When Jin Chao returned to Muxi Hall, she was still thinking about Chen Xuanyue’s matter.

Soon after, Mother Sun came over to pay her respects. She had just returned from Baoding and brought dried fruits like longan and walnuts, as well as two packages of cloud cake to distribute among the maids. Jin Chao smiled and asked her how the wedding banquet went.

Mother Sun replied, “…The daughter-in-law is from a neighboring village, matched by the child’s third aunt. She’s neat and clean, capable of both work and childbearing…” She sounded quite satisfied with her daughter-in-law, and then spoke about her son, “Originally it was due to the Old Madam’s kindness that he worked at the estate. Now that he’s married, he’s returned to the village and rented land to farm. Once he saves enough money to buy a few acres, they’ll be able to get by.”

Jin Chao smiled and said, “You’ll be the managing servant for the fourth household now. Look at the former Mother Wang, her family acquired a hundred acres of land and two double-courtyard houses. Both her son and daughter-in-law wear gold and silver. Not to mention the residence… With your current monthly allowance, you could also buy land for them.”

Mother Sun smiled somewhat embarrassedly, “Mother Wang managed for over ten years, so naturally she had more to spare. Although I have some silver… Not to mention, the fifteen taels of silver you gave me could buy five acres of land where we are. But I believe children and grandchildren have their fortune. No matter how much I earn, if they rely on me to eat, sooner or later it will run out…”

She looked up and noticed the Third Madam listening attentively, seemingly finding it quite interesting. She suddenly felt she had misspoken—the Third Madam was so young, having been a young lady who never worried about food or clothing since childhood. How could she understand the thoughts of common people like herself?

So she added, “This servant’s experience is limited. I only learned needlework and literacy from my aunt, which allowed me to become a servant in the Chen family… If anything I said was inappropriate, please don’t take offense.”

However, Gu Jin Chao thought Mother Sun’s understanding was quite correct. She had seen too many examples in her two lifetimes of parents who spoiled their children but ended up harming them. Though Sun was a mere servant with some narrow views, her perspective was correct and she knew her place well.

She nodded, “I think what you said is very good, nothing inappropriate about it.”

Mother Sun was momentarily stunned.

At this time, Cai Fu entered, lifting the bamboo curtain: “Madam, the pear water with fritillary bulb is ready.”

Jin Chao asked Cai Fu to put the pear water in a porcelain jar so she could take it to Third Master Chen.

She had faintly heard Third Master Chen cough a couple of times in the morning, so she ordered the pear water to be prepared. The Grand Secretariat had many affairs, he had been very busy lately and rested too little… It would be troublesome if he caught a cold.

Cai Fu soon brought over a blue-green porcelain jar with intertwined branch patterns. After preparing a bowl, Jin Chao took it to the study.

Several people were standing outside the study, including the familiar Jiang Yan and Chen Yi, as well as a few men dressed as scholars wearing black-rimmed caps and black cloth shoes. They all cupped their hands in greeting to her and retreated to the side room. Jiang Yan came over and told her, “The Third Master is inside talking with the Seventh Young Master…”

Chen Xuanqing had come? Gu Jin Chao felt somewhat reluctant to enter.

Although she was Chen Xuanqing’s stepmother, Chen Xuanqing was already an adult and avoided her by living in the front courtyard. He didn’t like to pay respects to Gu Jin Chao, and Jin Chao also didn’t want to see him. At most, they would see each other at Old Madam Chen’s place, where he would call her ‘Mother.’

At this moment, another of Third Master Chen’s servants came out and bowed to her: “The Third Master asks you to come in.”

Only then did Gu Jin Chao step into the study.

Third Master Chen stood with his hands behind his back, half-leaning against the desk as he spoke with Chen Xuanqing.

Chen Xuanqing stood straight, his handsome face bearing a faint smile: “…Scholar Zhao said it was organized quite properly. Only the volume about Emperor Gaozu of Han lacked fluency, and he asked me to reconsider it. What kind of explanation do you think would be appropriate?”

Chen Yan Yun pondered for a moment, then looked up and asked him, “Scholar Zhao is Minister Zhang’s student, so he is quite close to me. Do you know why he said your volume on Emperor Gaozu of Han wasn’t good enough?”

Chen Xuanqing thought for a moment and tentatively said, “Emperor Gaozu of Han Liu Bang, and the Hegemon-King of Western Chu Xiang Yu. I have praised and criticized both… The Grand Historian said, ‘If Qin’s policies remained unchanged, with cruel punishment and laws, wouldn’t that be absurd? Therefore, when Han arose, it inherited the defects and made changes, making people unwearied, thus obtaining the mandate of Heaven.’ Liu Bang’s achievements were due to conforming to the way of Heaven. If not for bad luck, couldn’t Xiang Yu also have ascended…”

Chen Yan Yun smiled as he looked at him.

Chen Xuanqing saw that Chen Yan Yun wasn’t quite satisfied and quickly stopped, somewhat puzzled as he said, “When I was studying the Records of the Grand Historian with Grandfather, you once said my discourse was very good… I don’t see anything inappropriate in what I’ve written.”

Chen Yan Yun, however, saw that Gu Jin Chao had entered and straightened up, beckoning her over.

Chen Xuanqing turned around and saw Gu Jin Chao carrying a food box, standing at the door watching them.

He turned back, his expression becoming somewhat unnatural.

The sight of his father lecturing him… he didn’t want Gu Jin Chao to see that as well.

Jin Chao said softly, “I’ve brought something for you. Please continue your conversation with the Seventh Young Master, I’ll take my leave first.”

She placed the food box on a nearby golden nanmu wood table carved with the Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea pattern.

Chen Yan Yun said to her, “There’s no hurry, wait for me first.”

He then stopped beating around the bush with Chen Xuanqing and directly instructed him, “Emperor Gaozu of Han rose from obscurity, as did our founding ancestor. So when writing about Emperor Gaozu’s achievements, you cannot use the phrase ‘the world’s allegiance.’ You should use this line from the ‘Preface to the Monthly Table of the Qin and Chu Period’: ‘The prohibitions of Qin served only to provide the worthy with the means to overcome difficulties. Thus, the anger that arose made him a hero of the world; how could there be any land that did not acknowledge him as king? This is what the tradition calls a great sage.’ Scholar Zhao wanted to remind you to be careful; if you use what I just said, you won’t go wrong.”

Chen Xuanqing thought for a while, then frowned and asked, “Wouldn’t that be too… flattering?”

Chen Yan Yun then said, “Do you think you’re still a child in school? Speaking so bluntly. You must now learn to be an official. After you work as a compiler at the Hanlin Academy for a few years, you’ll observe at the Ministry of Personnel. Although your father is in the Grand Secretariat, you must avoid suspicion and be posted far away. But in the future, in official circles, you must also learn how to speak and act…”

After speaking, he coughed lightly a couple of times.

Jin Chao opened the food box, filled a bowl with fritillary bulb pear water, and brought it to him. “I heard you cough this morning, so I had this prepared.”

Chen Yan Yun took it and drank it. The brownish pear water was oddly sweet. He drank it all in one go, thinking it would have been better to drink medicine directly… But he didn’t want to waste her good intentions. Gu Jin Chao was like a rabbit, cautious and timid, and it was rare for her to take initiative, so he indulged her in everything, coaxing her along.

It felt like enticing a small bird to peck food from one’s palm.

He reassured her, “It’s nothing, I’ve just been too busy lately and haven’t rested well.”

Gu Jin Chao smiled, “You should tell Chief Grand Secretary Zhang and take sick leave. Don’t overwork yourself.”

Chen Xuanqing was about to say that state affairs were important and that his father, understanding the greater good, wouldn’t delay matters because of a minor ailment. But he heard his father laugh and say, “Alright, I’ll mention it to my teacher tomorrow to see if he’ll let me take leave.”

It would be inappropriate for Gu Jin Chao to stay any longer, so she curtseyed to leave. Chen Yan Yun added, “…When you’re ready to return, I’ll come to escort you myself. Chen Yi will take guards to escort you back, and you can stay with the Gu family for now.”

Gu Jin Chao thought this was improper, as Chen Yi was Third Master Chen’s guard.

She declined, “Our family also has guards. If I take Guard Chen with me, what will you do?”

The Third Master sighed, “I’m seeking peace of mind. Please don’t refuse.”

…Third Master Chen personally escorted Gu Jin Chao out of the study.

Chen Xuanqing had been staring at the porcelain jar on the table. Gu Jin Chao… he began to wonder, was she Gu Jin Chao?

From the first time he saw Gu Jin Chao, he knew she was beautiful. He had never seen anyone so beautiful before, like spring begonia, with a rich fragrance.

Such allure, he very much disliked.

He should be a gentleman who loved the purity of the lotus and the unyielding character of the plum blossom. He had no interest in the rich colors of the peony. So after thinking that Gu Jin Chao was all looks and no substance, he despised her even more in his heart. But how could his father treasure someone like her?

The screen she made for Chen Xi depicted a lotus pond with a gentle breeze, a scene of remote tranquility. She was so good to his father and to Xi’er… To put it more accurately, Gu Jin Chao was good to everyone, except uniquely distant toward him. As if she only regarded him as a stranger…

Chen Xuanqing still remembered her clutching his sleeve, crying so hard she could barely breathe: “How can you not like me? Lan’er said you liked me. The sachet I gave you, I spent an entire night embroidering it… my fingertips were all pricked!”

Gu Jin Chao showed him her fingertips, eyes wide open, waiting for his comfort.

Chen Xuanqing had merely said “Oh,” very calmly: “Thank you for your trouble, miss, but please don’t do this again in the future.” He grabbed her hand and peeled her fingers from his sleeve one by one. She bit her lip, seemingly truly angry. After Chen Xuanqing went to look at other flower arrangements, she came back again bashfully saying, “Oh, my grandmother’s family has green chrysanthemums, and blue ones too…”

Nonsense, how could there be blue chrysanthemums? Chen Xuanqing didn’t even want to pay attention to her, but when he looked back, he saw her fingertips wrapped in a handkerchief, looking quite peculiar. She was blowing on her hand continuously with a wronged expression. Chen Xuanqing thought she was clumsy and couldn’t help but smile.

When Gu Jin Chao saw him smile, she became even happier: “If you’re curious, I’ll have my grandmother send some to you!”

Chen Yan Yun walked in and saw his son lost in thought. He knocked on the desk, “…If you’ve figured it out, go back and revise the volume on Emperor Gaozu of Han. I need to discuss matters with Jiang Yan.”

As Chen Xuanqing was about to take his leave, he turned and asked, “Are you going to take sick leave? Is your illness serious?”

Chen Yan Yun smiled, “She’s returning to the Gu family tomorrow, I was just reassuring her. It’s only a few coughs… what’s the big deal? By the way, since you’re back, remember to check on Xuanxin’s studies. I see he’s been hanging around with Chen Xuan’an again lately.”

Chen Xuanqing acknowledged and withdrew. Only then did Jiang Yan enter, cupping his hands in salute, “Third Master, about the case files on the river bandits from years ago, it might be a bit troublesome?”

“What’s the matter?” Chen Yan Yun continued writing, asking calmly.

Jiang Yan lowered his voice, “The river bandit case was from ten years ago… the files are hard to find. The only copy is with the heir of Marquis Changxing. After he borrowed it, he never returned it to the Court of Judicature.”

Chen Yan Yun looked up.