Chapter 136: Decision
Jinchao returned to her study and opened the letter. Her grandmother first inquired about her recent well-being, then mentioned Ji Can's upcoming marriage.
The young lady from the Chen family had already come of age last month, but due to the national mourning period, the matter had been temporarily postponed. Now that the mourning period had passed, the two families naturally began discussing the wedding arrangements. Since the engagement had been settled long ago, the betrothal gifts had been exchanged, and the wedding date had been set, all that remained was the bridal procession.
Her grandmother wrote that the bridal procession was scheduled for the nineteenth day of the eleventh month. The wedding invitation would be sent shortly. Although Jinchao was in mourning and could not attend the banquet, she should still come to congratulate her fourth cousin and meet his bride. She was asked to prepare in advance and stay in Tongzhou for a while.
Delighted by the news, Jinchao first went to the outer courtyard to inform her father.
Gu Dezhao was also very pleased. "...Your fourth cousin is getting married already! Very well, you may go to Tongzhou first. I'll join you after receiving the wedding invitation." He still remembered when Ji Can was born, just a few years after his marriage to Madam Ji. Back then, he and Madam Ji had returned to Tongzhou to see the newborn Ji Can in swaddling clothes.
Gu Dezhao summoned Li Guanshi to arrange Jinchao's travel plans.
Jinchao then brought up the matter of gifts. "Father, I plan to give Fourth Cousin two Duanshi Inkstones and a pair of Cloud and Phoenix Pattern Red Gold Candlesticks. For my new sister-in-law, I’d like to give a Gold Grass Insect Jewelry Set and a Full Pond Beauty Gold Hairpin. What do you think?"
Gu Dezhao chuckled. "There’s no need for you to give gifts separately. I’ll handle all the presents."
His gifts were his own, but Jinchao also wanted to give something personally for her cousin’s wedding. By mentioning her gifts, she hoped her father would avoid sending duplicates. Jinchao smiled. "Whether you give gifts or not, I still intend to. However, you’ll need to explain things to Grandmother. You know there’s tension between her and Grandmother Ji."
Gu Dezhao nodded. The discord between Madam Feng and Ji Wu Shi was no recent development.
After speaking with her father, Gu Jinchao went to the eastern courtyard to inform Madam Feng. Coincidentally, since Jinchao no longer needed to attend to her daily, Madam Feng readily agreed. She even instructed Fuling to fetch a pair of Kingfisher Feather Bracelets for Jinchao to give as a gift.
Jinchao planned to stay at the Ji family residence for an extended period—at least a month or two. She decided to bring Mama Tong, Qingpu, and Caifu with her. The maids who couldn’t go were visibly disappointed. They had never been to Tongzhou and hadn’t even ventured beyond the capital’s outskirts to places like Daxing. They had heard that Tongzhou’s Baodi, Sanhe, and Xianghe were prosperous and bustling, but they had no idea what those places were really like.
Caifu promised to bring back some famous Tongzhou fermented tofu for them.
The maids and servants packed Jinchao’s daily necessities and items for tipping into trunks and loaded them onto the carriage. It took half a day to finish the preparations.
Jinchao called Mama Xu aside to give her instructions. During her absence, she wanted extra vigilance regarding Gu Lan’s activities. "You’ve already bribed the servants at the side gate. Don’t interfere with any letters or packages Lan sends or receives, but make sure to inspect their contents and report back to me in writing..."
She also thought of Jinrong, who was studying at the Yu family school. "...I wonder if he has enough bedding and winter clothes, or if he’s lacking anything. If you have time, please visit Shian to check on him. Also, let him know about Fourth Cousin’s wedding."
Mama Xu acknowledged each instruction dutifully.Early the next morning, the stable hands harnessed the horses, and the servants loaded the trunks onto the carriage. The carriage clattered its way toward Tongzhou.
Meanwhile, preparations were also underway at the Ji family residence.
Ji Wu Shi had already instructed the maids to clean the Eastern Dwelling, change the bedding and Thick Velvet Curtains, and bring out the Brazier. The household gradually began decorating with lanterns and colorful banners. The eldest aunt, Song Shi, was busy drafting the guest list and arranging the bridal chamber, while the second aunt oversaw the banquet and wedding procession matters.
Holding a mottled bamboo brush, Song Shi consulted Ji Wu Shi while writing names on red paper. "From Baoding, there are also your father's two cousins. Though we haven't interacted much in recent years, we shouldn't let relations grow cold. Include them on the list..." Ji Wu Shi pondered, "Prepare a table for them and inform the second daughter-in-law."
Song Shi nodded and was about to ask for the cousins' exact names when a maid entered to announce Gu Jinzhao's arrival at the gate.
Ji Wu Shi's face lit up with joy. She hurriedly asked the maid to bring her in while scolding the accompanying matron: "...I said you should inform me as soon as she reached the screen wall! Why wait until the young mistress has arrived?"
The matron quickly explained, "The young mistress insisted, saying you were busy with the fourth young master's wedding arrangements. She preferred to come herself and forbade us from announcing her arrival."
Song Shi smiled, "Chaojie is being filial to you. Don't be angry with her."
Ji Wu Shi's words were just for show—she couldn't truly be upset. When Gu Jinzhao entered, she immediately took her hand and seated her by the warm window-side kang. A maid promptly brought over a hand warmer.
Before Jinchao could perform her formal greeting, she laughed, "Grandmother, at least let me pay my respects properly!"
Ji Wu Shi was too busy examining her beloved granddaughter, checking if she had lost weight, to care about formalities. After a moment, her heart ached—though Jinchao's complexion had improved, her cheeks were still thin. Ji Wu Shi remembered how plump Jinchao used to be; at twelve or thirteen, her cheeks had been delightfully round and rosy.
"Your chin is sharp enough to pierce paper..." Ji Wu Shi frowned disapprovingly. "Has that Madam Feng been treating you poorly?"
There was no question of good or bad treatment—as a step-granddaughter, Jinchao was fortunate Madam Feng didn't mistreat her. Not wanting to worry her grandmother, Jinchao smiled. "Grandmother wanted to teach me proper manners. When I attend to her daily, sometimes I miss meals... Please don't overthink it. As Father's eldest legitimate daughter, she wouldn't treat me poorly."
Ji Wu Shi remained skeptical. Warming Jinchao's hands, she instructed Song Shi again, "Help Chaojie settle her belongings. For the guest list, consult the eldest and second masters later to see which colleagues and friends should be invited."
Feeling embarrassed to trouble her aunt, Jinchao offered to arrange her things herself. Song Shi simply smiled, "Chaojie, keep your grandmother company. Her happiness is mine." With that, she gathered her things and left.
Ji Wu Shi had the maids close the western chamber doors, then removed a cloak to wrap around Jinchao, fussing over her feet: "Your shoes and socks are too thin—your feet must be freezing... Lift them onto the kang and bury them in the bedding. It's nice and warm here."
This was improper—young ladies should sit with proper posture.Jinchao chuckled and tucked her feet in, asking Ji Wu Shi about the status of Fourth Cousin's marriage arrangements and whether she had met the Chen Family's Second Miss.
Ji Wu Shi began chatting with her about family matters. "I've seen the Chen Family's Second Miss once before, but it was when she was still a child. She looked quite neat and tidy. According to Madam Xu, who's acting as the matchmaker, she's quite a beauty... Your fourth cousin's bridal chamber is nearly ready. Once we replace the pendant ornaments and leaking windows, I'll take you to see it. Nowadays, he spends all his time practicing calligraphy in his study—won't even go to Baodi when your second cousin invites him. For someone about to get married, he's so shy he hardly dares step outside, afraid his friends will tease him... Your second and third cousins have been laughing at him for it."
Ji Wu Shi continued, "Your eldest cousin Ji Mei, who married into Jizhou, is also coming back soon—probably in a few days—bringing Yi Ge'er with her. Your eldest nephew will finally have a playmate. He's only three now, just like you were at that age—always climbing and jumping around, impossible to control."
With the lattice windows and doors closed, the western chamber was rather dim, so the maids had lit candles. Jinchao sat across from her grandmother, listening to her speak.
Gu Jinchao loved hearing her grandmother talk about these things.
It always reminded her of when she was younger, living at the villa with her grandmother. On rainy nights, they would light lamps indoors, and her grandmother would hold her while sitting on the kang, listening to her childish stories. When she couldn't explain something clearly, she'd gesture with her little fingers, making her grandmother laugh.
Jinchao then asked about Madam Xu: "What about her daughter... has she found a family to marry into yet?"
Ji Wu Shi sighed. "Even if she's lowered her standards now, she still can't find a suitable match. Last time, they proposed a scholar from the Imperial Academy, but somehow it didn't work out. The girl is already approaching twenty in nominal age. Madam Xu is so anxious she's even approached the Luo Family in Wanping..."
Ji Wu Shi hinted that Jinchao would know of this Luo Family. They had once been imperial merchants—one of the few major merchant families in Yanjing. However, the Luo Family had a terrible reputation, and their eldest son was notoriously useless, something everyone knew.
Ji Wu Shi wondered why Jinchao was asking about this. She usually never concerned herself with unrelated matters.
Gu Jinchao didn’t know why she had asked either. Perhaps out of sympathy. If Miss Xu were to marry the Luo Family's eldest son, her life would be hopeless.
After chatting for a while, Ji Wu Shi urged Jinchao to rest, as the journey from Daxing must have been tiring.
After some thought, Ji Wu Shi sent a maid to summon Ji Yao.
Jinchao asking about Xu Jingyi... could it be that she was also starting to worry about her own marriage prospects? She would soon be sixteen, yet no one had come to the Gu Family to propose. Families of lower status were beneath the Gu Family's consideration, while those of suitable status scorned Jinchao's reputation... It must weigh heavily on her.
Ji Yao was currently reviewing the accounts for Xianghe. Nowadays, Ji Wu Shi had entrusted most affairs to him, which was why she now had the leisure to chat with her daughters-in-law and grandchildren. But it was hard on Ji Yao—he was practically half the household manager now, yet had no one to assist him. Only young attendants served him, none of whom were particularly close or reliable.
"Your cousin Jinchao just arrived..." Ji Wu Shi gestured for him to sit.Ji Yao's mood was somewhat complicated upon hearing Ji Wu Shi mention that Gu Jinzhao had arrived. His first reaction wasn't disgust, but rather a strange mix of joy and unease. She must be here for Fourth Brother's wedding, yet she hadn't come to see Grandmother...
Seeing his silence, Ji Wu Shi sighed and said, "Your cousin Jinchao's birthday is on the twenty-eighth of November—she'll be sixteen soon. Grandmother has come to realize that children must find their own happiness. If you still care for her, after Ji Can's wedding, you may go to the Gu family to propose... If you don't, Grandmother won't force you. Even if Chaojie isn't the best match, she could still marry a poor scholar or a noble family's lesser son."
Ji Yao looked up at her in surprise upon hearing these words.
...What did Grandmother mean by this?
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