Gu Lan was led out of the study by Qiaowei, who quietly told her everything that had happened on the way.

Gu Lan had been focusing on calligraphy practice these days, and much of her previous agitation had subsided. After listening to Qiaowei’s words, she thought for a long time, her expression remaining very calm.

Qiaowei whispered, “Don’t worry, the Concubine will always find a way…”

Gu Lan shook her head and said calmly, “I’m not worried. Since things are already this bad, worrying won’t help.” However, she knew she could no longer rely solely on her mother. Her mother might be able to help her temporarily, but could she help her for a lifetime? She needed to learn to solve problems herself.

Upon reaching Lingyan Pavilion, Gu Lan entered the inner chamber, while Zi Ling and Qiaowei were left outside.

Inside, Concubine Song was half-reclining on a large kang bed by the window. A tall table nearby held a lamp, and Concubine Song casually removed a gilded hairpin from her head to tend to the lamp.

The flame flickered, suddenly dimming before gradually brightening again.

Gu Lan sat beside her, quietly watching the lamplight. Suddenly she said, “Mother, you’re still using this gilded hairpin… I remember you wore it when I was little. I’ve always found it strange that although you’re not the first wife, you are a favored concubine, yet you often use such a simple silver-gilt hairpin…”

Concubine Song gazed at the simple plum blossom-shaped gilded hairpin in her hand and sighed: “This was left by an old acquaintance. I wear it often to remind myself that one must live with clarity and awareness, not becoming confused even for a moment, lest one be killed without even knowing why.”

Killed by someone…

Gu Lan’s gaze on the gilded hairpin became more cautious. She hesitated for a moment before asking softly, “May I ask which acquaintance of Mother’s…”

“It belonged to your Concubine Yun.” Concubine Song’s lips curved into a smile. “She was the gentlest person… I often think of her. On the day she died in childbirth, her cries were miserable. While everyone was gathered outside her chamber, I quietly went to her inner room and took one of her inconspicuous hairpins.”

“Later, your father saw this hairpin countless times but never recognized it as Concubine Yun’s. I thought then, no matter how much your father appeared to care for Concubine Yun, his feelings were only this deep…”

Gu Lan’s voice grew even softer: “Are you saying… Concubine Yun was killed by someone?”

Concubine Song gave a derisive laugh, her fingers gently stroking the hairpin: “No matter how careless that girl was, she wouldn’t have mixed up the medicinal soups.”

“Do you know where Gu Jin Chao is most vulnerable? She doesn’t care about her reputation, nor Gu Jin Rong, and she doesn’t even care whether your father loves her. What she cares about most is Lady Ji…”

Concubine Song’s eyes turned ice-cold: “Although I’ve used small schemes to defame her before, I’ve never truly harmed her! She knows better than anyone how her bad reputation came about, yet now she wants to blame everything on you! If she hadn’t led Lady Wen to the side chamber if she hadn’t secretly helped spread the rumors if she hadn’t insisted on attributing all her past misdeeds to you, how would you have ended up in this situation!”

Gu Lan looked at Song Miaohua’s expression for a long time, suddenly feeling inexplicably desolate. She reached out to hold her hand and said softly, “Mother, I don’t want to marry Mu Zhidi…”

“He’s so foolish and fat… I don’t like him…” As Gu Lan spoke, she suddenly began to cry. Since that incident, she had cried in front of many people, but those tears were merely to gain sympathy. Now she was truly afraid.

Concubine Song gently patted her back, and Gu Lan calmed down after a while. She held her mother’s hand and said, “I don’t want to marry Mu Zhidi. I must find a way to prevent it… Mother, we need to make Lady Ji die soon. Once she dies, I won’t have to marry him!”

Her eyes, washed clean by tears, appeared especially bright and clear.

Seeing her daughter cry so heartbrokenly, Concubine Song truly felt as if her heart was being torn apart. Years ago, she had so loved Gu Dezhao that she disregarded his existing wife and married him as a concubine. Because of her birth, Lan’er was not equal to Gu Jin Chao and had suffered much mistreatment since childhood.

And now she would have to marry Mu Zhidi because of this! How could she bear it?

Concubine Song stroked Gu Lan’s hair and said softly, “Mother understands.”

After talking in detail for a long time, Gu Lan finally wiped away her tears and bid farewell to her mother, saying she needed to return to continue copying books.

When the inner chamber door opened, Gu Lan walked out. Zi Ling, who had been standing with her head bowed, hurriedly followed Gu Lan, her steps somewhat flustered. Qiaowei watched Zi Ling disappear through the door before entering the inner chamber.

She helped Concubine Song remove her pearl hairpins and said gently, “Concubine, our new elm wood door, though beautifully patterned, doesn’t muffle sound as well as the previous willow one. People outside can faintly hear what’s said inside…”

Song Miaohua removed her coral earrings and said, “It’s time to root out the spy…”

The last time she and Gu Lan had discussed Lady Li’s matter in the inner chamber, there had been a newly arrived maid outside. She remembered being in a bad mood and scolding the girl… Song Miaohua narrowed her eyes: “That maid called Xiu Qu, where did she come from?”

Qiaowei answered, “She was selected from the serving quarters. I heard that when this girl was in the serving quarters, she was on good terms with Gu Jin Chao’s little maid, Yu Zhu. I inquired privately and learned that an old woman saw her going to Qingtong Court with Yu Zhu that day.”

Song Miaohua smiled slightly and said softly, “Beat her to death privately and throw her body in the mass grave. Tell others she was sent home to visit relatives and never returned.”

Qiaowei nodded in agreement, then remembered Zi Ling’s flustered steps earlier and asked Song Miaohua, “That Zi Ling is foolish and incompetent, unable to judge situations properly. She’s truly unworthy of serving the Young Miss… Moreover, she was outside today and heard what you and the Young Miss said. What if she’s like Xiu Qu…”

Concubine Song sighed: “Though she’s foolish, she’s loyal to Lan’er, which is why I’ve kept her for so long. She doesn’t know how to handle matters properly. That day she was standing right outside the side chamber and didn’t even think to inform me… Anyway, she’s already sixteen this year. Find someone to marry her off.”

Qiaowei smilingly agreed.

Zi Ling was indeed uneasy. The conversation she had overheard outside the door was certainly not meant for her ears. Helping the Young Miss deal with Gu Jin Chao daily was one thing, but today the Young Miss had even spoken about wanting Lady Ji to die soon. She wondered if the Young Miss would blame her…

She was somewhat worried, and when she came to her senses, she realized that Gu Lan wasn’t heading back to Cuixuan Court but toward Qingtong Court.

Zi Ling quickly asked, “Young Miss, aren’t we going back to copy books?”

Gu Lan calmly replied, “Since I came out under the pretext of visiting Elder Sister, wouldn’t it be a waste not to see her?”

Though it was already dark, Jin Chao had just returned from her mother’s quarters. She had stayed with her mother all day because today was April 18th, the date of her mother’s death in her previous life. She needed to personally ensure her mother was well before she could feel at ease.

Lady Ji had urged her to leave several times, saying it wasn’t appropriate for Jin Chao to stay so long when she was supposed to be seriously ill.

Jin Chao, however, smiled and refused to leave until she saw Lady Ji rest in the evening. Only then did she return with Qing Pu. Shortly after sitting down, Bai Yun came to announce that Gu Lan had come to see her.

Jin Chao thought briefly, then smiled: “She must be coming to settle accounts with me… Let her in.”

Gu Lan entered, curtsied, and said, “Elder Sister has been ill for so long, I’ve been very concerned and came specially to see you today.” Jin Chao observed her—Gu Lan wore a lake-blue padded jacket with lotus petal patterns and a plain embroidered skirt. Her hair was arranged in a small bun with just a single openwork white jade hairpin.

She looked up, her expression very calm, though her gaze was cold.

Jin Chao nodded and said, “It’s good that you have such thoughtfulness.” She gestured for Qing Pu to bring a stool for her.

Gu Lan said softly, “While copying books in my study, Second Sister saw a line that said, ‘Endure humiliation and bear disgrace, always as if in fear.’ Second Sister thought it was well said. Elder Sister’s kindness to me runs deep, and I will remember it firmly. But Elder Sister should also remember how I am humiliated by you today; in the future, you will understand Second Sister’s feelings…”

Jin Chao stood up and walked in front of her, smiling: “‘Endure humiliation and bear disgrace, always as if in fear?’ I recall the original line: ‘Be humble and respectful, put others before yourself, claim no credit for good deeds, shirk no blame for wrongs, endure humiliation and bear disgrace, always as if in fear.’ Though Elder Sister hasn’t studied ‘Admonitions for Women’ as Second Sister has, I still remember this line.”

Looking at Gu Lan’s calm face, she suddenly found it laughable. “You mean to say you’re enduring humiliation? Second Sister, don’t you understand? This isn’t me humiliating you; this is your retribution.” Jin Chao’s voice was soft. “If you had truly lived by ‘claim no credit for good deeds, shirk no blame for wrongs,’ how could I have schemed against you? I’ve only retaliated once, but when you framed me countless times before, why didn’t I endure humiliation and bear disgrace?”

Gu Lan looked coldly at Jin Chao and whispered, “I harmed you before because you were foolish! Don’t blame me!”

Jin Chao laughed coldly: “That’s ridiculous. Are you saying you can harm me, slander my reputation behind my back, but I can’t fight back? Second Sister, there’s no such unfair principle in this world!”

Gu Lan took a deep breath, “When I harmed you before, I never pushed you into the fire! I only drove a wedge between you and Gu Jin Rong. Your ruined reputation, though partly my responsibility, cannot be entirely blamed on me! Yet you had Lady Wen spread rumors everywhere that I stir up trouble, destroying my reputation! Now I have no choice but to marry Mu Zhidi. You’re trying to ruin me!”

Jin Chao hadn’t realized this was how Gu Lan thought. She sighed: “I never asked Lady Wen to spread such things. Besides, what Lady Wen said is true. If you hadn’t done these things yourself, who could have fabricated such rumors?”

She considered that although Gu Lan had harmed her multiple times, it had never truly endangered what she truly cared about. So Jin Chao decided to offer one last piece of advice: “…People cannot be judged by appearances. Often those who are flashy and ornate aren’t necessarily good people. Although the Mu family’s eldest son looks ordinary, he’s a good match. You should think it over carefully.”

Gu Lan glared at her fiercely, then smiled again: “I will not marry him. Elder Sister, you should be careful in the future. I’m afraid Second Sister won’t let this matter rest.” She curtsied and left with Zi Ling.

Jin Chao no longer concerned herself with Gu Lan and instructed Qing Pu to bring a basin of water.

Gu Lan seemed not to think she had done anything wrong as if everything was Jin Chao’s fault.

With such a proud nature, it would be her downfall someday.