How could there be a letter?
Thieves must have snuck into the Zou family ho, into his room.
Zou Jiang, ever loyal to the Zou family, feared that the thief was still within the Zou residence and imdiately shouted loudly, "Soone co!"
Then he rushed to the desk, opened the envelope, and hurriedly read the contents of the letter. After one glance, his face changed dramatically, his hand holding the letter trembled uncontrollably... Impossible, impossible.
How could Zou Youlian possibly want to harm him?!
Zou Jiang was completely dumbfounded until the Protector burst in and asked, "Housekeeper Zou, what are you shouting about? Has a thief entered the residence?"
Zou Jiang, reputable as a genius and having assisted the County Magistrate Zou for decades, had long since mastered his composure. He calmly stored away the letter, slipping it back into the envelope while replying, "There’s no thief; I just saw a mouse scurrying by."
With a bang, Zou Jiang slamd his palm down on the desk and angrily said, "How could there be mice in the residence? What are the servants doing? What if Old Master wakes up and suddenly sees a mouse? Can you bear that responsibility? Quickly get Zou He and Nanny Zou to clean both the outer and inner courtyards, ensure that all the snakes, insects, rats, and ants are eradicated from the residence. If I see one more mouse, they can forget about their roles as housekeepers."
By striking preemptively, Zou Jiang startled the Protectors, who knew only that he was reading a letter—a common enough activity—so they had no cause for suspicion. They promptly responded, "Yes, right away we will inform Housekeeper Zou He and Nanny Zou."
The Protectors quickly departed, and upon hearing that Housekeeper Zou’s quarters had mice, Zou He and Nanny Zou resignedly assigned people to exterminate vermin throughout the residence.
anwhile, Zou Jiang did not dare linger too long in his own room. After the Protectors left, he went about his usual business as always, attending to County Magistrate Zou and assisting him with various affairs within and beyond the residence.
Only after County Magistrate Zou had retired for the night did he himself return to his quarters to rest. After securely closing the doors and windows, he took out the letter with trembling hands and carefully read the contents.
The letter was lengthy, starting with how County Magistrate Zou was envious of his reputation as a genius; the limits on the number of people admitted to the governnt office for official positions; the distance from Luchang County to Tianfu County then to He’an Prefecture; the coincidental appearance of County Magistrate Zou when his family t with disaster; the revelation that the thugs who killed his mother and wife were river bandits, not land bandits; the claim that the wound on his wrist was caused by a Gou He Blade wielded by the river bandits; and finally, discussing the tornt Concubine Lu suffered at the hands of the river bandits.
Every word was rational and evidential, piercing straight into Zou Jiang’s heart.
After finishing the letter, Zou Jiang’s tears flowed freely. In the past, he would have certainly disbelieved it, would’ve torn up the letter upon receiving it, and then hunted down the Evil Man trying to turn him against County Magistrate Zou, to harshly teach him a lesson.
However, in recent tis, he realized that County Magistrate Zou did not truly regard him as a brother; when County Magistrate Zou lashed out in anger, his words were infused with clear disdain.
And about Concubine Lu’s matter...
The fact that Concubine Lu was tortured to death by river bandits had already proven that County Magistrate Zou was colluding with them. If the bandits who hard his family years ago were indeed river bandits, for what had he slaved all these years for his enemies?!
Zou Jiang rolled up his sleeve, examining the ferocious scar on his wrist, which looked like a centipede crawling on his skin... For years, he had dared not face this wound, but in this mont, he lit a candle and studied his scar intently, discovering that the scar was indeed identical to the one described in the letter as left by a Gou He Blade.
Zou Jiang wept silently, his eyes bloodshot with rage, yet he did not allow himself to cry out nor to go insane. Instead, he bit the inside of his cheek, using the sharp pain to remind himself to stay clear-headed.
Thirty minutes later, Zou Jiang blew out the candle.
This had been his habit for many years: every night after returning to his room, about thirty minutes later he would turn off the lights and rest, a routine well-known by the Protectors, one he could not disrupt.
But Zou Jiang did not sleep; he stayed awake with his eyes open until dawn, and when the ti appeared right, he rose to freshen up as usual and went about his duties in the residence, returning to his quarters again the next evening as per normal.
On the third day, thunderstorms descended from the heavens, drenching Zou Jiang in rain. He fell ill upon waking up in the morning.
County Magistrate Zou showed grace and allowed him to rest, but Zou Jiang insisted he was still able to serve, earning himself a scolding from County Magistrate Zou.
Taking the opportunity to excuse himself, Zou Jiang did not go back to his room to rest, nor did he invite a doctor to the mansion. Instead, he left the governnt office and headed to Zhou Family’s Clinic in the county to seek dical treatnt.
Ever since his troubles in the past, Zou Jiang’s health had been frail. Once Zou Youlian beca the County Magistrate, whenever Zou Jiang felt unwell, he would go to Zhou Family’s Clinic for acupuncture.
Due to his frequent visits and the relationship with the County Magistrate, he had a private compartnt at Zhou Family’s Clinic where he could rest for an hour after receiving acupuncture.
Upon seeing Zou Jiang arrive, the staff at the clinic led him to that private compartnt, and one of Doctor Zhou’s apprentices personally attended to him.
"It’s just a cold and fever, nothing serious. I’ll write a prescription for a few doses of dicine for Elder Zou and do a few acupuncture points, and that will do," said Doctor Zhou’s apprentice after administering the acupuncture to Zou Jiang and then left to prepare the dicine.
Zou Jiang, as usual, lay down in the small compartnt, closing his eyes to recuperate.
After a short ti, the door was pushed open, and in ca a tall man with a face full of a thick beard.
Despite the man’s bearded face, Zou Jiang felt that, looking into his eyes, this was not a fully-grown adult, but rather a young lad.
...
An hour later, Zou Jiang left Zhou Family’s Clinic and returned to Zou Mansion. Housekeeper Cao inford County Magistrate Zou of Zou Jiang’s return.
Knowing that Zou Jiang had only gone to Zhou Family’s Clinic for treatnt, and the duration of his visit was similar to previous tis, County Magistrate Zou was reassured.
However, they were unaware that, in that private compartnt of Zhou Family’s Clinic, Zou Jiang and that man had communicated a good deal through writing. Zou Jiang had also seen the Gou He Blade in the private compartnt.
Zou Jiang was ill for two days and, on the third day, began again to live as if nothing had happened, continuing his life as a servant attending to County Magistrate Zou.
...
Bringing down County Magistrate Zou was not sothing that could be done in a day or two. Gu Jinli was very confident in Qin San Lang and, after sending them off, temporarily set this matter aside, waiting for his news.
It was already nearing August, close to the Mid-Autumn Festival. This was a major holiday, with families starting to prepare festival gifts early to send to friends and relatives, especially new sons-in-law, who would often send their gifts earlier than others.
Priding himself on their reputation, Scholar Wan’s family sent their festival gifts to Gu Dafu’s family on the sixth day of the eighth month.
Wan Lifang, the newly betrothed son-in-law, had to co in person to deliver the festival gifts.
Shuzi and his parents ca along as well.
Upon seeing that Gu Dafu’s family still resided in a mudbrick cottage, Shuzi’s mother, Mrs. Ni, frowned. Wasn’t it said that Gu Dafu’s family owned Gu’s Workshop and Gu’s Restaurant? How could they live in such squalor? Looking at this house, it’s practically falling apart!
Mrs. Ni’s family was from the concubine side of Ms. Ni’s family, and their hearts were with Ms. Ni and Ni Ruiniang. Seeing Gu Dafu’s family living in such a shabby house, they imdiately looked down upon them.
Hmph, the ones who have fled famine were just that, even if they could open a workshop and a shop, how much assets could they possibly have?
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