Gu Jinchao bid farewell to her father and Madam Feng.

Gu Jinrong felt somewhat disappointed, having barely spoken with his elder sister. He arranged for Gu Jinchao to visit again after the New Year. Gu Jinchao smiled and agreed, noticing Xu Jingyi standing beside her father with a faint smile. She pulled Xu Jingyi aside to speak privately.

“Your body… has there been any movement?”

Xu Jingyi was startled, not expecting Gu Jinchao to ask such a question.

Gu Jinchao simply said, “Don’t mind me and don’t mind my mother. I know Father will never forget Mother, but the living is what’s most important. When you married my father… I know you loved him.”

Listening to Gu Jinchao’s words, Xu Jingyi’s eyes gradually reddened. She gripped Gu Jinchao’s hand and smiled, “I understand.” She continued, “This is good too, living peacefully and steadily. Your father treats me very well. Truly.”

One knows the temperature of the water one drinks. Gu Jinchao felt she had said enough.

She bid everyone farewell, then carried Changshuo onto the carriage.

Chen family’s guards immediately escorted Gu Jinchao out of the Gu family gates.

Gu Dezhao turned his face away. As he grew older, he increasingly disliked farewells. Especially with his eldest daughter, toward whom he always felt a sense of dependence.

On the journey, Feng Jun explained the situation to Gu Jinchao.

The Chen family’s Old Madam had fallen ill, very suddenly. Last night, while Governess Zheng was helping her walk under the corridor, she suddenly couldn’t stand. After regaining consciousness, she began vomiting and experiencing diarrhea, along with an excruciating headache.

The servants immediately informed the Third Master Chen, who quickly came with others. However, the doctor’s diagnosis was shocking.

The Old Madam wasn’t sick—she had been poisoned.

“Third Master has already ordered all of the Old Madam’s daily items to be collected and examined carefully. We don’t know who administered the poison so stealthily. Although only the Old Madam has shown symptoms, as a precaution, Third Master still wants you to return and be examined…” Feng Jun explained.

Gu Jinchao thought for a moment and asked, “What kind of poison has the Grand Madam ingested?”

Feng Jun replied, “This subordinate isn’t knowledgeable about medicines and isn’t very clear. However, Doctor Ji said the Old Madam’s symptoms resemble those of wandering practitioners who have consumed too many elixirs. Initially, there’s just paleness, loss of appetite, night sweats, and insomnia. Then comes abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea… when severe, it can be fatal.”

In recent days, Gu Jinchao had also experienced insomnia and a constant lack of energy, thinking it was due to poor sleep.

Her face paled as she asked quietly, “Is the Third Master suspecting that I…”

Feng Jun bowed slightly, “Madam, please don’t worry. Third Master is only concerned and wants the doctor to examine you to be certain.”

Gu Jinchao gave a soft acknowledgment and held her sleeping child tighter.

Once someone begins to suspect they’re ill, everything seems to become abnormal. Inexplicable sensitivities emerge, and any itch or pain becomes magnified.

Gu Jinchao originally wasn’t afraid of death, but now she felt afraid. She couldn’t help but laugh at herself—she was becoming more vulnerable with time.

But after the initial sensitivity passed, there wasn’t much to fear. After all, it was a slow-acting poison, and even if she had been poisoned, she wouldn’t die immediately. However, the Old Madam’s poisoning made Gu Jinchao ponder deeply.

In her memory, she didn’t recall the Old Madam ever being poisoned. If she had remembered, she would certainly have warned the Old Madam to be careful.

That meant things were gradually beginning to change.

Who would poison the Old Madam? If it was intentional, it must have been someone close to her who could manage it…

The carriage moved quickly, but even at that speed, it would take half a day to arrive. When Gu Jinchao grew tired from thinking, she rested against the pillow. By the time Changshuo’s crying woke her again, they had already reached Wanping. Gu Jinchao called the wet nurse to feed the child.

The carriage turned into Rongxiang Hutong.

Third Master Chen was waiting for her at the screen wall. Seeing her descend, he immediately came forward.

He probably hadn’t rested all night, with stubble showing on his chin. Gu Jinchao was embraced by him, and as she smelled the gentle sandalwood fragrance on him, her heart calmed. She couldn’t help but ask, “How is Mother?”

“Mm, she drank a bowl of milk porridge and hasn’t vomited again.” Chen Yanyun didn’t take her back to Muxi Hall but instead led her directly to Ninghui Hall.

“Why aren’t we returning to Muxi Hall?” Gu Jinchao immediately realized that Muxi Hall might have been sealed by Chen Yanyun and was under thorough investigation.

“Third Master, am I also…” Gu Jinchao was worried.

Chen Yanyun interrupted her words, “It will be fine.” He kissed her hair, “Listen, let the doctor examine you… nothing will happen.” His tense expression, however, didn’t relax.

Gu Jinchao allowed him to lead her into Ninghui Hall, where Doctor Ji was already waiting, along with another fair-complexioned man about forty years old. He bowed to Gu Jinchao, and Chen Yanyun introduced him as a person from their area who was skilled in medicine surnamed Song.

First, Mr. Song asked Gu Jinchao several questions, which she answered truthfully. He appeared thoughtful.

Third Master Chen, accompanying her, noticed this man’s hesitant expression. His heart sank, “Is the Madam also…”

“It seems like it, but also doesn’t. I’m not certain,” Mr. Song said, “Without certainty, I dare not speak rashly.”

Doctor Ji felt Gu Jinchao’s pulse through a silk handkerchief, and after a while, he sighed with relief, “It’s nothing!”

“What is it then?” Gu Jinchao quickly asked.

Doctor Ji smiled, “The honorable Madam has the pulse of pregnancy! The symptoms overlapped!”

Pregnancy pulse… it was pregnancy!

Gu Jinchao was momentarily stunned, not knowing whether to be happy.

Third Master Chen wasn’t ready to relax and asked Doctor Ji to check again. This time, Doctor Ji was even more certain, “It is a pregnancy pulse, already two months along! With my many years of medical practice, this cannot be mistaken.”

Mr. Song also smiled, “If it’s pregnancy, that’s good. Since it’s pregnancy, the Madam should not be in danger of poisoning!”

Only then did Chen Yanyun relax and ask the two men to leave first.

Gu Jinchao noticed his slightly furrowed brow and couldn’t help but smooth it. Chen Yanyun looked up at her, took her hand, and kissed it, “What’s wrong?”

“Have you been too busy these days?” Gu Jinchao said, “You always seem tired.” She sat down beside him.

Chen Yanyun simply said, “Don’t worry about me. Now that my teacher is wary of me, there are many restrictions in court. It’s natural to be more tired than usual. With Mother now poisoned, I was truly afraid something might happen to you, that’s why I called you back… Did I interrupt your wedding celebration?”

Gu Jinchao embraced him, burying her head in his chest.

He wrapped one arm around Gu Jinchao’s waist and gently patted her back with the other hand, whispering to her, “The husband is the sky, and I must always support the sky for you. Isn’t that right?”

Gu Jinchao made a sound of agreement. Perhaps it was due to her pregnancy, but she felt her emotions becoming more abundant again, and his words made her eyes redden. She said, “Pregnancy again… Changshuo isn’t even a year old, and we’re already adding a sibling?”

“When they’re born, the two children can grow up playing together,” Third Master Chen gently caressed her flat abdomen, “Later, go see Mother and tell her. She’ll be happy.”

Now that Gu Jinchao was fine, he was relieved.

However, in these troubled times, this child choosing to come now was also a complication.

But a child’s arrival was always joyous.

Gu Jinchao went to see the Old Madam. Madam Qin and Madam Ge were attending to her. Madam Wang was indisposed these few days, so she hadn’t come to care for the Old Madam.

The Old Madam’s health had been poor for several months, but when doctors were called, they couldn’t find any serious illness. As people age, various ailments accumulate, so they haven’t taken it seriously. It was only after severe poisoning that they discovered the truth. Now the residual poison was difficult to eliminate, but fortunately, the one surnamed Song was exceptionally skilled and said that with gradual treatment, she could recover and it wouldn’t be life-threatening.

Gu Jinchao saw the Old Madam’s hand was so thin that even the blue veins were visible, which alarmed her. Yet she dared not tell the Old Madam, only smiling as she kept her company and helped her take medicine.

By evening, Third Master Chen said Muxi Hall was safe, and she could return.

Yu Wanxue came to pay her respects and also asked with concern if she was alright. Gu Jinchao chatted with her for a while. When Third Master Chen returned, it was already late at night, and Gu Jinchao immediately asked him about the progress of the investigation.

“…We’ve questioned each servant attending to Mother one by one and carefully examined the food and daily items. Nothing unusual was found,” Third Master Chen told her. “Since we can’t find anything, we can only move Mother to a different location, temporarily to Banzhu Pan.”

Gu Jinchao asked further, “What about the pillows, bedding, sachets, and such?” She had once put poison in Concubine Song’s pillow, so she immediately thought of that.

Third Master Chen smiled, “Don’t worry, when it comes to poisoning methods, they’re more proficient than you.”

His subordinates were well-trained, and these daily items would naturally be considered.

Gu Jinchao then helped Third Master Chen to bed.

He held her in his arms, caressing her abdomen, “Times are chaotic now. I fear I won’t have the energy to care for you and my child.”

Gu Jinchao smiled and said, “My child and I are living well on our own. We don’t need your care.”

He sighed in her ear, “Do you not want my care?”

Thinking of his so-called “care,” her face flushed slightly. She turned away and burrowed into the bedding, ready to sleep.

He embraced her, bedding and all, smiling as he said, “Alright! You’re pregnant now, so I’ll let you off temporarily. When you want my care again, come tell me!”

Gu Jinchao didn’t respond but soon heard his even breathing. He had fallen asleep just like that—truly exhausted…

She turned to cover him with the quilt and lay facing him as she slept.

…

The next day, Third Master Chen expanded the search range to the entire Tanshan Courtyard. The guards almost turned Tanshan Courtyard upside down.

Jinchao went to care for the Old Madam again, whose complexion had improved somewhat.

Due to the Old Madam’s sudden illness, Third Master Chen had also taken a few days’ leave to accompany her.

The Old Madam, wrapped in quilts, reclined on the warm kang bed, talking with the two of them.

Third Master Chen peeled a pear for her and fed her piece by piece. The Old Madam sighed, “After so many years, this is the only time you’ve fed me food!”

Third Master Chen smiled and said, “If you like it, I can come more often.”

The Old Madam reached out to take the remaining half pear, “The Cabinet affairs are so busy. I’ve already burdened you for several days, you shouldn’t come often…”

Suddenly, Third Master Chen caught his mother’s hand, noticing a string of sandalwood prayer beads revealed in her sleeve. The material seemed very old, with the color darkened to black.

Gu Jinchao noticed the change in Third Master Chen’s expression.

Third Master Chen untied the prayer beads and held them in his hand, examining them.

The Old Madam asked with some confusion, “What’s wrong… these beads, didn’t you give them to me?”

“Yes, I gave them to you. At that time, the color wasn’t this dark,” Third Master Chen said slowly. “This item was given through someone else.” He stood up and said, “Jinchao, please keep Mother company for now. I have something to resolve.”

Gu Jinchao nodded, and he left with the string of prayer beads.