Сhеng Сhi аskеd сuriously, "It's sо lаtе, whаt dоes Secоnd Сousin want with Jiуing?"
Huaishаn sаid, "I'll hаvе Grаnnу Shang go еavesdrop."
Cheng Сhi did nоt objеct.
А fаint smilе fliсkerеd in Нuаishаn's еyеs as he left thе sidе roоm.
Cheng Chi thоught back tо his meeting with Хiао Zhеnhаi аnd Jiаng Qin yestеrdаy mоrning.
Тhаt Jiying hаd returnеd tо his side seеking his рrotеction might be unknоwn to others, but within thе саnal gаng, it was certаinlу knоwn. Yet whеn Jiаng Qin еnсоuntеred him, hе аctеd as if nоthing had haрpеnеd, еven hinting thаt thе Jiао family wantеd to monopolizе power within thе canаl gang, аnd thаt the gаng members had long been discontent. Now that their only son had his arm broken, many in the gang were secretly gloating. Jiang Qin also said that although the three families were as close as one, they could not compromise the principles of the jianghu for personal gain. If the Jiao family went too far, while he couldn't speak for the other family, the Jiang family would definitely stand by his side. Even if the Jiang family couldn't openly break with the Jiao family, they could still cause trouble for them behind the scenes.
The so-called three great leaders of the canal gang were merely the three founders who had established it together. But that was decades ago. Now, after generations of inheritance, driven by interests and reputation, the closeness of those early days had long vanished. That Jiang Qin could say such things showed the deep rift between the three families, and a falling out was only a matter of time.
The question was whether he could use this to drag the Xiao family into the mess.
Merely making the Xiao family lose money wouldn't be enough to shake their foundation. The best approach would be to wait until Xiao Zhenhai had squandered a large amount of the family's wealth, and then have someone within the Xiao family question his competence...
As he pondered this, Huaishan entered. Smiling, he reported, "Second Cousin wants Miss Jiying to find a way to bring back a few bricks from Leifeng Pagoda for her!"
Cheng Chi was taken aback. "What's the reasoning behind that?"
Huaishan told Cheng Chi the rumor he had heard from Granny Shang about Leifeng Pagoda being able to grant children.
Cheng Chi was even more surprised. "What does Second Cousin need that for?"
She was only thirteen this year, far from marrying, let alone having children.
Huaishan couldn't figure it out either and chuckled, "Perhaps she wants to bring some back for a relative."
Cheng Chi thought of Zhou Zhen, who still had no son.
He said, "That's a small matter. Did Jiying not agree?"
"No," Huaishan replied. "With Jiang Qin here, who knows how many eyes in the jianghu are fixed on Hangzhou Prefecture. Miss Jiying doesn't want to cause any unnecessary complications." Then he added with a smile, "Miss Jiying has become much more sensible these days, diligently practicing her martial skills every morning and evening."
Cheng Chi nodded indifferently and instructed Huaishan, "Then you go find a way to get a few bricks for Second Cousin. But will it still work if the bricks aren't carried back by the person themselves?"
"I don't know," Huaishan said with a laugh. "I'll tell Granny Shang and have her ask. If it really must be done in person, I think it might be better to have Second Cousin write a letter to Lord Zhou."
Cheng Chi agreed wholeheartedly. "While you're at it, tell Granny Shang that we're going tide-watching tomorrow. Besides keeping an eye on Old Madam Guo, she should also watch over Second Cousin. We can't let the tide sweep her away. With her delicate, lilac-like appearance, if she were swept into the river, finding her would likely be impossible..."
Huaishan went off to Granny Shang with a smile.
Granny Shang was astonished. "Since when does Fourth Master bother with such matters?"Huaishan said, "Fourth Master has always been thorough in whatever he does—look at how he manages the affairs of Nine Prosperities Lane, is there anyone who does it better than him?"
"That's true," Granny Shang laughed. "Now that Fourth Master has tacitly allowed Old Madam to bring Second Miss along, he naturally must take good care of her as well." She added, "I'll go ask Second Miss now, so Fourth Master's good deed doesn't go unappreciated."
Huaishan chuckled. "Fourth Master doesn't care about such recognition."
Granny Shang grumbled, "You men are all like this, never taking such things to heart. But remember, if I hadn't spoken up in front of the Ji family back then, how would the head of the Ji family have realized what the Jiao family was plotting? How could Fourth Master have subdued the Ji family so easily? Sometimes a few extra words are necessary..."
"Alright, alright, alright," Huaishan surrendered. "Go ahead and say what you want."
Granny Shang chuckled and went to Zhou Shaojin's quarters.
Zhou Shaojin, having been rejected by Jiying, was feeling down and helpless. When she heard that Nanny Shang, who served Cheng Chi, had come to see her, she widened her eyes in surprise and asked, "What does she want?"
Bitao shook her head. "It doesn't seem like anything urgent."
"Invite her to the sitting room for tea," Zhou Shaojin said, thinking of her connection to Cheng Chi and deciding to treat her with courtesy. "I'll change my clothes and join her shortly."
Bitao withdrew.
Zhou Shaojin simply tied her hair into a bun and put on a half-new, half-old peach-red vest to meet Granny Shang.
Seeing how the garish color not only failed to diminish Zhou Shaojin's elegance but even added a touch of charm, Granny Shang couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
This Second Miss Zhou truly was beautiful—no wonder Young Master Xu couldn't forget her and had even written a letter a few days ago asking about her.
Granny Shang smiled and bowed to Zhou Shaojin. "Miss Jiying mentioned that you wanted to bring back a brick from Leifeng Pagoda. Fourth Master sent me to ask whether you need to retrieve it yourself or if anyone can do it for you."
Zhou Shaojin hadn't given this question much thought.
Still, she was overjoyed that Cheng Chi had agreed to let her bring back a brick from Leifeng Pagoda. She quickly asked Chunwan to serve tea to Granny Shang and went to see Madam Wang.
Madam Wang had already retired for the night. Upon learning Zhou Shaojin's purpose, she said drowsily, "We're leaving for the Qiantang River tomorrow... Has Old Madam agreed to send someone to Leifeng Pagoda?"
"Not Old Madam," Zhou Shaojin replied, somewhat embarrassed. "It was Fourth Master who agreed." She then explained Granny Shang's concern to Madam Wang.
Madam Wang broke into a cold sweat, her sleepiness vanishing instantly. She smiled and said, "Whether you retrieve it yourself or entrust someone else, the sincerity is the same. The Bodhisattva will know and will bless you."
In other words, it didn't matter who retrieved it!
Zhou Shaojin happily relayed this to Granny Shang.
Granny Shang smiled and took her leave.
Filled with joy, Zhou Shaojin tossed and turned in bed for a long time before finally falling asleep.
The next morning, as soon as she opened her eyes, she saw the two bricks Granny Shang had delivered before dawn.
The grayish bricks, weathered by time, appeared somewhat worn but still retained their solemn, square shape.
Zhou Shaojin instructed Chunwan to wrap them in two pieces of silk and place them in a trunk before going to pay her respects to Old Madam Guo.After a day of rest, Old Madam Guo was in high spirits and invited Zhou Shaojin to join her for breakfast. "The kitchen has millet chicken soup sea cucumber porridge today. It sounded unusual, so I had some brought over. If you're not used to it, you can have something else... Let me think, they should also have plain porridge, lily porridge, and vegetable porridge."
"I'll have the same as you," Zhou Shaojin said, sitting down and taking a taste of the porridge.
It was delicious, but she wasn't quite accustomed to sea cucumber in porridge.
Madam Wang, who was serving nearby, smiled and said, "This millet chicken soup sea cucumber porridge is excellent for nourishing qi and strengthening the spleen. It's best suited for those of advanced age and robust young men. Second Cousin Shaojin needn't force herself."
Zhou Shaojin immediately realized the porridge was specially prepared for Old Madam Guo and Cheng Chi.
She smiled awkwardly but still managed to finish the porridge.
Cheng Chi sent someone over to ask if they could set off.
Their belongings had been packed the day before, and Zhou Shaojin helped Old Madam Guo into the sedan chair.
Today, they would be staying at the villa in Qiantang owned by Master Zong, the wealthiest man in Jiangnan.
The autumn morning sun was warm and refreshing. Zhou Shaojin occasionally lifted the curtain to look outside.
The curling smoke from chimneys, the shepherd boy on a buffalo's back, and the cheerful laughter of women washing clothes by the river all brought her a sense of peace and warmth.
Around noon, their sedan chairs stopped at the Zong family's villa.
The villa was only three courtyards in size, but it had whitewashed walls and black-tiled roofs, with flowers and trees filling the courtyards. Along the corridors, chrysanthemums of various colors were arranged to suit the season, creating a delightful scene.
Cheng Chi smiled and said, "This was originally the courtyard where Elder Master Zong's great-grandfather spent his later years in quiet retirement. The Qiantang River is just a short distance away. When he heard you were coming, he insisted I bring you here to stay for a couple of days. I thought, since we won't be setting off for Jinling for a few more days and this place is quite peaceful, I agreed."
"This is very nice," Old Madam Guo said, smiling as she looked around. "Please thank Elder Master Zong for his thoughtfulness on my behalf."
Cheng Chi smiled and agreed. Zhou Shaojin was settled in the west wing room next to Old Madam Guo.
After lunch and a short rest, Cheng Chi took Zhou Shaojin and Old Madam Guo to see the backyard. "...There's a small pavilion there. From there, you can also see the tidal bore of the Qiantang River, though it's not as magnificent as watching it from the riverside. I thought we could watch from the pavilion on the first day. If you're interested, we can go to the riverside to watch the tide the next day. We still have plenty of time."
Before they could leave, however, the Zong family's head steward arrived with an invitation, saying that the Zong family's elderly madam wished to bring her daughters-in-law and granddaughters to visit Old Madam Guo the next morning.
Old Madam Guo looked at Cheng Chi.
Cheng Chi smiled and said, "Tomorrow is the eighteenth day of the eighth month. I think it's best to wait until after tomorrow."
Qin Ziping went to relay the message.
The group then went to the pavilion in the backyard.
Although the next day was the ideal time to watch the tide, the roaring waves crashing against the shore, one after another, already hinted at the grandeur of the Qiantang River's tidal bore.
Old Madam Guo smiled and said, "Let's go to the riverside to watch the tide tomorrow. Watching from here is like scratching an itch through a boot—how could we truly feel the might of the Qiantang River?"
Cheng Chi smiled and agreed, instructing Qin Ziping to prepare for the outing.
They sat in the pavilion, chatting idly while listening to the sound of the waves, and didn't return to their rooms until the sun had set.
Old Madam Guo went to change her clothes.Zhou Shaojin seized the opportunity to say to Cheng Chi, "Uncle Chi, thank you. I've already received the brick from Leifeng Pagoda."
Once she returned to Jinling, she would definitely find a way to repay Uncle Chi.
Cheng Chi nodded slightly and said earnestly, "I just hope Leifeng Pagoda doesn't collapse because of this! Otherwise, that would be my fault!"
It took Zhou Shaojin a long moment to understand what Cheng Chi had said.
Her face flushed slightly, and she was at a loss for words when Old Madam Guo walked out and said with a smile, "I see the moonlight tonight is also lovely. After dinner, shall we take a stroll in the courtyard?"
Zhou Shaojin and Cheng Chi happily agreed.
But Qin Ziping hurried over.
※
Sisters, here's today's extra update.
o(n_n)o~
I feel my "debt" is slowly decreasing.
PS: Tonight's update will be around eleven o'clock.
※ (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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