Lady Tong sighed; the First Young Master’s words had been too harsh.

She walked in front of Jin Rong and bowed: “Would the First Young Master listen to this slave’s words? This slave used to serve the Madam, does the Young Master still remember?”

Gu Jin Rong looked at Lady Tong and nodded in acknowledgment. This was Lady Tong who had previously helped his mother manage the estate before being assigned to serve Gu Jin Chao.

Lady Tong smiled and said: “Our First Miss is not in the habit of showing weakness to please others. Her temperament is most similar to your maternal grandmother’s. But the First Miss’s silence isn’t because she doesn’t care… it’s simply because of her strong personality.”

Gu Jin Chao’s tears had indeed shocked Gu Jin Rong, far more effectively than any scolding could have. He even felt a slight pain in his heart, perhaps due to their blood connection… Gu Jin Rong’s voice became calmer: “Lady Tong, I didn’t intentionally make her sad, but sometimes Elder Sister does truly excessive things. That maid Liu Xiang…”

Lady Tong said: “You must have heard about this from the Second Miss. Let this slave tell you what I witnessed.”

“Miss Liu Xiang stole from our Miss multiple times, but our Miss, being kind-hearted, didn’t punish her. However, she secretly conspired with others and told the Second Miss about the gold filigree headdress. Second Miss wanted to use this to criticize the Madam, which angered the Madam to the point of illness… Only then did the First Miss, unable to tolerate it any longer, want to expel that maid from the manor. The maid frightened herself into madness; our Miss truly didn’t have anyone beat her.”

Gu Jin Rong widened his eyes: “Conspired with Second Sister?”

Lady Tong continued with a smile: “Your Second Sister keeps much hidden. The First Young Master is intelligent; if you think carefully, you’ll understand.”

Gu Jin Rong’s mind was in turmoil. Did this mean… he not only wronged his Elder Sister but also helped his Second Sister upset his mother? How could this be? The second Sister was so good to Mother and often went to serve her!

“Then… the matter of taking a concubine, she still broke up someone’s relationship and forced Father, didn’t she!”

Lady Tong shook her head: “Concubine Luo’s family is the Luo family from Taihe County. Her grandfather was the Deputy Magistrate of Taihe County. I heard our Miss wanted to find his granddaughter to enter our manor and personally canceled Concubine Luo’s previous engagement. Concubine Luo had never even met her fiancé… Besides, if the Master truly didn’t want to take a concubine, who could force him? The First Young Master shouldn’t be angry with the First Miss over this matter… The First Miss did this for your benefit.”

Gu Jin Rong found this baffling: “When she did these things, wasn’t it just to get revenge on Second Sister?”

Lady Tong continued to explain: “First Young Master, think about it. If it were simply about taking a concubine, why would the First Miss go all the way to Taihe to find someone? Even if she were angry with the Second Miss, there would be no need to oppose Concubine Song so directly.”

“…Consider this: if Madam were to pass away unexpectedly and Concubine Song gave birth to a son, wouldn’t she be elevated to the position of stepmother? At that time, wouldn’t you have a legitimate younger brother? For the sake of that child, Concubine Song would certainly do many things against you.”

Gu Jin Rong’s expression changed several times. He was still young and couldn’t see through all the complexities. But what Lady Tong said made perfect sense.

He hesitated: “But Concubine Song and Second Sister have always treated me well. Even if Concubine Song became Father’s new wife, she would still…”

He didn’t finish his sentence, realizing his foolishness.

How could Concubine Song not be good to him? He was the only legitimate son of the Gu family. But if she bore a son, that would be a different matter.

“I… Lady Tong, call Gu Jin Chao out. I want to ask her directly if this is true.” Gu Jin Rong was still uncertain.

Lady Tong shook her head with a smile: “After what you said to the First Miss, do you think she wants to see you?” She walked to the edge of the kang bed, picked up the knee protectors Jin Chao had just finished and handed them to Gu Jin Rong. “First Young Master, take these. Our Miss made them for you. She was worried about the spring chill and thought you might get cold while studying in Daxing.”

Gu Jin Rong took the soft knee protectors, his hand unconsciously tightening around them.

Was this what she had been making for him just now? The embroidered magpies and gold ingots were exquisitely done, with fine, dense stitching that made the magpies look lifelike.

…And he had spoken to her so cruelly.

Gu Jin Rong drew in a sharp breath, feeling a chill from head to toe.

He looked once more in the direction Jin Chao had gone, said nothing, and left Qing Tong Courtyard with heavy steps.

Only then did Lady Tong enter the inner chamber.

“First Miss, this slave has explained everything to the First Young Master. Your crying earlier was quite effective…”

Jin Chao sighed: “Although I expected he would come to confront me and wanted to take the opportunity to clarify everything, hearing those words from him was truly hurtful. If the Gu family were to fall into his hands, its fate would be uncertain… I am truly disheartened.”

It was unclear how much of what she said Gu Jin Rong believed. He and Gu Lan had over ten years of close feelings between them. Though her words might shake his belief somewhat, they wouldn’t completely awaken him. With Gu Jin Rong’s personality, to truly wake him up would require a harsh blow.

“It’s good to explain these matters to the First Young Master to prevent him from always listening to the Second Miss in the future.” Lady Tong nodded. “But what about the First Young Master’s education? Will you still allow him to hire a tutor at home?”

Jin Chao said: “If he believed my words, even just a little, he wouldn’t want to stay at home anymore… After he pays his respects to Father tomorrow, we’ll see his reaction and know then.”

She acknowledged her own mistake in this matter. Her brother needed to be coaxed to be happy and was easily influenced by others. She should have made him wary of Gu Lan earlier. Jin Chao’s words might not necessarily be heeded by Gu Jin Rong, but he would believe Lady Tong to some extent.

The next day, Jin Chao went early to pay her respects to her father. She specifically discussed Jin Rong’s studies and compositions with her father. Father nodded repeatedly as he listened. His daughter, whatever else might be said about her, was considerably better in her studies than other noble young ladies, and she spoke with reason and evidence.

Their conversation went on for some time until they encountered Gu Jin Rong, who had come to pay his respects to Father.

When Gu Jin Rong entered and saw Jin Chao there, he was momentarily stunned. Jin Chao, however, acted as if she hadn’t seen him. She didn’t greet him but took her leave from Father and departed from Ju Liu Pavilion.

Again, without even glancing at him…

Gu Jin Rong felt a heaviness in his heart. She was thoroughly hurt and didn’t even bother to look at him or speak to him, completely unwilling to acknowledge him.

Remembering how she had turned her head yesterday, tears on her fair cheeks, her gaze filled with utter disappointment, he felt as if he had committed a terrible mistake.

Gu De Zhao spoke to him about his studies: “…Your Elder Sister just told me that if you don’t want to go too far from home, there’s also the Helu Academy in Ji’an. Although it’s not as good as studying with Teacher Zhou at Qi Fang Hutong, the lead instructor is also Fan, a retired scholar from the Imperial Academy…”

This time, Gu Jin Rong interrupted his father, saying resolutely: “Son thinks Qi Fang Hutong is still better. I won’t go to Helu Academy.”

…

Not long after Jin Chao returned to Qing Tong Courtyard, Lady Tong came to report: “Miss guessed correctly. The First Young Master is packing his belongings to go to Daxing.”

Jin Chao let out a sigh of relief. He had finally agreed to study at Qi Fang Hutong, which meant her words to him yesterday had some effect.

She instructed Lady Tong: “Send a few boxes of pastries and some inkstones to Qing Tong Courtyard as our farewell gifts to him.”

Lady Tong asked puzzledly: “Won’t you go see him off?”

Jin Chao shook her head: “No need. It would be awkward if I went.”

Gu Jin Rong left the Gu family on the fifth day of the second month. After several days of continuous rain in Ji’an, the sky had finally cleared. Servants had prepared horses and were waiting by the inner screen wall. Gu Lan, Gu Xi, Gu Yi, and Concubine Song all came to see him off, stopping at the hanging flower gate. Gu Lan especially accompanied him to the screen wall.

He wore a brand-new bamboo-green Hangzhou silk straight robe and looked around but couldn’t find Gu Jin Chao. He hesitated for a moment in front of the small oil-cloth carriage.

“Is Jin Rong waiting for Elder Sister?” Gu Lan said. “It’s so late. She probably won’t come.”

Gu Jin Rong instinctively replied: “Perhaps she’s busy with something.”

Gu Lan was surprised, then smiled.

She felt that Gu Jin Rong had been somewhat different these past few days but couldn’t pinpoint exactly how. He seemed less close to her…

On that day when Gu Jin Rong went to confront Gu Jin Chao, it was said that there had been a big scene. But now everyone in Qing Tong Courtyard, from the higher-ranking maids to the menial old women, kept their mouths tightly shut. Gu Jin Rong hadn’t come to ask her about it either, so she didn’t know what they had said to each other…

Thinking of this, she softly added: “You should get going, or you won’t reach Daxing before noon. Did you take the writing tools I prepared for you?”

Gu Jin Rong nodded and looked carefully at Gu Lan… She smiled gently and serenely, no different from how he remembered her. Had she tried to drive a wedge between him and Jin Chao? Did she want him to become a good-for-nothing young master?

Yet he wasn’t entirely sure. In Gu Lan’s presence, he still instinctively softened, saying: “Then I’ll be going. Second Sister, take care of yourself.”

Gu Lan nodded.

The carriage clattered out through the gate.