When Jin Chao arrived at Xie Xiao Garden, she saw that both concubines were already there. She immediately ordered the maids to open the windows for ventilation and moved the charcoal stove beside the bed. Everyone else went to sit in the east side room, leaving only Madam Xu to keep watch. Soon after, Concubine Song and Aunt arrived together, and shortly after that, Gu Lan, Gu Xi, and others also came, all going to sit in the west side room. Finally, Gu Jin Rong rushed in, so hastily that even his page boy Qing Xiu couldn’t hold him back.

“Mother!” His eyes were red as he rushed to the bedside and grabbed his mother’s hand.

No matter how mature he might appear, he was still just an eleven-year-old boy. With his mother critically ill, he had lost his composure.

Madam Xu tried to persuade him: “Young Master, please wait in the west side room!”

Gu Jin Rong stubbornly shook his head: “I want to stay here with Mother!”

Jin Chao frowned. Her brother was being too inconsiderate. She nodded to Qing Xiu and Qing An, signaling: “Take the Young Master to the west side room!”

Qing Xiu and Qing An looked at each other hesitantly, as they had always only obeyed the Young Master.

Jin Chao’s tone turned ice-cold: “If you don’t act now, I’ll immediately have you expelled from the Gu household. Believe it or not?”

She hadn’t forgotten how these two-page boys had later led Gu Jin Rong toward the abyss.

Only then did the two pull Gu Jin Rong up. Gu Jin Rong glared at her hatefully, not even bothering to disguise his contempt: “Gu Jin Chao, why won’t you let me stay here with Mother? What right do you have? What woman in the world has a heart as venomous as yours? Do you know why you’re so detestable?”

He struggled to break free from his page boys’ grasp. Jin Chao listened to his loud curses and stepped forward.

“What use is your staying here with Mother? Are you a doctor? You’ll only get in the way and hinder others, don’t you understand? You call me venomous, yet Mother is still ill, and you’re making a scene at her bedside. What exactly are your intentions in letting her see discord between us siblings?” Her tone was cold and calm as she articulated each word.

Mo Yu came forward to help, pulling Gu Jin Rong out. Jin Chao couldn’t even be bothered to look at his face.

The maid brought up medicine, and Jin Chao took it and first tasted a sip to check the temperature. Qing Pu tried to stop her: “…Young Lady, medicine is partially poisonous!”

Jin Chao said: “There’s no time to worry about that now. Help the Madam sit up.” She spooned the medicine to her mother’s lips, but Mother could only swallow a little before spitting it out. The medicine simply couldn’t be administered.

She wiped away the medicine stains from her mother’s mouth with a silk handkerchief and asked: “Has the doctor not arrived yet?”

Mo Yu replied: “The doctor who treats Madam, Doctor Liu, lives in Qing Lian Lane. A carriage has been sent to fetch him and should arrive soon.”

Jin Chao couldn’t remember her mother ever having such a serious attack, but she did remember that her mother had died on the eighteenth day of the fourth month in the sixth year of Longqing—next year. She didn’t know if changes had occurred because of her actions. Her mind raced with thoughts about what she would do if her mother couldn’t survive this crisis.

In less than half a quarter hour, the doctor arrived with his medicine box, with Father following behind.

He saw his eldest daughter sitting silently on a stool, her fingers gripping her sleeves tightly, her gaze fixed on the area behind the folding screen.

“Jin Chao, don’t worry. Your mother will be fine.” Father reached out, wanting to stroke her hair, but then remembered she had already come of age, and that father and daughter had never shared any intimate gestures. His hand hesitated and slowly withdrew.

Jin Chao looked up and saw that her father’s face was also full of concern. She gave a slight smile. If he truly cared for Mother, why had he made Concubine Song his wife less than half a year after Mother died in her previous life? He hadn’t even completed the one-year mourning period! Even the cook in her small kitchen, when his wife died, had mourned for half a year.

Doctor Liu came out at this moment: “…The Madam is suffering from an attack of anger affecting her heart, causing her blood to flow in reverse. Acupuncture is needed to revive her, and once awake, she can take medicine and recover. However, this acupuncture…”

Jin Chao understood. Even the best doctors could make mistakes when applying needles through clothing, but propriety between men and women couldn’t be ignored.

Indeed, Gu Dezhao hesitated for a moment: “This acupuncture doesn’t seem quite appropriate. Is there an alternative method?”

Doctor Liu said: “This old man could try using medicinal water compression, but the effect might not be as good, and it could cause harm to the Madam’s body.”

Jin Chao suggested: “Then let the doctor blindfold himself with gauze while applying the needles. This way, he can see the positions clearly while avoiding gossip. Would that work?”

Doctor Liu nodded: “A doctor’s heart is like that of a parent. This old man naturally understands.”

Seeing that both his daughter and the doctor had spoken, Gu Dezhao said nothing more. He had all the maids and elderly female servants withdraw from the inner room, and he watched as the acupuncture was performed.

Jin Chao went to the west side room.

Gu Lan was still comforting Jin Rong: “…You’re such a big person now, don’t cry anymore.”

Seeing Jin Chao arrive, Gu Jin Rong wiped away his tears, not wanting to cry in front of her. Composing himself, he stood up and said to Jin Chao: “Elder Sister was right to scold me just now. I shouldn’t have been so willful.” As he said this, he was still clutching Gu Lan’s sleeve.

Jin Chao had no time to worry about his feelings now and simply nodded: “Elder Sister only wants what’s best for Mother. Just don’t hold a grudge.”

Aunt asked: “How is my sister-in-law now? Has she regained consciousness?”

Jin Chao replied: “The doctor is still examining her. I don’t know yet.”

After a while, Madam Xu came over and said: “The Madam is awake but cannot get up. Doctor Liu says everyone should refrain from visiting today and come back tomorrow when the Madam has regained her strength.” She then told Jin Chao, “The Eldest Young Lady should stay.”

Jin Chao nodded: “That’s fine. I wonder if Doctor Liu has left yet. I have something I’d like to ask him.”

Doctor Liu’s medical skills were renowned in Yanjing, and his Liu Family Medical Clinic was always crowded, yet he was very approachable.

Now in his seventieth year, he was still spirited and energetic, with a kind smile.

“…About the Eldest Young Lady’s inquiry regarding the Madam’s illness, it’s difficult to say. The Madam suffers from weakness. If she rests well and avoids disturbances like today’s, she could live for a few more years. But if her condition is poorly managed and she has many worries, it’s hard to predict.”

Jin Chao nodded: “Thank you, Doctor Liu. Please accept this.” She had already sent servants to fetch several jars of Qiulu White Wine from the estate’s storehouse. Having dealt with him several times in her previous life, she knew he had no other particular preferences, but wine was his favorite.

He had been prepared to refuse if she offered silver or other mundane gifts, but to his surprise, the Gu family was offering him Qiulu White. This was an extremely precious wine, with the best coming from Jinan. It was made by placing a shallow dish beneath an abrupt cliff wall lush with green grass and hanging leaves, collecting the dew from the grass and leaves. The flavor was mellow, fragrant, and strong.

Doctor Liu sniffed the wine’s aroma, clearly reluctant to part with it. He held it in his arms without even handing it to his medicine boy standing nearby, and expressed his thanks: “The Eldest Young Lady is very thoughtful.” He then gave Jin Chao more detailed instructions on what to watch for and provided a prescription for recovery.

After sending a maid to escort Doctor Liu out of the hanging flower gate, Jin Chao went to see her mother.

As Jin Chao reached the door, she heard voices from inside. Madam Xu was startled, but Jin Chao quietly instructed her: “Don’t make a sound.”

She stood where she was, listening to her mother’s weak arguments, and then heard her father’s impatient, perfunctory responses: “Who has been bullying Jin Chao? It’s you who’s playing favorites, making gold filigree hairpieces without thinking of making any for Lan, letting Aunt laugh at us… Pin Xiu is already busy enough serving you and me, and now she has to manage the household and take care of the inner court affairs. You don’t even think about her daughter!”

Pin Xiu must be Concubine Song’s familiar name.

“Lan hasn’t come of age yet. I had these made for Jin Chao because I was thinking of her attending the Lantern Festival,” Mother explained in a halting voice, with little strength. “Those red rubies were from the box you gave me when we were young… do you remember?”

Father was silent for a moment, then spoke: “At a time like this, do you want me to go and take back those things?”

Jin Chao stood in the night wind, listening until she felt her body grow cold. The light from the red lanterns fell silently on the stone steps, and the winter night was quiet and still.

If she felt this pain, how much worse must it be for her mother to hear such words?

Jin Chao turned and said: “Since Mother and Father are still talking, would Madam Xu please summon all the maids and elderly female servants of Xie Xiao Garden? I have something to instruct them.” Madam Xu agreed. She saw that although the Young Lady’s expression was resolute, her posture remained straight as if possessing a pride that no one could destroy. Her nose stung with emotion as she hurried to summon everyone in Xie Xiao Garden.

The people were quickly gathered in the back courtyard. It was bitterly cold, with fine snow starting to fall, making everyone shiver.

Jin Chao had Qing Pu and Liu Xiang step back, then surveyed the maids and coldly asked: “Who knew about Mother’s plans to make gold filigree hairpieces for me?”

She had already thought about this. Unless someone had told Gu Lan about this matter beforehand, how could she have made such an issue of it? Not only had this incident about her mother making gold filigree hairpieces, especially for her resulted in accusations of favoritism and selfishness, but it had also caused her mother to be so angry that she nearly didn’t regain consciousness!

If she found this person, she would not let them off lightly!

Soon, three people stepped forward: Mo Yu and Mo Zhu, who had been serving in Mother’s room that day, and a small maid whom she hadn’t seen before.

Madam Xu bowed and said: “This servant was also inside at the time and knew about it. But this servant can guarantee that I and the two young ladies, Mo Yu and Mo Zhu, are loyal to the Madam and would never leak information to others!”

Trust those you employ, and don’t employ those you don’t trust. Jin Chao naturally trusted Madam Xu and turned her gaze to the only small maid.

The young girl, barely eleven or twelve, burst into tears: “This servant… this servant was only tending to the charcoal stove at the time, and hasn’t left Xie Xiao Garden since. It wasn’t me who said anything! Young Lady, you must believe this servant!”

Jin Chao knew with one look that it wasn’t her. With such a timid disposition, trembling all over, she neither had the courage nor the cunning to inform anyone.

If it wasn’t one of Mother’s people, then at that time… Liu Xiang had been serving in the room!

Liu Xiang and Gu Lan were in close contact. Could Liu Xiang have been the one who revealed the information?