Volume 1, Chapter 9: Turning the Tables

Nanny Wen arrived in a great hurry, for Gu Changning had truly captured her heart. "My lady, how did you get hurt? Come, let me take a look."

Nanny Wen took Gu Changning into the side chamber to apply medicine. Once the girl’s clothes were removed, even a veteran servant like Nanny Wen, who had spent years navigating the depths of noble households, could not bear to look. Gu Changning’s skin-and-bones back was covered in scars of varying depths; some were recent, with bruises that had yet to fade.

The nanny’s trembling fingers traced the shocking marks, her tears falling before she could speak. "Child, does it hurt?"

This was the first time someone had looked at her wounds without mocking or insulting her, or telling her she deserved it. When asked if it hurt, Gu Changning forced a brilliant smile. "Nanny, it hasn't hurt for a long time. Ever since I came to Green Bamboo Pavilion, I haven't been beaten once."

Gu Changning spoke with such lightness, almost as if she were grateful, but Nanny Wen’s heart quivered. So, in the Marquis’s courtyard, beatings for Miss Changning were a daily occurrence. Was the Marquis blind to such a well-behaved and sensible child?

Nanny Wen carefully bathed Changning, applied the medicine, and dressed her in clean, pretty clothes before taking her to see Gu Jingzhi. Fearing her father might worry, Gu Changning skipped over and said, "Father, Nanny Wen has applied the medicine for me. It doesn't hurt anymore."

Suddenly, Nanny Wen knelt before Gu Jingzhi, filled with guilt. "Fourth Master, I am to blame for my poor judgment. The maids I chose did not take proper care of the young lady. I beg for your punishment."

Upon further questioning, it was revealed that for days, Chunlan and Qiuju had never properly cared for Gu Changning. She had to bathe and dress herself, and even when it came to meals, the maids would pick out the best portions, leaving only the scraps for Changning. As for the rewards Gu Jingzhi had given her, needless to say, much of them had been stolen and fallen into the maids' hands.

Gu Jingzhi was so enraged he shattered a teacup. "These maids are completely lawless! They even incited Changning to drown herself. Such treacherous servants—have them sold immediately."

"Father, why not use this opportunity to conduct a thorough investigation and clear out all the bad apples in our household?" Gu Changning had allowed Chunlan and Qiuju to run wild for this long not because she was truly easy to bully.

Hearing this from Gu Changning, Gu Jingzhi felt that her cleverness and sharpness were truly worthy of his child. Before, he had been waiting for death, turning a blind eye to everything. But now that these people had set their sights on his daughter, he would make them pay back every debt with interest. It was already clear that the incense had been intentionally arranged by his eldest brother, and his second brother had contributed to the additives in the new batch. If he made a scene, his eldest brother would simply claim ignorance and wash his hands of it, forcing him to swallow the insult. This was the perfect chance to replace all the people around him.

Just then, Zimo arrived outside, dragging Gu Xingchen by the collar, requesting an audience. It turned out that upon hearing Gu Jingzhi’s condition had worsened, Gu Xingchen had conspired with the servants to sell off the antiques and paintings in the Green Bamboo Pavilion. Fortunately, he ran into Zimo, who brought him here.

Gu Jingzhi had adopted two children: one who worried about his safety and crawled through a dog hole at midnight to see him, and another who, hearing he was near death, seized the chance to loot his belongings. Thinking of this, he suddenly started to laugh; the ways of the world were truly strange.

His expression darkened. "Gu Xingchen has acted with gross impiety. Lock him in the ancestral hall to reflect on his mistakes. Without my orders, no one is to release him. As for the treacherous servants in this manor who rely on power to bully others, conduct a thorough investigation."

Before dawn, Nanny Wen and Steward Zhong had combed through the entire household. Apart from them and Zimo, not a single servant in the Green Bamboo Pavilion had clean hands. Following Gu Jingzhi’s orders, they were all to be sold.

Upon hearing the news, Gu Jinghe quickly sent Li Nanzhi to mediate. Li Nanzhi assumed the airs of the Marquis’s head mistress. "Green Bamboo Pavilion is so large; how will the three of you manage if you sell them all? And if you sell off so many servants at once, those who don't know the truth will think our Marquis’s house has fallen on hard times."

"My lady, this old servant does not quite understand. If servants who ignore the rules cannot be sold, are we to let them ride on their masters' heads and act with impunity? I did not expect you to be so 'kind,' Madam; is that how you manage the household? Unfortunately, our Fourth Master cannot tolerate sand in his eyes. Regardless, these treacherous servants must be sold today." Nanny Wen recognized only Gu Jingzhi as her master and held no regard for Li Nanzhi.

Her words left Li Nanzhi speechless. Most of the servants in the courtyard had been bought off by the eldest branch; if they were all replaced, her reach would be cut off. She gave a dry laugh. "I was only worried you would be overwhelmed without help, but what you say makes sense. How about this: I will pick a few clever maids and servants to send over for you to make do with. The Fourth Master is in poor health and needs assistance. The Marquis has always said that at home, everything must prioritize the Fourth Master."

As the mistress of the house, she had spoken to this extent, and Nanny Wen had no choice but to bow in gratitude. Indeed, though unwilling, Nanny Wen could not refuse again.

Suddenly, Gu Changning said in a childish voice, "Thank you, Great Aunt, but we have already found our servants."

Li Nanzhi looked toward the voice, barely recognizing that it was Gu Changning. After only a few days, the girl seemed like a different person—fair, clean, and beautiful. She looked exactly like her late mother.

"You brat! When adults are talking, what business do you have interrupting? How are you still full of lies as you were before? These people were just driven away; where could you possibly find others?" Li Nanzhi said, habitually reaching out to grab Gu Changning’s hair.

This time, Gu Changning did not endure it silently as she had before. She nimbly dodged to the side, and Li Nanzhi lunged at empty air. This made her even more furious, and she raised her hand to strike. "You brat, you really think you're a young lady now? Let me show you what happens!"

"Stop." Though Gu Jingzhi’s voice was weak, it held an inviolable majesty. "Sister-in-law, as the mistress of the Marquis’s household, isn't it a bit excessive to come to my residence and bully my daughter?"

Gu Jingzhi had always stayed out of other people’s business. This was the first time he had spoken to her with such severity. Even though he was leaning weakly against his wheelchair, the pressure was enough to make Li Nanzhi falter. She stammered, "Fourth Brother, you misunderstand. Changning is a naturally bad seed who lies the moment she opens her mouth. I was only disciplining her."