Jin Chao returned to the Gu family the next day. Ji Wu Shi had given her many things: specialty products that Liu Min had brought back from Hebei, Ji Wu Shi’s private gifts, various foods, and the four treasures of the study that the Ji family’s eldest master had sent for Gu Jin Rong.
After her return, she went straight through the hanging flower gate. Xu Mama hurried to welcome her, while Gu Yi and Gu Xi had been waiting by the screen wall since early morning. Jin Chao glanced around but didn’t see Gu Lan or Gu Jin Rong. Xu Mama explained, “The eldest young master went to the Yu family. The second young miss said she had a headache and couldn’t come to welcome you…”
As the eldest legitimate daughter, Gu Lan should have come to greet her. But with her personality, Jin Chao couldn’t be bothered to care.
She instructed Xu Mama about which items were from her grandmother’s private treasury—several pieces of plain Sichuan brocade and fine silk. Her grandmother said to use them after her mourning period ended. The rest were gifts for each household. Since Gu Yi and Gu Xi were also in mourning, her grandmother couldn’t give them valuable items and instead sent exquisite food.
After chatting with the two for a while, Jin Chao began handling household matters that Xu Mama couldn’t decide on her own.
“Concubine Song has been acting crazy, saying she accidentally fell from a Taihu rock a few days ago and injured her leg… Several elderly servants discussed it and came to ask me if she should be moved out of the Listening to Waves Pavilion.” The Listening to Waves Pavilion was situated higher than other places and located among bamboo groves.
Seeing Xu Mama’s smile, Jin Chao seemed to understand something and asked softly, “Is Concubine Song… pretending to be crazy?”
Xu Mama replied in a low voice, “Several old servants were watching. If she were truly confused, how could she secretly run out and injure her leg… Although she hasn’t shown her hand, what she wants to do is her biggest flaw.”
Jin Chao smiled and asked, “Does Father know?”
Xu Mama shook her head: “The master spends all day with Daoist Master Qingxu. They recently went to White Cloud Temple. After returning, Daoist Master Qingxu set up a furnace for alchemy, but it caught fire and nearly burned down the east wing… The master then had the Daoist master temporarily move to the back servants’ quarters, saying they would clear out the west wing later.”
The back servants’ quarters were generally where servants lived. Jin Chao didn’t know whether to laugh or cry upon hearing this, but regarding Concubine Song’s matter, she said: “If she’s crazy, then treat her as such. If she wants to run around, tie her to the kang by the window day and night. When she no longer wants to run wild, then let her move about.” Now that Jin Chao was managing the Gu household, Concubine Song’s actions were nothing but those of a clown. Even if she broke her neck rather than just her leg, Jin Chao wouldn’t care, and no one would say anything.
Xu Mama acknowledged this and stopped discussing these trivial matters, instead bringing up Gu Dezhao’s donation: “…Young Miss, please try to persuade the master. It’s four thousand taels!”
Four thousand taels—thrown into the water would make a big splash, but given to Daoist Master Qingxu was worse than skipping stones.
Jin Chao understood this in her heart. After pondering for a moment, she asked Xu Mama to slice the canal donkey meat she had brought back, arrange a plate of Tangqi honey tangerines, and personally make a dish of peach chip cookies and sugar-glazed dates. Taking a food box, she went to see her father.
Naturally, Gu Dezhao was delighted to see his eldest daughter return. He pulled her to sit down and asked if she had enjoyed her visit to her grandmother’s home.
Jin Chao wanted to laugh—so in Gu Dezhao’s view, she had gone there for pleasure.
Bi Yue laid out the things she had brought back, Shui Ying went to get bowls, and Jin Chao ordered a pot of warmed wine.
“How come I don’t see Father with the Daoist master?” Jin Chao asked with a smile.
Gu Dezhao replied awkwardly, “He’s in his room reading Daoist texts…”
Judging by his eldest daughter’s demeanor, he wasn’t sure if she knew about Daoist Master Qingxu burning down the east wing.
Jin Chao immediately instructed Xu Mama to check the back servants’ quarters. Gu Dezhao couldn’t stop her, and when Xu Mama returned, she told Jin Chao: “…The Daoist master is practicing alchemy. There’s a lot of smoke in the room, and he won’t let servants enter, saying he fears his formula might be leaked.”
Jin Chao smiled without mentioning Daoist Master Qingxu’s situation, instead pointing to the plate of donkey meat: “Father, this was brought from Hebei by the elder brother of my third cousin-in-law Liu. People say ‘dragon meat in heaven, donkey meat on earth.’ Father, please try it and see if that’s true.”
Gu Dezhao couldn’t figure out what his eldest daughter was planning, but he understood that the burning of the east wing couldn’t be hidden anymore.
Gu Dezhao picked up a piece of donkey meat, but with his heavy thoughts, it tasted like chewing wax. He put down his chopsticks and said to Jin Chao: “This is Father’s fault. The Daoist master said that making elixirs in the side wing wasn’t good and needed to find a well-ventilated, bright pavilion. Since our family doesn’t have such a pavilion, he temporarily stayed in the east wing…”
Jin Chao put down her chopsticks with a clatter and smiled at her father: “From what you’re saying, do you want to build another pavilion for the Daoist master to burn as he pleases?”
Gu Dezhao’s face inevitably darkened, and he muttered, “Jin Chao, what kind of talk is that!”
Jin Chao nodded with a smile: “What’s building a pavilion compared to Father donating four thousand taels of silver to the Daoist master for the Three Pure One’s Hall? Now that’s a grand gesture!”
Gu Dezhao felt even more embarrassed. He had sent four thousand taels of silver, telling the accounting house not to record it. But how could such a significant matter be hidden from Xu Mama, who now had eyes and ears everywhere?
He coughed once and said gently to Jin Chao: “Father has made many mistakes. Donating some silver to repair the Three Pure One’s Hall for the Daoist temple isn’t much. Money is external—you can’t bring it with you when you’re born or take it when you die. Besides, the Daoist master said that after the Three Pure One’s Hall is repaired, they’ll permanently enshrine your mother’s memorial tablet, which is a good thing.”
Jin Chao felt somewhat disappointed and said softly: “Father, you know that our family’s money flows in like water. But have you considered that without the Ji family’s support, could we have so much income? How could you produce four thousand taels of silver from just your salary? I ask you, if someone inquires where the money came from, what will you say? If Daoist Master Qingxu wants to repair a Three Pure One’s Hall, doesn’t he know many other princes and ministers? Why should you bear the brunt of the cost? You’re neither high in official rank nor titled—what will people say if this gets out!”
Gu Dezhao was startled; he hadn’t considered this aspect. He had only thought that since Daoist Master Qingxu had the closest relationship with him, spending this money wasn’t a big deal—it was just for repairing a Daoist temple…
Jin Chao continued: “Liu Min, the brother of Concubine Liu, is in his thirties and already the Pacification Commissioner of Hebei. He has neither family shelter nor wealthy merchants to support him—it’s all his genuine effort. I don’t expect Father to be like Liu’s brother, but at least don’t create trouble for the Ji and Gu families…”
These words from his eldest daughter truly struck Gu Dezhao’s weakness. His current official position was inseparably related to both the Ji family and the Gu ancestral family. Gu Dezhao felt somewhat guilty—four thousand taels of silver… thinking about it now, he had indeed been too impulsive!
Daoist Master Qingxu knew so many people, many of whom were either wealthy or noble. It was indeed inappropriate to have him bear the major cost. If this got out, people might even think the Gu family was exceedingly wealthy!
The more Gu Dezhao thought about it, the more he felt his eldest daughter’s words made sense. In the afternoon, he went to find Daoist Master Qingxu.
The Daoist master placed the elixir he had refined in a brocade box and said to him: “…This is an elixir that the Prince of Yanping sought for his eldest son. I’ve refined a batch for him to take first.” His young attendant with a Daoist topknot then put away the box of pills.
Stroking his beard, Daoist Master Qingxu invited Gu Dezhao to sit under the corridor and smiled, saying to him: “If your eldest son wants some, I can refine a batch for him too. Given our friendship, I’ll naturally use the best ingredients, and you won’t need to pay.”
Gu Dezhao still wanted to discuss the silver, but unexpectedly, Daoist Master Qingxu suddenly offered to refine elixirs for Gu Jin Rong for free. He found himself unable to speak up. Everyone in Yanjing knew that Daoist Master Qingxu’s elixirs could prolong life, and they were hard to come by. He could only decline: “Jin Rong’s health is fine; there’s no need to trouble the Daoist master.”
The Prince of Yanping sought elixirs for his eldest son because his son suffered from a weakening disease and had been bedridden for years.
Daoist Master Qingxu waved his hand: “You’re being too polite. Even if the elixir doesn’t cure illness, it still strengthens the body. I’ll refine a batch for your eldest son and send it to him tomorrow.”
Gu Dezhao smiled and brought up the matter of building the Three Pure One’s Hall: “…You said many people have contributed silver. I wonder who they are.”
Daoist Master Qingxu looked at him and listed a long string of names, each one prominent. When Gu Dezhao asked about the silver, Daoist Master Qingxu became somewhat displeased and said coolly: “Are you worried that I’m misusing the silver? The reason I asked you to contribute more is so that your merit would be greater, which will benefit you when merits are judged for achieving the Dao.”
Hearing him say this, Gu Dezhao felt even more embarrassed and said: “…I didn’t mean anything by it; I just wanted the Daoist master to keep it hidden. After all, if others hear that I’ve contributed so much silver, they’ll be suspicious.”
Daoist Master Qingxu’s expression finally relaxed a bit: “Rest assured, how could I spread this around? I have matters to attend to, you may go back now.”
He was ultimately a bit unhappy. Gu Dezhao hadn’t gotten his silver back but had at least secured a promise. He thought to himself that he shouldn’t do such things in the future, then clasped his hands and left.
As soon as he left, Daoist Master Qingxu snorted. His young attendant quickly came over, and Daoist Master Qingxu raised an eyebrow and asked: “Is it because their eldest young miss has returned?”
The young attendant quickly smiled and said: “Indeed! I heard she went to speak with Master Gu this morning. Master, we’re staying in the back servants’ quarters at the Gu household, and when we ask Master Gu to donate some silver, he’s so reluctant. Why must we continue to stay here? Didn’t the Prince of Yanping invite us to go there?”
Stroking his beard, Daoist Master Qingxu smiled and said: “What do you know! Who else would be as forthcoming with money as Master Gu? Yanqing Temple will soon have another Three Pure Ones Hall. But their eldest young miss is truly troublesome. I see that the Gu household is in disarray, which must be due to her conflicting fate…”
After thinking for a while, Daoist Master Qingxu felt even more uncomfortable. Everywhere he went, he was treated with respect. Why did the Gu family’s eldest young miss have to act this way? It’s just four thousand taels of silver—for the Gu family, that’s merely a drop in the bucket!
After pondering for a long time, Daoist Master Qingxu still felt that he couldn’t stay at the Gu household for long. Once he received the silver, he would leave.