Gu Jinchao had gone to bed with her child.

It was only in the middle of the night that she heard voices speaking outside.

She rose quietly and lit a candle, making sure the child was properly covered.

Third Master Chen was speaking with someone in the study of the front courtyard, with occasional laughter filtering through. When he heard that Gu Jinchao had come, Third Master Chen seemed surprised: “…Why aren’t you sleeping?”

Jiang Yan, who was in the study, bowed to Gu Jinchao in greeting before withdrawing.

Gu Jinchao removed her cloak and asked: “The fire at the Marquis of Changxing’s mansion—did something happen to Xie Shixing?”

Third Master Chen took a sip of tea and gestured for her to sit down: “We searched until dawn before finding him. Don’t worry, he’s now locked in the Ministry of Justice prison. Having committed so many murders, he certainly won’t escape death.”

Good that he was caught. Gu Jinchao breathed a sigh of relief.

But what had he been doing since then? Only returning at this hour!

Third Master Chen seemed to know what she was wondering about and smiled: “My teacher called me for a talk, after all, the commotion was too great.”

He rose and walked to the window. The courtyard outside was pitch black, with only a few lotus-shaped stone lanterns lit.

He narrowed his eyes slightly, feeling the wind had grown cold.

The weather was indeed about to change.

That final look Zhang Julian gave him, was so meaningful—he had seen it many times before, enough to send chills down one’s spine.

Yuan Zhongru had once been his classmate and colleague, but when had Zhang Julian ever been soft-hearted toward him?

Gu Jinchao observed his silence, stood up, and walked behind him, softly calling: “Third Master, what’s wrong?”

Only then did Third Master Chen say: “Do you remember? I said I had something to ask you.”

He turned to face Gu Jinchao directly, his expression very serious.

Gu Jinchao nodded: “I know.” She paused for a moment, “Actually, I also have something I want to tell you.”

Seeing her suddenly calm demeanor, Third Master Chen sighed inwardly.

He shouldn’t just see her as a wife now. Gu Jinchao had many secrets, ones she never spoke of herself.

He asked Gu Jinchao to sit opposite him. He brought over the teapot and set out white porcelain teacups.

Jinchao preferred white porcelain teacups; he had never seen her use colored or blue-and-white porcelain. He had no particular preferences, so he indulged her.

“On the day of the palace coup, when the Marquis of Changxing slew Prince Rui with his sword. At the time, I found it very strange—who had tipped off Ye Xian?” He paused, then continued, “I initially suspected Xiao You, given his years as Ye Xian’s teacher, there must have been some sentiment between them. But later I realized it couldn’t be. If Xiao You had truly rebelled, he wouldn’t have let the Marquis enter the Forbidden Palace at all. So it wasn’t Xiao You.”

His fingers, clearly defined, held the teacup as he passed it to Gu Jinchao.

Gu Jinchao was somewhat surprised and then felt a tightness in her heart.

She had always believed that Third Master Chen would find out one day. But she had, after all, helped Ye Xian, and she didn’t know what Chen Yan’yun would think… Perhaps now was the time to be honest with him about everything. Because he was about to face a catastrophe.

Although Xie Shixing was dead, Zhang Julian was not. Third Master Chen would eventually confront Zhang Julian.

She composed herself and said softly: “It wasn’t Xiao You…”

“Indeed, it wasn’t Xiao You, and Xiao You is already dead.”

Chen Yan’yun watched the tea leaves unfurl in the cup.

“So I believed there was someone else behind Ye Xian, someone helping him. And I’ve been trying to find this person… but I never imagined that this person has been by my side all along.” He looked up and said calmly, “Jinchao, how could it be you?”

So the person he had been searching for all this time was Gu Jinchao. She slept beside him night after night, while he searched the world over.

No wonder Ye Xian’s expression that day had been both surprised and peculiar.

It was indeed laughable.

“I know some things,” Jinchao sighed, “But not much. That time I helped him was by chance—at my grandmother’s, I heard about Prince Rui’s merchant ships transporting weapons.” Gu Jinchao knew that a few words wouldn’t satisfy Chen Yan’yun; she wanted to explain everything clearly.

She should trust Third Master Chen.

“What I’m about to say might be difficult to understand, but it’s all true,” Gu Jinchao said.

If he didn’t believe her, she couldn’t sit here comfortably at all.

Gu Jinchao understood this very well.

“Zhuangzi dreamed of a butterfly, and the butterfly dreamed of Zhuangzi. I know… some things that might happen, that is, I can foresee events, though I’m not always certain. When you were injured last time, I claimed it was from Buddha. It wasn’t entirely false—perhaps Buddha does have a hand in these matters.” Gu Jinchao just smiled, “But I’m just a woman of the inner quarters, understanding neither fate nor court affairs. What use is knowing these things?”

This was even more shocking than he had imagined.

Jinchao could foresee events?

Third Master Chen frowned deeply: “Have you told anyone else?”

Gu Jinchao shook her head: “I hesitated greatly even telling you. I wouldn’t reveal a single word to others.”

Chen Yan’yun pondered this for a long time.

He tentatively asked: “If… I were to ask how long the Chen family will prosper, would you know?”

Gu Jinchao shook her head: “I don’t know. I only know things that might happen. And these things can change. For instance, I knew my second cousin Ji might marry the fourth daughter of the Marquis of Yongyang, but in the end, he married the fifth daughter. I couldn’t have predicted that. And I saw that my mother would die. I tried hard to change it, but she died in the end. These things are unpredictable…”

After listening, Chen Yan’yun thought deeply again before asking: “So you only know things that might happen. And your knowledge is far from complete. But it’s enough for you to warn others. Just like when you said I might get hurt last time, isn’t that right?”

Gu Jinchao nodded; she felt this explanation was the best.

He ruffled her hair: “Then I’m relieved. This isn’t so troublesome after all. If you truly knew the past and future completely, that would be problematic!”

Third Master Chen’s reaction was unexpected; Gu Jinchao was somewhat dumbfounded.

She shook his hand: “I thought… you would want me to know many things!”

Chen Yan’yun shook his head decisively: “Extreme wisdom brings harm.”

Like those fortune-tellers on the street, too much divination shortens one’s lifespan. He wondered if Jinchao’s ability would reduce her years.

Thinking of this, he couldn’t help but caution her: “If it’s not necessary, don’t speak of it. Like your cousin’s marriage—that’s someone else’s fate. You need not look into it. Surely you know of Fang Zhongyong!”

Gu Jinchao finally smiled and continued holding his hand: “If you have any matters in the future, you can discuss them with me. Perhaps I might know something!”

But Chen Yan’yun thought for a moment.

“When you were kidnapped by the bandits, you had Yuzhu tell me to beware of Fourth Brother and Master Zhang—was that also something you foresaw?”

Gu Jinchao shook her head again: “Not at all! If I had known from the beginning, I would have warned you. I was just guessing bit by bit, because…” Gu Jinchao didn’t want to mention Third Master Chen’s death, so she avoided it, “Grandmother discovered something amiss with the Chen family’s Yongchang Trading Company… she told me. The business of Yongchang Trading Company had issues—the Fourth Master colluded with the Imperial Textile official to exploit the people. The silk from Yongchang Trading Company comes from the Weaving and Dyeing Bureau, using tax silk and conscripted craftsmen, which is why the prices are so low.”

“I thought at the time, the Imperial Textile official was dispatched from the Imperial Household Department. Master Zhang has deep connections with Feng Chengshan, the Supervising Secretary of the Imperial Household Department… Fourth Master has made a grave mistake in this matter. If Master Zhang has evidence against him, he would likely use it to threaten you!”

Corruption, exploitation of the people, and daring to misuse tax silk—these were serious crimes.

Third Master Chen’s expression grew solemn. “Is this true?”

Gu Jinchao nodded.

Perhaps Third Master Chen never imagined that Fourth Master Chen would betray him from behind. Who could predict betrayal from one’s brother?

“He resents me,” Third Master Chen stared at the candle flame for a long time before saying: “Do you know why I don’t want him to hold office?”

He had mentioned it before. Gu Jinchao said: “You said it was because of Fourth Master’s temperament…”

Chen Yan’yun just smiled: “That’s only one reason. It’s because of something he once did.”

Gu Jinchao listened quietly.

“He killed Fifth Brother—” Chen Yan’yun’s voice was very soft, “He thought no one knew, but I did. When Fifth Brother drowned, he claimed he was writing in the study. But I had gone to the study looking for him, and he wasn’t there at all. He had returned from the lotus pond with mud spots on his sleeve. Fifth Brother’s birth mother, Concubine Li, was still alive then and was grief-stricken. He even went to comfort her with a few words.”

“Looking at Fourth Brother, I felt like I didn’t know this person at all.”

“At that time, Fifth Brother and I were very close, and Mother was also fond of him. Fourth Brother was quite dissatisfied with this… but I never guessed he would be capable of murder. And then to act as if nothing had happened, even comforting others.”

Chen Yan’yun smiled bitterly: “I also had some selfish considerations. If such a cold-hearted person were to achieve success and fame in the future, how would he treat us?” He slowly touched Gu Jinchao’s face, “That’s why I was reluctant to tell you and didn’t want you to know what kind of person I am.”

Gu Jinchao placed her hand over his cold one, feeling deeply moved.

It wasn’t that Fourth Master Chen had killed Fifth Master Chen; he had merely watched him drown without saving him. But was there any difference between that and murder?

Gu Jinchao truly didn’t know.

If she had seen Gu Lan struggling in a pond, she probably wouldn’t have saved her either, and would likely have walked away. If someone drowned, it wouldn’t be her concern. Of course, her grudge against Gu Lan was too deep—she would have wanted to push Gu Lan into the pond herself.

“Nobody knows about this yet. If you speak with Fourth Master Chen, I’m sure you can resolve the issue,” Gu Jinchao comforted him, “It’s late now. You should sleep first. You haven’t been sleeping well these past few nights…”

She rose to instruct the maids to heat water for him, but Third Master Chen held her back.

“Jinchao, my fate is tragic, isn’t it?” Chen Yan’yun looked at the candle burning low and said softly, “Otherwise, you wouldn’t pay much attention to these matters. What will happen to me in the future? Will I be disgraced? Or will someone harm me? You can tell me.”

Thinking of his death, Gu Jinchao still felt a weight in her heart.

“Everything will be fine… I’m here, aren’t I?” She forced a smile.

Chen Yan’yun just smiled: “You said before. You saw that your mother might die, and despite your best efforts, you couldn’t save her.” He closed his eyes briefly, his voice becoming much hoarser, “If I am truly meant to die, you must tell me.”

His grip on Gu Jinchao’s hand was very tight.

In the prime of his life, at the height of his power, yet he was already contemplating death.

Gu Jinchao argued: “But… the Marquis of Changxing was also supposed to die, yet he didn’t! Don’t overthink it, these things aren’t without variables.” Although most of what she knew had not deviated from its course.

Gu Jinchao would not tell Third Master Chen this last part.

He made a sound of acknowledgment and pulled her tightly into his embrace.