Chapter 158: Those Who Can Speak
Before Li Xiaonan could react, Gu Yan pinched the bundle of fresh meat mooncakes between two fingers, lifted it high, and held it above her head.
Li Xiaonan drooped her shoulders, lowered her head slightly, and cautiously glanced at Wan Jing.
Wan Jing’s shoulders were tensed, and her head was lowered as much as possible.
Gu Yan shook the bundle of mooncakes he was holding, tossed it through the air to Shi Gun, then drew his folding fan and poked Li Xiaonan’s shoulder, pushing her to turn around.
“Go in and tell me what happened.”
After taking a couple of steps, Gu Yan looked back at Shi Gun, gestured to Wan Jing, and Shi Gun quickly bowed his head in acknowledgment.
Li Xiaonan was pushed by Gu Yan’s folding fan all the way into a warm pavilion situated halfway up a small mountain.
The warm pavilion was fully furnished. The servants and attendants on duty immediately became busy upon seeing Gu Yan enter. It seemed this was a place Gu Yan frequented.
Li Xiaonan entered the warm pavilion, found a chair in a corner, and sat down, looking at Gu Yan, ready to face the music.
“Tell me, what was that big bundle? What’s going on?” Gu Yan sat down next to Li Xiaonan, fanned himself, appearing to be in quite a good mood.
“Your kitchen makes fresh meat mooncakes, and the smell drifted over, it was so fragrant…”
“The kitchen’s smell wouldn’t drift that far, try another explanation.” Gu Yan leaned back against the chair back, crossing his legs.
“I smelled it from the person who delivered lunch.”
“Hmm, that’s a good explanation, continue.” Gu Yan praised her exaggeratedly.
“I asked Wan Jing to get me some, and that’s it.” Li Xiaonan finished speaking.
“Shi Gun!” Gu Yan called out.
Shi Gun entered in response.
“What did Wan Jing say?”
“Wan Jing said: Miss Li didn’t eat much for lunch, and she thought the pastries on the carriage were always very few. Fearing Miss Li would be hungry on the road, she got a few fresh meat mooncakes.” Shi Gun replied with his hands clasped.
“It’s because I was hungry and didn’t eat enough at lunch. When guests visit, you have to let them eat their fill, right? It’s the most basic hospitality.” Li Xiaonan immediately chimed in.
“You know you are a guest, you know about hospitality. Just now, at the second gate, when you were holding that bundle, you should have thanked me generously. That would have been proper guest-host etiquette between us.
“What did you look like just now? You didn’t look like a guest at all, you looked like a little thief!” Gu Yan pointed his folding fan at Li Xiaonan, lecturing her unceremoniously.
Li Xiaonan was choked by his words.
“You are my guest, a distinguished guest of this villa. Whatever you want to eat, whatever you want, just ask for it openly.
“This matter isn’t your fault. Where is Wan Jing!” Gu Yan clapped his folding fan.
Wan Jing entered in response, her eyes downcast.
“She doesn’t understand the rules, and you don’t either? I asked you to entertain guests for me, and this is how you entertain them? Colluding with the guest to be a little thief?
“You haven’t seen or handled how guests are entertained and gifts are given in the manor, why didn’t you ask the steward for advice?”
Gu Yan snorted, “Pass down the word, deduct two months’ monthly allowance.”
Li Xiaonan raised her hand to cover her face.
Wan Jing’s monthly allowance was indeed in jeopardy.
Gu Yan glanced sideways at Li Xiaonan, who looked heartbroken, then at the dejected Wan Jing, and snorted.
These two foolish girls were as foolish as ever!
“How is your studying going!” Gu Yan tapped his folding fan on the high table next to Li Xiaonan.
“It’s okay.” Li Xiaonan, dejected, pushed herself up from the chair armrest. “I should go back.”
“It’s very late, stay for dinner before you go. I’ll escort you back.” Gu Yan looked at Li Xiaonan and sighed, “Wan Jing doesn’t care about that little monthly allowance; she’s not short of silver.”
“She cares a lot! Who doesn’t care about their monthly allowance?” Li Xiaonan looked at Gu Yan speechlessly.
“She was indeed at fault in this matter. In a few days, the Crown Prince will be visiting, and the entire villa will be giving out reward money. Have Shi Gun note down a generous amount for her.” Gu Yan sighed again.
“What do you want to eat?” Seeing Li Xiaonan’s expression clearly improve, Gu Yan asked.
“Didn’t you say I like to eat everything delicious?” Li Xiaonan sat back down.
“Did I say something wrong?” Gu Yan asked, leaning forward.
“Then I want to eat something delicious.” Li Xiaonan replied.
Gu Yan tilted his head slightly, looking at the awkward Li Xiaonan, and waved his hand to dismiss the servants.
“I just returned from Linhai Town. Something happened in Linhai Town.”
“What happened?” Li Xiaonan asked, looking up.
“Foreman Zou of the Cheng Zi Gang is dead. They say it was ‘ma shang feng’ (sudden death from sexual excess). Do you know what ‘ma shang feng’ is?” Gu Yan looked at Li Xiaonan.
Li Xiaonan nodded, “A romantic death, really ‘ma shang feng’?”
“Clever! I’ve already had people watching the key figures of the major guilds at the wharf.”
Gu Yan leaned forward, and Li Xiaonan also leaned forward, their heads almost touching.
“The murderer has been caught, but now is not the time to reveal them.” Gu Yan’s tone was cheerful.
“So he was really murdered! Who was it?” Li Xiaonan sighed.
“What do you think?” Gu Yan smiled.
“The Maritime Tax Bureau?”
“The Jiangnan Silk General Store.” Gu Yan chuckled.
“I was looking through those archives, it said that when Emperor Taizong first founded the empire, the Silk Guild was responsible for grading raw silk, and there were no large guilds, only small ones everywhere. Later, they gradually connected into a whole.
“Alas, I’ve inquired. Nowadays, in the Silk Guild, if a weaving workshop wants to add a loom, they have to get a quota from the guild first.”
Li Xiaonan sighed.
“Now, only the grain guilds still follow Emperor Taizong’s rules.” Gu Yan’s expression was somewhat somber.
These guilds were just minor details. The empire, compared to the Qingming Festival during Emperor Taizong’s time, had become too corrupt. He and the Crown Prince often discussed this, feeling extremely pained and indignant.
“It’s always like this. When a new dynasty begins, everything is broken and rebuilt. Gradually, it returns to the past, like a vase. It’s smashed, pieced back together, and then it looks like the original again, so it has to be smashed again.”
Li Xiaonan paused, then gave a dry laugh. “I mean, although it looks like the original, there are still changes. Each time it gets a little better, the opening of the vase gets a little wider, and the people inside the vase have it a little easier.”
“There’s always decline after founding. There’s nothing wrong with saying that. The Crown Prince and I just want to do our part.” Gu Yan smiled.
“Is the matter of Foreman Zou being investigated as a murder case?” Li Xiaonan lowered her voice, changing the subject.
“Yes, without any arrangement, Foreman Zou’s legal wife reported it to the authorities, saying that the concubine murdered Foreman Zou. I’ve handed it over to Huang Xianzhou. Huang Xianzhou is very good at judging cases.” Gu Yan said with a smile.
“Will there be more deaths in the future?” Li Xiaonan asked softly.
“Yes, similar cases of murder to silence witnesses will become more frequent.” Gu Yan glanced sideways at Li Xiaonan.
Li Xiaonan sighed.
Gu Yan looked at Li Xiaonan sideways and said slowly, “I thought you would say that human lives are precious.”
“Human lives are precious, but…” Li Xiaonan paused, looked at Gu Yan, and after a while, slowly said, “There’s no other way, is there? Small compassion and great compassion.”
Gu Yan stared intently at Li Xiaonan, and after a moment, he smiled.
