Сheng Chi watсhеd Zhou Shaоjin's recеding figurе, muttеring tо himsеlf.
Тhis little girl reаlly had no manners—she tооk his two hundrеd taеls оf silvеr withоut evеn uttеring а роlite wоrd of courtеsу.
But nеver mind, they wоuld have tо get alоng in thе futurе, sо hе wоuldn't bоther holding it аgаinst her.
Не turnеd to hеad bасk to the Listеning Оriolе Pavilion.
Just thеn, Feicui cаmе running оver, рanting: "Fourth Mаstеr, thе old mаdаm аsks уоu tо cоmе spеak with hеr."
Cheng Сhi askеd in surрrisе, "Doеsn't thе оld mаdam have guеsts?"
Feicui smiled, "This servаnt doesn't know. Тhe old mаdam tоld mе to dеliver the message, so I came."
Cheng Chi thought for a moment and went to Old Madam Guo.
Old Madam Guo had changed into a black robe embroidered with crane patterns. Her original bun had been redone into a round chignon, adorned with a flawless white Hetian jade hairpin. She sat upright on the luohan bed, sipping tea, while Zhenzhu led several young maids in tidying up the dressing mirror and handkerchiefs.
The old lady pointed to the seat opposite her and said, "Sit down and talk—what tea would you like?"
This indicated a long conversation was intended.
Cheng Chi smiled, "Aren't the two Madams Gu waiting for you? Shouldn't you see your guests first?"
Old Madam Guo glanced at her son with a half-smile, "How could guests be more important than you? I didn't even know you were bullying your own little niece."
Cheng Chi glanced at the people in the room, casually lifted his robe, and sat leisurely opposite Old Madam Guo, instructing Zhenzhu, "Then brew me a cup of Biluochun. Now that spring is here, it's best to drink some green tea to cool down."
Zhenzhu smiled and served tea and snacks, then led the young maids out of the room.
Old Madam Guo stood up, turned around, picked up a jade ruyi from the curio shelf, and swung it at Cheng Chi: "What have you done? You scared that young girl so much she came running to me for help! Hmph!"
Cheng Chi leaned sideways to dodge, but the jade ruyi still landed on his shoulder.
"Mother, I'm all grown up now, how can you still be like this? Whenever something happens, you just hit your own child without even asking for an explanation!" He rubbed his shoulder, grimacing, "She's my niece, what could I possibly do to her?" He added, "She came to you for help? How did she ask for help?"
Zhou Shaojin had been with him the entire time, unless she had prepared beforehand.
At the thought of this possibility, the flames of anger flared up again in Cheng Chi's heart.
He hadn't even settled accounts with her yet, and here she was, already complaining to his mother.
This little girl—if he didn't teach her a lesson, she'd be climbing onto the roof to tear off the tiles next!
Meanwhile, Old Madam Guo, having struck her son, felt her anger dissipate. She sat down and asked, "What exactly happened?"
Cheng Chi had no intention of telling anyone about Zhou Shaojin's matter, including his own mother, Old Madam Guo.
He had always known that the highest form of lying was mixing nine truths with one falsehood. Besides, he had a favor to ask of his mother, so in an instant, he had his story ready: "Last time, when Eldest Brother and Huang Li were competing for the Minister of Rites position, I once sent a letter to Eldest Brother. You should know about this."
Old Madam Guo nodded.
Cheng Chi continued, "The message was passed through that girl Shaojin, but the one who received it was Zhou Dacheng."
Dacheng was Zhou Zhen's courtesy name.
Old Madam Guo's expression turned serious, and she sat up even straighter. Solemnly, she asked, "What does Zhou Dacheng mean by this?"Cheng Chi said, "When I returned, I heard from the maids that you plan to go to Flat Bridge Street in a few days with Fourth Aunt to add to the trousseau for the Zhou family's eldest daughter. I thought of how Shaojin accompanied us all the way to Putuo Mountain, and later when the Hangzhou branch sent her things, she always asked for my opinion before acting—quite obedient and sensible. So, I thought of privately giving her a gift as well. But I didn’t know what Zhou Zhen’s purpose was in having Shaojin pass this message to me, so I took the opportunity to call Shaojin over. Originally, I wanted to probe her for information, but unexpectedly, I ended up asking about some past events and made her cry."
At this point, he said regretfully, "I thought she wasn’t that young anymore, but she cried like a child. It made me quite flustered. And then you came in and hit me with a Ruyi scepter. Thankfully, I was in Cold Green Mountain House—if it had been somewhere else, who knows what rumors would have spread!"
Old Madam Guo still had some doubts and asked, "Then why did Shaojin’s maid come looking for me?"
"You say I’m suspicious, but you won’t admit it yourself," Cheng Chi felt his blood rushing to his head, but in front of his mother, he dared not show any sign of it. "Wasn’t I afraid of others misunderstanding? That’s why I had Feicui and Nanny Shang from your side go together to invite Shaojin. If her maid didn’t come looking for you, where else would she go? If I had known this would happen, I shouldn’t have bothered avoiding suspicion. After all, I’m her maternal uncle—what could possibly happen if I ask her something?"
Old Madam Guo eyed her youngest son suspiciously and said, "Is that so?"
"If you don’t believe me, you can call Zhou Shaojin over right now and ask her," Cheng Chi declared confidently. "My good intentions ended up causing trouble!"
"Your words make sense," Old Madam Guo agreed. "I can’t hear a single truthful word from you, so I’ll have to ask Shaojin someday."
Cheng Chi broke out in a cold sweat.
That little girl is so foolish—if she’s questioned, won’t she give herself away completely?
But even if there are flaws, what matters is that the favor I gave to Zhou Dacheng for nothing would also be wasted—with this favor, wouldn’t she have a way to establish herself in the main branch?
It seems I’ll have to send someone to deliver a message to Zhou Shaojin, telling her not to slip up.
As Cheng Chi pondered this, he said to Old Madam Guo, "Mother, there’s something I’d like to discuss with you—I want you to take Shaojin in and raise her in your quarters."
Old Madam Guo frowned slightly.
This was an extremely difficult matter.
Not to mention that Zhou Shaojin grew up in the fourth branch—if she took Zhou Shaojin from the fourth branch to Cold Green Mountain House, it would seem like she was taking advantage of others, and people might say she was bullying others with her influence. If Zhou Shaojin agreed to come to her quarters, it would be even more troublesome. People would say she was ungrateful and heartless.
But her son had never been one to speak without thinking, so she said, "First, tell me the reason behind this, and I’ll think it over carefully."
After Cheng Chi believed Zhou Shaojin’s story, he had made this decision.
Zhou Shaojin’s personality was too soft. Leaving her out there like this, he truly couldn’t rest easy.
At the very least, he had to protect her until she grew up a bit and married a reliable husband.
As for the reason, Cheng Chi had already thought it through.He said, "Mother, think about it. Why would Zhou Dacheng use Shaojin to tell us about Huang Li and Eldest Brother competing for the position of Minister of Rites? I’m afraid he’s wary of the Fourth Branch, isn’t he? Speaking of which, Zhou Dacheng has a very harmonious relationship with the Fourth Branch. What is his intention in doing this? I always feel this matter isn’t simple. You know my temperament—rather than passively waiting to be attacked, it’s better to take the initiative. Why don’t we first show goodwill to Zhou Dacheng? Bring Shaojin over in a legitimate manner. That way, when we speak with Zhou Dacheng later, we’ll have more confidence. Otherwise, accepting such a great favor from him for no reason makes me feel uneasy, as if something major is about to happen!"
Old Madam Guo listened with some displeasure and said, "Si Lang, I think your mind has become a bit too restless after being away these years. Regardless of Zhou Dacheng’s intentions, since we accepted it back then, we must fulfill the corresponding obligations afterward. Otherwise, we should have refused from the start! What kind of behavior is it to hold another family’s daughter hostage? I don’t agree!"
"Mother!" Cheng Chi had long anticipated this reaction and smiled. "Could you let me finish what I have to say?"
Old Madam Guo perked up her ears.
Cheng Chi said, "Actually, I also have a small selfish motive. That girl Shaojin is well-behaved, sensible, and very lively and adorable. Ever since Sheng’er went to the capital, you haven’t had anyone to keep you company. Sheng’er’s wedding is set for May this year, and she’s marrying the son of the Peng family from Liaocheng, Shandong. Afterward, I’m afraid it’ll be difficult for you to see her. When I asked the girl today, didn’t she cry? From the sound of it, it seems she learned from her stepmother that after her sister gets married, her father still wants her to stay with the Cheng family. The thought alone makes her sad. I wanted to ask the little girl what exactly was wrong, but aside from crying, she wouldn’t say anything. I couldn’t press further and was at a loss when you sent someone to fetch her. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have known how to extricate myself!"
Old Madam Guo was very fond of Zhou Shaojin. Upon hearing this, she said, "Do you suspect someone has been mistreating that little girl?"
Cheng Chi smiled and said, "In families like ours, there are plenty of experts at reading people’s expressions and plenty who like to fawn on the powerful and bully the weak. No matter what, Shaojin is still being fostered in the Fourth Branch. Our family has produced no shortage of officials of the second, third, and even first rank. Some might think a fourth-rank prefect isn’t anything special."
Old Madam Guo recalled how, after her husband passed away, both her sons were already imperial scholars, but because they were in mourning at home, the Second Branch stirred up trouble. Some short-sighted people thought their branch had reached its limit and gave her no shortage of trouble, both openly and covertly. How much more so for a little girl like Zhou Shaojin, living in the inner courtyard of a large mansion, surrounded by illiterate women and children...
"Alright!" Old Madam Guo made a decision immediately. "Yi Ge’er’s wedding can be postponed. First, bring Shaojin over, and then we’ll discuss Yi Ge’er’s wedding."
Cheng Chi already understood what his mother intended to do, but he thought it would be better to flatter her a bit. That way, she might become more enthusiastic about the matter and view Zhou Shaojin more favorably once she moved in.
He feigned confusion and asked, "What do you mean?"“Isn’t your fourth aunt trying to keep Shaojin at home?” Old Madam Guo said. “In such a delicate situation, even if there was nothing to begin with, it could easily turn into something. But if we send Shaojin to Baoding, your fourth aunt certainly won’t feel at ease entrusting her to Madam Li’s care. If we let her return to the Zhou family, that would be even worse than having her follow Madam Li to Baoding—at least in Baoding, there are elders to look after her, while on Flat Bridge Street, she would be all alone. As long as I drop a hint to your fourth aunt that I’m willing to take Shaojin under my wing, she’ll surely be overjoyed and send her right over.”
Cheng Chi chuckled. “You’re truly a master of household affairs! I was just thinking this matter might put you in a difficult position, but you’ve already come up with a solution in the blink of an eye. It’s a pity my eldest sister-in-law is too stubborn. If she had properly learned by your side, Jiashan wouldn’t have turned out the way he is today!”
Old Madam Guo was puzzled. “Usually when I say Jiashan isn’t up to par, you always speak up for him. Why have you changed your tune today? Has Jiashan done something improper? Or has your eldest sister-in-law acted impulsively again and done something foolish? You mustn’t hide it from me!”
Far away in the capital, Madam Yuan inexplicably sneezed.
※
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※ (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, welcome to…)
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