Having finished with these, Gu Qingyun went to the yamen kitchen for breakfast, then called out to Bai Fan, who had just returned to the courtyard.
“I succeeded in drawing these Evil-Warding Talismans. Want any?”
Hearing this, Bai Fan’s eyes lit up, and he nodded vigorously.
“Yes, absolutely! What’s the price?”
Gu Qingyun held up a single finger.
“One hundred wen. A fair price for young and old alike.”
With a wince of heartache for his purse, Bai Fan fished five qian of silver from his pocket and handed it over, buying five talismans. The sight brought a broad grin to the corners of Gu Qingyun’s eyes. She clapped him on the shoulder.
“Alright then. Come find me again next time you need some.”
Bai Fan carefully tucked the talismans away like treasures, silently praying he would never actually need to use them.
...
By the time she stepped out of the yamen, it was already the Si hour. The weather wasn’t cooperating today, leaving the entire sky overcast and hazy.
Gu Qingyun had no clear lead on Bai Zhu'er’s matter, but remembering what Bai Zhu'er had said about her fiancé’s family, the He clan, she turned her steps southward.
Gu Qingyun took an unhurried half shichen to stroll from the yamen to Ping'an Street. Spotting an older woman stitching shoe soles at a street corner, she walked right up and asked,
“Auntie, could you tell me how to get to He Yuan’s house?”
The older woman glanced up at her. Seeing her upright and clear gaze, she pointed in one direction.
“Over that way. The second house is the He residence.”
Gu Qingyun nodded.
“Thank you, Auntie.”
As luck would have it, she had just approached the He family’s main gate when it swung open from within. A man and a woman stepped out—none other than He Yuan and Zhang Xiaoxiao, whom Bai Zhu'er had spoken of.
For the past few months, Zhang Xiaoxiao had been kept cooped up at home taking tonics to boost fertility. Having finally coaxed her mother-in-law into letting her leave the house with her husband, she couldn't contain the joy bubbling in her chest.
In the year since their marriage, she and her husband had lived in harmonious affection, yet they had been cursed with poor fortune regarding children. The reason she had managed to convince her mother-in-law this time was precisely because the couple planned to pray at a temple.
Zhang Xiaoxiao’s face was a ninety-percent match for Bai Zhu'er’s. It was a mystery how she had altered her appearance to look so much like another person and pulled off such a deception, but fake was fake; no matter how well she played the part, she could never truly become the real thing.
Observing her gait and manner of speech, Gu Qingyun noted that despite having met Bai Zhu'er only once, Zhang Xiaoxiao truly mirrored her every word and action. An ordinary person would never be able to tell them apart.
Seeing Zhang Xiaoxiao preparing to board the roadside carriage with a maid's support, Gu Qingyun called out to halt their steps.
“Sister Zhu'er! I’ve been looking all over for you!”
Her shout made both of them frown. Zhang Xiaoxiao nervously clutched a handkerchief with both hands and asked tentatively,
“And you are...?”
“I’m Xiao Yun! A year ago, we used to play by the Huai River all the time. Don’t you remember? I’m Xiao Yun, the one who always picked wildflowers by the riverside for you!
“Sister Zhu'er, is that older boy who just got into the carriage the one you always used to talk about? What was his surname again? I forgot.” Gu Qingyun spun lies without missing a beat, even pitching her voice slightly higher to sound innocent and youthful.
Across from her, Zhang Xiaoxiao breathed a sigh of relief.
“Oh, so it’s Xiao Yun. We haven’t seen each other in a year—how did you manage to find your way here?”
“Well, I’ve fallen on hard times. I suddenly remembered that you were here, Sister Zhu'er. A year ago, you told me that if life ever got tough, I could come borrow money from you. Don’t worry, I’ll definitely pay it back in the future!”
Zhang Xiaoxiao had initially assumed that the person before her came from a decent background, considering her clothes didn't look cheap. She never expected that this girl had come merely to hit her up for money. What sort of disreputable friends had Bai Zhu'er been keeping?
At that thought, the smile on her face faded, and a flash of disgust crossed her eyes as she looked at Gu Qingyun.
“Oh, Xiao Yun... I’m married now, and I really can’t spare any money. How about this? I have five taels of silver here. Take it and find some other way.
“Besides, we aren't even related. I was just making casual conversation back then; why did you take it so seriously? In life, the most important thing is to know your place. Don’t go spending money you can't earn yourself.”
“Huh? Sister Zhu'er, why have you changed so much after just one year? You never would have said something like that before.” Gu Qingyun circled Zhang Xiaoxiao, scrutinizing her closely, only to be shoved back by the maid at Zhang Xiaoxiao's side.
“What is wrong with you? My mistress already told you it was just a joke! To think someone would have the nerve to beg for handouts all the way here—truly a first. Get out of here right now, and don't delay the young master and young mistress's departure!”
With that, she tossed five taels of silver into Gu Qingyun's chest, ignoring her as she helped Zhang Xiaoxiao into the carriage.
Watching the carriage roll past, Gu Qingyun gripped the silver in her hand, staring intently after the carriage. He Yuan had remained inside the entire time without uttering a single word. Was it due to the propriety between men and women, or was he afraid she might notice something?
She slipped the silver into her coin pouch. Free silver was free silver; she would be a fool to turn it down. Casting one deep, lingering glance at the He residence, she turned and walked away without looking back.
...
Bamboo Leaf Alley, before the gates of the Bai family residence.
Holding a parcel of pastries, Gu Qingyun stood before the gate and knocked gently. Before long, the sound of the door unlatching came from within. An older woman in her forties or fifties appeared in the doorway, eyeing Gu Qingyun with confusion.
“Young brother, who are you looking for?”
Gu Qingyun cupped her hands.
“Auntie, I have come to see Young Master Bai Shuyuan. Please let him know.”
“Wait here.” The old woman closed the door, her hurried footsteps audible as she walked away.
A moment later, a man in his late twenties stepped out. He wore a cloth headscarf, a sapphire-blue satin robe, and an embroidered pouch tied at his waist.
“Why are you looking for me?”
“Regarding Bai Zhu'er,” Gu Qingyun said calmly.
Her words caused the man’s expression to change drastically. With a thrust of his arm, he moved to slam the door shut, only for Gu Qingyun to brace her hand against it.
Seriously? She had only said a single phrase, yet this man had turned hostile on the spot, refusing even to let her cross the threshold. What was going on?
“Let go! There is no Bai Zhu'er in our family. If you want to find her, go to the He family!” The man’s voice brimmed with anger and resentment.
Gu Qingyun’s face darkened, her aura turning cold as ice. The imposing pressure stunned the man into releasing his grip. Completely unfazed, Gu Qingyun sauntered inside, paying no heed to his reaction.
“Yuanshu, who’s here?” A crisp female voice called out from the main hall.
“Just an acquaintance. She has business with me, so I’m taking her to the study. Yunshu, have Granny Wang bring some tea and pastries to the study.”
Bai Shuyuan led Gu Qingyun to the study. With a grim expression, he gestured for her to sit, speaking up first:
“If you’ve come about Bai Zhu'er, you’ve found the wrong person. As I said, you should go to the He family.”
Sitting in a rose chair, Gu Qingyun tapped her fingers lightly against the armrest, asking with curiosity,
“I heard that Bai Zhu'er was a sister you doted on and protected from childhood. A year ago, you two were as close as can be. How is it that after just one year, you, as her elder brother, won’t even bear to mention your own sister’s name?”
Bai Shuyuan’s face shifted between pale and flushed. After a long silence, he sat down in another chair.
“Zhu'er changed after she got married. When she returned to her maiden home, she was not only distant with us, but cold toward her own parents to the point of breaking our hearts. When she lived at home, my children loved nothing more than clamoring around their aunt.
“Yet when she returned home after her wedding, Yuanbao happily tried to climb onto his aunt, only for her to shove her own nephew away with all her might. She cursed at him furiously, claiming that Yuanbao had ruined her newly made clothes.”
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