Chapter 121 Leaving the Capital (Part 5) A Dead End (Second Update) ...
As Du Zhong and Jiu Li walked out of the alley, a gust of cold wind hit their faces. Jiu Li sneezed and pulled his cloak tighter around himself. Looking around, he saw that the streets were already bustling with activity before the New Year. Many vendors had appeared along the street. Du Zhong saw a vendor selling chickens, ducks, and geese across the street, so he went up to him, squatted down, and started haggling with him.
Jiuli, bored while waiting, looked around aimlessly. Her gaze drifted to the entrance of an alley behind her, when she suddenly saw a man's head dart behind a wall as if startled. Intrigued, she pulled her cloak over her shoulder and walked to the alley entrance. She peered inside; it was a narrow alley with a bend not far ahead, but she saw no one.
What are you looking at?
Suddenly, Du Zhong walked up to her. She was startled and turned to look at him. "Just now, it seemed like there was a man watching us here."
"Watching us?" Du Zhong glanced into the alley and, seeing no one, laughed. "There are plenty of people watching us. What do we care? Hey, do you have any money on you?"
Jiuli's eyes widened. "Didn't you bring your own purse?"
"I only have two taels of silver in my pocket, which isn't enough."
"Two taels of silver isn't enough for two chickens and ducks!" she glared angrily at the vendor. "He's trying to rip us off!"
"No, I want to buy all his chickens, ducks and geese."
She turned her gaze back to him and glared at him. "You bought them all?! He got about twenty more in those two cages. There are three people in Guo's family. Can they eat all of that?!"
He chuckled, "If they can't eat it all, they can raise it for now. Their yard is quite spacious; they can't raise a few chickens and ducks, right? They won't need to buy any more by the end of the year; they'll have plenty to eat."
Jiuli scoffed at him, but had no choice but to take out an ounce of silver from her purse and give it to him. Du Zhong went back and weighed the money for the vendor, then led him into Chunshan Alley across the street. Jiuli had no choice but to wait in front of the street. When she got bored, she turned into the narrow alley, but still didn't see the man who had just flashed by.
Although it was just a fleeting glance, she felt that the man's face looked somewhat familiar, though she couldn't place where she had seen him before. Lost in thought, she slipped out of the alley, just as Du Zhong was delivering something to the Cao family. The two then walked back together.
"Did Aunt Guo and the others accept it?"
Du Zhong nodded happily, "I've already bought it and it's been delivered to my door, how could I refuse to accept it?"
"Did Grandma Cao say anything?"
"She was going to kowtow to me! I ran away as fast as I could."
Jiuli glanced at him and said, "If she were to kowtow to you, would you be able to accept it?"
"I knew I couldn't handle it, that's why I was in such a hurry to run!"
"Then why did she insist on kowtowing to you?"
"Who knows what this old lady is thinking? She probably treats me like a mistress because Xiuzhi works for us."
Jiuli chuckled, "I'm just afraid she only sees you as her master."
Du Zhong realized what was going on after hearing this. The Yu family was not an official family, and Xiu Zhi was not a servant born and raised in their household. It was rather strange that Old Madam Cao treated him with such respect, disregarding age and seniority.
"Could it be that the old lady knows about Xiuzhi and me, and is forbidding Xiuzhi from remarrying?"
"You're only just realizing that now! You're such a fool. Don't you think about it? Old Mrs. Cao is an old widow who now relies entirely on her daughter-in-law for support. If Sister Guo wants to remarry into our Yu family, how can she not be anxious? Besides, there's Gou'er too."
"If I want to marry her, naturally I'll want her to bring her dog with her when she marries me. That's not a problem. Oh dear! Old Mrs. Cao is nothing. At most, Xiuzhi and I will take care of her in her old age. How much money can an old woman like her cost?"
Jiuli shook her head with a smile, "Grandma Cao wouldn't think that way. Their Cao family only has Gou'er left. If Aunt Guo marries you, you'll have more children in the future, and those children won't be related to the Cao family anymore. You don't need to talk about Gou'er's condition. He's not even his biological father. Even Aunt Guo, his biological mother, will make Grandma Cao worry that she'll favor your child!"
Du Zhong thought for a moment and asked, "What do you mean by the dog's appearance?"
"Didn't you realize that the dog is a born idiot?"
Jiuli then relayed Yu Qi's words to him, and added, "Have you ever thought about why Gou'er has always had bad luck after two years of schooling, with the teachers he meets always having some kind of problem? In reality, they are unwilling to teach him!"
Du Zhong was horrified, but upon closer reflection, it made perfect sense. He felt even more sorry for Xiu Zhi. "Wouldn't she have had it even harder than I know? Raising such a son, I don't know how she's managed all these years."
Jiuli looked at him and sighed inwardly, ultimately having nothing to say.
Two days later, Xiuzhi still hadn't returned. Instead, she asked a neighbor who lived nearby to pass by and say that her mother-in-law had fallen ill from overwork and she needed to take leave to stay home and take care of her for two more days. Although Yu Qi agreed, he secretly asked Zhang Da to inquire among his neighbors if there were any other women available when Zhang Da came to the shop that day.
Zhang Da asked in confusion, "Isn't Aunt Guo efficient and hardworking? Why do we need to replace her?"
Yu Qi sipped his tea and glanced at him. "She has elderly parents and young children to take care of. The New Year is just a month away, and we have a lot of things to do at home, which is very tiring for her. Could you find her an easier job so that she doesn't have to be torn between work and personal matters?"
This made Zhang Da secretly surprised and suspicious. When did he start paying attention to the servants' domestic affairs?
"Is there something wrong with Aunt Guo?"
Yu Qi smiled and shook his head. "There's nothing wrong with it. It's just that if she finds a less demanding job, wouldn't she have more time to take care of the family?" As he spoke, he glanced at her. "You and Aunt Guo are quite close. How come you have the energy to speak up for her?"
Zhang Da chuckled, "It's not a matter of friendship, but she was kind and considerate when she worked at the yamen before. She's also a widow, and I could tell she was having a really tough time, so I asked her a few more questions. Anyway, it's your household that you need someone, so if you say you want to replace her, I'll just keep asking around. You can replace her when you find someone suitable."
Yu Qi nodded slightly. There was no rush to change the person. It wasn't that he thought she had too many things to do at home, but he was a little unsure about Guo Sao. She was excellent at housework, but when he looked at the others, he felt that something seemed off.
"Let me ask you, a job in the kitchen of the yamen is supposed to be a good one. There are so many minor officials and servants in the yamen, and they all have many relatives. Why did they give this job to Sister Guo?"
Zhang Da swallowed his tea and said, "I don't know. It was Wang Shanfeng who asked her to go. She probably has some kind of relationship with Wang Shanfeng. Why are you suddenly asking about this, sir?"
Yu Qi shook his head. "Just asking." He then stood up. "Since Officer Zhang is here, he can stay for dinner before leaving."
Never before had Yu Qi invited a guest to stay, so Zhang Da was flattered and quickly stood up with a smile to express his gratitude. After dinner, Jiu Li escorted Zhang Da out of the ceremonial gate and took the opportunity to quietly inquire about Xu Bai's situation.
Zhang Da said, "I heard that Lord Qi and his family returned to the manor from the countryside the day before yesterday. They probably had things to do at the manor, so they didn't go to the yamen." He sighed as he spoke, "But I think Lord Qi is in trouble. I heard from Lord Yan that the emperor was furious about the murder case in his family and is probably going to dismiss him from his post. The decree will probably arrive in Nanjing in a few days."
Everyone had expected this. With so many things happening in the Qi family, Xu Bai was bound to be implicated, especially since the Emperor had always been dissatisfied with the Qi family. Jiu Li lowered her head, feeling worried for him. His family had suffered such a great misfortune, and now he was going to be dismissed from his post. She wondered what he planned to do in the future.
"And what about Mrs. Qi?"
"Is there even a need to ask? A life for a life. The court has already decided on the execution; he will be hanged next autumn."
"The Qi family knows?"
"I sent someone to the Qi residence the day before yesterday to discuss this."
Jiuli had nothing more to say. She stood at the alley entrance, handed him the lantern in her hand, and stood there for a while longer.
It wasn't too late, but the sky had already darkened, and a sea seemed to be pouring down on her. She felt a sense of bewilderment and fear. The cold, white moon seemed to emerge from the sea, so deep that it was unfathomable. The wind swirled the fallen leaves on the street, making them clatter and tumble, as if someone were walking out of the twilight, making the surroundings seem even more desolate and empty.
As she turned to enter the alley, she suddenly heard Xu Bai's voice, "Fish."
The voice sounded dejected, and Jiu Li's heart skipped a beat. She quickly turned her head to look and saw that Xu Bai had a stubble on his chin and a faint blue mark around his mouth. He was sitting with his shoulders slumped, staring intently at her, something flickering in his eyes.
"My mother is gone."
As soon as he finished speaking, tears streamed down his face. Jiu Li stared at him, stunned for a long while. "You mean Mrs. Qi? Or—"
“I’m talking about my mother, my biological mother, Liang Enxi.”
Jiuli opened her mouth, but couldn't speak for a moment. The cold wind rushed into her throat, chilling her to the bone. "Second Aunt, why is she doing this?"
Xu Bai lowered his head and choked back tears, saying, "She ingested the oleander sap herself."
These days, the entire household is busy with Xu Yun's funeral arrangements. At first, Xu Bai noticed that although Enxi didn't talk much, she didn't cry much either, so he thought she had already moved on. But the day before yesterday, after returning from the countryside, someone from the yamen came to tell her about Si Rou's situation. She then sent her maid to stay in the room alone and didn't come out. It wasn't until this afternoon that the maid saw that the lunch she had sent was still on the veranda and hadn't been taken inside. She hurriedly told someone to break down the door, but it was too late.
"My mother has always been a crybaby, but this time she didn't cry much. I thought she had come to her senses, but I never expected—"
Jiuli remained silent for a long time, listening to his hoarse narration. He felt as if a cold wind had swept away his heart, leaving him unable to recall Enoki's appearance. He only remembered her slender and tall figure, and how she always seemed somewhat weak in her movements.
"So what are you going to do about your mother's funeral arrangements?"
Xu Bai sniffed twice, raised his head, and the glistening tears in his eyes gradually disappeared. He calmed down again. "I don't plan to hold a big ceremony. The body will be laid to rest for seven days before the burial. I will also send away all the servants in the house, leaving only a few reliable old people to escort my sister-in-law and niece back to their parents' home."
Manbao's family was said to be officials in Guangzhou. Although their positions were not high, they could easily take care of their daughter and grandson. However, Manbao might not be willing to go. Although she was gentle and timid, such women were more likely to risk their lives for her country in such a critical situation.
"I'm afraid Madam won't agree."
“It’s not a good thing for her to stay in the Qi residence and spend every day with me, her young uncle. I’m afraid it will cause a lot of gossip in the future, which will be bad for both her and her niece.” As he spoke, Xu Bai gave a bleak smile. “Besides, even I may not be able to stay in Nanjing.”
"Why? Has the imperial court already issued some decree?"
Xu Bai shook his head with a slight smile, "No, but I can't keep this official position anymore. Maybe I'll have to go to another place to make a living in the future. Who will take care of them then? Why don't we take out the money at home and send them back to Guangzhou together? At least my sister-in-law has some money, so she won't be looked down upon in her parents' home."
Even a wrecked ship has three thousand nails; if Xu Bai doesn't fight for it, Manbao and her daughter can naturally take away a lot of money. But as Jiuli listened quietly, she felt as if he was arranging his own affairs.
Her heart tightened, and she quickly grabbed his hand. "You didn't make all these arrangements because—"
"Don't worry, I won't do anything rash," he murmured, tilting his head back. "It's just that we've reached a dead end and have to start planning ahead."
What are your plans?
He gave a cold laugh, which, veiled by the tears still glistening in his eyes, resembled a sneer. Instead of answering, he asked, "Regarding my mother's matter, are you still coming?"
Jiuli nodded, stunned. "That's natural."
"Alright, please tell Mr. Yu for me that I won't go in."
As darkness fell completely, he turned around, and soon Jiuli could no longer see him. She was still somewhat dazed, feeling that his figure had disappeared cleanly and neatly into the darkness, and for some reason, she felt a sense of sorrow.
She then turned back into the alley and went straight to the east wing.
Yu Qi was looking at the prescription behind his desk when he noticed her strange expression. He assumed Zhang Da had told her about his intention to dismiss Xiu Zhi, so he put the prescription on the desk and said in a conciliatory tone, "You think I want to get rid of her because of Guo Sao and Zhong'er's affair? That's secondary. I just feel that Guo Sao has too many responsibilities at home, and our household work is also heavy. It would be better to let her find a less demanding job so she can still take care of the family. You've seen her son, and her mother-in-law is getting old—"
It took Jiuli a while to come to her senses. "Huh? Why are you kicking Aunt Guo out?"
Yu Qi chuckled, "I've been talking for so long and you weren't paying attention. Looks like you weren't really standing up for Aunt Guo. Tell me, what amazing thing did Zhang Da tell you this time?"
"Xu Bai's mother committed suicide by poisoning herself yesterday."
Yu Qi was momentarily stunned. "Why?"
She said with a sullen face, "I can't explain it."
"Did Qi Xubai come to tell you?"
She nodded. "He invited us to pay our respects. Are you going?"
Yu Qi agreed, and seeing the look of disappointment on her face, he reached out to her, "Come here, let me hug you."
Jiuli walked over, plopped down on his lap, rested her head on his shoulder, and remained silent. He stroked her head, tilted his head to look at her, and said, "Even you've picked up this sentimental habit."
Jiuli glared at him, "I don't understand. Xu Bai said he wanted to send away the servants in the house and send the eldest mistress back to her parents' home in Guangzhou. The Qi family was doing so well, and now it's all falling apart like this."
"The Qi family's prosperity over generations is coming to an end. Everything rises and falls, and rises again; this is an immutable law throughout history. I'm afraid Qi Xubai, that county magistrate, will find it difficult to continue. Can he say what his plans are for the future?"
She nestled against him and shook her head. After a long silence, she couldn't understand the Qi family's situation. Then she thought of Xiuzhi and Duzhong. "Why do you insist on driving Guo Sao away? Even if she can't marry into our family, you don't have to be so ruthless. If you let her go, where will she earn money? It's not easy to find a job. All that talk about how we're worried about the heavy workload in our family and that it will burden her is just an excuse."
Yu Qi smiled. "That's right, it's just an excuse."
"Then why is that?"
He took her hand and gently stroked it, glancing up at the table. "It's nothing, I just saw something at Aunt Guo's house, a gold ring. The craftsmanship wasn't like something from an ordinary family. Even well-off families couldn't afford a craftsman with that kind of skill. I was wondering, why would the Cao family, a poor family, have something like that?"
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Author's note: Thank you for reading.
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