Chapter 4

Chapter 4

After seeing Liang Baishan off, Madam Liang was unusually quiet for a few days.

Xiaowu, who was always well-informed, reported, “The old woman managed to squeeze fifty taels of silver out of her son. She’s planning to take her daughter to the Capital to buy silk and rouge.”

Luquan Village was fifty li from the Capital, a distance that could be covered in a single day.

When Mengyu heard this, it was like being handed a pillow just as she was nodding off.

She had already been planning to find an opportunity to send the Liang mother and daughter away for a while, but one day was certainly not enough. She prepared another hundred taels of silver and personally delivered it to Madam Liang.

“It is rare for Mother to visit the Capital. As your daughter-in-law, I should have accompanied you to serve you. However, my health is poor, so I can only offer this silver as a small token of my regard. If Mother wishes to stay for a few extra days, simply take this jade pendant to Yong’an Tower and charge it to the Gu Family’s account.”

Yong’an Tower was a property of the Gu Family.

The Gu Family had been able to establish a firm foothold in the Capital for two reasons: first, Lord Gu was skilled at social climbing and networking; second, Lady Gu had a sharp mind for business. Together, the couple had worked tirelessly to elevate the Gu Family from a household that once had to borrow money just to rent a house in the Capital to a highly sought-after nouveau riche family.

This was also why the Liang Family refused to let go of this marriage alliance.

Throughout the dynasties, from the recommendation system to the imperial examinations, a person’s reputation was like an official’s dowry-you couldn’t be without it, and you certainly couldn’t let it be tarnished. Thus, even though the Gu Family possessed both power and wealth, they still could not reject this match.

Madam Liang accepted the silver and the jade pendant, but she didn’t give Mengyu a single kind look.

Even Qianfan was a bit annoyed by this. “It would have been better to throw that silver into the river than give it to her!”

Mengyu simply replied, “As long as the goal is achieved, nothing else matters.”

Having sent off Liang Baishan and the Liang women, Mengyu left Qianfan at the Liang house to host a banquet as a distraction. Meanwhile, she took advantage of the chaos to take Xiaowu on a trip to Zhending Prefecture.

She intended to personally select a sweetheart for Liang Baishan.

Yanxue Tower in Zhending Prefecture was a famous den of vice. Mengyu arrived during the day, and just as she stepped out of her carriage, a woman covered in whip wounds was thrown at her feet.

The madam of the brothel apologized to Mengyu while shouting curses at the woman.

“Look at yourself now! Do you still think you can put on the airs of a top courtesan?”

It turned out she was a courtesan who had passed her prime, named Xinyu. She had asked the madam for money to treat her illness, only to be beaten instead.

Mengyu felt a pang of pity and paid the ransom to buy her freedom.

While Xinyu was recovering, Mengyu did not stay idle and continued to look for candidates.

Unfortunately, after searching high and low, she couldn’t find anyone suitable.

The beautiful ones weren’t clever, and the clever ones weren’t beautiful.

Mengyu was prepared to return empty-handed when Xinyu volunteered herself. “What does Miss think of me?”

She had not yet fully recovered; she looked as fragile as a willow in the wind, a sight that inspired pity. Liang Baishan would fall for her at a single glance.

Mengyu said, “You are more than enough for him. I just feel it isn’t worth it for you. You’ve finally escaped one fiery pit; why jump into another?”

Mengyu felt she was being too soft-hearted, but the woman before her was truly pitiable.

Xinyu had originally been the daughter of an official’s family, only falling into the demimonde after being implicated by her father and brother.

Xinyu gave a bitter smile. “I have nowhere else to go anyway. I might as well help Miss complete her plan. Consider it a way to repay your great kindness.”