It wаs рrесisеlу becаusе hе wаs thinking оf her and their sоn thаt Cheng Сhi had, like а сunning rаbbit with thrее burrоws, asked Stеward Qin Da to renovatе thе old rеsidenсе.
Zhоu Shаojin thоught tо hеrsеlf but сouldn't sаy anything tо Jiуing. Thе slightly awkward еxprеssion on hеr fасе аррearеd аs helрlеssnеss in Jiying's еyеs.
Jiуing had alwауs beеn fond of Zhou Shаojin and naturаllу didn't wаnt to рut her in a difficult роsitiоn. Somеwhаt rеgrеtting hеr оwn quick tоnguе, she immеdiatеly supрressеd hеr dissаtisfaсtiоn with Сhеng Chi and begаn talking about her own аffairs since сoming to thе cарital: "Аnyway, remember to tell me if you ever have any problems. Qin Ziping is about to be transferred to the Shuntian Prefecture as a constable. The elders bought us a small two-courtyard house near Xizhimen Gate. My own affairs are mostly settled now, and from now on, I'll probably just be staying home raising children and doing needlework. If you don't come visit me, I'm afraid I won't even have anyone to talk to... You really should come visit me often."
With Old Madam Guo here at Chaoyang Gate, there were distinctions between master and servant. The Qin family had served the Cheng family for so many years, and it would be improper for younger generations like them not to pay proper respects to Old Madam Guo when they saw her. Yet being so formal every time made Jiying feel uncomfortable.
Zhou Shaojin understood her feelings and smiled, readily agreeing.
Since there were still guests in the flower hall and Tingxiang Courtyard, Zhou Shaojin spoke with her for a few more words before getting up to attend to the visitors.
"I'll stay here and look after Yun Ge'er for you," Jiying said. She didn't know those people and adored Yun Ge'er, so she preferred not to go over.
Zhou Shaojin replied, "When he wakes up later, we'll have to carry him over for Old Madam Guo, Grand Secretary Wu, and the others to see."
"Then let him 'sleep' a bit longer," Jiying said dismissively. "With all that noise and commotion outside, aren't you afraid it might frighten our Yun Ge'er?"
"He's never been afraid of such things," Zhou Shaojin said, mentioning how during the Bathing Festival a few days ago, when they passed a temple holding a religious ceremony with huge crowds, he had squirmed and wanted to go see the excitement, getting upset when they wouldn't let him.
"Then it's even more reason for me to look after him," Jiying insisted, precisely because she adored Yun Ge'er. "Today is his birthday. Children don't understand things—if he starts acting up, it wouldn't be very dignified!"
She was even saying things like that.
Zhou Shaojin laughed heartily.
Looking at the seven or eight maids and older women attending to Yun Ge'er, she agreed: "Alright then, but we must agree—if he starts crying or making a fuss, you must send someone to find me immediately. This child can be quite stubborn sometimes."
"I know, I know," Jiying hurriedly urged her to leave, looking as if she feared Shaojin might change her mind, thinking that with her skills, she couldn't possibly fail to soothe a child.
Zhou Shaojin smiled, shaking her head as she went to Tingxiang Courtyard, simply saying that Yun Ge'er had woken up too early that day and was now sound asleep, impossible to rouse.
The old madams and ladies, afraid of disturbing Yun Ge'er, all urged her not to linger there but to hurry back and take care of him.
Zhou Shaojin had learned how to speak tactfully by now and said with a smile, "Since Yun Ge'er is sleeping, I can stay here and keep you all company a bit longer."
Old Madam Guo and the others chuckled. Lady Pengcheng even waved her hand at her, saying, "Go attend to your own affairs. Don't worry about your mother-in-law here. We old folks can have a good chat among ourselves."
The other old madams also told her to "go ahead and attend to your business."
Only after arranging the tea and refreshments in Tingxiang Courtyard did Zhou Shaojin go to the Water Pavilion.The opera troupe invited today was the "Yongchang Hao," which had recently performed for the Empress Dowager and the Empress in the palace. Recommended by Lady Pengcheng, the dan role performer Little Lotus was said to be the top actress in the capital, excelling both in appearance and vocal skills. The chosen play was "Wandering in the Garden," which captivated all the ladies and madams present, leaving no one to notice Zhou Shaojin's absence.
Zhou Shaojin breathed a sigh of relief. Recalling Lady Pengcheng’s cautious inquiry about when the Cheng family would start their clan school, she felt a pang of embarrassment. She thought that after Cheng Shao’s wedding, she must urge Cheng Chi to discuss the matter with Cheng Shao and figure out how to proceed.
Yun Ge’er didn’t "wake up" until late afternoon. Jiying carried him to the Water Pavilion to find Zhou Shaojin. After everyone had amused themselves with the child for a while, the evening banquet began. Yun Ge’er stretched out his arms, calling "Auntie," and asked Jiying to hold him.
Zhou Shaojin was quite surprised.
Yun Ge’er was usually cheerful with everyone, but when it was time to light the lamps and return indoors, aside from Zhou Shaojin, Cheng Chi, and Old Madam Guo, he wouldn’t even go to his own wet nurse.
Jiying happily picked up Yun Ge’er.
Curious, Zhou Shaojin asked the servants attending Yun Ge’er, "What happened?"
Yun Ge’er’s wet nurse replied nervously, "Madam Qin the Third carried Young Master Yun to see the swallow’s nest in front of the hall this afternoon and even dug up soil in the back garden for Yun Ge’er to feed the swallows..."
Zhou Shaojin broke into a sweat.
She knew Yun Ge’er wouldn’t take a liking to Jiying for no reason.
But Yun Ge’er was a boy—being a bit mischievous shouldn’t be a problem, right?
Meanwhile, Zhou Chujin, seeing Yun Ge’er getting along so well with Jiying, whom he had just met, came over curiously to ask what was going on.
Zhou Shaojin couldn’t bring herself to tell her sister what Jiying had done, so she evaded the question with vague answers and instead asked Zhou Chujin about her return to Zhenjiang: "...I’ve prepared some things. When you go, please take them to Jinling for our grandmother and the others."
Traveling from Jinling to the capital wasn’t easy. For Yun Ge’er’s first birthday celebration, Zhou Shaojin had only sent a letter and hadn’t invited them, but they had sent gifts anyway.
Zhou Chujin nodded and pulled Zhou Shaojin aside to talk: "I heard from your brother-in-law that Cheng Shi and Cheng Zheng both came, introducing themselves as members of the Cheng family in front of others... What’s going on with them?"
"Don’t even mention them," Zhou Shaojin said with a bitter smile. "Even Hong Guozhen’s wife, Cheng Shi’s aunt, came. Fourth Master said we should take this opportunity to clarify our relationships—relatives are relatives, acquaintances are acquaintances. So we pretended not to know Cheng Shi and Cheng Zheng had come. When we went out to toast, we acted surprised to see them as if they had come uninvited, just to let everyone know. As for them insisting on cozying up to the Chaoyang Gate side, Fourth Master, being the elder, will let them do as they please. But speaking up for them or anything like that is out of the question. The people in the capital are all shrewd; after a few encounters, they’ll understand. The Hong family, however, is a bit troublesome. They hinted in their words that Cheng Xu of the second branch was old and confused, and Hong Guozhen at the Censorate acted overly familiar with Fourth Master, which made Fourth Master think the Hong family wasn’t simple. He might engage with them. This time, when Hong Guozhen’s wife came, we seated her at the same table as Madam Song and the others.""After all, Hong Guozhen's grandfather once served as the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate. Fourth Master is now also in the Censorate, where they inevitably cross paths. Since the Hong family is willing to apologize and show deference, it's indeed difficult for Fourth Master to openly show displeasure toward them." Zhou Chujin still felt somewhat concerned and added, "However, we shouldn't get too close either, to avoid any unexpected troubles."
"Fourth Master said the same," Zhou Shaojin said with a smile. "Previously, he ignored them, but now that he acknowledges them, he treats them as ordinary colleagues. Fourth Master isn't the type to suffer grievances in silence."
Zhou Chujin recalled Liao Shaotang telling her upon his return that Cheng Chi maintained a low-key and reserved demeanor in the Censorate, yet his conduct and actions were highly responsible, earning him an excellent reputation. A Left Assistant Censor-in-Chief of the fourth rank sometimes wielded more influence than the Left and Right Censors-in-Chief of the second rank... She simply smiled and said nothing more.
After Yun Ge'er's first birthday ceremony concluded and Zhou Shaojin had everything packed and ready, she sent Ma Ci to collect the items she would take to Jinling.
Ma Ci was now the chief steward of Elm Tree Lane. Compared to when he first arrived in the capital, he appeared even more composed and steady. Dressed in a plain silk robe and wearing a jadeite pendant, his sharp gaze was evident. To those unaware of his background, he might have been mistaken for a senior manager of some prominent shop in the capital.
Zhou Shaojin asked him a few questions before having Jixiang summon Fan Qi to accompany Ma Ci in moving the items.
Fan Qi had also done well over the years. Initially following Steward Xiang and later Qin Ziji, although he hadn't become a steward in the Cheng household, Zhou Shaojin had entrusted all her dowry to him. His elder brother, Fan Lu, remained honest and diligent, farming at home and using the money Fan Qi brought back to purchase land for him. In total, they now owned around a hundred acres. Mama Fan made it clear that Fan Lu would help cultivate the land for the time being and keep the harvest, but once Fan Qi married, the brothers would need to settle accounts properly, with Fan Lu paying the full rent without exception. She also asked Zhou Shaojin, if possible, to help arrange marriages for both Fan Lu and Fan Qi, implying she hoped her sons would marry maidservants from Zhou Shaojin's household.
Zhou Shaojin was happy to see this happen, but as both were still young, there was no rush.
After seeing Zhou Chujin off, Zhou Shaojin began focusing wholeheartedly on preparing for Cheng Shao's wedding.
Unexpectedly, at this time, Chaoyang Gate received news of the passing of Song Jingran's father, Old Master Song.
"What should we do?" Zhou Shaojin hurriedly changed her clothes and said to Cheng Chi, "When I visited him with Yun Ge'er before his first birthday ceremony, he was perfectly fine. How could he pass away so suddenly?"
"The weather has been too hot," Cheng Chi replied, his expression also somber. "Using ice feels too cold, but without it, it's unbearably hot. Those in poor health struggle to endure it." He reminded Zhou Shaojin, "Yun Ge'er is still too young. Don't take him along; let him stay and play at home."
Zhou Shaojin nodded, recalling her first meeting with Old Master Song and how he and Cheng Chi had tirelessly calculated water levels on the boat, forgetting to eat or sleep. Tears welled up in her eyes.
Cheng Chi sighed, helped Zhou Shaojin into the sedan chair, and they headed to Song Jingran's home.
The Song household had already removed all red decorations and hung white mourning drapes.
Due to Cheng Chi's close friendship with Old Master Song, the Song family had immediately informed him of the passing without waiting for the three-day initial mourning period. When they arrived, few visitors had come to offer condolences, but they encountered Song Jingran at the entrance, who had just returned from the palace.Due to the need to meet the emperor, Song Jingran was still dressed in his official robes, but his expression was weary and his complexion poor.
He waved to Cheng Chi upon seeing him, gesturing for him to follow while saying, "I have just met with the emperor. The emperor wanted me to forgo mourning leave, but I politely declined. Starting tomorrow, I will begin observing the mourning period. Previously, the emperor wished for me to teach arithmetic to the Imperial Grandson, and now he has brought it up again. I recommended you. An edict may be issued in the next couple of days..."
"Teaching the Imperial Grandson?" Cheng Chi was surprised.
Song Jingran did not reply, silently leading Cheng Chi directly to the study in the outer courtyard. Only after the servant had served tea and snacks and withdrawn, leaving no one else in the room, did he speak: "Zi Chuan, I will be away for two years. In the court, not to mention two years, even two days can bring new changes. Yang Shoushan has been demoted to a commoner, never to be employed again. Zhang Hui, having experienced the ups and downs of officialdom for a long time, tends to act according to the circumstances. Now, you are the only one I can rely on..."
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Dear readers, today's update.
o(n_n)o~
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