Chapter 355: The Grace of Youth

Lady Rongguo Prefecture, East Road Courtyard.

Jia She sat before a mercury mirror, Qiu Tong combing his hair, while he himself held a small buffalo-horn comb, carefully tending to his thinning beard.

He was over fifty, his hair and beard gradually streaked with gray, yet his spirit remained young, and he paid close attention to his appearance.

But no matter how much you polish a donkey's dung ball, it's still full of wrinkles—useless and ugly.

Qiu Tong, who dressed him, was young and alluring; reflected in the mirror, the pair of white hair and red cheeks was strikingly odd.

The East Road Courtyard had already taken in a host of concubines; Jia She had long since bitten off more than he could chew.

For some reason, his lust had grown even fiercer.

These days, he could not stop thinking of the sixteen seductive courtesans at Xingxiang Pavilion.

Just as Lady Xing entered, he asked: "Can we still pull out two thousand taels from the accounts?"

Clearly the household still has money—if you hoard it and won't let go, I won't stand for it!"

Wang Wang Xifeng and Sister Yuanyang had been using Jia Mu's jewelry as collateral; though they kept it quiet, Lady Xing had heard whispers.

Yet all of Jia She's concubines were bought playthings, none of noble birth, all mud too rotten to be raised into walls—utterly incapable of becoming a proper wife…

Moreover, since she had never borne children, she had retained a sliver of sense, and to preserve her status, she cut out her natural jealousy.

Thus, Lady Xing had long known through Qin Linjiang Xian about her husband's recent affair with that courtesan.

At these words, Lady Xing grew anxious: ever since the Wang Wang Shanbao incident, the old lady had grown colder toward her; if her husband turned against her too, she'd have no life left.

Qin Linjiang Xian, having endured such humiliation and disgrace, naturally resented the West Courtyard and the Second Branch—perfectly suited to Lady Xing's purpose—so she smoothly appointed him steward of the East Road Courtyard, making him her confidant.

Now she saw Jia She, past fifty, still buying a sixteen-year-old slave-girl for debauchery—this seductive fox was worth two thousand taels? Did he think silver fell from the sky?

Though repulsed, Lady Xing dared not show any sign of disgust.

It wasn't that they were deeply devoted spouses.

Qin Linjiang Xian's family had lost their roots in the West Courtyard; Madam Wang outwardly appeared compassionate, but inwardly was full of household scheming; since Seeing Yingchun was no longer in the West Courtyard, why would she keep a big-house pawn by her side?

So she simply found an excuse to send Qin Linjiang Xian back to the East Road Courtyard.

Later, after Seeing Yingchun followed Jia Cong's advice and released Siqi from the household to marry, Seeing Yingchun was brought by Jia Cong to the East Courtyard as the eldest young lady.

Jia She's face darkened: "How can things be this tight? I heard the Zhongyuan Festival ancestral rites will cost three thousand taels—Lady Lian's wife easily made up the accounts."

Qin Linjiang Xian was the uncle of Siqi, Seeing Yingchun's senior maid; since Seeing Yingchun had been raised from childhood in the West Courtyard's Second Branch, Qin Linjiang Xian's family had followed them there and originally served under Madam Wang.

Jia She well knew his wife's nature—she took in but never gave out, guarding silver tighter than her own life.

To preserve her status, she abandoned jealousy entirely, focusing all her energy on greed for wealth; thus, she paid closest attention to household finances and knew many of their secrets.

She had spent years helping her husband take concubines to secure her position, and despite the Wang Wang Shanbao incident a few years back, Jia She had never divorced her.

At her husband's words, Lady Xing instantly understood his meaning, for Qin Linjiang Xian accompanied Jia She everywhere.

Lady Xing came from humble origins; by sheer chance she became Jia She's principal wife and was granted a noble title—she considered it a divine stroke of luck.

She put on a face of poverty: "Master, the old lady listened to that beast from the East Courtyard and paid half a year's summer tax—accounts are short so much silver. Where would our courtyard have two thousand taels left?"

So in essence, this family belonged to the East Road Courtyard's First Branch.

Now that Jia She was blocking her with these words, how could she not bring this up?

She quickly explained: "Master, you don't know the truth—Lady Lian's wife's three thousand taels weren't from the public treasury. The public treasury has no such idle sum."

It was Lady Lian's wife who had Sister Yuanyang steal items from the old lady's treasure chest, pawned them for cash, and planned to redeem them later when times improved—no one would ever know."

Jia She, hearing this, roared: "How bold of them—to steal from the old lady!"

Lady Xing's eyes darted, stoking the fire: "Master, how could you be so foolish? Lady Lian's wife is Madam Wang's niece; she manages the West Courtyard's household. She's short on silver."

The old lady won't ignore it. Even if Sister Yuanyang stole them out of favor, as long as they're returned, the old lady will turn a blind eye—who can resist her favorite son?"

Jia She heard the phrase: "who can resist her favorite son?"—it struck straight to his heart.

Years ago, when he brought a top courtesan home, the old patriarch had fallen ill from rage and died still harboring resentment; on his deathbed, he submitted a memorial to the Retired Emperor, who then issued an edict dividing the Lady Rongguo title in two.

The First Branch inherited the title; the Second Branch inherited the estate and its assets.

This had cost him a lifetime of loss—he now held only a hollow title, and every silver tael he spent had to bow to the West Courtyard's will.

Lady Xing continued: "Besides, Sister Yuanyang is still deeply loyal to the old lady. Though she took the items, she likely understood the old lady's heart."

You don't know how much the old lady trusts Sister Yuanyang—she entrusted her with her entire lifetime's treasure chest, worth more than decades of public treasury funds. Sister Yuanyang is the old lady's golden key."

Hearing this, Jia She's gaze slowly brightened—if he could win over Sister Yuanyang, he'd control the old lady's lifetime accumulation of treasure—a mountain of gold and silver.

He recalled the Zhongyuan Festival banquet, when he peered from the annex into the flower hall and saw Sister Yuanyang massaging the old lady's back.

Her beauty might not rival Zhi Shao's, but her figure and bearing were exquisite—what if he could have her…

…

Lady Xing saw the lustful gleam in her husband's eyes and knew exactly what filthy thoughts filled his mind—but she was delighted to see it.

She had spun him a whole cartload of talk, all meant to stoke his desire; after half a lifetime together, she knew exactly what filth lurked in her husband's gut.

Lady Xing had long coveted Sister Yuanyang's custody of the old lady's treasure chest—she could take anything at will, decide any amount—this little maid was the Jia family's golden treasury!

Lady Xing valued gold above all; such a golden nugget made her burn with envy.

Her family had no roots; she bore no children to rely on—what was life for, if not for silver and wealth?

What in Lady Rongguo Prefecture could be worth more than the old lady's lifetime-stored treasure chest?

Rumor had it that when the old lady married into the Jia family, her Shi family dowry stretched over a mile; and for the prior thirty years, Lady Rongguo Prefecture had been at its peak of wealth and glory—how immense must her private treasure have been?

When the old patriarch's final memorial stripped her branch of inheritance rights, but if she secured Sister Yuanyang, she'd open a back door into the West Courtyard—she'd gain access to the old lady's treasure chest.

She was a titled principal wife; even if the old lady despised her, for the sake of public face, she'd never dare act against her—let alone a green-haired maid.

Even if her husband ever took her in, she'd be nothing but a concubine—obliged to serve tea, pour water, and stand in proper decorum—easily crushed under his control.

So if her husband pursued Sister Yuanyang, she'd wholeheartedly approve—it was a hundred times better than buying those outside seductresses.

…

Jin Ling City, Dazai Gate, Xinchun's Jiangnan Headquarters.

On the first floor, the shop displayed Xinchun's own exquisite perfumes, newly developed perfume soaps, and rare items like rosewood bristle brushes.

The shop had few customers, as headquarters primarily supplied lower branches and procured raw materials.

Xinchun now operated four branch shops in Jin Ling's bustling districts; ordinary customers typically shopped there.

Yet as Xinchun's first shop in Jin Ling, it still attracted a few loyal and familiar patrons.

On the first floor, a girl of about fifteen wore a light purple satin mandarin collar vest, a white gauze mandarin collar blouse, and a white long skirt—she looked unusually lively and charming.

The girl was explaining the shop's new products to a woman, her tongue sweet and quick, delighting the woman so much that she bought many items and chatted at length with the girl.

When Xinchun first opened in Jin Ling, Jia Cong had written to Liu Hai, the Jinling Embroidered Uniform Guard's Battalion Commander, asking him to use his connections to show Xinchun extra care.

Liu Hai was a trusted aide of Ge Zhi Cheng, commander of the Jinling Embroidered Uniform Guard's Thousand-Household Office, and held great influence within the Jinling unit; moreover, Ge Zhi Cheng already held Jia Cong in high regard.

Thus, all Jinling Embroidered Uniform Guard battalions treated Xinchun with special favor, and their wives often came to shop.

Qu Qu Hongxiu had once traveled the martial world and understood human nature; Qin Qin Keqing had once been a shrewd, sharp-witted household mistress—they naturally knew how to charm these women.

Today, the girl served the wife of the Xinglong Fang Battalion Commander.

After seeing the battalion commander's wife out, the girl turned and climbed the stairs.

She was naturally restless and uncomfortable in her long skirt; as she climbed, she lifted it slightly, revealing a white silk under-pant and a pair of gray-green embroidered plum-patterned shoes.

Her steps were hurried, making the stairs thud loudly.

Moments before, she had been a sweet, obedient little beauty serving customers; after climbing the stairs, her tomboy nature showed through.

She entered a second-floor inner chamber, where two young women sat—one bent over a ledger, slender and graceful, exquisitely beautiful, stunning to behold.

Seeing the girl's wild appearance, she smiled warmly, her expression tender: "Baozhu, lower your skirt."

Baozhu, having forgotten to lower her skirt while rushing up, blushed awkwardly and quickly pulled it down, neatly adjusting it.

The other woman in the room sat sipping tea, her figure slim and elegant, breathtakingly beautiful, her face radiating spirit—unforgettable at first glance.

The girl addressed the tea-drinking girl: "Xiu-Feng Jie, the wife of the Xinglong Fang Battalion Commander just came to shop—I followed your advice and gathered news."

Yesterday, troop movements in the city were the Embroidered Uniform Guard acting on imperial orders—they arrested Zhou Zhou Zhengyang, Commander of the Jinling Garrison, accusing him of masterminding the old Water Supervision Office case!"

But the imperial envoy failed—he escaped, and now the whole city is searching for him."

(End of Chapter)