The maid lifted the bamboo curtain, and a slender figure walked in.
Gu Lan wore a light pink jacket embroidered with the Eight Auspicious Patterns, her hair arranged in a neat bun. A pair of green crystal earrings accentuated her snow-white cheeks. Due to her poor health, she appeared even more delicately fragile, her eyes seemingly filled with melancholy and sorrow. Gu Lian found her appearance heart-stirring.
Compared to Gu Lan, what were Yao Wen Xiu’s two chambermaids? Merely willows in the wind.
She stared coldly at Gu Lan and said in a low voice, “You… you still know to come here?”
Gu Lan walked before her and curtseyed gracefully, saying softly, “I’ve come to pay my respects, and also to atone for my sins…”
Gu Lian sneered, “What do you mean? Atone for what sins? So you know you’ve wronged me… You’re completely filthy inside and out. There’s not a single decent person in your Fourth House. To think I used to speak up for you before Grandmother, how blind I was!”
The elderly nanny listened anxiously; Yao Wen Xiu was still inside. What was Gu Lian saying? Even if she hated Gu Lan, she should wait until Yao Wen Xiu had left.
She tugged at Gu Lian’s sleeve. Gu Lian bit her lip, thinking about how the man who had been intimate with her last night had also touched Gu Lan… She felt waves of hatred. Her words became difficult to control, but she managed to say, “Forget it, you may leave for now. There will be plenty of time for you to pay your respects tomorrow.”
Gu Lan, however, slightly furrowed her brow, her eyes reddening as she began to sob, “Madam, it’s all my fault. I had no choice… We were sisters in the Gu family, you can understand my difficulties…” When she raised her head, her face was awash with tears, like a pear blossom in the rain.
At these words, the two unfamiliar matrons in the room couldn’t help but prick up their ears.
This Concubine Lan, entering the household on the same day as the new wife, and being sisters as well, was already quite extraordinary. Now how many more secrets would be revealed?
Sisters marrying the same man, one as a wife and one as a concubine, was truly intriguing.
Gu Lian rebuked her in a low voice, “You… be quiet. Who knows what difficulties you had…” Thinking of the new maids and matrons in the room, she swallowed the words, “After doing such a shameless thing, you still have the face to talk about difficulties.” She gestured for her nanny to give Gu Lan the gilt plum blossom hairpin that had been prepared earlier, intending to send her away.
At that moment, the latticed door of the bathroom opened.
Yao Wen Xiu walked out, with a maid still following behind adjusting his collar. Yao Wen Xiu took the maid’s hand away, “That’s enough, it’s not like I’m going out to see anyone. You may leave first.”
Yi Lan smiled, “Your servant understands.”
She tidied up her things and withdrew with a curtsy.
Only then did Yao Wen Xiu notice Gu Lan. His eyes brightened slightly, but seeing her sickly appearance, he anxiously walked toward her. By the time he stood before her, he had resumed a calm tone, saying, “Why have you come here?”
Gu Lan raised her head, her eyes red from crying, “Your concubine has come to pay respects to the Third Madam, and was just about to leave.”
Yao Wen Xiu nodded, “Hmm, how is it that you came without a maid accompanying you?”
Gu Lan replied, “Your concubine has one dowry maid, but I left her to watch the fire and boil water.” Yao Wen Xiu lived in a three-courtyard residence. Through the corridor beside the side rooms was the rear house where she lived. Having entered the family in such an impure manner, the Yao family naturally preferred to turn a blind eye. Madam Yao pretended she didn’t exist, not even assigning her a menial matron. She had only one personal maid who had just begun to arrange her hair… Yesterday, seeing how dilapidated the secondary room of the rear house was, she had cleaned it herself.
Yao Wen Xiu felt a pang of sympathy. In two months’ absence, how had Gu Lan become even thinner, looking so pitifully frail?
To have only one dowry maid, the Gu family truly didn’t take her seriously. Was it because the two of them had once done something improper that they treated their daughter this way?
He looked at Gu Lian and said, “Having only one maid is unreasonable. Lian’er, assign two more maids to serve her.”
Gu Lian, already displeased seeing the two talk, became even more upset hearing Yao Wen Xiu’s request, and couldn’t help saying, “Third Young Master, no matter what, we can’t…” The nanny beside her was so alarmed she was breaking into a cold sweat and quickly tugged at Gu Lian’s sleeve again.
Gu Lian didn’t understand what she had said wrong; why should she assign maids to serve Gu Lan? She simply refused!
The matron attending her was her wet nurse, who had been with her since childhood. There was always a reason for her guidance. Gu Lian could only smile and say, “Then I shall see if there are suitable ones tomorrow.”
Yao Wen Xiu had been afraid she would refuse, so hearing Gu Lian’s response, he sighed with relief, “Hmm, it’s good that you agreed.”
Gu Lan curtseyed again, her tears flowing even more profusely, “Thank you, Third Madam, for your compassion. I thought you would hold a grudge against me.”
Gu Lian didn’t want to respond, so her nanny took over, “Without a maid accompanying you, Concubine, it will be difficult to return when night falls. While it’s still early twilight, you should hurry back. Seeing Concubine’s poor complexion, the Third Madam is considerate of you and won’t require you to stay and serve here.”
Yao Wen Xiu nodded, “Indeed, without a maid accompanying you, don’t stay long.”
Only then did Gu Lan withdraw.
Being newlyweds, Gu Lian and Yao Wen Xiu naturally engaged in intimacy that night. Young and vigorous, they knew no restraint. By the time Gu Lian awoke the next day, it was already daylight. Yao Wen Xiu was also exhausted, his head buried against her shoulder as he slept.
Gu Lian felt both anxious and sweet, yet she also felt uncomfortable below… Not wanting to disturb him, she called for her nanny to help her dress.
The nanny spoke about the maid issue, “…Last night I was terrified. You mustn’t refuse to give maids to the Concubine.” Gu Lian frowned, “I also want to ask you why. Do I have to accommodate her?”
As the nanny combed her hair, she explained, “If you had rejected it then, it would have embarrassed the Third Young Master. Besides, refusing would make you appear narrow-minded and lacking in generosity. We can select two of our maids to send over. They will be with the Concubine, but their hearts will be with us, and they can help monitor her, see what she does every day…”
Hearing the nanny’s reasoning, Gu Lian found it quite sensible. She nodded in agreement, “Then I’ll follow your advice. You select two maids to send over.” Before her marriage, her mother had told her to listen to her nanny in all matters. Gu Lan was cunning, and she needed to be vigilant. Gu Lian felt she couldn’t be careless, lest she be deceived again by this shameless woman.
…Jin Chao was still sleeping. Lord Chen had just returned from his morning exercise and reached into the quilt to catch her hand.
Gu Jin Chao, scalded by his warm hand, unwillingly broke free and turned over to sleep facing inward.
Lord Chen didn’t give up. He raised his foot to half-kneel on the bed, his hand slipping under the covers to catch her hand again.
Jin Chao awakened completely and smelled the slight scent of sweat in the morning sunlight. Her hand was still held between a pair of large hands. Before she could clearly distinguish what was happening, Lord Chen bent down to kiss her forehead, “Finally woke you up. I’m going to take a bath now.”
Gu Jin Chao opened her eyes and saw that the sun was already high outside the window. She called Qing Pu in to dress her hair, saying softly, “How careless today, why didn’t you wake me earlier…” By now it must have been past nine o’clock. Since her marriage, she had never slept this late. Having just returned from Daxing, how could she not pay her respects to the elder Madam Chen?
Qing Pu hastily explained, “Your servant was planning to wake you once Lord Chen left, but he sent me to steam an egg custard for you. Cai Fu went to deliver a box of sweets to the Fourth Miss, and none of the other maids or matrons dared to wake you…”
Jin Chao rubbed her forehead. They had returned very late last night, and Lord Chen had still indulged with her… No wonder she had slept so deeply. Usually, even if the maids didn’t wake her, she would naturally awaken at six.
By the time she had finished washing up, the egg custard was brought to her, and she ate it in small bites.
Lord Chen had already changed into a straight robe and came out. Seeing her eating the egg custard, he asked, “Does it taste good? I asked Qing Pu to add milk to it.”
Jin Chao nodded and asked him, “Would you like some?”
Lord Chen shook his head, “No, you eat first. I need to visit the Ministry of Revenue.” After thinking for a moment, he added, “I’ve already spoken to Mother. You can pay your respects to her in the afternoon, she won’t mind.”
Gu Jin Chao nodded, then noticed that his sash was tied incorrectly. She stood up to adjust it for him, looking up at him.
Gu Jin Chao rarely looked directly at Lord Chen, gazing into his eyes. Only then did she discover that when these eyes looked at her, they were exceptionally gentle and composed. She had seen it so rarely that she hadn’t noticed that his gaze on her had always been different. She needn’t fear him at all. Because when facing her, it was truly when he was at his most gentle and harmless…
She couldn’t help but soften her voice, “Then please return early.”
Chen Yan Yun looked at her for a long time before saying softly, “Jin Chao, sometimes, I can’t control myself very well.” Especially concerning matters about her, he was more likely to care or become angry. “But… I married you, and I will protect and trust you. You don’t need to fear me or be overly cautious.”
Was he trying to talk to her about Ye Xian… Jin Chao wondered.
Protection and trust were indeed the most important things.
Chen Yan Yun didn’t wait for her to speak before walking out the door, where Chen Yi Zheng was waiting for him with others.
Jin Chao remained dazed for quite a while before gathering her things to pay respects to Elder Madam Chen.
Elder Madam Chen was speaking with Chen Xuan An and several other grandchildren. Among them, Chen Xuan An was the oldest, though not yet at an age requiring propriety distance. Elder Madam Chen invited Jin Chao to sit with them, saying, “While you were away, Xi’er missed you greatly. I also longed for your return, and finally, you’re back.”
Jin Chao asked Qing Pu to open the pastries she had brought from Daxing. She had specifically brought peach slice cakes for Elder Madam Chen. “…Since I was going to Daxing, I brought some back for you. Please try them and see how they taste.” The maid arranged them on porcelain plates, and everyone took some to eat.
Sweet but not cloying, with the aroma of walnuts, Elder Madam Chen enjoyed them greatly and asked if there were more.
Jin Chao nodded with a smile, “Of course there are, enough to distribute several boxes to each household.”
Elder Madam Chen was quite pleased, “…Fortunately you brought plenty. Send a few more boxes to your third daughter-in-law. She’s pregnant and fond of pastries.”
Jin Chao said, “I’ve already sent them over, specially prepared an eight-item assortment box for her.”
After eating, Chen Xuan An asked her, “Third Aunt, do you have any more of these pastries? I’d like to send some to Ninth Brother.”
Seeing Chen Xuan An’s somewhat evasive eyes, Gu Jin Chao guessed he was still thinking about that day’s incident, fearing she might tell others about how he had bullied Chen Xuan Yue. She replied, “Everyone has some, and we wouldn’t leave out the Ninth Young Master…”
Chen Xuan An breathed a sigh of relief and quickly smiled.