Chapter 256: Assassination Attempt
Granny Sun came specially in the evening to ask what she wanted to eat.
"Daughter-in-law Qingxi from Tai Furen's side has arrived, bringing many nourishing medicinal materials. Tai Furen also sent a list to the outer courtyard kitchen, ordering them to deliver a pork knuckle, two seabass, a pair of pigeons... along with other items like cow's milk to our place daily. She said your diet will be different from now on. How should we arrange these things going forward?"
Gu Jinzhao took the list handed by Granny Sun to examine. Madam Chen had listed many highly nutritious items.
She asked Granny Sun, "Is the fourth branch paying for these?"
Granny Sun smiled and shook her head: "Tai Furen specifically said these are her gifts for your pregnancy care. The medicinal materials too."
Gu Jinzhao frowned. While Madam Chen's intentions were good, Sun Shi from the second branch was also pregnant, with all expenses borne by their own branch. Having hers covered by Madam Chen seemed somewhat inappropriate.
Granny Sun understood her concerns: "You're the wife of the eldest legitimate branch. It's only natural for Tai Furen to dote on you. You shouldn't feel guilty." After all, with Third Master Chen in the third branch, nothing was truly problematic.
Most young wives tended to be ostentatious and unrestrained, yet Gu Jinzhao remained exceptionally cautious. Granny Sun felt she needn't overthink this - such favoritism from Madam Chen was only natural, and the second branch wouldn't complain.
Gu Jinzhao sighed, "Very well." She couldn't possibly return the list and reject Madam Chen's kindness.
"I have no experience arranging such meals. You take full responsibility and coordinate with Daughter-in-law Qingxi."
Accepting the list, Granny Sun hesitated. Typically when noble wives from complex clan branches became pregnant, their natal families would be notified and send trusted matrons to assist, not leaving everything to the husband's family, for fear of ill intentions.
But she'd heard the third madam's mother had passed two years ago...
"Should you write to Old Madam Gu," she suggested, "to send a matron... so we can oversee things together?"
Gu Jinzhao shook her head, "I trust you. Just proceed." She'd already sent news of her pregnancy that afternoon, but the thought of having Madam Feng send someone made her uncomfortable. Xu Jingyi had few accompanying matrons from her dowry, so couldn't spare any either.
Granny Sun smiled and withdrew with a curtsey.
Mama Tong entered carrying a sewing basket, beaming: "Madam, look what I found in the storeroom! All Luzhou silk, brocade and tapestry fabrics - perfect for baby clothes. Choose some good ones so we can start making dudou?"
Gu Jinzhao examined the basket containing over a dozen fabric pieces of various colors and patterns.
Running her fingers over the soft, smooth materials, she couldn't help but smile, her heart growing as tender as the fabrics.
She selected a bright red piece with Baiji pattern and a yellow plain satin tapestry piece. The latter could be embroidered with infant-and-lotus or "abundance year after year" designs. "Have these two cut, and find some skilled matrons to prepare shoe soles."
Mama Tong accepted the fabrics and withdrew. Caifu and Xiuqu then brought in more materials, saying they wanted to make little jackets for the baby.It wasn't until evening that matters concerning the child were finally settled. After all, she was only two months pregnant, and the baby wouldn't be born until next July.
Jinchao had just finished a bowl of pig trotter soup when she heard voices outside—it seemed to be Chen Yi...
Had Third Master Chen returned?
Gu Jinzhao asked Qingpu to go check. Soon, Qingpu returned with Chen Yi.
Chen Yi's face was pale, his forehead drenched in sweat. He knelt on the floor for a long time without speaking.
Gu Jinzhao's heart tightened—had something happened to Third Master Chen? Hadn't he promised to be careful...?
"Guard Chen, whatever it is, speak quickly," Gu Jinzhao said, keeping her voice as steady as possible. "What's the point of keeping silent like this?"
Chen Yi's lips trembled. "Madam... Today, on his way back from the Grand Secretariat, Third Master was ambushed in Lanxi Ward. It was our failure..."
Gu Jinzhao's face also paled, her body going weak. Her hands clutched tightly at the duck green thick auspicious longevity pattern cushion on the Arhat bed. "Where is he now...? How badly is he hurt?"
Chen Yi hurriedly replied, "In the outer courtyard study—where Third Master usually stays. He was struck in the chest by an arrow... We've already sent for the imperial physician. Third Master is still conscious, so please don't worry—it shouldn't be serious. Mr. Jiang has already summoned Tai Furen, and she specifically instructed that, for the sake of your health, you need not go."
They wouldn't even let her see him—how could she know how severe his injuries were?
Gu Jinzhao feared they were hiding the truth about Third Master's condition, worried that the shock might harm the child in her womb.
She forced herself to stand, resolute. "I must go see him." Turning to Qingpu, she ordered, "Fetch my cloak and accompany me to the outer courtyard."
Chen Yi hastily knelt again. "Madam, your health is of utmost importance. Third Master himself said before that you must not go to see him... Please understand our position! It truly isn't serious—otherwise, we would have already sent word to Second Master in Shaanxi. Surely you see that...?"
Gu Jinzhao fastened her cloak and strode out with Qingpu without another glance at Chen Yi. Whether or not they had sent word to Second Master, how would she know? All she knew was that Third Master Chen was gravely injured, and she had to see him... What if something went wrong?
Chen Yi stood, torn. With the madam newly pregnant with Third Master's child, he dared not stop her forcefully, yet feared that the shock might endanger the baby. If anything happened, punishment would be the least of his worries—he would carry the guilt for the rest of his life.
Helpless, Chen Yi could only follow Gu Jinzhao with his guards in tow. At the moon gate, several matrons stood watch. Seeing the Third Madam hurrying past, they moved to block her way—until Qingpu hissed, "Blind fools! How dare you obstruct her!"
The matrons hastily stepped aside, then noticed Guard Chen trailing anxiously behind. "Guard Chen... what on earth...?"
Chen waved them off. "No questions—just keep watch!"
The outer courtyard was heavily guarded. Not only were the Crane Extension Tower's usual sentries present, but also stern-faced guards in Chengzi uniforms, broadswords at their waists. Seeing Chen Yi following Gu Jinzhao, none dared to stop her.
Gu Jinzhao had only been to Third Master Chen's outer courtyard study once before.
His study was situated beside Crane Extension Tower, a small two-courtyard compound flanked by towering pines and cypresses. Normally serene, it was now bristling with sentries—even servants were barred entry, with hot water and medicines carried in by guards alone....The situation was clearly already very serious!
Gu Jinzhao walked inside, and the guards at the door tried to stop her. Chen Yi made a gesture from behind, and only then did the guards step aside.
Not only was Madam Chen inside, but Chen Xuanqing and Fifth Master Chen were also present. Chen Xuanqing was speaking to an elderly man wearing a round-collar robe, "Father's injuries are quite severe, and we must trouble you to do your utmost in treating him... Please don’t hesitate to request any medicinal ingredients you need."
When Madam Chen saw Gu Jinzhao, her eyes were red, and her face was pale. She hurried over to support her: "Why have you come here..."
Jinchao said to Madam Chen, "Mother, I want to go in and see him."
Madam Chen had also been crying earlier and felt her nose sting again at these words: "Forget it, you're with child. What good would seeing him do..."
Gu Jinzhao tightly grasped Madam Chen’s hand and asked in a low voice, "Has he not woken up?"
He hadn’t woken up... so he couldn’t hear her voice. In the past, whenever she spoke outside, Third Master Chen would immediately have his servant invite her in, as if no matter where she was, he could always notice her at once.
A chill ran through Gu Jinzhao’s heart. Although he had pulled through in her past life, what if something unexpected happened in this life? What would she do... She had just conceived his child—wasn’t he supposed to teach their child to read? The mere thought that Third Master might die made her feel as though her breath had grown heavy...
Since when had she started caring for him so deeply?
Madam Chen thought of her son’s injuries and felt her heart twist in pain. She couldn’t even comfort Gu Jinzhao, as she herself couldn’t hold back her tears.
Fifth Master Chen came over to console Madam Chen: "Mother, you mustn’t harm your health. Why don’t you and Third Sister-in-law go rest in the side room? Xuanqing and I will keep watch here—nothing will go wrong."
Gu Jinzhao took a deep breath. She couldn’t afford to grieve. There were things she could help with—Third Master Chen’s assassination attempt was surely the work of those involved in the river pirate case. She had warned him before, so how could he still have been attacked? Just how brazen were these people, daring to assassinate a second-rank court official!
"Granny Zheng, please take Mother to the side room to rest," Gu Jinzhao instructed, then turned to Fifth Master Chen. "Fifth Master, don’t worry—I won’t let my grief overwhelm me. Please have Chen Yi come here—I need to ask him some questions."
She entered the side room, intending to clarify the details of Third Master’s assassination attempt. Given her warning, Third Master Chen surely wouldn’t have been so careless—what exactly had happened on the road?
Qingpu brought over an armchair, and soon someone entered—but it wasn’t Chen Yi. It was Chen Xuanqing.
He was wearing a blue round-collared robe with a right lapel and had just removed his official hat. Softly, he asked, "What did you want to ask?"
Gu Jinzhao couldn’t afford to stand on ceremony now and asked directly, "Do you know how Third Master was attacked? Where is the weapon now?"
Chen Xuanqing sighed. "Mother, it’s better if you don’t ask. The matter is too complicated... The weapon was an arrow, already extracted and sent to the Ministry of Justice. Our people have examined it—it was just an ordinary arrow. You should go back and rest first. We’ll be busy here until late..."
Qingpu thought for a moment and also advised her: "Madam, let’s come back tomorrow to check. It’s already getting dark... You must think of the child, after all."
Gu Jinzhao knew she was carrying a child, but she simply couldn’t rest easy.
She wanted to see Third Master with her own eyes, to know how badly he was injured—she didn’t want to be kept in the dark.
Chen Xuanqing frowned. "A child?"What child?
Qingpu bowed slightly and replied, "Madam is already with child and shouldn't overexert herself."
Gu Jinzhao... pregnant with Father's child? Chen Xuanqing felt an indescribable emotion in his heart as he watched her remain silent. She was usually so strong and gentle—why did she seem so pitiful now? She looked so thin... was she really with child?
"You..." He clenched his hand inside his sleeve. "Since you're with child, you shouldn't worry or tire yourself. I'll arrange for someone to escort you away."
Gu Jinzhao said softly, "I just want to see him once. I'll leave right after."
She stood up, swaying slightly as if unsteady. Chen Xuanqing immediately reached out to steady her, but Qingpu had already taken hold of her arm. She glanced at Chen Xuanqing, finding his expression somewhat odd...
Gu Jinzhao steadied herself and looked directly at Chen Xuanqing. "I must see him."
Chen Xuanqing remained silent for a long while before finally sighing. "Come with me, then."
OpenNovel