If Chen Yanyun had truly made up his mind about this matter, he would act on it immediately.
Gu Jinzhao was married into the family three months later.
It was autumn, and the wormwood in the courtyard bloomed in clusters, exceptionally vibrant. The mansion was adorned with lanterns and decorations, bustling with excitement.
He entertained guests in the front courtyard, and someone offered him a toast. He smiled, accepted the cup, and downed it in one gulp.
Only after the guests had dispersed did he make his way to her courtyard.
She was still seated on the Arhat bed, dressed in heavy bridal attire. Her dowry maid dozed off by the door. The room was cold and silent, save for the flickering red candles.
The veil had already been lifted earlier, and now she looked slightly weary, her eyes lowered coldly.
Chen Yanyun felt a chill in his heart as he watched—she didn’t seem... happy at all.
He wasn’t mistaken. She didn’t like this marriage one bit; in fact, she seemed somewhat repulsed by it.
The warmth in his heart gradually cooled.
The following days were much the same. Even when Chen Yanyun showed her consideration, she accepted it in silence, rarely speaking to him beyond asking about his meals or tasks. Most of the time, she buried herself in books. Even when paying respects to Madam Chen, her mind seemed elsewhere—she even fumbled and dropped a teacup while serving tea.
Chen Yanyun only learned of this incident after returning from court.
Scolded by Madam Chen, she sat sulking on the Arhat bed.
He walked over and sat down in front of her, asking calmly, "What did you do wrong?"
Her eyes reddened as she glared at him, a mix of defiance and vulnerability. "It wasn’t my fault! The tea was too hot!"
He pressed further, "So you think you’re in the right? Is that how you answered Mother when she questioned you?"
Gu Jinzhao retorted, "That’s exactly what I said, because it’s the truth!" Clutching her scalded fingers tightly, she muttered, "If you’re here to scold me too, don’t bother. I didn’t do anything wrong."
Chen Yanyun noticed her hand and reached out to examine it. "Is the burn bad?"
She avoided his touch, shaking her head without a word.
With a sigh, Chen Yanyun stood and went to see his mother.
Madam Chen was also displeased and motioned for him to sit. "...She may be young, but she’s far too immature! Your elder sister-in-law and Jiang Shi were about her age when they married in, yet I’ve never seen anyone so defiant! A few words of criticism, and she acts like the sky’s about to collapse."
Chen Yanyun could only defend her. "She’s still young. Please guide her patiently. I’ve already spoken to her—she knows she was wrong, but her temper won’t let her admit it."
With her son, a grand secretary, speaking up for his wife, Madam Chen relented. "Fine, fine. I’m too old to argue with her. I just worry for you—how can someone like her take proper care of you?"
Chen Yanyun smiled. "I have hands and feet. I don’t need anyone to wait on me."
He wanted to be patient with her. Gu Jinzhao was simply too young and inexperienced.
But since she clearly disliked him, he didn’t want to impose and gradually visited her less often.
Winter arrived swiftly.
Soon, heavy snow blanketed Beizhili.
After reviewing memorials, he leaned back in his reclining chair to rest. The charcoal in the brazier burned warmly, and suddenly, Chen Yanyun felt the urge to visit her. Wrapping himself in a cloak, he slowly made his way along the covered corridor toward the inner courtyard.
Gu Jinzhao stood alone beneath the veranda, watching the snow.Chen Yanyun stopped in his tracks when he saw her from afar. She was draped in a red fox fur cloak, her hair neatly combed but adorned only with a single gold hairpin shaped like a budding lotus. She must have freshened up before coming out. Her gaze was fixed straight ahead. Chen Xuanqing and Yu Wanxue were nearby, picking plum blossoms together.
The two gathered a large bundle of winter plum branches before walking away hand in hand.
Yet she seemed to have lost all strength, leaning against the corridor pillar—perhaps crying, though it was hard to tell.
Chen Yanyun watched silently for a long time. Only when she slowly stood up and turned to leave did he finally walk away.
Alone in his study, he remained quiet for a while before finally letting out a faint laugh.
He called Chen Yi in and instructed him to investigate Gu Jinzhao’s past.
When the report was delivered to him, it confirmed his suspicions. After a brief glance, he tossed it aside and paid it no further mind.
The New Year celebrations were always lively.
Chen Yanyun visited Gu Jinzhao’s quarters and sat for a while. He noticed the edges of her daybed were worn. Several concubines were keeping her company as she worked on needlework—though her stitches were clumsy, she seemed oblivious, while the concubines dared not comment, their expressions awkward. After reading for a while, he left without exchanging a single word with her. Behind him, he overheard a maidservant whisper, "...The master didn’t stay again."
Upon returning, he summoned the Affairs Office staff and ordered them to replace the daybed.
The next day, Gu Jinzhao came to his study.
She presented him with a pair of winter socks she had made herself.
"I’m not very skilled..." she said hesitantly. "Mother mentioned you didn’t have winter socks."
Chen Yanyun examined the socks—the seams were uneven, truly poorly made.
"You certainly aren’t being modest," he remarked softly.
Faced with his casual mockery, Gu Jinzhao flushed slightly in embarrassment.
"Well, I’ve delivered them," she said, her tone composed despite her pink cheeks. "If you find them too ugly, you don’t have to wear them."
Chen Yanyun chuckled, holding the socks as he studied her for a long moment. Then he said, "Thank you."
Gu Jinzhao gave a quiet hum. Unable to stand still in Third Master Chen’s study, she murmured, "...Then I’ll take my leave."
Chen Yanyun nodded, watching as she hurried out of Ninghui Hall.
Still so much like a child.
Perhaps he could change her?
If things continued like this between them, it wouldn’t be so bad—being with her was never exhausting.
She always seemed unhappy. He ought to do something to cheer her up.
After some thought, Chen Yanyun summoned the Chen Family’s steward and gave instructions. The Chen Family would take the lead in funding the Yuanxiao Lantern Festival in Wanping—why not make it even grander? They might as well organize the entire event themselves. Children always loved lively festivities.
On the night of the lantern festival, the entire Huai Xiang Alley and the Chen Family’s front courtyard were aglow with lanterns. Smaller ones included toad lanterns, hibiscus lanterns, and embroidered ball lanterns. Larger displays featured scenes like the sorceress lantern subduing evil spirits with a feathered fan, the Liu Hai lantern playing with a golden toad swallowing treasures, and the azure lion lantern carrying priceless rarities. The garden was ablaze with light.
He made sure to send a maidservant to inform her that the festival was splendid.
Gu Jinzhao emerged with her sister-in-law.
She arrived clutching a hand warmer—she seemed particularly sensitive to the cold, always bundled up in thick layers. The trim of her cloak was lined with snow-white rabbit fur, making her cheeks appear rosy.Chen Yanyun walked toward her. The surrounding people, upon seeing Third Master Chen approach, all bowed in greeting. Gu Jinzhao, however, paused for a moment before curtsying and addressing him as "Third Master." Chen Yanyun waved his hand, signaling everyone to withdraw. Then he asked her, "Did you enjoy the lantern festival?"
Gu Jinzhao nodded and was about to say something when a sudden commotion erupted ahead, drawing a crowd.
Curious to see what was happening, she looked at him with eager anticipation.
Chen Yanyun smiled and said, "Go take a look."
She pressed her lips into a small smile and headed over with her maid in tow.
After standing there for a while, Chen Yanyun called a servant over and asked, "What's going on up ahead?"
The servant replied, "It's the Seventh Young Master... He made a whole pond of lotus lanterns that floated in from the lake in the backyard. They're absolutely beautiful! Our Seventh Young Mistress is overjoyed! Won’t you go take a look, Third Master?"
Chen Yanyun replied indifferently, "I’ll pass." Young people enjoyed such lively gatherings, but he preferred tranquility and chose not to join.
A few days later, when he visited Gu Jinzhao’s quarters, she had already gone to see Madam Chen.
With nothing else to do, he entered her study, curious about what books she usually read.
Her study was simply furnished, adorned with only a single hanging scroll and a pot of asparagus fern. An old porcelain jar held numerous scrolls of calligraphy and paintings.
On the desk sat a lotus lantern.
Its edges were water-stained and faded, the colors no longer vibrant. Yet she had placed it carefully on the desk, even retouching it meticulously with a brush.
Chen Yanyun silently picked up the lotus lantern, recalling the lantern festival—how Chen Xuanqing had gifted Yu Wanxue that pond full of lotus lanterns. With just a slight squeeze of his hand, this little trinket would crumple into waste paper.
But what would that accomplish? To Gu Jinzhao, no grandeur in the courtyard could compare to a single lotus lantern.
He smiled self-deprecatingly and placed the lantern back where it belonged.
From then on, he hardly ever visited her again.
Chen Yanyun wasn’t one to go out of his way to please others—once or twice was enough.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want to help her, but rather that he was powerless to do so. He could accomplish many things, but he couldn’t change someone’s heart.
The following spring, during the imperial examinations, Chen Xuanqing achieved the rank of Third Scholar.
The way she looked at Chen Xuanqing carried a sense of pride, as if she couldn’t contain her excitement. She even had her maid bring him sobering soup.
Who did she think she was?
Chen Yanyun waited for her for a long time. When she finally returned, he only gave her one warning: "...Remember your place."
She probably didn’t understand, staring at him blankly.
Chen Yanyun stood up and left, never looking back.
P.S.: The system’s been updated, and I’m still getting used to it. Haha.
I can’t go on—I’ve completely run out of inspiration. Let’s end the extra chapters here! We’ll meet again in the next book! There were supposed to be a few more extras, but I just couldn’t muster the interest to write them. My extras don’t focus on the main couple’s life in this lifetime but rather on the supporting characters. Some plotlines needed filling in, which is why I wrote this extra about Third Master. I wanted to say that what the female lead sees isn’t necessarily the whole story—that’s why I wrote this.
I didn’t want to write about Third Master’s death either.
"Who could have foreseen this life—my heart in the heavens, my body aging by the riverside."
Unspoken affections.
That’s what I wanted to convey.
This marks the official conclusion of the story. Thank you all for your companionship and understanding. See you in the next book!
OpenNovel