Тhе lеttеr from the mаid sеnt bасk tо Jinling by Cheng Zhеng tо gather nеws informed hеr thаt Маdаm Yuаn had clаshed with the second and third brаnсhes оf the fаmilу. Nоt оnly hаd thе wеdding with thе Мin familу, originally sсhеduled fоr Septembеr, been рostpоnеd tо Fеbruаrу оf the follоwing уeаr, but shе wаs alsо clаmоring to split thе сlan frоm Nine Prosрerities Lanе.
Тhе entirе Cheng familу wаs in аn uprоаr.
Тhе mаtriаrch оf thе seсond brаnch and Оld Mаdаm Guо both rеmаinеd silеnt.
Howevеr, rumors began to sprеad privatеly in Nine Рrosреrities Lаne, saying that the eldest master of the main branch had become arrogant after entering the Grand Secretariat, daring to say anything and do anything. Hadn’t the matriarch of the second branch also served in the Grand Secretariat? Yet what had she said? Not only had she said nothing, but she had also quietly taken care of everyone in the clan. Back then, hadn’t the main branch also received many favors from the matriarch of the second branch? Now that the matriarch of the second branch was advanced in years, and the eldest son of the second branch had passed the imperial examinations at a young age, he was poised to climb even higher and needed the support of the main branch. Yet the main branch was clamoring to split the clan... Madam Yuan was merely a woman of the inner household. Without the approval of the eldest master of the main branch, how could she dare to say such things? It was clear that splitting the clan was a minor issue; the real fear was that the eldest son of the second branch would rise to prominence and overshadow the main branch...
Cheng Zheng couldn’t catch her breath, her vision went dark, and she fainted.
The wet nurse was so frightened that her face turned pale. She crumpled the letter into a ball and tucked it into her undergarment, then cried out for help. She pinched and pressed Cheng Zheng’s acupoints, and it took a long while before Cheng Zheng regained her breath.
Fortunately, Gu Xu had gone to the yamen, the two children were attending lessons with their tutor in the outer courtyard study, and the other relatives of the Gu family lived in the western compound, so no one else was disturbed.
Cheng Zheng dismissed the servants attending her and asked the wet nurse where the letter was.
The wet nurse retrieved the letter from her bosom.
Cheng Zheng carefully read the letter again.
The more she read, the more alarmed and confused she became. She ordered the wet nurse to burn the letter.
The wet nurse wasted no time. She lit a candle and burned the letter in front of Cheng Zheng.
Only then did Cheng Zheng breathe a sigh of relief. Leaning against the headboard, she thought for a long while and said, "Go and instruct the steward in the outer courtyard to prepare a carriage for me. I need to go to Apricot Grove Lane. If this matter truly escalates, I fear someone might seize the opportunity to impeach Father. We must quickly devise a countermeasure."
Unfortunately, they were too far away and unfamiliar with the situation in Jinling, unable to respond promptly.
Ultimately, this matter would have to be handled by Father.
The wet nurse had experienced much alongside Cheng Zheng and was a perceptive person. Upon hearing this, she immediately nodded, called in the maids to attend to Cheng Zheng’s grooming, and hurried to the outer courtyard herself.
Cheng Zheng absentmindedly allowed the maids to attend to her, but her mind remained preoccupied with the matter.
If the news heard by the maid was true, first, the silence of the matriarch of the second branch and her grandmother was thought-provoking.
Second, there was her mother. She was not an ignorant person. Splitting the clan, on a small scale, could be seen as selfishness; on a larger scale, it was a betrayal of ancestral traditions. Thus, whoever proposed splitting the clan would bear such a stigma. This was also why so many prominent families endured hardships in silence. Her mother’s maiden family, the Yuan clan, and her maternal family, the Fang clan, were both such prominent families. Moreover, Father had just entered the Grand Secretariat and had yet to establish a firm footing, unable to withstand even the slightest disturbance. If word spread of ingratitude, his position as a grand secretary would come to an end. Her mother should have been well aware of this. Why, then, would she clamor to split the clan at such a time?Then there were the rumors circulating in Nine Prosperities Lane. Though they seemed to be speaking up for the Second Branch, they were like needles hidden in silk—every word targeted the Eldest Branch, each sentence accusing them. She refused to believe this was a coincidence!
The wet nurse handled matters very reliably. Before Cheng Zheng had finished dressing and grooming, she had already come in to report: "The carriage is ready. I also had the steward send someone ahead to Apricot Grove Lane to inform them."
This way, if Cheng Jing was not at home, the people in Apricot Grove Lane could go and fetch him back.
Cheng Zheng nodded with a somber expression, summoned her head maid, and instructed her to "take good care of the eldest and second young masters. If the master returns, serve him his meal first—no need to wait for me." Only then did she set off for Apricot Grove Lane with her wet nurse.
Cheng Jing was indeed not at home.
A servant boy was sent to the government office to inform him.
In less than the time it takes to burn two sticks of incense, Cheng Jing returned home.
Cheng Zheng stepped forward to greet her father with a bow and couldn’t help but scrutinize him closely.
Cheng Jing was fifty-three this year. Tall and upright, with handsome and refined features, his demeanor was humble and scholarly. Well-preserved, he looked no older than his early forties, with an exceptionally graceful bearing.
Faced with such a father, Cheng Zheng was at a loss for words.
How could her father have tacitly allowed her mother to clamor for dividing the clan?
Yet without her father’s tacit approval, how would her mother dare to shout about dividing the clan?
Seeing his daughter anxiously summon him back only to stand before him with a grave expression and remain silent, Cheng Jing couldn’t help but smile. "What’s wrong? Did you quarrel with Da Lun? Don’t worry, I’ll go and deal with him for you. How dare he bully my daughter? I’ll make him apologize to you…"
When she was young and got into trouble, her father would always take her side without question.
The distance of over a decade since she left home to marry was bridged in that instant.
Cheng Zheng spoke her mind without hesitation: "Father, I sent someone back to Jinling to handle some matters, and the steward told me that Mother has fallen out with the Second and Third Branches…"
She told her father everything she knew.
Cheng Jing listened quietly, the smile on his face gradually fading.
Cheng Zheng felt a chill in her heart and exclaimed in shock, "Father!"
Cheng Jing pursed his lips. The gentle refinement on his face vanished entirely, replaced by stern severity.
"We didn’t tell you much about Jiashan’s matter before," he began slowly, "because it wasn’t something good. Jiashan was at fault. That’s why we didn’t pursue the matter of your Fourth Uncle’s maid—we treated it as a lesson for your brother. But what your mother and I never expected was that this was actually a trap set by the Second and Third Branches to frame your brother…" He told Cheng Zheng everything: how Cheng Zheng had tipped off Cheng Shi, luring Zhou Shaojin into the garden; how Cheng Shi had drugged Cheng Xu’s wine; and how Cheng Yi had later attacked Cheng Xu.
Cheng Zheng listened, stunned and speechless for a long time."Zheng'er," Cheng Jing's face was etched with exhaustion, his expression complex, his voice low and hoarse. "We are branches from the same root; why torment each other so fiercely? I am not afraid of competing for prospects outside, only for our nephews to inherit them. Our eldest branch has come this far today, having once received the support of the second branch's ancestors. In this world, things naturally belong to those with virtue. But I cannot tolerate them scheming against your brother like this. Even if he were guilty of a thousand wrongs, those wrongs were against the Zhou family's second daughter, not against his own cousins. Their intentions are too malicious. Think about it. If it hadn't been a coincidence—if the Zhou family's second daughter hadn’t been accompanied by your fourth uncle’s maid when she went to the garden—how would things have turned out? How would we explain this to the Min and Zhou families? Would your brother’s lifelong integrity be preserved? Could he still enter official service? Could he become the clan heir? Your mother wept and complained to me, and I had no way to refute her..."
Cheng Zheng felt nothing but bitterness in her mouth.
She asked softly, "What did Grandmother say?"
"Your grandmother thinks your mother acted too hastily," Cheng Jing replied, rubbing his temples. "But with the evidence laid out before her, your grandmother had nothing more to say."
"Evidence?" Cheng Zheng felt a faint unease upon hearing this. "Did Mother catch them red-handed? Before, when Fourth Uncle was home, didn’t he smooth things over?"
Fourth Uncle far surpassed her mother in vision, methods, and strategic insight. Since he had smoothed things over before, how could her mother now bring up old grievances? And even uncover evidence?
Wouldn’t this be detrimental to the eldest branch?
Cheng Zheng asked, "Where is Fourth Uncle? Is he still in Jinling? What did he say?"
"He’s still in Jinling," Cheng Jing said. "You know how he is—he never pays attention to trivial family matters. That’s why the second and third branches dared to talk nonsense in front of him. He didn’t say anything about dividing the clan. But I think he likely approves. Otherwise, he would have stepped in to stop your mother. As for the evidence, your mother accidentally discovered a servant stealing from the household, which led to uncovering the plot of drugging the wine... Over this matter, your mother wrote to me, bitterly complaining about your fourth uncle." He smiled bitterly. "I scolded your mother, though I don’t know how much of it she took to heart. When you see your mother, be sure to advise her to speak less of your fourth uncle in the future. He has sacrificed so much for this family over the years. Your second uncle, second granduncle, and I have been able to serve as officials with peace of mind, all thanks to the family’s shared resources. By acting this way, she not only damages the bond between us brothers but also displeases your grandmother. Why must she play the villain?"
Cheng Zheng also felt somewhat helpless.
She always believed her mother’s resentment toward Fourth Uncle stemmed from jealousy and envy.
Jealousy that Fourth Uncle effortlessly passed the imperial examinations to become a jinshi, envy that he managed the family’s affairs, and that every branch in Nine Prosperities Lane had to defer to him.
But how could Fourth Uncle possibly approve?
Cheng Zheng couldn’t understand it.
Something about this felt off!
Her mother’s actions were too radical.
She perfunctorily replied, "Alright," and shifted the conversation to the clan division: "...Have you made up your mind? What about the censors? Where will the second and third branches move to?"Cheng Jing did not answer the second question, instead somewhat evasively saying, "Your mother and I have already made up our minds. Even if we can't separate the family this time, we must ensure the second and third branches can no longer interfere with the affairs of our eldest branch. Otherwise, if they fail this time, there will surely be a next. One can catch a thief for a thousand days, but one cannot guard against a thief for a thousand days. We cannot live our lives constantly on guard against the second and third branches. As for moving, your mother and I think we should move out—we should move to the capital and leave Nine Prosperities Lane to the second branch. As for what happens to the third, fourth, and fifth branches, that is beyond our concern."
Cheng Zheng’s expression changed dramatically. "But we are the eldest branch! When dividing the clan, how can it be that the eldest branch moves out? Wouldn’t the people of Jinling City think even more that we are in the wrong?"
Cheng Jing sneered, "The clan register of Nine Prosperities Lane is still in the hands of the second branch! They’ve always been unwilling to let go, haven’t they? Then let them have it. We’ll find a way to register our household in the capital, buy sacrificial fields in places like Daxing and Wanping, and rebuild the ancestral hall. We’ll move the graves of your great-grandfather, grandfather, and others here."
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Brothers and sisters, here’s today’s extra update.
You can read the update tomorrow morning!
O(∩_∩)O~
※ (To be continued ~^~)
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