After Lady Chen and Zhou Yixuan exchanged warm greetings, she took her hand and introduced: “This is your Third Aunt…”

Zhou Yixuan had already noticed Gu Jinchao sitting nearby.

An unfamiliar woman, not yet twenty, wearing a married woman’s hairstyle, and stunningly beautiful. She had already guessed that this might be her newly married Third Aunt. She stood up and curtsied to Gu Jinchao, smiling: “…I’ve been wanting to meet you! You’re truly beautiful!”

As she said this, she felt slightly uncomfortable, as this woman didn’t appear to be much older than herself.

Gu Jinchao stood up and presented her welcoming gift. She also politely complimented her several times.

Zhou Yixuan opened the brocade box with just a tiny crack to peek inside.

It wasn’t proper to examine gifts in front of others, but Zhou Yixuan didn’t mind. Seeing that it wasn’t ordinary gold or silver items, but a slender celadon porcelain bottle, she couldn’t help exclaiming: “Third Aunt, what is this? It looks so unique.”

“Just rose extract. Add a drop when washing your hair or bathing, and it smells wonderful,” Gu Jinchao told her.

Zhou Yixuan’s eyes brightened. She opened the porcelain bottle and sniffed, clearly enchanted by it.

She held Lady Chen’s hand affectionately and said: “Grandmother, Third Aunt is so kind!”

Lady Chen wore a proud expression and smiled: “Of course she is! Next time, you must try her lotus leaf rice—it’s delicious.”

Jinchao smiled slightly.

Ever since she had made lotus leaf rice for everyone, Lady Chen would mention it whenever someone complimented her.

Although Zhou Yixuan’s mother was only a concubine’s daughter, she was the only girl raised by Lady Chen’s side, and they shared a deep bond. Lady Chen was very fond of Zhou Yixuan. Zhou Yixuan also had two older brothers who were extremely protective of her, which contributed to her pure and cheerful nature.

After chatting a while longer, Lady Chen personally accompanied Zhou Yixuan to her temporary quarters, sending everyone else back to their rooms.

Seeing that it was getting late, Jinchao had the small kitchen prepare dinner.

The Third Master was returning rather late today, so she read for a while in the study. Cricket chirps were incessant outside the study, and in the courtyard, she could see the silhouettes of servant women carrying wooden basins. Through the lattice window, Jinchao noticed Matron Wang standing under the veranda scolding a young maid. The maid had her back turned, sobbing intermittently.

She called Caifu in to inquire and learned that the young maid had been careless while tending the fire, causing the pork knuckle simmering in the pot to burn. “Matron Wang became angry… and is demanding the maid pay for the pork knuckle—three silver coins.”

Gu Jinchao frowned: “Three silver coins?” What kind of pork knuckle was so precious?

She had Caifu summon Matron Wang for questioning.

Matron Wang entered with a curtsy, smiling as she asked: “What does the Madam need? I was just supervising cooking in the small kitchen.”

Jinchao smiled slightly: “Since Matron Wang manages the kitchen, you should be familiar with the cost of various items. Let me ask you, how much does a stone of rice cost these days?”

Matron Wang answered: “About four silver coins.”

Jinchao nodded and said, “Four coins and six parts, enough to feed a family of four for half a year. Let me ask you again, how much is premium pork?”

Matron Wang didn’t understand what Gu Jinchao was getting at. Why had she been summoned to answer these questions?

Although she managed the kitchen, she wasn’t personally responsible for monitoring all expenses—her main duty was to supervise the cooking.

Jinchao nodded: “It’s understandable that Matron Wang, having served in the Chen household for years, might not be familiar with the prices of daily necessities. So let me tell you, it’s two parts of silver per catty. How much meat can three silver coins buy, Matron Wang… why don’t you calculate it for me?”

Hearing this, Matron Wang instantly understood and dropped to her knees with a thud.

“Madam, I was only giving the little maid a small punishment. Without punishment, she won’t learn her lesson.”

Gu Jinchao said coolly: “So you find her three silver coins? How do you expect her to pay you? If word of this gets out, won’t people say I mistreat my servants, not even sparing a young maid who’s barely old enough to keep her hair?” These newly purchased young maids didn’t even receive monthly allowances.

Matron Wang continued: “Madam, three silver coins isn’t much! Besides, that pork knuckle soup was being prepared for the Fourth Young Miss. I specifically used white pork knuckle and ham to make the broth, simmering it for over two hours. I wanted to nourish the Fourth Young Miss’s health…”

Making it for Chen Xi?

Chen Xi had moved to behind the Osmanthus Hall where Jinchao could keep an eye on her, and she often instructed the small kitchen to prepare food for her. But she had never ordered pork knuckle soup.

Gu Jinchao’s eyelid twitched: “…You’ve been visiting the Fourth Young Miss privately?”

Matron Wang became anxious: “The Fourth Young Miss was seriously ill. I only spoke with her briefly, encouraging her to rest and recover.”

Gu Jinchao coldly asked: “Who gave you permission to visit her?”

If not for Matron Wang in her previous life, how could Chen Xi have become like that!

And now she still wanted to have contact with young Miss Xi?

“Well… I am a manager, after all, surely I’m allowed to pass through the inner gate.” Matron Wang was quite displeased inwardly. Being demoted to kitchen duty was one thing, but was she now forbidden from doing anything else? She was one of Madam Jiang’s retained servants—everyone used to respect her, but now she was being disciplined by this upstart girl who even interfered with minor punishments!

Gu Jinchao, however, beckoned to Caifu, instructing her to immediately summon Chen Xi.

Chen Xi arrived with her attending maid, obediently curtseying to her mother, then exclaiming curiously: “Matron Wang is here too?”

Jinchao had her sit by her side and asked with a smile: “Xi, please tell Mother honestly, has Matron Wang visited you and spoken with you privately?”

Chen Xi hesitated, but finally nodded: “Matron Wang told me not to tell you, saying you would scold me if I did…”

Matron Wang’s face went pale as she opened and closed her mouth wordlessly.

Gu Jinchao took a deep breath, stroking her hair: “How could mother scold you? Just tell mother what Matron Wang said to you.”

Chen Xi hesitated even more.

After a long moment, she gently shook her head.

Gu Jinchao asked softly: “What’s wrong? Mother won’t be upset with you.”

Chen Xi finally spoke quietly: “I’m afraid you’ll get angry…”

“If you don’t tell me, then I really will be angry.”

Chen Xi finally made up her mind, “Matron Wang said… that I shouldn’t learn to play shuttlecock with your maids, that it’s unladylike. She said Sister Qingpu is coarse and unrefined, so old yet still unmarried, and told me not to play with Sister Qingpu. She also said I needed to take care of my health, not to… end up like my mother with chronic illness, passing away early with no one to remember her.”

Gu Jinchao’s expression remained unchanged as she smiled and stroked her head: “Do you like playing shuttlecock?”

Chen Xi made an affirmative sound, then asked: “Mother, is it unladylike for girls to play shuttlecock?”

Gu Jinchao said: “Of course not.”

Chen Xi nodded, then asked: “Mother, is it true that… no one will remember my birth mother in the future?” Her eyes were wide open, not fully understanding, yet seeming to grasp something. “Is it like when my pet rabbit died, and the maids forgot about it, no longer feeding it? Even its cage disappeared.”

Gu Jinchao sighed inwardly. Children without mothers were truly more sensitive.

She said: “But you remember her, don’t you? And your brother remembers her, and your father remembers her. Everyone remembers her.”

Chen Xi thought for a moment, seemingly contemplative.

Gu Jinchao had Caifu escort Chen Xi back first, wanting to deal with Matron Wang’s issue before anything else.

Matron Wang mumbled, unsure what to say, opening and closing her mouth: “Ma-Madam… children’s words can’t be trusted…”

Gu Jinchao gestured for her to stop speaking, then said: “I originally thought that since you had served Sister Jiang, you deserved some consideration for your years of service. Though you were arrogant, I never truly punished you. Who would have thought you’d be so bold as to scheme against me behind my back, and even say such things to young Miss Xi.”

She called for Matron Sun to come in, “…Pack up Matron Wang’s belongings and send her to Baoding tomorrow. Matron Wang is getting old and can’t even manage kitchen duties well anymore. It’s time for her to retire at home.”

Matron Wang immediately panicked and began kowtowing: “Madam, I was wrong! I will serve you wholeheartedly from now on… I’ll manage the kitchen duties properly! Madam, please show mercy!”

Being forced out of the Chen household before even turning sixty—how would she face the world after this?

Gu Jinchao continued: “Inform the Old Madam as well. I’ll personally explain tomorrow. If anyone asks, say that Matron Wang gossiped about her masters behind their backs and was harsh with the servants, making her unsuitable for service in the Chen household.”

Matron Wang hurriedly said: “Madam, you… you should at least give me some face!”

Gu Jinchao looked at her with a smile: “If I weren’t giving you face, I wouldn’t be this polite. Speaking ill of masters behind their backs typically merits a slap on the face and immediate expulsion, or even a fatal beating with a heavy rod. How many servants get the pretense of an honorable retirement like Matron Wang? Say another word, and see if I still give you any face. Let me tell you, face isn’t given by others—it’s earned by oneself. Do you have any?”

Matron Wang was speechless.

She… she had done everything for Chen Xi’s sake!

Suddenly, she broke into loud sobs: “Madam! You’re heartless! This old servant has only ever had the Fourth Young Miss’s best interests at heart…”

Two servant women entered and half-dragged, half-escorted her out.

Gu Jinchao then summoned Wan Shi’s daughter-in-law, who co-managed the kitchen with Matron Wang, and asked: “Didn’t you ever notice what Matron Wang was preparing? Why didn’t you report to me?”

Wan Shi’s daughter-in-law was the daughter-in-law of a household manager, appearing honest and simple, wearing a small gold hairpin and a floral-patterned padded jacket.

She stammered: “…Matron Wang used to be our supervisor, and even though she was demoted to kitchen duty, none of us dared to say anything. I thought it was a minor matter, so I didn’t mention it…”

These servants had either been assigned by Lady Chen or were Jiang’s former attendants. Gu Jinchao found them difficult to work with.

Though there were no major issues, they harbored too many hidden agendas.

Gu Jinchao summoned several servant women and senior maids who managed various household matters: “Regardless of your background… whether you came from the outer court or have always served in the Third Master’s household. From now on, anyone who dares to misuse their seniority will be reported to me. Each person has their designated duties. Don’t serve me with ulterior motives. All of you who manage the Third Master’s household, keep your eyes open… you all know what you should and shouldn’t do!”

The servant women and maids hurriedly acknowledged her instructions.

Matron Wang was a cautionary example—when this new mistress became strict, she could be very severe indeed.