Gu De Zhao’s carriage left the Gu residence and headed toward Elm Tree Hutong where the Granary Affairs Director lived. Several inches of snow had piled up, and the road was covered with a layer of ice, making travel extremely difficult. When they finally reached Elm Tree Hutong, they found the black-lacquered main gate of the Sun family residence, which occupied nearly half the alley, tightly shut. Two red gauze lanterns hanging on the brackets swayed constantly in the northern wind. After getting out of the carriage, Gu De Zhao noticed that the stone steps at the entrance hadn’t been cleared of snow.
He went forward and knocked on the bronze ring held in the mouth of the qilin beast door knocker.
After a long while, the door creaked open. A head poked out—an old man with a wrinkled face who cautiously examined Gu De Zhao up and down. Seeing that Gu De Zhao wore a velvet straight robe and silk outer garment, the old man’s tone softened as he asked, “Who are you looking for?”
Gu De Zhao frowned and asked, “Is your Master Sun at home?”
Upon hearing this, the old man replied impatiently, “No, the master went out and hasn’t returned. Please don’t ask anymore!”
He immediately tried to close the door but was blocked by Steward Li who had accompanied Gu De Zhao. The steward said to him, “…This is Lord Gu, the Director of the Ministry of Revenue, who has official business with your Master Sun. Didn’t he claim to be bedridden? Take this name card and report to him that Lord Gu is here.” He handed a name card to the old man and casually slipped him a two-tael silver ingot.
The old man accepted the silver but returned the name card, his tone much improved: “This old servant can’t read large characters and doesn’t understand them. Since the visitor is an official, let me speak candidly—our master left several days ago and hasn’t returned. That’s the absolute truth. I saw him leave with my own eyes and haven’t seen him come back… The mistresses and concubines in our household aren’t even worried; they just told us to keep the gates closed and go about our business.”
Gu De Zhao found this person bewildering. Upon learning his identity, the man didn’t invite him in but instead stubbornly stood at the gate in the cold north wind. That was strange enough, but if the man couldn’t read, surely there was someone in the household who could recognize a name card? Sun Shi Tao had been claiming illness for several days, so how could he not be at home?
If he wasn’t at home, where could he have gone?
“Go call the household manager to respond,” Gu De Zhao told the old man.
The old man lowered his voice: “By opening the door for you, I’m already disobeying orders. I wouldn’t dare call the manager… I can see you’re no ordinary person. Please leave quickly!” With that, he hastily closed the door and refused to open it again despite Gu De Zhao’s repeated knocking.
Steward Li said, “Master, this situation is indeed unusual. It’s strange enough that Director Sun isn’t here, but the household staff is also behaving oddly! They seem afraid of letting us in… What do you think we should do?”
Gu De Zhao sighed lightly, “We have no justification to force our way in. Perhaps Sun Shi Tao went to the ministry. Let’s go check in the city…” Steward Li acknowledged this and was about to instruct the carriage driver when Gu De Zhao changed his mind. “Even if he’s not at home, he wouldn’t be at the ministry either. Let’s check the granary in Song Ling Ward in Daxing. He’s been frequently inspecting the granary lately…”
Song Ling Ward wasn’t far from Elm Tree Hutong, situated at the border between Daxing and Shi’an districts.
The carriage immediately turned around and headed toward Song Ling Ward.
After discussing the matter with her father, Gu Jin Chao returned and thought for a while. She eventually took down a copy of “East Slope Annotations” from the treasure cabinet and placed the flattened note inside. This was something that couldn’t be handled carelessly.
She practiced calligraphy in her study for a while until Madam Feng sent for her, saying that her eldest cousin Gu Jin Hua had brought her husband’s younger sister—the Third Miss of the Yu family from Cangzhou who was to be the ceremonial speaker at Gu Lian’s coming-of-age ceremony—and wanted Jin Chao to come pay her respects.
Jin Chao changed into a padded jacket and went to the east wing courtyard.
Gu Jin Hua had given birth to the Yu family’s eldest legitimate grandson in autumn, which had elevated her status in the Yu family considerably. If not for this, it would have been uncertain whether the Yu family would agree to let their Third Miss serve as the ceremonial speaker.
Gu Jin Hua wore a rose-purple gold-embroidered padded jacket with a lake-colored plain horse-face skirt, and a pair of golden hairpins with ruby inlays the size of fingernails, making her appear quite gorgeous. Seeing Gu Jin Chao arrive, she smiled and pulled her to sit on the brocade stool beside her, saying, “…By my count, it’s been a year since I’ve seen Lan’er.”
Seeing her eldest legitimate granddaughter return, Madam Feng was filled with joy and, unusually, showed a pleasant countenance to everyone. She had the maids bring up many pastries and snacks, then said, “Now that Chao’er has returned to our family, if you want to see her, just come back more often!”
Madam Feng beckoned Gu Jin Chao over and, smiling, introduced her to a young woman beside her: “…This is your sister-in-law’s cousin, slightly older than you. You and Lian’er should address her as Cousin Jin Chao.” Then she said to Gu Jin Chao, “…This is your eldest cousin’s husband’s third sister, Ming Ying.”
Yu Ming Ying wore a patterned red satin-lined jacket and a pink-white embroidered skirt. She had fair skin and clean, beautiful features. On her wrist was a string of translucent yellow beryl, quite expensive. She nodded and smiled at Jin Chao but didn’t say anything particularly intimate.
Gu Jin Chao sat on the brocade stool next to Madam Feng, drinking tea without speaking.
Beside them, the Second Madam looked at her eldest daughter with great satisfaction. Compared to Gu Lian, Gu Jin Hua truly gave her peace of mind.
Gu Lian was sitting on the arhat bed, holding Gu Jin Hua’s hand, and said, “I thought you would bring my nephew back!”
Gu Jin Hua replied, “Your nephew is only a few months old, and the weather is cold. He can’t travel far… If you want to see him, why not stay in Cangzhou with me for a while after your coming-of-age ceremony? Elder Sister will take good care of you.” She affectionately pinched Gu Lian’s nose.
The Second Madam laughed, “She can’t go with you! After her coming-of-age ceremony, she’ll learn household management with me. I’m afraid she’ll be marrying into the Yao family in a few months…”
Gu Jin Hua’s eyes brightened, and she asked Gu Lian in a low voice, “Is that true? Has the wedding date been set?”
Madam Feng smiled proudly, “Not so fast! The Yao family also takes this marriage very seriously and wants to prepare everything properly. The wedding date can only be discussed after Lian’er’s coming-of-age ceremony.”
Gu Lian’s marriage was a source of pride, and Madam Feng enjoyed boasting about it to others.
These words were mainly for Yu Ming Ying to hear.
Yu Ming Ying had come to the Gu family with Gu Jin Hua and had been sitting to the side drinking tea, neither warm nor cold in her demeanor. In her heart, she looked down on Gu Lian. Madam Feng could sense Yu Ming Ying’s lack of enthusiasm, but since she was her eldest granddaughter’s sister-in-law, if she wasn’t treated well in the Gu household and complained to Old Madam Yu when she returned, Gu Jin Hua would suffer for it. So even if she was dissatisfied, she couldn’t say anything.
From the corner of her eye, Gu Jin Chao saw a smile appear at the corner of Yu Ming Ying’s mouth.
Yu Ming Ying raised her head and said coolly, “Elder Minister Yao has four sons. The eldest young master passed the imperial examination last year and was selected as a court scholar, entering the Hanlin Academy. The other three young masters haven’t achieved anything in their studies yet. I think if Sister Lian marries into the Yao family, she’ll have to endure quite a bit!”
Gu Lian’s marriage had always been flattered by others; she had never heard such sharp words before. She immediately glared at Yu Ming Ying and retorted defiantly, “They are all Elder Minister Yao’s sons, descendants of a noble family. How could there be any difference? What are you saying, Sister Ming Ying?”
Yu Ming Ying pursed her lips. In the Yu family, she was the youngest legitimate daughter and also the most pampered one. Her coming to the Gu family was giving face to her sister-in-law, who had always treated her well. She didn’t like Gu Lian’s manner, finding her spoiled and lacking in proper conduct.
“Sister Lian is overthinking. I was just making a casual remark,” she said to Gu Jin Hua, “Sister-in-law, you know I speak my mind!”
Madam Feng’s face darkened, and she was about to lose her temper.
She had never seen anyone dare to mock her precious granddaughter in front of her, and by extension, mock the Yao family too—wasn’t that just making fun of her?
Gu Jin Hua quickly smiled, “Yes, yes, Lian’er, don’t mind her. Ying’er just says whatever comes to mind.”
Madam Feng lowered her eyes, suppressing her anger. Gu Jin Hua still needed to serve as the daughter-in-law in the Yu family, and if Yu Ming Ying secretly caused trouble for her, she wouldn’t have an easy time.
This Yu Ming Ying was strong-willed. Everyone Gu Lian had encountered before had yielded to her, but now she was at a disadvantage. Gu Jin Chao thought to herself as she drank her tea, keeping out of the matter—this was no time to approach Madam Feng and invite discomfort.
At that moment, a young maid’s voice came from outside the curtain: “…Madam, the Third Master has sent someone to find Young Miss.”
Her father was looking for her. He must have gone to inquire about the Granary Affairs Director’s illness. Jin Chao glanced at Madam Feng.
Madam Feng nodded casually, “…Since your father is looking for you, you may go.”
Jin Chao curtseyed and withdrew, only to see Gu De Zhao standing in the courtyard with snow on his shoulders and a pale face.
Her father had come to the east wing courtyard without even paying respects to Grandmother first.
Gu Jin Chao’s heart tightened, and she quickly stepped forward and asked, “Father, do you have urgent business?”
Gu De Zhao hardly knew how to begin. He opened his mouth, his voice tense and urgent: “Chao’er, quickly find Cao Zi Heng… The granary in Daxing… there’s trouble at the granary!”
He had intended to find Sun Shi Tao at the Song Ling Ward granary, but upon entering, he discovered there wasn’t a soul inside. Gu De Zhao felt something was wrong, and with Steward Li, opened a bag of grain to check. The sack that should have contained millet was filled with bran!
This batch of grain was about to be transported to Shanxi for famine relief, yet such a serious problem had occurred. If people came to move the grain in a few days and found the weight off, the issue would be quickly discovered. At that point, he couldn’t escape responsibility—if not execution, then dismissal from office and exile would be inevitable!
Gu De Zhao checked more than ten sacks, and they were all filled with bran. His back was soaked with cold sweat. If there was a problem with the famine relief grain… one could easily lose one’s head!