"Nо!" Оld Маdаm Guo loоkеd dеерly at Chеng Хu and said сalmly, "I аm nоt аsking уоu tо seek Lоrd Zhou's help. I am telling yоu tо live wеll with the Мin fаmilу's еldest уоung lаdу frоm now оn!"
"Grandmother!" Сhеng Xu сried out.
Old Мadam Guо said, "If the еngаgеmеnt bеtwееn the Chеng аnd Xu fаmiliеs hаd not уet bееn settled, I might hаvе supрorted yоu in seeking Lord Zhоu. Вut nоw yоur marriage with thе Мin fаmily's еldеst уоung lаdу has аlrеadу beеn arrangеd. Hаvе уou соnsidеrеd the consеquences if you brеak off the еngagemеnt?"
Chеng Хu cоuldn't help but mutter softly, "But the formal betrothal hasn't been finalized yet, has it?"
Old Madam Guo smiled and said, "Indeed, the formal betrothal hasn't been finalized. But your eight characters have already been matched, and the betrothal gifts have been sent. According to etiquette, if you were beaten to death at this point, the Min family's eldest young lady would either marry your memorial tablet and become a widow guarding the Cheng family home, or her father and brothers would negotiate with our Cheng family to issue a release document, allowing her to arrange another marriage. If our Cheng family disagrees, then the Min young lady cannot marry. Now that you know this, do you still want to seek Lord Zhou?"
Cheng Xu's eyes showed shame. Though he said nothing, a stubborn expression soon appeared on his face.
Old Madam Guo knew he hadn't given up yet and sighed inwardly, saying, "If you insist on breaking off the engagement, that's also possible..."
Cheng Xu's eyes brightened again.
Old Madam Guo said, "The Min family's Fourth Master has served as a chief clerk in the Court of Imperial Stud for six years and wants to be promoted to assistant minister. Among our family's officials in the court, your second granduncle has even resigned from his position as chancellor of the Imperial Academy, presumably unwilling to move elsewhere. Your second uncle, because of your father's situation, might be appointed to a provincial post. If so, he should at least aim for a provincial administration commissioner position in a strategic location. Your fourth branch's Second Uncle Yuan is also promising—a fellow graduate of the imperial examination, now already a county magistrate. According to Second Granduncle's intention, it would be best to secure the position of Zhejiang Provincial Administration Commissioner or Fujian Provincial Administration Commissioner for your second uncle. The former oversees the wealthiest region in the country, while the latter is remote from the emperor's reach, making it convenient for operations. If your second uncle goes to Zhejiang, then we should try to transfer your Second Uncle Yuan to Huating or Songjiang. If your second uncle goes to Fujian, then transfer your Second Uncle Yuan to Zhoushan or Ningbo. This way, your father will have your second uncle as support, and your second uncle will have your Second Uncle Yuan to coordinate with, making their work much smoother.
"In a few more years, when you achieve success in the imperial examinations and your uncle has experience in provincial appointments, the Ministry of Personnel will find it difficult to use your father's entry into the Grand Secretariat as an excuse, and he should at least be able to secure a position among the minor nine ministers.
"Then transfer your Second Uncle Yuan to a prefectural position in Huguang or Dezhou. You can serve as a clerk in one of the Six Ministries, and this network will gradually expand.
"This logic is clear to us, and other families understand it too.
"The Min family's Fifth Master has been in the Hanlin Academy for over ten years. He was the fourth-place graduate in his year, and his seniority even surpasses your second uncle's. The Min family now has Min Jianxing, a top graduate, serving as a compiler in the Hanlin Academy. There's no point in the Min family's Fifth Master staying in the Hanlin Academy any longer. He is also eyeing the position of Zhejiang Provincial Administration Commissioner.
"If you break off the engagement with the Min family without reason, they will agree, but they will certainly demand that we help the Min family's Fifth Master secure the position of Zhejiang Provincial Administration Commissioner.
"If your second uncle fails to secure the position of Fujian Provincial Administration Commissioner, your father will become very isolated in the court.""With the support of the Cheng and Yuan families, the Min family's appointment to the position of Provincial Administration Commissioner of Zhejiang is as easy as reaching into a bag to take something out. There will be no suspense whatsoever.
"In a few more years, Min Jianxing will be released from his post. At the very least, he will become a supervising secretary in one of the Six Ministries. And once the Fifth Master of the Min family gains experience from serving outside the capital, he can return to vie for a position among the Nine Ministers.
"While one side declines, the other rises. I fear that by then, our Cheng family will be suppressed by the Min family.
"Jiashan, do you still intend to break off the engagement with the Min family?"
Struggle flickered in Cheng Xu's eyes.
Old Madam Guo continued, "You might say that Grand Secretary Song Jingran, the Minister of Revenue, came from humble origins. Yet he still rose to become a Grand Secretary of the Eastern Pavilion and Minister of Revenue. That is true. You too may one day become a grand secretary and enter the cabinet. But along his journey, did Minister Song ever ask his father or brothers to sacrifice for him? To yield for him? Why should your father and uncles sacrifice and yield for the sake of your personal feelings? How can you face the father who gave you life, or the Nine Prosperities Lane that raised you? Even if one day you become the Chief Grand Secretary, could you stand before the ancestral tablets in the ancestral hall with a clear conscience? When you return home in glory, could you face the uncles and brothers who placed boundless hopes in you?"
A tear fell from the corner of Cheng Xu's eye.
After a long silence, he murmured, "Grandmother, is there really no other way?"
"There is!" Old Madam Guo said. "Leave Nine Prosperities Lane. Leave the Cheng family. Once you are no longer a member of the Cheng family, you can go to Baoding Prefecture to seek an audience with Lord Zhou..."
"Grandmother!" A faint glimmer of hope appeared in Cheng Xu's eyes. He asked uncertainly, "But would Lord Zhou agree to see me?"
"I don't know!" Old Madam Guo felt a chill in her heart, but her voice grew even gentler. "If you leave the Cheng family, Lord Zhou might think that since you can disregard your family's interests, you might also abandon Shaojin after marrying her..."
"No, I would never!" Cheng Xu stiffened his neck and shouted.
Old Madam Guo remained unmoved and continued directly, "He might be unwilling to marry his daughter to you; or perhaps he might think that since you gave up everything for Shaojin, you are a man of true feeling, and agree to marry her to you. But no matter what, this is your own decision, and you must bear the consequences. So when you decide to break off the engagement with the Min family, you must think clearly: if you leave the Cheng family but fail to marry Shaojin, will you regret it? If you do not leave the Cheng family, you certainly cannot marry Shaojin—will you be content with that?"
"I am not content, I am not content!" Cheng Xu whispered.
Old Madam Guo gazed at Cheng Xu for a moment and said softly, "Look at you. Neither left nor right works. You want to remain the eldest young master of the Cheng family of Nine Prosperities Lane, and you also want to marry the lovely Zhou Shaojin. But how can there be anything perfect in this world? You did not strive for what you wanted before, and now that you find yourself in this situation, you are unwilling to accept it.
"Jiashan, this is what we often call cowardice and weakness! You dare not fight for what you want, and when you regret it, you are unwilling to bear the consequences. Someone like you—even if the family paves a golden road for you, you will walk it reluctantly and eventually be pushed aside by those who strive desperately for it."
Cheng Xu stared at Old Madam Guo in astonishment.Old Madam Guo said calmly, "Jiashan, focus on recovering from your injuries and prepare to marry the eldest daughter of the Min family. Some opportunities, once lost, are lost forever. Just remember one thing: neither your father nor your uncles owe you anything. They have no obligation to bear the consequences of your willfulness. You are responsible for your own actions; do not drag others down with you."
Cheng Xu's eyes gradually dimmed.
Old Madam Guo turned away from the bed and called Biyu and Feicui inside. "For the next two days, you need not do anything else. Just attend to the young master properly. Once his injuries have mostly healed, it will be time for you to leave the household. I will reward you handsomely then."
Both women curtsied in unison and replied, "We dare not accept such generous rewards from you, madam. This is merely our duty."
Old Madam Guo nodded and went to the adjacent study.
"Some opportunities, once lost, are lost forever!"
"Your father and uncles owe you nothing; they have no obligation to bear the consequences of your willfulness!"
"Perhaps Lord Zhou believes that since you could disregard your family's interests, you might also abandon Shaojin after marrying her, and thus is unwilling to give his daughter to you!"
"Or perhaps he thinks that since you gave up everything to marry Shaojin, you are a man of true character, and will agree to the marriage!"
...
Cheng Xu's mind was in turmoil, with Old Madam Guo's words echoing incessantly.
In the drawing room, Wu Baozhang stood in the center, answering Cheng Chi's questions. "I thought that since Sister-in-law Gao had just entered the household, and as it happened, there was nothing to do in the afternoon, and with only Sister Jia and the Zhou family's Second Miss as the young ladies in the residence—both of whom I was close to in my maiden days—I decided to invite them both to visit Sister-in-law Gao, as a way of welcoming her to Nine Prosperities Lane. Who would have thought that upon entering the cave, I discovered..." Her face flushed crimson, as if too embarrassed to continue.
Cheng Chi, however, seemed oblivious to her hesitation. He asked gently, "What exactly did you see? Everyone here is family; feel free to speak plainly!"
His attitude was one of relentless inquiry, determined to get to the bottom of the matter.
Wu Baozhang couldn't help but grumble inwardly.
Aren't you afraid I might say something unfavorable about Cheng Xu?
But when she saw Cheng Chi's calm, confident expression, her heart began to waver.
A situation that seemed perfectly timed and advantageous—even Cheng Lu had been certain of success—had turned out completely contrary to their expectations... Who knew what had gone wrong?
It was clear that the second and third branches of the family, for all their fine talk, no longer had the ability to control the situation!
Although she wanted to see Zhou Shaojin embarrassed, she had no intention of getting herself entangled.
"I saw Jiying beating Young Master Xu!" After only a few moments of hesitation, Wu Baozhang decided on her stance and replied honestly and properly. "Young Master Xu tried to fight back a few times but was quickly knocked to the ground by Jiying, groaning and falling still. As if still unsatisfied, Jiying gave him a few more hard kicks before finally stopping."
Cheng Shi and the others erupted in exclamations of shock.
Cheng Chi, as if he hadn't heard them, asked Wu Baozhang, "What were the Zhou family's Second Miss and her personal maid doing?"
Wu Baozhang replied reluctantly, "Chunwan stood in front of the Zhou family's Second Miss, watching Jiying beat Young Master Xu from the side."
Cheng Chi asked, "When Chunwan stood in front of the Zhou family's Second Miss, was she shielding her with outstretched arms, or was she holding her by the shoulders?"If Zhou Shaojin had been molested by Cheng Xu, shouldn't Chunwan have spread her arms to shield the Second Miss of the Zhou family?
Wu Baozhang said, "She did spread her arms to shield the Second Miss of the Zhou family."
Cheng Chi said, "You may go and wait in the side room for now."
Wu Baozhang performed a curtsy and withdrew.
Cheng Shi thought Cheng Chi would interrogate Huanxi and Da Su, who were with Cheng Xu, but instead, Cheng Chi called Chunwan in and repeated what Wu Baozhang had said to her. Finally, he asked, "Why did you spread your arms to shield the Second Miss of the Zhou family?"
At that time, she was trembling and clinging to the Second Miss—she hadn't spread her arms to shield her!
Chunwan was somewhat bewildered.
But then she remembered what Nanny Shang had said to her on the way when she called her from Cold Green Mountain House. Immediately, she replied, "Fists and feet have no eyes! I was afraid that Miss Jiying and Master Xu might fight and accidentally injure our Second Miss!"
※
An extra update for Tianwaixianxian!
PS: Dear readers, here's the current situation: although my own work is finished, I still need to help colleagues from other groups complete their tasks within the deadline. However, I no longer have to work overtime on weekends, so starting this week, I can update twice a day.
O(∩_∩)O~
If there are any special circumstances, I'll let you know in advance.
Update times are set for around 5 p.m. and 12 p.m.
※ (To be continued ~^~)
OpenNovel