Everything was well with the Gu family. There had been no news of any young men suddenly rising to prominence, nor any word of marriage alliances with powerful families.
So why was Cheng Jing acting as matchmaker to have Cheng Yi marry Miss Seventeen of the Gu family?
Old Madam Guan was utterly perplexed.
Cheng Mian said, “Why not write a letter to ask Brother-in-law Zhou? He serves as an official at court and is posted in Baoding Prefecture. News from the capital can reach him in less than a day.”
Mian’s First Wife was even more outspoken, saying, “Rather than that, why not take advantage of the fact that this matter hasn’t spread yet and speak directly with Brother-in-law Zhou to settle the marriage between Shaojin and Yi Ge’er?”
The older one gets, the more cautious one becomes.
“Nonsense!” Old Madam Guan couldn’t help but scold in a low voice. “Elder Master Jing wrote us a letter—can you guarantee he didn’t also write to the Gu family? Whether or not Shaojin and our Yi Ge’er are engaged, outsiders may not know, but don’t the people of Jiuru Lane know? What would Elder Master Jing think? Rather than have Elder Master Jing believe that Yi Ge’er’s marriage is just using Shaojin as an excuse, we’d be better off finding fault with the Gu family and declining Elder Master Jing directly. Elder Master Jing would probably feel better about that. Besides, in a few more years, Gao Ge’er will be sitting for the examinations. We really shouldn’t offend Elder Master Jing.”
No matter how Mian’s First Wife thought about it, she found Zhou Shaojin wonderful and was determined to keep Zhou Shaojin in the family. Especially after Zhou Shaojin went to Hanbi Mountain Manor, her behavior had changed greatly—her gentle and compliant manner now carried an added touch of graceful dignity that was truly endearing.
Hearing this, she muttered quietly, “This won’t do, that won’t do either. Are we just supposed to watch helplessly as Yi Ge’er marries Miss Seventeen of the Gu family?”
Old Madam Guan was unwilling as well.
That the young ladies of the Gu family had little dowry was known throughout all of Jinling. Meanwhile, Zhou Zhen had enjoyed smooth sailing in his official career these past years, and the trousseau being prepared for the Zhou sisters was growing increasingly valuable. Zhou Shaojin’s birth mother, Madam Zhuang, happened to be the apple of Zhou Zhen’s eye. Though Madam Zhuang had no dowry herself, Zhou Zhen would never shortchange Zhou Shaojin. Miss Seventeen of the Gu family’s father was a scholar who had repeatedly failed the examinations—either he was too pedantic or not very clever. Zhou Zhen was already a Fourth Rank Prefect, and his official career would only improve further. In comparison, aside from their ancestral reputation, their prosperous family, and numerous descendants—having many family members who could step forward to support them when something happened—the Gu family had nothing that surpassed the Zhou family.
But they were scholars, not common street folk. If something happened, would it come down to whose family had more people or harder fists?
Old Madam Guan pondered and said, “I think we still need to ask Old Madam Guo for help with this matter!”
Cheng Mian nodded repeatedly, saying, “Mother is indeed far-sighted. The ins and outs of this matter can probably only be clarified by asking Old Madam Guo!”
Mian’s First Wife said urgently, “There’s no time to lose. Should we go to Hanbi Mountain Manor later then?”
Old Madam Guan was just about to agree when似儿 called through the curtain, “Elder Master, Old Madam, First Wife, Old Madam Guo has arrived!”
All three were stunned.
Cheng Mian speculated, “Great-aunt probably came about Yi Ge’er’s marriage to the Gu family.”
Old Madam Guan and Mian’s First Wife recovered their senses. Old Madam Guan instructed her son, “You should step aside first. If things are said that leave no room for compromise, we’ll need you gentlemen to come forward and try again.”
“I understand!” Cheng Chi helped Old Madam Guan to the doorway and said, “Why don’t you receive Great-aunt in the sitting room? That way I can hear what she says!”
Old Madam Guan’s inner chamber was connected to the sitting room. Usually when Old Madam Guo visited, Old Madam Guan would show intimacy by receiving her either in the inner chamber or the sitting room.
If, because Cheng Mian was avoiding her by retreating to the inner chamber, they were to receive Old Madam Guo in the flower hall instead—especially at this time when they wanted to keep Zhou Shaojin in the family while Cheng Jing was matchmaking for the Gu family—it would be even more likely to set people’s imaginations running wild.
In reality, Old Madam Guan and the others were overthinking.
Old Madam Guo hadn’t noticed these details at all. Even if she had, she wouldn’t have taken them to heart. She had come simply to give the Fourth Branch an explanation, so that the alliance between the Cheng and Gu families would be bound even tighter.
She came straight to the point: “Are you particularly fond of Shaojin? With Brother-in-law Zhou’s side, has there been any verbal agreement or exchange of tokens?” After speaking, she sighed with a bitter smile. “Ziming thought he could make decisions for Jiuru Lane and wrote to the Gu family first. The Gu family was overjoyed to hear it, and only then did Ziming write to you.
“Who knew such an oversight would occur?
“But he’s used to being the Elder Master, so asking him to go back on his word now is rather embarrassing for him. It just so happened that I sent someone to ask him about it, so he handed this matter over to me. Tell me about your original agreement with the Zhou family, and I’ll be the villain.
“Whether it’s a thousand wrongs or ten thousand wrongs, they’re all Ziming’s fault! We’ll compensate the Gu family on our end, so you needn’t worry.”
Ziming was Cheng Jing’s courtesy name.
Old Madam Guan’s face flushed red as she said, “How can we blame Nephew Jing? He had good intentions. As for compensation and such, our Fourth Branch should provide it. How could we burden the First Branch and make Elder Nephew Jing expend effort and money?”
Originally, Old Madam Guan had been quite certain about Zhou Shaojin marrying Cheng Yi, but who knew such a thing would happen midway? She felt uncertain, afraid that their family was the only one with wishful thinking. She glossed over the matter of tokens and such vaguely, only mentioning compensation.
That way, if the Zhou family didn’t agree to let Zhou Shaojin stay, she would still have a way out.
Who knew Old Madam Guo would say, “This isn’t about silver or not! I’m afraid Ziming will have to arrange suitable official positions for several young men of the Gu family, and when Ninth Uncle of the Gu family takes office, we’ll also need to spend considerable effort and money.”
Old Madam Guan and her daughter-in-law were speechless.
Such compensation—they couldn’t repay it even if they wanted to, let alone dare to imagine it.
After Old Madam Guo left, the mother and sons didn’t speak for quite a while.
After a long time, Cheng Mian forced a smile to comfort his mother: “Let’s just consider that our Fourth Branch owes the First Branch a great favor. We’ll have Cheng Yi repay it later.”
Even Cheng Mian himself didn’t believe that Cheng Yi had the ability to repay the First Branch’s favor, let alone Old Madam Guan and Mian’s First Wife.
Old Madam Guan had another sleepless night.
Early the next morning, she summoned Cheng Mian to her side and said hesitantly, “Perhaps we should reconsider Yi Ge’er’s marriage… After all, the children are still young…”
Cheng Mian remained silent.
Last night, he and his wife had barely slept, tossing and turning in bed. His wife, Madam He, had repeatedly emphasized that she liked Zhou Shaojin and only wanted Zhou Shaojin as her daughter-in-law.
Seeing this, how could Old Madam Guan not guess her son’s thoughts?
She said helplessly, “It’s not that I’m breaking faith and seeking to climb higher branches. It’s truly that we cannot repay this favor from the First Branch! The days ahead are long, and we’ll have many occasions to ask the First Branch for help. If we trouble the First Branch for Yi Ge’er’s matter now, what about Gao Ge’er’s affairs later? What about your younger brother’s matters?”
Both palms and backs of hands were flesh—all equally dear!
Cheng Mian said in a low voice, “Let me think about it some more!”
Old Madam Guan nodded gloomily and had Sier see Cheng Mian out, then went herself to Hanbi Mountain Manor.
Though it was morning, the summer sun was already blazing bright and harsh on the eyes.
Zhou Shaojin wore a moon-white Songjiang three-shuttle fine cotton tunic with a madder-red vest. Her snowy little face was rosy as she stood under the large locust tree in the courtyard, bathing the little dog called Snowball.
Biyu, Zhenzhu, and others who originally served Old Madam Guo stood nearby, some holding handkerchiefs, others holding water basins, attending to her.
Sunlight filtered through the luxuriant branches and leaves, falling in dappled patterns on Zhou Shaojin. The madder-colored vest seemed like a thin mist enveloping her body.
Old Madam Guan squinted as if her eyes had been scorched by the sunlight.
That was cloud-brocade, a new tribute item from the Hangzhou Prefecture Weaving Bureau this year. It had only been sent to the palace in April.
During the Dragon Boat Festival, when the He family came to send festival gifts, Madam He had privately brought such a handkerchief for her in-law, Mian’s First Wife. It was said that in the capital, one square sold for thirty taels.
She looked more carefully.
Zhou Shaojin wore a bracelet inlaid with precious gems on her wrist. Delicate as it was, it had an emerald the size of a pigeon’s egg, cat’s eye stones the size of lotus seeds, and South Sea pearls the size of rice grains… They hung casually on the chain, yet were arranged with perfect balance, magnificently shimmering and exceptionally beautiful. Setting aside everything else, just that emerald and the cat’s eye stones alone were worth a fortune… And she was wearing this while bathing a dog?
Old Madam Guan felt momentarily dazed.
She had raised three children. The Fourth Branch’s household style had always been frugal. Though she had never let the sisters lack for food, clothing, or necessities over the years, such luxury had never been seen.
It’s easy to go from frugality to luxury, but hard to return from luxury to frugality.
If Shaojin married into the Fourth Branch, could she adapt to the Fourth Branch’s austere life again?
Old Madam Guan watched that powdery little face and listened to that delicate voice, and for a moment, her mind was actually undecided.
Zhou Shaojin, however, turned around and immediately spotted Old Madam Guan. She quickly wrapped the freshly bathed Snowball in a handkerchief, handed it to Chun Wan, and ran over: “Grandmother, when did you arrive? Why didn’t you send a little maid ahead to announce you so I could come greet you?”
Old Madam Guan collected her thoughts, chuckled a few times, and said, “That vest you’re wearing is very pretty. When did you have it made?”
Zhou Shaojin smiled and said, “Uncle Chi brought it back from Huai’an, and Old Madam Guo rewarded it to me. There’s also one in pale green and one in pink-purple, both very beautiful. I even used the leftover scraps to make several sachets, planning to send a few over in a few days.”
Three bolts in total!
Old Madam Guan silently calculated in her heart as Zhou Shaojin took her arm and they walked toward the main quarters.
On the way, she admonished her: “Bathing a dog—why are you wearing such a valuable bracelet? What if you lose it?”
Zhou Shaojin said with a beaming smile, “It’s at Hanbi Mountain Manor. Even if I lose it, it doesn’t matter—I’ll surely find it.”
As if she were wearing a gilt hollow bracelet—that casual indifference revealed inadvertently was true pampered luxury.
Old Madam Guan fell silent as they entered the main quarters.
Old Madam Guo had already received word and changed her clothes, sitting in the sitting room.
Seeing Zhou Shaojin supporting Old Madam Guan as they entered, she smiled at Zhou Shaojin and said, “Such a big girl, and you’re still like a little child bathing Snowball. What if Snowball had something dirty on it? You’re not allowed to do this anymore.”
Zhou Shaojin blushed and answered, “Yes,” her expression showing not the slightest trace of fear.
After everyone was seated, Old Madam Guo further instructed Nanny Lu: “Don’t let Shaojin eat anything cold—she’s had too much these past few days!”
Those who didn’t know would think Zhou Shaojin was Old Madam Guo’s own granddaughter!