Сhеng Сhi rаrеly showеd suсh wаrmth tоwаrds others, sincеrеly inviting them tо stay аt his hоmе.
It wаs еvidеnt that he wаs also happy fоr Li Jing uрon lеarning thаt Сhеng Jiа was рrеgnаnt.
Zhоu Shаojin wаs lost in thought.
Hоwеver, Li Jing fеlt it would be incоnvenient tо stay hеrе. Аftеr аll, hе wаs perfесtly сарablе of summоning еxpеriеncеd matrons and mаids from Luoyаng tо сarе for Cheng Jiа, sо hе ultimatеlу dесlinеd рolitеlу.
Zhou Shаojin аnd Cheng Сhi cаrеfullу esсоrtеd Li Jing аnd Cheng Jia tо the door. Cheng Jiа, pouting, toоk Zhou Shaоjin’s hand аnd аsked hеr to visit in a few days.
Even as she was about to become a mother, her playful nature remained unchanged.
Zhou Shaojin was both amused and exasperated, promising she would definitely visit in a few days. Only then did Cheng Jia contentedly lower the sedan curtain.
The guests at home began discussing the matter, considering it a good thing and speculating whether Zhou Shaojin might also become pregnant soon.
Old Madam Guo chuckled, thinking of her son and daughter-in-law’s closeness these past few days, and began to feel hopeful.
But Zhou Shaojin’s monthly cycle arrived the very next day.
Old Madam Guo couldn’t help but feel somewhat disappointed.
Even Zhou Shaojin felt a bit unsettled.
Cheng Chi, however, had done this intentionally. Smiling, he pinched her nose and comforted her, “You’re still young. It’s better to wait a few more years.”
Zhou Shaojin blushed with embarrassment.
As if she were the only one eager for a child… That’s why she had obediently followed his lead these past few days, assuming whatever position he asked and moaning when he wanted… Clearly, he was the one who enjoyed it immensely?
She couldn’t help but pout and say, “What if Mother thinks I can’t bear children?”
“Nonsense!” Cheng Chi chided softly, pinching her nose again. “Eldest Sister-in-law didn’t have Xiao Jie'er until several years after entering the family, and Second Sister-in-law also struggled with fertility. How could Mother be harsh on you?”
Only then did Zhou Shaojin feel slightly reassured.
Cheng Chi decided to accompany her for a walk in the garden to clear her mind, lest she overthink and upset herself.
But just as he spoke, Lang Yue entered and whispered, “Fourth Master, Eunuch Shi invites you for a drink at the tavern. He said he’ll wait until you arrive.”
Cheng Chi frowned.
What did Shi Kuan want with him?
In his recollection, both the Eastern Palace and the Fourth Prince’s residence had been peaceful lately, with nothing amiss…
Zhou Shaojin, thinking something major had happened on Shi Kuan’s side, hurriedly said, “Fourth Master, please attend to your matters. I can handle household affairs here! And if needed, Mother is here to oversee things. Nothing will go wrong.”
There were still some relatives who had attended their wedding and hadn’t left yet.
Cheng Chi nodded, softly instructing her with words like, “If you get bored, go keep Mother company playing leaf cards.” He changed his clothes and left.
Zhou Shaojin then headed to Tingxiang Courtyard.
Madam Fan Liu recalled the scene in the room last night when she went to attend to Zhou Shaojin, who had complained of stomach pain in the middle of the night.
After all, Fourth Master was a man. Although the bed had been hastily tidied, anyone with experience could tell at a glance what they had been doing earlier. With him insatiable day and night, she had initially thought Zhou Shaojin was injured and only relaxed when she realized it was her monthly cycle.
She couldn’t help but advise Zhou Shaojin, “With Fourth Master away, you have a rare moment of leisure. Why not take a nap before attending to the Old Madam?”
Zhou Shaojin’s ears turned red.
Madam Fan Liu, having been through it herself, naturally knew about her and Cheng Chi’s affairs.
She whispered softly, “I’m fine… With Fourth Master away, I’d rather keep Mother company so she doesn’t feel lonely.”In her previous life when she lived alone at the manor, no matter how many maids and servants accompanied her, she still felt lonely. Thus, whenever her elder sister came to visit, she was especially delighted, always reluctantly seeing her sister off beyond the manor before returning.
This was an act of filial piety, so Madam Fan Liu dared not and could not say anything. She could only instruct the maids to help Zhou Shaojin dress and groom while softly reminding her, "Then come back early at noon. After the meal and a rest, you must also prepare for the homecoming visit."
Since Zhou Shaojin’s natal family was in Baoding Prefecture, according to etiquette, if she were to return home, she would have to go to Baoding, which was not as convenient as living in the same city. Moreover, with the New Year approaching, it was arranged that she would return home nine days after the wedding and stay for five days before coming back.
Having traveled from Jinling to Baoding, from Baoding to Jinling, and from Yushu Alley to Yuqian Alley, Zhou Shaojin had gained some experience with travel. She was no longer as flustered as before and had a clear idea of what needed to be done when going out, so she wasn’t worried about making mistakes. Thus, she smiled and said, "It’s fine. We’re only going to stay for five days, and Baoding Prefecture isn’t some remote countryside. If we forget to bring something, we can just buy it there."
Seeing that Zhou Shaojin didn’t understand her meaning, Madam Fan Liu didn’t press further and instructed Chunwan to escort Zhou Shaojin to Tingxiang Courtyard.
Zhou Shaojin then thought of Chunwan’s marriage.
Now that she herself was married, Chunwan should also be wedded within two years at most.
Unfortunately, there was no suitable match around Cheng Chi, so it seemed this matter would have to be entrusted to Biyu.
When she arrived at Old Madam Guo’s door, she happened to run into Biyu.
Before Old Madam Guo moved in, the servants here were all newly recruited, and Biyu managed the inner household, which was fitting for her position. However, after Old Madam Guo moved in, with Nanny Lu and Nanny Shi—both of whom had more seniority than her—the management of the inner household naturally fell into Nanny Lu’s hands. Biyu now assisted on the side, with less authority than before but more responsibilities.
Fortunately, Biyu was ambitious. Knowing that Cheng Chi valued her and that Nanny Lu and others were far more skilled in household management than she could match, she was able to calm down and learn from them, treating herself as an apprentice.
Zhou Shaojin smiled and asked her, "What brings you here?"
At this time, she should have been in the kitchen overseeing the chefs preparing the noon meal.
Biyu smiled and showed her the menu in her hand, saying, "The old madam said she would invite Madam Yuan, the wife of the Grand Secretary, for a meal in a few days, so she asked me to draft a menu. I’m bringing it for her to review." Then, lowering her voice, she added, "The old madam has called the second madam over to talk."
The second madam was Cheng Wei’s wife, Madam Qiu.
Zhou Shaojin smiled and nodded to her in thanks.
Biyu smiled back, curtsied, and left Tingxiang Courtyard.
Nanny Lu came out to lift the curtain for Zhou Shaojin but did not invite her inside. Instead, she found an excuse to take her to the tea room.
Pretending not to notice, Zhou Shaojin drank tea, ate snacks, and chatted in the tea room.Meanwhile, in the main chamber, Old Madam Guo was speaking to Madam Qiu: "...I know you all think I'm biased, that I favor Si Lang. But you don't know what hardships Si Lang has endured. I'm only telling you this. Back when the second branch managed the household, they alone decided how much silver was in the public coffers. The first branch had no idea how much property the family truly owned. When the first branch managed to produce 1.2 million taels of silver to split from the second branch, all that silver was earned by Si Lang over the years. When your eldest brother and sister-in-law asked for it, he handed it over without hesitation. Both are my flesh and blood. If I don't speak up about some things, it will only create rifts between you siblings and breed resentment among brothers.
"Take this matter, for instance. I could have discussed it only with my sons, but I called you here because you are my daughter-in-law, like a daughter to me. I don't want any cracks to form between you and your husband!"
"Mother!" Madam Qiu, unsure of Old Madam Guo's intentions, rose anxiously and said, "You know I'm a muddle-headed person. I listen to whatever you say and do whatever my husband says. What do you wish? Just give the order."
Old Madam Guo said, "I want to divide the family property while I'm still clear-headed!"
Madam Qiu paled in fright and hurriedly cried out, "Mother! H-how can this be? We've only just separated from the second branch. Now is the time for the family to unite as one. How can we divide the property?" As she spoke, a thought struck her—could it be that her husband disagreed, and her mother-in-law wanted her to persuade him? She couldn't help but say, "Mother, does my husband know? What does he say? I'll follow whatever he decides."
Old Madam Guo smiled. "Don't worry! I haven't spoken to Second Young Master about this yet. I just wanted to hear your thoughts first. Xinglin Alley is the old residence. Eldest Young Master is the eldest son, so naturally, it should go to them. Then, for Jiashan's wedding, I'll provide 20,000 taels of silver and supplement it with another 50,000 taels for them. As for the Chaoyang Gate residence, I already agreed with the in-laws when Si Lang married—it will be left to him. His residence is the largest, so I won't leave him anything else. One gets the advantage of being the eldest, the other the advantage of being the youngest. In truth, you two suffer the most. But when it comes to dividing the property, I can't let you continue to be shortchanged. I'm thinking that you two should discuss and pick a residence. No matter how much it costs, I'll pay for it. Then, I'll give you another 100,000 taels of silver. As for Rang-ge's wedding expenses, I'll cover them too, just like for Jiashan—20,000 taels. The antiques, calligraphy, paintings, gold, and jewelry in my possession won't be divided while I'm alive. After I pass away, they'll be split equally among your three families. I'll distribute all my private savings, but the income from the ancestral fields will remain with me as my pocket money. After I die, it will go to your eldest brother's family. What do you think?"
A residence in the capital, 100,000 taels of silver, and the freedom to choose any residence they liked. When Rang-ge married, there would be another 20,000 taels for the wedding expenses... Even though Madam Qiu was someone content with the status quo and preferred stability, she was overwhelmed, unable to gather her thoughts for a long while.
Old Madam Guo didn't expect her to agree immediately. She said, "I know you've always respected Second Young Master. If you can't decide, go back and discuss it with him. If you find it inappropriate, you can tell me directly. I just want this family to live in peace and avoid any turmoil."
Madam Qiu's face flushed bright red.She knew Old Madam Guo was referring to Madam Yuan.
Yet as a sister-in-law, she was fully aware of her sister-in-law's thoughts but dared not advise her, failing in her duty as a daughter-in-law just the same—she could not escape blame!
She murmured her assent and, noticing Old Madam Guo looked weary, hurriedly rose to take her leave, going to find Cheng Wei.
When Zhou Shaojin entered, Old Madam Guo did not hide it from her, sharing her plans with Zhou Shaojin.
Zhou Shaojin's experiences had left her with modest demands for material comforts. A grand house was fine to live in, but a small one did not feel cramped either. Besides, with Cheng Chi by her side now, she truly had no other desires.
"I don't understand these matters," she said. "Let Fourth Master decide. I'll listen to you and Fourth Master."
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Dear readers, tomorrow's update will be posted in advance.
O(∩_∩)O~
PS: Today's update is recommended to be read around 10 p.m.
※ (To be continued ~^~)
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