Chapter 137
Chapter 137
Ji Hanyi knew it would not be easy to persuade her mother right now, but she had never expected to succeed in the first place.
Her mother could be stubborn at times, but whenever Ji Hanyi truly insisted on something, she would eventually give in.
Ji Hanyi planned to rent a residence elsewhere first. Once it was a fait accompli, her mother would have no choice but to accept it, even if she disapproved.
She lowered her eyes and fell silent. After a moment, she looked at her mother’s gradually thinning frame, her heart aching. In a soft voice, she said, “We can discuss this another time. You should get some rest, Mother.”
Madam Gu held Ji Hanyi’s hand. She had wanted to keep Ji Hanyi and her daughter there to talk a while longer, but when she saw the trace of weariness on Ji Hanyi’s face, all the words she had wanted to say died on her lips. She nodded gently. “All right.”
After leaving the room, Ji Hanyi stood beneath the covered walkway. A cold wind swept past, and she let out a breath before lowering her voice to ask Chunju beside her, “What else did Eldest Maternal Aunt say?”
Chunju hesitated before answering quietly, “First Madam also said that you depend entirely on the First Branch now, yet you’ve forgotten their kindness.”
Ji Hanyi silently gazed at the dark silhouettes of the plants swaying in the night. Her eyes dimmed, and a complicated look tinged with melancholy surfaced in their depths.
She rarely showed such an expression. Even with the faint mockery on her face, what struck anyone looking at her was the hurt beneath it.
Rongchun understood what her mistress found so bitterly ironic. When the Master was still alive, Madam had helped the Gu Family in every way she could. Now, First Madam treated them with such neglect, yet still had the nerve to accuse Ji Hanyi of ingratitude.
Leaving everything else aside, who had secured admission to the Imperial Academy for not just one Master of the Gu Residence, but two?
Despite how difficult Ji Hanyi’s life had been at the Xie Residence, she had always helped whenever she could. During every festival and holiday, she sent expensive gifts even though she herself had hardly ever used anything fine. First Madam had said so many hurtful things, yet Ji Hanyi had never held them against her. What more did they expect her to do?
Ji Hanyi had always known the Gu Family was struggling, and she had never intended to burden them.
The early spring night was bitterly cold. Ji Hanyi composed herself and put those thoughts aside, then asked Chunju in a low voice, “How are the two maids who arrived today?”
Chunju hurriedly replied, “These two are much more diligent. They came from the Old Madam’s quarters.”
Ji Hanyi was relieved. Then she recalled what Shen Si had said to her that night.
She had thought the matter over carefully in the carriage on the way back. Shen Si had questioned her about it in private. Did that mean it was truly something she ought to take seriously?
Her mother’s vomiting blood had indeed come on rather suddenly. To be safe, Ji Hanyi asked Rongchun about everything her mother had eaten that day.
Rongchun listed each item. Still unwilling to take any chances, Ji Hanyi had her bring everything out. She went along to inspect it herself.
Aside from the dishes delivered by the kitchen, there were some leftover medicinal supplements and the matsutake mushrooms Gu Yan had sent.
Ji Hanyi could find nothing amiss, but she wrapped up a small portion of each item anyway. She planned to have Rongchun take them to an apothecary first thing the next morning and ask someone to examine them. She also instructed Rongchun not to mention the matter to anyone.
Afterward, Ji Hanyi headed back to her own courtyard.
The night wind was cold. She had neither a hand warmer nor a cloak, and her palms were icy. She was thinking only of getting indoors as quickly as possible when she spotted Gu Yan waiting outside the entrance to Yichun Courtyard.
He was still dressed in his official robes and seemed to have returned only recently.
Puzzled to see him standing there, Ji Hanyi walked over. As she drew closer, she caught the faint scent of alcohol on him and asked, “Were you waiting for me, Cousin Yan?”
Gu Yan looked at her through hazy, tipsy eyes as the flickering light played across her cheeks. He smiled and held out a small food box to her. “There’s silver-thread candy inside. I heard at today’s banquet that women are fond of it. It’s very sweet. Have a taste.”
The small food box was opened in front of Ji Hanyi, releasing a sweet aroma.
Inside were two sugar cakes, each neither too large nor too small. She had eaten them before. They were delicious, but complicated to make and far from cheap.
She reached out to accept the box, then looked at Gu Yan and said softly, “Cousin, please don’t bring me any more in the future. You’re busy with your official duties. You needn’t go out of your way for me.”
Gu Yan smiled. “It’s what I want to do.”
The words made Ji Hanyi’s heart clench, and for a moment, she did not know how to respond.
But Gu Yan clearly was not expecting an answer from her. He took another step back and said, “Cousin Yi, you should get some rest. I’ll be going now.”
With that, Gu Yan turned and left. He did not use the opportunity as an excuse to linger even a moment longer and cause Ji Hanyi further distress.
Ji Hanyi watched his retreating figure with a lump in her throat.
Eyeing the box in Ji Hanyi’s hands, Rongchun said quietly, “This servant still remembers when you used to visit the Gu Residence. The Second Master was always bringing you tasty treats back then too. After all these years, he still hasn’t changed.”
Ji Hanyi’s fingers tightened around the box. She lowered her eyes and turned away.
After returning to her room and bathing, warmth seeped back into her body, but she had lost her appetite for the silver-thread candy. She simply gave it to Rongchun.
Reclining against the bed, she took out the key Shen Si had given her and stared at it for a long time before putting it carefully away again. She would have to return it to him properly.
Meanwhile, after Gu Yan returned to his courtyard, an attendant came forward to report what had happened in his absence. When Gu Yan heard that his mother had gone to Huilan Courtyard again that day, his steps halted. His expression chilled slightly, and he turned toward his mother’s rooms instead.
Madam Zhang was going over the household accounts. She personally checked every expenditure in the residence down to the smallest detail and set aside more than an hour for the task each evening.
She was somewhat surprised to hear that Gu Yan had come at such a late hour, but she was also delighted. She hurriedly ordered the maids to serve tea and bring in a platter of fruit.
As Gu Yan entered the inner room, his mother came forward to meet him. Catching the faint scent of wine on him, she immediately told someone to prepare sobering tea.
Gu Yan glanced at her and said in a low voice, “There’s no need. I’m not drunk.”
Gu Yan truly was not drunk. He frequently had to socialize and drink at banquets, and alcohol had long since ceased to affect him so easily.
Only after hearing the coldness in his voice did Madam Zhang look up at him properly. His eyes were dark and grave, and the look on his face frightened even her, his own mother. She could not help asking, “Second Young Master, what’s wrong?”
Gu Yan’s voice was still mild as he looked at Madam Zhang. “There are merely a few things your son wishes to discuss with you. Mother, could you have the maids wait outside?”
Hearing that his tone had returned to normal, Madam Zhang seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. Assuming he had some important matter to discuss, she quickly ordered all the maids in the room to withdraw.
Once they had gone outside, Gu Yan entered fully and invited his mother to take the seat of honor. Only then did he sweep his robe aside and sit in one of the lower seats.
Seeing the solemn look on his face, Madam Zhang hurriedly asked, “Second Young Master, what did you come to discuss with me at such a late hour?”
“Has something urgent happened that you need my advice on?”
Gu Yan pressed his lips together without answering. Instead, he unhurriedly drew a dagger from his sleeve.
Under Madam Zhang’s shocked gaze, he unsheathed it. Silver light flashed along the dagger’s razor-sharp edge, draining all color from her face. She stared at Gu Yan, her voice trembling with fright. “Young Master Yan, what are you doing with that dagger?!”