Old Маdаm Guаn hаd always hеld Zhоu Zhen, her sоn-in-law, in high regаrd. Finding Zhоu Shаоjin's wоrds quitе reasоnable, she instructed Mаdаm Miаn to рrераre thе inkstоnе, thеn sаid to Zhоu Shaojin, "We саn manаge both mattеrs without delаy. Your fаthеr's lеttеr must bе sеnt, аnd your еldеst unclе's rеsidеncе must alsо bе built. In any саse, wе must wait until after thе Dragon Bоаt Fеstival bеfore prосеeding."
Zhоu Shаоjin brеаthеd a sigh оf rеlief.
Shе rosе to takе the inkstiсk frоm Мadаm Мiаn's hаnds—with a junior like hеr present, how cоuld she trouble аn elder tо do suсh tаsks?
Seеing this, Madam Mian felt even more pleased and said to Old Madam Guan, "Shall we have Gao Ge'er and Yi Ge'er join us for lunch? It would be nice for the family to have a reunion meal. The cousins haven't seen each other in quite some time."
Old Madam Guan, recalling that Cheng Yi had been well-behaved lately, smiled and said, "Then let them come and keep us company."
Zhou Shaojin immediately felt somewhat uneasy.
She thought it would be better to go to Cheng Jia's place, where at least there wouldn't be so many troublesome matters.
Si'er went off cheerfully to relay the message.
Bitao peeked in through the doorway.
Zhou Shaojin's eyes lit up, and she asked, "Bitao, is there something?"
Bitao entered and paid her respects to Old Madam Guan and Madam Mian before saying, "Xiao Tan sent a message through a young maid, saying that Master Xu has already set off for Algae Garden."
Zhou Shaojin instantly felt refreshed and invigorated.
Old Madam Guan, however, questioned, "What? Is today the day Xu Ge'er goes to Algae Garden to study? Why haven't I heard anything about it? Logically, your cousin Gao and the others should have seen him off." She then added in confusion, "Shao Jin, why didn't you go to see Xu Ge'er off?"
Only then did Zhou Shaojin remember.
Studying for the imperial examinations was a major family affair. Even in families like the Cheng household, which had produced several jinshi, departing for studies required not only consulting the almanac but also inviting eminent monks to select an auspicious date.
Cheng Xu must have been casually sent off by Uncle Chi!
At this thought, she couldn't help but reveal a joyful smile.
But the smile that had just blossomed at the corners of her lips quickly faded.
Wait, that couldn't be right!
If Cheng Xu had been casually sent off by Uncle Chi, how could Old Madam Guo have agreed?
Her heart felt as if it were being scratched by a cat's paw. She wanted to go and ask Cheng Chi.
To make matters worse, Madam Mian also cast a puzzled glance her way.
Zhou Shaojin didn't know what to say, so she simply stated, "Uncle Chi said I didn't need to see Cousin Xu off!"
Let them go and ask Cheng Chi.
After all, this excuse had been Cheng Chi's idea.
She didn't care!
Zhou Shaojin pursed her lips and smiled.
Old Madam Guan and Madam Mian, however, fell silent in unison.
Just last night, the eldest branch had sent word that Zhou Shaojin would be coming to visit them... in a great hurry.
This was clearly somewhat unusual.
As for Cheng Xu leaving the mansion to study, the eldest branch must have invited an eminent monk to select the date.
Could it be that Zhou Shaojin's presence clashed with the day Cheng Xu departed for studies?
This was, after all, not a good thing!
If Zhou Shaojin's presence clashed with the day Cheng Xu left for studies, perhaps her eight characters also clashed with Cheng Xu's. And now she was staying long-term in the eldest branch...
After a moment, Old Madam Guan finally smiled and said, "Since Fourth Master Chi gave the instruction, he must have his reasons. It's fine if you don't see him off. Just enjoy yourself here today."
Zhou Shaojin nodded with a smile.
Using Uncle Chi as a shield was indeed effective.
But she had no intention of staying at the fourth branch for lunch—with Cheng Xu gone from the mansion, Nine Prosperities Lane was safe for her again.
Yet, what excuse could she come up with?Zhou Shaojin was pondering this when a young maid hurried in and announced, "Old Madam, First Madam, Miss Xiao Tan from Second Cousin's quarters has arrived."
Old Madam Guan, Madam Mian, and Zhou Shaojin were all taken by surprise. They summoned Xiao Tan inside.
Xiao Tan respectfully bowed to the three of them and reported, "Miss Jia and First Madam Lu have had a quarrel. Miss Cui Huan from Miss Jia's side came over, saying she was sent to ask Second Cousin to hurry over and mediate. The Old Madam heard the news and sent me to inform Second Cousin, asking her to go there quickly."
All three of them were stunned.
Old Madam Guan even exclaimed, "Was the quarrel very serious? Second Cousin is just a child herself—will she be of any use if she goes?"
Xiao Tan smiled bitterly and replied, "This servant doesn't know either. But judging by Miss Cui Huan's panicked expression and the fact that the Old Madam specifically sent me to inform Second Cousin, I’m afraid the matter isn’t so simple."
Old Madam Guan didn’t want Zhou Shaojin to get involved in the affairs of Nine Prosperities Lane. However, since Old Madam Guo had spoken, she couldn’t very well force her to stay.
"Shao Jin, you must be careful," she could only advise Zhou Shaojin. "Only say what should be said, and don’t utter a single word that shouldn’t be said." Then, remembering Zhou Shaojin’s gentle and soft-spoken nature, she added worriedly, "If you’re unsure what should or shouldn’t be said, it’s best to say nothing at all."
Zhou Shaojin nodded repeatedly, her heart growing uneasy as well.
Cheng Jia had told her last time that if Li Jing truly valued her, he would come to the mansion to see her. Could it be because of this matter?
With a grave expression, she headed straight to Ruyi Pavilion.
Cheng Jia was sighing and playing with birds under the corridor.
Seeing Zhou Shaojin rush in, she dropped the small branch in her hand and joyfully greeted her, saying, "Shao Jin, I didn’t expect you to come so quickly! I thought you’d delay until the afternoon or even tomorrow! I’ve been so bored, just hoping you’d come and talk with me!"
Zhou Shaojin was astonished.
She turned to look at Cui Huan.
Cui Huan looked utterly bewildered and murmured, "I was only following Miss’s orders to invite Second Cousin over. Who knew the Old Madam would order Xiao Tan to go to Jia Shu Hall to find Second Cousin…"
How could she say that her young lady was actually fine, merely under house arrest by First Madam and bored out of her mind, wanting Second Cousin to come and chat?
What in the world was going on?
Zhou Shaojin’s mouth fell open.
But Cheng Jia paid no mind to any of this.
She had been bored to death these past few days.
Finally, she had managed to get Zhou Shaojin to come… Who cared how she got here!
She took Zhou Shaojin’s hand and pulled her into the room, complaining as they walked, "You don’t care about me at all! You have no idea what’s been happening in our family! Old Madam Tang from the second branch wants to arrange a marriage for my elder brother, saying she intends to betroth the second legitimate daughter of the Hong family to him. My mother was so overjoyed she couldn’t close her mouth for half the day and even considered having my father personally go to the capital to ask Uncle Jing to act as matchmaker. But guess what happened…"
Zhou Shaojin stumbled along as Cheng Jia pulled her into the inner chamber, thinking to herself: I don’t need to guess—I already know it definitely didn’t work out!Sure enough, Cheng Jia continued, "Who would have thought that the Hong family replied, saying their legitimate second daughter already had a verbal engagement with the Du family of the Hanlin Academy in the capital. They were just waiting for their daughter to come of age before formalizing the betrothal. However, the legitimate eldest daughter of their fourth branch is about the same age as my elder brother, so they suggested matching their eight characters. My mother inquired further and found out that the eldest master of the fourth branch is a scholar who repeatedly failed the imperial examinations, and they only have this one daughter. My mother was so furious that she chased me around and gave me a beating."
Zhou Shaojin was no longer like before, only knowing how to listen to words; she now understood the underlying meaning as well.
She asked, "What did you do again to anger Aunt Lu?"
Cheng Jia pursed her lips and sat down with Zhou Shaojin on the lacquered bed. After the maids served tea and snacks, she even dismissed Cui Huan before revealing a smug smile. Raising her wrist, she gently shook it and said, "I’m not that clueless! Knowing my mother is in a bad mood, why would I provoke her? Besides, she’s grounded me! I’ve been obediently staying in Ruyi Pavilion these past few days, not going anywhere!"
Zhou Shaojin didn’t believe her. She was even more captivated by the bracelet on Cheng Jia’s wrist, which looked like gold but resembled stone. She couldn’t help but grab her wrist and ask, "What is this? It doesn’t seem like something you’d own."
Cheng Jia didn’t typically like things made of wood or stone.
Cheng Jia replied with a sly smile, "Why wouldn’t it be mine? Someone gave it to me, so it’s mine now!"
Zhou Shaojin was stunned. Recalling Cheng Jia’s barely contained joy earlier, a sudden thought struck her, and she exclaimed, "Could this have been given to you by Li Jing?"
Cheng Jia’s eyes and brows lit up with a smile.
Zhou Shaojin sprang to her feet. "How... how did he manage to see you?""Keep your voice down!" Cheng Jia pulled Zhou Shaojin back to sit on the edge of the bed, whispering in her ear, "I haven't told anyone. My mother wanted to inquire about the Hong family, right? My father doesn't know anyone. With nothing concrete yet, it wasn't appropriate to ask Uncle Chi for help. My grandmother is just overjoyed, and the stewards can at most find out how many people are in the Hong family and whether their reputation in the village is good. The Hong family isn't some impoverished household, so matters of the inner courtyard can't possibly be uncovered. Coincidentally, Li Jing managed to obtain half a ream of Chengxin paper and brought it to my father. Hearing that Li Jing had traveled far and wide and had friends everywhere, my father tentatively asked him. Li Jing agreed without hesitation. This information was found out by Li Jing. My mother, afraid others would find out, met him in the inner courtyard..." At this point, she gently rested her head on Zhou Shaojin's shoulder, her voice tinged with a faint melancholy, "He said, I never specified how we should meet, only that he had to see me once. This way, he has fulfilled his promise to me, and I must keep my promise to him too!" After saying this, she inexplicably chuckled, her voice turning soft and tender, "In all my life, no one has ever cared for me as attentively as Cousin Jing. He said he couldn't sneak into the mansion quietly, as that would make me look down on him, and if discovered, it would ruin my reputation... He also said that to find this half ream of Chengxin paper, he wrote letters seeking help from everyone he knew... His steward kept inviting our servants to drink, and all the prominent maids in Nine Prosperities Lane laughed at him for being a social climber. Now he's become known as a petty opportunist... Only when he finally learned that my mother wanted to inquire about the Hong family did he go to see my father... He was afraid my father wouldn't entrust him with the task, afraid he wouldn't find out anything, afraid I wouldn't be there when he went to see my mother... He was even more nervous and scared than when he first went into business traveling west through the pass. Shaojin, tell me, how can someone be so foolish, taking every word I say to heart?"
Is this foolishness?
Zhou Shaojin thought vaguely.
Uncle Chi is like that too.
Whatever she said, Uncle Chi would believe it, take it to heart, and help her settle everything... She could worry about nothing, manage nothing, just leave it all to Uncle Chi... But Li Jing, he likes Cheng Jia!
No matter what Cheng Jia becomes, he likes her!
But Uncle Chi... Uncle Chi...
Her heart pounded wildly, her face burning hot.
※
Dear readers, here's today's bonus update.
O(∩_∩)O~
※ (To be continued ~^~)
OpenNovel