Chapter 84: The Duke’s Wager

Regarding Gou Ye's oath, the Duke remained skeptical. After so many years in the court, he had seen all manner of hypocrites and upright gentlemen. Under the temptations of wealth, beauty, and power, even a gentleman could become a scoundrel in an instant. Gu Yuan had his own considerations—not only had Gou Ye passed this hasty examination, but more importantly, he reminded him of someone, a person whom the Duke admired most. He vaguely saw that person's shadow in Gou Ye and thus hoped he might become him. If so, Ming would be saved.

Seeing the Duke fall silent, Gu Zhi looked at Gou Ye with utmost seriousness and said, “I don't know whether your oath today is genuine or false. But I hope none of us have trusted the wrong person, and I hope you won't betray everyone's expectations. For you, this might be a smooth path to success—we build you a ladder, and you need only climb it with effort. But for our family, this is a gamble, a bet whose future we cannot see.”

Gou Ye nodded, agreeing with Gu Zhi's words. Before results are achieved, all words are empty. “Today, to receive the trust of the Duke and all present, I am deeply grateful. I do not wish to make grand declarations here. Rice is eaten one bite at a time, roads are walked step by step. None of us can predict the future; all I can do is not forget my original purpose.”

The Duke regarded Gou Ye solemnly and said in a deep voice, “Enough. There's no need for more superfluous words. Let's hear your plan—what do you need me to do?”

“Your Grace, you know that all my ideas stem from the County Magistrate Qin and his wife, who have been oppressing me, cutting off my livelihood, destroying my business, and even causing my village chief to die unjustly. Such villains must be confronted, and I want them to pay for their evil deeds. But my intention is not just to avenge Qin and his wife. I have thought of leaving here to avoid trouble, but then I realized, if there's a Magistrate Qin here, there will be a Magistrate Zhang elsewhere. In the end, I would remain a small fish to be devoured. So I want to hold my own fate in my hands.

My plan is this: I wish for Your Grace to help me contact a merchant clan that is currently vying for alliance with the official clans.”

Gu Yuan and Gu Zhi waited a moment, but Gou Ye said nothing further. Gu Zhi was a little surprised, “Is that… all? Nothing more?”

Gou Ye nodded, “Yes, that's all. Nothing more.”

The Duke and Gu Zhi exchanged a glance. The Duke turned and said, “I thought you meant to contact some senior statesman in the court and step directly into officialdom. I never expected you only wanted to connect with a merchant clan. Though merchant clans have the protection of the official clans and powerful figures above them, those are far beyond their reach. Seeking the official path through merchant clans—don't you think that's making things unnecessarily complicated?”

“Your Grace, I beg to differ. As I just said, rice must be eaten one bite at a time, roads must be walked step by step. Through Your Grace, I could directly connect with influential courtiers, but that would mean Your Grace is taking action, and the entire court would watch closely. Furthermore, I have no experience in official circles and understand little of their workings. Entering the court under such circumstances could lead to ruin at the slightest misstep.”

“You've thought things through quite thoroughly.” Gu Zhi looked at Gou Ye with praise.

“Moreover, my choice to approach the official clans through the merchant clans is for several reasons. First, Your Grace helping me make such a connection would not seem particularly forced; to outsiders, you are merely assisting a merchant. It's not a major move, so it won't bring needless trouble to your family.

Second, I know my scholarly abilities are meager, but I have some understanding of commerce. This is the card I can play. It may be useless to the official clans, but to the merchant clans supporting them, it's extremely valuable. Otherwise, Zhu Ling wouldn't have paid handsomely for my business to show off her clan's advantage. Only through the merchant clans can I truly demonstrate my own worth.

Third, through the merchant clans, I can gain more understanding of the court. The official clan I connect with will not be a high-ranking minister, so while they can protect me, they won't drag me into greater trouble. I will also pursue an official title through the imperial examination, and the official clan supported by the merchants will surely assist me in the court. There will be no need to worry whether I am Your Grace's recommended candidate.

Fourth, if I do enter the capital, I will have the support of both merchant and official clans. Thus, I gain both wealth and power. In my view, this is the most prudent approach.”

Gu Yuan nodded in satisfaction, his furrowed brow relaxing as he took a sip of tea. He said, “I didn't expect someone so young to be so thoughtful, and you've considered my family's interests as well. It seems I have been somewhat short-sighted. Your four points are very satisfactory to me. Let us proceed as you suggest. I will help you contact a merchant clan with both integrity and capability. Go home and wait in peace. Once there is news, I will immediately send someone to inform you in your village. Until then, I must remind you—live quietly these days. Do not provoke the Qin couple. Once everything is settled, you can make further plans.”

Thus, the Duke accepted Gou Ye’s proposal. Gou Ye, still young and unable to hide his excitement, felt his eyebrows lift unconsciously. He quickly agreed, and so the meeting in the hall came to an end. Just then, Gu Man ran into the hall, greeted the Duke and Gu Zhi, and hurried over to Gou Ye. “Oh, I’ve been looking for you everywhere! I didn’t expect you to be here. Come quickly with me. The thing you made for me—the kite—was damaged yesterday while I was playing in the courtyard, caught on a tree branch. Can you make me a new one?”

The others exchanged glances. Gu Zhi said, “Go with her. I have ordered lunch to be prepared in the dining hall. When noon comes, you two can join us.”

Gou Ye and Gu Shen followed Gu Man to her chamber. Upon entering, Gou Ye was startled. The room was filled with countless toys of all shapes and sizes. Rows of flowers, birds, fish, and insects adorned the walls, and even swords, spears, and staves were among them. Compared to Wan Xiang’s room, this was hardly a young lady’s chamber—it was more like the storeroom of a circus troupe.