Gu Lan was watching in the small kitchen of Cui Xuan Courtyard. Recently, her father had been frequenting Concubine Luo’s place, causing Concubine Song to look increasingly haggard. Feeling secretly concerned, she wanted to make a nourishing soup for her mother.

Zi Ling came over and said, “…The First Young Master has arrived.”

Gu Lan took the handkerchief handed over by Mu Jin and wiped her hands. She instructed the kitchen maid to carefully watch the fire under the clay pot, then stepped into the corridor of the courtyard. Noticing that the swelling on Zi Ling’s face hadn’t completely subsided, she frowned and asked, “Haven’t you applied the medicinal ointment?”

Zi Ling replied softly, “This slave thought it should be shown to the First Young Master…”

Gu Lan berated her for being foolish: “He’s busy with his studies now, how would he have time to look at your face? Who do you think you are!” Such small tricks shouldn’t be tried a second time; it wasn’t as if Gu Jin Chao had nothing better to do than slap Zi Ling’s face for fun.

Recalling what Qiao Wei had told her about how this maid Zi Ling shouldn’t be kept for long, she felt another wave of irritation… indeed, Zi Ling wasn’t as clever as Mu Jin.

She saw Gu Jin Rong standing in the corridor in front of the hall, with a stool placed nearby by a maid, but he was standing with his hands behind his back, looking at a newly planted beautiful pine tree in the courtyard. He must have something troubling him… Gu Lan thought, as he always became restless when worried.

Seeing Gu Lan smiling as she approached, Gu Jin Rong remembered how enthusiastically he had told her days ago that he could stay home, which made him feel even worse now. “Second Sister, I’ve come to tell you that I can’t stay at home to study anymore.”

Gu Lan was startled: “How so? Did Father not agree?”

Gu Jin Rong said through gritted teeth: “Father had initially agreed, but last night Gu Jin Chao went to find Father and made him change his mind!” He continued complaining about Gu Jin Chao, “Now I don’t consult her about anything! Why must she meddle in my affairs!”

Gu Lan smiled slightly and comforted him: “Perhaps Elder Sister feels it would be inconvenient for you at home… she’s worried about delaying your studies.”

Gu Jin Rong snorted: “She’s worried about delaying my studies? She’s afraid I’ll take away Mother’s affection! She visits Mother every day as if making sure everyone knows how filial she is. Moreover, if I leave, it would be more convenient for her to bully you in the future. How could such a selfish person care about my studies!”

If Gu Jin Rong went to study at Qi Fang Hutong, it would indeed be disadvantageous to her. Gu Lan also sighed: “I don’t know who told Elder Sister, alas. I was thinking that if you could stay at home, you could also keep Mother company, which might help her recover faster…”

Gu Jin Rong paced back and forth in the corridor, thinking repeatedly: “Fine, I’m going to talk to her! She’s been too excessive lately…!” He then called loudly for Qing Xiu and Qing An, intending to go to Qing Tong Courtyard.

Gu Lan couldn’t stop him. This Gu Jin Rong always spoke without restraint; what if he let something slip in front of Gu Jin Chao? She called after him several times, but he had already left Cui Xuan Courtyard. Zi Ling quietly asked, “Miss, isn’t it a good thing that the First Young Master is going to cause trouble for the First Miss… Why don’t you want him to go?”

“What do you know…” Gu Lan glared at her, then deflated. Never mind, let the siblings fight like dogs. It would be even better if they fell out completely.

Jin Chao was still huddled on the warm kang bed doing needlework. The past few days had been continuously rainy, and it had turned cold again, making it unpleasant to go outside.

Lady Tong was watching beside her and asked, “What is the First Miss making?”

Jin Chao replied: “These are knee protectors for Jin Rong.” Although spring was approaching, the weather was still cold. The young men studying in Daxing would certainly have changed to cotton pants early, but would still feel cold when sitting down to listen to the teacher. She was making knee protectors for him to wear when cold and remove when going out.

After all, they were siblings, and their poor relationship made their mother sad. Since Jin Rong liked being flattered and catered to, she would do just that. Jin Chao knew her personality was stubborn and unyielding, but Gu Jin Rong was someone who responded better to gentleness than force. This younger brother still needed to be coaxed; he was still young after all.

The knee protectors were made with sandalwood-colored silk fabric on the outside, lined with two layers of silk fabric inside, and stuffed with soft cotton. She had also embroidered a design symbolizing auspicious news of success on the silk. Now she was threading the needle to finish the edges. She had started making this item half a month earlier, and once the edges were completed, it would be finished.

Incense was burning on the long altar table where the Buddha was enshrined, thin strands of pale blue smoke rising, and the sound of rain outside made everything seem particularly quiet.

Suddenly, there came sounds of commotion from outside, which sounded like Yu Zhu and Yu Tong.

Qing Pu walked out from behind the screen and lifted the curtain. Seeing a group of people walking along the corridor, she narrowed her eyes to look carefully, then said to Jin Chao: “Miss, it’s the First Young Master with his two book boys. They seem to have burst indirectly; the two little maids couldn’t stop them…”

Jin Chao sighed: “He must be coming to ask about his studies. Let him in.”

“Gu Jin Chao! Are you in there?!” Gu Jin Rong shouted as he entered the east side room. The servant boy who had been holding an umbrella for him folded it and stood outside the door.

Jin Chao stood up and took a cloak from nearby. Gu Jin Rong had already walked past the screen. He was wearing a slate-blue straight robe, the tips of his hair slightly damp. His handsome, proper face bore eyes that were glaring darkly at her.

Jin Chao wasn’t angered but walked to his side, intending to put the cloak around him: “You’ve come in the rain…”

Gu Jin Rong knocked her hand away: “I don’t need your pretense!”

Jin Chao withdrew her hand and said with a smile: “Then put on the cloak yourself. If you catch a cold, you won’t be able to depart for Daxing.”

“Who says I’m going to Daxing!” Gu Jin Rong glared at her: “Why do you meddle in my affairs? Why did you go behind my back to Father? Are you afraid that with me here, Mother won’t dote on you as much, or are you afraid that with me here, it would be inconvenient for you to frame Second Sister!”

His questions grew louder with each word, stunning Lady Tong and Qing Pu. Bai Yun and Cai Fu didn’t even dare to breathe.

Jin Chao put down the cloak in her hand and looked at him silently for a long time before asking: “Is that really what you think? You think I’m that kind of person?”

Gu Jin Rong sneered: “If you’re not that kind of person, then what kind of person are you? You drove Liu Xiang mad and expelled her from the manor, and when Zi Ling pleaded for her, you instructed Qing Pu to beat her. You even forced Father to take a concubine. If you’re not that kind of person, then am I? Or is Second Sister? These are all your doings. I have no say in them, but don’t interfere in my affairs. I’ll study wherever I want! There’s no need for you to speak out of turn!”

Jin Chao’s heart instantly turned cold.

Yet she smiled again: “Who told you all this?”

Gu Jin Rong continued: “Don’t say again that Second Sister is framing you! Let me tell you, I’ve asked people in the manor about these matters! How can you think so poorly of Second Sister? She is genuinely good to you. She often advises me not to conflict with you, saying Mother would be unhappy. For Mother and Second Sister, I’ve held back many times. Do you… do you think everyone is as vicious as you?”

Jin Chao glanced at Gu Jin Rong, then sat back on the kang bed and picked up the knee protectors she had just finished.

“So someone did tell you, which prompted you to ask around?” she continued, “If Gu Lan truly wanted harmony between us, would she tell you these things? Would she casually mention them and let you investigate on your own?”

“For your good, would Gu Lan want you to stay home to study?” Jin Chao’s voice was very calm and light, but with no other sound around, it was exceptionally clear.

“She wants to hinder your studies, so you’ll eventually become a good-for-nothing young master. As for me, why would I need to compete with you for Mother’s affection? Mother has always favored you the most. When you were growing up at her knee, I was far away in the Ji family…”

“As for your accusation that I framed Gu Lan, as the eldest legitimate daughter of the Gu family, why would I frame her? What of hers do I want? Who is framing whom—have you figured it out yet? When returning from Jing’an Residence to Cui Xuan Courtyard, would Zi Ling pass by outside Jing Fang Study? She was waiting for you there all along.”

Gu Jin Rong had expected Jin Chao to glare at him fiercely as before, or to scold him, but she did neither.

She didn’t even look at him.

The rain pattered gently outside. Through the open latticed window, one could see the newly set up grape trellis in the courtyard. Jin Chao turned to look outside, her gentle profile as calm as still water.

Gu Jin Rong’s anger suddenly dissipated. He carefully considered each word Jin Chao had said, and indeed, what she said made sense… His face paled. How could it be? Second Sister had always been so warm and friendly toward him; she couldn’t possibly be scheming against him in her heart!

“Don’t try to frame Second Sister,” Gu Jin Rong’s voice weakened. “Do you have any proof?”

Jin Chao said: “I am your legitimate elder sister… why would I harm you…” Her voice trailed off.

When Gu Jin Rong saw her turn her head, he realized why she hadn’t been looking at him—she was crying.

He was momentarily stunned; he had never seen Gu Jin Chao cry before.

He had always thought Gu Jin Chao wouldn’t cry. She was so domineering—who could make her cry?

He remembered when Gu Jin Chao was ten years old and insisted on playing on the swing with them. When Gu Lan fell from the swing, she cried with tears in her eyes. Father and several concubines took turns comforting her, and he even went to find candied fruit to cheer her up. Gu Jin Chao stood coldly watching them, then turned and left alone. They searched for her for a long time before finding her in a side room of a courtyard. Father scolded her for wandering off, but she still looked at them defiantly, her black eyes wide open, as if she hadn’t been hiding in a dilapidated courtyard all night.

“You…” Gu Jin Rong wanted to say something; he even wanted to wipe away her tears.

“I’m tired. First Young Master, please see yourself out.” She rose and walked toward the inner chamber, with Qing Pu following behind her.