The maid acknowledged and left. Shortly after, Gu Dezhao entered. He had just left his government office, wearing a dark blue straight robe with his hair neatly arranged with a sandalwood hairpin. His posture was straight, his features clear and handsome. Upon entering, he first paid respects to Lady Feng, then nodded slightly with a smile toward Gu Jin Chao.

Gu Jin Chao couldn’t help but look at Cheng Bao Zhi.

When she saw Gu Dezhao, Cheng Bao Zhi was momentarily stunned, her eyes fixed on him. Lady Feng pulled her forward and said with a smile to Gu Dezhao: “…This is my cousin’s daughter from my family, so she would be your cousin too.”

Only then did Cheng Bao Zhi react, bending in a formal greeting. Gu Dezhao didn’t pay much attention to her, exchanging customary greetings before taking his leave.

Lady Feng glanced at Cheng Bao Zhi, whose cheeks had flushed crimson.

The Second Madam and Fifth Madam immediately took note, each casting discreet glances at Cheng Bao Zhi.

Gu Jin Chao was talking with Gu Xi, helping her pick up a piece of osmanthus honey lotus root cake and placing it in her bowl.

After noon, Lady Feng returned to the east courtyard for her afternoon nap. The Second Madam had maids bring out bamboo baskets, needlework, and small embroidery frames, setting up tables in the pavilion of the flower hall. The Fifth Madam accompanied the ladies who had not yet left after the full-month celebration to see the baby.

The Second Madam handed a small embroidery frame to Cheng Bao Zhi, smiling as she said: “Cousin Zhi looks so delicate and charming, your needlework must be excellent as well. I’m not skilled at embroidery myself, but if you’re willing, I’d like to learn a few techniques from you.”

After accepting it, Cheng Bao Zhi’s lips curved slightly. Needlework was her greatest skill if nothing else. Among her sisters, hers was the best. Her stepmother also thought she was good at it, not only hiring special embroidery teachers for her but also especially comparing her work with the young ladies from the capital, saying she embroidered even better than they did. She smiled and said: “Second Cousin-in-law is too kind. My needlework was taught by my third sister and is nothing special… though I can embroider patterns decently!”

Gu Jin Chao and Gu Xi were making fringe, thinking to themselves that the Second Aunt was quite perceptive, immediately guessing that Cheng Bao Zhi was the one Lady Feng wanted to match with their father… She glanced at Cheng Bao Zhi’s embroidery techniques, then withdrew her gaze.

A moment later, the Second Madam called her over: “…I remember Chao’er’s needlework is excellent. I find your cousin’s embroidery very beautiful, what do you think?” She handed the small frame to her.

What was the Second Madam planning? Seeing if she approved of this Cheng Bao Zhi?

Gu Jin Chao took it and looked. It was a pair of dragonflies, very neat and detailed, but lacking a certain liveliness. It was comparable to the average noble young lady’s work, though not as good as Gu Lan’s, let alone her own. She smiled gently and said: “It’s very exquisite.”

Cheng Bao Zhi was used to being praised for her embroidery skills. Seeing that Gu Jin Chao didn’t seem particularly impressed, she felt somewhat displeased. Before coming, she had thoroughly inquired about the Gu family affairs, hearing that Gu Jin Chao’s birth mother had died of illness and that she had a legitimate younger brother who was spoiled and domineering, unskilled in most things. If she truly became Gu Jin Chao’s stepmother in the future, she would need to keep her in check.

Did Gu Jin Chao look down on her for coming from a small place? How could this be allowed?

Cheng Bao Zhi smiled immediately: “I come from a small place, and this is merely a humble offering. Since Second Cousin-in-law says your embroidery is good, why not show us some of your work?”

Cheng Bao Zhi’s words were inappropriate, but Jin Chao simply smiled without responding.

Hearing this, the Second Madam fell silent, slowly taking a sip of tea before saying: “Cousin, you haven’t been at the Gu household long, so you probably haven’t seen the Green Vine Courtyard behind the mountain, which is quiet, elegant, and very beautiful. Right now, the winter plum blossoms are in full bloom. Why don’t I take you to see?”

Gu Jin Chao concurred: “Cousin should go with Second Aunt. Jin Chao will not accompany you.” She bowed and withdrew.

After Cheng Bao Zhi had taken a few steps away, she heard a young maid behind her mutter: “Country folk have no manners. Who does she think she is, daring to ask our proper young miss to show her embroidery skills…”

Cheng Bao Zhi was both embarrassed and angry, her face flushing red.

The Second Madam pretended not to hear, smiling as she took her hand: “Chao’er’s embroidery skills come from famous embroidery masters in the capital. She combines the strengths of Shu embroidery and Su embroidery. I have a handkerchief she gave me; let me show you how beautiful it is.”

The Second Madam showed the handkerchief to Cheng Bao Zhi.

Cheng Bao Zhi’s face paled, and she said no more.

The Second Madam discreetly released Cheng Bao Zhi’s hand, asking her maid to show Cheng Bao Zhi around, smiling as she said: “…I’m truly sorry, I just remembered I have matters to attend to with Mother. I’ll come back to chat with Cousin shortly.”

Cheng Bao Zhi nodded casually. She wasn’t particularly interested in seeing the Green Vine Courtyard anyway and simply said she was tired and would return to the east courtyard first.

Walking with her senior maid, the Second Madam’s maid whispered: “Madam, I don’t quite understand. Are we trying to elevate this Miss Cheng or help the Second Miss? It seems to me you’re doing both…”—after the rank reordering, Gu Jin Chao was now the second daughter.

The Second Madam said calmly: “If I say I’m not elevating her, she is after all chosen by the Old Madam. If I say I am elevating her, look how narrow-minded she is. Before anything is settled, she already wants to control Gu Jin Chao—is Gu Jin Chao so easily controlled? Even if she marries into the family later, she’s no match for Gu Jin Chao… Let’s wait and see. Our Second Miss is no simple person.”

After returning to the east courtyard, Cheng Bao Zhi asked Pei Huan to bring her a cup of tea.

While pouring tea, Pei Huan said: “No matter what, you are still an elder. That little maid who spoke was too disrespectful. With the Gu family being so proper, they didn’t even reprimand that maid. I don’t think they’re such a good family after all… Miss, why don’t we just return to Yuanzhou? What’s so good about the Gu family? So many rules, and they make us suffer like this!”

Cheng Bao Zhi rebuked her softly: “What do you know!”

Pei Huan bit her lip, feeling somewhat wronged, not understanding what she had said wrong.

Cheng Bao Zhi frowned, but eventually said: “Go bring the things Aunt gave me last night.”

Pei Huan obediently went to fetch two bolts of fabric: one silver-red floral carved silk, and one onion-green with a twining vase flower pattern. There was also a box with six pairs of red-gold lucky gourd hairpins, and two strings of multi-colored crystal beads. Pointing at these items, Cheng Bao Zhi told her: “…When would we ever have such fine things in Yuanzhou? This is just a greeting gift. If I truly become the mistress of the Gu family in the future, wouldn’t I have even more of these things…”

Mentioning the mistress of the Gu family, she immediately thought of Gu Dezhao’s handsome, upright appearance. Before coming, she had imagined she would marry a fifty-year-old man, which had caused her much internal struggle. But seeing him today, he was countless times better than she had imagined. This reinforced her determination to marry into the family.

She then asked Pei Huan to look at the gilt-edged dressing table carved with auspicious flowers: “…This afternoon when I was being dressed, Chen Yong’s wife took out three boxes of eyebrow makeup—spiraled indigo, blue indigo, and mandarin duck green. The rouge and face powder had a clean, elegant fragrance and were extremely fine. Even I, without knowing much, could tell these were rare treasures… Back in Yuanzhou, what fine things could the Cheng family provide!”

Pei Huan fell silent, and after a while asked: “If we’re staying, doesn’t that mean we need to please these Gu family members? But I notice you’re only warm toward Miss Lian, not the other young ladies. Especially the Fourth Master’s eldest legitimate daughter… Wouldn’t she be closest to us in the future?”

Cheng Bao Zhi said: “I please Gu Lian because she’s the most favored and closest to Aunt’s heart, and will marry into the Grand Secretary’s family as a daughter-in-law in the future… As for the other concubine-born daughters, I find their status insufficient. I will be the mistress of the Gu family in the future, so why should I speak with them?” She took a sip of tea. “As for Gu Jin Chao… if I yield now, after marrying in, wouldn’t she control me? That simply won’t do! If I don’t establish some presence now, I fear I won’t be able to control her in the future. Besides, this is also Aunt’s intention…”

“Speaking of closeness, it doesn’t matter who else I’m close with, what’s crucial is being close to Aunt. Only with Aunt’s support can I establish myself in the Gu family… As for those who look down on us, let them be. There will come a time when they’ll cry.”

Cheng Bao Zhi gazed at the box containing six pairs of red-gold lucky gourd hairpins, unable to take her eyes off them.

According to her aunt, Gu Jin Chao’s maternal family was the Ji family from Tongzhou, whose wealth was incalculable…

She lovingly touched the hairpins, saying: “It doesn’t matter how much I suffer now; what matters is the future. As long as I can marry into the Gu family and give birth to a legitimate son, won’t my position be secure?”

She must marry into this family. The splendor she had seen in the few days since arriving in the capital exceeded all she had seen in her past decade and more. The life of young ladies in the capital was truly the life of a proper young lady. She didn’t want to go back.