The autumn sky over Beijing is high and the clouds are light, and there is a slight chill in the air.
Yao Shiyu, supported by Madam Gu's hand, slowly walked into a courtyard. The brokers led the way, enthusiastically introducing the place.
This house, located on West Street in the capital, is far from the hustle and bustle, yet not exactly deserted. With its blue bricks and gray tiles, white walls and flying eaves, the gate of the house has been freshly painted with vermilion lacquer, making it look incredibly grand.
Today, Yao Shiyu and Madam Gu have already viewed nine houses. This is the tenth. The location is naturally not as bustling as East Street, but the house is large enough and the price is much more affordable than the houses in the eastern suburbs.
Finally, Madam Gu made the final decision and bought the three-courtyard house for 13,000 taels of silver. The two of them strolled around for a day, and by this time their stomachs were empty.
Yao Shiyu was overjoyed to bring Madam Gu 3,000 taels of silver as a timely help. She had planned to have dinner at the Gu residence, but the thought of the fishy chicken soup at noon gave Madam Gu a headache.
Madam Gu patted Yao Shiyu's hand, unusually generous, "Shiyu, thanks to your help today, I was able to buy this house. This is my good fortune."
She paused, her tone softening, as if genuinely grateful, "Today, your aunt will invite you to a gathering at Zuiyuelou. It's a place your aunt frequents; the dishes are exquisite and the prices are reasonable."
Yao Shiyu replied with a smile and a gentle voice, "In that case, Shiyu, thank you for your kind invitation, Auntie."
As the sun sets, the streets of the capital are bathed in a golden glow, and a black carriage stops in front of the Drunken Moon Pavilion.
Yao Shiyu helped Madam Gu down from the carriage. Zuiyue Tower was as lively as ever, with melodious music, the aroma of food, and the laughter of guests all blending together.
As soon as they entered Zuiyue Tower, the waiter greeted them warmly, "Madam Gu, are you the only two guests?"
Madam Gu straightened her clothes, looking haughty. "Yes, as always, I want a private room on the second floor with a street view."
The dishes are the same as always: your Zuiyuelou's signature dishes—Dongpo pork, Shaoxing wine chicken, white jade shrimp, crispy golden fish, flavorful lamb leg, and seafood and mountain delicacy soup.
As she spoke, Madam Gu lifted her foot to go up the stairs. The waiter hurriedly ran forward, his face full of apology, and said, "I'm sorry, Madam Gu, all the private rooms on the second, third, and fourth floors are full."
Our private rooms at Zuiyuelou require advance reservations. We also have window seats in the lobby on the first floor facing the street; perhaps you two could sit here?
Upon hearing this, Madam Gu abruptly stopped herself from walking upstairs. She said unhappily, "You've made reservations in advance, and I've been here at least a hundred times, yet I've never heard of such a rule."
The waiter scratched his head sheepishly and said, "Madam Gu, that's because our boss always makes reservations for you in advance!"
"The boss? Jiang Luoluo?" Madam Gu's voice rose a few decibels, and several diners in the hall looked over.
Noticing the stares coming from all directions, Yao Shiyu quickly stepped forward to comfort Madam Gu, "Auntie, I think that window seat is quite nice. You can see the lively street scene directly from there, which has a unique charm."
Madam Gu was very displeased, but she forced herself to remain calm and said, "Alright, alright, we'll do as Shiyu says."
The two finally sat down. Madam Gu raised an eyebrow slightly, realizing that the location of the main hall was incomparable to that of the private room on the third floor.
Madam Gu suppressed her complex emotions and forced a smile as she introduced each dish to Yao Shiyu.
In the past, when she came to Zuiyuelou, the manager would personally come up to greet her and she would receive the highest level of hospitality.
Tea, snacks, and dishes were all provided, so she never had to worry about anything. She only needed to tell Jiang Luoluo her preferences. There were even musicians who would come up and play music during the meal.
Now, she's lost everything. She's lost that special treatment, and even the pride and sense of superiority she once had have quietly vanished in this moment.
Noticing the change in Madam Gu's emotions, Yao Shiyu gently comforted her, "Auntie, don't worry, one day Brother Boyuan will definitely make you live a life of glory."
Madam Gu was indeed touched by these words and smiled broadly. "Shiyu is the best at talking. Come, come, have a piece of lamb leg to nourish your body. You've lost a lot of weight since you came back from Yunchuan."
You really need to take good care of yourself; your auntie is eagerly waiting to hold her big, healthy grandson!
Yao Shiyu blushed slightly and said coquettishly, "Auntie is teasing me again!"
The two chatted back and forth, and soon finished their dinner.
The waiter brought over the bill. "Madam Gu, this is the amount of money for this expense."
Madam Gu glanced at the bill and exclaimed, "Ninety-nine taels? That's so expensive!"
“Every time I came before, I ordered more dishes than this time, and I always sat in a private room with musicians playing the zither. Why did it only cost a few taels of silver, but this time it costs 99 taels?”
Holding the bill, Madam Gu's face darkened with displeasure, and her voice suddenly rose, "Does your Drunken Moon Pavilion intend to rip me off?"
Upon hearing this sharp voice, the diners in the hall all craned their necks to look at Madam Gu and Yao Shiyu.
Some people have already started whispering and pointing.
"Isn't this Mrs. Gu?"
"Yes, yes, yes, it's the family that Miss Jiang rejected!"
"Does this mean that without Miss Jiang supporting them, they can't even afford a meal...?"
The waiter said respectfully, "Madam Gu, you are a regular customer, so we have already given you a 10% discount. Our Zuiyuelou menu has clearly marked prices, and this is the price of each dish. Please take a look!"
The murmurs of the crowd were neither too loud nor too soft, but they reached Madam Gu's ears precisely. She felt extremely ashamed and wished she could find a hole to crawl into immediately. Yao Shiyu, standing to the side, felt even more uneasy.
She hurriedly stood up and said, "Auntie, let me pay!"
Madam Gu pressed Yao Shiyu back into her chair. "Today is your aunt's treat. There's no reason for you to come."
He pulled out 100 taels from his sleeve and impatiently tossed it to the waiter, saying, "Here you go, it's just a mere 99 taels, how could I not afford it? That's ridiculous!"
The waiter handed Madam Gu a tael of silver in change, smiling obsequiously, "Welcome to come again next time!"
Yao Shiyu helped Madam Gu out of the Drunken Moon Pavilion. Yao Shiyu wished she had never met Madam Gu. Even after getting into the carriage, she felt that people's eyes were still on her, making her very uncomfortable.
If it weren't for the fact that Gu Boyuan is the future crown prince, she wouldn't bother trying to please Madam Gu.
However, the 3,000 taels of silver today is a timely help for Madam Gu. Yao Shiyu said not to tell Gu Boyuan about this, but one day, Gu Boyuan will find out.
If Gu Boyuan knew, his love and guilt towards her would only increase.
If Yao Shiyu wants to secure her position as the Crown Princess in the future, she will need Madam Gu's help and Gu Boyuan's genuine love. This is a worthwhile deal.
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