Since a maid taken as a bed companion was still considered a servant and not yet a concubine, without any formal status, most households had no strict procedure for such matters. Often, if a young master took a liking to someone, things would simply happen without much formality.
However, ever since the Duke Ding’s residence had been granted its title, there had been a rule: even taking in a bed companion must be done properly and openly.
The process in the Duke’s residence was roughly: serving tea, dining, going to bed—ceremony complete.
Thus, when Gu Zhao entered the room, two matrons were already preparing the tea set outside according to custom. Just as they carried the tea inside, a loud thud was heard—the sound of someone kneeling and kowtowing.
The matrons were puzzled. The girl’s etiquette training seemed poor—why kneel like that out of nowhere? Suddenly, a sharp, wailing cry from a woman rang out:
“I, a commoner named Yan Pan, beg the Vice Minister to uphold justice! I accuse Yang Siyong, Transport Commissioner of Yangzhou, and Zhang Jingyan, chief merchant of Yangzhou, of colluding as officials and merchants, framing the innocent, and harming the loyal! Their crimes are unforgivable!”
The wail was so piercing that the matron holding the teapot trembled. Her hand slipped, and a pot of fine Biluochun tea, along with the cups, shattered loudly on the floor, scattering tea and porcelain across half the room.
Despite the commotion, Gu Zhao did not move a single hair.
With a glance, he signaled Nurse Li to clear the room. She quickly ushered the other matron out and drove all attendants into the courtyard, then stood guard at the door to prevent anyone from entering.
With unrelated people dismissed, Gu Zhao placed the jewelry box on the table, pulled over a chair, and sat down calmly, his boots stepping over the shattered mess.
Looking at Yan Pan, he said:
“If there’s more to say, continue.”
His reaction was not what Yan Pan had expected. She paused briefly, then gathered herself and cried out again:
“I accuse Yang Siyong, Transport Commissioner of Yangzhou, and Zhang Jingyan, chief merchant of Yangzhou, of colluding as officials and merchants—”
Her second attempt lacked the force of the first. Clearly, she had nothing new to add. Gu Zhao had no patience for repetition and interrupted her:
“Where is your evidence?”
This was what Yan Pan had been waiting for. She crawled forward on her knees, tears streaming down her face.
“I have ironclad evidence! I want to see the emperor! I want to file a petition! If I can meet His Majesty, I will present the evidence!”
Gu Zhao tapped the table lightly with his fingers.
“You bear the surname Yan? What relation are you to Yan Qizhong, the former Salt Inspector of Yangzhou?”
Hearing her father’s name, Yan Pan cried even harder.
“He is my father! My father did not kill anyone, nor did he traffic illegal salt. They are the ones who did it! My father refused to join them, so they framed him in retaliation. I beg you to see the truth, my lord!”
Gu Zhao suddenly stood up, picked up the box, and walked toward the door.
“Nurse Li, bind her and send her back to the government broker tomorrow.”
Yan Pan, not understanding what had gone wrong, scrambled forward and grabbed his boots, shouting:
“Lord Gu! Are you going to shield them? Are you afraid of them as well?”
Looking down at her, Gu Zhao spoke evenly, his tone neither clearly angry nor pleased:
“Yan Qizhong, of humble origin, passed the imperial examinations in the eighteenth year of Yonghe. Appointed Salt Inspector of Yangzhou two years ago, dismissed and investigated three months ago. In just two years, his confiscated assets amounted to four hundred thousand taels of silver. The annual salt tax of the empire is only one million taels, with the Lianghuai region accounting for half. Your father alone embezzled four hundred thousand. Such corruption merits death by dismemberment. That I sentenced him to immediate execution was already lenient. And you still claim injustice?”
His tone was calm, even gentle, yet each word struck like a blade into Yan Pan’s heart.
She turned pale, trembling, completely shaken by the figure of four hundred thousand taels.
Since her father took office, their household had indeed grown increasingly extravagant. They had accepted gifts from salt merchants—but that was nothing unusual. Officials sought wealth; who in the bureaucracy didn’t accept gifts? The salt office was known to be lucrative.
But four hundred thousand taels—that was beyond anything she had imagined. Had they really taken that much?
Hearing Gu Zhao’s footsteps fading away, and realizing that if her father’s case was not overturned, she would be sent back to the government broker and likely fall into an even worse fate, Yan Pan suddenly felt a desperate urge to drag everyone down with her.
She sprang up, tearing open her outer and inner garments as she stumbled after him. From within, she pulled out an account book and shouted:
“They’re not innocent either! I have proof—irrefutable proof! I have the account book of salt smuggler Lei Dawu colluding with Zhang Jingyan to traffic illegal salt!”
Looking at her bloodshot, desperate eyes, Gu Zhao sighed.
“Miss Yan, if I were you, I would have left that account book in Yangzhou for the authorities to seize. You should not have carried it on you. You might have been sent back to the broker. Now, I can only send you to the Ministry of Justice prison.”
…
It was late at night.
The previous night, Gu Zhao had sat at this same desk, under the same lamplight, reading the manuals his grandmother had sent. Tonight, in the same position and with the same calm expression, he was reading the account book Yan Pan had mentioned.
His attendant returned from Fu’an Hall and saw that the dinner laid out had gone completely cold, untouched. Standing by the door, he asked:
“Young Master, the food has gone cold. Shall I have the kitchen prepare a late-night meal instead?”
Gu Zhao gave a brief acknowledgment, still examining the account book.
“How is Grandmother? What did the physician say?”
After finally persuading her grandson to accept a bed companion, the old madam had collapsed in anger upon learning the girl harbored ulterior motives.
The entire household had gone to attend to her. The Duchess dismissed everyone, saying too many people would hinder her recovery, keeping only a few attendants by her side.
Gu Zhao had left his attendant outside to wait for news. Only after the old madam’s condition stabilized did he return.
“The physician said the old madam suffered a sudden surge of anger. Tonight’s medicine will bring out the internal heat. As long as the fever subsides by morning, there will be no major issue. She has taken the medicine and is now asleep.”
Hearing an unfamiliar name, Gu Zhao finally looked up.
“Who is this Lady Zhu? Why was an imperial physician not summoned?”
The attendant, who worked in the front courtyard and knew little of the inner household, replied cautiously:
“I only heard a bit from Nurse Li. It seems the old madam doesn’t favor imperial physicians. She thinks they are overly cautious and troublesome. She prefers female physicians. Lady Zhu is said to be highly skilled—she previously treated the old madam’s waist injury. So she was summoned again.”