DBB – Chapter 041: Embracing Simplicity

With her mother’s condition fluctuating, Jinchao became even more vigilant about Ji Shi’s diet.

Every dish prepared in the small kitchen was personally inspected by her. Only meals that were mild and nourishing were sent to Ji Shi.

Concubine Song, now free from attending to Gu Deshao, began spending more time at Ji Shi’s sickbed. Jinchao said nothing about it but privately summoned the maids and older servants from Xiexiao Courtyard, instructing them to report anything Concubine Song said to her mother.

As for the food Concubine Song brought, Xu Mama personally oversaw it to ensure there was no issue.

Jinchao also consulted Physician Liu for medicinal recipes that could be incorporated into meals. Since medicine was often bitter and unpalatable, she prepared medicinal dishes instead, making them easier for her mother to consume. Ji Shi’s appetite improved, and within a few days, her coughing had lessened.

Only then did Jinchao finally allow herself a breath of relief.

However, Xu Mama disliked that she was visiting daily and insisted she rest. “Eldest Miss, you need not worry. I know how to care for Madam.”

Ji Shi, seeing how Jinchao’s once soft, round chin had become noticeably sharper and how her eyes appeared darker from exhaustion, felt a deep pang of sorrow.

Together, mistress and servant forced Jinchao to return to Qingtong Courtyard.

She had no choice but to comply. Once back, she instructed Qingpu to move a reclining imperial concubine chair to the covered corridor so she could sit outside and enjoy the breeze.

By now, the tiny kitten had finally begun walking on its own.

Its basket was also placed beneath the corridor. The little creature circled inside it a few times before wobbling on its short legs toward the railing. Its plump body toppled over, nestling against the sun-warmed lacquered pillar.

Yutong and Yuzhu adored the kitten and had been tending to it daily. Jinchao had hardly paid it any attention.

As she watched, she found it amusing. The kitten, sprawled lazily by the pillar, occasionally licked its own paws before dozing off again.

Yuzhu, seeing this, pulled a dried fish treat from her pouch and teased the kitten with it. The little creature stretched its neck, trying to bite it, but when it failed, it simply gave up and continued napping.

“Miss, look at how lazy it is!” Yuzhu laughed. “You should give it a name. If it gets used to hearing it, maybe it’ll be less sluggish.”

Jinchao smiled. Naming kittens and puppies—wasn’t that something only little girls did?

Then she paused.

She was only fifteen years old.

Leaning forward, she extended her hand to tease the kitten. The little creature immediately rolled over, exposing its belly for a scratch.

Jinchao mused, “Let’s call it Baopu.”¹

Yuzhu tilted her head. “That sounds odd. We usually name cats something simple like ‘Big Yellow’ or ‘Little White’…”

In Laozi’s Dao De Jing, there is a phrase: “See the unadorned, embrace simplicity; lessen selfishness, reduce desires.” (“见素抱朴，少私寡欲“ – Jiàn sù bào pǔ, shǎo sī guǎ yù)

Jinchao reminded herself to remain calm. Her mother’s illness could not be rushed.

Better to be like this kitten—basking in the sun, waiting for someone to feed it.

At that moment, Caifu approached from Sheshou Pavilion, her voice low as she reported,

“Miss, Fifth Madam, Eldest Young Master, and Second Young Master from the ancestral household have arrived. They are in the outer courtyard now.”

Jinchao pondered.

Fifth Madam visiting to check on Mother made sense, but what were her two cousins doing here?

Caifu continued, “Tomorrow is Qingming Festival.² I heard the young masters have come to invite Master Gu to Xicui Mountain for the ancestral tomb-sweeping ceremony.”

It was tradition in the ancestral family to pay respects to their ancestors on the day after Qingming. Though her father had distanced himself from the family over the years, missing the ancestral rites would be seen as defying tradition—an unfilial act.

“Also…” Caifu hesitated before adding, “Fifth Madam’s younger brother, the heir of the Marquis of Changxing, has come with them.”

At the mention of the Heir of Changxing, Jinchao nearly sat upright in alarm.

“He’s here? At a time like this? Why isn’t he at his own home for Qingming?”

Caifu was surprised by her mistress’s strong reaction. “I don’t know. That’s just what the servants in the receiving hall said.”

That little King of Hell had come to her house?!

Ye Xian, in the future, would hold absolute power over the imperial court. He was notorious for his violent, unpredictable nature—killing whomever he pleased without hesitation.

If someone from the Gu family so much as offended him, what was stopping him from wiping them out entirely?

Jinchao pressed her temples.

In her past life, she had never even seen Ye Xian’s face. How had she become entangled with him in this one?

After a moment of thought, she instructed Qingpu to prepare her for a formal meeting.

If Fifth Madam was visiting Ji Shi, it was inevitable that she would have to greet them.

Jinchao personally selected a light blue brocade robe with vine patterns, paired with a plain white embroidered skirt. She wore no makeup, and her hair was adorned with two silver hairpins inlaid with emerald lotus patterns.

The result was strikingly simple.

Jinchao’s delicate beauty was best complemented by vivid colors, but today, she chose restraint.

Qingpu, who had once learned about fashion and aesthetics from her grandmother’s stewardess Song Mama, immediately understood the significance of this choice.³

Though she said nothing, she quietly took note—this Heir of Changxing must be someone worth paying attention to.

After a short while, Moyu arrived to summon Jinchao—not to Xiexiao Courtyard, but to the flower hall in Juyliu Pavilion.

Inside, the table had already been set with tea, melons, and an assortment of refreshments. Fifth Madam Ye Shi was conversing with Concubine Luo, while Concubine Guo and Concubine Du sat nearby.

Gu Deshao, however, was speaking with Gu Jinxiao, the eldest grandson of the ancestral family. Gu Jinxian and Ye Xian were nowhere to be seen.

At the sight of her, Fifth Madam Ye Shi smiled warmly. “Ah, our Chao’er is here! Come, sit with your aunt.”

Jinchao gracefully greeted Ye Shi, then turned to pay respects to her father before acknowledging Gu Jinxiao with a polite, “Eldest Cousin.”

Gu Lan, who was already seated, pulled Jinchao’s hand affectionately. Smiling sweetly, she teased, “Elder Sister, we were just talking about you. Have you been hiding away in your courtyard, being lazy?”

Jinchao’s lips curved slightly.

Sitting so close together, wasn’t Gu Lan uncomfortable?

Feigning the same warmth, she lightly covered Gu Lan’s hand and replied, “Not lazy at all. As Second Sister knows, Mother has been unwell lately, and I’ve been busy caring for her.”

She had arrived late. With Gu Lan’s comment, Ye Shi might assume she had been neglecting her guests.

Still, it was surprising how quickly Gu Lan had managed to get here—Gu Xi and Gu Yi weren’t even present yet.

Fortunately, Ye Shi seemed unconcerned. Instead, she asked about Ji Shi’s health, her tone filled with genuine concern.

“…Your grandmother has been worried since the New Year, always reminding me to visit. When I heard your mother had fallen seriously ill, I hurried to prepare gifts and come as soon as I could. Tell me, has she improved at all?”

Jinchao nodded. “She has been much better lately. She remains lucid throughout the day, and her appetite has also improved.”

Luo Su smiled softly from the side. “It is all thanks to Eldest Miss, who has tirelessly cared for her. Without her devotion, Madam’s condition would not have improved so quickly.”

Gu Lan’s expression stiffened momentarily but recovered quickly. She added smoothly, “Every time I visit Mother, I see Eldest Sister and Concubine Song attending to her. It is truly not an easy task. If I were better at caring for others, I would also wish to serve Mother day and night…”

Fifth Madam, Ye Shi, reassured her, “Your sincerity is enough. That is what truly matters.”

Gu Lan stood up and handed Ye Shi a tray of fresh cherries. “…Fifth Aunt, you must try these. They come from Linggu Temple in Nanjing—they are the juiciest and sweetest of all.”

Ye Shi thanked her and took one. Gu Lan then took the opportunity to sit beside her, casually asking, “I heard that Cousin Jinxian also accompanied you on this trip. But I haven’t seen him—where has he gone?”

Ye Shi chuckled. “He can hardly sit still. He went with his uncle to Ciguang Temple in Shian County to offer incense.”

Jinchao raised an eyebrow in surprise.

Ye Xian, a devotee of Buddhism? That seemed entirely out of character for someone like him.

Before she could ponder further, Gu Lan had already asked, “Does Uncle enjoy Buddhist teachings? I have been reading many scriptures at home lately—perhaps I could learn something from him.”

Ye Shi shook her head, laughing. “…He despises such things. He says one should never believe in ghosts or gods. He even refuses to return home for Qingming Festival to pay respects at the ancestral tombs, no matter how much I scold him. My father will surely reprimand him when he returns. It was actually Gu Jinxian who wanted to visit the temple. He heard that Ciguang Temple keeps a group of monkeys, and he was eager to see them—so he dragged my brother along.”

Jinchao frowned slightly.

Skipping Qingming rites to visit a temple with monkeys? And all his father would do was scold him?

Was the Marquis of Changxing not worried about being censured by the Censorate for failing in his filial duties?

Or was the emperor particularly indulgent toward the Changxing Marquis household?

That heir—Ye Xian—was clearly the most spoiled member of the entire family. No wonder he had grown into an arrogant, lawless man.

Gu Lan stuck out her tongue playfully. “I only read Buddhist scriptures because they bring peace of mind… But does Uncle also like monkeys?”

Ye Shi chuckled. “Oh, not at all. If anything, he prefers creatures with no fur.”

She continued with amusement, “At home, he keeps two large turtles in a celadon fish tank, along with a school of koi. If I hadn’t stopped him, he would have brought home a few bamboo pit vipers from the market.”

Gu Lan tilted her head in confusion. “Bamboo pit viper… isn’t that a kind of tea?”

Ye Shi found her puzzled expression endearing and burst into laughter. “Not tea—green venomous snakes!”

Laughter rippled through the room.

Jinchao, however, glanced at Gu Lan deliberately.

She had dressed meticulously today—a goose-yellow silk blouse with a persimmon-stem pattern, layered over a pleated skirt in various shades of green, its flowing fabric rippling like water in the breeze. Her hair was adorned with an ornate gold and silver hairpin, and her earlobes carried delicate jade rabbit earrings.

She had put a great deal of effort into her appearance.

Jinchao’s lips curled into a subtle smile.

If things were as she suspected, then this was about to get very interesting.

Ye Shi continued, mentioning Ye Xian’s turtles, “…He bought them from a street vendor. One of them even had characters carved into its shell. That became his favorite. He searched through all of his grandfather’s books to decipher the inscription. And whenever he took a walk by the river, the turtle would follow him slowly along the bank. We all found it quite amusing…”

Everyone laughed again, but Jinchao remained thoughtful.

So, that cunning, ruthless court official had once been a boy who raised turtles?

Perhaps he wasn’t always the terrifying figure he became.

Right now, Ye Xian was only sixteen. His family remained powerful and unshaken. The chaos of the future had not yet arrived.

At this point in time, he had not yet become a monster.

1. “Baopu” (抱朴) is a classical Daoist concept meaning “to embrace simplicity” or “to preserve one’s uncarved nature.” The character 抱 (bào) means “to hold” or “to embrace,” while 朴 (pǔ) refers to raw, unrefined wood—symbolizing authenticity, purity, and a state untouched by artifice. In Daoist thought, it represents a return to one’s natural essence, free from vanity, ambition, or worldly desires. This Daoist ideal is later invoked by Jinchao when she recalls the phrase “Jiàn sù bào pǔ, shǎo sī guǎ yù”—“See the unadorned, embrace simplicity; lessen selfishness, reduce desires.” By naming the kitten Baopu, we understand that Jinchao expresses her yearning for inner peace and balance—an echo of the Daoist ideal of living in quiet harmony with the world. ↩︎
2. Qingming Festival, also known as “Tomb-Sweeping Day,” is a traditional Chinese festival. Families visit the graves of their ancestors to clean the tombstones, make offerings, and pay respects. It is also a time to enjoy the beauty of spring, with customs such as kite flying and picnicking. In noble families like the Gu household, Qingming is a solemn occasion that reinforces filial piety and ancestral reverence. ↩︎
3. Translator’s Note – Jinchao’s Attire:
   Jinchao’s choice of a pale, understated outfit is not accidental, but intentional—a deliberate act of restraint. She avoids drawing attention, not out of insecurity, but as a conscious expression of self-control and prudence. In the context of noble etiquette, such simplicity signals modesty, composure, and social intelligence. She presents herself as quiet and reserved, not as someone seeking attention or favor. Rather than relying on vivid colors or ornamentation, she chooses to remain poised and inconspicuous in the presence of a powerful and unpredictable guest. This subtle decision reflects her growing maturity and her ability to navigate the complexities of aristocratic life with quiet strength. At this moment, Jinchao is protecting herself—but she is also watching.. ↩︎