Jin Chao returned to Qing Tong Court to find Yu Zhu. She was sitting on a stone stool under the grape trellis, gazing longingly at the clusters of green grapes above her head.

Jin Chao called her over and said, “…Father’s birthday is approaching, and I’m not sure if the Reception Office has made preparations. Why don’t you come with me to check? We can also look for any servants or maids there whom you might know.”

Yu Zhu found this strange: “Young lady, as you know before I came to serve you, I was in the Waiting Service. I don’t know anyone from the Reception Office.”

Jin Chao smiled and simply said, “Once you meet them, you’ll know them.”

She changed into a sapphire blue jacket with auspicious cloud patterns and went to the Reception Office accompanied by Yu Zhu, Qing Pu, and Nanny Xu. Nanny Xu didn’t understand what Jin Chao was planning to do and glanced at Yu Zhu. The little maid appeared to be eleven or twelve years old, with a round face that didn’t look particularly clever, though her eyes were quite lively.

Qing Pu remained silent, but she understood perfectly. The young lady wanted to take Yu Zhu to the Reception Office to see if the person who had secretly met with Yu Xiang was there. If that were the case, then the rhubarb in the Madam’s medicine must have been added to Concubine Song’s instructions.

The Reception Office was located in the wing rooms on the south side of the outer courtyard, past the pendant flower gate, about a half-quarter hour’s walk away.

The Reception Office usually handled social interactions, receptions, and arranged household affairs. The steward’s surname was Sun. He had been a tea merchant in his early years, but after business losses, he came to work as a steward in the Gu household and was highly valued by Jin Chao’s father.

Steward Sun wore a straight dark cyan robe and appeared very spirited.

“…It’s rare for the young lady to come! The master’s birthday is still more than ten days away. I’ve just started preparing the guest list and placed orders for the food,” Steward Sun said to Jin Chao with a smile, though he found it strange. The young lady had never concerned herself with the Reception Office’s affairs, and the master’s birthday was still far off. Even though the Reception Office had connections to the inner courtyard, those were managed by Concubine Song. Why would the young lady come here personally?

Jin Chao sat down in the armchair and smiled, “I’m just checking on behalf of my mother. She always pays special attention to Father’s affairs. By the way, I also need to ask for Mother—her usual medicinal herbs are used up. Has Doctor Liu sent new ones over?”

Steward Sun secretly complained to himself—hadn’t she just called Doctor Liu over today? Why not ask him directly? Nevertheless, he maintained his smile: “I’m not sure about that. Luo Six has always managed this matter. I’ll call him to answer your questions…” He then went to the back to summon someone.

Yu Zhu looked around and whispered to Jin Chao, “Young lady, I don’t know anyone here…”

Jin Chao just smiled without speaking. When Luo Six came in through the curtain, he first bowed to Jin Chao, then said, “This servant reports to the young lady that Doctor Liu’s medicine is usually delivered once at the beginning and middle of each month, so it will probably be a few more days before it arrives.”

Yu Zhu stared at this servant in astonishment.

Jin Chao observed Yu Zhu’s expression and immediately understood. When Steward Sun returned, she said goodbye and prepared to leave: “…Please tell Concubine Song that I came today to inquire about my mother’s medicine.”

As she walked out of the Reception Office, Yu Zhu hurried to follow her: “Young lady! That’s him! The one who met with Yu Xiang in secret. How did you know he was here?”

Jin Chao said coldly, “He wasn’t just meeting with Yu Xiang in secret; he was doing something much more significant!” Concubine Song had colluded with the outer courtyard to harm her mother.

How daring she was! To pursue the position of the main wife, she had truly resorted to every means possible!

Nanny Xu quickly pulled Qing Pu aside to ask what was going on. Qing Pu told Nanny Xu everything Yu Zhu had seen, and Nanny Xu was very surprised: “…Although I knew Concubine Song was two-faced toward the Madam, I never imagined she would try to kill her! Truly vicious! So… what does the young lady plan to do?”

Jin Chao fell silent for a moment. If she hadn’t seen with her eyes Concubine Song instructing Luo Six to add the medicine, she would never have admitted to it.

If she took this matter to her father without solid evidence, given Concubine Song’s silver tongue, wouldn’t the blame be shifted entirely onto her for falsely accusing Concubine Song? How had Yu Zhu discovered Yu Xiang and Luo Six meeting privately? Moreover, Yu Zhu was her servant—would her father believe what Yu Zhu said? The rhubarb had been continuously used in her mother’s medicine for nearly half a year, so why had they only discovered it now?

Although her father was annoyed with Gu Lan, he still trusted Concubine Song, at least enough to let her manage the inner courtyard, which was sufficient evidence of his lingering affection.

After some thought, Jin Chao went to her mother’s place and wrapped a piece of rhubarb in a handkerchief, then took it to Lin Yan Pavilion.

Steward Sun had just left.

Concubine Song managed the affairs of the inner courtyard, and Steward Sun respected her greatly. He reported Jin Chao’s visit and her instructions to Concubine Song word for word. Concubine Song was very surprised. After Steward Sun left, she spoke softly to Qiao Wei: “Our young lady is truly remarkable, even discovering the rhubarb…”

Qiao Wei was quite anxious: “Concubine, do you think the young lady will tell the master about this?”

Concubine Song pondered thoughtfully, then slowly shook her head after a while: “…She’s not that foolish.”

A month after Madam Ji fell ill, she started adding rhubarb to her medicinal food. If not for Jin Chao’s intervention, Madam Ji would probably have died long ago from consuming too much rhubarb. It had always been Yu Xiang who communicated with the servant from the Reception Office. Yu Xiang was deeply loyal to her and wouldn’t say a word.

Without evidence, Jin Chao wouldn’t speak to Gu Dezhao about it.

A little maid announced from outside the curtain: “Concubine, the young lady is coming this way. She’s walking very quickly, and even the nanny couldn’t stop her…”

Song Miaohua straightened her collar and said with a cold smile: “Why stop her? Invite her to the flower hall!”

Jin Chao had already heard Song Miaohua’s words from outside.

As she walked under the corridor, the maid stammered to her: “Young lady, please proceed to the flower hall…”

“Get out of the way. How dare you block the young lady’s path,” Cai Fu scolded in a low voice, and the little maid immediately fell silent.

Jin Chao lifted the bamboo curtain decorated with the Three Friends of Winter and entered the west side room. There was no screen in the west side room, and Concubine Song was sitting on a large kang bed by the window, looking at her.

“How come the young lady has come personally!” Concubine Song said with a smile, then instructed Qiao Wei to bring a stool for her.

Jin Chao walked up to her and, recalling how she had just seen Steward Sun hurrying away, raised an eyebrow and smiled: “Concubine, you are composed. Even when exposed, you remain calm and collected. If Lan’er had half your intelligence, she wouldn’t have ended up in such a miserable state that day!”

Concubine Song’s expression froze briefly, but she quickly feigned confusion and said, “What is the young lady talking about? I don’t understand.”

“You’ll understand once you see this!” Jin Chao threw the embroidered handkerchief containing the rhubarb onto the small table.

Concubine Song glanced at the corner of the rhubarb showing through the handkerchief but didn’t move a finger. She raised her eyes to look at Jin Chao and said languidly: “What is this? I’m getting more confused by what the young lady is saying. If you’ve come to trouble me, please sit down and explain slowly. If you haven’t come to trouble me, please leave.”

Qiao Wei brought over a stool, and Jin Chao smiled and said, “Of course, I’ve come to trouble you, otherwise I wouldn’t bother setting foot in here.”

She wasn’t in a hurry. After sitting down, she continued, “Your maid, Yu Xiang… met a male servant secretly today by the rockery near the pendant flower gate. My maid happened to pass by and saw them, truly engrossed in intimate whispers. Today I took that maid to the Reception Office, and guess what, Concubine? The servant meeting with Yu Xiang was none other than Luo Six, who receives my mother’s medicine!”

“Today I also happened to discover rhubarb in my mother’s medicine, something cold in nature that my mother absolutely cannot use. So how did this rhubarb get there? It couldn’t possibly be that you want to become the main wife, or that Lan’er wants to be the legitimate daughter, and so it was ‘accidentally’ put in, could it?”

Concubine Song’s face changed slightly.

She had thought Jin Chao had only discovered the rhubarb and guessed that she was responsible. From what she was hearing now, it seemed Jin Chao was certain it was her doing! Yu Xiang had always met with Luo Six in the grove of strange willows—how could a passing little maid have accidentally discovered them? Could it be that Jin Chao had been having people watch Lin Yan Pavilion all along?

Song Miaohua quickly regained her composure and said with a cold smile: “The young lady says black is black and white is white. If you randomly point at your maid and have her claim she discovered my maid having an affair with Luo Six, do I have no choice but to accept it? You’re treating me as too easy to bully! If I were to point at one of my maids and say your maid Qing Pu was having an affair with another servant, wouldn’t that also establish guilt, causing her to be driven out of the household?”

Yu Zhu became furious upon hearing this: “How can you say such things, Concubine! What I saw was real—Yu Xiang meeting with Luo Six in the grove of strange willows! How can you speak that way about Sister Qing Pu? It must be you who instructed Yu Xiang to harm the Madam, otherwise, how would rhubarb end up in her medicine!”

Song Miaohua gave her a cold look: “This maid is so ill-mannered, probably because the young lady hasn’t taught her well! Qiao Wei, help the young lady discipline her.”

Qiao Wei complied and stepped forward, raising her hand to strike. Qing Pu immediately grabbed her hand. Qiao Wei tried to pull away but found herself unable to move, her expression suddenly turning very unpleasant. She hadn’t expected Qing Pu’s grip to be so strong, squeezing her hand painfully!

Yu Zhu stopped speaking and retreated behind Jin Chao. Jin Chao patted her hand and looked coldly at Song Miaohua: “My maids are not for you to discipline. Concubine, have you forgotten your status? Do you no longer recognize the hierarchy?”

No matter how formidable Concubine Song was, by status, she was merely a concubine. Jin Chao was the eldest legitimate daughter—how dare she try to discipline Yu Zhu in front of Jin Chao?

Looking at Jin Chao’s icy face and Qing Pu’s unwavering stance, Concubine Song felt a surge of resentment. Previously, Jin Chao had never used her status to lord over her, but now she truly seemed to have abandoned all restraint! To use hierarchy to pressure her!

Concubine Song slowly descended from the kang bed, bowed to Jin Chao, and said: “Please forgive me, young lady. It was my mistake. But no matter how much you pressure me with status, I cannot admit to something I haven’t done. You cannot force a false confession, no matter how harsh you are… Besides, I have always served the Madam wholeheartedly, and she has treated me very well. Why would I want to poison her? You should think about that carefully.”

Seeing her innocent expression, Yu Zhu and Cai Fu were so angry that their fingertips trembled.