After Ji Yao left the Sherxian Tower, he was filled with anger. He walked along the pavilions to the lakeside, taking several deep breaths but still unable to calm down.

“…Now that your cousin is here, you should spend more time with her and give her more gifts. You two weren’t close as children, but now that she’s come of age… after all, you will marry her eventually. Once your aunt’s health improves, we will propose to the Gu family.”

Thinking of his grandmother’s words, Ji Yao felt his forehead twitching. Waves of uncontrollable anger rose within him with nowhere to vent. His character and upbringing wouldn’t allow him to take it out on the servants.

He gazed at the lake for a while, then walked toward his study. Zi An followed his master, carefully watching his expression… wondering what the Grand Madame had said to the second young master at Sherxian Tower to make him so angry.

Returning to his study, Ji Yao asked Zi An to open all the windows. Black bamboo grew everywhere outside. He stood at his desk writing to calm his mind. After finishing Su Dongpo’s “Dingfeng Bo,” he stared at the not-yet-dry ink, took a deep breath, and said to Zi An: “Let’s go see the Elder Madame!”

The Elder Madame was washing up with the help of her maids. Hearing that Ji Yao had come, she quickly had the maid redo her hair. “…It’s already the hour of Hai, why would he come looking for me?”

The reporting elderly maid said: “This servant doesn’t know clearly, but tonight, the Grand Madame summoned the second young master to Sherxian Tower.”

The Elder Madame thought for a moment, then said: “Please invite the second young master to the warm room in the back. Coming over in such cold weather, he must be freezing.”

After organizing herself, the Elder Madame walked into the warm room. Seeing her usually gentle-tempered son with a gloomy face and clenched fists, her heart softened. “Yao, it’s so late, why have you come to the inner courtyard?”

“Mother!” Ji Yao pressed his lips tightly together. After a long while, he continued, “I don’t like managing the Ji family affairs, but for you and Grandmother, I do these things without complaint! The scholarly matters of the Ji family can be handed over to Third Brother! But I’ve already compromised so much, can’t I do something I like? Since childhood, I’ve never liked Gu Jin Chao, and I’m even more unwilling to face her for a lifetime!”

The Elder Madame was startled: “Child, what nonsense are you saying!” She quickly instructed her elderly maid to take the maids and page boys away, to stand guard outside the warm room and held her son’s hand. “Has your grandmother spoken plainly?”

Ji Yao took a deep breath, controlling his emotions, “I had thought she would abandon this plan… What kind of person Gu Jin Chao is, you must know. She grew up with me. Has she ever done anything good? My wet nurse offended her with just one sentence, and she had Grandmother drive her out of the mansion. When Fourth Brother was young and accidentally touched the pastries she liked, she had him kneel in the ancestral hall for an entire day without even allowing him a sip of water…”

The Elder Madame was silent for a moment, then tried to persuade him: “Those were all childhood matters. I think Chao is quite good now.”

Ji Yao shook his head: “You don’t know. Last year when I attended the Lantern Festival at the Yongyang Marquis Manor, a little maid blocked her way, and she grabbed the girl and slapped her face hard. Many young masters and misses from prominent families witnessed it. With her head full of dazzling gold ornaments, I didn’t even want to acknowledge she was my cousin… To treat her with courtesy is no problem, but I absolutely will not marry her!”

Hearing this, the Elder Madame felt bitter. Her gentle, disciplined, and proper child—why did he have to marry Gu Jin Chao? Mother was only considering her granddaughter, why not consider her legitimate grandson?

“What can your mother do… When your grandmother decides something… who can persuade her…” the Elder Madame sighed.

Ji Yao smiled through gritted teeth: “Even if I don’t want to compromise, Grandmother has countless methods…”

The Elder Madame held his hand, comforting him: “Don’t worry, if your grandmother brings it up again, I’ll try to persuade her…” Even if she couldn’t dissuade her, she had to try, at least for Yao’s sake.

…

The next day, when the Second Uncle came to pay respects to Ji Madame Wu, she asked him about Concubine Cloud.

The Second Uncle was puzzled about why his mother suddenly cared about his concubine.

After thinking for a moment, he said: “I haven’t seen her for half a month either. Does Mother have important business with her? I’ll send someone to call her over immediately.”

Jin Chao stood beside her grandmother, grinding ink for her.

Every day at the hour of Chen, Ji Madame Wu first went to Sherxian Tower to handle matters reported by managers and stewards from various places. She also had to check account books and harvest from the estates. After her two sons and daughters-in-law paid their respects, she would meet with various managers. Jin Chao had developed the habit of rising early to help her grandmother grind ink since childhood.

Ji Madame Wu picked up a cup of Hanshan Snow Bud tea and took a sip, her voice unhurried: “Just have her come over first.” She didn’t say why, as this was ultimately a private matter of the Gu family, better not to spread outside.

Understanding his mother’s forceful personality, the Second Uncle didn’t say more and instructed the maid Ling Qiu to call Concubine Cloud over.

When Concubine Cloud arrived, she was anxious. Her makeup appeared rushed, and a silver hairpin inlaid with yellow beryl was pinned crookedly.

“This concubine Cloud Jin pays respects to the Grand Madame.” Concubine Cloud bowed. Ji Madame Wu frowned, somewhat displeased—such a person startled by small matters, who knows if she could accomplish the task.

Gu Jin Chao, however, carefully observed this Concubine Cloud. She was already quite old, with several layers of powder unable to hide the fine wrinkles at the corners of her eyes. But her features were delicate and graceful, fair and quite beautiful. She wore a stone-blue embroidered padded jacket with a vine pattern, simple and dignified.

Concubine Cloud also felt uneasy. Her status was lowly, and it was difficult to see the Grand Madame even once normally. Today the Grand Madame had specially summoned her… not knowing what for, she tried hard to think if she had done anything wrong recently. Finding nothing, her heart settled somewhat. When she raised her head, she happened to see Gu Jin Chao observing her. She was startled but quickly recovered.

Standing by the Grand Madame’s side serving closely, beautiful as spring crabapple, dressed simply but wearing evenly colored brocade that must have cost hundreds of gold pieces… this must be the Grand Madame’s most beloved granddaughter, Gu Jin Chao!

Why was the young miss here? Or rather, why had all the maids withdrawn while the young miss remained?

Ji Madame Wu invited her to sit on the master chair and introduced Jin Chao: “This is the Gu family’s young miss.”

Jin Chao smiled slightly at her: “When I first saw Concubine Cloud, I felt a sense of familiarity. You look somewhat similar to your younger sister Cloud Xiang. I heard you have another sister called Cloud Yan, is that so?”

Concubine Cloud had been wondering how Jin Chao recognized her but then remembered her younger sister who had been sent to the Gu family as part of the eldest daughter’s dowry. Jin Chao must have seen her sister.

Composing herself slightly, she smiled and said: “This concubine does indeed resemble my younger sister Cloud Xiang. Not only that, my elder sister looks even more like Cloud Xiang, as if cast from the same mold. However, my elder sister married many years ago, and I rarely go out, so we have had little contact.”

Ji Madame Wu then asked: “Do you know where Cloud Yan married?”

Concubine Cloud lowered her head to think, somewhat hesitant.

“She married as a concubine to the son of the Taihe County Vice Magistrate… I’ve only visited her twice, the last time being five years ago. If nothing has changed, my elder sister should still be in Taihe County.”

Gu Jin Chao felt relieved. She had been afraid Concubine Cloud wouldn’t know Cloud Yan’s whereabouts, which would have made the search troublesome.

Since the topic had been broached, she didn’t hold back and asked directly: “Does your elder sister Cloud Yan have an unmarried daughter?”

…Why would the young miss ask about the daughter of a maid who had left the household?

Concubine Cloud looked up at the Grand Madame, seeing that she was also watching her, and felt nervous: “This… indeed she does, but that girl is already fifteen this year. I don’t know if she’s already been betrothed to someone… why is the young miss asking about my niece?”

Jin Chao smiled reassuringly: “Don’t be nervous. My mother is currently unwell, and serving my father while managing household affairs is inevitably overwhelming. We’re thinking of finding a suitable concubine for my father. Could we trouble you to make a trip to Taihe County and explain our intentions to your niece’s elders? If they agree to this match, our Gu family will naturally provide a generous betrothal gift.”

If it were just taking in a concubine, one certainly wouldn’t call it a betrothal gift—the young miss was being polite.

Ji Madame Wu also said: “If you go to Taihe County, I’ll have Manager Zheng and Song Mama go with you. If your niece hasn’t married yet, bring her back. For a county vice magistrate’s granddaughter to be a concubine in the Gu family would be quite honorable.”

The Grand Madame’s words left no room for negotiation.