Chapter 173: Accidental Success
Wan Jing directly sent Li Xiaonan back to Cai Lian Lane.
Firstly, her Young Lord had not instructed them to return to the villa yet, and secondly, her Young Lord was accompanying the Crown Prince in Linhai Town, so it was uncertain whether they would return to the villa today.
Less than half an hour after Wan Jing returned to the villa, Gu Yan and the Crown Prince’s entourage arrived back at the villa.
As soon as Gu Yan finished washing up and changed his clothes, Shi Gun hurried forward to report: “Wan Jing just came to report that Mrs. Wu of Linhai Town is outside the East Corner Gate, specifically asking for you. She’s here to ask what to do.”
“Where is she?” Gu Yan immediately asked.
“I, your humble servant, dared to make the decision to have Wan Jing first bring Mrs. Wu to Huaiyuan Pavilion inside the East Corner Gate,” Shi Gun replied with a smile.
“Very good, let it be in Huaiyuan Pavilion. Go and inform the Crown Prince that I will come over after I’ve seen Mrs. Wu,” Gu Yan instructed as he walked out.
Inside Huaiyuan Pavilion, Mrs. Wu was wrapped up, indistinguishable from the old women who did rough labor in Linhai Town. She sat on a footstool in front of an armchair, curled into a ball. Wan Jing stood inside the pavilion’s entrance, occasionally peeking outside.
Seeing Gu Yan striding over, Wan Jing hurried out of Huaiyuan Pavilion, held her breath, and curtsied.
Her heart was in turmoil, and not a single one of her fifteen thoughts was good.
But what kind of bad thing it was, she could only imagine that this Mrs. Wu had come to lodge a complaint.
That wretched girl had been far too perfunctory in carrying out this task!
Gu Yan paused his steps, cast a sideways glance at the trembling Wan Jing, and instructed, “Wait further away.”
Wan Jing quickly retreated.
Mrs. Wu slowly stood up, clasped her hands in front of her, and curtsied to Gu Yan.
“You’ve come to see me?” Gu Yan stood before Mrs. Wu, scrutinizing her.
“Yes.”
“Mm, speak,” Gu Yan walked around Mrs. Wu and sat down in the armchair at the head.
“When I married Zou Fu, Zou Fu was the lowest-ranking junior brother in the Cheng Zi Gang. His only strengths were his ability to fight and endure blows.”
Mrs. Wu turned with Gu Yan, facing him.
“I told him to seek refuge with the then Master Zhou the Fifth, who later became the Foreman Zhou. The second year after he joined, Foreman Zhou made a mistake and was almost ruined. Those around him either died or scattered. Zou Fu also wanted to switch allegiances, but I stopped him, telling him that Foreman Zhou’s near-ruin was a great opportunity given to him by heaven. He listened, stayed by Master Zhou the Fifth’s side, and never wavered. After Foreman Zhou recovered, Zou Fu became Foreman Zhou’s most trusted confidant.”
“Foreman Zhou had a short lifespan. He fell ill and died just a few years after taking over the Cheng Zi Gang, and the Cheng Zi Gang fell into Zou Fu’s hands.”
“Zou Fu wasn’t very smart,” Mrs. Wu’s words abruptly stopped.
“It wasn’t Zou Fu who took over the Cheng Zi Gang, but you?” Gu Yan raised an eyebrow.
“Zou Fu took over the Cheng Zi Gang; I merely helped him manage it,” Mrs. Wu replied, lowering her eyes.
“What did President Zhu say? What did he promise?” Gu Yan continued to ask.
“He asked me to come forward and take control of the Cheng Zi Gang, to choose a foreman myself, or to support my son. The monthly allowance would remain the same, and regardless of who the foreman was, everything would be handed over to me. As for the silk guild, they were to speak only with me,” Mrs. Wu answered crisply and quickly.
“Why come to me?” Gu Yan asked after a moment of silence.
“I didn’t agree to President Zhu. I told President Zhu: I am merely a widow clinging to life, only wishing to live out my remaining years in peace.”
“That Miss Li said that I am already thirty-four years old. It’s rare for people to live to seventy, so my remaining life is only twenty to thirty years.”
“She spoke too much. Foreman Zhou was forty-two when he passed away, and Zou Fu is thirty-six this year. I don’t know how many years I have left.”
Gu Yan pursed his lips, his expression unreadable.
He hadn’t had a chance to ask Li Xiaonan what she had said to this Mrs. Wu, but from these few sentences, it seemed that wretched girl wasn’t persuading her, but rather provoking her.
“Miss Li said that since my remaining life is not long, I should live the life I want.”
“I want to be Madam Wu, sitting in the golden chair!” Mrs. Wu looked directly at Gu Yan.
Gu Yan’s eyebrows shot up, then he smiled, “You are already Madam Wu; you just need to legitimize your position.
“President Zhu would surely agree to these things too. Why not follow him? I have no monthly allowance for you, not a single coin.”
“Only Miss Li told me: You should live the life you want,” Mrs. Wu replied, lowering her eyes.
“Your surname is Wu, do you have a given name? A courtesy name?” Gu Yan asked after a moment of silence.
“Wu Miaozhen, I don’t have a courtesy name,” Wu Miaozhen replied.
“Mm, regarding President Zhu, do you think it’s better to stall him for now, or to declare your allegiance immediately?” Gu Yan asked.
“That depends on the Young Lord’s strategy,” Wu Miaozhen replied.
“Stall him for now and keep good records. If anything comes up, come find Wan Jing like you did today,” Gu Yan stood up and smiled, “A Nan is very learned; she can draft a courtesy name for you in the future.”
“Yes,” Wu Miaozhen curtsied in agreement.
Gu Yan left Huaiyuan Pavilion and instructed a servant to escort Wu Miaozhen to the East Corner Gate. After walking more than ten steps, he looked back at Wu Miaozhen walking away, then beckoned Wan Jing over.
………………………………
The next morning, Wan Jing knocked on the Li Family’s courtyard gate.
As soon as Li Xiaonan poked her head out, Wan Jing grabbed her and dragged her down the steps.
“Last night! That Mrs. Wu came looking for you!” Wan Jing blurted out.
“Looking for whose door? Huh? Wait a moment, Mei Jie, I’m leaving!” Li Xiaonan shouted, pushing Wan Jing towards the alley entrance.
Li Xiaonan climbed into the carriage, grabbed Wan Jing’s sleeve, and asked as she closed the door, “What did she come looking for?”
“How would I know! She said she was looking for me, but she didn’t say a single word to me.
“The Young Lord arrived very quickly. Later, the Young Lord called me over and asked how we met Mr. Huang, how we entered the Zou family, how we met Mrs. Wu, what she said, what you said, and how we left. He asked the most detailed questions!
“Do you think that Mrs. Wu went to complain to the Young Lord?” Wan Jing asked worriedly.
“Complain about what?” Li Xiaonan didn’t react immediately.
“She only said one sentence, and you didn’t say a word, turning around and running away after just one good word. Is that how a negotiator should act?” Wan Jing punched the table.
“Have you ever heard of the person being persuaded complaining that the negotiator wasn’t trying hard enough? Are you stupid?” Li Xiaonan looked at Wan Jing with extreme disdain.
She didn’t know such a fool.
“Uh!” Wan Jing let out a loud “uh” and, realizing, her face immediately turned red. She slapped Li Xiaonan on the shoulder, “I was only worried about you! The way you were yesterday, you didn’t look like you were doing your job at all!”
“I’m not working under your Young Lord!” Li Xiaonan gave Wan Jing a glare.
“That’s true. Oh, right, try this mochi! This was made by the imperial chef brought by the Crown Prince. Shi Gun said the Crown Prince specifically asked for you to try it. This tea was also a gift from the Crown Prince,” Wan Jing brought out a plate of mochi.
“You try some too!” Li Xiaonan reached out, picked one up, and offered the plate to Wan Jing. She watched Wan Jing take one, take a bite, and say indistinctly, “It’s pork floss and egg yolk filling, delicious. Just for this mochi, that Mrs. Wu must have had a good outcome this time.”
“Hmm? Isn’t that right! The Crown Prince gave a reward!” Wan Jing suddenly realized and her face lit up with joy.
