hotmtlnovel Page 40
Page 40
Although Wang Xifeng wasn't her type, she was still a great beauty, only eighteen or nineteen years old, and didn't seem out of place among her group of younger sisters-in-law, so Gu Yu just let her be.
Since Xue Pan's bone injury healed, he couldn't stay at home anymore and was away from home all day. Baochai also started visiting Gu Yu's courtyard more often when she had nothing to do.
Gu Yu used various excuses to woo these girls every day. Wang Xifeng, who was experienced in such matters, quickly noticed something amiss, but did not make a fuss.
Whether it's the three springs marrying into the Gu family or Daiyu marrying into the Jia family, what does it have to do with her? Even if Baochai, whom Lady Wang favors, looks at Gu Yu with affectionate eyes, she has no intention of exposing it.
After all, anyone with eyes can see the difference between Baoyu and Gu Yu. Could she possibly help Baoyu carry them to bed? Since she can't win the argument anyway, so be it.
Moreover, since she now needs Gu Yu's help, she is naturally happy to curry favor with him.
That afternoon, Gu Yu received news that her order was finally finished, so she went out to get a small box and hid it in the closet.
Wang Xifeng followed along for a chat, and as she spoke, she complained that the family's money was being poured out like water, and she didn't know if they would even be able to make it through next year.
Fortunately, the garden contained many rare treasures, which were readily available according to the Jia family's resources. Otherwise, according to Jia She and his family's plans, even the two mansions of the Rong and Ning Dukes during their lifetimes wouldn't have been enough.
Seeing that Daiyu and the others frowned slightly, indicating they didn't want to discuss the men's affairs, Gu Yu smiled and interrupted Wang Xifeng.
"Sister Feng, you don't need to worry about these things. With the Jia family's income, as long as you are careful to avoid committing crimes and extravagance, it will be easy for you to enjoy wealth forever. On the contrary, doing unjust things for money will only bring disaster upon your family."
Seeing that Sister Feng didn't seem to care, Gu Yu guessed that it would be a while before she started to seize power at the Iron Threshold Temple, so she wanted to give her a heads-up.
"Two years ago, when I went on a trip to ancient sites with my classmates, I learned about a case in which a landlord's house in a small county was raided, and it was related to silver."
Daiyu and the others were also quite interested in Gu Yu's travels around the ancient city of Beijing over the past few years, since they had only read about these experiences in books!
When Gu Yu brought it up, all the women perked up, and Xi Chun even snuggled up to him, begging him to tell her more.
Gu Yu coughed twice, deliberately adopting the tone of a storyteller, which provoked a coquettish reproach before she began to tell a story that was half true and half false.
"The reason that case happened was because the mistress of that household usually acted lawlessly. She relied on the fact that her sons and brothers made up seven or eight out of ten of the county's officials and that she had some collusion with the county magistrate, so she became unscrupulous."
"Not only did he lend money at exorbitant interest rates, causing several deaths and ruining families, but he also abused his power to interfere in other people's marriages and family affairs."
"They were originally in love, but someone took bribes and gossiped in front of their mistress, forcibly separating them. The two even committed suicide for love, causing a huge uproar."
"The man's family happened to have a past relationship with a professor at the Imperial Academy, and he was planning to pay him a visit. He didn't expect this to happen, so he immediately reported it to the authorities. That stupid woman, for just a few hundred or a thousand taels of silver, not only caused her husband's family to die and be wiped out, but also punished all the local officials, big and small. Everyone wanted to tear her to pieces and scatter her ashes."
Wang Xifeng's throat went dry, and her voice trembled slightly as she asked:
"My God... Although the interest rate on that loan was a bit high, it was still a mutual agreement, so how could it be a violation of such a serious law?"
She didn't interfere in marriages or other related matters, so her attention was entirely focused on the earlier issue of lending money at exorbitant interest rates.
Gu Yu looked at Wang Xifeng with 'surprise' and asked curiously:
"Sister Feng, are you unaware of the laws of the Great Qian Dynasty? Anyone caught lending money at exorbitant interest rates will have their assets confiscated and be paraded through the streets in shackles for three days. If someone is killed, the most serious offender will even have to pay with their life!"
At this point, Gu Yu sighed:
"That day we happened to see that stupid woman parading through the streets, dressed in rags, with unkempt hair and a dirty face. The whole county wanted to spit on her!"
"Unfortunately, most of the money she earned was spent by the men of the clan, while her own people hated her even more, saying that if it weren't for her reckless behavior, this undeserved disaster wouldn't have happened. It's utterly ridiculous!"
"However, she deserved to die. She always used her position as the head of the family to do her dirty work, so when the officials in the state tried her, most of the charges were naturally pinned on her husband. Even if he was completely unaware, he was still ruined by his wife."
Tan Chun couldn't help but sigh:
"The ancients said that one should marry a virtuous wife, and there is indeed some truth to that. Any family with such a matriarch is doomed to ruin in a single day!"
Chapter Seven: Unexpected Rewards
Wang Xifeng broke out in a cold sweat. Over the past few years, she had noticed that the household's income was less than its expenditure. After discussing it with her aunt, Madam Wang, she decided to use the household's monthly allowance to lend money at exorbitant interest rates.
She only lends out one-month short-term loans, and you can make a good living by simply holding onto the money for a while each month.
But she never knew the consequences would be so serious! She had always thought that all aristocratic families acted this way, and she was already used to it when she was in the Wang family, so she understood as soon as Madam Wang mentioned it and quickly put it into action.
Some time ago, because she couldn't collect her investment from several companies, her subordinates resorted to violence, beating people half to death. Fortunately, no one was killed, so she didn't pay much attention to it.
Hearing Gu Yu describe it as so serious, she felt a little scared. After all, this was something she had done in private, and the men in charge outside didn't know about it yet!
Even her husband, Jia Lian, only vaguely heard some details, knew nothing about the specifics, and had no interest in paying attention to them, so he just enjoyed himself.
Seeing that Feng Jie looked a little uneasy, Gu Yu decided to stop while she was ahead and told a few more funny stories, which made Xi Chun and the others giggle.
After returning home that day, Wang Xifeng sat in her room and thought for a long time, and realized that what Gu Yu said made perfect sense.
Did she get all that money because she had nothing else to spend? It's all for the Jia family.
If you do all those wicked things without complaint and then cause any trouble, will Jia Lian step forward to share the burden, or will Lady Wang step forward to admit that it was her who hinted at it?
Why is it that Jia Lian and the others can spend fifty taels of silver today and a hundred taels of silver tomorrow without paying any household expenses, while I have to risk my life and the dissatisfaction of the maids and servants to scrimp and save a few hundred taels of silver to make ends meet?
Anyway, the current mistress of the house is being fought over by Madam Xing and Madam Wang. I should just serve them diligently as I please. Why should I put on airs and act like a tool for them?
Having figured this out, Wang Xifeng felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from her heart, and she felt much lighter. When she told Ping'er about it, Ping'er smiled too.
“Amitabha, you’ve finally come to your senses. I’ve always advised you not to go down these crooked paths, but you’re strong-willed and wouldn’t listen to me. Now, finally, someone’s words have been heeded by you.”
Sister Feng glanced at the girl with her beautiful eyes, then turned her head and sighed:
"This Brother Yu is even younger than Baoyu, yet he has such a wealth of experience. The two are worlds apart."
Ping'er said slyly, "Didn't you say the other day that you were watching how he treated Miss Yingchun and the others... I think they're all the same!"
After joking around for a while, the master and servant started talking about things in the East Mansion.
“My niece-in-law seemed to be getting better before the Lunar New Year, but I never expected her to fall ill again after the holiday. Oh my! I went to see her a few days ago, and she looked even more ill than before; her complexion was quite off.”
Ping'er and Wang Xifeng always spoke without restraint in private, and upon hearing this, she sneered:
“I think it’s a good thing. That Uncle Zhen is more upset than Young Master Rong when he sees that Madam Rong is sick. Outsiders might mistake her for someone else’s wife.”
Wang Xifeng frowned. She had noticed that Jia Zhen seemed to care a lot about Qin Keqing. In addition, she had heard rumors about incestuous relationships, and she was very worried about her best friend.
But she was merely the second mistress of the Rongguo Mansion; how could she possibly manage the Ningguo Mansion? Moreover, she couldn't even manage her own Jia Lian, so she could only shake her head and sigh a few times before calling it a day.
"I think Qin's illness is...it seems she won't last much longer."
"It's possible that things will get better once you figure it out."
"..."
Speechless, Wang Xifeng stared at Ping'er's sharp tongue. Not wanting to argue with her about these trivial matters anymore, she instructed her to gradually collect her capital and stop issuing new loans. She also advised her to clean up the previous loans as much as possible so that no one would bring up old issues.
It's easy to handle things outside, but what about Madam Wang if this money is no longer available?
Rubbing her forehead with a headache, Wang Xifeng stopped thinking about these solutions and lay down to rest for a while, as she still had to go to serve Grandmother Jia later.
……
Two months passed in the blink of an eye. This year's flood season was longer than expected. Even though Lin Ruhai waited for the court to send additional officials to take over, he still couldn't get away.
Fortunately, Suzhou and Yangzhou are not far apart, so the tasks assigned to him were relatively limited. Lin Ruhai was able to manage to hold down several positions, but the daily scolding from Sun Lingxu put him under even greater mental pressure.
Baoyu has been indulging in the pleasures of life lately, spending all his time with Qin Zhong and the others. However, Gu Yu has come to visit several times, but no one pays him any attention, and he has come even less often.
He was still a little depressed about this. Since Gu Yu came back, in the past six months, Lin Meimei not only didn't play with him much, but also didn't talk to him much.
He had prepared the lion cat a few days ago, hoping it would please Lin Daiyu, but it was returned in less than half an hour!
Actually, Gu Yu didn't know at first that it was sent by Bao Yu, but as soon as she saw the cat, she quickly asked him to take it away.
Cats shedding fur can easily lead to respiratory diseases, not to mention there were no animal vaccines back then. If the cat carried any disease, and Daiyu got scratched, Gu Yu probably wouldn't even have time to cry!
Having been rejected, Baoyu naturally couldn't find out from Gu Yu's courtyard that it was Gu Yu's idea. He wanted to go to her house to ask for clarification, but was stopped at the gate by the old women.
He, who could practically walk sideways in the Jia family, had never suffered such humiliation before! He was already annoyed when he was stopped before, and today he was already holding back his anger, which was suddenly ignited by the eyes of these old fish.
But before he could unleash his signature jade-smashing technique, Wang Xifeng and her sisters arrived just in time to extinguish his anger and prevent him from retaliating.
However, Baoyu will definitely not return to Gu Yu's courtyard, this place of sorrow, anytime soon.
The heart, broken by Lin Daiyu, could only find solace with Qin Zhong and the others. Baoyu's invitation to them to read at night was even more unforgettable.
Gu Yu had no time to care about Bao Yu and Qin Zhong. Now that it was May or June, it was already the height of summer, and everyone was wearing light clothing. Gu Yu prepared many new styles for her sisters, so they could feast their eyes every day.
Having overcome his initial awkwardness, Gu Yu no longer adhered to the most traditional positions and began to utilize his extensive theoretical knowledge, diligently training the two girls every night.
Although Gu Yu's favorite position was still the traditional one, watching his weapon rampage wildly in that wonderful place, even leaving obvious marks on his snow-white belly, it was not bad to occasionally switch to something like a Dragon Knight experience card.
Early in the morning, Xichun rushed over to report for duty and pestered Gu Yu, who was practicing calligraphy, to play with her.
Gu Yu affectionately tapped her delicate nose, smiled in agreement, and said:
"Since Sister Xichun has spoken, I naturally dare not disobey. But what reward will Sister Xichun give me?"
Xi Chun blushed upon hearing this. She hadn't expected to be paid, but thinking about it, it made sense. Gu Yu had put aside his work to accompany her, so asking for payment seemed reasonable.
After thinking for a moment, Xichun noticed that there were only two people in the room and the other sisters hadn't arrived yet, so she shyly asked Gu Yu to close her eyes.
Gu Yu hadn't thought of anything yet, but hearing Xi Chun close her eyes, she wondered what little trinket Xi Chun would bring out to settle the debt, and whether she should pretend to have never seen it before and exclaim in surprise—
Feeling a warm sensation on her face, Gu Yu paused in her thoughts and subconsciously opened her eyes, just in time to see Xi Chun blushing and shrinking back.
"..."
"..."
The two accidentally locked eyes, causing Xichun to lower her head and remain speechless.
"...Little sister Xichun, where did you learn that from?"
Gu Yu touched her cheek with a strange expression, reaching out to prevent the shy little girl from running away.
"...I...I saw Sister Yingchun before...Brother Yu seemed quite happy then?"
"..."
Gu Yu fell silent for a moment. Why was it that even though he thought he had been very careful, not only did Siqi know, but Daiyu also vaguely sensed it, and even Xichun became an eyewitness!
"Do you know what this means?...
A blush spread across Xi Chun's increasingly delicate face, but she still stared at Gu Yu and said:
"I...I understand, does Brother Yu not like me?"
Chapter Eight: The Death of Qin Keqing
In fact, among the three sisters, Xichun understood people's hearts even better than Yingchun, so she had the idea of cutting her hair and becoming a nun early on, not wanting to have any further involvement with the Ningguo Mansion.
Unexpectedly, Gu Yu seemed to be sent by heaven to save her. Not only was he perfect, but he also cared for her deeply.
Ever since discovering about Yingchun and Gu Yu's affair, a small seed has been planted in Xichun's heart. She suddenly doesn't want to be a nun anymore; she wants to be like Yingchun, to throw herself into Gu Yu's arms, marry him, and live happily ever after.
So during this time, she took advantage of her young age to stick close to Gu Yu, and she was secretly pleased that Gu Yu did not react to her.
Today is a golden opportunity, and Xichun doesn't want to miss it, so she takes this chance to express her feelings.
She didn't want to be treated like a little sister by Gu Yu; she wanted to prove that she was also very mature!
Looking into her feignedly stubborn eyes while her hands were secretly twisting together, Gu Yu understood her thoughts and chuckled inwardly. She had never intended to raise her as a younger sister.
Gu despises men who like to adopt "god-sisters" or "god-brothers" more than anything else. If you like someone, just say it! What kind of man is someone who can flirt but can't take them in?
Especially those who clearly know a girl likes them, but still convince themselves they only see her as a younger sister. If you truly see her as a younger sister, I'd respect you as a man of principle. But in the end, you still ended up in bed together. So, in your mind, a younger sister is only for becoming a wife?
Gu Yu never played these kinds of games, so after thinking for a moment, he said:
"Isn't Xichun ten years old already?"
"I was already eleven last month!"
Xichun quickly corrected her, her words implying that she seemed to be almost twelve years old.
Gu Yu narrowed his eyes, reached out and picked up Xi Chun, placing her on his lap. He leaned closer and whispered:
"In that case, I also want to let Sister Xichun know what kind of reward I want. What I just received is not enough."
Xi Chun hadn't recovered from the shock of being held in Gu Yu's arms when a sweet fragrance wafted over, and Gu Yu's actions made her close her eyes.
"Well…"
Judging solely from her facial features, Xichun is undoubtedly the one who best matches Gu Yu's aesthetic standards among the three sisters, so Gu Yu is somewhat tempted at this moment.
Fortunately, I just finished fighting with Xiangling and the others last night, so I won't be unable to withstand this kind of stimulation.
Just as she was thinking this, Gu Yu suddenly remembered that even by ancient standards, Xi Chun wasn't old enough to get married before she turned twelve, so…
Xi Chun miraculously rose a little higher out of thin air, so she didn't have to strain her head to look up. She could simply blush and enjoy Gu Yu's advances.
The little girl had a faint fragrance, but Gu Yu always felt that it was mixed with a hint of milky scent, which made her feel guilty. Then... she sucked even more intensely.