Zhоu Shаоjin wаs sоmеwhat stunned.
Сhеng Сhi hаd оnly mentionеd grоwing up in the сapitаl, but hаdn’t sаid whо sеlеcted him оr how he came to оvеrseе the Sеvеn Stаrs Нall.
Wаs thеrе sоmеthing unusual аbout this?
Zhou Shaоjin thоught of Оld Madam Guо.
She thought оf Cheng Сhi’s lоng-dеlауеd mаrriage.
Shе vаguelу sеnsеd thesе mattеrs might bе connесted tо Cheng Chi’s рarents and еldеr brоthers...
Zhоu Shaojin darеd nоt think furthеr, nor аsk аnу mоrе quеstions.
Оbеdientlу, she rоse, brewеd a frеsh сuр of tеа fоr Сheng Chi, and hаnded it to him.
Cheng Chi smilеd as he aсceрted thе tеaсup, inhaled its fragrance, and took a gentle sip.
He was somewhat reluctant to speak.
But today was an opportunity.
Perhaps if he missed this chance, he would never be able to tell Shaojin so openly.
“The one who selected me to oversee the Seven Stars Hall was the patriarch of the second branch,” Cheng Chi continued unhurriedly, just as Zhou Shaojin thought he would say no more about the Cheng family’s secrets. “I was mischievous from a young age, often climbing roofs to remove tiles or wading into rivers to catch fish. It annoyed my father so much that he would often stomp his feet in anger and threaten to send me to the Western Mountain Garrison to become a soldier.” As he spoke, he smiled faintly, his expression relaxed and gentle, clearly in good spirits.
Uncle Chi and his father must have had a very good relationship.
Zhou Shaojin thought to herself, but in the next moment, she saw a sharp, blade-like glint flash in Cheng Chi’s eyes as he said, “The Cheng family is a scholarly household—how could they possibly send me to the Western Mountain Garrison to become a soldier? This shows that some things cannot be taken for granted. When I was seven, my father passed away. After observing the forty-nine days of mourning for him, while my elder brothers remained at home to continue the mourning period, I was sent back to the capital and began training in martial arts under Chief Steward Qin’s father!”
It was clear that Cheng Chi was very dissatisfied with this arrangement.
Was it because the elders’ decision cut short his path to an official career? Or was it because martial arts training involved too much hardship?
The thought flashed through Zhou Shaojin’s mind, but she quickly dismissed the latter.
Uncle Chi had come this far—he must have endured many hardships.
Since he could endure hardship, it couldn’t be the martial arts training that displeased him.
Then was it the elders’ arrangement?
Zhou Shaojin didn’t know what to say, so she poured another cup of tea for Cheng Chi.
This time, Cheng Chi did not reach out to take it. Instead, he stared fixedly at the teacup before him and said softly, “My father passed away from illness on the fourth day of the seventh month in the year Dingchou, which was the fifteenth year of Yongchang. That summer, he caught a slight cold, but his duties delayed treatment. By the time he realized something was wrong, it had developed into consumption, and he soon passed away.
“At that time, he had already risen to the position of Left Chief Inspector of the Surveillance Bureau, a second-rank official and one of the Nine Chief Ministers. One more step, and he would have been appointed as a grand secretary and entered the cabinet. Meanwhile, the patriarch of the second branch was already the Heroic Hall Grand Academician and Minister of Personnel. The main reason my father had not yet entered the cabinet was that the patriarch of the second branch was his clan uncle.
“The court would not allow an uncle and nephew to serve in the cabinet simultaneously.
“The patriarch of the second branch was already over sixty at the time, while my father was only in his fifties. Everyone said that once the patriarch of the second branch retired in a few years, my father would be able to enter the cabinet.
“But my father died before the patriarch of the second branch.
“Moreover, both of my elder brothers had already passed the imperial examinations. One served as Left Supervising Secretary of the Ministry of Works, while the other had just been selected as a Junior Scholar Candidate and was observing governance in the Ministry of War.”"But with Father's passing, both of my elder brothers had to return home to observe mourning. Eldest Brother was fine—he had already been selected as a Junior Scholar Candidate. But Second Brother could only become an ordinary Presented Scholar, missing the chance to become a Junior Scholar Candidate."
Zhou Shaojin gradually began to understand the underlying meaning.
The eldest branch had originally enjoyed a promising official career, but Cheng Xun's death had cast uncertainty over their future.
She said, "Is that why the Second Old Master stepped forward to support the family at that time?"
For a period, Cheng Shao's influence had been quite strong, and many had expected him to leverage his position as the Second-Ranked Scholar to maneuver within the Six Ministries.
Cheng Chi sneered and said, "When negotiating terms, one naturally needs leverage! While Father was alive, he held different political views from the Second Branch's patriarch. After Father passed away, the Second Branch's patriarch even argued with Second Uncle over whether Father's mourning period should be forty-nine days or forty-two days."
When elders are still alive, it is considered unfilial for a younger generation member to pass away first, so the full forty-nine-day mourning period cannot be observed. At most, it can only be forty-two days or thirty-five days.
At that time, Cheng Chi's grandfather, Cheng Bei, had already passed away.
By not allowing Cheng Chi and the others to hold the full forty-nine-day funeral rites for Cheng Xun, wasn't he concerned about how it would reflect on him as the living elder?
Zhou Shaojin was indignant and said, "Couldn't he have been more lenient?"
Cheng Chi replied disdainfully, "With Father gone, he had nothing to fear. Who would he show leniency to?"
Indeed!
What reservations or leniency would he have toward the eldest branch of the Cheng family, who posed no threat to his foundation...
"So, my Second Uncle had no choice but to strive desperately, hoping that when my two brothers resumed their official duties after the mourning period, he could promote them..."
A thought struck Zhou Shaojin, and she couldn't help but murmur in response, "That's why the Second Old Master ended up serving as a Lecturer in the Hanlin Academy. Uncle Jing was appointed as Chief Clerk of the Judicial Court as soon as he resumed his post, promoted to Assistant Minister of the Judicial Court within half a year, and then to Junior Minister of the Judicial Court after another year... Uncle Wei also went directly to the Hanlin Academy... And you were dragged into it, having to study martial arts under Chief Steward Qin's father to take over the Seven Stars Hall..." As she spoke, she suddenly looked up, her face flushed with anger. "Couldn't they have resisted? Just let themselves be manipulated like that?"
Moreover, since this was the outcome of the struggle between the eldest and second branches, then Uncle Chi being chosen to oversee the Seven Stars Hall must have been agreed upon by everyone in the eldest branch!
This included Uncle Chi's birth mother, Old Madam Guo, and his own brothers, Cheng Jing and Cheng Wei!
Uncle Chi... was only seven years old at the time... still a naive child... If he hadn't been exceptionally talented and hadn't passed the imperial examinations, he might have spent his entire life as a mere pawn managing family affairs!
That's why, in her past life, Uncle Chi had run away from home!
But even though Uncle Chi knew the Cheng family had been raided and Cheng Xu had been sentenced to execution, he still returned to save Cheng Xu and fled south with him... Uncle Chi might appear cold and ruthless, but in reality, he was soft-hearted!
As she gazed at Cheng Chi, it felt as though a seed had taken root and sprouted within her heart.Cheng Chi did not notice Zhou Shaojin's emotions. He smiled bitterly and said, "Although Second Uncle is learned, he has a somewhat scholarly temperament. He can manage dealing with the demons and monsters of the official world for a while, but over time, he becomes somewhat inadequate. Otherwise, he wouldn't have hidden in the Hanlin Academy for so many years... He simply has no interest in being an official; he doesn't even want to be the Director of the Imperial Academy."
Zhou Shaojin thought of Mr. Wu, who seemed like Cheng Shao's advisor, whom she had met at Cold Green Mountain House.
That time, Mr. Wu had come because Cheng Jing had recommended him for the position of Director of the Imperial Academy, and Cheng Shao had sent Mr. Wu to plead his case to Old Madam Guo.
But thinking of the treatment Cheng Chi had received still made her heart burn with indignation. She said, "Even so, they shouldn't have done that! You were so young. Although you were active, who could have confidently claimed you had a talent for martial arts?" After saying this, she asked Cheng Chi, "Your martial arts must be very impressive, right?" Then, without waiting for Cheng Chi to answer, she continued, "At that time, you hadn't formally sparred with outsiders. What if your martial arts weren't as exceptional as imagined? Wouldn't you have ended up like Old Master Li? How could they do such a thing?"
Zhou Shaojin's sweet, soft voice, filled with both grievance and unwillingness, made Cheng Chi feel in an instant that all the unfair treatment he had once endured had become his wealth—if he hadn't taken charge of Seven Stars Hall and had remained an ordinary scholar, would he have dared to embrace this girl who laid her heart bare before him, allowing him to trample it as he pleased, when he met Zhou Shaojin?
What truly made him feel hatred was when he was eighteen years old, and Qin Zining died before his eyes while he was powerless to do anything.
It was the first time he witnessed the cruelty and bloodshed of the martial world.
Before, such cruelty and bloodshed were merely stories told by others.
Only when it happened to him did he realize how sorrowful and resentful one could feel inside.
But before him lay a path of thorns, with no time for lamenting fate or indulging in nostalgia. He grew up quickly, learning to treat others with the same cruelty and bloodshed, and realizing that the pains in life could sometimes become treasures, guiding you onto a smoother path.
But knowing was one thing.
Whenever he thought of Qin Zining's death, he couldn't help but feel pain in his heart... and an unresolved sense of injustice!
Only this time, he calmly accepted those things he had once considered unfair.
Perhaps this was the feeling of mutual dependence and companionship?
Cheng Chi quietly gazed at Zhou Shaojin, a joyful smile flickering between his brows. For the first time, he seriously considered the evaluation Chief Steward Qin's father had once given him: "Master Qin said I was a martial arts prodigy seen only once in a century...""That still doesn't make it right!" Zhou Shaojin remained dissatisfied, interrupting Cheng Chi with a coquettish tone. "Even sailing ships and riding horses carry three parts risk, let alone you dealing daily with desperate men like Xiao Zhenhai? The Second Branch's patriarch wouldn't openly tell you this is a good thing, would he? Now Cheng Shi is no longer young—he already has two sons—so why doesn't he let Cheng Shi take over Seven Stars Hall? Cheng Shi is only a provincial graduate, while you're a metropolitan graduate! Anyone with eyes can see who carries more weight! If he thinks Cheng Shi hasn't practiced martial arts, doesn't Cheng Shi have two sons? Then just pick one from among them..." Feeling these troubles all stemmed from Seven Stars Hall, she added, "I think this so-called Seven Stars Hall shouldn't continue operating either. Since those people want it, just give it to them. You should stop managing those affairs and live a few peaceful days! As for Seven Stars Hall's profits—the moon wanes when full, water overflows when brimming—the Cheng family has enjoyed wealth for so many years; it's time to let go!" At this point, she thought of something even more serious.
She leaned closer to Cheng Chi and whispered, "Uncle Chi, look—in our previous life, when the Cheng family was raided, could it have been related to Seven Stars Hall? 'Knights errant violate prohibitions through martial prowess'—the court has always kept a tight watch on such matters!"
Cheng Chi gazed at her rosy, flawless little face, her clear black-and-white eyes like autumn pools holding shimmering water that could make one lose themselves. He couldn't help but lightly flick her forehead and laugh. "Didn't you say the Cheng family was raided because my eldest brother breached court etiquette and my second brother was found corrupt? If it were because of Seven Stars Hall, the Emperor could have simply pinned a rebellion charge on the Cheng family. Why bother finding such a ridiculous excuse?"
※
Dear sisters and brothers, apologies for the rush—typos will have to wait until tomorrow to fix!
Tomorrow's extra update will still be around five in the evening. If there are special circumstances, I'll notify everyone in advance.
Good night, everyone!
O(∩_∩)O~
※ (To be continued ~^~)
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