The next day, Jin Chao sent Chen Xuanyue to the outer courtyard.

Although Banana Leaf Hall was small, it was arranged very elegantly. Several clusters of banana plants were situated beside artificial mountains, with clear springs flowing and green shade overhead. The five rooms were kept neat and tidy. Madam Song led two young servants to come and pay respects to Gu Jin Chao. Jin Chao noticed she wasn’t talkative, but wore a navy blue cotton jacket with silver bracelets, appearing neat and efficient.

Seeing Chen Xuanyue standing behind Gu Jin Chao, she smiled and greeted him respectfully.

Chen Xuanyue usually ignored people and continued eating his Guandong candy.

Madam Sun had already prepared everything necessary. Jin Chao looked around and felt reassured by Madam Sun’s work. Besides the inner chamber, second room, and main hall being well-arranged, the east wing room had also been set up as a study. A pile of snow-white Chengxintang paper sat on the treasure cabinet.

Madam Sun brought over a stool, and Jin Chao spoke to Madam Song: “…from now on, you will personally attend to the Ninth Young Master. The Ninth Young Master isn’t clever, but his heart isn’t bad. You must be patient and talk to him often. Sometimes his temper flares up, if he doesn’t listen, come tell me. Also, bring him over every other day to pay respects to me. Although he fears strangers, as long as you treat him well, the child will understand… have you remembered all this?”

Madam Song respectfully complied, and Jin Chao asked Chen Xuanyue to go with her. Chen Xuanyue held her hand and refused to move.

Jin Chao freed her hand from his, leaving him where he stood, and departed with Madam Sun and the others.

After all, this was the outer courtyard, and as a woman of the inner household, she shouldn’t stay long.

As Jin Chao walked out of Banana Leaf Hall, she heard Madam Song’s voice behind her. She turned to look and saw the child still following her, continuing to eat his Guandong candy. It seemed he believed he should follow her and didn’t think she was abandoning him.

Seeing her stop, he also stopped, looking at Gu Jin Chao in confusion.

This child had suffered since he was young; encountering someone slightly kinder to him, he wanted to follow them forever.

Just like a tamed puppy.

Madam Song hurried out: “Ninth Young Master, let’s go back and look at your study…” She reached out trying to lead him back.

Surely this child wouldn’t want to follow her forever… Gu Jin Chao turned around and walked quickly back.

Chen Xuanyue followed her quickly too. He couldn’t walk as fast as adults and gradually began to run. He accidentally tripped, and Madam Song hurried to help him up. Chen Xuanyue made two hoarse sounds: “Wait… wait…”

Madam Song held onto him, but Gu Jin Chao walked very quickly, and he couldn’t catch up anymore.

Chen Xuanyue grew fierce again, struggling to bite Madam Song’s wrist. Madam Song gritted her teeth through the pain but dared not let him go.

They were such a pitiful yet adorable child, how could Madam Qin be so cruel to him…

Gu Jin Chao sighed inwardly, her mind preoccupied with thoughts. She failed to notice a figure in moon-white ahead, and the two collided. Gu Jin Chao stepped back and realized it was Chen Xuanqing.

He was also startled but quickly regained his composure and asked softly, “Is Mother alright?”

Gu Jin Chao then remembered that the courtyard next to Banana Leaf Hall was where he used to live… Her forehead had hit his chin, but it wasn’t very painful. She smiled, “Aren’t you supposed to be at the Hanlin Academy today?”

Chen Xuanqing wore a moon-white robe with black edges, and his body had grown more robust than before. Previously he had been slender, but now his broad shoulders filled out his clothes, naturally making him appear more mature. Chen Xuanqing said, “It’s approaching the New Year, and the Hanlin Academy is always quiet.” Compiling historical records didn’t require editors like them. “I just wanted to move some books over. What brings you to the outer courtyard?”

Moving some books over… which meant he hadn’t completely moved his belongings into Bundle Elegance Pavilion.

Gu Jin Chao asked him, “It’s a long story. I brought your Ninth Brother here… Will you still come to live in the outer courtyard in the future?”

Chen Xuanqing replied coolly, “Perhaps.” Then he asked about her Ninth Brother, “Wasn’t he always with his Second Aunt? How did he move to the outer courtyard?”

Gu Jin Chao briefly explained Chen Xuanyue’s situation and suddenly had an idea. She was still looking for someone to teach Chen Xuanyue to read, and now that Chen Xuanqing had free time and his courtyard was right next to Banana Leaf Hall, why not ask him to teach Chen Xuanyue in his spare time?

She didn’t know if he would agree, so Gu Jin Chao asked his opinion: “…The Ninth Young Master isn’t clever, you just need to teach him to recognize a few simple characters. It won’t take much effort each day… Of course, if it interferes with your affairs, then never mind.”

Chen Xuanqing smiled slightly: “How could it? Where is Ninth Brother now?”

Gu Jin Chao thought of the little fellow and couldn’t help sighing. She led Chen Xuanqing back. Madam Song had already restrained Chen Xuanyue and locked him in the study. Inside, Chen Xuanyue was banging on the latticed doors, and there was the sound of porcelain breaking…

His temper was bad! Madam Song didn’t dare let him out and stood outside the door, pleading with him.

Gu Jin Chao told Madam Song to open the door, and Chen Xuanyue ran out. He sprinted far away before noticing Gu Jin Chao standing outside. He rushed behind her to hide, glaring at Madam Song, still making “ah ah” sounds, as if telling Gu Jin Chao this was a bad person.

Gu Jin Chao smiled bitterly; she had forgotten to instruct Madam Song that Chen Xuanyue hated being confined.

Chen Xuanqing had long known he had a foolish Ninth Brother, but as the eldest grandson of the main line and the most outstanding of the Chen family’s Xuan generation, how could he have spoken with Chen Xuanyue? He had only seen him once or twice and couldn’t even recall his appearance.

He only knew that when the concubine-born brothers mentioned this fool, they all laughed, never paying him any attention.

This child, however, was as agile as a monkey, hiding tightly behind Gu Jin Chao. Surprisingly, she protected him, comforting him softly: “Xuanyue, Madam Song didn’t mean to confine you… Did you break things in there?”

He watched Chen Xuanyue grab Gu Jin Chao’s hand and felt a faint discomfort in his heart.

Gu Jin Chao then pulled Chen Xuanyue by the collar and saw that the newly arranged porcelain in the study was shattered all over the floor. Madam Song was shocked and quickly said: “Third Madam, I didn’t know…” She didn’t know Chen Xuanyue would throw things; had she known, she would have locked him in the side room!

The porcelain pieces were all from the imperial kiln, and one blue-glazed vase and one enamel-colored vase were taken from Gu Jin Chao’s private treasury.

Gu Jin Chao pointed at the porcelain fragments and scolded him: “With one throw, you’ve broken over thirty taels of silver worth! Do you know you were wrong?”

Chen Xuanyue looked at the scattered porcelain fragments; he didn’t understand what “thirty taels” meant. Seeing Gu Jin Chao’s feigned anger, he raised his head and gave her a small smile.

Gu Jin Chao didn’t know whether to laugh or cry and asked Madam Song to bring a broom to sweep up the porcelain fragments. She then took him to the west side room to sit.

A servant brought tea.

Chen Xuanqing saw the child ignore everyone and quickly curl up on the kang bed. Gu Jin Chao’s explanation was brief, as it involved the second branch of the family. He had already heard more details from Yu Wanxue. He said: “With Ninth Brother in this state, I’m afraid he won’t learn much…”

No matter how learned he was, he couldn’t make a fool pass the imperial examinations.

Gu Jin Chao nodded with a smile: “I know, just having him recognize a few characters is fine. After the New Year, he will attend classes with Xuanxin and the others… Xuanxin’s teacher has already reached ‘The Great Learning,’ and probably won’t be able to give him attention.”

She had considered teaching him herself, but her pregnancy made it inconvenient. If Chen Xuanqing was unwilling, she would have to find another teacher for Chen Xuanyue.

“If you have other matters…” Gu Jin Chao saw he wasn’t speaking and didn’t want to force him.

Chen Xuanqing interrupted her: “Alright, I’ll come teach him half an hour every day from now on.”

Gu Jin Chao smiled, about to thank him for the trouble, when she noticed Chen Xuanqing looking at her. That very serious gaze seemed to contain many things, too profound… Their eyes suddenly met, and he quickly looked away.

Her heart skipped a beat, feeling that Chen Xuanqing’s behavior was somewhat inappropriate. But she couldn’t say why.

There was a moment of stillness in the inner chamber before Gu Jin Chao stood up: “…It’s almost noon, and I need to report back to your grandmother. I’ll go first.”

She instructed Chen Xuanyue again, telling him to pay respects to her tomorrow and to listen to Madam Song. Chen Guard would take him to Crane Extending Tower soon, and he shouldn’t be afraid… She knew Chen Xuanyue could understand speech; he just couldn’t communicate well now.

After her instructions, Gu Jin Chao left Banana Leaf Hall.

Chen Xuanqing stood up to see her off.

This time, Chen Xuanyue didn’t follow her. He sat on the edge of the kang bed, glanced at Chen Xuanqing, and slightly furrowed his brow.

But no one noticed.

Gu Jin Chao went to report to Old Madam Chen, ate lunch with her, and in the afternoon played cards with visiting Madam Wu. Yu Wanxue was a new bride, so the two Madams Wu inevitably spoke more with her. She didn’t play cards well and lost seven taels of silver, repeatedly saying she couldn’t play anymore.

Madam Wu patted her hand: “What are you afraid of? Your family has an imperial scholar. Just ask him for money when you go back!”

Everyone laughed, and Yu Wanxue’s face turned crimson with embarrassment, though the corners of her mouth couldn’t help but turn upward.

Madam Wu continued: “Since Chen Seventh Young Master was twelve, matchmakers have come to propose marriage. I remember a cousin’s sister from the Hu family in Fengyang, Anhui, who asked me to speak for Chen Seventh Young Master… I refused at the time. Many have liked the Seventh Young Master since childhood… The Seventh Young Master truly abides by the rules and doesn’t even have a concubine. The Seventh Madam has married a good husband!”

Gu Jin Chao lowered her head with a smile. Women who liked and admired him were as numerous as the reeds crossing the river, and she was once among them. But those were the mistakes of youth; now dealing with Third Master Chen alone was enough.

As the two Madams continued talking, they invited Yu Wanxue to play cards again. This time Gu Jin Chao left the card table, and Madam Wang came to play.

Gu Jin Chao sat beside Yu Wanxue, guiding her. New players always had good luck, even if they played poorly. Yu Wanxue followed Gu Jin Chao’s instructions and won back four taels of silver. Madam Wu, having lost too much, shook her head with a bitter smile and said she wouldn’t play anymore. She had brought over ten small pieces of silver, all of which went into Madam Wang and the Second Madam’s purses. Old Madam Chen laughed and had the tables cleared away. Servants brought up sliced apples to eat.

These were the apples that Second Master Chen had arranged to be transported first from Shaanxi. In a few days, he would return to the capital.

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