Chunwan whisреrеd sоftlу to Xiaо Тan, "I'm going tо find Fourth Mаstеr!"
Хiао Тan noddеd repeatedly.
With suсh а thing haрpеning, nаturаllу, Fourth Маstеr hаd tо be fоund!
What about thе Yuаn familу? The son оf a retirеd fellow sсhоlаr—wоuld Еldеr Yuаn reallу dаre nоt givе thе Chеng familу fаce? If thе оld madаm were to find оut, she would prоbаblу be furiоus to death!
Ноwеver, thаt Маdаm Li—hоw сould shе аllow sоmeоne like Мrs. Huаng tо wаnder аrоund thе innеr residencе?
She is, after all, a mоther.
The sеcond уoung lаdу onlу entertained Mrs. Huang out of respect for her.
Yesterday, Mrs. Huang even criticized them for not covering the jade bonsai with a cloth.
They aren’t some poor, humble family that needs to flaunt their good things to maintain appearances.
If all of the second young lady’s belongings were displayed, they’d have to worry about thieves eyeing them every day!
Just thinking about it made Xiao Tan feel stifled.
How could someone as precious as the second young lady live such a life?
She needed to discuss with Nanny Shang and find a way to let the old madam know, so she could bring the second young lady back. After all, Master Xu wouldn’t stay home for long—sooner or later, he would go to the capital to study under Elder Jing. By then, the second young lady could return to Cold Green Mountain House.
How could the second young lady endure such a place?
As Xiao Tan’s thoughts wandered, Chunwan had already reached the door of the guest room. A young maid had just lifted the curtain to go in and announce her when a loud "smack" was heard from inside. Through the gap in the lifted curtain, Chunwan saw Cheng Chi slam his chopsticks on the table and say sharply, "How is Madam Li managing the household? Are there no servants around? How could she let that Huang woman jump around the house like this…"
The young maid, hearing this, turned pale with fright and "swished" the curtain back down, cutting off Cheng Chi’s voice. With a tearful voice, she said, "Sister Chunwan, I… I don’t dare go in…"
Chunwan quickly comforted her gently and said, "Then go attend to your own tasks. I’ll wait here."
The young maid scurried away and told her godmother what Cheng Chi had said.
The godmother immediately went to inform Mama Li.
When Madam Li heard, she felt terribly wronged and sobbed, leaning over her dressing table: "I only thought Mrs. Huang was trying to curry favor with the second young lady. How could I have imagined she’d be so bold as to pass messages between both sides? When I heard the second young lady mention this on the road, I already felt something was off, but we were already out—how could we just leave immediately? Now that this has happened, I feel utterly ashamed. I didn’t even dare tell the master earlier. No wonder Fourth Master Chi might think I’m some ignorant, foolish woman. If he questions the master about it, I won’t have the face to live!"
Mama Li grew anxious upon hearing this and said, "It’s the New Year—how can you say such things, madam? If anything were to happen to you, what would become of the third young lady?"
Only then did Madam Li slowly stop crying.
Mama Li spent a good while consoling her.
Inside the room, Cheng Chi paced irritably for several rounds before finally suppressing the anger in his heart. He ordered Huaishan, "Have that young maid come in."
Huaishan lowered his eyelids and said, "That young maid has already left."
Hearing this, Cheng Chi’s anger flared up again. "Then what did she come here for?"
Huaishan very much wanted to say that she probably came to lodge a complaint on behalf of the Zhou family’s second young lady, but seeing that you already knew everything, she quietly left. Even I could tell the young maid had left—you’ve always had sharper ears and eyes than me, so how come you didn’t notice?But he dared not ask this question.
He could see that Cheng Chi was still holding back a breath of anger that hadn’t been vented. Whoever approached him now would be the one to suffer.
“I’ll go call that maid back right away,” Huaishan said hurriedly.
Cheng Chi gave a low “Hmm,” his tone slightly easing.
Huaishan breathed a sigh of relief and hurried off to call Chunwan.
Chunwan, summoned by Huaishan halfway back, was naturally quite uneasy in her heart.
She stood timidly before Cheng Chi, not daring to move.
Seeing her like this, Cheng Chi let out a sigh before speaking: “Go and tell your Second Miss. First, she encountered that Scholar Chang at the gate. Then, Mrs. Huang encouraged Madam Li to take your Second Miss to Dabeige Temple to offer incense. When Young Master Miao acted with ill intent, it was that Scholar Chang who showed up to resolve the situation. I’m afraid this Scholar Chang also has ulterior motives. Tell her not to go anywhere these next few days and to stay quietly at home. I will help her resolve these matters.”
Chunwan was overjoyed. She knelt down and kowtowed three times to Cheng Chi, saying, “Thank you, Fourth Master.”
Cheng Chi raised his hand, signaling that she could withdraw.
Chunwan returned to Zhou Shaojin’s quarters in high spirits, thinking to herself, No wonder Second Miss wasn’t worried. Fourth Master is actually kind-hearted beneath his cold exterior. He agreed to help Second Miss even before I could ask. She skipped happily into the eastern room that had been converted into a study.
Zhou Shaojin was sketching flower patterns.
Xiao Tan, seeing Chunwan’s expression, knew things had gone smoothly. She smiled, pointed at Zhou Shaojin, and gently shook her head, signaling Chunwan to speak outside.
Chunwan called Jixiang to attend inside the room and spoke quietly with Xiao Tan under the corridor eaves.
After hearing Chunwan’s account, Xiao Tan said with no small pride, “I knew Fourth Master wouldn’t stand by and do nothing. Look, even though Sister Jiying beat up Young Master Xu so badly, Fourth Master is still a guest at the Zhou residence. It shows that Fourth Master also thinks Second Miss is pitiable.”
Chunwan sighed. That evening, while making Zhou Shaojin’s bed, she relayed Cheng Chi’s message to her.
Zhou Shaojin smiled and said, “I saw you all sneaking in and out and suspected you had gone to Uncle Chi. Don’t worry. Even if Uncle Chi hadn’t said anything, I wouldn’t have gone anywhere casually.”
As she spoke, her mood turned melancholy.
Since Uncle Chi had moved in, it was impossible to hide things from him.
Having lost so much face in front of Uncle Chi, she was too embarrassed to ask him to help resolve the matter with the Miao family.
It was just as well that Chunwan had gone to speak with Uncle Chi.
It spared her the awkwardness.
In the end, others were simply bullying her for her lowly family status.
If she were a young lady of the Cheng family from Nine Prosperities Lane, even if she possessed peerless beauty, who would dare act so brazenly before her?
At this moment, she suddenly understood very well the feelings of her maternal grandfather, Old Master Zhuang.
Sometimes, when a girl is too beautiful, it depends on which family she belongs to. In a family like Nine Prosperities Lane, it’s considered outstanding grace and beauty. But in a family like the Zhuangs, it’s seen as a beauty that brings disaster.
When her mother decided to marry her father back then, perhaps this was also a reason?
Zhou Shaojin slept somewhat poorly that night and felt listless when she got up the next day.
Madam Li didn’t even dare to ask. Zhou Zhen simply said, “I’ve already sent a letter to the Miao family. Don’t worry. I won’t marry you off casually.”
Seeing her father had misunderstood, Zhou Shaojin didn’t explain. She just smiled and nodded.
A young maid entered and reported, “Master, Madam, Second Miss, Scholar Chang requests an audience.”Zhou Zhen frowned.
Madam Li's expression was tense.
Cheng Chi had no intention of avoiding the Zhou family's maids.
The words he had spoken to Chunwan soon reached Madam Li's ears.
While Madam Li still harbored some doubts, Scholar Chang came seeking an audience.
Unable to help herself, she called out "Master," dismissed the servants in the room, and haltingly relayed Cheng Chi's words to Zhou Zhen.
Zhou Zhen remained calm and said, "I understand. I'll deal with that Chang fellow."
Only then did the heavy stone in Madam Li's heart finally settle.
Scholar Chang thought he had helped Zhou Shaojin out of a difficult situation. He expected Zhou Zhen to be somewhat warmer toward him, but to his surprise, Zhou Zhen remained as politely distant as before. This left many of his words stuck in his heart, unable to be spoken.
Had he somehow given himself away?
Scholar Chang couldn't help but reflect.
Knowing Young Master Miao's temperament, he had deliberately invited him to the Great Compassion Pavilion. Even Young Master Miao hadn't noticed anything amiss; after being beaten by Lord Miao, he lay in bed still shouting that if he couldn't marry the Zhou family's second young lady, he wouldn't want to live.
Lord Miao was furious.
But Scholar Chang feared that Lord Miao's mother, who was both overprotective and doting toward her grandson, would weep and make a scene, forcing Lord Miao to come propose on Young Master Miao's behalf.
That was why he had taken the first step, intending to casually inform Zhou Zhen about Young Master Miao's misbehavior.
What should he do now?
Thinking that haste makes waste, Scholar Chang restrained himself, exchanged a few pleasantries with Zhou Zhen, and then rose to take his leave.
Zhou Zhen did not see him off, instead frowning as he pondered his daughter's situation.
Now that Young Master Miao had seen Zhou Shaojin, her reputation for beauty would likely no longer remain hidden. In the future, there would only be more people finding excuses to visit and propose marriage. But Baoding was too small a place; aside from the Fan family, he didn't think highly of any other families here. Yet he didn't want to leave his delicate daughter in Baoding to suffer. As for finding a good marriage for Zhou Shaojin, he truly had no suitable candidates in mind...
If only that incident with Cheng Xu hadn't happened.
With the Cheng family's reputation, even if Zhou Shaojin couldn't marry into a family like the Zhenjiang Liao clan, it would still be easy to find a scholarly family with few members.
This thought, however, was fleeting.
He quickly suppressed this slight regret deep in his heart and carefully considered the families he knew that had sons of suitable age for Zhou Shaojin.
As for Cheng Chi, after much deliberation, he had a young maid invite Zhou Shaojin over to speak.
Zhou Shaojin set aside her half-embroidered needlework, changed her clothes, and hurried over.
The two sat down on the kang.
Cheng Chi asked her, "Would you be willing to come stay with me in the capital for a while?"
Zhou Shaojin was surprised.
Cheng Chi said, "I'll likely be staying in the capital for the next two years—you mentioned that the Cheng family would be raided. I think this isn't a matter of cause and effect but rather something that accumulates over time. I want to start investigating from my father's generation, and staying in Jinling might be inconvenient. Given the family's current state, I'm truly somewhat worried. Fortunately, the capital is very close to Baoding Prefecture. If you wish to see your father, you can return anytime for a short stay."
Zhou Shaojin's face flushed crimson.
How embarrassing to have this happen in front of Uncle Chi.
But staying with Uncle Chi in the capital... her heart immediately began to beat uncontrollably with joy.
Yet, thinking of Cheng Xu and Xinglin Alley, she felt as if doused with cold water, her spirits gradually sinking. She whispered softly, "I'd better stay in Baoding Prefecture..."Zhou Shaojin wore her heart on her sleeve, so how could Cheng Chi not see what she was thinking?
Cheng Chi’s emotions were complicated.
He knew this little girl definitely wanted to follow him. He shouldn’t have cared about her, but the thought that even people like Mister Miao and Scholar Chang dared to set their sights on her made a fire burn uncontrollably in his heart—a fire that tormented him, leaving him restless and uneasy.
Cheng Chi said, “We won’t be staying in Apricot Grove Lane. I’ve just bought a new house in Elm Coin Lane near Chaoyang Gate. We’ll live there.”
※
Brothers and sisters, I’ll fix any typos around noon. For now, please take a look…
※ (To be continued ~^~)
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