Chapter 40: Illness
After the Flower Festival in February, the weather gradually warmed. The maids and elderly servants shed their padded jackets, and Jinchao moved some early spring flowers from her greenhouse to her mother's quarters—several pots of peonies called "Black Dragon Resting in Ink Pond"—while sending her father pots of white camellias. In her courtyard, grapevines sprouted new leaves, and wisteria climbed over a wooden trellis by the pond. Jinchao placed a few orchids beneath the wisteria, creating a charming contrast.
Concubine Luo, unfamiliar with the other concubines and having little to say to them, often visited Jinchao for conversation when Gu Dezhao was away at court.
Watching Jinchao arrange the plants, she found it amusing and remarked with a smile, "It looks like the work of a reclusive scholar."
Jinchao, merely passing the time, replied, "If you like them, I can move some flowers to your quarters."
Concubine Luo's eyes brightened. "Those two pale green camellias in your greenhouse are lovely."
Jinchao instructed the maids to deliver the camellias—originally a gift from her grandmother that had only recently begun to bloom—to Concubine Luo. She also had them bring a plate of elm seed cakes. "We gathered a basket of elm seeds at dawn and made these cakes with eggs and flour. Try them while they're fresh."
Luo Su accepted them gratefully. "My family used to have two elm trees. In spring, my mother would spread a straw mat beneath them, and when the wind blew, the seeds would fall like rain. She'd make elm seed rice for me..." She turned her head to gaze at the fiery red blossoms of the flowering quince nearby, her expression suddenly wistful.
She was still young and often homesick.
Jinchao reassured her, "There are elm trees near Father's Chrysanthemum Willow Pavilion. If you ever miss seeing the elm seed rain, you can visit there."
By noon, as Gu Dezhao was due back from court, Luo Su returned to Tranquil Residence.
After washing her hands, Jinchao prepared to take the freshly made elm seed cakes to her mother when Yuzhu came running from the greenhouse, calling out, "Miss! Come quickly—there's a hole in the corner of the greenhouse!"
A hole in the greenhouse?
Puzzled, Jinchao followed Yuzhu inside with Qingpu and Baiyun.
"...When I moved those two camellias, I saw a hole the size of a head behind them," Yuzhu explained, pointing to the flower stand.
As Jinchao bent to look, Qingpu stopped her. "It might be something dangerous. Let me check first."
Jinchao nodded, cautioning her to be careful. Qingpu approached the stand cautiously. The greenhouse used Korean paper for its windows, layered with glass for light, but this corner lacked glass, and the paper was torn open in a head-sized gap. At first, nothing seemed amiss.
Then, a rustling sound came from beneath the stand, startling Qingpu, who quickly stepped back. Jinchao listened intently and heard what sounded like a kitten's mewl. She reached out to move the stand, but Qingpu tried to stop her. "Miss, what if it's a venomous snake or insect?"
Jinchao waved her off. "It's fine." When she pulled the stand aside, they saw a nest of withered grass and cloth scraps, where a small yellow-and-white kitten lay curled up, its tail trembling faintly.
"A kitten! It scared even our unflappable Qingpu," Baiyun teased. Qingpu, usually composed and quiet, rarely showed alarm.
Everyone laughed.Jinchao teased her, "Back when you went to the Villa with Grandmother, you even dared to catch venomous snakes. Now your courage isn’t what it used to be."
Qingpu’s face flushed slightly—she hadn’t seen a snake in years.
"Miss, what should we do about this kitten?" Yuzhu asked.
Jinchao wasn’t sure either. "The mother cat probably found the Greenhouse warm and snuck in to make a nest. Let’s wait and see if she comes back to carry it away."
Yuzhu whispered, "My grandmother once told me that if a kitten is seen by humans, the mother cat will abandon it..."
Jinchao decided to wait a little longer and didn’t disturb it, moving the flower stand back to its original spot. But by the end of the day, the mother cat still hadn’t returned. The kitten mewled pitifully from hunger, and by noon the next day, its cries had weakened.
After some thought, Jinchao said to Yuzhu, "Let’s take it out. Find a sewing basket and line it with layers of cotton cloth for a nest."
Yuzhu had been anxiously pacing all day, rushing into the Greenhouse at every meow, itching to pick up the kitten and cuddle it. Now, hearing Jinchao’s words, she was overjoyed. "This servant will go right away!" She hurried to the side room, grabbed a sewing basket, and dashed back into the Greenhouse.
When Mama Tong arrived, she saw the wobbly little kitten lapping at milk in the basket while Yuzhu crouched beside it, watching intently.
Jinchao sat on the heated kang doing needlework—a handkerchief embroidered with a "Children Playing with Lotus" design, an assignment from Teacher Xue.
"Has Miss taken to raising cats now?" Mama Tong eyed the kitten. "But why choose such a tiny one? This servant could find you a white Persian cat instead."
Jinchao smiled. "We found it in the Greenhouse yesterday. It’s just for fun." She had no intention of spending time pampering a high-maintenance cat. Setting aside her embroidery hoop, she asked Mama Tong why she had come.
Mama Tong’s expression turned serious. "This servant heard that Madam coughed severely all night and couldn’t sleep… Her illness seems to have worsened again."
Jinchao looked up sharply, her grip tightening around the needle. Today was the fourth day of the third month… In her past life, her mother had died just over a month from now!
She had thought her mother’s condition had improved greatly. Liu Daifu had said that with proper care, she could still live for several more years—how had it worsened so quickly? She immediately asked Mama Tong, "Has Liu Daifu been summoned?"
Mama Tong replied, "Madam ordered the maids to keep it quiet. If this servant hadn’t gotten word from a cleaning maid, we wouldn’t even know… How could we make a fuss and call for Liu Daifu?"
Jinchao clenched her teeth, but Qingpu suddenly cried out, "Miss, let go of your hand!"
She had gripped the needle so tightly that it pierced her skin, yet Jinchao hadn’t even noticed the pain. Mama Tong gasped and hurried forward to pry open her fingers while Qingpu carefully removed the needle. A bead of blood welled up instantly.
Yutong and Yuzhu rushed out to fetch medicine to stop the bleeding, but Jinchao wiped the blood away with a nearby cloth and called them back. "It’s just a small wound—no need for medicine. Mama Tong, go inform my father at once and arrange a carriage to fetch Liu Daifu. Qingpu, come with me to Mother’s quarters."
As she stood, a chill settled in her heart. This was all her fault… She had assumed her mother was recovering and hadn’t paid enough attention to her condition these past months. Would her mother still die on the eighteenth day of the fourth month? Would she have to watch helplessly again?
Absolutely not!Mama Tong didn't hesitate and immediately went to the Chrysanthemum Willow Pavilion. Jinchao, accompanied by Qingpu, headed to Madam Ji's quarters.
Before they even stepped inside, they heard Madam Ji's muffled, hoarse coughing. Jinchao recalled how her mother had pretended everything was fine yesterday, spending an entire hour with her without showing any discomfort—how much pain she must have endured!
Moyu stood on the veranda, too late to stop Gu Jinchao from rushing in.
Passing through the curtains, Jinchao saw Madam Ji half-collapsed by the bedside, coughing violently while Mama Xu patted her back.
Only when Madam Ji caught her breath did she notice her daughter silently watching her. She softly instructed Mama Xu to fetch a stool for Jinchao.
"I just didn't want you to worry needlessly... There's no cure for me," Madam Ji explained with a faint smile.
Jinchao felt her nose sting, pressing her lips tightly together to keep from crying.
Soon, the concubines arrived upon hearing the news, offering their concern, bringing hot tea, preparing medicine, and massaging her back until Madam Ji finally relaxed a little. After the time it took for an incense stick to burn, Liu Daifu arrived with her father, carrying his medical box.
Gu Dezhao approached Madam Ji's bedside, first dismissing the concubines before gesturing for Liu Daifu to take her pulse. Madam Ji avoided his gaze, but Gu Dezhao stared at her intently before slowly turning to Jinchao. "You should leave too."
Jinchao glanced at Liu Daifu, and the old man nodded reassuringly while stroking his beard. Only then did she bow and withdraw.
"Your esteemed wife suffers from anxiety and melancholy, her heart burdened by depression. Combined with recent dietary imbalances and a weak spleen and cold stomach, her condition has relapsed," Liu Daifu explained to Gu Dezhao. "Given her frailty, I dare not prescribe strong medicine. If her illness worsens further, I will be powerless... I can only prescribe a recuperative tonic and recommend nourishing, mild foods."
Gu Dezhao fell silent—she was this seriously ill? After thanking Liu Daifu and seeing him out, he stood quietly before Madam Ji for a long time before asking, "You still dislike my taking concubines, don't you..."
Madam Ji closed her eyes and smiled. "Does it matter whether I like it or not?"
"Though Luo Su was brought back by Jinchao, I know it was your doing. I thought you agreed..." Gu Dezhao sighed heavily. "Truthfully, I dislike this trait of yours—saying one thing while meaning another, as if I've wronged you."
With that, he strode out of the inner chamber.
Madam Ji opened her eyes, staring at the direction he had left... When he first took Song Miaohua, she hadn't objected. Later, she even helped him elevate Concubine Du, Concubine Guo, and Concubine Yun without a single complaint. These matters... she understood well—they were never hers to decide. She thought this was what it meant to be virtuous: managing his household, ensuring his lineage flourished, welcoming beautiful companions for him.
What more did he want from her?
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