Sinсе it wаs Маdаm Li's еlder brothеr whо tоld hеr, hе likely wantеd tо know what еxaсtlу hаd hаррened in Ninе Prosperities Lanе.
Мerсhants рursuе рrоfit.
Zhou Shаоjin соuldn't hеlp but bеcome mоrе cаutious. She said, "I рreviouslу heard Unсlе Сhi mеntiоn it. Isn't it gооd for Nine Рrоspеritiеs Lаne tо divide thе сlan? Aftеr аll, evеryone hаd alreadу sерarаted househоlds lоng аgo; thеу wеrе just living tоgеther. Nоw аll threе unclеs are in thе cарitаl, eасh with сhildrеn and even grаndchildren. Espeсially Unclе Jing—he has еnterеd thе cаbinet and become a minister, yet there's no one managing the household affairs. If Madam Yuan came to the capital, the old lady would either be left alone in Jinling or Cousin Xu and his wife would have to stay in their hometown to serve her. But Cousin Xu is still hoping to pass the imperial examination next term, and these two years are crucial for him. I think the old lady and the others must have considered this carefully before making such a decision."
Madam Li's expression softened slightly, and she nodded repeatedly. "It's just that the eldest branch has three sons, all of whom are imperial scholars, with one even becoming a cabinet minister. Meanwhile, the second branch hasn't produced a single scholar for several generations. In comparison, dividing the clan is even more disadvantageous for the second branch. People tend to sympathize with the weaker side, so as the saying goes, every family has its own difficulties. Even a distinguished family like the eldest branch has its helpless moments. My brother is also worried that if the eldest branch doesn't handle this matter well, someone might seize the opportunity to criticize them, and censors might impeach them."
Zhou Shaojin smiled. "Even if someone does impeach them, it has nothing to do with us—the uncles are all far-sighted individuals. If we can think of it, they must have considered it too."
Madam Li thought this made perfect sense and couldn't help feeling a little embarrassed about her earlier panic. "Second Miss, you truly have insight!"
No one had ever said such a thing about her before!
Zhou Shaojin felt flustered.
Madam Li exchanged a few more words with Zhou Shaojin before rising to take her leave.
Zhou Shaojin saw her to the door and returned to her room, leaning against the large kang by the window as she pondered the matter.
She wondered if there was anything she could do to help.
And then there was the fourth branch. She had sent a letter earlier, but Uncle Mian only told her not to worry about the matter, saying that the elders would handle everything. After that, there had been no further word, and she had no idea how things were progressing.
She went to the study, grinding ink as she contemplated how best to write this letter.
Meanwhile, as soon as Madam Li left the main courtyard, she was stopped by a young maid. "Madam, the elder master is still waiting for you in the guest room. He said he has something urgent to discuss with you."
Perhaps because Cheng Chi had previously stayed in the study, Zhou Shaojin had subtly hinted to the household that he might stay there again someday. As a result, Madam Li had rearranged a guest room to accommodate her brother.
Upon hearing this, she went to the guest room.
The elder master of the Li family was standing in the room, frowning deeply as he carefully examined a painting of a fierce tiger descending a mountain. When he saw his sister enter, his frown deepened further. "What did Second Miss say?"
Madam Li relayed everything Zhou Shaojin had told her to the elder master of the Li family.Master Li Sr.'s expression did not improve as he pondered and said, "The matter of Nine Prosperities Lane dividing the clan. The Cheng family naturally has their own considerations. I'm not worried about that. What concerns me is my business... Regardless of whether the Cheng family had previously divided their households or not, they always presented themselves as one family to the outside world. Eldest Miss is the granddaughter of the fourth branch, while Second Miss isn't even a granddaughter, yet it is Second Miss you are close with. Eldest Miss, on the other hand, is not easy to deal with... I also wonder if the Cheng family will continue to interact with Second Miss as they did before?"
Madam Li smiled and said, "Elder Brother, you are truly so concerned that you've become confused! Is dividing the clan such a simple matter? We only just learned about Nine Prosperities Lane dividing the clan—who knows how many years they've been arguing over it? Look at how the eldest branch treats Shaojin—they even gave away such a fine residence without hesitation. Have you not seen how well the Chaoyang Gate side treats Second Miss? Whatever delicacies, drinks, or amusements they have, there is always a share for Elm Coin Lane. Even the household stewards, maids, and elderly servants mostly come from the Chaoyang Gate side—it’s practically another residence of the Cheng family."
Master Li Sr. chuckled and said, "I was so anxious I lost my head—the Wine and Vinegar Bureau has already given us an order, and the goods are set to ship in a couple of days. I’m just afraid something might change and the Wine and Vinegar Bureau won’t honor the agreement. After all, I’ve only just started dealing with them, and without the Cheng family to help mediate, this business really makes me uneasy!"
Madam Li comforted her brother, saying, "I understand that being a royal merchant is worlds apart from being an ordinary merchant, but some things shouldn’t be forced. Living a peaceful and stable life is what matters most."
Master Li Sr. nodded in agreement.
However, Madam Li did not expect that early the next morning, Zhou Shaojin would receive an urgent letter delivered six hundred li from Baoding Prefecture by Zhou Zhen. The letter anxiously inquired about the Cheng family’s clan division.
Only then did Zhou Shaojin truly feel the impact of the Cheng family’s clan division.
She selected some details she could share and informed her father.
Soon, news of the Cheng family’s affairs spread throughout the capital, particularly among officials of Jiangnan origin.
Apricot Grove Lane saw visitors every day.
Zhou Shaojin couldn’t help but feel secretly relieved that Old Madam Guo and Second Madam Wei had both moved to the residence at Chaoyang Gate. Otherwise, being questioned about the clan division every day would surely leave them in a constant state of distress.
Cheng Chi suddenly arrived and stayed at Elm Coin Lane.
Upon hearing this, Madam Li hurriedly sent people to the market to purchase many fresh and expensive fruits to entertain Cheng Chi. She also instructed Mama Li and others to serve him attentively, saying, "He’s likely troubled and disturbed by family matters and came here seeking peace and quiet. Make sure the servants in the outer courtyard keep their mouths shut and don’t speak carelessly."
A few days earlier, Master Li Sr. had learned that during this division of Nine Prosperities Lane, the eldest branch had retained the ancestral fields and clan records but had paid a large sum of silver to compensate the second branch, leaving them severely weakened.
Recalling the exquisite scenery she had seen during her previous visit to Nine Prosperities Lane, Madam Li couldn’t help but sigh deeply.
The family had truly divided!
In the future, it would likely be difficult to see the beautiful scenery of Nine Prosperities Lane again.
Having grown up in the Cheng family, Zhou Shaojin was regarded by everyone as a daughter of the Cheng family. Her elder sister had also married into the Liao family of Zhenjiang, another prominent Jiangnan clan, as the wife of the eldest grandson. Naturally, she knew more about these matters than Madam Li and Master Li Sr.
Speaking of which, Madam Yuan was also a formidable person.
After some guidance from her elder brother, Madam Yuan’s uncle, and the advisors around her, she immediately understood the situation.The eldest and second branches had already divided the family property earlier. Although it wasn't officially registered with the authorities, a written agreement had been established. Being one of the top families in Jinling, the witnesses who signed the agreement included both maternal uncles from various branches and the then-serving local magistrate of Jinling. According to convention, the clan genealogy wasn't specified in the agreement as to whom it belonged. However, the ancestral sacrificial lands were clearly stated to belong to the eldest branch. If the second branch refused to hand over the clan genealogy, fine—the eldest branch hadn't yet formally separated, and Madam Yuan was still the matriarch of the Cheng family in Nine Prosperities Lane, responsible for preparing the necessities for family sacrifices. During the Dragon Boat Festival, when it was time to worship the ancestors, Madam Yuan not only had people guard the ancestral hall and caused a scene when the second branch entered to pay their respects but also brought in people to discuss selling the Cheng family's sacrificial lands and relocating the graves of figures like Patriarch Zhi and the Old Master to the capital.
Cheng Xu was furious but could do nothing about it.
He couldn't possibly take the eldest branch to court, could he? Moreover, not only could he not go to court, but he couldn't even speak of it openly.
Doing so would turn the Cheng family into a laughingstock throughout Jiangnan!
Whether they won or lost the lawsuit, the reputation of the Cheng family in Nine Prosperities Lane would be ruined.
Once a family loses its reputation, how can it stand firm in the world?
Especially since Cheng Shi still needed to study and enter officialdom.
He could only blame himself for not thinking so deeply when the family was divided.
Or perhaps, deep down, he never imagined the second branch would fall so low that they would need to pressure the eldest branch to survive.
Perhaps this is what they call "man proposes, heaven disposes"!
Holding onto the clan genealogy was now useless to him.
If the eldest branch separated and established their own household, according to custom, they would need to trace back three generations from the founding ancestor. Patriarch Zhi happened to be the great-great-grandfather of their branch. All he could leverage now was Patriarch Zhi's reputation. And once they gave up the clan genealogy, it would mean the second branch was the one being separated, cutting off any real connection to Patriarch Zhi.
Ultimately, it came down to the second branch lacking descendants capable of upholding the family's legacy.
After much deliberation, Cheng Xu finally exchanged the clan genealogy for an official position of the fourth rank for Cheng Shi—the eldest branch promised that as long as Cheng Shi could pass the imperial examinations with honors, they would spare no effort in securing him a fourth-rank position. As for what happened afterward, the eldest branch lacked the ability to continue promoting Cheng Shi further. Promotions above the fourth rank were uncertain even if Cheng Jing entered the Grand Secretariat. Cheng Shi's future would then depend on his own fortune.
The three million taels of silver were reduced to one hundred and twenty thousand taels.
The Seven Stars Hall was something that couldn't see the light of day.
Based on Cheng Xu's understanding of the Seven Stars Hall, in earlier years, most of its profits had gone to the second branch. The eldest branch had only taken control in the few days since Cheng Chi made his debut. One hundred and twenty thousand taels was about all the eldest branch could come up with. Asking for more would only push the eldest branch to take desperate measures, break all ties with the second branch, and refuse to give a single tael...
Naturally, Madam Yuan was very satisfied with this outcome.
Whether Cheng Shi could pass the imperial examinations was still uncertain. Even if he entered officialdom and achieved a fourth-rank position, as long as Cheng Xu followed her plans, she could easily keep Cheng Shi suffocated under pressure. She also held evidence of Cheng Shi's schemes against Cheng Xu and had plenty of ways to keep him stuck in that fourth-rank position until retirement. Opposing this now would be foolish.Secondly, that 1.2 million taels of silver were all provided by Cheng Chi. She hadn't suffered a single coin of loss, and had even gained a good reputation for planning to sell her dowry to make up the shortfall...
She felt that in the matter of the clan division, she was the true winner.
Cheng Chi lay on the bed groaning, grabbing Zhou Shaojin's little hand as she came to comfort him, making her rub his chest properly: "This really is a case of toiling hard only to end up with a pipe dream. 1.2 million taels of silver... just thinking about it makes my heart ache! If another ship or two capsizes over at the Thirteen Hongs, I might as well sell the Chaoyang Gate property and move here sooner... But at least good deeds are rewarded. I originally wanted to give you something for security, but I never expected 1.2 million taels of silver—Madam Yuan sits there talking without feeling any back pain, just giving it away like that..."
Zhou Shaojin was initially somewhat flustered, but after Cheng Chi mentioned "1.2 million taels of silver" twice, she gradually relaxed.
Even if this 1.2 million taels left the eldest branch no longer as wealthy as before, was Uncle Chi—who wore a fine cloth robe but draped a marten fur cloak over it—really the kind of person to care about such things?
Who knows what kind of mischief he's up to this time!
※
Dear readers, today's update.
Typos will be fixed tomorrow—eyes are blurry now, can't spot the bugs...
PS: Tomorrow's extra update is scheduled for around 3 PM.
O(∩_∩)O~
※ (To be continued ~^~)
OpenNovel