Jinchao glanced at Yi’er again. The child’s face was rosy, constantly wiggling in her arms.

How could such a lively child die before reaching five years old…

Ji Mei worried that holding the child would tire her, reached out to take him back. Ji Wu asked Jinchao to accompany Ji Mei to pay respects to First Aunt and Second Aunt, as she had just returned and hadn’t yet greeted the elders. “…You can also see your third brother’s child, Chun’er, who has grown quite well now.”

Ji Mei agreed, then smiled and took Jinchao’s hand. Behind them followed maids carrying gift boxes, and the group went to the west wing courtyard.

Song Shi was discussing gift etiquette with Liu Shi when a maid came to report that the eldest daughter had returned and Young Miss was accompanying her.

Song Shi was overjoyed: “Quickly, let the eldest daughter come in!”

Her only daughter—she hadn’t seen her for more than a year. Jizhou was already far away, and Ji Mei also had to manage household affairs and raise young children at her husband’s home, so how could she find time to return? Song Shi had been missing her terribly.

After Ji Mei entered, she and Song Shi embraced and wept. After a while, Song Shi broke into a smile through her tears: “You’re already a mother now, why are you still so prone to crying!” She had Ji Mei greet Liu Shi, and the maids brought over embroidered stools.

Gu Jinchao exchanged a few words with Liu Shi and then began drinking her tea. Song Shi and Ji Mei were talking passionately, inevitably leaving Liu Shi out, so Liu Shi helped Chun’er organize his toys in a large box while talking softly with him.

Yi’er was being held in Ji Mei’s arms. Song Shi teased the child and laughed, then instructed Liu Shi: “…Second daughter-in-law, quickly call Nurse Wu to bring over the pair of gold baby-with-lotus pattern bracelets from my storeroom!”

Liu Shi, being a daughter-in-law after all, acknowledged and put down the child’s toys before leaving.

With no one talking to him, Chun’er blinked his big eyes, looking at Jinchao’s hand.

He crawled from one end of the kang to the other in just a few steps.

Gu Jinchao was startled by him. She felt this child was quite bold and very clever. Ji An Chun tugged at her sleeve and said: “Aunt Jinchao, Chun’er wants to play with your bracelet.”

Song Shi was startled by Ji An Chun’s words and hurriedly said to Jinchao: “Sister Chao needn’t mind him. This child is used to seeing nice things and always wants them.” She had the nurse beside him take the child away to play.

Gu Jinchao was wearing a silver filigree bracelet today, with three strands of silver wire interwoven, very exquisite. Jinchao naturally didn’t mind giving this bracelet and smiled: “It’s fine to let Chun’er play with it for a while. Aunt shouldn’t blame Chun’er—children are young and naturally like everything.”

Chun’er got her silver bracelet and turned to crawl back. Song shi then spoke with Jinchao: “…Thank you for not minding him!” Jinchao found Chun’er’s personality unique; it seemed that whatever he liked, his eyes would just focus on that thing.

As she raised her teacup to drink again, Chun’er dragged his large toy box, huffing and puffing, to Jinchao’s side. Jinchao was surprised when he opened his box and said generously: “Aunt Jinchao, I have many treasures… you choose.”

Ji Mei smiled and said: “Third Brother’s child knows the rules, he knows to give something in return!”

Jinchao looked at his box full of toys and smiled wryly: “Aunt doesn’t want Chun’er’s things. You keep them all.”

Ji An Chun thought for a moment, sticking out his bottom as he rummaged through his box. He had a small wooden horse, a cloth tiger, and a palm-sized little sword that he liked. After hesitating for a long while, he finally selected a wooden bead painted with Guan Gong’s image to give to Jinchao.

“…I dug it out from a New Year’s lantern,” he placed the wooden bead in Jinchao’s hand and said solemnly, “It’s yours now.”

Song Shi and Ji Mei both laughed. Yi’er peeked out from Ji Mei’s arms, not understanding why everyone was laughing, but joined in the laughter anyway.

Gu Jinchao stopped declining and put Chun’er’s gift into her sleeve. She said equally solemnly: “Aunt thinks it’s very beautiful… then Aunt will give that bracelet to Chun’er.” Ji An Chun heard this and smiled, then huffed and puffed as he pushed his toy box back.

That evening, when Ji Yao came to pay his respects to Song Shi, he saw Ji An Chun playing with a silver bracelet.

Remembering that Gu Jinchao had worn such a bracelet this morning, he asked Song Shi where Chun’er got the bracelet.

Song Shi recounted how Chun’er had asked for the bracelet, “…None of you brothers were as bold as Chun’er. At such a young age, he acts like a little adult.”

Ji Yao smiled. Gu Jinchao would take off her bracelet for a child to play with—her temperament had truly softened.

Song Shi sighed and spoke of Ji Mei’s child: “As for your elder sister’s Yi’er, although he looks good, he’s very timid…”

Ji Yao had also seen Yi’er and found him not as clever as Chun’er. He then mentioned Ji Mei’s visit to him that afternoon.

Ji Mei said she wanted to open a fragrance shop in Jizhou and asked if he had any advice about opening such a shop.

“I see that Elder Sister doesn’t understand fragrances at all, yet she’s eager to open a shop. Perhaps she’s short on funds and wants to make money. She is my elder sister, after all, so I couldn’t say much… But you should advise her a bit. How many fragrance shops nowadays can succeed? She thinks that if she makes good products, people will buy them, but doesn’t realize that what’s most important is to build connections with noble families and expand her network…”

After all, not ordinary families could afford fragrances. Ji Mei’s intention was good, but she was thinking too simply.

Song Shi inevitably felt a chill in her heart: “When Mei was married, she had a dowry of one hundred and fifty dan! …How could she be short on money?” Ji Mei had married the legitimate son of the Yu family in Jizhou. The Yu family had previously served as the Salt Transport Commissioner of Jizhou and was very wealthy. When they came to propose to Ji Mei, they were very sincere. Then she remembered that when Ji Mei was speaking earlier, she had subtly revealed a fear of her mother-in-law, which made Song Shi feel even worse.

Song Shi nodded and told Ji Yao to go back first: “I will speak clearly with your elder sister.”

A daughter who has married out follows her husband’s family’s way of life. Unless it was too unreasonable, she had no place to interfere.

Ji Yao understood this principle. After thinking, he said: “If Elder Sister wants to open a shop, it would be better to open a goods warehouse and transport goods for the Ji family. She wouldn’t need to invest much money, just hire the right people.” This way, it would be the Ji family supporting her.

Song Shi nodded in agreement.

Ji Yao took a final look at the bracelet on Ji An Chun’s wrist before leaving Song Shi’s courtyard.

Walking on the bluestone path, Ji Yao looked at the east wing courtyard not far away. Qi Dongpan had a deciduous locust tree that Gu Jinchao had planted when she was little.

He somehow recalled Ji Wu’s words. If he was unwilling to marry Gu Jinchao, she could still marry a poor scholar or a side son from a noble family. But who could predict what kind of person she would marry? Even the legitimate son of the Yu family, carefully selected by the Ji family, did not treat Ji Mei well. Ji Mei cared about her face and wouldn’t speak of it in front of her natal family…

What about Gu Jinchao? She had always been stubborn since childhood and would remain silent even more if she was wronged.

If Gu Jinchao were oppressed by her mother-in-law, if her husband showed her a cold face, if he secretly took concubines and kept mistresses outside… just thinking about these things made him feel extremely intolerable… Gu Jinchao, such a proud and stubborn person, who would dare to bully her?

He had never dared to bully her since childhood, yet an outsider would come to bully her.

Ji Yao’s heart was in chaos.

When he returned to his courtyard, he saw Ji Yun pacing back and forth under the elm tree in front of his study.

Seeing him return, Ji Yun hurried forward and said very seriously: “Second Brother, I need to tell you something…”

Ji Yun was indeed anxious, and it concerned An Song Huai.

The first time An Song Huai saw Gu Jinchao, Ji Yun felt something was amiss because his gaze toward Gu Jinchao was abnormal. He had warned An Song Huai and thought he wouldn’t act that way again. Who knew he would repeat the same behavior today? When they were alone later, he severely scolded An Song Huai, saying that as an engaged man, how could he be so unrestrained?

To his surprise, An Song Huai listened with a pitiful look but then replied nonchalantly: “It’s just an engagement. As long as the bride hasn’t entered the door, does it count?”

Just this one sentence terrified Ji Yun. Curse this An Song Huai—he was a Juren scholar after all! How could he behave worse than a street ruffian? If he dared to persuade his family to break off the engagement and then propose to Gu Jinchao, he would beat him to death!

But thinking carefully, Ji Yun felt that although this was absurd, An Song Huai was capable of doing it. Their family wasn’t as strictly disciplined as the Ji family. An Song Huai was the only beloved grandson of his grandmother and great-grandmother—he was their only descendant. If he made a fuss about wanting to marry a princess, his family would certainly run around trying to seek a princess for him! The An family also had some influence in Yanjing. If they truly wanted to seek Gu Jinchao’s hand for their only descendant, it was entirely possible.

Ji Yun felt he should tell Ji Yao. Wasn’t the marriage already decided long ago? Why hadn’t Ji Yao gone to propose yet? Although Gu Jinchao was in mourning, he should at least make the engagement official. This way, what could the An family say?

After hearing this, Ji Yao’s expression also turned unpleasant.

That An Song Huai wasn’t a proper young master. He spent his days racing horses and fighting hawks, not doing anything proper. He had taken a fancy to Gu Jinchao and even had thoughts of breaking his engagement—he was an irresponsible and willful person. Could he be allowed to seek Gu Jinchao’s hand?

Ji Yao stood up, thinking for a long time.

This matter couldn’t be delayed any longer. He decided to propose to Gu Jinchao. Marry her then—he accepted it. That was better than letting someone like An Song Huai have designs on her!

Jinchao naturally knew nothing of this. She was having dinner at Qi Dongpan.

She was telling Ji Wu about Chun’er’s amusing behavior, and Ji Wu also laughed heartily: “…This child is quite clever. He knows to trade wooden toys for your silver bracelet; he’ll be good at making money in the future.”

Ji Wu also told her about the wedding banquet.

“The wedding invitations will be sent out tomorrow, and then guests will gradually arrive for the banquet… Ji Can’s new room is almost ready. Tomorrow, let’s go take a look. If there’s anything not right, you can help add some things.”