Huan Che motioned for Nayun to bring Shen Biyin and her mother over.
Nayun approached as instructed, but the mother and daughter were not impressed. Instead, they arrogantly demanded to know which family he served as a guard.
Nayun had already guessed that the two women belonged to the Shen family. He looked down on them and coldly gestured toward the distinguished young man standing in the distance.
“That gentleman over there wishes to see you.”
Shen Biyin followed his gaze and recognized the handsome young man she had noticed earlier. The arrogance on her face immediately softened.
Madam Zeng also looked in his direction. After studying the young man for a moment, she lowered her voice and said, “He certainly has an extraordinary bearing. He may be the son of a powerful noble family. There is no harm in going over to meet him. We have just prayed at the Moon Elder Shrine, and now we have encountered someone like him. Perhaps it is a good omen.”
Shen Biyin blushed at her mother’s words and lowered her head to adjust her hairpins.
Although she was genuinely attracted to the refined young man she had seen earlier, her parents had often told her that she might one day marry a prince and become a princess consort. She found that position even more appealing. Still, she wanted to leave a good impression on such an exceptionally handsome young man.
Madam Zeng led her daughter over and politely asked Huan Che which family he belonged to.
Huan Che gave the mother and daughter a cold glance.
“It seems the Marquises of Runan do not maintain strict rules in their household. Is this how the women of your family are taught to behave?”
The moment he said this, Madam Zeng was startled.
The young man had immediately identified their family as the Marquises of Runan. Moreover, he was clearly younger than her, yet he dared to reprimand her in such a tone.
There were only two possibilities: either he had an exceptionally high status, or there was something wrong with his mind.
This young man certainly did not look unreasonable.
So, what was his identity?
Madam Zeng was suddenly filled with uncertainty.
Seeing her mother frozen in place, Shen Biyin quietly tugged at her sleeve. Madam Zeng came back to her senses and realized that her palms had become damp with sweat.
She was simply accustomed to acting like a high-ranking noblewoman. Earlier, when she saw a group of common laborers daring to argue with her, she had lost her temper and scolded them without thinking. She had never expected that a distinguished person would be watching from nearby.
When Shen Biyin saw her mother hurriedly pulling her forward to apologize, she was initially confused. But she soon understood that the young man’s identity must be extraordinary.
Someone with such a high status and such an exceptional appearance…
Could he actually be Prince Heng himself?
Although Shen Biyin had never met Prince Heng, she had heard plenty about the Seventh Prince. Everyone in the capital knew that Prince Heng was exceptionally handsome, yet he had always kept himself aloof from women. There were not even any concubines in his residence.
Recently, there had also been rumors that the Emperor intended to select a princess consort for him. All the unmarried young ladies from respectable families in the capital were excited by the possibility.
The pool of candidates for a prince’s marriage was usually quite limited. Traditionally, the selection was made among the noble families in and around the capital. That meant Shen Biyin had a good chance of being chosen.
As she bowed, her cheeks turned bright red.
She had once thought people exaggerated when they praised Prince Heng’s appearance. But now, she realized that no matter how many poems she had read, not a single line could adequately describe his extraordinary beauty.
If she could marry a husband like him, she would have no regrets in life.
Gu Yunrong did not know exactly what Shen Biyin was thinking, but she could guess from the girl’s expression.
A thought suddenly occurred to her.
Since she and Huan Che would no longer have that brief, unexpected marriage in this lifetime, she would naturally never become Princess Consort Heng. She wondered which young lady would eventually become his wife instead.
Huan Che gave no response to Madam Zeng and her daughter’s apologies. He merely said indifferently, “I had no idea the Marquises of Runan had such extensive connections. Apparently, your family has ties to everyone. I should ask my father later whether he knows about all these relationships.”
His words were clearly mocking Shen Biyin’s earlier claims.
Cold sweat immediately appeared on Madam Zeng’s forehead. Her face turned pale, then red, as she struggled to respond.
If she had still harbored doubts about the young man’s identity earlier, she could no longer deny it now.
She had once been fortunate enough to attend a palace ceremony and see the Emperor in person. The young man’s words and manner carried the unmistakable bearing of the imperial family. One could imitate many things, but the authority that came naturally from one’s very bones could never be faked.
Madam Zeng repeatedly apologized on her daughter’s behalf and promised that Shen Biyin would never make such careless remarks again.
Only after seeing the young man turn and walk away did she finally straighten up and pull her daughter aside for a stern scolding.
However, Shen Biyin’s thoughts were still occupied by the young man who had just left. As soon as they entered their sedan chair, she hurriedly asked, “Mother, was that really Prince Heng?”
Madam Zeng shot her an irritated look.
“You paid no attention when I was scolding you, but now you suddenly have plenty of questions! I believe he was Prince Heng. I also noticed just now that his appearance bears some resemblance to His Majesty.”
Shen Biyin immediately clutched her handkerchief.
“We have only just arrived in Jiangnan. Shouldn’t we go and pay our respects to His Highness? No matter how you look at it, our family does have some connection to Prince Heng.”
Madam Zeng also began making plans. After all, they had just come out of the Moon Elder Shrine when they encountered Prince Heng.
This matter certainly deserved careful consideration.
Shen Biyin then asked who the young girl accompanying Prince Heng was.
Madam Zeng gave a dismissive laugh. “Who cares who she is? She certainly doesn’t look like a young lady from any respectable family.”
Shen Biyin was somewhat displeased.
Although the girl’s clothes and accessories were ordinary, her appearance was truly striking. If she were dressed up properly, Shen Biyin might not even be able to stand beside her without feeling overshadowed.
Meanwhile, with Gu Yunrong subtly guiding the way, the group eventually arrived at Matu Niang Temple.
Matu Niang was the goddess of silkworms, also known as the Lady of Silkworms or the Silkworm Goddess. Since Zhejiang was a major silk-producing region, worshipping the silkworm deity was naturally a widespread local custom and an important part of the region’s culture.
However, the Matu Niang Temple near the Moon Elder Shrine was somewhat secluded. During the day, silkworm farmers occasionally came to pray, but few people visited at night.
It was also close to a dock. Perhaps that was why the pirates had chosen this place as their meeting point for secret transactions.
Huan Che noticed that the statue inside the temple depicted a woman riding a horse, holding a tray of silkworm cocoons in her hands. He turned to Gu Yunrong and asked whether she knew the story behind it.
Although the Gu family did not raise silkworms, Gu Yunrong followed the traditional custom of paying respects whenever she entered a temple. She respectfully offered her prayers before returning to Huan Che’s side.
In a quiet voice, she told him a story.
Long ago, there was a young woman whose father was kidnapped and disappeared. Her mother made a vow that whoever brought her husband home would be allowed to marry their beloved daughter.
A white horse heard this and carried the woman’s father back.
However, the horse continued neighing restlessly. When the father learned the reason, he became furious, killed the horse, and stripped off its hide, leaving it to dry in the courtyard.
When the young woman approached, the horsehide suddenly wrapped around her and carried her up into a tree. Afterward, her head transformed into that of a horse. Fine silk threads came from her mouth, gradually wrapping around her entire body.
That was how Matu Niang, the goddess who watched over silkworms and sericulture, came into being.
After hearing the story, Nayun glanced back and forth between his master and Gu Yunrong.
He suddenly wanted to ask Miss Gu whether rescuing a father and marrying off his daughter was a local custom.
After all, if Gu Tongfu had not encountered His Highness, who knew what kind of suffering he would still be enduring? His case would certainly never have been resolved.
In a way, His Highness had saved Gu Tongfu.
More importantly, Nayun had a feeling that his master treated Gu Yunrong differently from other people.
From Gu Yunrong and her brother, Huan Che learned that some poor farmers in the area could only produce enough rice to feed their families for eight months of the year. They had to rely on raising silkworms to cover the remaining four months of food expenses and other household costs.
Zhejiang’s climate was naturally well suited to silkworm farming. Mulberry fields were also more profitable than rice fields, so there were many families who raised silkworms.
Huan Che stepped forward to offer his own prayers to the silkworm goddess.
Later, as he inspected the area around Matu Niang Temple, he noticed several people behaving suspiciously. Their appearances and clothing also seemed somewhat unusual.
He examined the surrounding terrain as well. By the time he finished, his expression had turned cold.
Gu Yunrong noticed his expression. She knew that with his intelligence and sharp instincts, he had probably already understood what she wanted him to discover.
She finally relaxed and began looking for an opportunity to take her leave.
Since Huan Che did not want to discuss Gu Tongfu’s case, he must already have his own plans. When he said that her father was fine, she believed him. He had no reason to lie about that.
Now that she had accomplished what she came here to do, Gu Yunrong felt considerably more relaxed.
However, when she and Gu Jiayan said goodbye to Huan Che, he did not agree. He even seemed somewhat displeased.
Instead, he ordered the siblings to accompany him around the surrounding area for another five li.
In the end, he suddenly seemed interested in buying some bayberries from a roadside stall.
Huan Che did not let his attendants handle the purchase. He walked straight up to the stall and used the Wu dialect he had just learned from Gu Yunrong to ask the vendor how much the bayberries cost.
The vendor quickly looked him over, then smiled broadly.
“Five hundred copper coins per jin!”
He spoke in Wu dialect. Huan Che either did not understand him or simply did not care. He ignored the vendor and continued examining the bayberries himself.
Gu Yunrong was just marveling at how shamelessly the vendor was trying to overcharge them when Huan Che called her over to help him choose the fruit.
Gu Yunrong felt that she had already accomplished everything she had set out to do. She no longer wanted to go out of her way to please Huan Che.
Tired and somewhat unwilling, she hesitated.
But she could hardly disobey his wishes, so she forced herself to cheer up and stepped forward to select two jin of bayberries for him.
She loved eating fruit, and Zhejiang produced plenty of bayberries. She was very familiar with choosing the best ones.
While Huan Che watched her skilled movements, he also noticed the change in her mood.
She seemed rather reluctant.
Huan Che lowered his eyes and added two more large handfuls of bayberries to the scale.
“Just showing me around isn’t enough to fulfill your duty as a local host. How about you pay for these bayberries?”
Gu Yunrong turned around in surprise and met his profile, illuminated by the glow of the evening sunset.
Most of the time, he wore an expressionless face. Yet his features always seemed remarkably vivid and striking. His eyebrows and eyes were so beautifully formed, and his features so refined, that even when his expression was calm, he naturally drew everyone’s attention.
He looked like an immortal who had descended from the heavens.
Now this immortal wanted to eat bayberries, but expected her to pay for them.
Gu Yunrong suddenly understood why he had not bothered to ask about the price earlier.
She did not want all her efforts to go to waste at the last moment. Gritting her teeth, she quietly squeezed her nearly empty purse.
Then she forced a smile and agreed.
But the moment she turned around, her smile disappeared. She began bargaining with the vendor without the slightest hesitation.
Bayberries were in season, so their price was actually quite low. As a local, Gu Yunrong knew the proper market price and negotiated firmly.
The vendor heard her speaking fluent Wu dialect and realized he could not cheat her. He then turned his attention to Huan Che, hoping the wealthy young master would find bargaining too troublesome and simply pay whatever he asked.
Unfortunately, the wealthy young master remained completely unmoved, as though he had all the time in the world.
The vendor gritted his teeth. Thinking that earning a little was better than earning nothing, he finally accepted Gu Yunrong’s offer.
Gu Yunrong carefully carried the bayberries she had bought and respectfully presented them to the wealthy young master.
But he refused to take them.
“Hold on to them for now. Give them to me when we part.”
Gu Yunrong looked at him in confusion.
Huan Che replied as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.
“You seem to have forgotten that I am still ill. Carrying them would be troublesome.”
Gu Yunrong nearly lost her grip and threw the bayberries straight at his face.
He was clearly full of energy. How could he possibly look like a sick person?
After spending the entire day with him, she had finally figured it out. He was pretending to be ill, and he was not even making much effort to hide it.
She had no interest in figuring out why he insisted on telling everyone he was sick. As long as he released Gu Tongfu, that was all she cared about.
She obediently carried the bayberries throughout the rest of their journey. When it was finally time to part, she presented them to Huan Che as carefully as though they were sacred offerings.
Huan Che remembered how reluctant she had seemed earlier. As he accepted the fruit, he casually said, “There is no telling when Gu Tongfu will be released. You should wait patiently.”
Gu Yunrong froze.
Hadn’t he said earlier that her father would be home in a few days? Why had it suddenly become uncertain?
Before she could respond, Huan Che led his attendants away.
When he returned to Listening to the Maples Retreat, he summoned Wuwu and Nayun and instructed them to gather their men immediately.
“Have them keep watch around the dock near Matu Niang Temple over the next few days.”
Wuwu was puzzled.
“What exactly are we watching for, Your Highness?”
Huan Che picked up a freshly washed, deep-red bayberry.
“The copper, iron, and saltpeter transaction Kou Hu mentioned should take place near Matu Niang Temple, where we went today. However, I suspect the Portuguese merchants may not simply be coming to purchase goods this time. They might also be planning to sell another batch of merchandise to earn enough money for their return journey. That would make the trip more worthwhile.”
Wuwu became excited.
“If we can catch a few wealthy merchants involved in smuggling along the way, that would be even better!”
As he spoke, he noticed that Huan Che was reading a letter while eating one bayberry after another.
Wuwu found this rather strange.
After leaving the room, he quietly asked Nayun, “Why has His Highness suddenly developed a taste for sour fruit? I wasn’t with him when he went out today.”
Nayun gave him a mysterious look.
“Perhaps… things taste especially good when you don’t have to pay for them.”
After returning home, Gu Yunrong found herself trapped in a long wait.
She waited for more than ten days, but Gu Tongfu still did not return home.
Instead, a servant from the second branch arrived with a wedding invitation.
Gu Yanyu was getting married next month.
The entire first branch ignored the invitation.
At the moment, Gu Yunrong’s thoughts were completely occupied by Huan Che.
Was he sick?
Was he in a bad mood?
What was he doing now?
Had he started preparing the documents to approve Gu Tongfu’s release?
If he had, how far along was the process?
Had something else distracted him along the way?
She felt as though she had fallen in love all over again.
Gu Yunrong could not help sighing.
Perhaps she had wasted her money on those bayberries after all.
When Gu Tongyuan learned that the servant delivering the invitation had been driven away before even entering the house, he decided to deliver it personally.
Gu Jiayan blocked his uncle at the gate and coldly told him to leave.
Gu Tongyuan had always resented the fact that Gu Tongfu received a larger share of the family property when their household was divided. He was also jealous because Gu Jiayan was more promising in his studies than either of his own sons.
Now, he had finally found an opportunity to kick his elder brother’s family while they were down.
He had heard that the case against Gu Tongfu had already been settled, but his elder brother was still being held in custody. He suspected that the matter was not as simple as it seemed.
“Don’t misunderstand me, nephew. I only thought you might take this opportunity to get out of the house and clear your mind. Your father’s situation cannot be rushed. But tell me, if he doesn’t come home for a whole year, are you going to stop studying and pursuing your future for an entire year as well?”
Gu Jiayan replied coldly, “Father will be released very soon!”
Gu Tongyuan gave a mocking smile.
“And when exactly is ‘very soon’? I’ve heard that the prince handling the case has no time to concern himself with your father’s matter anymore. Perhaps your father offended His Highness. He might remain locked up for another three to five years! Even if you don’t attend the wedding, you should at least think carefully about selling or transferring the rights to your farmland. Otherwise, you might not even have enough money to continue your studies…”
As Gu Tongyuan spoke, the sound of a carriage rolling along the lane echoed from the entrance of the alley.
But he was too caught up in his own speech to notice.
Gu Jiayan glanced in the direction of the sound out of habit. At first, it was merely a casual look.
But when he saw the person stepping down from the carriage, his eyes widened in shock.
Gu Tongyuan noticed the sudden change in his nephew’s expression. Suspicious, he turned to look as well.