FBC – Chapter 73 The Jade Hairpin Incident

Gu Hua took a deep breath and stepped forward to offer a respectful greeting.

“Gu Hua greets cousin-in-law. These two maids were sent by the Duke’s Estate to serve me. They didn’t recognize cousin-in-law, so I ask for your magnanimity to forgive their offense.” She added gently, “If cousin-in-law is still upset, feel free to vent your anger on me. We’re family—I won’t hold it against you.”

Qian Peizhu was indeed furious, but she still had her rationality.

The Duke’s Estate wasn’t a household one could afford to offend lightly, and the Gu family was a marquisate. Gu Hua was also Pei Yi’s cousin. It really wouldn’t be appropriate to lash out before clarifying everything.

She asked in a low voice, “Did Pei Yi give this to you?”

He had said the jade hairpin was already sold when he went to buy it, so he chose another one of similar value to gift her for her birthday.

Yet now, this very hairpin had appeared on the head of the flirtatious little vixen joking and laughing with Pei Yi!

She was starting to believe what Jiang Ruoxi had said.

Jiang Ruoxi saw the opportunity and immediately fanned the flames. “He already gave her a token of love. Is Young Master Pei planning to break his vow and take a concubine?”

“He better not!” Qian Peizhu was now truly enraged.

Gu Hua softly interjected, “Would cousin Pei be the kind of man who breaks his vows? He ranked 58th in the imperial exams five years ago, has been an official ever since, and is known for his integrity and moral uprightness. Cousin-in-law, wasn’t it precisely his fine character that made you choose to marry him?”

“As husband and wife, you share a deep bond. Could it be that you’re willing to doubt your own feelings just because of someone else’s meddling?”

Her words gently flattered Qian Peizhu, making her feel respected, and her anger inexplicably subsided.

“Then how do you explain this jade hairpin?”

Jiang Ruoxi wasn’t willing to give up. She snatched the hairpin from Qian Peizhu’s hand and thrust it toward Gu Hua.

“This hairpin was chosen by the Duke himself!”

As a crisp voice rang out, Shopkeeper Qiu stepped into their midst.

Gu Hua hadn’t expected Shopkeeper Qiu to come out and help smooth things over.

This was actually the excuse Gu Hua had thought of earlier, but coming from Shopkeeper Qiu, it carried more weight.

Shopkeeper Qiu bowed slightly to Qian Peizhu. “Madam Pei, I must apologize. When Lord Pei came to collect the hairpin that day, I had already explained to him and helped him choose a different, more valuable one.”

Qian Peizhu looked embarrassed. She quickly took the jade hairpin back from Jiang Ruoxi and handed it to Gu Hua.

“Cousin, it was my rashness that caused this.”

Gu Hua pushed the hairpin back into her hands. “Cousin-in-law, I would never take what belongs to someone else. Since you liked this piece, please consider it a gift from me for our first meeting.”

Qian Peizhu blushed. “How could I accept such a thing?”

Unexpectedly, Jiang Ruoxi suddenly grabbed the hairpin and smashed it on the ground.

Clang!

With a crisp crack, the exquisite jade hairpin shattered into several pieces.

Everyone was stunned.

Shopkeeper Qiu’s expression darkened. “County Princess Jiang, what is the meaning of this?”

Jiang Ruoxi scoffed coldly. “A vixen like you isn’t worthy of wearing something my brother-in-law picked out!”

Qian Peizhu’s face fell. That was a gift Gu Hua had offered her. She had planned to use it as an excuse to sound Pei Yi out later.

Gu Hua asked calmly, “Shopkeeper Qiu, how much was that hairpin worth?”

“Two thousand taels.”

Gu Hua turned to Dong Hua and instructed, “Dong Hua, go back and have Steward Zhou send someone to the Jiang residence to collect compensation for the broken hairpin.”

Dong Hua immediately responded loudly, “Yes, miss!”

Gu Hua was quite pleased. This little maid seemed upright on the surface but was actually very smart and knew how to cooperate with her.

Jiang Ruoxi’s eyes widened. “You dare ask me for compensation?”

Gu Hua looked at her in surprise. “Does the county princess not know that one must pay for things one breaks? As a member of the imperial family, you must have been taught proper manners and conduct. Surely you’ve studied women’s virtues and instructions? Or… are you illiterate and ignorant of etiquette?”

Though not a single vulgar word was used, she had just insulted the entire Jiang family’s upbringing.

“You…” Jiang Ruoxi trembled with rage.

Gu Hua cut her off. “If County Princess doesn’t want to pay silver, then how about this—let Shopkeeper Qiu choose a hairpin of equal value for my cousin-in-law, and send the bill to the Pei family. Or perhaps you’d rather report directly to the Duke that you smashed a jade hairpin he picked out?”

Jiang Ruoxi might not fear the Qian family, but she did fear Shopkeeper Qiu.

The woman was famous for only recognizing silver, not status.

No noble family in the capital dared to owe her money, or she would show up with gongs and drums to demand payment.

No one could afford such disgrace.

Worse yet, if Duke Yongguo heard of it, he might think she was arrogant and dislike her even more.

“Where’s the sense in making the county princess pay? Consider this a lesson for me,” said Qian Peiqin, stepping in to smooth things over. “Sister, isn’t that right?”

Qian Peizhu was still fuming inside, but she couldn’t afford to offend either her elder sister or the county princess. She had to swallow her anger.

“Of course.”

She then turned to Gu Hua apologetically. “It’s my fault for not understanding the situation. Please, cousin, don’t be upset. This jade hairpin—let me accept it.”

Gu Hua didn’t want to stir up more trouble anyway. After all, it wasn’t her or Mu Junyan’s silver that was spent.

She bowed to Qian Peizhu. “When you’re free, please visit Yongguo Duke’s Estate. I’d love to serve you tea.”

Qian Peizhu was overjoyed. “Certainly!”

If she could meet Gu Wanru and grow closer to her, it might help her husband’s career.

Jiang Ruoxi was fuming.

The future mistress of the Duke’s Estate was right here, yet two outsiders were arranging to drink tea at her future home, completely ignoring her?

Qian Peiqin, seeing Jiang Ruoxi about to explode, quickly grabbed her arm and turned to Shopkeeper Qiu. “Shopkeeper Qiu, please help Ruoxi choose a fine jade Guanyin statue as a birthday gift for the old madam of the Duke’s Estate.”

Shopkeeper Qiu didn’t want a scene in the shop and nodded. “Don’t worry, Second Madam Jiang, County Princess. I’ll personally select a stunning jade Guanyin that will reflect well on the county princess.”

Jiang Ruoxi shot Gu Hua a venomous glare.

Qian Peiqin glared at Qian Peizhu. “Stop embarrassing yourself and get moving!”

Qian Peizhu looked ashamed, nodded apologetically to Gu Hua, and hurried after them.

After they left, Gu Hua turned to Shopkeeper Qiu. “I’m sorry to trouble you…”

“No matter,” Shopkeeper Qiu replied calmly. “It was my store’s item—I wouldn’t want any rumors.”

“What were you hoping to pick out today?”

Gu Hua had originally wanted to choose a jade ornament for the old madam, but since Jiang Ruoxi had picked a jade Guanyin…

A flash of inspiration struck her. “Do you have any high-quality jade scraps that could be carved into flower petals?”

“For the old madam?”

Gu Hua hadn’t expected her to guess it right. She blushed in embarrassment.

“Mm. I don’t have much silver, so I can’t afford anything extravagant. I was thinking of embroidering a decorative headscarf and embedding it with some pretty jade petals to avoid looking too shabby.”

“No problem. You can pick from the scrap pile—I’ll have someone polish them into petals for free.”

Gu Hua was surprised. “How could I accept that?”

“They’re just scraps. It all depends on your eye for picking.”

Shopkeeper Qiu personally led her to the back courtyard, opened a room, and inside, three walls were lined with shelves, each holding wicker baskets.

“Pick whatever you like.”

Gu Hua was stunned. So many… how was she supposed to choose?

Shopkeeper Qiu seemed to be testing her on purpose and gestured for her to begin.

With no choice, Gu Hua stepped forward and started sifting through a basket. It was full of jade scraps, all high-quality despite being discarded.

After a while, she hadn’t found anything that truly caught her eye, so she set aside a few decent-looking ones.

Shopkeeper Qiu glanced at her selection. Not bad.

“Take your time.”

She then left the room, stopping Dong Hua and Dong Qing outside. “A gift must be selected personally to show sincerity.”

The two maids had no choice but to wait. One hour passed. Gu Hua still hadn’t come out.

Worried, they peeked inside and saw her sitting cross-legged on the floor, her skirts tucked up, surrounded by piles of stone, looking completely disheveled.

Suddenly, Gu Hua raised her hand and cried out excitedly, “I found it!”

She stood up joyfully and rushed to find Shopkeeper Qiu, opening her palm to reveal a handful of pomegranate-red stones, each the size of a fingernail. They gleamed brilliantly against her pale skin.

Shopkeeper Qiu smiled. “That’s top-grade pigeon’s blood ruby.”

Gu Hua gasped. “Is it expensive?”

Shopkeeper Qiu pointed to the store’s centerpiece: a phoenix crown.

“The red gems embedded there came from the same stone. These pieces were too small to use and were left over.”

Gu Hua clicked her tongue in awe.

She’d thought such tiny fragments were worthless.

“Then…”

She knew she couldn’t afford them.

“No charge. How would you like them carved?”

Gu Hua was ecstatic. “If possible, I’d like them made into eighteen pomegranate flower petals. Is that difficult?”

“Not at all. I’ll have them delivered to the Duke’s Estate tomorrow,” Shopkeeper Qiu said crisply, taking the stones from her hand.

Gu Hua walked out of Linlang Pavilion in a daze and climbed into the carriage, still puzzled.

“Tell me—why is Shopkeeper Qiu so kind to me? Those gemstones, though small, are definitely valuable. And carving pomegranate petals isn’t easy. She agreed without hesitation.”

Dong Qing smiled. “Because… our old madam owns shares in Linlang Pavilion.”

“What!” Gu Hua froze.

Dong Qing lowered her voice. “It’s a secret. Even the young master doesn’t know. When Shopkeeper Qiu inherited the business, she was bullied by her uncles and nearly driven out. The old madam stood up for her, so she gave 30% of the shop’s shares to the old madam in gratitude.”

Dong Hua added, “I used to serve under Sister Zhou.”

Gu Hua opened her mouth but couldn’t speak.

She was using the old madam’s own store to buy her a gift?

Sigh. Trying to give a proper gift without money was really killing her.

Her desire to earn money had never been stronger.