Mother had not agreed with Jin Chao’s suggestion to find a concubine for Gu Dezhao.

Jin Chao quietly contemplated while tending to her four-season begonias.

It was understandable that Mother refused. Who would want their husband to take numerous concubines, especially when they had once been so in love? Besides, from Mother’s perspective, there was no need for another concubine. The current concubines in the household were all obedient, and it would be troublesome if a new one wasn’t.

Although Ji Shi thought this way, Gu Jin Chao couldn’t agree.

She couldn’t let Concubine Song get pregnant. With a child as leverage, Concubine Song’s future path would become much easier. And with Gu Jin Rong supporting Gu Lan, Jin Chao would lose her advantage. She needed to make Mother recognize the severity of this situation, but she couldn’t state it directly.

Liu Xiang helped pass her the scissors. After trimming the flowers, she assisted Jin Chao in washing her hands with fresh rose water from the greenhouse.

Gu Jin Chao also had Qing Pu deliver several pots of orchids to her father and Gu Jin Rong. Orchids were rare in winter, but she had cultivated many in her greenhouse. Scholarly men generally appreciated orchids, so her father and brother would surely like them.

Today was the twenty-second day, and the household was already bustling with activity. The stewards and managers who had come with Mother’s dowry arrived early to offer New Year greetings, as they wouldn’t have time on the first day of the New Year. They brought plenty of gifts. Mother had the Ge steward from Changzhou help her craft a silver hairpin, urging him to finish it before the Lantern Festival if possible. Jin Chao found this amusing. The Yongyang Marquis’s family would host a lantern festival during the celebration, and Mother was hoping she would find a suitable husband there.

Mother also introduced her to Steward Song Chuan from Baodi and Steward Luo Yongping. Song Chuan was very thin with a goatee. Luo Yongping wore a silk robe with baoxiang flower patterns, was plump with a fair complexion, and smiled constantly. Mother mentioned that Luo Yongping was “from Xinxiang Prefecture, the same hometown as your maternal grandmother.”

Jin Chao took a second glance at him upon hearing about Xinxiang Prefecture. She remembered this man.

Years ago, when she began managing her dowry, many of the original stewards had already been replaced by Concubine Song, but Luo Yongping had remained. He was particularly eloquent and silver-tongued. When Mother was still in charge, she greatly disliked such smooth-talking people, keeping him only because he was efficient, though never entrusting him with important matters.

However, when Gu Jin Chao’s silk shop encountered problems, it was his smooth talking that saved the business from ruin. Later, he managed that silk shop so successfully that it flourished, even importing and selling exquisite Shu embroidery and Xiang embroidery from Sichuan and Hunan through Ji family merchant ships. Unfortunately, she lost control of her assets, and her dowry was confiscated. These shops later fell into the hands of her second sister-in-law.

After the stewards had all withdrawn, Jin Chao asked Madam Xu to bring over the gifts prepared by Luo Yongping.

“…It’s a pair of jade bracelets, of excellent quality,” Madam Xu reported to Ji shi after examining them against the light.

Ji Shi frowned: “Does Jin Chao find this man useful? I think Song Chuan is more reliable. He even passed the cultivated talent examination and has an amiable personality.” She didn’t particularly like Luo Yongping, but since he was recommended by Mother and was from the same hometown, she couldn’t easily dismiss him.

Gu Jin Chao knew her mother wasn’t adept at these matters and smiled: “Business and scholarship are different things, Mother. Don’t judge people by appearances.”

Gu Jin Chao met with him in the east side room. As he was a steward from her mother’s dowry and technically her household servant, there was no need for gender separation.

Luo Yongping hadn’t expected the eldest young lady to summon him and was extremely flattered. After kowtowing and offering numerous compliments, Jin Chao told him to rise. She inquired about the silk shop in Baodi and gave instructions regarding Liu Xiang’s elder brother. Luo Yongping readily agreed as he would naturally fulfill any request from the eldest young lady.

Time passed quickly. The twenty-third day was for worshipping the Kitchen God, the twenty-fourth for writing Spring Festival couplets, and they also prepared sacrificial offerings of meat, fruits, and wine before the ancestral tablets, waiting for worship on the first day of the New Year. These tasks were now Concubine Song’s responsibility, with Jin Chao assisting.

Concubine Song had thought that due to her young age, Jin Chao would be clumsy and unfamiliar with these duties, so she assigned her to manage the kitchen. However, having previously managed the vast Chen family household, Jin Chao handled these small matters with ease. It was Concubine Song who found herself overwhelmed, while Concubine Guo took over the duty of attending to her father.

Jin Chao also summoned Madam Tong, as the New Year approached, she wanted to prepare new winter clothes and jewelry for all the maids in Qing Tong Court, as well as distribute some silver.

At this moment, Bai Yun entered to announce: “Young Lady, the Grand Lady from Zhenzhou Prefecture has arrived. She’s speaking with Madam now. Madam Xu sent Pin Mei to inform you.”

Grand Lady? Jin Chao frowned, unable to recall who they knew from Zhenzhou Prefecture.

Qing Pu whispered a reminder: “…She’s Master’s full sister who married into Zhenzhou Prefecture.”

Only then did Jin Chao remember. Her father was the sixth in his family, with only one older sister who had married into the Xu family in Zhenzhou Prefecture.

Why was she visiting the Gu family now? Right before the New Year when she was so busy managing the household.

Jin Chao thought for a moment. She must have heard something outside and come to check on Mother’s condition. Mother had been ill for over half a year without improvement, though her condition hadn’t worsened either, just lingering on in poor health. It was natural for the Gu family to visit, but why send the married aunt…

“Do you want to go now? I’ll help you change clothes,” Liu Xiang asked.

Jin Chao shook her head: “Father will send someone soon to summon me. No need to change, this outfit is fine.” She was wearing a cream-colored crane and magnolia embroidered skirt with a light blue twisted branch patterned satin jacket. Though somewhat plain, it was appropriately dignified. However, to meet her aunt, she couldn’t be too simple. Jin Chao removed the silver hollow bracelet she usually wore and replaced it with a pair of transparent jade bracelets. She also adorned herself with three golden wire gem flower pins.

Sure enough, shortly afterward, Father’s maid Bi Yue came to summon her.

Her aunt was in the reception room of Ju Liu Pavilion. Since Mother was unwell, Concubine Song and Concubine Du were invited to accompany her. All three younger sisters, including Gu Lan, were present.

As Gu Jin Chao entered the room, her father beckoned her over: “Jin Chao, come quickly and greet your aunt!”

Gu Jin Chao looked up to see a woman wearing a bright red flowered qilin brocade fur coat, with silver wire hairpins and gold longevity ornaments, smiling at her: “Our Jin Chao has grown so much, becoming such a beautiful young lady!”

Father also looked pleased: “The last time you saw her, she was only eleven years old. She’s certainly grown up now.”

Jin Chao offered a proper greeting, and Father instructed her to sit with her sisters. Gu Lan held her hand and whispered: “Elder Sister, about Qing Pu’s matter, I must apologize to you…” She was wearing a deep red satin jacket, more vibrant than usual.

Jin Chao smiled imperceptibly: “What matter is Second Sister referring to? I don’t recall anything.”

Gu Lan was momentarily speechless. If she explained, wouldn’t she be admitting that she and Gu Jin Rong were in close communication and that she even knew about Gu Jin Rong confronting Jin Chao?

“Sister must have forgotten,” Gu Lan smiled. “Qing Pu still has some jewelry at my place. I’ll send it over tomorrow.”

Jin Chao sat upright, a smile flitting across her lips. Although Gu Lan was clever and resourceful, she was still too young and couldn’t maintain her composure.

The aunt was speaking with Father: “My nieces are all so beautiful, one more lovely than the next. Jin Chao is radiant, Lan is elegant, and Xi and Yi are like exquisite porcelain dolls. Your future sons-in-law will surely be talented and learned men.”

Gu Lan smiled and said: “They say nephews take after their uncles. We must take after you.”

Everyone laughed at her comment, and the aunt praised her: “This child is so clever and intelligent, she makes everyone’s hearts bloom with joy.”

Gu Jin Chao noticed Concubine Song’s smile stiffening. While others were pleased, as Gu Lan’s birth mother, she must have been uncomfortable hearing her daughter speak this way.

At this point, Gu Jin Rong also came to pay respects to their aunt, who favored him the most. After praising him several times, she rewarded him with a safety charm she had always carried: “This is a charm your aunt obtained from the Great State Temple. It’s extremely effective.”

Jin Chao couldn’t help but smile when she heard this, knowing Gu Lan’s habit of asking for gifts would likely emerge. Sure enough, Gu Lan immediately took her aunt’s hand and said: “Aunt is playing favorites. If Brother Rong gets a gift, we four sisters should get something too, as New Year’s money.”

Her pretend coquettishness was not annoying but rather endearing.

However, Jin Chao didn’t want to be included. She said, “It’s fine for my younger sisters to receive gifts, but I’ll pass.”

The aunt looked somewhat troubled. She had come in a hurry and hadn’t prepared gifts. It wouldn’t be appropriate to give away what she was wearing.

Concubine Song noticed this awkwardness. Thinking that Gu Lan’s habit of asking for gifts needed to be corrected, she smoothed things over: “Why don’t we let Master decide? The household just received some exquisite gold and silver jewelry!”

The aunt gave Concubine Song a grateful look, and Father said: “The new gold and silver jewelry that arrived was meant for all of you anyway. Just take whatever you like.” He didn’t mind such matters.

Gu Lan smiled: “I think the two gold hairpieces from Changzhou Prefecture are excellent. The red gems on them are clear and transparent. One has a pattern of babies playing with lotus, inlaid with hollow jade. The other has lotus and auspicious cloud patterns, made with twelve taels of gold, and comes with gold filigree insect hairpins…”

Jin Chao’s heart stirred slightly. These were her hairpieces sent by Steward Ge from Changzhou Prefecture. She was surprised they had arrived so quickly. Why was Gu Lan bringing this up? Did she want them too? Although Jin Chao didn’t place much value on such things, these were made by her mother, who had even used her precious rubies. All the accessories had been personally designed by her mother and commissioned by Steward Ge.

Father said: “Changzhou Prefecture Steward Ge… those are things Xiangjun made for Jin Chao.”

Xiangjun was Mother’s courtesy name.

Concubine Song smiled: “Look at our Lan, you haven’t even come of age yet and can’t wear such things. Elder Sister’s belongings naturally belong to her. If you want something, Mother still has some sapphires. How about making you a filigree butterfly hairpin?”

Gu Lan looked somewhat ashamed: “I didn’t know those were Elder Sisters. Of course, seeing such beautiful rubies and fine craftsmanship, they must be what Mother made for Elder Sister…”

Gu Jin Chao’s hands tightened.

Young as she was, Gu Lan’s words were so venomous. She was implying that Mother showed favoritism. If Jin Chao didn’t give them to her, she would appear petty.