Chapter 1263: The Painting

"Eh." Gu Jin’an answered, greeted Master Qi, then glanced at Young Master Dou, signaling him to speak quickly, and followed Master Ouyang out.

Young Master Dou didn’t follow immediately, but stayed in the room talking with Boss An for a quarter of an hour before coming out.

"So dawdling—do you still want to leave or not?" Master Ouyang sat in the carriage, glaring at Young Master Dou in displeasure.

Young Master Dou laughed. "What’s the rush? I, your young master, am here now, aren’t I?"

As he spoke, he looked toward Magistrate Gu, who had come to see them off, and cupped his hands. "Lord Magistrate, I’ll have to trouble you to keep a closer eye on Dou Ou Bank from now on."

Then he dragged Boss An over. "Brother An is too refined by nature—whenever there’s trouble he just clenches his teeth and bears it himself. As his brother I really can’t stand seeing him like that, so I must ask Lord Magistrate to look after him more in the future."

Master Ouyang’s face twitched at the sight. He said to Gu Jin’an, "Did those two go in there to swear brotherhood?"

Just a while ago little Douzi still wanted to beat up Boss An; in the blink of an eye they’re calling each other brothers. That brat surnamed Dou really has no shame.

Gu Jin’an smiled. "Brother Dou is smart; of course he knows the benefits of getting on good terms with Boss An."

If they wanted to carve up the Fan Family’s assets, they needed Magistrate Gu’s help; that was why Young Master Dou said that to Magistrate Gu, so the magistrate would know of Boss An’s connection with them.

Magistrate Gu smiled. "Young Master Dou is joking. Boss An is a Great Shang merchant in the Prefecture; if he has any difficulties, he can come to this office anytime."

"Thank you, Lord Magistrate, for your regard." Boss An said with a very tactful smile.

The few of them chatted harmoniously for a while. Master Qi also spoke a few words while bringing his two sons over, letting them get their faces known before Magistrate Gu.

Midway through the hour of Si, when the Prefecture City People were still abuzz over Boss Fan’s death, Gu Jin’an and the others’ carriage finally set off and left the Prefecture.

As for County Magistrate Zheng, Luo Wu and the others, they hadn’t stayed in the Prefecture this long; they had returned earlier, so they weren’t traveling with Gu Jin’an’s group.

Master Ouyang was getting on in years and somewhat fat; traveling in the great summer heat was quite uncomfortable, so the return trip took longer than the journey there, and it wasn’t until the evening of the eighth day of the eighth month that they got back to Dou Ou Bank in Tianfu County.

Qi Kangming and the others, upon hearing the news, hurried out to greet them. "Good Brother An, you’re finally back."

As he spoke, he looked at Gu Dexing and laughed. "Now you can relax."

These past few days, the Xu Family and Mrs. Chen had come several times to ask Gu Dexing when exactly Good Brother An and the others would return, and whether they’d make it in time for Gu Dexing’s betrothal ceremony with Xu Zhong.

The Xu Family wanted to seize this opportunity to invite Master Ouyang and Young Master Dou to their home for a banquet, so that the Xu Family’s younger generation could truly latch onto these two big figures.

Mrs. Chen, on the other hand, wanted to show off, to let others know that her family was no worse than Gu Jinli’s house, that they too knew nobles and even had a pretty good relationship with them.

Young Master Dou looked at Gu Dexing in slight surprise. "You still haven’t gone back?"

The betrothal gifts were to be delivered to the Xu Family tomorrow, yet he was still busy at the bank today; with diligence like this, he’d better give him a bit more in the congratulatory gifts.

Gu Dexing said, "No hurry. Everything concerning the betrothal gifts is already taken care of; I’ll just go back tonight."

He’d already had his second aunt come ask him three times at the bank whether Master Ouyang and the others would be attending the betrothal ceremony; if he went back to live in the village, they’d probably ask him three times a day.

"Then come back with us later." Master Ouyang was very fond of Gu Dewang and thus treated Gu Dexing a bit better as well. Seeing that he’d been doing a good job at the bank, he said, "Tomorrow have Brother Wang come fetch me, and I’ll go to the Xu Family with you all."

Gu Dexing was stunned; he hadn’t expected such good fortune. The hands and feet holding the luggage went stiff until Qi Kangming nudged him. Only then did he set the luggage down, bow to Master Ouyang and say, "Thank you, sir."

Master Ouyang smiled without saying anything more and went into the bank. After Young Master Dou asked about the bank’s affairs during this period and looked over some of the accounts, Master Ouyang finally took Gu Jin’an, Gu Dexing and the others back to town.

...

When Mrs. Chen heard that Master Ouyang had returned and even agreed to go to the Xu Family to lend his presence, she was so delighted that she immediately went around the village bragging. "You all know Master Ouyang, right? He’s that Great Scholar known throughout the realm; his own elder brother is the Lord Emperor’s teacher—now that’s something. Someone born in a pile of gold like that actually took a liking to our Brother Xing, Brother Wang, and Brother Fa, and treats the three of them as if they were his own grandsons. He’s even agreed to go to the Xu Family tomorrow to deliver the betrothal gifts. Oh my, I don’t even know what to say; not even real grandsons get pampered like this."

After Mrs. Chen finished bragging about her family’s relationship with Master Ouyang, she went on to brag about their ties with Young Master Dou, making the village women so jealous their eyes practically turned red.

He Dalang’s wife said sourly, "Da Gui’s wife, you’re laying it on a bit thick, aren’t you? The Capital is so far away—how are we supposed to know whether that fat old man is really from the Capital? Maybe he’s some poor old fellow from a mountain hollow for all we know."

She added, "Besides, how old is your Brother Xing already? The sons of boys his age in the village already have two or three kids. He’s only just getting engaged now; what’s there to brag about?"

Speaking of that, she couldn’t help running her mouth further. "Come to think of it, I don’t know what’s going on with your Gu Family either—your boys and girls are all getting on in years and still haven’t talked marriage. Your Brother Xing is like that, and so are Mrs. Cui’s Sister Xiu and Good Brother An. Especially Good Brother An—oh my God—he’s even the top scorer, yet he hasn’t even settled his marriage yet. Maybe he’s going to stay a bachelor for life, hahaha!"

Whenever the village women brought this up they got excited, and someone immediately chimed in, "Exactly, exactly, the girls and boys in your Gu Family all marry far too late. Outsiders all say you Gu-surnamed folks are blessed, but from what I see, all that good fortune was used up on making money; your luck in marriage is lacking."

Mrs. Chen was furious and was just about to point at them and curse when Da Gou and Ergou came charging over from a distance, howling madly at the group of women and baring their teeth, looking like they were about to bite them.

"Ah! The Gu Family’s wolves are here again, run!"

"Don’t bite me, don’t bite me, I haven’t done anything bad!"

The women ran while begging the two wolves for mercy, but Da Gou and Ergou had received Brother Cheng’s orders and ignored them, simply chasing them down.

They chased the women all the way to their doorsteps, frightening them into slamming their doors and hiding inside, then wagged their tails and trotted back, looking to Brother Cheng for praise.

Brother Cheng was thoroughly displeased. Hmph, those gossipy women were at it again, talking about his big brother. How was it any of their business that his brother hadn’t arranged a marriage?

"Come on, let’s go home." Brother Cheng, still annoyed, went back home; he didn’t even enjoy his dinner that night and couldn’t sleep well either. In the middle of the night he got up and went to look for Gu Jin’an.

The weather was hot, and Gu Jin’an hadn’t gone to bed yet; he’d left the door open and was drawing. Brother Cheng ran straight in. "Big Brother, have Father and Mother send a matchmaker to the Ouyang Family to propose, all right?"

Gu Jin’an swiftly put his drawing away. "You’re talking nonsense again. Haven’t I told you this can’t be rushed? It’ll ruin Third Miss’s reputation."

With several lamps lit, the room was quite bright. Brother Cheng glanced over and saw what his big brother had been drawing.