Chapter 20: Chapter Twenty

Compared with the peace of Xie Fu, the Gu family is in utter turmoil.

Mrs. Gu planned to raise Li Jiao, leveraging Old Lady Su's name to gain a fine reputation and secure a marriage that would please her. But those official wives are not meek; a brief inquiry showed that Li Jiao bears the surname Li, not Gu. The Li clan is a distinguished family in Tongzhou, yet not a renowned house in Jingdu; a gaunt camel is bigger than a horse, and such a local power broker probably doesn't even hold a seventh‑rank Hanlin position in Jingdu.

Moreover, Li Jiao's birth mother has already passed away, so her standing in the Li family is slight; her status is neither awkward nor embarrassing. Who would dare to marry a wife whose clan offers no backing? To put it nicely, her maternal family comes from the Minister of Revenue's household, but if we truly consider support, the Gu family sees the situation unfavourable and cannot claim that Li Jiao, being a Li, is beyond Gu's control.

Thus, those official wives who are usually friendly would praise Li Jiao as steady and beautiful, but as soon as marriage matters arise they turn deaf and mute.

Earlier, a few lower‑rank official wives had taken a liking to Li Jiao to test the waters, showing full sincerity and even sending their eldest legitimate son to propose; marrying her would make her a clan wife. However, Mrs. Gu, proud at the time, wanted to place Li Jiao into a prestigious household, and since Li Jiao's parents were in Tongzhou, she said a family letter was needed to discuss the matter and politely declined.

As time passed, the surrounding people lost interest. Li Jiao was left in limbo, neither advancing nor settling, and Mrs. Gu realized her plans had failed; seeing Li Jiao nearing the appropriate age without even a proper marriage discussion, she grew frantic, her tongue feeling like it was on fire.

Coincidentally, Lord Gu wanted to win over his disciple Qi Xiulin, who holds the junior position of Lesser Treasury under the fourth rank; at least he is a fourth‑rank official who can attend court. In terms of family background, he is still a step above Li Jiao.

If Qi Xiulin, now forty and in middle age, had not lost his previous wife, it wouldn't be Lord Gu's place to act as matchmaker and offer Li Jiao—who has no family connections in Jingdu—to become his secondary wife.

Mrs. Gu considered that, compared with Lord Gu's earlier plan to marry Li Jiao to the seventh‑rank Hanlin Academy Editor Xie Junling, it would be better to pair her with Qi Xiulin; at least he could serve as a brother‑in‑law, allowing her to stand on the same footing as Lord Gu and present a united front.

With that thought, her mind brightened, and she waited for Qi Xiulin to summon a matchmaker and formally settle the matter.

But Li Jiao, upon hearing this, was so frightened she could not even finish her needlework; a sharp needle pierced her finger, drawing a gush of blood. She pressed the finger to her lips, wiped the blood, and asked the maid Meihua, "Did Old Lady Su really say that?"

"How could that be false? Miss, you must think of a solution quickly! The servant heard that Lord Qi is already forty, not even older than Lord Li, right?" Meihua, the maid who accompanied Li Jiao from Tongzhou, had originally hoped that Li Jiao could marry into a good family in Jingdu, which would also elevate her own status—if the husband's family were illustrious, when Li Jiao became pregnant she could volunteer herself, make the brother‑in‑law smile, and perhaps even be promoted to a concubine, right?

If she truly married Qi Xiulin, a man of that age, who would like that?

Li Jiao bit her lower lip and thought, "Since this news could be conveyed to me through Meihua, Old Lady Su must be in the know! I originally thought Old Lady Su would arrange a prestigious marriage for me, but it turns out she's putting me into a wolf's den, using me as a pawn to sell to a beneficial family! It would be better to marry that seventh‑rank Hanlin Academy Editor Xie Junling! At least he's still young and his future is boundless!"

Li Jiao could not wait to die; she needed to devise a fallback plan. She thought of Gu Feiran, her cousin from the Gu residence, and anxiously told Meihua, "I have a matter for you to handle!"

"What matter, miss?" Meihua asked, startled.

"Go summon Second Young Master Gu; I have something to discuss with him."

Meihua didn't know what Li Jiao had in mind, but she understood that calling the second‑branch son Gu Feiran was an urgent matter.

Meihua wasted no time and fetched him within a few moments. Gu Feiran had arranged a drink with a few friends; he had barely passed the imperial examination this year, and through his grandfather's influence secured a position as a subsidiary scholar, working in the Hanlin Academy. When Li Jiao called him, he was a bit impatient. Yet recalling a matter involving his cousin, he could not ignore her and begrudgingly went to see her.

Upon entering Li Jiao's courtyard, Gu Feiran asked, "What is it that you had to summon me for?"

Li Jiao, taking advantage of the empty moment, pressed, "Do you remember your lover in Spring Garden?"

Gu Feiran, startled, retorted, "You saw everything?"

Spring Garden is a famous gold‑selling spot in Jingdu; bluntly put, it's a somewhat upscale kiln. Gu Feiran had taken a fancy to the top courtesan there, and whenever no one was around he would slip away for a private tryst.

But one day, when he entered through the back door, he saw Li Jiao's sedan passing behind him. He was startled, fearing that Li Jiao would see him at Spring Garden and report back to Mrs. Gu. Yet several days passed without any sign from Li Jiao, so he thought she probably hadn't seen him.

Little did he know, Li Jiao was deliberately manipulating the matter, using his life‑gate as a threat!

Li Jiao sneered repeatedly, "Of course I saw it!"

Gu Feiran's legs went weak instantly, and he said, "You must not tell Grandfather! If he finds out, I reckon both of your cousin's legs will be useless!"

Li Jiao scoffed at Gu Feiran's useless yet impressive demeanor. She realized why Lord Gu was so eager to use her to win allies: clearly, the Gu residence could not rely on younger members to secure a foothold in court, and to make the family illustrious they would have to forge a different path.

"Don't worry, I won't blab," Li Jiao smiled faintly, "but if you want me to keep my mouth shut, I still need to ask my cousin for a favor."

She whispered a plan to Gu Feiran; he broke out in cold sweat and said, "This… this isn't very good, is it?"

"Rest assured, if anything happens I'll take the blame, no need for you to step in. If you refuse, I'll tell Grandfather all the good deeds you did in Spring Garden; when the time comes, we'll see who suffers more." Li Jiao felt that marrying Qi Xiulin was less appealing than gambling for a top‑rank husband.

She intended to blackmail, forcing Xie Junling to marry her! If he truly married her, Grandfather would naturally find a way to remove the first‑branch wife Lu Bao'er, sparing her the trouble!

After all, she is a Gu family lady; she cannot become a concubine. Making her a secondary wife gives Xie Junling face, and he should be grateful! Otherwise, if Li Jiao exposed his abuse, the emperor would also distrust him, harming his prospects. Xie Junling isn't a fool; he must know how to choose.

"Fine, wait for my news," Gu Feiran gritted his teeth and agreed. In any case, Li Jiao's indiscretion isn't his concern; he is merely a go‑between, inviting Xie Junling for a drink as Li Jiao requested. Whatever happens thereafter has nothing to do with him!