After matching the eight characters with Cheng Baozhi, Madam Feng felt somewhat at ease. As long as their eight characters were compatible, she could find justification for the match, and then Gu De Zhao wouldn’t be able to refuse.

Cheng Baozhi sat on an embroidered stool beside her, helping massage her legs.

Though she wasn’t as knowledgeable about dress and decorum as young ladies from wealthy families, she was quite skilled at serving others.

Madam Feng half-closed her eyes while listening to Cheng Baozhi speak softly: “…I never knew my mother. After my stepmother gave birth to my brother, she no longer paid any attention to us sisters. My eldest and second sisters have already married, and it was my third sister who raised me. Before my father became a county magistrate, my stepmother would prepare new ornaments made of pure gold for my two younger sisters every year. My third sister and I would get silver hairpins at most… Since childhood, I’ve always thought how nice it would be to have a birth mother. My third sister said you look very much like my mother. Now that I’ve met you, I feel such closeness…”

Madam Feng smiled inwardly; she certainly couldn’t have given birth to such an impoverished young lady.

But these were minor issues. Cheng Baozhi’s lack of knowledge about clothing and household management could be taught. What mattered was her family background and obedience. Her father was at least a jinshi scholar with a clean reputation, and she was related only to Madam Feng in the entire Gu family—an ideal candidate.

Besides, Gu De Zhao was looking for a second wife, not the principal wife of the clan. Being obedient and able to serve others was most important.

Madam Feng slowly asked her: “I hear you’ve been visiting Lian frequently these days?”

Cheng Baozhi replied: “I do get along quite well with Miss Lian, so I’ve been visiting more often.”

Madam Feng certainly didn’t believe that Gu Lian enjoyed talking with Cheng Baozhi. She didn’t comment further and reclined on her large pillow.

Soon after, little maids entered in a line, carrying lotus seed porridge, pickled cucumbers, lotus paste pastries, and almond cakes, arranging them in sequence on the kang table. Cheng Baozhi helped Madam Feng with her meal.

As daylight gradually appeared, people began to arrive to pay their respects.

Gu Jin Chao always came early.

Cheng Baozhi watched her from the moment she entered. Gu Jin Chao wore a water-blue brocade waistcoat with a white embroidered skirt, secured with a lavender belt. From the belt hung a floral-patterned sachet adorned with blue and purple tassels. She was slender, with black hair arranged in a small bun, adorned with a few fingernail-sized white jade plum blossoms. On her wrists, she wore a pair of bright cyan bracelets.

Such fine quality, so vibrantly green. Cheng Baozhi had never seen anything like them.

Her gaze inevitably fell on those bracelets.

Gu Jin Chao was currently in mourning and couldn’t wear anything too extravagant. How many more such fine things did she possess?

Cheng Baozhi touched the gold bracelet on her wrist and quietly tucked her arm further into her sleeve.

Madam Feng exchanged a few words with Gu Jin Chao, then instructed her: “…Soon Lian and the others will come. You girls should help me copy some sutras here. I haven’t even started on the hundred volumes that need to be copied in February. I’ll have the maids prepare more snacks for you…” Then she told Cheng Baozhi, “You’ll need to help me copy Buddhist scriptures in the future. Watch carefully how they do it.”

Cheng Baozhi smiled and agreed.

Madam Feng had stools moved to the waterside pavilion in the front courtyard. Maids brought half a stack of Chengxin Hall paper, arranging the writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones neatly. They also brought several compartmented boxes of snacks.

Cheng Baozhi had learned a few characters from her father, but she had barely handled a writing brush, let alone copied scriptures—that would be too difficult as she couldn’t even recognize all the characters! She sat in the pavilion watching Gu Jin Chao copy sutras while picking out her favorite treats from the boxes.

Gu Lian and Gu Lan arrived one after another.

Cheng Baozhi pulled Gu Lian aside to chat.

After pausing her writing, Jin Chao glanced toward the bluestone path. Copying sutras… that was usually done in Madam Feng’s study. With the spring chill still in the air, why would Madam Feng have them copy scriptures in the courtyard, risking them catching cold?

A bluestone path from the waterside pavilion connected to the ground stone road. Her father passed along the ground stone road every morning to pay respects to Madam Feng, making it easy for him to see them copying sutras here. With Gu Jin Chao present, her father would surely come over to say a few words and check her calligraphy.

What was Madam Feng planning?

Cheng Baozhi showed her freshly dyed fingernails to Gu Lian, smiling as she said: “…Last night I had Pei Huan remove them. They were dyed so beautifully! I’ve seen others use garden balsam and alum to dye their nails, but those nails are always lackluster. Miss Lian, I wonder what you added to your flower juice to make it so glossy…”

Gu Lian had just begun to say: “…I simply mixed pearl powder with the alum.”

But Jin Chao heard faint footsteps. When she looked up, she didn’t see anyone approaching, only a corner of a tea-colored straight robe flashing by, with the wintergreen trees beside the bluestone path slightly trembling. Her father must have seen Cheng Baozhi here and decided to avoid them…

After understanding the situation, Gu Jin Chao smiled slightly and returned her attention to copying the sutras.

Cheng Baozhi was speaking animatedly with Gu Lian when she picked up her teacup for a drink, only to find it empty. Though Pei Huan was nearby to serve her, she didn’t even look her way. Instead, she casually handed the teacup to Gu Jin Chao and said: “Get me some tea, will you!”

Without even turning her head, she continued questioning Gu Lian about how to prepare garden balsam juice, as if she had just handed the cup to some maid.

Gu Lian’s expression changed slightly, and she exchanged a glance with Gu Lan without saying anything.

The maids serving in the pavilion were all Madam Feng’s people. Seeing this situation, they understood what was happening. Recently, Miss Cheng had been quite favored by Madam Feng, and they dared not offend her. They all held their breath, not daring to step forward to take the teacup.

Gu Jin Chao was completely astonished. Apart from Madam Feng, no one in the Gu family had ever dared command her like this. Was Cheng Baozhi too engrossed in conversation, or was she eager to establish her authority over Jin Chao?

On a normal day, she would certainly have put Cheng Baozhi in her place.

But remembering the tea-colored straight robe that had flashed past the wintergreen trees, Jin Chao set down her brush and unhurriedly took the teacup to brew tea for Cheng Baozhi.

Qing Pu watched with eyes nearly popping out of her head. Though her young mistress appeared to be smiling, she was not one to be taken advantage of. How could she simply comply when Cheng Baozhi ordered her to serve tea in front of all these maids and young ladies?

Gu Lan was even more surprised, wondering if Madam Feng had said something to Gu Jin Chao that made her suddenly so obedient to Cheng Baozhi.

Or perhaps she planned to simply poison the tea and be done with Cheng Baozhi once and for all, removing this eyesore.

Gu Jin Chao brought a cup of hot tea and placed it beside Cheng Baozhi.

Cheng Baozhi picked it up and took a sip, but quickly set it down, her voice rising: “Jin Chao, how can you not even brew a proper cup of tea? This water is far too hot…”

Gu Jin Chao thought to herself, of course, it’s hot—anyone brave enough to drink the tea she served should expect it to be scalding.

She lowered her voice: “Cousin, I’m not accustomed to brewing tea. Please forgive me. Would you like me to get you another cup?”

Seeing her soft attitude, Cheng Baozhi thought that Madam Feng’s assessment of Gu Jin Chao as tough inside despite her soft exterior wasn’t entirely accurate—she was submissive now. Noting that all the maids in the pavilion were watching and that neither Gu Lian nor Gu Lan spoke up, she smiled: “Never mind! Jin Chao, your delicate nature naturally makes such tasks difficult. Next time, remember to learn properly. Don’t end up unable to serve others in the future!”

Her tone suggested that she would be the one Gu Jin Chao would be serving in the future.

Gu Jin Chao was laughing inside, but her expression became even more dejected. She bit her lip and said: “Thank you for your guidance, Cousin.”

Cheng Baozhi then said to Gu Lian: “Serving others is not a simple matter. Our Jin Chao is very skilled at embroidery and is literate. Yet she can’t even brew a proper cup of tea?”

Gu Lian let out a laugh, but no one else dared to join in.

Standing beneath the wintergreen trees, Gu De Zhao heard Gu Lian’s laughter and felt his anger rising!

Who did Cheng Baozhi think she was? With a pavilion full of maids at her disposal, she chose to order his Jin Chao around! Having her serve tea was bad enough, but she even criticized Jin Chao’s tea brewing, causing others to mock her. Expecting Jin Chao to learn to serve others? Jin Chao was his legitimate eldest daughter—who would dare make her serve anyone?

Gu De Zhao took a deep breath before walking over slowly. He smiled and said: “Jin Chao, you’re serving others here without telling your father?”

Everyone was surprised to see Gu De Zhao emerge from the bluestone path.

Why had the Fourth Master suddenly appeared?

Hearing Gu De Zhao’s words, Cheng Baozhi’s face changed abruptly. Had Gu De Zhao overheard what she just said?

She looked up at Gu De Zhao and saw his expression was cold and gloomy. He didn’t even glance at her.

Gu Jin Chao stood up to bow, addressing him as “Father,” then said: “…Cousin merely asked me to help brew tea.”

Gu De Zhao smiled as he looked toward Cheng Baozhi: “Cousin Cheng, with a pavilion full of maids, you couldn’t see any of them and had to ask Jin Chao to brew your tea? And brewing tea wasn’t enough—you had to complain that she didn’t serve you well?”

Cheng Baozhi bit her lip. Appearing so undignified before the man she admired made her blush. She said: “This… I was being familiar with Jin Chao, not standing on ceremony. Fourth Cousin, please don’t misunderstand. Jin Chao simply brewed the tea too hot, which is why I said those few words. I had no other intention…”

Gu De Zhao recalled what Jin Chao had told him—that Madam Feng wanted to match Cheng Baozhi with him. This woman was supposedly Jin Chao’s “aunt,” a distant elder relative, yet she already dared to order Jin Chao to serve her. If she became Jin Chao’s stepmother, it would be unbearable!

Such a person would never enter their home unless he was dead!

Gu De Zhao coldly smiled: “What are you saying, Cousin Cheng? How could you have any other intention? Would you dare? You’re merely a relative of the Gu family, eating and living here thanks to my mother’s kindness. You don’t even qualify as a master of the Gu household! Of course, I believe you had no other intention.”

Cheng Baozhi’s face turned pale as if she had been suddenly slapped awake from a daze.

What was her status? She was merely a relative staying with the Gu family!

Gu De Zhao, caring for his eldest daughter, certainly now had a negative impression of her…

She wanted to say something more, but Gu De Zhao had already taken Jin Chao’s hand and said: “Jin Chao, father happens to have no official duties today… come play chess with me!” He led her away from the pavilion without giving Cheng Baozhi another glance.

Jin Chao felt her father’s hand was very warm. Walking ahead of her, he had not yet calmed his anger, his face still tense.

She let out a light breath, feeling a hint of warmth in her heart.

With such conflict between Cheng Baozhi and her father, Madam Feng would certainly have difficulty handling the situation now. Who knew what she would do next…