Chapter 272: Unexpected Incident
Zhou Shi's expression immediately darkened.
Gu Lian stood up, unable to hold back. "Second Sister, what kind of talk is this? Now that you're the Third Madam of the Chen Family and have status, you don’t care about the Gu Family anymore, is that it? Back then, we treated you well enough..." Gu Lian took a deep breath. That shopfront, which was originally meant to be part of her dowry, had been given to Gu Jinzhao by Madam Feng. Had Gu Jinzhao already forgotten such kindness?
"Some people fear poor relatives coming to beg for favors, but it seems Second Sister fears we’ll drag down her luxurious life!"
Though Gu Lian wasn’t eloquent, she was skilled in arguments. She could latch onto a sore point and berate someone for ages.
Gu Jinzhao smiled faintly. "Lian jie er, I haven’t treated you poorly now. If I were truly afraid of being implicated, you wouldn’t even have been allowed through the door. Sit down and speak properly. Let me ask you—you want me to save Second Uncle, but what about you? You’re the daughter-in-law of Yao Ge Lao. Don’t you have any means?"
Gu Lian flushed red with anger. "Gu Jinzhao, what do you mean by that? Of course I’ve thought of ways... Don’t you dare twist my words! How could I not care about my own father’s future? If you don’t want to help, fine, but there’s no need to accuse me!"
Gu Lian was proud by nature. Even in arguments, she never easily backed down. If she hit a wall, she’d give up rather than beg Yao Ping for help. Gu Jinzhao suspected Yao Ping wasn’t keen on helping either—she didn’t believe someone of Yao Ge Lao’s status would truly have no means at all.
Thinking of Chen Xi and Chen Xuanqing practicing the qin in the backyard, Gu Jinzhao didn’t want to argue with Gu Lian and risk becoming a spectacle.
She said coolly, "If you’re not guilty, then good. I was merely asking."
Zhou Shi pulled Gu Lian back down. "If the Third Madam Chen refuses, then so be it. I’ll go back and inform Mother. Let her speak to you when the time comes."
Gu Jinzhao smiled again. She hadn’t noticed any particular kindness from Madam Feng. She had already let go of how these people had schemed against her in the past, yet now they were criticizing her—wasn’t that going too far? Not wanting to escalate the conflict, she kept her words mild. "Say what you will, Second Aunt. Rather than pleading with me, it’d be better for Lian jie er to speak with Yao Daren. But regarding Second Uncle’s matter, I still advise you to proceed with caution..."
Gu Lian snorted coldly. Deep down, she knew that since they were in the Chen Family, Gu Jinzhao wouldn’t want their sisterly discord to become public knowledge. This gave her a sense of leverage. "Second Sister, I should be the one advising you to be cautious. To stand by and do nothing while your own uncle is in trouble—aren’t you afraid people will call you heartless? Others stand united, yet you turn your back on your own family. Isn’t this just you holding a grudge? Isn’t this just you fearing you’ll be implicated?"
She stepped right up to Gu Jinzhao. This time, Zhou Shi didn’t stop her.
Facing someone she had once looked down upon but who now stood above her, Gu Lian had been holding back for too long. She had tried to ingratiate herself with Gu Jinzhao, yet the latter still refused to give her face. It infuriated her.
"Second Sister, let me tell you this—if my father is truly demoted, you won’t fare well either! The Gu Family will always be your maternal relatives..."
Seeing Gu Lian step closer and raise her voice unchecked, Gu Jinzhao frowned, worried others might overhear. She was about to remind her to lower her voice when a sudden sharp pain struck her abdomen. At first, it was just a twinge, but then the pain grew increasingly intense.Gu Lian saw her silent and pale-faced, thinking she had gained the upper hand. "What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?"
Caifu, who had been waiting on the side and initially hesitated to speak, noticed Gu Jinzhao's unusual state and hurried over, pushing Gu Lian aside. "Madam, what's wrong? You look terribly pale."
Gu Jinzhao clutched her abdomen, a sudden sense of foreboding washing over her. Just as she was about to say she had a stomachache, her hand knocked over the nearby wormwood basin, shattering the porcelain into pieces. Gasping for breath while the pain was still bearable, she whispered, "Fetch a physician..."
The commotion was so loud that several maids and matrons rushed in from outside.
Chen Xuanqing, who had been teaching Chen Xi to play "Wild Geese Descending on the Sandbank," was startled by the noise.
Chen Xi looked toward the main chamber. "It seems to be coming from Mother's room. Earlier, it sounded like people were arguing—did something happen?"
Chen Xuanqing frowned deeply, his fingers slipping on the strings. Could something really be wrong with Gu Jinzhao...
Before Chen Xi could react, she saw her seventh brother already striding out of the study, heading swiftly toward the main chamber. She quickly followed.
The main chamber was in chaos, with maids scattering to inform Third Master Chen or summon a physician. Caifu brought a basin of hot water, wiping the cold sweat from Gu Jinzhao's forehead. Gu Lian and Zhou Shi stood frozen in shock—hadn't everything been fine just moments ago? How had a mere argument led to such severe pain?
Chen Xuanqing reached the western side chamber, his mind momentarily blank. He rushed straight to Gu Jinzhao, finding her curled up in pain on the Arhat bed, clutching her stomach. His heart ached with a dull, bitter pang. He nearly reached out to hold her but stopped himself just in time, remembering the onlookers. Instead, he asked, "Mother... is the pain unbearable? What does it feel like?"
How could Gu Jinzhao describe the pain? Her abdomen throbbed in spasms, like menstrual cramps but ten times worse. She feared the worst—what if something happened to the baby? On the verge of tears, she gasped, "Wait... for the physician..."
Chen Xuanqing had never seen her so fragile, on the brink of weeping as if she had suffered immense injustice. He longed to embrace and comfort her.
...But he knew that was impossible. Gu Jinzhao wasn't his wife—she was his stepmother! This wasn't his concern; he shouldn't interfere.
Taking a deep breath, he gently reassured her, "Don't be afraid. The physician will be here soon." All thoughts of distancing himself from her vanished. Now, he was only filled with anxiety and anger. How had she suddenly ended up like this?
Straightening up, his expression darkened as he turned to Xiuqu. "What exactly happened?"
Xiuqu replied, "This servant was attending outside and didn't hear clearly, only that Third Madam Yao and Madam were arguing..."
Chen Xuanqing's gaze shifted to Zhou Shi and Gu Lian.
Gu Lian flinched under his stare. "I—it's not my fault! I didn't do anything! She—she suddenly just... started clutching her stomach!" She had only lashed out in anger with a few harsh words. How could she dare to actually harm Gu Jinzhao? Gu Jinzhao was now Third Master Chen's wife—if anything happened to the baby in her womb, Third Master Chen would never let them off!
Chen Xuanqing asked coldly, "Did you know she was pregnant?"
Zhou Shi's face flushed crimson. There was no way to explain this now—they had truly stepped into disaster this time!The one who called Gu Jinchao 'Mother' and appeared youthful must be Chen Xuanqing, Third Master Chen's legitimate eldest son and the newly appointed Third Scholar. She forced herself to say, "Seventh Young Master, it truly has nothing to do with us. We were merely speaking with Chaojie, and there was no argument. She wouldn’t just suddenly have stomach pains for no reason. We should wait for the physician to examine her. After all, I’m also Chaojie’s second aunt—I wouldn’t harm her."
Chen Xuanqing didn’t believe her at all. "Only the two of you were in the room. Are you suggesting Mother injured her own stomach?" He called over two maids and ordered, "Keep a close watch on them until this matter is clarified."
Noticing three plates of pastries on the table, he added, "Take those away and secure them as well."
Gu Jinchao’s eyes were half-open, catching only a faint glimpse of Chen Xuanqing’s retreating figure as she heard him speaking to Zhou Shi. The pain left her too weak to intervene... She couldn’t understand why she had suddenly been struck by such severe stomach pains. Though Gu Lian had argued with her, she hadn’t lost her temper—so why the sudden pain? The last time the physician checked her pulse, he had warned that the pregnancy was unstable and required extra care. Moreover, the first birth was always the most difficult...
At least there was no bleeding yet—otherwise, the child might truly be lost.
Chen Xuanqing quickly returned to the daybed to check if she had improved, but Caifu reacted swiftly. "Seventh Young Master, it would be better if you waited outside. There’s nothing you can do here."
Chen Xuanqing gazed at Gu Jinchao for a moment before realizing how inappropriate his presence was. He retreated to the main hall, where he found Chen Xi waiting outside but not entering. Spotting him, she immediately grabbed his sleeve and asked, "Seventh Brother, what’s wrong with Mother?"
Chen Xuanqing wanted to comfort her but found himself at a loss for words. He could only murmur softly, "...She’ll be fine."
In less than a quarter of an hour, Third Master Chen received the message from his guards and rushed to Osmanthus Hall.
Chen Xuanqing saw his father approach with an expressionless face, followed by guards clad in Chengzi uniforms. That look... meant he was furious beyond measure! Chen Xuanqing wanted to explain Gu Jinchao’s condition to him.
But as Chen Yanyun noticed his son stepping forward, seemingly about to speak, he raised a hand to stop him.
He entered the main hall first, and the guards behind him swiftly fanned out, securing the perimeter.
Chen Yanyun strode into the western chamber, where a maid briefly recounted the situation. He then instructed Jiang Yan to take Zhou Shi and Gu Lian to a side room for questioning later. A single icy glance from Chen Yanyun left Zhou Shi trembling, unable to utter a word, while Gu Lian stood frozen in shock.
Gu Jinchao, dazed with pain, felt someone lift her and gently pat her back, murmuring, "Jinchao, it’s alright. Don’t cry... I’m here."
Had she been crying? She hadn’t even realized.
She was just afraid.
With great effort, she managed to say, "Third Master..." Her voice, as expected, trembled with tears. "Has the physician arrived?"
"Yes, he’ll be here soon." Worried that holding her too tightly might worsen her pain, Chen Yanyun kept his embrace light, soothingly stroking her back.
Gu Jinchao closed her eyes. Seeing Third Master Chen inexplicably calmed her—she truly had begun to rely on him. She focused on steadying her breathing, though she wasn’t sure if it would help. Her child would be fine. In her past life, despite all the hardships, the baby had been born healthy.
Everything would be alright.
Soon, Physician Ji arrived.Third Master Chen carried Gu Jinzhao to the large kang in the East Side Room, which had already been cleaned by the servants.
Physician Ji took her pulse and listened carefully, closing his eyes for a moment. Without saying a word, he immediately went to the side and wrote a prescription, handing it to Granny Sun beside him. "Prepare this medicine at once—brew it strong and have Madam take it."
Physician Ji was a highly esteemed doctor in the capital, having once served in the Imperial Hospital before resigning to open his own clinic. His ancestors had been physicians for generations, and his family had a good relationship with the Chen Family. After handing the prescription to Granny Sun, Physician Ji followed Chen Yanyun outside before cupping his hands and saying, "Third Master, rest assured—the child is safe for now. Once she takes the medicine, the pain should ease. Fortunately, Madam has a strong constitution, or this could have been quite dangerous..."
Only then did Third Master Chen let out a sigh of relief, the tension in his nerves finally easing.
He asked Physician Ji in a low voice, "From your perspective, what caused this?"
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