Mu Xi Hall quickly became busy, with servants carrying hot water in and out, while Jin Chao helped undress Chen Xi and wipe her body. Soon, Old Madam Chen arrived after hearing the news and was furious. She scolded all the maids and servants in Chen Xi’s room and punished more than ten people by making them kneel under the sun.

Qiu Tang was in the kitchen talking to the cook, asking for some astragalus to eat. After pestering the kitchen supervisor for a long time, the woman finally agreed, thinking that Qiu Tang was, after all, the Fourth Young Miss’s senior maid. Qiu Tang stayed in the kitchen drinking tea for a while longer before she saw Xia Kui, who also served the Fourth Young Miss, running over breathlessly calling for her to return.

Qiu Tang said, “What are you panicking about? Has the Fourth Young Miss woken from her nap? Didn’t I instruct you that I would return shortly?”

Xia Kui’s lips trembled with fear: “Sister Qiu Tang, the Fourth Young Miss has a high fever… Third Madam discovered it when she came over. The Old Madam is calling for you to report back. Now…”

Qiu Tang’s face turned pale. How could she suddenly have a fever? Wasn’t she fine this morning?

If anything happened to the Fourth Young Miss, all the serving maids would certainly be sold off. Where would there be comfortable days as a senior maid then?

She grabbed the package of Astragalus from the table and quickly ran back.

Old Madam Chen walked into the side room and saw Chen Xi lying unconscious on the daybed, feeling both pity and heartache. “Hasn’t the fever gone down yet?”

Jin Chao tested the temperature of Chen Xi’s forehead. They had just wiped Chen Xi with hot water, and the temperature had gone down slightly, but it was still alarmingly hot.

She shook her head and said, “We’ll probably need medicine to bring it down.”

Outside, a servant came to report: “…Doctor Ji has arrived and is waiting in the main hall.”

Jin Chao instructed Qing Pu to carry Miss Xi to the east wing room for examination. Old Madam Chen went to the east side room to watch.

She had just sat down and taken a sip of tea to moisten her mouth when Cai Fu brought Qiu Tang in.

Qiu Tang fell to her knees with a thud. “Third Madam, it was this servant’s fault. This servant failed to take proper care of the Young Miss…”

She cried with tears and snot running down her face.

Gu Jin Chao said, “Why are you in such a hurry? No one is competing with you to admit fault. I’m asking what you were doing in the kitchen and why you were gone for so long?” She paused, “Tell the truth, don’t try to fool me. If I hear a different story from the kitchen servants, you’ll be in trouble!”

She knew perfectly well about the maids’ secret dealings. This Qiu Tang had dishonest hands in her previous life too. It was only because Wang Mama had managed Chen Xi’s affairs then, and she hadn’t interfered.

Qiu Tang hesitated before saying, “This servant… this servant wanted to get some astragalus from the kitchen. My mother is old and frail, with swollen feet that make it difficult to walk. I asked a doctor who said brewing astragalus tea can benefit qi and strengthen the exterior…”

Gu Jin Chao then asked her, “How much is your monthly allowance?”

“Three… three taels of silver.”

Gu Jin Chao turned to ask Mama Sun: “How much astragalus can three taels of silver buy?”

Mama Sun respectfully answered, “Enough to buy fifty jin of premium astragalus.”

Qiu Tang was speechless, her palms slick with sweat. Her monthly allowance was all saved for her dowry; naturally, she would get these things wherever convenient rather than spending her own money. After all, the mansion had so much of this stuff that it couldn’t be consumed…

Gu Jin Chao continued, “You missed the entire noon hour just to get some astragalus? Is this how you serve the Fourth Young Miss?”

Qiu Tang said pitifully, “Nanny An returned to her hometown in Liangxiang, otherwise she would have been serving today and I would have been resting… I know I was wrong. Madam, you can punish me. It was all my fault…”

Old Madam Chen came out of the east side room just in time to hear Gu Jin Chao’s questioning, and said in an icy tone, “Of course you’ll be punished. From now on, you will no longer serve the Fourth Young Miss. If you enjoy the kitchen so much, you can spend the rest of your life there.”

She ordered the servants to drag Qiu Tang to the kitchen, “Tell Mrs. Zhao Yong that Qiu Tang will be responsible for tending the fire from now on.”

Qiu Tang was terrified and struggled while crying. The maids and servants kneeling outside all lowered their heads, not daring to look, as sweat ran down their faces.

Jin Chao saw Old Madam Chen enter and stood up with a curtsy, saying, “Mother, the maids below daring to be so negligent is also due to my poor management. I am at fault too.”

She now managed the affairs of the Fourth House, and for Chen Xi to become so ill without anyone reporting it to her was inexcusable.

Old Madam Chen motioned for her to sit down: “…Qiu Tang was originally one of Jiang’s people. After Jiang’s departure, she became increasingly frivolous. It’s not your fault.” As a stepmother, Gu Jin Chao’s relationship with Chen Xi should be neither too close nor too distant. She needed to avoid suspicion in matters concerning Chen Xi’s household, and she didn’t manage much herself… Such issues were bound to happen sooner or later, and it just happened that Nanny An wasn’t in the mansion.

Old Madam Chen appeared thoughtful: “…It’s indeed inconvenient for Miss Xi to live in Fang Hua Pavilion. Why not move her to the courtyard behind Mu Xi Hall? You can look after her daily.” The small courtyard behind Mu Xi Hall had been empty all along, with a pond of lotus flowers. It had a moon gate leading to the middle courtyard, and a separate passageway leading directly to Old Madam Chen’s place, making it very convenient to come and go.

Gu Jin Chao agreed: “Then I’ll have people clean up the small courtyard.”

Old Madam Chen nodded: “The child shouldn’t return to Fang Hua Pavilion; it’s too desolate. Until you’ve properly arranged everything, let her stay in the side room first.”

Gu Jin Chao then asked about Chen Xi’s illness. Old Madam Chen said it was cold evil entering the body. The serving maid said she had eaten two bowls of iced white fungus porridge yesterday morning. Being so young, she naturally couldn’t withstand it. “…The servants have already gone to brew the medicine. Once she drinks it, the fever should subside. However, she’ll need several days to recover.”

They went together to the east wing room. Old Madam Chen fed the medicine to Miss Xi, who was in a daze and only knew it was bitter, refusing to drink. Medicine spilled onto the bedding as she whimpered, looking quite pitiful.

Gu Jin Chao had no experience caring for children and could only watch from the side. Old Madam Chen grew somewhat anxious and ordered the servants to hold down Miss Xi’s hands and feet, determined to get the medicine into her first.

Xiu Qu came in to report: “…The Seventh Young Master has arrived.”

Chen Xuan Qing quickly entered, taking a few strides to the kang bed to see Chen Xi.

Seeing his young sister in such distress pained him deeply. He gently called out: “Miss Xi.”

Chen Xi, who greatly relied on her brother, murmured upon hearing his gentle voice: “Brother…”

Chen Xuan Qing reached out to hold his sister, letting her lean against him while gently patting her back. “Don’t be afraid, brother is here.” He gestured for the servant to hand him the medicine bowl, then scooped a spoonful and brought it to Miss Xi’s lips. “Be good, drink this and you’ll feel better. It won’t be bitter…”

He turned to ask Gu Jin Chao: “Mother, do you have any preserved fruits here?”

Gu Jin Chao nodded, saying she did, and personally went to fetch several kinds of preserved fruits: winter melon strips, salted plums, and honey-threaded dates.

Chen Xuan Qing had already fed most of the medicine, coaxing Chen Xi to drink the last spoonful. Seeing the preserved fruits Gu Jin Chao brought, he paused briefly.

These were all his favorite preserved fruits…

Gu Jin Chao hadn’t thought of this; she didn’t have many preserved fruits, and these three kinds had been added by Mama Sun.

He hesitated slightly before picking a salted plum and putting it in Chen Xi’s mouth, after which she stopped complaining about the bitterness.

Old Madam Chen watched with relief: “Fortunately, you’re in the mansion today. Miss Xi listens to you, which is quite strange…” Chen Xi had always followed Jiang, and after Jiang’s departure, she followed her. Normally, she only occasionally saw Chen Xuan Qing, yet she was particularly fond of him. Perhaps it truly was the closeness of blood relations.

With Chen Xi having taken the medicine, Old Madam Chen was relieved and said to Jin Chao: “I have some matters with your second sister-in-law, so I’ll return for a while and come back to check in the evening. For the next few days, neither you nor Miss Xi needs to come for the morning and evening greetings.” She also instructed Chen Xuan Qing, “From now on, Miss Xi will temporarily stay with your mother. Come accompany her when you have time, and we’ll discuss further after she recovers…”

Chen Xuan Qing nodded in agreement.

Gu Jin Chao escorted Old Madam Chen out.

With Chen Xuan Qing accompanying Chen Xi in the east wing room, it wasn’t appropriate for her to go there. Jin Chao went with Mama Sun to the small courtyard at the back. Since Chen Xi would be moving there, it was necessary to fix the place up first—the window lattice and corridor pillars needed to be repainted with black lacquer, and some furniture in the room needed to be replaced… Jin Chao also told Mama Sun: “…Also move all of Miss Xi’s little trinkets over. Don’t leave anything behind.”

Children were very attached to their possessions, especially sensitive and nostalgic children like her.

Mama Sun noted everything down and went to borrow servants from the attendants’ quarters to organize things.

Jin Chao returned to the main room and asked Qing Pu to instruct the small kitchen to add a bowl of lotus seed porridge for tonight’s dinner.

She walked to the door of the east wing room and quietly asked the small maid serving there: “Is the Seventh Young Master still inside?” If he was still inside, she wouldn’t enter.

Before the little maid could answer, Chen Xuan Qing’s cold voice came from inside: “…You may come in. I have something to tell you.”

Gu Jin Chao frowned slightly, wondering about his tone… What did he want?

“Open the door wide, and you wait outside,” Gu Jin Chao instructed the little maid before entering.

Chen Xuan Qing stood by the bed watching Miss Xi’s sleeping form, not raising his head to look at Gu Jin Chao, his expression still gentle.

Gu Jin Chao said coolly: “I am now your stepmother. You’ve read the works of sages, so you should know to respect your elders.”

Chen Xuan Qing finally looked at her.

The evening sunlight filtered through the window strips, falling on her and on that water-blue lined garment.

Didn’t she used to like red? That color had made her particularly radiant. Such a pale color truly didn’t suit her; it was like seeing a bright pearl covered in dust, making one want to wipe away the dust to reveal the pearl’s original luster.

Chen Xuan Qing wanted to remind her that a young woman should know what style suited her best. But such words were truly inappropriate at the moment, so he turned his head away and said: “Thank you for taking care of Miss Xi.”

Gu Jin Chao shook her head and said, “Seventh Young Master need not thank me. I am also Miss Xi’s mother. This is all part of my duty.”

She didn’t want to accept Chen Xuan Qing’s gratitude.

Chen Xuan Qing was tall and slender, and always spoke to others with great gentleness and courtesy. Everyone who met him would praise him as a gentleman. Only when facing Gu Jin Chao did he feel pushed to the extreme—even with a cold face or scolding, he couldn’t drive away this young woman who clung to him.

Chen Xuan Qing truly didn’t know what to do.

He had even humiliated her before, been verbally harsh, and felt he had gone too far.

Finally, now, Gu Jin Chao no longer liked him.

She had become his father’s wife, entering his life in another way.

“Mm, that’s good,” Chen Xuan Qing nodded. “Then I’ll take my leave…”

“When Miss Xi’s fever breaks, I’ll send someone to inform you,” said Gu Jin Chao.