Chapter Five

  Xiao Man excitedly waved her hand at Lin Xie, but when she saw Gu Junxiang walking between Lin Xie and Gu Wudu, she paused slightly, and in the blink of an eye, she recognized that the other person was also a girl dressed as a young boy, looking two or three years older than herself. Seeing Lin Xies eyes were extremely affectionate, her waving hand suddenly froze like it had been weighted down with lead.

  Gu Jun Xun followed quietly to the ferry terminal, listening with interest to Lin Xie and her father discussing current events. They were talking about some fresh news that his brother and Yang Shi couldnt share. As dusk fell, she was still following behind, her courage unconsciously rising, her dark eyes fixed on Lin Xies profile. This scene, however, caught the attention of Xiao Man.

  Lin Xie saw Xiao Man dressed as a man, crossing the river at the ferry terminal, waiting for himself, and was very happy. He walked over in big strides and asked: "How did you end up here? Are you alone?" He looked around but didnt see Su Mei or Si Nangzis figures.

  "Is she Miss Gu Jun Xiang?" Xiao Man pulled Lin Xies arm, slightly tilted her head and looked at Gu Jun Xiang again. Her smooth forehead slightly raised, those bright eyes seemed to be staring at Lin Xie in the dim light, as if confirming Gu Jun Xiangs identity, yet seemingly just casually saying this sentence to Lin Xie.

  Gu Xun also noticed that the person waiting at the ferry with Lin Tie was a girl. She curiously sized her up, seeing how close she was to Lin Tie, and being timid and shy, she didnt dare to take the initiative to greet her.

  Although Xiao Man said she was wearing a white robe and tying her hair, in the twilight, her facial features were delicate, and there was an air of softness that seemed to be born with her, which couldnt be hidden. Compared to Gu Junxiang dressed as a young man, she looked even more lovely and charming, who cant tell that shes just a little girl disguised?

  Gu Wudu burst out laughing and said to Lin Fu, "You said you had two friends in Jiangning who could help you, but it turns out theres a beauty waiting for you. No wonder Madame let Xiao Jias daughter go serve as your maid, and you refused her again and again. It was all because you were afraid the beauty would misunderstand. You can rest assured, Ill vouch for you."

  Xiao Man and Gu Jun Xiang grew up in vastly different environments: when Gu Wu Chen and his wife were exiled, Gu Jun Xiang and her brother were taken care of by their maternal grandfather, Tang Hao Xin, with utmost care. At that time, she was still an innocent and delicate young lady who knew nothing of the world. Xiao Man, on the other hand, had been sold to a brothel as a child and trained as a courtesan from a young age. Her experiences and thoughts were more mature than Gu Jun Xiangs. Moreover, there was a natural elegance that shone through in her facial features, making her look like a youthful maiden when standing alongside Gu Jun Xiang, who was dressed as a young man. Although Xiao Man was two years younger than Gu Jun Xiang, she looked even more like a lovely young girl.

  Lin Xuan heard some relief from Gu Wu Chens words, and he secretly sighed. Although Gu Wu Chen treated his wife with respect, as a man, his liking and pursuit of beautiful women were more in line with his nature.

  Here is the translation:

  Gu Wu Chen himself felt that it was too revealing, so he lightly coughed and said: "Whose daughter is this? Even when Xun Niang went to Jiangning, she didnt have any female friends. In the future, you can bring this young lady over to keep Xun Niang company." He had been worried about Xiao Jias daughter being driven away to become Lin Shus kitchen maid. One was a young scholar with vigorous blood, and the other was Wen Jun, newly widowed and alluring. Although Xiao Jias daughter had the integrity of guarding her chastity for her husbands family, without the constraints of rural customs, this so-called integrity was actually very weak; although Lin Shu was also a scholar who read sacred books and knew the moral principles of not deceiving others in secret, when faced with alluring beauty, these principles were also too thin to withstand. Gu Wu Chen thought that initially, the two might be able to restrain themselves, but as time passed, if dry firewood encountered fierce flames, it was clear what would happen, and Liang Zuo Rens painstaking efforts would be in vain. To say that Gu Wu Chen didnt feel a pang of sadness in his heart would be self-deception. When he saw a beautiful young girl waiting for Lin Shu at the ferry crossing, he assumed this girl was Lin Shus lover from when he participated in the imperial examination in Jiangning. Gu Wu Chen put down one worry and thought: it seemed that Xiao Jias daughter becoming Lin Shus kitchen maid wasnt as dangerous as he had imagined.

  Hearing his father say this, Gu Jun Xiang also warmly greeted Xiao Man: "Sister, Jun Xiang is new here and will need to rely on you for care in the future!"

  Listening to Gu Junxun calling herself "sister", Xiao Man leaned on Lins side, with a sly smile, but didnt say anything.

  Lin Xie didnt care about Xiao Mans identity, but just because he didnt care, it doesnt mean others wouldnt care. If he himself had an affair with Xiao Man and got close to Gu Junxiang, and later the Gu family found out about Xiao Mans background, they might not want him to enter their house again in this lifetime.

  Gu Jun Xun is a spoiled young lady from an officials family, while Xiao Man is just a young prostitute from Bian Ji Xiang, reality is often cruel like this.

  Gu Jun Xun was expecting Lin Xuan to introduce the beautiful girl in front of him, and Gu Wu Chen also wanted to know whose daughter she was. Lin Xuan deliberately avoided this topic, placing his hand lightly on Xiao Mans shoulder, smiling and saying: "This little girl just turned 15"

  "Ah" Gu Junxuns face turned bright red with embarrassment when he called a girl two years younger than him "sister". For several days, Gu Wudu had known that Lin Xie was a courteous scholar and when he saw his hand on Xiaomans shoulder, he instantly understood the girls identity. He smiled and didnt mention letting the other party interact with Xiaonu again, almost causing a big joke.

  Her mind was extremely sensitive, and from Gu Wuhens eyes, she knew that Lin Xuans hand on her shoulder wasnt meant to be intimate with her, but rather to hint at her identity to others. Her heart suddenly turned from joy to sorrow, and an inexplicable sadness arose. She slightly slumped her shoulders and dodged away from Lin Xuans hand. In the twilight, her face as beautiful as jade had an unmistakable melancholy that couldnt be concealed.

  Lin Guan looked at her with a sympathetic heart, but it was inconvenient for him to comfort her at this time.

  The yamen runners and the officers on the boat said that the middle-aged man who came over wearing a casual gown was none other than Vice Commissioner Guo, so they hastily came to pay their respects. The sedan chairs, horses, and carriages were all prepared, and they invited Gu Xiuwen and his family to go to the yamen to rest and clean up first. As for the luggage boxes and crates, they assigned someone to watch over them along with the yamen attendants and other servants to take care of them.

  At this time, Liu Yuer also took her own luggage ashore, and Xiao Man had been waiting with Zhou Pu and Chen Enze for half a day. She had already learned from Zhou Pus mouth about the things that happened in Shanglin during this period of time as well as their journey to Jiangning. She perked up and put away her gloomy expression, revealing a bright smile as she went to help Liu Yuer with her luggage: "Youre Sister Xiao?"

  Liu Yuer didnt recognize Xiao Man as a girl at first, and when she saw the handsome young man come forward to help her carry things, she was startled. Just as she was about to let go, Lin Xuan smiled and said: "Miss Liu, dont be afraid, Xiao Man is my sister, its okay for her to help you carry things." Only then did Liu Yuer realize that the young man was actually a girl in disguise. She couldnt understand why everyone said that Lin Jurens parents had passed away early, and he had no relatives, so how could there be a sister appearing out of nowhere?

  As the dusk deepened, they still had to take a thirty-mile water route across Chao Tian Lake to get back to Jiangning City. They wouldnt make it before the city gate closed, so they could only stay overnight at the post house. Without the help of the postmen, they loaded their few pieces of luggage onto four good horses. Lin tied up his boots and crouched down, letting Xiao Man step on his knee to mount the horse. He personally led Xiao Mans horse, chatting with her about interesting things that had happened during their ten-plus days apart.

  Gu Jun Xun sat with her mother in the carriage, slightly lifting the window curtain to peek at Lin Xie leading a horse in the dusk. She thought that Young Master Lin was really good to this girl, and then recalled the scene where Lin Xie unintentionally grabbed her chest in the teahouse. In her heart, she sighed: Doesnt Young Master Lin know hes holding onto himself here? Should I also forget about this matter?

  The prosperity of Jiangning can be glimpsed from the inns at Chao Tian Yi, where the buildings are densely packed, one after another. Standing on a slightly higher ground and looking far into the distance, the inns at Chao Tian Yi are lined up like scales, and its hard to count how many courtyards there are in the dusk. Further away, there is another group of buildings, which is the garrison town of Jiangnings defender-in-chief on the north bank.

  As an official, Gu Wuhen also attaches importance to auspicious timing for his appointment. As he approaches Jiangning City, he plans to stay at the post house on the north shore of Chao Tian Lake for a few days, waiting for the chosen auspicious day to enter the city and take office formally. During this period, some officials from the Jiangdong Surveillance Commissioners Office who will become his subordinates will come to visit him across the river as usual, and they will also present him with generous ritual gifts.

  Gu Wu Chen is not an unconventional person, he cant escape the mundane. As a high-ranking official of the imperial court, with a salary of 250 dan (a unit of measurement) of rice per year, equivalent to 100 taels of silver, which could support four or five small families for a year. However, following Gu Wu Chen to Jiangning were three attendants, four maids and wet nurses, as well as Yang Pus wife and daughter. After arriving in Jiangning, although there was an official residence to live in, they still had to hire four or five more people as gatekeepers and miscellaneous servants. The monthly expenses for these people alone would exceed 100 taels of silver per year. Gu Si Ming and Gu Tian Qiao, two nephews who followed him to Jiangning, also required some monthly allowance for their living expenses. To maintain a lifestyle equivalent to that of a high-ranking official, the households food, clothing, and other expenses could not be reduced, which was another huge expenditure. Additionally, they had to hire some clerks as assistants to handle official business, all of which required Gu Wu Chen to pay out of his own pocket. How could his annual salary possibly suffice?

  In this era, if an official only accepted gifts of money from subordinates and colleagues, he would be considered clean, just like officials a thousand years later who only accepted gifts during holidays.

  Gu Wu Chen couldnt shake off his worldly thoughts, so he decided to stop at the post house and not rush into the city. First, he would receive the greetings of those who were about to become his subordinates. Moreover, after entering the city, he had to go pay respects to his superiors in Jiangning, including the Governor of Jiangdong, the Minister of Justice of Jiangning, the Left and Right Servants-in-Attendance, the Minister of War of Jiangning concurrently serving as the Defender General, and the Censor-in-Chief of Jiangning. He also had to visit the national dukes and earls residing in Jiangning city. For his son Gu Siyuans future prospects, he would take the initiative to visit the headmaster of the National Academy in Jiangning. Perhaps all these things could be planned out in advance at the post house, with a set order for who to visit first and who next. Although Gu Wu Chen was still one of the big shots in Jiangning city later on, rules were rules, and no one could break them.

  Lin Xian knew about these official habits, thinking that he didnt need to serve as a staff member for Gu Wu Chen, and tomorrow morning he could bid farewell to Jiangning, not having to deal with these official habits, his heart also felt much lighter.

  Lin Xuan did not expect the urgent mood of those officials who were about to become Gu Wu Chens subordinates. As he followed the Gu family members towards the post house, he saw a group of people standing under two high-flying wind lanterns in front of the building, looking like they were waiting to welcome Gu Wu Chen. When they saw Gu Wu Chens carriage arrive at the post house, they all came forward together. The young man in brocade clothes who had met on the Shi Liang River and was escorting the ship fleet of Jiangning Qingfeng Merchant House, Du Rong Hao, was also among the welcoming crowd.

  Seeing Du Rong suddenly appear here, Lin Xuan was startled and quickly hugged Xiao Mans waist to take her down from the horseback. (To the top point.) 16977 small game updates fun small games every day, waiting for you to discover!