For Huai Shan to remember a name and mention it before him, this young servant must possess extraordinary qualities.

Cheng Chi raised his eyebrows.

Huai Shan said, “He’s only twelve years old this year, carrying five hundred taels in bank notes in his chest.”

Five hundred taels of silver could buy a small residence in the capital plus forty or fifty mu of good farmland; could take over two shops on the most prosperous street in Songjiang Prefecture; could invest in maritime trade in Ningbo… It could even cause brothers to turn against each other and parents to become enemies.

Many people never earned five hundred taels of silver in their entire lives.

Cheng Chi smiled and said, “Have someone watch him and see what exactly he’s up to.”

Huai Shan respectfully acknowledged the order and said, “As for the Zhou family’s second young miss…”

“Have someone watch her for now.” Cheng Chi said indifferently. “Since she sent Fan Qi to the capital, as long as we keep an eye on Fan Qi, we’ll eventually know what she wants to do.”

Huai Shan responded “Yes” and withdrew.

Cheng Chi stood quietly for a while, then slowly pulled out a ledger.

Opening it, the first line was written in regular script: “Winter month, twelfth day, received forty-four gray squirrel pelts.”

The handwriting was square and proper—the most standard palace examination style.

Though many years had passed, one could still see the decisiveness and resolution revealed in how the writer lifted and lowered the brush.

Cheng Chi’s fingers lightly traced across that line of text, then he picked up that ledger and threw it into the brazier.

Sparks flew everywhere, splashing onto the hem of Cheng Chi’s robe and burning a hole.

※※※

Over there, Zhou Shaojin returned to Wanxiang Residence. Shi Xiang had already brought out everything she’d received over the years—besides silver ingots, there were also several gold beans.

Zhou Shaojin gazed at the silver ingots and gold beans piled on the carved red lacquer begonia flower tray, feeling as if it were a lifetime ago.

That ascending silver ingot was from the year Cheng Yi went to pay New Year’s respects to his maternal grandmother, who had rewarded him with six ascending silver ingots. She had found them very interesting. After the New Year, Cheng Yi gave her one and apologetically told her, “If these weren’t bestowed by elders, I would have given them all to you.”

Those several auspicious silver ingots were given by her sister. It seemed Sister had visited someone’s home and been rewarded with them. Sister had given her several. But she couldn’t remember when that was.

Those several gold beans were given by Elder Branch’s Cousin Cheng Sheng—Elder Branch had always been wealthy, and Cheng Sheng was Old Madam Guo’s treasured darling. Every New Year, Old Madam Guo would give Cheng Sheng a bag of gold beans. She had looked on very enviously, so Cheng Sheng had given her several.

Shi Xiang said, “Second Miss, these all add up to nearly two hundred taels of silver. Should we exchange them all?”

Zhou Shaojin fell silent.

These were either bestowed by elders or given by sisters…

Just thinking about it made her reluctant, as if she would be betraying the elders’ blessings and the sisters’ good intentions for the sake of silver.

“Don’t exchange them yet.” Zhou Shaojin instructed. “Wait until I’m short of silver.”

Shi Xiang didn’t suspect anything and cheerfully agreed, putting those reward silvers back in the trunk.

Zhou Shaojin paced around the room, thinking it was still better to be married. Once married, she would have her own personal savings and could do whatever she wanted, unlike now when she was stretched so thin.

How did other people manage?

She had her evening meal at Jiashu Hall. After the meal, Old Madam Guan and Madam Mian discussed the matter of sending a full month gift to Second Branch Cheng Shi’s second son.

Besides children’s clothes and shoes, there were also gold and silver longevity locks, bracelets, and anklets. All told, it would be fifty or sixty taels of silver.

Zhou Shaojin was astonished.

This was just the full month gift—wouldn’t the hundred-day gift be even more substantial!

Old Madam Guan naturally didn’t know what Zhou Shaojin was thinking and instructed her and Zhou Chujin, “You’re unmarried young ladies—just send over a few needlework items.”

Zhou Shaojin also felt being an unmarried young lady wasn’t bad. When it came to social obligations, they only needed to make a token gesture and weren’t counted.

But as for this matter of silver, she still had no clear solution in her heart.

After Elder Branch’s grandson and Second Branch’s grandson had their full month celebrations, it was the Cold Clothing Festival.

Ancestral worship, sending New Year gifts, collecting rent, taking inventory, rushing to make new clothes for New Year… Whether the outer or inner courtyards, everyone began bustling about. Everyone also began joyfully anticipating the New Year.

Jing’an Studio had resumed classes. Zhou Shaojin’s days were as calm and orderly as before—every morning attending classes at Jing’an Studio, afternoons copying scriptures at Hanbi Mountain House. Evenings doing needlework, occasionally bantering with Cheng Jia. Every few days going to visit Ji Ying.

Ji Ying finally finished copying five hundred repetitions of “Admonitions for Women” before the Laba Festival.

Zhou Shaojin was somewhat skeptical, widening her eyes and saying quietly, “When I came a few days ago, I saw only five or six volumes on your desk. How did you suddenly finish?”

Ji Ying glared at her and said in a low voice, “Couldn’t you just pretend not to know?”

Zhou Shaojin suddenly understood, her eyes widening even more.

Ji Ying burst out laughing.

Zhou Shaojin said, “Who helped you?”

Ji Ying said triumphantly, “I gave Qin Ziping one hundred taels of silver, and Qin Ziping helped me copy it.”

There was such a good arrangement?

Zhou Shaojin looked at her suspiciously.

Ji Ying exclaimed “Hey!” and said, “What’s with that look? Did I do something wrong? My father says that anything that can be solved with silver should be solved with silver—hurting bones and tendons isn’t worth it.”

Zhou Shaojin wiped away sweat.

Ji Ying’s father had remarkable insights… Yet sometimes you had to admit what he said made perfect sense.

Zhou Shaojin asked her, “On Laba Festival, do you have any plans? Do you want to come to my place for porridge? My sister says this year she’s going to teach me how to cook Laba porridge.”

“Sure, sure!” Ji Ying happily agreed, but in a flash changed her mind. “Actually, never mind. If I go, I’ll have to kowtow to this person and that person.”

Zhou Shaojin hoped Sister would also like Ji Ying.

She hastily said, “Just come to our room. We’ll celebrate Laba Festival by ourselves.”

Ji Ying was somewhat tempted.

Zhou Shaojin quickly added, “Then it’s settled. You can even bring some back for Miss Nan Ping and Uncle Chi to taste.”

“You don’t need to worry about your Uncle Chi.” Ji Ying said. “He’s been invited to drink porridge at Ganquan Temple on Laba Festival.”

Zhou Shaojin had thought she could take the opportunity to earn some impression points before Cheng Chi, but that hope was dashed.

She was slightly disappointed and said, “I haven’t heard that Ganquan Temple’s Laba porridge is particularly good. Why is he going to Ganquan Temple for porridge?”

“Are you silly!” Ji Ying laughed. “Who would invite him to drink porridge? It’s the end of the year—Ganquan Temple is pressing him to donate incense money!”

Zhou Shaojin said, “Isn’t incense money donation supposed to start in spring when eating new cakes?”

“You’re talking about northern temples, right?” Ji Ying said. “We northerners are straightforward, unlike you southerners with your winding ways, thinking of all kinds of pretexts to make people hand over silver.”

Zhou Shaojin said coquettishly, “It’s not like I made Ganquan Temple invite Uncle Chi for porridge. Besides, he doesn’t have to go!”

“Not go?” Ji Ying curled her lips disdainfully. “If he doesn’t go, just wait for those great monks to squat at his house every day lecturing scriptures at him!”

That was also true.

Those guest monks were very formidable.

Like her—when she first started going to Dazhao Temple to worship Buddha, it was only to accompany Grandmother-in-law, but later it developed to the point where she donated five hundred taels of silver to Dazhao Temple every year at set times.

Ji Ying said, “Forget it, let’s not talk about him. When I talk about him, I don’t have a single good word to say. I have something to tell you. In a couple days I’m moving to Lixue Studio. When you come looking for me next time, come directly to Lixue Studio.”

Zhou Shaojin was astonished and said, “Why?”

Ji Ying rolled her eyes and said, “There aren’t enough people serving at Xiaoshan Conggui Courtyard, so your Uncle Chi decided everyone should move to Lixue Studio and close down this place.”

Zhou Shaojin was greatly alarmed and said, “Is business bad this year?”

She had stumped Ji Ying with that question.

Ji Ying thought for a long while and said, “It doesn’t seem that way… Could Cheng Zichuan’s business have collapsed this year? My father says the moon waxes and wanes, people have fortune and misfortune. Cheng Zichuan has had ten years of good fortune—could it be that starting this year his luck has turned bad?”

“Can you say such things casually?” Zhou Shaojin reproached her with a “Pei!” sound, pressed her palms together toward the west and bowed, murmuring several times “Children speak without taboo, children speak without taboo, may Buddha not take offense.”

Ji Ying said indignantly, “I’m speaking as a child, so what are you?”

Only then did Zhou Shaojin realize her own age… She was at a loss for words for quite a while.

Ji Ying then said to her, “Tell me, if I tell my father to bring silver to redeem me, would Cheng Zichuan agree?”

Zhou Shaojin couldn’t quite decide.

She always felt that although Uncle Chi seemed amiable, he faintly revealed some pride from deep within his bones. If his business was going smoothly and Ji Ying’s father brought silver to redeem Ji Ying, his heart might soften and perhaps he would agree. But if his business encountered difficulties—setting aside other matters, even just to prevent business rivals from kicking him while he was down, he wouldn’t agree to Ji Ying’s father.

But there was always that slim chance.

She also hoped Ji Ying could return to her parents’ side soon and become a greatly beloved young miss.

It was just a pity that if Ji Ying really left, they would probably never see each other again.

“Why don’t you try mentioning it to Uncle Chi!” Zhou Shaojin said. “Whether he agrees or not, you should at least try.”

Ji Ying nodded thoughtfully.

Shi Xiang came running breathlessly to find Zhou Shaojin, saying, “Second Miss, Ma Ci had someone bring back a letter from Jingzhou Prefecture. The eldest miss wants you to return quickly!”

Zhou Shaojin could no longer sit still. She immediately stood up, hastily told Ji Ying “I’ll go back first,” and hurriedly left Xiaoshan Conggui Courtyard.

Every family had urgent matters.

Ji Ying didn’t take it to heart.

But over at Cheng Chi’s side, he received word: “…The Zhou family’s second young miss came to visit Ji Ying again. Halfway through their conversation, she was called away by the Zhou family’s eldest miss.”

Cheng Chi acknowledged with a “Mm” and instructed Huai Shan, “Must finish moving by the twenty-second of the twelfth month.”

Huai Shan acknowledged the order and withdrew.

Zhou Shaojin felt her heart was about to leap out of her chest.

As she hurried back, she asked Shi Xiang, “When did Sister receive the letter? What did it say?”

“Just received it.” Shi Xiang followed behind Zhou Shaojin, saying, “Didn’t say anything specific. Couldn’t tell if she was happy or unhappy either.”

So was it good news or bad news?

At least there was word from Ma Ci’s side, but from Fan Qi’s side there hadn’t been even a scrap of paper sent to her.

With New Year’s approaching, if he didn’t return soon, how would she explain to Fan Liushi?

Zhou Shaojin hurried back to Wanxiang Residence.