Jin Chao was talking with Gu Yi at the Bamboo Leaning Pavilion.

Tall, slender green bamboo grew densely beside the Bamboo Leaning Pavilion, making it exceptionally tranquil. When the wind blew, thousands of bamboo stalks rustled. A stream flowed through the bamboo grove into the lake pavilion. Bamboo houses had been built beside the stream, originally intended by her father as a study, but after construction, it was never used.

Jin Chao rarely visited the Bamboo Leaning Pavilion. Gu Xie had pulled her to Gu Yi’s inner chamber. She now had no fear of Jin Chao whatsoever; not only was she unafraid, but she was also very fond of her. After Gu Xie brought her over, she moved an embroidered stool for her, then hopped onto Gu Yi’s kang bed herself. The elderly nurse who attended to her wouldn’t normally say anything, but seeing the eldest young lady present today, she became extremely anxious and hurriedly stepped forward: “Fourth Young Lady, you cannot do this!”

Gu Xie smiled mischievously: “Nurse, please step outside first. We need to speak privately!”

Gu Yi felt somewhat embarrassed and rose to bow to Jin Chao: “Elder Sister, please excuse me. My room is modest. If you find it unsuitable, we could go out to the bamboo grove…”

Jin Chao had already glanced around when she entered. Naturally, Gu Yi’s furnishings couldn’t compare to hers. But the furniture was made of pear wood, with a faint fragrance of chenkiang. Two simple blue and white lotus-patterned meiping vases, and a jasmine plant on a tall table, created an elegant atmosphere. Blue twisted-branch patterned curtains hung at the back, with a sandalwood table and two vermilion-lacquered armchairs nearby. However, a string of flat cloth tigers hanging on the curtains seemed somewhat out of place.

Noticing Jin Chao’s gaze on the cloth tigers, Gu Xie explained: “Those are cloth tigers I made. Does Elder Sister find them unattractive? I insisted on hanging them in Third Sister’s room, and she disliked them very much and even scolded me twice… Third Sister couldn’t sleep well then, so I hung tigers here to keep ghosts away, and Third Sister slept better.”

Despite the scolding, the tigers remained hanging. Jin Chao smiled and shook her head: “They look quite nice.”

When she was little, she never had a younger sister to make cloth tigers to ward off ghosts. Her three male cousins couldn’t play with her due to gender propriety, and several concubine-born female cousins didn’t dare play with her. Apart from her grandmother and other elders, she could only talk to maids and old women.

Gu Xie held Jin Chao’s hand and whispered extremely softly: “Does Elder Sister know about the Du family affairs? Please tell Third Sister, she’s always thinking about…”

Gu Yi glared at Gu Xie and said to Jin Chao: “Elder Sister, don’t listen to Xier’s words. I certainly don’t… think about it.”

These little girls’ thoughts couldn’t escape Jin Chao’s notice. She laughed inwardly and began directly talking about the Du family of Wuqing: “…The Du family is well-known in Wuqing for their charity. Every Dragon Boat Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival, they distribute porridge to the poor. All the young masters are scholars, and although they haven’t produced a jinshi for two generations, they remain a scholarly family. Du Fourth Master has a shop in Baodi selling six types of aged grains. Their best-selling item is Guizhou fragrant rice, bringing in thirty taels of silver monthly. The Du family has several similar shops in Wuqing, with Fourth Master’s being the best. Besides these, the Du family also owns some farmland…”

She wanted Gu Yi to understand the Du family’s situation and learn about these matters. She shouldn’t wait until marrying into the Du family years later, only to suffer disadvantages from knowing nothing.

After discussing this, Jin Chao brought up their father’s birthday, asking what birthday gifts they had prepared.

Gu Xie said: “…I cut a paper-cutting of five bats offering longevity. Third Sister has seen it.”

Gu Yi smiled and said: “Xier’s cutting skills have improved greatly, and it looks quite nice. I’ve practiced small seal script for over a year and copied a volume of ‘Dao De Jing’ for Father.” She sent a young maid to fetch it, and indeed it was neat and graceful small seal script, written very tidily.

Jin Chao praised Gu Yi’s calligraphy and told her: “If you had come to me earlier, I would have suggested writing ‘The Peng Bird Rhapsody.’ Father loves that rhapsody the most.”

Gu Yi smiled and replied: “That’s no problem. Rhapsody style isn’t long, and copying isn’t troublesome. Father’s birthday is four days away, so I can recopy it.”

She had originally been uncertain about her father’s preferences, only knowing he liked morality studies, which is why she chose to copy the “Dao De Jing.”

The women chatted until sunset when Jin Chao and Gu Xie finally left.

Gu Yi went to the study and found “The Peng Bird Rhapsody.” She had her maid spread paper on the writing desk and slowly began copying.

After writing for a while, her maid lit a lamp on the desk. In the darkness, the bean-sized point of light was truly insufficient.

“It’s so late, what are you still writing?” A voice came from the study door.

Gu Yi put down her brush and looked over, frowning slightly before saying softly: “Concubine Du, why have you come here?”

Du Jingqiu wore an autumn-fragrance-colored floral patterned cloak, standing quietly at the doorway watching Gu Yi. The night was already so deep, yet she was still copying texts with only one lamp lit, risking damage to her eyes.

She walked in and noticed Gu Yi watching her silently, her expression not particularly pleased. Hesitantly, she said: “I… I just came to check on you. I made you some rock sugar pear water. I heard you’ve been coughing these past few days…”

“Thank you for your concern, Concubine. It was just cold pathogenic factors entering my body. I’m mostly recovered now,” Gu Yi replied very politely.

This child had never liked her, but Du Jingqiu had never felt it so profoundly before. Gu Yi disliked her obsequiousness and her fawning to please others; she preferred people like Lady Ji who were educated and naturally gentle. Du Jingqiu knew all this and didn’t blame her.

Du Jingqiu looked at Gu Yi with a slight smile: “You’re already engaged, and in two years you’ll go to the Du family. I hadn’t noticed how grown up you’ve become… This is good, the Lady has taught you well.” She continued, “You should learn how to manage household affairs now. Stay close to the First Young Lady, don’t argue with her, and be polite to the Second Young Lady as well…”

She rambled on, repeating things she had said many times before.

Gu Yi knew all this in her heart and grew somewhat impatient, though she said nothing. Concubine Du lived in Tong Ruo Tower, with Concubine Guo who didn’t care for others. She had nothing to do, so naturally she would be lonely.

After finishing, Du Jingqiu placed the food box she had been holding on a neighboring chicken-wing wood table, saying she should leave.

Gu Yi watched as she slowly walked to the covered corridor before summoning the courage to call out: “Concubine.”

Du Jingqiu turned back to look at her, seemingly waiting for something.

Gu Yi said softly, “Sleep well.”

Hearing these words, Du Jingqiu seemed to relax completely. She nodded with a smile before hurrying into the darkness.

At Cui Quan Court, Gu Lan received Gu Jin Rong’s reply.

Gu Jin Rong barely remembered childhood events. When Gu Lan asked about his childhood maidservant, he had to think hard. He recalled that Yu Ping was from the Shuntian Prefecture, and when her mother died, she returned for the funeral. Upon returning, she brought him a package of Li’s sugar-roasted chestnuts. But the nurse, fearing stomach upset, secretly threw them away, and he remembered crying for a long time.

Reminiscing about childhood, he became enthusiastic and wrote extensively. His childhood years were spent with his mother and Sister Lan. He also mentioned his current heavy coursework prevented him from returning for his father’s birthday. He had sent birthday gifts through someone else and asked Gu Lan to accompany their father well on his birthday.

Gu Lan felt somewhat disappointed, but it made sense—who would care about a maid’s hometown?

She took the letter to Song Miaohua.

After reading it, Song Miaohua called for Qiao Wei: “…Take old woman Chen with you to find Li’s sugar-roasted chestnuts in Shuntian Prefecture, and inquire about this person Yu Ping in the vicinity.”

Gu Lan held Song Miaohua’s hand and said: “Mother, Shuntian Prefecture is so vast. Finding a sugar-roasted chestnut shop is like searching for a needle in the sea.”

Song Miaohua smiled: “Items brought by a maid should be famous locally. Just ask around and you’ll know.”

Gu Lan secretly admired her mother; she still couldn’t think as comprehensively as her mother did.

Song Miaohua mentioned her birthday gift: “…You and your father haven’t spoken for a month. Use this birthday gift opportunity to make a good impression. Is your embroidered ‘Dao De Jing’ mounted yet?”

Gu Lan nodded with a smile, “Don’t worry, I’ve prepared everything.”

Soon came the day of Gu De Zhao’s birthday.

Several tables of wine were set in the outer courtyard. Grand birthday celebrations were reserved for those over sixty; this was merely a dinner for Gu De Zhao’s colleagues.

Jin Chao rose early. Qing Pu helped her change into a Xiang Fei-colored diamond-patterned satin robe with a plain embroidered skirt and a sapphire blue treasure-patterned sachet containing orchid grass. Then she whispered: “Today Madam Tong came to say that the Eldest Young Master has corresponded with the Second Young Lady again.”

Jin Chao looked at the jade gourd pendant hanging by her ear in the mirror, and after a long while sighed: “He is… Well, I suppose only when Gu Lan truly endangers him will he know to be cautious. What am I anyway?”

While she was dressing, Gu Yi and Gu Xie came to find her. They had agreed to congratulate their father together.

Jin Chao invited them to wait briefly in the west side room while she finished dressing. She saw Gu Yi’s maid holding the mounted calligraphy, and upon closer inspection, found it was Gu Yi’s newly copied “The Peng Bird Rhapsody.” It was written beautifully, with feminine grace but not lacking ancient simplicity and elegance.

Gu Xie had folded her paper-cutting of five bats offering longevity and placed it in a sachet with blue and purple tassels hanging below, making it very beautiful. Jin Chao saw it and smiled: “You’ve made it so ornate, Father won’t wear it!”

Gu Xie didn’t mind: “This is what I made, and there’s no time to change it now!”

The three arrived at Ju Liu Pavilion, where Concubine Song was helping Gu De Zhao dress. Jin Chao and the others waited in the east side room. When Gu De Zhao emerged, he wore a sapphire blue Hangzhou silk straight robe, looking spirited. Concubine Song glanced at Jin Chao, her eyes smiling: “First Young Lady has come so early!”

Jin Chao’s heart sank, but she maintained her composure with a smile: “How could I compare to Concubine’s earliness?” Then she turned her gaze toward her father.

Gu De Zhao coughed into his fist, merely to conceal his embarrassment.

Because of Sister Lan’s matter, Sister Chao had grown somewhat distant from him. The Cheng Wangxi he had invited for Sister Chao was truly inappropriate and had only angered her. Now that he had reconciled with Concubine Song, Sister Chao would certainly be more displeased with him.

He brushed aside Concubine Song’s hand and walked over with a smile: “Sister Chao has come so early, you must have prepared a birthday gift for me.”