Chapter 38: Conversation and Collaboration

Inside the attic of the Li residence.

Cui Wenjin’s anger had yet to subside, but with her elder brother Cui Yuzhe present, she had no choice but to sit down.

The rules of the Cui clan forbade one from being rude in public; just now, in her haste, she had been chastised by the brother who doted on her most.

“Miss Wenjin, the hairpin is a gift from Zi Hou to his betrothed, and cannot be offered to anyone else. I ask for your understanding,” said Fu Zi Hou. He glanced at Cui Wenjin turning away, still fuming, but paid it no mind. It was Cui Yuzhe who could not bear to watch.

“Little sister!” Cui Yuzhe called out with a frown.

Seeing Cui Wenjin’s reddened eyes, reluctantly nodding at Fu Zi Hou as tears began to fall, Cui Yuzhe’s heart softened, regretting his harsh tone. Yet his sister’s behavior had indeed been improper.

“Zi Hou, please do not take offense; my sister is not usually so. She has admired that hairpin for some time, and has spent many sleepless nights trying to gather funds. Today, upon seeing that Zi Hou has already given it to his betrothed, she lost her composure. I apologize on her behalf,” Cui Yuzhe said, bowing to Fu Zi Hou. As her brother, it was his duty to make amends, explaining his sister’s actions in hope that Fu Zi Hou would not mind.

“It is of no consequence. Losing a beloved object—Zi Hou understands,” Fu Zi Hou said, raising his hand to reassure Cui Yuzhe.

Lowering his hand, Fu Zi Hou looked once more at Cui Wenjin, considering.

“Miss Wenjin, though I cannot give you the hairpin, I wish to make amends. Would you be willing to hear me out?” Fu Zi Hou spoke gently.

Tears streaked down Cui Wenjin’s face, her breath ragged with sobs, but she lifted her gaze to Fu Zi Hou.

“Speak,” she said.

Amends? Cui Wenjin did not believe Fu Zi Hou had any means to compensate her. He would not sell the hairpin to her, and what use would any other gesture be?

“I heard from your brother that you have long admired the hairpin, but lacked the funds and missed your chance. I worry that, if in the future you find another that delights you, yet again are held back by money, it would be a pity,” Fu Zi Hou said, seeming to know her thoughts. After exchanging a glance with Cui Yuzhe, he revealed his intentions.

Cui Yuzhe and Cui Wenjin were no fools; they understood the implication.

“Are you proposing… to do business with the Cui family?” Cui Yuzhe asked, frowning.

“Compensate me? Is it because of the Cui clan?” Cui Wenjin muttered, casting a disgruntled glance at Fu Zi Hou, as if she saw through his pretense. He was not being honest!

“Not with the Cui family, but with Miss Wenjin alone,” Fu Zi Hou replied, shaking his head under the siblings’ scrutiny.

“As I said, imagine if you had ten thousand, a hundred thousand, even a million coins—would you ever miss what you desired? The store of rare treasures from Goguryeo, I have seen it myself—wonders abound! Look at the snow outside; just that white fox fur coat, is there any reason you would not love it?” Fu Zi Hou spoke softly, gesturing to the snow on the eaves and branches beyond the window, inviting Cui Wenjin to picture herself wrapped in that costly fur, basking in its warmth among her friends, the envy of all.

Inside the attic.

Seated at the wooden table by the window, Cui Wenjin looked out at the snowy landscape. She had to admit, Fu Zi Hou’s words moved her. She recalled the hairpin, her recent pleas to her parents, borrowing from everyone she could, even draining her brother’s savings. She never wished to go through such hardship again.

Yet, as she wiped away her tears, she cast Fu Zi Hou a glare.

“But you pawned your sword! If you could really do business, would you have pawned your own blade?” Cui Wenjin, though tempted, was blunt in exposing his history.

Her expression said, “Don’t try to fool me,” as she looked at Fu Zi Hou.

“I have been in Tiao County for only a few days. If you don’t believe me, ask anyone in the Li residence,” Fu Zi Hou said earnestly.

“You just arrived?” Cui Wenjin raised her delicate brows, her gaze suspicious, sizing him up.

Cui Yuzhe saw his sister’s obvious interest, his brow furrowed with concern, and now a hint of wariness crept into his eyes as he looked at Fu Zi Hou.

“If you claim this is not for the Cui clan’s sake, I don’t believe it,” Cui Yuzhe said bluntly.

As a twenty-year-old scion of the Cui clan, Cui Yuzhe’s experience told him that anyone offering benefits to the Cui family had ulterior motives. Fu Zi Hou was no exception.

This so-called compensation was surely because his sister belonged to the Cui clan; Cui Yuzhe suspected Fu Zi Hou aimed to profit from the Cui family’s connections. He had seen such schemes many times.

He took a deep breath and addressed Fu Zi Hou directly.

“If you wish to do business with my sister, I cannot consent. Furthermore, let me tell you—not only I, but all of Qinghe Cui clan would refuse,” he said.

Having learned that Fu Zi Hou had invited them not for idle chat but to discuss business, Cui Yuzhe hoped Fu Zi Hou would abandon his plan.

His words made it clear: the Cui clan does not engage in commerce.

Since ancient times, merchants held low status, barely above courtesans and servants. Cui Yuzhe wondered why Fu Zi Hou would want to be a merchant—was he not concerned that his descendants would be mocked, placed on the same level as the children of courtesans and servants?

“I understand your meaning, but I ask you to answer a question honestly,” Fu Zi Hou said, his demeanor cooling but unconcerned.

Cui Yuzhe thought for a moment, then lifted a hand in invitation.

“The status of Qinghe Cui is well known. Years ago, your ancestor, Lord Cui Yanzhen of Qinghe, married his daughter to Dugu Xin, giving birth to Empress Dugu Jia Luo. With her, Emperor Wen founded the Sui dynasty, and the Cui clan flourished,” Fu Zi Hou spoke softly.

He did not need to list all the Cui clan’s prestigious alliances; that one fact was enough to prove their prominence.

As Cui Yuzhe’s expression softened, Fu Zi Hou shifted his tone.

“But what I do not understand is why Miss Wenjin, upon finding a hairpin she desired, struggled for days to gather funds and missed her chance. If she were a solitary woman with little means, it would be understandable, but you clearly cherish her—surely you would not withhold money?” Fu Zi Hou looked directly at Cui Yuzhe, who grew visibly uneasy.

“I venture to guess—is it because of the Yang family?” Fu Zi Hou asked, meaningfully.

Seeing the drastic change in Cui Yuzhe’s expression, Fu Zi Hou knew he had guessed right.

Though the Cui clan was allied through marriage with other noble families and even the imperial line, the matter of the Yangs was distinct.

Yang Su’s son, Yang Xuangan’s brother, Yang Xuanzong’s wife was a daughter of Cui Biao of the Cui clan. Two years ago, the Yang brothers led a rebellion; Emperor Yang of Sui was terrified and enraged.

After quelling the uprising, Yang Guang had Yang Xuangan dismembered in Luoyang, displaying his body for three days, then burned the flesh piece by piece. His loyal followers and brothers suffered the same fate; their surname was changed to a term of humiliation.

Yang Guang’s hatred for the Yangs extended to all connected, including the Qinghe Cui clan. Though the Cui clan was noble, they could not escape the emperor’s wrath; reportedly, over twenty members were implicated, more than fifty stripped of office. To avoid disaster, a branch of the clan fled to Boling, hiding among the Boling Cui family, fearing a massacre.

In recent years, the Qinghe Cui clan remained in Qinghe, seemingly unaffected, but the details were unclear to Fu Zi Hou. Still, he could guess, looking at Cui Wenjin.

“What are you getting at?” Cui Yuzhe asked, his face dark.

“I understand your concerns, but I assure you—this will not affect the Cui clan, nor need you inform any elders. Even Wenjin herself need not show her face,” Fu Zi Hou said, turning to the window. “Three years ago, the elder of Boling Cui, Cui Kuo, passed away. As a youth, he was poor, and his mother of humble origin, subject to ridicule and scorn, so he fled to the mountains, returning only after he had achieved some learning.”

When Fu Zi Hou’s teacher, Li Mi, recounted this tale, he found it remarkable. He remembered the words: “Kuo was orphaned and poor, his mother lowly, so he was not regarded by the clan, suffered repeated humiliation as a village official.”

Because of his mother’s low status, he was mocked by his own kin in Boling and avoided people.

“Hmm?” Hearing this, Cui Wenjin’s worries vanished; she widened her eyes in surprise, blinking at Fu Zi Hou.

“Brother!” she exclaimed, tugging at her kneeling brother, who was equally astonished.

Cui Yuzhe frowned in confusion, looking to Fu Zi Hou.

“No need to inform elders? No need for my sister to show herself? Then what business do you intend with her, and why choose her?” he asked.

Since Fu Zi Hou knew so much and understood the clan’s taboos, why choose his sister—was it truly to compensate her?

Cui Yuzhe found it hard to believe that Fu Zi Hou would give her money without reason.

“Don’t try to fool me—there’s no such thing as a free gift!” Cui Wenjin said, looking at Fu Zi Hou, but her expression revealed hope.

She truly did not wish to lose what she desired again, especially that white fox fur.

Inside the attic.

Fu Zi Hou turned to the siblings, saw their expectant eyes, and spoke a single word.

“Wine.”

Seeing their stunned expressions, Fu Zi Hou addressed Cui Wenjin.

“I need Miss Wenjin to take my message to the Xie residence. Tell them that on the fifteenth of December, I will be in Liyang to meet Uncle Xie Zhangyuan and his son Xie Shudu,” Fu Zi Hou said quietly, knowing their confusion and choosing to be direct.

He told them plainly that he possessed a wine of unrivaled color and fragrance, unique in the world, and sought to cooperate with the Xie family.

Though the Xie clan was also prestigious, unlike the Cui family, they had endured many hardships. In recent decades, their marriage standards had lowered—they no longer cared for birth, only position. The Xies were Fu Zi Hou’s ideal partners: reputable, influential, but not bound by the restrictions of the Cui clan.

Moreover, the Xie clan had recently married into the Yang family, spending vast fortunes. Their resources were depleted; as long as the profits were sufficient, they would not refuse. Fu Zi Hou’s purpose in brewing wine was to earn the emperor’s favor, so the Xie family would all the more welcome it.

“So after all, it’s because I’m from the Cui clan!” Cui Wenjin realized, her expression indignant.

“So that’s it—Zi Hou wants my sister involved so the Xie family will be cautious,” Cui Yuzhe said, thinking differently. Understanding Fu Zi Hou’s scheme to cooperate with the Xie family, he saw why Wenjin need not show her face or involve the clan.

Indeed.

Fu Zi Hou merely needed the Xies to be wary, knowing the Cui family was involved. Thus, Wenjin alone sufficed; she need not even meet the Xies. The entire process would be handled by Fu Zi Hou and the Xies.

As for Wenjin—she merely had to wait for her share.

“If Miss Wenjin had not, upon meeting me, insisted I name a price, I would not have chosen her, nor dared discuss this in person,” Fu Zi Hou said, smiling at Cui Wenjin.

He appeared to explain that, because Wenjin did not leverage her family name to force him to sell the hairpin, he developed a fondness for her, believing her kind-hearted.

But in truth, Fu Zi Hou subtly reminded them that the world held many noble families—Wang, Zheng, Xiao, and others. Even within the Qinghe Cui clan, they were not the only siblings.

This was truly a windfall—anyone else would accept without hesitation.

Fu Zi Hou spoke to them because he trusted them, extending an olive branch to begin their friendship.

“Don’t cheat me! And do I have to use my name? What if the Xie family hears your name and doesn’t know you? And… is your wine really worth anything?” Cui Wenjin was tempted, her gaze still a little resentful, but she was no fool—one doesn’t turn away free gold!

Cui Yuzhe remained silent at his sister’s words.

“Wine—come the fifteenth, you will see for yourself. As for the Xie family, rest assured: when they hear I wish to meet, they will come. It’s better if you don’t mention your name,” Fu Zi Hou said, then turned to Cui Yuzhe.

“Does this suit you, brother Cui?” he asked, smiling, having addressed all of Cui Yuzhe’s concerns.

“Thank you,” Cui Yuzhe said, taking a deep breath and bowing in gratitude.

He had never seen Fu Zi Hou’s wine, but the plan was flawless. Though a member of Qinghe Cui, every great family had its own difficulties. Fu Zi Hou’s words left Cui Yuzhe bitter—who would want their sister to be powerless, themselves an idle brother?

Moreover, he did not wish to wait endlessly for the family’s arrangements. If Fu Zi Hou’s wine was truly unique, there would be no harm in informing their elders.

After all, the Cui clan would not be involved.

Fu Zi Hou intended for the Xie family to present the wine to the emperor, hoping his own kin might secure him a position.