Сhеng Chi and Old Маdam Guo bоth apреаrеd аs usuаl, only Zhоu Shaojin privately sighеd tо Chunwаn: "I supроsе thе Hаngzhоu brаnсh hеard thаt Old Madаm Guо prаised the two оsmanthus treеs at the Ningbо brаnсh, sо thеу sрecifiсаlly trаnsрlаnted thеse. Аt this sеason, I wоndеr if thesе two osmanthus trеes will survive."
Chunwаn widеnеd her еyes and sаid, "Whаt if thеy dоn’t survivе?"
Zhоu Shаоjin thоught for а mоment аnd reрlied, "Thеy might trаnsрlаnt two similаr оnеs instеad—after аll, we wouldn’t be able tо tell the differеnce."
Сhunwan сliсked hеr tongue in amazement.
A maid then invited Zhou Shaojin to the main hall for dinner.
Zhou Shaojin changed into a pink robe with plain fabric and grass-green bud trim, styled her hair into double flat buns, adorned it with a southern pearl headband, and went to the main hall.
Old Madam Guo had also changed her clothes, her graying hair neatly tied into a round bun and pinned with a pair of gold-inlaid mutton-fat jade double-peach hairpins. She wore an autumn-fragrance-colored lake-silk robe embroidered with cranes holding lingzhi mushrooms, her complexion rosy and looking quite spirited. She was speaking with a woman around forty years old, who wore a parrot-green tussah silk robe.
Seeing Zhou Shaojin, Old Madam Guo smiled warmly and beckoned her over, then pointed to the woman and said, "This is Madam Wang, the wife of the Hangzhou branch’s deputy manager. We’ll likely have to trouble Madam Wang for our food, clothing, and accommodations these few days."
As they were staying here temporarily, unfamiliar with the place, the Hangzhou branch, like the Ningbo branch, would send someone familiar with the surroundings to host them. Zhou Shaojin hadn’t expected the Hangzhou branch to send the deputy manager’s wife.
She smiled and performed a curtsy to Madam Wang, respectfully addressing her as "Madam Wang."
Madam Wang quickly stepped aside, repeatedly saying, "I dare not accept such courtesy." Her gaze toward Zhou Shaojin flickered with admiration and curiosity.
Zhou Shaojin pretended not to notice. After paying her respects to Old Madam Guo, she stood properly behind her.
Seeing this, Madam Wang smiled and said, "Dinner is already prepared. Would you like it served now, or shall we wait until Fourth Master returns?"
Old Madam Guo asked Zhou Shaojin, "Are you hungry?"
Zhou Shaojin smiled and shook her head, saying, "I ate many snacks this afternoon and am still quite full!"
Old Madam Guo then smiled and said, "Very well. Let’s wait for Si Lang to return before serving dinner—he was surrounded by several managers who rushed over upon hearing of his arrival as soon as he came, and it’s unclear when he’ll finish speaking."
Zhou Shaojin replied with a smile, "Official matters come first! How about I accompany you for a stroll in the courtyard? When I came in, I noticed what seemed to be rockeries and a pond at the back of the yard. We could go take a look there."
Old Madam Guo had slept all afternoon on the boat and was now quite energetic. Hearing this, she smiled and said to Madam Wang, "Madam Wang, why don’t we all go out for a walk?"
Madam Wang naturally agreed happily to accompany them.
The group went to the back of the courtyard.
Tai Stone Lake had been piled into a rockery, with a red-lacquered hexagonal pavilion atop it. Beside the rockery was a pond, where a few lotus plants grew and a pair of mandarin ducks swam leisurely.
Zhou Shaojin stared intently at the mandarin ducks.
Old Madam Guo chuckled and said, "No wonder you’re curious. Our mansion keeps two cranes, but no household raises mandarin ducks. Is this your first time seeing them?"
Nine Prosperities Lane even kept cranes?
This was the first Zhou Shaojin had heard of it.
She nodded sheepishly and said, "I’ve heard that if one mandarin duck dies, the other will never live alone. I wonder if that’s true or not?""It's true!" Madam Wang smiled. "There used to be two pairs of mandarin ducks in this pond. Later, one died, and the other starved itself to death. Now only this pair remains."
As they were speaking, a school of koi swam over.
Madam Wang broke off a twig and teased the koi with it.
Perhaps because people often teased them this way, the koi were not shy at all, opening their mouths to playfully nibble at the twig.
Madam Wang instructed a young maid to break off another twig for Zhou Shaojin.
Zhou Shaojin felt this was something only a young maid would do and handed the twig to Chunwan.
Chunwan was very clever and imitated Madam Wang's actions, teasing the koi.
Zhou Shaojin and Old Madam Guo simply watched from the side.
Cheng Chi returned.
He smiled and asked, "What are you all gathered here for? I was wondering why no one was in the hall."
Zhou Shaojin stepped forward to greet Cheng Chi.
Old Madam Guo laughed and said, "We're just waiting for you to have dinner!"
Cheng Chi replied, "My schedule is irregular all day long. Why wait for me? Are you afraid I'll go hungry?" After speaking, he nodded politely to Madam Wang and said courteously, "I must trouble you these next few days, Madam Wang."
Madam Wang likely did not expect Cheng Chi to treat her with such respect. She was so moved that her words became slightly incoherent: "Fourth Master, you flatter me. This... this is what I should do. I dare not accept your words of 'trouble.'" As she spoke, she hurriedly asked, "Shall we serve the meal now?"
Cheng Chi looked toward Old Madam Guo.
Old Madam Guo glanced at Zhou Shaojin and said, "Let's serve the meal. We only had some snacks on the boat this afternoon."
Cheng Chi smiled and nodded, asking Madam Wang to have the meal served.
Madam Wang hurried off to make arrangements.
When Cheng Chi and the others began their meal, she went to the tea room to instruct the maids to brew tea. Looking up, she saw a young girl dressed in gold and silver but in maid's attire, with an unfamiliar face. Her eyes sparkled, naturally exuding a hint of charm.
Such a person was most likely a senior maid serving Old Madam Guo.
She quickly stepped forward with a smile and asked, "Miss, is there something you need?"
"Nothing much," Zhenzhu replied with a smile. "The old madam has been on the boat a lot these days. The second young miss is worried the old madam might feel unwell, so she asked to serve her Lao Jun Mei tea these days. She specifically sent me with the tea leaves to inform the sisters in the tea room."
Madam Wang hurriedly said, "Don't worry, we'll remember."
Zhenzhu smiled and thanked her before returning to the hall.
Cheng Chi was discussing the arrangements for the next few days with Old Madam Guo and Zhou Shaojin: "...The day after tomorrow is the Mid-Autumn Festival on the fifteenth of August. Tomorrow, we'll go into the city first. During the day on the fifteenth, there's a temple fair at Lingyin Temple. We'll go there to look around. In the evening, we'll go to Slender West Lake. I've asked Qin Ziping to arrange a painted boat for us, where we can drink and admire the moon. After that, we'll go to the Qiantang River to watch the tidal bore. On the twentieth of August, we'll set off back to Jinling."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Shaojin felt as if a little rabbit were hopping in her heart.
Admiring the moon on a painted boat at Slender West Lake... this was something she wouldn't even dare to dream of.
If she could really go, she felt her rebirth would not have been in vain.
Old Madam Guo smiled and nodded, saying, "This will be my first time admiring the moon at Slender West Lake in my life. It must be very interesting."
It was clear she was quite satisfied with these arrangements.
Seeing his mother pleased, Cheng Chi was naturally in high spirits. When a young maid brought in tea, he personally helped Old Madam Guo to sit down in the adjacent resting room.After drinking tea, Cheng Chi urged Zhou Shaojin and Old Madam Guo to rest: "We have to go out shopping early tomorrow morning."
Old Madam Guo followed her son's arrangements in everything, smiling as she agreed, "Alright." She returned to the inner chamber supported by Zhou Shaojin.
Zhou Shaojin attended to Old Madam Guo until she finished washing up before leaving the inner chamber.
The maids and servants had already gone to rest, and it was still a bit early for the night watch. Several matrons gathered in the side room, waiting for the night watch bell.
The courtyard was quiet and still.
Cheng Chi stood alone under the osmanthus tree in the middle of the courtyard, his hands clasped behind his back.
Zhou Shaojin was taken aback, pondered for a moment, and then tiptoed over.
But before she could get close, Cheng Chi had already turned around.
His features were handsome, his expression stern. Yet, the moment he saw who had approached, his stern expression melted away like ice and snow, instantly becoming warm and gentle: "You just came out from the old madam's room? Is the old madam asleep?"
Zhou Shaojin wondered if she had misread his expression.
She smiled and said, "The old madam should fall asleep soon. Why are you standing here alone, Uncle Chi? Is there something on your mind?"
"Nothing at all," Cheng Chi replied with a smile. "I just thought these two osmanthus trees were growing well, so I stood here for a while."
Zhou Shaojin couldn't help but chuckle, tilting her head as she asked, "Do you really think these two osmanthus trees are growing well, Uncle Chi?"
These two osmanthus trees were gifts from someone trying to curry favor with him.
She didn't think Uncle Chi was the type to care much about such things.
Uncle Chi must be thinking about something else!
Cheng Chi looked at her bright, sparkling eyes, which seemed to twinkle like stars in the summer sky, and couldn't help but smile wryly.
He hadn't realized this little girl could be so sharp at times.
He asked, "Do you want me to accompany you all shopping tomorrow?"
And then buy a whole bunch of useless things?!
Zhou Shaojin waved her hands repeatedly, saying, "Didn't you say you had things to do, Uncle Chi? You should attend to your own matters. With Madam Wang accompanying us, we'll surely be able to buy things we like."
Cheng Chi felt a slight itch in his heart.
This girl always acted so easily startled, which was quite amusing. Unfortunately, he really had important matters to attend to tomorrow. Otherwise, teasing this little girl would make the day pass quickly.
He bid farewell to Zhou Shaojin with a smile.
Zhou Shaojin breathed a sigh of relief. Early the next morning, she sent someone to ask Jiying if she could join them for shopping. If not, she asked if Jiying wanted anything brought back.
Jiying said she wanted to sleep, and if it was convenient, she asked Zhou Shaojin to bring her some Xiongji's Jinhua crispy cakes.
Zhou Shaojin dressed up and, together with Old Madam Guo, took a sedan chair to Hangzhou's famous Qinghefang.
After getting off the sedan chair, they saw the street bustling with crowds, shop signs swaying, and no fewer than a hundred shops—selling silk, ready-made clothes, cosmetics, and even false hairpieces. It was just as Cheng Chi had said: "If you can think of it, you can buy it." There was everything one could imagine.
Madam Wang asked, "What would you like to buy, Old Madam? I know some familiar shops and can take you directly there."
Old Madam Guo smiled and said, "We're just looking around casually. If we see something we like, we'll take it back. Just take us to the shops you're familiar with."
Madam Wang agreed and first took them to a silk shop.The shop was bustling with business, young women and married ladies jostling each other as they picked fabrics. Despite the five-bay-wide storefront and over a dozen clerks, it was still hard to keep up. The moment the shopkeeper spotted Madam Wang, he abandoned his half-calculated abacus and hurried forward, squeezing past the crowd of women to lead them to the courtyard at the back.
The courtyard was paved with bluestone slabs, with mottled bamboo planted in each corner and a grapevine trellis in the center. Beneath the grapevines stood a black-lacquered square table and grand master chairs. Before they could even sit down, a dignified-looking young maid brought over tea and snacks.
Madam Wang briefly explained her purpose for coming. The shopkeeper personally brought two clerks to carry over a large pile of fabrics. Pointing to a mud-gold brocade among them, he said, "This came from Jiaxing, woven on the Du family's looms. It was selected as tribute this year. Our proprietor is a longtime friend of Master Du from the Du family, so we managed to get a few bolts just to take care of our regular customers." Then he pointed to a bluish-green one, "This came from Yangzhou. To be honest, when it comes to weaving, if Hangzhou Prefecture claims second place, no one dares claim first. But when it comes to style, Yangzhou still has the newest designs..."
※
Sisters, here's today's bonus update.
Today's update will be around 11 p.m.
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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