Salted Fish Chapter 25

 Chapter 25

Seeds of Discord

Xiao Shan was also extremely shocked upon hearing the news.

He thought the same as the Emperor; although the Old Master's health wasn't great, there had been no signs of imminent death.

In recent years, the Old Master had largely stepped back from managing affairs. Apart from occasionally entering the palace to see the Emperor, most of the Gu family's matters were handled by the brothers Gu Xuan and Gu Yan. Given his status, any slight discomfort would prompt him to send a card to the palace to request an imperial physician.

The Emperor and Empress, concerned about his advanced age, often sent Imperial Physician Su to attend to him. When it came to the Old Master's health, no one was more knowledgeable than Imperial Physician Su, yet there had been no hints or warnings from him.

Otherwise, with Consort Lan's temperament, she would have already told him.

Hearing that the carefully tended Old Master had suddenly passed away left Xiao Shan in a daze. How could this person be gone so abruptly?

Was this a reminder that life is unpredictable and fate cannot be forced?

Regardless of what anyone thought upon hearing the news, the Gu family had already begun the funeral rites. No matter how unbelievable it seemed, it was now a fact.

Xiao Shan changed into plain clothes and, after informing Xie Zhui, rode to the Gu family residence. By the time he arrived, the entrance of the Gu residence was already draped in white silk, and the gatekeeper was wearing a mourning scarf.

Seeing Xiao Shan arrive, the gatekeeper, with reddened eyes, led him inside.

Everywhere he passed, people were dressed in mourning clothes, their faces somber and filled with grief. The only sounds he heard were those of weeping.

Xiao Shan's heart was not particularly soft; in fact, it could be said to be somewhat cold. However, he did not like seeing people cry. Regardless of the reason, crying was never a pleasant sight.

Xiao Shan's relationship with the Gu family was not particularly close, but after all, the Gu family was his maternal family.

As a child, he had played at the Gu residence, and the Old Master had once held his hand and told him stories. But as they grew older, their mutual understanding of their respective statuses created a distance between them.

He didn't visit often, and the Old Master and others in the Gu family focused their attention on Xiao Jin, valuing him more.

However, his distant relationship with the Gu family did not mean they had fallen out.

When Xiao Shan arrived, Gu Xuan and Gu Yan, along with the younger members of the Gu family, came to greet him.

Gu Xuan, who had been managing the Gu family for years, was a very steady person, much like the Old Master. Although his eyes were red, he still managed to maintain his composure.

As for Gu Yan, he was slightly plump and cried very sorrowfully. His throat was hoarse from dry sobbing, and the tears on his face wouldn't stop. His sleeves were half-soaked from wiping his eyes.

Xiao Shan suspected that Consort Lan's tendency to cry was inherited from her tear-prone constitution.

Xiao Shan stopped Gu Xuan, Gu Yan, and the others from coming forward to salute him. He was here to see the Old Master for the last time, and at this moment, his identity as a prince naturally had to be set aside.

After offering incense, Xiao Shan looked at the grief-stricken faces of the Gu family members without saying a word. The Old Master had lived a long life, and the Gu family now had many members. To be honest, not everyone standing here was genuinely sorrowful, nor did everyone feel they should be standing together.

In the past, with the Old Master around, Gu Xuan and Gu Yan had not divided the family. Now that the Old Master was gone, both brothers, who had grandchildren, would certainly not continue living together. A division of the family was inevitable.

Dividing the family was a minor issue; the most crucial matter now was the mourning period.

During the mourning period, Gu Xuan, Gu Yan, and the younger male members of the Gu family would have to withdraw from the court and remain in seclusion for a few years. As for the daughters, their marriage prospects would be delayed by three years.

During this time, there would undoubtedly be those who would seize the opportunity to carve up the Gu family's influence in the court. Some might even deliberately suppress them due to their absence. Some of these actions might be things the Gu family had done, while others might be entirely fabricated. But being away from the Emperor's presence for an extended period would make it difficult for them to defend themselves.

This situation was not favorable for Crown Prince Xiao Jin either.

However, this was something no one could change, unless the Emperor decided to grant an exemption from mourning. But granting such an exemption wasn't something that could be done on a whim.

The Emperor would need to find a suitable reason, one that would satisfy both the civil and military officials. Most importantly, it depended on whether the Emperor was willing to grant the exemption.

If people knew that Xiao Shan was thinking about these matters in such a sorrowful setting, they would surely accuse him of being driven by profit, cold-hearted, and unfeeling—certainly not a good person. Fortunately, there were no mind readers in this world, and he wasn't made of glass, so his thoughts couldn't be easily seen through.

As Xiao Shan was contemplating these things, Xiao Jin arrived as well.

Xiao Jin had also changed out of his fine silk garments and into plain clothes. He had ridden his horse all the way here, and his hair was slightly disheveled from the wind due to his hurried pace. Xiao Jin had a close relationship with the Old Master, who had taught him many things during his lifetime. As a result, upon hearing the news, Xiao Jin's eyes were red with grief.

Compared to Xiao Jin, Xiao Shan, who showed no expression and had no red eyes, appeared particularly cold and out of place in this setting.

Seeing Xiao Shan, Xiao Jin called out, "Third Brother."

Noticing Xiao Jin's unsteady steps and fearing he might fall, Xiao Shan quickly stepped forward to support him.

Xiao Jin gave a faint smile and said, "I'm fine."

Xiao Shan nodded and, after letting go of him, silently stepped aside.

Xiao Jin went to offer incense and also stopped Gu Xuan and the others from saluting him. After he finished offering incense and began to comfort everyone, the composure on Gu Xuan's face faded somewhat. He tightly grasped Xiao Jin's hand, tears streaming from the corners of his eyes, and sincerely called out, "Your Highness, the Crown Prince."

His voice was filled with grief and indignation.

With red eyes, Xiao Jin held Gu Xuan's hand and said hoarsely, "Father Emperor, Mother Empress, and Consort Lan all know about this. They are very saddened. Father Emperor has commanded me to come and bid farewell to our great-grandfather..."

He wanted to say more, but his throat tightened, and he couldn't utter another word.

Gu Xuan and the others, with tears in their eyes, bowed in the direction of the palace to express their gratitude for the imperial grace. After rising, Gu Xuan said, "We are grateful for the concern of the Emperor, the Empress, and Consort Lan."

Gu Yan bit his lip and sobbed.

Xiao Jin comforted them a bit more, then went with Xiao Shan to the inner courtyard.

Not to mention the younger generation, even in the inner courtyard, Yun Shi, Jiang Shi, and Old Madam An, who had been staying at the residence, were all weeping bitterly.

Especially Old Madam An, who cried so heart-wrenchingly that she had fainted several times and had to take two emergency pills.

She remained kneeling on the ground, refusing to get up no matter how others tried to persuade her. The servants of the Gu family, though silent, couldn't help but admire Old Madam An's filial piety, feeling it was truly moving.

Xiao Jin and Xiao Shan, after making a round, felt their hearts grow heavy upon seeing this situation.

Not wanting to disturb the grieving people in the inner courtyard any further, they returned to the front courtyard. On their way, they passed the water pavilion bridge in the Peach Blossom Garden. At this moment, it was the quietest place, with no one around. Xiao Jin stood there, unmoving.

Xiao Shan stood silently beside him, offering his silent companionship.

After a long while, Xiao Jin rubbed his face with his hands, and a small voice escaped from between his fingers, "Third Brother, how could this happen?"

Xiao Shan wasn't sure if he was asking about the future situation or the Old Master's death.

After thinking for a moment, Xiao Shan carefully organized his words and said, "Everyone has to face death eventually. Our great-grandfather was old, but fortunately, he didn't suffer from any major illnesses or disasters in recent years. He didn't endure much pain before passing, and his departure wasn't painful. Second Brother, don't be too sad. He loved you the most, and if you're too distressed, it will make him worry and unable to rest in peace."

Xiao Jin rubbed his cheeks again, his palms passing over his eyes as he rubbed vigorously before lowering his hands. He took a deep breath, looked at Xiao Shan, and said, "You..." before falling silent again.

After standing for a while longer, waiting for Xiao Jin to compose himself, the two finally left the Gu residence.

The Gu family was in chaos at the moment, and with the two princes staying there for too long, visitors would have to pay their respects to them, adding to the confusion.

By leaving, the Gu family members wouldn't have to be overly concerned about them.

On the way back, Xiao Shan said, "Second Brother, come to my residence for a while before returning to the palace."

At his place, Xiao Jin could simply be himself and freely express his sorrow.

Back in the palace, Xiao Jin could only be the Crown Prince, unable to easily show his joy or sadness.

Xiao Jin hesitated for a moment upon hearing this and said, "Not this time. Father is waiting for me in the palace to report back. When we have more time, we brothers can have a good talk."

Xiao Shan didn't press him further and accompanied him back to the palace. Xiao Jin had come in such a hurry that he hadn't brought many guards, and Xiao Shan was concerned.

Moreover, he also needed to enter the palace to comfort Consort Lan.

After entering the palace, Xiao Jin went to report to the Emperor, while Xiao Shan headed to Jinglan Hall.

As he expected, Consort Lan had already cried herself hoarse.

This time, even Cuishu couldn't console her. Seeing Xiao Shan, Consort Lan grabbed him with a trembling voice and asked, "Did you visit the Gu residence?"

Xiao Shan nodded, "I paid my respects. Grandfather and the others are holding up well. Mother Consort, you don't need to worry too much."

"How can I not worry?" Consort Lan's tears fell like rain, her face full of sorrow. "Entering this palace means I can only see my family a few times each year. Now that a loved one has passed away, even personally offering incense is a luxury. All I have is the right to cry for a while."

With that, she sobbed aloud.

Xiao Shan did not continue to console her.

The death of a family member was always heartbreaking. Telling someone who was grieving to hold back their tears was both impolite and cruel.

Rather than holding it in, it was better to let her vent her sorrow while she had the chance.

Once she cried out all her grief, she would feel better.

Xiao Shan silently stayed by Consort Lan's side until she cried herself to exhaustion and fell asleep. Only then did he leave.

***

Returning to the prince's residence, Xiao Shan walked to the rear courtyard and immediately saw Xie Zhui waiting at the door.

The moment Xie Zhui saw him, he came forward without hesitation.

Xie Zhui, not being very talkative, knew that Xiao Shan's mood must not be great, so he didn't ask many questions.

He didn't know what he could do, but he just wanted to be there for Xiao Shan during this time.

Xie Zhui remained silent, but Xiao Shan spoke up. He said, "Father Emperor, Mother Empress, and Mother Consort are all saddened by this event. Send someone to inform my elder brother not to let the people under him make too much noise about the ennoblement recently." It wasn't that he didn't trust Xie Chen's character, but rather the current circumstances.

Xie Chen had just been granted the title of Earl and was the most talked-about person in the capital recently. Due to the familial connections, in the eyes of outsiders, Xie Chen was seen as part of the Crown Prince's faction.

With Xie Chen being blind, he couldn't see many things for himself. If someone in the Xie residence, blinded by greed, were to be successfully instigated to cause trouble at this critical moment, it would be disastrous.

Xiao Shan understood the Emperor's temperament well.

The Gu family held a special place for the Empress, Consort Lan, and even the Emperor.

If others were to laugh and make merry while the Gu family was in mourning, it would be like inflicting a wound on the Emperor's heart, and who knows when someone might suffer repercussions because of it.

Xie Zhui quickly said, "Before you returned, I had already sent Ji An to personally deliver the message. Unfortunately, Elder Brother's eyes are in severe pain, and he is quite ill. He has already closed his doors to visitors, and the servants are not allowed to come and go freely."

Hearing Xie Zhui's words, Xiao Shan thought, this is truly good.

What he hadn't thought of, Xie Zhui had. The two of them could help and support each other as they moved forward.

Xie Zhui saw Xiao Shan give him a faint smile, a subtle but sincere expression.

Then, Xie Zhui also smiled.

He understood the unspoken words of Xiao Shan.

***

The Emperor sent people to inquire about the sudden passing of the Old Master of the Gu family. It was found that the Old Master had died due to an exacerbation of heart palpitations. His sudden illness was discovered too late for the household doctor to be summoned, let alone sending a card to request an imperial physician. He passed away quickly.

Before the Old Master fell ill, both Gu Xuan and Gu Yan had visited to pay their respects. Neither of them noticed anything wrong with the Old Master, and they had no idea how he suddenly became ill.

After learning this, the Emperor sighed. Since it was a sudden illness, he couldn't reasonably blame the imperial physicians.

There was nothing more to be done about it.

The Old Master of the Gu family was buried on May 26th.

The date was determined by the Emperor, who had the Imperial Astronomer calculate it. Both the Empress and Consort Lan sent many items for the occasion, and the pallbearers were the most reputable younger members of the family.

Xiao Shan and Xiao Jin also attended the funeral.

Everyone said that the Old Master was honored both in life and in death.

After the Old Master was buried, Gu Xuan and Gu Yan submitted a memorial requesting leave for mourning. Fortunately, the Gu family's ancestral home was in the capital, so they didn't need to travel elsewhere.

Gu Yan had not achieved much in his official career, nor did he have any grand ambitions. The fifth-rank position he held was even purchased, and both of his sons were serving as local officials in the provinces.

In contrast, Gu Xuan was more favored by the Emperor. Gu Xuan managed the Ministry of Revenue, holding the purse strings of the Great Zhou, and his legitimate son, Gu Yin, was serving as a prefect in Jiangnan.

The Emperor quickly approved Gu Yan's memorial, but Gu Xuan's memorial was temporarily held back without a response.

The Emperor was conflicted.

The Old Master still held the title of Duke of Anguo, which needed to be passed on to someone.

Naturally, the Emperor favored Gu Xuan.

Upon receiving the news, the two branches of the Gu family had mixed feelings.

Gu Xuan's side was naturally both worried and happy, while the second branch, Gu Yan's side, was deeply saddened. Gu Yan and his wife, Jiang Shi, were both very upset.

They were well aware that with the Old Master gone, there would soon be no place for them in the Gu family's large residence.

"Try to arrange a meeting with the Empress," Gu Yan said to Jiang Shi after their initial grief.

Jiang Shi looked at him, puzzled. Gu Yan sniffled and said, "I have something to discuss with the Empress. In any case, I must see her."

Jiang Shi nodded and said, "I'll find someone to send a message to the Empress."

***

Consort Lan quickly received the message from Jiang Shi. Given the presence of the Empress in the palace, Jiang Shi rarely sent her any messages. Hearing that Jiang Shi was very anxious, Consort Lan couldn't help but become anxious as well.

Gu Yan and Jiang Shi were in mourning and couldn't freely enter and leave the palace, making it difficult for them to arrange a meeting. Consort Lan herself couldn't think of a good solution.

She initially wanted to seek help from the Empress, but the Empress had fallen ill, so Consort Lan returned to Jinglan Hall feeling dejected.

Ever since receiving Jiang Shi's message, Consort Lan had been anxious day and night. Her anxiety eventually caused sores to appear on her lips, and she fell ill herself.

Consort Lan's illness, however, brought about a turn of events.

Upon hearing that Consort Lan was ill, the Emperor went to Jinglan Hall to see her and found her nearly delirious with illness, still crying. The Emperor was distressed. From Cuishu, he learned that Consort Lan had fallen ill from worrying about her family. Seeing how she had been crying every day and had become noticeably thinner, the Emperor felt a pang of sympathy.

He suddenly remembered that despite Consort Lan having been in the palace for so many years, she had never returned to the Gu residence to visit her family.

Even the Empress had gone back twice.

Thinking of this, the Emperor felt a surge of compassion and decreed that once Consort Lan recovered, she would be allowed to return to the Gu residence to visit her family.

When Consort Lan woke up and heard this good news, she was so pleased that she could drink the bitter medicine, which she usually hated, while crying and gulping it down. No matter what, leaving the palace was good, and being able to see Jiang Shi was all that mattered to her.

After several days of careful treatment by the imperial physicians, Consort Lan's health gradually improved.

Seeing that she had recovered, the Emperor fulfilled his promise and chose an auspicious day to allow her to visit the Gu residence.

Outsiders, observing this situation, remarked that even during their mourning period, the Gu family would not lose the Emperor's favor.

The Emperor permitting Consort Lan to visit her family at this time was a clear message to the world of his trust in the Gu family, and it also further solidified the Crown Prince's position.

When the eldest prince, Xiao Rong, heard this news, he was livid.

He had finally found an opportunity to undermine the power behind Xiao Jin, but the Emperor had given the Gu family such a significant favor.

Wasn't this clearly telling him that no matter what he did, it would be useless?

In the meantime, upon hearing the news of Consort Lan's illness, Xiao Shan brought Xie Zhui into the palace.

It was only after seeing that Consort Lan had recovered, thanks to the Emperor's permission to visit the Gu residence, that he and Xie Zhui felt relieved.

The Empress and Xiao Jin were also quite pleased to see Consort Lan recover. The Empress knew that Consort Lan was deeply sentimental, and allowing her to visit her family at this time was a good idea.

Moreover, as outsiders had remarked, the Emperor granting this favor to Consort Lan was also a favor to Xiao Jin.

The date for Consort Lan's visit to her family was soon set.

Since the Gu family was in mourning, they didn't make any special preparations. Moreover, the garden previously used to receive the Empress was still available, so arranging a couple of modest reception areas for Consort Lan was feasible.

Consort Lan had ample time to meet with her family, and everything was done according to established protocols.

On the day she returned to the Gu residence, she kept a low profile. After meeting with the other members of the Gu family, Consort Lan finally found time to speak privately with Gu Yan and Jiang Shi.

Seeing the tearful Consort Lan, Gu Yan immediately knelt down with a thud and cried, "Your Highness, save me."

Consort Lan was greatly alarmed. She was used to being rescued, but she had no idea how to save others.

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