Madam Wang took Gu Qing out shopping.
They had gone to Qibao Alley late last night. Although the Gu family was wealthy and had servants guarding the residence, no master of the Gu family had lived there for many years. No one had expected Madam Wang to suddenly arrive, so the servants had not been particularly diligent in their cleaning. Moreover, Madam Wang was exceptionally picky—not only did she require the best of everything, but she also could not tolerate any lingering odors in the house. As a result, the Gu family residence in Qibao Alley had been busy all night, yet still failed to meet her standards.
Had she not been utterly exhausted, Madam Wang likely wouldn’t have even touched that bed.
She eventually fell asleep, but upon waking up, she felt sore all over, and her body was covered in red rashes… This infuriated her.
After punishing the servants, she took Gu Qing out for a stroll.
Even if she only planned to stay in Bianjing for a few days, she had no intention of compromising her comfort. All the bedding had to be replaced with the newest and finest, and all the incense and household items had to be switched out. After spending half the day shopping, she sent the other servants home to tidy up while she continued to wander the streets with Gu Qing, accompanied by Nanny Su and Xueya, planning to purchase some more clothing and jewelry.
They were shopping on Shili Street, which, apart from Imperial Street, was the finest shopping district in Bianjing.
Since it was close to the aristocratic alleys of Vermillion Bird and Black Tortoise, the people who shopped here were all wealthy or noble. Consequently, every shop was exquisitely decorated, and the goods inside were among the best in the entire Zhou Dynasty. However, Madam Wang was extremely picky and had been accustomed to luxury since childhood. Even when the shopkeepers presented their finest items, she found them merely so-so.
“Madam, these are truly the best pieces in our shop.” The shopkeeper, drenched in sweat from Madam Wang’s scrutiny, was growing impatient. If he hadn’t recognized that these people were of noble background, he might have already driven them out.
He had been in business for many years and had never encountered a customer so difficult to please. However, he could tell that she was genuinely accustomed to fine things and not just being difficult for the sake of it.
“Fine.” Madam Wang pursed her lips and pulled Gu Qing closer, her voice losing a bit of its arrogance and becoming slightly softer.
“Take a look and see if there’s anything you like. It was my fault before, bringing you to Bianjing empty-handed and letting those people look down on you. These items are average, but they will do for now. Once we return to Lin’an, I’ll have your uncle send you better ones.”
She failed to notice Gu Qing’s subtle change in expression upon hearing the words “return to Lin’an.”
“Qing’er?”
Not hearing a response, Madam Wang called out to her again.
Gu Qing finally snapped out of it. She loosened her tightly clenched hands and answered softly, “…Anything is fine.”
“You’re always too reserved and cautious,” Madam Wang sighed. “Never mind, I’ll pick for you.”
She understood her daughter’s temperament—perhaps because she had spent too many years outside and had never been exposed to fine things, she was overly cautious in social interactions. Over the years, Madam Wang had spoiled her endlessly, partly out of guilt and partly in hopes that being pampered would make her more confident.
Yet after all this time, Gu Qing was still the same.
Feeling helpless, she did not force Gu Qing to choose and instead selected a few fine hairpins for her. As she glanced at a red jade hairpin out of the corner of her eye, she suddenly froze, her expression gradually turning dazed.
Nanny Su had served her for many years and immediately understood what she was thinking.
She couldn’t help but smile. “That hairpin happens to match the red jade earrings the young miss was wearing the other day.” Although it had been dark that night, she had still noticed that the young miss had worn a pair of red jade earrings. It seemed Madam Wang had noticed too.
“Who cares whether they match or not?” Madam Wang, embarrassed at having been seen through, grew irritated. She wanted to put the hairpin back but hesitated. In the end, with a conflicted expression, she added it to the purchase.
Nanny Su suppressed a smile.
Madam Wang had no interest in Nanny Su’s thoughts and instead asked the shopkeeper, “By the way, which shop around here sells the best fabrics?” She intended to buy some and have them tailored later.
Having just made such a large sale, the shopkeeper now regarded Madam Wang like a god of wealth. His earlier frustration had completely vanished, replaced by a fawning smile. “Speaking of fabrics, there are several excellent stores nearby. But if I may ask, is Madam new to Bianjing?”
“And what of it?” Madam Wang’s naturally haughty demeanor, coupled with her foul mood from the previous night, made her words sharp. She raised her chin slightly and snorted, “What, does Bianjing not allow outsiders to buy fabric?”
Fortunately, the shopkeeper had a generous temperament, and since he had made a good profit, he was not offended. He simply continued with a smile, “Not at all. It’s just that, since you’re new to the city, it might take time to have garments custom-made by an embroiderer. You might find it more convenient to visit Jinxiu Hall, which specializes in ready-made clothing. Not only are the materials excellent, but the designs are also particularly novel, perfectly suited for someone of your esteemed status.”
Hearing this, Madam Wang’s mood improved, and the expression on her face relaxed considerably.
When she wasn’t angry, she was actually quite beautiful. Years of privilege and comfort had left almost no traces of age on her face.
The shopkeeper couldn’t help but steal a few more glances.
“What are you looking at?” It was Nanny Su who spoke, noticing the shopkeeper staring at her mistress. Her expression darkened.
Madam Wang also frowned.
“Please don’t misunderstand,” the shopkeeper quickly explained. “It’s just that you bear a strong resemblance to the owner of Jinxiu Hall.”
Jinxiu Hall had been bustling with activity just yesterday, and he couldn’t resist stepping outside to take a look. By chance, he had spotted Lanyin speaking outside the shop. When this noblewoman had been full of anger earlier, he hadn’t noticed any resemblance, but now that her expression had softened, the similarity was striking. Compared to the woman beside her, the owner of Jinxiu Hall looked far more like her daughter.
Afraid that this master and servant duo wouldn’t believe him, he quickly added, “It’s true. Madam, you only need to take a look for yourself to see that I’m not lying.”
“A female shop owner?” Madam Wang was surprised.
“Yes. And she’s quite a capable woman,” the shopkeeper continued. “Do you know the Chengbo Manor here in Bianjing?”
The moment she heard those three words, Madam Wang’s face instantly turned cold. But the shopkeeper, unaware of this, kept talking.
“Not long ago, the heir’s wife and heir of Chengbo Manor made a great stir with their divorce. That shop belongs to the former heir’s wife.”
“…What?” Madam Wang was stunned.
Apart from Xueya, the other three women also showed expressions of shock.
…
A moment later, Madam Wang walked out in a daze and immediately spotted Jinxiu Hall not far down the street. Just as the shopkeeper had described, it was teeming with customers, its business flourishing. In her ears, the shopkeeper’s words echoed once more.
“That Boss Gu is truly remarkable. A woman bearing the stigma of divorce, yet she has managed to run such a thriving business. Not only Jinxiu Hall but even her restaurants are doing exceptionally well.”
“Nowadays, everyone says Boss Gu is the most successful female merchant in all of Bianjing.”
“But… at the end of the day, scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants—merchants rank at the very bottom. Instead of living a noble life as a marquis’s daughter, she chose to become a businesswoman. Who knows if the rumors about her are true?”
“What rumors?” Madam Wang had asked at the time.
“They say that the Marchioness of Changxing favors her younger daughter over her eldest, and that their mother-daughter relationship is not close.”
“Ridiculous!”
Madam Wang was furious. “Who spread such nonsense?”
The shopkeeper trembled slightly, puzzled as to why she was so angry, but still answered, “It wasn’t me who said it—this is what people outside are saying. Otherwise, why would she let her younger daughter stay at her elder daughter’s residence? The heir’s wife and the heir used to be quite affectionate, yet things changed as soon as the younger daughter arrived. Some even claim that the heir and the younger daughter had past entanglements. If the marchioness didn’t know about it, how could that be possible?”
“For a mother to be so biased—it’s truly rare.”
Those words still lingered in Madam Wang’s ears. Before leaving the shop, she had furiously smashed a box of jewelry. But now, standing outside Jinxiu Hall, her face was pale, and unease filled her heart. Countless thoughts flashed through her mind.
Could it be that the reason she was treating her so coldly this time was because she blamed her for sending Qing’er to Chengbo Manor, which had led to this outcome between her and Xiao Ye?
Did she think she had done it on purpose?
But back then, Qing’er wasn’t eating or sleeping. The physician had said that if it continued, even her life might be in danger. She had only entrusted her to Xiao Ye because she was afraid something would happen to her.
But she definitely didn’t want to destroy their relationship for Qing’er!
How could she possibly do such a thing…
Even though she had always held some resentment toward Lanyin due to what had happened in their childhood, and despite the fact that their mother-daughter bond had grown distant over the years, Lanyin’s temperament was naturally cold and detached, unlike Qing’er, who knew how to talk sweetly and coax her. Naturally, she couldn’t be as close to Lanyin as she was to Qing’er.
But at the end of the day, Lanyin was still her daughter—the daughter she had carried for ten months and given birth to.
How could she have done something like that on purpose?
Madam Wang’s expression turned complicated.
Nanny Su, who had just hurried out after settling the payment, saw Madam Wang standing there in a daze. Breathing a sigh of relief, she softly advised, “Since we’re already here, why not go and see the young miss?”
Madam Wang pressed her lips together. In the past, she would never have lowered herself to visit Lanyin. But after hearing those words from the shopkeeper, she couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty toward her. Just as she was about to agree, Xueya hesitated behind her and said, “Actually, this servant just saw the young miss.”
Madam Wang turned to her, frowning. “If you saw her, why didn’t you say anything?”
Nanny Su suddenly felt an ominous premonition, but before she could intervene, Xueya continued, “Just now, the young miss escorted a guest out. She glanced in our direction but immediately looked away. This servant… This servant thought that the young miss was still angry, so I didn’t dare say anything.”
“Xueya!”
Gu Qing, who had been pale and distracted ever since hearing the shopkeeper’s words, was startled by her statement. She quickly furrowed her brows and reprimanded her in a low voice.
But it was too late—Madam Wang’s expression had already changed.
If she had felt guilty toward Lanyin before, now she was more angry than anything.
Even if she had made mistakes, she was still her mother! Was she planning to never acknowledge her again for the rest of her life?! This surge of fury filled Madam Wang’s chest, and when she looked at Jinxiu Hall again, her gaze was burning with anger.
Without another word, she stormed forward, her steps heavy and resolute.
“Madam!”
Nanny Su’s face turned pale as she rushed after her. Before leaving, she shot a sharp glare at Xueya.
She was the house’s senior steward and had been personally trained by the Wang family’s matriarch. That single look was enough to make Xueya’s face go white.
Gu Qing saw it too. She knew Nanny Su wasn’t targeting her, but she still instinctively took a step back. Only when Nanny Su had walked away did she feel a little better. Clutching her chest, which was rising and falling with unease, she caught a glimpse of Xueya’s pale face beside her.
She took a deep breath, furrowed her brows for the first time, and scolded, “You went too far today.”
Xueya bit her lip in grievance. “This servant was only thinking of you. Didn’t you see that Madam felt guilty toward the young miss? She even bought a hairpin for her! If things continue like this, where will you stand in the marquis’s residence in the future? Besides, why should she receive all the sympathy and live so well while you suffer all these grievances? Didn’t you hear what the shopkeeper said about you?”
She was absolutely furious.