DBB – Chapter 16: Punishment

Jinchao returned to Qingtong Courtyard with a dark expression. The servants barely dared to breathe as they cautiously attended to her. When Liuxiang brought in tea, the eldest miss found it too hot and brushed it aside, sending the cup crashing to the floor. “Leave,” she commanded coldly. “Do not serve me for now.”

Qingpu understood Jinchao’s intent. “Miss suspects Liuxiang?”

Jinchao nodded. “I wanted to send her away first. If I accused her without proof, it would only make her more cautious. Bring Yutang here—she’s close to Liuxiang. Also, call over Madam Li, the cleaner.”

But when Yutang was questioned, she could provide no useful information. “I haven’t noticed anything unusual about Liuxiang,” she said hesitantly.

Qingpu escorted Yutang away first. Jinchao gave her a subtle look, and Qingpu understood immediately—she was to remind Yutang to keep her mouth shut.

Then, Madam Li knelt down and began speaking in detail. “I clean the front courtyard and often see Liuxiang leave the compound. But a few days ago, something was off. She left in the evening, which she normally doesn’t do. I assumed you had sent her on an errand. But she returned within fifteen minutes, holding something in her hands… Oh! It was a pair of gold hairpins, inlaid with blue sapphire! But I never saw her wear them after that.”

Jinchao rewarded Madam Li with silver and told her to stay quiet about what she had seen.

She now felt almost certain. Still, she did not make any moves yet. Liuxiang continued to serve her as usual, though inside, she was filled with anxiety.

Ever since she overheard Miss investigating her past, Liuxiang had been terrified. She tried her best to behave, hoping to secure her place in the household. The last thing she wanted was to be thrown back into poverty, enduring beatings from her father and brother.

Having suffered the torment of destitution since childhood, she coveted wealth. She had taken many trinkets from Jinchao—small things she assumed her mistress wouldn’t notice or care about. But even that wasn’t enough. Gu Lan had provided her with even more jewelry and riches.

When she overheard the conversation about the gold-threaded hair ornaments, she immediately realized the information could be exchanged for something valuable. Sure enough, Gu Lan had rewarded her with a pair of gold hairpins.

Jinchao may not have outright accused her yet, but she had grown distant.

Still, Liuxiang consoled herself—It doesn’t matter. Even if I’m eventually dismissed, as long as I keep my treasures, I’ll be fine.

Jinchao sent for Luo Yongping.

It had only been a few days since he left, but he had already gathered the information she wanted. He bowed respectfully and reported:

“Liuxiang has only one brother—his name is Song Da. Their mother passed away when she was young, and their father died two years ago. However, Song Da is not employed at the Yu family estate. He’s a loafer, a compulsive gambler. And not just any gambler—he plays all sorts of games: shuanglu (double dice), diaopai (hanging cards), and touzi (dice). He frequently gambles at Wanchun Gambling House, sometimes losing up to a hundred taels in a single night.”

No wonder Liuxiang is like a bottomless pit, constantly needing more money.

Jinchao took a sip of tea. “With no job, how has he not gambled away everything he owns?”

Luo Yongping chuckled. “That’s the strange part. Song Da always seems to have something valuable on hand. Even when he loses everything, he somehow produces gold or silver jewelry to pawn.”

Jinchao’s gaze sharpened. Luo Yongping had already retrieved the items and presented them to her. “I managed to buy some of them back from the pawnshop, though there are many more.”

Now this is someone who knows how to handle things properly.

Jinchao nodded and instructed Qingpu to summon Tong Mama to verify the items.

Tong Mama carefully examined them, her expression growing more serious. “Most of these belong to Miss. This Die Lian Hua hairpin—only Miss had one with yellow prehnite inlay… There are others I don’t recognize. Ah, but this one!” She picked up a pair of red coral earrings. “I’ve seen them before— Zǐ Ling, Second Miss’s maid, wears them.”

Then she pointed to a jade thumb ring. “And this—I saw Concubine Du wearing it.”

Concubine Du?

Jinchao recalled that Tong Mama’s earlier investigations had revealed that Liuxiang once served Concubine Du.

Tong Mama’s voice lowered. “Miss, do you think Concubine Du and Concubine Song are working together?”

Jinchao’s expression remained unreadable. “It’s possible. If they’ve already joined forces, dealing with them won’t be easy.”

“…Regardless of that, Liuxiang can no longer stay!” Tong Mama made a gesture suggesting severe punishment.

Jinchao tapped her fingers lightly against the table. “If we try to remove her without alerting those two, it won’t be easy. But if we catch her in the act, we’ll have a reason to throw her out.”

Luo Yongping smirked. “Miss, Wanchun Gambling House belongs to the Ji family. Song Da frequently gambles there, always boasting that he’s the most favored servant of Miss Gu Jinchao. No one in the area dares to cross him. Out of respect for you, the gambling house has been limiting his losses… Otherwise, he would have lost much more by now.”

Jinchao scoffed. Gambling houses could control the outcome of games however they pleased. Manipulating someone into ruin was effortless.

She smiled. “Tell them to stop limiting his losses. If he loves gambling so much, let him enjoy it.”

Luo Yongping bowed. “I will see to it immediately.” He then withdrew.

A few days later, Liuxiang came to request leave from Jinchao, her eyes red with urgency. “Miss, please, I beg you—allow me to leave the estate for a short while. My brother is ill, bedridden. I need to see him.”

Jinchao was trimming the excess buds from her wintersweet blossoms. Without looking up, she replied, “It’s the New Year—let’s not let your brother suffer. Go ahead.”

Liuxiang hurriedly packed a few pieces of gold jewelry and some loose silver before leaving for home.

Her house was in Qingping Alley, a shabby place. Outside, a half-starved, mangy old dog wagged its tail and trotted toward her. She kicked it aside without hesitation.

Entering the inner room, she found the once-existing rosewood bed, cabinets, and furniture all gone. A frail, scrawny man in a coarse cloth robe huddled under a thin quilt, lying on a wooden board. One of his legs dangled limply, the bandages soaked with blood, staining the bedding red.

As soon as he saw her, he roared, “You wretched wench! I told you to come back, but you wouldn’t! Did you have to wait until they broke my damn leg before showing up? Are you satisfied now?”

Liuxiang’s tears fell instantly. “Do you think I can just leave whenever I want? The round trip alone takes a whole day! And you still have the nerve to scold me? Where’s the money? The furniture? Where the hell did everything go?”

Song Da snorted indifferently. “I gambled it away, of course! Where else would it go? I don’t know why, but my luck has been cursed lately—I’ve lost over a thousand taels! Did you bring any silver? Get me a doctor first, then I’ll use the rest to make my money back.”

Liuxiang trembled with fury. Gambling? He’s lost everything, and he still wants to gamble!

“I don’t have much silver left,” she snapped. “How much do you still owe?”

Song Da thought for a moment. “Four hundred taels… I think? Who cares! Isn’t your mistress some high-and-mighty noble? The Ji family’s own niece? Beg her to clear my debt. Go now!”

Four hundred taels…

Liuxiang felt a chill run down her spine. Four hundred taels—there’s no way I can get that much from Qingtong Courtyard now that Tong Mama controls everything!

“You idiot! If this gets to my mistress’s ears, we’re both finished!” she spat. I have only one brother. I can’t let the Song bloodline end here… No matter what, I have to save him.

She gritted her teeth and stormed outside, heading toward the jujube tree in the yard. Bending down, she pried at a loose brick hidden beneath the roots.

Behind her, Song Da let out a strange chuckle. “What’s this? You hiding gold from me?”

Liuxiang’s heart skipped a beat.

Song Da sneered, “You dumb wench—I already dug it up and used it! Ha! Spent it all! Bought a pearl-embroidered robe for Hong Tao, and a five-tael gold-threaded hairpiece….”

Gold-threaded hairpiece?!

Liuxiang’s expression twisted into something terrifying.

She lunged at him, grabbing him by the throat. “Give me back my gold! I saved for years—I saved for years!” she shrieked. But as her screams went on, her voice weakened, turning into choked sobs.

It was all gone. The gold, the silver—everything. She had nothing left.

Song Da scoffed, “You have nothing? Your mistress does! And so does Second Miss! Just take some from them, and let me win my money back—”

Liuxiang’s eyes lit up suddenly.

“Yes… Yes! Eldest Miss has gold, and so does Second Miss! I’ll go back and take some!”

She grabbed her bundle and dashed out the door. Song Da pounded his fists against the wooden board in fury. “Find me a doctor first, you wretched girl! You’re just going to leave me here to rot?”

The scraggly old dog padded over, circling him before licking his face.

“Damn mutt!” Song Da recoiled. “You haven’t eaten in days and still won’t die? Get lost—I’ve got nothing for you!”