When Gu Jin Chao returned to Daxing in the afternoon, the Gu household was already decorated with lanterns and colorful ornaments.

Madam Xu was bustling about, setting up tents, testing stoves, and arranging the dowry. She didn’t have time to welcome Gu Jin Chao.

When Gu De Zhao learned of her arrival, he went to the Moon Gate to receive his eldest daughter, eagerly wanting to see his grandson: “…Did Lin’er come with you?”

Gu De Zhao had only seen his grandson once since his birth, and at that time, he was just a swaddled infant.

Gu Jin Chao rarely saw her father so happy. He wore a smart brownish-red straight robe, his hair neatly combed. She smiled and said: “Yes, he came along. The wet nurse is holding him.” Just then, the wet nurse carried Chang Suo out of the carriage. Chang Suo didn’t recognize his grandfather and looked at him curiously with wide eyes.

Gu De Zhao immediately took the child into his arms: “Our Lin’er has grown so sturdy!” He hugged him a couple of times. Chang Suo wasn’t afraid of strangers and wrapped his arms around Gu De Zhao’s neck, grinning. Gu De Zhao liked him even more and carried his grandson while beckoning his daughter to follow him inside.

Gu Jin Chao followed him through the Drooping Flower Gate. Before she could react, she saw a figure walking toward her with large strides, embracing her with a face full of smiles.

“Elder Sister!” It was Gu Jin Rong’s voice.

Gu Jin Chao pushed him back slightly to examine his face. Gu Jin Rong looked increasingly like their father as he grew older. He was now half a head taller than her and had to lower his head to speak with her. He truly looked like an adult now.

Gu Jin Chao patted his shoulder: “Why have you come back?”

Gu Jin Rong smiled and replied: “I’m now traveling with several teachers and no longer at the Imperial Academy. In the summer, I went to Jinan Prefecture in Shandong, then to Qufu to pay respects at Confucius Temple.” He spotted Chang Suo in his father’s arms. Chang Suo, wearing a small jacket and hat, was nestled in his grandfather’s embrace, looking at his uncle. Gu Jin Rong looked at him for a while, then said to Gu Jin Chao, “Elder Sister, Lin’er looks like you did when you were little.”

Gu Jin Chao laughed at him: “How would you know what I looked like as a child?”

Gu Jin Rong seriously said, “Of course I remember. When Elder Sister was ten years old, you were swinging in the small garden of Xiexiao Courtyard and trampled the pink peony flower that Mother had planted. You wore a gold necklace inlaid with South Sea pearls; those pearls were as big as the nail of a thumb.”

Gu Jin Chao herself couldn’t remember these things clearly.

She had trampled her mother’s peony flower?

Recalling Gu Jin Chao’s childhood, Gu De Zhao showed a nostalgic expression and smiled: “…At that time, you were only as tall as my waist. So young, yet so fierce. You wouldn’t even let your mother’s maid brush your hair.” At that time, she was like a puppy that had left its nest, desperately baring its teeth to appear fierce, perhaps out of fear, or perhaps because the Gu household was too unfamiliar then.

Gu Jin Chao still remembered that hair-brushing maid, who had a strong musky smell that she disliked very much at the time.

Thinking of her childhood, she just smiled.

Seeing his mother smile, Chang Suo also giggled, reaching out for his mother to hold him.

Gu De Zhao rarely got to hold his grandson and wasn’t about to hand him over to Gu Jin Chao. “Lin’er, would you like to go with Grandfather to eat date cakes?” He said to Gu Jin Rong, “Take your Elder Sister to pay respects to Grandmother. I’ll take Lin’er to eat something.”

Gu Jin Chao instructed Chang Suo’s wet nurse to follow her father. Seeing her father so happy was rare, so she let him have his way!

On the way, Gu Jin Rong told her about the Gu family affairs: “…Second Uncle has returned.”

Gu Jin Chao frowned and asked: “Wasn’t he the County Magistrate of Dong’an?”

Gu Jin Rong nodded: “Yes, but he only lasted half a year. The second Uncle himself is in poor health, and it seems he also offended the eldest master of the Jiang family in Dong’an, so he resigned and returned home. Now he either quarrels with his Second Aunt all day or spends nights with his concubine. Grandmother is extremely upset! Second Aunt used to insist on dividing the family property, but now she doesn’t dare to.”

It’s easier to go from luxury to frugality than from frugality to luxury.

Gu Jin Chao was taken aback: “What does Grandmother think? If the family divides in the future, won’t you lose out?”

Gu Jin Rong smiled: “Don’t worry! We won’t lose out. Mother has taken back the account books that were kept with Grandmother. Now she and her Second Aunt jointly manage the household expenses. Second Aunt is also busy with Second Uncle and Lian’er’s affairs, so she has no time to manage the family finances. Otherwise, how could Yi’er’s wedding be held on such a grand scale? And Grandmother has never cared much about concubine-born daughters…”

Xu Jing Yi was indeed a capable person, as Gu Jin Chao had known in her previous life.

When they arrived at Madam Feng’s quarters, the Fifth Mistress was attending to Madam Feng’s hair. Tang’er was sitting on the kang bed playing with a tangram puzzle.

Seeing Gu Jin Chao arrive, Madam Feng’s expression was strange.

It seemed both excited and sorrowful.

Fifth Aunt held Tang’er and asked her to greet everyone. The three-year-old Tang’er could already sweetly call out “Second Sister” and “Third Brother.” Madam Ye was no longer as wary of Gu Jin Chao as before and smiled, saying: “You talk with your grandmother. I’ll have the little maid bring up some snacks!” She carried the child out of the western side room.

Madam Feng held Gu Jin Chao’s hand, and after a long while, she sighed: “Forget it, forget it! I won’t say anything. Yi’er is getting married, and your sisters have always been close. Go and talk with her more!”

Since she had nothing to say, Gu Jin Chao didn’t ask. She stood up, took leave of Madam Feng, and then went with Gu Jin Rong to see Gu Yi.

The matron was teaching Gu Yi about matters after marriage: what to pay attention to when serving tea, what to note when meeting relatives, how being a daughter-in-law in someone else’s house was not as casual as being a maiden—first to serve parents-in-law, second to serve one’s husband, with respectful obedience and gentle compliance.

Gu Yi listened with a flushed face. Gu Xi also felt too embarrassed to listen and retreated to the flower hall to drink tea.

Both were delighted to hear of Gu Jin Chao’s arrival. Gu Xi had grown up and become much more steady.

Gu Jin Chao smiled and gave her a set of gold headdress ornaments and a set of fine jade pieces that she had prepared. She also presented the gifts prepared by Old Madam Chen and Third Master Chen: “These are all for your dowry, alright?”

Gu Yi was shocked: “Elder Sister, I don’t need so many things!”

But it was all her private property anyway, and more was better than less. These were given to Gu Yi privately.

Gu Jin Chao had Gu Yi’s maid put everything away and smilingly asked about who she had invited as the auspicious person and who would be doing her hair.

The three sisters talked until evening when the wet nurse brought Chang Suo to find them. She also brought several items that Gu De Zhao had given to his grandson: a few ink stones, a blue-and-white porcelain brush washer, and a wolf hair brush. He said these were for when his grandson began to learn characters. Gu Jin Chao felt somewhat helpless—these things were not only difficult to carry, but in the Chen family’s storerooms, such items were piled up like mountains. Nevertheless, it was her father’s goodwill.

Guests gradually arrived, and the banquet began that evening.

Gu Jin Chao saw Gu Lian, who came with Yao Wen Xiu, carrying a child of a few months.

After her father’s demotion, Gu Lian’s character had become less aggressive. It was a blessing in disguise, and there was no longer talk of sending her back to the Gu family.

Xu Jing Yi pointed out the child in Gu Lian’s arms: “That’s Lan Zhi’s child—she should be Concubine Lan now! It’s a boy, being raised under Gu Lian’s name. They say Concubine Lan can’t even see her child most of the time. Given Gu Lian’s ruthlessness in killing Gu Lan, she might eliminate Concubine Lan in the future to protect the son. At least she has some security now.”

Gu Lian carried the child over to speak with Gu Jin Chao. Indeed, she had matured considerably and no longer spoke as aggressively as before.

Yao Wen Xiu followed behind her, smiling with cupped hands: “…Now I must address you as Third Madam Chen! Didn’t Third Master Chen come with you? Lian’er thought Third Master Chen might come; I was hoping to speak with him.”

Gu Jin Chao glanced at Gu Lian.

Gu Lian awkwardly avoided Gu Jin Chao’s gaze.

Gu Jin Chao then said gently: “He had matters to attend to and couldn’t come.”

Yao Wen Xiu nodded: “Of course! Third Master Chen is extremely busy, and it’s rare to see him even once…”

After Yao Wen Xiu left, Gu Lian sighed with relief and said softly: “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Gu Jin Chao simply replied. “Third Master truly had matters to attend to.”

Gu Lian didn’t know what to say. She used to face Gu Jin Chao with resentment and unwillingness, but now she just felt awkward and uncomfortable. She hesitated, then found an excuse to slip away.

As usual, Gu Jin Chao rested in her original courtyard.

Chang Suo played with the tassel his mother had taken off from the bedhead, lying in his mother’s arms. Seeing his mother lost in thought, he lifted his head and babbled to get her attention, wanting her to play with him.

But Gu Jin Chao had Cai Fu prop up the window panel so she could look outside. It had been snowing all day, and she wondered if Third Master Chen had stayed in the capital.

…

The next day was the wedding ceremony.

Gu Jin Chao accompanied Gu Yi as she had her hair done. In the main hall, she saw Du Huai who had come to escort the bride. Compared to a few years ago, Du Huai had grown tall and strong. He wore a red robe with circular flower patterns and had a handsome figure. He served tea to Gu De Zhao and Xu Jing Yi.

Gu Jin Rong stretched his limbs and smiled at Gu Jin Chao: “When you got married, I wasn’t able to carry you to the sedan chair! Now I can carry Yi’er.”

Gu Jin Chao brushed the snow off his shoulder: “The roads are slippery with snow. Be careful not to trip.”

Gu Jin Rong responded loudly, carrying Gu Yi to the flower sedan chair. Firecrackers were set off once more, and several matrons led the maids to scatter longan fruits and peanuts at the doorway.

“On the day of your wedding, your father watched your sedan chair leave and felt extremely sad… He stood outside the main hall for a long time without moving,” Gu De Zhao suddenly told her. “I thought giving away a daughter was always like this. Now that Yi’er is getting married, I feel very happy… I can’t understand it myself.”

Gu Jin Chao’s nose tingled upon hearing this.

Xu Jing Yi, looking at the father and daughter, smiled and said: “On such a joyous day, stop talking about these things! In a while, there’s still a banquet to attend in the East Wing Courtyard. Chao’er, come with me?”

Gu De Zhao looked at Xu Jing Yi, revealing a faint smile, and said to Gu Jin Chao: “…Go with her.”

Just as Xu Jing Yi and Gu Jin Chao were leaving, they saw several people entering through the Moon Gate.

These men wore hedgehog jackets and looked strong—they were guards from the Chen household. Their expressions were very serious, making them stand out prominently among the guests.

Gu Jin Chao immediately recognized these people as Chen family guards. The leader seemed to be an advisor to Third Master Chen, perhaps named Feng Juan.

Why had they come to the Gu family?

The steward had already led them in, and they happened to see Gu Jin Chao. He brought Feng Juan forward to pay respects to Gu Jin Chao.

Feng Juan wore a silk cap and looked quite young. Among Third Master Chen’s advisors, he was one of the youngest. It was precisely because of his youth that his abilities were all the more outstanding; otherwise, he wouldn’t have reached this position. He bowed with cupped hands: “Madam, there’s an urgent matter at the mansion. I request that Madam find a suitable place for this servant to explain clearly. Additionally, the Third Master said to escort Madam back immediately.”

Something major must have happened in the Chen household!

Gu Jin Chao’s expression remained unchanged as she asked: “Did the Third Master say what the matter was?”

Feng Juan simply replied: “The matter is urgent. Please, Madam, let us speak once you are in the carriage.”