In the front courtyard study of the Duke's estate, Gu Zhao was looking at the items he had redeemed.
The pawnshop owner had made it clear that this was Zhu Qingyu's second time pawning her belongings, and she had arranged with the owner to bring more tomorrow.
The items she pawned the day before had also been clothes and jewelry. Gu Zhao had wanted to buy them, but they had unfortunately already been purchased by an unknown buyer, so he could only buy back today's items.
Gu Zhao made an agreement with the pawnshop owner that if First Madam Zhang came to pawn anything else, he should keep it all for him. The owner was very tactful and even sent an assistant to deliver the items directly to Lord Gu's residence.
As he laid them out one by one, he saw many things he had never seen before. However, there was a white fox fur cloak that he had seen her wear several times; it must have been a beloved possession, yet now it too was pawned.
There was also the cloud brocade dress she wore the day she came to meet him. It was rare to see her dress up so beautifully for him, but now she had bundled it up and pawned it as well.
Looking at the dress, Gu Zhao's mind flashed back to how she had worn it, and how he had personally untied it.
Fine garments naturally belonged on beauties, and only such splendid clothes were worthy of her. But from now on, she would only be able to wear coarse cloth garments, rushing about every day for a few taels of silver. In less than three to five years, even a beauty would be covered in dust, and a delicate flower would wither.
Yet even so, even though she had fallen into such a state, and even though Zhang Jingyan had absolutely nothing left, they weren't even truly husband and wife, she would rather live the life of a poor couple with Zhang Jingyan than marry him.
In Gu Zhao's heart, there was a deep sense of frustration, coupled with an extraordinary surge of anger.
He was angry at Zhang Jingyan's overestimation of his own capabilities. The man didn't even have the power to protect himself, and it was foreseeable that he wouldn't be able to protect her in the future. How dare he still act as her husband?
As he was stroking her clothes in deep thought, his attendant reported from outside the door:
My Lord, the gatekeeper says there is a man named Zhang Shen outside requesting an audience.
He actually dared to come!
What was he here for!?
To show off?
Gu Zhao's gaze instantly sharpened, but his tone remained calm, betraying not a hint of anger as he replied:
Invite him to the front hall for tea.
It was already the dead of winter. Zhang Shen's illness had never fully recovered. As he entered the Duke's estate, he was still coughing, looking weak and as if he might collapse at any moment.
The servant boy who served the tea didn't even dare to leave; he stood guard at the door, worried that if the man died inside, the Duke's estate would be blackmailed.
Fortunately, Gu Zhao did not make Zhang Shen wait long. Almost as soon as the servant served the tea, Gu Zhao stepped into the front hall, rescuing the trembling boy.
Gu Zhao was suppressing his anger. Upon entering and seeing Zhang Jingyan also wearing coarse clothes, the fire in his heart burned even hotter, but outwardly he asked plainly:
Jingyan, what brings you to see me?
Zhang Shen had come behind Zhu Qingyu's back and needed to hurry back before she found out, so he didn't beat around the bush and said straightforwardly:
First, I want to thank you, My Lord. I was able to escape imprisonment this time entirely due to your grace. Second, I came to ask a favor of Lord Gu, to borrow sixty taels of silver.
Over the past few days, the silver the Zhang family had been sending to the Ministry of Revenue had truly flowed out like water. Compared to the Zhang family's properties, sixty taels of silver was a mere drop in the bucket, not even worth mentioning.
Therefore, what Zhang Shen was talking about was definitely not just about sixty taels of silver.
Gu Zhao held his breath and continued to ask:
What do you need sixty taels of silver for?
Zhang Shen stood up, bowed, and said solemnly:
Lord Gu, the Zhu Family Clinic in Yangzhou City was her dowry. When it was purchased back then, it cost one hundred and twenty taels of silver. Now, going with the market price and being sold off alongside the Zhang family's properties, it can barely fetch sixty taels. Thus, this commoner wishes to ask Lord Gu for a loan of sixty taels today, which I will certainly repay in the future.
Gu Zhao understood. Zhang Shen wasn't talking about the sixty taels of silver.
Zhang Shen was asking him to put in a good word with the Emperor to let Zhu Qingyu keep the Zhu Family Clinic.
As for why Zhang Shen would come to him for help, and be so certain that he would help, and certain that he could get it done.
The reasons, though unstated, were known to him, known to Zhang Shen, and he knew that Zhang Shen knew.
Since he knew, Gu Zhao felt that they could speak more plainly.
Gu Zhao didn't say whether he would lend the sixty taels or not, but instead smiled:
Jingyan, you should know that since I could get you out of the imperial prison, I can naturally give you a high position, a handsome salary, glory, and wealth, not just these sixty taels of silver.
Almost as soon as the words left his mouth, Gu Zhao regretted them.
He was simply jealous; he was acting out of malice.
The mere thought that the man standing before him occupied the position of her husband, and had openly run up to him to flaunt his triumph, showing off the dowry she had prepared when she married him, drove Gu Zhao mad with jealousy, so mad that he wanted to inflict all his malice upon him.
Gu Zhao knew perfectly well that her rejection of him actually had nothing to do with Zhang Shen, but he just couldn't help wanting to trap Zhang Shen in a state of dishonor and unrighteousness. He hoped that the man she had sacrificed everything to save would turn into a repulsive, ordinary fool, making her feel heartbroken, making her regret it, and making her change her mind.
Even though he knew full well that this was entirely impossible. If Zhang Shen turned into an evil man, she might leave Zhang Shen, but as the instigator, he would only end up further away from her.
Fortunately, Zhang Shen did not accept his proposal, but instead smiled:
Lord Gu, even if you gave me a high position, a handsome salary, glory, and wealth, would Lord Gu be able to get what he wishes? Forgive my bluntness, but the power to decide this matter lies neither with me nor with you. If you want to make this deal with me, you have found the wrong person. I can only do business with you for sixty taels of silver; I have no say in anything else. I have intruded too much today. This commoner takes his leave.
After Zhang Shen left, Gu Zhao silently returned to his study and looked at her clothes alone for a long time.
What happened today could never happen again. Even if it happened just once more, he would lose her completely.
Gu Shouming, it is forbidden, it is not allowed, you must not!
You must not entertain such malicious thoughts again. You must not turn into a wicked man that she would despise.
He had once put on the shackles of restraint in order to get her, and those shackles had shattered the moment she threw herself into his arms.
But now, Gu Zhao once again imprisoned his own heart with the shackles of restraint.
This time, it was not to possess her, but to win her love.
