"Madam, Mrs. Fang said that the second young lady came to pay her respects to the old man this afternoon. I don't know what the two of them said, and then the old man ran out."
Shaoyao reported the news she heard from Mrs. Fang to the first wife Zhang truthfully.
Madam Zhang paused, then turned to look at Shaoyao, "This is serious."
"I asked someone and found out that the second young lady did come to the outer courtyard in the afternoon."
The eldest wife, Zhang, looked back at the gate of the courtyard where the old man lived and said, "I know about this."
Shaoyao asked, "Do we need to investigate this matter? It's not a festival, but it's a bit strange that the second young lady suddenly came to pay her respects to the old man."
The eldest wife, Zhang, said with a stern face, "No need to investigate. Don't spread this matter."
Shaoyao nodded in agreement, "I will obey Madam. As for Fang Po, I will also scold her."
"Remember to tell her to shut up. If I find out that she's talking nonsense and ruining a girl's reputation, I won't forgive her."
"I'll remember this."
The eldest wife, Mrs. Zhang, did not want to delve into why Gu Jiu went to see Old Master Gu, nor did she want to delve into whether Old Master Gu's sudden departure had anything to do with Gu Jiu.
She did have some good ideas about this matter and made many speculations.
But Zhang knew that some things were better left unknown.
Gu Jiu always has her reasons for meeting Mr. Gu.
…
The next morning, Gu Jiu went to Furongyuan to pay his respects.
When leaving, Qingmei whispered, "Miss, when will the master be back?"
Gu Jiu said in a deep voice: "Wait a minute, maybe in one or two days."
The New Year was just a few days away, and Liu Zhao had asked her to attend the palace banquet, so Lady Gu had to be released before the court closed for the holiday. No later than the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month.
After the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month, there is no talk of a palace banquet.
When I arrived at Furongyuan, I met Gu Yue.
Gu Yue's eyes were red and swollen. She didn't know how many times she had cried in the past two days.
Gu Jiu really wanted to ask Gu Yue whether she was crying for the safety of Lord Gu, or for the attitude of the Haixi Marquis's Mansion, or for her own marriage.
"Third sister, are you okay?"
Gu Yue looked listless, pale and weak.
She was unusually polite and non-aggressive, saying, "Thank you for your concern, Second Sister. I'm fine. Second Sister, you look good. I envy you for being able to eat well and sleep well."
Gu Jiu smiled and said, "Because I firmly believe that father will come back safely and everything will be fine. Third sister, do you think father will never come back?"
Gu Yue argued weakly, "Don't talk nonsense. I hope more than anyone else that my father can return safely soon."
This is true. If Lord Gu can't come back, Gu Yue and Zhao Erlang's marriage may not be possible.
As long as Gu Yue doesn't marry into the Haixi Marquis's Mansion, her marriage will remain uncertain.
"Second sister, third sister, you always come so early. It's cold outside, let's go in."
Gu Zhen came, and she also didn't get enough rest. Her skin color was dull and her appearance plummeted.
Gu Jiu nodded, "Big sister is right. Big sister should also take care of her health."
Gu Zhen smiled bitterly, nodded, and without saying anything, walked into Furong Courtyard first.
Everyone entered the main room one by one. Gu Shan and Gu Lin were both there, and they both sat in their chairs in silence.
The maids helped Xie out.
Gu Jiu stared at Xie and looked at her carefully.
In just a few days, Xie looked like she had aged seven or eight years. Not only did her face look haggard, but her skin was dark yellow, her lips were chapped, and her cheeks were sunken.
Gu Jiu took the lead and paid his respects to Mrs. Xie.
Xie waved her hand, "Everyone, sit down."
Gu Yue opened her mouth and asked the question she had always wanted to ask but had not dared to ask.
"Mother, have you sent anyone to my uncle's house? Is my father's imprisonment related to my eldest uncle?"
Xie's gaze pierced Gu Yue's face like a knife.
Gu Yue shuddered.
Xie's face was stern, and she said in a resounding voice, "The master's affairs have nothing to do with the Xie family or your uncle."
"But……"
"No buts. If anyone dares to talk nonsense again, I won't forgive her."
This time, Gu Yue didn't dare to ask anymore.
The maid Dongmei came in and reported, "Madam, the young masters are here."
"Let them in."
Led by Gu Ting, the boys from the second house filed into the main house.
"Greetings to Madam (Mother)."
Xie panted and said, "Everyone sit down. Liu Lang, is there any new news from the Marquis' Mansion? What did the old Marquis say?"
"The old marquis is using his connections to rescue my father."
Xie lowered her head, unable to hide her disappointment. "Are you still going to the Imperial Prison to visit your father today?"
"My son will be there with my third brother in a moment. Mother, please rest assured that father is not suffering in the imperial prison. The Jinwu Guards have not given him any hardship."
Mrs. Xie nodded. "That's good. But when will your father be able to come out?"
"Everything will be fine."
Mrs. Xie hoped that everything would be fine, but she really didn't have much confidence.
She built a small Buddhist temple in Furongyuan and chanted scriptures and prayed every day, but there was no good news at all.
Xie was almost in despair.
But she could hold on, she still had a daughter and a son. She couldn't collapse.
Xie didn't want to talk and went straight to the small Buddhist temple to chant scriptures.
Everyone dispersed as well.
Gu Yan took the initiative to talk to Gu Jiu.
"Second sister, things aren't going smoothly at the Marquis' Mansion. My uncle used all his connections to ensure that my father wouldn't suffer in the Imperial Prison, but he couldn't plead for mercy at the palace."
Gu Jiu nodded. She knew all of this. The Gu family seemed to be a family with a rich and powerful background. However, after Old Master Gu was reprimanded by the Emperor and ordered to reflect on his mistakes, the Gu family had almost no say in the palace. They had also severed contact with some of their former connections.
Cramming at the last minute will naturally be of no use.
Gu Cheng sighed, "In the past few years, my uncle has been busy managing his relationships within the military. His connections within the palace were severed in an instant. Now, he can't even find anyone to help him."
Gu Jiu said, "This matter is not the fault of my uncle. Even the Marquis' Mansion has no connections left in the palace, let alone my uncle. Even if my uncle wanted to use his connections in the palace, he would be powerless."
As the emperor grew older, many new people entered the palace, and many old people passed away.
The Gu family's connections in the palace were all old ones. It was normal for connections to cease with the death of a person.
Gu Cheng nodded, "I know all this. I heard some news and wanted to discuss it with my second sister."
"Sixth brother, please speak."
Gu Yan glanced around, and the two of them went to a secluded place to talk.
Gu Cheng said, "It seems the Queen has offered a condition that puts the old Marquis in a dilemma before she is willing to let father go. I can see that the old Marquis will not agree to the Queen's condition. Second sister, father is in danger."
Gu Jiu raised an eyebrow, "Do you know what conditions the Queen has seen?"
Gu Cheng tried to say, "Maybe it's related to the Eastern Palace."
Gu Jiu pursed his lips and said, "If it is related to the Eastern Palace, the old marquis will naturally not agree.
For example, if the Empress Dowager asked the Marquisate to publicly support the Eastern Palace, how could the Marquisate agree to such a condition?
Compared to his father's safety, the safety of the entire mansion was more important. To save the mansion and the Gu family, sacrificing his father was nothing.
Not to mention the elders, maybe even my uncle would agree to sacrifice my father to save the Gu family."
"What should we do then?" Gu Cheng looked anxious. "Am I going to watch helplessly as my father's head and body are torn apart?"
Gu Jiu shook his head. "There is always a way out. Just because we can't reach an agreement with the Empress doesn't mean we have to give up. Perhaps there is another way."
"What method?" Gu Yan felt that Gu Jiu was hiding something.
Gu Jiu looked at Gu Cheng and said, "Sixth brother, why don't you wait patiently? You are going to visit father today, why not ask him why he returned to Beijing to take up his post.
Given the current situation in the capital, it stands to reason that staying in the northwest is the best option. Staying in the northwest would allow one to stay away from the chaos of the capital. While there would be no hope of promotion, it would also allow the family to remain safe.
I've always wondered if something unexpected happened that forced my father to return to Beijing to take up his post. And he's serving as the governor of the capital, a position he's often called a punching bag.
"Second sister, do you suspect there's something fishy about father returning to the capital to take up the post of mayor?"
Gu Jiu nodded, "Sixth brother, have you never doubted it?"
Gu Cheng frowned and thought deeply, "I may have guessed the reason."
Gu Jiu raised his eyebrows, "Sixth brother, what did you guess? Can you tell me?"
Gu Cheng gritted his teeth and said, "Maybe it has something to do with my uncle."
It’s true!
Gu Jiu smiled knowingly, "No wonder father and Lord Xie act like mortal enemies. Lord Xie bringing father back to the capital to serve as the prefect at this time is truly unkind. One could even speculate that Lord Xie harbored evil intentions from the very beginning."
Gu Cheng was unwilling to make malicious assumptions about Xie Mao, as Xie Mao was his uncle after all.
However, all signs indicate that things are very likely as Gu Jiu said. Xie Mao had bad intentions from the beginning and had dug a big trap for Master Gu from the very beginning.
But Lord Gu had no way to avoid it. Even though he knew it was a big pit, he had no choice but to jump into it.
The official document from the Ministry of Personnel had already been issued, so what could Lord Gu do? He could only hold his nose and bring his entire family to the capital to take up his post. However, he was imprisoned within a month of taking office.
This set the record for the fastest speed at which an official was imprisoned after taking up a new position. Perhaps a hundred years later, this will be recorded in history books.
Lord Gu has left his name in history, although his reputation is not very good.
Gu Cheng said, "I will ask my father about this matter myself."
Gu Jiu reminded him, "Sixth Brother, have you ever thought about what you will do after you find out the truth? Will you cut off all ties with the Xie family from now on? If you run into them in the officialdom in the future, will you just crush them to death?"
Gu Cheng pursed his lips, his brows and eyes filled with worry. "I will consider this matter. Anyway, my last name is Gu, not Xie. My position has never changed, please rest assured, second sister."
Gu Jiu refused to let him relax, "If Madam insists on associating with the Xie family, what will you do?"
“I, I…”
Gu Yan was speechless.
Gu Jiu didn't push too hard. "Sixth brother, go ahead and do your work. It's not too late to think about these things later. Also, since you're planning to become an official, shouldn't you start paying more attention to things from now on? Studying alone won't do."
"What does Second Sister mean?"
Gu Jiu smiled and said, "Sixth brother, if you have time, you might as well do something for father within your ability. Even if it's just to go to the government office to sort out official documents and observe others doing things, it would be good."
Gu Yan was very surprised. He didn't say much, but just thanked her solemnly, "Thank you for your reminder, second sister. I will consider it. Second sister, take care of yourself and don't stay outside in the wind for too long. I'm leaving first."
"Sixth brother, go get busy."
After Gu Cheng walked away, Qingmei asked in confusion, "Why did you remind the Sixth Young Master to go to the government office for training? The Sixth Young Master is the Madam's precious son."
According to common sense, since Gu Cheng is Xie's son, then Gu Jiu should also hate Gu Cheng. They hope that Gu Cheng will be a failure.
But Gu Jiu didn’t think so.
She said, "Madam is Madam, and Sixth Brother is Sixth Brother. Sixth Brother's surname is Gu, the same as mine. Madam is thinking about the Xie family, but Sixth Brother has no thoughts about the Xie family.
Moreover, my third brother is determined to join the army, and I don’t know what his future holds.
Our Second Branch cannot be without a man to take over the family line. Third Brother wants to take over the family line, but I don’t know how many years it will take.
Moreover, my third brother is in the army and needs the support of the court. When my father retires, my third brother can only rely on my sixth brother. With one civil servant and one military officer, our second branch can prosper.
From the overall perspective, supporting Sixth Brother to establish his own company is a wise choice."
"But if the Sixth Young Master is successful, the Madam will be in an uproar again. I wonder how cocky she'll be then."
Gu Jiu smiled softly, "Madam can't control Sixth Brother now, and can't make decisions for him. When Sixth Brother enters the government in the future, do you think Madam's words will still be effective?"
Even if my wife wants to act up, I will have been married by then and she won’t be able to do anything to me.
Besides the father, there must be someone in the house who can control the wife. Gu Yue can't do it, Gu Shan can't do it, and Gu Gong can't do it either.
At present, it seems that only Gu Cheng can control the wife and make her feel fearful.
We can't control my wife's mischief, but she is still the second wife, and it is impossible not to acknowledge her identity.
When she gets naughty, someone has to step in and keep her in check. Just like the great uncle keeps the old man in check. The wife also needs someone to keep her in check. That person has to be the Sixth Brother. But if the Sixth Brother's career is struggling and his future is uncertain, how can he have the confidence to keep the wife in check?
By then, I'm afraid Gu Gong will ride roughshod over Sixth Brother and indulge his wife in her reckless ways."
After Gu Jiu said this, the maids all understood.
Qingmei said, "Young lady, you are truly thoughtful. There are few people in this world who are as magnanimous as you, who can put aside their prejudices and interact with the Sixth Young Master sincerely."
Gu Jiu laughed and pinched Qingmei's cheek. "Don't forget, I, your daughter, am someone who wants to do great things. How can I worry about trivial matters every day? If I have that time, I might as well do more practical things to make our lives more prosperous."
Xiao Cui clapped her hands and laughed, "Young lady, you're right. If you argue with your wife about trivial matters every day, she'll get mad to death."
Qingmei sighed and said, "Third Miss should hear these words. She thinks about the marriage in Haixibo Mansion all day long. I think she is almost crazy."
Gu Jiu said, "Don't worry about her. Let her make trouble. You will regret it sooner or later."
Gu Jiu looked down on Gu Yue for being willing to die for a man.
No matter how good a man is, can he be more important than loving yourself?
Marriage is a major matter, decided by parents and matchmakers. Gu Jiu said that this kind of marriage is essentially a transaction, like a contract, where the two families become friends and help each other.
However, this kind of contract generally only allows people to share the good times, but not the bad times.
Gu Jiu never liked anyone in her previous life, and it is very likely that she will never like any man in this life.
She is ready for marriage.
Even if she could live to old age in her previous life, there is a high probability that she would not get married.
But in this life, she can't escape marriage and will have to get married sooner or later.
Gu Jiu had never seriously thought about what kind of person to marry.
After much thought, her marriage should be with a man of equal social status.
The two get married, manage their married life, deal with their parents-in-law, sisters-in-law, and all kinds of shit.
When you think about it this way, marriage is pretty scary.
Gu Jiu didn't want to get married at one point, and wanted to delay it for as long as possible.
But when she can no longer delay and must get married, she can regard the man as a business partner and a community of interests.
In this way, many bad things can be looked at in a positive light.
Gu Jiu pursed his lips and smiled.
In my heart, I secretly gave myself a thumbs up for my cleverness.
There is no better way to deal with things than to treat your future husband as a business partner.
I hope the man she meets in the future will be a reasonable person.
Her demands are so low, God will surely satisfy her.
God: Haha!
If I don’t torture you to death, I lose!
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