Jin Chao returned to Yan Xiu Hall with Qing Pu, who fell to her knees with a thud behind her.

Jin Chao turned around and saw Qing Pu kneeling straight, her gaze extremely determined: “Miss, Qing Pu refuses to marry. If the Lady insists, this servant would rather scar her face and ruin her appearance than comply. This servant promised Old Lady Ji… to serve you forever.”

Cai Fu and Bai Yun, who were serving in the west side room, gasped softly upon hearing this, not quite understanding what had happened.

Jin Chao asked them to leave first. She sighed and personally helped Qing Pu up. “If you scarred your face, Grandmother might think I instructed you to do it, that I was dissatisfied with her arrangements, and neither of us would have it easy.” Qing Pu’s character was too resilient and stubborn. “There’s a solution to everything. With me here, no one will dare marry you off casually.”

Qing Pu looked up at Jin Chao, her eyes slightly reddened: “It’s not that this servant wants to marry into a good family… it’s just, if this servant isn’t by your side in the future, what if you get bullied, Miss? Miss Cai Fu and Miss Bai Yun have good hearts, and Yu Zhu is clever, but although this servant is foolish and doesn’t know how to speak cleverly, this servant does have some martial skills and can protect Miss…”

Jin Chao felt her heart ache listening to this. Qing Pu had never been the smartest maid by her side; Cai Fu and Yu Zhu were the truly clever ones. But she felt closest to Qing Pu because of their childhood intimacy. She was now the legitimate young lady of the Gu family, but in Qing Pu’s eyes, she could still be bullied by others, and Qing Pu needed to protect her well… How many people could have such devotion?

Jin Chao held her hand and said: “I understand all of this… don’t worry too much. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it; there will always be a way.”

In truth, Jin Chao understood that once Madam Feng set her mind on something, it would be difficult to dissuade her.

The next day, when Jin Chao went to pay respects to Madam Feng, she was surprised to see her father there as well. Madam Feng was speaking with him in the study. Standing under the corridor, Jin Chao could vaguely hear the content of their conversation.

“That restaurant in Three Rivers is truly unsuitable… Although it brings in much silver. But you are a two-rank imperial scholar. Your second brother is a Supervising Censor; how can you engage in such business? Go back and think it over carefully. I say it would be better to open a jade shop or a bookstore…”

When Gu De Zhao came out, he saw Jin Chao outside. He smiled and said: “Your grandmother told me you gave her a Su-style embroidery of Magu offering birthday blessings. I see your embroidery skills have improved again…”

Jin Chao bowed and said: “Things made for Grandmother should always be done with care. I’ve also made a hat for Father. When you have time, please come to my place to try it on.”

She wanted to talk to him about the restaurant in Three Rivers. Although the restaurant belonged to her father, the manager and chef were all provided by the Ji family. She didn’t want her father to turn Auspicious Cloud Pavilion into a bookstore; it was already in a prosperous area, so how would a jade shop or bookstore be suitable? Madam Feng cared too much about family honor, no wonder the Gu family was increasingly living off their past wealth.

…Jin Chao feared her father’s assets would be squandered as well.

Moreover, the people there had worked for the Ji family all their lives, and now they worked for her father. Would they be driven away to fend for themselves?

Gu De Zhao was very pleased to hear this. In the past, Lady Ji often made hats for him because he easily got headaches when the weather turned cold, and only Lady Ji knew about this condition. He always wore the hats Lady Ji made… The hat on his head was already too old.

Gu De Zhao touched his hat and suddenly felt a painful tightness in his heart.

The hat made by Lady Ji had grown old…

Jin Chao entered the study. Madam Feng was talking with Song Xiang, smiling with great pleasure. Seeing Jin Chao approach, she beckoned to her: “Chao has come at just the right time. Come with me to the West Wing… The second son of Grand Secretary Yao, Yao Wen Xiu, has come to visit. Let’s go see him.”

Jin Chao remembered what Second Madam had said; so this young master from the Yao family had arrived today.

She couldn’t help but recall events from her previous life: Gu Lian running back to the Gu family in tears, Yao Wen Xiu coming to find her. The two of them shoving and fighting, Gu Lian scratching Yao Wen Xiu’s face, Yao Wen Xiu kicking Gu Lian’s leg. The Gu family members couldn’t pull them apart. Not only that, but Gu Lian had also turned to scratch Lan Zhi’s face, cursing her as a lowly maid, a wolf-hearted, dog-lunged, backstabbing thing.

She had just returned to the Gu family from the Chen family for a visit at that time. It was truly a tragicomedy to behold.

Madam Feng changed into a more properly padded jacket and had Jin Chao support her as they went to the West Wing.

The second young master of the Yao family had already paid his respects to Second Master Gu and was drinking tea in the reception hall. Gu Lian was also sitting to the side, obviously dressed in her finest: a pale yellow butterfly-patterned front-opening padded jacket. Inside she wore a lotus-colored top and an eight-panel moon-patterned skirt, complemented by a blue sachet and a green jade pendant. Her face was lightly made up, with an emerald ornament on her forehead, making her appear especially fresh and lovely.

Yao Wen Xiu had handsome features, appearing even more dashing when he smiled, and he was tall, wearing a gray-blue straight robe.

Second Master Gu asked about his literary studies, expressing great admiration: “…Young Master Yao will surely pass the provincial examination and return as a Juren next autumn!”

When Madam Feng entered the reception hall, everyone paid their respects to her. Madam Feng first introduced Gu Jin Chao, and Yao Wen Xiu nodded to her with a smile, his gaze lingering on her for a moment before moving away. Madam Feng then engaged Yao Wen Xiu in conversation, asking about his mother’s recent condition. Jin Chao stood behind Madam Feng, thinking that Yao Wen Xiu indeed appeared exceptional in every way. He respectfully answered Madam Feng’s questions without showing any arrogance despite his status.

After chatting with Yao Wen Xiu for a while, Madam Feng invited him to the flower hall for some refreshments. This was to allow him to exchange a few intimate words with Gu Lian, but Gu Lian felt very shy, picked up her skirt, and walked out, saying she would come shortly. Madam Feng said indulgently: “This child is feeling shy.”

Yao Wen Xiu smiled and said: “Second Young Lady Gu has a dignified nature and a pure heart.”

Madam Feng also felt that there was nothing to criticize about her eldest granddaughter’s character, as pure and lovable as she was.

The group went to the flower hall, and the maids quickly brought tea and snacks.

At this time, Gu Lian finally came, holding Gu Lan’s hand and shyly walking behind her. Gu Lan wore a tea-white embroidered jacket with intertwined branch patterns and a light blue embroidered skirt. Her black hair was lightly coiled, adorned only with a white magnolia hairpin and a pair of bright moon earrings. If Gu Lian was charming and lovable, then Gu Lan was elegant and refined, with a certain allure. She was naturally suited to such simple attire, completely outshining the elaborately dressed Gu Lian beside her.

“Lian insisted on bringing me along… to pay respects to Grandmother.” Gu Lan curtseyed gracefully, her posture like a willow swaying in the wind.

As Gu Lan looked up, she saw a handsome young man in a gray-blue straight robe watching them. He stood with his hands behind his back, smiling at them—what a graceful and refined young gentleman!

Yao Wen Xiu stepped forward, inviting Gu Lian and Gu Lan to sit down, then asked the servant standing nearby to bring up a brocade box. He had brought something for Gu Lian.

It was a pair of white jade paperweights, exquisitely carved, with a warm and lustrous jade quality without a single impurity, truly rare treasures.

“When my father heard I was coming, he found this pair of paperweights from the storeroom and said to give them to Second Young Lady Gu for her reading and writing. I didn’t know the Gu family also had two other young ladies present, so I haven’t prepared enough gifts, which is truly discourteous.”

His words were very appropriate. Gu Lian softly replied: “…Then please thank Uncle for me.”

Gu Lian’s words were quite inappropriate, and Madam Feng’s smile froze. She then had someone put away the gifts and asked Yao Wen Xiu if he wanted to stay for a few more days.

Yao Wen Xiu said: “I had planned to find a good inkstone at Ju Shi Pavilion in Daxing, so staying a few more days would be good.”

Gu Lan gently arranged a loose strand of hair by her ear and said softly: “The inkstones at Ju Shi Pavilion are indeed complete. I once happened to acquire a yellow stone inkstone with ice patterns from there, made of Mo Zi stone material. It absorbs ink like oil or lacquer, truly rare.”

Yao Wen Xiu looked Gu Lan over before smiling faintly and saying: “This young lady of the Gu family has quite a deep understanding of inkstones. Yellow stone inkstones are already rare, and among them, Mo Zi stone is the most precious. When there’s time, I would like to request that the young lady bring it out for appreciation.”

Being looked at like this by him, Gu Lan felt her face grow hot, and her heart inexplicably tightened.

She felt that there was something deeper in that glance Yao Wen Xiu gave her…

Jin Chao listened and inwardly clicked her tongue. Wasn’t Gu Lan usually the one who disliked reading the most? How could she know about inkstones? The dust in her study was layer upon layer. Looking at her gestures and expressions, she was displaying a young girl’s demeanor.

Jin Chao glanced at Yao Wen Xiu again and found him looking under the stone table… directly at Gu Lan. Jin Chao casually turned to drink her tea, and sure enough, saw Gu Lan’s small, delicate satin shoes peeking out from under her embroidered skirt beneath the stone table.

This second young master of the Yao family truly appreciated refined tastes, actually peeking at a young lady’s feet!

Madam Feng was quietly saying something to Gu Lian but didn’t notice Gu Lan.

After chatting for a while, Second Master Gu sent someone to invite Yao Wen Xiu over. He had prepared a banquet for Yao Wen Xiu in the reception hall.

Jin Chao returned to the East Wing with Madam Feng, while Gu Lian and Gu Lan returned to Second Madam’s Xian Ya Hall.

Gu Lian took out the pair of white jade paperweights Yao Wen Xiu had given her and examined them carefully, her heart overflowing with joy, though she couldn’t help but complain a bit: “Sending such things… it’s not good for a girl to know too many characters. Grandmother only had the female teacher teach me the basics. How could I use a pair of paperweights…”

Gu Lan said: “That young master from the Yao family is truly refined. Others would give women jewelry, but he gave you a pair of paperweights. Worthy indeed of being the son of Grand Secretary Yao. Having such a good husband, you shouldn’t complain anymore.”

Hearing this, Gu Lian indeed smiled: “He begged Uncle to let him marry me. He’s very fond of me, and I only reluctantly agreed!” She then had her maid go to Second Master Gu’s study to fetch a packet of Cheng Xin Tang paper. She would practice her writing more in the future so that Young Master Yao wouldn’t look down on her.

Gu Lan was still thinking about that glance Yao Wen Xiu had given her, full of smiles, as if deeply affectionate.

What was there to like about someone like Gu Lian? Perhaps Young Master Yao didn’t care for her at all! Young Master Yao was the son of the Grand Secretary of Wenhua Palace, handsome in appearance and exceptional in conversation. Such a husband was to be Gu Lian’s…

Why did Gu Lian always get all the good things?