After the two had walked far away, Gu Lian finally grabbed Madam Zhou and asked her: “Mother, what should we do now?”

Madam Zhou’s expression was unstable. She had no idea that Master Chen San would protect Gu Jin Chao so fiercely. Moreover… the two must have known each other for a long time!

Why would Master Chen San help, Gu De Zhao? As the Minister of Revenue, he did not need to concern himself with the minor affairs of a court secretary. But what if… he did it for Gu Jin Chao? With this explanation, all those things that had puzzled Madam Zhou suddenly made sense.

If Master Chen San hadn’t known Gu Jin Chao before, why would he marry her? He had been acquainted with Gu Jin Chao long ago… even… even when the Yao family initially spread the word that Master Chen San wanted to marry Gu Lian, but in the end proposed to Gu Jin Chao instead—Master Chen San might have been involved in all this!

Seeing her mother’s unpleasant expression, Gu Lian angrily continued: “I don’t think Gu Jin Chao wants to help us at all… she’s truly ungrateful. Why don’t I go talk to her? Didn’t you also have Grandmother’s letter? I’ll take it to her. If she refuses, we’ll write to Grandmother to come here. She can’t disobey Grandmother’s wishes!”

Madam Zhou sighed, feeling that bringing Gu Lian along had been a mistake. She glared at Gu Lian and said: “Without my permission, you are not to go find Gu Jin Chao on your own!”

Thinking of her father suffering in the Court of Judicial Review, Gu Lian grew anxious: “Then what do we do? We can’t just watch Father get demoted. Soon the fourth branch of the family will be climbing over our heads…”

Madam Zhou frowned: “I didn’t expect Master Chen San to be so decisive. Gu Jin Chao must have told him many unsavory things about the Gu family, otherwise, he wouldn’t treat us this way… Of course, we can’t let it end like this, or when your father gets out, he’ll blame us severely. Tomorrow, when Master Chen San isn’t around, we’ll go see her again. You must listen to me and not act on your own.”

Gu Lian nodded perfunctorily, but her mind was already calculating.

That night, Gu Jin Chao also couldn’t sleep well. She tossed and turned, then turned to look at Master Chen San’s sleeping brow and eyes, sighing quietly to herself.

The candlelight beyond the bed curtains fell on his face, making him look especially gentle.

Unable to sleep, Gu Jin Chao wanted to sit up and read, but feared waking Master Chen San. She could only stare at the ceiling and think.

She turned over again but felt that Master Chen San seemed to have been disturbed. Perhaps sensing that she wasn’t sleeping well, he unconsciously turned toward her, wanting to embrace her.

Originally, when Gu Jin Chao couldn’t sleep well at night, he would hold her, and she would sleep soundly. But after Jin Chao became pregnant, they slept with separate blankets, unless they unconsciously entangled together while sleeping. When Gu Jin Chao woke up the next morning, she would inevitably find herself tightly embraced by him, occasionally feeling his physical excitement. Sometimes when Gu Jin Chao would squirm a bit in his arms, she would feel his tension. Master Chen San was quite helpless about this; one day, with half-open eyes, he pinned her beneath him and threatened in a low voice: “Men are very dangerous when they just wake up, their consciousness not yet clear, capable of doing anything…”

After that, Gu Jin Chao was careful not to drift to his side while sleeping.

Before she could react, Master Chen San had already embraced her, his hand pressing on her.

Gu Jin Chao sighed quietly, noticing his slightly open collar… that wound had healed, though it left a dark brown scar, quite hideous. Gu Jin Chao reached out to touch his scar, then closed her eyes, preparing to sleep, as she needed to rise early the next day.

She didn’t know that after she closed her eyes, Master Chen San opened his. He stared at the wall for a long time before slowly closing them again.

The weather in October had turned completely cold.

The thin summer clothes had long been put away, and bamboo mats and cooling seats had been replaced with soft cushions. Last night’s rain had made it even colder.

Now past the first trimester, Gu Jin Chao felt she should still pay her respects to Old Madam Chen daily. Though no one would gossip about her, not performing morning and evening greetings might make others think she was pampered. So after Master Chen San left, she got up, and her maid came in to help her wash and dress.

Qing Pu brought in a basin of perfectly bloomed ink chrysanthemums, immediately filling the room with a subtle fragrance.

Gu Jin Chao asked her: “Are the ink chrysanthemums already blooming?” Ink chrysanthemums typically bloomed later than other chrysanthemums and shouldn’t have been flowering yet.

Qing Pu answered with a smile: “Perhaps because the weather turned cold early this year, many chrysanthemums in the greenhouse have already bloomed.”

Gu Jin Chao noticed her relaxed demeanor, appearing more calm than usual, which made her feel relieved.

Qing Pu’s marriage had already been arranged. Gu Jin Chao had originally wanted to find someone for her in the Chen household, but after much consideration, found no suitable match. She had thought Lin Yuan Shan was quite good, only to discover he already had a marriage arrangement in his hometown, an oral agreement his father had made years ago with a scholar’s daughter.

Gu Jin Chao had discovered he was already betrothed. She didn’t inquire further, to avoid arousing suspicion. Besides, Lin Yuan Shan didn’t have romantic feelings for Qing Pu; he was only close to her because she resembled his mother.

Gu Jin Chao hoped Qing Pu would marry someone who loved her. Family background wasn’t important, as long as the man had good character.

Since Lin Yuan Shan wasn’t suitable, Gu Jin Chao placed her hopes on her household staff, as she knew them better.

She found someone suitable—Hu Jin, the eldest son of Hu Yong Chang, the estate manager of the farmland in Xuanwu that her father had given her as part of her dowry. When Gu Jin Chao had first married into the Chen family, Hu Yong Chang had brought his family to pay their respects, and Hu Jin had seen Qing Pu then. After the matchmaker’s introduction, he thought she was quite nice. Hearing that she had delayed marriage because she was serving her mistress, his only concern was dispelled.

Gu Jin Chao planned to meet Hu Jin herself, and if suitable, would finalize the match.

She told Qing Pu about it, and though Qing Pu was a bit uncomfortable at first, she seemed to gradually accept it.

After eating white porridge simmered with chicken soup, Jin Chao went early to pay her respects to Old Madam Chen.

Old Madam Chen was very pleased and made her eat two more glutinous rice balls filled with sesame.

Remembering that Madam Zhou and Gu Lian were still staying, Gu Jin Chao didn’t linger and returned to the Muxi Hall. A maid came to report that the breakfast sent to the west wing room had barely been touched, and said they wanted to be informed as soon as Gu Jin Chao returned.

Gu Jin Chao frowned. “Serve them as usual, but don’t concern yourself with anything else.”

It wasn’t so much that they wouldn’t give up, but rather that Madam Feng wouldn’t give up. Given Madam Feng’s character, she wouldn’t allow Madam Feng to be demoted.

Chen Xi, accompanied by Nanny An, came to pay her respects. The little girl was skipping happily. Gu Jin Chao quickly invited her to sit and asked with a smile: “Our Xi’er is so happy today, did you receive praise from your teacher?”

Chen Xi shook her head and took her hand: “The teacher is resting today, and Seventh Brother is coming to teach me how to practice the zither! He hasn’t come to see me often lately… Yesterday afternoon I met him at Grandmother’s and pleaded until he finally agreed!”

Gu Jin Chao found this strange and asked: “Doesn’t your Seventh Brother go to Tanshan Hall to pay his respects in the morning anymore?”

Chen Xi’s voice was soft: “Seventh Brother says the Hanlin Academy is very busy now, so he has to go there earlier. I can’t even see him in the mornings anymore…”

No wonder she had also rarely seen Chen Xuan Qing lately.

Gu Jin Chao took Chen Xi to the greenhouse to look at chrysanthemums for a while and moved two pots of green peonies to her room. Then Nanny An came to tell Chen Xi: “Seventh Young Master has arrived and is waiting for you in the back courtyard…”

Chen Xi stood up from among the flowers. Gu Jin Chao plucked a leaf from her skirt and said with a smile: “Go practice your zither.”

Gu Jin Chao felt that Chen Xuan Qing seemed to be avoiding her… It was one thing if they didn’t run into each other normally. But if he came to teach Chen Xi the zither, he would certainly have to pay his respects to her… However, Gu Jin Chao wouldn’t quibble over such matters with him. Let him be.

Jin Chao cut a bundle of chrysanthemums and had a maid deliver them to Master Chen San’s study before returning to her chamber.

Madam Zhou and Gu Lian were already waiting for her.

Gu Lian was holding a food box and had placed three plates of pastries on the table. She smiled and said: “…These are pastries I brought from the capital, especially for Second Sister. See if they suit your taste. If you like them, I’ll send more when I go back.”

Gu Jin Chao unhurriedly sat down on the luohan bed. On the kang table were a plate of cloud hemp leaf cakes, a plate of yellow cakes, and a plate of Buddha’s jackfruits.

She looked at Gu Lian and asked with a smile: “Lian’er is being so kind to me?”

Gu Lian forced a smile: “Second Sister, please forgive me. I was just ignorant before… I’ve been thinking of you ever since I heard about your pregnancy.”

Madam Zhou first took a piece of cloud hemp leaf cake and ate it: “I didn’t have much appetite this morning, so I hardly ate anything. This tastes quite sweet.” She then invited Gu Jin Chao to join in, “These are pastries that Lian’er brought back. Even her grandmother hasn’t tried them yet; she brought them, especially for you. Let’s put aside what happened before; try these pastries…”

Only then did Gu Jin Chao eat a piece of cloud hemp leaf cake, but she didn’t eat anymore. “I ate a lot at breakfast and have no appetite now.” She smiled slightly, “Second Aunt, if you have something to say, please tell me quickly. I’d like to take you both around the Chen residence in a while.”

Gu Lian looked at Madam Zhou, then took a letter from her sleeve and handed it to Gu Jin Chao: “…This is from Grandmother to you.”

Gu Jin Chao opened it and read.

After a while, she put the letter aside and drank some tea.

Gu Lian couldn’t help frowning: “Second Sister, do you understand Grandmother’s meaning?”

Jin Chao looked up at her: “Whether I understand or not, what difference does it make?” She had already guessed the content of the letter, and it was exactly as she had expected. Madam Feng’s usual style—commanding and threatening her, even saying ‘If she doesn’t agree, she will personally come to beg her.’

“Grandmother is elderly and shouldn’t over-exert herself. You should go back and persuade her. Every family has its ups and downs. Second Uncle will have learned to be more careful with his words and actions after this lesson. If Second Uncle were to be restored to his original position now, what would others think? Wouldn’t the Gu family truly be criticized then?” Gu Jin Chao said calmly. She was already being polite enough. If Madam Feng pushed too hard, she shouldn’t blame her.

When Gu De Yuan got into trouble, who should have been the first to help? The Yao family, of course!

But the Yao family hadn’t lifted a finger. Why didn’t Madam Feng ask Gu Lian, but came to demand her help instead? She was just a daughter from another branch of the family! It was only because Madam Feng was unwilling to accept that, having spent so much on her dowry to marry her into the Chen family, she wanted her to fulfill her value, lest it be wasted.

If Gu Lian truly cared so much, she should have already gone to beg Yao Ping, rather than questioning her here.