DBB – Chapter 6: Concealment
As Gu Jinchao stepped out of the room, she saw Gu Lan standing under the plum tree in the courtyard, her maid, Ziling, carefully picking a few red blossoms from the branches.
Seeing Jinchao emerge, Gu Lan approached with a warm smile. ”The plum blossoms in Mother’s courtyard are always the best. I thought I’d take a few to place in a vase. I haven’t visited you since you fell ill—I’ve been occupied with embroidery lessons. I feel terribly guilty, so I must invite you to my courtyard for some pastries to make up for it.”
Jinchao’s expression remained calm as she replied, “It’s nothing. Your concern is enough.”
Gu Lan pressed her lips together slightly, but soon, her bright smile returned.
Cui Xuan Courtyard was quite a distance from Qingtong Courtyard, with Tongruo Pavilion—where two of the concubines resided—situated nearby. They passed by a lake, crossed a stone path lined with lush bamboo and various flowering plants, before finally arriving. The courtyard was structured with three main rooms and five interconnected wings. The side rooms were on the east and west, with additional smaller rooms in the rear. One corner of the courtyard was filled with year-round begonias, while another had a trellis supporting delicate honeysuckle vines.
After they settled inside, Ziling brought out a plate of fen’guo—four translucent, flower-shaped pastries placed neatly on a white porcelain dish painted with soft red peonies. The fillings inside were visible—made of rattan honeydew, bamboo shoots, and other delicacies. Alongside them were golden biscuits and pear-flavored sugar crisps.
Gu Lan personally placed silver chopsticks and a blue-and-white porcelain bowl in front of Jinchao, then turned to Ziling. ”I have some private matters to discuss with my sister. Leave us for now and close the door.”
Once the maids had withdrawn, Gu Lan’s usual cheerful expression softened into one of concern. ”You’ve seemed preoccupied lately, not as lighthearted as usual. If something is troubling you, why not share it with me?”
Jinchao arched a brow slightly.
She used to believe Gu Lan was her dearest sister, someone she could confide in about anything. In fact, Gu Lan knew more about her love for Chen Xuanqing than even she herself did. Looking back, it was clear—Gu Lan had likely understood her foolish infatuation better than anyone.
Jinchao knew that Gu Lan must already be suspicious. In the past, they had been inseparable, always speaking intimately. But now, she could no longer bring herself to act with the same closeness. It was impossible for her to mimic the personality of her younger self—the naive and reckless fifteen-year-old girl she once was.
Rather than struggle to feign familiarity, it would be better to mislead her entirely.
With this decision made, Jinchao let out a sigh, lowering her voice. ”Chen Xuanqing… He’s already engaged to another woman.”
She deliberately kept her voice tinged with sorrow. ”I only learned of it a few days ago at the Duke’s flower banquet. The news left me devastated. And on top of that, Mother’s health hasn’t improved. I’ve been losing sleep over both—worrying for her while my heart aches for Xuanqing.”
She stole a glance at Gu Lan from the corner of her eye.
Her expression remained unnervingly composed.
Gu Lan sighed and took Jinchao’s hand, her touch warm and reassuring. ”My dear sister, your feelings for Chen Qi Gongzi truly run deep. But now that he’s engaged… what do you plan to do?”
So, she knew about the engagement all along?
Jinchao’s gaze flickered toward Liuxiang, her trusted maid.
If Gu Lan was not surprised by the news, then it meant she had known before Jinchao did.
Gu Lan suddenly smiled. ”But an engagement is just an arrangement, nothing more. As long as the bride hasn’t officially entered his household, it’s not set in stone! There is only one Chen Qi Gongzi, and he is the one you love most. You mustn’t let the words of others shake your heart!”
Jinchao returned a small smile. ”You needn’t remind me, Second Sister. That much is obvious.”
If Gu Lan wanted her to remain fixated on Chen Xuanqing, she had no choice but to play along. Only by maintaining this illusion would Gu Lan let her guard down.
Encouraging her to pursue a man who had never loved her… Gu Lan was certainly calculated.
Jinchao now found her past self utterly laughable. How foolish she had been to believe so firmly that Chen Xuanqing could only ever belong to her.
For the first time, Gu Lan’s smile faltered. But she quickly recovered, taking a piece of pear crisp and placing it onto Jinchao’s plate. ”Try this, Sister.”
Jinchao took a bite.
The pear crisp was sweet, with a delicate fragrance. It melted instantly in her mouth, a taste so familiar it struck a distant memory.
She had eaten this exact treat often at her maternal grandmother’s house as a child. But nowhere else had ever been able to replicate its unique flavor. She hadn’t tasted it in over ten years.
Her mind stirred.
Gu Lan focused on embroidery and music, but she did not manage the household affairs. That meant she would not have been the one to make this dessert.
Then who did?
Jinchao suddenly thought of Qingpu.
At her grandmother’s house, Qingpu had often made pear crisps for her when she was little. And the taste… was identical to this one.
Qingpu had once been her personal maid, brought from her maternal grandmother’s home when Jinchao was sent back to live with the Gu family.
Jinchao had been raised away from the Gu estate until the age of nine, all because of her father.
Her father, Gu Dezhao, was deeply devoted to Taoist teachings. Among his many acquaintances from the Daoist temple of Yanqing, there was one renowned master, Daoist Qingxu, whose skills in fortune-telling were said to be unparalleled. The two were close friends.
When Jinchao was born, her father had been overjoyed to finally have a daughter at twenty-two years old. He immediately sought out Qingxu to cast her fate.
Qingxu declared that Jinchao was born under a fire destiny, with a divination sign indicating “Zhen” (震)—a forceful, disruptive energy. He warned that because her father’s element was wood, their energies could clash. If she were raised in his household before the age of eight, it could bring misfortune to his career.
Gu Dezhao took the prophecy to heart. After discussing it with his wife, they decided to send Jinchao to be raised by her maternal grandmother until she turned nine.
Thus, the first nine years of Jinchao’s life were spent in the Ji family estate.
Her grandmother, unwilling to part with her so soon, personally selected a few steady and capable maids to accompany her back to the Gu residence. Qingpu had been among them.
Jinchao had once been fond of Qingpu. But compared to Liuxiang, Qingpu was quiet and lacked charm. Her reserved nature made her seem dull, and Jinchao had eventually grown tired of her.
Especially when it came to Chen Xuanqing.
Everyone else had flattered and indulged her, feeding into her blind infatuation. But Qingpu, time and again, had tried to dissuade her.
Jinchao had found her tiresome and sent her away to work in the outer courtyard’s kitchen, never thinking of her again.
Now, she let out a soft sigh.
Looking up at Gu Lan, she smiled. ”This pear crisp—who made it? You’ve been bringing it to me three times a day. That must be a hassle. Why not just give me the maid who makes them? That way, I can enjoy it whenever I like.”
Qingpu must have been the one who made them.
Gu Lan’s heart skipped a beat. Hadn’t Gu Jinchao always disliked Qingpu? Why was she suddenly asking for her back? Gu Lan had taken Qingpu for a reason—she had no intention of returning her. What if that girl managed to win Jinchao’s favor again?
Jinchao slowly placed the lid back on her teacup and said with a smile, “Could it be that Second Sister has grown particularly fond of this maid? Since she’s been working in the kitchen, she shouldn’t be a personal servant of yours, correct?”
She reached out and patted Gu Lan’s hand gently. ”If you’re reluctant to part with her, I’ll have Liuxiang bring you that pair of black jade bracelets you’ve been eyeing. Didn’t you like them very much?”
Gu Lan’s expression darkened, her face betraying a hint of hesitation. ”It’s just… she originally served by your side, Sister. Her name is Qingpu. I only took her in because I noticed her skill in making pastries. But if you take her back now and become displeased again, what shall we do then?”
Jinchao’s heart settled. So it really was Qingpu.
Since Gu Lan had already taken her, there was no need to beat around the bush any longer. She simply asked for her outright. ”If I take her back, she won’t be serving me personally. Just tell me where she is now.”
As the eldest daughter of the Gu family, she had every right to demand what she wanted. It was time to use that status properly.
Gu Lan had always carried herself as if she were the Gu family’s true heiress. In public, she presented herself with the bearing of the household’s legitimate daughter. But now that Jinchao had openly requested one of her maids, it was as if she had been publicly reminded of her place. She could not refuse.
Gu Lan’s face grew stiff. She prided herself on being strong-willed and never yielding to Jinchao in anything. But no matter how much she tried to act like a noble daughter, the truth remained—Jinchao was the rightful eldest daughter of the Gu family, not her.
Jinchao, however, acted as if she were unaware of the tension. She smiled warmly. ”It really does lift my spirits to visit you, Second Sister. Just have Qingpu sent to my courtyard later.”
Then, turning to Liuxiang, she instructed, “Go check on Qingpu. See if she needs help gathering her things. I’ll return with Baiyun.”
Upon arriving back at Qingtong Courtyard, Jinchao immediately called for Caifu. ”A new maid will be joining us soon—Qingpu. I want you to prepare a room for her. Take Yutong and Yuzhu to the servant quarters and clear out a space. Open my storage room and select a pair of silver spoons engraved with crabapple blossoms, along with a few plum vases. Arrange her room properly—you can decide where everything goes.”
Caifu agreed and left with the two junior maids.
Her mind raced as she walked. Just a few days ago, Miss had sent Baiyun to gather information about Qingpu. And today, she had already taken action to reclaim her. What was she planning? On top of that, she had asked Caifu to prepare the room herself, rather than leaving it to Liuxiang…
Liuxiang was nowhere to be seen.
Miss had been treating her well lately. Was she planning to promote her?
Caifu’s palms grew slightly damp. It had not been easy for her to earn a place as a second-class maid. Until now, Miss had never paid her much attention.
Maidservants like her were typically given away in marriage once they reached a certain age—either to a steward or a guard, and some were even sent off as concubines. But first-class maids were different. If the mistress favored them, they could be married into good families or even remain by her side for life, sharing in her fortunes.
She had to ensure everything was handled perfectly.
A New Order in the Household
Meanwhile, Jinchao summoned Tong Mama, the housekeeper of Qingtong Courtyard.
Tong Mama had been personally selected by Jinchao’s mother years ago. She was a competent woman, well-versed in managing servants, and commanded respect throughout the household.
In theory, the housekeeper outranked the first-class maids, but in practice, Jinchao’s former self had trusted Liuxiang far more. Many of Tong Mama’s duties, such as overseeing the household ledgers and handling daily affairs, had been taken over by Liuxiang.
As a result, Tong Mama no longer resided in Qingtong Courtyard. Instead, she had been sent to manage Qinglian Residence, where young maids were trained before entering service.
When Baiyun informed her that Miss was calling for her, Tong Mama was taken aback. She couldn’t help but ask along the way, “What could Miss need me for? Is she well? How is the Madam?”
Baiyun, out of respect for her former status, patiently answered, “Everyone is well, but I don’t know the details of what Miss wants.”
Noticing that Baiyun seemed unwilling to speak further, Tong Mama refrained from asking more.
Upon arriving at Qingtong Courtyard, she found Jinchao waiting for her in the eastern chamber.
Jinchao looked up at her and observed her carefully.
Tong Mama was in her forties, her complexion darker than most of the women in the household. She wore a pair of small red-gold earrings in the shape of cloves—her only ornament.
She knelt respectfully and greeted, “Miss, you called for me?”
Jinchao spoke evenly. “I asked you here today to inquire about the household register. Do you still have it?”
At these words, both Baiyun and Tong Mama felt their hearts skip a beat.
The household register contained records of everything under Jinchao’s name—items given by the manor, dowries from the Ji family, and gifts received from others. Traditionally, the housekeeper was responsible for maintaining it. However, since Jinchao had entrusted so much authority to Liuxiang, the register had long been neglected.
No one had updated it in a long time.
If Jinchao were to start investigating now, it would undoubtedly become an issue.
Tong Mama’s position had remained in name only. Though she had not been responsible for the ledger’s neglect, if blame were to be assigned, it would still fall on her. Liuxiang had deemed it too much of a hassle and never retrieved the records from her. But if Tong Mama were to point fingers now, she feared Jinchao’s favoritism toward Liuxiang would only result in her being scolded.
Without hesitation, she knelt down. “Miss, I deserve punishment. The household register is still in my keeping, but it has not been properly updated for a long time. This was my oversight.”
Jinchao remained quiet for a moment, then let out a small, knowing smile.
Things were finally starting to shift in Qingtong Courtyard.