The servant knew that this hairband was given to his master by Gu Liyue. Usually, his master treasured it. Even when he had to enter the palace where hairbands were inappropriate, he would carefully place it in a box.
And it was always the servant who took care of his master's personal belongings. Sweat immediately rolled down his forehead. "My lord, your subordinate doesn't know..."
Lu Jinchen curled his fingers slightly and frowned. "Go to that place and check if it was left there."
After the servant left, Lu Jinchen walked to the window, opened it, and stared intently at the ground in the yard. A thin layer of snow had covered the ground, making it impossible to see anything clearly.
The next day, Gu Liyue sent Tangyuan to the prince's mansion to deliver a message, saying that she wanted to see Lu Jinchen.
However, she waited for a full five days but received no reply. Gu Liyue was very unhappy and moped around at home, not wanting to go anywhere.
Tangyuan said, "Your cousin sent you a letter inviting you to play, but you didn't go. Young Master Feng sent you a lot of interesting things to amuse yourself, but you didn't even look at them. You've been staying at home every day. The First Lady has asked several times. She's afraid you're not feeling well."
Gu Liyue replied listlessly, "Just tell them I'm studying embroidery."
Tangyuan added, "Before the Fourth Young Master left, he repeatedly told you not to do embroidery all day long. He was worried it would hurt your eyes."
Gu Liyue still looked listless. After a while, she looked up. "I haven't seen the two sisters-in-law and the Second Aunt these days. Are they all busy?"
Tangyuan was tidying up things and nodded. "Everyone is busy at the end of the year. This year has been eventful. There was a snow disaster in the northwest. Many families were displaced, and the surviving people fled one after another. The number of refugees around there has increased sharply. In consequence, I'm afraid all the departments of the court are busy. The master and the young masters are coming home later and later. The old master was even invited into the palace by the emperor yesterday."
Gu Liyue was in a daze. Yes, everyone was busy, but what was she doing? Doing nothing?
Just then, a maid from the First Lady came. "Miss, the First Lady asks you to go over."
Gu Liyue looked up and asked, "Is there something important?"
The maid smiled. "The First Lady said that since you've grown up, you should learn how to manage the household. She sent me to invite you over."
Gu Liyue took Tangyuan to her aunt's place and saw that her aunt was checking the household accounts for the year.
When Jiang saw her coming, she immediately waved. "Liyue is here? Come quickly. From today on, come here every day and learn these things from me."
Gu Liyue looked around and felt a headache. "This is so troublesome."
Jiang laughed. "It's indeed troublesome, but usually, there are stewards and the old nurses to handle things in the mansion. As for the manors and shops outside, there are also dedicated people to take care of them. We only need to check regularly to make sure there are no major problems."
Gu Liyue knew how to use an abacus, but she was a bit rusty. After practicing a few times, she got familiar with it. She followed Jiang to check the accounts in the mansion. However, after a whole morning of checking, there was still more than half left to be sorted out.
Jiang could have finished it quickly, but because she had to teach Gu Liyue, she ended up delaying the time.
Gu Liyue felt embarrassed. "Aunt, I'm too stupid. Why don't you calculate first and teach me later?"
Jiang shook her head. "Originally, I planned to let you manage the accounts of your own courtyard after the New Year and teach you slowly. But now, time waits for no one. You have to learn."
Gu Liyue didn't understand. "Why?"
Jiang looked up at her. "In the past, Prince Lu had his own family, and the Prince of Liang didn't seem to force him to return home. In the future, you only needed to take care of your small family, and it would be enough to learn slowly. But now, the prince has to go back. You're the eldest daughter-in-law. Once you enter the mansion, you have to know everything clearly. Your mother-in-law is a stepmother, so you have to take the power of managing the household into your own hands. If you don't learn now, you'll be very passive in the future."
Gu Liyue put down the abacus in her hand. "Aunt, will the prince definitely go back?"
Jiang's hand trembled. She said seriously, "Liyue, this year's snowstorm is very unusual. The Prince of Liang is already old. According to the latest news, he not only failed to find the trace of the Prince of Qingling but also got himself trapped."
Gu Liyue was shocked. "Then... then..."
Jiang frowned. "We can't do anything about these things, but we have to plan for everything. In case... after you enter the mansion, you can't let the widow be in charge, right? There are still younger brothers and sisters below, including the illegitimate younger brother. You have to take care of them."
Hearing Jiang say "widow", Gu Liyue widened her eyes even more. "Aunt, do you mean that the Prince of Liang... he won't come back?"
What about Lu Jinchen? Lu Jinchen's relationship with his father was not very good, but he was still his father.
Jiang said, "Who knows? But it's always good to plan ahead. By the way, we also have to prepare for the New Year's Eve palace banquet. You'll help me with it. Do you understand?"
Gu Liyue replied in a daze. Her mind was in a complete mess. She had even blamed him for ignoring her. He was probably in a complete mess, and how could she blame him?
She was in a daze and busy for a whole day. When Gu Liyue returned to her own courtyard, she still hadn't fully come to her senses. How was he?
She really wanted to ask him in person, but she didn't even know how to see him.
"Tangyuan, Tangyuan."
Tangyuan was also tired after a day's work. After coming back and changing shifts with Danju, she was about to go to rest. Hearing Gu Liyue calling, she rushed in in a hurry. "What's wrong, miss?"
Gu Liyue said, "Tangyuan, go quickly and ask someone to check what's going on with the Prince of Liang's mansion recently."
Tangyuan replied and stood in the yard for a long time. If it was an ordinary small family, she could check, but how could she check the Prince of Liang's mansion?
She thought for a while and then went to find her elder brother, asking him to go out and try to find out whatever he could.
However, the next day, Feng Chen sent a letter, saying that there was something important and inviting Gu Liyue to meet.
Gu Liyue took the time to ask for leave from Jiang and went out to meet Feng Chen.
Feng Chen didn't beat around the bush. He got straight to the point. "The prince came to me yesterday and asked about the situation in the northwest."
Gu Liyue asked, "Do you know everything?"
Feng Chen said, "I also have shops there, so I've always been paying attention. But the situation is not good now. Miss, I don't have any other way to contact the prince. I'd like you to tell him not to be impulsive and not to take risks."
Gu Liyue's eyelids twitched. "What do you mean by taking risks?"
"The prince didn't say it clearly, but after I went back and thought about it for a long time, I guessed his intention. I'm afraid he wants to go to the northwest in person to look for his father."
Gu Liyue was so shocked that she stood up. "Go to the northwest in person? How can this be? He..."
Feng Chen quickly nodded. "Yes, I also think this is inappropriate. If the Prince of Liang has already met with danger, what can he do by going there? So please find a way to contact the prince and advise him to think twice."
Gu Liyue had no way to contact Lu Jinchen. She got into the carriage and said to the coachman, "Go to the Prince of Liang's mansion."