Chapter 12: The Old Trick

Gu Huaixiu was inside, while outside, Qingdai was getting chummy with Zhang Ma.

(TL: Ma referring to an elder female servant)

Xiang’er, still young, seemed timid and irresolute, not daring to have an opinion of her own. She just watched quietly as Qingdai conversed with her mother, her big eyes unblinking.

“This tea was just something we brought along, nothing too precious. Doesn’t Steward Xu love his tea? My mistress thought of it. Zhang Ma, you may not be fond of tea, but the old Xu would certainly appreciate it. Go ahead and take it,” Qingdai said, pushing a box of tea leaves into Zhang Ma‘s hands.

Zhang Ma felt a slight heat in her palms. Tea leaves were a rare luxury, something the lower servants had little appreciation for. But her husband, Old Xu, had been a pageboy for Gu Zhenguan in his younger days and had developed a taste for tea. He often enjoyed brewing a pot now and then. “Third Miss is so considerate, remembering even such little things. I feel so embarrassed. Please thank Third Miss for me, Qingdai. I’ll be sure to tell Old Xu.”

Qingdai smiled broadly, “Oh, it’s nothing. My mistress is just thoughtful like that. There’s no need for so much courtesy. It’s been so long since we left Wuxi, yet Zhang Ma, you haven’t changed a bit. But look at Xiang’er—she’s growing up nicely.”

Xiang’er quickly lowered her head, her face reddening.

Who doesn’t like hearing their daughter praised?

Zhang Ma beamed, her face crinkling with joy. “Qingdai really knows how to talk. I heard this time, the master took Third Miss to Tongcheng for some important business. I’ve caught wind of it, but everyone in the manor has been asking me for details, and I have no answers.”

Qingdai’s eyes flickered, and after casting her gaze downward, she sighed. “Zhang Ma, you wouldn’t know. The second young master of the Zhang family is truly handsome, not to mention his refined literary talents and good looks. He and our eldest miss are a perfect match. It looks like this marriage is practically settled.”

Zhang Ma was known for her quick wit and tendency to gossip.

She had been relegated from Gu Yaofang’s quarters some time ago and had moved to Gu Huaixiu’s side. Even so, her restless ambitions were common knowledge. Many in the household saw Gu Yaofang as the more promising one and thus avoided getting too involved in Gu Huaixiu’s quarters, leaving things a bit cold and quiet.

Over the years, as Gu Yaofang began to regain her health, Zhang Ma‘s long-buried aspirations resurfaced. If she could realign herself with the eldest miss, wouldn’t her future be much brighter?

Gu Huaixiu was well aware that Zhang Ma was someone who only cared for herself. She never assigned any important task to Zhang Ma. Everything in the house was handled between Gu Huaixiu and Qingdai. Qingdai, well-versed in her mistress’s mindset towards Zhang Ma, continued to flatter the impending marriage between Gu Yaofang and the Zhang family and extoll the wealth and power of the Zhang household, fabricating exaltations about Zhang’s second young master’s qualities. Zhang Ma was so taken in by the grandiose depiction that she could barely sit still for her meal.

Internally, Qingdai mocked her. After the meal, she returned to Gu Huaixiu’s side and whispered a few words, causing Gu Huaixiu to laugh until her eyes teared up.

“That fool, fickle-hearted as ever. I’d thought she might be able to hold out a bit longer.”

Finally stopping her laughter, Gu Huaixiu let out a cool chuckle. “After all this time, she’s still someone who bites the hand that feeds her. Ever since she’s been in my courtyard, have I ever treated her unfairly? Useless and treacherous. Well, let’s see how she digs her own grave.”

After the meal, Gu Huaixiu took a short nap. When she awoke, the weather had changed; the sky was now overcast.

“What strange weather…”

She murmured, rubbing her forehead as a strange feeling of unease crept over her. Qingdai, seemingly oblivious, asked, “Did you hear some kind of commotion outside?”

Qingdai brushed it off, “When isn’t there noise outside? But now that you mention it, today does seem a little rowdier than usual…”

At this, Qingdai paused, and both mistress and servant fell silent, pricking up their ears. From the direction of the front courtyard—perhaps near the main gate—there indeed seemed to be something different, an unusual sound.

“Never mind. In a bit, I’ll head to father’s study and bring up the matter with elder sister. You’ll come with me. See if you can find out what’s going on and report back to me later.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Qingdai responded, tying up Gu Huaixiu’s hair and straightening her clothing before they went out together.

They passed two flower gates and took the left corridor toward the main house. Old Xu—Zhang Ma‘s husband and the estate’s steward—had served as Gu Zhenguan’s study companion in his youth and was, by now, quite capable. He had been with the Gu family for many years and was currently standing outside the house, arranging tasks with a few servants.

Upon seeing Gu Huaixiu and her maid approaching, Old Xu hurried over to bow. “Third Miss.”

“I’m here to greet father and discuss a few matters. Is he home?” Gu Huaixiu asked.

Old Xu replied with a smile, “He is. Third Miss, please come in.”

He led the way inside and respectfully announced, “Sir, Third Miss has come to see you.”

“Let her in,” came Gu Zhenguan’s voice, laced with a hint of exhaustion, as though he already knew the purpose of Gu Huaixiu’s visit.

Gu Huaixiu entered, while Qingdai remained outside. Knowing her mistress wouldn’t be out for a while, Qingdai snuck off to gather information.

While the back courtyard had seemed calm, as soon as she entered the front, Qingdai could hear the murmurs of conversation. She found it odd. What could be happening at the Gu household’s front gate?

As Qingdai went to investigate, inside the study, Gu Huaixiu had taken her seat.

Gu Zhenguan gestured for her to relax and cast a quick glance at her before withdrawing his gaze. “Seeing the look on your face, I already know the outcome.”

Gu Huaixiu had warned him not to hold out too much hope for her persuasion, but now, with the situation at hand, she felt a twinge of complexity. Trying to ease her father’s burden, she offered, “Father, please don’t worry yourself too much. Eldest sister is a strong-willed person. Perhaps it’s because of her health that she refuses. Besides, although the Zhang family’s ancestral home is in Tongcheng, their real power lies in the capital. If elder sister were to marry so far away, how could we see her often?”

This was essentially a soft rejection of the Zhang family proposal.

Given the circumstances, there wasn’t much they could do. They couldn’t exactly force Gu Yaofang to marry. There were only two possible outcomes if they did:

Firstly, Gu Yaofang might vehemently refuse, and if cornered, she could either take drastic measures or create a scandal that would not only damage the family’s name but also affect Gu Huaixiu’s standing as her younger sister.

Secondly, even if she complied initially, the marriage would eventually reveal itself, and sooner or later, the family would be shamed. And that outcome could go far beyond mere embarrassment.

So what could Gu Zhenguan do?

He sighed bitterly, “You’re giving me words of comfort, aren’t you?”

Caught under his discerning gaze, Gu Huaixiu lowered her head, reluctant to respond.

Gu Zhenguan was writing a letter—one filled with the guilt he felt toward Zhang Ying. The situation was weighing heavily on his heart. However, as he looked at Gu Huaixiu’s face, another thought surfaced. “By the way, you’ve met both the second and third young masters of the Zhang family. What do you think of the two of them?”

Gu Huaixiu’s heart gave a sudden jump. Something was off.

With her mind racing, yet her expression calm, she answered, “Both the second and third young masters of the Zhang family are exceptional. But I am limited in my learning and skills, unable to discern their merits fully. To my eyes, they are like gods. Father knows this already—those whom others see as divine figures, I often find loathsome.”

Her words were blunt, even somewhat impolite.

Gu Zhenguan’s brows furrowed deeply as he looked at his daughter. This sharp-tongued third daughter of his had always had a keen sense of self-preservation. She must have understood why he’d raised the question, and so had deliberately used these words to block him. She clearly wasn’t willing.

Sighing, he folded his letter, pressed it into an envelope, and sealed it with wax. As he carried out these tasks, he remarked, “It seems, no matter how stellar these candidates are, they are not to your liking. Still, where else will you find such a good match in the future?”

Hearing the plainness of his words, Gu Huaixiu could no longer feign ignorance. Concerned about her own marital prospects, she had to address the matter clearly, fearing her father might sell her off to the Zhang family without her realizing. “Let’s not discuss the third young master for now, but as for the second young master, he’s a brute. Previously, when the first young master slacked off, perhaps he was repulsed by my poor handwriting and passed the tutoring duties to the second young master. Surely, Father has heard tales—”

Gu Huaixiu stretched out her hand and pitifully held it up to Gu Zhenguan. “Eldest sister won’t agree to marry, and now you want to pass me, the third daughter, over to the Zhang family instead? Look at my hand, Father. These marks were made by that Zhang Tingyu. Where on earth does a man strike women like this?”

Gu Zhenguan, seeing the faint red marks on her hand, couldn’t help but chuckle.

“I never expected this. I knew your elder sister could be irrational, but now you too are becoming muddled. Go back and think on it. I’ll raise the matter again once we get a response from the Zhang family.”

Gu Huaixiu mentally chewed over her father’s words, unable to decipher their full meaning. “If that’s all, Father, I’ll take my leave.”

“Go ahead.”

Gu Zhenguan nodded, dismissing her.

As she walked out, Gu Huaixiu couldn’t help but recall her father’s opinion on her elder sister’s refusal of the marriage. Despite repeatedly emphasizing how the Zhang brothers were ideal matches, her father had still remarked that they were out of reach for her elder sister.

Indeed, with the current status of the Gu family, they were “reaching above their station” with the Zhang family.

In these times, there simply was no concept of a woman remaining unmarried. Considering her own reputation, what kind of family could Gu Huaixiu expect to marry into?

For some reason, her expression turned somber. Turning back to glance at her father’s room, she silently circled around the veranda.

Qingdai hurried over to her, whispering urgently, “Something big is happening! That Taoist from two years ago is back!”

The Taoist from two years ago?

Gu Huaixiu stifled a laugh, “The same trick again? How many times is she going to use it? I’m fed up just watching her repeat it!”

Before her words could fade, a servant arrived, rushing to report to Old Xu. After hearing the news, Old Xu immediately informed Gu Zhenguan.

What Gu Huaixiu didn’t expect was how quickly her father’s face darkened. He threw down his jade brush with a resounding “smack,” his voice laced with fury, “That scoundrel dares to show his face again? Does he think my Gu family is blind?”

Gu Zhenguan wasn’t someone who could be easily fooled. He had dealt with countless high-profile cases in his career, his mind sharp and shrewd. He had tolerated this trick of Gu Yaofang’s before, but times had changed.