Why was he looking at her? Could he know that she had sent someone to follow him?

Gu Jin Chao felt hesitant. She had sent Qing Pu to follow Zhou Yi Xuan because she knew what Zhou Yi Xuan had done in her previous life. But now she couldn’t explain this, so she naturally kept her eyes down, pretending not to notice.

Chen Xuan Qing turned his head back and said flatly, “…No one, just my cousin and me.”

After hearing this, Chen Yan Yun closed his eyes for a moment, then asked, “Yi Xuan gave you a piece of calligraphy, what was that about?”

Chen Xuan Qing found it strange and said quietly, “She never gave me calligraphy.” Chen Yan Yun said nothing, just stared at him coldly.

Chen Xuan Qing lowered his head but didn’t back down.

Chen Yan Yun called in a servant and gave instructions, and the servant left to carry them out. He then gave a signal to Old Madam Chen.

Old Madam Chen understood and took Gu Jin Chao to a side room to sit. She had a servant bring over a quilt for her, saying, “You can sleep while you wait.” Gu Jin Chao didn’t refuse; she was indeed feeling cold. Wrapped in the warm quilt lying on the heated kang bed, she listened quietly.

The night was very still, and with only a latticed screen between the rooms, she could still hear what was happening next door.

Soon someone returned, crossing the threshold to enter.

Chen Third Master’s voice was icy, “And what is this?”

After a moment, Chen Xuan Qing explained, “This… this is calligraphy my cousin practiced. She asked me to check if there were any mistakes.” He hurriedly explained, “Father, she didn’t give this to me as a gift! How could I accept something from her…”

Chen Third Master interrupted him: “If someone else had discovered this, would they listen to your explanation? You’re already so grown up, yet you don’t think before you act. She’s young and doesn’t know better, but what about you? Regardless of the reason, you shouldn’t have accepted anything from her… If this matter got out, who would listen to your explanation? Now I ask you…”

Old Madam Chen grew restless and instructed Lü Luo to stay with Gu Jin Chao while she went to the other room.

Gu Jin Chao heard Chen Third Master ask softly, “Do you and Yi Xuan have a romantic relationship?”

Chen Xuan Qing replied, “…No. You can ask my cousin directly… I don’t know who reported this, but we don’t have a romantic relationship.” His tone was very firm.

Hearing this, Gu Jin Chao had a vague suspicion. Could Chen Xuan Qing possibly think that she had seen him meet Zhou Yi Xuan privately and had reported him? Someone who didn’t understand Zhou Yi Xuan might think so, as not everyone would have the courage to say such things.

Thinking carefully, it made perfect sense.

She leaned against the pillow, and as she listened, she began to feel drowsy. The voices from the other room became indistinct.

Cai Fu, seeing she had fallen asleep, gently tucked in the corners of her quilt.

The candlelight from before the Buddha cast flickering shadows on the ginger-yellow fine gauze curtains.

Chen Xuan Qing pressed his lips together, kneeling perfectly straight. He hadn’t done anything wrong, and he wouldn’t feel guilty, nor did he need to.

At the time, he had noticed Qing Pu following him; the sunlight had cast her shadow on the stone pavement. He had seen her earlier at Gu Jin Chao’s place and recognized the Buddha’s hand-silver hairpin she wore. Chen Xuan Qing hadn’t paid much attention then; Gu Jin Chao had often sent maids to follow him before. He thought she might have sent the maid to tell him something, but seeing Zhou Yi Xuan present, the maid didn’t speak…

He never expected to be questioned in the evening, specifically about whether he had a romantic relationship with Zhou Yi Xuan.

Gu Jin Chao… what exactly are you trying to do?

Old Madam Chen asked him again: “When you met privately, did you say anything to Yi Xuan? Did you tell her you didn’t like Miss Yu, or were your words… affectionate towards her?”

Chen Xuan Qing laughed coldly, “You seem to know everything already… why bother asking me?”

“You ungrateful boy… Yi Xuan is your cousin. You’re already engaged, how could you do such a thing!” Old Madam Chen grew even more furious hearing his words.

Chen Xuan Qing said quietly, “Engaged? When did this happen? You never told me, how would I know?”

“Chen Xuan Qing!” Chen Third Master snapped coldly, “Is that how you speak to your grandmother!”

But Old Madam Chen heard the loneliness and anger in Chen Xuan Qing’s voice and sighed again: “It’s not that your grandmother didn’t want you to know… I invited Madam Yu over a few days ago because I saw what was happening and wanted to cut off Yi Xuan’s hopes. I didn’t expect the girl to be so stubborn. The specific wedding date hasn’t been set yet. I was planning to tell you once it was… and then you…”

Chen Third Master helped Old Madam Chen sit down and brought her tea.

He then walked over to Chen Xuan Qing, his voice softening somewhat: “A doting mother spoils her son. Your mother loves you dearly, which is why I must be stricter with you. I expect you to do better than your brothers from the other branches in everything. You are the eldest legitimate son of the main branch; your path cannot be as easy as your younger brother’s.”

“The Chen family has never broken off an engagement without cause, nor can we allow anything that would bring us shame. Tomorrow I will have someone send Yi Xuan home, and you are forbidden from seeing her again, do you understand?” Chen Third Master finally asked him.

Chen Xuan Qing silently nodded.

A servant escorted Chen Xuan Qing away. Chen Third Master discussed with Old Madam Chen for a while longer, deciding to move up Chen Xuan Qing and Yu Wan Xue’s wedding date, tentatively setting it for early October. “You should invite Grand Madam Zheng tomorrow to be the matchmaker and go to the Yu family to set the date. Xuan Qing should have someone by his side now.”

Old Madam Chen nodded and sighed: “If he weren’t already engaged, it wouldn’t matter if he wanted to marry Yi Xuan…”

Chen Third Master shook his head: “Xuan Qing’s wife will be the future matriarch of the clan. Yi Xuan’s temperament is not suitable. Even if he were not engaged to Miss Yu, I would not have approved.” Although the engagement with the Yu family had been arranged long ago, Chen Third Master’s final acceptance of Yu Wan Xue was also based on considerations of her character.

Old Madam Chen said, “You claim to have no objections, but you’ve thought of everything.” Her son, having navigated the official circles for years, saw everything clearly and considered matters thoroughly.

Chen Yan Yun smiled slightly: “I’ll take that as a compliment from you. Later, you should explain the consequences to Yi Xuan. She’s young and confused and has been spoiled by her family, getting whatever she wants. This cannot continue.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll advise her later,” said Old Madam Chen. “Jin Chao is in the side room, I fear she might be drowsy…”

Chen Yan Yun entered the side room and found Jin Chao already asleep.

Cai Fu saw him approach and was about to wake up Jin Chao.

Chen Yan Yun waved his hand to indicate it wasn’t necessary and bent down to lift Jin Chao in his arms. She became somewhat aware but didn’t fully wake up. Instead, she buried her head in his embrace, curling up like a cat, sleeping peacefully…

Even pregnant, she was still so light… He wondered if she had been eating properly.

Chen Yan Yun gazed at Gu Jin Chao’s profile, his eyes deep with thought. He recalled how Chen Xuan Qing had glanced at Jin Chao when he was being questioned.

At the time, when Chen Xuan Qing explained, he said, “Today I went to mother’s place to see you. You weren’t there, so I left, and I met my cousin on the way.” Based on his experience interrogating others, this statement was an over-explanation, typically a sign of guilt…

Chen Yan Yun secured her cloak before carrying her out of Tanshan Court.

He had become too accustomed to scheming and plotting, and now he was beginning to doubt even his own family’s words and actions. Perhaps it was just a simple statement, and he was overthinking it.

The next day, Zhou Yi Xuan left the Chen residence. Old Madam Chen gave her twenty taels of silver as a parting gift.

Qin Shi sat in her main room listening to reports from various household managers, busy all morning.

Qin Shi put the account book aside and took a sip of tea before saying, “Madam Jiang, you mentioned that when the two young masters from the fourth branch returned, new writing supplies were purchased. This money should be recorded in the accounts. Otherwise, how can I report clearly to the Grand Madam? Don’t you agree?”

Her phoenix eyes and lowered eyebrows gave her a naturally imposing air.

Madam Jiang stood on tiptoe to look at the account book and indeed couldn’t find this expenditure. She smiled and said, “This servant has been too busy these days. I’ll add it later!”

Qin Shi smiled again: “What has been keeping Madam Jiang so busy lately?”

Madam Jiang laughed, “Nothing much, just that with the addition of the two young masters’ daily needs, things have become more demanding.”

After reporting, she withdrew.

Qin Shi felt that Madam Jiang’s words didn’t add up; she was hiding something. She called Han Ping over and asked her to inquire about the fourth branch’s affairs.

At this moment, her maid Han Zhen came to report: “…Last night, the Third Master and Third Madam were summoned by the Old Madam for a talk, followed by the Seventh Young Master. They didn’t leave until late into the night.”

Qin Shi had managed the Chen household affairs for many years and had deep-rooted connections. Hearing this, she frowned: “Last night they called the third branch for a talk, and today Yi Xuan was sent away. I was wondering why Yi Xuan’s face was so pale. The Seventh Young Master didn’t go to see her off either… What do you think this is about?”

Han Zhen smiled, “Whatever you say it is, that’s what it is. In any case, it’s all baseless rumors now.”

Qin Shi took another sip of tea: “After Mother sent Yi Xuan away, she went to the hutong to find Old Madam Zheng, saying she wanted to ask her to be a matchmaker to formally propose to the Yu family… Yi Xuan must have had something with our Seventh Young Master, but it’s all over now.”

Han Zhen helped her organize the messy account books, “Madam… you work hard on these every day.”

Qin Shi sighed: “Hard work is one thing, but it’s good if there’s a reward. The Second Master spends most of the year in Shaanxi and only returns for a few days during the New Year. As a woman, I just want to support the second branch… I’m afraid that no matter how well you do, everything will fall into someone else’s hands, and in the end, you’ll have nothing.” Her lips curled in a cold smile, “Sometimes I envy Third Sister-in-law. She doesn’t have to do anything, with the Third Master protecting her… Now that she’s pregnant, the whole family treats her like a treasure.”

After chatting with Han Zhen for a while, first, several daughters-in-law came to pay their respects, then the concubines.

Finally, Madam Zheng brought Chen Xuan Yue over.

But Chen Xuan Yue was crying and adamantly refusing to enter, fighting with Madam Zheng at the door, causing a scene.

Qin Shi listened with a headache: “Bring him in quickly.”

Chen Xuan Yue was finally brought in by the servants, with a cut on his lip that was bleeding profusely. Madam Zheng tried to wipe it for him, but he dodged and refused.

Qin Shi said, “How are you attending to him, making him look like this again?”

Madam Zheng hurriedly smiled, “The new maid you gave him broke his favorite vase, and he’s throwing a tantrum! This servant tried to persuade him for half a day without success. The Ninth Young Master even tried to hit this servant. Just now he used too much force and fell on the steps…”

Chen Xuan Yue was crying so hard his whole body trembled, tears mixing with blood as they flowed down.

Qin Shi always turned a blind eye to Chen Xuan Yue’s issues. Hearing this, she waved her hand: “Go back and scold the maid a bit, and take him away. Bandage his wound.”

Madam Zheng acknowledged and took Chen Xuan Yue away.