Madam Gu murmured, "Could it be that Qin Dalang has some hidden difficulties?" Turning to her son, she complained, "Did you already know all along? Why didn't you say anything!"
Gu Pingsheng hesitated. He hadn't known how to bring it up before, which was why he hadn't. Now, however, he had no choice but to speak up.
Mr. Gu pondered. When they were engaged, Mr. Qin was merely a constable, while he was a clerk in the county government. Their children had no official titles, so it could be considered a good match. But given the character of Mr. and Mrs. Qin, they might now think that their daughter was marrying above her station.
The Gu family now understands that Qin Yuxiu's arranged marriage to the Xie family of Luoyang is a done deal and cannot be changed, and the Qin family is naturally happy with it. However, the cancellation of their children's marriage is no small matter. The Gu family is determined not to let the Qin family let this matter pass by so easily.
After the initial shock of hearing the news, Gu Yaoniang felt more bewilderment and resentment than regret. She was at a loss, unsure of what to do. From her engagement until she turned nineteen, she had strived to be the kind of wife Qin Yuxiu desired. Now, she felt like a drifting duckweed with no branch to cling to; the years ahead were long, but she knew not where the road lay.
Suddenly, the hall fell silent, everyone lost in thought.
As dusk settled, the lively atmosphere at the Qin family home finally quieted down. The Qin couple sat on either side of the table.
Looking at the letter her son had secretly sent through someone, Qin Da Niang anxiously asked her husband, "Father, what exactly did Da Lang say?"
If she weren't illiterate, she would have taken it and read it herself long ago! Today, the constable came to say that her eldest son had been betrothed to the daughter of the Xie family in Luoyang, which gave her quite a shock.
Good heavens, that's a famous and powerful family! She never dreamed that her son could marry a daughter of such a prestigious family! What would she do if that delicate young lady disrespected her mother-in-law?
Furthermore, what about Gu Jiayao? She has always been respectful to me; am I to ask her to be my son's concubine? Would the Gu family agree to that?
Officer Qin was also very troubled. He had a long-standing friendship with the Gu family, they were familiar neighbors, and their children were even related by marriage. How could he possibly bring it up now?
But……
"Eldest Brother said we should go to the Gu family quietly, the sooner the better, and tell the Gu family not to mention the marriage agreement outside, so as to avoid gossip." Constable Qin turned the letter face down on the table.
"What kind of mess is this?!" Officer Qin's brows furrowed tightly. Clearly, it was his son who had wronged the Gu family, yet he was expected to swallow his pride and go to the Gu family to silence them. How could he possibly bring himself to say it?
"Not mentioning it? Do you think the Gu family will agree to that?" Who is her eldest son now? He's the top scholar, chosen by the emperor himself, and only appears once every three years. Would the Gu family give up this marriage? She doesn't believe it!
Looking at his wife's expression, Officer Qin, after so many years of marriage, naturally understood what she was thinking. "Don't do anything rash! Dalang said the Emperor only granted the marriage because he assumed he wasn't married. Now both our families must keep quiet! Otherwise, if the Emperor finds out he intentionally deceived us, Dalang's future will be ruined!"
Aunt Qin was also taken aback. She had always assumed her son was some extraordinary person, and now that he had such a fortunate opportunity, all the young ladies of Shuojing must be vying for his attention. She assumed that Miss Xie had already fallen for him and thus arranged this marriage. Who would have thought that her son had intentionally concealed it?
"But..." The two children have been engaged for many years, and although they haven't deliberately publicized it, quite a few people know about it. Even if the Gu family grits their teeth and swallows this loss, and agrees not to mention it to outsiders, will others stop gossiping?
Chief Constable Qin knew this matter was not simple, but his son always acted with reason, and since he had specifically instructed him, he had to listen to his advice and be thorough. He turned to his wife and asked, "Where is the silver that Da Lang brought back with the letter?"
Aunt Qin was taken aback: "It's... in the jar under the bed."
Seeing his wife's uncouth demeanor, Officer Qin felt annoyed and shouted, "What are you standing there for! Go and get them all!"
Seeing her husband's impatience, Aunt Qin turned to get the silver. Suddenly realizing what was happening, her voice rose involuntarily: "Are you not going to give all this money to that Gu family?" Her sharp voice carried a hint of arrogance, as if she was no longer afraid of Officer Qin.
Officer Qin was also taken aback.
Why are you shouting so loudly?
"We don't have any money! This amount of silver isn't even enough for us to spend!"
Officer Qin couldn't help but feel annoyed by his wife's behavior.
"Dalang made it clear that the money was to repay a favor to the Gu family! Don't try to make trouble for us!"
Aunt Qin was taken aback. Her husband would never lie to her about such a matter; if it was their son who said it, then it must be their son. But what was the point of giving so much? She softened, but was still unwilling, saying only, "What's the point of giving it to them? Dalang has passed the imperial examination; they should give us celebratory money."
Officer Qin was so angry he laughed.
"Have you forgotten? When Dalang left, our family didn't have enough money for his travel expenses!"
Yes, yes. The Gu family did contribute back then.
"But back then, they should have only given 20 strings of cash and some loose silver, right?" Aunt Qin gently took out the silver ingots, plump and lovely, neatly arranged in a small box, carefully padded with a handkerchief. She had never seen such shiny silver before; it must be newly minted by the government. "Could it be that all 50 taels went to the Gu family? That's far too much!" Besides, she hadn't even had enough of looking at them yet!
Officer Qin sighed, "The copper coins they gave us amount to 20 taels of silver, plus the loose silver, it's at least 30 taels." The Gu family had practically emptied their coffers for this; he had witnessed their difficult years together and was extremely grateful.
Seeing that his wife was still heartbroken, Officer Qin had no choice but to bring up his son again: "My eldest son said to give the Gu family 40 taels. Now we are begging them to keep the secret together. You can't catch a wolf without risking your cub, so don't be stingy with the money."
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