Тhе swееt аnd sour squirrel fish, thе еlеgаntlу colorеd Lоngjing tea shrimр, the rich аnd sаvоrу hоnеy-glazеd ham, the crispy yеt tеnder friеd bell rоlls... In thе finеst рrivatе rооm оvеrloоking the Fuchun River, thе lаrge rоund table of рearwоod was lаdеn with dishеs, еасh рerfeсtlу seаsоnеd. Mаdam Li аnd thе others соuldn't stoр praising the fоod.
Zhou Shaоjin hеld hеr chоpsticks, but her mind wаs еlsеwherе.
Unсlе Сhi hаd sаid he wаntеd to mаrry hеr...
A faint blush сolоrеd hеr chееks.
Yеt bеtween her аnd Uncle Chi lay а chasm as vаst as the hеavеns. Нow сould marriage between them ever be easy?
Uncle Chi must know this too, right?
Even if it took two years—or a lifetime—she was willing to wait.
But what she feared was that what awaited her might not be a joyous union, but an overwhelming tide of accusations and insults.
If it were only herself, she wouldn’t be afraid.
What she truly feared was harming Uncle Chi—if he were to propose marrying her to the Cheng family, it would undoubtedly cause an uproar. With Uncle Chi's temperament, he must have already considered this. If he succeeded, he would likely pay a heavy price; if he failed, he might even be disowned by the Cheng family.
Life isn't just about surviving.
One needs friends, wealth, and social standing.
If Uncle Chi lost everything, would he still find happiness?
How could she, just because she loved someone, ask him to risk everything for her?
Zhou Shaojin glanced toward where Cheng Chi was seated.
A screen carved with playful scenes from eaglewood blocked her view—she couldn’t even catch a glimpse of his shadow.
She recalled the calm yet resolute look in Cheng Chi's eyes and expression when he said he wanted to marry her, and her heart swelled with both shyness and sweetness.
How foolish she had been to think Uncle Chi was only drawn to her beauty.
Though she was pretty, she wasn’t irreplaceable.
With Uncle Chi's experience, if he merely wanted a beautiful woman, why would he have gone this long without even a concubine?
Uncle Chi had always treated her with sincerity and honesty.
Thinking of this, she bit her lip and quietly made a decision.
Plop! Something landed in front of her.
Startled, she looked down to see a marinated peanut that had slipped from Zhou Youjin's chopsticks, bounced off the table, and landed in her bowl.
Zhou Shaojin laughed heartily, ruffling Zhou Youjin's hair.
It was rare for her to show such open emotion.
Embarrassed, Zhou Youjin hid in Madam Li's arms.
Madam Li smiled and hurriedly apologized to Zhou Shaojin.
Zhou Shaojin felt a slight pang of emotion.
If Youjin were her own sister, Madam Li probably wouldn’t have apologized so formally.
Some things simply are what they are—there’s no room for ambiguity.
She smiled at Madam Li and said, "We’re family—no need for such formalities. You’re too polite."
Madam Li smiled faintly.
The matter was thus set aside.
But Zhou Shaojin’s heart remained unsettled.
After returning home, she personally prepared ginseng soup and brought it to the study in the outer courtyard.
Hearing the commotion, Cheng Chi sat behind his desk, waiting for her to approach. He smiled and said, "You’ve been out all day. Aren’t you tired? You could have let a maid do this. Go back to your room and rest!"
Having lived two lives, this was Zhou Shaojin’s first time doing something like this, and she couldn’t help feeling nervous and shy.
She was afraid Uncle Chi might become overly intimate with her because of this, making her seem too eager.
So Cheng Chi’s attitude was just right.
Though her face was still flushed, Zhou Shaojin felt much more at ease.She pointed at the large desk in front of Cheng Chi and said with a smile, "Isn't Fourth Master also busy?"
Fourth Master?!
Cheng Chi raised an eyebrow.
Zhou Shaojin’s face flushed crimson in an instant.
Cheng Chi’s smile overflowed from his eyes, lighting up his entire face.
Shao Jin was too embarrassed to lift her head. Clutching the tray, she ran off.
Cheng Chi chuckled silently, picked up the stew pot, and took a careful sip.
It wasn’t until she was almost out of the courtyard that Zhou Shaojin remembered the purpose of her visit.
She turned back and went to find Huaishan.
Hearing her words, Huaishan was quite surprised and asked for confirmation, "You mean, if Fourth Master has any conflicts with the elders at home, I must inform you?"
Zhou Shaojin nodded.
Traces of her earlier blush still lingered on her face as she said, "Just tell me. I’m afraid Uncle Chi might suffer."
If it truly came to that, she wouldn’t let Uncle Chi bear it alone.
At worst, she’d step forward and take the blame!
In her previous life, she could marry and live alone; in this life, she could just as well live a solitary life with a lamp and ancient scriptures.
Come to think of it, if Uncle Chi hadn’t brought this matter up, wouldn’t she have been planning to become a nun anyway?
In any case, the outcome would be similar. What was there to fear!
Zhou Shaojin felt reassured.
The next day, she cooked a few dishes and brought them to the study. She also opened a chest to find suitable fabrics to make winter clothes for Cheng Chi.
Thanks to Cheng Chi, Madam Li also got to taste Zhou Shaojin’s cooking. When she learned that Shaojin was planning to make clothes for Cheng Chi, she came in and asked, "Do you have suitable fabrics? If not, I can have some sent over from Furui Fang. That’s my family’s silk shop. If you ever need to buy anything, you can have them deliver it too."
Zhou Shaojin had thought Madam Li might try to stop her, so she was somewhat surprised.
Madam Li smiled and said, "I’m not blind—Fourth Master gave up the inner courtyard for us and moved to the back rooms himself… Just for the sake of his consideration, we should treat him as an honored guest."
Ever since returning from the Bathing the Buddha Festival, her fondness for Cheng Chi had been steadily growing.
He was strategic, capable, and skilled, yet understanding and not rigid… Even for a small outing like the Bathing the Buddha Festival, he arranged everything meticulously, making everyone feel secure and comfortable. Most importantly, his respect toward them made her feel both flattered and grateful.
No wonder he managed the affairs of Nine Prosperities Lane. Only after interacting with him did she realize how gentle his temperament was, treating others with such warmth that it naturally inspired goodwill.
Zhou Shaojin could sense Madam Li’s attitude toward Cheng Chi.
She smiled faintly.
Could this be considered Cheng Chi’s way of winning over Madam Li?
She then openly selected fabrics for Cheng Chi and went to take his measurements.
Cheng Chi stood there, letting her pull and adjust as she pleased, never mentioning her change in how she addressed him.
Hearing this, Huaishan pondered thoughtfully. He wanted to tell Zhou Shaojin that if she was sincere, she could simply take one of Fourth Master’s old clothes and tailor it accordingly. But seeing how willingly they both played their parts, he swallowed the words that had reached his lips.
Zhou Shaojin sat down and recorded Cheng Chi’s measurements.
Cheng Chi thought for a moment. In the end, he didn’t bring up her instructions to Huaishan—if it made her feel more at ease, then let her be reassured.
He signaled to Huaishan not to hide anything from Zhou Shaojin.
Zhou Shaojin, however, tilted her head and curiously asked about the scribbled drawings on his desk, "What is this?"
Cheng Chi walked over.
Huaishan closed the study door for them.Cheng Chi whispered, "After connecting with Shi Kuan, I later investigated the Fourth Prince and discovered that his birth mother was a palace maid serving the Empress. Even after giving birth to the Fourth Prince, she was never granted a title. Before the Crown Prince was born, the Fourth Prince was raised in Kunning Palace and almost registered under the Empress’s name. It was only after the Crown Prince’s birth that his mother was granted the seventh-rank title of Xuanshi, and soon after, they moved out of Kunning Palace."
"Such a thing happened?" Zhou Shaojin was hearing this for the first time.
In the imperial family, succession was determined by either legitimacy or virtue, with legitimacy taking precedence over virtue.
A child raised by the Empress held an advantage over those born to other consorts when it came to selecting an heir.
She hesitated and asked, "Do you suspect the Fourth Prince?"
Cheng Chi smiled and said, "It’s hard to say for now. Let’s first gather all the necessary information before making any plans."
Zhou Shaojin said apologetically, "I promised to help you, but in the end, I haven’t been of any assistance."
"Indeed, you haven’t been of any help," Cheng Chi chuckled, leaning close to her ear and whispering, "How about I send Madam to take care of your sister, and in a few days, you accompany me to Daxiangguo Temple for a hike? I’ve been working very hard these past few days!"
His suggestive tone made Zhou Shaojin’s heart flutter, and she fled with a face as red as a sunset.
Cheng Chi couldn’t help but laugh.
It wasn’t until Zhou Shaojin stepped through the Chuihua Gate that she regained her composure, silently grumbling to herself.
These past few days, Madam had been busy preparing local gifts for her father, his advisors, and their superiors’ wives, leaving no time to visit her sister. And now he says something like this… Really… she didn’t know what to say!
However, although Uncle Chi had held her that day, he had only held her like that and done nothing else.
Why was she so flustered?
Uncle Chi enjoyed teasing her—it wasn’t something that had just started…
Zhou Shaojin returned to her room.
In the mirror, the figure of a woman flickered.
Her features were exquisitely beautiful, and a tender smile lingered at the corners of her eyes and brows.
Was this… her?
Zhou Shaojin couldn’t help but turn and stand before the dressing mirror.
That shy, bashful expression—who else could it be but her?
A hint of embarrassment immediately crept into Zhou Shaojin’s expression.
Zhou Chujin sent someone to inform them that Madam Liao would arrive in the capital on the twenty-eighth day of the fourth month.
Madam Li could no longer focus on the local gifts and instead pulled Zhou Shaojin aside to prepare for Madam Liao’s welcome.
In her previous life, Zhou Shaojin had dealt with Madam Liao. She took out the set of "Flourishing Wealth" Ji-red porcelain tableware to entertain Madam Liao and went to the backyard to check on the flowers she had planted.
Seeing only the roses and hollyhocks blooming vibrantly in the flowerbed, Madam Li worried, "I’m afraid this won’t do, will it?"
Indeed, it wouldn’t do.
Madam Liao was the typical daughter of a noble family, someone who valued uniqueness and refinement in everything.
The set of Ji-red porcelain tableware Uncle Chi had gifted was a new product from the official kiln this year. Though vibrant, Madam Liao had never seen it before, so using it could earn them a bit of face. However, the room’s decor would require more careful thought.
She went to Cheng Chi’s place.
Cheng Chi was speaking with someone else.
Zhou Shaojin waited for him in the side room, only to discover that the person who emerged from his room was actually Mr. Wu, an advisor to the Cheng family’s Second Elder, Cheng Shao.
Suspicious, she entered the study and noticed Cheng Chi’s expression was somewhat grave.
"Has something happened?" Zhou Shaojin asked cautiously.
Cheng Chi didn’t want to hide it from her.
This girl was always sensitive to his emotions.
Rather than keeping her in the dark and causing her worry, it was better to tell her the truth."We don't know yet," Cheng Chi said. "It's been found out that the Fourth Prince has a very good relationship with Chen Li, the chief eunuch of the Qianqing Palace."
Chen Li? That Chen Li who had been by the emperor's side since his days in the princely residence and served him his entire life?
Zhou Shaojin's mouth fell open.
Cheng Chi patted her shoulder and smiled, saying, "Don't worry, this is quite normal. Who wouldn’t want to befriend someone in the palace to keep an eye on things? Even I am on good terms with Liu Yong."
That’s different.
Zhou Shaojin instinctively thought.
Although the court has rules forbidding feudal princes from associating with court officials, it is also explicitly prohibited for princes to befriend eunuchs.
The Fourth Prince knowingly violated this rule, and befriended none other than Chen Li, the chief eunuch in charge of the Qianqing Palace!
She vaguely felt something was amiss.
The Fourth Prince might not be as simple and harmless as she had perceived in her previous life.
※
Dear readers, here's the update from yesterday.
I have a meeting today, so there will only be one update, around 10 p.m.
O(∩_∩)O~
※ (To be continued ~^~)
OpenNovel