Jin Chao offered a white lotus eternal lamp.

The lamp tower housed many lamps, countless flames dancing. She stood in the middle of the tower holding her lamp. A stone-railed staircase led to the top of the lighthouse, where several monks were adding oil to the lamp holders.

Jin Chao turned to look at Third Master Chen, unsure where to place her lamp.

Third Master Chen walked toward her and said, “Follow me.” He led her up the staircase of the lamp tower. The walls had small Buddha niches, and the pine oil-coated surfaces were polished to a shine. Third Master Chen turned through a narrow passage, bringing her to a terrace. Here stood a statue of Manjusri Bodhisattva, with only one lamp placed before it. It was an eternal lamp carved with Buddhist lotus patterns from the Ministry of Justice, appearing to be quite old.

Gu Jin Chao looked at Chen Yan Yun and saw him gazing down at the lamp, his lips revealing a faint smile. “The master has arranged this well. Place your lamp here. With the Bodhisattva’s blessing, your good fortune will be profound.”

…Whose eternal lamp was this? And it even had a special place set aside for it.

Gu Jin Chao placed her lamp down and followed him down the stairs, asking softly, “Third Master, whose lamp is that?” The lamp tower was exceptionally quiet, the flames seemingly alive as they danced, causing her to keep her voice low.

Chen Yan Yun walked ahead, answering, “It was placed here when I was ten years old when my mother brought me… The abbot at that time was a good friend of my father’s, and set aside this space. He passed away a few years ago.”

They had exited the lamp tower.

Jin Chao looked back, suddenly remembering the day Third Master Chen had shown her the lamp tower amidst heavy snowfall.

Chen Yan Yun asked Chen Yi to escort her back to the meditation room, while he went to visit Sixth Master Chen, who was in seclusion at Baoxiang Temple.

After returning to the Chen household from the Ullambana Festival ceremony, everyone was tired and retired to their rooms to rest. Old Lady Chen asked Chen Yan Yun to talk about how Sixth Master Chen was faring at Baoxiang Temple. Jin Chao returned to Muxi Hall to bathe. After walking all day and sweating profusely, a hot bath made her feel refreshed.

Qing Pu brought her a water-green plain satin jacket, but Jin Chao considered it for a moment and asked her to exchange it for a light pink silk jacket with lotus patterns.

In the hot weather, the luohan bed was covered with a bamboo mat inlaid with white jade. Jin Chao sat on the bed reviewing account books. Xiu Qu brought up a plate of sliced watermelon that had been specially sprinkled with ice-chilled sugarcane juice, making it both cool and sweet.

The account books were sent over by Cao Zi Heng yesterday. Whenever Jin Chao had questions, she had Cai Fu note them down to send back to Cao Zi Heng for verification. The characters in the account books were densely packed, straining the eyes. Three pine oil lamps were lit on the kang table to see clearly.

Shortly after, Madam Tong entered with a letter: “…This is from Fourth Madam, sent from Daxing. The messenger said that the wedding day for Fourth Miss Zu is set for the second day of the eighth month. Tomorrow, Second Madam Zu will personally bring the invitation and request that you return to stay for a few days.”

Gu Jin Chao took the letter and read it carefully. The letter was from Xu Jing Yi, who also wrote about daily trifles, such as Gu Xi learning needlework or her father writing some new article. At the end, she mentioned Gu Lan being ill, and bedridden for several months. Her illness was peculiar, with nausea but unable to vomit… The Old Madam feared it might be an epidemic, so she had been moved to a separate courtyard where no one was allowed to visit.

She also instructed Jin Chao to bring some tonics when she returned, to strengthen Gu Lan’s body, as she had grown too thin and weak lately.

Gu Jin Chao, who had been leaning against a large bolster, immediately sat up after reading the letter.

Xu Jing Yi’s words carried deep implications… Was she suggesting that Gu Lan was pregnant? With nausea and tonics mentioned, what else could it be but pregnancy?

After reading it, she couldn’t help but smile, handing the letter to Qing Pu to burn. She then instructed Madam Tong: “…Go prepare, for Second Madam Zu will visit tomorrow. As for the wedding gift for Gu Lian’s marriage, there’s no hurry.” Since the Second Madam was personally delivering the invitation to the Chen household, Old Lady Chen might not attend but would certainly send a gift. She would wait for Old Lady Chen to decide on her gift first before determining what to send herself, to avoid overstepping.

Jin Chao thought for a moment, then added, “Oh, and I have a forty-year-old ginseng in my storeroom. Find it and wrap it nicely, then purchase some gastrodia, cordyceps, and other tonics. I’ll bring them all when I return to the Zu family.”

Madam Tong was puzzled: “Madam, are these gastrodia and cordyceps also part of the wedding gift?”

Jin Chao smiled and said, “Of course not, these are to strengthen Lan’s body.” After a pause, she said softly, “She’s likely with child…”

Madam Tong was aware of the incident two months ago when Gu Lan was caught in a private meeting with Yao Wen Xiu… Her expression changed slightly as she whispered, “…Fourth Miss is about to marry into the Yao family, and now Third Miss is pregnant. Even if she’s later taken in as a concubine, the dates of childbirth won’t match… Wouldn’t this bring shame to the Gu family!”

Jin Chao shook her head and said, “If Madam Feng truly cared about shame, how could she marry both Gu Lian and Gu Lan to Yao Wen Xiu? She’s simply unwilling to let go of a grand secretary’s legitimate son. Besides… whether Gu Lan’s child can be born remains uncertain.”

Madam Feng told others that Gu Lan had contracted an epidemic, which meant she could even kill her at this point, let alone the flesh in her belly. Not just Madam Feng, even Second Madam wouldn’t allow Gu Lan’s child to survive. This child was almost like an evil spirit; if successfully born, explaining its existence would be problematic, openly revealing that Yao Wen Xiu and Gu Lan had an unsavory relationship…

If the child were truly born, it would be a constant reminder to Gu Lian, likely becoming an eyesore. With her temperament, she might even strangle the child with her own hands when she couldn’t bear it anymore.

If only Gu Lan had married Mu’s eldest son, she wouldn’t be in this predicament today. Even if she had married the son of Zhao, the scholar with whom she had previously been betrothed, her life would have been smooth. Gu Jin Chao sighed inwardly, thinking that without her intervention, Gu Lan had already walked herself into a dead end.

Without Concubine Song planning for her, her future days would likely be difficult.

Madam Tong acknowledged her instructions and withdrew. Outside, a young maid announced that Third Master Chen had returned.

Chen Yan Yun entered, and the maids in the room withdrew one by one. Jin Chao personally brought him a cup of iced plum soup: “The weather is hot today. Please have some plum soup first, which I prepared this morning.”

Chen Yan Yun took a sip as suggested… the plum soup tasted unusually sweet. He didn’t comment, however, and drank it down in one go, returning the jade cup to her. “Hmm… it tastes good.”

Jin Chao had the maid take away the cup and then told him about Gu Lian’s marriage: “…I need to return to my ancestral home, for about half a month. I haven’t visited my father and sister for a long time, and Yi will soon turn fifteen, so I should help prepare for that as well.”

“You’ll be gone for half a month?” he asked.

Jin Chao nodded: “Second Aunt will come tomorrow. I’ll take her to pay respects to Mother and then discuss it with her.”

After a long silence from Third Master Chen, Jin Chao looked up at him to find him staring intently at her.

Gu Jin Chao asked, “What’s wrong? Do you think it’s too long…”

Chen Yan Yun shook his head: “Nothing, it’s up to you.” He went to the washroom to freshen up.

Jin Chao read the “Book of Changes” for a while. Soon after, Third Master Chen emerged from his bath, filling the air with the clean scent of soap.

Jin Chao closed her book, blew out the lamp, and after closing the lattice door, walked over to find him already lying in bed under a thin quilt.

Jin Chao also lay down. Just as she closed her eyes, a pair of arms pulled her into a warm embrace.

Her body stiffened again, but upon smelling Third Master Chen’s scent, she quickly relaxed.

Chen Yan Yun rested his chin on top of her head, feeling her nestled in his arms, just a small bundle. Half a month was indeed too long… He slowly stroked Jin Chao’s long hair, saying softly, “This afternoon in the Reception Hall, when you were asleep… I seem to have done something.”

The deep male voice within the red silk bed curtains… was extremely sensual.

Gu Jin Chao felt her ears growing hot. She made a sound of acknowledgment and asked, “What did you do?”

Third Master Chen chuckled: “It would have defiled the purity of the temple, so I only started but didn’t continue… now I’d like to proceed.”

The hand around her waist tightened. Gu Jin Chao understood his meaning, her body growing softer. Recalling their previous experiences, she couldn’t help wanting to pull away, yet she couldn’t muster any strength.

But reason told her she should be kinder to him…

When he rolled over to cover her, Gu Jin Chao bit her lip and took the initiative to embrace his neck.

Third Master Chen gazed down at her, his eyes profound. Jin Chao, committed to her course, leaned up to kiss his lips.

He quickly held the back of her head and returned the kiss.

When they separated, both breathing heavily, he whispered in her ear, “Jin Chao, come…” pulling her hand downward. Jin Chao felt his waist, sensing accumulated strength, extremely taut. His undergarment was already half open, revealing his muscular chest…

Her fingertips touched that place, and she felt her entire body burning.

Soon after, she was drawn completely into it…

When she awoke the next day, it was already the Chen hour (7-9 AM).

Gu Jin Chao still felt somewhat dizzy, not having rested well the previous night. Third Master Chen had risen early and gone to the Inner Cabinet.

She couldn’t help but instruct Cai Fu: “I’ve said before, when Third Master rises, you should wake me.” It wasn’t proper for a husband to be up while she still lay in bed. Third Master Chen had no one to attend to him and had to do everything himself, making it difficult for him to live with her.

Cai Fu had only woken her once.

Cai Fu responded somewhat dejectedly: “Third Master instructed us not to wake you. Last time when I woke you, Third Master came back specifically to scold me…”

Gu Jin Chao felt helpless but had to let it go. At least she hadn’t missed the time to pay respects to Old Lady Chen at Chen hour. Third Master Chen was very protective of her and attentive in every way. If she refused, she feared it would spoil his good intentions.

Soon, maids brought in hot water and breakfast.

After eating a bowl of mung bean porridge and two red bean buns, Jin Chao went to Tanshan Court. Old Lady Chen was supervising Chen Xuan Xin’s calligraphy practice.

Chen Xuan Xin was always polite and respectful when he saw her. He respectfully called her ‘Mother’ and then bent over his desk to practice writing.

Old Lady Chen said to her: “…Though not as clever as Xuan Qing, at least he’s diligent. Better than his Sixth Uncle.”