Liang Chen Mei Jin

Chapter 61: Secret Words

Ziling looked at Caifu with a calm expression, yet her eyes held a hint of resolve.

"Miss Caifu, over these years, the Second Miss has done many things to wrong the Eldest Miss... and I, for the most part, was involved in them. Who would have thought that at this critical moment, it would still be you all who came to see me." She smiled self-deprecatingly. "I suppose my bond with the Second Miss as mistress and servant has come to an end. Let me do one last good deed—you must tell the Eldest Miss never to concern herself with Chen Xuanqing again. Chen Xuanqing never liked the Eldest Miss; everything the Second Miss said was a lie to deceive her..."

Caifu sighed. It was rare for Ziling to be willing to speak so openly. However, the matter of Chen Xuanqing hadn’t been mentioned by the Eldest Miss in a long time. The Eldest Miss was no longer the same person she once was, and her priorities had changed.

Outside, the men who had drunk their fill of water came back, slapping the door of the main room and shouting boisterously. Baiyun saw a burly man in his forties, dressed in a russet-red Hang silk robe, strutting proudly toward the main room. His slightly narrowed eyes filled Baiyun with disgust.

She couldn’t help but sigh, "What a pity for Miss Ziling... to be married to such a man!"

The clamor outside grew louder. Ziling walked to the lattice window and glanced out, her face turning pale. She pressed her lips together, her eyes darting around before she suddenly turned to Caifu and said, "One last thing—Concubine Song and the Second Miss want the Madam dead! You must relay this to the Eldest Miss."

Caifu was so startled she nearly jumped from her stool. "Miss Ziling, what did you say?"

Ziling shook her head, a faint smile curling at the corners of her lips. The door was being pounded relentlessly, the noise growing increasingly violent. Two maids tried to stop the commotion, but it was useless. The middle-aged man bellowed in a rough voice, "What’s there to be shy about? You’ll be mine sooner or later—open the damn door!"

Baiyun was about to pull Ziling aside to ask what she had meant by her last words, but the door was forced open by the crowd. The two maids quickly stepped in to shield Ziling, forcing smiles as they said, "You see, this isn’t proper—after all, the wedding ceremony hasn’t..."

But the man paid no heed. He grabbed Ziling and tried to drag her away. Ziling merely sneered, refusing to look at them again.

Caifu held Baiyun back as she tried to step forward and question Ziling, shaking her head gently. "...She won’t say any more."

By the time the two returned to Paulownia Courtyard, Jinchao was practicing calligraphy in the study. Caifu recounted everything—the house in Chenhuai Lane, Ziling’s words—without omitting a single detail. Jinchao listened quietly, deep in thought.

She hadn’t expected Ziling to reveal such things to Caifu and the others.

As for Chen Xuanqing, there was no need to dwell on it. If she were still foolish enough to harbor feelings for him in this life, she truly would be pitiable.

But what had Ziling meant by her final words?

Jinchao was well aware that Song Miaohua and Gu Lan were at odds with them, but she hadn’t realized they had escalated to the point of wanting her mother dead! What had driven them to such extremes? This wasn’t as simple as beating a maid to death!

Jinchao considered several possibilities. Even if Concubine Song resented her mother deeply, she wouldn’t go so far as to wish her dead—unless her mother’s existence threatened what she valued most. And what could that be, if not Gu Lan?In her previous life, Concubine Song had been pregnant, which was why she was easily elevated to the main wife just half a year after her mother's death. But now, Concubine Song showed no signs of pregnancy, and her father hadn’t seen her for over a month due to Gu Lan’s affairs. It would be difficult for her to conceive under these circumstances. The likelihood of her being elevated after her mother’s death was almost impossible. Instead, her father might remarry, leaving Concubine Song worse off than before.

If not for securing Gu Lan’s status as a legitimate daughter…

Jinchao suddenly recalled the deep disgust and disdain on Gu Lan’s face when she mentioned the eldest son of the Mu family. She also remembered the words Gu Lan had spoken to her that night… Gu Lan believed that marrying Mu Zhizhai would ruin her life, and thus harbored an intense hatred toward Jinchao.

An absurd thought suddenly crossed Jinchao’s mind. She herself found it impossible, but as she picked up her teacup and took a sip, she realized the tea had long gone cold. Setting the cup down, she paced slowly around the study.

Baiyun and Caifu stood nearby, exchanging puzzled glances. They had no idea what Gu Jinzhao was thinking and dared not interrupt the Eldest Miss’s train of thought.

The more Jinchao pondered, the more plausible it seemed! Though the idea was utterly absurd, it was exactly the kind of thing Gu Lan would do!

She stopped in her tracks and muttered to herself before lifting her gaze to the window, where the sunlight was blazing.

This must be it! Gu Lan didn’t want to marry Mu Zhizhai, so she wished for her mother’s death. If her mother died, she could use it as an excuse to avoid marriage. In mourning for a parent, one must observe three years of filial piety, with the first year being unsuitable for weddings. Gu Lan would surely seize this pretext to refuse marrying Mu Zhizhai!

Though it was merely her speculation, it was the most plausible explanation!

Seeing the Eldest Miss frowning in silence, Caifu glanced at the cold tea and quietly took the cup out to replace it.

"Miss, I’ve brewed some apricot tea for you," Caifu said as she placed the cup on the desk.

Jinchao stared at the light brown tea, her fingers tapping lightly on the desk.

The reason why Gu Lan and Concubine Song wanted her mother dead was secondary. The most pressing question was… what exactly were they planning?

Jinchao asked Caifu, "Has Ziling already left Shuntian Prefecture by now?"

Caifu replied, "Judging by the travel time, she should have left by now. If you wish to question her further, we could send someone on horseback to catch up…"

Jinchao shook her head. "There are three main post roads to Baoding Prefecture, not to mention shortcuts. It would be difficult to find them…"

Besides, even if they found Ziling, she likely wouldn’t speak anymore.

Baiyun hesitated before speaking softly, "I think we shouldn’t take Ziling’s words entirely at face value. After all, she was just a maid and had already lost Second Miss’s trust. If Second Miss and Concubine Song truly harbored such intentions, how could they have let her overhear…"

Jinchao sighed. "That’s precisely why it’s credible. If Ziling were still Gu Lan’s loyal servant, I wouldn’t dare believe her words." Ziling had never been particularly clever—it was her loyalty that had kept her by Gu Lan’s side for so long. Perhaps she had overheard Gu Lan and Concubine Song discussing this very matter, which was why they wanted to marry her off to Baoding, ensuring she could never return to Yanjing…

After a moment’s thought, Jinchao instructed Caifu to summon Yuzhu. Xiuqu’s injuries had mostly healed, and the young girl was now full of energy again.She entered and first performed a courtesy. Jinchao then asked about Xiuqu's injuries. Yuzhu nodded, "These days she's been eating and drinking well, and her wounds have all healed. Though her spirits aren't fully recovered, she's out of danger."

Tilting her head in thought, Yuzhu then leaned in closer to Jinchao with a smile, "Miss, I've been with her every day, always telling her how good you are. Why don't we keep her? She doesn't seem foolish to me, and she's loyal and honest... she could definitely be of help!"

Jinchao smiled, "Let's see if she's willing." Changing the subject from Xiuqu, she spoke to Yuzhu about Concubine Song, "...Tomorrow, take Yutong with you and frequent the Waterside Pavilion. Observe if there's anything unusual about their comings and goings. Be careful not to be discovered." Yuzhu and Yutong, being petite, could easily hide among the lush greenery without being noticed.

Yuzhu's eyes darted around as she whispered to Jinchao, "Miss, what exactly should I be watching for? Are they up to no good lately?"

Baiyun patted her head with a laugh, "Just do as the miss says and keep watch. No need for so many questions!"

Rubbing her head, Yuzhu huffed, "...If Baiyun keeps hitting me, my brain won't work right, and I won't be able to help the miss!"

Everyone laughed, and Baiyun blushed as she glared at Yuzhu.

Yet, Jinchao felt a heaviness in her heart. Though she knew Concubine Song and Gu Lan harbored murderous intentions toward her mother, she couldn't be sure what they were planning. Having Yuzhu watch the Waterside Pavilion would give her some warning if they truly intended to act.

After a while, Mama Tong arrived, leading Luo Yongping and another elderly man dressed in a blue Daoist robe.

Jinchao received them in the flower hall.

The third day of the fifth month marked her father's thirty-eighth birthday. Though not a major milestone, the household would still host a banquet, inviting his colleagues and close friends for a celebration. Jinchao wanted to prepare a birthday gift for her father and had summoned Luo Yongping to discuss it.

Luo Yongping first clasped his hands in salute to Jinchao and introduced the elderly man beside him, "...This is the accountant I hired, named Cao Ziheng."

Jinchao nodded with a smile. This Cao Ziheng was the impoverished scholar Mama Tong had mentioned, a distant relative of the Cao family from Huai Xiang Alley. Mama Tong had said he was only in his fifties, but to Jinchao, the man appeared with a head full of white hair, looking well over sixty.

Cao Ziheng clasped his hands in salute to Jinchao, "Thanks to Manager Luo for giving me a meal, or this old man would have starved on the streets..."

Luo Yongping chuckled, "Mr. Cao is a man of untapped talent. As for the birthday gift, I'm not well-read, so I thought to bring Mr. Cao along to advise the Eldest Miss, as he has more knowledge."

Jinchao then said, "No need for formalities, sir. I was thinking that since my father enjoys pines and cypresses, perhaps we could find an ancient painting of them as his gift. Do you have any suggestions, sir?" Mama Tong had spoken of Cao Ziheng, saying his talents had been hindered by the Eight-legged essay, but that he was a man of considerable learning. Jinchao already had a few renowned painters of pines in mind and wondered what Cao Ziheng would propose.

After a moment's thought, Cao Ziheng clasped his hands and said, "Among the masters of painting pines, this old man considers Li Xian Xi, Ma Qin Shan, and Cao You Xuan to be the finest, with Cao You Xuan's pines and cypresses being the most vigorous."Jinchao felt rather puzzled: "Why doesn't the old gentleman think Wu Zhonggui's pine paintings are good? His skill in this area is quite remarkable."

Cao Ziheng smiled: "Since this is for Physician Gu's birthday celebration, Cao Youxuan's work would naturally be more suitable. The Eldest Miss might not be familiar with these matters. Wu Zhonggui's pines are too gaunt and withered. The man himself is too aloof and solitary, a recluse living in idle retirement - truly not quite appropriate."

Jinchao immediately laughed. This Master Cao spoke his mind bluntly - had he encountered someone more particular, they would surely have argued with him. He'd probably suffered quite a few setbacks because of this. She glanced at Cao Ziheng's shoes - a pair of black cloth shoes, worn but immaculately clean.

"Then I'll trouble you to select a pine and cypress painting for me," Jinchao said to him more courteously. Cao Ziheng bowed solemnly before following Luo Yongping out. Turning to Mama Tong, Jinchao said, "Cao Ziheng is usable. Inform Manager Luo privately to increase his silver allowance."

Scholars prized their dignity - favors had to be bestowed without fanfare.