Just before spring, after a heavy snowfall, Third Master Chen went to the Ji family in Baodi. He needed Master Ji’s help with something.

At that time, the Ji family’s Third Young Master had recently passed the provincial examination, and the family was celebrating. Master Ji received Chen Yan Yun and had servants bring up a pot of fine Huoshan Yellow Tea. “You’ve come at a good time—the household is in a festive mood!” Master Ji smiled as he poured tea for him, saying, “I hear that this time the Seventh Young Master has become the top graduate in classics in North Zhili, quite reminiscent of your style in those days…”

He was much more polite when speaking with him now.

Third Master Chen didn’t mind; over the years, those who feared and respected him had grown increasingly numerous.

He set down his teacup and said: “I’ve read his essays too. Calling him the top graduate in classics is somewhat generous.”

In his youth, he had been the provincial examination champion of North Zhili, and his experience with fame and fortune was much deeper than Chen Xuan Qing’s. He didn’t think being a top classics graduate was anything remarkable. However, since Chen Xuan Qing had grown up under the Chen family’s protection, he worried that Chen Xuan Qing might be carried away by empty fame.

After a while, Ji Yun, accompanied by Ji Yao, came to pay respects to Third Master Chen.

Master Ji asked Chen Yan Yun to offer some guidance to Ji Yun. Unable to decline, Chen Yan Yun gave Ji Yun a few pointers on essay composition, which Ji Yun treasured greatly.

After everyone else had withdrawn, Master Ji said to Third Master Chen: “I know about the matter you mentioned. No need to be formal with me—just state what you need, and I’ll certainly take care of it.” In recent years, Chen Yan Yun’s official career has been smooth, and his position before Zhang Ju Lian was preeminent. Master Ji naturally wouldn’t dare be negligent with matters Chen Yan Yun wanted to be handled.

Third Master Chen rose to express his thanks, but Master Ji quickly said it wasn’t necessary and invited him to stay for the banquet.

The Ji family’s banquet flowed with sea cucumber, shark fin, and other luxurious dishes. The only ones who could sit at the same table as Third Master Chen were Master Ji and several officials from Tongzhou. Seeing that they were all somewhat constrained in his presence and didn’t dare drink, Third Master Chen excused himself early from the hall.

When he came out, the snow had just stopped. The sun shone on the expanse of white snow, somewhat dazzling.

The last time he had visited, the garden had been lush and verdant. Now it was desolate with withered branches and remaining snow, and the lotus pond was frozen over.

Third Master Chen inhaled the cold, clear air, narrowed his eyes, and said: “Prepare the carriage. We’ll go to Daxing to see Zheng Yun in the afternoon.”

Chen Yi acknowledged and withdrew. The steward who had accompanied them out led the way ahead.

In front of the lotus pond was an open flower garden, though at this time nothing could be seen but snow covering the entire courtyard. The place seemed somewhat desolate. A moon gate stood half-hidden, and beyond was a pathway leading to an elegant courtyard with vermilion-painted, ornately decorated beams.

That must be where the female members of the household resided.

Third Master Chen looked for a while but grew bored. It was cold outside, and he wanted to return to the guest quarters.

From behind came the sound of hurried footsteps. Immediately cautious, he had just turned his head when he saw a girl from the pathway, holding up her pleated skirt as if someone were chasing her. She was running fast, looking back as she ran, and nearly crashed into him! He frowned and stepped aside, and the girl, turning her head and suddenly seeing him, widened her eyes in surprise. She tripped over a dead branch and fell into the snow.

She fell awkwardly, covered in snow. The snow on the ground had already begun to melt, and dark water stains spread across the knees of her cyan pleated skirt.

Her small face was flushed from the cold as she gasped for breath and asked: “Which household are you from? How did you get here? You made me fall!”

Chen Yan Yun found it amusing. The girl appeared to be fifteen or sixteen years old. Though young, her features were strikingly beautiful, albeit slightly childish and somewhat disheveled.

However, her commanding tone and imperious manner seemed familiar to him.

“Didn’t you see someone standing in front of you?” Chen Yan Yun asked with a smile.

The girl’s features had a familiar quality. That incident years ago had left a deep impression on Chen Yan Yun, so much so that he found the expressions on this girl’s face so vivid that, despite significant changes in her appearance, he recognized her by subtle details as the child he had rescued years ago.

That little girl who had threatened to sell him to the mountains had grown so much in the blink of an eye.

Gu Jin Chao’s eyes were red and uncontrollably moist. She rubbed her eyes: “I don’t know. My eyes hurt so much like there’s sand in them. I can’t see clearly…”

Chen Yan Yun sighed and slowly walked to her, asking: “Can you stand up? Do you want me to find someone to help you?”

“You should just help me!” she said somewhat angrily. “I can’t see at all, how could I stand up?”

Men and women should maintain physical distance; how could he help her up?

Chen Yan Yun could only extend his hand, letting her grasp his sleeve to stand. Unexpectedly, Gu Jin Chao suddenly clutched his sleeve tightly. “I… I was fine just now, why suddenly can’t I see clearly? My eyes hurt so much—am I going blind?” She sounded a bit frightened.

Chen Yan Yun only asked: “Were you staring at the snow earlier?”

“Mm,” she responded uneasily. “I snuck out without my nanny knowing. She told me to rest…”

He allowed her to hold his sleeve as he guided her to a covered corridor. “Come, sit here. First, close your eyes and don’t open them.”

“What’s wrong with me?” she remained anxious, fearing she might have become blind.

“Just snow blindness,” Chen Yan Yun’s voice carried a hint of amusement. “Nothing serious. You’ll be able to see it again shortly. Why didn’t you bring a nanny with you when you went out? You don’t even know about snow blindness. What would you do if you really couldn’t see?”

Gu Jin Chao didn’t respond, twisting her sleeve as she shifted her position on the railing.

The railing was narrow, and as she moved, she lost her balance and swayed. Chen Yan Yun didn’t know whether to steady her, but before he could react, she had already fallen. Gu Jin Chao pulled herself up using a pillar for support, so angry that her hands trembled.

Was she about to cry?

Chen Yan Yun frowned as tears rolled down her face. Her hands were dirty, the snow had melted, and her face was flushed from the cold. But she bit her lip, breathing heavily, without making a sound as she cried.

This young lady was somewhat proud and spoiled, probably feeling extremely wronged.

“You’ve fallen twice and now you’re crying?” he found it amusing. “Your face is all tear-stained. Rest a bit more and you’ll be able to see, then you can go back by yourself. You won’t go blind; don’t be afraid.”

But Gu Jin Chao cried so hard she could barely catch her breath, now releasing all the tears she had previously held back.

After all, she didn’t know who this man was, and he didn’t know her either.

Chen Yan Yun felt somewhat entangled and helpless. Chen Yi would be coming soon, and this scene would be difficult to explain.

But the young lady crying incessantly was indeed pitiful.

“If you keep crying, you might not be able to see,” he said. “Stop crying. Where’s your handkerchief? Wipe your face.”

“You all work against me…” she said between sobs. “None of you like me… Mother is gone too. I don’t need you to like me, I…” she choked, “I don’t want any of you to like me.”

Third Master Chen then noticed a palm-sized piece of hemp cloth on her chest, similar in color to her clothes, which he hadn’t noticed before.

Her mother was gone?

Gu Jin Chao wiped her tears with her sleeve and after a while stopped crying. She curled up on the ground, pursing her lips in silence.

Chen Yan Yun sighed and slowly crouched down to ask: “Who doesn’t like you?”

Gu Jin Chao fell silent. She looked quite thin, a small bundle, like an unwanted kitten.

Perhaps seeing that she had no mother, he suddenly felt compassion, thinking her pitiful.

This feeling existed in his heart for just a moment, but it was uncomfortable. It made him want to do something to help her; he felt uncomfortable.

“There will always be people who like you,” Chen Yan Yun consoled her. “You’re still young; there will be people who like you in the future. Life is so long, don’t you think?” He couldn’t believe he could be so patient, actually wasting time to comfort a young girl.

She still didn’t speak but looked up at him. She still couldn’t see clearly, only a tall, blurry shadow.

Gu Jin Chao blinked and said softly: “My eyes hurt…” Then she asked him, “You’re not a servant, are you? Who are you?”

Third Master Chen stood up. He had already seen Chen Yi approaching. He needed to leave for Daxing immediately.

“Rest well, don’t look at the snow,” Chen Yan Yun said, then turned and walked along the covered corridor.

Chen Yi was indeed waiting not far away.

On the road, Third Master Chen asked the steward: “I saw people in mourning at your residence. Has there been some misfortune?”

The steward replied: “Our young miss’s mother has passed away. Those in mourning must be the servants attending to the young miss!”

Third Master Chen listened without comment. Shortly after returning, he made inquiries, intentionally or not, and learned of Gu Jin Chao’s identity. She was the eldest legitimate daughter of Imperial Physician Gu from the Gu family of Shi’an. She had grown up at her maternal grandmother’s home in the Ji family. Shortly after her coming-of-age ceremony, her mother died.

No wonder she was so distressed that day.

Despite her fearless nature, she had cried so pitifully.

Third Master Chen contemplated silently for a while.

Chen Xuan Qing came to pay his respects.

He asked Chen Xuan Qing to sit and said: “A few days ago, your grandmother mentioned wanting to arrange your engagement to the Yu family’s daughter. As for the wedding, if you’re willing, it could be in a few months. If you don’t want to marry so early, you can wait until after next year’s metropolitan examination. What are your thoughts?”

Chen Xuan Qing hesitated only briefly before promptly saying: “Father, I’d like to marry earlier.”

Third Master Chen had thought that given Chen Xuan Qing’s nature, he would prefer to wait until after the metropolitan examination to marry.

Since he wanted to marry earlier, that was naturally good.

From engagement to betrothal to the wedding, it was only a matter of three months.

And these three months happened to be a time of tumultuous change in the imperial court. The Emperor passed away, and a new Emperor ascended the throne. The Fan Chuan faction was completely purged, implicating over twenty officials from the Ministry of Revenue. Right Vice Minister Xu Bing Kun of Cangzhou was also implicated and removed from office. That night, he led people to arrest Xu Bing Kun, interrogated him for three days, and finally sentenced him to exile in Ili.

He was also promoted from Mentor of the Heir Apparent’s Household to Minister of Revenue and Grand Secretary of the Eastern Pavilion, becoming the youngest Cabinet Elder.

He hadn’t managed Chen Xuan Qing’s wedding affairs much. By the time his hands were stained with blood, he had achieved fame and success. The world seemed to have calmed down, and he sat steadily in the main hall, accepting the hot tea offered by his daughter-in-law.

Third Master Chen gently said to Chen Xuan Qing: “In the future, you must treat her well.”

Chen Xuan Qing nodded, looking at his father for a long time.

Father seemed no longer just that father.

Drinking tea, setting down the teacup, in every gesture, there was a subtle sense of oppression, perhaps truly brought by power.

Who could deny it? With the emergence of a Cabinet Elder, the Chen family was truly entering its most prosperous era.