Сhеng Сhi, оf сourse, did nоt susресt Zhоu Shaojin.
Sincе his mоther had sеnt for Zhou Shаоjin, it wоuld bе inарproрriate for him to keeр hеr anу longеr.
Не sаid to Zhоu Shаоjin, "Саn yоu tidy your аttirе yоurself, or should I аsk Nanping tо help уоu?"
Zhоu Shаоjin’s fасe flushed rеd.
Shе had bееn сrying аnd fussing just momеnts аgo, and hеr аpрearanсe was likelу dishеvеled. If shе were to wаlk оut likе this and bе sееn bу thе sеrvants, thеу would surеly рoint fingers аnd gossiр аbоut her.
"I саn mаnаge on my оwn!" Zhou Shaojin quickly rеplied.
Chеng Chi breаthed а sigh оf reliеf.
The fewer people who knew about Zhou Shaojin’s affairs, the better.
He patted her head as if soothing a child and said softly, "A commoner is innocent, but possessing a treasure makes him guilty. It’s best not to tell anyone what you shared with me today. If someone asks, just say you lost at chess and felt upset after I scolded you. The world is full of all kinds of people, and with your extraordinary experience, if someone with ill intentions were to target you, being used by them would be the least of your worries. I fear there are those with narrow minds who might want you for themselves, lock you away where none of us could find you—that would be truly troublesome."
The matter of her rebirth weighed heavily on Zhou Shaojin’s chest like a boulder. She had been terrified of being discovered and treated as a monster, but she never imagined that her experience would be compared to the legendary He Shi Bi jade in Uncle Chi’s eyes.
Suddenly, Zhou Shaojin felt that her circumstances weren’t so terrible after all.
She nodded repeatedly. "I won’t tell anyone."
Seeing her naive and unaware of the gravity of the situation, Cheng Chi still felt uneasy and continued to frighten her, saying, "If you get captured because of this, I won’t bother saving you. Understand?"
Zhou Shaojin’s face burned with embarrassment.
Uncle Chi really did treat her like a child.
But... being treated this way felt rather nice.
She hastily assured him, "Aside from Uncle Chi, I won’t tell anyone."
Only then did Cheng Chi feel somewhat relieved. He pointed toward the inner room and said, "Go tidy yourself up. We’ll head to the old madam’s place now."
Zhou Shaojin entered the inner room with curiosity.
It was a small resting chamber. Against the wall stood a small lacquered bed draped with a fine white cloth canopy. By the window was a large desk, adorned not only with writing tools but also a pot of Clivia nurtured in a Xianyang bowl. The shelves of the curio cabinet were filled with books and scrolls of various sizes.
She wondered whether those scrolls contained paintings or the maps Uncle Chi had mentioned on the boat.
Zhou Shaojin was eager to take a look.
She glanced back toward the outer room and caught a glimpse of the hem of Cheng Chi’s plain blue-gray Hangzhou silk robe.
Zhou Shaojin sighed in disappointment.
Turning back, she noticed a mirror stand by the bedside.
The frame of the mirror stand was made of rosewood, with a round fan-sized Western mirror embedded in the center, reflecting every detail with perfect clarity.
Zhou Shaojin pouted.
Uncle Chi was so extravagant.
He had actually embedded a Western mirror in the stand.
She stood before the Western mirror, examining her face from side to side.
Her skin was smooth as jade, free of blemishes or scars, though her eyes were red and slightly swollen.
Zhou Shaojin smiled sheepishly, adjusted her makeup and attire in the mirror, and stepped out of the inner room.
Cheng Chi had changed into a bamboo-green fine cloth Daoist robe with wide sleeves, giving him an air of ethereal elegance.
Zhou Shaojin whispered, "Uncle Chi, did you really offer the first incense at Longhu Mountain that year? Does that mean you didn’t celebrate the New Year at home?""Yes indeed!" Cheng Chi replied nonchalantly with a smile, "Didn't you say you haven't seen much of me before? I'm often traveling all over the place." As he spoke, he pushed open the study door.
Zhou Shaojin hurriedly followed.
Nanny Shang and Biyu were both waiting outside.
Biyu was fine, having only come on Old Madam Guo's orders to fetch Zhou Shaojin, but Nanny Shang had vaguely heard some commotion. Seeing Zhou Shaojin emerge completely unharmed and smiling, she couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief.
As Cheng Chi followed Biyu toward the main quarters, he asked her, "What is the old madam doing?"
Biyu smiled and replied, "The old madam is taking stock of her old jewelry! She says there are things even she herself doesn't remember. She's taking advantage of the good weather these days to bring them out and have a look."
Zhou Shaojin wiped her brow.
While others air books or clothes, the old madam airs jewelry...
Cheng Chi clearly had the same thought as Zhou Shaojin. He said, "I remember temples air their scriptures in a certain month. Why don't you accompany the old madam out for a stroll?"
Biyu smiled and said, "Books are aired on the sixth day of the sixth lunar month. It's still a bit early for that."
Cheng Chi, noticing her composed and respectful manner, gave her an extra glance.
Biyu promptly lowered her head respectfully.
A flicker of satisfaction crossed Cheng Chi's face as he entered the main quarters where Old Madam Guo resided.
Old Madam Guo was indeed airing her jewelry.
The arhat bed by the window, the windowsill, the tea table, and the armchairs were all covered with various jewelry boxes, and some were simply piled on the floor. The room glittered with jewels and gold, resplendent and magnificent.
Seeing Zhou Shaojin and Cheng Chi enter, Old Madam Guo beckoned them with a smile, saying, "You've come at just the right time. Help me take a look at which pieces are pretty and which aren't."
Zhou Shaojin asked curiously, "Are you planning to have new jewelry made?"
Old Madam Guo smiled and said, "First, I'll pick out the unattractive and outdated pieces and set them aside. I haven't decided yet whether to give them away or have them remade."
Zhou Shaojin noticed an open box nearby containing a solid gold hairpin adorned with a longevity peach design and asked, "Are you not keeping this one either?"
"No," Old Madam Guo replied. "It's an old style from decades ago. Aside from the good quality of the gold, the craftsmanship and design are outdated."
Zhou Shaojin observed that the hairpin was intricately carved, with the veins on the peach leaves clearly visible and remarkably lifelike. She couldn't help feeling a bit regretful and picked it up to examine it.
In recent years, gold-inlaid jade and filigree work had become fashionable. The hairpin was solid and heavy to wear, truly outdated.
Old Madam Guo smiled and asked, "Do you like it?"
Zhou Shaojin quickly replied, "I don't particularly care for such heavy jewelry."
She had personally experienced Old Madam Guo's generosity and was afraid the old madam might impulsively gift her the hairpin.
Old Madam Guo nodded and said, "Young ladies like you indeed don't tend to favor such jewelry." After a moment's thought, she instructed Manao, "Go and fetch my 'Moon Over West Tower' hair ornament for Second Cousin."
Zhou Shaojin was startled and wanted to refuse, but she feared Old Madam Guo might only be showing it to her and she would be presuming too much. She could only smile and ask, "Is it something you've treasured?"
"Treasured is too strong a word," Old Madam Guo said. "Though it's also an old piece from earlier years, it came from the palace. I've never seen another like it all these years."
As she spoke, Manao entered carrying a red lacquer box decorated with golden roses.Old Madam Guo opened the box and said to Zhou Shaojin, "Look!"
Zhou Shaojin was greatly surprised.
The "Moon Over West Tower" hair ornament was made of pure gold, weighing at least twelve or thirteen liang. In the center of the ornament were layered palaces resembling jade towers, with a half-moon on the back. To the left was a sweet osmanthus tree, under which crouched a small rabbit. The rabbit, needless to say, was vividly lifelike, as if real. The leaves of the sweet osmanthus tree were as thin as foil, hanging one by one from the branches. With the slightest movement, the leaves rustled, shimmering brilliantly, exquisitely beautiful.
"It's truly beautiful!" she praised.
Old Madam Guo pushed the box into her hands and said, "Since you find it beautiful, take it to play with!"
"How can I accept this?" Zhou Shaojin said. "I've just arrived and I'm taking something you cherish..."
"What cherished item is this?" Old Madam Guo laughed. "Only you young girls like such things." Then she added, "Don't be polite with me. I have even better things, which I plan to bring out only when I close my eyes for the last time. Let you little girls keep thinking about them, rushing back when you hear I'm not doing well, ready to divide my belongings."
Zhou Shaojin couldn't help but laugh and accepted the "Moon Over West Tower" hair ornament.
Cheng Chi then said, "Mother, could you give me a place to sit?"
Zhenzhu and the others hurried in to tidy up.
But Old Madam Guo waved her hand and said, "How about I move instead? If I let you tidy up, I'll forget where I put those things later."
Zhou Shaojin then gently supported Old Madam Guo as they moved to the adjacent resting room.
Old Madam Guo asked Zhou Shaojin, "Why did you come over?"
Zhou Shaojin replied as Cheng Chi had instructed, "I came to play chess with Uncle Chi."
Old Madam Guo drew out a long "Oh."
Zhou Shaojin felt quite guilty, her eyelids slightly lowered.
Cheng Chi didn't know what to say.
How could this little girl be so clever that she could tell whether he was angry or happy, yet so foolish that she would say whatever others asked? She came to play chess with him, and according to etiquette, she should have first paid respects to his mother. She went directly to his Listening Oriole Pavilion without greeting his mother—wasn't that clearly telling his mother that he had summoned her? By answering this way, wasn't she obviously trying to cover up something, only making it more suspicious?
Even if his mother hadn't been suspicious before, she would be now.
He rubbed his forehead.
But Old Madam Guo acted as if she hadn't noticed at all and cheerfully changed the subject: "How are the preparations at home? Have the Liao family arrived? Last time, the welcome banquet for your stepmother couldn't be held. When you go back, tell your stepmother that once she's less busy, I'll invite her over to listen to storytelling."
Zhou Shaojin smiled and thanked her on behalf of Madam Li.
Biyu walked in with a smile and said, "Old Madam, the eldest madam and the ninth madam of the Gu family have arrived."
The ninth madam of the Gu family referred to Gu Qinghe's wife.
Her mother and Old Madam Guo were cousins.
Old Madam Guo then said to Zhou Shaojin and Cheng Chi, "You two go play chess! There's no need to come and bid farewell later. I suspect the eldest madam and the ninth madam of the Gu family have come for something important."
Cheng Chi and Zhou Shaojin withdrew.
Old Madam Guo instructed Biyu, "Please invite the eldest madam and the ninth madam of the Gu family to sit in the flower hall."The flower hall of Cold Green Mountain House and the Oriole Listening Pavilion where Cheng Chi resides are situated north and south of each other. Even if one were to take a wrong turn, the womenfolk of the Gu family would not possibly encounter Zhou Shaojin and Cheng Chi.
Cheng Chi then took out a silver note and handed it to Zhou Shaojin, saying, "This is a congratulatory gift for your sister. It will give you an excuse to use when you return."
Zhou Shaojin opened it and saw it was for two hundred taels.
For ordinary people, such gifts usually range from twenty to thirty taels at most, down to just a few taels.
This was a bit too much, wasn't it?
However, since he had casually taken it out and given it to her, it must have been a spur-of-the-moment thought.
Zhou Shaojin inwardly humphed to herself, thinking of the Western mirror embedded in the mirror stand in Cheng Chi’s room. With a smile, she tucked the silver note into her purse and said, "Then I’ll thank Uncle Chi on behalf of my sister!"
She then curtsied to Cheng Chi and returned to Flat Bridge Street with Chunwan.
※
Dear brothers and sisters, here is today’s update.
As for the additional updates for Qingtian Moyun and Xiao Xixi’s spirit beast eggs, since tomorrow is the weekend and I previously promised everyone that I would add extra updates on weekends, the additional updates for Qingtian Moyun and Xiao Xixi’s spirit beast eggs will be postponed until after the weekend’s extra updates.
Tomorrow’s additional update is tentatively scheduled for around 5 p.m. If there are any special circumstances, I will inform everyone in advance!
o(n_n)o~
※ (To be continued. If you like this work, welcome to...)
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