Gu Lan’s expression grew even worse. This light pink diamond-patterned satin jacket had been given to her by the Second Madam just yesterday, along with two others.

She had worn the Second Madam’s gift to please her. Yet she hadn’t expected that the Second Madam would still set this trap for her!

The Second Madam was deliberately finding fault with her. If she wore it, she would be accused of not following the rules of mourning. If she didn’t wear it, the Second Madam would likely accuse her of looking down on her and despising her gift of a winter jacket.

Gu Lan glanced at Jinchao’s ivory-colored embroidered pleated skirt with branch patterns, thinking to herself with resentment: Gu Jinchao was also wearing a skirt with patterns and colors, yet the Second Madam pretended not to see it. Wasn’t this just targeting her? Besides, who among the women in this secluded courtyard would know what clothes she wore, and light pink was hardly ostentatious!

She held back her frustration and could only say: “I was thoughtless… Second Aunt’s instruction is correct.”

Only then did the Second Madam grunt, though she still appeared displeased: “Since you’ve made a mistake, I cannot refrain from punishing you. Your grandmother loves to wash her hands with osmanthus-infused water. There are several late-blooming osmanthus trees near your Fifth Aunt’s place in the west wing. Go pick the flowers and make osmanthus water… Don’t let me catch you being lazy again or getting others to help you.”

Gu Lan bowed and agreed. After attending to the Second Madam, she went alone with a pearwood box to pick osmanthus flowers.

It was already late autumn, and the osmanthus flowers were sparse and their fragrance faint. After gathering for a long time, she had collected only a thin layer. By the time the sky was darkening, her hands were so cold they had lost feeling. Only then did she report back to the Second Madam and leave.

Mu Jin was waiting for her return but saw that her young mistress’s hands were bright red and she looked extremely tired. She hurriedly helped Gu Lan sit on the heated kang bed: “I’ve lit the stove for you, but it will take a while to warm up. Why don’t you soak your feet in hot water first…”

She called loudly for the two little maids, asking them to bring a pot of hot water. After a long while, one maid came shuffling over with an empty kettle, saying: “Sister Mu Jin, it would take too long to light a fire and heat charcoal now. Why not just heat it on the stove?”

Although Mu Jin appeared gentle, when she scolded someone, she showed no mercy: “I can see you’re just being lazy! The Young Miss needs the stove for warmth, how can we put water on it? This morning too, every one of you complained your legs hurt and couldn’t get up, but when the steward came at noon to distribute things, you were all faster than rabbits! Go boil the water for the Young Miss, and if you’re any later, you’ll continue kneeling outside as punishment!”

The maid muttered under her breath: “This morning my legs did hurt and I couldn’t get up… by noon I had recovered…”

Hearing this, Mu Jin grew angrier: “You dare talk back! I think your skin is itching. Perhaps tomorrow I should report to Matron Dong and have her give you a beating to loosen your skin!”

Upon hearing Matron Dong’s name, the maid finally stopped talking, agreed, and left the west side room with the kettle.

Gu Lan coldly watched the maid’s retreating figure and asked softly: “Her name is Chun Jiang, right…”

Mu Jin spoke gently again: “Young Miss, please don’t quarrel with these people. I’m here to watch over them for you. No matter how bold they are, they wouldn’t dare to defy you.” She then secretly took out an envelope from her sleeve, placed it in Gu Lan’s hand, and said, “This is the reply letter…”

Gu Lan frowned: “Previously, when Grandmother sent letters back, she would always include one or two silver notes or other items. Why is there nothing this time?”

Mu Jin didn’t know either. The farm worker who delivered vegetables had passed it to her, and he might have taken something.

She picked up the candlestick from the small table so Gu Lan could see more clearly. Gu Lan used a small knife to scrape off the wax seal before taking out the letter to read.

After reading it, a smile gradually appeared on Gu Lan’s face. She folded the letter and used the candle to burn it.

Mu Jin was puzzled. What was written in the letter that made the Second Young Miss smile?

After a while, Gu Lan said: “No wonder she didn’t send anything. Now we don’t need anything anymore…” Seeing that Mu Jin was still staring at her, Gu Lan said, “Grandmother wants to tell me some good news. Remember the previous Minister of the Court of Judicial Review who was advanced in years and retired last month?”

No matter how clever Mu Jin was, she was still just a maid with a narrow perspective. In her view, these court matters would never concern her in her lifetime, so how could she remember such news? She honestly shook her head: “Young Miss, you know I’m a foolish one!”

Gu Lan said leisurely: “Now that Minister An has left his position as the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, the position is vacant. Grandfather is on good terms with Minister Chen, and after Minister Chen entered the Cabinet, he early on proposed that Grandfather take the position of Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. Now the court’s official appointment has formally been issued… Grandfather is now an official of the third rank with a five-beamed hat and golden leather belt! The highest-ranking official in the Gu family, the Second Uncle, is only a fourth-rank Right Supervising Censor. I’ll see how they try to please me now!”

She smiled at Mu Jin and said softly: “Grandmother says that after the mourning period in the next few days, she will come to see me.”

Once she had Madam Song’s backing, she would make those in the Gu family who bullied her, looked down on her, and treated her with contempt, including Gu Jinchao… she would make them all pay!

Meanwhile, during the days when Madam Feng was away, Jinchao had been busy organizing the greenhouse in the rear building.

To make a greenhouse, one needed glass windows, or at least transparent Korean paper if glass wasn’t available. Glass was too expensive for her to use. It wasn’t that she lacked silver, but she really couldn’t use her own money for expenses at the Gu family home. After pasting Korean paper, digging heat channels, and cleaning the flower room thoroughly, she planted autumn chrysanthemums and winter orchids. Jinchao had just found a chrysanthemum manual from the Old Madam’s study. She hadn’t grown many chrysanthemums in her previous life, so she needed to learn through trial and error.

Cao Ying helped with the soil and, looking at the chrysanthemum seedlings that all looked similar, curiously asked: “How does Young Miss tell them apart? They all look the same to me. What kind of chrysanthemums are these exactly?”

Jinchao explained to her: “They’re just varieties like Red Rouge Petal, Chestnut Yellow, Silver Snowball, Green Lotus Dress—not difficult to remember.”

Cai Fu laughed at her: “Wait until the Young Miss starts planting camellia plants, then you’ll have a real headache!” Cao Ying led another young maid with hair buns to look after the greenhouse. She was proud, feeling that she too could manage people now.

While they were busily working, Matron Tong came to deliver a message. Madam Feng and the Fifth Madam had returned from the capital. The Fifth Madam, being pregnant, had gone to rest in the east wing, while Madam Feng had summoned the Second Madam for a talk.

After delivering the message, Matron Tong added: “…she also called for the two young masters to go over.”

…It seemed she didn’t need to pay her respects today.

Jinchao was happy to have some free time. After organizing the flower room and working up a sweat, she bathed and felt refreshed. She then spent some time doing needlework with her maids. Concubine Luo came to speak with her. Concubine Luo now lived in the west wing, while Jinchao lived in Yanxiu Hall between the west and east wings, and Gu Dezhao lived in the outer courtyard, making it quite inconvenient to visit one another.

Gu Dezhao was currently in the mourning period, so Concubine Luo only visited him briefly. Without anyone to talk to when she came, Concubine Luo felt even more anxious. Fortunately, she gradually became acquainted with one of Fifth Master Gu’s concubines, which eased her loneliness.

In the ancestral home, one had to be mindful of status, so she couldn’t often come to see Gu Jinchao. This visit was rather unusual.

Jinchao had a maid serve Concubine Luo a cup of tea. Holding the cup, she sat nervously for a long time before finally telling Jinchao: “…the Old Madam often summons me to ask about my menstrual cycles and has sent many nourishing things. I felt I should mention this to you. When I went last time, I saw that Master’s maids, Shui Ying, and Bi Yue, were also called in for a talk.”

Men in mourning generally couldn’t have intimate relations with women. But this rule was practically a formality, and it was common for concubines and chamber maids to become pregnant during mourning periods. At worst, they would announce it after the mourning period ended. This was true for noble families, and even more so for common folk.

However, Madam Feng’s urgent approach still made Jinchao feel somewhat uncomfortable. She seemed to disregard Ji’s death completely.

The Gu family had always had few male descendants—only three legitimate sons and two sons born to concubines. Second Master Gu was already past middle age, and Fifth Master Gu had Fifth Madam, a legitimate daughter of the Long Xing Marquis family, so it wasn’t possible to casually let Fifth Master Gu take concubines. Naturally, Madam Feng had set her sights on Gu Dezhao.

After her father’s one-year mourning period—perhaps even after just nine months—Madam Feng would likely be arranging for her father to take a new wife.

Someone like Madam Feng wouldn’t ask whether you were willing or liked it.

But as a junior, Jinchao had no right to speak on this matter. Luo Su was afraid that Madam Feng would elevate Shui Ying and Bi Yue to concubines, or worse, that these maids would become pregnant… which would make her position even more precarious. That’s why she had come seeking help.

This woman had gradually developed her agenda.

Jinchao glanced at her and said: “I cannot interfere in this matter, and you needn’t concern yourself with these things. Now that my mother is gone, there’s no one to make winter clothes for my father. You might as well do this for him, which would be good.”

Hearing this, Luo Su understood Gu Jinchao’s meaning and said with a reddened face: “…I was overthinking.” She then took her leave shortly after.

Jinchao personally selected two pieces of fabric of good quality and light color and sent them to Concubine Luo. She also gave her material to make winter clothes for herself, preventing her from being idle and prone to excessive thinking.

Just as she finished selecting the fabrics, she saw Matron Tong returning in a hurry.

Jinchao smiled and asked her: “What’s wrong? You look so rushed.”

Matron Tong shook her head, then smiled and said softly, “Eldest Young Miss, isn’t this strange? Our Old Madam has been back for less than an hour, and already someone has sent a visiting card requesting to see her—it’s Madam Song from the Song family of Junior Minister Song… the family of our former Concubine Song.”

Jinchao raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised. After being driven out by her father last time, Madam Song couldn’t possibly have the face to come to the Gu family again. Moreover, now that Concubine Song was gone, if she still came to the Gu family to interfere in Gu Lan’s affairs and support her, that would be inappropriate!

…Madam Song must have gained some new advantage! Only then would she dare to come arrogantly to the Gu family with this advantage in hand.

But what exactly was this advantage?

Jinchao had a bad feeling.

She knew Madam Feng’s nature all too well. Whoever was useful to her was sweet and pleasing. If a Song family was backing Gu Lan in the future, Gu Lan would become unbearable.