Chapter 178: Denial
In less than two hours, Madam Feng sent someone to summon Gu Dezhao.
Setting down the white jade chess piece in his hand, Gu Dezhao said to Jinchao, "...I'll speak properly with your grandmother. I can't stand how Cheng Baozhi has been ordering you around like this! If she dares to act this way now, imagine how much worse it'll be if she gets what she wants—she'll turn the world upside down!"
Jinchao smiled at her father and had Qingpu bring over his cloak. "Mind the chilly wind," she said.
Adjusting his cloak, Gu Dezhao slowly made his way to the eastern courtyard.
Madam Feng was resting in the western inner chamber with her eyes closed. After a while, she opened them and looked at Cheng Baozhi with undisguised exasperation. "Are you really this foolish? Why bother trying to control Gu Jinzhao now? Once you become her stepmother and hold the higher position, won't you have plenty of chances to deal with her? Making her serve you tea... Do you think life in the Gu household is too comfortable for you?" She had long since learned that Gu Jinzhao was not an easy target.
Time and again, Madam Feng had tried to rein in Gu Jinzhao, only to fail each time. What made Cheng Baozhi think she could handle her?
"You really thought she suddenly became so obliging, serving you tea just like that, even giving you an excuse to criticize her? She had already set a trap, and you happily walked right into it!" Madam Feng clutched her chest, seething with anger.
Cheng Baozhi had completely wasted her careful planning.
Cheng Baozhi felt wronged. When she first arrived, Madam Feng had explicitly told her to help manage the affairs of the fourth branch. Wasn't she just following the old lady's instructions? How was this entirely her fault? But she didn't dare argue and could only bow her head in silence.
Madam Feng wasn't without other options—compared to them, Cheng Baozhi was simply the best choice. If Madam Feng wished, she could easily find several other Cheng Baozhis among the Feng family relatives. What did that make her?
Xu Momo tried to mediate. "...It's just a few words between young ladies. If you speak with the fourth master, there might still be room for reconciliation."
Just then, Fuling announced from outside the curtain that the fourth master had arrived.
After a moment's thought, Madam Feng instructed Cheng Baozhi to wait in the western side chamber.
Gu Dezhao entered and bowed to her.
Madam Feng smiled warmly and had Xu Momo bring a stool. "...You've lost weight these past few days. It pains me to see. Is the court business too demanding?" She then asked Xu Momo to bring a bowl of duck and mushroom soup.
Gu Dezhao accepted the bowl but set it aside without drinking. "With the vacancy in the Ministry of Revenue's vice-minister position, everything is naturally more hectic. But I've heard a new vice-minister will soon be appointed, so it won't be as busy then."
Madam Feng sensed something amiss. "Has the new vice-minister already been chosen?" Judging by Gu Dezhao's tone, was it not him?
Gu Dezhao shook his head. "...No one knows about matters decided by those above."
Madam Feng felt a pang of discomfort seeing the untouched soup by his side.
She forced a smile. "Actually, I called you here to discuss your cousin Cheng Baozhi... This morning, there seemed to be some misunderstanding between them, and you even spoke up about it? These little quarrels between girls shouldn't be taken so seriously—serving tea is just a small favor, nothing worth making a fuss over. By saying what you did, you've only made your cousin uneasy. She's been here for an hour, anxiously explaining herself."Gu Dezhao could hardly contain himself and stood up, saying, "Mother, don't say such things! I can still tell the difference between a joke and mockery. What Cousin Baozhi said—asking Chaojie to serve her? That's truly excessive!"
Madam Feng motioned for him to sit back down.
"I know about Baozhi's situation. Let me tell you about your cousin... Her mother was my only full-blooded younger sister. I even took care of Baozhi for a few years when she was little. She's always been close to me. She didn’t marry well—the Cheng family was like that. After marrying in, she gave birth to several daughters in a row, and Baozhi was the youngest. That child suffered from a young age, never even seeing her mother’s face, raised instead by her third sister. After the stepmother bore a legitimate son, life became even harder for her. Growing up without proper maternal guidance, it’s inevitable she might act carelessly at times. But her nature isn’t bad..."
Gu Dezhao only felt more uncomfortable hearing this.
Just because Cheng Baozhi lacked proper maternal upbringing, was he supposed to sympathize with her? Did that justify her actions?
Watching Madam Feng sing Cheng Baozhi’s praises unprompted, his heart sank slightly. He asked, "...Are you planning to have Cousin Baozhi become my second wife?"
Madam Feng was startled!
How did Gu Dezhao know?
She felt uneasy but immediately retorted, "Fourth Son, who told you that? Why would I want to arrange Baozhi for you?"
Who had informed him? Could it be Gu Jinzhao? She was surely the one most opposed to Gu Dezhao remarrying!
Gu Dezhao continued, "Never mind who told me. What I want to say is this—if you truly intend for Cheng Baozhi to enter my household, then let her marry my memorial tablet! I absolutely refuse! As a fifth-rank official, I’m hardly so desperate as to marry the ill-mannered daughter of a fallen family!"
Madam Feng’s temples throbbed at his harsh words—Cheng Baozhi was still inside listening!
She snapped, "Fourth Son, how can you speak so heartlessly? She’s an innocent young woman—must you degrade her like this? Marrying your memorial tablet? Is this how you speak to your mother? Are you threatening me?"
"...When you fell ill with fever as a child, wasn’t it I who watched over you day and night, fearing you’d burn your senses away? I raised you into adulthood. You passed the provincial and imperial exams, yet barely honored me before moving out to live on your own. I endured your ingratitude. When you got entangled in the Yanping Prince affair, didn’t the entire Gu family rally to help you? And this is how you repay us—with such disrespect!"
Gu Dezhao was left speechless by Madam Feng’s tirade.
It was true she had raised him, but he had his own wet nurse and plenty of maids—Madam Feng had hardly needed to lift a finger. Passing the exams was the result of his own hard work. She hadn’t paid him much attention until he became a jinshi, suddenly realizing this overlooked son had golden potential, and rushed to arrange a marriage for him. By then, he’d already fallen for Madam Ji and defied her plans for the first time by leaving the Gu household.
But during the incident involving the poisoning of the Yanping Prince’s eldest son, when his official position was at risk and he returned to the Gu family for help, his second brother had indeed assisted him greatly...He hesitated for a moment before speaking: "I wouldn't dare threaten you, Mother. But this is my decision—I don't wish to remarry. You know about Madam Ji's death... that was my failing. I don't want to take another wife..."
Madam Feng sneered: "You're nearly forty now, yet still so irresponsible? Whether to remarry isn't something you can decide on a whim. Rongge is only thirteen, and you have two unmarried daughters from concubines. These matters are currently managed by me and Chaojie. I'm already halfway in the grave. Chaojie will soon marry—even if you won't consider yourself, at least think of Rongge! Surely you don't expect your second sister-in-law to manage everything?"
"Children without mothers are difficult to raise properly. Yijie is already betrothed, but what about the other three girls? Taking a wife isn't something you can refuse on mere childish whim!"
Gu Dezhao hadn't considered his daughters' situation—he'd thought remarriage concerned only himself.
Hearing Madam Feng's words, he was suddenly struck by thoughts of his eldest son and unmarried daughters.
Only then did Gu Dezhao understand why Chaojie distrusted him—he truly hadn't considered these matters thoroughly.
Madam Feng had raised Gu Dezhao herself. She knew well his tough exterior masking a soft interior, and had always considered this temperament suitable, never seeking to change it. Seeing his current expression, she recognized his wavering resolve.
Madam Feng sighed in relief.
Unfortunately, the previous incident with Cheng Baozhi had left Gu Dezhao with excessive resistance toward her. Otherwise, this would have been the perfect moment to raise Cheng Baozhi's case—now they'd have to proceed gradually.
After a pause, Gu Dezhao said: "Mother, even if I were to remarry for the children's sake... it would never be Cheng Baozhi. Someone like her—please don't harm me and the children!"
Madam Feng replied coldly: "After raising you all these years, when have I ever harmed you? Whoever said such things—go confront them, for I've spoken no such words!" Gu Dezhao's resistance toward Cheng Baozhi exceeded her expectations.
With Madam Feng's denial, Gu Dezhao found himself unable to press the matter.
Madam Feng continued: "Don't judge others hastily—people must interact to understand each other. Your cousin means no harm."
Gu Dezhao gritted his teeth: "As long as she doesn't marry me... naturally I'd consider her good enough!"
Madam Feng snorted: "...Go think it over carefully. Speak to your mother like this again, and the consequences won't be so simple." Men were fickle—today's refusal might become tomorrow's desire. Best not push too hard.
Gu Dezhao bowed and withdrew.
From the western chamber, Madam Feng heard Cheng Baozhi's faint sobbing. She summoned Fuling and instructed her to comfort Cheng Baozhi properly.
She couldn't be bothered with the effort herself.
Jinchao received a letter from her grandmother, delivered urgently from Tongzhou.
Her grandmother wrote about Xu Jingyi's situation.
Gu Jinzhao studied a scattered chessboard thoughtfully. During Ji Can's wedding, Xu Jingyi had met her father.
At that time, she'd sensed Xu Jingyi held some affection for him.If Father insists on taking a new wife, then Xu Jingyi would be a very suitable choice. She is the daughter of the Third-Rank Transmission Commissioner and is no simple woman herself—not someone easily manipulated. Moreover, the tragic fate she met in her past life was due to the burdens of marriage. If she became Father’s second wife, she wouldn’t end up in a situation where her husband died in a brothel, leaving her to be gossiped about and ridiculed by the entire town...
But I wonder if the Xu family would agree.
Gu Jinzhao set aside a page of the letter and continued reading. Her grandmother mentioned Third Master Chen’s matter.
Qingpu noticed her Eldest Miss had frozen, holding a letter for a long time without moving.
Qingpu leaned in and whispered, "Does the young lady find something amiss?"
Gu Jinzhao shook her head with a bitter smile. "No, it’s just... I feel that what I owe Third Master Chen, I may never be able to repay in this lifetime."
So, it was him who had saved her when she fell into the water!
Gu Jinzhao now owed Chen Yanyun two lives. But Third Master Chen was the Minister of Revenue, a revered Grand Secretary... What could she possibly do to repay him?
She still remembered the incident clearly—when she had fallen into the water, she had already lost consciousness, sinking deeper and deeper until someone held her. That person had spoken softly and steadily in her ear. She remembered clutching his sleeve tightly.
He had indulged her, letting her hold on.
Gu Jinzhao hadn’t wanted him to leave. She had been terrified back then and had even threatened him, though she couldn’t recall the exact words.
She had always assumed it was a servant or guard from the household. Her grandmother had never told her, and she had never asked.
But it was Chen Yanyun.
It had actually been Chen Yanyun.
In her past life, he had saved her... and then married her...
Gu Jinzhao smiled bitterly, thinking of all the things she had done before. She truly deserved the fate she had met!
P.S.: Double update—there’s another chapter below. Progress has been a bit slow lately, so please don’t skip ahead!
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