Shu Yan received Cai Fu’s message and hurried over with his medicine box without delay. After wiping away his sweat, he asked Cai Fu, “Miss Cai Fu, did the Third Master ask for me to come?”

Cai Fu made a hushing gesture, asking the little maid to lift the curtain while she peeked inside. After dropping the curtain, she said with a serious expression, “It’s nothing now. You can leave the medicine box here. The Madam will change the Third Master’s bandages later.”

What? Didn’t they say the Third Master’s wound was hurting and he should come quickly? Why was it suddenly nothing?

Shu Yan hesitated, “Miss Cai Fu, is the Third Master’s injury serious? Otherwise, I can go and invite Imperial Physician Wang to come…”

Cai Fu said softly, “I don’t know either. Let’s wait a while and ask again.”

Inside, the Third Master was holding his wife, his head lowered as if he was comforting her. It was better not to disturb them at this moment.

Chen Third Master said in a low voice, “My injury was indeed deliberately arranged. It was for this case of official salt smuggling. The matter is too complicated to explain in detail. Originally, the plan was to suppress Lord Wang’s power, but based solely on the testimonies of Zhang Ling and the Salt Transport Commissioner, we couldn’t touch him. The Southern Jiangsu Provincial Governor Liu Hanzhang is deeply involved with Lord Wang. As long as we can drag him down, we needn’t fear being unable to move against Wang Xuanfan. But if I want to catch Liu Hanzhang, it’s not a simple matter. I must have the Chief Minister’s consent. That’s why I came up with this plan…”

Gu Jin Chao listened quietly.

He arranged her hair, “It doesn’t matter if you don’t understand. In any case, Jin Chao… I truly had a reason.”

Gu Jin Chao said faintly, “I understand… You were injured, so Minister Zhang would become wary of Minister Wang. He fears too much turmoil in the cabinet.”

“Hmm…” Although not entirely correct, Chen Third Master nodded and smiled, saying, “You’re clever indeed. I never thought my Jin Chao had the qualities of an advisor.” These words were of course just to praise and please her.

Gu Jin Chao silently straightened up.

“Jin Chao,” Chen Third Master grabbed her hand, “I didn’t tell you because I felt you shouldn’t hear these things.”

Politics is the dirtiest thing in this world.

Gu Jin Chao said softly, “When you were injured, I felt terrible. I didn’t know what I would do if something happened to you… I’ve never felt so lost before.” As she spoke, her eyes reddened, and her voice became nasal, “I’m carrying your child in my belly…”

She had become dependent on him. Once something becomes a habit, it’s hard to remove.

Chen Third Master was protecting her, but Gu Jin Chao wanted him to consult with her when making major decisions, or at least tell her. Chen Third Master would face many hardships in the future. Even after he died in his previous life, his reputation wavered between that of a worthy minister and a treacherous one. Gu Jin Chao didn’t want Chen Third Master to die tragically in Sichuan in this life, nor did she want his lifetime of achievements to be criticized after death.

She had watched coldly too many times in her previous life.

After hearing her words, Chen Yan Yun suddenly smiled and flipped her under him.

Gu Jin Chao was caught off guard, looking up at him somewhat bewilderedly. He completely enveloped her, with a warm medicinal scent emanating from his body.

“Jin Chao… although it might be a bit inappropriate.” He leaned close to her ear, his breath tickling her, “But…”

Gu Jin Chao felt weak all over and reached out to push him away. But Chen Yan Yun pressed her hand down and kissed her face one by one.

Holding her made it difficult to restrain himself, something Chen Third Master never told her. He liked Jin Chao depending on him. When he woke up and felt Jin Chao crying in his palm, his heart was filled with tenderness, as if the small animal he had raised finally approached him. Because he was patient and restrained enough not to grab her into his arms all at once.

His breathing gradually heated up.

Gu Jin Chao hesitated for a moment, then freed her hand. Just as Chen Third Master was about to catch her, she wrapped her arms around his neck and took the initiative to kiss him.

It was like poking a hornet’s nest.

Finally, he released her with a bitter smile and found her clothes in disarray, the straps of her undergarment undone, revealing half of her snow-white peaks. Her expression was still somewhat confused. Chen Third Master dared not look at her, straightened up, and retreated to one side saying, “…Quickly fix your clothes.”

Gu Jin Chao sat up and suddenly remembered that she couldn’t engage in intimacy now…

Gu Jin Chao’s face slightly reddened as she reached to secure her clothes.

Chen Third Master waited until she was dressed before saying, “If you don’t apply medicine for me soon, I fear I’ll bleed to death…”

Gu Jin Chao noticed that his grayish-blue straight robe was showing a bit of dark red, and quickly called Cai Fu in.

While applying the medicine, she asked him, “Even if it’s a strategy, did you need to make it so realistic?” The wound was truly horrific; she felt pain just looking at it.

Chen Third Master explained to her, “Imperial Physician Wang is Minister Zhang’s man. If I didn’t make it convincing, I couldn’t fool him. Besides, I also took the opportunity to appear weak while injured. Wang Xuanfan has been suppressed, but if I seem too prominent, it would be disadvantageous for me.”

It was essentially about keeping a low profile.

Gu Jin Chao thought for a moment and asked him, “Then do you think Minister Wang will leave the cabinet?”

In her previous life, Wang Xuanfan seemed to have been demoted to the magistrate of Yangzhou.

Chen Third Master shook his head and said, “That’s not the plan. He’s no longer a threat anyway.” Seeing that she had finished bandaging the wound, he began to dress.

Gu Jin Chao was somewhat confused. If it wasn’t Chen Third Master who wanted Wang Xuanfan out of the cabinet, then who was it?

The next day, when she went to pay respects to Old Madam Chen, she encountered Grand Madam Zheng, the two Mrs. Zhengs, and Madam Sun whom she had never met before—the maternal family of Sun Shi, Chen Xuan Rang’s wife. Besides them, Qin Shi brought the three daughters-in-law, and Wang Shi sat with Chen Rong.

Old Madam Chen first introduced her to Madam Sun, who appeared to be around forty, with eyes very similar to Sun Shi’s, though with fine wrinkles at the corners, dressed neatly and expensively. As she and Madam Sun were of the same generation, they performed courtesies to each other.

Old Madam Chen smiled at Gu Jin Chao, “…She’s going to give me a grandson, already over two months along!”

Upon hearing this, Grand Madam Zheng smiled, “Then you’re doubly blessed, with a great-grandson on one side and a grandson on the other. I think when the children are born, you’ll be passing them from left hand to right, unable to hold them all!”

Old Madam Chen was very pleased, “Sun Shi is already six months along and will give birth in four months, just in time for early spring. Jin Chao’s child will be born in May, or early summer, both with good fortunes. Then we’ll go to Baoxiang Temple for safety amulets and light eternal lamps to ensure Buddha’s blessing.”

Gu Jin Chao smiled and pulled over a stool to sit.

Old Madam Chen waved her hand, “The stool is too hard. Come sit with me, the cushion is soft.” She invited her to sit on the luohan bed and also beckoned Sun Shi to come over.

After sitting down, Sun Shi affectionately held Gu Jin Chao’s hand and spoke to her. “Third Aunt, the first trimester is the hardest. During my first trimester, I was quite comfortable, eating well, drinking well, and sleeping well. I didn’t even know I was pregnant. If Third Aunt wants something sour, I have dried apricots and sour jujube candy. I’ll have them packaged and sent to you later.”

Madam Sun laughed at her daughter, “You’re just carefree. Your Third Aunt’s pregnancy is precious, and she is refined. How can she be like you…”

Since it was her mother speaking, Sun Shi just smiled. If it had been Qin Shi saying this, Sun Shi would certainly have retorted. Madam Sun had brought a servant to attend to Sun Shi, taking the opportunity to see her daughter. When the month of delivery came, she would come again.

Jin Chao had just become pregnant, and the Second Mrs. Zheng had been her marriage officiant, so inevitably she said more, telling her many things to be cautious about.

When Jin Chao returned in the afternoon, Chen Third Master had already gone to Heyan Tower.

Jin Chao’s appetite was still not very good, and those nourishing soups became cloying after drinking too much. After several days, she didn’t want to eat them anymore. She just gulped them down like medicine. After finishing a bowl of sweet pig’s trotter soup, she immediately sucked on hawthorn candy to cut the greasiness.

Outside, a little maid announced that the young miss from her mother’s family had come.

Zhou Yi Xuan? Gu Jin Chao had just asked Old Madam Chen about her, who said she had caught a cold and hadn’t been coming over these days. Why had she now come here? Puzzled, Gu Jin Chao had the maid let her in.

After Zhou Yi Xuan entered, she didn’t speak for a long time, staring absently at the snow-white, plump lilies growing on the windowsill.

Unlike the day she had visited before when she had dressed beautifully and even dyed her fingernails meticulously.

Gu Jin Chao instructed Cai Fu to serve her kumquat tea while she continued with her needlework. She had already finished making the child’s bibs and was now making little shoes, half a palm in size, extremely adorable.

After a while, Zhou Yi Xuan perked up and asked with a smile, “Third Aunt, are these for my cousin’s brother?”

Gu Jin Chao showed her the finished one, “Indeed, see if it looks nice.”

Zhou Yi Xuan had no interest in looking at shoes. After much thought, she finally asked, “Third Aunt, do you know what kind of person that Miss Yu is?”

Gu Jin Chao had already guessed her purpose in coming and replied with a nod, “I’ve only met her once.”

“Then… do you think Seventh Cousin would like her?”

Gu Jin Chao looked up and saw an anxious expression on Zhou Yi Xuan’s face.

She sighed, “Yi Xuan… don’t let others guess what you’re thinking. I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that. Mother said you caught a cold, so go back and rest. Don’t think about these messy things anymore.”

Zhou Yi Xuan lowered her head and said softly, “Third Aunt, I know you’re kind, so I’m only telling you. When I was little and visited my Grandmother’s house, I didn’t know anyone, and it was always my Seventh Cousin who played with me. He caught dragonflies for me and made them into amber with wax. When I couldn’t recite ‘The Standards for Students’ and was always getting my hands hit by the female teacher, he taught me how to memorize it… He also knew how to make little boats from lotus leaves and lotus lanterns. Since childhood, I’ve wanted to marry him…”

Gu Jin Chao’s expression became stern, “Yi Xuan, the Seventh Young Master is already engaged. If these words were to spread, it would ruin your reputation. Stop talking about this quickly.”

Zhou Yi Xuan smiled, “It’s alright, I’m only telling you.”

Gu Jin Chao felt somewhat helpless; Zhou Yi Xuan truly had a fearless character.

At this moment, Qing Pu entered and whispered in her ear, “Madam, the Seventh Young Master has come, saying he’s here to see the Third Master.”

Gu Jin Chao asked her quietly, “Didn’t you tell him that the Third Master went to Heyan Tower?”

Qing Pu nodded, “I did… The Seventh Young Master said he just brought some tonics, would leave them and go.”

Upon hearing the words ‘Seventh Young Master,’ Zhou Yi Xuan’s expression became very delighted, “Third Aunt, is that Seventh Cousin who has come?”