Everyone in the room froze upon hearing this.

The eldest young lady of Duke Liangguo’s household—wasn’t that Azhu?

How could she be marrying and going to Baoding?

Zhou Shaojin asked urgently, “When did this happen? How is it that none of us knew?”

Old Madam Guo frowned, clearly also feeling this matter was somewhat improper.

Cheng Chi knew that once he said this, it would divert everyone’s attention, so he made an even more shocking statement: “Speaking of this matter, I was actually the one who facilitated it!”

Both Zhou Shaojin and Old Madam Guo widened their eyes.

Only then did Cheng Chi slowly explain: “In the second month, Prince Qing, who had been enfeoffed in Sichuan, was charged with seizing common people’s good farmland. Not only was his title reduced, but he was also fined two years’ stipend. Duke Liangguo felt that the direction this matter revealed was somewhat unfavorable, so he wanted to marry his daughter to a family that could ideally be entrusted for life.

“He came to me for help.

“As it happened, when I went to the capital, I encountered Yuan Bieyun. He had just returned from Baoding and mentioned an old friend surnamed Fan. I felt it was quite suitable, so I brought it up with Duke Liangguo.

“Duke Liangguo sent people to investigate for several months and took a liking to the second son of the Fan family.

“I wrote a letter to Yuan Bieyun.

“Yuan Bieyun also felt it was suitable and personally made a trip to Baoding. This marriage was basically settled. After the Dragon Boat Festival, they should come to present the betrothal gifts.

“Duke Liangguo wants to marry his daughter off early. A few days ago, he even sent Zhu Pengju to select an auspicious date.

“If nothing unexpected happens, Eldest Miss Zhu will be married off after the Mid-Autumn Festival on the fifteenth of the eighth month.”

Zhou Shaojin was dumbfounded.

Azhu was just being married off like this?

She looked at Cheng Chi, then at Old Madam Guo, feeling as if she were dreaming.

Old Madam Guo, however, said with a somewhat displeased expression, “What kind of background does the Fan family have? Don’t go randomly matchmaking!” Then she glanced at Zhou Shaojin.

The meaning was: since that family’s son is so good, why didn’t you make this match for Zhou Shaojin?

In front of Zhou Shaojin, Cheng Chi couldn’t say much.

Originally, this person was being considered for Zhou Shaojin, but later he discovered that the Fan family was too upright in their conduct, and Baoding had strong winds and sand. Zhou Shaojin was already timid and quiet—if she married there, she would probably become even more constrained. The lively and outgoing Zhuzhu, who could climb trees and roofs without hesitation, was more suitable.

He could only say, “What Duke Liangguo’s household values is the other party’s character. The Fan family has been one of the top two official families in Baoding since the previous dynasty. Although they’ve fallen on hard times now, their family tradition remains—once, someone carrying a thousand taels of gold died suddenly while staying overnight at the Fan family’s villa. The Fan family safeguarded the property for twenty years without touching a penny.”

In other words, while the descendants might not be outstanding, they could keep their promises.

Old Madam Guo understood.

Zhou Shaojin, however, gasped in amazement and asked curiously, “Uncle Chi, how did others know that the Fan family had safeguarded that person’s property for twenty years? And how could that person’s descendants prove the property was theirs?”

Cheng Chi smiled and said, “That person had a loyal servant who went home to report the news early on. However, that family’s only child was still young, and they feared that if they went to claim it, the Fan family might murder them for the wealth. So they endured until that family’s child passed the imperial examination and gained official status before bringing the loyal servant to claim it. Because the person died on their estate, the Fan family opened the trunks wanting to find some clues, and only then discovered the money and goods. Also, because someone dying on the estate was inauspicious, the Fan family eventually sold that estate cheaply and placed the trunks in their own cellar. Later, when that family came to claim the property, the quantity and items all matched. The Fan family, fearing someone might be impersonating them, asked the local magistrate’s office to verify the person’s hometown. Only then did they return the property to that family. The matter became known this way.”

If this was the case, then once Azhu married into the Fan family, they certainly wouldn’t mistreat her!

Zhou Shaojin then thought of Miss Gu Shiqi and smiled, saying, “Uncle Chi, I also want to invite Miss Seventeen from the Gu family!” Then, raising her eyes to see Old Madam Guo, she added, “And the young ladies from the Guo family!”

She should also ask Cheng Jia’s side to see if she could come along to watch the dragon boat races.

Cheng Chi smiled and said, “Originally, getting two adjacent private rooms was so you could also entertain your own friends. Make a list of whoever you want to invite. When the time comes, have Nanny Lu deliver the invitations for you.”

This way, no family would refuse Zhou Shaojin’s invitation.

Old Madam Guo didn’t notice these small details; she was still thinking about Zhuzhu’s marriage.

When Zhou Shaojin happily pulled Chun Wan away to Fucui Pavilion to make a list, she asked Cheng Chi, “Azhu has an imperial decree as a county princess. For her to marry, the Imperial Clan Court and Ministry of Rites probably need to approve.”

“I’ve already asked Yuan Bieyun to handle this matter,” Cheng Chi said. “A distant relative is not as good as a close neighbor. These years, Duke Liangguo’s household has been respectful to us. If we can help them now, we should help. Their situation is quite difficult.”

Old Madam Guo slowly nodded and said, “What about that Miss Liu? Pengju’s marriage seems somewhat hasty!”

Cheng Chi smiled and said, “The person was chosen by Pengju himself. Whatever happens, he can only bear it himself. We outsiders shouldn’t say much.”

“That’s true,” Old Madam Guo sighed. “Your eldest sister-in-law was also chosen by your eldest brother himself.”

Cheng Chi fell silent.

It seemed everyone had flaws.

His mother’s flaw was Yuan Shi.

Whenever Yuan Shi was mentioned, his mother found fault left and right.

Fortunately, the old lady hadn’t lost her reason and only complained to him privately.

Zhou Shaojin was cheerfully discussing with Chun Wan whom to invite: “Azhu was mentioned by Uncle Chi himself, so she must definitely be invited. Besides, she invited me to see the lanterns at the Lantern Festival last time, and she’s about to be married. Miss Seventeen from the Gu family and Cousin Jia definitely must be invited too… Cousin Jia will certainly be the happiest person when she finds out—she won’t have to be confined anymore. And Miss Seventeen from the Gu family—if she shows her face among all the young ladies, perhaps she can secure a good marriage match? But which young ladies from the Guo family should I invite?”

She became somewhat troubled.

She had only met the several young ladies from the Guo family once, and they all seemed reserved and serious. She didn’t know if she could actually invite them.

If only Elder Sister were here.

Then she could watch the dragon boat races together with Elder Sister.

Zhou Shaojin became excited and decided to write a letter to Zhou Chujin, telling her that on Dragon Boat Festival, Cheng Chi would accompany her and Old Madam Guo to watch the dragon boat races.

Since they were this old, she and Elder Sister had only watched dragon boat races once when they were very young at Lake Mochou. At that time, she seemed to have been perched on Fan Liushi’s shoulders. They went late and only remembered that there were people everywhere, it was very noisy, there were many snacks, Elder Sister held her little hand without letting go for a moment. They only heard the chants of the dragon boat rowers without actually seeing them row. By the time they finally squeezed to the waterside pavilion by the lake, it was almost noon. The dragon boat races had paused, the sun shone on the lake surface creating steaming heat. She was both tired and thirsty. After the managing nanny served her a bowl of iced sour plum soup, she fell asleep leaning against Fan Liushi.

But this time, Uncle Chi said they could sit in a private room to watch.

They wouldn’t have to squeeze together with others like last time.

Thinking of this, Zhou Shaojin couldn’t help but sit up straight.

That year, she and Elder Sister were already living in Jiuru Lane. It was Great-Aunt Mian who brought them sisters along, yet they could only sit in the temporarily erected waterside pavilion by the lake.

But Qingyan Tower beside Lake Mochou had stood there since the founding of this dynasty.

These three connecting private rooms probably weren’t easy to obtain.

Zhou Shaojin’s heart pounded wildly. She pressed the letter for Elder Sister against her chest and only after a long while instructed Chun Wan to deliver it to Ma Fushan.

After finishing the meal, Cheng Chi asked her, “Have you decided whom to invite?”

Zhou Shaojin widened her eyes and said, “Does Uncle Chi have anyone he wants to invite?”

It wouldn’t be the young ladies from the Guo family, would it?

She pondered this inwardly, then heard Cheng Chi smile and say, “Even if I wanted to invite anyone, I couldn’t possibly sit together with you. Just mind your own business.”

Zhou Shaojin smiled with her eyes curved like crescents.

Cheng Chi shook his head and paid her no more attention.

Zhou Shaojin maintained her good mood until she heard the news that Cheng Nuo and Wu Baozhang’s wedding date had been set for the eighteenth of the eighth month. Only then did she say to Chun Wan with displeasure, “The fifth branch really is too much! They clearly know that Cousin Gao’s wedding is set for the tenth of the ninth month, yet they’re rushing to bring the bride through the door before Cousin Gao. No wonder everyone dislikes people from the fifth branch!”

This rather had the meaning of trying to outdo Cheng Gao.

Chun Wan also felt indignant on behalf of Cheng Gao.

Fan Liushi, however, smiled and said, “What do you children understand! Master Gao’s wedding is the one being properly and grandly conducted. Like Master Nuo’s case—discussing marriage today and marrying tomorrow—this clearly shows no regard for the bride. Even after the bride enters the household later, she won’t have as much dignity as Master Gao’s wife.”

Upon careful consideration, Zhou Shaojin realized this was indeed the case.

She quietly gossiped with Fan Liushi: “What do you think Great-Aunt Wen is trying to do? Isn’t she afraid her daughter-in-law will be laughed at in the future?”

Fan Liushi looked around, and seeing no outsiders nearby, lowered her voice and said, “I heard from Qi’er that it’s the Wu family’s idea. They say Madam Wu is pregnant and will give birth by year’s end. They’re afraid it might disturb the child in her womb at that time, so they chose this date.”

Zhou Shaojin pressed her lips together in a smile.

She found it quite satisfying.

Regardless of the real reason, Madam Wu had slapped Wu Baozhang across the face again.

Moreover, if Madam Wu’s child was a boy, from then on, Wu Baozhang’s brother Wu Taicheng’s days wouldn’t be easy.

In her previous life, after Cheng Lu was expelled from the Cheng family, Wu Baozhang also broke off her engagement with Cheng Lu and married a failed scholar, settling in Huzhou. Cheng Yi once told her that the scholar didn’t regard Wu Baozhang highly. She lived a very difficult life, couldn’t carry several pregnancies to term, and survived by secretly mending clothes for others. Wu Taicheng didn’t follow Magistrate Wu to his post in Yunnan but stayed in Jinling, becoming an idler—missing meals regularly, his wife eventually ran off with someone else. The people of Jinling mockingly called him “Young Master.”

Thinking about it now, these two siblings were quite peculiar.

The son and daughter of a prefectural magistrate actually ended up like that.

Especially Wu Baozhang—in her heart, she was someone with great schemes and calculations. Even if she had been engaged to Cheng Lu, she wouldn’t just casually marry anyone.

And Magistrate Wu eventually died at his post in Yunnan.

It seemed like karmic retribution—the Wu family’s endings were all bad.

This was also an important reason why after her rebirth, Zhou Shaojin didn’t harbor bone-deep hatred toward Wu Baozhang.

On the contrary, in this life, Wu Baozhang was marrying more reliably than in the previous life.

Perhaps this was because if she didn’t commit evil deeds, she wouldn’t receive retribution?

Zhou Shaojin cast these thoughts aside and continued agonizing over which young ladies from the Guo family to invite!