Аftеr thе Мid-Autumn Festivаl, thе Liаngguо Dukе's family held thе funеral prоcessiоn.
Тhе Сhеng fаmily alsо set up a roadside mеmоrial оffering оn thе strееt.
Zhou Shаоjin fеlt sоmеwhat mеlancholiс, sitting quiеtly bу the window embrоidering a fоreheаd kеrсhiеf fоr Оld Мadam Guо.
Сheng Jiа саme tо visit her, nо lоnger as сhаtty аs before, simрly sitting there wаtсhing Zhоu Shaоjin do her neеdlеwоrk.
A fеw dауs lаtеr, bоth of thеir mоods imрrovеd somewhаt.
Zhou Shаоjin sеttled hеr hеаrt аnd began cоpying Buddhist scripturеs.
Someonе was obsеrving her frоm оutside thе prayer hall.
Zhou Shaojin looked up and saw Jiying standing in the middle of the courtyard.
She smiled at Jiying.
Jiying thought for a moment, then walked over and asked through the window lattice, "So you copy scriptures like this every afternoon?"
"Yes!" Zhou Shaojin replied with a smile. Her smile was as calm and serene as gentle lake water.
Jiying seemed somewhat surprised and said, "It seems you genuinely enjoy it, not just pretending."
In her previous life, many people thought Zhou Shaojin's quietness was forced upon her and didn't take it seriously.
Zhou Shaojin smiled faintly, not wanting to argue with Jiying about this. She asked, "What brings you here? Has Uncle Chi returned?"
Last time, she had sent Shi Xiang to deliver mooncakes to the Hill of Clustered Cassia Courtyard, but Qing Feng told Shi Xiang that Cheng Chi had gone to Huai'an and hadn't returned yet. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, there was a lantern festival at home, but she hadn't seen any sign of Cheng Chi either.
Hearing her mention Cheng Chi, Jiying pursed her lips and said, "Fourth Master hasn't returned yet. I came with Nanping. The old madam kept Nanping for a conversation. I was bored and wandered around, eventually ending up here."
Zhou Shaojin asked curiously, "What does the old madam want with Sister Nanping?"
"Who knows!" Jiying said. "Most likely it's about Fourth Master's affairs. Apart from that, I can't think of anything else."
"Doesn't the old madam stay out of Uncle Chi's household matters?" Zhou Shaojin inquired.
"Although she doesn't interfere," Jiying said with an expression of reluctance to discuss further, "she still calls Nanping over to ask questions occasionally."
Zhou Shaojin felt it inappropriate to ask more.
Jiying said, "The mooncakes sent last time—I heard you made them yourself?"
"My sister and I made them together," Zhou Shaojin answered honestly. "The kitchen maid helped with the dough, my sister prepared the fillings, and I just helped wrap them."
Jiying nodded slightly upon hearing this and commented, "Those mooncakes were quite good."
Zhou Shaojin had thought that since Cheng Chi was a man, he probably didn't care for sweets, so she had specially included more plum vegetable and sesame filling mooncakes. Unexpectedly, everyone found the plum vegetable and sesame mooncakes delicious. It was a pity Uncle Chi hadn't tasted them.
As the two were talking, a young maid came to fetch Jiying: "...Miss Nanping says it's time to return."
Jiying bid her farewell.
Zhou Shaojin couldn't help but wonder.
When would Uncle Chi return?
Not two days later, Jiying came looking for her.
Her visit was quite sudden. Zhou Shaojin was doing needlework when Jiying asked through the window lattice, "I heard your needlework is excellent?"
Zhou Shaojin didn't react immediately.
When she did, she first looked around.
How come no one announced Jiying's arrival?
Neither Shi Xiang nor Chunwan were around, and the young maid on duty was dozing off on the threshold.
How could she be dozing off so early in the morning?
Zhou Shaojin muttered to herself, feeling somewhat embarrassed as she stood up and invited Jiying in for tea.
"No need," Jiying said, a hint of awkwardness flashing in her eyes. "I have something I'd like to ask you to make. I wonder if you have time?"
Zhou Shaojin was taken aback.She glanced at the cloth scraps in the wicker basket and said, "I don't know what you need them for. If you're not in a hurry, it might be possible, but if you need them urgently, I'm afraid it won't be done anytime soon."
Zhou Shaojin sensed that Jiying seemed to relax, as if relieved. Although her expression remained somewhat cold, her whole demeanor became much lighter than before she had asked.
"I'm not in a rush," Jiying said, taking out a piece of pale blue Songjiang fine cloth. "Just help me make two pairs of men's socks. No embroidery or trimming needed—just keep them simple."
"Ah?!" Zhou Shaojin widened her eyes.
"Oh!" Jiying quickly realized and added, "It's not something I'm making privately for someone else. It's a task Nanping assigned to me—for your Uncle Chi."
Zhou Shaojin's eyes widened even further.
Jiying had no choice but to explain, "It's autumn now, isn't it? All the households are rushing to make winter clothes. Nanping is in charge of your Uncle Chi's winter garments, and every year she gives me some small tasks. I originally planned to have a few young maids do them, but Nanping said your uncle hasn't had a new fur coat in two years. This year, they've collected some good furs and need to make two fur coats for him. The cotton-padded jackets, robes, and such were all assigned to those young maids. When I went to the sewing room, they were also busy with urgent tasks. Besides the winter clothes for the second household, they've added items for Miss Xiao and Master Shi's children, and all of them require embroidery. The sewing room staff haven't had a day off in two months. I suggested paying someone outside to do it, but Nanping disagreed, as if I were secretly giving your Uncle Chi's things to others. So, I had no choice but to bring it to you..." As she spoke, her gaze swept over the wicker basket in front of Zhou Shaojin. "I know you're quite busy too, probably rushing to prepare a birthday gift for Old Madam Guo. You don't have to do it yourself—just assign it to any young maid with decent needlework. When it's done, I'll take you to the Six Livestock Market for some delicious food."
It took Zhou Shaojin a while to process everything Jiying had said.
"How can we just assign a random young maid to make socks for Uncle Chi?" she asked, staring at Jiying in confusion. "Don't you know needlework? If Miss Nanping knew you couldn't do it, why would she insist you make socks for Uncle Chi? Miss Nanping doesn't seem like the type to make things difficult for others."
Upon hearing this, Jiying snorted coldly and said, "Why are you just like Nanping? Is Cheng Zichuan an emperor? Why must his socks be made only by those who serve him closely? Would he itch all over if someone else made them?"
Zhou Shaojin blushed and hurriedly replied, "That's not what we meant... It's just that personal items shouldn't be entrusted to strangers..."
"He's not a woman!" Jiying interrupted Zhou Shaojin dismissively. "In my opinion, Cheng Zichuan has been spoiled by people like you. He won't eat this, won't drink that—he doesn't act like a man at all!"
Was there a maid who spoke about her master like this?
Zhou Shaojin was left speechless.
Seeing her reaction, Jiying cleared her throat softly and said, "I was just privately criticizing your Uncle Chi—nothing more."
"Oh!" Zhou Shaojin thought to herself that Jiying had likely done this more than once.Under Zhou Shaojin's clear gaze, which seemed to reflect her own image, Jiying felt somewhat uncomfortable and coughed lightly again, saying, "Then it's settled. You just need to make four pairs of socks for your Uncle Chi. Finish them before the New Year." With that, she dropped the cloth in her hand and turned to leave.
Zhou Shaojin quickly called out to stop her, saying, "Why don't you help Uncle Chi make them? If your needlework isn’t good, I can teach you! You can’t keep pushing Uncle Chi’s tasks onto others like this. If Old Madam Guo finds out, how heartbroken she would be. Biyu and Feicui on her side are both skilled in needlework—it’s just a few pairs of socks. She entrusted Uncle Chi to your care with such confidence, yet none of you can even make a pair of socks..."
Jiying paused mid-step and slowly turned around, asking, "What did you just say?"
Seeing the intensity in her eyes, Zhou Shaojin felt a sudden unease and stammered, "I said... Old Madam Guo entrusted Uncle Chi to your care..."
"No, not that," Jiying shook her head. "You said you could teach me how to make them..." As she spoke, she clapped her hands together and actually laughed. "Yes, yes. That’s a great idea. Starting tomorrow, I’ll come here to learn needlework from you. Let’s see what Nanping has to say then!"
But wouldn’t that mean getting involved in the conflict between Nanping and Jiying?
Zhou Shaojin waved her hands repeatedly, saying, "I think it’s better if you talk to Nanping first! Just because you can’t make socks for Uncle Chi doesn’t mean others can’t..."
But Jiying paid no attention to what she was saying and continued on her own, "Then it’s decided. Don’t you go to Cold Green Mountain House every afternoon to copy scriptures? I’ll come here every day at Si hour (9 a.m.). By then, your sister should have already gone to Autumn Embrace Pavilion." With that, she clapped her hands. "It’s settled!" And she turned and left.
What on earth was this?
Zhou Shaojin chased after her.
But Jiying had already vanished.
Staring at the pale blue Songjiang fine cloth left behind by Jiying, Zhou Shaojin felt as if she were holding a hot potato.
When Zhou Chujin returned, Zhou Shaojin hurriedly told her sister about the matter. However, afraid that her sister might get angry with Jiying, she didn’t go into detail, simply explaining that Jiying wanted to learn needlework from her so she could make socks for Uncle Chi.
Zhou Chujin was quite surprised and said, "Don’t the maids serving Uncle Chi know how to do needlework?"
"I don’t know either!" Zhou Shaojin recalled the time she had gone to the sewing room and encountered Minghe from Uncle Chi’s quarters asking Madam Zhang to help make summer socks. "Maybe they really don’t know how."
Since it wasn’t a bad thing and might even please Old Madam Guo, Zhou Chujin thought for a moment and said, "Then just teach her."
If she didn’t teach Jiying, would Jiying really not come?
Zhou Shaojin nodded.
Once in bed, she couldn’t help but think about what kind of socks to make for Uncle Chi.
Judging by Uncle Chi’s personality, he was someone who paid great attention to detail. No embroidery, no trimmings—it probably wasn’t that Jiying found it troublesome, but rather that Uncle Chi didn’t like such things... So they had to be well-fitted and comfortable to wear. But to make them well-fitted and comfortable, she would need to measure his feet...
At this thought, Zhou Shaojin abruptly sat up.
How could she possibly go and measure Uncle Chi’s feet?
Why hadn’t she thought to ask Jiying to bring an old pair of socks as a reference earlier?
As the thought crossed her mind, she couldn’t help but laugh out loud.Since Jiying was making socks for Uncle Chi, she must have his measurements. Wasn't Nanping from Uncle Chi's household skilled in needlework? Even if Jiying forgot, Nanping should remember.
Having thought this through, Zhou Shaojin lay back down.
The next morning, Jiying arrived as promised.
She brought several baskets of shrimp dumplings for Zhou Shaojin: "Try these. They were made with fresh shrimp delivered early this morning from Xinqiao. Everyone gets a share." The last sentence was directed at Shi Xiang and the others.
Shi Xiang looked awkwardly at Zhou Shaojin.
Seeing the translucent shrimp dumplings with a faint reddish hue of the shrimp visible inside, looking utterly tempting, Zhou Shaojin simply instructed Shi Xiang: "Set out plates so everyone can try some."
Shi Xiang withdrew with the food box.
A faint smile appeared in Jiying's eyes.
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