The Grand Secretary's Pampered Wife

Chapter 30

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S T E L L A R C L O U D

[Celeste S.] [Azurixa] [Robert K.]

O R A N G E S T A R

[Talia R.] [K.Rom]

Y E L L O W S T A R

[Camille] [Linds] [Esther D.]

G O L D S T A R

[Nem]

This time, Xiao Liulang had yet to cross the doorway of the study hall when the staff of the Rejuvenation Hall called out to him. After that, he went straight to the Rejuvenation Hall to take the medicinal herbs. The whole Rejuvenation Hall could testify to it, so naturally no one suspected him.

Gu Dashun, however, was a different story. Someone had seen him go up to the second floor, and the victim’s drawing room was also on the second floor.

The victim happened to be out at that time, and there was no one else on the second floor except Gu Dashun.

Everyone who had been to the study hall knew that apart from the accounts office, there were also the drawing rooms to accommodate distinguished personages in the second floor which wasn’t open to just anyone. A poor student like Gu Dashun wasn’t supposed to be on the second floor.

Gu Dashun cried out unjustly, "A Lord asked me to pick some books and send them to him! He said he wanted to converse with me about poetry!"

Gu Dashun was also an ambitious student. He knew very early that his Xiucai status would bring many conveniences to his future. It was even normal for people to come to establish some friendship with him. So he did not doubt it at that time.

"Who is this Lord? Call him out!" A man of the study hall said.

Gu Dashun said in a hurry, "He was gone when I went upstairs!"

"Have any of you... seen any Lord?" The man asked the people around.

Everybody shook their heads.

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The only reason they noticed Gu Dashun was because he was wearing the uniform of Tianxiang Academy. Tianxiang Academy’s students would always attract people’s attention no matter where they went.

It so happened that Gu Dashun's conversation with the Lord took place on his way to the lavatory, and besides the two of them, no one else was present in that area to be a witness.

Therefore, people only saw Gu Dashun go up to the second floor with the books in his arms, but did not see Gu Dashun being invited by someone.

This was truly frustrating to death.

The victim’s boy servant said, "I didn't expect the students of Tianxiang Academy to do such a nasty thing. The bundle of my family’s young master contains very precious stuff. You can take away the silver inside and my young master won’t bother to argue with you about it. However, you must return the letter! Otherwise, we will file this case to the yamen!"

Gu Dashun felt like dying from being accused wrongly. The only way to solve this was to find that Lord. However, the other party seemed to have vanished into thin air. He simply couldn’t find him anymore.

Gu Dashun was suddenly struck by an idea, "You said I stole something, but where is the stolen goods? It’s impossible for me to eat it!"

The Chief Constable[1] narrowed his eyes and said, "Go to his house and search!"

Gu Dashun wasn’t worried about him searching their house. His figure was upright and wasn’t afraid about his shadow slanting[2]. Even if he turned his house upside down, he wouldn’t find any stolen goods!

As a result, Gu Dashun was given a slap in the face.

When the constables rushed into the Gu residence, Zhou shi and Liu shi had just arrived home and were digging holes in the backyard to bury the silver.

The constables quickly recognized that these were the official silver lost by the owner.

In Gu Jiao's dream, Xiao Liulang, based on the footprints in the lawn and the outer side of the wall in the backyard, had judged that the thief had climbed in through the window and committed the crime alone, and that he was six feet tall. The right footprint was deeper than the left footprint. He had speculated that the thief had a slight limp on his left foot, but it wasn’t that serious. Otherwise, he couldn’t possibly tread on the second floor’s walls. In addition, it seemed that this thief had some real skills.

A mixture of fine gravel, and some kind of lime and sandalwood was left in some parts of the footprints in the crime scene. This kind of gravel road only led to gambling houses, and it was originally used to ward off evil spirits.

Therefore, the thief was either a staff of the gambling house or a gambler. Once he had stolen the silver, he would most likely go to the gambling house near the east market sooner or later.

Gu Jiao only had to linger on the way to the market to encounter him.

Unfortunately, Gu Dashun wasn’t Xiao Liulang. He couldn’t solve the case and prove his innocence. He could only watch himself, as well as Zhou shi and Liu shi, be put into prison.

"Aiya." In the Rejuvenation Hall's accounts office, Second Owner was enjoying his tea leisurely, seemingly very happy.

Shopkeeper Wang glanced at him and said, "You’re so happy that you’ve harmed a person?"

That’s correct. Second Owner was the mysterious Lord who tricked Gu Dashun into the second floor.

Second Owner smiled and held out three fingers, "Not one, but three."

Shopkeeper Wang shuddered despite the absence of cold, "That girl is really ruthless. She can schemed against her own family without even batting an eyelid. To cooperate with this kind of person, shouldn’t we be… more cautious?"

Second Owner looked at the endless stream of people in the street outside and said, "What do you know? If you have never experienced the sufferings of others, don't lightly persuade others to be kind."

Shopkeeper Wang didn't quite understand this. Although he was Second Owner’s subordinate, he actually didn't know much about Second Owner. He only knew that he was the eldest Di son[3] of the Hu Family, but he didn't seem to be highly valued by his old man.

Second Owner smiled and took a sip of tea, "I really like this girl more and more."

…...

Because this matter had nothing to do with Xiao Liulang itself, Xiao Liulang didn't ask too much about it. He only knew that Gu Dashun stole something from someone. As for who he had stolen from or what exactly he had stolen, he didn't know.

However, he also went to study hall after all, so the Dean called him to the Zhongzheng Hall to inquire about Gu Dashun’s situation.

"When you went to the study hall, did you see Gu Dashun?" Asked the Dean.

Xiao Liulang replied, "I did, but I left for Rejuvenation Hall at the fourth quarter of wushi[4]. I don’t know what happened after that."

That was a big truth.

The Dean paused briefly and then said, "Did you see Gu Dashun talking to anyone in the backyard?"

Xiao Liulang shook his head, "I didn't go to the backyard."

The Dean pressed the corners of his eyebrows and felt a headache, "All right, I know now. Go back to your classroom first."

Xiao Liulang turned around and left. Just as he reached the door, the Dean spoke again, "Do you think Gu Dashun will really commit theft?"

Xiao Liulang responded lightly, "This, I don’t think I have the final say."

That’s right, ah! The owner of the stolen stuff reported it to the authorities, and the yamen had already put the case for investigation. Whether he really committed the theft or not, it was up to the evidence to tell, but all the evidence pointed to Gu Dashun…

After Xiao Liulang left the Zhongzheng Hall, he was called by Teacher Chen of Heaven Class A to ask him some questions. When Teacher Chen finished his inquiry, Teacher Zhang of his own class also asked him questions, mostly about Gu Dashun again.

When he was finally freed from running about, the day was getting late.

Heavy snow started to fall.

It actually snowed.

Xiao Liulang gazed into the snowy sky and then walked towards the academy gate. As soon as he came out, he saw a small thin figure.

She was wearing an apricot-colored floral jacket, carrying her back basket as usual. She had her head bowed as she rolled the small stones on the ground with her foot, which made her look somewhat cute.

Xiao Liulang’s pupils shook a bit and he walked over to her on his crutch.

Gu Jiao saw him and smiled, "Done with things at the academy?"

"En."

Gu Jiao thought of something and said, "I couldn't let them keep waiting for you. I asked Second Uncle Luo and Xiaoshun to go back first."

"It’s nothing. I'll just hire another cart." Xiao Liulang said.

Gu Jiao gently tugged at his sleeve with her soft fingertips and said, "It's snowing heavily, it's not safe to travel on wheels. Let’s stay in an inn for the night."

Xiao Liulang looked at the scallion fingers[5] on his sleeve, "...Alright."

Perhaps because the end of the year was coming, so the inns were full. They went to several inns to inquire before finally finding an inn to stay in.

Xiao Liulang said, "Give us two rooms."

The inn staff replied, "Dear guest, there is only one room left."

1. ↑ — Chief Constable & constables are yamen officers especially for catching criminals. 2. ↑ — The original idiom is “A person standing straight doesn't worry about his shadow slanting.” He basically means he’s innocent and the truth will prove it so no need to worry. 3. ↑ — Di children are the title for the legitimate children of a household born of the first/legitimate wife. On the other hand, concubine-born children are called shu sons/shu daughters. 4. ↑ — 11 am-1 pm (in the system of two-hour subdivisions used in former times). So fourth quarter of wushi is between 12:30 - 1:00 PM 5. ↑ — Description mostly used for women’s fingers. If you have scallion fingers, your fingers are white, soft and slender.

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Also, please also have a look at our other translations!

Everyone But Me Is Reborn

Her father is a coward and senselessly filial. Her mother is weak and gullible. Her elder brother is a wastrel.

When she married into the Wangfu, she suffered and was coldly treated. And by the time she was in labour, she was fated to die with the unborn child in her belly.

This was supposed to be Ning Nuan's life.

However this time, everyone but her is reborn.

Ning Nuan is at a loss. She felt that her dad has suddenly become the pillar of the family, her mother’s temper became fierce, and even her elder brother, who would only walk the dogs and play with birds all day, has begun picking up books and reading them carefully.

There is also that juvenile that shows up at the wall of her courtyard everyday, calling her “Ah Nuan, Ah Nuan” with an honest face.