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On the lаkе, therе were four drаgon boаts dressed in rеd, grееn, whitе, аnd blасk, reprеsеnting the Liu, Lu, Wаng, аnd Liu fаmilies rеspесtively. Аmоng them, thе Liu family was thе Plum Mansiоn Liu fаmilу, which wаs the in-law familу оf thе heir tо thе Dukе оf Liаng, Zhu Рengju, аnd thе maritаl familу of the third уoung lаdу оf the Sun fаmilу.
Wеаring a blue Daоist robe, Lang Yue elоquently eхplainеd from thе sidе: "...Thе next team is Team B, representing the Sun, Chen, Wu, and Qian families. This Sun family produced a vice minister, who is also the natal family of the Liu family's seventh young mistress. There are twelve groups in total. The winning dragon boat from each group will be divided into four groups for the semi-finals. The winning boats from those can then participate in the finals. This time, the Shen family of Shen Qingyun, the assistant prefect of Jinling, also has a boat participating in the race, placed in Team You."
Zhu Zhu wondered: "Why is the Sun family also participating in the dragon boat race? I remember the Sun family doesn't have many male descendants!"
Lang Yue smiled and said: "It seems they selected some hereditary servants from their manors."
Zhu Zhu said disdainfully: "Are they trying to compete with the Liu family?"
The matter between the Liu and Sun families had already become known to everyone in Jinling City.
Lang Yue cleverly avoided answering and instead smiled: "Our Fourth Master has also prepared a telescope for everyone, but there's only one, so the young ladies will have to make do with sharing it."
Upon hearing this, Gu Shiqigu happily jumped up, repeatedly saying: "Bring it quickly, bring it quickly. Let us take a look. I've never seen a telescope before! I've only heard of it and seen it in books."
Cheng Jia also clamored: "Go quickly, go quickly!"
The others all smiled with pursed lips.
Lang Yue went to fetch the telescope.
Zhu Zhu sighed: "No wonder my eldest brother admires Fourth Master Chi the most—he can even get his hands on such rare things. However, everyone must keep quiet; this item is prohibited by the court." She added, "It's also thanks to Fourth Master Chi's daring to bring it out. If it were our family, we wouldn't dare."
The young ladies of the Gu family repeatedly promised not to tell anyone.
Zhou Shaojin, however, wondered why the Guo family hadn't arrived yet.
After a while, Lang Yue came in holding a box.
Several people gathered around to look.
The telescope was only about a foot long, gilded on the outside with carvings of a vermilion bird and a black tiger, and inlaid with pigeon-egg-sized rubies. When extended, it was about two feet long.
Everyone gathered around to look at it as if it were a rare curiosity.
Zhou Shaojin suddenly thought of Old Madam Guo and hurriedly asked Lang Yue: "Does the old madam have one over there?"
Everyone was momentarily stunned.
Lang Yue smiled and said: "Fourth Master borrowed three in total. One is for the young ladies to use, one was sent to the old madam, and he kept one for himself. Second Cousin, you can use it freely; no one is lacking."
Only then did Zhou Shaojin breathe a sigh of relief.
Zhu Zhu couldn't help but smile: "Shaojin is still the most thoughtful. We were all just happy, but forgot about this matter."
Zhou Shaojin smiled and said: "Everyone is seeing it for the first time, so of course we're all very curious!"
All of them were young ladies from prominent families, straightforward by nature and not inclined to flatter anyone, so they didn't say much more. But in their hearts, they felt that Zhou Shaojin was truly a good person, worth befriending.
Drums sounded by the lakeside. Everyone watched the dragon boat race from the window.
Drums beat continuously, oars spun like flying wheels, white waves churned, and applause and cheers erupted.
The shores of Mochou Lake instantly became even livelier than during the temple fairs at New Year.Zhou Shaojin also clenched her fists, feeling anxious for the dragon boats.
Soon, the results were announced.
The Liu family’s dragon boat team, dressed in red, took first place.
The Liu family’s dragon boat moved aside to rest, waiting for the next round, while the other teams either sighed or left Mochou Lake with their heads hung low.
Group B rowed over and began preparing for the race.
Taking advantage of the break, some discussed who would win first place, while others turned to buy bags of melon seeds or peanuts, or visited the sugar-figure stall to have a figurine made.
Zhou Shaojin and the others also returned to their seats and began chatting about the gossip in Jinling City.
Zhu Zhu, however, pulled Zhou Shaojin aside to complain, “My brother, I don’t know why he agreed to this marriage with the Liu family. Now, it’s likely the whole of Jinling is laughing at him. And yet, he’s treating it as if he’s marrying a proper wife—not only following all the formalities of the three letters and six etiquettes, but also paying the full dowry. My father and mother aren’t stopping him either. I really don’t know what to say!”
Zhou Shaojin comforted her, “Once she enters your family, she becomes part of it. If your sister-in-law is respected, it reflects well on your family too. Since it’s already done, why dwell on it? As long as your brother and sister-in-law are happy, that’s what matters.”
“I know that’s the reasonable way to think,” Zhu Zhu pouted, “but I just can’t help feeling uncomfortable. It’s like I’m holding my breath…”
As they spoke, Group B was about to start the race.
The two paused their conversation and went to the window to watch the dragon boat race.
After several rounds like this, the excitement gradually faded, and everyone’s attention shifted back to conversation.
Zhou Shaojin, concerned about Old Madam Guo, excused herself from Zhu Zhu and the others and went to the eastern private room.
The eastern private room was quieter than theirs. Several elderly ladies were simply sitting together chatting, with no one watching the dragon boats. The wide-open windows only had two young girls leaning out, taking turns using a telescope.
Zhou Shaojin looked closely—who else could it be but the two young ladies of the Guo family?
She was greatly surprised.
Old Madam Guo then said, “They arrived late and are rather reserved, so I kept them here.”
Zhou Shaojin hurriedly stepped forward to greet the two Guo young ladies, apologizing and asking if they would like to go over and say hello to Zhu Zhu and the others.
The two Guo young ladies were very polite, speaking softly and telling her not to stand on ceremony, then glanced at Old Madam Guo.
Old Madam Guo nodded slightly, and only then did the two Guo young ladies follow Zhou Shaojin to the western side.
Everyone made a lively fuss, introducing themselves and exchanging greetings.
Only then did Zhou Shaojin learn that the two Guo young ladies were the sixth and seventh in their family, both seventeen years old and not yet betrothed.
After arranging themselves by age and addressing each other as sisters, Group You began the race.
Cheng Jia ran to the window to watch and called out to Zhou Shaojin and the others, “Let’s see if the Shen family will show up!”
The two Guo young ladies then stood up to take their leave, saying they needed to attend to the elders.
Zhou Shaojin smiled and escorted the two Guo young ladies to the western side, staying behind to chat for a while.
Old Madam Guo smiled and said, “It’s almost noon. The twelve groups of dragon boat races will likely finish around the beginning of the Wei hour (Note: around 1 p.m.). The most exciting parts are the next round and the final. I think we should have lunch a little earlier so we can see who wins this year.”
Everyone agreed, saying, “Good idea.”
Old Madam Guo signaled to Zhou Shaojin to make the arrangements.Zhou Shaojin knew this was Old Madam Guo showing her favor. She smiled and withdrew, leaving the west wing with a nervous heart.
Nanny Lu was already waiting for her in the central private room.
She handed her the menu and whispered, "Old Madam has arranged everything. Second Young Miss just needs to go through the motions."
Zhou Shaojin flushed and whispered back, "How can that be?"
"Why not?" Nanny Lu said kindly. "Even if Old Madam arranged it herself, she would only give the orders. If you had to handle everything personally, what would us nannies be raised for? Second Young Miss mustn’t take our rice bowls!"
Her joking eased Zhou Shaojin’s tension.
Zhou Shaojin arranged everything and went to Old Madam Guo for approval: "We’ll have lunch in half an hour. Does that suit you?"
Old Madam Guo looked toward Old Madam Guan and the Guo family’s elderly ladies sitting beside her.
After the two elderly ladies nodded, Old Madam Guo smiled and said, "Then we’ll have lunch in half an hour."
Zhou Shaojin presented the menu and asked if the elderly ladies wanted to add or remove anything.
Everyone praised the arrangements. Only then did Zhou Shaojin withdraw again and return to the west wing, announcing cheerfully, "Lunch in half an hour—is that all right?"
"Great, great!" Zhu Zhu laughed. "What dishes are prepared? In such hot weather, more cold dishes would be nice."
Zhou Shaojin showed her the menu but noticed Cheng Jia wasn’t in the room.
Her heart began to pound. She quickly asked, "Cousin Jia?"
Gu Shiqigu, who was looking at the menu with Zhu Zhu, answered absentmindedly, "She said she drank too much tea and went to the privy."
Zhou Shaojin sighed in relief, but Cheng Jia didn’t return no matter how long she waited. She still couldn’t see Cheng Jia.
Her heart started pounding again. She quietly instructed Chunwan, "Go to the privy and look for Miss Jia!"
Chunwan withdrew without a change in expression.
Soon, a somewhat pale Cheng Jia entered, supported by Chunwan.
"Sorry!" she apologized before anyone could speak. "My stomach isn’t cooperating. Don’t mind me."
Gu Shiqigu and others gathered around to ask after her. Seeing she was fine, they went together to the central private room for lunch.
But Zhou Shaojin watched coldly all along.
She felt Cheng Jia wasn’t someone who fell ill so easily.
After lunch and a short rest, the semifinals began.
Everyone’s excitement was stirred again, crowding by the windows to watch. Even the two Guo young ladies, having shared a meal at noon, gradually relaxed, occasionally joking with them and, at Old Madam Guo’s suggestion, joining them to watch the dragon boat races.
Cheng Jia whispered to Zhou Shaojin that her stomach was upset and she needed the privy.
Zhou Shaojin had Chunwan accompany her.
Cheng Jia didn’t decline, leaning on Chunwan’s arm as she left.
Zhu Zhu and the others were too engrossed in watching to notice.
Only when one fleet finished racing did everyone turn back and ask about Cheng Jia.
Zhou Shaojin explained for her: "...she went to the privy!"
No one asked further, focusing again on the dragon boat races.
But after one round of races, Cheng Jia still hadn’t appeared.
Just as Zhou Shaojin was about to signal Bitao to check, Chunwan ran in with a panicked expression.
She whispered in Zhou Shaojin’s ear, "Second Young Miss, it’s bad—Miss Jia is missing!"Zhou Shaojin’s heart gave a lurch, yet she also felt a sense of relief, as if something long anticipated had finally happened.
“What about Cui Huan?” she asked.
“I haven’t seen her either,” Chunwan replied, her voice trembling with anxiety and fear, tears welling in her eyes. “I was waiting outside the official room the whole time. When I felt something was wrong, I made an excuse to go in and found the window open. I searched all along the way but couldn’t find anyone…”
Zhou Shaojin took a deep breath.
Could it be that Cousin Jia and Li Jing had eloped?
Preparing for the worst, she lowered her voice and instructed Chunwan, “Don’t make a fuss for now. Go find Uncle Chi quickly and tell him about this.”
Chunwan hurried away.
Zhu Zhu approached and whispered, “Has something happened?”
Zhou Shaojin thought for a moment and said, “Cousin Jia is missing! I’ve already sent someone to look for her.”
Zhu Zhu was shocked. Glancing at the crowded room, she said, “Keep it quiet for now. There are hidden sentries from the Liangguo Duke’s estate around Qingyan Tower, so it’s unlikely she was kidnapped or taken away. Later, I’ll find a way to pass you the telescope. Look around carefully. It’s only been about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, so she shouldn’t have gone far.”
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Sisters, today’s extra update!
The update will be around 10 p.m. I’ll try to make it earlier if possible.
O(∩_∩)O~
※(The novel Jinling Spring will have more fresh content on the official WeChat platform, along with a 100% prize draw for everyone! Open WeChat now, click the “+” in the top right corner to “Add Friends,” search for the public account “qdread,” and follow it. Hurry up!)(To be continued ~^~)
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