Chief Steward Gao couldn’t help but straighten his expression. After careful consideration, he said, “Young Miss, let my son go instead.”
He was referring to Qiongfang’s older brother, whom Gu Zhizhuo was familiar with, so she nodded in agreement. Chief Steward Gao immediately sent his wife to fetch Gao Yao.
Qiongfang laid out the paper and ground the ink, while Chief Steward Gao personally stood guard in the corridor.
The sheep-hair brush was filled with ink, and Gu Zhizhuo stood holding the brush, pondering and reciting repeatedly. Though only a few short lines, it took her a whole cup of tea[mfn]roughly about 5 to 15 minutes depending on the context[/mfn] to write.
Carelessly, a drop of ink dripped from the tip of the brush and spread across the silk paper.
Gu Zhizhuo had no choice but to set that silk paper aside and lay out a new one to rewrite it.
This time, she wrote it all in one go, filling the entire letter to the brim.
After finishing, Gu Zhizhuo carefully reviewed it and stamped it with her personal seal.
Chief Steward Gao called out from the outside, “Young Miss, Gao Yao is here.”
“Let him in.”
Gao Yao was a tall and slender young man. After entering and giving a respectful greeting, he stood there quietly without saying a word.
The letter had completely dried. Gu Zhizhuo personally folded it neatly and placed it into an envelope, sealed it with wax, and stamped it with a seal at the closure.
She handed the letter to Gao Yao and solemnly instructed, “My older brother should be near Yizhou and Heze County right now. You must find him and personally deliver this letter into his hands. Make sure he reads it immediately.”
After saying that, Gu Zhizhuo solemnly reminded him again, “This letter must not pass through anyone else’s hands.”
“I understand.” Gao Yao received the letter with both hands and carefully placed it against his chest.
“You may go, leave tonight, and be careful on the road.”
Gao Yao cupped his hands in salute and took his leave.
Gu Zhizhuo let out a long sigh of relief and slid down slightly against the back of the chair, adjusting into a more comfortable position.
Qiongfang adjusted the reading lamp and began tidying up the desk. Suddenly, Gu Zhizhuo asked, “Is there a map in the countryside manor?”
Chief Steward Gao shook his head and said, “No, there isn’t.”
Indeed, maps are rare. Even in the main residence, only her father’s study had one.
“Don’t worry, Young Miss,” Qiongfang said cheerfully, “Heze County isn’t far from here. There will be news from the Young Heir very soon.”
Yes.
Gu Zhizhuo nodded silently. From here to Heze County, even at full speed, it would only take three to five days for a round trip. Once her older brother received the letter, as long as he planned carefully and wiped out the bandits before they entered the capital region, the string of calamities from her previous life could surely be avoided.
But…
For some reason, Gu Zhizhuo felt tightness in her chest, as if she had overlooked something important.
She simply got up and walked to the window, opened it, and let the wind blow on her.
In her previous life, she had been unconscious with a high fever for several days, so she wasn’t very clear about many things that happened.
But after her older brother was convicted and went missing, she thought about it every single day—could her older brother really have made such a grave mistake?
Her older brother had followed their father to the northern border at the age of five, and by the age of twelve, he could personally lead a battalion to ambush and kill a general of Liang Country. He was raised and taught by their father himself—could someone like him really be toyed with by mere bandits?
The wind tousled Gu Zhizhuo’s hair, and before long, raindrops began to fall in a pitter-patter, growing heavier and heavier.
The wisteria in front of the hanging-flower gate swayed in the wind and rain.
“It’s exactly the third quarter of the You hour,” Qiongfang said cheerfully. “Young Miss, you were right!”
Chief Steward Gao chimed in as well: “Young Miss, you were really accurate!” He beamed with squinted eyes—their Young Miss was truly remarkable.
Listening to the sound of rain, Qiongfang asked worriedly, “Young Miss, with rain this heavy, we probably can’t go back today, right?
Gu Zhizhuo replied casually, “At this hour, the city gates are already closed.”
That’s true! Qiongfang actually didn’t want to go back either. She sighed, “If we stay outside overnight, the Old Madam will definitely get angry again.”
The word ‘again’ was used so well that Gu Zhizhuo couldn’t help but curl her lips: “Even if we don’t stay outside overnight, she’ll still get angry.”
With that thought, Qiongfang immediately brightened and said excitedly, “Young Miss, my mother said she got some fresh wild vegetables today. Would you like to eat wild vegetable dumplings[mfn]野菜饺子 https://m.meishichina.com/recipe/229046/[/mfn] tomorrow morning?”
Nanny Wan’s wild vegetable dumplings?
In her memories, they were fresh, fragrant, and incredibly delicious. Gu Zhizhuo agreed without thinking.
Chief Steward Gao beamed with joy[mfn]眉开眼笑 (méi kāi yǎn xiào) lit. “Brows raised in delight, eyes laughing (idiom for being very happy-looking[/mfn], and said from the side, “I[mfn]小的 (xiǎo de): humble self-reference used by servants, meaning “I” or “your servant.” It is used when talking to a superior[/mfn] will go give the order right away and check if the dinner is ready.”
Boom!
A muffled thunderclap suddenly sounded. After the thunder, the rain grew heavier and heavier—each bean-sized drop seeming to strike directly at the tip of Gu Zhizhuo’s heart.
Her unease deepened.
Gu Zhizhuo clenched her sleeve and suddenly called out to him, “Chief Steward Gao, do you have any copper coins?”
Chief Steward Gao was momentarily stunned, not quite understanding how they had just been talking about eating wild vegetable dumplings, and now she was suddenly asking about copper coins.
But he didn’t ask. He simply pulled out a handful of copper coins: “Yes, I have some.”
Gu Zhizhuo took three copper coins and placed them between her palms, gently shaking them rhythmically.
In her previous life, she blocked the gate of Wuweizi Zhenren’s mountain for a whole month, pestering him until he finally accepted her as a disciple.
Wuweizi Zhenren was the head of Tianxin Temple.
As the saying goes, ‘Nine out of ten Taoists are also physicians.’ The Tianxin Sect integrates Taoist teachings with medicine, and its disciples cultivate both medical and Taoist practices, earning them the title of Taoist doctors.
Before Young Master passed away, she devoted herself wholeheartedly to medicine, trying to prolong his life.
After Young Master passed away, she began to study other disciplines. Wuweizi Zhenren imparted all his knowledge to her—Yin-Yang fate readings[mfn]阴阳禄命 (yīn yáng lù mìng) refers to the study or theory of: Fate and fortune as determined by the balance of Yin and Yang, and the heavenly allocation of one’s lifespan, wealth, and destiny[/mfn], various physiognomy methods, Five Omens of the Burning Tortoise[mfn]灼龟五兆 (zhuó guī wǔ zhào) likely refers to oracle bone divination (卜辞), where ancient diviners heated turtle plastrons (underside of the shell) or ox scapulae until they cracked. The resulting crack patterns were then interpreted as omens. “Five兆” could indicate five different signs or outcomes derived from one session.[/mfn], Book of Changes[mfn]周易 (Zhōu Yì), also known as the I Ching or Book of Changes.
A divination text and philosophical system dating back over 3,000 years.
Traditionally attributed to King Wen of Zhou, the Duke of Zhou, and Confucius.
Combines symbolic hexagrams (卦 guà) with commentary to explain the patterns of change in the universe.[/mfn] and Six Rens[mfn]Liù Rén (六壬) is one of the Three Great Chinese Divination Systems (三式 Sān Shì), along with Qi Men Dun Jia (奇门遁甲) and Tai Yi Shen Shu (太乙神数).
“Liù Rén” literally means “Six Rens,” referring to six specific days in the Chinese Heavenly Stems system that contain the character 壬 (Rén)—namely: 壬子, 壬寅, 壬辰, 壬午, 壬申, and 壬戌.
It originated from ancient Chinese divination (占卜 zhānbǔ) practices and evolved into a complex system involving Heavenly Stems (天干), Earthly Branches (地支), spirits/gods, stars, time, and directions.[/mfn]—she learned them all.
“Chief Steward Gao.”
Someone knocked on the door outside. Chief Steward Gao went to open it and asked, “What’s the matter?”
“The guests staying in the west courtyard heard that the master has arrived and would like to come over to express their thanks…”
Clink.
Three crisp sounds rang out as three copper coins fell on the desk one after another.
This is…
Gu Zhizhuo’s phoenix eyes lifted slightly. She looked at the copper coins on the desk and was stunned.
A death hexagram!?
After a while, she raised her hand and gently brushed over the three copper coins.
This hexagram is extremely bad. It means that a great misfortune is about to happen.
“Young Miss.” Chief Steward Gao came over and reported respectfully without glancing sideways, “Young Miss, the guest in the west courtyard is outside and wishes to greet you.”
Guests?
Gu Zhizhuo raised her brows slightly and looked toward him. Chief Steward Gao explained with a smile, “They’re wealthy merchants traveling to Yizhou to visit relatives. The head of their family is surnamed Shen. One of them was bitten on the ankle by a venomous snake in the countryside and has come seeking snakebite medicine.”
“They were afraid the venom might relapse, so they asked to stay the night. I took the liberty of agreeing.”
At that time, it was just past Shen hour[mfn]around 3-5 p.m.[/mfn], and Chief Steward Gao didn’t know Gu Zhizhuo would be coming—otherwise, he wouldn’t have agreed.
“They’re staying in the west courtyard now.”
Lady Wang was kind-hearted. While she was alive, she often provided medical treatment and medicine to the villagers around the countryside manor, and she even set aside the west courtyard for those who traveled from afar to seek treatment to stay temporarily.
Even after her passing, Chief Steward Gao never neglected her kindness.
Gu Zhizhuo picked up a copper coin from the desk and rubbed it between her fingers. She asked thoughtfully, “How many people are there?”
“About ten people in total, with four carriages, including stewards and guards,” Chief Steward Gao reported. “Their household steward is outside and wishes to greet you, Young Miss.”
As an unmarried young lady staying here, it was, of course, inappropriate for her to meet them in person. But knowing that the owner had arrived, sending someone to greet her was a proper courtesy.
Gu Zhizhuo stood by the window and looked toward the hanging-flower gate.
The drizzle was dense, and a middle-aged man in a long dark robe stood under the rain holding an umbrella.
He held a glazed lantern in his hand. The moment she clearly saw the middle-aged man’s face, Gu Zhizhuo felt as if she had been struck by lightning—her mind thundered with shock.
An old acquaintance!
A Deputy Commander of the Jinyiwei[mfn]the Embroidered Uniform Guard—Imperial Secret Police[/mfn], Sheng Jiang.
Gu Zhizhuo’s expression tensed slightly.
Why was he here, disguised as a steward of a wealthy merchant?
If he was the steward of the wealthy merchant, and the master’s surname was Shen, then could that wealthy merchant’s young master be…
A name surfaced in Gu Zhizhuo’s mind.
She rubbed her forehead, and hoping it wasn’t what she thought, she asked, “Chief Steward Gao, is that young master dressed in open-sleeved red robes, looking noble yet pretentious…picky too, and also especially good-looking?”
“Yes, yes,” Chief Steward Gao hurriedly replied, “He is a young master in red robes, with excellent bearing. Their four carriages are full of daily necessities. When they were moving their things down, I saw with my own eyes—folding screens, carpets, tea sets, incense burners, glazed lanterns, all sorts of things. They even brought along a chamber pot.”
Gu Zhizhuo’s heart sank, and a chill crept up her back.
Such a picky and fussy person could only be him!
Shen Xu!
If she remembered correctly, Shen Xu had taken charge of the Eastern Depot just a year ago at the age of twenty. His methods were especially ruthless and far more terrifying than the previous head of the Eastern Depot. Countless people died from having their families confiscated and exterminated by his hand.
She thought of the Marquis Wuying’s manor, which had been raided by the Eastern Depot.
From being showered with favor to having irrefutable evidence of guilt, it took only a single day. The only difference was the Emperor’s will.
Gu Zhizhuo still remembered that in her previous life, by the time she returned to the Capital, Shen Xu was already at the peak of his power. His word was law in the Imperial Court, and he could manipulate events as he pleased.
At that time, Imperial Envoys jointly submitted impeachment charges accusing him of “dominating authority and peace negotiations, forming factions to monopolize power, abusing power for personal gain, and deceiving the Emperor,” and within just a few days, the impeachment memorials piled up in the Imperial Study. However, the final result was that one-third of all civil and military officials in the court were purged, with all of them deemed “guilty with conclusive evidence.”
The Capital was gripped by fear, and the stench of blood at the execution ground lingered for an entire month.
From then on, no one dared to say a word of “no” to Shen Xu. In the days that followed, those who obeyed him thrived, and those who opposed him perished.
The entire court lived in constant dread.
By that time, Xie Yingchen had already passed away, and all Gu Zhizhuo wanted was for those who had harmed him to pay in blood.
She hid in the shadows, stirring up trouble, instigating this lord to fight to death with Xie Jing, who had already become the crown prince.
Perhaps it was because of Ji Nanke’s destined protection that Xie Jing always managed to survive even in desperate situations.
Wherever Shen Xu appears, nothing good ever comes!
“Chief Steward Gao,” Gu Zhizhuo said with a headache, “tell the guests there’s no need for formalities.”
Chief Steward Gao responded and went out.
Not long after, Sheng Jiang left.
Gu Zhizhuo’s thought seemed to be triggered by something. She quickly walked to the desk and picked up a sheet of silk paper.
It was the one she had discarded earlier while writing the letter.
Her gaze fell on a line of words ––
The bandits will flee toward the capital. Older Brother, be extra cautious and deploy along the smaller road…
Bandits?!
Her fingers suddenly tightened, crumpling the edge of the silk paper.
The death hexagram!
In that very moment, it felt like a revelation.
What if there were never any bandits in the Capital in her previous life?
What if Xie Yingchen wasn’t in Yizhou at all but had already arrived in the capital region—even nearby?
Then the appearance of the Eastern Depot made perfect sense.
Set an ambush to kill Xie Yingchen!
After the plan succeeds, set fire to burn everything clean, and blame it all on the bandits…
This was the real truth in her previous life.
T.N. I don’t know if the explanation about divination matter is right or not, because I got it from ChatGPT. But don’t worry, the author gives a reference for that. You can look for 孙思邈《大医习业》. Here I’ll give you example https://www.360doc.cn/article/42548245_1113191091.html
