“The one who previously supported you was my Second Daughter-in-law.” Old Madam Chen sipped her pine nut tea and said calmly, “You should rest for a few months, and let the Deputy Steward follow my Third Daughter-in-law’s instructions! I’m also docking two months of your allowance. Go back and think carefully about this!”

Steward Liu was sweating profusely. He had worked his way up from a mere servant to become the head steward of a household, a journey filled with untold hardships. With just one light sentence, Old Madam Chen could waste years of his efforts… It seemed he had truly misjudged the situation!

He dared not say anything more, accepted his punishment, and withdrew.

Chang Suo turned to look for his mother, stretching out his plump arms, his little face still streaked with tears.

Gu Jin Chao smiled apologetically to Madam Qin: “This child is still somewhat shy!” She reached out and took Chang Suo back. Chang Suo immediately wrapped his arms around his mother’s neck, sobbing continuously, feeling deeply wronged. He never wanted to be carried away by strangers again.

Old Madam Chen said softly: “Jin Chao, I think the child is getting hungry. You should take him back first.” Then she said to Madam Wang, Madam Ge, and the others, “You all may withdraw as well. I wish to rest for a while.”

Madam Qin’s face was ice-cold, her back ramrod straight.

Everyone quickly withdrew.

Old Madam Chen then said: “Second Daughter-in-law, do you know why I asked you to stay behind?”

Madam Qin smiled: “It must be because of Steward Liu… This is my fault! I didn’t think ahead to clarify things with Steward Liu.”

Old Madam Chen shook her head, her tone remaining mild: “Don’t think that because I’m old, I’ve become senile. Would someone you’ve trained be so ignorant? The third Daughter-in-law certainly has her shortcomings. But she’s young and lacks experience. What about you? Didn’t you deliberately scheme against her… I’m telling you, this time I’ve killed a chicken to warn the monkeys. If I discover something like this again, the punishment won’t be so light.”

Madam Qin laughed coldly in her heart. Both she and Gu Jin Chao were at fault, yet only she was being warned.

On the surface, however, she sighed: “I was foolish. It definitely won’t happen again.”

Old Madam Chen nodded and closed her eyes, lying back on her dark blue Hangzhou silk pillow with its hundred-auspicious-pattern embroidery, her face as pale as if drained of blood.

Madam Qin silently observed, thinking that Old Madam Chen’s health was indeed deteriorating…

After the Hundred Days celebration, Chang Suo’s formal name was also finalized. Gu Jin Chao told Third Master Chen about her wish to visit the Ji family, and Third Master Chen agreed: “Take Chang Suo to keep the elderly company for a few days…” He paused his writing brush, and meticulously instructed her, “Be sure to bring guards on the journey, don’t get too tired each day, don’t read for extended periods at night, and don’t do needlework. If Chang Suo bothers you, let him sleep with the wet nurse, remember?”

Gu Jin Chao complained about his excessive concern: “I’m just going to stay for a few days… Why are you saying so much?”

He put down his brush, encircled her waist, and smiled: “It was hard enough to put some meat on those bones of yours. If you return any thinner, I won’t allow it!” He bent down to kiss her cheek and softly asked, “How about I have Chen Yi accompany you?”

Gu Jin Chao shook her head: “Chen Yi needs to stay by your side. I don’t want him.”

Seeing her refusal, Third Master Chen found another guard captain to accompany her back to Baodi in Tongzhou.

Gu Jin Chao informed Old Madam Chen, and early the next morning, she harnessed the horses and took Chang Suo with her to Baodi.

The journey to Baodi in Tongzhou was long, and they didn’t arrive until early the next morning.

Madam Ji Wu had already received word and sent a steward to wait for her on the main road. After being welcomed back to the Ji family, her eldest aunt-in-law, second aunt-in-law, and two sisters-in-law were all waiting. Gu Jin Chao distributed the gifts and pastries she had brought, then accompanied Madam Ji Wu for a stroll in the rear courtyard of the Ji family.

Having grown up here since childhood, she was naturally very familiar with the surroundings.

Madam Ji Wu held Chang Suo and wouldn’t let go. Chang Suo wrapped his arms around his great-grandmother’s neck, also surveying the unfamiliar scenery around him. He enjoyed being kissed by others. When Madam Ji Wu kissed his nose, he giggled for a long time and was quite willing to be held by his great-grandmother.

Madam Ji Wu pointed out to Gu Jin Chao all the places where she had played as a child.

She had ridden on that crooked tree, fished on the white stone arch bridge, played hide-and-seek with the little maids in that side room…

Gu Jin Chao merely smiled, seeing that Madam Ji Wu had switched arms to hold Chang Suo. She reached out, wanting to take the child back: “Let me hold him instead! Your arms must be getting tired after holding him for so long. He’s quite heavy…”

But Madam Ji Wu wouldn’t let Gu Jin Chao take him, laughing: “It’s fine, it’s fine. How heavy can he be!” She kissed Chang Suo’s tender cheek and asked him, “Isn’t that right? Your mother even thinks you’re too heavy!” Chang Suo felt the kisses were ticklish and giggled.

After walking for a while, Gu Jin Chao followed Madam Ji Wu back to the east wing.

The jujube trees outside the east wing were growing well, laden with bright red fruits. Madam Ji Wu had servants use poles to knock down many jujubes, which were washed and served in celadon porcelain dishes. She smiled and asked Gu Jin Chao to try them: “You loved eating these as a child… You even insisted on climbing the tree to pick them yourself, resulting in a cut on your forehead. The nursemaid who looked after you was terrified. Fortunately, your eldest aunt-in-law applied some ointment, and it didn’t leave a scar.”

Gu Jin Chao unconsciously touched the spot where she had been injured, which was now smooth as new.

She picked up a jujube and ate it. Seeing his mother take a jujube, Chang Suo also wanted one. He reached out his little hand to grab it since he hadn’t grown teeth yet… Gu Jin Chao gave him one to play with. He struggled to push the jujube into his mouth, gnawing on it until it was covered in drool.

Madam Ji Wu lowered her voice: “Inviting you here this time wasn’t just to see the child. I have something else to tell you… Last time, you asked me to keep an eye on the Yongchang Trading Company. Now, my steward has made some discoveries.”

Something related to the Yongchang Trading Company…

Gu Jin Chao immediately became serious: “Please go ahead and tell me.”

However, Madam Ji Wu first dismissed everyone around them before continuing, “I had mentioned before that someone powerful was backing him, but I never expected the background to be so significant. The owner of Yongchang Trading Company is quite daring. Their most important merchandise consists of fine silk, gauze, damask, and similar fabrics, priced twenty percent cheaper than other merchants… Do you know where these silks come from?”

Gu Jin Chao recalled that Luo Yongping had also mentioned this matter previously.

Madam Ji Wu smiled slightly: “Do you know about the Imperial Weaving and Dyeing Bureau?”

Gu Jin Chao nodded; she was certainly aware of this. There were imperial bureaus, one in Nanjing and one in the capital, both under the Ministry of Works. In addition, there were twenty-two local official bureaus set up in various prefectures and departments across eight provinces, including Zhejiang and Southern Zhili. The raw materials for textile production at these local Weaving and Dyeing Bureaus came from silk paid as tax by the local civilians; most expenses were covered by the land tax silver collected from the local household registration system. The laborers were forcibly conscripted through the artisan registration system and assigned to the various Weaving and Dyeing Bureaus.

“What does the Yongchang Trading Company have to do with the Weaving and Dyeing Bureau?” Gu Jin Chao was somewhat confused.

Madam Ji Wu took a sip of tea before slowly explaining: “The silk sold by Yongchang Trading Company is produced by the Weaving and Dyeing Bureau.”

Though Gu Jin Chao wasn’t familiar with the inside workings, she knew this was highly improbable. She frowned: “How could items produced by the Weaving and Dyeing Bureau appear in such a trading company?”

Madam Ji Wu sighed: “The Weaving and Dyeing Bureau has always exploited the common people… Besides the mandatory annual tribute of silk, they demand extra quantities. Some people with evil intentions collude with the eunuchs in charge of the Weaving and Dyeing Bureau, buying tax silk at low prices and using the conscripted artisans to produce silk fabrics. They then secretly sell these outside, earning astoundingly high profits! But ordinary merchants couldn’t possibly establish connections with these eunuchs. These eunuchs are usually directly dispatched by the Imperial Household Department, and even ordinary officials can only treat these castrated men with the utmost respect.”

No wonder the silks from Yongchang Trading Company were always cheaper than those from other merchants…

Gu Jin Chao finally understood the inside story!

Yongchang Trading Company was backed by the Chen family, with Fourth Master Chen managing this business. Could it be that Fourth Master Chen was colluding with eunuchs from the Imperial Household Department, using tax silk and conscripted artisans to produce silk fabrics? This would indeed generate enormous profits… But the Weaving and Dyeing Bureau itself was already exploiting the common people, and such official-merchant collusion would undoubtedly be a disaster for the local populace. If this were to become known to others… the Chen family’s reputation would likely be ruined.

Madam Ji Wu continued: “No wonder the Ji family could never contend with Yongchang Trading Company; the waters run too deep. The person standing behind Yongchang Trading Company is probably no less than a third-rank official in the imperial court, otherwise, they couldn’t have connections with the Imperial Household Department eunuchs.”

Gu Jin Chao took a deep breath and said softly: “Yongchang Trading Company… belongs to the Chen family.”

She naturally trusted her grandmother and saw no harm in telling her.

After hearing this, Madam Ji Wu was somewhat surprised: “The Chen family has a scholarly heritage passed down for a hundred years. They don’t seem like the type to engage in such activities…”

Gu Jin Chao also knew that she needed to think carefully about this.

Fourth Master Chen alone couldn’t possibly collude with people from the Imperial Household Department. Third Master Chen would never instruct Fourth Master Chen to do such a thing; it was far too significant a vulnerability. He was a cautious man and wouldn’t allow others to catch him in such an error.

The Supervising Secretary Eunuch Feng Chengshan of the Imperial Household Department was Zhang Julian’s man…

Gu Jin Chao understood the key to this matter, and her face paled.

Third Master Chen wouldn’t let Fourth Master Chen do such a thing, but what about Zhang Julian? Zhang Julian was eager to control Third Master Chen, but Chen Yanyun was cautious and never made mistakes, never giving him a weakness to exploit. Since there were no faults, he had to create one.

Approaching through Fourth Master Chen made perfect sense. If word got out that Fourth Master Chen was colluding with the Imperial Household Department and exploiting the common people, who would believe that Third Master Chen wasn’t involved? With this matter in Zhang Julian’s hands, he could threaten Chen Yanyun at any time…

Seeing her poor complexion, Madam Ji Wu also understood the gravity of the situation and said: “Don’t worry, talk to Third Master Chen about it when you return. Such matters should be handled with discretion… If the Ji family can figure it out, surely others can too. If this matter eventually comes to light, it could cause serious trouble.”

Gu Jin Chao nodded: “I understand… Grandmother, I’m afraid I can’t stay long this time. I’ll have to leave the day after tomorrow.”

This matter must be reported to Third Master Chen. If Zhang Julian gained the upper hand, the consequences would be severe!

Madam Ji Wu was somewhat disappointed, having hoped she would stay longer, but she also understood.

She called Song Mama in and instructed her to prepare the evening meal.