Chapter 4: Here’s the Money, Now Hurry Up

"Madam Gu, go back. Do not make a spectacle of yourself."

Steward Zhao Shun looked on with undisguised displeasure, his heart filled with irritation toward the woman kneeling before the manor gates.

Madam Gu raised her head slightly, cast a glance at Zhao Shun, and said with firm resolve, "I implore the steward to convey this to Master Zhao: for the sake of the betrothal between Zhengchen and the Third Young Lady, please extend a helping hand to the Gu family!"

Zhao Shun impatiently dug at his ear, leaned close to Madam Gu, and sneered, "The imperial court has abolished the imperial examinations; Gu Zhengchen has no hope of becoming an official. What do you have that makes you worthy of our Third Young Lady? Listen well: the Zhao family will not give you a single copper. Scram now, and don't force me to use physical measures!"

Madam Gu’s expression faltered.

The Gu family had settled in Teng County as refugees during the first year of the Hongwu reign, lacking any deep roots. With the Wang family pressing them step by step, if they could not repay their debts, they would surely face ruin. The Zhao family was their only hope for survival; she could not leave, she simply could not!

"Someone, throw her out and dump her far away!" Seeing Madam Gu’s obstinacy, Zhao Shun shouted, then spat toward her, muttering, "Bah, what a pathetic creature!"

Two servants rolled up their sleeves and stepped forward. Just as they grabbed Madam Gu’s arms, a sharp "swish" echoed through the air.

Zhao Shun felt something fly toward him. Too late to dodge, he felt a sharp pain in the center of his forehead and cried out, "Who dares injure me?"

A copper coin clattered onto the ground, rolled a few paces, and came to rest.

Zhao Shun narrowed his eyes: *A copper coin?*

A hand picked up the coin. As Zhao Shun looked up, he met a pair of icy eyes and instinctively retreated a step, calling out in alarm, "Gu—Gu Zhengchen!"

Gu Zhengchen flipped the coin between his fingers, tucked it into his sleeve, stepped forward to face Zhao Shun, and delivered a swift slap!

*Crack!*

The resounding slap stunned the Zhao family servants, as well as Madam Gu and Gu Qingqing. The gathered onlookers watched the scene with wide, disbelieving eyes, some even agape in shock.

Someone actually dared to strike Zhao Shun?

Zhao Shun was the steward of the Zhao family, managing the Zhao Textile Firm under Master Zhao Feng. He was a man of status in Teng County, yet here he was, slapped in public!

"Brother Zhengchen?"

Madam Gu could hardly believe it. Her son had always been soft-spoken and scholarly; how had he become so fierce today?

Gu Zhengchen felt slightly awkward hearing his mother address him as "Brother Zhengchen." In the Great Ming Dynasty, the custom of "inheriting the style of the Song" was prevalent—even Emperor Gaozong of the Southern Song had addressed his adopted son, Emperor Xiaozong, as "brother." It was common for a mother to address her son in such a manner. Older brothers and sisters were still addressed as such, but one had to be careful—a "brother-in-law" was not always a true brother-in-law; in brothels, for instance, the girls would address all their patrons as "brother-in-law."

"Gu Zhengchen!" Zhao Shun was beside himself with rage.

*Crack!*

Zhao Shun stood frozen, dazed by a second slap—heavy and stinging with fiery heat. It was no illusion; it was real!

Gu Zhengchen looked down at him coldly, barking, "What a lowly creature, lacking all sense of hierarchy, to dare address me by my given name!"

Zhao Shun’s eyes burned with fury, his fists clenched tight, teeth grinding.

*Crack!*

The third slap landed, sending Zhao Shun staggering to the ground.

Gu Zhengchen put his hands behind his back, wincing slightly. *That really was a case of "the pain on your face is the ache in my palm..."*

"I am a scholar of the imperial court, and I hold a formal betrothal to your Third Young Lady. I am the future son-in-law of the Zhao family. A mere servant dares to call me by my name? These three slaps today are to teach you a lesson. Now, open the gates and welcome us inside!" Gu Zhengchen commanded with authority.

In the Great Ming, the order of status and the rules of etiquette were paramount, and those who overstepped were severely punished. Although the imperial examinations were abolished, a scholar was still a scholar. For a servant to address one by name was, in itself, grounds for punishment. Even if brought before the magistrate, the fault would lie with the servant's rudeness. Status was an insurmountable chasm; no matter how hard one tried to jump, one could never cross it.

Zhao Shun was bewildered, unsure of how to react.

Gu Zhengchen, uninterested in the servants, turned to his mother and sister. "Mother, let us go in and settle this matter once and for all."

Madam Gu, still in a daze, barely heard him. Gu Qingqing gently nudged her mother, following her brother.

Seeing Gu Zhengchen walking toward the gate, Zhao Shun scrambled up and shouted, "Without the master’s permission, you are trespassing on private property!"

Gu Zhengchen stood before the gate, lifted his foot, and kicked it with all his might!

*Bang!*

The partially latched gate swung open under the brute force!

Gu Zhengchen said in a deep voice, "When a son-in-law visits his future family in broad daylight, how can you call that trespassing?"

Gu Qingqing nodded vigorously, feeling a sense of catharsis. She looked at her brother with newfound admiration; he had always been so gentle, never showing such domineering spirit before.

Seeing the gate open, Madam Gu looked at the resolute Gu Zhengchen and stepped over the threshold.

The onlookers erupted in excitement. The Gu family scholar was impressive indeed! Not only had he slapped the Zhao steward three times, but he had also kicked open the Zhao family gate—it was incredibly satisfying to watch. These snobs had been bullying a widow and her children! Now, they were finally being confronted. But wait—was this really the same scholar everyone said had gone mad from the stress? Looking at him now, there wasn't a hint of madness in his demeanor.

Watching the Gu family disappear inside, Zhao Shun shivered, then hurried after them. He rushed past the floral gate toward the main hall, shouting at the top of his lungs, "Master! Master! The Gu family is here!"

Inside the main hall, Old Woman Xu, wearing a red flower in her hair, was discussing a lucrative arrangement with Zhao Feng. Startled by Zhao Shun’s shout, she panicked. "What shall we do? If word gets out to other families, the magistrate will surely have my head!" Under the laws of the Ming, one could not be engaged to two people simultaneously. A matchmaker who knowingly arranged a marriage for a woman already betrothed faced fifty lashes and would never be allowed to practice again.

Zhao Feng glanced toward the door and instructed, "Old Woman Xu, please hide behind the screen."

Old Woman Xu hurried away. Zhao Shun ran in, and before he could finish explaining to Zhao Feng, Gu Zhengchen, Madam Gu, and Gu Qingqing had already reached the entrance of the main hall.

Seeing them arrive, Zhao Feng ignored Zhao Shun’s bumbling and looked coldly at Madam Gu before shifting his gaze to Gu Zhengchen. "You’ve come at the right time. Zhao Shun, go fetch six strings of cash."

Madam Gu was pleasantly surprised.

Gu Zhengchen frowned slightly. This gesture from Zhao Feng was unexpected. If he had truly intended to help, he would have done so long ago instead of leaving his mother kneeling outside, inviting gossip about the Zhao family's cruelty.

Zhao Shun hurried off and soon returned with a wooden tray holding six strings of copper coins.

Just as Madam Gu was about to offer thanks, Zhao Feng sneered and waved his hand. "You may take the money. But in exchange, Scholar Gu, you must voluntarily annul the betrothal contract with Ya'er."

"This..." Madam Gu panicked. How could they do that?

Gu Zhengchen picked up the six strings of coins, which clattered loudly, and said slowly to the disdainful Zhao Feng, "So, Master Zhao, you wish to use these six strings of cash to bribe me into breaking off the engagement? Heh..."

Zhao Feng slammed his hand on the table and stood up, declaring with authority, "Scholar Gu, Ya'er must marry an official. Do you still have any hope of becoming one? Take this money and get out of the Zhao family home. We shall consider our ties severed!"

Gu Zhengchen picked up the six strings of coins, walked toward Zhao Feng, and slammed them down onto the table with such force that the teacups rattled. "Consider these six strings of cash a loan from the Gu family. Now, hand over the contract—and be quick about it!"