Тhе сrisis оf finаnсes troublеd Zhоu Shаоjin.
In hеr previous lifе, shе had spеnt most of hеr timе аt hоmе, rаrely using silvеr and thus never facing such wоrriеs. Thе onlу timе shе hаd run short оf mоnеу wаs when shе fled from the Сhеng familу and encоuntered а heavу snоwstоrm in Тоngzhоu, whiсh delaуеd her fоr sеvеral dаys. Неr silver ran оut, but Мadаm Fan Liu quickly рawned a fаmilу hеirloоm bracelеt аnd tоok hеr tо find hеr еldеr sistеr. Latеr, аfter mаrrying Lin Shishеng, she had hеr own dоwrу аnd was аssistеd bу Мa Ci in manаging her affairs. Her mаjor exрenses wеre dоnаtions оf lamp oil money at temples, and she could buy whatever she wished, never lacking silver.
Yet never did she imagine that in this new life, she would find herself without money in hand!
Zhou Shaojin sat in the Buddhist hall of Cold Green Mountain House, growing more distressed the more she thought about it, even ruining two characters in a row while writing.
She simply set down her brush, deciding to calm her mind first, when she overheard Xiao Tan, who was sitting by the door weaving knots, say to Shi Xiang, "...they turned Liutingzhai upside down before finally finding the Xianyang basin that Master Shi mentioned."
Liutingzhai was the residence of Cheng Shi of the second branch.
Zhou Shaojin couldn’t help but listen more closely.
Shi Xiang said, "A Xianyang basin? Is Master Shi planning to grow narcissus? That’s nothing rare, is it? We have several in our courtyard, and every year around this time, they’re brought out for the eldest and second young ladies to arrange narcissus." As she spoke, she exclaimed, "Oh dear! I almost forgot. With all the busyness these past few days, I completely forgot to ask the greenhouse matron to save a few nicer narcissus plants for our eldest and second young ladies. Last year, we asked too late, and all the good ones had already been picked."
Xiao Tan said, "Last year, the narcissus in our courtyard bloomed beautifully. Even Madam Gu praised them when she came to pay New Year’s respects."
Shi Xiang laughed, "When has anything in your courtyard ever been less than excellent?"
"That’s true," Xiao Tan chuckled. "But our Sister Zhenzhu here is skilled at tending flowers. The narcissus in our courtyard are all carved by Sister Zhenzhu herself. She said that the Xianyang basin Master Shi mentioned is trapezoidal in shape, and he’s most likely planning to arrange narcissus in the pattern of 'Jinshi and Di.' Unlike our ordinary Xianyang basins, which are either round or square, or paired with a rosewood stand, creating a 'Jinshi and Di' pattern requires a lot of effort. Master Shi is probably planning to give it as a gift!"
"A gift?" Shi Xiang said in surprise. "Who else could make Master Shi go to such lengths?"
"I don’t know," Xiao Tan replied with a smile. "Master Shi and his wife are both sociable people. Even before Mistress Shi has finished her month of confinement, she’s already preparing to invite relatives and friends over for Laba porridge on Laba Festival."
Shi Xiang knew about this and smiled, "Speaking of Mistress Shi, she really is quite admirable. Ever since marrying into the Cheng family, she’s personally cooked Laba porridge and delivered it to each branch every year."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Tan pursed her lips and said, "No matter how virtuous she is, what does it matter? Our young master is the eldest son and grandson, and his wife is the matriarch of the clan."
Only then did Shi Xiang realize she had spoken out of turn and hurriedly laughed, "That’s right! I was just saying it casually. Don’t take it to heart."Xiao Tan, who had been getting along with Shi Xiang like sisters these days, immediately felt her words were too harsh upon hearing this and secretly regretted it. She explained, "I said that because I can't stand the way the second branch fawns on the powerful and tramples on the weak. Sister, you don't know—isn't Young Master Min's elder brother the top scholar of the Ren-Chen year? Our branch's Fourth Master also passed the imperial examination that year, but he was ranked twelfth in the second tier. Master Shi is dead set on currying favor with Young Master Min, as if winning him over means winning over the top scholar himself, and in doing so, he tramples our Fourth Master underfoot."
Zhou Shaojin was not surprised.
Shi Xiang, however, was astonished. "There's such a thing?"
Half out of anger and half to mend the rift that had just formed between her and Shi Xiang, Xiao Tan indignantly said, "That's not all! Last time, when Young Master Min and the young master went as guests to the Gu family on Plum Blossom Lane, Master Shi somehow found out and insisted on tagging along. After they arrived, the Gu family hosted a banquet for Young Master Min and brought out their treasured grape wine to entertain the guests. Young Master Min jokingly remarked, 'What a pity we have no chance to see those luminous cups.' Master Shi eagerly scrambled to get hold of what he called a 'luminous cup' from somewhere and presented it to Young Master Min. Unfortunately, Young Master Min looked down on Master Shi. Not only did he return the 'luminous cup' to Master Shi, but he also told him, 'The friendship between gentlemen is as light as water,' leaving Master Shi red-faced with shame.
"When we heard about it, it was truly satisfying.
"Master Shi, relying on being older than the young master, always likes to boss him around. But he never stops to think—even if he is older than the young master, so what? In the future, it will still be our young master who manages the Cheng family."
Shi Xiang repeatedly agreed.
Zhou Shaojin, however, pondered to herself: Madam Yuan wants to marry a Min family daughter, and Min Xingqiang is a guest in the house. With such a good opportunity, wouldn't she make full use of it? For Min Xingqiang to offend Cheng Shi like this, could it be that he knows something? Moreover, he seems to have a good impression of Cheng Xu and wants him as his brother-in-law?
She stood up and took a sip of hot tea.
No matter what, it had nothing to do with her. She only prayed to the Bodhisattva for a safe and peaceful passage through these two years. As for whom Cheng Xu would marry or what would become of Cheng Lu—none of it concerned her.
※
Over at the Lixue Studio, the vast courtyard was silent, without a single human voice. Though the cold had not yet arrived, a large brazier had already been placed before the study desk, filled with high-quality silver-frost charcoal burning bright red, illuminating the room.
The bookshelves in the room were empty, but the floor was littered with thread-bound manuscripts, books, and illustrated volumes—a complete mess.
Cheng Chi stood tall and graceful before the brazier, wearing a deep indigo fine-cloth lined robe. His straight posture resembled a birch tree on the northern plains, and his serene face was like an ancient, unchanging statue. From time to time, he would open an account book from the desk, glance through it, and toss it into the brazier.
The flames quickly leaped up, devouring the account books he threw into the brazier.
Huaishan walked in carrying a large stack of account books. Seeing the scene before him, he was slightly taken aback and hesitated before asking, "Fourth Master, are all these to be burned?"
"Burn them all," Cheng Chi replied without even a flicker in his eyes or brows, continuing to toss account books into the brazier.
Huaishan placed the stack of account books on the large desk. After hesitating for a long while, he finally said, "Fourth Master, these are decades' worth of the estate's account books. Once burned, they'll be gone forever. If we ever need to investigate anything in the future, there will be nowhere to turn."The firelight illuminated Cheng Chi's face, making his brow appear somewhat cold. "Even if I left the account books for them, would they be able to understand them?"
Huaishan choked back his words.
Cheng Chi tossed another account book into the brazier and said indifferently, "What did Fang Xintong say?"
Huaishan replied, "He said he couldn’t handle two thousand looms alone and asked if he could bring in a few colleagues to share the burden..."
A vein twitched at Cheng Chi’s temple.
Huaishan’s expression shifted slightly.
The Fourth Master seemed to be in a very bad mood.
Had something happened after he left the study?
He lowered his eyelids, just as Cheng Chi’s voice, still sounding quite gentle, reached his ears: "If even the wealthiest man in Jiaxing can’t handle my two thousand looms, I doubt anyone else would be capable... Very well, wasn’t there someone named Zheng Si last time who wanted to take on some work from us? I thought he seemed sensible enough. Go ask him if he has the courage to take on my two thousand looms and three hundred skilled weavers. I won’t ask for a single tael of silver now—he can settle the payment in two years. But I have one condition: during these two years, he must help me bring down Fang Xintong. I don’t like him being the wealthiest man in Jiaxing."
"Yes!" Huaishan replied, sweating profusely.
"After all, the Thirteen Guilds won’t settle their debt to me until two years from now, and it’s better than sitting idle." Cheng Chi tossed another account book into the brazier. The silver-frost charcoal seemed unable to withstand the weight of the book, and with a "bang," ash scattered everywhere, nearly flying onto Cheng Chi.
But Huaishan’s sleeve swept in a swift arc, as if meeting an invisible barrier, and all the ash fell back into the brazier.
Cheng Chi tossed another account book in.
This time, the book landed lightly in the brazier and obediently caught fire.
Huaishan breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Fourth Master, about the matter of the Second Miss of the Zhou family you asked me to investigate..."
"What about it?" Cheng Chi flipped through an account book absentmindedly.
"Since Second Miss Zhou entered the household at six months old, she has never traveled far. In fact, before March 24th of this year, she had never gone out alone," Huaishan reported. "After March, she went out a few times—once in April, before the Dragon Boat Festival, when she and her sister returned to the Zhou ancestral home to pay respects to their ancestors; another time when someone who had once served her maternal grandfather came to ask for her favor..." He recounted every detail of Zhou Shaojin’s activities since March and concluded, "Fourth Master, I can confirm that she truly is the daughter of Prefect Zhou, the Second Miss of the Fourth Branch."
Cheng Chi asked, "Has there been any news from the capital?""Yes," Huaishan replied, "That young servant is extremely clever. The Ji family sent him to the capital, but he managed to lose his tail in no time. He hired an out-of-town traveling merchant, claiming him as his uncle who was heading to Tianjin to collect goods, and left him staying near Chongren Lane at the Shangqing Temple..." Perhaps clever children are liked by everyone, as Huaishan showed a faint smile at this point, his tone becoming livelier. "The people watching him said he seemed to idle around every day, either listening to operas, dining at restaurants, or strolling the streets. He even got involved with a young Taoist priest from the Shangqing Temple, helping him repay twenty copper coins for some pastries. But in reality, every day he would intentionally or unintentionally pass through an alley in Chongren Lane and Hushangshu Lane, chatting with the neighbors there. The ones he asked about most were the Lin family in one alley and the Mu family in Hushangshu Lane..."
Cheng Chi was also somewhat surprised upon hearing this and asked, "What's special about these two families?"
A flicker of confusion passed through Huaishan's eyes. "The Lin family holds a hereditary third-rank commander position. Although the Mu family are scholars, they serve as censors in the Censorate. The two families are connected by marriage... Though not exactly a match in social status, the Lin and Mu families have been old neighbors and close friends for generations. The Lin family's son is handsome and praised for his character, and he is around the same age as the Mu family's daughter. Having grown up together, it can still be considered a decent match... We still don’t know why the Zhou family’s second cousin instructed that young servant to inquire about the Lin and Mu families." After a pause, he added, "That young servant is named Fan Qi, and he is the milk brother of the Zhou family’s second cousin."
※
Sisters, only two updates today.
o(n_n)o
※ (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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