Gu Jin Chao explained to her grandmother: “Do you still remember Cloud Xiang, the dowry maid who Mother brought to the Gu family back then?”

Ji Madame Wu naturally nodded and said: “Cloud Xiang grew up with your mother since childhood. After your father took in Song Miao Hua, I prompted your mother to have your father take her in as well. Later she was elevated to concubine, but she was unfortunate—the child died before it was even born.”

Jin Chao smiled: “Although Father doesn’t appear as devoted as he seems, he’s not someone who takes in just anyone he likes… Mother said that back then Father was very fond of Cloud Xiang, otherwise, he wouldn’t have gone along with it so readily. After Cloud Xiang became a concubine, Concubine Song fell out of favor for a period…”

These details were certainly not told to her by her mother. After her mother had spoken those words, she sought out Tong Mama to learn this information.

Grandmother looked at her with an inevitably strange expression: “You want to…”

Jin Chao nodded: “Cloud Xiang had two older sisters. One is Concubine Cloud, Cloud Jin, and the other is called Cloud Yan, who I heard married the son of a county vice magistrate as a concubine. I was thinking of finding Cloud Yan’s daughter. If she looks similar, Father might be moved by old feelings. Otherwise, at this time, Father wouldn’t take a concubine casually—not for his official career, and Concubine Song would also oppose it.”

Grandmother was silent for a moment before saying: “I’ll summon Concubine Cloud tomorrow. You can ask her where Cloud Yan married, and if her daughter hasn’t married yet, we can bring her back directly. A concubine-born granddaughter of a county vice magistrate shouldn’t be problematic…”

She meant to say that if the other party didn’t agree, they would use their power to pressure them. Neither the Ji family nor the Gu family was something a mere county vice magistrate could withstand. Moreover, for a county vice magistrate about to leave his post, the benefits of such a connection would be enormous.

Gu Jin Chao very much appreciated her grandmother’s clean and decisive character.

After discussing this matter with Ji Madame Wu, Gu Jin Chao felt somewhat relieved. Before coming, she had been a bit afraid that her grandmother wouldn’t support her, but now it seemed that just as when she was young, once she proposed something, her grandmother would not oppose it.

Seeing that the sky had darkened, Jin Chao supported Ji Madame Wu to the Pendant Flower Hall for dinner. After the meal, Gu Jin Rong was still engaged in a very pleasant conversation with Ji Yun, discussing Master Zhu’s method of studying.

Ji Yun was very knowledgeable and showed no arrogance despite his young age and success in the examinations. His speech was steady and unhurried, yet he cited classics and references brilliantly.

He said that Master Zhu was different from others: “Regarding Master Zhu’s achievements, I think the most important is not his School of Principle. Master Zhu’s work on the School of Principle is excellent, but his actions often contradicted it, making it difficult to convince others… Confucianism is still the best. But compared to the sages Confucius and Mencius, he falls short. If young master Rong likes to read Master Zhu’s works, it would be better to read more of Confucius and Mencius, which is also beneficial for the eight-legged essay…”

Gu Jin Rong found this strange: “How did Master Zhu’s actions contradict the School of Principle?”

Ji Yun coughed once, his face slightly reddened, and he stopped talking about it, turning the conversation elsewhere.

Gu Jin Chao glanced at him, thinking that Ji Yun who appeared rigid and dull read unofficial histories… Legend had it that although Master Zhu emphasized “preserving heavenly principles and eliminating human desires,” he seduced two nuns to be his concubines and had improper relations with his daughter-in-law, contradicting his words with his actions, which was criticized by many.

After dinner, Ji Madame Wu asked Ji Yao to go to Sherxian Tower to discuss business matters. Jin Chao went to her grandmother’s courtyard to wait for her but fell asleep on the arhat bed due to the fatigue of the journey. When she became conscious again, she saw warm red lamplight filtering through the window, and a blue cloud-patterned brocade quilt covering her.

She half sat up, discovering no one in the inner room, but voices came from outside.

“…Too worrisome for me!” It was her grandmother’s voice, sounding somewhat angry.

Jin Chao lifted a corner of the curtain to look outside. Ji Madame Wu and Song Mama were standing under the corridor talking.

Song Mama consoled her: “You must give the second young master some time. After all, this matter is too sudden for him.”

Grandmother’s voice was cold: “Hasn’t he had enough time? He and Chao have practically grown up together. If we’re talking about who knows Chao best, he would be one of them. I thought he had become obedient these years, who knew he still has such a rebellious nature!”

Song Mama sighed. After a long while, she softly said: “Grand Madame, after watching for so many years… I don’t quite understand. The young miss has received all the love in our Ji family, and you particularly indulge her… If you had heard what outsiders say about the young miss, you might somewhat understand why the second young master doesn’t agree…”

Jin Chao’s heart tightened upon hearing this. If even Song Mama knew about the rumors about her outside, then her grandmother should know too. But how did her matters get entangled with Second Cousin? What did this have to do with him?

After a long time, she finally heard her grandmother’s voice: “Of course I know… When Han’er grew up by my side, I didn’t have the mind to take care of her, resulting in her being raised by the former Grand Madame to be gentle and weak, afraid to do anything. After marrying Gu De Zhao, with all his concubines and chamber maids, has she ever stood up to him? Back then, based on just one sentence from Daoist Master Qing Xu, Chao had to leave her mother’s side to be raised by me! Before she could even return, her father already had a second and third daughter…”

“The year Chao was five, I took her back for a visit. At that time, Han’er had just given birth to Rong, and Gu De Zhao already had the obedient and sensible Gu Lan. No one wanted to hold her. When I returned from a walk, Chao was hiding alone in a dark room, afraid to come out… I thought then that I would never let anyone bully my Chao. After returning, I indulged her even more, unable to bear seeing her suffer even the slightest grievance…”

By this point, Song Mama’s heart had softened: “I know you cherish Chao dearly. Having watched Chao grow up, I also know that our Chao is a person with pure thoughts… But what will happen to her in the future…”

Grandmother sighed: “That’s why I planned long ago that when Chao reaches the right age, I would have Yao marry her, under my watchful eye. I’d like to see who would dare bully her then.”

Song Mama asked again: “Then haven’t you considered… what if the second young master is unwilling…”

Grandmother gave a cold laugh: “He was originally unwilling to manage the Ji family’s affairs, but isn’t he doing well now? He was also raised by me, and I understand his character. Once forced to agree, he won’t go back on his word and will do his best to handle things well. It is precisely for this reason that I dare entrust Chao to him…”

After speaking, she sighed again: “Unfortunately, while I want to protect Chao, everyone in the Gu family is unwilling… When Chao told me those things today, I realized she wouldn’t normally understand such calculations. Someone must be bullying her…”

Gu Jin Chao lowered the curtain, walking slowly to the fire stove, her face showing undisguised shock.

She steadied herself on the screen with one hand, covering her mouth with the other, already in tears.

She had originally thought her grandmother merely doted on her, not realizing that her grandmother had already planned her path, intending to protect her Chao for a lifetime.

Gu Jin Chao’s thoughts raced, and now some things she couldn’t understand in her previous life had sufficient explanation!

A month before her mother’s death, Ji Yao had proposed marriage to her father.

She had been very puzzled at the time, as her second cousin didn’t seem to like her and treated her no differently from others. So it was at her grandmother’s command that he had proposed to her. This meant that eventually Ji Yao would still be persuaded by her grandmother.

…Indeed, with her grandmother’s methods, how could Ji Yao resist?

No wonder, even though the third cousin already had a principal wife and their child was a year old, the second cousin, as the legitimate eldest son, didn’t even have a concubine—this was prepared for her!

Jin Chao’s slight doubts about her grandmother completely dissipated.

In her previous life, her heart was with Chen Xuan Qing, eagerly liking him, just waiting for him to look at her… even a single glance would have made her extremely happy! So when Ji Yao came to propose, and her father asked her wishes, she rejected without mercy. Later, Ji Yao married the third daughter of the Yongyang Marquis Manor, and the couple had a deep affection, living harmoniously.

Fortunately, she had refused, sparing Ji Yao the difficulty. Jin Chao found it laughable now. In her previous life, her beauty was so renowned that it could be said to have stirred all of Yanjing, yet she didn’t have a single person who truly liked her—truly tragic.

Hearing footsteps approaching, Jin Chao lay back down on the arhat bed. Grandmother entered, first tucking in the corners of her quilt, then wiping her face, speaking softly to Song Mama: “Why does this child look like she’s been crying…”

“Perhaps she remembered something sad…”

Song Mama’s voice was also very soft.

Grandmother couldn’t help but feel heartache: “Han’er is gravely ill now… Chao must protect herself. I just hope that Concubine Cloud’s niece hasn’t married yet, then everything will be fine…”