Tangyuan was even more confused. She scratched her head and thought for a long time. "You have the support of the Gu family. How could you be in a weak position? Moreover, young ladies from good families don't need such things. Even if you get married and have your own shops and estates, you don't need to manage them personally. Why do you need to associate with merchants like the Feng family?"
Gu Liyue didn't say anything more. She put down her pen, walked to the window, and pushed it open. The cold wind rushed in, clearing her mind.
A pair of jade shoes was extremely exquisite. Gu Liyue had studied them for a whole day but had no idea how to take them apart. Tangyuan and Danju came up with all kinds of ideas, but Gu Liyue rejected them all.
"The jade shoes are rare, but what I want is the embroidered surface on them. However, the jade pieces are inlaid. If I simply cut them, the embroidered surface will be damaged, which would be a great loss. It seems that I still have to invite a suitable craftsman to help."
Gu Liyue turned around and went to Jiang's place to explain her purpose.
Jiang thought for a while and nodded. "A few years ago, when the Empress Dowager celebrated her sixtieth birthday, every family presented many precious gifts. I remember that the Prince of Jiamao's Mansion had such craftsmen. They are used to doing such things. You wait for a couple of days. I'll find time to ask the Princess of Jiamao."
Gu Liyue was overjoyed. She thanked Jiang repeatedly and then took her leave.
The maid was a bit confused and asked Jiang, "Madam, what is the young lady doing? She spent two hundred taels on such a pair of ornaments. Instead of displaying them nicely for viewing, she wants to take them apart?"
Jiang just smiled. "Let her be. She's not like ordinary young ladies. She has no way to amuse herself. Since she's found something fun to do, it's a good thing."
Before long, everyone in the Gu family knew that Gu Liyue had recently taken a fancy to these dazzling treasures. Gu Zhongxian and Qin rummaged through many of their previously collected treasures and sent them to Gu Liyue's courtyard.
Gu Liyue didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She just shook her head. "Auntie, I don't like these things."
Qin held her hand and said with a smile, "Silly girl. You're a young lady. These things are what you should have. Keep them. They'll be your dowry when you get married later."
Gu Liyue was touched. "But Auntie, these are yours..."
Qin said, "Don't worry. I have plenty. You didn't grow up in the Gu family. If we count all the gifts you should have received since childhood, this is far from enough. You just take them and play with them. If there's anything you like, tell me and go to my place to pick them out."
Gu Liyue received the gifts sent from each courtyard, and they filled her room.
Tangyuan asked, "Miss, I've already made a list. Should I send them to the warehouse for safekeeping?"
"No need. I haven't even played with them yet. Wait until I've had enough fun, then I'll put them away."
Tangyuan was very puzzled. In the past, except for one or two calligraphy works, paintings, and embroidery that particularly caught her eye, the young lady would send all the other gifts to the warehouse. Why did she suddenly take a fancy to these ornaments?
Danju walked in. "Miss, the young lady from the Qin family has sent another invitation, asking you to go out and play the day after tomorrow."
Gu Liyue counted the days on her fingers, thought for a while, and said, "I have something to do and won't be available the day after tomorrow. You go and decline the invitation."
Danju went to decline the invitation as she was told, while Tangyuan asked curiously, "Where are you going the day after tomorrow, Miss?"
Gu Liyue smiled. "Don't you remember? Lord Lu and Young Master Feng made an appointment for the day after tomorrow last time."
Tangyuan was completely at a loss. But it seemed that they didn't invite her.
Gu Liyue lowered her eyes and said, "I've figured it out. It's better to ask clearly than to keep my doubts in my heart."
When the day came, Gu Liyue took Tangyuan out early. But instead of going straight to the restaurant, she strolled around the commercial streets for a few rounds before heading to the restaurant.
The manager of the restaurant already recognized Gu Liyue. He quickly stepped forward to greet her. "Miss, there are no seats on the upper floors today. There's an empty private room on the first floor."
Gu Liyue shook her head. "Please send someone to tell your young master that I'm here."
The manager knew very well that the young master's business here today had not been hidden from this young lady. He quickly sent someone to report to the third floor. Before long, a servant beside Lu Jinchen came downstairs.
"Miss Gu, please come this way."
Gu Liyue followed the servant upstairs. After entering the private room and performing the proper courtesy, she said, "I wonder if I'm disturbing your business discussion?"
"It's okay." Lu Jinchen motioned for her to come over. "Why do you have time to come today?"
Gu Liyue lowered her eyes and smiled. "I originally wanted to find Young Master Feng. But I didn't make an appointment in advance, so I didn't know where to find him. I should have sent someone to inquire at the Feng family's business. But... I remembered that you seemed to make an appointment here last time, so I came here boldly."
Lu Jinchen raised his eyebrows slightly. He was in a rather good mood. Clearly, she wanted to see him, but she used someone else as an excuse.
Feng Chen quickly stood up and bowed. "I wonder what the young lady wants to see me about?"
Gu Liyue asked Tangyuan to present the embroidered handkerchief. "The jade shoes are a bit difficult to take apart. I've already found a skilled craftsman to study them. I'll be able to take them apart in a few days. I made this embroidered handkerchief according to the pattern on the outside of the jade shoes. But it still lacks something. Please take a look first."
Feng Chen respectfully took the embroidered handkerchief and nodded with great interest. "Although it's a bit inferior to the jade shoes, it's still very good."
Gu Liyue added, "I haven't done embroidery for a long time, so my skills are a bit rusty. I've embroidered all the steps of the embroidery method and stitches on this handkerchief. If you like it, Young Master, you can just take it and ask the embroidery maidens to make it."
Feng Chen quickly bowed. "Thank you, young lady, for your kindness."
Gu Liyue shook her head. "I remember the kindness of your Feng family in helping me back then. You don't need to be so polite to me."
Feng Chen gave a few instructions to his servant. Before long, someone brought a small box over. Inside were ten silver ingots.
"I'm grateful to the young lady. I won't say much else. I'll just give the young lady a gift according to the normal price for samples."
Gu Liyue looked at the ten small, chubby silver ingots and burst out laughing. "Your jade shoes are very valuable. You sold them to me for only two hundred taels. Now, for just one embroidered handkerchief of mine, you've returned half of the money? Your business is losing a lot."
Feng Chen laughed repeatedly. "It's just a hundred taels. Thanks to the young lady, I've had the chance to meet the Prince. Such kindness can't be repaid with just this little bit of silver."
Gu Liyue then looked at Lu Jinchen. "So, you've reached an agreement?"
There was a smile on Lu Jinchen's eyebrows. "It's a matter that benefits the country and the people. Why not do it?"
Gu Liyue took the tea he offered and sipped it slowly without saying anything else.
Feng Chen was very good at reading people's expressions. He immediately rubbed his hands and stood up. "Your Highness, I should have discussed the details with you more. But... my father told me to do something else when I left home this morning. It's the end of the year, and I'm really tied up. Please forgive me, Your Highness and the young lady."
Seeing that he was sensible, Lu Jinchen nodded and let him go.
Before leaving, Feng Chen said to Tangyuan again, "Coincidentally, I have a nice thing there. I wonder if Miss Tangyuan can go with my servant to pick it up?"