In the study of the Duke of Protector's mansion, Gu Sinian sat.
"Young Master, the person is almost recovered. He'll be able to go back in a few more days. I'm a bit puzzled, why did you have me say that the Song family and the Qi family were on good terms?" Zhang Xiaoniu asked, bewildered.
"Although I heard you say that the Song and Qi families get along well, such seemingly good relationships are not always that stable. I was merely adding some leverage for the Qi family. Song Mingze is very important to the Song family, and curing him is a significant favor to them. With this favor, the Song family will be more dedicated to assisting the Qi family in the future," Gu Sinian said slowly.
Zhang Xiaoniu nodded, it seemed to make sense. But listening to the Young Master, it implied that the Qi family would face some trouble in the future? What trouble could there be! Zhang Xiaoniu thought to himself, but considering the Young Master's meticulous planning, what he said was bound to be correct.
"Young Master, is there anything else? If not, I'll head back to the training grounds," Zhang Xiaoniu asked.
"What's the situation with Fu Man Lou?" Gu Sinian asked Zhang Xiaoniu.
"You asked me to keep an eye on it, and I have been. The Qian family is acting quite ruthlessly, and Fu Man Lou's business is now precarious. If this continues, it will surely close down. I heard they can't hold on any longer and have requested help from the Fu Man Lou in the capital, which means the Dong family must already be aware of this matter," Zhang Xiaoniu reported. "However, so far, the Dong family hasn't made any moves."
Gu Sinian nodded thoughtfully. He knew Dong Huan's character; with the Duke's mansion as his backing, he had developed an arrogant disposition. Fu Man Lou was a Dong family property, and given Dong Huan's nature, he wouldn't let it go. When he had asked the Qian family to act, he hadn't deliberately kept his identity secret. Dong Huan only needed to investigate to discover that he was the one pulling the strings. At that point, he would see how his father would handle it.
"Continue to keep a close watch and report any news to me promptly," Gu Sinian instructed Zhang Xiaoniu.
"Rest assured."
After Zhang Xiaoniu left, Gu Qing arrived and handed over a file on Lu Chen.
The Lu family was in Jiangdong, quite far from the capital. The round trip took more than half a month. The Lu family was an aristocratic clan with considerable prestige locally, so obtaining information required extreme caution and took considerable time.
Lu Chen was the most promising among the younger generation of the Lu family. He was currently studying at the renowned Changping Academy in Jiangdong and had already attained the status of a Xiucai (a scholar who passed the imperial examinations at the county level). He would be coming to the capital in the autumn to participate in the autumn imperial examinations. He had passed the Tong Sheng exam at the age of seven and the Xiucai exam at thirteen, both as the top scorer. He was known as a child prodigy in Jiangdong and was highly favored by his elders in the Lu family. It was rumored that he would be the future head of the Lu family.
A stuffy scholar, Gu Sinian thought to himself.
Continuing to flip through the pages, he found that Lu Chen was quite self-disciplined. He was seventeen years old and only had young men serving him in his courtyard. He didn't even have a concubine.
In addition, he was passionate about chess, his paintings were reportedly sought after by collectors, and he had a good understanding of music. This meant he was proficient in all the arts: music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. If he were in the capital, given the Lu family's noble status, he would undoubtedly be considered a talented scholar.
He appeared as handsome as Pan An and was deeply admired by the young ladies of good families in Jiangdong. When he went out, he would often have many coin purses and handkerchiefs thrown at him.
The more Gu Sinian read, the tighter his brow furrowed. Lu Chen had excellent qualities and, by all accounts, was a suitable candidate for marriage. Marquis Changping had arranged such a good marriage for Qi Zhenzhen. Based on his understanding of Qi Zhenzhen, if this engagement were to stand, she would likely not object. No, if Marquis Changping truly cared for Zhenzhen, why would he allow her to grow up in the countryside? Regardless of her temperament, the skills expected of a young lady from a good family were something that every young lady learned from childhood. Qi Zhenzhen, having grown up in the countryside, even with Madam Yun's talent in teaching her, it was unlikely to be as thorough as being taught by specialized governesses for young ladies of noble birth.
In that case, if the Lu family knew that she was a 'country girl,' would they be willing?
Gu Sinian frowned, carefully contemplating the intricacies of the matter. Regardless, he was determined to have Zhenzhen. No matter how good Lu Chen was, he would not be able to marry Zhenzhen.
After finishing the thick stack of papers, Gu Sinian said, "Have someone specifically keep an eye on Lu Chen. Report every detail, especially Lu Chen's character and his relationships with women."
Gu Qing nodded, "Young Master, rest assured, I will convey the instructions."
He now understood why his Young Master was acting so unusually. Love truly could change a person completely.
His Young Master, who was once so indifferent and rarely showed interest in anything, was now going to such lengths for Miss Qi, even keeping tabs on someone she was engaged to. It was truly a labor of love. He hoped he would succeed and win the beauty's heart.
"Young Master, the cousin is here," a servant outside reported.
"Tell Xu Miaoniang that this is my study where I work, and it is inconvenient to invite her in. Furthermore, men and women should not have improper contact and should not meet privately," Gu Sinian said with some impatience.
The servant returned after leaving. "Young Master, the cousin said she made a nourishing soup and specifically brought it for the Young Master. She has already informed the Old Madam."
"Bring the soup in and convey my thanks."
The servant entered with a food basket and placed it on the table before withdrawing.
"Drink it," Gu Sinian signaled to Gu Qing.
Gu Qing rubbed his hands together. "This isn't quite right, is it? The cousin clearly put in a lot of effort and prepared it specifically for the Young Master. If I, a servant, drink it, and she finds out..."
"If you don't say anything and I don't say anything, who will know? Besides, you know I dislike these soupy drinks the most," Gu Sinian said with a look of disdain.
"Then I won't be polite?" Gu Qing happily picked up the soup bowl. Regardless of the taste, this was made with good ingredients, and he rarely had the chance to drink such things.
Gulping down the entire large bowl of soup, Gu Qing let out a satisfied burp.
"Don't forget to have someone return the soup bowl and the food basket, and also tell the cousin not to send any more soups or snacks here in the future, as I don't like them," Gu Sinian instructed Gu Qing.
Gu Qing muttered to himself, if it were soup or snacks from the Qi family, he would surely like them. Therefore, the key wasn't the quality of the item, but who sent it. Even a blade of grass sent by someone one fancied would be a treasure. For someone one didn't care for, no matter how many treasures were sent, they would still be like grass. Everyone in the mansion now knew the Old Duchess's intentions. She had specifically brought back the cousin from Jiangnan and solemnly introduced her to the Young Master. It was heard that the cousin had even saved the Old Duchess when they were in Jiangnan. The implication was clear, and there was no need to guess what it was for. It was a pity, though, that the affection was one-sided.