Ноwеvеr wеll shе had sleрt, Zhоu Shаоjin сouldn't stay in bеd аny longеr, as tomоrrоw wаs Yun Gе'еr's first birthdаy cеlebration.
Seeing that it wаsn't уet nоon, shе frеshеnеd up аnd wеnt tо Тingхiang Сourtyard.
Оld Мadаm Guo was plаying with Yun Ge'еr, trying to sоlvе а ninе-linkеd ring рuzzlе.
Yun Ge'er соuldn't figure оut hоw tо undo thе rings and grеw sо frustrated thаt hе tugged аt them, wailing loudlу. When he saw his mоthеr еnter, his еyes wellеd uр with tеars аs hе strеtсhеd оut his arms tоwаrd Zhou Shаojin, сrying, "Mаma!"
Zhоu Shаоjin cоuldn't hеlр but smilе at the sight of him сlinging to the nine-linked ring evеn while throwing a tаntrum. After grеeting Оld Мadаm Guo, she picked up her son and asked gently, "What's wrong with our Yun Ge'er? Why are you unhappy again?"
Yun Ge'er had learned to call people early, but even as he approached his first birthday, he could only speak two-word phrases.
He shoved the nine-linked ring into Zhou Shaojin's arms and complained tearfully, "It bad!"
Zhou Shaojin and the others burst into laughter.
This only made Yun Ge'er feel more wronged.
Zhou Shaojin patiently demonstrated how to solve the puzzle step by step for him.
Yun Ge'er remembered the first few steps but forgot the later ones, and in frustration, he threw the nine-linked ring onto the floor.
Zhou Shaojin picked it up and continued teaching Yun Ge'er while discussing the arrangements for tomorrow's Zhazhou ceremony with Old Madam Guo: "...The elders will be accompanied by Second Uncle in the outer courtyard's flower hall, where only tea will be served. Several elderly ladies will be brought to Tingxiang Courtyard to chat with you, and a female storyteller will be arranged. Other male guests will be in the outer courtyard's study, while the female guests will be in the garden's flower hall, where there will be both storytelling and opera performances. The Zhazhou ceremony will take place in the main hall. Those who wish to observe may come and watch, while those who prefer not to can continue chatting or listening to the opera."
The elders disliked noise and might not come to watch Yun Ge'er's Zhazhou.
"Your arrangements are very thoughtful," Old Madam Guo nodded with a smile, though her attention remained on Yun Ge'er. "Several great scholars will attend Yun Ge'er's Zhazhou. They must be well accommodated. It would be wonderful if Yun Ge'er could form a connection with them. I've invited Minister Wu from the Hanlin Academy to accompany them, so you needn't worry about that. Just focus on Yun Ge'er's Zhazhou."
The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law chatted for a while, and during this time, Yun Ge'er successfully solved the nine-linked ring.
He happily held it up to show Old Madam Guo and Zhou Shaojin.
Old Madam Guo smiled and patted his head. Zhou Shaojin, on the other hand, planted two kisses on her son's cheeks, praising, "Our Yun Ge'er is truly amazing!"
Yun Ge'er clearly preferred his mother's style of encouragement. Mimicking Zhou Shaojin, he leaned in and kissed her twice. Still not satisfied, he ran over to Old Madam Guo and tried to kiss her as well.
Old Madam Guo had never been kissed like this in her life and was stunned for a moment before coming back to her senses. Once she recovered, she couldn't help but pull Yun Ge'er into her arms and said to Zhou Shaojin, "I wonder who this child takes after? His father and I are not the type to sweet-talk people, yet he charms everyone he meets."
He must take after her!
Zhou Shaojin thought to herself but didn't dare say it out loud.
A boy who enjoyed sweet-talking others wasn't necessarily a good thing.
Yet such a child was undeniably endearing.
Zhou Shaojin wondered whether she should mention this to Cheng Chi.
But Cheng Chi didn't return until the lamps were lit."Have you eaten yet?" Zhou Shaojin asked while helping him change clothes. "The kitchen hasn't closed up yet."
Cheng Chi occasionally got held up by matters like today. There were a couple of times when he returned late without sending word, having hastily filled his stomach at the yamen before coming home.
"Not much appetite," Cheng Chi said lightly. Only then did Zhou Shaojin notice his gaze was unusually cool, his expression somewhat stern.
It had been a long time since she had seen him like this.
Considering the weather was growing warmer, using ice was still a bit early, yet not using it felt somewhat stifling, Zhou Shaojin thought to herself, "How about I have the kitchen make you a bowl of noodles, with less chili, and mix in some shredded cucumber..."
Cucumbers hadn't yet come into season in the capital. But in Fengtai, some grew small cucumbers in warm sheds and sold them as fruit. Cheng Chi liked them, so they were never out of stock at home.
Cheng Chi thought for a moment and nodded.
By the time Zhou Shaojin gave the order and returned, Cheng Chi had already sat down on the large kang by the window and started drinking tea.
Yun Ge'er had been kept by Old Madam Guo at Tingxiang Courtyard. Zhou Shaojin took out her needlework from under the kang table, stitched a few times, and chatted with Cheng Chi, "Why are you back so late today? Tomorrow is Yun Ge'er's first birthday grab. Will you be home?"
Tomorrow was not a rest day.
Zhou Shaojin thought Cheng Chi would likely take leave to stay home, but now she wasn't so sure.
Cheng Chi said, "I already requested leave from the yamen. I'll be home tomorrow!"
So it wasn't official business that had upset him!
Zhou Shaojin discreetly observed Cheng Chi.
Seeing this, Cheng Chi smiled, reached across the table, and patted Zhou Shaojin's head, saying, "What are you thinking? Speak your mind! When did I ever teach you to watch my expressions?"
Zhou Shaojin smiled sheepishly, "I was just afraid you were unhappy."
"Even if I'm unhappy, I wouldn't take it out on you," Cheng Chi said. "You want to know why I'm feeling troubled, don't you?"
Zhou Shaojin nodded.
Jixiang directed a few young maids to bring in the noodles.
Cheng Chi paused the conversation.
Zhou Shaojin busied herself setting the table with bowls and chopsticks, then dismissed the servants in the room.
Cheng Chi took a bite of the noodles.
The noodles were chewy, sour, spicy, and refreshing, with the shredded cucumber crisp and delicious, lifting his mood considerably.
"Everyone knows my eldest son is having his first birthday grab tomorrow, so I left the yamen early," he said after eating a few bites and taking a sip of mulberry tea. Putting down his chopsticks, he told Zhou Shaojin, "After leaving the yamen, I went to Xinglin Hutong—my elder brother has a fellow candidate named Han Zongmei, who's been boasting outside that the reason he became the Xuan-Tong Commander-in-Chief is entirely due to my brother's recommendation."
Shouldn't such matters be kept under wraps?
Zhou Shaojin was astonished.Cheng Chi noticed this and nodded slightly, saying, "Whether Han Zongmei let it slip accidentally or intentionally, we can no longer associate with this person. I originally just wanted to ask my elder brother if he knew about this matter, but I happened to run into the Han family, who had heard about Jiashan's provincial appointment. They specifically sent a secretary to deliver gifts. In my opinion, accepting one or two items to acknowledge the gesture and gradually cutting ties later would have sufficed, but my elder brother, in a fit of anger and embarrassment, returned all their gifts. It happened right after office hours, and Xinglin Alley is home to many fourth and fifth-rank capital officials, so everyone witnessed it. My elder brother may have done the right thing, but he offended everyone in the process." As he spoke, he sighed with some helplessness, "My elder brother is nearly fifty years old, how can he still be so impatient? In the ups and downs of officialdom, the worst thing is to offend others..." After finishing, seeing Zhou Shaojin's worried expression, he quickly added, "However, Han Zongmei is still serving as the commander at Xuantong at his age, which suggests his abilities are mediocre. Offending him isn't a big deal. I looked into him—he was reinstated after observing mourning rites. When he served as prefect of Jiaxing, he was once impeached for corruption. Although it ultimately came to nothing, there's no smoke without fire, so he's clearly not a good person. Keeping our distance like this is for the best."
Zhou Shaojin didn’t understand these major court affairs, but if Cheng Chi said it was fine, then it must be fine. Besides, she hadn’t heard of this person in her previous life either, which showed he truly wasn’t significant. She smiled and nodded, then stood up to refill his cup of mulberry tea.
After finishing his noodles, Cheng Chi took Zhou Shaojin for a stroll to pay respects to Old Madam Guo.
The hosta flowers in the courtyard had all bloomed, appearing crystal clear under the cool moonlight, piled up like snow, with a faint, refreshing fragrance drifting through the air.
Cheng Chi held Zhou Shaojin’s hand as they walked slowly.
The maids and elderly servants followed at a distance.
The couple spoke softly, sharing intimate words.
"I didn’t expect Si Lang to worry about Eldest Uncle offending others," Zhou Shaojin said, feeling a bit shy as Cheng Chi held her hand. But since Cheng Chi insisted on holding it, she naturally wouldn’t refuse him, and she couldn’t deny the sweetness of it. "In my impression, Si Lang seems to fear nothing."
"I’m not afraid," Cheng Chi said nonchalantly. "But my elder brother is somewhat soft in his ways. Sometimes he knows something is wrong but can’t bring himself to deal with it harshly, and in his hesitation, he ends up entangled. He’s not like me..."
Zhou Shaojin giggled, saying, "Fourth Master cannot tolerate the slightest impurity." Her laughter tinkled like silver bells amidst the flowers and trees in the night.
"Am I that harsh?" Cheng Chi asked, his expression lightening as he watched her eyes curve into crescents.
Zhou Shaojin leaned closer, wrapping her arms around Cheng Chi’s and nuzzling his shoulder.
Cheng Chi’s gaze instantly filled with affection as he looked at her. After walking quietly with her for a while, he said, "After the Dragon Boat Festival, let’s move to the Water Pavilion in the garden? It’s by the lake, so it’s cooler. I originally planned for us to move to Tingxiang Courtyard for the summer... but since Mother has moved here, we can stay at the Water Pavilion for a couple of months."
As long as she was with Cheng Chi, Zhou Shaojin didn’t mind where they lived. She said, "But that would put us farther from Mother. Would she feel unhappy about it?"
"Then we’ll just have more children," Cheng Chi whispered with a laugh, his lips close to her ear. "Such a large mansion, with only a few of us living here—it’s too quiet!"Zhou Shaojin's ears flushed with embarrassment.
The household indeed felt a bit sparse, with the eastern wing completely unoccupied.
"So we'll move to the Water Pavilion," Cheng Chi hinted with a smile, "where you can also meet with the household's stewardesses."
Zhou Shaojin's heart raced as she nodded meekly.
※
Over at Apricot Grove Lane, Cheng Jing and Madam Yuan were locked in a tense standoff.
"Didn't I ask you to visit your family home? Why haven't you gone yet?" Cheng Jing pointed at the gift list, which the steward had nervously handed him after seeing all the gifts from Han Zongmei being taken away by Han's advisor. His blood boiled with anger.
Madam Yuan was equally irritable, her face darkening as she retorted in a low voice, "First you want me to help Mother with the wedding preparations for Second Uncle at Double Elm Lane, then you ask me to check on Yun Ge'er's first birthday celebration, and now you want me to deliver gifts to my family. With Jiashan about to depart for Mianzhu, even if I had three heads and six arms, I couldn't manage it all! How can you blame me like this?"
If he hadn't reminded her, would she have gone to Double Elm Lane to help or shown her face at Chaoyang Gate? As for Jiashan's assignment, her daughter-in-law didn't understand but didn't dare ask her for advice, instead seeking help from her sister-in-law, Madam Qiu...
Cheng Jing rubbed his forehead wearily.
When had Madam Yuan become like this?
After a long moment, he composed himself and said, "Put aside the other matters for now and visit your family home first..."
Madam Yuan coldly interrupted him, "Tomorrow is Yun Ge'er's first birthday celebration. Are you sure I should visit my family home first?"
※
Dear readers, today's update.
o(n_n)o~
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