Аlthоugh Мrs. Нuаng said so, Mаdаm Li still repliеd, "I must ask our Sесоnd Мiss аbоut this matter. Shе has a gentle and resеrvеd temрerаmеnt аnd sеldom gоеs оut саsuallу."
Hearing thаt Zhоu Shaоjin had a gentlе and resеrved temреrаmеnt, Мrs. Нuаng becаmе evеn mоrе satisfiеd and sаid, "I'll gо speаk with Sеcоnd Miss myself."
Мama Li, standing nеаrbу, snortеd inwardly.
Who dо уоu think yоu аrе?
Асting аs if yоu hаve suсh greаt influencе.
Mаdаm Li wаs alsо sоmеwhаt annoyеd but did not show it on her faсe. She smiled аnd said, "If yоu cаn hеlp рersuade our Second Miss, that would be even better."
Mrs. Huang cheerfully made her way to Zhou Shaojin's side chamber.
Zhou Shaojin had gathered Chunwan and others to make small shoes and socks for Zhou Chujin's unborn child.
Seeing Mrs. Huang arrive, she went to the reception hall to meet her guest.
Upon entering, Mrs. Huang's attention was immediately captured by the precious gemstone and jade peach bonsai displayed on the hall's curio shelf. Zhou Shaojin called her several times before she snapped back to reality, exclaiming in awe, "How much must this cost? These peaches are carved from agate, aren't they? Heavens! I've never seen agate this large before! And these leaves—are they jadeite? Look at them, even the veins are carved so clearly." She then touched the trunk and said, "Is this gilded or solid gold? It looks like solid gold to me. How can you just leave it out in the open like this? What if someone plucks a leaf? Second Miss, you are too careless!"
This bonsai had been given to Zhou Shaojin by Zhou Zhen when she first arrived.
Looking at the peach bonsai back then, she had teased her father, "Wasn't this gifted to you for your birthday, and you're just passing it on to me? It's so gaudy and flashy."
At the time, Zhou Zhen had smiled sheepishly and said, "At least it's worth something. If you don't like it, keep it for gifting or have it remade."
She had never found the time to deal with the bonsai and had casually placed it on the long table.
Bitao, who was attending nearby, exchanged a glance with Jixiang.
Zhou Shaojin, however, merely smiled faintly and invited Mrs. Huang to take a seat on the nearby official's chair, saying, "With such heavy snow, what brings you here? Did you not run into our Madam's accountant?"
As she spoke, Xiao Tan brought in tea.
But Mrs. Huang remained fixated on the jade bonsai. "Second Miss, you should really find a way to cover it with a case. I feel anxious just looking at it."
Xiao Tan, who hadn't heard the earlier conversation, gave Mrs. Huang a puzzled look.
Seeing that someone was listening to her, Mrs. Huang grew even more enthusiastic. Pointing at the jade bonsai, she directed Xiao Tan, "Go quickly and inform your Madam. Who displays a jade bonsai like this? If your young lady doesn't speak up, how can you attendants be so careless?"
Could it be that they wanted to take advantage of the chaos to pluck a couple of peaches and sell them?
Fortunately, she had some understanding of social etiquette. She knew that while such words might please Zhou Shaojin, they would offend all the maids and servants in the room. With great difficulty, she swallowed the words that had reached the tip of her tongue.Xiao Tan, having suffered an unjust accusation, couldn't help but glance at the potted plant and said, "What's there to cover? It's all made of jade. Just take it out to wash occasionally and it'll be clean—it's not like silk gauze that can't withstand water. Besides, it's been snowing these past few days. If the weather doesn't warm up in a few days, it'll be time for the annual dusting anyway. We can tidy it up then." As she spoke, fearing Zhou Shaojin might blame her, she stepped forward to examine the potted plant and added, "The little maids wipe it down every day. It's quite clean."
This was truly like talking to a brick wall.
Mrs. Huang said, "I'm just worried that if it's left like this, a leaf might fall off... that wouldn't be good."
Xiao Tan laughed, "They're just miscellaneous jade pieces. If one falls off, it falls off—we can always replace it."
Her tone was so grand that even the young ladies of ordinary families wouldn't speak with such airs!
Mrs. Huang couldn't help but look toward Zhou Shaojin.
Since they weren't relatives or close friends, Zhou Shaojin felt no need to explain such matters to her. If she said it didn't matter, others might think she was wasteful and extravagant!
Just as Mrs. Huang now perceived Xiao Tan.
She smiled and said, "Xiao Tan originally served by Old Madam Guo's side. When I returned, Old Madam Guo was concerned, so she had Xiao Tan accompany me back."
The implication was that Xiao Tan was a servant from Nine Prosperities Lane, with broader horizons and knowledge than ordinary servants.
Mrs. Huang suddenly understood, and her smile instantly grew warmer. She said with a laugh, "No wonder Miss Xiao Tan carries herself with such grace! This truly reflects the saying, 'Even the gatekeeper of a prime minister's household holds the rank of a seventh-grade official.'"
Xiao Tan politely smiled at Mrs. Huang and quietly withdrew.
Mrs. Huang watched her go, sighing repeatedly, "Those from generations of official families are truly different. Look at the way she walks—not a single sound..."
Zhou Shaojin was beginning to find her annoying.
But out of propriety, she patiently waited for Mrs. Huang to finish speaking before asking, "Is there something you needed to see me about, Mrs. Huang?"
Only then did Mrs. Huang remember the purpose of her visit and hurriedly said, "Mrs. Tan and a few others wanted to take advantage of these days before things get too busy to offer incense at the Great Compassion Pavilion. We were hoping to invite Madam Li and the Second Young Lady to join us."
Zhou Shaojin smiled and replied, "This matter should be discussed with Madam."
Mrs. Huang laughed, "Your Madam would like to go, but she's worried the Second Young Lady might not be free then. Thinking I hadn't seen the Second Young Lady in a few days, I volunteered to come ask her. I also wanted to sit in the Second Young Lady's room and have a heart-to-heart chat."
Zhou Shaojin saw no reason to doubt her.
With Chunwan's attentiveness by her side, Nanny Shang's sharpness, Fan Qi's cleverness, and Zhou Zhen's backing, she feared nothing no matter where she went.
"I'll have to ask Madam before I can give you an answer!" With such heavy wind and snow, Zhou Shaojin had no desire to go out and brave the cold. But if Madam Li wanted her company, she would go.
The conversation circled back to Madam Li.
Mrs. Huang's eyes shifted, and after exchanging a few more words with Zhou Shaojin, she rose to take her leave.
Zhou Shaojin didn't give the matter much thought.
But Mrs. Huang reported back to Madam Li, saying, "The Second Young Lady has agreed, but she's worried you might not go..."
Madam Li, unaware of any trickery, smiled and said, "In that case, once you've settled on a time, just send a maid to let us know."
Mrs. Huang left happily.
The next day, she sent a trusted maid to inform them that they had decided to go to the Great Compassion Pavilion early the following morning.
Madam Li frowned as she looked at the knee-deep snow.
Mama Li suggested, "Why not go another day?"Madam Li thought for a moment and finally said, "Forget it! It's rare for Second Miss to be in such high spirits, so let's just accompany her on this trip. With such heavy snow, it might just be what Second Miss wants—to go and admire the snow!"
"Second Miss is a scholar, after all!" Mama Li chuckled. "Don't scholars always go out to admire the snow when it falls?"
Madam Li laughed heartily. She had the maids fetch fur-lined jackets and prepared to go out with Zhou Shaojin.
Zhou Zhen, however, asked, "Isn't the snow too heavy?"
Madam Li smiled and replied, "But when it rains heavily, you still go to admire the lotus flowers!"
Zhou Zhen smiled and personally escorted Madam Li and Zhou Shaojin out the door.
Cheng Chi asked curiously, "What are they going out for in such cold weather?"
Huaishan, while smoothing out the pigeon message he had just received, said, "They said they were invited by several wives from the government office to go to Dabeige Temple to offer incense."
Cheng Chi let out an "oh" and asked, "Did Nanny Shang go with them?"
How could Nanny Shang dare not go?
"She went," Huaishan replied. "Xiao Tan also went along."
Cheng Chi nodded and said, "Tell her to take good care of Second Miss and make sure she doesn't catch a cold."
Huaishan acknowledged the order and went to relay the message.
Unexpectedly, they returned just after lunch.
Cheng Chi's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly as he instructed Huaishan, "Go and see what happened."
It took nearly half an hour for Huaishan to return. He cautiously approached Cheng Chi and whispered, "They went to Dabeige Temple to offer incense. They encountered a group of people, including Lord Miao's son. Lord Miao's son stared fixedly at Second Miss, following her wherever the ladies went. If it hadn't been for a scholar named Chang who stepped in and dragged Lord Miao's son away, he might have rushed right up to Second Miss. Second Miss felt uncomfortable and returned early with Madam Li."
Cheng Chi’s hand, holding the chopsticks, remained motionless for a long while.
Meanwhile, Madam Li’s eyes were red with anger and anxiety as she said to Zhou Zhen, "...You should have seen it. If it weren’t for Mrs. Huang and the others recognizing that Young Master Miao, I would have thought he was some rogue who appeared out of nowhere. I scolded him a few times, but he ignored me. He couldn’t be stopped and scared Second Miss so badly her face turned pale. She kept hiding behind Nanny Shang. If Scholar Chang hadn’t intervened, Young Master Miao would have rushed right up to Second Miss. I heard from Mrs. Huang that Young Master Miao is an uneducated and untalented person who hasn’t even been betrothed yet. Now I’m afraid the Miao family might come to propose marriage. What will we say then? I heard from Mrs. Tan that Lord Miao was in the same imperial examination cohort as the current Grand Secretary of the Cabinet, Grand Academician of Wenyuan Hall, and Minister of Personnel, Yuan Weichang. Master, you must think of a way. We can’t just marry Second Miss off like this! Even I look down on that Young Master Miao!"
Zhou Zhen listened, his face flushed with anger, and sneered, "Don’t worry! Shaojin is the apple of my eye. I won’t marry her off carelessly."
Still unsatisfied, Madam Li added, "That Young Master Miao is too disrespectful. I told him who we are, but he didn’t restrain himself at all..."
Zhou Zhen nodded, seething with hatred.
His precious daughter encountering such a thing under his own jurisdiction—wasn’t this a slap in his face?
Zhou Zhen took the initiative and returned to his study to write a letter questioning the Miao family, which he had his advisor deliver to the Miao residence.
※
Meanwhile, Zhou Shaojin stood in front of the mirror, carefully examining her face.Past and present, it was all because of this face that brought trouble.
She thought leaving the Cheng family would change her fate, but with such a face, she feared she would never find peace no matter where she went.
Her father loved her.
She wasn’t worried that her father would marry her off to such an unreliable person.
But as for where she would go from here, she couldn’t see a future.
Beside her, Chunwan exchanged an uneasy glance with Xiao Tan.
Xiao Tan gently shook her head.
Chunwan sighed inwardly.
The Second Young Miss must be feeling very upset.
To encounter such a frivolous person for no reason—those who knew would think the Second Young Miss had been wronged, while those who didn’t might assume she had provoked him.
It was said that Young Master Miao’s father and the current Chief Grand Secretary, Lord Yuan, had passed the imperial examinations in the same year… Who knew what the master would do?
She felt this matter should be reported to Fourth Master Chi.
After all, when Young Master Xu was beaten up by Jiying, whom the Second Young Miss had called over, Fourth Master Chi hadn’t said a word… She had a vague feeling that if Cheng Chi learned of this, he would surely help Zhou Shaojin.
※
Dear readers, something came up at home, so tonight’s update will be posted tomorrow morning. This way, the timing will be more reliable!
O(∩_∩)O~
※ (To be continued ~^~)
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