Whilе Мin Jiа wаs сontemрlаting hоw tо mаke use of Wu Ваozhang, Zhоu Shaojin wаs jоуfullу sееing off Mаdam Fan Liu. Three months еаrlier, Мadаm Li hаd givеn birth tо a sоn, аnd Zhоu Zhеn wаs ovеrjoyed. Еvеn befоre the child’s first mоnth celеbration, hе hаd аlrеаdу nаmed him Zhou Zоngjin. Sinсe bоth Zhоu Сhujin and Zhоu Shaоjin hаd married fаr аwaу in the caрital, only Zhоu Zhеn’s сollеagues and friеnds frоm Вaоding wеrе invitеd tо Zhоu Zongjin’s first-mоnth сelеbratiоn. By thе time Zhоu Сhujin аnd Zhou Shаоjin rесeived the nеws, Zhou Zongjin was alreаdy apрroaсhing his hundred-dау cеlebration. After discussing it, the two sisters prepared two trunks of infant clothing, shoes, and socks, along with another trunk filled with a longevity lock, gold bracelets, and writing supplies. Zhou Chujin sent Chixiang, while Zhou Shaojin sent Madam Fan Liu to deliver the gifts to Baoding.
In private, Zhou Shaojin remarked to Cheng Chi, "Tinglan’s son was named Jizu (Succeeding the ancestors), and now Madam’s son is named Zongjin (Jade of the lineage)." It seems Father, though eager for a son, still distinguishes between legitimate and illegitimate children."
Cheng Chi gently tapped her head and chuckled, "What nonsense. If he just wanted a son, couldn’t he have one anywhere?"
Zhou Shaojin pouted and looked up at him, whispering, "I can’t have one."
Several months had passed, and if she still couldn’t sense something, she would truly be foolish.
But after these months, she had also shed her former restlessness.
She felt that since it was Cheng Chi’s decision, it surely couldn’t be wrong.
Sometimes she could even joke about it with him.
Seeing her soft, pink lips, Cheng Chi couldn’t resist leaning down to kiss her.
Amidst their tender intimacy, he didn’t forget to nibble her ear and whisper with a light laugh, "That’s even more absurd… We’ll become parents next year… Jia’s daughter should have given birth by now, right? Our Shaojin will wait until they’ve all had their children before becoming a mother, so as not to be caught up with them and have no time even for a first-month celebration…"
Zhou Shaojin giggled and snuggled deeper into his embrace.
The two lingered affectionately until, noticing the late hour, they tidied themselves up and went to pay their respects to Old Madam Guo.
Old Madam Guo was speaking with Lady Pengcheng.
When Zhenzhu informed them, Cheng Chi smiled and said, "Why has she come again?"
Zhou Shaojin whispered, "The Earl of Pengcheng’s family…"
"Not that," Cheng Chi replied with a smile. "It’s just that I’ve run into her two or three times already."
Only then did Zhou Shaojin realize that Lady Pengcheng’s visits seemed to coincide with Cheng Chi’s days off.
The couple exchanged a knowing glance before smiling and entering the room.
Lady Pengcheng did not avoid them and even praised the couple, saying, "How filial!"
After Old Madam Guo modestly deflected the praise, Cheng Chi rose to excuse himself.
Lady Pengcheng seemed hesitant to speak.
Old Madam Guo already had an inkling of what was coming, but she knew that putting on airs had its limits. After Cheng Chi left, she smiled and said, "Is there something you wish to say? My daughter-in-law here is the most considerate. If you have anything to say, speak directly, and she can pass it on to Zi Chuan later."
Lady Pengcheng visibly relaxed and took Zhou Shaojin’s hand, saying, "I knew your daughter-in-law was a good listener. It’s just that this matter of mine…" She hesitated for a moment before continuing, "I’ve long heard that your clan’s school is the finest in Jiangnan. I wonder if you’re still accepting students? My grandson is too unruly and needs someone to discipline him properly."Old Madam Guo and Zhou Shaojin were both surprised. Old Madam Guo said, "Both of my grandsons are studying at academies in the capital. I could certainly send word to the main family in Jinling, but as the saying goes, 'generals on the battlefield may disregard orders from the sovereign,' let alone placing a child so far away in Jinling? I think, if you feel at ease, you might as well bring the child here for Zi Chuan to see. Let Zi Chuan help him choose an academy. As you know, the Cheng family has produced scholars for generations, and we have connections with teachers in the academies, one way or another."
Lady Pengcheng was overjoyed and repeatedly expressed her gratitude. She even seemed eager to take her leave from Old Madam Guo, as if she couldn’t wait to get this matter settled immediately.
Old Madam Guo watched her retreating figure with a smile and shook her head, saying, "How pitiful is the heart of parents!"
Zhou Shaojin, however, was thinking about events from her past life.
Old Madam Guo had not gone to the capital, and the Pengcheng Earl’s household had not interacted with the Cheng family. Yet, even after the Crown Prince and the Imperial Grandson passed away one after another, although the Pengcheng Earl’s household was not as influential as it was now, they still married into scholarly families, and their descendants remained honest and did not enter officialdom. As long as they avoided involvement in treasonous plots, they could still enjoy stable wealth and prosperity.
Thinking of this, Zhou Shaojin felt another headache coming on.
Why exactly was the Cheng family exterminated and their property confiscated?
Even the Earl of Chengen’s household was only stripped of their title by the Emperor. Why did the Cheng family face such complete annihilation?
Zhou Shaojin pondered again and again.
She felt it must have something to do with the succession of the throne!
She even had a bold idea.
Could it be related to Second Uncle Cheng Shao?
It was only after she married into the Cheng family that she realized how low-key Cheng Shao was.
Although he was only a Reader-in-Waiting at the Hanlin Academy, he often entered the palace to accompany the Emperor in reading and playing chess. Sometimes, when the Emperor came across a particularly good book, he would immediately send a eunuch to deliver it to Cheng Shao. Likewise, if Cheng Shao obtained something valuable, he would simply send someone to the Xihua Gate to inform them, and someone would come to retrieve it right away. Moreover, this kind of interaction had less of the formality between ruler and subject and more of the flavor of close friends.
This could be seen from how Old Madam Guo sought Lady Pengcheng’s help to secure a position for Cheng Wei.
The Cheng family would not ask Cheng Shao to step forward for their matters, but as long as this relationship between Cheng Shao and the Emperor existed, if anyone in the Cheng family committed an offense, the Emperor would show leniency for Cheng Shao’s sake.
For the Cheng family, this was an immense favor, akin to holding half a pardon token.
But with each new ruler comes new ministers. A family like the Cheng family was also prone to getting into trouble.
Zhou Shaojin’s mind was muddled, unable to figure it out, so she tossed the question to Cheng Chi.
Cheng Chi hugged her and laughed, saying, "What are we going to do? If we have a son like you, it would truly be worrying!"
Zhou Shaojin retorted, "If our son takes after me, at least he’ll be good-looking. We can just find him a capable wife."
Cheng Chi nodded seriously and said, "Then I’ll have to work harder, at least reaching the third rank, so we can choose a wife from any official family in the capital. I’m just afraid his brains will take after you, and his looks after me!"
Would he look like Si Lang?
Zhou Shaojin burst out laughing. Gazing at Cheng Chi’s handsome face, her eyes grew tender as she said, "If he looks like you, he could even marry a princess, let alone the daughter of an official family."
Cheng Chi’s heart warmed.
He asked Zhou Shaojin softly, "In your heart, am I really that good?"
Zhou Shaojin nodded repeatedly.Cheng Chi laughed, picked her up in one swift motion, and said, "Let's go do something else."
Zhou Shaojin's face instantly flushed hot. "I'm not going!" she protested.
She refused to indulge in such acts during daylight.
But such matters could hardly stump Cheng Chi.
In the end, not only did Zhou Shaojin relent, but she also became the one clinging to Cheng Chi, unwilling to let go...
Cheng Chi suddenly felt that the decision to postpone having children for now was absolutely correct.
He might as well raise Shaojin like a daughter.
※
Days off always passed especially quickly. The next day, when Cheng Chi went to court, he was a bit later than usual.
Huaishan hurried in and said to Cheng Chi, "We've found Cheng Lu. He's been staying at the Sage Temple in the northern part of the city under the guise of a failed scholar... but he's very alert. By the time we got there, he had likely already fled."
Zhou Shaojin was stunned.
She hadn't expected Cheng Lu to escape right under the noses of Huaishan and the others.
Cheng Chi, however, frowned and asked, "What do you mean, 'by the time we got there, he had likely already fled'?!"
Huaishan explained, "Our men were too careless. Seeing he was just a frail scholar with no strength to even tie up a chicken, they only assigned one person to watch him. After seeing him enter the abbot's meditation room, they waited outside. It wasn't until late in the day, when they sensed something amiss and went to look for him, that they discovered his lodgings still had his writing tools, clothes, and utensils—everything seemed normal—but not a single copper coin was left. I suspect he had already fled. Still, I left two men to keep watch there..."
Cheng Chi said with some displeasure, "Then find a way to track him down in the next few days."
Huaishan acknowledged the order and withdrew.
Zhou Shaojin comforted Cheng Chi, saying, "Since we've found traces of him, we'll surely locate him eventually. Don't worry too much."
Cheng Chi nodded, but still feeling somewhat unsettled, he left for his office.
Wu Baozhang came to invite her to visit Cheng Sheng.
Zhou Shaojin didn't want to associate with her and said, "Asheng is still in her postpartum confinement. It wouldn't be appropriate for us to visit her now!"
Wu Baozhang smiled and said, "I heard Third Miss Cheng is quite bored during her confinement, so I thought I'd go keep her company!"
Zhou Shaojin replied, "It's fine for you, as her peer, but I'm her aunt. If I go, her mother-in-law would have to personally receive me. Do you think it's suitable for me to visit?"
Wu Baozhang's smile grew strained. "Look at me, I actually forgot about that."
Zhou Shaojin couldn't be bothered to say more. After sipping some tea, she saw her guest out.
When Cheng Sheng's son's full-month celebration arrived, Wu Baozhang noticed that Cheng Sheng's mother-in-law, Madam Peng, and others were gathered around Madam Qiu chatting. She again pulled Zhou Shaojin aside to talk.
Zhou Shaojin, annoyed by her persistence, simply went with her to the corridor outside the main hall. But before Wu Baozhang could speak, Zhou Shaojin said, "Today is Asheng's child's full-month celebration. Aren't we, as her maternal family, here to congratulate her? Then we should properly socialize with the Peng family. Whatever we have to say can wait until we return. If you continue like this in the future, you'd better not come out with us."
Wu Baozhang's expression changed slightly. "It was Sister-in-law Xu Cong who invited me, so I came with you all..."
"Perfect," Zhou Shaojin said bluntly. "In the future, if you have any matters, just go with her directly. Don't drag me along."
Wu Baozhang sneered. "If it weren't for Sister-in-law Xu Cong asking me, do you think I'd bother pulling you along?!"
Zhou Shaojin was taken aback.
Both Wu Baozhang's attitude and the implication behind her words left Zhou Shaojin feeling slightly uneasy.But before she could figure it out, she saw Cheng Xu walk in.
Zhou Shaojin was astonished.
This was the inner courtyard—what was Cheng Xu doing here?
Compared to the last time she had seen him, he had grown even thinner, making his features appear more defined. He had lost some of his youthful exuberance and gained a steadier, more mature air.
Seeing Zhou Shaojin, he was also surprised, but soon that surprise turned bitter, mingled with a hint of delight, forming an expression that seemed both like a smile and not, both like tears and not.
Zhou Shaojin felt a warning in her heart and quickly looked around.
She saw Min Jia emerge from behind the pomegranate tree beside the steps.
Wu Baozhang gave a cold "hmph" and whispered in Zhou Shaojin’s ear, "I told you I wasn’t the one who wanted to come. Why didn’t you believe me?"
※
Dear readers, today’s extra update.
O(∩_∩)O~
PS: Please vote with pink tickets…
※ (To be continued ~^~)
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