Gu Jin Chao spoke slowly: “You’ve met Cousin, that Miss Cheng, haven’t you?”

Gu De Zhao’s impression of this person was truly not deep.

After thinking for a moment, he asked Gu Jin Chao: “What does she have to do with me remarrying?”

Jin Chao sighed. Her father’s nature was truly simple; he wasn’t suited to be a Deputy Minister of Revenue. Even if he were promoted, he probably couldn’t keep his position secure. She said flatly: “Would a relative who hasn’t been in contact for over ten years suddenly travel from afar to visit Grandmother? Would Grandmother be so kind to a poor relative, and even personally introduce her to you? Think about the day you met her—Cousin was carefully dressed up, wearing a gold-plated kingfisher feather hairpin. That hairpin belongs to Grandmother.”

Only then did Gu De Zhao understand his eldest daughter’s meaning, and he was quite surprised: “You mean Mother wants to match Miss Cheng with me? How is that possible… I had never even seen her before!” During that meeting, he hadn’t even gotten a clear look at Cheng Baozhi’s face. He knew nothing about Cheng Baozhi’s family background or character, yet Madam Feng would casually match this person with him.

After hearing this, Jin Chao felt even more helpless and asked him: “When Grandmother asks you about this, is that how you’ll answer?”

Gu De Zhao was momentarily speechless. He had never been good at dealing with Madam Feng; usually, whatever she said went.

He paced back and forth in his study, looking very gloomy: “I don’t want to remarry… bringing someone home would just cause chaos. Better not to marry at all!” He stood before the latticed window in his study, looking at the tender willow branches outside that had just sprouted new leaves, recalling the year when Madam Ji married him.

When the spring breeze was gentle, her dowry was carried load by load into the newly arranged courtyard. He wore a large red round-collared robe with right-side fastening, so nervous he didn’t know what to do. He only remembered the red color everywhere, and the great joy in his heart. Her dowry had all been carried into his courtyard; from then on, they would be family, with intimate closeness. When lifting the bridal veil, Quan Fu was beside them saying many auspicious words, and people outside were making noise, but he only saw Madam Ji secretly putting a date into her mouth.

He laughed softly, and when evening came, he asked her about it. Madam Ji complained in a low voice: “…For the sake of marrying you, I didn’t eat all day! Won’t you allow me to eat a date?”

She was only sixteen then, still somewhat childlike. She pinched his arm.

It hurt a little but had a tingling feeling. He found he didn’t even have the thought of getting angry. Such a good person had married him; he didn’t dare get angry and hoped she would pinch him a few more times to vent, lest she truly become annoyed with him.

Yet later, this was how he treated her…

Gu De Zhao turned around, looked at Gu Jin Chao, and said softly: “Jin Chao, I’ll go tell your grandmother that I won’t remarry! Anyway, you have a brother… It doesn’t matter if I don’t marry again…”

Gu Jin Chao didn’t believe him. She continued: “Father, I’m telling you in advance because I want you to have a response ready when Grandmother brings it up. Don’t just go along with everything Grandmother says. Even if you truly want to remarry, Cousin is not a suitable choice…”

She knew her father felt very guilty, which was why he said he would observe mourning for her mother for life.

If possible, she also didn’t want her father to remarry, but this thought was truly selfish. Someone needed to take care of her father’s affairs. Now she was still in the mansion and could help manage things, but what about after she married out? Who would look after Gu Jin Rong, Gu Yi, and Gu Xi? In another year, Gu Yi would marry out. Without someone in the Fourth House who could make decisions, who would handle these matters? Relying on Madam Feng was certainly not acceptable.

Madam Feng would likely use this same reasoning to persuade her father.

Gu De Zhao remained silent for a long time.

Meanwhile, in Tongzhou, Madam Ji Wu had just received Gu Jin Chao’s letter. She pondered over the letter for a long time.

Madam Song had just entered the room and noticed the pine oil lamp wasn’t very bright. She gently removed her hairpin and trimmed the wick. She asked softly: “What is the Dowager Lady thinking about so deeply that she didn’t even notice the lamp burning down?”

Madam Ji Wu put down the letter and sighed. Then she asked: “Did you check on the eldest daughter-in-law? Is that child asleep now, not crying all day looking for Madam Zhao anymore?”

Madam Song replied: “After drinking a bowl of sweet red bean soup, young Master Yu has gone to bed. Today, the eldest daughter-in-law found two little maids to play string games with him. When he was happy, he forgot about everything else. At night, he slept with the eldest daughter-in-law and insisted on sharing the same quilt with her.”

This child’s milk name was Qi’er, following the custom of humble families where informal names were used casually, with the belief that unflattering names might help the child survive. Madam Ji Wu disliked this very much and forced Ji Yao to give the child a proper name.

He was very reluctant and left without a word after hearing her request. After several days, he sent a servant to bring her a piece of paper with only the character ‘Yu’ written on it.

Madam Ji Wu thought of the child’s face and became slightly lost in thought. After a while, she asked: “Ji Yao still hasn’t gone to see him?”

Madam Song replied: “The second young master goes to She Xian Tower whenever he returns to the mansion. He never visits the eldest daughter-in-law’s place.”

Ji Yao still resented this child, and if he resented the child, he might resent himself even more.

Madam Ji Wu said: “Let’s not talk about him. Looking at that child makes me uncomfortable; I always think of Jin Chao… But after all, he is the flesh and blood of the Ji family, and we can’t let him wander outside. Fortunately, Madam Zhao is still docile, staying at the country estate without causing trouble.”

Madam Song smiled: “You’ll get used to it after a while. I see this is a letter from Miss Gu. She is indeed filial, writing two letters to you every month, never missing one even with Madam Feng watching like a tiger nearby.”

Madam Ji Wu said: “This letter isn’t just to pay respects… Madam Feng wants to arrange a remarriage for Gu De Zhao with her own cousin’s daughter. Jin Chao is asking if I have a better candidate. If Gu De Zhao is truly to remarry, he certainly can’t marry someone connected to Madam Feng. I’m considering who would be more suitable. Someone of too low status won’t do; they might not be able to stand up to Madam Feng. Someone of too high status wouldn’t want to marry Gu De Zhao…”

Madam Song helped Madam Ji Wu prepare the tea: “Does the Dowager Lady have any ideas yet?”

Madam Ji Wu nodded: “I do have an idea, and it’s a good one. Do you remember Madam Xu who arranged the match for Can? Her daughter once secretly asked Qiao Xin about Gu De Zhao. Qiao Xin came down and told me, but I didn’t think much of it at the time… Now that I think about it, Miss Xu might indeed be interested. Recently, Luo Tai caused a death in that area… so the Xu family no longer dares to arrange a marriage with the Luo family. Now they’re worried and have started inquiring about the son of a poor candidate in Xianghe County. I think the Third Miss Xu might be suitable, but I should write to Jin Chao first.”

The son of a poor candidate… that would be too much of a mismatch!

Madam Song clicked her tongue in surprise. Master Xu was, after all, a third-rank official, a Tongzheng Shi. How could his legitimate daughter possibly be matched with the son of a poor candidate from some small place?

She nodded: “I also think it’s very good… Since you’ve already decided, you shouldn’t hesitate…”

Madam Ji Wu sighed: “I was thinking of Han’er, and I feel distressed… I wish Gu De Zhao would suffer a miserable fate to ease my resentment! But he is also Jin Chao’s father, and their fortunes rise and fall together…”

She asked Madam Song to bring paper, a brush, and the pine oil lamp. After writing a few lines, she paused.

Madam Ji Wu frowned and asked Madam Song: “Do you remember when Jin Chao fell into the water years ago?”

Madam Song nodded. That incident had caused quite a stir, so she naturally remembered.

When Gu Jin Chao was thirteen, she came to the Ji family to escape the summer heat. She secretly went to pick lotus seedpods but accidentally fell into the water. The little maid with her came to report incoherently. By the time they rushed over, Gu Jin Chao had already been rescued and was lying in the pavilion, murmuring in a daze.

The little maid said a strange man had told her to call for help, saying he would watch over her. He must have been the one who rescued Gu Jin Chao, but he was nowhere to be seen.

Madam Ji Wu carried Gu Jin Chao back, her face dark with anger. She sent all the little maids in Gu Jin Chao’s room to the kitchen and said that no one was to speak of this; whoever did would die.

Gu Jin Chao being rescued by a strange man meant her reputation was ruined. Besides this man, she could marry no one else.

Madam Ji Wu asked the maid what the strange man looked like, but based on the characteristics she described, they couldn’t identify anyone in the entire mansion.

Madam Ji Wu guessed that the rescuer didn’t want any trouble, which was why he had quietly left. So she kept this matter concealed, and few people knew about it.

Only today, upon reading Gu Jin Chao’s letter, did she vaguely understand.

Gu Jin Chao had written that as her father was being promoted, he should pay more attention to matters above, and asked if Third Master Chen had frequent dealings with the Ji family.

For a period, Third Master Chen had many dealings with the Ji family when the two families joined forces to renovate the temple in Baoding…

On the day Gu Jin Chao fell into the water, she remembered that Third Master Chen had visited. A servant from the eldest master had come to ask her to prepare a good meal, but not long after, he came back saying it wasn’t necessary, as Third Master Chen had already left.

She found it strange at the time, but she never connected these events, especially since when the servant came to tell her, she didn’t yet know that Gu Jin Chao had fallen into the water.

Madam Ji Wu’s expression became solemn: “…The one who rescued Jin Chao at that time was likely Third Master Chen.”

Madam Song almost dropped the pine oil lamp. She widened her eyes: “The Third Master Chen you’re referring to… the current Grand Secretary of the Cabinet and Minister of Revenue, Lord Chen?”

How could that be possible?

Madam Ji Wu said: “…At that time, he was still just a Junior Supervisor of the Directorate of the Imperial Princes. But thinking about it now, it does seem absurd—one is a powerful court official, the other a secluded young lady. If Third Master Chen hadn’t left at that time but had acknowledged the matter…”

Madam Ji Wu drew in a sharp breath and after a long while said: “…It’s truly fitting that Third Master Chen could rise from Junior Supervisor to Grand Secretary in just two years.” Such a person with firm resolve, decisive action, and scholarship… it would be difficult for him not to stand out!

After hesitating for a long time, she still included this matter in her letter.

Although it might not amount to much, perhaps it would be useful for Gu Jin Chao to know.