Chapter 24

Gu Jiu Ling never expected Xiao Yin to mention her maternal grandfather, the Du family; speaking of the Du family's affairs is truly lamentable.

Du Yushan rose in the Jiǔmù Guān region; in his youth he established a merchant guild, later expanding and opening money shops, grain and rice stores throughout Southern Qi, engaging in bulk commodity trade.

Over time this became Southern Qi's foremost merchant guild, the Jiǔmù Guild; his wife Yao Shi, his childhood sweetheart who shared weal and woe with him, unexpectedly fell ill after giving birth to their daughter Du Qingning and died a few years later.

At this point Du Yushan was already a wealthy and powerful local magnate, with suitors practically breaking his doorstep, yet he never remarried and simply lived with his daughter.

Until his daughter married into the Gu family, his dowry was virtually unmatched in Southern Qi.

But her husband was not a good person, yet she dared not tell her father about the Gu family's troubles, fearing to anger him.

Du Yushan also sensed something, personally went to the Gu house and sternly rebuked Gu Shijie; unaware of what deal he had made with Emperor Longqing, he actually betrothed his granddaughter to the Crown Prince.

By then Gu Shijie had somewhat restrained himself; just when Du Qingning was pregnant with her second child, Du Yushan took his merchant guild to trade in the Western Rong, only to be ambushed midway by Bei Di cavalry.

Initially the Western Rong and Southern Qi had already allied, preparing to jointly confront the powerful Bei Di; after Du Yushan's caravan fell into Bei Di's hands, the Southern Qi Imperial Court also prepared to send troops to rescue.

After all, when Emperor Longqing seized the throne in his early years, the silver expenses were all covered by Du Yushan; both emotionally and rationally, he could not be ignored.

Yet Southern Qi's reinforcements still arrived a step too late; Du Yushan and the merchant guild he led were exterminated, and the caravan's wealth was completely looted.

The Bei Di even cruelly severed Du Yushan's head, placed it in a box, and sent it back to Southern Qi as a display.

Emperor Longqing gave Du Yushan a lavish burial and posthumously conferred the title of Duke of Jiǔmù; the so-called revenge later came to nothing.

Thus the Du family declined, and with no heirs, their business was gradually swallowed up by other families.

Upon hearing the bad news, Du Qingning's health collapsed; she passed away after giving birth to her son, and her dowry fell into the hands of Lady Lin.

Later Gu Jiu Ling was raised to be a good-for-nothing, and naturally the matter of her maternal grandfather's death became a rumor gathering dust in old papers.

Gu Jiu Ling stared at Xiao Yin, never expecting that after over a decade he would bring up these matters.

Xiao Yin looked at Gu Jiu Ling and said, "Back then your maternal grandfather was already a powerful local magnate; leading his merchant guild to do business in the Western Rong, he could have sent someone else—there was no need to go himself."

"Moreover, it is said that on that trip to the Western Rong, the merchant guild carried silver amounting to ninety percent of the Du family's wealth."

Southern Qi Imperial Court

"In business, who ever takes ninety percent of their wealth on a single trade?"

Xiao Yin gave a faint smile: "I have clashed with the Bei Di plenty over the past seven years, so I naturally know some of their inner affairs."

"However, I've heard the Bei Di didn't get much either; who exactly ended up with the Du family's wealth remains unknown."

Landscape Painting

Xiao Yin stared at her steadily and said: "A merchant guild, taking ninety percent of the family fortune, mightily leaving Southern Qi for the Western Rong, do you think that's doing business, or... fleeing for one's life?"

Gu Jiu Ling's eyes narrowed.

Xiao Yin raised his hand, grabbed her arm, and gently pulled her to sit down again.

He looked at Gu Jiu Ling and said: "If it's fleeing, what does the Du family patriarch have to fear? Why, before fleeing, did he arrange a marriage with the crown prince for you, and after he left, out of regard for the imperial family's dignity, no one dares to move you."

"Moreover... your mother gave birth to your brother, your maternal grandfather died a violent death in Bei Di, the Du family's estate was wiped out overnight, and just at this time the Lin clan returned to the Gu family—all these things happened together, don't you think it's too much of a coincidence?"

Gu Jiu Ling took a deep breath.

A terrifying thought flashed through her mind: someone had set up a huge scheme to destroy the Du family, and to exterminate them root and branch.

If that were the case, her and her brother's situation would be very dangerous; perhaps those people wouldn't let her go either.

Could it be the Lin clan?

No, to destroy a family and force a family to flee Southern Qi at all costs—Lin clan? Heh! You overestimate her.

She could possibly be an accomplice.

She suddenly felt she had fallen into a net, somewhat unable to break free; if these riddles aren't solved, she could lose her life at any moment in this world.

Gu Jiu Ling looked at Xiao Yin: "Prince, why are you telling me all this?"

Xiao Yin's lips curled into a smile: "Because this prince is short on money!"

Gu Jiu Ling furrowed her brows, took a breath: "Prince, we're now in the same boat; let's be open and honest—hiding things would be pointless."

Xiao Yin steadied himself: "I'll help you retrieve the Du family's lost fortune; how about a fifty-fifty split?"

Gu Jiu Ling felt this guy was really short of money to the point of madness; plucking wool is one thing, but to insist on squeezing her alone?

Xiao Yin took out a plain sheet of paper from his bosom—it was an invitation—and slowly handed it to Gu Jiu Ling.

Gu Jiu Ling hastily took it, glanced at it, and froze: "A poetry gathering?"

Xiao Yin smiled: "Have you heard of the Anyang Poetry gathering in Jing Cheng? I remember Xiao Ting also participated, and you even bought him former dynasty poetry manuscripts as a gift."

A flicker of embarrassment crossed Gu Jiu Ling's face; Xiao Yin, unfazed, smiled: "Each year the poetry gathering selects the best piece; the winner not only gains fame under heaven, but also receives the prize set up at the gathering."

"These prizes are rare treasures selected by the great clans; naturally, the poetry gathering's prizes are nothing more than the Four Treasures of the Study, such as inkless inkstones, jade ink brushes..."

"But this year's is different; this year it's an ancient painting passed down from the former dynasty, the Landscape of Mountains and Rivers!"

Gu Jiu Ling's eye twitched slightly: "What the prince means is..."

Xiao Yin stared steadily at Gu Jiu Ling: "The Landscape of Mountains and Rivers hides a secret; this painting was passed down from the Du family, and it's very likely to contain clues to who killed your maternal grandfather back then."

Gu Jiu Ling's heart raced; then she looked at Xiao Yin: "Does the prince mean we should enter the poetry gathering, take first place? Seize this painting?"

"Otherwise?" Xiao Yin leaned back in his chair, lifted his teacup, took a sip, and smiled: "This painting, I suspect something is hidden inside; the Du family also tampered with it back then, I feel you have Du family blood in you—could we use your blood..."

"The prince wants to draw my blood?" Gu Jiu Ling didn't expect this guy to go through all this trouble just to draw her blood.

No wonder he wanted to consult her; but now that she's in his hands, drawing her blood is a matter of moments—being able to tell her all this is already the utmost benevolence and righteousness.

She thought of another matter: "Prince, do you think with my level I can take first place at the poetry gathering?"

Xiao Yin gave a light chuckle: "No need for you to step forward; with me, it's enough."

"You just need to act coquettish toward me at the poetry gathering, cry and fuss wanting your maternal grandfather's relic, and I'll seize it for you."

"Play your part well, and I'll handle the rest."

Gu Jiu Ling froze there; Xiao Yin is formidable in battle, but writing poetry... she had never heard of that before!

Xiao Yin slowly rose, approached Gu Jiu Ling's face; she instinctively leaned back, but he trapped her in the crook of his arm.

He chuckled softly: "You look down on this prince?"

"I"... Gu Jiu Ling was about to say something, when suddenly a maid's urgent voice came from outside.

"Prince is not well! Miss Wan is sick!"