Gu Jin Chao sighed: “Xuan Yue, even if you tell me, it would never spread elsewhere… Do you trust your aunt?”

Chen Xuan Yue thought silently for a while before saying: “…Playing the fool is quite good. At least if I discover someone’s secrets, they’ll dismiss me and not take it to heart.”

Gu Jin Chao looked at him without speaking. At this point, she would wait for Chen Xuan Yue to speak on his own!

He lowered his eyes to look at the white porcelain teacup on the kang table: “In a place like the Chen household, there are always some secrets that are too hidden and festering, that no one should glimpse… When I was about five years old, I was picking lotus pods by the lotus pond and saw Fourth Uncle with his attendant, standing by the pond admiring the lotus flowers…”

He slowly told Gu Jin Chao about this matter he had kept hidden for many years.

At five years old, he was still being raised by the Chen Old Madam, which made Madam Qin very wary of him. Her gaze toward him was always cold, and Chen Xuan Yue knew he probably couldn’t stay by Chen Old Madam’s side for long. He was too young then, and it would have been far too easy for Madam Qin to have him killed…

At that time, to save his life, he had to leave Tanshan Court.

He often played by the lotus pond behind Tanshan Court, though it wasn’t playing. He just liked to stare at the pond lost in thought.

That summer it was very hot in Wanping County. Even in the evening after sunset, the cicadas wouldn’t stop chirping. It was much cooler by the lotus pond, with dragonflies flying everywhere. He hid under the shade of a willow tree watching the dragonflies.

Two people slowly walked along the corridor nearby, one was Fourth Master Chen, and the other was his page boy.

Initially, Chen Xuan Yue didn’t pay much attention to them. He thought they were probably coming to pay their respects to Chen Old Madam and just came out to enjoy the cool air.

Fourth Master Chen stood in the pavilion, facing the boundless green of lotus leaves stretching to the horizon, silent for a long while. His standing figure against the glow of the setting sun appeared increasingly desolate.

The page boy behind him said softly: “Fourth Master, soon the banquet inside will be over, and the Old Madam will be looking for you. We should go back first.”

“What would she want me for?” His voice was flat. “With Third Brother and Second Brother there, she doesn’t need to speak with me.”

The page boy smiled: “You’re also the apple of the Old Madam’s eye! Just look at what she gives you, all the finest things…”

Fourth Master Chen said indifferently: “Good to me… I don’t feel that way. Mother cares too much about appearances, fearing others will say she favors one over another, treating her children by concubines better than those born of the principal wife. I often wonder if she has no personal bias. Second Brother was born of a maid, yet she raised him to become a high official of the court! If it were always like this, I wouldn’t be so suspicious. But Third Brother is legitimate, and he’s better than me in every way, more favored by her…”

It was at this point that Chen Xuan Yue realized this wasn’t good. Taking advantage of his small stature, with lotus leaves for cover, he curled up to avoid being seen. He didn’t dare leave… otherwise, in such a situation, he certainly wouldn’t have stayed!

The page boy didn’t know how to comfort him and stammered for a while before saying: “Didn’t Third Master say he would hand over the Chen family business to you… I think Third Master truly cares for you. Brothers born of the same mother are naturally closer than other brothers.”

Fourth Master Chen laughed coldly: “The hierarchy of status is nothing more than a scholar, farmer, artisan, merchant. I, a dignified presented scholar who spent years in the Hanlin Academy without being promoted, still studied the classics and understood the principles… Even if he doesn’t help me in my official career, he shouldn’t cut off my prospects! He’s truly ruthless. Just as I was about to be recommended by Minister Zhang for a position as a Secretariat Drafter, he feared I might block his path in the future…”

As he spoke, he turned his gaze back to the lotus pond.

“Si Qi, do you remember this lotus pond? You were only ten years old then… Fifth Brother was struggling in the water, crying out in fear and panic. I watched him and truly didn’t want to save him at all. How could he imitate Third Brother and hide in the water? He was foolish, clearly didn’t know how to swim at all…”

“After Fifth Brother died, Mother was inconsolable. I hid outside the mourning hall and peeked in; Mother was burning paper money and crying…”

He didn’t seem to expect the page boy to answer, just smiled to himself.

“There’s a wronged soul beneath the lotus pond.”

…By this point, Chen Xuan Yue was chilled to the bone.

The master and servant, having finished admiring the lotus pond, didn’t turn back but instead walked toward the corridor where he was hiding.

Chen Xuan Yue froze. They were probably intending to take the corridor back to Tanshan Court…

If they left the lotus pond, they would surely see him hiding there… and if he ran out now, he would attract their attention, and he couldn’t outrun these two. At that point, death would be certain! If Fourth Master Chen knew this matter had been leaked, he could easily kill him on the spot…

Chen Xuan Yue hesitated briefly, then immediately chose the first option. If he ran, it would only show his guilty conscience, making it impossible to avoid death.

He had no time to hesitate further; soon Fourth Master Chen came around the corner. On his page, Si Qi spotted Chen Xuan Yue first and immediately exclaimed: “Fourth Master, why is there a little brat over there!”

Chen Xuan Yue saw Fourth Master Chen’s face immediately darken. He strode over and grabbed Chen Xuan Yue by the collar, lifting him.

Chen Xuan Yue put on a bewildered expression, sniffled, and looked at him.

Fourth Master Chen’s eyes flashed with disgust, and he nearly threw him to the ground.

Si Qi said in a low voice: “Isn’t this the Ninth Young Master who stays with the Old Madam? I heard his mind doesn’t work well. Fourth Master, what should we do? This child has been hiding here for a while and must have heard everything we said…”

Fourth Master Chen’s hand tightened, and Chen Xuan Yue immediately felt it difficult to breathe. He struggled painfully and began to wail: “Dragonfly! My dragonfly… you stepped on it…” Fourth Master Chen frowned, wondering what nonsense this child was talking about! Looking down, he realized he had indeed stepped on a dragonfly, which was completely crushed. The child in his grasp, face covered in tears and mucus, still clutched his hand tightly. “Nanny… caught it after so long… dragonfly is dead… you must pay…”

Fourth Master Chen looked at the dragonflies flying chaotically overhead and finally understood what the child was doing hiding there.

Since he was just a fool and didn’t seem to understand their conversation, Fourth Master Chen loosened his grip slightly and asked in a low voice: “Do you know what we were just talking about?”

Chen Xuan Yue continued crying: “Dragonfly is dead, you killed it…”

Si Qi sighed in relief: “Fortunately, he’s a fool… You needn’t trouble yourself.” If they killed him, it would cause many problems. After all, he was a young master and one who lived with the Old Madam. If he disappeared, people would search for him, and an investigation would be troublesome.

Fourth Master Chen narrowed his eyes and suddenly smiled: “It’s not troublesome at all. Just throw him in the lotus pond. It would be his drowning—what has it to do with me?”

Chen Xuan Yue’s heart went cold. He hadn’t expected Fourth Master Chen to be so cruel and suspicious! Today it seemed impossible to get away with deception…

Hearing this, Gu Jin Chao was also shocked by Fourth Master Chen’s viciousness. She had only thought him to have an effeminate temperament, never imagining he could be so poisonous as to not spare even a child! This made his behavior even more suspicious. If he could watch Fifth Master Chen drown without intervening and was willing to kill a defenseless child, what might he do to Third Master Chen?

Gu Jin Chao suddenly recalled what Ye Xian had once told her. He said Third Master Chen wasn’t a good person, that for the sake of his career, he could ruthlessly cut off his brothers’ paths… Could he have been referring to Fourth Master Chen?

But why would Third Master Chen do this? Gu Jin Chao didn’t believe that though he was resourceful, he would use such tactics against his brothers…

The closer she got to the inside story, the more confused she became.

If Fourth Master Chen had harmed Third Master Chen, how could he have done it?

Coming back to her senses, she asked Chen Xuan Yue: “…So how did you escape later?”

Chen Xuan Yue smiled faintly: “I couldn’t escape… It was Grandmother who sent someone to fetch Fourth Uncle back. Only then did he release me, and his page even caught another dragonfly for me. I held the dragonfly and stopped talking… Otherwise, given Fourth Uncle’s temperament, he certainly wouldn’t have let me go.”

For such a small child to be able to adapt to the situation so quickly was no easy feat.

Gu Jin Chao thought for a moment and said to him: “Xuan Yue, do you know when you won’t need to pretend anymore?”

Chen Xuan Yue looked at her.

Gu Jin Chao told him: “…When you’re powerful enough that you don’t need to fear these people.”

…

After sending Chen Xuan Yue away, Xue Concubine came in to take her leave. Gu Jin Chao was already somewhat tired and dismissed everyone. She leaned against a pillow and slept for a while. When she woke up, she heard the child crying, and outside the window, the sun was already setting in the west.

Gu Jin Chao picked up Chang Suo to comfort him, thinking that she should tell Third Master Chen about Fourth Master Chen’s matter.

But how to say it was indeed a problem…

By the time Third Master Chen returned, she was still deliberating in her heart.

Chang Suo, perhaps hearing his father’s return, began to wail again. Third Master Chen took the child from her arms to comfort him, slowly pacing back and forth. Gu Jin Chao gazed absently at his tall figure. Chang Suo clutched his father’s official robe sleeve and stopped crying, only sniffling.

His embrace was both steady and warm, and the child slept peacefully.

Chen Yan Yun walked up to her, noticing her unusual abstraction, and lowered his voice to say: “…Just now while I was comforting the child, you kept looking at me. Am I that handsome?”

Gu Jin Chao blushed, knowing he was teasing her. She turned her face away and said: “How are you handsome at all!”

Third Master Chen handed the child to Madam Zou, telling her to take him to the warm room to sleep. He poured a cup of tea and drank it: “You kept looking at me, so you must have something on your mind. Tell me what you’re thinking; don’t trouble that little head of yours… Is it something difficult with the household management?”

Gu Jin Chao shook her head and then said: “Did you tell the Fourth Master to look after my shops?”

Third Master Chen smiled: “Is that what you’re thinking about? I only mentioned it to him once. Don’t worry too much; just accept any favors he offers you. The Chen family business was originally managed by me, but after entering the Secretariat, I had no time to attend to it, so I handed it over to him.”

Third Master Chen trusted Fourth Master Chen greatly, which made her words even harder to say. Since it was difficult to speak directly, she could at least ask… Gu Jin Chao tugged at his arm: “I remember that Fourth Master was a presented scholar from the Renshan examination year. Why doesn’t he continue his official career instead of helping to manage the family business?”