Chapter 36: Jian Aozhu Refuses to Yield

"Yes! I shall attend to it immediately."

Uncle Zhong’s ability to remain the head steward lay in his keen understanding of "propriety." After acknowledging the young heir's command, he left the Pavilion of Water and Clouds and headed straight for the Nine-Turn Pavilion, the residence of the matriarch, Yan Shiyue.

Following his report, Yan Shiyue, who had been busy transcribing Buddhist scriptures, slowly set down her small wolf-hair brush.

"Did the Fourth Young Master go to inspect Great East Mountain today?"

"Yes. He also instructed me to go to the Duke of Qing’s residence to repurchase the Upper Pillar State Mansion, a task which has already been completed. Now, the young heir has ordered me to post notices on the streets announcing that Great East Mountain is for sale—at a pittance, no less."

Yan Shiyue stood up and paced, deep in thought for a long while.

"Repurchasing the Upper Pillar State Mansion? I fear he intends to use it as a betrothal gift for the second Miss Gu. Has the estate’s silver all been spent?"

"It has, sixty thousand taels in total. The young heir used certain tactics to drive the price down from the original hundred thousand," Uncle Zhong replied truthfully. Yan Shiyue did not inquire further into what those tactics were.

Beside her, Nanny Fan’s mouth fell open in shock.

A price reduction of forty thousand taels—was that even possible? A property like the Upper Pillar State Mansion, the gold standard of luxury estates, was usually a one-way street once sold—like a meat bun thrown at a dog, never to be retrieved. How could he possibly have negotiated the price down to buy it back? The young heir was becoming increasingly unfathomable.

"Face cannot be eaten as food. With the estate currently in financial straits, we must consider the reality of our situation. Both young masters are soon to be married; nothing can be accomplished without silver. When one is poor, one must seek change. Great East Mountain has lain desolate for two hundred years; if selling it can secure the funds for the Fourth Young Master’s wedding, it serves a purpose."

Yan Shiyue decided to let Lu Lan deal with his own affairs. She saw the situation clearly: Great East Mountain was worth little, so if it sold, it sold. As for the matter of losing face, that was hardly worth worrying about. Ever since Lu Lan had reached adulthood, her ears had grown calloused from the endless stream of insults; one more would make no difference.

"I understand, my lady."

***

Once he received Yan Shiyue’s authorization, Uncle Zhong quickly ordered his men to post the notices along the streets. When the onlookers saw that the Duke of Yu’s estate was selling off the "Poison Mountain," they laughed until their sides ached.

"Is the Lu family so poor they can’t even put food on the table? They’re even selling the Poison Mountain. What fool with too much money would ever buy such a bottom-tier property?"

"Perhaps they’ve already sold off all their other high-quality assets and have no other choice."

"Alas, it’s a pity. The Duke of Yu’s family once boasted four heroes; the father and son were renowned for their military exploits, and they even have a Noble Consort in the palace. How have they fallen to the point of selling their ancestral property?"

"It’s a misfortune for the family to be saddled with a good-for-nothing like Lu Lan. If the Lu family doesn’t let the concubine-born son, Lu Zhongwang, inherit, they’ll be ruined sooner or later."

"You’re not wrong. I think the chances of Lu Zhongwang inheriting the family business are quite high!"

The servants posting the notices along the street listened to the various jeers and mocking comments, their hearts heavy. Yet, they had no way to retort; who was to blame but their own young heir for being so disappointing? Just wait and see; from today on, the Lu family was destined for a downward spiral.

***

At the Jian residence, ever since the incident at the Misty Wave Pavilion, Jian Aozhu had been severely beaten by her father, General Jian Liancheng, upon returning home. As a concubine-born daughter, she had grown up under the rod. No matter how hoarsely her mother, a mere concubine, wept, it could not soften the General’s heart.

A delicate woman, she was left covered in bruises and wounds. Yet, despite her tear-stained face, Jian Aozhu bit her lip and remained silent.

Unable to beat her any longer, Jian Liancheng threw the finger-thick rattan aside and glared at Su Huirong with disdain.

"Keep a tight rein on your daughter! I thought her being boorish and rude with a sword was bad enough, but who would have thought she would stoop to such base and shameless deeds? She has utterly disgraced the name of the Jian family!"

Su Huirong cradled her distraught daughter, sobbing.

"Aozhu, why must you do this? You are already betrothed to Zhang Yan; why did you go to meet Master Mei in secret? Isn't it better to just settle down and wait to be married off?"

Zhang Yan was indeed far inferior to Master Mei Xianghan, but this was fate. The Mei family held such glory; how could they ever hope to climb so high?

Jian Aozhu had already forgotten the pain on her body. She let out a hollow, bitter laugh.

"Marry the son of a sixth-rank military officer? To be a low-status wife of a humble family for the rest of my life—does Mother think I would be content with that?"

Zhang Yan’s future was clear at a glance; his father was only a sixth-rank military officer at forty, with no possibility of ever rising in status.

Su Huirong’s eyes glazed over as she looked at her daughter with a sense of unfamiliarity. She had never realized her daughter’s ambitions were so great. But soon, Su Huirong began to reflect on herself. It was she, the mother, who had allowed her daughter to suffer so much grievance and bullying from a young age, leading her to obsess over climbing the social ladder. It had reached the point where she was now disregarding the codes of propriety and committing such a grave error.

"It is all my fault, all my fault. I failed to give you a good life."

Su Huirong wept, hating her own humble background as a mere farm girl for having caused her daughter such suffering. She held the resolute-looking Jian Aozhu tightly in her arms.

Jian Aozhu would never marry Zhang Yan. She would rather live as a widow in name for the rest of her life than marry anyone other than Mei Xianghan.

Once Su Huirong had applied the ointment to Jian Aozhu’s wounds, she took Haitang and slipped out of the General’s residence, heading straight for the back gate of the Ministry of Rites. There was one thing she had to confirm first.