Chapter Four: Liu Xiang
Upon returning to Paulownia Courtyard, Liu Xiang had already arrived and was eagerly waiting for Jinchao's return. With a smile, she took Jinchao's hand to assist her, subtly pushing Caifu aside, who could only stand silently to the side.
Liu Xiang was a year older than Gu Jinchao, now sixteen. She was quite attractive, and since the young mistress favored her, her attire was more refined than the other maids. She wore a gilded hairpin, a peach-red phoenix-tail skirt, and a brocade satin jacket over it. Her eyes were lively and delicate.
Usually, the young mistress would greet her warmly, but today her expression was as calm as still water. After seating herself by the window on the heated kang, she instructed Caifu to brew tea for her.
Liu Xiang grew uneasy. Could it be that the young mistress was upset she had taken too long? She disliked delays the most.
Once Caifu brought the tea, Liu Xiang smiled and said, "Young Mistress, do you know why I took so long?"
Jinchao lifted the teacup lid without even glancing up and replied indifferently, "How would I know what you were doing?"
Liu Xiang pursed her lips awkwardly, thinking she must truly be angry. She shot a glance at Caifu, feeling somewhat humiliated in front of this second-tier maid. Lowering her voice slightly, she said, "About the matter you asked me to inquire about earlier, I’ve found out. My elder brother works as a groom for the Yu family. He happened to visit me today and brought a box of fermented beans. I took the opportunity to ask him about it..."
Gu Jinchao set down the teacup. Although the Gu family wasn’t the most prominent noble household in Shian Prefecture, they were certainly among the elite. The Ten Thousand Springs Silver Leaf tea was originally a rare tribute tea from Sichuan, and she had no idea how her father had obtained it.
She looked up at Liu Xiang, unable to recall what exactly she had asked her to investigate. Judging by Liu Xiang's demeanor, she was likely seeking praise, so Jinchao played along and asked, "What did your brother say?"
Liu Xiang replied, "At first, my brother didn’t know either. But the Yu family’s eldest daughter is about to have her coming-of-age ceremony in three months, so the servants have started talking. They say that long ago, the Yu family’s Tai Furen was close friends with the Chen family’s Tai Furen. When the Yu daughter was four, they arranged a childhood marriage between her and the Seventh Young Master of the Chen family. The betrothal token was said to be a pair of jade pendants from the Yu family’s Tai Furen..."
She paused briefly before continuing, "Although the engagement was made, the two families hardly interact now. Back then, the Chen and Yu families were evenly matched in influence. But now, Second Master Chen and Third Master Chen have both risen high in their official careers. Second Master Chen serves as the Provincial Administration Commissioner of Shaanxi, and Third Master Chen holds the position of Chief of the Office of the Directorate of Instruction. The Yu family can no longer compare to them. I suspect this marriage might not come to pass..."
Third Master Chen was Chen Yanyun, Chen Xuanqing’s father and Jinchao’s husband in her past life.
Gu Jinchao recalled the events of that time.
Chen Xuanqing was the seventh son of the Chen family, hence addressed as Seventh Young Master Chen. Back then, not only had she failed to meet Chen Xuanqing at the flower gathering, but she had also overheard people mentioning that the Seventh Young Master was already betrothed. Upon returning home, she had flown into a rage, smashing several vases and cosmetic boxes. She had even punished a few maids by making them kneel in the snow for an entire afternoon. After much brooding, she still felt aggrieved and ordered her head maid, Liu Xiang, to investigate the details of this engagement.
Liu Xiang had acted swiftly—her brother had come so soon.
Jinchao smiled and said, "Thank you for being so thorough. Otherwise, I would have been heartbroken. What kind of fermented beans did your brother bring?"Liu Xiang was taken aback, not expecting the young mistress to ask about this. She hurriedly replied, "The newly made fermented beans aren't worth much. If the young mistress wants some, this servant can go back to my room and bring you half right away."
Jinchao waved her hand dismissively. "I don't particularly care for those. I've been sitting with Mother all morning and am rather hungry now. Go to the small kitchen and bring back some pastries."
As Liu Xiang departed on her errand, she happened to meet Baiyun who had just entered the covered corridor. Baiyun smiled quickly upon seeing her. "Sister, you're back too."
As the head maid, Liu Xiang naturally received careful flattery from the others. Though usually quite haughty, she would at least acknowledge such greetings with a nod. Today, however, her expression remained sour as she walked straight past without a word.
Her mood was truly foul. First, the young mistress had embarrassed her in front of Caifu. She had thought gathering information would earn her mistress's favor, only to receive nothing but a faint smile. Then she was sent to fetch pastries—a task for a head maid? Why wasn't Caifu going instead? The more she thought about it, the angrier she grew, suspecting Caifu must have said something about her to the young mistress.
Caifu pretended not to notice anything, standing quietly by the young mistress's side.
Jinchao asked softly, "What do you think of Liu Xiang?"
Caifu's heart skipped a beat. Why would the young mistress ask her such a thing?
As head maid, Liu Xiang wasn't someone she could comment on. But the young mistress's tone suggested dissatisfaction. After careful consideration, she replied, "Sister Liu Xiang is quite clever and knows how to please the young mistress. She's quick-witted too, and even knows some characters—quite remarkable indeed."
Her words carried hidden meaning. Liu Xiang only knew how to curry favor with the mistress—with lower-ranking maids like them, she was unbearably arrogant.
Gu Jinzhao smiled faintly. Caifu had the right temperament. Tracing the raised floral patterns on her teacup, she remarked casually, "Fermented beans are best made in summer. The winter batches always lack flavor."
Caifu was puzzled. How did the young mistress know about making fermented beans?
As the legitimate eldest daughter of the Gu family, such common snacks shouldn't be within her knowledge. Why would she mention this to Caifu?
Jinchao said no more. In her previous life's decline, with endless empty hours, she had learned these skills from Shiye. Originally from Tongchuan in Sichuan, Shiye had been sold away when her family fell into poverty, eventually ending up in Baoding Prefecture. Gu Jinzhao had developed considerable culinary skills, and though initially clumsy at needlework, years of practice had made her an excellent embroiderer. These crafts had grown on her over time.
Liu Xiang was indeed clever and capable—but too easily swayed by profit. In her past life, if not for Liu Xiang's skill at forging her handwriting, Chen Xuanqing might not have overthrown her so easily. When Jinchao had been driven nearly to death, Liu Xiang had already taken the silver notes and three-courtyard residence from Chen Xuanqing, never visiting again.
Gazing at the snow outside the window, Jinchao pondered silently.
Liu Xiang's elder brother could come to the Gu residence whenever he pleased—she didn't even need to report his visits. This showed just how much privilege she had granted her head maid within the household. If her brother had come simply to deliver fermented beans, that would be one thing. But if he'd made a special trip to gather information... that warranted suspicion. Liu Xiang lacked such foresight. What Jinchao feared was someone pulling strings behind her back.Gu Jinzhao woke up extremely early the next day. When she opened her eyes, she was still greeted by the sight of the mahogany bed carved with magnolia, qilin, and auspicious clouds. She breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that her spirits were improving day by day. Just two days ago, she had still felt somewhat weak, as if she couldn’t quite control her limbs, but today that sensation was gone.
Liu Xiang helped her wash, dress, and change into a pale-red, gold-embroidered skirt adorned with lotus petals and intertwining branches. She also adorned her hair with three gold filigree hairpins inlaid with gemstone flowers. Jinzhao went along with these preparations without saying a word.
Liu Xiang asked, "Since you’ve risen so early today, miss, should we attend to the madam first?"
Jinzhao replied, "It’s been several days since I last paid respects to Father. I should go today..." She frowned when Liu Xiang took out a pair of earrings and added, "No need for these gold ones."
The Gu family’s custom for morning and evening greetings dictated that the concubines pay respects to the mistress daily, while the children first greeted their father before visiting their mother. However, it wasn’t unusual for Jinzhao to skip paying respects to her father for three to five days. Whenever they met, he would lecture her at length—urging her to study the Admonitions for Women and Precepts for Women , and to practice needlework diligently under the tutelage of the Suzhou embroidery master they had hired. Naturally, Gu Jinzhao disliked these encounters.
Today, she would go to greet her father first.
Jinzhao needed to reacquaint herself with the current state of the Gu household. After all, too much time had passed, and some details had grown hazy in her memory.
Baiyun entered carrying a large lacquered tray bearing a bowl of milk porridge, a plate of flower-fruit oil pastries, a plate of sweet dew cakes, and another of dried bamboo shoots. Seeing that the sky had already brightened somewhat, Jinzhao only drank the milk porridge before heading to her father’s Chrysanthemum Willow Pavilion.
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