Edited by Larkspur

Chapter 38: The Joy of Marriage (Part 1)

After Qi De Sheng heard Chu Jin Yao’s words, he felt that the dust had finally settled in his heart.

He had been frightened and fearful for many days now and could finally speak about it. He had had enough of it!

Chu Jin Yao was surprised to see Qi De Sheng’s expression of relief. He stood up and bowed asking, “Benefactor, is this a place to talk?”

Chu Jin Yao gave Ling Long a glance, and she immediately got up to sit at the doors of the room, guarding against the oncoming people. Qi De Sheng then sat down and drank some water to suppress his shock before saying, “Actually all these things do not belong to this lowly one. This lowly one has been entrusted by others to give it to Young Lady as a compensation to suppress your shock.”

“Who is it?”

“That GongGong that almost injured Young Lady on the streets that day.”

“GongGong?” Chu Jin Yao almost stood up in fright. Qi De sheng nodded eagerly, “It is him.”

“But…” Chu Jin Yao could not understand it, “He was so arrogant back then, so why did he gift these things? Also, even if he were to gift them, how could it be so valuable?”

Qi De Sheng spread his hands out and said, “This lowly one also doesn’t understand. That day when I returned from the shop, I suddenly saw this Daren in my study. The GongGong said that it was not convenient for him to come forward, and thus used my name to send some small playthings to Chu Young Lady.”

Chu Jin Yao did not know what to say, “Are those this called small playthings? No. That is not important. Why is he doing this?”

Qi De Sheng shook his head and said, “This lowly one does not know anything more. This lowly one is just a merchant and since the message has been relayed, this lowly one is unable to help with anything more.”

“So, the brocade shop that you insisted on giving me also belongs to that GongGong?”

Qi De Sheng nodded embarrassedly and said, “Of course. If this lowly one had just a big shop, one would wake up laughing from one’s dream. That shop’s daily revenue is like running water, it is just amazing…” Qi De Sheng caught himself when his bad habit appeared again. He was a merchant, thus he liked to talk about these superficial things, but Chu Jin Yao was a Young Lady of a Marquis lineage, how would she be interested in such things? Qi De Sheng stopped himself hurriedly and paused before saying, “Chu Young Lady, since these words have been spoken, then this lowly one would not hide anything. The business contract that one handed  over that day, actually has no relations with the Qi family. This lowly one has seen that the shop has everything, thus there is no need for you to worry and just receive the monthly dividends. This lowly one knows that Young Lady is above all and looks down on money matters, but there is no harm in having more of those by one’s side. May this lowly one be so bold to ask a favour, if in the future Young Lady’s shop is purchasing goods and encounters the Qi family, may Young Lady please help look after.” 

Chu Jin Yao hurriedly spoke, “One does not dare. This matter is very serious, and I dare not take matters into my own hands. I have to leave it to Father and ZhuMu to decide. As for those words, may Manager Qi not speak like that.”

When Qi De Sheng saw Chu Jin Yao’s vigilance, he wanted to say that she did not have to be like that. After seeing the expression on that eunuch that day, it was obvious that he was acting on another’s orders and did not dare to neglect Chu Jin Yao in the slightest. Thus, Chu Jin Yao should accept everything in confidence as these people dared not do anything to her. However, Qi De Sheng only dared to think about it in his heart and did not have the guts to say anything.

To put it bluntly, he was just a lowly merchant, to speak those words, did he resent his life for being too long? If in the future, if Chu Jin Yao’s shop grew and he continued to maintain contact with Chu Jin Yao, it would be enough to obtain a little profits. As for more, he dared not touch it.

After sending Qi De Sheng away, Chu Jin Yao immediately retrieved the contract, intact in the wooden box, and handed it to Old Chu Furen. As the remaining chests were too big, Chu Jin Yao dared not move it casually, but she dared not hold on to this shop by herself.

Heavens, this was actually given to her by the Palace eunuch through another’s hands! This frightened her to death! Chu Jin Yao was initially still happy that she had a location to place her sister in, but upon hearing the other party’s background, she immediately had no more expectations. Forget it, it would be better for her to rely on herself to obtain a store instead. She dared not accept things from the Palace’s GongGong.

After Old Chu Furen heard Chu Jin Yao’s retelling of Manager Qi’s words, she was also very confused. As she looked at the wooden box, she immediately felt that this problem was a headache. Old Chu Furen then said, “How could this involve the GongGong? I cannot decide on this. When your father returns, let him decide then.”

Chu Jin Yao complied, and right then Chu Jin Xian entered. She only heard the second half of Old Chu Furen’s words and asked out of surprise, “What is the matter? What matter could ZhuMu be unable to decide and have to trouble Father?”

Old Chu Furen continued to turn her Buddhist beads and said nothing. Some matters could not be said to her granddaughter, no matter how doted she was. Chu Jin Yao quietly tugged Chu Jin Xian’s hands, “Nothing. Eldest Sister, I have not seen you for a long time. What are you doing these days?”

Chu Jin Xian suddenly blushed and did not bother to continue the topic from before. Gu Momo was stationed outside so upon hearing these words, she came in to speak as she smiled, “Eldest Young Lady’s marriage is approaching, so these days, Eldest Young Lady is busy embroidering her dowry.”

“Momo!” Chu Jin Yao groaned. Chu Jin Yao was stunned for a while before she realised that her Eldest Sister was about to get married.

She was not clear what kind of feeling she felt. There was reluctance and disappointment, but at the end, Chu Jin Yao smiled as she wished Chu Jin Xian blessings, “So Older Sister is busy with these things. No wonder she has no time to be bothered with me these days. It is still early now, so I will wish Older Sister and JieFu (Older Sister’s husband) to be like a pair of love birds and grow old together.”

No matter how magnanimous and calm Chu Jin Xian was, upon hearing such teasing, she could no longer stand it and snorted before turning to leave. Gu Momo, Chu Jin Yao and the rest standing behind laughed, even Old Chu Furen showed a faint smile. The shadow that had shrouded due to Tang GongGong had disappeared unknowingly.

In the evening, Old Furen deliberately retained Chu Jin Yao for dinner, and this was an incredulous treatment. After the meal, Old Chu Furen sent everyone away but retained Chu Jin Yao and Marquis Chang Xin.

When the others went out, they could not help but look back repeatedly at Chu Jin Yao.

Who would not be envious of the position of most respectable granddaughter by Old Furen’s side? Previously with Chu Jin Xian around, no one could touch Chu Jin Xian’s position, so everyone could only bear with it. With great difficulty, they had waited until Chu Jin Xiao would be married off. The young ladies felt that they had seen the light of day, but how was this Chu Jin Yao, who had appeared halfway, able to jump in?

She became a monk late in life*, so how could it be her?

半路出家的和尚: The words 出家 means leaving home to become a monk (和尚). The whole phrase literally means one becomes a monk after growing into an adult. However, when this phrase is used, it actually means that before one got into a profession, that person did not receive regular education or training or also means one switches to a new job or profession. In this context, it refers to Chu Jin Yao becoming a Young Lady/granddaughter only recently, instead of from the very beginning like the rest of the young ladies.

No matter how dissatisfied the Furens and young ladies were, they could not change anything and also the fact that Old Furen told Chu Jin Yao to stay behind.

Marquis Chang Xing saw the situation and knew that Old Chu Furen had something important to say. As to why Chu Jin Yao was staying behind… Marquis Chang Xing looked at his recently returned daughter, obviously unable to guess the reason.

Old Chu Furen cleared her throat, and both Marquis Chang Xin and Chu Jin Yao immediately recover to their senses. Old Chu Furen then said, “Today Jin Yao requested me to invite the manager of the Qi family for questions. It turns out that the things that Manager Qi gifted that day, including that shop, were not the Qi family’s property at all.”

Marquis Chang Xing was clearly surprised, “It is not?”

“Yes.” Old Chu Furen nodded and continued, “He said that it was that GongGong who sent it in his name a few days back.”

“Tang GongGong!” Marquis Chang Xing was terrified. “It turned out to be Tang GongGong?”

Old Chu Furen sighed and said, “Even though I have lived many more days, I am after all a woman in the inner courtyard who does not know anything about the outside world. As to why GongGong gave us these things, or if these things can be accepted, I do not have any opinion. Marquis, since you are the pillar of this residence, you have the final say on what should be our next step.”. 

Marquis Chang Xing could no longer sit still. He stood up and paced about the room in circles, mumbling. Chu Jin Yao and Old Furen watched as Marquis Chang Xing walked around when he suddenly stopped, clapped his hands loudly and said, “Accept it. Don’t return it!”

Old Furen was somewhat inclined to return them as they were. It was them who gift GongGong things, how could one accept GongGong’s gifts? However, Marquis Chang Xing said decisively not to return it, so Old Chu Furen asked, puzzled, “Why?”

“Tang GongGong is powerful but is after all a eunuch. Although the people in court respect Tang Xin Yi, they are all taking His Highness the Crown Prince into consideration. Without the Crown Prince, what would Tang Xin Yi be?”

Old Chu Furen still did not understand, but Chu Jin Yao vaguely felt that something was not right and said softly, “Could it be that this is the Crown Prince’s intention? But why?”