Chapter 42: Cat Injury
After lunch in the banquet and rest area, Fifth Aunt and several concubines went to Madam Ji's quarters.
Father, on the other hand, was thoroughly engrossed in conversation with Gu Jin Xiao. Though Gu Jin Xiao was a Confucian scholar, he also had a keen interest in Daoist studies. Father, rarely encountering someone who shared his passion, insisted on taking him back to the study to delve into Daoist classics together.
In Jinchao's memories from her past life, her family had little contact with their ancestral relatives. The few interactions they had occurred only after she married Third Master Chen. Jinchao only recalled that Gu Jin Xiao, obsessed with Daoist studies, didn’t pass the imperial examinations until he was thirty-four. After securing a minor official post, he made no further advancements.
In contrast, Gu Jinxian chose the same path as Father.
Back then, after Emperor Muzong passed away, forces like Marquis Changxing were suppressed, and many civil officials connected to them were either exiled or demoted. To protect themselves, the Gu ancestral family severed ties with the Marquis Changxing household. As a result, Fifth Aunt was subjected to constant disdain within the family and eventually took her own life by poison, unable to endure the humiliation. Gu Jinxian then left the family independently, colluding with Ye Xian to disrupt the court. Later, he rose to become Minister of Justice, holding a prestigious second-rank position.
If the later Ye Xian was a wolf, then Gu Jinxian was his sharp claw.
After Gu Jinxian's rise to power, the Gu ancestral family lived in constant fear, terrified he would seek vengeance for his mother. The elderly Second Master Gu had to be supported by others as he tremblingly visited Gu Jinxian’s residence to beg for forgiveness.
Lost in thoughts of her past life, Jinchao slowly made her way back to her courtyard. Before she could reach the steps, she spotted two figures standing at her door.
It was Gu Jinxian and Ye Xian!
Gu Jinxian wore a sapphire-blue Straight Robe but, like a conventional scholar, sported a comical-looking six-panel Melon-rind Cap. Ye Xian, dressed in an ivory-white wide-sleeved robe with embroidered borders, had his sleeves and flowing ribbons fluttering gracefully. His delicate features and jade-like complexion gave him an ethereal, almost transcendent aura.
His demeanor may have been that of an exiled immortal, but his heart was full of mischief.
Weren’t these two supposed to be at Ciguang Temple watching monkeys? What were they doing here? Jinchao couldn’t help but grumble inwardly.
"Cousin, you're back!" Gu Jinxian quickly stepped forward, greeting her with an overly enthusiastic smile. "We’ve been waiting here for you for half an hour."
Jinchao smiled back, though slightly taken aback by his fervor. "Weren’t you heading to Shian County, Second Cousin? What brings you here?"
"Don’t even mention it! I dragged Uncle to see the monkeys, but Ciguang Temple is perched on a mountaintop with endless steps. Halfway up, Uncle complained of exhaustion and insisted on turning back—we didn’t even catch a glimpse of a single monkey hair!"
Ye Xian, hands clasped behind his back, walked over leisurely and remarked softly, "If it weren’t for me, you would’ve turned back at the foot of the mountain."
Unfazed by Ye Xian’s teasing, Gu Jinxian continued, "Then we went to Shian County to watch cockfights… and now we haven’t eaten anything all day!"
Jinchao had no choice but to invite them in, instructing Qingpu to ask the kitchen staff to prepare dishes for these two troublemakers. The two sat on stone stools beneath the grapevines, eyeing Jinchao’s courtyard with curiosity. "This doesn’t match Cousin’s personality at all—it looks more like a hermit’s retreat."
Ye Xian didn’t even glance at Jinchao, quietly sipping his tea.
Jinchao first had the maids bring out two plates of Salty Crust Cakes and honey cakes, along with a platter of assorted fruits.Gu Jinxian appeared quite enthusiastic, but Jinchao couldn't help recalling how he had stood with his hands behind his back in Third Master Chen's study in her past life, his face dark and gloomy. She sighed inwardly, wondering if he would eventually become like that again...
She asked Gu Jinxian, "Did you come just to ask for some food?"
Gu Jinxian shook his head. "Cousin, have you forgotten? I told you I wanted to learn how to cultivate orchids from you."
Jinchao smiled wryly. The pastimes she had used to while away the hours in the side courtyard in her past life now seemed unexpectedly useful. No wonder Gu Jinxian was so friendly toward her—it was all thanks to the orchids.
Ye Xian, however, asked her, "What kind of tea is this?"
Jinchao replied, "It's last year's Ten Thousand Springs Silver Leaf."
He nodded. "No wonder it tastes slightly astringent..." Fresh tea is always better.
Who would criticize the tea while being a guest in someone else's home? This Ten Thousand Springs Silver Leaf could be stored for years without issue! This young master truly had an eccentric temperament. Jinchao thought to herself, though outwardly she maintained a gentle tone. "Our humble household doesn't have fine tea to offer. Please forgive us, Young Master."
Ye Xian glanced at her and said softly, "Don't be upset. I wasn't referring to you." After a pause, he added, "You forgot—you should call me Uncle."
He was remarkably perceptive of others' feelings.
Jinchao didn't know how to respond.
Gu Jinxian interjected, "Cousin, don't take it to heart. My uncle is very casual in his manner, so don't dwell on his words. I'd love to see the orchids you've cultivated—where are they?" His expression was eager.
Jinchao replied, "They're in the greenhouse. I was planning to show you after the meal. They're not rare varieties, so don't be disappointed..."
"Why wait until after eating? The flowers are more important!" Gu Jinxian urged impatiently.
Unable to resist his enthusiasm, Jinchao turned to Ye Xian. "Would... Uncle like to join us?"
Ye Xian lifted his head, his dark eyes meeting hers with little interest. "I'm not particularly fond of such things. I'd rather rest for now..." He leaned lazily against a stone pillar, his pale fingers plucking at the fruits as elegantly as if playing a zither, selecting a cherry and popping it into his mouth.
Since he wasn't interested, Jinchao didn't press further and led Gu Jinxian to the greenhouse behind the inner chambers.
The greenhouse was a riot of blossoms. Jinchao preferred camellias over orchids, so about seventy to eighty percent of the flowers were camellias of various colors, all in full bloom. The orchids were arranged on a separate shelf—mostly common varieties like spring orchids, Jianlan, and Huilan. The Lotus Petal Green Cloud was blooming beautifully, while the Yu Butterfly filled the room with its delicate fragrance.
Gu Jinxian marveled. "Though they're common varieties, it's rare to see them bloom so splendidly. Besides, the Lotus Petal Green Cloud's flowering season is nearly over—how is it still so lush?"
Jinchao had developed her gardening skills through trial and error, merely as a way to pass the time, so she didn't mind sharing her methods with Gu Jinxian.
"Pinch off some of the earliest buds when they appear, and keep the plant in a cool, shaded spot when the weather warms up. That delays the flowering period."
Gu Jinxian asked many more questions, thirsting for knowledge. He also admired Jinchao's camellias and was about to ask if he could take a couple when a sharp meow rang out from outside!
It was Baopu's voice!Jinchao glanced at Gu Jinxian, and the two immediately stepped out. Under the corridor, Caifu, Baiyun, Yuzhu, and Yutong were standing nearby. Ye Xian was half-crouching, while Baopu had darted behind a pillar in fright, eyeing them warily.
Jinchao noticed a drop of blood welling up from the web of Ye Xian’s hand and frowned. She turned to Caifu and said, “Quickly fetch some medicine and bandages.” Then she asked Baiyun, “What happened here?”
Baiyun was so anxious she nearly choked up. The young master who had been scratched was none other than the heir of Marquis Changxing! What could little maids like Yuzhu and Yutong possibly do in such a situation? It would inevitably fall on her to take the blame. “I… I don’t know either. At the time, I was pruning the Haitang flowers…”
Jinchao looked at Yuzhu—the cat had always been under her care.
Yuzhu was also aggrieved. “The young master said we didn’t need to attend to him and told us to play cat’s cradle to the side… So… so Yutong and I played cat’s cradle and didn’t see the young master get scratched by Baopu…”
Jinchao saw the loop of colorful string still clutched in their hands.
“Don’t ask them. I’ll tell you what happened,” Ye Xian said as he stood up. He took the bandage Caifu handed him, wiped the blood, and casually tossed it back to her. “I saw your cat sleeping under the eaves and was merely curious to tease it. Didn’t expect it to have such a fiery temper.”
Yuzhu quickly shook her head. “Miss, you know how small Baopu is. It wouldn’t hurt anyone…”
Jinchao silenced her with a low rebuke. “Don’t speak yet!” She walked toward the wary Baopu, who shrank further behind the pillar. But Jinchao swiftly scooped it up by its ribs and noticed blood seeping from between its front paws, staining its fur red.
She carefully lifted Baopu’s injured paw, and the cat let out a pained mewl, instinctively swiping at Jinchao. However, its claws were too stiff from the injury to scratch her. Caifu immediately brought over Baopu’s sewing basket, and Jinchao placed the cat inside.
Jinchao was angry. Even if Baopu had scratched him, it was just a kitten—why did he have to hurt it? She steadied herself and asked Ye Xian softly, “Baopu’s injury… what does the young master have to say about it?”
His dark eyes met hers as he explained, “It hurt me. I merely wanted to discipline it.”
Gu Jinxian sensed trouble. His uncle never believed he was in the wrong, but this was Gu Jinzhao’s kitten! Couldn’t he have considered that? Now, even if he wanted to ask Jinchao for flowers, he wouldn’t dare. “Uncle, that cat has always been aloof. Why bother with an animal? Perhaps you should…” He could only shoot Ye Xian meaningful glances—as a junior, he couldn’t outright suggest that an elder apologize. That would be far too presumptuous.
Ye Xian slowly tucked his injured hand into his sleeve. “It’s just a cat. Tomorrow, I’ll buy you ten or eight purebred Persian cats…” He paused, then added, “Though keeping such pets isn’t advisable.”
Though furious, Jinchao knew better than to offend Ye Xian. She replied evenly, “Doesn’t the young master keep pets at home as well?”
Ye Xian shook his head. “It’s different. The things I raise live their own lives. Cats and dogs are different—they form attachments to their owners… Why would you want an animal to like you?”
What kind of talk was this!
Gu Jinxian tugged at Ye Xian’s sleeve, trying to make him stop.Jinchao smiled faintly: "All things possess spirit. Cousin, please have your meal with Second Elder Brother first. I must visit Mother once more, so I'll take my leave now." She then instructed Baiyun and Yuzhu to take Baopu for treatment, while she went to Xiexiao Courtyard with Yutong, leaving Caifu to attend to the two gentlemen.
Ye Xian watched her depart, his lips parting slightly as if he wanted to say something, but no words came out.
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