Chapter 314: Playing the Fool
Today was the fifteenth, and Chen Xuanyue hadn't arrived yet, but several concubines had already come to pay their respects.
When Gu Jinzhao had just given birth, the concubines had visited her. Concubine Xue had even gifted the child a pair of gold-inlaid white jade handbells, while Concubine Yu and Concubine Lu had each presented handmade little jackets, dudou, or socks for the baby.
The three concubines now resided in the Carp-envying Pavilion, a remote and distant place not far from Jiang Shi's former residence. Originally, when Gu Jinzhao moved into the Muxi Hall, the concubines' quarters should have been relocated closer to her. However, since she didn’t require their service and Third Master Chen no longer stayed with them, their living arrangements remained unchanged.
Following the usual custom, Concubine Xue served her tea and inquired about Changsuo: "...The late Madam was in poor health, so I took care of the Eleventh Young Master until he was four. He was quite mischievous back then and had trouble nursing—I had to devise many ways to care for him. Recently, I heard the young master was crying at night. If it hasn’t improved, I might have some solutions..."
Gu Jinzhao sipped her tea and smiled. "He’s already better now, so there’s no need to trouble you."
Concubine Xue watched her cautiously. After all, Third Master Chen no longer paid them any attention, and Gu Jinzhao’s mood alone could determine their fate. She forced another smile. "That’s good to hear. When I learned the young master had been unwell, I was reminded of the Eleventh Young Master’s condition back then—the two brothers share similar circumstances."
Gu Jinzhao understood that Concubine Xue missed Chen Xuanxin. Outside of seasonal occasions, she rarely had the chance to see him.
Gu Jinzhao replied indifferently, "The Eleventh Young Master will be coming to pay his respects later. You may stay for lunch if you wish."
Concubine Xue’s face brightened with joy, recognizing this as Gu Jinzhao’s deliberate kindness to allow her to see her son. She quickly curtsied in gratitude.
Concubine Lu chuckled. "I truly envy Concubine Xue for being able to dine with Madam. Concubine Yu and I are always so lonely in the Carp-envying Pavilion, with no one to talk to..."
Just as she spoke, Concubine Yu began coughing. Concubine Lu’s expression stiffened.
Gu Jinzhao glanced at her. Concubine Yu wasn’t much older than her and was at the peak of her beauty—her skin fairer than snow, her beauty surpassing flowers. Covering her mouth with a handkerchief, she turned her head aside and murmured, "I caught a chill a few days ago and haven’t fully recovered... My apologies, Madam."
Seeing her pale and weak, Gu Jinzhao naturally didn’t blame her. "If the illness lingers, you should summon a physician. A prolonged cough could lead to other ailments."
Yu Xianyin stood and bowed, her tone still detached. "The day before yesterday, I had a physician examine me. I’m currently taking medicine and already feel much better. There’s no need to trouble Madam to arrange for another physician."
Concubine Yu had the most peculiar temperament, likely due to her father being the Chief Clerk of Wanping County, making her more aloof than Concubine Xue and Concubine Lu, who came from servant and merchant backgrounds. Since she refused further treatment, Gu Jinzhao didn’t press the matter and nodded for her to sit back down.After the two concubines had withdrawn, it was time for Steward Liu and Steward Wei to speak. Since there was nothing urgent, Gu Jinzhao dismissed them first and took an account book from the Affairs Office to examine carefully. She was accustomed to reviewing ledgers from shops and villas, so this was no challenge for her. However, upon closer inspection, she realized the Chen Family's expenditures were indeed substantial—just the Affairs Office alone had monthly expenses nearing a thousand taels. If major social obligations arose, even a thousand taels might not suffice... Calculating further, it was hard to imagine how vast the Chen Family's assets must be to sustain such spending!
Concubine Xue stood nearby attending to her, serving tea and fanning her.
At noon, Gu Jinzhao had the maids set up a meal in the western side chamber and invited Concubine Xue to sit and dine with her.
Concubine Xue hesitated nervously, but Gu Jinzhao said, "When the Eleventh Young Master arrives later, he certainly wouldn’t want to see you standing and serving me..."
The mistress was trying to preserve her dignity in front of the child... Concubine Xue bit her lip and slowly took a seat.
Chen Xuanxin had spent the morning attending lectures at the Taoyan Pavilion and only arrived at noon. When he entered the western side chamber and saw Concubine Xue present, his face showed brief surprise before he composed himself. He bowed respectfully to Gu Jinzhao and greeted Concubine Xue with a polite "Aunt Xue."
Noticing he had grown taller and his features now resembled Third Master Chen more, Concubine Xue smiled and nodded. Chen Xuanxin glanced at his birth mother, seeming to want to say something but holding back. Instead, he softly asked Gu Jinzhao about Changsuo.
Just then, the wet nurse brought Changsuo out. The moment the child spotted his mother seated on the Arhat bed in her crimson kesi jacket, his eyes fixed on her unwaveringly. Gu Jinzhao stood up with a smile, teasing him and kissing his little face. He stared at her intently, as if she were his beloved tiger-head doll. When she cradled him in her arms, he nestled obediently against her shoulder, his body exuding a milky fragrance.
Concubine Xue laughed. "Eleventh Young Master, look how adorable the little master is. When you were his age, you were as thin as a monkey..."
Chen Xuanxin frowned inwardly, uncomfortable with his birth mother speaking to him so familiarly. But his good upbringing prevented him from voicing his displeasure.
Having not grown up with his birth mother, he naturally felt little affection for her. Moreover, in his eyes, Concubine Xue was merely a maid elevated to concubine status—far beneath the standing of Madam Jiang or Madam Gu. Had she not borne him, she might not even have a foothold in the Chen Family.
Gu Jinzhao could sense Chen Xuanxin's distance from Concubine Xue, yet the latter gazed at her son with longing, unwilling to even blink. Choosing not to comment, Gu Jinzhao soothed Changsuo to sleep and had the wet nurse carry him back to the greenhouse.
At that moment, Chen Xuanyue arrived.
Shiqiu lifted the curtain for him, and Chen Xuanyue stepped inside.
Chen Xuanxin grinned at him. "Ninth Brother actually came to Mother’s place?"
Chen Xuanyue responded with a faintly impatient "Hmm," not even glancing at him as he walked straight toward Gu Jinzhao.
Chen Xuanxin had intended to tease him a little, but with Gu Jinzhao present, he held back. They often mocked Chen Xuanyue in the Taoyan Pavilion, but he never expected the latter to speak to him like this one day. Moreover, there was an indescribable air about Chen Xuanyue that momentarily stunned him. By the time he recovered, a sense of resentment stirred within him, making him want to provoke Chen Xuanyue further.Gu Jinzhao saw Chen Xuanyue arrive and naturally didn’t wish to speak further. It was just as well to let Concubine Xue speak with Chen Xuanxin alone. So she dismissed both of them first.
Chen Xuanyue was preoccupied with his own matters—how could he spare any attention for Chen Xuanxin now?
Once everyone had left, he sat across from Gu Jinzhao, visibly uneasy.
"Aunt… I…"
Gu Jinzhao sighed. "I saw the writing on the paper crane. Tell me, have you been pretending to be slow-witted all this time?"
She didn’t beat around the bush, which oddly put Chen Xuanyue at ease. Her directness proved she bore no resentment toward him. He shook his head, then nodded, lowering his gaze as he whispered, "When I was little, I had a high fever. After that, my nanny told me I had to act foolish… otherwise, sooner or later, Mother would harm me. It wasn’t until a few years ago, when Nanny passed away, that I started planning to change things…"
His fists clenched as he spoke. "Back then, when Nanny had a stroke, I went to tell Mother. But she refused to call a physician, only sending an old woman who knew a bit of medicine to check on her. I was only seven—there was nothing I could do but stay by Nanny’s side day and night to care for her… The one person who was kind to me was gone within a month. I admit, at first, I was scheming against you too. But I know you genuinely care for me…"
Gu Jinzhao recalled the day she encountered him by the lotus pond, where his scented sachet had been snatched by some children.
"So that day at the pond, you were trying to retrieve your nanny’s scented sachet?"
Chen Xuanyue nodded without hesitation.
It was from that moment he began noticing Gu Jinzhao. The more he thought about it, the more he became convinced she was the only one who could help him. He began a long-term plan, including hiding near Gu Jinzhao’s Osmanthus Hall, waiting for her to rescue him.
A seven-year-old child, forced to watch helplessly as the nanny who raised him died—Gu Jinzhao understood that feeling all too well. After a long silence, she asked, "Were you born this intelligent? That day, you spotted the mistake in my ledger at a glance."
Chen Xuanyue pondered for a long time before answering slowly, "Aunt, I can’t tell you that. Not because I don’t trust you, but because it’s… complicated. But I do have a photographic memory. As for that mistake—it’s hard for others to see, but for me, it was obvious."
For the first time, the child revealed his extraordinary intellect, speaking clearly and confidently, his every gesture carrying an unusual gravity.
Now, Gu Jinzhao finally understood why he had risen to the position of Left Commander before even turning thirty.
Everyone had their secrets. If nothing else, Gu Jinzhao herself was hiding things, so she didn’t press further. She wanted to ruffle his hair but sighed and lowered her hand instead. "…Aside from this, you must still be keeping things from me."
She was certain Chen Xuanyue harbored many secrets—some of which were tied to the Chen Family.
Chen Xuanyue stared at her lowered hand, lost in thought. Even if she trusted him now, once she learned the truth, she would inevitably distance herself from him…Gu Jinzhao stared fixedly at him, only to see Chen Xuanyue remain silent. She knew she needed to take a stance. With a calm tone, she said, "If you won't speak, then forget it. Now that I know you're not truly feeble-minded, there's no need for you to pretend anymore. Tomorrow, I'll call a physician to treat you."
This way, she could use the physician's words to gloss over the fact that Chen Xuanyue had been feigning illness.
It would spare him the exhaustion of pretending and her the weariness of watching it.
Yet Chen Xuanyue merely gave a bitter smile and shook his head. Raising his gaze to meet hers, he said, "...What if I told you this feeble-mindedness is something I must continue to feign? If others were to discover it's an act someday, my life might be in danger... Would you still insist I speak?"
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