DBB – Chapter 26: Discussion
Everyone in the Ji family knew that Old Madam Ji doted on her.
When she was young, she once played in her second cousin’s study and took a liking to his favorite Duan inkstone1. She insisted on taking it home, but despite always indulging her, this time, her second cousin refused to part with it. She immediately turned to Old Madam Ji , who, without hesitation, ordered the inkstone to be sent to her study. Not only that, but she also had the servants fetch two fine inkstones from the storeroom and send them to her second cousin as compensation.
That inkstone had been a gift from his childhood tutor, and he had treasured it dearly. That day, he stood alone in his study, gazing at a cluster of emerald bamboo in silence for a long time.
As for Jinchao, she hadn’t even liked the inkstone all that much—only the carved sika deer on its surface had caught her fancy. After playing with it for a few days, she discarded it in a corner of her study, where it eventually grew moldy and was never seen again.
From that incident onward, the servants and maids in the Ji household all understood one thing: if even the legitimate son of the Ji family could not refuse Gu Jinchao, who else in the entire household could rival the favor she held with the Grand Madam? This indulgence had spoiled her to no small extent.
After touring Xidongpan, a large crowd accompanied Old Madam Ji to Shexian Pavilion in the outer courtyard. This was where she received the managers of various family businesses and estates. By the time they arrived, Jinchao’s uncles had already been waiting.
The Ji family had only one legitimate son and one concubine-born son. Jinchao also had two aunts who had long been married off, their husbands’ families located far away, making it difficult for them to return to Yanjing frequently.
Her eldest uncle and aunt had one son. A concubine-born eldest son had died young, leaving the legitimate son, Ji Yao, as her second cousin, while the concubine-born third cousin, Ji Yun, had an already married half-sister. Her second uncle and aunt had a fourth cousin, Ji Can, and two concubine-born daughters who had yet to marry. Aunt Yun, a concubine, had no children and held little status within the household.
At this moment, Jinchao took out the gifts she had brought. There were presents for each household, a longevity lock of gold for her eldest nephew, and a lacquered candy box for her grandmother.
Upon seeing the multiple boxes of sweets, her grandmother chuckled, “So you still remember that I eat candy? You brought so much, but I’m too old to eat it all.”
Jinchao grinned and took her grandmother’s arm. “How could you be old? Your hair is still jet black, and you look far more energetic than I do!”
Gu Jinrong also stepped forward to pay respects to his two uncles and cousins.
Ji Yao, the legitimate eldest son of the Ji family, wore a robe of fine white linen and had a jade xiao pin securing his hair. With his handsome features and tall stature, he carried an air of scholarly grace.
Old Madam Ji spoke to Jinchao about Ji Yao. “He’s learning household management from me now and is picking it up quickly. That restaurant in Baodi is under his care, and business is thriving. He’s even come up with a few signature dishes. If you’d like to try them, he can take you there.”
Ji Yao smiled faintly and cupped his hands in greeting. “It has been a long time, Cousin.”
Jinchao returned his smile but was inwardly surprised. In her memory, her second cousin had always been fond of books, not business. He carried the cultured, unhurried air of a scholar. But as the legitimate eldest son of the Ji family, he had little choice in determining his own path.
Her eldest uncle was a tall, steady man in his forties. He inquired about Gu Jinrong’s studies.
Gu Jinrong replied, “I am not studying at the Imperial Academy but rather learning under Master Zhou in Qifang Hutong. I have completed The Great Learning and The Doctrine of the Mean and am currently studying The Analects.”
When speaking of academic pursuits, Gu Jinrong became notably more serious. His eldest uncle had once passed the provincial exams, and in three years, Jinrong himself would be taking the autumn imperial examination. However, he was not confident about his prospects.
His uncle nodded. “You are still young. Failing once is no great matter. Your third cousin, however, is an hereditary scholar at the Imperial Academy…”
His aunt interjected with a smile, “He is now a Juren2 scholar!”
That meant he had passed the provincial exams!
Jinchao was delighted. She had only vaguely remembered that Ji Yun had once obtained the Juren title and later participated in the palace examination, though he had not been selected as a Hanlin scholar. She hadn’t recalled exactly when it had happened—she hadn’t expected it to be so soon.
Ji Yun himself only smiled lightly. He had always been composed and reserved.
Gu Jinrong offered his congratulations. “I hadn’t heard about this! Becoming a Juren at such a young age is truly an impressive feat.”
Having studied himself, he knew how difficult it was to pass the exams, let alone at Ji Yun’s age—not even twenty yet.
Ji Can, the fourth cousin, grinned. “I have no hopes of passing the provincial exams, so all the scholarly expectations in the family rest on Third Brother. Most people would be celebrating such an achievement, but Third Brother is strange—he hasn’t even stepped outside since passing.”
Jinchao shared in their happiness. Even if her third cousin never advanced to the Jinshi level, having another Juren in the family was still a great honor. She turned to her grandmother and asked, “Why didn’t you send me a letter about this?”
Her grandmother smiled. “The results just came out this autumn. I had planned to tell you after the New Year…”
Old Madam Ji was also pleased. It had been many years since the Ji family had produced a promising scholar. If Ji Yun could pass the metropolitan exams and participate in the palace examination, securing the Jinshi title, the Ji family’s prestige would reach unprecedented heights.
Gu Jinrong now looked at Ji Yun with admiration and asked, “May I come to discuss essay composition with you in the future?”
Ji Yun nodded. “You are always welcome.”
After their meeting at Shexian Pavilion, Gu Jinrong followed Ji Yun and Ji Can to the study to discuss scholarly matters. Jinchao was pleased that he was interacting more with the Ji family—it was certainly better than being around Gu Lan.
Old Madam Ji returned to Xidongpan with Jinchao.
Her grandmother was deeply concerned about her mother’s illness, but the Ji family’s affairs kept her occupied. She had only been able to visit once, six months ago.
Jinchao reassured her that everything was fine, though she dared not mention her mother’s recent relapse, fearing it would worry her grandmother.
Old Madam Ji held her hand and sighed, “Chao’er, I haven’t seen you in half a year, but you seem to have matured a great deal…”
A pang of sorrow filled her heart. If nothing external had forced her to change, how could Gu Jinchao have suddenly become more sensible? She assumed it was because of Madam Gu’s illness that Jinchao had grown sorrowful.
Jinchao knew what her grandmother was thinking, but inwardly, she felt a bitter irony. If her mother’s illness had truly made her realize things sooner, then perhaps it would have been for the best.
Gu Jinchao naturally understood what her grandmother was thinking, but in her heart, she felt a touch of self-mockery. If only her mother’s illness had truly awakened her back then.
Although her grandmother had a stern countenance, she treated Jinchao with exceptional warmth. Her affection was pure, without ulterior motives, never questioning or demanding anything in return.
Such unconditional love—whether in her past life or this one—Jinchao had only ever received from this one grandmother.
Just then, Mama Song brought over a plate of lotus root starch cakes, one of Jinchao’s favorites. Seeing Old Madam Ji holding Jinchao’s hand by the stove, she chuckled, “The young mistress should visit more often. Every time you return, the Grand Madam smiles much more.”
Mama Song had once been Old Madam Ji’s personal maid, accompanying her as part of her dowry. She had served her for over fifty years and was one of the most trusted people in the household.
Old Madam Ji also laughed and said, “You don’t come back often enough! Not long ago, I had a pond of water lotuses grown just for you. I thought you’d come here to escape the summer heat, but who knew? By the time the flowers bloomed and withered, their leaves had already wilted, yet you still hadn’t returned.”
Jinchao loved admiring lotuses, particularly those in soft shades of violet and orange-yellow.
She could only offer a helpless smile—she hadn’t even known that her grandmother had cultivated lotuses just for her.
But this time, her visit was not merely to see her grandmother. She also needed to gather information about that so-called niece of Yun Yiniang.
Jinchao asked about Concubine Yun.
Old Madam Ji furrowed her brows and said, “Your second uncle’s concubine… I never paid her much attention. Last year, your second uncle took in Wan Yun, a maid who had served your second aunt, and ever since then, the concubines in that household have kept a low profile. Why are you suddenly asking about her?”
Jinchao’s expression remained calm. “Mother is unwell, and Concubine Guo and Concubine Du have long since lost their youthful charm. Right now, Concubine Song is the only one serving Father. Besides tending to him, she also has to care for Mother’s illness and manage the inner household. I fear she is overburdened, so I was thinking of finding Father another concubine to share the responsibilities.”
Old Madam Ji’s grip on Jinchao’s hand tightened, and her expression grew solemn.
“…Such an important matter, and you only now decide to plan for it? Why wasn’t this arranged sooner?”
Jinchao merely smiled. “Mother had never agreed to it before… We haven’t even spoken to Father yet. We thought it best to find someone suitable first before bringing up the matter.”
Her grandmother studied her for a long moment. Jinchao offered no further explanation. There was no need—her grandmother was shrewd enough to understand her true intentions.
Her father, as a Langzhong in the Ministry of Revenue, oversaw military provisions, tax collections, salaries, and grain storage. His superior, Vice Minister Lin Xianzhong, was also his mentor. Over the years, Lin Xianzhong had gained increasing favor with the emperor and had close ties with Fan Chuan, a Grand Secretary of the Inner Cabinet. Now was precisely the moment when Lin Xianzhong was poised for promotion. If that happened, her father would undoubtedly reap significant benefits as well.
At such a critical juncture, her father would not take a concubine lightly.
However, if he didn’t take in another concubine, Concubine Song, enjoying his favor, would inevitably conceive a son. In her previous life, half a year after her mother’s passing, Concubine Song had given birth to a child and was then elevated to the status of principal wife. But that child had been born over a month prematurely—by calculating backward, if her father didn’t take another concubine soon, Concubine Song would conceive in about half a month. And when that happened, who would be able to stop her from becoming the furen3 of the Gu family?
This could not be delayed any longer. The matter had to be settled within the next half-month.
Her grandmother pondered for a long time. Finally, after seeming to come to a decision, she asked, “If you simply want a well-behaved, clean girl, I have plenty of suitable maids here. Why specifically ask about Yun Yiniang?”
Old Madam Ji had indeed grasped Jinchao’s intentions. She understood exactly what kind of woman Jinchao wanted for her father.
Jinchao smiled faintly. If anyone else had heard her say such things, they would surely look at her with strange eyes. But her grandmother never would.
- The Duan inkstone is one of China’s Four Famous Inkstones, prized for its smooth texture and ability to retain moisture, making it ideal for grinding ink. Originating from Duanxi, Zhaoqing, these inkstones were symbols of scholarly status and often featured intricate carvings. ↩︎
- Juren (举人) refers to a scholar who has successfully passed the provincial examination (乡试, Xiangshi), the second level in the imperial examination system. This title granted eligibility for government positions and allowed candidates to compete in the metropolitan examination (会试, Huishi) for the prestigious Jinshi (进士) title. Being a Juren was a significant academic and social achievement, often bringing prestige to one’s family. ↩︎
- Furen was an honorific title used for the official wife of a high-ranking official, nobleman, or scholar in imperial China. As the primary wife (zhengshi), a furen held the highest status among the women in the household, overseeing family affairs and managing concubines. Unlike concubines, who had limited authority, a furen enjoyed legal recognition and her children were considered the principal heirs. If a concubine was elevated to furen, it signified a major shift in household power, granting her authority over the family’s inner court. ↩︎