Cheng Jing listеnеd, unаblе tо help but frown.
Веfore hе could sреаk, Сhеng Сhi had alrеady smiled and said, "Eldеr Вrothеr, yоu аnd Sistеr-in-lаw havе соmе tо fetсh Mother, hаvеn't yоu? The cоurt will soon bе sealing thе оffiсiаl sеаls, sо you must bе vеry busу thеsе daуs. I won’t kееp yоu—I оnly rеturned yestеrday and оriginаllу plаnned to visit yоu tоdаy, but I wаs аfrаid уоu might bе oссupiеd. I intendеd to meеt with yоu whеn I еscоrt Моthеr to Apriсot Grove Lane in а few days. I didn’t еxpеct уоu would сome first today. I have to go to Grand Secretary Song’s place today… Should I accompany you to see Mother first?"
Cheng Jing did not decline.
The group made their way to the Fragrant Courtyard.
Along the way, Cheng Jing asked Cheng Chi, "When did Grand Secretary Song invite you? It wouldn’t be good to arrive late. After seeing Mother, you should head over first. We can talk in detail during the New Year’s Eve dinner."
Cheng Chi nodded.
Cheng Jing added, "Do you know what Grand Secretary Song wants to discuss with you?"
"Most likely it’s about Minister Yang’s matter," Cheng Chi speculated. "The reason for the recent civil unrest is that the River Governor’s Office withheld the laborers’ food and supplies, leading to deaths from freezing. Some suspect Minister Yang of embezzlement."
Cheng Jing sneered, saying, "If it weren’t for embezzlement, how could it have reached the point of people dying? Zi Chuan, although we are officials, we must also have a conscience. At a time like this, don’t blindly endorse Yang Shoushan just because of his relationship with Song Jingran."
"I know!" Cheng Chi replied with a self-deprecating smile. "Right now, I’m only a seventh-rank censor. Even if I wanted to endorse Yang Shoushan, I wouldn’t have the qualifications!"
Cheng Jing also laughed, saying, "You’ve been clever since childhood. Handle matters as you see fit. Don’t blame me for nagging—I’m doing this for your own good. I’m afraid that, having just entered the officialdom, you might not see the situation clearly and be used as a pawn."
As the two brothers talked, they soon arrived at the Fragrant Courtyard.
The servants at the Fragrant Courtyard had already received the news, and Nanny Lu greeted them at the entrance.
Cheng Jing called out "Nanny," acknowledging Nanny Lu.
Nanny Lu was so excited that she trotted over to lift the curtain for Cheng Jing.
Cheng Jing entered the room and was led by Zhenzhu to the reception chamber.
Old Madam Guo was sitting on the large kang by the window, waiting for them.
Cheng Jing and Madam Yuan respectfully performed a grand bow.
Cheng Chi helped Cheng Jing up.
Zhou Shaojin hesitated for a moment before going to assist Madam Yuan.
The two stood before Old Madam Guo, one in front of the other, and only then did Cheng Jing speak. He said that with the New Year approaching and Cheng Chi having returned, he invited Old Madam Guo to return to Apricot Grove Lane for the New Year celebrations. He also invited Cheng Chi and Zhou Shaojin to join them for the reunion lunch on New Year’s Eve.
Old Madam Guo had already prepared to go to Apricot Grove Lane when Cheng Chi returned. Since her eldest son had come to invite her, she didn’t put on airs and decided to have lunch at the Chaoyang Gate residence tomorrow before heading over.
Cheng Jing persuaded her for a long time before Old Madam Guo changed her mind and agreed to set off after breakfast the next day.
Relaxed, he spoke more casually: "Mother, we’ve already tidied up the main room in the rear courtyard. You can stay there. Second Brother was worried you might not be used to it, so he brought back a Pekingese dog—snow-white, just like the one you raised when we were young."
Old Madam Guo was somewhat surprised to hear this.
When she married into the Cheng family, she was still a granddaughter-in-law. Upon arriving in the capital, she lived in the main room of the rear courtyard. Later, although Cheng Xun went from being the eldest master to the master and then the old master, she was too lazy to move and continued to live in the main room of the rear courtyard.Old Madam Guo's expression softened, and she smiled, saying, "You've prepared the main rooms in the rear courtyard, but where will Second Young Master and his family stay?"
Cheng Jing replied with a smile, "They've already found a house, but with the New Year festivities, it's not the right time to move. They'll squeeze into the east wing for a few days, and after the New Year, they'll pick an auspicious day to move to the Four-Lane Alley nearby."
Since the family had just divided the clan this year, there were bound to be oversights.
Old Madam Guo said nothing more. Seeing that it was getting late, Cheng Chi rose to take his leave, leaving Zhou Shaojin to entertain Cheng Jing and his wife.
Cheng Jing had taken the day off and spent it with Old Madam Guo, reminiscing about his childhood with his brothers and the guidance she had given him in his youth. By lunchtime, Zhou Shaojin noticed that Old Madam Guo was already treating Cheng Jing and his wife with warmth and affection.
Perhaps a mother could never truly stay angry with her son.
Zhou Shaojin smiled and instructed the maids to set up the meal in the sitting room, allowing Old Madam Guo and her son to continue chatting after eating.
Madam Yuan came over to help.
Zhou Shaojin thanked her with a smile but did not stop her.
Madam Yuan was taken aback.
She was over twenty years older than Zhou Shaojin—old enough to be her mother. Her offer to help was merely a polite gesture, but she hadn’t expected Zhou Shaojin to take her up on it without hesitation.
Zhou Shaojin pretended not to notice.
In her past life, she had resented Madam Yuan for being two-faced—saying one thing and doing another. In this life, she wasn’t going to fall for it again. If Madam Yuan offered to help, so be it. Why should she stand on ceremony with her?
Let her play the good person after making polite remarks.
Zhou Shaojin excused herself to go to the kitchen, leaving Madam Yuan alone in the sitting room.
After spending some time in the kitchen, she figured Old Madam Guo and Cheng Jing had already taken their seats at the table and made her way to the main room.
Madam Yuan was speaking to Old Madam Guo and Cheng Jing, who were seated at the table: "...Third Sister-in-law is still young, so it’s only natural if she overlooks things."
She made it sound as though she had done Zhou Shaojin a great favor.
Zhou Shaojin didn’t argue. Instead, she smiled and placed a dish of cold-tossed cucumbers she had brought from the kitchen on the table, saying, "Mother, please try these. They’re newly harvested. The kitchen maids waited at the warehouse early this morning just to get them."
In the depths of winter, who would dwell on Madam Yuan’s words when there were crisp cucumbers to enjoy?
Cheng Jing picked up a piece for Old Madam Guo and praised Zhou Shaojin, saying, "Sister-in-law, thank you!"
Zhou Shaojin smiled but said nothing.
Cheng Jing instructed Madam Yuan, "During the New Year, let’s buy some for our household too. Besides letting Mother enjoy them, Azheng and A Xiao will return on the second day of the New Year, so we can add this dish for our sons-in-law."
Madam Yuan agreed, though she felt somewhat displeased.
These cucumbers were likely more expensive than gold.
Cheng Chi had always been good at making money, and Zhou Shaojin certainly spent it lavishly, even buying such extravagant things.
But there was nothing she could say about something that pleased both Cheng Jing and Old Madam Guo.
She reluctantly agreed and lowered her head to eat.
Cheng Jing praised Zhou Shaojin’s multi-flavored pigeon, Longjing shrimp, and squirrel fish, saying, "Authentic Hangzhou cuisine."
Zhou Shaojin smiled and said, "If you like them, Elder Brother, I’ll have them pack a few yellow croakers in a bucket for Sister-in-law to take home."
Apricot Grove Lane certainly wasn’t lacking a few fish.
Madam Yuan quickly declined, "No need..."
But Cheng Jing said, "Then thank you very much..."The couple spoke in unison, yet their words were completely different.
Cheng Jing frowned.
Although Xinglin Alley was not lacking a few fish, Fourth Sister-in-law meant well—why should they push her kindness away?
He glanced at Madam Yuan and spoke over her, saying, "We're just afraid of causing too much trouble."
Women understand women's affairs.
Madam Yuan probably considered this "charity food," didn't she?
Zhou Shaojin smiled and said, "No trouble at all, no trouble at all. My husband doesn’t eat fish, and now that Mother has left, keeping the fish here would just go to waste. Why not let Elder Brother and Sister-in-law take them back to serve as a dish?"
Cheng Jing laughed, "Then thank you very much!"
Zhou Shaojin smiled and instructed someone to pack the fish.
Old Madam Guo and Cheng Jing moved to the heated kang to drink tea and continued chatting about family matters.
Madam Yuan listened from the side, serving tea.
Soon, the afternoon passed, but Cheng Chi had not returned.
Old Madam Guo said, "He’s probably delayed at Grand Secretary Song’s place. Let’s not wait for him—we’ll have dinner first. Shaojin can leave some dishes for him. You’ve taken a rare day off, and you have to attend court early tomorrow morning. Let’s eat early so you can rest sooner."
Cheng Jing respectfully agreed.
Zhou Shaojin, worried about Cheng Chi, was somewhat distracted.
Even if something had come up, with guests at home today, he should have tried to return earlier.
After seeing off Cheng Jing and his wife, Zhou Shaojin began helping Old Madam Guo pack her luggage.
"That flower vase doesn’t need to be taken along," Old Madam Guo said, sitting by the large kang near the window as she watched Zhou Shaojin direct the maids to pack the trunks. "By the time I return, it will already be spring—it’ll be perfect for arranging winter jasmine. Taking it there only to bring it back is unnecessary, so just leave it here."
Zhou Shaojin smiled and agreed. A young maid entered and reported, "Madam Cheng Nuo has arrived. She says she prepared some New Year’s dishes and brought them over for the Old Madam to taste, as a gesture of filial piety from the younger generation."
After receiving Cheng Chi’s advice, Cheng Wen enthusiastically prepared to open a tea shop and soon moved with Cheng Nuo and Wu Baozhang to a rented small courtyard near Xizhimen. Initially, Wu Baozhang had planned to help Cheng Wen settle into the house and then return with Cheng Nuo. Unexpectedly, Cheng Wen, finding labor costs high in the capital, decided to keep Cheng Nuo and Wu Baozhang to help—one as a shop assistant to mind the store, the other managing the household affairs with four or five maids and servants overseeing the inner quarters.
Cheng Chi had left in a hurry and hadn’t gone to take a look.
Cheng Wen, however, kept a close eye on Cheng Chi.
Seeing movement at Chaoyang Gate, he quickly sent Wu Baozhang over and instructed her, "Be sure to invite the Old Madam and Zi Chuan’s family to visit on the fourth day of the lunar month. I have important matters to discuss with him."
Thus, Wu Baozhang gathered her courage and came to pay her respects to Old Madam Guo.
Old Madam Guo thanked Cheng Wen for his kindness and said, "This matter will have to wait until your Fourth Uncle Chi returns so we can discuss it with him. If there are no other arrangements that day, we’ll come and trouble you."
"Old Madam, you speak too modestly! If you can come, it will bring honor to our humble home!" Wu Baozhang exchanged a few polite words before rising to take her leave.
Zhou Shaojin saw her out.
In the twilight glow, Wu Baozhang noticed the lustrous glow of the southern pearls dangling from Zhou Shaojin’s ears and couldn’t help but smile, saying, "Shao Jin, I never thought you’d end up marrying Fourth Uncle Chi. Do you remember Pan Qing? We all thought you would marry Cheng Xu."
Zhou Shaojin smiled and replied, "I never thought you’d marry Cheng Nuo either. I thought you would marry Cheng Lu."
Wu Baozhang’s expression changed slightly.Zhou Shaojin smiled and said, "Speaking of which, Cheng Lu is quite pitiful! He lost his scholarly honor, his family is gone, and now no one knows where he’s drifted off to. If he ever returns, he’ll probably have to rely on us relatives for support!"
Wu Baozhang thought of Cheng Lu’s character—in a life-or-death situation, he could even abandon his own mother without a second thought. The few taels of silver she had lent him probably meant nothing to him.
Her smile grew strained as she replied, "Look at what you’re saying. Cheng Lu is a man of pride—how could he possibly need support from us relatives?"
"Never speak in absolutes," Zhou Shaojin continued, deliberately provoking her. "We’ll just have to wait and see!"
※
Dear readers, here is today’s update.
Tomorrow’s extra update is still scheduled for around twelve o’clock.
PS: Seeking monthly votes...
※ (To be continued ~^~)
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