Chapter 175: Eight Characters
After returning from the western courtyard, Jinchao immediately wrote a letter to Ji Wu Shi, informing her about Madam Feng's intention to arrange a marriage between her niece and Father.
Judging by Cheng Baozhi's demeanor, it was clear what would happen if she truly married into the family. Gu Jinchao naturally didn’t want her to enter their household. Even if Father were to remarry, it should be a proper, virtuous young woman. She wanted to ask her grandmother if she knew of any suitable candidates.
She couldn’t stop Father from remarrying, but she could at least maneuver the situation to ensure the choice was favorable for their fourth branch.
Occasionally, Jinchao still dreamed of the scene of her mother’s death.
She sighed. Truthfully, she didn’t want a stepmother to take over everything that once belonged to her mother. Nor did she wish to call anyone else "Mother"…
At the very least, that person absolutely could not be Cheng Baozhi.
After finishing the letter, Jinchao carefully sealed it, but her hand paused as she set down the brush.
She suddenly remembered Third Master Chen’s words. He had said he had seen her before—during the summer when she had gone to her grandmother’s house to escape the heat.
But she had no recollection of such a person…
After some thought, Jinchao spread out another sheet of paper and wrote a series of unrelated words before casually inquiring about Third Master Chen in her letter to her grandmother.
The next morning, when Jinchao rose, she noticed that most of the snow outside the lattice window had melted.
Caifu, while combing her hair, smiled and said, "The spring breeze in February is like scissors—look, the ginkgo tree outside has already sprouted. There are also two elm trees behind the back annex, their tender leaves now fully covering the branches… In a few more days, we’ll be able to enjoy elm leaf rice."
Another spring had arrived.
Jinchao picked out a green jade hairpin from her jewelry box and handed it to Caifu. Her slender fingers brushed over the silver-gilt openwork box, lost in thought. Unconsciously… it had been nearly a year since Mother’s passing. In three more months, she would complete the mourning period.
Mama Tong entered, dressed in a plain blue silk winter coat, a simple gold hairpin in her bun. She approached and curtsied before reporting, "Eldest Miss, early this morning, Tai Furen took Miss Cheng to Bao Xiang Temple to pray…"
She hesitated, then lowered her voice. "Tai Furen… yesterday instructed Luo Yiniang and the two girls in the master’s quarters to resume taking the medicinal soup."
Jinchao frowned. Madam Feng was moving too quickly. Cheng Baozhi hadn’t even entered the household yet, and she was already paving the way for her.
She tidied the hairpins in her jewelry box and asked Mama Tong, "Who told you this?"
Mama Tong replied, "… Qingyi, the maid by Luo Yiniang’s side."
Jinchao nodded and instructed, "Take a few boxes of pine nut candy to the eastern courtyard. It’s best we know what Grandmother and Cousin discuss in private."
Mama Tong acknowledged and left.
By the afternoon, Madam Feng had returned with Cheng Baozhi.
"… According to the Taoist priest, your and Old Fourth’s eight characters are highly compatible. This puts my mind at ease," Madam Feng said, holding Cheng Baozhi’s hand and seating her beside her on the arhat bed. "But my support alone isn’t enough—you must also take initiative. Mingle more with the household, befriend your second and fifth sisters-in-law. Old Fourth is an easy man to handle—just be gentle and obedient toward him… that’s what he likes!"
Cheng Baozhi blushed slightly and nodded, already calculating how best to win Gu Dezhao’s favor.
That evening, she went to the western courtyard to speak with Gu Lian.Gu Lian was chatting with Gu Lan as they crushed the balsam flowers picked from the greenhouse, slowly dyeing their nails. Gu Lian said, "...I pestered Mother yesterday and found out that Grandmother actually wants to marry Cheng Baozhi to Fourth Uncle." Her face was full of disdain. "To think someone like that would marry into the Gu family—just the thought makes me sick... Lan Er, if she becomes your stepmother, wouldn’t she control you in every way? How can you bear it? If it were me, I’d have already made a scene in front of Grandmother."
Hearing this, Gu Lan inwardly mocked herself. She wasn’t like Gu Lian. If she dared to express dissatisfaction in front of Madam Feng, her life would become miserable.
Playing with the agate pestle used to crush the petals, she said softly, "It’s not that bad. In fact, I rather hope Miss Cheng marries in. Think about it—even without a stepmother now, how is my life any better? I’m still overshadowed by Eldest Sister in everything, always under her thumb. If Miss Cheng marries in... then Eldest Sister will have someone to contend with. With the two of them fighting, I might actually find some breathing room..."
Gu Lian thought it made sense. She took Gu Lan’s hand and said, "About what happened last time... I’m sorry. Don’t worry—from now on, if you need anything, I’ll definitely help you! It’s just Cheng Baozhi—what’s so difficult about that?"
Gu Lan felt the touch of Gu Lian’s hands, smooth as mutton-fat jade, her nails a delicate pinkish-red. Looking at those nails, she found their brightness almost blinding.
Gu Lian was unreliable. Treating her sincerely was pointless—she was only useful as a tool.
Gu Lan smiled gently. "...I understand. How could I blame you?"
Remembering the meaningful glances from the noble ladies and madams at Gu Lian’s hair-pinning ceremony when they saw her serving tea to Yu Mingying, she felt a chill run through her, as if trapped in a nightmare... She hated nothing more than being looked down upon!
Just as Lan Zhi brought over a plate of rose-flavored mung bean cakes, a maid announced from outside the flower hall that Cheng Baozhi had arrived.
"Quick, invite Auntie in," Gu Lian said.
Cheng Baozhi arrived with Peihuan and was curious to see them dyeing their nails.
At this time of year, balsam flowers hadn’t even bloomed yet!
A maid brought over an embroidered stool, and Gu Lian handed her the crystal dish. "...These are grown in the greenhouse, so they bloom all year round. If you like them, Auntie, why not dye your nails too?"
Cheng Baozhi looked at Gu Lian’s slender hands with their delicate pink nails, then at her own plain ones, and was immediately tempted.
Gu Lian promptly ordered the maids to fetch more balsam flowers. "We have orange-red, pink, and bright red—Auntie should try the bright red..."
Cheng Baozhi stared at the crystal dish of petals and the expensive agate pestle, utterly astonished by the lifestyle of the Gu family’s young ladies.
After the maid dyed and wrapped her nails, Cheng Baozhi exchanged a few words with Gu Lian before glancing at Gu Lan beside her.
She had heard this was Gu Dezhao’s illegitimate daughter... quite pretty, delicate and pitiable.
Cheng Baozhi said, "We haven’t spoken much—this must be Lan Er, right? You don’t look much like your sister at all."
Gu Lan smiled in return. "I take after my concubine mother."
So did Gu Jinzhao resemble the original Fourth Madam?
Cheng Baozhi chuckled, her tone slowing slightly. "I think Gu Jinzhao is quite beautiful—your Fourth Aunt must have been very pretty too, no?"Gu Lan couldn't help but raise an eyebrow—Cheng Baozhi's words were truly profound. She smiled and replied, "Eldest Miss takes after our maternal grandmother. Our mother was merely average-looking, not particularly beautiful."
Gu Lian immediately caught on and added, "No matter how beautiful someone is, they'll fade after thirty. I think Cousin is the prettiest, with her glossy black hair and flawless skin! She's at her most beautiful now."
Cheng Baozhi pressed her lips together in a smile, then subtly probed Gu Lan about Gu Dezhao's preferences. After getting most of the information she wanted, she finally returned to the eastern courtyard with Peihuan.
Watching Cheng Baozhi's retreating figure, Gu Lan felt uneasy. This Cheng Baozhi wasn't very clever... Even if she married into the family, she probably wouldn't be able to handle Gu Jinzhao.
Meanwhile, the young maid went to Beautiful Embroidery Hall to report that Madam Feng had taken Cheng Baozhi to have their horoscopes matched today, and they were highly compatible with the Fourth Master's.
Gu Jinzhao took a deep breath upon hearing this: "They've already matched horoscopes behind our backs! Next, they'll probably arrange the betrothal gifts and banquet without telling us!"
Normally, one should first send a matchmaker to propose, and only after obtaining consent could the names and horoscopes be compared.
Mama Xu looked worried: "What does Eldest Miss plan to do?"
After some thought, Gu Jinzhao said, "For now, I can only speak to Father first. If I intervene openly, I'll surely give them leverage."
She changed clothes and went to the front courtyard.
Gu Dezhao was reading in his study. After hearing Shui Ying's announcement, he had her come in and instructed Shui Ying to bring the freshly prepared barley and pig trotter soup. "I was going to have someone send it to you, but now there's no need. Yours doesn't have sugar—drink it while it's hot." Gu Dezhao preferred his pig trotter soup sweet, finding it more flavorful. But Gu Jinzhao disliked it that way, so he always accommodated her first.
Gu Jinzhao took small sips while Gu Dezhao, noticing her silence, teased her: "Has someone upset you?" Then he reconsidered—his eldest daughter was very independent, unlike other children who would complain to their parents when wronged.
If she came to see him, there must be something she couldn't resolve herself.
After a pause, Gu Jinzhao asked, "Father, have you considered remarrying?"
Gu Dezhao laughed at this: "What makes you think of such things? Has someone said something to you? Don't worry, I'm still observing mourning for your mother. Remarrying is absolutely out of the question."
After Madam Ji's death, he not only stopped visiting Concubine Luo but even had the two maids no longer serve in his quarters. He knew he had wronged Madam Ji in too many ways. The only atonement was to properly mourn her and treat their children well...
Gu Jinzhao looked directly at him: "What if Grandmother insists you remarry? And makes you wed a woman of her choosing—what would you do?"
Gu Dezhao answered immediately: "I would naturally refuse."
Gu Jinzhao smiled faintly and continued: "Marriages are arranged by parents and matchmakers. Could you withstand Grandmother's persuasion? What if she pressures you with heirs or the Gu family's interests? Or uses filial piety as leverage? What then? After all, your mourning period ends in a few months—what reason will you have to refuse then?"
Gu Dezhao fell silent. He hadn't considered these possibilities. Given Madam Feng's personality, a simple refusal would be impossible.From childhood, he had been taught to respect his legal mother. The only time he had ever defied her was when he married Madam Ji.
Why had Jinchao suddenly thought of this?
Gu Dezhao asked her, "Chaojie, tell me what really happened. Did you hear something from others, or did you see something yourself?"
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