Chapter 259: Doubts
As midsummer was coming to an end, a heavy rain fell and the weather gradually cooled.
Granny Sun was directing the maids to replace the bamboo curtains with dark-patterned sapphire silk ones, but Jinchao found them unsuitable. The inner chamber's gauze canopy was still bright red, while the cushions on the luohan bed were duck-green silk—the colors seemed too vibrant. She called Granny Sun over to discuss changing the canopy to ginger-yellow and the cushions to lake-blue, creating a much fresher atmosphere.
Third Master Chen was writing while basking in the sunlight, watching her direct the bustling maids.
He called her over and wiped the fine sweat from her forehead. "Rest if you're tired. There's no rush to finish everything at once."
Seeing him at leisure, Jinchao had a maid bring two prunus vases for him to choose from. "We can use them for plum branches in winter—warming them with charcoal will fill the room with fragrance. Which one do you prefer?" One was a Xuande-era red-ground prunus vase with interlocking peony patterns, while the other was a Xuande blue-and-white prunus vase with banana leaf and lady motifs.
Third Master Chen set down his brush, glanced at them, and casually pointed to the red-ground peony vase.
Gu Jinzhao found this choice somewhat puzzling—the vase didn't seem particularly attractive...
But when the maid placed it on the curio cabinet, she examined it from all angles and suddenly found it striking—like the finishing touch that brought everything together.
Just then, Xiuqu came to announce that Chen Xuanxin had arrived.
With nothing to do during his convalescence, Third Master Chen had recently begun reviewing Chen Xuanxin's studies. Xuanxin felt he hadn't mastered the "Biography of Wu Zixu" from the Records of the Grand Historian and asked for further explanation.
Dressed in a brand-new indigo straight robe, Xuanxin entered and bowed respectfully to her and Third Master Chen.
Third Master Chen handed a completed letter to Gu Jinzhao with instructions: "Give this to Jiang Yan when he comes." Then he turned to Xuanxin. "Come with me to the study."
Xuanxin answered cautiously and followed Third Master Chen to the study in the front courtyard.
Gu Jinzhao noticed how fearful and restrained Xuanxin was around his father. Last time when the two were talking in the study, she had brought them pastries and saw Xuanxin sweating profusely under questioning. Third Master Chen had watched him silently for a long time before saying, "If you don't know the answer, go read more. Don't panic." He then calmly asked several more questions, which only made Xuanxin more nervous.
Third Master Chen had once told Jinchao: "Xuanxin lacks Xuanqing's composure, though he's clever enough... I fear he won't be of great use in the future." He sighed. "It's partly my fault and his seventh brother's—those who came before shone too brightly, and unconsciously, he's become like this."
Sometimes, having an exceptionally outstanding father isn't a blessing.
Gu Jinzhao sat down to rest and sipped the pigeon soup with gastrodia tuber that Qingpu brought her. Remembering the matter with the Lin guard, she asked, "Has that Lin guard been bothering you again? If anything troubles you in the future, you must tell me."
Qingpu hesitated before explaining, "This servant wouldn't call it bothering. He just kept insisting on asking where I'm from and whether I have relatives in Liangxiang... I simply dislike the man. That's why I didn't report it to you—I thought it might seem like making a fuss over nothing."
Jinchao realized Qingpu's marriage prospects still hadn't been settled.Currently, the maids in her chamber, Qingpu and Caifu, had reached the age to be released from the household. She should start looking for a good match for Qingpu. But Qingpu had been with her since childhood and had little exposure to matters between men and women. She would likely be flustered around men and might even react with anger out of embarrassment.
Unlike other delicate maids, Qingpu had a composed demeanor and even knew martial arts... making her quite difficult to marry off.
She wondered what this guard Lin was thinking. What if he truly only saw Qingpu as resembling his mother and had no other intentions?
Jinchao knew well that she could simply mention it to Third Master Chen, and Guard Lin would have no choice but to marry Qingpu. But a forced marriage would bring no happiness, and she didn’t want Qingpu to suffer such an indignity... Smiling, she took Qingpu’s hand and asked, "So, what do you think of this Guard Lin?"
Qingpu widened her eyes and murmured, "Wh-what about him? He’s a bit foolish, and I don’t know much else."
At first, she didn’t understand what Gu Jinzhao meant by the question, but upon reflection, her face flushed red as she hastily explained, "I haven’t thought of anything like that, Madam! Guard Lin only talks to me because I resemble his mother..."
Jinchao chuckled. "Mm, I know... Take this Prunus vase to the storeroom and bring back a flower vase."
Qingpu, unsure how to respond, awkwardly carried the vase to the front courtyard’s storeroom.
The front courtyard was sparsely guarded, and the storeroom was located in the backhouse, with an old woman dozing at the entrance.
After putting the vase away, Qingpu selected a pale blue flower vase with narcissus patterns. As she walked back along the corridor, she spotted a tall figure limping ahead—none other than that peculiar Lin Yuanshan.
Remembering what Gu Jinzhao had hinted at earlier, Qingpu hesitated before calling out, "Guard Lin..."
Lin Yuanshan startled, turning to see Qingpu. He grinned sheepishly. "Ah, miss, what are you—oh, no, I’m just here to deliver a message for Chief Chen. Not here to see you, don’t misunderstand!"
Qingpu frowned. "Why are you limping? Did you injure your leg?"
Lin Yuanshan waved it off. "No, no, just took a beating with a rod. It’ll heal in a few days! Nothing serious."
After a moment, Qingpu realized—Madam must have spoken to Chief Chen, and Lin Yuanshan had been punished because of her...
She didn’t know what to say, but a pang of guilt struck her.
Lin Yuanshan scratched his head. "I broke the rules, so the punishment was fair. I’m tough—a few hits don’t bother me." He laughed nervously, not daring to linger near Osmanthus Hall, and quickly excused himself.
Qingpu stood there for a long while before finally carrying the flower vase back.
Jinchao handed the letter written by Third Master Chen to Jiang Yan.
"The front courtyard guards have been fewer these past few days," Jinchao remarked. "Has the investigation into the governor’s case concluded?"
The scandal involving Yuqing’s illegal salt trade had caused quite a stir. Even the inner household had heard rumors—over a dozen officials in the Southern Metropolitan Region were implicated, and several salt gangs had been arrested. The price of official salt had dropped from thirty to twenty-five coins per jar.
Jiang Yan paused before replying, "Magistrate Liu has been apprehended, and most of his accomplices have been captured. Rest assured, Third Master is no longer in any danger."After he withdrew, Gu Jinzhao picked up the embroidery frame. Reflecting on Jiang Yan's words, she felt something was amiss...
In recent days, she had been preoccupied with Third Master Chen's injury, overlooking certain suspicious details. For instance, despite her warning, Third Master Chen shouldn't have been easily injured—yet not only was he wounded, but the injury was severe.
After his injury, the case was expedited. According to Madam Qin yesterday, Wang Xuanfan, the Grand Secretary, was deeply implicated, even affecting his granddaughter's betrothal. Originally, the granddaughter was to be engaged to the grandson of the former Grand Secretary of the Wenhuage, a senior official of two dynasties. But the other party withdrew, citing incompatible birth charts.
Another example: Third Master Chen recovered unusually quickly, able to leave his bed within days.
After his injury, Zhang Julian visited him. As Lord Zhang was Third Master Chen's mentor, a personal visit was unnecessary—sending gifts would have sufficed. Yet they spoke at length before Zhang departed. What were they discussing?
Gu Jinzhao faintly recalled that the night before the injury, Third Master Chen mentioned needing an opportunity.
She had never understood how Third Master Chen outmaneuvered Wang Xuanfan in her past life, but now a vague idea formed.
Unless... the injury wasn't orchestrated by Wang Xuanfan at all, but by Third Master Chen himself. With the presiding second-rank official assassinated, would Lord Zhang let the mastermind escape? Would Wang Xuanfan find it so easy to extricate himself?
This reasoning explained all the puzzling details.
Gu Jinzhao felt both exasperated and amused, her heart unsettled. He had kept this from her—back then, she had genuinely believed he was injured, shedding tears of distress, never having felt such anguish before.
Had he deceived her? He had asked for her trust—how could she trust him now?
After finishing the "Biography of Wu Zixu" with Chen Xuanxin, Third Master Chen slowly made his way back along the corridor. His wound hadn't fully healed, so he couldn't walk much. Returning, he lay on the daybed, feeling a twinge in his chest. He tugged Gu Jinzhao's hand. "Jinchao, check my wound for me..."
Gu Jinzhao hesitated, pulling her hand away and standing up.
Third Master Chen paled. "The wound might have reopened... Fetch some ointment." Earlier, he had reached for a book on the upper shelf of the Curio Cabinet, straining himself. The arrow wasn't ordinary, making the wound slow to heal.
Noticing her expression, he asked softly, "What's wrong? You seem upset. Are you tired?"
Gu Jinzhao shook her head silently.
Frowning through the pain, he pulled her to sit beside him. "Tell me what's troubling you... Jinchao, you're carrying a child now. You can't afford to be willful." Her sulking wasn't good for her health—she might lose her appetite later.
In a low voice, Gu Jinzhao said, "Third Master, be honest with me. What really happened with the assassination?"
Had she figured it out...?
Third Master Chen remained silent until her unwavering gaze prompted a sigh. "Jinchao, this matter is complicated. It's not something I can share."
Gu Jinzhao stood. "Then I'll summon Shuyan for you."Third Master Chen reached out to grab her hand, but she pulled away and walked out without looking back, instructing the maid to relay a message. Third Master Chen lay back on the luohan bed, falling into silence for a while. When Jinchao returned, she sat on the other side of the bed, keeping her distance as she embroidered the child's bib, seemingly indifferent to whether his chest hurt or not, her expression cool.
Neither spoke for a long time. Third Master Chen closed his eyes, finding Jinchao's aloofness hard to bear.
She was still pregnant—he ought to yield to her. Besides, she was still young, and he was so much older than her; he should naturally be more tolerant. With a hint of helplessness, Third Master Chen said, "Jinchao, come here. I'll tell you."
PS: First update~~
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