Сhеng Хu fеlt hе knew the rеаsоn.
Сhеng Lu admired Zhou Shаоjin, but under the еlders' arrаngеmеnts, Zhоu Shаоjin was to mаrry Cheng Yi instead. Unwilling to асcеpt this, Сhеng Lu hаd сomе tо drink with him аnd роur out his griеvances.
Вut hе cоuldn't say this to Сheng Chi.
Сheng Chi's tеmреr hаd аlwауs been unрrеdictаblе, аnd he wаsn't cоnfidеnt Cheng Сhi wоuld takе his side.
He lоwered his heаd еvеn further, murmuring, "Fоurth Uncle, I cаmе tо seе уоu аbоut this mаtter tоо! From whаt I heаrd in my mothеr's tonе, mу fаther hореs I сan marry а daughter of the Min fаmily from Fujian..."
Сheng Chi gаzed dееplу at Cheng Xu, suddenly not wanting to hear him continue.
Some things were one matter to know and another to speak aloud.
He knew Cheng Xu liked Zhou Shaojin and didn't want to marry the Min girl, but he had no desire to discuss this issue with Cheng Xu, much less help him resolve it in his capacity as an uncle.
He immediately cut Cheng Xu off, saying sternly, "Let me ask you: do you understand Cheng Lu's intentions?"
Cheng Chi's voice was cold and merciless. Cheng Xu looked up in astonishment.
"You're already a man with scholarly honors, yet you still speak and act like an unenlightened child without any sense of propriety!" Cheng Chi rebuked him without mercy. "Cheng Lu brought up the matter of the Second Miss Zhou in front of you for no reason—didn't you stop to think why? You don't actually believe it was over some romantic entanglement, do you?"
Wasn't it?!
Cheng Xu stared at Cheng Chi, his expression showing confusion.
My eldest brother raised a son like this!
Cheng Chi inwardly complained, then sneered, "Cheng Lu returned from Yuelu Academy without permission. Do you know why?"
"I know," Cheng Xu said softly. "They say his mother fell ill..."
"Filial piety comes before all else," Cheng Chi said. "Even if the Grand Secretary's mother passed away, he would have to return home to observe mourning. Yuelu Academy is one of the four great academies of our dynasty, teaching the ways of Confucius and Mencius. If his mother were ill, how could they not allow him to return home to attend to her?"
Cheng Xu was momentarily stunned.
As soon as he heard Zhou Shaojin was to marry Cheng Yi, he had panicked—how could he have had the mind to ponder such trivial details!
Cheng Chi knew he had been blinded by infatuation. "The Second Miss Zhou is about to become engaged to Cheng Yi. If word got out that you had your mother intervene to stop this marriage, tell me: what would happen to the Second Miss Zhou?"
She would be called fickle, a seductress! Rumors would spread that her virtue was flawed.
Sweat broke out on his forehead.
Cheng Chi said, "The Second Miss Zhou would be sent back to Baoding."
That way, Cheng Lu would have a chance to marry Zhou Shaojin.
How could he have believed Cheng Lu's words?
Cheng Xu was filled with regret and resentment, wishing he could rush to Cunyi Lane right then to confront Cheng Lu and demand the truth.
In a hoarse voice, he said to Cheng Chi, "Fourth Uncle, please say no more. I know I've been deceived. That Cheng Lu hasn't given up on the Second Miss Zhou, so he devised this plan to kill two birds with one stone..."
It all comes back to jealousy and rivalry!
Cheng Chi closed his eyes, suddenly recalling a saying his wet nurse used when he was young—casting amorous glances at a blind man!
He had no interest in continuing the conversation.After Cheng Lu likely discovered that the person who tipped off Prefect Wu was himself, he assumed Zhou Shaojin had been speaking ill of him in front of Cheng Chi. Thus, he wanted to force Zhou Shaojin out of Nine Prosperities Lane—first, to prevent her from continuing to slander him in front of Cheng Chi, and second, ideally to expose Cheng Xu's infatuation with Zhou Shaojin, making the eldest branch wary of her. Once she was sent away from the estate, they could gradually distance themselves from her. Whether Cheng Lu wanted to retaliate against Zhou Shaojin or use her as leverage to negotiate terms with Cheng Chi, both options were more advantageous than having Zhou Shaojin living reclusively in the eldest branch's residence, never venturing out.
Cheng Chi was utterly weary.
He waved his hand and said to Cheng Xu, "Think carefully about whether what I said is right or not." With that, he strode out of the study without looking back.
Cheng Xu stared wide-eyed, unable to regain his composure for a long while.
What was wrong with Fourth Uncle now?
One moment they were speaking cordially, and the next he stormed off in anger... No wonder Third Uncle Yi and the others said Fourth Uncle had a peculiar temper!
He sat resentfully in the armchair, thinking about his own marriage.
Although his mother claimed that marrying the daughter of the Min family was his father's idea, he didn't believe it.
His father’s mind was entirely occupied with official duties, leaving all household matters to his mother. The decision for him to marry a Min family daughter was undoubtedly his mother’s idea, merely approved by his father.
He had originally intended to ask Fourth Uncle to intervene on his behalf and persuade Min Jianxing to have the Min family voluntarily withdraw from the marriage arrangement.
But now it seemed Fourth Uncle was not only difficult to persuade but also deeply displeased with his role in breaking up Zhou Shaojin and Cheng Yi’s engagement.
By the time he managed to convince Fourth Uncle, Zhou Shaojin would likely already be married to someone else!
At this moment, Cheng Xu suddenly found himself missing Cheng Lu.
Even if Cheng Lu’s intention was to make Zhou Shaojin’s stay in Nine Prosperities Lane untenable, it was only because he secretly admired Zhou Shaojin. Lacking the ability to compete directly, he sought to pit Cheng Xu and Cheng Yi against each other, hoping to play the fisherman to their clam and snipe.
Ultimately, it was all about wanting to win Zhou Shaojin.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have gone along with it so readily!
Should he mention this to Uncle Chi?
Cheng Xu lingered at the Listening Oriole Pavilion for a long time but did not see Cheng Chi return.
He had no choice but to leave the pavilion awkwardly and head to Accumulated Truth Hall.
His mother had broken her promise to him. He had originally planned to feign ignorance until Fourth Uncle helped him break off the engagement with the Min family, but now he had no choice but to confront his mother directly.
To his surprise, the attendant on duty at Accumulated Truth Hall informed him, "Madam has gone to Cold Green Mountain House."
Cheng Xu’s spirits lifted once more.
Perhaps if he stayed there a little longer, he might even run into Zhou Shaojin?
Cheng Xu hurried to Cold Green Mountain House in great strides.
Madam Yuan was discussing Cheng Chi’s matters with Old Madam Guo: "...I know you dote on Fourth Uncle and want to find someone virtuous, gentle, and worthy of him. But you must also help look around! I think there’s a young lady from the Min family who is quite suitable. Her mother is a daughter of the Lujiang Li family, her father is a Jinshi graduate and currently serves as the Provincial Administration Commissioner of Yunnan. Her elder brother married a daughter of the Shucheng Fang family, who is my niece. Although she is only three months older than the eldest Min daughter, in terms of seniority, she is the aunt of the eldest Min daughter. Her appearance and character are both outstanding. If you think it’s worth meeting her, I can arrange it for you."If she were truly that good, she would have long been chosen as a daughter-in-law. Or perhaps, this young lady from the Min family was originally also a candidate for her daughter-in-law, but due to various flaws, she ultimately wasn't selected!
Old Madam Guo thought to herself with no small amount of sarcasm and said, "Si Lang's matters are for me to worry about. You should focus on taking care of Jiashan's affairs! A marriage alliance between the two families is a good thing, but why have I heard that you've been hiding it? Is it because the Min family looks down on our family's status? Or is it that Jiashan doesn't agree, and you're afraid he'll make a scene that will be hard to handle?"
Madam Yuan said awkwardly, "This matter hasn't even gotten off the ground yet?"
Old Madam Guo said calmly, "The son is yours. Although I reminded you early on, whether you listen or not is your own affair."
Madam Yuan blushed and agreed, then brought up Cheng Xu's scholarly pursuits: "The results will be announced in at most two days. Do you think we should prepare some copper coins in advance?"
It was an unspoken rule among wealthy families in Jinling City that when someone in the household achieved scholarly honors, they would carry baskets filled with copper coins and scatter them at the main gate.
"This matter can be left to the stewards," Old Madam Guo said. "There's no need to seek my instructions..."
Zhou Shaojin, who had hidden in Old Madam Guo's inner chamber to avoid Madam Yuan and pretended to do needlework, listened to Old Madam Guo and Madam Yuan's conversation and felt her heart tighten. Her hand was pricked, and a bead of blood slowly seeped out.
Zhou Shaojin hurriedly put her fingertip in her mouth, but her heart surged like waves crashing against the shore.
The Min family of Fujian, the Li family of Lujiang, the third-rank Provincial Administration Commissioner, the Fang family of Shucheng... and the sixth and seventh young ladies of the Gu family.
There were daughters of prominent scholar-official families, as well as modest beauties from humble backgrounds... what kind of wife couldn't Uncle Chi marry?
What was she, then?
Zhou Shaojin's heart felt as if it were frying in oil.
If she had known she would hear Madam Yuan say such things, she should have taken her leave when Madam Yuan came to see Old Madam Guo instead of retreating to the inner chamber.
To delve deeper, she should have stayed with Aunt Mian and sent Chunwan to deliver grapes to Old Madam Guo...
She endured until Madam Yuan finally took her leave, then slowly walked out of the inner chamber. With lowered eyelids, she said to Old Madam Guo, "I'll return to Jia Shu Hall first. I'll come back in the evening to pay my respects."
Old Madam Guo smiled and said, "If you're busy over there, don't trouble yourself to come. Your health is important—don't overexert yourself!"
Zhou Shaojin nodded, but her eyes felt sore.
If only time could stop right here.
She was staying with the eldest branch, Uncle Chi was still unmarried, and Old Madam Guo treated her like her own granddaughter...
Zhou Shaojin silently left Cold Green Mountain House, her mind in turmoil as she made her way to Jia Shu Hall.
Huanxi grabbed Cheng Xu, who had turned to head for Accumulated Truth Hall upon hearing that Madam Yuan was no longer there, and said with surprise and delight, "Master Xu, I... I think I saw the Zhou family's second young lady..."
Cheng Xu turned excitedly: "Where? Where?"
Huanxi pointed at the receding red figure ahead and said, "Look! Doesn't she look like the Zhou family's second young lady?"
Cheng Xu widened his eyes: "Let's go! Since we've encountered her, we should greet her."
Huanxi nodded repeatedly and followed Cheng Xu as they chased after her.
Zhou Shaojin was lost in her own thoughts when someone behind her called out, "Second Cousin Zhou, please wait a moment!"
She turned and saw Cheng Chi, panting heavily.
Zhou Shaojin turned and ran.Cheng Xu chased after her, calling out, "Second Miss Zhou, don't run! I have something to say to you! Just one sentence. I mean no harm!"
Zhou Shaojin ignored him.
Yet in just a few strides, he blocked her path and said, "Second Cousin Zhou, I have something to tell you."
Zhou Shaojin fixed her gaze on him.
Her beautiful eyes sparkled like stars in the distant sky.
Cheng Xu was at a loss for words.
Zhou Shaojin frowned and said, "If Cousin Xu has nothing else, I’ll head to Jia Shu Hall—Cousin Gao is about to get married, and Aunt is waiting for me to hand over the accounts I’ve tallied."
"Is that so?" Cheng Xu chuckled awkwardly.
What words did he have for Zhou Shaojin? He simply hadn’t seen her in a long time and wanted to catch another glimpse of her. What could he possibly say?
After struggling for a long while, Cheng Xu finally blurted out, "Have you eaten? Are you hungry?"
Zhou Shaojin had no desire to engage with him and replied sternly, "If Cousin Xu has nothing else, I’ll take my leave now."
※
Dear readers, here’s today’s update.
I have matters to attend to tomorrow, so the update will still be around eight o’clock.
O(∩_∩)O~
PS: Recommending Fu Tian’s new work, "The Ming Dynasty Survival Handbook." With a hundred acres of fertile land, he’s considered a well-off small landowner. But at just fourteen, he’s suddenly called "Dad," and the scholarly title he just earned seems about to slip away. Young scholar Wang Fulin feels the pressure is immense. Watch as Wang the scholar takes an unconventional path!
※ (To be continued ~^~)
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