Chapter 136: Taking in the Gu Family

(Author’s note: This is a duplicated chapter, to be revised later.)

Following the Xiao Mo family, the Mo Yu Hua family of Yizhou also made a high-profile succession of their headship. After Mo Yan’s retreat, barely a few days passed before news spread that Feng Puyu had taken Gu Fei as his god-granddaughter. This news dropped like a massive stone into a lake, sending ripples of disturbance that refused to subside.

Speculation arose about how Gu Fei managed to link herself to the Feng family. After all, Feng Puyu’s reputation in Yizhou was impeccable, universally respected. Gu Fei, however, was a descendant once abandoned by the Xiao Mo family years ago and had since been entangled with the Gu family, a woman of many schemes and calculations. To any discerning eye, it was clear she was not someone to be trifled with—never one to lose out.

Yet now, the Feng family had accepted Gu Fei. Given her previous association with Feng Lizhi, many saw this as a sign she must have resorted to some unscrupulous means. Gu Fei’s reputation in Yizhou was never stellar to begin with. Under the manipulation of Mo Ge Yi during the grand event of the Ink Merchants Association, her name was further tarnished, but she remained indifferent, unmoved even when others called her heart poisonous and face demonic.

Even now, despite being under Feng Puyu’s patronage, little of her reputation could be salvaged.

But Feng Puyu cared deeply. Upon hearing the rumors, his silver beard trembled with anger. He forbade Gu Fei from spending the night at the Feng estate, insisting she leave every morning at dawn. He began teaching her the versatile Willow Whip Hammer technique, requiring her to leave the estate by sunset. At the Feng household, she was given only a rest room, no bedroom.

Kuma and others felt deeply wronged on Gu Fei’s behalf, but she merely smiled faintly, uttering no complaint. She cared for Feng Puyu with utmost devotion. Not only did she have You Hu prepare prescriptions to maintain his health, but she also frequently visited the kitchen to cook personally. Having long understood Feng Puyu’s preferences, she genuinely sought to win the old man’s favor.

After all, when one is in the position of owing kindness, one is naturally softened. Feng Puyu, not a heart of stone, gradually eased his initial coldness towards her after a few such occasions, though a smile still rarely graced his face.

Gu Fei’s extraordinary talent in ink-making astonished Feng Puyu. On her first day at the Feng estate, he deliberately tested her, presenting over ten ink pellets and demanding she identify their secret formulas by heart.

At the Great Capital’s Ink family, Gu Fei had long encountered such trials. In fact, to assess one’s aptitude as an ink craftsman, this was standard practice.

Ink pellet formulas were not as complex as those for incense or other crafts. Regardless of variety, all ink pellets derived from a handful of fundamental raw materials. Later formulations were mostly nuanced variations in combinations, with differences in hammering techniques and family secrets determining quality.

Feng Puyu’s test was meant to gauge Gu Fei’s natural gift.

Whether due to Feng Lizhi or other reasons, Gu Fei earnestly sought to endear herself to Feng Puyu. Born with a rare, perceptive heart, she found it easy to please when she set her mind to it.

Hence, she completed the test in less than half an hour, swiftly reciting formulas for ten ink pellets, detailing exact proportions of raw materials. Boldly, she even proposed improvements to some formulas, which brightened Feng Puyu’s clouded eyes and breathed new life into his once listless frame, sapped by Feng Lizhi’s departure.

To cater to someone’s tastes is the surest method of winning favor.

Regarding hammering techniques, Feng Puyu had assumed that a delicate girl like Gu Fei would barely manage a few swings of the hammer. But when she demonstrated a full set of the Great Capital Ink family’s Thousand-Weight Hammer technique flawlessly, his expression stiffened. He abandoned further tests and sincerely began teaching her the Feng family’s hammering methods.

Though already impressed by her genius, Gu Fei mastered the Feng family’s versatile Willow Whip Hammer technique in less than five days. By the sixth day, she alternated between the ink families’ techniques, blending them to forge a unique set suited to her own style.

Feng Puyu no longer held back. Intrigued by the Thousand-Weight Hammer technique himself, he spent two or three days locked in the ink studio with Gu Fei, neither leaving.

The old man and the young woman, caught in their fervor, seemed madly obsessed. Only in ink-making could Feng Puyu entirely cast aside his reservations about Gu Fei and forget Feng Lizhi’s presence.

Though Gu Fei had been taught mostly by the Great Capital’s Ink family, she had spent ten years poring over every book on ink-making in their secret archives. Coupled with her exceptional insight, she had developed many unique perspectives. Feng Puyu, a venerable master respected for both skill and worldly wisdom, was far more seasoned.

When these two collided, Gu Fei was like a parched desert in a storm, greedily absorbing every morsel of knowledge Feng Puyu imparted. Her frequent fresh insights delighted the old man, breaking his entrenched methods and opening a new window in the art of ink-making.

Their joyous collaboration, however, was a trial for Kuma, the Feng family’s steward, and other servants. As with other ink artisans, servants were forbidden to enter the ink studio.

Helpless, Kuma called upon You Hu.

At once, the Feng steward witnessed true dominance. You Hu completely ignored the chill and anger radiating from Gu Fei and Feng Puyu at being disturbed. While Feng Puyu was beyond his control, You Hu never tolerated Gu Fei’s sharp claws unless she submitted.

He effortlessly lifted Gu Fei from her wheelchair and carried her out of the ink studio. Like a wild cat with its tail stepped on, every hair on Gu Fei’s body stood on end, but he tossed her into the kitchen. Faced with a table laden with food, if Gu Fei refused to eat all, no servant dared escort her back to the studio. Her presence was more commanding than any master.

With Gu Fei’s mobility limited and no one to assist her, she had no chance to reenter the ink studio. Seeing her emerge, Feng Puyu found the studio dull alone and would come to dine with her.

The Feng steward instantly admired You Hu, bowing deeply. Should such a scene recur, he would imitate Kuma and quietly depart—out of sight, out of mind.

While Gu Fei eagerly merged the two families’ hammering techniques, You Hu remained busy as well.

Yizhou soon grew lively again. This time, rumors spread that a southern Qi barbarian had been spotted at the Gu estate—a beautiful woman who was a cannibal. More disturbingly, witnesses claimed to have seen mutilated corpses dragged from the Gu household.

Additionally, news of the Gu family purchasing young, handsome servants from a certain toothless old woman surfaced, with vivid details and even the old woman’s confirmation of multiple such transactions.

The rumors snowballed uncontrollably. The barbarian, Du Gula, apparently exacerbated the chaos by brazenly parading with Gu Min in public, their every gesture intimate.

Fear, panic, and ridicule towards Gu Min surged. Everyone knew southern Qi barbarian women were cannibals and practiced polyandry, meaning Gu Min was a cuckold.

In Dayin, such a status was more shameful than that of a courtesan. Gu Min wore the proverbial green scarf so many times, storytellers in the market would caution, “For a man, never be like a son of the Gu family.”

Gu Min had become the biggest joke in Yizhou.

Consequently, the Gu family’s business plummeted disastrously, nearing ruin.

All this, You Hu recounted to Gu Fei with a smile just as her hammering practice reached a natural pause.

Gu Fei knew full well that the rumors about Gu Min were mostly orchestrated by the weak scholar by her side. She said nothing; if she were scheming, she would have done much the same.

Truly, Gu Min’s tragedy was sealed the moment he brought Du Gula back to Dayin.

Sure enough, a few days later, Gu Min appeared at the Peach Grove. Feng Puyu, unusually compassionate, allowed Gu Fei a rare day off from leaving the estate.

But barely half a month later, Gu Min was emaciated and haggard. Gu Fei stared at him for a long while before recognizing him by his familiar attire.

He lingered at the gate, hesitant, lips trembling as he called out, “Fifth Sister… no… Miss Fei…”

Even his address faltered. Now that it was clear Gu Fei was no longer part of the Gu family, he dared not call her sister but feared estranging the family ties.

Gu Fei raised an eyebrow. She had placed a water basin under the peach blossom tree in the courtyard, feeding two koi fish. Pretending not to see Gu Min’s awkwardness, she said coldly, “Come in.”

Gu Min, as if granted pardon, stepped inside and found the seemingly small courtyard surprisingly deep. At its far end stood the newly renovated study and ink studio. No one else was around except Kuma sweeping the yard.

After hesitating, he sat opposite Gu Fei and said after a long pause, “Miss Fei, how are you enjoying yourself?”

Gu Fei checked the small cup of fish food—empty—before setting it down. The food was prepared by You Hu, who strictly instructed to feed only so many pellets. Gu Fei glanced at Gu Min with a faint, sardonic smile. “No need for such formality, Big Brother. After all, we were once family.”

Hearing this, Gu Min’s face brightened. Regardless of Gu Fei’s true intent, as long as she still acknowledged the Gu family bond, he was pleased. “Then that’s good. Fifth Sister, are you comfortable here in the Peach Grove? Second Uncle has been thinking of you lately, as well as Third Sister. In about ten days, it’s Wan Ting’s wedding. You must come back to the estate.”

Gu Fei curled her lips, a trace of mockery in her smile. Did Gu Min think she was a gullible child to be swayed by such words? Second Uncle had never truly cared for her. When Mo Ge Yi schemed against her at the Merchant Association’s grand event, the Gu patriarch watched coldly from the sidelines. Had he intervened, her reputation wouldn’t have been so thoroughly destroyed. Yet, out of gratitude for the patriarch’s prior shelter, she had chosen not to retaliate.

As for the Gu sisters, especially Gu Wan Ting, Gu Fei remembered clearly how tumultuous their past conflicts had been.