Gu Qingzhao let out a cold laugh. Calm her anger? As long as Gu Qingjin lived, her anger could never be calmed. Her gaze fell on Gu Qingjin’s wrist.
Eighteen goose‑yellow beads strung together—thick, neither gold nor jade. Her uncle gave it to her last year, made of Liaodong sea amber. Each bead shaded from honey yellow to deep amber, with a faint flame‑like streak of red at the core.
She had loved it dearly when she first received it and wore it with delight. But at the New Year’s family banquet, Gu Qingjin had borrowed it to admire, refusing to let go. Their father then ordered her to give it to Gu Qingjin. Though she resisted, after wine and talk of their third uncle, with Xiao Hongshuang sighing and Father quoting classics, even she felt that refusing would make her seem petty. Now, seeing the beads again, her fury surged. Without a word, she reached out to snatch the amber bracelet.
Gu Qingjin instinctively pulled back. “What are you doing?”
Gu Qingzhao’s voice was icy. “Taking back what’s mine. You’re not fit to wear it.”
The servants, seeing the sisters struggle, rushed forward to intervene.
In the tussle, a sharp crack sounded—the string snapped, and eighteen beads scattered across the stone floor.
Gu Qingjin stepped back, her foot landing on one bead. She slipped and fell backward. A maid beside her tried to catch her, but stepped on another bead and tumbled down as well.
Chaos erupted. Some ran to report, others to fetch a doctor.
On the ground, Gu Qingjin clutched her belly, terror written on her face.
Gu Qingzhao stood aside, watching coldly, unmoved. Even if she hadn’t fallen today, Gu Qingzhao had already resolved to act. If the child was lost like this, it would save her the trouble.
Soon Gu Qingjin was carried back to her residence at Tangliwu. Gu Qingzhao did not follow; she returned straight to her own courtyard.
The first thing she did upon entering was order Chunlan and the others to compile a list of all the items sent to Tangliwu over the past years.
At Xiyun Pavilion, every item in and out was recorded. Troublesome, perhaps, but not difficult. In the study, Chunlan checked the ledgers while Xiahe wrote them down.
Gu Qingzhao sat by the window with a steaming bowl of milk tea at her side.
Chunlan flipped through the accounts and muttered, “Miss, I didn’t realize before, but it’s really a lot. The Duke is too much—what he owes Third Master shouldn’t all fall on you to repay.”
Xiahe’s tally filled four pages, enough to make Chunlan’s heart pound.
Gu Qingzhao chuckled lightly. “Perhaps Gu Qingjin is his true daughter.”
Chunlan thought she was speaking in anger and added, “Now that Fourth Miss has fallen, I wonder if the Duke will be furious.”
When Xiahe finished writing, Gu Qingzhao rose. “Bring these pages, and a few matrons. We’re going to Tangliwu.”
Before leaving, Gu Qingzhao quietly whispered a few instructions to Guizhi.
When she arrived at Tangliwu with a retinue of maids and matrons, the household physician, Doctor Liu, was prescribing medicine to stabilize Gu Qingjin’s pregnancy.
Hearing the commotion, Xiao Hongshuang stepped out from the inner chamber. Seeing Gu Qingzhao with so many attendants, her face darkened. “Zhao‑jie, what are you doing? You’ve already injured Ajin—now you bring people to raid her courtyard?”
Standing beneath the veranda, Gu Qingzhao looked up at Xiao Hongshuang, hatred surging in her chest. In her past life, this woman had caused the death of her mother and younger brother, then usurped her mother’s place as the Duke Gu’s wife.
“Third Aunt is right. I am here to raid the house. Over the years, Fourth Sister has taken many of my belongings and never returned them. Today I’ve come to reclaim them.”
She gave Xiao Hongshuang a dazzling smile, then ordered Chunlan: “Do it. If anyone dares to stop you, show no mercy. I’ll bear whatever consequences.”
Chunlan answered and led the servants straight into Tangliwu’s storerooms.
Xiao Hongshuang grew anxious. “Those were given willingly—why make trouble now? Where is the Duke? Go fetch the Duke!”
Gu Qingzhao did not stop them from sending word. She leaned closer to Xiao Hongshuang and said proudly: “This young lady no longer consents. Those were gifts from my uncle and cousin. Tell her not to covet them—her mother was a concubine, after all. That’s simply fate.”
She knew Xiao Hongshuang’s greatest sore point was her low birth. Gu Qingzhao could not kill her outright, but words could stab just as deep.
At the word *concubine*, Xiao Hongshuang gnashed her teeth. “You speak nonsense! Will you turn against us over a man?”
Once, Gu Qingzhao had been closer to her than to her own mother. She never imagined this matter would change her so completely—her speech and actions were like another person’s.
Gu Qingzhao cast her a mocking glance. This was only the beginning; the nightmare for mother and daughter had just begun.
From the storerooms came the sound of boxes being moved. Soon Chunlan and the others carried out several chests. Most of the items were there, though some must have been in Gu Qingjin’s private rooms or already given away.
Gu Qingzhao signaled for them to take everything back. Like bandits, the group marched out of Tangliwu with their spoils.
Before the goods even reached Xiyun Pavilion, word of the incident had spread throughout the Gu household.
When the boxes were finally brought back, Guizhi stepped forward to report softly: “Miss, everything is done…”
She explained the details, and Gu Qingzhao gave her an approving look. The girl was sharp, her eyes always turning with ideas. In her past life, Guizhi had been too young to accompany her after marriage; she later heard the girl wed a servant and lived out her days peacefully.
As Chunlan and the others were arranging the items, Nanny Lin, the stewardess of Duke Gu’s household, barged in with a group of attendants.
“Third Miss, this old servant comes by order of the Duke. These things must be returned to Fourth Miss. Please, do not make it difficult for me.”