Chapter 32 [VIP]
Qingping looked at her.
If I agree to his request, it will be difficult for me to get along with the high-ranking families in the capital. After all, no family would want to hire a fool who would expose their private affairs to the public.
That heartless girl probably has the same idea in mind!
Gu Zhizhu smiled slightly without any hesitation. If she couldn't even see this, how could Qingping have navigated the power struggles in the capital so easily?
“Senior brother. Aman was only three and a half years old, and she almost died. This is your karma.”
Upon hearing this, Qingping lost his composure and waved his hand, saying, "I'll think about it some more."
Gu Zhizhuo said meaningfully, "Senior brother should think about this carefully."
“By the way, senior brother,” Gu Zhizhuo glanced in the direction he had gone, took out two silver ingots and gave them to him, “Here you go, you came out to buy cinnabar, right?”
Qingping was baffled: "This humble Taoist priest brought silver with him."
Are you sure?
Qingping froze for a moment, his narrow eyes slowly widening. He quickly touched his sleeve pocket, then the other side.
No!
His purse is gone!
He could hardly believe it. He touched his cuffs and trousers, then took off his shoes and shook them upside down.
Still nothing. Qingping was so heartbroken she wanted to bang her head against the wall.
"How pitiful." Seeing that he was about to cry, Gu Zhizhuo kindly reminded him, "Senior brother, you also buried silver in the bamboo forest of Taiqing Temple, didn't you?"
How did you know?!
“We’re from the same school, what can’t we figure out? You have five deficiencies and three lacks, you’re born with a life of financial loss.” Gu Zhizhuo smiled innocently and continued to poke at his heart: “I knew it, your Taoist name is unlucky.”
"Peace and simplicity, poverty and integrity—if you are not poor, who is?"
"You jinx! You can say anything about yourself, but to curse yourself with bad luck is like stabbing yourself in the heart." Qingping clutched her chest, wincing in pain, and glared at her: "You're the jinx, you unlucky bastard!"
Gu Zhizhu snorted. He was still looking down on her. One of them was unlucky, and the other was losing money. Neither of them was any better than the other!
"Senior brother, you'd better watch out for the silver you hid in the bamboo forest. I've done some calculations, and I know it's doomed." After saying that, she cupped her hands in a respectful gesture and left.
Qingping stood there, increasingly uneasy. He clutched the silver ingot in his hand and quickly ran to buy cinnabar. He then hurriedly returned to Taiqing Temple, not daring to delay for even a moment.
Then, they went straight to the bamboo grove where he hid his silver.
The bamboo grove, which used to be quite quiet, had inexplicably become much busier with worshippers. The further he went in, the noisier it became, making his temples throb and giving him a very ominous premonition.
"My nephew," Qingping casually called out to a young Taoist priest, "why are there so many people today?"
"Uncle Qingping, you're back!" The young Taoist priest, only eleven or twelve years old, said with bright eyes, "A devout couple came to draw lots. Last year, the Huai River breached its banks, flooding eight counties. That family, I heard, was quite wealthy, and seeing the disaster victims, they couldn't bear it and distributed all their wealth to give away food. As a result, their area was also flooded, and they had no choice but to flee to the capital. Alas, on the way, their son and daughter-in-law died. Now they have a grandson and a granddaughter and want to return to their hometown, so they came to draw lots. The abbot personally interpreted the lot for them, and it showed that things were looking up."
"After the couple drew lots, they took a walk in the bamboo garden. Suddenly, the old woman tripped. Upon closer inspection, they found a bag of silver buried in the soil. It was this silver that tripped her."
The young Taoist priest confidently declared, "It must have been bestowed by our patriarch."
Qingping was stunned and didn't react for a long time.
No! What does this have to do with the patriarch? This is my silver, mine!! I hid it!!
Qingping's expression changed, and he quickly ran inside, pushing through the crowd. He immediately saw an elderly couple in tattered clothes, holding a bulging floral cloth bag in their arms, kneeling on the ground and kowtowing repeatedly towards the direction of the Sanqing Hall.
The worshippers around him had devout expressions on their faces.
“Junior Brother Qingping, you’ve heard about it too? Alas, this flood killed hundreds of thousands of people.” The abbot said gently when he saw him. “The believer and his wife said they will return to their hometown tomorrow with the blessings of the patriarch.”
The couple had very kind faces; no wonder they had this opportunity. The abbot was filled with joy.
The old man said, “Master, we fled here together, and there should still be many people alive. It’s almost autumn planting season, so we can buy some good seeds to take back and plant the land with our fellow villagers, build houses, and raise some children who have lost their parents! Don’t worry, every penny of this money will be used for the villagers affected by the disaster, and it will not be spent recklessly.”
Qingping swayed precariously, his eyes fixed on the floral cloth bag. He shifted his feet, then shifted again, listening to the old couple talking about how they were rebuilding their home. In the end, he didn't go over and say that the money was his.
But this money really was his! He had been in the capital for so long, and all the money he had finally earned, his entire fortune, was just gone... all gone.
I can't watch anymore. Watching any longer would be too heartbreaking.
Qingping wiped away her tears and ran away as fast as she could.
He couldn't help but recall what Miss Gu had said: his decision to buy cinnabar was made on short notice, and there was no way Miss Gu could have arranged for someone to extort money from him beforehand.
In other words, she does have some expertise.
Is he really the master's last disciple? Now, Qingping was completely convinced.
Why didn't Master tell me he took on a junior sister?
Qingping stopped and touched the silver ingot his junior sister had given him. She had given him two; one he used to buy cinnabar, and now he had another, plus a considerable amount of copper coins. This was all his possessions, all given to him by his junior sister; he hadn't even given her a gift.
I don't know if it's him who's pitiful, or his unlucky junior sister who's pitiful.
Why.
It's not a big deal to help my junior sister with something small or big, right?
Ultimately, the Jing'an Marquis's family's fate was indeed sown by their own actions.
That's right, Junior Sister said that the Marquis of Jing'an's mansion will send him an invitation. If they don't send one, shouldn't he think of a way to ask for one?
This shouldn't be done too deliberately.
Qingping pondered for a long time, only to realize that she had been thinking for nothing. The Jing'an Marquis's Mansion was really too ostentatious, perhaps because they hadn't held a wedding in a long time. Before she could even sit down and rest for a while, their invitation arrived.
The invitation, with its red background and gilded design, came with four first-class gifts, making it a very grand occasion.
"Master, my lady requests that you come to our residence on the third day after my son's birth to perform divination and pray for his well-being."
Qingping stroked his mustache, nodded slightly, and adopted the air of a wise and enlightened sage.
Of course I'll come!
He touched the silver ingot in his pocket. He had to do his best to handle the task assigned by his junior sister.
With this promise, Granny Qiu was relieved. Master Qingping was not the same person he was a year ago; he was now very difficult to invite. Many families wanted to invite him, but he was politely declined every time.
Granny Qiu returned to the mansion with a smug look on her face. The mansion was decorated with red from top to bottom, and the servants received a lot of reward money. Everyone was beaming with joy, and it was even more lively than the New Year.
Granny Qiu went straight back to the main courtyard, reported the matter, and was once again showered with flattery.
"You don't know, His Majesty summoned Master Qingping to the palace a few days ago. He is now one of the most important people in the capital. As soon as I mentioned it was for our young master's third-day celebration, he immediately agreed."
Lady Jing'an raised her head haughtily, feeling that the Gu family was about to prosper. She asked, "Have all the invitations been sent out?"
"Everyone's gone."
"Where is the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion?"
"I sent it too."
Lady Jing'an nodded with feigned modesty: "Such a chubby little boy, I don't believe Madam Gu wouldn't be envious when she sees him. Humph, if Madam Gu were a little more virtuous, my precious grandson could call her 'Mother,' and after he passes away, someone would still offer incense for him. Who told her to be so ungrateful!"
"Uh, why would the young master's wife be envious of the son born to a concubine? She's not crazy!" Granny Qiu was speechless, but she smiled and flattered, "Madam, you're absolutely right. If the young master's wife saw our young master, she would definitely regret it."
Lady Jing'an smiled with delight.
"When the time comes, whether the Crown Prince's wife wants to come back will depend on whether you are willing."
Her words struck a chord with Lady Jing'an: "If she is obedient, I might be able to bring her back as a concubine. As for a principal wife, my son is now highly trusted by the Emperor. Without that ominous star, his career will only advance further. He could marry not only Lady Gu, but even the Eldest Princess!"
"Su'er is still young and has been completely infatuated with the Gu family. He doesn't even realize that everything I've done is for his own good!"
Granny Qiu quickly said, "The young master is just having a moment of confusion. He'll understand your good intentions once he's figured things out."
"Sigh. It's one thing for Su'er to be angry with me, but he still refuses to come back and see Yao Niang and her son."
"Perhaps he's busy with his duties," Granny Qiu said with a smile. "I'll send someone to inquire again."
Lady Bo signed the divorce papers on behalf of the heir apparent, which enraged him so much that he didn't return home for several days. She sent someone to inform the heir apparent immediately after the young master was born, but he still didn't return.
"Hurry up and go! This baby shower must be a grand and lively affair. We can't let the Gu family laugh at us."
Granny Qiu smiled and agreed, then coaxed her a few more times before leaving.
The curtain fell behind her, and she looked at the maid in the corridor, asking with a stern face, "What's going on?!"
From the moment she went in until she came out, the girl secretly lifted the curtain at least three times to peek inside.
The maid followed her a few steps and whispered uneasily, "I went to the estate, and the estate manager said that Granny Ping and the others had not been there."
"Didn't go?"
"right!"
It's been four days already, and it's like Granny Ping and the other two have vanished into thin air.
Granny Qiu also reported to Madam Jing'an, but the madam didn't take it seriously at all. She said that she had given instructions at the time that after the matter was settled, they should go and avoid trouble. It was perfectly normal that they hadn't returned.
But we can't just stay completely silent, can we?
Granny Qiu had also wondered if Granny Ping and the others might have been taken away by the Gu family.
Unfortunately, because of the divorce between the young master's wife and the young master, the young master vomited blood and had a big fight with his wife. He then left the mansion. The wife was in a very bad mood and dared not say anything. As a result, Aunt Sun gave birth to a little prince.
Now, Madam Bo threw herself onto the young master, saying that it must have been her method that worked, otherwise, the doctor would have said there would be a difficult birth, but she gave birth to her grandson smoothly.
Given the situation, what could Granny Qiu possibly say? Her heart was in suspense, caught between a rock and a hard place.
Lord Bo has never concerned himself with matters of the inner quarters, saying that spending all day fussing over such trivial matters is beneath his dignity.
We can't exactly tell the young master that he's not coming back either!
Granny Ping and the others, like her, had lived their entire lives within the manor. Where could they go if they left? At most, the estate. She secretly sent someone to inquire at the estate, thinking that if they were there, everything would be fine, but who would have thought…
"You may leave."
Granny Qiu raised her hand and dismissed her.
Madam is currently preoccupied with the young master's third-day celebration, so bringing up these matters now would only upset her. It's better to wait until after the celebration to discuss them.
The worst outcome would be that Granny Ping and the others would be caught by the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion. But what then? Would they dare to confess? Granny Qiu thought for a moment. If it were her, she definitely wouldn't dare. Her children, grandchildren, and the head of the household all worked in the mansion. If she confessed, the madam would either beat them to death or sell them, most likely to some filthy place. Granny Ping and the others were in the same boat; their lives were tied to their families.
The maid had just been dismissed, and before she could even catch her breath, the head matron arrived and asked, "Madam instructed yesterday that the young master's third-day celebration should be held at the highest level, but the accountant can only provide five hundred taels of silver. What do you think..."
Five hundred taels?! That's not enough. Granny Qiu knew all too well that the madam was determined to make the young master's third-day celebration a grand affair, so that the young master's wife would regret it.
Sigh. Since the Crown Prince's wife married into the family, she has never managed the household affairs again, and probably has no idea how much silver is in the accounts.
She started to have a headache.
These things shouldn't have been her responsibility as a servant!
She had spent most of her life vying with Granny Ping, only to gain face in front of the Earl's wife; she had never considered fighting for control of the household. This Earl's mansion was riddled with problems, and anyone who tried to manage it would be doomed. She wondered how the Heir's wife had managed to restrain herself from overturning the table all these years.
Granny Qiu had no choice but to say, "Here's what we'll do. Go to the accounting office and tell them that the madam instructed you to collect all the cash flow from the shops in the capital and gather ten thousand taels of silver."
ah? !
The Jing'an Marquis's mansion still owns several shops, and generally, the accounts are settled at the end of each year. Not all the cash in the shops is dividends; at least half of it is liquid cash used for purchasing goods and working capital. If this liquid cash is misappropriated now, and the shops' cash flow cannot keep up with the turnover, it will cause a lot of trouble later.
"Move it first, then we'll talk about it."
Right now, Granny Qiu only wants to make sure the baby's third-day celebration goes well. As for anything else... she doesn't have that kind of ability.
Anyway, neither the lord nor the madam cares. If the household really can't make ends meet, they can't blame a servant like her.
But if the baby's third-day celebration is not handled well, given the Madam's temper, she will definitely blame her!
After losing control of the family, Granny Qiu devoted herself entirely to the baby's third-day celebration, determined to make it a spectacle that would be praised throughout the capital.
Therefore, every invitation sent out was red with gold trim and accompanied by four first-class gifts, each one presentable.
Each of the servants in the Earl's mansion received two sets of new clothes, and dozens of new glass lamps were also purchased. These glass lamps were all tied with red ribbons and hung around the main hall where guests were received.
On the day of the baby's third-day celebration, Qin Su finally returned. No matter what, this son was someone he had longed for for a long time, so how could he not be worried about him?
The Marquis of Jing'an's mansion placed five large baskets of copper coins at its entrance, and a large crowd of people gathered in front of the mansion, saying auspicious words and waiting for the money to be distributed.
Firecrackers went off one after another, crackling and popping. Families who had received the invitations arrived one after another. Madam Liu lifted the curtain of the carriage and took a look, and was speechless with astonishment.
Although the Gu family didn't publicize the divorce between Madam Gu and the heir of the Marquis of Jing'an, it wasn't a secret in the capital. In particular, many people had seen the 128-bearer dowry being carried out of the Marquis of Jing'an's mansion.
After the divorce, the Jing'an Marquis's mansion held such an extravagant third-day celebration for a son born out of wedlock.
Is this an attempt to embarrass the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion?
"Madam Liu," said Granny Qiu, representing the Lady of Jing'an, as she greeted the female relatives at the ceremonial gate. "Please come in."
Madam Liu frowned slightly in displeasure. Sending a mere maid to greet her—wasn't the Jing'an Marquis's household rather arrogant? However, those who would rush to offer congratulations for a concubine's son's third-day celebration were mostly families far inferior to the Jing'an Marquis's household. Despite her displeasure, she maintained a smile, revealing nothing.
Upon entering the main courtyard, Madam Liu glanced around and, as expected, found the families to be of similar social standing to her own. She pursed her lips, smiled broadly, offered her congratulations to the Lady of Jing'an, and presented her with a gift.
"Madam, Vice Minister Chen and his wife have arrived."
"Madam, Commander Zhao did not bring you with him. The young master said he would come to greet you..."
"Madam, we've given away all our wedding money, and there are still quite a few people waiting at the door for good luck."
The maids came and went, all smiles, and Lady Jing'an felt refreshed and lightheaded.
Look, the fierce spirit is gone, and their Earl's Mansion has indeed prospered.
"reward."
Lady Jing'an waved her hand and said, "Take two more baskets of silver ingots out."
Using silver ingots as wedding gifts?! Madam Liu was stunned. This was far too extravagant. Everyone said that the Jing'an Marquis's mansion had fallen on hard times, but this showed no sign of it.
She estimated that this baby's third-day celebration would cost at least ten thousand taels of silver. Tsk, even a starved camel is fatter than a horse.
Not only Mrs. Liu, but many people secretly calculated this debt in their hearts.
Lady Jing'an looked smug. In recent years, the Gu family had been very strict in managing the household, and she hadn't been able to enjoy such a splendid moment in a long time.
She laughed and said, "It's no wonder I favor my little grandson. When he was born, the clouds in the sky turned red, which is a very auspicious sign."
Many people chimed in with their own words, flattering and fawning over each other.
Lady Jing'an was completely relaxed, her face beaming with smiles from her eyebrows to the corners of her eyes.
"Madam, the auspicious hour has arrived!"
Lady Jing'an was the first to stand up.
After a lively and joyous third-day bath, just as preparations were about to begin the banquet, Master Qingping finally arrived.
Lady Jing'an was overjoyed: "Please come in quickly!" She then ordered the child to be brought out.
"Madam, your esteemed household has actually managed to invite Master Qingping!?"
"Of course," said Lady Jing'an with a reserved air. "Well, to be honest, it's a family scandal that shouldn't be aired in public. My eldest son has only had one daughter after eight years of marriage. You tell me, how can I not be anxious? Our family has a hereditary title, so raising a daughter is useless. But Gu Shi is so jealous that my eldest son doesn't even have a concubine."
"Fortunately, we prayed to Master Qingping, and that's how we got this child. Master Qingping is truly a living deity, very efficacious."
Lady Jing'an said with satisfaction.
The name of Master Qingping has resounded throughout the capital for more than a year.
After gaining fame, Master Qingping lived a secluded life, often going into seclusion. Now that they could finally meet the master, all the ladies looked on with anticipation.
After the wet nurse brought the child out, Master Qingping arrived.
Lady Jing'an got up to greet them, and many people went to look curiously. Upon seeing this, some people's expressions changed one by one, and they frowned unhappily, thinking to themselves: This Jing'an Marquis's mansion is too unruly. Knowing that there are female relatives present, the heir of the Jing'an Marquis still brazenly entered the inner courtyard!
Qin Su came with Qingping.
Upon seeing the room full of women, he realized his oversight.
Over the years, Gu Liaoliao has been in charge of managing the entire household. Qingping is a monk, so it is not considered a mistake for him to enter the inner quarters. If A-Liao were here, she would personally welcome him in.
The mother, having been out of the house for a long time, clearly hadn't thought of this.
The thought of Gu Liaoliao caused Qin Su immense pain.
No wonder the commander deliberately kept him behind that day. Commander Zhou has always been close to Gu Baibai. The Gu family deliberately wanted to exclude him and coaxed and tricked his mother into agreeing to the divorce.
Ah Liao resorted to such dirty tricks in order to get a divorce.
He couldn't understand why A-Liao was so resolute. His heart was completely devoted to her, and his feelings for her had never changed over the years. He just wanted a son; was he wrong?
These past few days, he's been holding his breath and hasn't gone to the Gu family, wanting to wait for A-Liao to calm down.
Unexpectedly, without A-Liao's presence, even the baby's third-day celebration at the manor was a chaotic affair. Qin Su looked embarrassed; at this point, it was inappropriate for him to leave or stay.
"Master Qingping".
Lady Jing'an noticed nothing amiss and said with a beaming smile, "Ever since you set up that feng shui formation last time, everything in our household has gone smoothly. Now we are blessed with a son, it is all thanks to you. Please come and take a look."
Lady Jing'an was only interested in showing off her grandson, her face wrinkled from smiling.
Qingping, dressed in a loose Taoist robe and holding a whisk, merely smiled faintly at the Duke of Jing'an's flattery, appearing as a detached and otherworldly sage.
He said reservedly, "Alright."
The wet nurse carried the child over and stood next to Lady Jing'an.
The baby, only three days old, was already starting to look quite grown-up. The dark red of his skin had faded, leaving it fair and tender. He opened his bright, dark eyes and looked around. The more Lady Jing'an looked at him, the more she loved him.
Qin Su stared blankly at the child. He had been in the palace for the past few days and had not seen the child yet.
With just one glance, he believed that blood ties truly existed, and the joy that welled up from the bottom of his heart was something he had never experienced before.
A fatherly smile spread across Qin Su's lips as he couldn't help but take the child from the wet nurse's arms.
At that moment, he finally felt a real sense that someone had a successor.
When Aman was born, he felt only the sorrow of things not going as planned. Now, however, his heart is filled with joy, and he wants to give everything for this child. He doesn't understand why A-Liao, who should be devoted to him as husband and wife, and whose child is also hers, insists on being so stubborn about this!
Qin Su held the child and remained silent for a long time. Lady Jing'an said with great interest, "Please, Master, give my grandson a name."
Qingping smiled and agreed, then walked up to Lady Jing'an and looked at the child.
He observed for a long time, then did some calculations with his fingers, and suddenly exclaimed "Eh!" This exclamation made Lady Jing'an's heart skip a beat, and she couldn't help but ask, "Master, is there something amiss?"
She silently clutched her chest. When that little jinx was still around, Yao Niang often felt unwell because of her. Now that she was gone, would she still harm her precious grandson?
Qingping's smile vanished. He flicked his whisk and said unhappily, "Is Madam making fun of me?!"
"In that case, I shall take my leave!"
He kept a straight face and made a move to leave.
Lady Jing'an was startled and didn't understand what was going on. She quickly said, "Master, please wait. Please speak frankly."
Qingping chuckled coldly: "This child is clearly the son of the Earl. How can you keep saying he is your grandson?"
What's the meaning? !
Lady Jing'an looked around blankly: "Master Qingping, what are you talking about?"
Why can't she understand?
Qingping said firmly, "The child's biological father is the Earl, not the Heir Apparent."
"He is related to the young master by blood, but he is the young master's younger brother from the same father."
Qingping looked at Qin Su and said, word by word, "Young Master, I told Madam Long ago that you are destined to have no heir. Even if you have to adopt someone for the sake of the title, you should not treat your own brother as your son. How can the moral order of this world be disrupted?!"
Qin Su's arms, which were holding the child, froze.
He stared blankly down at the child, his pupils unfocused, as if he were looking at an ugly, fanged demon.
A note from the author:
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
