Chapter 4: Bad Thoughts Arose

The silver was wrapped in a white silk handkerchief, still carrying some residual warmth.

Gu Xiyan opened it to look. It was a very finely crafted silver ingot, smaller than those commonly seen on the market. The front bore the inscription “Dazhao Yuanbao,” while the bottom was engraved in small characters with “Made by the Silver Workshop in the 21st Year of Hongping.”

She estimated and realized that these were likely silver ingots worth five taels each. Six silver ingots made thirty taels.

Gu Xiyan now understood a bit about financial matters. She quickly calculated whether thirty taels of silver would be enough to settle Meng Shuhui and her niece and nephew. Renting a place to live should be sufficient, but what about the future? How would the three of them manage food, drink, and daily necessities? And when the children grew older, they would still need to attend school, wouldn’t they? They couldn’t just be left illiterate, completely descending into the status of an ordinary, uneducated family.

Gu Xiyan felt agitated and troubled, thinking back to how she had tried to put on a brave face and make grand promises in front of Meng Shuhui just moments earlier.

To be honest, she wasn’t trying to boast intentionally. It was just that Meng Shuhui’s look of disappointment at that moment had been too painful to witness, and she couldn’t help but offer words of comfort. Now that things weren’t working out, what should she do? What excuse should she come up with?

Gu Xiyan thought about it, feeling incredibly distressed.

The Jingguo Duke’s manor was vast, occupying a large piece of land in the city of Yanjing. Yet, within this deep and sprawling estate, what truly belonged to Gu Xiyan was only this small corner of the world. As for the rest, it belonged to others—not to her.

Servants and attendants from all quarters, maids, slaves, and matrons—their eyes were everywhere, densely packed, leaving no room for even a needle to slip through unnoticed.

Feeling somewhat helpless, she leaned against the nearby railing, took a deep breath, and told herself not to complain about her fate. Instead, she needed to focus on finding a way forward.

Having thirty taels now is quite good; I should pawn the fur cloaks in the chests later. Summer is coming soon, and I won’t be wearing them for a while. Besides, even if the cloaks are gone, no one will notice.

She earns five taels of silver per month. As a widow, she doesn’t spend much money on a daily basis, only occasionally needing to reward the servants below. Thus, she can save more than three taels out of five and can set aside three taels. She can slowly save up and redeem the fur cloaks by winter, all without making a sound.

This way, her life will be a bit more frugal, but at least she can settle down her sister-in-law and her three children.

She has no children of her own, and who knows what the future holds. In the end, her nieces and nephews from her maternal family will always be her fallback.

Just as she was feeling melancholy, a few servants passed by in front of her, startling her unexpectedly.

After all, as a woman who stayed secluded in the inner chambers and was also a widow, she rarely encountered men from outside.

At this moment, Ping’er rushed over, her face flushed with urgency. She whispered in a low voice, “Madam, they’re from the flower house. They said they needed to prune the plants and trees here. They just passed the message, telling everyone not to come, but we didn’t know…”

Gu Xiyan immediately understood.

The Duke’s mansion is vast, with the teahouse, kitchen, and greenhouse all managed by specific individuals. The greenhouse even includes heated cellars for raising flowers and butterflies. Naturally, the flower gardens contain precious flowers, plants, and trees, and the gardeners come in regularly to prune and maintain them, ensuring everything looks beautiful.

Today, when the gardener entered, they must have notified everyone. However, as a widow, she seldom comes here. Offending someone from the elderly lady’s chamber today, she rashly took this path and ended up barging in.

This was absolutely improper. If word got out, it would harm her reputation.

She hastily said to Ping’er, “Let’s take that small path over there. Hurry up and avoid being seen. Once we circle past this hedge and reach the corridor ahead, we’ll be fine. It’s crowded there, and we often walk that way anyway.”

Pinger hastily nodded: “Alright!”

Gu Xiyan’s thought was not wrong, for those gardeners were indeed outsiders, and it was improper for them to see her. However, she hadn’t expected that as she took this detour, passing by the lakeside ahead, she would catch a distant glimpse of someone—none other than Lu Chenglian, whom she had just met that morning.

In such a short time, this Third Master had already changed into a round-necked, arrow-sleeved long robe, his raven-black hair pulled high and tied with a jade crown, standing by the lake with hands clasped behind his back, exuding an air of serene composure.

Before him on the lake’s surface, over a dozen white doves were circling and fluttering, while behind him, two palace officers stood respectfully and upright, which only further accentuated the noble presence of the man before them.

If it were before, Gu Xiyan would have lowered her head and slipped aside when she saw this person. But now, in the dawn light, she stared blankly at the man’s silhouette ahead, an absurdly bold thought suddenly arising in her mind.

Maybe she could beg Lu Chenglian?

She set aside all dignity and begged before the old madam, only to be dismissed with a few words. They gave her some silver. She was grateful, yet helpless, knowing that nothing more would come, only this amount.

No one was obligated to take care of anyone else; relatives had their own boundaries. She understood, and so she couldn’t blame anyone.

But right now, she really had no choice. She had to settle her sister-in-law somehow. The thirty taels she carried in her arms left her at a loss.

If she asked Lu Chenglian for help, perhaps if he was willing to say just a word, it might make a huge difference? Even if he said nothing, just helping her find a place to stay or offering some other convenience would be like quenching a desperate thirst for her.

But why would he help her?

In desperation, willing to try anything, Gu Xiyan suddenly recalled a past event.

That year, I had just turned fifteen. Following the last wish of the old Duke of Jing’s household, I accompanied a distant aunt from the clan into the capital city and stepped into the Duke of Jing’s mansion. At the family banquet, I saw Lu Chengyuan for the first time.

I knew it was a matchmaking occasion. At the time, I didn’t know which one I was going to marry, so I didn’t dare look at anyone too closely. Instead, I kept my head down, presenting a gentle and docile appearance while doing my best to appear more poised and proper.

Amidst this overly cautious restraint, I sensed a gaze lingering on my face.

Perplexed, I looked up and met a pair of profound, deep-set eyes, within which lay an indescribable chill.

She shuddered, a bit frightened, instinctively avoiding his gaze.

Afterward, she sneaked a few glances and thought he looked far too stern and severe, as if his temperament were harsh and unyielding.

She feared such people, praying only that he would not be her husband.

That night, she even had a dream—a pair of cold, chilling eyes staring at her—and woke up terrified, unable to fall back asleep.

Back then, she hadn’t understood anything—what could a young maiden from a boudoir possibly know? She simply found this person eerie and frightening.

Shortly after, she married Lu Chengyuan. Once they consummated their marriage, Lu Chengyuan showed her great affection and tenderness, and her life became comfortable and carefree. She had long since pushed thoughts of Lu Chenglian out of her mind—after all, he was merely the Third Master of the estate who had never once looked at her directly. Even when they occasionally crossed paths, his gaze would drift past, his expression cold and detached, at most offering a slight nod. In truth, he had nothing to do with her.

Later, when Lu Chengyuan passed away, she immersed herself in grief and cautiously embraced widowhood, and Lu Chenglian became even more distant to her.

But now, at this very moment, as she racked her brains, willing to use every possible means to settle her sister-in-law’s situation, a sudden flash of insight struck her. A thought so twisted it could hardly be more crooked began to linger in her heart.

She suddenly felt… that glance he’d given her back then actually carried a rather nuanced meaning.

It seemed to be a man’s gaze toward a woman.

Her heart abruptly began to race, and a flush of warmth spread across her cheeks.

She was no longer an innocent young maiden secluded in the boudoir, unaware of worldly matters. She had just spoken up boldly in front of the matriarch, taken the silver pieces before the maids and matrons.

Since she had already offended a whole group of people and knew that she had lost all face in the eyes of outsiders, and that her life would become increasingly difficult from then on, why not go all out?

At worst, she would simply end up with no dignity left.

If that really happened, she could just retreat into her own courtyard, never stepping out again. Let others laugh if they wanted to.

Since this thought had crossed her mind, she glanced at Ping’er, a servant girl with little guile, whose expression still held a trace of fear, as if worried about stirring up any trouble.

Lowering her voice, she said, “That gentleman ahead seems to be the Third Master?”

Ping’er bit her lip anxiously, “Yes, Madam, what should we do?”

Gu Xiyan pondered for a moment before replying, “If anyone questions why the two of us appear here so unexpectedly, it will look as though we, mistress and maid, have no regard for propriety. We must find an excuse. How about this? Go to the greenhouse over there and take a look at the butterflies they keep inside, and pick a flower as well. If anyone asks, we can simply say we wandered here by accident while chasing butterflies and gathering flowers. That way, our presence will seem perfectly natural.”

Ping’er was still young and not very knowledgeable about such matters. Faced with this sudden situation, she naturally believed whatever Gu Xiyan said without daring to think too deeply. She quickly responded in a flurry of words, “Alright, Ping’er will go right now.”

After sending Ping’er off, Gu Xiyan stood by the lake, clenching her fists tightly to boost her own courage.

Though born into the household of a minor official, she was still a respectable young lady from a proper family. Having studied poetry and books since childhood and learned proper etiquette, when had she ever done such an outlandish thing?

Gu Xiyan stole a glance at that third master Lu, gathering her courage, but after taking just two steps, she thought it better to let it go, persuading herself not to indulge in wild fantasies.

Then she remembered he was followed by two lieutenants. It wouldn’t be proper to speak up in front of outsiders.

Caught in this tangle of hesitation and indecision, she had finally decided to simply bury her head and press on with her plan regardless, when she suddenly sensed movement from that direction. It turned out that Lu Chenglian had actually turned and left, walking away along the stone path ahead.

Gu Xiyan stared blankly, feeling as though all her thoughts had turned to ashes, yet she also realized how utterly spineless she was.

If her sister-in-law could beg all the way just to find her, why couldn’t she cast aside her sense of shame for their sake?

Her fingernails dug into the center of her palm, piercing it painfully.

It seemed that in this world, true heroes who achieve great deeds must never sweat the small stuff—and she was simply not cut out for greatness.

She was in this state of dejection, self-pity, and self-blame, ready to return to her own courtyard to see Meng Shuhui.

The mother and two daughters had come to the imperial capital, unfamiliar with the place and the people. She had nothing else, only thirty taels of silver.

With heavy steps, she walked up the steps. Moss crept across the lakeside stones, wet and slippery, while the cool, damp air soaked the hem of her skirt.

Just then, in her line of sight ahead appeared a pair of dark blue satin court boots with cloud patterns, their pure white soles neat and refined. And just above the boots was the exquisitely embroidered hem of a robe.

Gu Xiyan’s gaze trembled slightly.

After a while, she slowly lifted her face to look at the visitor, and thus fell into those deep, unfathomable eyes.

It was Lu Chenglian.

He had left, but then returned.

Lu Chenglian was already quite tall, and standing high by the lakeside only made him appear even more imposing and solitary, his presence as solid as a mountain.

Gu Xiyan tilted her head back, staring at him in a daze.

Lu Chenglian’s expression was detached, his tone devoid of emotion as he asked, “What brings Sister-in-Law Six here?”

Gu Xiyan couldn’t find her voice at all.

She had prepared many words before, thinking she would appeal to his emotions and reason with logic, envisioning a well-structured and eloquent speech. She had also planned to let her gaze shift, employing some of the soft, charming tactics of a woman.

Yet, caught off guard under the gaze of those overly cold eyes, her mind went completely blank, and all the words she had prepared vanished.

After all, she was a lady who had lived secluded in the inner chambers. Since becoming a widow, for nearly two years, she had stayed within the inner courtyard, seldom going out. Usually, she dared not even speak much to the male servants. Now, with a man suddenly standing before her, she truly felt at a loss.

Lu Chengqian’s gaze lingered on her face for a moment, his lips curving into a faint, not-quite-smile. Then, he slightly turned his body, as if about to walk away.

A chill breeze brushed past her ear, and Gu Xiyan’s heart skipped a beat as she hurriedly said, “Third Master, might I trouble you to stay a moment?”

Lu Chenglian paused his steps, though he did not turn around, only tilting his head slightly, his gaze seeming to linger faintly in the distance. “Hmm?”

Gu Xiyan’s heart pounded wildly, but seeing him halt, she clung to a shred of hope.

She quickly took a deep breath. “Third Master, there’s a matter I have here, and I would like to ask for your guidance to clear my confusion. I wonder if it would be convenient for you?”

Lu Chenglian remained unmoving, uttering just a single word: “Speak.”

He seemed too detached and cold, which instantly extinguished Gu Xiyan’s lingering inappropriate thoughts. She hurriedly continued, “Here’s the situation. Early this morning, my brother’s wife came to see me. Third Master must already know about the troubles my family has faced these past two years. My brother was on a ship from the Coastal Defense Garrison and remains missing. Originally, my sister-in-law had sought refuge with her own brother’s family, but recently, he got into some trouble that led to him being chased for debts. With humble backgrounds like ours, facing such a crisis leaves us at a loss. So… I was hoping Third Master could offer some guidance.”

Although Lu Chenglian did not turn around, he remained quiet and attentive, showing no intention of leaving.

Gu Xiyan finally regained her composure, her thoughts becoming clear. She poured out everything she had prepared earlier, speaking rapidly and urgently, even detailing the hardships her sister-in-law had endured along the way.

She did not dare to directly bring up the matter of settling her sister-in-law, instead starting with the brothers of her sister-in-law. She thought that since Lu Chenglian had power and influence, he likely had some connections in Ningzhou Prefecture. If he wanted to offer help, it would be just a matter of a word.

Lu Chenglian’s gaze fell indifferently on the distant peach blossoms, offering neither agreement nor disagreement.

Gu Xiyan felt somewhat disappointed, but naturally she couldn’t give up easily. She cautiously looked at Lu Chenglian and said, “Third Master, I know this matter is asking too much of you, but I truly don’t know what to do now. As a woman, I don’t know whom else to turn to… In the past, when Chengyuan was still here, he always said that among all the brothers, only Third Master was the most kind and righteous. He admired you greatly, so in my desperation, I thought of asking for your advice and troubling you to offer a solution.”

As she spoke these words, the guard officer standing behind a nearby tree heard everything clearly.

That captain was well-trained, and as a guard, he was ready to respond at any moment, yet he remained silent for years. However, hearing this now, he couldn’t help but think that this woman was afraid of being rejected and worried about potential gossip, so she deliberately brought up her late husband to establish familiarity and forge a connection.

This secluded woman knew nothing of social interactions outside her home, which made her words carry an amusing air of affected worldliness.

Upon hearing this, Lu Chenglian naturally gave no response whatsoever.

Gu Xiyan grew increasingly anxious. She gazed at Lu Chenglian with eager, pleading eyes and stammered, “Third Lord, you hold high status and great authority, and you’re familiar with many people on the outside. That’s why I thought… I wanted to beg you. Even in the underworld, Chengyuan would speak of your righteousness.”

Upon hearing these words, Lu Chenglian finally slowly turned around, his gaze resting on Gu Xiyan’s face.

Gu Xiyan felt as if his eyes were like a knife, scraping over her face inch by inch, causing a stinging pain and a sense of shame.

She had never spoken to him before, and suddenly making such a request out of the blue—who wouldn’t feel embarrassed?

Her heart hung in suspense. Not daring to say anything more, she could only wait quietly—waiting either for rejection or for help.

As she waited, she lowered her eyes, her gaze falling downward to the hem of Lu Chenglian’s robe.

His robes were made from high-quality fabric, and the stitching was exquisite. She wondered who had made them—perhaps the maids in his household. There was one named Yingtong in his chambers who was known for her fine needlework.

After a long while, she finally heard Lu Chenglian’s voice drop, still very indifferent, with just three words: “Got it.”

Gu Xiyan was taken aback, wondering what “got it” meant?

Baffled, she instinctively looked toward Lu Chenglian and, as a result, happened to meet his gaze.

As their eyes met, Gu Xiyan’s face flushed slightly, and she quickly averted her gaze.

However, she felt she had been too timid. Even though it might seem abrupt for her, a widowed sister-in-law, to speak to an elder brother-in-law like this, they were family after all. Why couldn’t she say it?

Besides, it was broad daylight—what was the harm in speaking her mind? Everyone faces difficulties at some point.

Facing a man’s indifference was actually easier to bear than enduring the contempt from a room full of maids, servants, and nannies in the old lady’s quarters.

Thus, Gu Xiyan gathered her courage and looked at Lu Chenghao once more.

But of course, she used a little trick—she fixed her gaze on Lu Chenglian’s brow.

This way, Lu Chenglian would think she was looking at him, but in reality, she wasn’t; she was only looking at the space between his eyebrows.

Since she didn’t have to meet his eyes directly, she felt much more at ease, yet without seeming timid or disrespectful.

Keeping her eyes on his brow, she spoke with a mix of reverence and caution, “May I ask what you mean by this, Third Master? You know very well that I am just a woman, still young, and rather foolish—I would truly appreciate your guidance.”

The two junior officers standing nearby thought to themselves, “The Third Master has already given his answer, yet this woman continues to press for more. She really lacks tact.”

She insisted on prying further. The Third Master’s words had always been brief and to the point, never seen being questioned like this.

But then again, she was just an inner-house woman who had never managed household affairs. It was no surprise she didn’t know much about social graces.

Lu Chenglian looked at this sister-in-law before him and seemed to let out a faint, almost imperceptible chuckle. “Did you just come from the old madam’s room?”

Gu Xiyan replied, “Yes.”

Lu Chenglian: “Got rejected?”

Gu Xiyan’s face flushed even more. She bit her lip, nodded, and said, “I’m not too familiar with the rules outside, but I understand that coming to find Third Master so directly is indeed abrupt. Yet, yet there’s truly no other way. My sister-in-law has nowhere to go now, and she still has my niece and nephew with her. The two children are still so young, so very small…what will become of them in the future…”

As she spoke, she knew it was time to cry.

So, at just the right moment, her eyes reddened, and a sheen of moisture welled up in them.

With a slightly choked sob in her voice, she said, “If Sixth Master were here, at least I’d have someone to rely on—he could decide to leave it be or take it in hand. But now that he’s gone, I feel so lost, truly unsure of what to do…”

She brought up the deceased man once again.

As a lone widow and orphaned child, with the third master holding a high position and great power, the helpless woman came begging to him, hoping he might show some compassion and lend them a helping hand.

Lu Chenglian’s gaze lingered on Gu Xiyan’s reddened eyes for a moment before he lowered his gaze and asked, “What is your sister-in-law’s maiden surname? And what does her brother do?”

Gu Xiyan quickly replied, “My sister-in-law’s surname is Meng. Her younger brother is called Meng Zhenzhong. He runs a medicinal herb shop in Ningzhou Prefecture and had just purchased a new shipment of goods. Unfortunately, it was inspected and deemed problematic—the entire boatload was seized. That shipment was actually funded by borrowed silver.”

She blurted it all out once again.

Lu Chenglian spoke casually: “Ningzhou Prefecture… Just a few days ago, I passed by the Ministry of Revenue and heard that Chen Qianhui from the Salt and Iron Bureau is currently investigating cases in Ningzhou Prefecture. It seems her brother happened to run into it.”

Gu Xiyan hurriedly defended: “My sister-in-law’s brother was framed! He’s honest and loyal—he would never resort to underhanded tactics to resell raw medicinal herbs!”

Lu Chenglian gave a cool smile and raised an eyebrow: “Is that so?”

Gu Xiyan paused for a moment, suddenly uncertain.

She only knew that her sister-in-law was good, and her sister-in-law’s younger brother was kind enough to take her in, but as for what exactly that brother had done, she had only heard her sister-in-law recount it, so she truly didn’t dare to confirm.

Seeing her hesitation, Lu Chenglian said, “It’s nothing much, just a small matter.”

Gu Xiyan’s eyes instantly brightened, and hope rose within her.

She knew her gamble had paid off!

She quickly smiled at him and whispered, “Third Master, you have many connections through your travels. I hope you can put in a good word for this matter. If there’s any need for arrangements or connections to be made, I can gather some silver coins to invite people for drinks or send some modest gifts?”

As for social affairs, she truly didn’t understand them and could only vaguely recall what she had heard in the past, making rough guesses as she spoke.

Lu Chenglian listened, a subtle gleam flashing in his eyes. He said flatly, “No need.”

With that, he turned to leave.

Seeing him about to go, Gu Xiyan panicked inwardly and hastily called out to him: “Third Master!”

Due to the urgency, this cry of “Third Master” was particularly heartfelt and sincere.

Lu Chenglian halted his steps once more.

Gu Xiyan’s throat tightened: “Now, my sister-in-law from my maiden family is waiting in my room for news, so I…”

She bit her lip and tentatively asked, “What should I tell my sister-in-law?”

A knowing smile appeared at the corner of Lu Chenglian’s lips—clearly, she wanted him to give a definite answer and was purposely saying this.

He replied indifferently, “Just say we’re already helping to inquire about the matter.”

With that said, she turned and left, this time truly walking away.

Gu Xiyan watched his retreating figure, her heart still pounding as she recalled the words they had just exchanged.

She had almost given up hope, never expecting to gain such a favor from this Third Master Lu!

A man of his standing in the official world surely wouldn’t deceive an inner-house woman like her, would he?

If he asked, there would at least be some results.

Gu Xiyan felt a slight relief in her heart.

Her mind raced with calculations. She probably still had a dozen or so taels of private savings on hand. If she combined that with the thirty taels from the old lady and gave it all to her sister-in-law, she could entrust the son of Steward Sun to help find a rental property outside. First, she would settle her sister-in-law in. Her nephew and niece definitely needed to attend school, so she still had to pawn the cloak, find a way to make up the difference, and get them into a school to study.

This was clearly a bit difficult for her and would leave her short of funds, but she had already considered it—what needed to be done still had to be done.

First, these are her own brother’s children; her maternal family is now gone, so if she doesn’t help, who will? She couldn’t possibly stand by and watch them perish.

Second, her sister-in-law has a gentle temperament. By providing some financial support and carefully guiding her nephews and nieces, she could secure a connection to her maternal family in the future—someone to rely on when she grows older.

Otherwise, she had no real backing in the Duke’s mansion, nor many confidants. If she continued to struggle like this, when would it ever end? As she aged, she’d likely have to shrink into a corner, afraid to speak up, hoping only for others to offer her a scrap to eat.

Thinking this over, her heart lightened, and she suddenly felt that this was a promising path to take.