Chapter 59

The Prince Wei Estate.

The Prince Wei Estate was once the residence of the reigning Emperor when he was still the Heir Apparent. Ever since the current sovereign came to be addressed as "Your Highness" and "Your Majesty," his home has been the imperial palace. The main hall of the Prince Wei Estate houses the spirit tablets of the Prince and Princess of Wei.

Early in the morning, Qi Wei, Yin Yuanyuan, Sima Jiannan, and Duan Zhaoyue entered the Prince Wei Estate through the back door. First, they proceeded to the main hall to pay their respects to the departed souls of the Prince and Princess of Wei. Afterward, they entered a side hall situated to the right of the bluestone pathway. This side hall enshrines the spirit tablet of Princess Zhaoyun of Bashu.

The moment Sima Jiannan caught sight of the spirit tablet inscribed with the words "The Spirit of the Deceased Princess Zhao of Bashu, Maiden Name Zhaoyun," she collapsed onto the floor and wept bitterly with a shattered heart. She had yearned for her mother for over twenty years. When Gu Yusheng, Gu Nuonuo, Qi Wei, and Yin Yuanyuan departed from Bashu, Sima Jiannan also bade farewell to her father Sima Xi and other family members, accompanied by her children and the maidservants Chunhua and Qiumei, and traveled to the Osmanthus Garden in the capital. There, she was reunited with her maternal half-sister, Duan Zhaoyue. Hearing that her mother's spirit tablet was enshrined in the Prince Wei Estate, she submitted a memorial to the reigning Emperor, petitioning for permission to pay her respects to her mother's departed soul. The current Emperor granted the request of his childhood playmate and cousin, issuing an imperial decree that Qi Wei, Yin Yuanyuan, and Duan Zhaoyue should accompany her, with the strict stipulation that they were not to enter the Prince Wei Estate through the front gate and must use the back entrance instead. Sima Jiannan felt that since her sole purpose was to worship her mother's spirit, it mattered little whether she entered through the front door or the back.

Incense was lit, candles were kindled, and offerings were neatly arranged. Duan Zhaoyue knelt alongside her elder sister to pay homage. Qi Wei and Yin Yuanyuan poured ritual libations three times on behalf of Sima Jiannan and Duan Zhaoyue respectively, after which they burned spirit money, sprinkled the wine upon the earth, and finally kowtowed once more before returning to their places. Yet Sima Jiannan remained kneeling upon the ground, stubbornly refusing to stand.

"Cousin Jiannan, rise! In those days, when Aunt abandoned you, it was all for my sake, and also for the countless common people of Southern Han. Please forgive Aunt, Cousin Jiannan!"

At some unknown moment, the reigning Emperor had appeared behind Sima Jiannan. The Emperor was dressed in plain clothing.

Recognizing the sovereign in his civilian attire, Qi Wei, Yin Yuanyuan, and Duan Zhaoyue hastily dropped to their knees and performed the utmost kowtow.

Sima Jiannan turned her head and stared fixedly at the current Emperor without word or movement.

Yin Yuanyuan hurriedly whispered in reminder, "Child, it is His Majesty! Why do you not perform the grand bow at once..."

Sima Jiannan was already kneeling on the ground. She turned her body, covered her right hand with her left palm facing inward, crossed her hands before her chest, and then slowly lowered them downward until they touched the floor. She slowly inclined her head forward, letting her brow lightly brush the earth while remaining still for a long moment. She repeated this grand kowtow three full times.

"Cousin Jiannan, it seems this grand kowtow is something I taught you when we were children! Do you still remember?" said the reigning Emperor.

Sima Jiannan remained kneeling upon the floor and replied, "Reporting to Your Majesty, Jiannan has always remembered this, and I also remember the words Your Majesty spoke back then!"

"What did I say back then?" asked the reigning Emperor.

Sima Jiannan glanced briefly at Yin Yuanyuan, then addressed the Emperor: "Reporting to Your Majesty, you once told your humble subject that if you were fortunate enough to ascend the throne as Emperor, your subject would be required to perform the standard grand kowtow to you! May I dare ask Your Majesty, was the grand kowtow my subject just performed up to standard?"

"Exceedingly standard!"

"Then Your Majesty must fulfill the promise you made back then!"

"What did I promise you back then? ... Ah, I said I would appoint you as a general... But I have already made you a county princess! The stipend of a county princess is much greater than that of a general!" the Emperor said, searching his memories.

"Imperial Eldest Cousin, I simply want to be a general..." Sima Jiannan said, her face flushed red as she lowered her head.

"According to ancestral precedent, if I were to appoint you as a general now, you would have to report for military service at the frontier. Life at the frontier is extremely arduous!" said the reigning Emperor.

"Reporting to Imperial Eldest Cousin, your subject does not fear hardship! Furthermore, my husband is already serving at the frontier, and your subject wishes to share both blessings and misfortunes with him!" Sima Jiannan declared.

"That being the case, I hereby appoint you as the Princess of Meishan concurrently with the General Who Returns Virtue. Depart immediately for Yuha Pass to garrison the border alongside General Qi Guang!" commanded the reigning Emperor.

"I thank Your Majesty for this boundless grace!" Sima Jiannan saluted and shouted.

Yin Yuanyuan helped Sima Jiannan to her feet while saying, "My clever, eccentric child, you have finally achieved your heart's desire! Your two children will be looked after by your father-in-law and myself. Go to Yuha Pass with a peaceful mind!"

Jiannan expressed her gratitude to her mother-in-law.

Capital of Southern Han.

The Osmanthus Garden was originally an abandoned, ordinary residential courtyard of many years, located just outside the Yong'an Gate at Osmanthus Street. The courtyard featured a garden, though it contained only a few osmanthus trees and a dozen rooms. Back when Gu Yusheng served as a Junior Compiler in the Imperial Academy and Xiao Guimu served as the General Suppressing the South, the two men pooled half a year's salary each to purchase this small courtyard so they would have a place to stay when visiting the capital. They had agreed it would be a temporary shared dwelling, and whoever had the opportunity to move out later would do so. Yet ever since they moved in, they lived there for over a decade, approaching twenty years, and not a single person had moved out. Not only did no one leave, but the number of residents moving in steadily increased. Today, aside from the families of Gu Yusheng and Xiao Guimu, the Osmanthus Garden also housed the households of Gu Yuren, Prime Minister Lü, Guan Yi, and Gu Yuru. All told, counting young and old, from top to bottom, there were no fewer than forty-some people. Though it was crowded, everyone was exceedingly happy, for they were truly one family.

Presently, the Osmanthus Garden was truly extraordinary, for it sheltered two princesses, a senior ducal minister serving as chief councilor, three marquises, and six female generals. Throughout the capital, and indeed across the entire political arena of Southern Han, all eyes were focused upon this tiny courtyard.

Osmanthus Street had become a street that never slept. From morning till night, people came and went in an endless stream of carriages and horses.

At the entrance of the Osmanthus Garden, carriages and sedans halted from time to time. These visitors had come to the Osmanthus Garden to "conduct business." Most of them carried documents and walked with hurried strides, while others clutched wrapped parcels.

Look, the man who had just stepped down from a carriage carried a package in his hand. His surname was Wang, given name Wuliang. He was the brother-in-law of Prime Minister Tan, formerly serving as the Minister of War before being stripped of his official rank by the current Emperor. He stood waiting at the entrance, his face etched with anxiety, his shock of white hair trembling—wicked men grow old indeed. Whom had he come to visit at the Osmanthus Garden? Could it be Chief Councilor Lü, or Minister Gu Yusheng? Surely it must be Chief Councilor Lü?! Otherwise, he would not be holding a parcel in his hand, nor would his face wear such an expression of intense agitation! Yet, would Chief Councilor Lü grant him an audience and accept the parcel in his hand?

Spring flowers bloom, autumn leaves fall.

Gu Yusheng had been serving as the Minister of War for over three years. Every day, attending court and dismissing court, everything seemed to proceed in an orderly routine, yet everything seemed to be in constant flux. Lü Qianqian grew even busier by the day, fretting over the food, clothing, housing, and daily needs of the forty-odd residents in the Osmanthus Garden. Yet with her husband by her side, she seemed to have grown much plumper.

Guan Yi held the high office of Commandant of the Nine Gates. Under her command was a force of nearly thirty thousand soldiers, requiring her to patrol and drill daily, leaving her with little time to return to the Osmanthus Garden. The daily life of her son, Xie Fang, was left entirely to Lü Qianqian, while his studies and martial arts training fell perforce to Gu Yusheng. As time wore on, Xie Fang began to rebel, and the bond between mother and son grew increasingly distant. This caused Guan Yi profound sorrow. In the deep of night, Guan Yi would often shed tears of grief before the spirit tablet of Xie Anling.

That winter, Old Mother Xie sent a letter from Xie Family Hollow. The letter stated that Old Father Xie had fallen gravely ill and was not expected to live much longer; before drawing his last breath, he wished to see his grandson Xie Fang one final time.

Consequently, Guan Yi hurriedly resigned her post as Commandant of the Nine Gates and returned to Xie Family Hollow, taking Xie Fang with her. The Emperor issued an imperial decree appointing Qi Qiongqiong to succeed her as Commandant of the Nine Gates.

Not long afterward, Xiao Guimu and Purple Rose also submitted memorials resigning their posts as commanders of the cavalry, and departed with Li Yunlong to settle on Bright Moon Island.

The following spring, Qi Wei and Yin Yuanyuan also retired due to old age, taking Qi Guang's two children back to the Qi Family Salt Shop in Yangcheng.

It was as if all the migratory birds had flown away.

Following the departures of Guan Yi, Xiao Guimu, Qi Wei, and the others, the Osmanthus Garden seemed much quieter. Yet the entrance of the Osmanthus Garden remained bustling with pedestrians and carriages. Osmanthus Street remained a street without night. Guests still arrived carrying documents or packages, walking with hurried steps.

That year, Gu Dabao turned eighteen and partook in the metropolitan spring examinations, successfully placing on the main roll. A month later, he participated in the palace examinations, was bestowed the status of a military jinshi, and was assigned to serve as a garrison commander in the Northern Patrol Battalion of the Nine Gates Infantry, becoming a subordinate under his mother, Qi Qiongqiong.

The young man donned heavy armor and wore a sword at his waist. Every day he patrolled from the North Gate to the end of Desheng Street, and from the end of Desheng Street back to the North Gate, inspecting over a hundred patrol checkpoints covering a distance of more than a hundred li.

Gu Dabao was a handsome and dashing young man: tall and upright, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist; his eyes shone like black gems, full of vitality; his bearing was unrestrained, possessing an otherworldly elegance. Yet starting at some unknown time, a few dewdrop-like pimples of youth always lingered upon his delicate and tender face. This made the young man quite shy, reluctant to attract too much attention from others. His mother, Qi Qiongqiong, was busy with her own affairs and never paid heed. However, his second mother—Princess Zhaoyun, Duan Zhaoyue—had been watching for a long time and was already bustling about with preparations for Gu Dabao's marriage.

One day during dinner, Duan Zhaoyue informed Gu Yuren and Qi Qiongqiong that an extraordinary piece of joyous news was about to arrive at the Osmanthus Garden.

"What extraordinary joyous news?" Gu Yuren and Qi Qiongqiong asked simultaneously.

Duan Zhaoyue said with a smile, "Their Imperial Majesties have taken a fancy to our Dabao! They intend to bestow Princess Pingyang, Zhao Jing, upon him in marriage."

She had originally wanted to speak thus: Our Gu Dabao is all grown up and of age to marry, yet you two, his biological parents, have remained utterly indifferent! It is I, his aunt, who poked her nose into others' business, ran to the palace to plead with Empress Xia and the reigning Emperor, and exhausted every pleasant word before the Emperor and Empress finally agreed to bestow the beautiful eldest princess upon our family!

Yet Duan Zhaoyue did not speak thus—such was Duan Zhaoyue's breadth of mind.

Qi Qiongqiong asked in delighted surprise, "Is this true? That rascal Gu Dabao is truly blessed with such romantic fortune!"

Duan Zhaoyue smiled and replied, "Sister, of course it is true! I heard Her Imperial Majesty mention it in the palace today; the reigning Emperor will issue the decree of bestowal during tomorrow morning's court session."

Qi Qiongqiong said with great agitation, "This is indeed a momentous joy! I am going to be a mother-in-law! Junior Sister Zhaoyun, your sister is about to become a mother-in-law, shouldn't you congratulate me?"

Duan Zhaoyue remarked, "Listen to you! You are Dabao's birth mother and I am Dabao's second mother; since you are becoming a mother-in-law, am I not a mother-in-law as well?"

Qi Qiongqiong was already flustered to the point of incoherence and declared, "I am a mother-in-law, and you are a mother-in-law too; the two of us are going to become the mothers-in-law of Princess Pingyang! From now on, the two of us must form a united front and stand together against outsiders!"

Zhaoyue asked, "Sister, who is the outsider?"

Qi Qiongqiong was left speechless.

Before the Mid-Autumn Festival that year, Princess Pingyang, Zhao Jing, turned fifteen and was married to Gu Dabao, becoming a young bride within the Osmanthus Garden.

After Xiao Guimu returned to Bright Moon Island, two princesses still resided within the Osmanthus Garden—Princess Zhaoyun and Princess Pingyang.

In the blink of an eye, the Mid-Autumn Festival arrived. Lü Qianqian had just finished bustling about with the wedding of Gu Dabao and Princess Pingyang, Zhao Jing, and before she could catch her breath, she had to begin preparations for the Mid-Autumn Festival. Lü Qianqian had truly become the ruling steward of the household.

In the capital, the Mid-Autumn Festival was regarded as one of the four major traditional festivals, on par with the Spring Festival, the Qingming Festival, and the Dragon Boat Festival. The customs of the Mid-Autumn Festival were particularly unique and grand. On the night of Mid-Autumn, moon-viewing and literary gatherings were indispensable. To enjoy the moon, wealthy and noble households frequently erected pavilions and terraces. When night fell, families would gather upon these festooned platforms to admire the moon while partaking in delicacies—aside from mooncakes, there were pomegranates, quinces, pears, jujubes, grapes, and freshly harvested crabs and other seafood.

On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, men of letters and refined scholars would seize the occasion to pluck the zither and chant poetry, waving their writing brushes and holding cups of wine, while poetry, calligraphy, painting, and music were all steeped in the moonlight.

In past years, when celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival, terraces were never erected in the Osmanthus Garden. Now, considering that Princess Pingyang had just married into the estate, Qi Qiongqiong, Duan Zhaoyue, Lü Qianqian, Concubine Zhou, and Gu Yuru sat together in discussion and all agreed that this year's celebration ought to be somewhat more grand. Having also consulted the three men—Prime Minister Lü, Gu Yuren, and Gu Yusheng—who likewise affirmed that a grander celebration would be fitting, Lü Qianqian instructed the servants to construct a terrace beside the osmanthus tree in the center of the courtyard.

By evening, the women and children busied themselves decorating the terrace and trees. Qi Qiongqiong and Lü Qianqian hurried to arrange seasonal foods such as mooncakes, crabs, pomegranates, pears, jujubes, and oranges upon the round tables.

Lü Qianqian asked Qi Qiongqiong with a smile, "Eldest Sister-in-law, do you know why I bought so many crabs today?"

Qi Qiongqiong smiled and replied, "Because they were inexpensive?"

Lü Qianqian shook her head and said, "Ten catties for a single tael of silver—is that inexpensive?"

Qi Qiongqiong gasped in astonishment, "That's far too expensive! Ah, I understand now. As the common saying goes, 'When autumn winds rise, crab claws itch; when chrysanthemums bloom, crabs arrive.' Now is the Mid-Autumn Festival, precisely when crabs are at their fattest and most succulent. You wanted everyone to eat their fill and enjoy themselves to the utmost tonight, didn't you?"

Lü Qianqian still shook her head. "That is my sincere wish, but not the reason."

Qi Qiongqiong said, "Stop keeping me in suspense; tell me quickly, what is the reason?"

Lü Qianqian replied, "It is because your daughter-in-law, Princess Pingyang, loves eating crabs above all else."

Hearing this from nearby, Duan Zhaoyue laughed and said, "On what grounds? Is it because of her status as a princess? I hold the rank of a princess as well, and I love apples above all else! Why don't you go and haul back a cartload of apples for me?"

In the Osmanthus Garden, Lü Qianqian and Duan Zhaoyue were the closest of friends and spoke most congenially. Lü Qianqian reached out a finger, pinched Duan Zhaoyue's cheek, and teased, "Oh dear, your skin is far too rough! You'd best be reborn in your next life! When you become a new bride once more, I shall certainly dispatch men to the Eastern Seas to purchase an entire ship full of them for you!"

Duan Zhaoyue laughed and said, "Very well! It's a deal! When the time comes, I shall be a sister-in-law once more, and you shall be a sister-in-law too. You and I will still be sisters-in-law!"

Knowing they were only joking, Qi Qiongqiong smiled and stepped down from the terrace. She asked the head maid Mengyin, "Where is Master Dabao?"

Gu Dabao emerged from a room carrying a jar of wine and answered, "Mother, I am right here."

The jar of wine Gu Dabao brought out had been sent by order of the reigning Emperor, and accompanying it was a box of steamed buns bestowed by Empress Xia.

Qi Qiongqiong stepped into the kitchen and saw Princess Pingyang, Zhao Jing, neatly arranging freshly steamed buns into bamboo cages, preparing to carry them out.

Qi Qiongqiong hurried forward, picked up a bamboo cage, and said, "Let the servants handle these chores! Her Highness the Princess possesses a noble constitution; how can you engage in such heavy labor?"

Zhao Jing smiled warmly at Qi Qiongqiong and replied, "Mother-in-law, this is merely a matter of raising a hand, it is nothing at all. Back in the palace, your daughter-in-law often accompanied Her Majesty the Empress to the imperial kitchens to perform whatever tasks she could manage, and I have steamed buns countless times before."

This left Qi Qiongqiong astounded. She had always assumed that princesses in the imperial palace, aside from studying social etiquette, dedicated their lives solely to leisure, entertainment, and indulgence! Who would have imagined they even knew how to steam buns?

On this particular evening, Prime Minister Lü, Gu Yuren, and Gu Yusheng sat surrounding the round table in the center of the terrace; Concubine Zhou, Qi Qiongqiong, Duan Zhaoyue, Lü Qianqian, Gu Yuru, and Zhao Jing sat gathered around the table to the left; while Gu Dabao, Gu Erbao, Gu Yuyu, Zhang Dalang, Zhang Erlang, Gu Nuonuo, Gu Sanmei, Zhang Sanlang, Zhang Xiaojie, Gu Sibao, and Gu Wumei—a lively group of youngsters—crowded around the large round table to the right. Because Gu Dabao was already an imperial official and now held the status of an imperial son-in-law, he pestered Lü Qianqian, clamoring, "Respected Aunt, please look: isn't the number of people sitting at that table on our right simply too crowded? Yet the middle table is so enormous and yet seats only three people..." He wanted to share a table with the adult men.

Lü Qianqian reached out and tapped the bridge of his nose, smiling as she said, "Aren't you the 'marshal' of that group? How can a marshal abandon his own troops and become a bachelor marshal?"

Gu Dabao cast a sideways glance at Princess Pingyang, Zhao Jing, and said to Lü Qianqian, "Thank you for the reminder, Aunt! The seating at our table on the right is crowded to absolute perfection!" With that, he returned to the right-hand table to drink wine and eat crabs with his "troops."

On this evening, although the Osmanthus Garden had erected a terrace for moon-viewing, everyone from top to bottom, young and old alike, focused their energy entirely upon those "delicacies." To be precise, they were indulging to their hearts' content in crabs, new wine, and steamed buns. As for refined pursuits such as plucking the zither, chanting poetry, waving brushes, and holding wine cups, only Gu Yuyu played a tune on the flute entitled *Moonlit Night on the Autumn Lake*. No one composed poetry, nor did anyone paint.

That evening, the crabs purchased by Lü Qianqian were plump, full of meat, and immensely enticing. Even Prime Minister Lü, whose appetite was notoriously poor, could not resist the temptation and ate half a crab's worth of meat.

When the banquet concluded, everyone retired to their rooms with a sense of deep satisfaction to sleep.

In the dead of night, just as everyone was sleeping soundly, Concubine Zhou hurriedly knocked on the door of Gu Yusheng and Lü Qianqian's bedchamber, crying out that Prime Minister Lü was suffering from severe gripping pains in his stomach and abdomen, accompanied by both vomiting and diarrhea.

Lü Qianqian had stayed behind after the banquet to oversee the servants clearing away the bowls and dishes. Gu Yusheng had waited for her to go to bed together, so the two had turned in late and had only just fallen into deep slumber. Now, awakened from their dreams to hear that her esteemed father had fallen gravely ill, they hastily rose, dressed, and rushed to Prime Minister Lü's chamber. They found Prime Minister Lü drenched in cold sweat, doubled over in agonizing pain.

Concubine Zhou beat her chest in despair and wept, "If I had been by his side, I never would have let him eat them..." She had consistently opposed the Prime Minister eating crabs.

Lü Qianqian knelt before her father's bed, utterly at a loss. She felt a profound and bitter regret for having purchased those crabs.

Gu Yusheng urgently ordered a carriage to be prepared, determined to go personally to the Imperial Medical Academy to summon a physician.

Yet before the imperial physician could arrive, Prime Minister Lü had already succumbed to the agonizing spasms and breathed his last.

After the funeral rites for Prime Minister Lü were concluded, Concubine Zhou fell ill from overwhelming grief. Gu Yusheng and Lü Qianqian fetched physicians, prescribed medicines, and ran about without rest, yet her condition worsened day by day; in less than half a month, Concubine Zhou let go of the mortal world to rejoin Prime Minister Lü.

Late that autumn, torrential rains in the middle and upper reaches of the Yellow River caused catastrophic flooding. The reigning Emperor appointed Gu Yusheng to oversee disaster relief in the affected region. Because the Yellow River dikes had breached in numerous places, Gu Yusheng submitted a memorial to the court requesting funds to repair and reinforce them. The reigning Emperor approved Gu Yusheng's memorial and allocated special funds for the reinforcement and hazard elimination of the Yellow River dikes. Simultaneously, an imperial decree was issued appointing Gu Yusheng as the Minister of Works while relieving him of his post as Minister of War.

For the following two years, Gu Yusheng left Lü Qianqian, Gu Yuyu, and Gu Nuonuo in the Osmanthus Garden in the capital, while he stationed himself alone at the headquarters of the Waterway Supervisory Office in Tanzhou along the Yellow River, eating and sleeping upon the dikes. Through two years of arduous effort, the hazards along the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River were essentially eliminated, and the dikes received the necessary reinforcement.

Upon his return to the capital, Gu Yusheng was appointed by the reigning Emperor as Vice Prime Minister, granting him the right to participate in meetings and deliberate on state affairs within the Council of Government. Yet during his tenure as Vice Prime Minister, the reigning Emperor also reinstated Wang Wuliang, the brother-in-law of Prime Minister Tan, as the Minister of War.

Before Gu Yusheng had even sat in the seat of Vice Prime Minister for a full year, Wang Wuliang submitted an impeachment memorial against him to the court, alleging that during his tenure as marshal of the Northwest Route Army, he had wantonly slaughtered military horses.

If this matter were truly investigated, it was indeed a grave offense, for the Southern Han court had long enforced a penal code dictating that "anyone who slaughters a military horse shall suffer death." Now that Prime Minister Lü was dead, which of the ministers at court was willing to stand forth and speak in Gu Yusheng's defense?

"Not a single one!" Gu Yusheng muttered bitterly to himself.

The reigning Emperor was well aware of the true state of affairs, but the problem was that the current sovereign no longer wished for Gu Yusheng to remain in the capital.

Gu Yusheng cursed himself inwardly: "Gu Yusheng, you brought this upon yourself! Who told you to be so straightforward in character, unskilled in political maneuvering and strategy? And you've offended so many people besides! That the reigning Emperor has not severed your head is solely out of regard for past ties and constitutes an extraordinary act of imperial grace!"

Before long, Gu Yusheng was stripped of his position as Vice Prime Minister and appointed as Prefect of Yangzhou.

In the fourth month of late spring, the mountains were draped in layers of emerald green, and the clear waters seemed to convey tender emotions.

Gu Yusheng departed from the capital accompanied by his wife Lü Qianqian, his son Gu Yuyu, and his daughter Gu Nuonuo, setting off to assume his new post in Yangzhou.

Seeing them off were Gu Yuren, Qi Qiongqiong, Duan Zhaoyue, Gu Dabao, Princess Pingyang Zhao Jing, Gu Erbao, Gu Sanmei, Gu Sibao, Gu Wumei, Gu Yuru, Zhang Dalang, Zhang Erlang, Zhang Sanlang, and Zhang Xiaojie.

By this time, Gu Yuyu had grown into an eighteen-year-old young man, already betrothed and serving as a student at the Imperial Academy. Gu Yusheng had originally intended to have him remain in the capital to live with his eldest brother Gu Yuren's family so that he could participate in the provincial examinations the following year. However, Gu Yuyu was a filial son and insisted on accompanying his father to his post in Yangzhou.

Gu Yusheng asked, "Yuyu, do you no longer wish to take next year's provincial examinations?"

Gu Yuyu replied, "Father, I am eighteen years old, yet the total time I have spent in your company does not add up to five full years! Please allow your son to stay by your side for a little longer."

The morning sky resembled a lover's face—one moment bringing apricot blossom spring rains, the next radiant with brilliant sunshine. Gu Yusheng felt that the current imperial court was like that morning sky, impossible for him to fathom.

Gu Yusheng walked silently at the very front of the official highway, with his elder brother Gu Yuren following close behind.

As he walked, he suddenly recalled the dream he had experienced that night upon the city tower of Yuha Pass. Every movement Qi Qiongqiong had made in the dream and every word she had uttered filled his mind with lingering resonance.

Gu Yusheng murmured to himself, "So you were an immortal all along, possessed of prescient wisdom!"

Hearing this, Gu Yuren asked, "Second Brother, what did you say? I do not understand."

Knowing he had been lost in thought, Gu Yusheng halted his steps and said, "Elder Brother, however far one travels with departing guests, there must eventually come a parting! Brother, let us bid each other farewell here..."

Before Gu Yusheng could finish his sentence, Qi Qiongqiong, who had been walking behind, suddenly pulled Gu Nuonuo into her arms and wept aloud, "Nuonuo, First Aunt's precious heart! Wherever you go from now on, you must take good care of yourself. Once you reach Yangcheng, you must obey your father and second mother, and never be willful! You must often visit the Qi Family Salt Shop to see your grandparents..."

Holding a handkerchief, Gu Nuonuo wiped Qi Qiongqiong's tears as she replied, "First Aunt, do not grieve so! Nuonuo has already remembered your instructions! After we leave, you all must take good care of yourselves in the capital as well! Do not worry about Nuonuo; Nuonuo will often think of you when we are in Yangzhou..." She, too, burst into tears.

In the golden month of October, the Gu family arrived safely in Yangcheng.

Late that winter, peasant rebellions erupted across the Central Plains. The root cause was an unbearable burden of taxation.

Gu Yusheng submitted a memorial to the court advising a reduction in certain public administrative expenditures, a slowing of the pace of infrastructure construction, a rational adjustment of tax policies, and the alleviation of the people's burdens. However, the court maintained that the nation was currently in a period where all trades were awaiting revitalization and the imperial treasury stood in urgent need of silver, thus ignoring Gu Yusheng's memorial entirely.

Gu Yusheng knew that the rebel bandits in the Central Plains would sooner or later overflow into Yangzhou. At present, the city walls of Yangcheng were dilapidated and low, and the most urgent priority was to mobilize the residents to reinforce the walls—only with strong walls and deep moats could the borders be secured and the people protected.

Beginning in the spring of the following year, Gu Yusheng mobilized the residents of Yangcheng to repair and reinforce the city walls. Since the townsfolk lacked silver, they were all willing to contribute labor instead of funds. "Those with silver contribute silver, those with physical strength contribute labor" proved to be an effective strategy employed by Gu Yusheng to mobilize the populace in repairing the city walls. Consequently, Yangcheng's defenses were swiftly restored and fortified.

That summer, more than ten thousand "neighboring province bandits" indeed spilled over into Yangzhou. They besieged Yangcheng for over half a month, but owing to the sturdy walls and deep moat, the bandits ultimately retreated in failure, having accomplished nothing.

During the Mid-Autumn Festival of that year, Gu Yusheng took Lü Qianqian, Gu Yuyu, and Gu Nuonuo back to the salt-drying fields to spend the holiday.

Along the way, Lü Qianqian noticed that the lands on both sides of the East River lay entirely fallow, and asked, "Husband, why are there so many barren fields on both sides of the East River?"

Gu Yusheng surveyed the surroundings of the East River and replied, "Because the East River frequently floods, the barren lands on both sides are constantly inundated and crops fail entirely year after year, so the local villagers are unwilling to reclaim them."

Lü Qianqian said earnestly to Gu Yusheng, "As the father and official governing Yangzhou, you ought to tame this East River!"

Gu Yusheng cupped his hands in a salute and said, "Thank you for the reminder, my wife."

That winter, when the East River entered its dry season, Gu Yusheng mobilized the villagers living along both banks to clear the silt from the riverbed, dredge the waterways, and raise the embankments.

Not long afterward, Gu Yusheng was once again the target of impeachments brought by Wang Wuliang and others, who accused him of forcibly conscripting corvée labor during the repair and reinforcement of Yangcheng's city walls.

Gu Yusheng submitted a memorial in his own defense while simultaneously requesting permission to resign from office and return home. Consequently, the reigning Emperor issued a decree permitting Gu Yusheng to retire. From that day onward, he bade farewell to the strife-filled political arena and returned to the salt-drying fields to live out his days.

One day, Gu Yusheng and Lü Qianqian accompanied a cartload of salt to Yangcheng. As they crossed the East River ferry, Lü Qianqian observed that the lands on both banks still lay desolate and barren.

Lü Qianqian asked Gu Yusheng, "Husband, now that the East River has been regulated and rarely causes floods, why do the barren lands on both sides remain so vast?"

Gu Yusheng replied, "Both banks are wetlands; what could possibly be grown if we were to clear them?"

Lü Qianqian looked over the area and said, "Once cleared, we could cultivate food crops such as rice."

Gu Yusheng noted, "Reclamation requires both manpower and silver, but the common people have no money!"

Lü Qianqian declared, "Husband, over the past two years our salt fields have accumulated some savings; why don't we use them to reclaim this barren land?"

Gu Yusheng asked, "Will the silver we've painstakingly saved not be thrown away into the water?"

Lü Qianqian patted her own chest and promised, "Provided you give your consent, I guarantee we will make a profit without suffering any loss."

Gu Yusheng pursued further: "Is our savings sufficient to reclaim this vast expanse of wasteland? Furthermore, these barren lands originally have owners; we must purchase them from the landlords before we can begin reclamation. That, too, will require a massive expenditure!"

Lü Qianqian answered, "If the silver isn't enough, we can simply borrow."

Gu Yusheng asked, "From whom shall we borrow?"

Lü Qianqian said, "That is not something you need concern yourself with; your wife has plenty of ways!"

Not long after, with the assistance of Qi Wei, Yin Yuanyuan, and stepmother Hui'er, Gu Yusheng and Lü Qianqian purchased nearly a thousand mu of waterlogged wasteland along both banks of the East River. They hired laborers to clear the land and sow crops simultaneously.

After a busy day's work, Gu Yusheng lay in bed preparing for sleep, while Lü Qianqian rummaged through chests and cabinets—to purchase draft oxen, farming tools, and seeds, she had taken out all her private savings hidden at the bottom of her chests. Her silver pieces came in long bars, squares, circles, and ovals of various sizes, all piled high upon a small tea table.

Lü Qianqian called out to Gu Yusheng on the bed, "Master of the house, I've brought out all my private savings. What about yours?"

Gu Yusheng pointed his finger at the bits of silver upon the tea table and laughed, "Haven't I already handed all my private savings over to you?"

Lü Qianqian chided, "You lie without even blinking! When on earth did you do that?"

Gu Yusheng rolled over, sat up in bed, and said with a solemn expression, "My private savings are none other than myself! On the very first night I met you, I surrendered myself entirely into your keeping, so my private savings were handed over to you on that very night as well!"

Instantly, Lü Qianqian's face flushed crimson, and she scolded playfully, "You grow more shameless and thick-skinned the older you get..."

Recalling Lü Qianqian's half-scolding, half-joyful words, Gu Yusheng lay in bed with his thoughts drifting afar: She was originally a golden-feathered bird trapped in a gilded cage; for his sake, Gu Yusheng, she had spent her entire life amidst waiting and helplessness. She was industrious, capable of enduring hardship, possessed of extraordinary breadth of mind and surpassing wisdom. She could have married a man of immense wealth and high station, yet she bestowed her lifelong devotion upon Gu Yusheng alone, offering everything she had to him...

"What a deeply devoted woman she is!" Gu Yusheng sighed inwardly with profound emotion.

As these thoughts stirred within him, Gu Yusheng suddenly stretched out his arms and pulled Lü Qianqian tightly into his embrace...

In the golden month of October, the rice paddies managed by Lü Qianqian were harvested—yielding a bumper crop.

During the autumn provincial examinations, Gu Yuyu achieved the top rank in Yangzhou. Not wishing to impede her son's prospects, Lü Qianqian quietly began preparing luggage for him. She hoped her son would immediately set off for the capital to take part in the spring metropolitan examinations.

Gu Yuyu's fiancée was Yang Jin, the eldest granddaughter of the late loyal and martial General Yang Wenhua, a descendant of meritorious officials. Over the past couple of days, Gu Yusheng had also received a letter sent by messenger from his in-law Yang Xiao, stating that his daughter had remained unmarried in her boudoir until the age of twenty, and expressing the hope that Gu Yusheng would select an auspicious day for the groom, Gu Yuyu, to take her as his bride. Furthermore, Yang Xiao noted that since Yangzhou was too far from the capital and it would be inconvenient to send his daughter to Yangzhou, it would be most appropriate to solemnize the marriage at the Osmanthus Garden in the capital.

Gu Yusheng and Lü Qianqian had long desired for their son to travel to the capital.

Following breakfast, Lü Qianqian held Yang Xiao's letter and said to Gu Yuyu, "Yuyu, your prospective father-in-law has already written to urge the marriage. Your father and I wish for you to set off for the capital immediately: first, to participate in the spring examinations; second, to marry Yang Jin at the Osmanthus Garden; and third, to escort your younger sister to her wedding. Mother has already prepared your luggage; tomorrow is an auspicious day, so you shall depart then!"

Gu Yuyu demurred, "Father, Mother, there is still ample time before the exams; please let your son stay at home a few days longer to keep Father company?"

Gu Yusheng stated, "Yuyu, this time you and your younger sister are traveling to the capital together."

Gu Yuyu said happily, "Father, with Nuonuo keeping me company, your son will not feel so lonely on the road!"

Gu Yusheng stroked his beard and smiled, "Actually, your father settled your sister Nuonuo's marriage three years ago. Her future husband's surname is Xie. Her future mother-in-law is surnamed Guan, given name Yi; she is a female general in the imperial court and a person of impatient temperament. Your future brother-in-law's surname is Xie, given name Fang; like your father, he achieved the distinction of the dual civil and military 'Twin Top Scholars'."

Gu Yuyu asked in surprise, "That rascal Xie Fang has already passed the jinshi examinations? When did that happen?"

Gu Yusheng stroked his beard and answered, "He achieved youthful success; three years ago he won the civil and military 'Twin Top Scholars'!"

Gu Yuyu inquired, "Where are they living now?"

Duan Yusheng replied, "Xie Fang's paternal grandparents have passed away; Xie Fang now serves as a Compiler in the Hanlin Academy, and both he and his mother Guan Yi reside in the Osmanthus Garden in the capital. Your Aunt Guan Yi has written to urge the marriage on multiple occasions!"

Gu Yuyu remarked, "I am well aware of Aunt Guan Yi's temperament; she is indeed a person of great urgency."

Gu Yusheng continued, stroking his beard: "Yuyu, this journey to the capital places three major responsibilities upon your shoulders: first, to attend the spring examinations; second, to solemnize your own marriage; and third, to escort your sister to hers. There is no time to delay; set off tomorrow!"

Gu Yuyu said, "Once I arrive in the capital, I must immediately prepare for the spring examinations; how will I have the leisure to organize my own wedding and my sister's?"

Gu Yusheng explained, "Your father has already written letters to your eldest brother and two sisters-in-law, entrusting them to prepare and officiate your wedding. Since your eldest brother and two sisters-in-law have always managed matters with utmost propriety, you and Nuonuo may set your minds entirely at ease."

The following day, Gu Yuyu and Gu Nuonuo finally departed from the salt-drying fields and headed toward the capital.

Gu Yusheng, Lü Qianqian, Hui'er, and Mu Mingxuan stood at the roadside waving tearfully until darkness fell before turning back toward their home.

The East River ferry had remained peaceful ever since Gu Yusheng returned to the salt-drying fields. Recently, however, another human homicide case had occurred there.

Half a year ago, a young bride from a small village named Xie Residence along the banks of the East River was returning home late one evening when she was violated and murdered by the riverbank. The Yangzhou prefectural office dispatched investigators who spent months probing the case without apprehending the culprit, and the crime remained unsolved to this day.

Gu Yusheng also went to inspect the crime scene, discovering that the murderer's modus operandi bore a striking resemblance to that of the "flower-picking bandit" of years past. Consequently, adopting the exact approach he had used back then, he donned black garments and a mask every night to lie in ambush near the East River ferry.