Huai Shan asked curiously: “You don’t serve in office—what do you want a fourth-rank position for?”

Cheng Chi leaned back against the armchair somewhat wearily: “The Huai’an magistrate Xiang Zhiyong has helped us quite a bit over these years. When I leave, these people cannot go without arrangements. Huai’an has always been complex—ahead lies the Grand Canal Governor’s Office and the Huai-Yang Salt Distribution Commission, behind are the Huai’an Prefect and Huai’an County Magistrate. I’m thinking of transferring him to Songjiang or Huzhou—at least as a chief official governing a region, he won’t be controlled by others.”

These words, like a deathbed arrangement, made Huai Shan quite distressed. He nodded slightly: “Fourth Master’s consideration is thorough. Xiang Zhiyong has been in the position of Huai’an magistrate for nearly ten years now. It’s time he moved to a new place.”

Cheng Chi nodded: “The main thing is that his relationship with us has become too close. After I leave, I’m afraid his days won’t be easy. But Song Xianming is in Zhejiang Province. For my sake, as long as Xiang Zhiyong doesn’t commit any offenses, Song can at least ensure his safety. After a few more years when matters have faded, the sky will be high for birds to fly and the sea broad for fish to leap.”

Huai Shan fell silent.

Cheng Chi smiled: “By the way, since Cheng Jiashan isn’t coming back for New Year’s, given my mother’s nature, she’ll definitely have Yuan Shi go to the capital for a family reunion with father and son. Mother will be very lonely this New Year. Go tell the people at Hanbi Mountain Lodge that this year I’ll keep the New Year’s Eve vigil with Mother. Prepare some fireworks and firecrackers… Mother likes setting off firecrackers. I remember when Father was alive, he would buy many firecrackers every New Year, saying they were for me to play with, but actually wanting to please Mother…”

As he spoke, he gradually fell into reminiscence, and his expression became melancholy.

***

In Wanxiang Residence, Zhou Shaojin looked at Shi Xiang in surprise: “What did you say? Li Changgui has returned!”

Li Changgui was Zhou Zhen’s attendant.

“Yes!” Shi Xiang said. “They say that when the master received the young miss’s letter, he was furious. He had Li Changgui rush back immediately that very night. When the madam heard Li Changgui had returned, thinking that New Year’s was approaching, she sent her personal attendant Nanny Li to pay respects to the two young misses.”

Zhou Shaojin frowned: “Counting the days, the madam should be giving birth soon, right? At this time, why send Nanny Li over? Any nanny would do. Isn’t this causing unnecessary trouble?”

Shi Xiang said nothing, but thought to herself that the new madam had probably gotten word and knew the two young misses had gotten Lanting imprisoned. Pleased, she sent her trusted nanny to thank the two young misses.

Though it was to give thanks, the words probably couldn’t be put that way.

She wondered what Nanny Li would say when she met the two young misses.

She asked Zhou Shaojin: “The eldest miss is currently speaking with Li Changgui. Nanny Li is waiting outside. What do you think…”

“Then let her come in!” Zhou Shaojin said, thinking she should help her sister share some trivial matters, and she very much wanted to know how Father was doing now.

Shi Xiang acknowledged and left, soon leading Nanny Li inside.

Perhaps due to traveling day and night, Nanny Li in her parrot-green clothing looked somewhat haggard.

As soon as she entered, she kowtowed to Zhou Shaojin.

Zhou Shaojin was quite surprised.

Though she came to pay respects to them sisters, Nanny Li served Li Shi. Li Shi was their stepmother, and Nanny Li rose with the tide—being respectful to them sisters was proper, but this was too respectful!

She instructed Shi Xiang to bring in a small stool.

Nanny Li kept her eyes lowered demurely and repeatedly said she dared not: “When I left, the madam instructed me that before the two young misses, I must not forget proper hierarchy.”

Zhou Shaojin didn’t insist. She first asked about Li Shi and learned everything was going smoothly, then asked about Zhou Zhen: “…Is Father well?”

“With such a major incident, how could the master be well!” Nanny Li wiped her eyes. “Can’t eat, can’t drink, can’t sleep—in just one night, he visibly lost a lot of weight. Such a good person who always spoke kindly even to us servant women, now flies into a rage over the smallest things. We don’t even know where we went wrong. Everything used to be this way, but suddenly nothing we do is right anymore… The madam says the master is unhappy inside, holding in his anger! Once this anger is vented, he’ll be better. But the madam still worries about the master. Despite being heavily pregnant and about to give birth, she still personally attends in the tea room every day, afraid the master might need tea or water… The madam figured the two young misses were probably feeling distressed and thinking about the master, so she specially had me return with Li Changgui, saying if the two young misses had questions, I could be here to answer them.”

Li Shi’s consideration was indeed thorough.

Zhou Shaojin sighed and asked: “When will Li Changgui leave?”

Nanny Li said through gritted teeth: “He’ll wait until those two cheap servants Lanting and Xinlan are sentenced before leaving. But I must rush back tonight—the madam is about to give birth, I dare not delay.”

Zhou Shaojin nodded: “Please take good care of Father. And please take extra care of the madam as well.”

“This is this old servant’s duty—I dare not accept Second Miss’s instructions.”

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Nanny Li took out two pouches from her sleeve, one bright red and one sapphire blue, both embroidered with trailing flower patterns: “We left in such haste that the madam didn’t have time to prepare anything for the two young misses. She just took these two pouches for me to bring, saying to consider them advance New Year’s money.”

Zhou Shaojin had Shi Xiang accept them.

Zhou Chujin came over.

Her expression was rather stern. After speaking a few words with Nanny Li and learning she had only come to pay respects to them sisters, she rewarded her with a table of food and ten taels of silver, having Chi Xiang accompany her to dine in the back courtyard.

Zhou Shaojin quickly sat beside her sister: “What did Li Changgui say?”

Zhou Chujin answered a different question: “Ji Ying shouldn’t be a hereditary servant, right? Do you know where her hometown is? What kind of people are in her family?”

“What’s wrong?” Zhou Shaojin was stunned. “Why are you suddenly asking about Ji Ying?”

Zhou Chujin said: “Li Changgui came from the prison. He asked how we sisters knew about the existence of prison wardens. He asked if it was Uncle Mian’s idea. He also said Father sent him back to handle this matter too. He didn’t expect us sisters and Father thought of the same thing. He even praised this as a seasoned approach that only veteran officials would know.”

Though she told her sister everything, this concerned Ji Ying. Without Ji Ying’s consent, she couldn’t tell her sister. But she also couldn’t keep it from her sister.

Zhou Shaojin thought for a moment: “I need to ask Ji Ying first before I can tell you about her family matters.”

She must have her own difficulties!

But Ji Ying’s kindness toward her younger sister was sincere.

“Then forget it.” A smile appeared on Zhou Chujin’s face. “Others gave us a good idea. If we… turn around and dig into their family background, it would be disheartening. If there’s a chance in the future, I’ll ask her myself.”

That’s also good.

Zhou Shaojin said: “What else did Li Changgui say?”

“Father asked him to discuss with Uncle Mian whether they could have Xinlan and Lanting executed after autumn.” Zhou Chujin said somewhat dissatisfied: “Wouldn’t that let them live another year?”

It was already winter now. Execution after autumn would have to wait until next autumn.

Seeing her sister unhappy, Zhou Shaojin speculated: “Could it be that having those two wait for death in prison is more agonizing than judging them immediately?”

“I thought the same.” Zhou Chujin said. “So I’m quite grateful to Ji Ying. If not for her, how would we have known about such things?”

Zhou Shaojin said: “Our family has no criminals, so naturally we wouldn’t know about this!”

As she spoke, her heart skipped a beat.

Could Ji Ying’s family have criminals?

But even so, Ji Ying treated her so well—she shouldn’t distance herself from or fear Ji Ying.

Zhou Shaojin let out a long breath.

Zhou Chujin then asked about Cheng Yi: “…I just heard that Cousin Yi is truly determined this time. Whether Eldest Aunt beats, scolds, cries, threatens, or entices him, he remains unmoved. Even after Uncle gave him two slaps, he still won’t admit his mistake. Grandmother even cried over this. Should you tell Ji Ying? In such matters, it’s usually the maid who suffers. If she could ask Uncle Chi to intervene, that would be best.”

Zhou Shaojin listened with trepidation.

She knew Cheng Yi was making a fuss, but since she was the one who tattled, even though she felt she’d done nothing wrong, his parting outburst still made her feel somewhat guilty, so she hadn’t inquired about how badly he was acting up.

She never imagined Cheng Yi would make such a scene!

In her previous life, she was a daughter of an official family, and when that kind of thing happened to her, she was still criticized—what about Ji Ying who was born a maid?

Zhou Shaojin stood up immediately: “I’ll go tell Ji Ying.”

Zhou Chujin stopped her: “First talk to Ji Ying and hear what she thinks. If Ji Ying feels Uncle Chi should be told, it won’t be too late to tell him then… I don’t think Ji Ying is Uncle Chi’s personal bed servant. With her looks, if Uncle Chi has arrangements for her, that’s fine. But if he doesn’t, at most she’ll marry some steward in the future. How could that stop others from having designs on her? Don’t meddle recklessly in this matter. Understood?”

Zhou Shaojin thought for a moment before understanding her sister’s meaning.

Sister was talking about beauty being a curse, right!

With Ji Ying’s appearance, if Uncle Chi didn’t take her in, he should at least find her a good family that could protect her. Otherwise, it might be better to take this opportunity to follow Cheng Yi. Though Cheng Yi had various troubles, his nature was pure and kind. Grandmother and Eldest Aunt were both reasonable people—at least she’d have someone to rely on.

But in the end, how to choose still depended on hearing Ji Ying’s thoughts.

One person’s honey is another’s poison. After all, this was her own matter—they had no way to make the decision for her.

But somehow, Zhou Shaojin had a vague certainty.

She felt Ji Ying would absolutely not agree to follow Cheng Yi.

This wasn’t just about differences in age, knowledge, and status—it was that Ji Ying would absolutely not let herself suffer such grievance.

“I understand.” Zhou Shaojin nodded and hurried to Xiaoshan Conggui Courtyard.

Ji Ying stood in the covered corridor with a dark expression, losing her temper: “…Is this the imperial palace or a government ministry? Moving house without finding people to help—just us few, forget the twenty-second of the twelfth month, even by the second of the first month we probably won’t finish. If Fourth Master feels bad about the silver, you go tell him I’ll pay for it myself, all right?”