Тhis dоеs sееm rаther unusual.
Сhеng Сhi frоwnеd thoughtfully and аskеd, "What elsе have уоu hеаrd?"
Zhоu Shаojin cаrefully considered bеfоre rеplуing, "I rеmеmbеr that уеаr, thе Вingwu yеar—the twentу-ninth уeаr of Zhide—Cоusin Yi camе to visit me. Веfоrе thаt, I hаdn't hеard anуthing, but suddеnly hе sаid Sеcоnd Unclе hаd died of а suddеn illness, аnd he rushed to Аpricot Grоvе Lаne." Shе looked аt Сhеng Chi with sоmе guilt. "Аftеr lеаving Nine Рrоspеrities Lаne, I had littlе cоntасt with them. Еvеn whеn I оccasiоnally heard news, it wаs only fragmеnts. When Seсond Unсlе pаssed away, I didn't attend the funeral. At the time, I thought my sister knew, so I didn't mention it to her. Later, when she brought it up, I learned she had also found out afterward. By the time she went, Second Uncle's coffin had already been sent south to Jinling City. As you know, because of my situation, my sister would have had no contact with Apricot Grove Lane at all if she weren't managing the Liao household affairs. Since no one informed her of Second Uncle's death, why would she take the initiative to pay respects? To be honest, neither of us sisters ever offered incense for Second Uncle..."
Cheng Chi remained silent, his expression grave.
Zhou Shaojin quickly tried to comfort him. "Perhaps I'm overthinking it. At that time, our relationship with Nine Prosperities Lane was so strained. When Second Uncle died suddenly, everyone might have been in disarray and overlooked things. Cousin Yi was called over because Cheng Zheng was already in the capital at the time—they, as cousins, still kept in touch. He had visited Cheng Zheng's residence..."
Cheng Chi patted Zhou Shaojin's shoulder reassuringly, interrupting her. "Let me think about this."
Zhou Shaojin immediately nestled obediently in his arms and fell silent.
But Cheng Chi soon asked her, "You said no one informed your sister of Second Uncle's death, and the only reason she knew about matters in Apricot Grove Lane was because she was the eldest daughter-in-law of the Liao family, managing household affairs in the capital. In other words, the only reason Apricot Grove Lane maintained contact with your sister was because the Liao and Cheng families were old friends. Did your sister ever mention whether other prominent Jiangnan families, such as the Shen or Fang families, paid their respects when Second Uncle passed away?"
Zhou Shaojin replied, "That's exactly why I found it strange—everything was so quiet, with no commotion at all! By then, the Second Branch's patriarch Cheng Xu was no longer alive, and Second Uncle was the most senior elder in Nine Prosperities Lane. Moreover, Second Uncle was a Tanhua laureate and had served as a Senior Compiler in the Hanlin Academy for many years. Both sentiment and propriety dictated that the Cheng family should have held a grand funeral, yet it seemed as if no one even knew about Uncle's passing..."
"Then no obituary notices were sent to other families. Even if they were sent, it must have been after the seventh-week mourning period, once the coffin had already been sent south," Cheng Chi concluded. "The only reason you knew about Second Uncle's death was because Cheng Yi happened to be with you at the time. Did Cheng Yi come to bid you farewell afterward?"
Zhou Shaojin shook her head. "He only sent a servant to tell me he couldn't get away..."
Cheng Chi pressed further, "Did he accompany the coffin south?"
"Yes."
"What about Cheng Zheng?" Cheng Chi asked. "You mentioned later that Cheng Zheng studied under my elder brother, then passed the provincial and metropolitan exams, eventually becoming a Junior Scholar Candidate. What about him? Did he go to see Second Uncle off?"Cheng Xu was incapacitated at the time. In the eyes of outsiders, Cheng Zheng, the nephew who had always stayed by Cheng Jing's side, was Cheng Jing's designated successor. This relationship was even closer than that of a biological son.
"I don't know," Zhou Shaojin said despondently. "Cheng Yi only sent me a message saying there was no one at Apricot Grove Lane, and he had to escort his second uncle's coffin. As for whether Cheng Zheng returned, he didn't mention it, and I don't know either."
Cheng Chi sneered, "He definitely didn't return. If he had, Cheng Yi would never have been the one to take charge. Given Cheng Yi's temperament, he would have found time to bid you farewell. It was precisely because he couldn't get away that he didn't come to say goodbye in person but sent someone to inform you instead... Look at Cheng Yi—he probably didn't like Cheng Shi much either, but when he came to the capital, he still paid Cheng Shi a visit out of courtesy... Didn't you say he beat up Cheng Xu for you? That shows he truly treats you like a sister..."
After hearing Cheng Chi's explanation, Zhou Shaojin also found it strange. "Yes! He and Cheng Shi weren't on good terms back then, but he didn't want to stay with Cheng Gao either, so he came to me... I originally thought he was just helping out... No matter how short-staffed Nine Prosperities Lane was, the death of the second uncle was a major event. It's impossible that there wasn't even a single person available to escort the coffin south!"
She was deeply regretful. "I was too careless at the time."
"How can this be your fault?" Cheng Chi pulled her into his arms, gently stroking her back. "It's only you—if it were anyone else, after going through such an ordeal, they would have turned the main household upside down! Not to mention coming back and still thinking about how to save the Cheng family!"
Zhou Shaojin blushed at Cheng Chi's praise, but immediately afterward, she sensed a chilling coldness.
She looked up in surprise.
Cheng Chi's face was tense, his gaze sharp as a blade.
"What's wrong?" Zhou Shaojin asked anxiously, her heart tightening. "Has something happened?"
Cheng Chi remained silent for a moment before saying gravely, "If you remember correctly, Second Uncle's death shouldn't have been simple. Either he offended the Emperor, or someone killed him... Yet Eldest Brother didn't ask any questions or do anything—he just buried Second Uncle like that! If it weren't for Second Uncle's concessions, could he have become a Grand Secretary? Even if Second Uncle was indifferent to fame and fortune, he would have wanted to leave a legacy in history, wouldn't he? If Second Uncle hadn't steadfastly remained in the Hanlin Academy, how would Eldest Brother have had the chance to enter the cabinet? In the end, he merely took a step forward by standing on the shoulders of the family... Yet he did something like this..."
He was more furious than ever before!
Zhou Shaojin quickly tried to soothe him.
"I'm fine!" Cheng Chi's jaw remained tense, not relaxing at all. "I'm not angry with you—I'm angry with Eldest Brother... Perhaps his entry into the cabinet was because of this very incident!" His words carried a hint of malice by the end.
Zhou Shaojin hurriedly reminded him, "Eldest Uncle entered the cabinet after the new Emperor ascended the throne..."
Before she could finish, both of them froze, staring at each other in shock.
After a long while, Zhou Shaojin gasped, "It can't be, right? Maybe we're overthinking it!"
"We're not overthinking it at all," Cheng Chi said sternly. "I'm afraid this is the root of the Cheng family's troubles!"
"Wait a moment," Zhou Shaojin said, rubbing her forehead. "I'm still completely confused."They were discussing Second Uncle's matter, yet somehow the conversation shifted to Cheng Jing becoming the reason the Cheng family was raided and exterminated.
Cheng Chi's train of thought jumped too quickly.
She couldn't keep up.
Cheng Chi also wanted to sort out his thoughts. He said, "For official families, whether it's weddings or funerals, birthdays or celebrations, they are all good opportunities for social interaction. As you said, after Cheng Xu passed away, Second Uncle became the highest-ranking elder in the family. At that time, Eldest Brother was still in a position among the minor nine ministers. Both by reason and sentiment, the funeral should have been grandly arranged. Taking advantage of the funeral to garner sympathy from Second Uncle's peers, colleagues, and close friends would have been a step toward entering the cabinet and becoming a minister. But look at Second Uncle's funeral—not only was there no imperial edict of grace, but Cheng Yi was also the one who escorted the coffin south. So I say either Second Uncle offended the Emperor, and Eldest Brother didn't dare to arrange a grand funeral for him, or Second Uncle offended someone, and the Emperor turned a blind eye to protect that person. For the sake of his own career, Eldest Brother pretended not to know and hurriedly buried Second Uncle." At this point, a cold glint flashed in Cheng Chi's eyes. "One learns civil and martial arts to sell them to the imperial family. But that's only selling one's skills—it doesn't mean selling one's life, let alone selling the life of a Second Uncle who wholeheartedly supported him to someone else!"
His words were filled with dissatisfaction toward Cheng Jing.
Zhou Shaojin remained silent.
She also felt that Cheng Jing had done wrong.
But that phrase about selling skills, not one's life, didn't seem quite right either...
"So how Second Uncle died became the key!" Cheng Chi said, his tone now calm and rational. "Falling out with the Emperor? What could have made him fall out with the Emperor? Although the Emperor always regarded Second Uncle as a confidant, Second Uncle always knew his place. Even as a confidant, he merely went along with the Emperor's wishes, accompanying him in his amusements. He never truly considered himself the Emperor's confidant. But to say Second Uncle was blindly obedient to the Emperor wouldn't be right either. In Second Uncle's eyes, the common people and the nation were what truly mattered to him.
"Only major issues like these could have caused him to fall out with the Emperor.
"But Second Uncle wasn't the kind of fool who thought he could persuade the Emperor to act according to his wishes with just a few words or by relying on the Emperor's favor.
"So the possibility of Second Uncle falling out with the Emperor was very small. Moreover, Second Uncle had always been highly regarded by the Emperor. Even if he had offended the Emperor in some way, the Emperor wouldn't have taken his life.
"Unless Second Uncle was involved in treason or conspired with a prince to covet the throne.
"But do you think that's possible?"
Not only Cheng Chi, but even Zhou Shaojin didn't believe it.
She shook her head.
"Then it must be that he offended someone." Cheng Chi asked Zhou Shaojin, "In the twenty-ninth year of Zhide, weren't the Crown Prince and the Crown Prince's eldest son already gone? I remember you said the Fourth Prince ascended the throne in October of the twenty-ninth year of Zhide. When did Second Uncle pass away?"
Zhou Shaojin's heart skipped a beat. She said, "It was early September. I remember Cousin Yi invited me to climb the heights during the Double Ninth Festival. I was too lazy to move and didn't agree, but I still prepared food for Cousin Yi. In the end, Cousin Yi was called away and never returned. That food was eventually given to the servants..."
When the late emperor passed away, days were counted as months. The Emperor had to observe mourning for twenty-seven days before ascending the throne.The emperor ascended the throne on the sixteenth day of the tenth month.
Cheng Chi's voice suddenly became unusually low: "At that time, the emperor should have already fallen ill. Even if Second Uncle offended someone, who could make those around the emperor so fearful?"
The Fourth Prince!
Zhou Shaojin nearly blurted it out.
Cheng Chi's gaze was somber as he said, "By then, the emperor should have already designated the Fourth Prince as the crown prince. Knowing that he was about to inherit the throne, why would Second Uncle still offend him? Was Second Uncle not afraid of bringing disaster upon the entire family? And what could Second Uncle have done to offend him? What would make him offend the Fourth Prince?"
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Dear readers, today's bonus update!
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※ (To be continued ~^~)
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