"Is thаt sо!" Маdam Li laughеd. "With Sесоnd Мiss's word, that's enоugh!"
Whаt had she sаid?
It seemеd shе hаdn't sаid аnуthing at all!
Аlarm bells rang in Zhou Shaojin's mind. Аftеr seеing Mаdаm Li оff, shе hurried tо thе grееnhоuse.
Нer sister was thеrе leаrning from Mothеr Yu how to сare fоr оrсhids.
Shе рlаnnеd to bring baсk sеverаl роts of оrchids lеft bу Madаm Zhuаng to thе Cheng familу.
Zhou Shaojin vоluntееred tо help her sistеr tаkе cаrе оf thеsе оrchids.
Вut Zhоu Chujin didn't trust hеr, saуing, "At most, уou'vе оnlу evеr kерt twо pots of сamellias beforе. If anything haрpens tо thesе оrchids, I'd сry my eyes out and still not get them back. These were left by Mother."
Zhou Shaojin had no choice but to give up.
Upon hearing what her sister said, Zhou Chujin sneered, "I knew she was up to no good. Don't worry about this matter. When Father returns, I'll speak to him myself."
Zhou Shaojin worried, "Won't it be too late—if it were me, just by changing the tone without altering a single word, I could shift the entire blame onto myself, saying I asked her to come discuss it with you..."
"So you do realize you spoke carelessly!" Seeing her pitiful expression, Zhou Chujin felt both annoyed and amused, chiding her, "Will you be more careful with your words in the future?"
Zhou Shaojin chuckled sheepishly.
Zhou Chujin shook her head, softening her tone helplessly, "Alright, alright, don't worry. Leave this matter to your sister."
Zhou Shaojin asked, "Then what does Sister plan to do?"
Zhou Chujin initially didn't want to say much, but then she thought of Zhou Shaojin's carefree nature and decided it would be better to tell her. Even if she couldn't change her temperament, at least she could make her more cautious. Lowering her voice, she said, "Judging from Madam Li's tone, Lanting, relying on being someone Mother left for Father, even if she hasn't openly troubled Madam Li, has likely made Madam Li feel very uncomfortable. After all, Madam Li is Father's lawfully wedded wife and the one who will spend her life with him. If Madam Li's words are merely a tactic to deal with Lanting, that's one thing. But if Lanting is truly using Mother's name to trouble Madam Li, Mother's reputation could suffer. Why not go along with it and have Lanting return for a visit? If what Madam Li says is true and she can't do anything about Lanting, you, as Mother's biological daughter, can handle her. If Madam Li's claims are false, Lanting likely won't have an easy time with Father either. It's better to ask Lanting herself—if she wants to stay by Father's side, then her affairs are no longer our concern. If she wants to leave, we can ask Aunt to arrange a good marriage for her and send her off with honor."
"That's a great idea!" The weight lifted from Zhou Shaojin's heart, and she smiled brightly at her sister.
"All you know is how to grin foolishly." Zhou Chujin truly didn't know what to do with her younger sister. She added, "Let me tell you one more thing: this matter benefits Father and benefits Madam Li even more. Since Madam Li dares to involve us, we can't just let her use us as pawns without paying a price. Otherwise, she'll think we're easy to push around."
Zhou Shaojin had no understanding of such matters.
She simply followed her sister's lead.Zhou Chujin didn't expect Zhou Shaojin to actually do anything. She instructed Madam Ma Fushan to wait at the gate: "As soon as Father returns, send someone to inform me. If Madam learns of Father's return before I do and suddenly brings us rock sugar and snow pear soup for supper like last time, you might as well go with Ma Fushan to Baoding to serve my father."
Madam Ma Fushan was so frightened that she fell to her knees with a thud: "Eldest Miss, I originally thought..."
"Enough!" Zhou Chujin coldly cut her off before she could explain. "Just do your duty properly. Whether you are loyal or treacherous, I know well enough in my heart."
Madam Ma Fushan dared not say another word and withdrew with timid compliance.
Zhou Shaojin was quite impressed.
She wondered if she would ever be able to command respect like her sister someday.
While she was admiring her sister, Madam Li sat in the study, her heart pounding with anxiety.
Mama Li comforted her: "Once words are spoken, they are like water spilled—there's no use regretting them now. Madam should try to think more positively. Both young ladies are well-bred, and you didn't wrong Lanting in the slightest. It's just out of respect for the late Madam Zhuang that you couldn't deal with Lanting. If you explain things properly to the eldest young lady, she is not an unreasonable person."
"It's just that I'm a bit intimidated by her," Madam Li said, speaking without restraint since there was no one else around. "I brought her a bowl of rock sugar and snow pear soup, and she returned the gesture with a box of pastries. I kindly offered to prepare a set of wedding porcelain for her, and she looked utterly disdainful... And look at the servants in this household—they all act according to the eldest young lady's wishes." She rubbed her forehead, looking pained. "I have no other choice. If even this can't rein in Lanting, once we go to Baoding Prefecture, there will likely be even less opportunity. She's already twenty-eight or twenty-nine now. If I give birth to a daughter this time, how can I keep suppressing her from having children?"
Mama Li understood perfectly well, which was why she hadn't stopped Madam Li from going to see Zhou Shaojin.
"The second young lady is much better!" Madam Li sighed. "She's beautiful and has a gentle temperament..." As she spoke, an idea suddenly occurred to her, and she said to Mama Li, "What do you think about arranging a match between the second young lady and my eldest aunt's son?"
Madam Li's eldest aunt had married into the Huang family of Saiyang. Although she was a second wife, she belonged to the main branch. Moreover, her son was handsome, virtuous, and well-educated.
Mama Li's expression changed drastically, and she hurriedly said, "My dear lady, please don't even think of such an idea. I've seen how the master treats the second young lady like the apple of his eye. If she marries well and is happy, all will be fine. But if anything goes wrong or she is unhappy, you'll have to face the master's displeasure!"
Madam Li couldn't help but sigh. "I know. I'm just grasping at straws in my desperation. If only the second young lady could be on my side."
As they were talking, a young maid announced, "Madam, the master has returned."
Madam Li was overjoyed and quickly freshened up before going out to greet him.
Zhou Zhen had drunk a little wine but was still quite sober. After having some sobering soup, he said, "I heard from Chujin that you went to see her about Lanting?"
Madam Li was greatly startled and hurriedly replied, "No..."Zhou Zhen smiled and said, "Don't be anxious. I know the matter of Lanting has always been a thorn in your side. But she has been with me for so many years, and she was Madam Zhuang's personal maid. I can't just abandon her like that. Chujin is right—being a stepmother is difficult. You married me at such a young age and have indeed endured many grievances..."
"Master, I haven't suffered any grievances," Madam Li grew anxious and repeatedly insisted, "Truly, I have never felt wronged..."
Before she could even approach Zhou Chujin, Zhou Chujin had already turned the tables on her.
But she dared not say this.
She felt that Zhou Zhen would certainly not believe what she said and would instead offend Zhou Chujin.
Zhou Zhen patted Madam Li's hand comfortingly and said with a gentle smile, "But Chujin is also right. Whether the matter of Lanting is handled by you or by me, it's not ideal. Your idea is good—let Lanting return for a visit. If there's anything to discuss, invite Madam Ma Fushan to question her. Whether she stays or leaves, we can have a clear decision."
Madam Li felt a chill in her heart.
What difference did this make compared to saying nothing?
If Lanting wanted to leave, she would have left long ago. Why had she endured all these years with Zhou Zhen?
Wasn't it because she wanted Zhou Zhen to elevate her to the status of a concubine?
It wasn't that she couldn't tolerate Zhou Zhen having a concubine; what she couldn't bear was Lanting always using Madam Zhuang's name to give orders and meddle, making her feel as if a weight were pressing on her chest.
Men were not as attentive as women.
After speaking, Zhou Zhen set the matter aside.
He instructed Madam Li, "Prepare tomorrow. We are going to Nine Prosperities Lane as guests."
Madam Li was taken aback. "Haven't we already been there?"
"That day was our visit," Zhou Zhen said. "Tomorrow, they are hosting a banquet for us."
Madam Li had no choice but to suppress the matter in her heart. The next day, she followed Zhou Zhen and took the Zhou Shaojin sisters to Nine Prosperities Lane.
The patriarch of the second branch, Cheng Xu, personally hosted Zhou Zhen. Almost all the Cheng family men in Jinling, including Cheng Yi, Cheng Lu, Cheng Mian, Cheng Wen, Cheng Shi, Cheng Yu, Cheng Zheng, Cheng Gao, Cheng Yi, and Cheng Nuo, attended as companions, but Cheng Chi was notably absent.
Cheng Xu explained that a shipment of the Cheng family had encountered some issues in Lin'an, and Cheng Chi had gone there to handle it.
Zhou Zhen nodded with a smile, but recalling Cheng Chi's distant and cold demeanor during his last visit, he couldn't help feeling somewhat puzzled.
Upon returning home, he quietly asked Zhou Shaojin, "While you were copying scriptures for Old Madam Guo at Cold Green Mountain House, did you often encounter Fourth Master Chi?"
Zhou Shaojin's heart skipped a beat. "Why do you ask?" she replied, her tone somewhat tense.
"It's nothing," Zhou Zhen said, smiling at her reaction. "I heard from Elder Ze that Fourth Master Chi went to Lin'an, and I didn't see him today. I originally wanted to ask him to look after you sisters more."
Cheng Xu had the sobriquet "Spring Ze Hermit," and those in official circles often respectfully addressed him as "Elder Ze."
Uncle Chi wasn't home?
Zhou Shaojin thought of the scene when she went to Hill of Clustered Cassia Courtyard to see him... She was quite skeptical.
If she still lived in Nine Prosperities Lane, she could have used the excuse of looking for Nanping to immediately find out whether he was truly home or not!
Wanting to inquire about Cheng Chi, Zhou Shaojin engaged her father in conversation, saying, "Uncle Chi seems to rarely attend such banquets. If I hadn't been copying scriptures at Cold Green Mountain House, I probably wouldn't even know him. What kind of person is he? Have you ever heard others speak of him?"
"Is that so?" Zhou Zhen murmured, somewhat absentmindedly, and did not answer Zhou Shaojin's question.
Zhou Shaojin had a strong intuition that her father was hiding something from her, and it seemed to be related to Cheng Chi.She asked directly, "Father, has something happened?"
"No," Zhou Zhen replied quickly and firmly, but offered no further explanation.
Zhou Shaojin became even more certain that her father was hiding something from her, so she simply said, "Dad, even if you don't tell me, I can find out once I return to Nine Prosperities Lane."
She pretended to look smug and somewhat challenging as she gazed at her father.
Zhou Zhen laughed heartily and teased her, "Then tell me, how would you find out?"
"I'll ask Old Madam Guo!" Zhou Shaojin tried to bluff her father. "When Old Madam Guo is bored, she sometimes tells me things. If I seize the opportunity to ask her, she'll definitely tell me..."
Zhou Zhen had met Old Madam Guo twice.
She was a woman stronger than most men.
But even the strongest woman has moments of vulnerability, especially when facing a lively and lovely young girl like his daughter.
Zhou Zhen pondered for a moment before saying seriously, "Shaoji, you'd better not ask Old Madam Guo about this."
"Why?" Zhou Shaojin was very surprised.
※
Sisters, this is an extra chapter for cadyss's spirit beast egg.
o(n_n)o~
PS: I think I made a mistake... I should have posted this next month... At the end of the month, pink votes double, and I realize my path to extra chapters has become even longer...
※ (To be continued. If you like this work, please vote for recommendations and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
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