Ye Xian watched as Gu Jinchao left the flower hall.

His face looked quite unwell. In truth, he was barely holding himself together. On the night when Prince Rui framed his father, he had been soaked in rain all night, both physically and mentally exhausted. In the days that followed, he hadn’t rested properly, and now after traveling a hundred li to see Jinchao, his mind was in a fog and his body somewhat unsteady.

He could barely support himself, his body leaning against a corridor pillar as he slowly removed a blue and white porcelain narrow-necked bottle from his sleeve. He poured out two bright red pills and swallowed them. Liu Zhou had mentioned that the pills he regularly took contained a certain amount of cinnabar. Ancient Taoist priests often used it for alchemy, but the Bencao Jing Shu had long noted that cinnabar was toxic. Taking it short-term caused no major harm, but long-term use was hazardous.

No wonder his illness hadn’t improved all these years.

The guard saw his distress and hurriedly came forward, saying, “Young Master, your complexion doesn’t look good. Is it…”

Ye Xian waved his hand and said, “It’s nothing serious. We’ll return to the capital now. Tomorrow, go to East Legation Street and invite Wu Delian from the Imperial Pharmacy to come…” Wu Delian was skilled at identifying medicines; he could identify seven or eight components of a medicine just by smell. He certainly couldn’t continue taking these pills.

His group then used three-pronged grappling hooks to scale the wall, disappearing silently from the inner courtyard of the Gu family.

Jinchao returned to Yanxiu Hall but couldn’t sleep well all night. She leaned against the black lacquered, gold-trimmed stepped bed, looking at the dust cover on the bed canopy, lost in thought. That Ye Xian had come to see her today with guards could only mean that the Long Xing Marquis family’s situation was still very precarious. The events in this life differed too greatly from her previous life. Just one person, Ye Xian, could completely reverse the situation.

She had helped the Long Xing Marquis family, which was also helping herself. At the very least, her father’s official position would be secure from now on, and Zhang Julian’s faction wouldn’t become so rampant as to control the court. But there was still something unresolved in her heart…

In her previous life, the Long Xing Marquis died for treason, and his family was branded as traitors and rebels. How exactly had Ye Xian cleared the Long Xing Marquis family of their crimes? She remembered that Ye Xian eventually entered government service as a judicial officer in the Court of Judicial Review, and subsequently took control of it step by step. It was then that he carried out that absurd lingchi execution by a thousand cuts. The Emperor was only fifteen years old at the time and was made to laugh heartily by a few of his words, completely disregarding the cruelty of the matter. The court officials, however, all changed their expressions, feeling that this young marquis was making an example of someone. Sure enough, after that, others would take a detour when they saw him…

Jinchao still remembered hearing about the incident from Shi Ye’s account, though she wasn’t sure how much of it was true. The aristocratic circle in the capital was only so big, and Ye Xian was deliberately establishing his authority, so naturally, word spread quickly. When she heard it at the time, she was amazed that someone so young could be so ruthless…

She didn’t know exactly what Ye Xian had done. But judging from his resolute killing of Xiao You, his character probably hadn’t changed.

Having become familiar with Ye Xian, Jinchao didn’t think he was a bad person. However, those with intelligence always thought more than others and found it easier to achieve their goals, with fewer worldly constraints to bind them. With his personality, Ye Xian was likely to become like his former self again…

After thinking for a while, she began to feel a headache. What did Ye Xian’s future have to do with her? Would he even listen to what she said?

Jinchao sighed almost imperceptibly, had Qing Pu blow out the lamp, and finally slowly drifted off to sleep.

The next day, Madam Feng had not yet returned, and the Second Aunt invited her for lunch as usual.

The Second Madam’s courtyard was in the Xian Ya Hall, east of the western side courtyard. Next to it was the Chang’an Pavilion where Second Master Gu’s concubines lived together. Gu Lian couldn’t bear to leave her mother, and Madam Feng also doted on her, so she was allowed to live with the Second Madam.

From Yanxiu Hall to Xian Ya Hall, one only needed to cross a corridor and a magnolia garden, then walk through a passageway to see the doorway of the Second Madam’s courtyard. Outside the doorway was a fish tank with finger-length fish, with fallen magnolia flowers floating in the water, creating an elegant scene.

If nothing else, the courtyards of the Gu ancestral home were exquisite in every detail.

The matron beside the Second Madam invited Jinchao to enter, smiling as she said, “…Young Miss has come at the right time, several concubines are still talking inside.”

The maid wearing a blue-green comparison armor standing outside the main hall lifted the curtain for Jinchao. When she entered, she indeed saw several concubines inside, along with Hui Ge and Rui Ge. Gu Lian was speaking with her maid Lan Zhi: “The goose-yellow silk flowers go better with that gold hairpin inlaid with sapphires and adorned with baby patterns. Red is too vulgar. You’re not even as good at dressing up as Lan’er…” She pushed Lan Zhi aside, arranged the flowers herself, and showed them to the Second Madam, smiling as she asked, “Mother, is this good?”

The Second Madam, however, had already seen Jinchao arrive and smiled, inviting her to sit down: “I was just hoping you would come.”

The concubines had no status to speak here, so they paid their respects and promptly took their leave.

When her mother didn’t respond, Gu Lian felt somewhat aggrieved. Jinchao saw several jewelry boxes on the red lacquered, gold-decorated luohan bed, with silk flowers, hairpins, decorative forehead ornaments, earrings, and other accessories laid out. The styles were extremely exquisite, and Jinchao had rarely seen such things.

…The Gu family truly doted on Gu Lian.

“Sister Lian’s things are quite beautiful. Those forehead ornaments are especially varied. I’ve never seen such exquisite ones…” Jinchao sat on the embroidered stool, smiling as she offered a few words of flattery.

Gu Lian said nothing, slowly tidying up her things, though secretly feeling quite proud. Gu Lan had told her that Gu Jinchao had many nice things, and the items in her private storehouse were piled up dazzlingly.

For her to praise Gu Lian’s possessions like this, didn’t that mean her things were even better than Jinchao’s?

The Second Madam smiled and said, “Those few things of hers are just for showing off! I heard that the second young master of the Yao family will be coming in a few days. He’s sent a visiting card requesting guidance from your Second Uncle on composition, so she’s picking out accessories…”

Hearing the Second Madam’s words, Jinchao immediately understood her meaning. How could Yao Wenxiu, the son of the Grand Secretary of the Wenhua Palace, need to seek guidance on composition from Second Master Gu? He was using this as a pretext to see Gu Lian.

Even if they were engaged, it was rare for a young woman and man to meet. This was somewhat improper, but the Second Madam didn’t mind, perhaps having become accustomed to such things.

Jinchao smiled and said, “I’ve long heard that the second young master of the Grand Secretary of Wenhua Palace is talented and handsome, knowledgeable and reasonable. My cousin Lian has a good marriage prospect. But Cousin Lian is lovely and pure-hearted, naturally a match of talent and beauty.”

Who doesn’t like to hear such pleasant words? Gu Lian’s tense face relaxed considerably.

To say that she disliked Gu Jinchao, apart from Lan’er saying that she was ruthless and bullied the daughters of concubines, there was also her dissatisfaction. Originally, after the eldest sister was married off, there was only one legitimate daughter in the Gu family, and everyone would praise and dote on her.

Now that Gu Jinchao had arrived, Grandmother had her attend to her, and even her mother praised her endlessly. Last night, her mother had asked her to drink a bowl of pig’s trotter soup with gastrodia, but she refused because she found it greasy. Her mother became anxious and even scolded her: “Your cousin Jinchao is a motherless child, yet she’s obedient and sensible in every way… Look at you, about to marry into the Yao family, and still with such childish behavior, making me worry for nothing!”

Gu Lian felt very aggrieved. What did it matter to her that Gu Jinchao had no mother? Her mother said Jinchao was obedient and sensible, so was she not?

The more she thought about it, the more pitiful she felt, so she went to Gu Lan and complained. Gu Lan comforted her: “…Second Aunt is concerned about you. My elder sister lost her mother and nothing is easy for her. You shouldn’t hold it against her; she just likes to appear as if she’s pleasing the elders.”

“Look how she treats me. When I moved to the Gu family, she changed all the maids in my room. She has plenty of warm bedding, but won’t even give me what she gives her maids… I don’t want to quibble with her either. If I were to argue with her over everything, it would be exhausting…”

Gu Lian felt this made sense, and now in response to Jinchao, she could manage a reply: “Thank you for your kind words, Cousin.”

After the group chatted for a while, the Second Madam took a sip of tea and said, “In a while, all the important maids and servants will come. You’ve made such a mess here, how am I supposed to receive them?” She asked Gu Lian to put away her things in the west side room where she lived.

The maids helped with the tidying up, and everyone went to the west side room.

Soon, the main maids and stewards from the inner courtyard began to arrive, and Gu Lan came along too. She was wearing a newly made light pink diamond-patterned satin jacket with a hemp outer garment. There were faint shadows under her eyes, but her hair was neatly combed into a round bun, adorned with two pearl flowers the size of fingernails.

She hadn’t expected Gu Jinchao to be here, and Gu Lan’s expression showed some surprise. But she quickly smiled and gently bowed to the Second Madam and Jinchao in turn.

The Second Madam covered her teacup without saying a word. Gu Lan bit her lower lip slightly and said again, “Second Aunt, are you well?”

Only then did the Second Madam raise her eyelids, sneering, “You’ve only been serving me for how long, and now you’ve learned to be lazy? It’s past the Chen hour (7-9 AM) and you’re just arriving. It’s my fault… Miss Lan’s body is delicate, how am I worthy of your service? Why don’t I go report to the Old Madam and say that I’m not worthy of your company.”

Gu Lan’s face paled. Madam Zhou was going too far!

The maids in her room had been kneeling all afternoon and could barely move. It took forever just to get her some water. How could she not be late?

Madam Zhou had set a series of traps for her to fall into! Gu Lan glanced up and realized that Gu Lian wasn’t there… Usually, when she came, Gu Lian would be present, and Madam Zhou wouldn’t make things difficult for her. Perhaps she was truly angry, and it was also Gu Lian’s fault. She had merely emphasized the misery of her life, and Gu Lian had eagerly wanted to get things for her. That had backfired!

She quickly said, “Second Aunt is overthinking. I didn’t sleep well yesterday, so I got up late. I’ve been thinking only of serving you, how could I be lazy!”

The Second Madam snorted, and after a while, she fixed her gaze on Gu Lan’s satin jacket and smiled again: “The Emperor has just passed away… at a time when the whole country is in mourning, you’re wearing a winter jacket with such colors and patterns. Our Gu family is a scholarly family, with your Second Uncle and your father both being Jinshi graduates of both examinations. If such improper behavior were to get out, wouldn’t people file a complaint against us? You may look ostentatious, but what are we to do?”

Jinchao listened from the side, secretly marveling at how this Second Aunt had laid out a series of accusations against Gu Lan with her words—truly formidable! No wonder she had Second Master Gu and all the concubines firmly under control. She was content to watch from the sidelines.