Shi for a stroll in the backyard of the Ji family estate.
Having grown up here, she was naturally very familiar with the surroundings.
Ji Wu Shi couldn’t bear to put Changsuo down, and the little one, clinging to his great-grandmother’s neck, curiously observed the unfamiliar scenery around him. He loved being kissed, and when Ji Wu Shi kissed his nose, he giggled for a long time, content to stay in her arms.
Ji Wu Shi pointed out all the places where Gu Jinzhao had played as a child—riding on the crooked-neck tree, fishing by the white stone arch bridge, playing hide-and-seek with the maids in the side rooms...
Gu Jinzhao merely smiled. Noticing Ji Wu Shi switching arms to hold Changsuo, she reached out to take him. "Let me hold him. You’ve been carrying him for so long—your arms must be sore. He’s grown quite heavy..."
But Ji Wu Shi refused to hand him over, chuckling, "No need, no need! How heavy can he be?" She kissed Changsuo’s soft cheek and teased, "Isn’t that right? Your mother thinks you’re too heavy!" The ticklish sensation made Changsuo burst into giggles again.
After walking for a while, Gu Jinzhao followed Ji Wu Shi back to the eastern courtyard.
The jujube trees outside the courtyard were thriving, their branches laden with bright red fruit. Ji Wu Shi had a servant knock down a large quantity, which were then washed and served on a celadon plate. Smiling, she urged Gu Jinzhao to try some. "You loved these as a child—you even insisted on climbing the trees to pick them yourself. Once, you fell and scraped your forehead badly. The nanny attending you was terrified, but thankfully, your eldest aunt applied ointment, and no scar remained."
Gu Jinzhao instinctively touched the spot where the injury had been—now smooth and unblemished.
She picked up a jujube to eat. Seeing his mother holding one, Changsuo reached out with his tiny hands, eager to have one too—though he had no teeth yet. Gu Jinzhao gave him one to play with, and he enthusiastically tried to stuff it into his mouth, drooling all over.
Ji Wu Shi lowered her voice slightly. "I didn’t just ask you here to see the child. There’s something else I need to tell you... Last time, you asked me to keep an eye on the Ever Prosperous Trading Company. My stewards have uncovered something."
Something related to the Ever Prosperous Trading Company...
Gu Jinzhao immediately grew serious. "Please, go ahead."
Ji Wu Shi first dismissed the servants before continuing. "I’d mentioned before that someone powerful was backing them, but I never imagined their connections ran so deep. The owner of Ever Prosperous Trading Company is bold—their most important goods are ramie silk, gauze, and plain silk, sold at prices 20% lower than other merchants... Do you know where these silks come from?"
Gu Jinzhao recalled Luo Yongping mentioning this before.
Ji Wu Shi smiled faintly. "Have you heard of the imperial Weaving and Dyeing Bureau?"
Gu Jinzhao nodded—of course she knew. There were two official bureaus under the Ministry of Works, one in Nanjing and another in the capital. Additionally, twenty-two local bureaus were established across eight provinces, including Zhejiang and the Southern Metropolitan Region. The raw materials for the annual silk production quotas came from tax silk paid by local households, while the funds were drawn from household taxes. The laborers were conscripted through the artisan registry system and assigned to these bureaus.
"But what does the Ever Prosperous Trading Company have to do with the Weaving and Dyeing Bureau?" Gu Jinzhao asked, puzzled.Ji Wu Shi took a sip of tea before speaking slowly, "The silk sold by the Ever Prosperous Trading Company is actually produced by the Imperial Weaving and Dyeing Bureau."
Gu Jinzhao wasn't familiar with the inside story, but she knew this shouldn't be possible. She frowned, "How could products from the Imperial Weaving and Dyeing Bureau appear in such a trading company?"
Ji Wu Shi sighed, "The Imperial Weaving and Dyeing Bureau has always exploited the people... In addition to the mandatory annual tribute of silk, they demand extra quantities. Some with ill intentions collude with the eunuch supervisors of the bureau to purchase tax silk at low prices, using the craftsmen serving in the bureau to produce silk. Then they secretly sell it outside, making astonishing profits! But ordinary merchants can't possibly connect with these weaving eunuchs. The weaving eunuchs are usually directly appointed by the Directorate of Ceremonial, and even regular officials must treat these eunuchs with utmost respect."
No wonder the silk from Ever Prosperous Trading Company was always cheaper than others...
Now Gu Jinzhao finally understood the trickery behind it!
The Ever Prosperous Trading Company was backed by the Chen Family, managed by Fourth Master Chen. Could it be that Fourth Master Chen colluded with eunuchs from the Directorate of Ceremonial, using tax silk and conscripted craftsmen to produce silk? This would indeed generate enormous profits... But the Imperial Weaving and Dyeing Bureau itself was already an institution that exploited the people. Such collusion between officials and merchants would undoubtedly be disastrous for the local populace. If this were to become public knowledge... the Chen Family's reputation would likely be ruined.
Ji Wu Shi continued, "No wonder our Ji family could never compete with Ever Prosperous Trading Company—the forces behind it run too deep. The people backing the company must be at least third-rank court officials, otherwise they wouldn't be able to connect with the Directorate of Ceremonial eunuchs."
Gu Jinzhao took a deep breath and said quietly, "Ever Prosperous Trading Company... actually belongs to the Chen Family."
She naturally trusted her grandmother and saw no harm in telling her.
Ji Wu Shi looked surprised, "The Chen Family comes from a scholarly background with centuries of tradition. They don't seem like the type to do such things..."
Gu Jinzhao knew she needed to think carefully about this.
Fourth Master Chen alone couldn't possibly collude with people from the Directorate of Ceremonial. Third Master Chen wouldn't have instructed Fourth Master to do such things either—this would be too big of a vulnerability. He was too cautious to allow such mistakes that others could exploit.
Feng Chengshan, the Writing Brush Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, was Zhang Ju Lian's man...
As Gu Jinzhao pieced together the key points, her face paled.
Third Master Chen wouldn't have Fourth Master Chen do such things, but what about Zhang Ju Lian? Zhang Ju Lian was desperate to gain control over Third Master Chen, but Chen Yanyun was too careful, never making mistakes or giving him any weaknesses to exploit. Since there were no existing faults, Zhang would have to create one.
Starting with Fourth Master Chen made perfect sense. If word got out that Fourth Master Chen was colluding with the Directorate of Ceremonial and exploiting the people, who would believe Third Master Chen wasn't involved? With this leverage in hand, Zhang Ju Lian could threaten Chen Yanyun at any time...
Noticing her pale expression, Ji Wu Shi understood the gravity of the situation and said, "Don't panic. You should discuss this with Third Master Chen later. Such matters need to be reined in... If our Ji family can see through this, surely others can too. If this eventually comes to light, it could spell serious trouble."
Gu Jinzhao nodded, "I understand... Grandmother, I'm afraid I can't stay much longer this time. I'll need to leave the day after tomorrow."This matter must be told to Third Master Chen. If Zhang Ju Lian gains the upper hand first, the consequences would be severe!
Ji Wu Shi felt somewhat disappointed, having hoped she would stay longer, but she understood well.
She called Mama Song in and instructed her to prepare the evening meal.
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