Chapter 342: Harming Her
Mama Song was directing the maids to change the curtains in the room, replacing them with a sky-blue diagonal weave of auspicious patterns, which looked much fresher. Gu Jinzhao glanced around and then instructed them to replace the asparagus fern on the side table with freshly bloomed four seasons begonias.
The wet nurse was dressing Changsuo, slipping the little jacket onto him. Changsuo obediently let her grasp his small hands to guide them through the sleeves.
Chen Xuanyue came to see him.
Delighted, Changsuo tried to crawl toward Chen Xuanyue, giggling and calling out, "Ninth Brother! Ninth Brother!"
Chen Xuanyue picked him up and held him in his arms, smiling as he asked, "Changsuo, have you had breakfast yet?"
Changsuo didn’t understand. Gu Jinzhao replied, "He ate two sweet buns."
Clapping his hands, Changsuo repeated, "Buns! Buns!"
After playing with Changsuo for a while, Chen Xuanyue set him down. Gu Jinzhao wiped her hands with a hot towel before sitting down.
"...After you take a few more doses, you can stop this medicine. It’s a shame it was delayed for so long..." Gu Jinzhao sighed regretfully.
Chen Xuanyue had only truly begun his studies at the age of ten. He was exceptionally gifted, with a photographic memory. With proper guidance, passing the imperial examinations would have been no problem.
After Fourth Master Chen was placed under house arrest, Gu Jinzhao had begun considering Chen Xuanyue’s future. She had Luo Yongping bring a renowned physician from Jiangnan to treat his "mental impairment." The entire household now knew that the Ninth Young Master was gradually regaining clarity of mind.
Chen Xuanyue, however, just smiled indifferently and looked up. "Aunt, there are countless paths in this world. The Chen Family has a scholarly legacy, so all its descendants become civil officials. But my ambitions lie elsewhere—I don’t want to spend over a decade scheming. If luck is on my side, I might end up like Third Uncle, entering the Grand Secretariat by the age of thirty. But those less fortunate Hanlin scholars toil their whole lives only to remain minor officials. Besides, I have no interest in studying the eight-legged essays..."
He had always had his own ideas. In his past life, he had taken the path of military achievements.
Indeed, he had become a provincial military commander and Gansu’s regional commander at a young age.
Gu Jinzhao chuckled. "Then I won’t bother with you anymore. If you want to follow the path of those illustrious military families and make your mark on the battlefield, so be it."
Chen Xuanyue pulled Changsuo, who was crawling all over the bed, back into his arms and said thoughtfully, "I actually do have that intention..."
Soon after, the seamstress arrived.
Chen Xuanyue was at an age where he was growing rapidly. Even in his past life, despite hardships, his height had matched his brothers’. Now, he seemed poised to surpass them. The straight robes and gowns made for him would no longer fit after half a year.
Standing up to let the seamstress take his measurements, Chen Xuanyue said sheepishly, "Aunt, there’s no need to trouble yourself. My clothes still fit!"
"Your sleeves are already an inch too short—aren’t you afraid people will laugh at you?" Gu Jinzhao shook her head. "Lift your arms higher, or the measurements won’t be accurate."
Chen Xuanyue looked at her, hesitating as if he wanted to say something. In the end, he turned his face away and muttered something under his breath.
Gu Jinzhao asked, "What are you mumbling about?"
But Chen Xuanyue only smiled without answering.
Yu Wanxue came to pay her respects, bringing some small clothes she had made for the child.
"Once I leave for Suning, I won’t be able to attend the birth of Mother’s child, so I’ve prepared some clothes this month. They’ll be just right when the baby arrives..." She had her maid unwrap the bundle to show Jinzhao.
Jinzhao took them and examined them—the stitching was exquisite.
Chen Xuanqing followed Yu Wanxue inside and paid his respects.
Gu Jinzhao asked him when he planned to depart.Chen Xuanqing said, "It should be in the next few days. I'll come to bid you farewell before I leave."
Gu Jinzhao nodded. "It's better for you to leave early. After all, you're a local official responsible for the welfare of the people." He shouldn't have returned in the first place. Take Chen Xuanfeng from the second branch, for example—he only comes back once every three years.
Chen Xuanqing looked up at her. She had styled her hair in a Fallen Horse Bun, but it was loosely tied, adorned with a mutton-fat jade hairpin carved with openwork, which accentuated her gentle demeanor. Her striking features seemed softened. A glimpse of her snow-white wrist peeked from her sleeve, yet she wore a gold bracelet as wide as a finger.
Why does she always pair things so poorly... She should wear jadeite or tourmaline instead.
He sighed inwardly, feeling increasingly that she was rather inept in certain aspects.
When he gifted Gu Jinzhao that piece of raw amethyst, he had been instantly drawn to it, even though it cost him three months' salary. For a while afterward, his life had been financially strained.
But Gu Jinzhao probably wouldn’t craft it into jewelry to wear—that wasn’t like her.
...He shouldn’t have bought it, yet he still wanted to give it to her. He told himself it didn’t matter if she never wore it; it was just a piece of stone. But when she truly disregarded it, he felt a dull ache—a sense that his feelings weren’t valued.
Changsuo, tired from playing, wanted his mother to hold him. Gu Jinzhao picked him up and, feeling his back, noticed he was slightly sweaty. She loosened his little jacket and fetched warm water to feed him.
Chen Xuanqing stood to take his leave. Gu Jinzhao nodded in acknowledgment, and the two walked out of Osmanthus Hall one after the other.
Chen Xuanyue was also preparing to leave. "...My tutor assigned ten pages of handwriting practice. I’ll visit you again tomorrow!"
Without waiting for Gu Jinzhao to respond, he hurried off, spotting Chen Xuanqing walking behind Yu Wanxue in the distance.
Chen Xuanqing moved slowly, pausing beside a young elm tree sprouting tender leaves.
"Why are you following me, Ninth Brother?" he asked coolly.
After all, he was Third Master Chen’s son—he couldn’t be too dull.
Chen Xuanyue caught up with a smile. "I just wanted to ask, Seventh Brother, will you be coming back after this posting?"
Chen Xuanqing studied this cousin from another branch.
He had once tutored Chen Xuanyue for two months, thinking him slow-witted but sincere. Later, he heard Gu Jinzhao had sought treatment for his intellectual disability, and after a few doses of medicine, he actually improved. But after Chen Xuanyue recovered, they had barely spoken.
Now twelve years old, Chen Xuanyue no longer bore any trace of foolishness, instead exuding an air of nobility.
With refined features, he stood before Chen Xuanqing, smiling at him.
Yet his words were far from friendly.
Chen Xuanqing smiled back. "What exactly do you want to say, Ninth Brother?"
"Seventh Brother knows perfectly well," Chen Xuanyue replied, still smiling. "If others can’t see it, fine—but you certainly understand."
Chen Xuanqing didn’t want to engage further and frowned. "I have matters to attend to. I won’t keep you, Ninth Brother. You may go."
He had walked several steps when Chen Xuanyue’s calm voice reached him. "You’ll harm her."
His footsteps faltered.
"If you keep this up, you’ll harm her eventually. So it’s best if you don’t return."
Chen Xuanqing nearly stumbled, drawing a deep breath. How had Chen Xuanyue noticed? He didn’t know—his mind was in turmoil. But Chen Xuanyue was right. He shouldn’t have come back at all.He continued walking forward as if he hadn't heard Chen Xuanyue's words at all.
Chen Xuanyue watched him quietly before speaking again, "Seventh Brother, if you harm her, I won't let you off."
Chen Xuanqing finally stopped but didn't turn around, "I know everything—but what does this have to do with you? My affairs are none of your concern."
"Indeed, it's none of my business. What do any of you have to do with me?" Chen Xuanyue replied with a careless smile. "In this household, apart from Aunt, who has truly been kind to me? Do you think I want to say these things?"
Chen Xuanqing pressed his lips together tightly—this younger brother was far too sharp-tongued.
"Ninth Brother must still be delirious to speak such nonsense. Next time, remember to watch your words."
Chen Xuanqing ignored him and walked straight ahead.
Chen Xuanyue watched his retreating figure for a long while before returning to the outer courtyard.
PS: Out of time, posting this first. Will write more tomorrow!
Also, thanks to Aimaoleyuan for the piggy bank and jojo for the Heshibi, mwah!
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