Chapter 18: Jiang Mubai Discovers Gu Nanshu Took the Jade Hairpin

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Gu Nanshu fell silent and got up from the ground. Huan Tao grabbed her arm. “Princess Consort, where are you going?”

Gu Nanshu took out the packet of medicinal herbs and the jade hairpin from her bosom. “Where else? I must first deal with these matters clearly in my mind before the clouds part and the fog clears, so I can finally see the sky and avenge my great grievance. Time is pressing; I have to act swiftly.”

“But Princess Consort, you haven’t slept all night. Please rest first,” Huan Tao urged as she got up and hurried to keep pace with Gu Nanshu.

Gu Nanshu paid no heed to Huan Tao’s advice to rest. She placed the packet of medicinal herbs and the jade hairpin on the table, then sat down and began to examine the hairpin closely.

The entire hairpin was carved from precious Hetian jade. The head of the pin was sculpted into a fish swimming against the waves, and on the jade body were engraved two tiny characters, smaller than millet grains but clearly legible: “Nanji.”

When she was five, her mother passed away, entrusting the jade hairpin to her with instructions to take it to a place called Nanji Island to find her biological father and reclaim what belonged to her. The two characters “Nanji” presumably referred to Nanji Island, though the character for “island” was omitted.

At that time, she was too young to understand where Nanji Island was or what she was supposed to retrieve there. As she grew older, life’s struggles pushed the search for her father aside.

Later, she met Jiang Mubai, fell in love, and married him. To manage his daily life, she began waking early and working late selling tofu, leaving no time to pursue her father.

Though Jiang Mubai had once promised, it all became a nightmare.

To this day, she still didn’t know what kind of place Nanji Island was. Curiously, she asked Huan Tao, “Huan Tao, do you know of a place called Nanji Island?”

“Nanji Island?” Huan Tao pondered the name but had never heard of it before. She shook her head. “I don’t know this place, Princess Consort, but you could check the archives in the mansion’s library to find out where Nanji Island is.”

“Good.” Gu Nanshu put the jade hairpin away, resolved to visit the library after inspecting the medicinal herbs. She then tore open the packet.

Though unskilled in medicine, she could identify herbs. She carefully separated and examined each, eventually spotting one that caused amenorrhea—saffron.

Gu Nanshu narrowed her eyes. No wonder she had often suffered from missed periods over the past six years, especially after intimacy with Jiang Mubai. Her abdomen would ache around the expected time, yet menstruation wouldn’t come. It would resume days later, only briefly, repeating the cycle and causing her to miss the best chance to conceive.

At the time, she had not paid much attention and had found it embarrassing to consult a doctor.

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A burning wave of emotion surged within her, but Gu Nanshu suppressed it. She never imagined that during their six years of marriage, Jiang Mubai had been using her all along!

It was not that she was unable to bear children, but that Jiang Mubai had never intended for her to bear his offspring!

What a vicious, despicable man. She had finally seen his true face.

Enraged, she threw the packet of medicinal herbs into the trash and rose to head to the mansion’s library.

Nanji Island lay to the southeast, straddling the border between the states of Beiliang and Dongling, free from the governance of either country, allowing its inhabitants relative freedom. The island covered 10,755 acres, surrounded by vast seas, home to fewer than 5,000 residents, making it sparsely populated.

The climate was mild and humid, with distinct seasons typical of a tropical marine monsoon zone.

Though small in population, the islanders were wealthy, as Nanji Island was rich in salt. Both Beiliang and Dongling sought to purchase salt from the island, and the island’s chieftain, Yemuli, was held in high esteem.

After perusing historical records about Nanji Island in the mansion’s library, Gu Nanshu had a general understanding but still did not know her father’s name. She could only hope to find him on the island someday. For now, the timing was not right.

Daybreak had fully come. The capital city of Beiliang bustled with carriages and pedestrians.

A carriage stopped before the largest jewelry shop in the capital, “Jinyu Fang.” The refined and elegant Jiang Mubai stepped down, his eyes lifted to the three grand gilded characters of the shop’s name.

His brows furrowed slightly, deep in thought.

The shopkeeper, Feng Changyang, upon seeing the Left Minister of the Ministry of Justice, hurriedly smoothed his clothes and greeted him with obsequious smiles. “Ah, Lord Jiang’s visit brings great honor to my humble shop. Please, come in—don’t stand on ceremony.”

Jiang Mubai nodded and entered.

Feng Changyang quickly ordered servants and maids to serve tea, fruit, and snacks, attending to every detail.

Seated on a grand chair, Jiang Mubai took a sip of tea. Feng Changyang bowed slightly and smiled. “May I ask, Lord Jiang, what sort of jewelry you are looking for today? I will have my staff fetch it at once for your inspection.”

Jiang Mubai was soon to marry Feng Yuxi. Although the Feng family had already commissioned jewelry for her at Jinyu Fang, it was only proper for Jiang Mubai to select some as well. Feng Changyang assumed this was the purpose of Jiang’s visit.

“No need,” Jiang Mubai replied, setting down his teacup. From his sleeve, he produced a small embroidered box and opened it, lifting out a golden earring. He held it out to Feng Changyang. “Shopkeeper Feng, tell me, was this half of an earring set made here at Jinyu Fang?”

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Feng Changyang was momentarily stunned but quickly took the earring and inspected it carefully. “Lord Jiang, this earring is indeed from Jinyu Fang, but is there a problem?”

Jiang Mubai was unsurprised. “Help me check immediately when this earring was sold and to which lady or noblewoman.”

As a Ministry of Justice official, Jiang Mubai’s inquiry signaled an investigation. Feng Changyang had no grounds to refuse. “Yes, Lord Jiang, please wait a moment. I will have my staff check the warehouse records for when this earring was sold.”

Jiang Mubai nodded.

After about the time it takes to finish a cup of tea, Feng Changyang returned, holding the earring respectfully. “Lord Jiang, this earring was sold half a month ago. It was purchased by the Second Madam of the Secretariat to present as a wedding gift for her daughter. That madam is indeed generous; the young lady of the Gu family is not her biological daughter, yet she spent a full hundred taels of gold on this pair of earrings.”

Jiang Mubai’s calm expression shifted slightly; his eyes flashed sharply at Feng Changyang, a flicker of murderous intent appearing.

Feng Changyang was startled, trembling. “Lord Jiang, what is wrong? Could this earring be connected to a murder case?”

“Nothing,” Jiang Mubai said coolly.

He quickly placed the earring back into the box and folded it into his robe, then turned and left.

Inwardly, he thought with alarm: the Second Madam of the Secretariat’s daughter—the bride of the Northern Star Prince’s Mansion—was none other than Gu Nanshu!

How could this be?

At this moment, Jiang Mubai was certain the person who had spied on him last night was Gu Nanshu. She had uncovered his secret!

And the person who took the jade hairpin must also have been her—no one else, for it was no coincidence that two people would appear over the same matter at the same time.

What was Gu Nanshu’s intention? Why take the jade hairpin? Was she connected to Third Lady? How did she know the old Jiang Mansion so well?

All these questions swirled in Jiang Mubai’s mind. Suddenly, he realized this matter was far more complicated than he had imagined.