Chapter 289: The Thin Horse
Gu Jinzhao had rarely seen Second Master Chen in her previous life, as he was often stationed in Shaanxi.
Madam Chen, who hadn’t seen her second son in a long time, tearfully grasped his hand. Second Master Chen smiled gently to comfort his mother.
His features were stern, with thick brows and bright eyes, but having passed forty, the marks of time had inevitably carved a touch of weariness into his face. Perhaps due to long travels, his gray-patterned straight robe appeared dusty, and he wore a gray squirrel fur cloak over it.
"Your son is doing well, no need to worry. It’s just that Nanny Zhang, who served me, suffered a stroke and can no longer get up. I’ve left someone to care for her..."
Second Master Chen spoke with authority, his words firm and resounding.
Madam Qin watched her husband from the side, her eyes reddening. In her heart, no matter how strong a woman was, she still relied on her husband as her pillar. Seeing him now, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief.
Madam Chen first introduced Gu Jinzhao to him: "...Third Master’s wife, just married in May, soon to give me a grandchild."
Gu Jinzhao curtsied, and Second Master Chen returned the gesture with a nod. "Sister-in-law."
Gu Jinzhao then had Chen Xi greet him. He smiled and said, "Second Uncle brought you San Yuan candy flowers. I’ll have someone bring them to you later."
As Third Master Chen’s only legitimate daughter, everyone doted on her.
Madam Chen quickly shook her head with a laugh. "Her front teeth have just grown in—she can’t eat sweets yet!"
Chen Xi looked disappointed and instinctively pressed her lips together. Before her front teeth had grown, she had hardly dared to smile.
Soon, the children of the second branch arrived one after another. Chen Xuanran resembled Second Master Chen, quite handsome. Chen Xuanfeng and Chen Xuanrang, however, were ordinary in appearance. Three daughters-in-law, one young daughter, two eldest grandsons... With the entire second branch gathered, the side room became somewhat crowded.
Third Master Chen had brought gifts for all the children—snacks or small toys. Xian Ge'er and Zheng Ge'er each held a Fengxiang painted tiger plaque and a parrot clay figurine.
Chen Xuanyue was only brought over later by Mama Song.
The side room was too crowded. He seemed frightened and, even when Mama Song urged him to greet Second Master Chen, he remained silent, his small hands tightly clutching the hem of his clothes.
Second Master Chen frowned. "Take him to rest first."
Gu Jinzhao sighed inwardly. Even the nieces and nephews from other branches had received gifts, yet Chen Xuanyue got nothing... Though he was slow-witted, he was still his son.
When Madam Chen mentioned raising Chen Xuanyue in the outer courtyard, Second Master Chen showed no reaction.
Madam Qin didn’t even glance at Chen Xuanyue, who was soon led away.
Third Master Chen had already received the news. Upon returning, he went straight to Sandalwood Mountain Courtyard.
With brothers reunited, there was naturally much to discuss. The women withdrew to the east side room, leaving Second Master Chen, Third Master Chen, and Fourth Master Chen to talk in the west side room.
"You actually agreed to remarry. Back when Jiang Shi died, you mourned for two years—I thought you’d insist on staying single," Second Master Chen remarked.
Third Master Chen shook his head with a faint smile. After a pause, he said, "She’s quite foolish. Without my protection, who knows what would’ve become of her by now."
Second Master Chen sighed. "I, on the other hand, met a clever one..."
Fourth Master Chen was surprised and couldn’t help lowering his voice. "Second Brother, what do you mean by that?"
Second Master Chen coughed lightly. "Nothing much. Someone bought her from Yangzhou and gifted her to me. She’s being kept in Shaanxi now."
Fourth Master Chen hesitated. "A Yangzhou thin horse?"Third Master Chen said, "Second Brother, how could you accept such gifts? Who sent them?" Second Master Chen had always refused silver and land deeds, yet now he dared to accept a Yangzhou 'slender horse'? This didn't align with his usual prudent demeanor.
Knowing his third brother was the most suspicious, Second Master Chen replied calmly, "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing." He rubbed the thumb ring on his hand and paused briefly. "It was from my former student Song Zeduan, now a county magistrate in Shaanxi. I've investigated him thoroughly—no issues."
Fourth Master Chen chuckled lightly. "I always thought only Sixth Brother was capable of such romantic gestures. Never expected Second Brother to follow suit. They say Yangzhou 'slender horses' excel at playing the qin, flute, painting, backgammon, and dominoes. Some are even specially trained in seductive postures and... bedroom arts."
Second Master Chen regained his composure and smiled. "She's rather ordinary, just obedient."
Fourth Master Chen turned to Third Master Chen. "Third Brother, didn't you visit Yangzhou with Uncle before? Surely you've seen these 'slender horses'?"
Second Master Chen interjected, "He was only nine then. What would he know?"
Third Master Chen smiled faintly but remained silent.
Being in official circles, he was well acquainted with such matters. He still remembered the scenes from when he was nine. When wealthy officials or young masters arrived in Yangzhou and hinted at taking a concubine, matchmakers and brokers would swarm their doors, each carrying a mental catalog of available girls. The 'slender horses' would be presented by the matchmakers, demonstrating skills like playing the qin or painting. If a visitor took a liking, they'd place a hairpin or clasp in the girl's bun—a ritual called 'inserting the adornment.' Top-tier 'slender horses' with exceptional talents cost between five hundred to a thousand taels to acquire. The girl's birth parents received only ten or twenty taels, while the rest went to the training household as tuition fees.
It was essentially a trade in human flesh. Poor families with pretty daughters would send them to wealthy households at seven or eight to be raised. The 'slender horses' were graded: the first class learned refined arts, the second managed household accounts, and the third specialized in embroidery and needlework. Some even trained in cooking—frying, steaming, and baking pastries. This practice was rampant and unchecked, flourishing particularly in Yangzhou.
"Speaking of Yangzhou," Second Master Chen asked, "didn't Fourth Brother recently open a spinning mill there? How's it going?"
Fourth Master Chen smiled wryly. "With the heavy silk taxes levied by the Weaving Bureau and the burdensome corvée labor imposed on artisans, all spinning mills are struggling..."
Second Master Chen glanced at Third Master Chen, puzzled. "You oversee silk taxes. With the Emperor still young, how much woven silk could the court possibly need? Why are the taxes so oppressive?"
Third Master Chen took a sip of tea. "Regulations vary by region. I can't possibly oversee every detail. Besides, the Weaving and Dyeing Bureau falls under the Ministry of Works, and the supervising eunuchs are appointed by the Ministry of Personnel. Though silk taxes are a form of revenue, they're barely related to the Ministry of Revenue."
He paused, then added, "Actually, there's something else I need to discuss with you..."
Second Master Chen looked at Fourth Master Chen. "Fourth Brother, why don't you go check on Mother first? Third Brother and I will join you shortly."Fourth Master Chen smiled. "Don't talk too long. Second Sister-in-law is waiting." Second Master Chen also nodded with a smile. Only then did Fourth Master Chen slowly leave the western side room. Once outside, his face darkened immediately. The Chen Family would always be ruled by Second Master Chen and Third Master Chen. What was the use of him earning so much money for the family? When it came to such topics, Second Brother still didn't want him present.
He was also a Scholar of the Two Boards, no less accomplished than Chen Yanzhang or Chen Yanyun. Chen Yanyun had barred him from officialdom, cutting off his future prospects—fine. But at a time like this, must they still draw lines between each other? What did all his sacrifices for the Chen Family amount to?
Fourth Master Chen gave a cold laugh and walked toward the Fourth Branch's courtyard with his hands clasped behind his back.
Third Master Chen and Second Master Chen talked late into the night. Third Master Chen first sent someone back to inform Gu Jinzhao, so she naturally went to bed first.
The heated kang bed was warm, and she slept comfortably.
When Third Master Chen returned, he didn’t wake her, lying down quietly beside her and closing his eyes to think.
Minister of War Zhao Yinchi was about to retire.
Throughout history, what mattered most? Nothing but military power. The Ministry of War held the authority to deploy troops, while the Five Armies Commandery held the authority to command them. Zhang Ju Lian controlled the Five Armies Commandery, but without deployment authority, it meant nothing... Zhao Yinchi had once served under the old Marquis Changxing. But the man himself was upright and impartial, not favoring any faction. The successor to the Minister of War was crucial... so crucial that it could determine Zhang Ju Lian’s success or failure, especially if the successor harbored disloyalty.
He felt the bedding was too warm and opened his eyes.
In the past, he wouldn’t have used a heated kang in winter, nor would he have used thick quilts. But now, to accommodate Gu Jinzhao, he couldn’t do otherwise.
He pushed the quilt aside and turned to look at Gu Jinzhao. Gradually, he drifted off to sleep.
When Gu Jinzhao woke, she saw Third Master Chen wasn’t covered by the quilt and was startled. She touched his arm—her own hands were warm, so his arm naturally felt cold to her. This man was always so proper in his sleep—how could he not be covered?
Had the heated kang been too warm for him? She vaguely remembered him saying once that he never used heated beds...
He must have been accommodating her.
Gu Jinzhao draped her own quilt over him, but the movement woke Third Master Chen. Half-asleep, he pulled her into his arms. She was quite warm, so he held her tighter, resting his chin against the crook of her neck. Gu Jinzhao felt his weight pressing down on her, but she caught his familiar scent and resisted the urge to bury her face in his chest.
When she woke again, Third Master Chen was already awake and seemed to have been watching her for a while.
Gu Jinzhao struggled to sit up in his arms. "Third Master, last night... was the heated kang too warm for you?"
Seeing the quilt over him when he woke, he knew Gu Jinzhao had been up earlier. Third Master Chen shook his head. "It’s fine."
It was just too warm, and with her in his arms, his body couldn’t help but grow restless... It had been a long time since they’d been intimate.
His grip loosened slightly as he leaned down to kiss her.
Gu Jinzhao tried to evade him, but he pursued, pressing warm kisses to her neck.
As she resisted, her hand brushed against his firm chest, and her face flushed instantly. His inner robe had come undone...
His lower abdomen tensed, and he realized he might not be able to wait. Slowly but inexorably, he pinned her hands to the bed and rolled over, covering her completely.
Gu Jinzhao wanted to remind him to get up, but Third Master Chen had already anticipated her words. He murmured softly in her ear, "The Grand Secretariat can wait."Is today a day off... It's about time he took one. He hadn't rested during his last two official leaves, being swamped with work all day.
But Second Master Chen had just returned, and today he still needed to pay respects to Madam Chen...
His fingers had already undone her inner garment, grasping her chest over the Dudou before lowering his head to murmur hoarsely, "Seems like they've grown..."
Gu Jinzhao was so angry she wanted to push him away, but he just chuckled and bent down to take her through the fabric.
...
When it was over, he withdrew. Gu Jinzhao was panting heavily as they both lay tangled in the blankets, with her once again enveloped beneath him in the cramped, Wormwood-scented space. Every subtle sound between them was palpable. His body tensed again, but remembering Gu Jinzhao's pregnancy, he held back.
Outside the lattice window, heavy snow began to fall—winter had truly arrived.
P.S.: There will be a second update!
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