Chapter 264: First Come, First Served

Gu Jiu Ling rushed out, stood before the boxes of malt candy, used a handkerchief to pinch a piece and stuffed it into her mouth; instantly an overwhelming sweetness filled her teeth, spreading sweetness to her heart.

She curled the corner of her mouth in a smile, had Jiu Yue take the food box and put some candy packets in it, then ordered people to distribute many to the servants in the manor.

She then turned to Yun Duo and said with a smile, "Yun Duo, take a few servants and place these candies at the street corner, put up a sign."

Gu Jiu Ling pondered for a moment: "Just write these few lines."

"On the occasion of this auspicious festival, Prince Rui, together with all members of the Rui Wangfu, old and young, extends New Year greetings to the children of the entire city; therefore, we are distributing welfare: each child receives one candy packet, limited to one per child, first come, first served, until supplies run out."

Yun Duo blinked, then said, "Using the Prince's name to give New Year candy to all the children in the city?"

In the past, great clans would set up porridge sheds to relieve the poor; giving out candy was a first.

"Hurry up, what are you standing there for?" Gu Jiu Ling laughed, "Finish the task and I'll buy you some snacks."

Yun Duo's cheeks flushed, and she hurriedly turned and walked out quickly.

The Princess Consort has always treated them like children, doting on them.

Not long after, the news of Prince Rui distributing candy spread throughout Shang Jing; in an instant, his reputation for respecting the elderly and loving the young spread.

Prince Rui, once feared as a terrifying fiend, transformed into a people-friendly envoy, thereby adding much glory to his name.

Gu Jiu Ling lay in the room eating fresh fruit, unaware of what method Xiao Yin had used, how much effort he had expended to transport the fresh fruit from South of the Ling Mountains.

Such fresh fruit in Shang Jing's deep winter is nearly worth a fortune; even with silver, one might not be able to buy it.

Xiao Yin, merely because he heard Gu Jiu Ling casually say she wanted to eat fruit, those four simple words, actually kept them in his heart.

"My lord, the Second Young Master sent someone to deliver something, placed it in the guardroom of the front courtyard; the front courtyard guards had the servant bring it to you."

Jiu Yue held a parcel and stepped into the warm pavilion.

Gu Jiu Ling sat up, and Jiu Yue placed the parcel squarely before her.

Gu Jiu Ling blinked, wondering what Gu Kang had sent her.

Since the things had been delivered, but the person hadn't come in to see her, her own older sister.

Gu Jiu Ling's lips twitched slightly, a hint of self-mockery showing; was she really so unwelcome to her younger brother?

She opened the parcel, then blinked in surprise: it was a set of clean clothes worn by the Rui Wangfu guards, even washed, still bearing a faint scent of soapberry.

Along with the falling clothes came an IOU, bearing Gu Kang's handwriting.

I never expected that after not seeing him for months, this brat's penmanship had become so exquisite, in delicate small standard script, each stroke exceptionally beautiful.

"Interesting!" Gu Jiu Ling sat up straight, picked up the IOU and examined it carefully.

It turned out that earlier she had torn up the IOU by the river, and that brat had seen it.

Was he trying not to owe her a favor anymore?

Gu Jiu Ling thought of how Gu Kang had been bullied by the Gu family into that state, and then stimulated by Miss Ruoxi, would undergo a big change, but she hadn't expected the change to be so great.

At first, hearing Jiu Yue say that Gu Kang wanted to take this year's spring examination, Gu Jiu Ling merely smiled and thought the boy had become much more ambitious.

But given his previous ignorant, poor-student demeanor, suddenly wanting to take the spring examination seemed like a joke.

Even if he had previously been an Imperial Academy student, saying that unpleasantly, it was only because Gu Shijie had spent silver to buy it for him.

Now, only thanks to having the title of Imperial Academy student does he have the qualification to take the spring examination.

But someone like him, a poor student, even if he took the spring examination would end up at the very bottom.

This time, Gu Jiu Ling stared intently at the IOU Gu Kang had written before her, suddenly wondering whether her judgment of him might be wrong.

If she hadn't seen him in person, and also understood that these days Gu Kang had not suffered a fake death by drowning.

She even suspected that the current Gu Kang might have been possessed, wondering whether he was still the original Second Young Master Gu.

Gu Jiu Ling carefully put away the IOU, then sighed.

"Jiu Yue, grind ink for me."

Jiu Yue responded, hurriedly tidied the table by the window, then prepared the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, and helped Gu Jiu Ling sit at the table's side.

Gu Jiu Ling picked up her brush and wrote a letter; after finishing, she carefully dried the ink, then solemnly placed it in a box and handed it to Jiu Yue.

"Take it to the servant beside the Second Young Master, have him bring it back to him, and say it's a recommendation letter I wrote for Mr. Wen Yuanzuo, so he can take this letter to pay a visit to Mr. Wen."

"Since he's so eager, let him bring his own writings for Mr. Wen to look over."

"Mr. Wen is the Imperial Tutor; if he could receive even a pointer or two from the teacher, it would benefit him greatly."

Jiu Yue's eyes lit up; after all, there is still some blood relation—the late former lady died early, leaving these two siblings; surely their spirits in heaven would not wish to see the siblings become enemies.

Evidently, the master now wants to lend a hand to the Second Young Master.

She happily turned to go deliver it, but Gu Jiu Ling called out to stop her.

"Right, tell Gu Kang that I've accepted the IOU, but… I will collect interest."

"If he makes something of himself, he shall repay what he owed me, doubled."

Jiu Yue laughed in response, turned, and walked out.

Gu Jiu Ling lightly pinched the IOU written by Gu Kang, silently thinking, "This good-for-nothing has finally opened his mind."

She has taken over this body of the original host, received the original host's mother's astronomical dowry, and now finally guided Gu Kang onto the proper path, which can be considered an explanation to the original host, her mother, and her maternal grandfather.

Gu Jiu Ling yawned out of boredom, then realized that Jinzhi hadn't come to see her in several days.

Recently, the maidservants she had sent to Jinzhi's side all reported back that in the Zhao family, Jinzhi was practically cherished by everyone.

Previously, Jinzhi was the laughingstock of all Shang Jing, said to be ugly-faced and said to be a lowborn spawn of a prostitute.

Now even the ladies of the palace envy Jinzhi's good fortune; her in-laws dote on her, and the Young General Zhao, for Jinzhi's sake, has cut down all the persimmon trees in Shang Jing, and this has become a tale that inspires envy and admiration.

Even Gu Jiu Ling envied her endlessly; thus, she decided not to disturb this young lady.

Previously, Zhao Lang didn't despise Jinzhi and hate their Rui Wangfu; now, if he were to bring up divorce again, Zhao Lang likely harbors murderous intentions.

Gu Jiu Ling, thinking of these and that, grew drowsy.

But she was awakened by Yun Duo's footsteps; Yun Duo approached her holding a document.

"My lord, the Prince brought you a letter, saying he just received this news from the Ministry of Punishments."

"The Ministry of Justice's joint trial has already concluded; Su Wanrou has been sentenced to death by slicing, to be executed in three days!"