The steamed lotus leaf rice was served in tall cups and distributed for all the ladies to taste.

First Madam Wu couldn’t stop praising Jin Chao’s cooking skills and had several more pieces. Old Madam Chen even joked with her, “There’s glutinous rice in here, be careful of indigestion!”

Jin Chao smiled and said, “It’s not just my skill. Xiang’er helped shell the peas and mix the diced cured meat.”

Chen Zhao tugged at her sleeve, insisting that she praise her too: “Third Aunt, I shelled peas too!” Everyone laughed.

Chen Xiang sat beside Gu Jin Chao, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. But making lotus leaf rice with Jin Chao had been fun; she had never felt so relaxed before. Her mother had always taught her to be modest and well-mannered, and her mother thought kitchen matters were unclean, so she wasn’t often allowed to be involved. Even when she entered the kitchen, servants would watch over her, fearing she might hurt herself with a knife or get oil splattered on her clothes, which would result in her mother punishing them.

And Jin Chao could even sing little tunes about picking lotus flowers…

Chen Xiang thought Jin Chao was a very interesting person and sat close beside her. When others praised the lotus leaf rice again, she also smiled.

Comforting children was quite simple—if you were good to them, they would naturally feel it. Looking at the small pearl hairband on Chen Xiang’s double buns, Jin Chao suddenly felt a deep sense of pity. Although Chen Zhao was two years younger than Chen Xiang, she appeared much more lively. In the kitchen, Chen Zhao would clamor to do this and see that, while Chen Xiang stood quietly and obediently, never refusing anything she was asked to do.

It seemed that knowing she had no mother, she had quickly matured, becoming cautious and careful.

Jin Chao spoke softly to her, “I have a folding screen with a lotus pond scene that I embroidered. Do you like lotus flowers? If so, I could give that screen to you.”

Chen Xiang nodded, her voice childish: “Mother said that the lotus flower rises from the mud unsullied, washed by clear ripples yet not seductive.” She continued, “I have a screen with plum, orchid, chrysanthemum, and bamboo in my room. I’ve used it for several years. I’ve seen embroidered screens with lotus flowers, but never one with a lotus pond. Does it also have small pavilions like the ones by the lotus pond in the back garden?”

Jin Chao smiled and nodded, “Yes, there are small pavilions and weeping willows by the pond.”

Chen Xiang gave a small nod, looking forward to the lotus pond screen. After thinking for a moment, she added, “Then I’ll give you a handkerchief too. I learned how to embroider dragonflies from Nursemaid An.”

Jin Chao thought that Madam Jiang’s teachings had been quite good; at least Chen Xiang understood etiquette at such a young age.

Shortly after, Madam Ge came to pay her respects to Old Madam Chen. She wore a blue jacket with white tea-colored woven flowers, her hair simply styled in a round bun with a pair of silver lilac hairpins. She looked very haggard, which startled Old Madam Chen: “Sixth Son’s Wife, what’s happened to you?”

How could she come out wearing a pair of silver lilac hairpins? People who didn’t know better might think that the Chen family was mistreating the wives of their lesser sons!

Madam Ge smiled faintly, “I got a stiff neck from sleeping last night, it’s nothing.”

Old Madam Chen nodded, “With your delicate health, you shouldn’t sleep on bamboo or jade pillows like others. I still have some chrysanthemums that I dried last Mid-Autumn Festival. Take them and make a pillow.”

Madam Ge thanked Old Madam Chen, “How could I use something you dried for tea as a pillow? I have some cassia seeds I can use.”

Jin Chao noticed the dark circles under Madam Ge’s eyes and thought she must already know about Chen Sixth Master’s affair. It was bad enough that her husband kept a mistress outside, but for it to become public knowledge must be very painful for her. And with her submissive nature, she wouldn’t speak to anyone about it. She wasn’t close with her sisters-in-law either, which would only make her more depressed. Only Old Madam Chen showed her extra care day to day.

With Chen Sixth Master frequenting brothels outside, she naturally wouldn’t dare say a word more than necessary.

…That’s why later, she ended up in such a situation.

Jin Chao beckoned Madam Ge to come sit with her and handed her a plate of nest-shaped sugar candies, “…Mother just brought these for the girls to eat. I tried one, and it melts in your mouth—sweet but not cloying. Would you like to try one?” She remembered that Madam Ge liked sweets.

Madam Ge glanced at Gu Jin Chao before mumbling a word of thanks, picking up a piece of the candy and putting it in her mouth.

Madam Qin spoke quietly to Madam Ge, “Sixth Sister-in-law, you should be more careful. Mother has First Madam Wu and Second Madam Wu visiting. You shouldn’t wear plain silver lilac hairpins… Fortunately, Mother didn’t say anything. These are things you should pay attention to.”

Madam Ge nodded, “Second Sister-in-law is right, it was my mistake…” She still had the candy in her mouth, but her voice began to choke up, and her eyes quickly reddened. Madam Qin was startled by her reaction. She had only said one thing; surely Madam Ge wouldn’t cry over that, no matter how sensitive she was!

But Madam Ge couldn’t control herself and wiped her tears with her sleeve, saying brokenly, “It won’t happen again…”

Her reaction alarmed everyone at the card table. Old Madam Chen quickly called Madam Ge over: “Why are you crying? Have you been wronged? If you’ve truly been wronged, tell Mother…” She looked at Madam Wang, who was standing nearby. Madam Wang promptly invited the two Wu madams to have tea in the side room.

Madam Ge was crying so hard she couldn’t speak. The others quickly helped her to sit on the lohan bed. Old Madam Chen’s voice grew much sterner: “Has Sixth Son done something outrageous again? I haven’t even scolded him about the Lady Cui matter yet! Tell me honestly. If you don’t speak up, I’ll summon him here to question him.”

Madam Ge clutched Old Madam Chen’s sleeve and shook her head, “Mother… it’s not… please don’t call him here!”

Seeing her reluctance to speak, Old Madam Chen instructed Lu Luo at her side, “Go find Sixth Master and bring him here now! I want this matter clarified!”

This finally alarmed Madam Ge, who grabbed Lu Luo and choked out quietly, “It’s truly a family disgrace. Sixth Master instructed that you shouldn’t know. It’s about that Lady Cui. Fourth Master has already helped Sixth Master handle it and returned…”

Jin Chao sighed.

Old Madam Chen’s voice grew colder, “He needed Fourth Son to accompany him? What trouble has that rascal gotten into now? Is he making a fuss about taking a concubine?”

Madam Ge suddenly realized she had misspoken. Old Madam Chen no longer addressed her but directly questioned Zi He, the maid at Madam Ge’s side: “You tell me. If you also refuse to speak, I’ll sell you to a mountain village immediately.”

Zi He was so frightened that she fell to her knees with a thud and haltingly explained everything.

Everyone was shocked, and Old Madam Chen was so angry her hands trembled, “…He drove someone to death, killing both mother and child? You all concealed this from this old woman… Did you want to wait until rumors reached my ears before I could know?” She pointed at Lu Luo and said, “Go find him and bring him to me now!”

Chen Sixth Master was quickly brought over. He had just returned from Lady Cui’s family and hadn’t even had a chance to rest. Old Madam Chen told him to follow her into the inner room to talk. He wore a full smile, “Mother, at least let your son catch his breath!” Seeing Old Madam Chen’s tense expression without any sign of relaxation, he couldn’t help looking back at Madam Ge, who was still crying.

The ladies remained in the western side room. Jin Chao comforted Madam Ge with a few words, “Sixth Sister-in-law, this isn’t your fault. Please don’t cry anymore. You’ll make those who care about you distressed, but it won’t help the situation.”

Madam Ge nodded and accepted the handkerchief Jin Chao offered, “I’m making a spectacle of myself in front of my Third Sister-in-law. I just can’t handle these matters well…”

Just then, Chen Xuan Qing and Chen Xuan Xin arrived to pay their respects to Old Madam Chen. Chen Xuan Qing had been guiding Chen Xuan Xin with his studies these past few days. They had intended to accompany Old Madam Chen for the evening meal but found the atmosphere in the side room somber, with Old Madam Chen nowhere to be seen. Meanwhile, Gu Jin Chao was speaking gently to Madam Ge, whose swollen red eyes clearly showed she had been crying.

He paid his respects to each elder in turn, but when he came to Gu Jin Chao, he hesitated before saying, “Mother, I hope you are well.”

Jin Chao nodded lightly, not wanting to engage with him further.

Madam Qin beckoned him over and said softly, “Your grandmother is inside speaking with your Sixth Uncle.”

Chen Xuan Qing frowned. Sixth Aunt was crying, and Sixth Uncle was being questioned by Grandmother… what exactly had happened? He asked, “Has someone been sent to call my father?”

Madam Qin nodded, “Your mother sent someone just now.”

Chen Xuan Qing instinctively glanced in Gu Jin Chao’s direction but saw Chen Xiang sitting beside her, speaking softly to her.

Jin Chao was listening attentively, her manner toward Chen Xiang very gentle. Chen Xiang rarely whispered childishly to others, so perhaps Jin Chao wasn’t mistreating her after all… Just as this thought crossed his mind, he suddenly heard the sound of porcelain breaking in the inner room, along with Old Madam Chen’s faint scolding.

Chen Xuan Xin curiously craned his neck but couldn’t see anything.

A young maid brought hot tea for the two of them. Chen Xuan Qing didn’t want to drink and casually placed his cup on the tall table.

Finally, the door to the inner room opened. When Chen Sixth Master emerged, he looked dejected. Old Madam Chen had scolded him harshly and insisted that he stay at Baoxiang Temple for half a year to chant sutras and pray for the souls of Lady Cui and her child. How could he endure such days… He looked up and saw Madam Ge with her tear-stained face. All the frustration and vexation he had endured these days transformed into a surge of anger. He stepped forward and demanded, “Did you tell Mother?”

Madam Ge was startled and hurriedly replied, “Sixth Master, I didn’t…”

Chen Sixth Master interrupted her with a cold laugh, “Last time with Lady Cui, wasn’t it also you crying to Mother? If you hadn’t told Mother, would I have treated Lady Cui that way? She wouldn’t have killed herself… What more do you have to cry about? Who are you pretending to be pitiful for?”

Madam Ge stood up and said softly, “Sixth Master, how… how can this be blamed on me… If I had known Lady Cui was pregnant…”

Hearing her contradiction, Chen Sixth Master grew even angrier, “Then you had to tell Mother! Didn’t I tell you not to speak out of turn? You just wanted everyone to know, to laugh at me! Come back with me and explain yourself properly…” He raised his hand to grab Madam Ge but knocked over the tea on the tall table with a clang.

Chen Xiang was sitting right next to the tall table… Jin Chao had no time to think and quickly pulled her away. The table tilted, and the scalding, steaming tea spilled all over Jin Chao’s arm and shoulder.

Chen Xiang didn’t realize what happened but burst into tears with a “wah” when she was released.

Madam Qin hurriedly took Chen Xiang and comforted her, telling her not to cry, while checking if she had been scalded anywhere. Madam Wang held Jin Chao’s hand and asked, “Third Sister-in-law, are you burned?” Jin Chao shook her head, saying it was nothing. Chen Sixth Master was both shocked and remorseful—who had placed a cup of scalding tea on the tall table! And now it had scalded the newly arrived Third Sister-in-law. He quickly apologized to Jin Chao, creating quite a commotion in the side room.

That cup of tea… was the one he had casually placed there. But it wasn’t intentional. Chen Xuan Qing, remembering how Gu Jin Chao had protected Chen Xiang, clenched his fist, hesitating to speak.