Gu De Zhao had just sent his colleagues away.

Mu Nian An had also come for this birthday celebration, pulling him aside to drink. After getting drunk, he insisted on calling Gu De Zhao his in-law. Gu De Zhao was completely unwilling—if it weren’t for Sister Lan’s damaged reputation, who would want to form a marriage alliance with Mu Zhi Zhai’s family?

Unfortunately, he feared that Sister Lan might never receive another marriage proposal, so he could only respond evasively: “…Let’s discuss it again in a few months!”

Mu Nian An hiccupped from the alcohol and whispered to him: “…You don’t know, but Third Master Chen accompanied Master Zhang to visit the Emperor. After returning, he summoned the Crown Prince for a lengthy discussion. When I saw him emerge, his expression was rigid, so I guessed the Emperor probably had only a few months left… Once the Emperor dies, Third Master Chen will certainly be brought into the Cabinet by Master Zhang, and then I’ll become a Court Gentleman. You see, I’m telling you, our families joining through marriage would be beneficial!”

Gu De Zhao hurriedly covered his mouth—people hadn’t all left yet, and he dared to speak such treasonous words! He was truly drunk!

He called over a nearby servant to quickly escort their master home.

Whatever drunken talk he had could be said slowly at home, not here where others might overhear and implicate him!

By the time everyone had left, the sky had turned dusky yellow.

Gu De Zhao rubbed his temples; he had drunk too much and felt unwell. When servants helped him to the inner courtyard, the cool breeze sobered him somewhat. Mu Nian An’s casual remark was crucial. Officials of the fifth rank like themselves merely reported to the Six Ministries for duty each day, and might not have an imperial audience for months, so they were typically not well-informed about palace news. What Mu Nian An had mentioned could very well reveal important information.

If the Emperor died, his mentor Lin Xian Zhong would likely not receive his expected promotion, which would significantly impact his career.

Gu De Zhao sighed and walked toward Ju Liu Pavilion.

Song Miaohua had been waiting for him for a long time. Seeing Gu De Zhao enter, she hurriedly prepared water for him to wash his face and brought a cup of tea to help sober him up.

Gu De Zhao sat in the armchair, finally feeling somewhat comfortable, when he heard Song Miaohua say: “Master, I have something to tell you.”

Gu De Zhao didn’t even open his eyes, just said faintly: “Let’s talk tomorrow, I’m very tired.”

Song Miaohua smiled slightly, reaching out to massage his forehead. She continued softly: “Then let me just tell you some household matters. The Second Young Lady’s maid Zi Ling got married recently. Coincidentally, while she was waiting to be married, she met the maid who used to serve Concubine Yun. Do you remember her? The one called Yu Ping. When she heard Zi Ling was a maid from the Gu family, she told Zi Ling many things…”

Gu De Zhao finally opened his eyes and asked: “Why bring this up?”

Song Miaohua stepped back and knelt on the ground: “Master, what I want to say may offend the Lady. Please forgive me before I continue.”

Gu De Zhao looked at her for a long time. Looking up, he realized that today Song Miaohua wasn’t accompanied by Qiao Wei, but by a woman of about forty, who also dropped to her knees with a thud, bowing: “Greetings, Master Gu. This humble woman is Yu Ping, who served at Concubine Yun’s side.”

He frowned. Song Miaohua would never normally be so reckless as to bring a strange woman to see him—there must be something significant she needed to tell him. This person was originally Yun Xiang’s maid… what did she want to say?

Gu De Zhao finally said: “Speak if you must.”

With this permission, Song Miaohua continued: “This is Yu Ping, who served Concubine Yun back then. When she was speaking with Zi Ling, she mentioned the truth behind Concubine Yun’s death. The old woman accompanying Zi Ling for her marriage was shocked and returned to tell me. I’ve been pondering for a long time, unsure whether to tell you. But considering how important this matter is, I shouldn’t conceal it from you, so I sent the old woman to find Yu Ping.”

Upon hearing about the truth behind Concubine Yun’s death, Gu De Zhao could no longer remain seated. He stood up and walked to Song Miaohua.

After a long while, he asked: “Concubine Yun died in childbirth. What secret could there be?”

Song Miaohua hurriedly replied: “My words aren’t authoritative. Yu Ping witnessed everything back then. Master, please let Yu Ping speak.”

Yu Ping, already terrified by Gu De Zhao’s imposing presence, stammered: “Back then, Concubine Yun went into premature labor… Master knows it was because she took labor-inducing medicine. However, the pregnancy-stabilizing medicine and labor-inducing medicine were stored in separate cabinets. How could Cui Ping have mixed them up?”

“Back then, besides Cui Ping and me, only the Lady would visit Concubine Yun’s small kitchen. She… she was concerned about Concubine Yun’s diet and often checked what she ate. Sometimes she would go in and not come out for a long time… Cui Ping’s elder brother outside the household fell seriously ill, and it was Concubine Yun who paid for his treatment. Cui Ping was utterly loyal to Concubine Yun and would never harm her…”

At this point, she cautiously looked up and saw that Gu De Zhao’s face had darkened completely, his hands clenched into fists at his sides.

She grew even more fearful but continued as instructed by Concubine Song: “Since the medicine couldn’t have been mixed up accidentally, and wasn’t deliberately confused by Cui Ping, then… then it must have been the Lady who switched them… Cui Ping shouted her innocence as she died, but no one listened. She didn’t give the wrong medicine… Someone… someone switched the medicines in the two cabinets…”

Gu De Zhao’s mind went blank.

The two maids serving Concubine Yun had been assigned by Lady Ji. When the maid gave the wrong medicine, he had suspected Lady Ji, but only briefly. He thought such an act was inconsistent with her temperament, so he didn’t investigate further.

Back then, he had loved Yun Xiang so much that he didn’t want anyone else. Yun Xiang had told him to spend more time with Lady Ji, but even when he was with Lady Ji, his heart was already with Yun Xiang. Lady Ji could sense it; she didn’t say anything, but he could tell she was very unhappy.

He had originally loved Lady Ji wholeheartedly. Yet after she married him, she brought a maid named Yun Xiang. The more time Gu De Zhao spent with Yun Xiang, the more he appreciated her gentle and calm demeanor, which differed from Lady Ji’s tranquility—Lady Ji’s nature was quite proud.

Yun Xiang had served Lady Ji with such dedication. When Lady Ji was pregnant with Jin Chao and the child cried in the middle of the night, it was Yun Xiang who rushed to hold and comfort her. Whenever Lady Ji felt unwell, Yun Xiang was more anxious than anyone. When little Jin Chao was sent to Tongzhou, she was more heartbroken than anyone.

The final scene was her dying slowly in his arms. Her face was terrifyingly pale, while the cloud-patterned brocade beneath her was soaked with blood.

…He knew Lady Ji disliked his relationship with Yun Xiang, but he never imagined Lady Ji would harm her like this!

Thinking of all this, Gu De Zhao’s hands began to shake with anger.

He took a deep breath and continued questioning Yu Ping: “Why… didn’t you speak up back then?”

Yu Ping recalled how, despite her wailing and pleading, the stick kept hitting Cui Ping relentlessly. Cui Ping struggled helplessly, trembling as she curled into a ball, trying to lessen the pain, but to no avail.

“The Lady treated us very well back then. We… we didn’t want to implicate her.”

After hearing this, Gu De Zhao closed his eyes.

Everything fell silent in the Ju Liu Pavilion. It was already deep into the night, with only the rustling sound of the bamboo grove outside as the wind passed through.

Suddenly, he swept the set of blue and white porcelain tea wares off the table, shattering them on the floor.

Even Song Miaohua was startled. But at the same time, she knew she had struck Gu De Zhao’s vulnerable spot.

“Fine, fine…” he said twice, with a sharp smile on his face. “I had no idea she could do such a thing!”

Concubine Song asked softly: “Master, what… what should we do? Perhaps we should pretend nothing happened. After all, the Lady’s health is poor now, and Concubine Yun’s death is in the past… Besides, today is your birthday.”

“For my birthday this year, I thought she hadn’t given me a gift,” Gu De Zhao said with a smile. “It turns out this is my birthday gift.”

Beyond mourning Concubine Yun’s death, he also lamented Lady Ji. How had she become what she was now? How had she transformed into everything he despised?

Where was the gentle Xiang Jun who had smiled at him so warmly when he came to propose, making him blush?

“Pretend nothing happened? How could I possibly do that!”

Gu De Zhao closed his eyes and exhaled, “It’s late. Take Yu Ping back for now. I’ll confront her myself tomorrow.”

This matter could only be resolved by him.

Yu Ping, and Concubine Song—they were all irrelevant.

Meanwhile, Jin Chao had just returned from Lady Ji’s quarters. Her mother’s appetite had been worsening recently, so she had personally prepared dishes in the small kitchen, which her mother could eat a bit more of. After returning to Qing Tong Court and finishing her toilette, she made a pair of shoes and socks embroidered with orchid patterns for her mother.

Qing Pu lit two lamps for her as she slowly embroidered the orchid pattern on a small frame. Outside, she could hear Yu Zhu and Xiu Qu talking softly.

Qing Pu smiled and said: “…The grapes are almost ripe. Yu Zhu and Xiu Qu check on them every day.”

A moment later, Xiu Qu lifted the curtain and entered, bowing: “Young Lady, Miss Bi Yi from Ju Liu Pavilion wishes to see you.”

Jin Chao remembered that Bi Yi was one of her mother’s people. She nodded with a smile: “Let her in quickly!”

Bi Yi had walked in haste. After entering and bowing, she said: “First Young Lady, I work at Ju Liu Pavilion, promoted there by the Lady. I should have reported this to the Lady first, but I recalled that last time when I reported something, it only angered her. I hesitated for a long time… but still decided to come to you. The situation is urgent, which is why I’ve come in the middle of the night…”

Jin Chao frowned: “Last time? What happened last time that angered Mother?”

Bi Yi explained: “A few days ago, Concubine Song brought a cloak to the Master and mentioned that you had found rhubarb in the Lady’s medicine. She assumed Concubine Song was responsible and confronted her. Concubine Song played the victim, and after hearing her side, the Master blamed the Lady, saying she was being restless and troublesome…”

Jin Chao stood up in shock, putting the embroidery frame on the high table, her voice turning cold: “She said that?”

Without concrete evidence about the rhubarb incident, she hadn’t dared to bring it to her father’s attention, but Song Miaohua had seized the opportunity to cause trouble!

And her father had blamed her mother?