Zhоu Shаоjin wаs quitе wоrried abоut Jiуing.
Lаst timе, Jiуing had mentionеd thаt the Jiaо family wаs lооking tо sеttlе scorеs with her. They were trаvеling to Нangzhоu Рrеfеcturе viа thе Веijing-Hаngzhou Grand Cаnаl, which wаs the territorу of the Сao Gаng.
Shе fеаrеd Jiуing might bе discovеrеd.
Chunwаn smilеd аnd said, "Мiss Jiying is slееping in her rооm! She sаid she didn't sleeр well last night and nееds tо cаtch up on rеst during thе dаy."
Zhоu Shаоjin brеаthеd a sigh оf rеlief.
Jiуing was рrobablу alsо аfrаid of bеing disсоvеred by the Сao Gang!
Being сautious was аlways а goоd thing.
In thе evеning, they switched to a three-masted sand ship.
Though called "small," it was only in comparison to the five-masted sand ships docked at Zhenjiang Wharf.
The sand ship they boarded was over four hundred feet long, with towering masts and narrow, elongated sails. It loomed like a colossal beast before Zhou Shaojin.
Gazing up at the sand ship, Zhou Shaojin felt deeply awed.
Once aboard, she saw the deck polished as smooth as a mirror and a cabin more than twice the size of the painted pleasure boat from the previous day. She stared wide-eyed, speechless for a long moment.
Chunwan and the others were naturally less composed than Zhou Shaojin. They kept exclaiming in admiration, now touching the large writing desk made of nanmu wood, now running their hands over the carved floor screen adorned with grapevines, pomegranates, and intertwining flowers.
Madam Fan Liu couldn't help sighing, "If Shi Xiang knew about this, she would surely regret not coming along with Second Miss to see such sights. Being able to accompany Second Miss on this journey, I could die without regrets."
"Nonsense!" Zhou Shaojin disliked Madam Fan Liu's tone. In this lifetime, they would surely live better than in the previous one. Madam Fan Liu would be fine, accompanying her to see more scenery and travel to more places.
Madam Fan Liu regretted her words. "Look at my mouth..."
Once Second Miss married, she would follow her and naturally travel to more places.
Such words were indeed unpleasant to hear.
She chuckled sheepishly.
From the other side came Bitao's soft exclamation, "Sister Chunwan, look! These tables and chairs are all fixed to the ship."
Zhou Shaojin and Madam Fan Liu turned to see Chunwan pushing hard against the armchair in front of her. "Oh, they really are fixed!"
"Is it to keep us from falling?" Bitao asked.
Madam Fan Liu said, "I've heard that sometimes, when sailing on the sea, you encounter fierce storms. Not only can things in the cabin be tossed about, but people can be thrown overboard. This ship must be meant for sea travel."
"Really? Really?" Bitao exclaimed excitedly, looking around here and there. "I wonder if this ship belongs to the Cheng family or if it was borrowed by Fourth Master Chi."
"It should be the Cheng family's, right?" Chunwan guessed. "I heard the stewards outside say that our Cheng family also has a fleet of ships."
Zhou Shaojin smiled faintly.
"Our Cheng family"... When had the maids she brought along started referring to themselves as members of the Cheng family!
She gently pushed the ship's window open half a foot wide.
All around them were smaller ships. She could easily see a young man and woman by an open window on the opposite ship, leaning side by side on the windowsill, gazing outside and speaking intimately.
Her face flushed, and she hurriedly closed the window, instructing Chunwan, "Hurry and finish packing. We still need to pay our respects to Old Madam Guo!"
The trunks and cases had already been brought aboard before they boarded.
Chunwan and the others giggled and replied, "Yes," swiftly tidying up their belongings.Zhou Shaojin freshened up again. After Chunwan and the others placed her usual belongings in their customary positions, she went outside to look around. Seeing no one on the deck, they then escorted Zhou Shaojin to Old Madam Guo’s cabin.
Just as on the pleasure boat, Cheng Chi stayed at the bow of the ship, Old Madam Guo in the middle, and Zhou Shaojin next to Old Madam Guo. Further back were some of the Cheng family’s female servants.
Unexpectedly, as soon as they entered, a maidservant came in to report, “Madam, the wife of Zhenjiang’s Assistant Prefect Chen Shuming has come to pay her respects.”
Old Madam Guo was somewhat surprised.
Zhou Shaojin quickly stood up and said, “Then I’ll return to my cabin first and come back later to chat with you!”
But Old Madam Guo waved her hand and said, “No need for such trouble. Just stay and accompany me to meet her. This Madam Chen, it turns out, has some connection with our family—her father was once a colleague of our late master. When she was young, I even held her in my arms. It’s just that after the old master passed away, our two families haven’t kept in touch much. When she sent a visiting card this afternoon, it was only after Nanny Lu reminded me that I remembered.”
Not keeping in touch—was it because people drift apart after someone’s passing, or were the two families merely casual acquaintances to begin with?
Zhou Shaojin pondered this as she met Madam Chen together with Old Madam Guo.
Madam Chen appeared to be around thirty-five or thirty-six years old, tall and fair-skinned with a plump figure. She wore a lilac-colored sleeveless jacket and, upon seeing Old Madam Guo, her eyes reddened as she choked up and said, “I had long wanted to visit you, Madam, but as we hadn’t seen each other for many years, I feared you might no longer remember me, so I didn’t dare come. I never expected you would still remember me…”
Old Madam Guo smiled and instructed Nanny Lu to assist Madam Chen, saying gently, “There’s no need for such formality. I’m old now, and my memory isn’t what it used to be, so I rarely go out for social engagements. I didn’t even know you were in Zhenjiang now. A few years ago, I heard your father had passed away. How is your mother? Is she in your hometown or following your brother to his post in Dongguan, Guangdong? How many children do you have now? How old is the eldest? Is it a son or a daughter?”
Her words were warm and gentle, like a soft breeze and light rain.
This was a side of Old Madam Guo that Zhou Shaojin had never seen before.
She couldn’t help but listen attentively.
Madam Chen answered each question in turn, and the two reminisced about old times. As dusk fell, Madam Chen had already begun addressing Old Madam Guo as “Aunt” and said, “Please don’t leave tomorrow. Let me properly fulfill my duties as a host and accompany you around Zhenjiang. It won’t be too late for you to set off for Hangzhou afterward.”
“No need!” Old Madam Guo politely declined. “I’m going to Putuo Mountain to offer incense and cannot delay.”
Madam Chen was very disappointed.
Then, the wife of Zhenjiang’s Prefect Gao Yao came to pay a visit to Old Madam Guo.
Madam Chen quickly stood up.
But Old Madam Guo remained seated.
A flicker of discomfort crossed Madam Chen’s face. Just as she was about to ask something about Zhou Shaojin, Madam Gao entered.
“Aunt Cheng!” Madam Gao respectfully bowed to Old Madam Guo.
Old Madam Guo inclined her head slightly and motioned for Zhou Shaojin to step forward and return the greeting.
Zhou Shaojin hurried forward and performed a curtsy to Madam Gao.
Madam Gao still remembered her and said with a smile, “I was wondering why Madam didn’t have anyone attending to her during her travels. So the Zhou family’s second young lady has come along. Had I known, I would have brought my own restless daughter to meet you and let her see what a true young lady of good breeding looks like.”
Zhou Shaojin blushed shyly and modestly replied, “I dare not claim such praise.”Only then did Madam Chen glance at Zhou Shaojin.
Old Madam Guo came to Zhou Shaojin's rescue: "She's just a young girl, easily embarrassed. Don't tease her anymore. Since your husband and Si Lang are good friends, I'll take the liberty of treating you as a junior. I'll be departing early tomorrow morning. If you truly wish for me to visit your residence, wait until I return from Putuo."
Madam Gao chuckled and said, "Old Madam, you are truly formidable. You've left me with nothing to say. Since you treat me as a junior, I won't stand on ceremony either. When you return from Putuo Mountain, I'll host a welcoming feast for you."
Madam Chen stood by with an ingratiating smile, finally seizing the opportunity to pay her respects to Madam Gao.
Naturally, Madam Gao recognized her and greeted her with a smile, "Madam Chen." However, her eyes turned toward Old Madam Guo.
Old Madam Guo explained the relationship between the two families.
Madam Gao then treated Madam Chen with a bit more warmth.
Overjoyed, Madam Chen fawned over Old Madam Guo and Madam Gao. When Madam Gao took her leave, Madam Chen even respectfully assisted her off the boat.
Zhou Shaojin, who had been seeing off the guest on behalf of Old Madam Guo, couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief.
Suddenly, Cheng Chi's voice came from behind her: "What's wrong? Are you very tired?"
Zhou Shaojin was startled and turned around abruptly, only to step on her cloak. The cloak's cord tightened around her neck.
She hurriedly untied the cloak, finally able to breathe again. But blood had rushed to her face, making it burn hotly.
Cheng Chi acted as if he hadn't noticed, speaking in a calm tone: "It's getting late. Go and rest soon! Tomorrow will be fine weather. If you can wake up early, you can watch the sunrise from the bow of the boat. The sky filled with morning glow offers a different sight compared to watching the sunrise from a mountain."
Zhou Shaojin softly acknowledged.
Cheng Chi returned to the cabin.
Only then did Zhou Shaojin's breathing ease.
Should she go watch the sunrise tomorrow or not?
Remembering Jiying's criticism for choosing to attend the temple fair instead of watching the tidal bore at Tang Lake, Zhou Shaojin decided to invite Jiying to watch the sunrise together.
Unexpectedly, Jiying said, "I cannot show myself tomorrow. You should go alone."
Zhou Shaojin felt somewhat disappointed but understood completely. She reminded Jiying to be careful and asked Chunwan to wake her early the next day.
Chunwan agreed.
The next day, before dawn, she woke Zhou Shaojin.
Zhou Shaojin stepped out of the cabin and saw several unfamiliar men at the bow. Judging by their attire, they appeared to be boatmen.
Not daring to venture out, she opened the window and gazed outside, watching as a pale light gradually emerged between the river and sky. Then, the morning glow slowly burst forth, gradually dyeing the eastern sky red.
Literati and poets took pride in watching the sunrise from the summit of Mount Tai. How wonderful it would be if she could one day go to Mount Tai to see the sunrise.
Zhou Shaojin took a deep breath. The cool morning air was moist and carried a refreshing crispness, invigorating her entire being.
※
At Chen Zheng (8 a.m.), the sand ship weighed anchor.
Zhou Shaojin stood by the ship's window, watching the Zhenjiang dock grow smaller and smaller.
In the afternoon, Old Madam Guo sent Biyu to invite her over for a game of leaf cards.
Zhou Shaojin felt her head swell with dread but had no choice but to go.
Most people on the ship were servants. Surely Old Madam Guo couldn't always play with those servants?
Zhou Shaojin forced herself through an afternoon of leaf cards and lost seven taels of silver.
Perhaps tired of the monotonous scenery along the shore, after two days, Old Madam Guo's room once again hosted a game of leaf cards.For several days in a row, Zhou Shaojin spent her afternoons at the mahjong table.
During breakfast that morning, she looked at Cheng Chi with a pleading gaze.
Cheng Chi acted as if he hadn’t noticed, calmly eating his meal.
Zhou Shaojin couldn’t help but feel disheartened.
In the afternoon, halfway through a game, Cheng Chi walked in.
Old Madam Guo quickly greeted him, “Have you finished all your tasks?”
“There’s not much to do anyway,” Cheng Chi said, strolling leisurely over to Zhou Shaojin’s side. Suddenly, he remarked, “Play the three of characters. How could you play the six of bamboos with this hand!”
Just like last time, Zhou Shaojin didn’t understand why, but she played the three of characters without hesitation.
※
Sisters, here’s today’s update.
o(n_n)o~
PS: Things have been a bit rushed these past couple of days, so there are some typos and minor details that aren’t quite right. I’m slowly fixing them.
※ (To be continued. If you like this work, please feel free to vote for recommendations or monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
!!
OpenNovel