Jiуing nеithеr аgrееd nоr disagreеd.
Zhоu Shаоjin widеned her eуеs in surprise.
Сould it be thаt еvеn writing lеttеrs wаsn't allowеd?
Wouldn't that be like imprisonmеnt?
Whу would Unсle Сhi trеаt Jiуing's familу this wау?
Shе vаguelу felt that the аnswеr might affеct her friendshiр with Jiying, so shе changеd thе subjесt, sауing, "I'vе brewed sеvеral jаrs оf оsmanthus winе. Thеу can bе оpеned after thе ninth day of thе mоnth. Wоuld yоu like to takе sоmе baсk? Вurу thеm undеr а treе—thеy'rе best еnjoyеd with crаbs."
Jiуing didn't stаnd on сеrеmоny and toоk two jars before lеaving.
After сhatting idly with Jiуing abоut this аnd that, Zhоu Shaojin felt much lighter in spirit. When she went to Cold Green Mountain House and saw Biyu directing several maids and matrons to replace the furnishings in the main room, she even went over to take a look.
The central scroll "Immortal Pointing the Way" that had originally hung there was replaced with "Magu Offering Longevity." The asparagus fern that had been placed on the flower stand was changed to evergreen. The cushions with auspicious cloud patterns were swapped for ones with "Five Bats Embracing Longevity"... In short, all the furnishings had been changed to things related to "longevity."
Zhou Shaojin smiled and asked Biyu, "Will we be offering birthday greetings to the Old Madam here later?"
"Yes!" Biyu replied with a smile. "The Old Madam says she's getting on in years, and going back and forth would not only tire her out but also trouble those coming to wish her well. She says it's just a casual birthday celebration—no invitations will be sent to the former students and old acquaintances of the late Old Master, only to a few families of women who are usually close. After the younger generation kowtows to her here, they can go to Accumulated Truth Hall to drink, listen to opera, play cards, or amuse themselves. Only a few elderly sisters-in-law will stay here to keep her company and chat."
"So simple!" Zhou Shaojin laughed.
Even Old Madam Guan of the fourth branch had a livelier celebration than this.
Biyu said tactfully, "In her early years, the Old Madam once entered the palace to pay respects to the Empress Dowager and the Empress. No matter how grand the arrangements, how could they compare to the grandeur of the palace?"
Zhou Shaojin smiled. "Like standing atop Mount Tai and seeing all other mountains as small?"
"Exactly!" Biyu joked with her as several maids and matrons escorted Madam Yuan over.
"Shao Jin!" From afar, Madam Yuan greeted her with a beaming smile.
Because of the distance, as early as mid-August, Madam Yuan had sent someone to deliver the third-day bathing gifts for Cheng Xiao's child to Tongxiang, waiting only for Cheng Xiao's child to be born. This morning, she received a letter from the matron, saying that the swaddling clothes embroidered with Zhou Shaojin's patterns for Cheng Xiao's child not only earned high praise from the women of the Yuan family but also, during the child's third-day bathing ceremony, Cheng Xiao's mother-in-law personally chose that swaddling cloth to wrap the child. This made the gifts sent by the Cheng family stand out brilliantly.
Madam Yuan felt immensely honored.
She reached out to take Zhou Shaojin's hand.
Zhou Shaojin, however, smoothed her hair.
Madam Yuan didn't mind and smilingly told her the situation, saying, "This time, it's all thanks to you—you've brought great honor to your cousin Xiao. Your cousin Xiao even specially wrote a letter back, asking me to thank you on her behalf. She also said she had the matron who delivered the third-day bathing gifts bring back some trinkets for you, and she hopes you won't stand on ceremony."
Gifts aren't necessary. Just don't trouble me to design any more patterns for you.
Zhou Shaojin smiled faintly, making her youthful, delicate face appear somewhat shy.
Madam Yuan chuckled and wanted to take her to see Old Madam Guo.
Biyu hurriedly said, "The Old Madam has gone to Fourth Master's place and won't be back for a while. Please come inside for a cup of tea, Madam!"
Madam Yuan nodded with a smile.Zhou Shaojin seized the opportunity to take her leave from Madam Yuan and returned to the Buddha hall.
She asked Xiao Tan, "Do you know why Old Madam suddenly went to Hill of Clustered Cassia Courtyard?"
"Because Old Madam’s birthday is approaching!" Xiao Tan said with a smile. "Both the Eldest Master and Second Master are away from home. For Old Madam’s birthday, she naturally hopes Fourth Master can attend!"
"Could it be that Fourth Master doesn’t attend Old Madam’s birthday?" Zhou Shaojin was greatly startled.
"I heard from Sister Biyu and the others that he hasn’t shown up in the past few years," Xiao Tan said. "They say it’s because of matters at Yutai Bank. Old Madam was unhappy those years. Over this matter, one year on Old Madam’s birthday, the Eldest Master even made a special trip back from the capital but still couldn’t cheer Old Madam up... It was only after Old Madam personally went to Hill of Clustered Cassia Courtyard that Fourth Master came to offer his birthday greetings. For the past two years, Old Madam has gone to see Fourth Master whenever her birthday approaches."
This, this is too strange!
Zhou Shaojin dared not comment. When she went to bid farewell to Old Madam Guo, she carefully observed Old Madam Guo’s expression. Unfortunately, Old Madam Guo’s expression was solemn and dignified, and she couldn’t discern anything.
The next day, she asked Jiying, "Will Uncle Chi attend Old Madam’s birthday banquet?"
"Whether he’ll attend the banquet, I don’t know," Jiying said. "But he’ll definitely go to offer birthday greetings."
Zhou Shaojin hesitated for a while before saying, "Don’t you find it strange?"
"What’s so strange about that?" Jiying said curiously. "A house full of womenfolk, and him a man—after offering his greetings, should he stay and play cards with his sisters-in-law and aunts?"
That remark was too sharp.
Zhou Shaojin decided to ask Jiying fewer such questions in the future.
※
On the ninth day, Zhou Shaojin followed Old Madam Guan, Madam Mian, and Zhou Chujin to Cold Green Mountain House early in the morning.
Unexpectedly, there were others who arrived even earlier.
An elderly lady, accompanied by two women in their forties, four young married women in their prime, and seven or eight girls ranging from seventeen or eighteen to twelve or thirteen years old. Judging by their demeanor, they were steady and reserved, definitely not from ordinary families. Yet their clothing and appearance were quite plain, not resembling the womenfolk of powerful or noble households either.
Zhou Shaojin didn’t recognize any of them, but Old Madam Guan and Madam Mian did. They hurried forward with smiles to greet the other party. Only then did she learn that these were the womenfolk of Old Madam Guo’s maternal family—the Guo clan of Stone Lane.
The elderly lady was Old Madam Guo’s sister-in-law, though she appeared a few years older than Old Madam Guo. Her smile was warm and sincere, and her speech was refined; one could tell at once that she was an educated woman. When the elderly lady spoke, the other Guo womenfolk listened with smiles, showing great decorum.
After Zhou Shaojin arrived, the womenfolk of the Gu family came.
There were seventeen or eighteen of them. Old Madam Gu did not come; the leader was the Gu family’s Eldest Madam. Gu Seventh Mistress and Gu Shiqigu were also among the group.
The Gu womenfolk were very familiar with the Guo womenfolk. After exchanging greetings, they began inquiring after each other.
Gu Seventh Mistress smiled and nodded toward Zhou Shaojin and Chujin, while Gu Shiqigu ran over, beaming as she greeted Zhou Shaojin and Zhou Chujin.
While the three were talking, the third branch arrived.
The room filled with laughter and cheerful conversation once again.
Cheng Jia spotted Zhou Shaojin and Gu Shiqigu at a glance. After paying her respects to the elders, she slipped over to Zhou Shaojin’s side."Cousin Seventeen, when did you arrive?" She warmly linked arms with Gu Shiqigu. "Let's sit together during the banquet later."
"Wonderful!" Gu Shiqigu responded happily.
More guests arrived.
The room began to feel somewhat crowded.
The stewardess smiled and invited the ladies and young misses to the side chamber for tea, leaving only a few elderly ladies who were chatting with Old Madam Guo.
Cheng Jia urged Zhou Shaojin and the others to talk in the courtyard: "More people will arrive soon, and all that bowing will make our backs ache."
Gu Shiqigu covered her mouth with a laugh and said, "As a guest, I follow the host's arrangements."
Zhou Shaojin had never been fond of socializing. Not only did she have no objections, but she also pointed to a cluster of bamboo in the courtyard: "Let's talk over there—there's a long stone bench behind the bamboo."
Zhou Chujin, however, couldn't leave Madam Mian alone in the side chamber. She smiled and said, "You can talk there, but don't wander off. Be careful not to miss the birthday greetings." Thinking that Cheng Jia was unreliable, she turned to Gu Shiqigu. "I'm entrusting Shaojin to you."
Zhou Shaojin blushed, while Gu Shiqigu repeatedly assured her: "Of course, of course."
Only then did Zhou Chujin feel at ease and head to the side chamber.
The three of them cheerfully made their way behind the bamboo cluster.
This was originally a spot where Biyu and others would cool off, so the stone bench was quite clean. Before Zhou Shaojin and the others could take out their handkerchiefs to wipe it, Chixiang came running over, panting, with several cushions in her arms: "Second Miss, the Eldest Miss asked me to bring these. She said the weather is turning cooler, not like summer anymore, so it's better to sit on cushions."
All three were surprised.
A warm feeling flowed through Zhou Shaojin's heart. She hurriedly took the cushions.
Cheng Jia exclaimed, "Sister Chujin is the best!"
Gu Shiqigu repeatedly asked Chixiang to convey her thanks to Zhou Chujin.
Chixiang agreed and left with a smile.
Cheng Jia and Gu Shiqigu chatted for a while about Zhou Chujin's gentleness and thoughtfulness, then the topic gradually shifted to A Zhu, who had released river lanterns with them last time, and from A Zhu to the Liangguo Duke's residence... The conversation drifted further and further, eventually landing on the story of the eldest daughter of the Liu family from Plum Mansion on Official Street, who had separated from her husband and moved back to her parents' home with her two children: "They say the Liu family's eldest son-in-law favored his concubine over his wife, and the Liu family's eldest daughter refused to endure it any longer. Several of the Liu family's masters took people over and gave the eldest son-in-law a severe beating, nearly taking half his life. Not only did he return all of the eldest daughter's dowry, but he also had to pay several thousand taels of silver. Only then did the Liu family's eldest daughter sign the separation agreement."
Such a thing!
Zhou Shaojin listened with great interest.
Suddenly, a servant's loud voice came from outside: "Fourth Master and the Eldest Young Master are here!"
A commotion arose in the courtyard.
Presumably, the women were hastily making themselves scarce.
Zhou Shaojin remembered that besides them, there were other women standing in small groups talking in the corridors and courtyard.
Soon, the courtyard fell silent.
Zhou Shaojin turned her head and, through the bamboo grove, saw Cheng Chi and Cheng Xu walking in.
Cheng Chi appeared slightly taller than Cheng Xu. He wore a plain sapphire-blue Hugang-style robe, with a dark blue cloth belt around his waist. On his left side hung a plain sapphire-blue pouch, and on his right, a small square seal. With one hand behind his back, he walked in with a posture as straight as a pine tree, yet his expression was indifferent.Cheng Xu trailed a few steps behind him, wearing a dark-patterned purple-red robe with calamus motifs and a true purple silk belt tied at his waist. His spirited gaze and confident demeanor made his face appear as flawless as jade, his temples sharply defined like a blade’s edge.
Gu Shiqigu let out a soft, admiring gasp and said, “Cheng Jiashan grows more handsome with each passing day.”
Zhou Shaojin’s gaze, however, fell upon Cheng Chi.
Uncle Chi actually wasn’t wearing a Daoist robe… It seemed he wasn’t as indifferent to Old Madam Guo’s birthday celebration as Xiao Tan and the others had claimed.
Cheng Jia, meanwhile, leaned lazily over their shoulders and grumbled, “What’s so impressive about him? He still has two eyes and a nose like everyone else.”
Gu Shiqigu kept her eyes fixed on Cheng Xu and replied, “Even two eyes and a nose can differ! Cheng Jiashan’s eyes and nose are simply more finely shaped than others’.”
※
Sisters, here’s today’s update.
o(n_n)o
PS: The extra update for janeuwoo will be a bit late, so you can check it out tomorrow!
Still calling for pink votes… each one counts as two…
※ (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please vote to recommend it or cast a monthly vote. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
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