"Just spill it already," Gu Youyou teased, making Lin Qianqing feel as if she were back to the old times, her mood gradually brightening.
"Basically, you should eat when you want, drink when you want, play when you want, and cause trouble like you always do. After all, with the support of the Lin Family, the Empress, and the Ducal Residence behind you, what’s there to fear? If those concubines try to trip you up, just look at what your aunt did. Occasionally disciplining your cousin, the Prince’s, concubines can also be quite the enjoyment..."
After returning, Lin Qianqing thought about it for a long time and suddenly felt as if she had seen the light.
Since she couldn’t change her life, why not live as if it had never changed?
On the third day of the new year, Miss Du from the Du Family came to visit.
Lin Madam was in high spirits because Lin Qianqing had just returned to the residence, so she allowed her to enter.
In fact, Miss Du had sent several visiting cards before, but Lin Madam had blocked them, saying that unless there was an imperial decree, nobody was allowed to see Gu Youyou, as she was not well.
Of course, Miss Du wasn’t the only one intercepted. Gu Youyou was unaware of all this.
Cuiya placed a beautifully crafted box on the table, and Gu Youyou recognized it as a box for clothing that she had designed herself.
Gu Youyou exclaimed, "A new design has come out?"
Miss Du said, "Yes, the sample has arrived. It was made according to your size; you’ll be the first one to wear the new piece."
Gu Youyou broke into a smile, her idea to have the new designs drawn by a painter and grouped into a beautiful booklet to distribute to VIP clients had worked out brilliantly, encouraging them to place orders directly.
To her surprise, this approach was quite a success. Now, the new products from the Manxiu Building had become a fashion pursuit for the wealthy ladies, who were willing to spend any amount of silver on them.
Gu Youyou took out the clothing from the box. It was in the style she had drawn, and the fabric chosen by Miss Du was perfect. The inside was soft against the skin, and the outside was adorned with the exquisite Manxiu embroidery—this particular piece was embroidered by her personally.
"It’s not easy to see you," said Miss Du.
Gu Youyou, not knowing the reason, laughed and said, "I’m always in trouble, even my aunt is scared. By the way, how did you find the time to come to Beijing?"
"I heard about your near-death experience and wanted to visit you soon, but my people have been turned away several times by Lin Madam. I arrived in Beijing yesterday, but with King Jin and his wife visiting, it wasn’t appropriate for me to call on you, so I came today."
"Oh," Gu Youyou nodded. At that moment, Xiang Chun brought tea, and she invited Miss Du to drink.
Sipping her tea, Miss Du said, "Every year at this time, I go back to the old Du Family house to stay for a few days. The Du Family has no male heirs left in my generation. As long as I’m alive, I must perform the ancestral rites. Once I’m gone, the Du Family’s lineage will truly be extinguished."
She sighed, holding her teacup.
Gu Youyou was silent for a moment and then said, "So you’re not planning on remarrying? You’re still young—if you got married, you could have as many children as you wanted, couldn’t you?" In an era with no family planning and with Miss Du able to afford it, she only had to let go of the grudges in her heart, and none of these would be issues.
When Gu Youyou herself had been a wealthy businesswoman, she had thought it through quite clearly: once she secured the Gu Family’s fortune, she would marry a groom into her family, holding a grand audition to select a fine husband solely for the purpose of continuing the Gu Family line.
Thinking this, she couldn’t help but laugh.
Miss Du was just about to say something, but seeing Gu Youyou’s laugh, she pursed her lips again.