Chapter 8: Chapter 8: Past and Present Lives
"Official Gu is the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Punishment." Lv Ping handed the visiting card to Madame Jiang.
"What does she want?" Madame Jiang took it and glanced over, then said to Zuo Xiangning, "Nanny Cai made some delicious food for you. If you don't wish to stay here, take it back with you."
Zuo Xiangning nodded absentmindedly.
It was indeed the mother of Gu Zhiqing.
After Madame Jiang had gone to the front hall, Zuo Xiangning, deep in thought, stood in the courtyard for a while before heading over to the small kitchen next door.
"Fourth Miss, what brings you here?" Nanny Cai, wiping her hands as she emerged from the kitchen, greeted her with a smile. "I made you some snacks with honey and jam."
Nanny Cai was Madame Jiang's wet nurse, a trusted confidante. All of Madame Jiang's children got along exceedingly well with Nanny Cai.
But Zuo Xiangning always felt that Nanny Cai treated her even better than she did the other siblings.
"I just came to see you," Zuo Xiangning said with a smile. "You're getting on in years. Take the time to rest well when you can."
Nanny Cai was stunned for a moment before her eyes suddenly turned red. "I'm not tired, I'm quite hearty. I heard someone mention yesterday that the Old Madam said you've put on weight. So, I thought of mixing honey with jam to make snacks. That should prevent weight gain. Try them later, and if they're good, I'll make more for you."
A sour feeling crept into Zuo Xiangning's heart.
In the past, she was silent and indifferent to others, apart from her third brother and oldest sister. She never realized just how many hearts she might have hurt unintentionally.
Zuo Xiangning returned to the Xianglan Residence and instructed Pan Cui to go to Fanghua Courtyard. "Find a way to find out what Madam Gu came for."
Pan Cui and Lv Ping, a senior maid at Madame Jiang's side, had entered the household together, and the two shared a good relationship.
Pan Cui nodded and hurried off to Fanghua Courtyard.
About two quarters of an hour later, Madame Jiang entered the Xianglan Residence with Pan Cui.
Standing behind Madame Jiang, Pan Cui looked pitifully at Zuo Xiangning.
Zuo Xiangning guessed, had Pan Cui been caught in the act?
"Everyone, leave us." Madame Jiang's face was stern. As soon as she entered the room, she sent everyone out, instructing Lv Ping and Pan Cui to stand guard by the door.
Zuo Xiangning stepped forward to pour a cup of tea for Madame Jiang, then stood obediently and demurely at her side.
After Madame Jiang had taken a sip of tea, she finally addressed Zuo Xiangning, who was left hanging. "Sit down and tell me, what exactly happened yesterday?"
Zuo Xiangning half-sat on a chair, muttering softly, "About yesterday's incident, it's not that I didn't want to tell Mother; I just didn't want to worry or anger you."
Madame Jiang pointed at her forehead, frustrated as if dealing with the ineptness. "Such a big incident occurred, and the Gu Family has already come to propose marriage, yet I was completely in the dark. What would people think? Are you not favored at home? Or is there no one to back you up?"
"The Gu Family came to propose marriage?" Zuo Xiangning's complexion changed suddenly, grasping Madame Jiang's arm anxiously, "Why?"
In her previous life, when the second young master of the Gu Family saved her, he did not take the initiative to come proposing. Later, when Madame Jiang lowered herself to approach the Gu Family, they still refused.
How had things changed this time?
"Tell me clearly about yesterday's event first!" Madame Jiang said with a grave face.
Pouting, Zuo Xiangning recounted the incident just as she had told her eldest sister the day before.
"Do they wish to defy the heavens?" Madame Jiang shot up, a fierce look crossing her face, and called out, "Lv Ping, bring Zuo Xiangyu to me!"
Zuo Xiangning quickly stopped Madame Jiang; she couldn't let things unfold as they had in her previous life.
"Mother, you won't be able to get any results now," Zuo Xiangning supported Madame Jiang as she sat down, then continued, "Eldest Sister said that there must be hidden secrets in this matter, and we mustn't act rashly. It's not too late to deal with them after uncovering their motives."
Zuo Xiangning knew that Madame Jiang valued her eldest daughter the most. Only by claiming that her eldest sister would intervene could she forestall Madame Jiang's fury.
"What motives could they possibly have? They just can't stand to see us do well!" Madame Jiang huffed, "Such audacity, daring to harm you like this! As for what happened at Prince Qi's Residence, I see it's not just Zuo Xiangyun, but even King Qi himself can't be cleared of involvement!"
A thought flickered through Zuo Xiangning's mind.
Could King Qi also be involved?
Zuo Xiangning puzzled, "Even the second young master of the Gu Family did not save me, so why would he come to propose marriage?"
"Madam Gu said it's because she fears that the rumors outside might tarnish your reputation, and she has met you a few times and likes you very much. She thinks you are well-suited in age to her younger son and therefore was eager to come with a proposal," Madame Jiang's expression softened when she mentioned the Gu Family, "The Gu Family is indeed a decent family."
Zuo Xiangning bit her lower lip, saying, "Daughter does not wish to marry into the Gu Family."
"What woman doesn't marry? However, your marriage is not urgent; we can discuss it after your hairpin ceremony," Madame Jiang pondered for a moment, then asked, "Who sent someone to find your sister?"
Zuo Xiangning shook her head, "Daughter didn't ask."
"You child, someone practically saved your life, and you don't even know who they are?" Madame Jiang scolded, "Go to the Chu King's Mansion tomorrow and ask your sister. It's not appropriate to thank them openly, but see if we should send some gifts discreetly, so that no one can accuse us of lacking manners."
Zuo Xiangning's mind was a chaotic mess, her thoughts heavy and cloudy. She could scarcely make out what else Madame Jiang said, only vaguely hearing that there was no need to rush, and that justice would be sought for her.
Zuo Xiangning had thought she could temporarily sever ties with the Gu Family, only to find herself entangled with them again after going around in circles.
Could she have worked so hard only to end up with the same result as in her previous life?
Anxiety surged in Zuo Xiangning, and by the afternoon, she felt her head heavy and her feet light, her body burning with fever.
Madame Jiang summoned a physician to the mansion, who took Zuo Xiangning's pulse and prescribed two doses of medicine to dispel wind and cold, and to clear heat from the exterior.
"Are you feeling inflamed?" Madame Jiang sat beside Zuo Xiangning's bed, touching her forehead and softly coaxing her, "There are rumors outside, ones about the second young master of the Gu Family admiring you, but what does that have to do with you? Surely we aren't obliged to marry someone just because they like us? Let them say what they will; we know our own minds, and no one else's words matter!"
Zuo Xiangning felt even more aggrieved when she heard about the rumors spreading outside.
Especially her mother's and her eldest sister's favorable impression of the Gu Family and Gu Zhicheng made her feel uncertain.
"I must visit the back courtyard; I'll have Nanny Cai keep you company. If anything arises, just send someone to call for me." Madame Jiang tucked in her blanket and gave some instructions to Pan Cui and Pan Xia before hurriedly leaving for the back courtyard.
Zuo Xiangning, listening to the faint sound of drums from outside, asked Nanny Cai out of boredom, "When was I placed under Madam's name?"
"You were placed under her name right after you were born, but it wasn't announced externally to avoid trouble with Auntie Liu. You know, Old Madam has always favored Auntie Liu, and if there were a fuss, Madam would have no choice but to concede," Nanny Cai looked into her clear, bright eyes and couldn't help but add, "Madam truly treats you as her own daughter."
"I know," Zuo Xiangning sighed deeply.
In her previous life, she learned she was under Madam's name when she was about to marry into the Gu Family. Madame Jiang provided her dowry as a legitimate daughter, which unsettled Madam Liu and her daughters, leading to quite an uproar.
Auntie Liu privately wept to her, claiming Madame Jiang had malicious intentions, using Zuo Xiangning's status as a legitimate daughter to degrade her own daughters and making Zuo Xiangning a stepping-stone for Madame Jiang to appear as a virtuous and good mother.
At that time, she harbored resentment towards Madame Jiang, never considering that if Madame Jiang weren't sincere, why would she record her under her own name and allow her the honor of a legitimate daughter?
And thinking back to the two years she avoided the Gu Family when Madame Jiang had just lost her eldest son and was worried about her eldest daughter in the palace, during her most exhausted times, yet she still managed to assist her, Zuo Xiangning felt overwhelming discomfort.
In her past life, she must have been blinded by lard to have so willfully misunderstood, been unfilial and unrighteous, heartlessly and ungrateful, failing in her duty as a daughter.
She must find a way to prevent things from unfolding as they did in her previous life!
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone