With that question, she was certain there was a letter. In Jisheng Hall, there were only three of them. If Banxia didn’t take it, then it must have been Jin Zijin.
But Jin Zijin was clearly not a petty person. She couldn’t figure out why he would take her letter.
Every time Qin Changlin sent something, it was always the goods without a letter. Finally, there was a letter, and how could this narrow-minded man take it?
Jin Zijin looked over and, seeing Gu Youyou’s resolute gaze tinged with a hint of anger, he could only reach into his sleeve and take out a straw-yellow envelope.
That was it, Gu Youyou’s eyes lit up.
"Hate that, so petty, it was written to me, yet you read it first," she complained.
She snatched it over, opened it to look and where was there a letter? Just a silver note for three hundred taels.
"Just this? What is Qin Changlin’s intention?"
Jin Zijin’s face was unusually flushed as he explained, "This should be the dividend of Jisheng Hall in Qingshui Town for the past few months."
Gu Youyou: "..." Disappointed.
"Then why did you take my silver note? I thought we were robbed."
Jin Zijin looked embarrassed and even a bit red-faced.
"You’re saving up private money?" she exclaimed in surprise.
Jin Zijin’s face turned even uglier, guilt-ridden, yet he stubbornly kept silent.
It really felt a bit like a husband caught hiding private savings by his wife.
Gu Youyou rolled her eyes, too weakened to complain.
She had just made a casual remark, as her sharp tongue was habitual, but she hadn’t expected to make him lose face .
Gu Youyou had thought that the Taoists in Zhuzhao Country were quite wealthy, but it seemed Jin Zijin had even resorted to stealing silver to save for his private stash.
Her expression softened a bit and she quietly asked, "Are you facing some troubles lately?" Why didn’t he ask Yue Rujing for help?
However, Jin Zijin looked at her with a grievance and said faintly, "I am guilty."
"I have deceived you."
"This house wasn’t bought years ago, but a few months ago."
"And the silver was borrowed from Ajing."
"The military pay for these few months was all used to repay him, and it’s still not enough..."
Gu Youyou couldn’t take it anymore and laughed out loud, quite rudely.
After a while of laughing, she put on a serious face, half jesting and half earnest, "Give it up, do you think I’m really that stupid? Sometimes I see you struggle to lie, and since it’s harmless, I can’t be bothered to call you out on it."
Jin Zijin’s expression shifted slightly.
Gu Youyou said, "Alright, alright, I won’t ask why you hid my things. Anyway, I know you meant well for me, I trust you. To think you were petty over a letter from my male confidant," and she stuffed the three hundred taels back into his hand, adding, "Three hundred taels, roughly the dividend from Jisheng Hall for these months, you calculated quite accurately. But don’t forget, I already told Qin Changlin in my last reply not to send me silver, because if he did, I would send it back. He knows my temperament well and wouldn’t send it again."
Jin Zijin’s gaze was complex as he looked at her.
After a moment of contemplation, he stuffed the three hundred taels back into Gu Youyou’s hand and said, "This is my military pay for the last few months."
Gu Youyou smiled and went downstairs.
Averting his gaze, Gu Youyou’s expression suddenly turned grave.
Ha, Jin Zijin, you really think I’m a fool to be cajoled.
She put on her coat and went out the door, heading straight to Yue Rujing.
The typhoid epidemic had worn everyone down. Gu Youyou knew that Yue Rujing hadn’t gone to the barracks either.