Еаsiеr sаid thаn dоne.
Thоugh Zhоu Shаоjin hаd boldly shoutеd аt Cheng Сhi the daу bеfоrе, thе nеxt daу she hesitated for a lоng timе in her сabin bеfоrе finаlly tаking thе gо mаnuаl to Сheng Chi's quartеrs.
Сheng Сhi acted аs if nothing had hаppеnеd аnd instruсtеd Lаng Yuе to set uр thе go bоаrd.
Shаojin mustеred hеr сouragе аnd stoрped Lang Yuе, saying to Сhеng Сhi, "Unclе Chi, your gо skills аrе far suреriоr tо minе. Рlaуing аgainst mе is like аrm-wrestling with a сhild—winning isn't imprеssivе, аnd losing isn't sаtisfуing. Whу dоn't you eхplain the standard fоrmations in this 'Go Мanual' tо me instеаd? Althоugh I've been learning go from Madam Shen these past days, I still can't understand the go manuals!"
Cheng Chi had always believed that people's talents varied, and he disliked teaching those who tried to compensate for lack of skill with diligence.
Shaojin was clearly not clever.
But Shaojin had already walked up to him, spread the go manual on the small table by the daybed, and pointed to a few stones in the upper left corner, saying, "I know a move should be played here, but I don't understand why a response is needed next to it. If the goal is just to create a living eye, wouldn't placing a stone right next to it suffice? If White doesn't play this move here but instead plays here, wouldn't that move be wasted?"
Cheng Chi hadn't expected her to study it so seriously, and his displeasure faded somewhat.
He pointed to a few stones in the upper right corner and said, "Look, there are several moves over here. If a stone is placed at the position you just pointed to, this area becomes empty, and the stones in the upper right corner become targets for attack. Only by placing the stone here can they support each other." As he spoke, he casually set up the game from the manual on the board. "See, Black ends up like this. Whether White plays from the left or the right, Black extends from this point in both directions, making things very troublesome for White... So this move is quite clever..."
Cheng Chi kept making assumptions.
Shaojin cherished this opportunity and, forgetting her embarrassment, repeatedly said, "Uncle Chi, slow down! I haven't quite grasped it yet!"
Though Cheng Chi didn't often demonstrate go manuals with others, whenever he did, he was surrounded by a group of go masters. No one had ever been as straightforward as Shaojin, saying they didn't understand and asking him to slow down.
He had no choice but to slow down, explaining move by move.
Shaojin felt this still wasn't clear enough, so she simply instructed Lang Yue to grind ink for her. She set up a small table on the daybed and took notes as Cheng Chi spoke.
This back-and-forth left Cheng Chi utterly exasperated.
When Old Madam Guo heard about it, she fell into deep thought.
Nanny Lu, who had recounted the story of Shaojin and Cheng Chi playing go as an amusing anecdote to Old Madam Guo, grew uneasy.
Having served Old Madam Guo for decades, she should have been able to gauge her mistress's temperament to some extent, and she usually took pride in this. But now, she couldn't guess at all what Old Madam Guo was thinking. She stood there holding her breath, not daring to make a sound.
After a long while, Old Madam Guo finally whispered to her, "Go and call Qin Ziping for me."
Nanny Lu felt as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders and went to fetch Qin Ziping.
Old Madam Guo dismissed Nanny Lu, had her close the door, and beckoned Qin Ziping closer to speak with him."Ziping, your family has served as chief stewards in our household since your great-great-grandfather's time," Old Madam Guo fixed her piercing gaze on Qin Ziping, like a tiger eyeing a rabbit. "By your generation, it's already the sixth. Though our families are called master and servant, we've been trusted more than even our own clan brothers by our family's old master and current master. I'm old now and shouldn't be meddling in affairs. But Si Lang is my son. My youngest son, not yet married, not yet fully grown. Others' matters I can ignore, but his affairs I cannot set my mind at ease. Tell me honestly—has his business encountered some problem?"
Qin Ziping was taken aback. "Why would you think that? Fourth Master's business is doing perfectly well, no problems at all!"
"Don't try to fool me." Old Madam Guo's face darkened. "If it's not business matters, then he must have some plan—one he knows I would certainly oppose... Otherwise, he wouldn't have the patience to accompany me to Putuo Mountain to offer incense!"
Qin Ziping felt cold sweat break out internally, responding half-truthfully, "Old Madam, I don't mean to hide things from you. But you know I'm Fourth Master's attendant. His affairs—I dare not, and cannot, speak of them to you. Please don't press me!"
Old Madam Guo gave a cold laugh. "Among you three brothers, Si Lang favored your second brother most. It was because I saw you as honest, reliable, careful, and thorough that I sent you to serve in Si Lang's quarters... Since I could send you to him, naturally I can also recall you. You should think carefully about this."
Beads of sweat rolled down Qin Ziping's forehead. After a long pause, he finally whispered, "Fourth Master wants to partner with someone to build a shipyard at Beitang in Tianjin, so he sold this year's salt certificates and the looms from Hangzhou... This venture may be profitable, but before seeing returns, it can swallow however much silver is thrown into it. The family doesn't know yet. Once they find out, I fear there will be quite an uproar."
Old Madam Guo still harbored doubts. "If it's merely a matter of silver, Si Lang wouldn't be so unable to keep his composure."
Qin Ziping had no choice but to continue fabricating. "It seems to also involve several imperial princes. This matter is being handled personally by Fourth Master. The specifics... I really can't say clearly."
Old Madam Guo frowned. "Si Lang isn't one to rush for quick gains... How could he get entangled with several imperial princes?"
"This..." Qin Ziping was truly sweating now. "I don't know either... Fourth Master's ways have always been like a dragon—seen head but not tail. I truly cannot guess."
Old Madam Guo gently brushed the floating leaves atop her tea, remaining silent for a good while before saying gravely, "You may go. Do not mention this matter to Si Lang."
"Rest assured, Old Madam." Qin Ziping felt as if he had narrowly escaped disaster, smiling bitterly. "How would I dare speak of such things to Fourth Master? If Fourth Master found out, he'd surely skin me alive!"
"Good that you know." Old Madam Guo said sternly, waving her hand.
Qin Ziping hurried straight to Cheng Chi's cabin.
As luck would have it, Cheng Chi was explaining a chess manual to Zhou Shaojin, so Qin had to wait in the adjacent tea room. It was nearly time for the midday meal when Zhou Shaojin finally rose to take her leave.
Qin Ziping promptly requested an audience and relayed the entire incident to Cheng Chi.Cheng Chi didn't mind and praised Qin Ziping, "I didn't expect you to be quite quick-witted at critical moments. You handled this matter well, and I've taken note of it. If the Second Branch's Old Ancestor asks about it in the future, all of you should stick to this explanation. You might as well spread this news around to avoid having to explain if anyone asks."
Qin Ziping let out a long sigh of relief.
After lunch, Old Madam Guo brought up Yutai Bank: "...Even I didn't have high hopes for it back then, but you still managed to make it work. Our family isn't short on daily expenses, so you don't need to worry too much about others. Just do what you want to do. At worst, we can start over from scratch."
Cheng Chi smiled and agreed.
Zhou Shaojin always felt there was more to Old Madam Guo's words.
After leaving Old Madam Guo's room, she sent Chunwan to inquire, saying, "It must have happened in the last couple of days, otherwise the Old Madam wouldn't have said such things today."
Chunwan kept it in mind and told her two days later, "I heard that Fourth Master has taken a liking to a piece of land in Tianjin and wants to build a dock there. But everyone opposed it, and Fourth Master is quite upset about it."
That connected the dots!
Zhou Shaojin asked, "Do you know which piece of land in Tianjin?"
In her previous life, she knew very little about such matters—she didn't know if a dock was ever built in Tianjin or whether it was profitable.
Chunwan shook her head, "Everyone spoke vaguely about it, probably only catching snippets while serving tea or water."
Zhou Shaojin nodded. When she went to learn chess from Cheng Chi again, she became even more cautious.
Cheng Chi felt that although this young girl wasn't particularly clever, she made up for it by being obedient and well-behaved. Sometimes, she understood what to do with just a glance or grasped the hidden meaning from half a sentence. Interacting with her was quite comfortable, and he naturally became more patient when explaining chess manuals.
Zhou Shaojin, on the other hand, felt that Cheng Chi was the most remarkable person she had encountered in both her lifetimes.
Whether in favorable or adverse circumstances, he remained neither arrogant nor impatient, neither resentful nor angry, always acting with a calm and composed mindset.
Her brother-in-law, Liao Shaotang, had once said that such people were usually tenacious, possessing strong willpower and firm convictions—the kind who achieve great things.
So why did Uncle Chi leave the Cheng family?
Zhou Shaojin pondered this in her heart.
Could it be that the Second Branch's Old Ancestor forced him?
No matter how capable Uncle Chi was, the Second Branch's Old Ancestor was several generations his senior. He could only avoid confronting her... It seemed that in her previous life, he was also a pitiable person!
She couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
With this in mind, after accompanying Old Madam Guo every morning, she spent her afternoons keeping Cheng Chi company while arranging chess manuals.
A few days later, they arrived in Changzhou.
Located on the shores of Taihu Lake, Changzhou connected to Jingkou upstream and Suzhou downstream. It was one of the major docks linking the north and south, renowned as the "Key Town of the Three Wu Regions and Famous Capital of Eight Counties." Its geographical location was highly significant, making it a bustling and populous area.
But it was also one of the important strongholds of the Grain Transport Gang.
Zhou Shaojin had long resolved to keep Jiying confined to her cabin and out of sight.
Unexpectedly, when she went to find Jiying, Jiying was sound asleep, completely oblivious.
Zhou Shaojin couldn't help but chuckle.
Their boat docked just before lantern-lighting time, yet the pier remained crowded with people—vendors carrying shoulder poles selling snacks, street peddlers, workers unloading cargo from ships, brokers chasing after merchants... The entire pier was bustling and noisy, yet filled with the lively atmosphere of the marketplace.
Zhou Shaojin leaned against the boat window, watching with great interest.Chunwan said, "Miss, do you think we can go ashore to buy some things? I promised Sisters Shi Xiang and Chixiang that I would buy combs for them."
Zhou Shaojin sighed and said, "I also promised Grandmother, Eldest Aunt, and Sister that I would bring combs back for them... But do you think this situation is suitable?"
It was precisely because it wasn’t suitable that she had asked with a glimmer of hope!
Chunwan frowned with worry.
Zhou Shaojin said, "We’ll have to buy them in Hangzhou. I’ve heard that Hangzhou has everything."
But it still wouldn’t be the same as buying them locally!
Chunwan thought to herself but didn’t dare to say it out loud.
Someone shouted loudly, "Excuse me, is this the boat from the Cheng family of Nine Prosperities Lane in Jinling Prefecture?" as they paced back and forth near the dock designated for sand ships.
Zhou Shaojin heard Qin Ziping respond loudly, "May I ask which family’s old acquaintance this is? This is indeed the boat from the Cheng family of Nine Prosperities Lane in Jinling Prefecture!"
※
Sisters, here is today’s update.
The additional update for Tian Feixianxian will be very late, so you can check it tomorrow morning!
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.)
!!
OpenNovel