Chapter 282: Bath
Granny Sun quietly approached the Taihu rock with two other women, crouched down, and reached her hand into the crevice.
A child's shrill scream immediately echoed from within. Granny Sun grabbed the little one and dragged him out, but the child struggled fiercely, kicking and biting her arm. Granny Sun winced in pain but dared not let go. The other two women quickly pinned down the child's limbs, allowing Granny Sun to free herself.
Thankfully, the thin cotton clothes of autumn had spared her from being bitten bloody by the little rascal.
Granny Sun exhaled in relief and ordered the women to carry the child over to report to Gu Jinzhao.
"Madam, it really is a child—with quite the sharp teeth..."
Gu Jinzhao studied the child. Only the center of his small face was clean, while the rest was smeared with grime—a telltale sign of a hasty wash where he’d merely swiped his face once. His delicate, well-proportioned features were now twisted in fear as he stared at her, though his mouth was muffled by one of the women, leaving him only able to whimper. Even so, Gu Jinzhao recognized him instantly—this was none other than Chen Xuanyue!
Dressed in a threadbare, blackened mandarin jacket with misbuttoned clasps and disheveled hair, he looked every bit a beggar. Had he been tossed into a crowd of them, no one would have doubted it!
Even if he was neglected, he was still a young master of the Chen Family. How had he ended up in such a state?
Yu Wanxue, who had never seen Chen Xuanyue before, whispered, "Is he the son of some steward or servant...?"
But Chen Xi tugged at Gu Jinzhao's sleeve and said, "It's Ninth Brother!" She added softly, "Mother, Eleventh Brother once told me that Ninth Brother is sick and can't remember people. How pitiful... Please let him go..."
Hearing her voice, Chen Xuanyue thrashed violently again, startling Chen Xi into retreating a step and clutching An Momo's hand tightly.
Once, she had seen Second Brother and Third Brother return from hunting with a spotted deer. The guards had tied its legs and hung it from a tree. Back then, she had also begged them to release it. Second and Third Brother had agreed readily and sent her off with her nursemaid to play. But as she walked away, she suddenly heard the deer let out a mournful cry. Later, Second Brother gifted her a beautiful deer-skin hand-warmer cover, which she had never used.
Ninth Brother wasn’t like the deer—he was more like a captured leopard, pitiful yet terrifying.
Gu Jinzhao smiled bitterly. If she let him go now, he’d surely bolt, and then there’d be no telling what might happen.
Originally, she hadn’t planned to interfere.
According to this child’s destined path, he would one day become the renowned Left Commander and Governor of Gansu. Besides, this was ultimately the Second Branch’s affair—meddling would be inappropriate.
But the sight of him now was too pitiful. Why else would he have run away if not suffering some hardship? Given his state, it was clear no one in the Second Branch was looking after him. That he had survived on his own was no small feat.
No wonder he grew to despise Madam Qin so fiercely...
Since fate had brought him to her today, she couldn’t bear to turn away. Perhaps this small kindness would plant a seed for the future.
Jinchao softened her voice and coaxed him, "Xuanyue, if you promise not to bite, I’ll have them let you go. Alright?"
Chen Xuanyue stared straight at her, unblinking.
Gu Jinzhao continued, "Are you hungry? If you behave, we’ll go have some snacks. Would you like candied chestnuts?"
At the mention of candied chestnuts, Chen Xuanyue’s expression finally relaxed slightly.The old servant released her grip, and Gu Jinzhao noticed his lips were purple, likely from being out in the cold for too long.
She instructed Granny Sun to fetch a cloak and draped it over the child.
She didn’t have the servant let go of him entirely but loosened her hold slightly. Chen Xuanyue seemed to have exhausted his strength and stopped struggling, though his gaze remained fixed on Gu Jinzhao. Gu Jinzhao had the servant carry him as the group made their way toward Sandalwood Mountain Courtyard.
Yu Wanxue was surprised. How could a young master of the Chen Family end up in such a state? But since Gu Jinzhao remained silent, she didn’t ask.
However, as they neared Sandalwood Mountain Courtyard, Chen Xuanyue grew frantic again, struggling violently. The servant couldn’t hold him, and he resorted to his old trick—biting her arm. As she loosened her grip in pain, he fell to the ground with a loud thud, his head hitting the ground hard.
Gu Jinzhao winced at the sound. This child wasn’t bright to begin with—a few more knocks like that, and he’d be even duller!
The pain must have been real because he burst into loud, wailing sobs.
Gu Jinzhao reached out to check and found a lump forming on the back of his head. Amused and exasperated, she scolded, "Still planning to run?"
She grabbed him by the collar and pulled him up, realizing he was much lighter than an average ten-year-old. Chen Xuanxin was a year younger, yet Chen Xuanyue was even smaller—he looked no older than seven or eight. Now subdued by the fall, he sniffled and hiccuped but stopped resisting.
Wild children truly needed discipline. Gu Jinzhao brushed the dust off his clothes and led him by the hand toward Sandalwood Mountain Courtyard.
Granny Sun reached out to take him, but Gu Jinzhao shook her head, signaling it wasn’t necessary. As long as she held his hand, the child remained surprisingly docile.
The closer they got to Sandalwood Mountain Courtyard, the tenser he became, his small hand gripping hers so tightly it hurt. No wonder it had taken two servants to restrain him earlier—this child had remarkable strength. He really was cut out to be a general in the future.
Chen Xi stared curiously at her Ninth Brother as if he were one of her pet rabbits. Her other brothers were all well-mannered and scholarly—she had never seen anyone like Chen Xuanyue, who dared to bite, wail so loudly, and show such disrespect to their mother. And he was barely taller than her—how could he be called an elder brother!
Madam Chen was astonished when Gu Jinzhao walked in leading a little boy.
Her surprise deepened when she realized the boy, still trying to wrench free from Gu Jinzhao’s grasp, was Chen Xuanyue.
Gu Jinzhao quickly explained, "...When we passed by Bagua Pavilion, we found him hiding in the flowerbed outside. At first, we thought he was a stranger, but then we recognized him as the Ninth Young Master. It seems he’s been outside for quite some time. Perhaps we should prepare hot water for him to wash up and change, then have something to eat... After that, Second Sister-in-Law can come take him back."
Bagua Pavilion was very close to Osmanthus Hall, which in turn was far from the side rooms. How had Chen Xuanyue ended up at Bagua Pavilion?
Madam Chen frowned deeply and immediately ordered the servants to bring him over. But Chen Xuanyue threw a tantrum, desperately evading their hands. Madam Chen grew even more puzzled. "This child... he was never like this before!"
No matter how strong he was, a child couldn’t overpower so many adults. Soon, his hands were pried open, and he was taken to the washroom to clean up.
From inside, the sounds of struggle and crying continued.
After listening for a while, Gu Jinzhao felt something was off. "Mother, I recall the Ninth Young Master could speak, couldn’t he?"
Madam Chen nodded. "Not fluently, but he could manage a few words..."As Gu Jinzhao spoke, she quickly noticed something amiss. Chen Xuanyue had been struggling and crying for a long time, yet not a single word had escaped his lips.
Madam Chen summoned Granny Zheng and instructed her to fetch Madam Qin, who was often too busy managing household affairs to attend morning greetings.
The fourth and sixth branches of the family arrived promptly. Upon hearing Madam Chen recount the incident involving Chen Xuanyue, they were all astonished. Chen Xuanxin also came to pay his respects to Gu Jinzhao and bowed to Yu Wanxue.
Soon, Chen Xuanyue was carried out by the maids. Seeing so many people—including Chen Xuanan, Chen Xuanping, and Chen Xuanxin, who had bullied him before—he clung desperately to the frame of the lattice window, refusing to come forward. Madam Chen’s expression darkened further, and she ordered everyone to retreat to the East Side Room, leaving only Gu Jinzhao, Wang Shi, and Madam Ge behind.
Chen Xuanyue finally sat on the Arhat bed. His freshly washed face had sharp features, with long, thick lashes and a slender neck. Had he not been mentally impaired, he would have been exceptionally dignified. Soon, however, he shrank into a corner, clutching a bolster tightly.
When a maid tried to take the bolster from him, Madam Chen signaled for her to stop. If it made him feel safe, he could keep holding it.
Jinchao brought a plate of yam cakes before him and smiled. "Xuanyue, do you like yam cakes? They’re very sweet."
Wang Shi and Madam Ge both had kindly faces and wore gentle smiles.
After glancing around, Chen Xuanyue picked up the cakes and devoured them ravenously. Soon, only crumbs remained on the plate.
Wang Shi gasped. "This child—who knows how long he’s gone without food!"
Seeing him choke on the cakes, Jinchao handed him tea. Without hesitation, Xuanyue gulped it down, washing away the sticky remnants in his mouth. Just then, the mutton noodle soup Madam Chen had ordered was brought in.
Xuanyue began slurping the noodles noisily. Wang Shi frowned subtly.
Back in her hometown, when the family was short-handed during busy seasons, they would hire laborers who often squatted by the roadside to eat their noodles, making the same slurping sounds. She had always found it unpleasant. Clearly, Xuanyue had never been taught proper manners—no matter how hungry he was, he shouldn’t have been so crude.
The child finished most of the large bowl of mutton noodles. Madam Chen had the maids take it away, fearing he might overeat after prolonged starvation and harm his stomach. Xuanyue didn’t resist, retreating with a satisfied burp. Jinchao took his hand.
"Ninth Young Master, did you like the noodles? Would you like more water?" She hoped he would speak to her, to see if his mind was still sound.
But Xuanyue only nodded, then shook his head.
Wang Shi murmured, "I’ve heard that when children suddenly stop speaking, it’s usually because they’ve suffered severe fright..."
Madam Chen’s face darkened like storm clouds. "The second wife has gone too far! Even if he’s simple-minded, he’s still a living child—her husband’s own flesh and blood! How could she let him end up like this?" Gu Jinzhao knew Madam Chen was furious—when she wasn’t angry, she addressed her daughters-in-law by their given names.
The others remained silent. Xuanyue glanced at Wang Shi, then at Madam Ge. Perhaps feeling most familiar with Jinchao, he hid behind her and refused to come out.
Madam Chen had never been fond of Chen Xuanyue, but even she pitied him now. The child wouldn’t even speak—who knew what horrors he had endured?At that very moment, Madam Qin arrived.
Following behind her was Zheng-shi, the elderly maid who attended to Chen Xuanyue, her face filled with anxiety and her eyes reddened.
A young maid lifted the curtain, and Madam Qin entered, first paying her respects to Madam Chen before choking out, "...Mother, Nanny Zheng just came to tell me—the Ninth Young Master has gone missing!"
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