Chapter 225: Many Rules, Many Excuses
Wan Jing leaped up, and Li Xiaonan stretched her neck to swallow the mochi in her mouth, following Wan Jing out to meet them.
Gu Yan stopped, glanced at the two of them, and after a moment, stepped forward, signaling them to follow.
Turning a corner, they entered a warm pavilion by the water not far from Gu Yan’s courtyard. Gu Yan entered the warm pavilion, took a wet handkerchief from the servant to wipe his hands, and looked at Li Xiaonan, asking, “Are you looking for me? Or for Wan Jing?”
“Looking for you, I have something to discuss.”
Gu Yan gave a soft “Oh,” and looked up at the water clock in the corner of the warm pavilion, “Did you come after dinner?”
“No.”
“Did you instruct the kitchen to prepare Miss Li’s dinner? How did you instruct them?” Gu Yan looked at Wan Jing.
Wan Jing opened her mouth, but couldn’t speak.
“How did you instruct them?” Gu Yan immediately pressed.
“Replying to Young Lord, that, with me, that, steamed a boiled fish.”
“I’ve already agreed with Wan Jing, I’ll eat her portioned dish with her,” Li Xiaonan interjected.
“You knew Miss Li was looking for me?” Gu Yan ignored Li Xiaonan and asked Wan Jing with a cold face.
“Yes,” Wan Jing lowered her hands and head.
She was wrong!
“She came to talk to you, and you invited her to eat your portioned dish, that’s not wrong. She came to find me, and you invited her to eat your portioned dish? What about the rules?” Gu Yan continued.
“Yes, this servant was wrong,” Wan Jing quickly knelt down to admit her mistake.
“Two months’ monthly allowance will be deducted. Go and tell the kitchen to make a few dishes according to Miss Li’s preferences and send them here,” Gu Yan snorted.
Li Xiaonan looked at Wan Jing with sympathy.
It really made sense, but she truly hadn’t expected it, and Wan Jing certainly hadn’t either.
Alas, the rules of noble families are too numerous and complicated. No wonder Wan Jing was so careful; if she was even a little careless, her monthly allowance would be deducted!
Wan Jing retreated with a dejected expression. Gu Yan looked at Li Xiaonan, “What happened?”
“Hmm? Ah, yes.”
Li Xiaonan, who was feeling sentimental about Wan Jing’s monthly allowance, quickly collected her thoughts and got to the main point.
“My Tang Weng Weng just came over and said that this morning he received a message from Old Shopkeeper He, inviting him to Zhaoyue Tower in Linhai Town. Old Shopkeeper He told Tang Weng Weng that if the money for collecting autumn silkworm cocoons was insufficient, they could borrow from the He family. He also said that the He family is under the Prince’s Estate, and collecting autumn silkworm cocoons is related to your task.”
“Tang Weng Weng felt this matter needed to be reported, so after leaving Linhai Town, he came directly to find me, and I came over.”
Gu Yan gave a surprised “Oh.”
“You didn’t expect this?” Li Xiaonan asked shrewdly.
“Mm,” Gu Yan nodded, choosing his words carefully, “He Chengzhe is an old fox. He claims to be under the Prince’s Estate, but I always feel like he doesn’t think he is.”
“You mentioned it once before,” Li Xiaonan recalled.
“He Chengzhe has given you such great assistance, shouldn’t you thank him in person?” Gu Yan looked at Li Xiaonan and smiled.
“How do you want me to thank him?” Li Xiaonan asked Gu Yan.
“Talk to him, and check things out for me,” Gu Yan said directly.
“Okay,” Li Xiaonan agreed even more readily.
Gu Yan was slightly surprised. After a moment, he leaned forward, carefully examining Li Xiaonan, and smiled, “You used to haggle over everything. Why are you so agreeable now?”
“Before, it was a personal matter. You asked me to teach you divination and such, I couldn’t teach you for free, right? Now it’s your task, this is a public matter. If you don’t handle this public matter well, it will harm the common people of our Jiangnan. I’m also doing this for myself.”
Li Xiaonan sighed.
“I thought our friendship had deepened,” Gu Yan said slowly.
“Even close brothers need to settle accounts clearly!”
“Close brothers settling accounts clearly, that makes sense. Since that’s the case, since I’m troubling you to make this trip, I’ll give you a gift.”
“This matter is not necessary,” Li Xiaonan waved her hand.
“If this task is not handled well, I will be the first to suffer misfortune. It’s a public matter, but it’s also my personal matter,” Gu Yan smiled.
“What misfortune could you suffer? If you handle it well, you’re the Prince Rui’s Heir. If you don’t, you’re still the Prince Rui’s Heir. Your Prince Rui’s Mansion, unless you rebel, nothing else will affect the Prince Title or the Prince’s Mansion, right?” Li Xiaonan sighed again.
“Not affecting the Prince Title or the Prince’s Mansion doesn’t mean it won’t affect me. If I die, they’ll just pick someone else to inherit the Prince Title. Where did you hear this gossip? How dare you even speak of rebellion?”
“Alright, the matter is concluded, I should take my leave,” Li Xiaonan changed the subject.
“Stay for dinner, did Wan Jing tell you?” Gu Yan continued to ask.
“Everyone knows that, why would someone need to tell me? There are many legends about your Prince’s Mansion in Pingjiang City. Gossip floats around everywhere, who knows who said what,” Li Xiaonan feigned ignorance.
Gu Yan glanced at her sideways, and after a moment, snorted.
Half of the gossip that reached her ears was spoken by that fool Wan Jing!
The kitchen soon sent over dinner. Gu Yan signaled Shi Gun to place the dish of steamed boiled fish in front of Li Xiaonan.
After eating, Li Xiaonan drank two sips of tea and stood up to leave.
“I’ll escort you back,” Gu Yan stood up as well.
“No, no, let Wan Jing escort me. You’re so busy,” Li Xiaonan quickly waved her hand.
His escorting her back would cause too much of a stir. However, judging by his demeanor, it was just a polite offer.
“Alright, I’ll escort you to the door,” Gu Yan gestured to Li Xiaonan.
Exiting the warm pavilion, Gu Yan asked, “Are you going to Linhai Town tomorrow?”
“Mm.”
“It takes a whole day to go and come back. You can come directly to the villa and wait for me. What do you want to eat tomorrow? Let the kitchen prepare in advance.”
“Squirrel Mandarin Fish.”
“Oh! You’re really not being polite,” Gu Yan chuckled.
Li Xiaonan glanced at him sideways and said nothing.
“Just one Squirrel Mandarin Fish? What else? Some stir-fried shrimp? Crabs?” Gu Yan asked with a smile.
“Shrimp are out of season, and crabs are still a bit early.”
“You’re quite particular,” Gu Yan clicked his tongue.
Li Xiaonan glanced at Gu Yan again and ignored him.
“What kind of thank-you gift do you want? Shall I give you a hairpin?” Gu Yan changed the subject.
“No, the Squirrel Mandarin Fish will be the thank-you gift.”
“How about I give Wan Jing to you?”
“No, I can’t afford to keep her,” Li Xiaonan flatly refused.
Gu Yan raised his eyebrows and looked at her, then after a moment, burst into laughter.
“One Squirrel Mandarin Fish is too perfunctory. Since you don’t want anything for now, I’ll keep it on hold. Consider it a favor I owe you, you can have it whenever you want.”
“Can you not deduct Wan Jing’s monthly allowance?” Li Xiaonan hesitated for a moment and asked Gu Yan.
Gu Yan’s eyebrows rose. After a moment, he let out a long sigh, “It still needs to be deducted, otherwise the rules will be broken.
“However, considering her diligent service to you, I’ll reward her with five taels of silver. That’s much more than her two months’ allowance! Is that acceptable?”
“Thank you,” Li Xiaonan said with a beaming smile.
