Chapter 2: An Unexpected Visitor

When her husband returned, Madam Feng quickly stood up, moving forward to help him untie the cloak’s fastening, then hung the cloak to the side. “Have a cup of hot tea to warm yourself, and then we’ll have dinner. How are things outside? Is everything all right?”

Gu Chengyong shook his head. “All is well, thanks to the prefect’s great attention to this matter and his preparations before the New Year. I just went to look around; everything seems fine, and we should get through these next few days. The elders say this cold spell won’t last long—three to five days at most.”

Hearing her husband say this, Madam Feng finally felt at ease. “The prefect is truly a thoughtful and conscientious official, always considering everything. We’re truly fortunate to serve by his side,” she said with heartfelt emotion.

“All right, let’s eat. Tomorrow is the first day of the year—let’s bring the children and offer the prefect our New Year’s greetings. We owe him so much for his care over the years; otherwise, how could I have married such a good wife as you and lived such a peaceful life?” Gu Chengyong accepted the tea his wife handed him, took two sips, feeling warmth spread through him, and smiled contentedly.

Madam Feng shook her head, laughing at his words. “Our daughter is right here, and you’re already talking nonsense.”

Gu Chengyong turned his head to look at the little girl who had already averted her gaze, pretending she hadn’t noticed her parents’ affectionate banter. He couldn’t help but grin foolishly. “Jiao’er, come here, let Daddy hold you.”

Only then did Jiaoyan turn her head to her father. “Daddy, you’re back. I was just thinking about something and didn’t notice you.” As if she hadn’t noticed! Her father was such a big man—how could she not have seen him? But her parents were so loving that, every time they met, it was as if they hadn’t seen each other in years—the sweetness in the air was almost too much for her to bear. She thought she’d better not look; being the third wheel was truly an awkward feeling.

Though she thought this, Jiaoyan’s face broke into an innocent smile as she threw herself into her father’s arms. He scooped her up and spun her around the room. The little girl laughed joyously, her silver-bell laughter echoing throughout the hall.

When Gu Chengyong finally tired of spinning and Jiaoyan was out of breath from laughter, her brothers, who had gone to wash their hands, returned. The whole family gathered around the table, ready to enjoy their reunion dinner.

“Ruyue, Ruyun, go and call Ah Xi and Ah Lu in from outside so we can all have dinner together,” Madam Feng instructed the two maids standing by.

The two girls shook their heads. “Madam, there is already food set aside for us in the kitchen. We’ll eat with Ah Xi and Ah Lu later. You needn’t worry about us.”

The Gu family originally had four maids, two boys, and two older women who handled laundry and cooking. The two older women were hired help with their own families and had returned home for the New Year. The other two maids, Ruhe and Rumeng, had come of age; Madam Feng had arranged for them both to marry managers from the family’s shops, and both were now settled in their own homes since their weddings in the winter.

The remaining servants and boys in the household were all orphans Gu Chengyong had come across while handling cases over the years: some had been abducted for so long they had forgotten where home was, others had lost their parents and had no family. Kind-hearted as he was, Gu Chengyong had always tried to give such children a place to live, keeping them in his household to work.

For this reason, all the servants regarded the Gu family as their own, whether they had married out or remained in the household; they were always loyal and diligent in their duties. The Gu couple, in turn, never treated them as servants but more like their own juniors.

“So go eat then. We don’t have all those stiff rules here. Off you go—this is the reunion dinner, and if you wait too long, the dishes will get cold,” Gu Chengyong said, never one to be harsh with those in his care.

Ruyue and Ruyun, well acquainted with the family’s temperament, nodded and left without further protest.

As for the children, they paid no mind to any of this. After playing outside all afternoon, their stomachs were empty. They picked up their chopsticks and began shoveling food into their mouths. “Today’s food is so delicious!” the fourth child exclaimed between bites. “Mother, your cooking is much better than Auntie Liu’s or Auntie Yu’s. You should always be the one to cook.”

“Naughty boy, don’t try to flatter your way out of things. When Auntie Liu and the others return after the New Year, they’ll be cooking again. Your mother works hard enough just looking after all of you—how can she cook for you every day?” Gu Chengyong laughed at his fourth son, the most adept at wheedling.

With four sons and a daughter, each with their own distinct personalities, Gu Chengyong felt perfectly content with his five lovely children. “Come on, eat quickly. It’s New Year’s Eve—tonight we’ll all make dumplings together. Whoever makes the best dumplings, I’ll take them to set off firecrackers and fireworks. This year’s fireworks are said to be even bigger and brighter than last year’s.”

Gu Chengyong was from the northeast, and after marrying him, Madam Feng had adopted all his customs: reunion dinner on New Year’s Eve, dumplings at midnight.

His words set the children cheering, and they began eating with renewed enthusiasm.

Watching their children so lively and happy, the couple exchanged a smile, their hearts brimming with contentment and joy. “Eat up—you’ve been busy all day, you must be hungry,” Madam Feng urged, serving her husband some food.

“You eat too—you worked so hard preparing this feast, you must be exhausted,” Gu Chengyong said, adding some food to her bowl as well.

“Oh, Mother, Father, why don’t you each just eat your own food? Wouldn’t that be faster than all this back and forth?” Jiaoyan, unable to stand her parents’ affection any longer, blurted out. Were her parents transmigrators like herself? Weren’t people in ancient times supposed to be more reserved? How could this couple be so loving?

Her four brothers burst out laughing at their sister’s remark. The third son, with a mouthful of rice, barely managed to swallow before he pointed at his sister and laughed uncontrollably.

Embarrassed at being teased by their children, the Gu couple tried to compose themselves. Gu Chengyong put on a stern face. “Eat your food, no more laughing.”

Intimidated by their father’s authority, the boys quickly sobered up and focused on their meal. Gu Chengyong had just raised his bowl to eat when he heard a knock at the door. “Who could be knocking at this hour? Ziyu, keep the children eating—I’ll go see. It must be something from the yamen.”

With that, he stood and headed outside.

In the courtyard, Ah Xi, one of the household boys, hurried over. “Master, let me go see who it is.”

“No need, go back and eat. If someone comes at this hour, it must be for me,” Gu Chengyong replied, waving the boy back inside before going to open the main gate himself.

The gate swung open to reveal several people outside. Among them, a man and a youth wore large hooded cloaks, their faces hidden from view. The one in front, however, Gu Chengyong recognized immediately—it was Lin An, the prefect’s chief steward. “Steward Lin, what brings you here at this hour?” Gu Chengyong asked in surprise.

Lin An glanced behind him and spoke in a low voice. “Constable Gu, the prefect is here. There’s something he wishes to discuss with you.”

Gu Chengyong looked up at the hooded figure. It was indeed the prefect. His heart skipped a beat; something serious must have happened, for the prefect to come in such disguise. “My lord, please, come this way. Let us speak in the study,” he said quietly.

The group proceeded to the study. Lin An stationed several attendants outside while Gu Chengyong led Prefect Lin into the inner room. As soon as they entered, Prefect Lin removed his hood, revealing a refined and gentle countenance, handsome and not yet forty.

“Chengyong, I’ve come tonight to entrust you with something important. I’ve just received word that someone in the capital has falsely accused me, and the emperor’s special envoy is already on the way to Suzhou to arrest me and take me back to the capital. This matter is deeply entangled, involving many officials in the capital. I fear this time I will not escape disaster.”

“We’ve known each other for over twenty years—you know I have only one son, Tao’er. Tonight, I entrust him to you. Help me take him out of the city and hide him somewhere safe. If anything happens to me, I only ask that you raise Tao’er to adulthood.”

Such was the shocking news Prefect Lin delivered.

“My lord, what has happened? Who could bear such malice against you?” Gu Chengyong was deeply perplexed. How could a good man like the prefect be so gravely wronged?

“Chengyong, you do not understand the ways of officialdom. There are too many factors at play here, and I cannot explain it all at once. All I ask is that you take Tao’er away and raise him well. Will you promise me this?” Prefect Lin looked earnestly into Gu Chengyong’s eyes.

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