Chapter 142: The New Bride
The next day was the wedding procession. The bride's sedan chair traveled all the way from Wanping to Tongzhou. The Ji family set off firecrackers and filled the air with the clamor of gongs and drums. After crossing the ceremonial basin of coins and grain, Ji Can shot an arrow at the sedan door, and the bride stepped out. The wedding ceremony followed immediately, with the bride being escorted into the bridal chamber by the groomsmen.
Gu Jinzhao could only listen to the lively sounds of the celebration from afar, as she was not allowed to attend the banquet. Instead, she stayed in the eastern courtyard, chatting with Madam Xu and the Xu family's young lady. Xu Jingyi had a pleasant temperament, far more worldly than most sheltered noble ladies, and she also enjoyed tending to flowers and plants. Jinzhao found her company agreeable. Xu Jingyi, looking at Gu Jinzhao, felt a certain kinship with her, and thus treated her with extra gentleness.
Before long, Mama Tong came to find Gu Jinzhao, saying that Mama Xu had sent a letter from Daxing.
Jinzhao went to the western side room to read the letter.
In the letter, Mama Xu mentioned that Gu Jinrong was doing very well, getting along with the young masters of the Yu family, and that he lacked neither winter coats nor bedding. Once the Yu family school concluded its term, he would be able to come to Daxing. Concubine Song, who lived in Tingtao Pavilion, had grown alarmingly thin, spending her days withdrawn and muttering to herself.
Jinzhao thought that even if Concubine Song wasn’t truly mad yet, if she continued like this, she would surely lose her mind eventually.
The Gu household was peaceful as they prepared for the New Year, which was approaching with the start of the twelfth lunar month. Song Furen had visited once more, bringing many gifts for Gu Lan. Mama Xu specifically mentioned Gu Lan—her personal maid, Mu Jin, had once retrieved a peculiarly styled small box from the side gate, exquisitely decorated with gold tracery and red lacquer. Upon inquiring, Mama Xu learned that such boxes were exclusive to Cuiyunxuan and contained Rose Scented Cream.
The Rose Scented Cream was made from fragrant dew, exorbitantly priced, and used to tint lips with a sweet, rich aroma and a rosy hue, superior to ordinary rouge.
Gu Lan’s monthly allowance was only ten taels, which had to cover her daily expenses. Where did she get the money to buy such cream?
It couldn’t have been from Song Furen either. Nowadays, if Song Furen wanted to send something, she could easily have it delivered directly.
If it wasn’t Song Furen, then who had sent it to her?
Gu Jinzhao thought of that young master from the Yao family.
She smiled faintly and tossed the letter into the brazier to burn before returning to the flower hall.
Gu Dezhao left the banquet after just one cup of wine and came to the eastern courtyard to find Jinzhao. Seeing him holding a large red scented sachet embroidered with the four blessings and ruyi patterns while looking around, Jinzhao called out to him. He approached and handed her the plump sachet.
When Jinzhao opened it, she found it filled with dried longans and asked her father, "Why are you giving me this?"
Gu Dezhao’s eyes crinkled with a smile. "Your father brought it for you. You always liked eating dried longans at banquets before..."
Jinzhao didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Between her two lifetimes, she was practically forty years old, yet her father still treated her like a child.
Noticing that Jinzhao didn’t seem particularly delighted, Gu Dezhao asked hesitantly, "Don’t you like dried longans anymore?" He was worried he might have misremembered his eldest daughter’s preferences. "I thought you liked them, along with dried lychees..."
Jinzhao replied, "I do like them... Did you come all this way just to give me this?"
Gu Dezhao nodded and smiled again. "I thought since you couldn’t attend the banquet, I’d bring some for you..."
As they spoke, a light, gentle voice approached. "Chaojie, why have you been gone so long?"
It was Xu Jingyi, who had come looking for Jinzhao after waiting for her in vain.Before she could get closer, she spotted a handsome man in a navy blue straight robe standing opposite Jinchao and hesitated to approach.
Jinchao asked Gu Dezhao to leave first, then walked toward Xu Jingyi, sharing the dried longan from her scented sachet with her.
However, Gu Dezhao nodded and smiled at Xu Jingyi before finally stepping out of the eastern courtyard. Xu Jingyi’s face flushed slightly as she whispered to Gu Jinzhao, “Who is that man? Why was he in the eastern courtyard? I saw him just yesterday at the banquet in the western courtyard…”
Jinchao remembered taking Xu Jingyi to the western courtyard the day before. Noticing Xu Jingyi’s faint blush, she felt a little surprised—this reaction was unusual for her. Still, she replied casually, “That’s my father. He’s quite amusing—he sneaked a packet of dried longan from the banquet to bring to me. He was supposed to be helping in the western courtyard yesterday. Did you see him there, Miss Xu?”
Xu Jingyi nodded. “I wanted to return to the eastern courtyard but got lost. He asked a maid to guide me back… I didn’t expect him to be your father.”
She popped a dried longan into her mouth and said no more about it.
Jinchao took note—Xu Jingyi had referred to Gu Dezhao as “he” instead of “Uncle.” Her gaze had also been evasive. Jinchao remembered Xu Jingyi as someone who carried herself with grace and composure, even when her husband had died in a brothel and the Luo family had to retrieve his body. She had faced everyone’s prying stares head-on and handled the funeral arrangements with calm dignity.
Could it be… that Miss Xu had taken a liking to her father? He was handsome and not old, after all.
Jinchao felt a twinge of discomfort but also acknowledged that such things were natural. If Xu Jingyi truly had any serious feelings for Gu Dezhao, it was impossible—at most, it was just a passing admiration. These things happened, and besides, the two had maintained proper decorum, not even exchanging a word.
Still, Jinchao kept the matter in mind.
The next day, just after dawn, the new bride came to serve tea to Ji Wu Shi.
Chen Xuan wore a maroon wedding satin jacket, her hair neatly styled in a glossy phoenix-tail bun, adorned with a pair of gold hairpins inlaid with agate and shaped like plum blossoms. She looked dignified and elegant. Ji Can stood beside her, but despite being newly married, he seemed awkward and nervous. When it was time to serve tea, he only knelt after being nudged by a maid.
Ji Wu Shi laughed. “You’ve taken a wife, yet you still act like a fool!”
Mama Song chimed in, “The fourth young master is just dazed with happiness!”
Ji Can scratched his head and grinned. He was indeed a little too happy—he had nearly been drunk under the table by An Songhuai the night before.
As a new bride, Chen Xuan wasn’t supposed to speak out of turn, but she couldn’t help smiling at this. Jinchao glanced at her. In her past life, by the time she married into the Chen family, Chen Xuan had already married into the Ji family, so she had never met this concubine-born daughter. Madam Qin, the wife of Second Master Chen, was originally the legitimate daughter of a prominent Jiangnan textile magnate. She had many methods for raising concubine-born daughters, and each turned out as docile as kittens.
Ji Wu Shi first sent Ji Can away, then helped Chen Xuan up and asked gently, “Are you settling in well?”
Chen Xuan replied softly, “Reporting to Grandmother, your granddaughter-in-law finds everything to my liking.”Ji Wu Shi quietly asked Song Shi if the couple had consummated their marriage the previous night. When Song Shi confirmed they had, Chen Xuan's face turned crimson with embarrassment. Ji Wu Shi chuckled at her reaction, "There's nothing to be shy about! Our Can Ge'er is counting on you to bear him a healthy son soon. As a married woman now, you must learn to manage the household with maturity. Take good care of Can Ge'er's daily needs. Visit your second sister-in-law often—she has more experience than you... The two bedroom servant girls in Can Ge'er's quarters have been taking preventive medicine. If you can conceive a son for our Can Ge'er within the first year, that would be ideal..."
She then instructed Mama Song to bring an enameled box containing a gold hairpin adorned with rubies and sapphires. The piece, weighing about five taels, was clearly valuable.
Ji Wu Shi intended this as a subtle reminder to the new bride. For a woman marrying into a family, bearing heirs was paramount. If she failed to conceive within two or three years, the two bedroom servant girls in Ji Can's quarters could stop taking contraception and bear children, potentially even being promoted to concubines.
This was common practice among noble families. Gu Jinzhao mused silently, then heard her grandmother call her name, beckoning her to greet Chen Xuan: "This is your aunt's eldest daughter, your cousin from the Gu family."
Jinchao curtsied politely. Chen Xuan hurriedly returned the courtesy, saying, "I've long heard of my cousin's renowned beauty. Seeing you today, the rumors do not do you justice."
Her maid had previously informed her that this Gu cousin was Tai Furen's favorite, someone to be flattered at all costs.
Ji Wu Shi frowned slightly. Jinchao's reputation was rather poor... Chen Xuan likely meant no harm, merely attempting to ingratiate herself. Regardless, it showed a lack of tact.
Jinchao instructed Qingpu to bring an embroidered box containing a pair of Gold Grass Insect Jewelry Set hairpins with golden pond motifs as a gift for Chen Xuan.
Soon, the first aunt, second aunt, eldest cousin, and third sister-in-law arrived to present gifts to the new bride, filling the room with lively chatter.
Seeking fresh air, Jinchao stepped out from the western chamber and noticed Ji Yao lingering hesitantly on the covered corridor.
After a moment's hesitation, she decided to take a detour back to Eastern Dwelling.
But Ji Yao called out to stop her.
Uncertain of his intentions, Gu Jinzhao turned with a polite smile and curtsy, "...Did Second Cousin need something?"
Ji Yao remained silent, his gaze oddly intense.
After a long pause, he finally withdrew a velvet box from his sleeve and placed it in her hand. "You gave your bracelet to Chun Ge'er... This is for you."
Jinchao weighed the box and guessed it contained another bracelet. She smiled wryly, "Second Cousin, I'm also Chun Ge'er's aunt. There's no need to be so particular." Was he really returning the favor for a bracelet she'd given to Ji Anchun?
Ji Yao struggled to explain that he'd spent considerable time selecting this bracelet, believing its design to be uniquely exquisite—not merely as compensation for her gift. But his usual eloquence failed him, and he could only mutter stiffly, "...Just keep it!"
He then retreated into the main hall.
Gu Jinzhao found Ji Yao's behavior utterly perplexing.
With no alternative, she accepted the bracelet and returned to Eastern Dwelling.
Ji Yao had been preoccupied with Ji Can's wedding preparations these days, delaying the important matter he'd resolved to discuss with Ji Wu Shi. His visit now was specifically to address that decision.Just as Chen Xuan and the others had withdrawn, Ji Wu Shi noticed Ji Yao approaching and beckoned him to sit.
"...It's rare to see you come on your own. Is there something you wanted to ask me?" Ji Wu Shi asked with a smile.
She remembered when Ji Yao first started managing the shopfronts—he had been so overwhelmed that he came to her every day for advice. Once he got the hang of it, he stopped visiting altogether.
Ji Yao sat down, feeling oddly nervous. "No, I came to tell you... I've decided to marry Gu Jinzhao."
Ji Wu Shi was momentarily stunned, staring at him in surprise.
A faint smile touched his lips as he continued, "Please help me find a matchmaker..." He paused, then added, "I want it to happen as soon as possible."
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