Jin Chao returned to her study to open and read the letter. Her maternal grandmother first inquired about her recent situation, and then told her about Ji Can’s marriage.

The young lady from the Chen family had come of age last month, but due to the national mourning period, the matter had been temporarily set aside. Now that the mourning period was over, the two families naturally began to discuss wedding arrangements. Since the marriage had been arranged early, they had completed the betrothal gifts presentation and set the date, with only the bride-fetching ceremony remaining.

Her maternal grandmother said the bride-fetching ceremony was scheduled for the nineteenth day of the eleventh month. The wedding invitation will be sent shortly. Although Jin Chao was in mourning and couldn’t attend the banquet, she should still come to congratulate her fourth cousin and meet her new cousin-in-law. She asked Jin Chao to prepare to stay in Tongzhou for some time.

Jin Chao was very happy to receive the letter and first went to the outer courtyard to inform her father.

Gu De Zhao was also delighted: “…Your fourth cousin is finally getting married! Alright, you go to Tongzhou first, and I’ll come over when I receive the wedding invitation.” He still remembered when Ji Can was born, several years after he had married Lady Ji. At that time, he and Lady Ji had returned to Tongzhou to see the swaddled baby Ji Can.

Gu De Zhao called in Steward Li to prepare for Jin Chao’s journey.

Jin Chao then discussed the wedding gifts: “Father, I plan to give my fourth cousin two Duan inkstones and a pair of red gold cloud phoenix candlesticks. For my new cousin-in-law, I’ll give a pair of golden grasshopper hairpins and a ‘Full Pool of Beauty’ gold hairpin. What do you think?”

Gu De Zhao smiled at her: “Why should you give gifts? Let me handle all of that.”

His gifts were his own, but Jin Chao wanted to give something personally for her fourth cousin’s wedding. She mentioned her gifts so her father wouldn’t give too much when preparing his. Jin Chao smiled: “Whether you give gifts or not, I still plan to give mine. However, please speak to Grandmother about this. You know there’s a rift between Grandmother and my maternal grandmother.”

Gu De Zhao nodded. The discord between Madam Feng and Ji Wu Shi was a long-standing issue.

After speaking with her father, Gu Jin Chao went to the East Wing Courtyard to report this matter to Madam Feng. It was fortuitous that Gu Jin Chao no longer needed to attend to her daily, so Madam Feng nodded in agreement and even had Fu Ling find a pair of Kingfisher feather bracelets for Gu Jin Chao to give as a gift.

Jin Chao planned to stay at the Ji family home for an extended period, at least a month or so. She decided to bring Madam Tong, Qing Pu, and Cai Fu. The young maids who couldn’t go were quite disappointed, as they had never been to Tongzhou. Even coming to Daxing outside the capital was as far as they had traveled. They had heard that places like Baodi, Sanhe, and Xianghe near Tongzhou were prosperous and flourishing, but they didn’t know what these places were like.

Cai Fu promised to bring back the famous fermented tofu from Tongzhou for them.

The maids and servants packed Jin Chao’s daily necessities and items for rewarding people into trunks and loaded them onto the carriage. It took half a day to complete the preparations.

Jin Chao called Madam Xu aside to instruct her. During her absence from the Gu family, she needed to pay more attention to Gu Lan. “You’ve already bribed servants at the side gate. Don’t stop Gu Lan from communicating or exchanging items with the outside. Look through everything and write back to report to me…”

Jin Chao also thought about Jin Rong, who was studying at the Yu family clan school. “…I wonder if Jin Rong has enough bedding and winter clothes, or if he lacks anything. If you have time, go back to Shi’an to check. Also, tell him about my fourth cousin’s wedding.”

Madam Xu agreed to everything.

Early the next morning, the stable hands harnessed the horses, and the servants loaded the trunks onto the carriage. The carriage then departed for Tongzhou with the sound of clip-clopping hooves.

Meanwhile, at the Ji family residence, preparations had also begun.

Ji Wu Shi had already instructed servants to prepare the East Qipan residence, replacing the bedding and thick velvet curtains, and bringing out the braziers. The mansion gradually began to be decorated festively. The Elder Aunt was busy drafting guest lists and sending invitations, as well as arranging the bridal chamber. The Second Aunt managed the banquet and bride-fetching ceremony.

Elder Aunt Song took a purple bamboo brush and drafted names on red paper while asking for Ji Wu Shi’s opinions.

“In Baoding, there are also your father’s two cousins. Although contact has been limited in recent years, we shouldn’t neglect them. Include them on the list…” Ji Wu Shi thought for a moment, “Arrange a table for them and inform the second daughter-in-law.”

Madam Song nodded and was about to ask for the specific names of these two cousins when she saw a maid come in to announce a visitor.

Gu Jin Chao had arrived and was waiting outside.

Ji Wu Shi’s face lit up with joy, and she quickly instructed the maid to invite her in. She was about to scold the elderly maid who came along: “…I said to notify me when people arrive at the screen wall. Why did you wait until the young lady had already arrived to tell me!”

The elderly maid hurriedly replied: “Those were the young lady’s instructions. She said you were busy with the fourth young master’s wedding matters and that she would come in by herself. She told us not to announce her arrival.”

Madam Song smiled: “Zhao girl is being considerate of you. Don’t be upset with her.”

Ji Wu Shi was merely speaking rhetorically; she wasn’t truly angry. When Gu Jin Chao entered, she quickly took her hand and seated her on the warm kang by the window. A maid immediately brought over a hand warmer.

Jin Chao hadn’t even had a chance to curtsy and could only smile and say: “Maternal Grandmother, at least let me pay my respects to you!”

Ji Wu Shi was busy examining her beloved granddaughter to see if she had lost weight, hardly caring about formalities. After looking for a while, she became concerned. Although Jin Chao’s complexion was better than before, her cheeks were still thin. Ji Wu Shi remembered that Jin Chao used to be plump. When she was twelve or thirteen, her cheeks were round and pink, quite adorable.

“This chin is so sharp it could pierce paper…” Ji Wu Shi was quite dissatisfied. “Is that Madam Feng not treating you well?”

How could there be any question of good or bad treatment? She wasn’t Madam Feng’s granddaughter; it was already decent that Madam Feng didn’t mistreat her. Jin Chao didn’t want her maternal grandmother to worry, so she smiled and said: “Grandmother said she wanted to teach me proper manners. I attend to her daily, and sometimes I miss meals, which is why I’ve lost weight… Please don’t overthink it. I’m Father’s legitimate eldest daughter; she wouldn’t treat me poorly.”

Ji Wu Shi didn’t believe this. She warmed Jin Chao’s hands and instructed Madam Song again: “Take care of Zhao girl’s belongings. About the guest list, go back and ask the First Master and Second Master if they have colleagues or friends they wish to invite.”

Jin Chao felt embarrassed to trouble her elder aunt and said she could manage her things. Madam Song just smiled: “Zhao girl, keep your maternal grandmother company. When she’s happy, I’m truly happy too.” With that, she gathered her things and left.

Ji Wu Shi asked the maid to close the door of the west side room, then took off her cape and wrapped it around Jin Chao, commenting on her feet: “Your shoes and socks are too thin. Your feet must be freezing… Lift them and tuck them under the quilt; the kang is nice and warm.”

This wasn’t proper etiquette; young ladies were supposed to sit upright with proper posture.

Jin Chao smiled and tucked her feet up, asking Ji Wu Shi about her fourth cousin’s marriage and whether she had met the Chen family’s second daughter.

Ji Wu Shi chatted casually with her: “I met the Chen family’s second daughter once when she was young. She appeared clean and neat. The matchmaker, Madam Xu, said she’s a beauty… Your fourth cousin’s bridal chamber is almost ready. Once the ceiling hangings and lattice windows are replaced, I’ll take you to see it. He now spends all day in the study practicing calligraphy. He even refused when your second cousin invited him to Baodi. He’s about to be married and has become so shy that he dares not go out, fearing his friends might question him… Your second and third cousins tease him about this.”

Ji Wu Shi continued: “Your eldest cousin Ji Mei, who married into a family in Jizhou, will also return in a few days with her son Yi. Your eldest nephew will find a playmate. He’s only three years old now, just like you when you were little—jumping around everywhere, impossible for anyone to control.”

With the doors and screens closed, the light in the west side room was dim, so the maidservant lit candles. Jin Chao sat facing her maternal grandmother, listening to her talk.

Gu Jin Chao enjoyed listening to her maternal grandmother’s stories.

It reminded her of when she was younger when her maternal grandmother took her to live in the rural estate. At night, with rain falling outside and lamps lit inside, her maternal grandmother would hold her on the kang as she recounted childish stories. When she couldn’t explain clearly, she would gesture with her little finger, making her maternal grandmother laugh.

Jin Chao asked her maternal grandmother about Madam Xu: “Her daughter… has she found a husband yet?”

Ji Wu Shi sighed, “Even though she’s lowered her expectations now, she still can’t find a suitable match. Recently, they mentioned a Proofreader from the Hanlin Academy, but somehow that family didn’t agree either. The girl is almost twenty by the lunar calendar, and Madam Xu is anxious and frustrated. She’s even approached the Luo family in Wanping…”

Ji Wu Shi indicated to Jin Chao that she knew about this Luo family. They had been imperial merchants, and among the few major merchant families in Yanjing, the Luo family was one of them. However, the Luo family had a terrible reputation, and their eldest son was particularly hopeless—a fact known to everyone.

Ji Wu Shi was curious why Gu Jin Chao asked about this person, as she usually didn’t concern herself with matters that didn’t affect her.

Gu Jin Chao didn’t know why she asked either, perhaps out of sympathy. If she married the Luo family’s eldest son, Miss Xu would have no prospects for the rest of her life.

After chatting for a while, Ji Wu Shi asked Gu Jin Chao to go rest. The journey from Daxing had been tiring.

Ji Wu Shi thought for a moment and then asked a maid to summon Ji Yao.

Was Gu Jin Chao asking about Xu Jing Yi’s situation because she was… also concerned about her marriage prospects? Before long, she would turn sixteen. Yet no one had come to the Gu family to propose marriage for her. Families of lower status weren’t good enough for the Gu family, while those of suitable status objected to Jin Chao’s reputation… perhaps she felt troubled in her heart.

Ji Yao was busy reviewing the account books from Xianghe. Ji Wu Shi had entrusted him with most of the affairs now. This gave her free time to chat with her daughters-in-law and grandchildren. However, it was hard on Ji Yao. He was now practically managing the household, but he had no one to assist him. Only male servants attended to him, with no one close to confide in.

“Your cousin Jin Chao has just arrived…” Ji Wu Shi asked him to sit down.

Ji Yao’s feelings were complex upon hearing that Gu Jin Chao had arrived. His first reaction wasn’t aversion but rather a mix of joy and strange unease. She must be here for his fourth brother’s wedding, but he hadn’t seen her at his grandmother’s place…

Seeing that he remained silent, Ji Wu Shi sighed and said: “Your cousin Jin Chao’s birthday is on the twenty-eighth day of the eleventh month. She will soon turn sixteen. Grandmother has come to understand that children have their destinies. If you still like her, after Ji Can’s wedding, go to the Gu family to propose marriage… If you don’t like her, Grandmother won’t force you. At the very least, Zhao girl could marry a poor scholar who has passed the provincial examinations, or a side son from a noble family.”

Ji Yao was surprised to hear Ji Wu Shi speak this way and looked up at her with astonishment.

…What did Grandmother mean by this?