She’s quite the actress!

Cheng Chi laughed inwardly.

Zhou Shaojin glanced sideways at Cheng Chi.

Her eyes, lustrous as black jade, seemed immersed in a pool of spring water. Her slightly upturned eyes with their gracefully curved lines were as enchanting as delicate flowers in May.

Cheng Chi’s heart felt as if something had struck it—with a “thud,” ripples spread outward in waves. For a long while, he couldn’t calm down.

Fortunately, he had always been skilled at concealing his emotions. His expression remained refined and elegant, revealing nothing.

Zhou Zhen naturally didn’t notice anything unusual about Cheng Chi. He was anxious to return to the inner quarters—yesterday Liao Shaotang had already set off for the capital to prepare the residence Lady Liao had given them. Zhou Shaojin would stay here temporarily until Liao Shaotang had everything arranged there before joining him. Now Zhou Chujin was in the rear courtyard resting during her pregnancy, with Lady Li keeping her company. Zhou Shaojin was an unmarried young lady who hadn’t given birth—if anything happened with Zhou Chujin, Lady Li certainly wouldn’t tell her. Now that Lady Li had agreed to let Zhou Shaojin come find him, he feared something had happened with Zhou Chujin and Lady Li had deliberately sent Zhou Shaojin away.

Zhou Shaojin smiled. “Shall I see Uncle Chi off on your behalf?”

Zhou Zhen, preoccupied with Zhou Chujin and deliberately trying to keep Zhou Shaojin occupied, naturally agreed readily and hurried back to the inner quarters with his servant.

Zhou Shaojin accompanied Cheng Chi as he walked out.

On both sides were bare towering trees and lush low-branched winter holly.

Zhou Shaojin smiled. “When will Uncle Chi come to live in the capital permanently?”

Cheng Chi smiled. “Once I’ve arranged matters in Baoding Prefecture, I’ll enter the capital.”

Zhou Shaojin stepped forward a few paces, stopped before Cheng Chi, and smiled. “My elder sister is also going to live in the capital, and she’s taking me with her!”

Cheng Chi stopped walking and looked at the young girl whose eyes only reached his shoulder. He smiled. “That’s wonderful! When you have time, come visit me!”

Zhou Shaojin’s smile gradually faded, and she frowned slightly.

She was going to the capital!

Shouldn’t Uncle Chi be very happy?

Why was his tone so indifferent!

Zhou Shaojin’s spirits immediately sank.

This little girl couldn’t take any teasing at all.

He had merely responded to her casually, and she was already unhappy.

In Cheng Chi’s clear, bright eyes, brilliant fragments of light sparkled like stars.

“Silly girl!” His hand lifted then lowered again. His voice was as gentle as a breeze. “Your sister’s residence on Dangui Alley is very close to Shuangyu Alley, and also very close to Yuqian Alley.”

“Really!” Zhou Shaojin’s eyes widened.

Many of the capital’s alleys were named after their surrounding scenery.

Shuangyu Alley most likely had two elm trees in the alley.

And Yuqian Alley probably also had elm trees planted there.

Perhaps the two alleys were right next to each other!

Zhou Shaojin became happy again. “I knew it—Uncle Chi is the best!”

Buying a place in an alley neighboring her sister’s made him the best? If she knew that he had recommended Liao Shaotang to Second Uncle, arranging for Liao Shaotang to assist Second Uncle in compiling the “Capital Geography Records,” which was why Second Uncle had written to Liao Shaotang asking him to return to the capital immediately after New Year, and that Lady Liao, upon seeing this letter and thinking that once her son’s name was printed in the “Capital Geography Records” he would have a place in scholarly circles for life, had decided she couldn’t let her son delay his future prospects or let his reputation be ruined by these messy affairs that might damage his official career prospects—which was why she had resolved to send her son and heavily pregnant daughter-in-law to temporarily reside in the capital, allowing Liao Shaotang to extract himself from the family’s morass… would the little girl smile as adorably as a cat that had stolen fish?

The thought flashed by, and Cheng Chi’s heart grew slightly cold.

Since he had already decided to treat her as his niece, he needed to learn to exercise restraint in certain matters.

It was as if a basin of ice-cold water had been poured over his head from above. His mood slowly turned cold.

He smiled. “Then we’ll see each other again in the capital!”

Since she would be living with Zhou Chujin from now on, given Zhou Chujin’s character and Liao Shaotang’s integrity, they would certainly treat her well, so he had nothing to worry about.

Zhou Shaojin nodded with a beaming smile, unaware that Cheng Chi had unilaterally drawn an unbridgeable chasm between them.

※※※

That evening, Zhou Chujin came to find Zhou Zhen and Lady Li, saying that with her pregnancy so advanced, she was afraid to go to the capital alone and wanted Zhou Shaojin to accompany her, then stay to care for her for some time.

Zhou Zhen was reluctant to part with his unmarried Zhou Shaojin, but also worried about the pregnant Zhou Chujin. He hesitated. “Why don’t you just give birth in Baoding Prefecture?”

This was highly improper.

Moreover, Zhou Chujin might be carrying the Liao family’s legitimate eldest grandson. Even if it wasn’t the legitimate eldest grandson, it was still the first child of Liao Shaotang, the clan’s heir, so the child’s position within the family would be very prestigious.

But in Zhou Zhen’s view, there were exceptions to everything.

For instance, Zhou Chujin, so close to giving birth, had traveled a thousand miles with Liao Shaotang to reach the capital.

Being able to give birth in her natal home, together with her father and sister—Zhou Chujin was immediately tempted.

But what about her mother-in-law…

She gently shook her head. “Looking as I do, the uncles and aunts in the family all disapproved of me leaving home. It was only because mother-in-law took full responsibility that I could follow Shaotang to the capital and see Father, Madam, and my sisters…”

But Zhou Zhen was absolutely unwilling to let Shaojin live in his married eldest daughter’s home.

He was perfectly capable—he had originally placed them in Jiuru Alley so they could receive a better education. Why should his daughter live dependent on others now?

But before he could voice his objection, Lady Li had already tugged at his sleeve and shot him a meaningful look.

Lady Li rarely involved herself in matters between him and his daughters. If she had something to say now, Zhou Zhen changed tack. “Let me think this matter over carefully before giving you an answer.”

Zhou Chujin had already seen Lady Li’s gesture. Though somewhat displeased in her heart, her face showed nothing. She smiled and took her leave of Zhou Zhen.

Zhou Zhen then turned his gaze to Lady Li.

Lady Li said, “Master, are you planning to let Eldest Young Madam go to the capital like this?”

Zhou Zhen didn’t understand. “Didn’t I give Chujin two hundred taels of silver for expenses?”

Lady Li smiled. “She’s a newly married woman, becoming a mother for the first time. With neither her mother nor mother-in-law by her side, how will she nurse the child once it’s born? What should she eat during her confinement… She’s experienced none of this. How can you feel at ease letting her go to the capital alone?”

Zhou Zhen said, “Won’t there be wet nurses? And they’ll hire midwives and such when the time comes.”

“That’s not the same at all!” Lady Li smiled. “No matter how loyal those servants are, there’s still the master-servant distinction. Some things aren’t easy to say. And you can’t just let Eldest Young Madam do as she pleases…”

“What are you suggesting then?” Zhou Zhen asked.

“If Master agrees, I’d like to take Youjin and accompany Eldest Young Madam and Second Young Miss to the capital together!” Lady Li said sincerely. “I can keep Eldest Young Madam company, help care for her during childbirth, and allow Youjin to spend more time with her two elder sisters, strengthening their sisterly bond.”

“You’ll go care for Chujin during childbirth?” Zhou Zhen said in surprise. “Can you… can you manage that?”

Lady Li smiled. “Even if this concubine isn’t very capable, at least I’ve been through it. I can go give Eldest Young Madam moral support! Moreover…” She pointed in the direction where Madam Huang lived. “I can also avoid that person.”

When dealing with Scholar Chang, this would also prevent people from making connections to Zhou Shaojin.

Zhou Zhen began seriously considering this matter.

The next day, when Zhou Chujin and Zhou Shaojin came to the main hall for breakfast, Zhou Zhen told Zhou Chujin of Lady Li’s suggestion, adding, “Shaojin hasn’t married yet—what does she know? With Madam accompanying you, I’ll feel more at ease.”

Zhou Chujin was quite surprised. After a moment of silence, she said, “But if Madam goes with me, what about Father…”

Zhou Zhen smiled. “After your mother passed away, didn’t I get along perfectly well on my own for several years?”

In the Zhou household, “mother” referred to Lady Zhuang.

Zhou Chujin thought about it and agreed.

She also smiled and said to Lady Li, “Then I must trouble Madam.”

Lady Li quickly demurred, saying she didn’t deserve such words. “We’re one family—we don’t speak as two. I only hope Eldest Young Madam gives birth to her child smoothly and safely.”

After exchanging a few more polite pleasantries, though not as intimate as a true family, the atmosphere was warm.

Zhou Zhen felt greatly comforted.

Zhou Shaojin was absolutely delighted.

This way she could take good care of her sister and also meet with Uncle Chi…

The whole family happily busied themselves packing trunks.

Meanwhile, Madam Huang and Scholar Chang were waiting until their mouths developed sores.

Such a grand lantern festival—that Second Young Miss Zhou didn’t come the first day, didn’t come the second day—surely she would come the third day?

But who would have thought—by such coincidence, the lantern festival ran for six consecutive days, costing over a thousand taels of silver, yet that Second Young Miss Zhou never took a single step outside her room.

Now Madam Huang had no way to account for this.

She had received no small amount of flattery from Scholar Chang, and no small amount of gifts either!

“It seems this Second Young Miss Zhou truly has an exceptionally gentle and virtuous character,” she could only console Scholar Chang. “She truly deserves to have been raised in the Cheng family residence on Jiuru Alley in Jinling. She has the true character of a young lady from a great noble household—able to maintain propriety and remain composed.”

Scholar Chang thought the same.

So after hearing Madam Huang’s words, he became even more anxious, scratching his ears and cheeks as he begged Madam Huang, “If this matter succeeds, I’ll give two thousand taels of silver as a matchmaking gift.” Then, feeling that Zhou Shaojin was worth more than that, he quickly added, “No, I’ll give three thousand taels of silver as a matchmaking gift.”

Madam Huang’s eyes turned green with greed.

Zhou Zhen, as a prefectural magistrate, only received an annual salary of one hundred ninety-two bushels of grain and forty-two taels of silver… Three thousand taels of silver!

“Rest assured,” she promised eagerly. “I will definitely make this happen for you!”

Scholar Chang breathed a sigh of relief.

After seeing Scholar Chang off, Madam Huang paced circles in her room.

She clearly sensed that Lady Li had become distant from her.

Most likely she blamed her for the matter with Young Master Miao.

Thinking of this affair, Madam Huang truly felt a knot of frustration lodged in her chest.

Who knew that Young Master Miao would be so crude and unbearable! His father had been a high court official—clearly they were a family with no proper upbringing. No wonder Lady Li was dissatisfied with her.

Even without Scholar Chang’s request, she needed to find a way to mend relations with Lady Li.

Although her husband had connections through Grand Secretary Song’s channels, how could that compare to Magistrate Zhou’s relationship with the Cheng family?

Fortunately, these were all inner quarters women’s matters, and she had meant well. Surely Magistrate Zhou wouldn’t be completely unreasonable.

After pondering for a long time, she finally decided to ask Madam Tan to help sound out Lady Li’s attitude.

At worst, once the matter succeeded, she would give fifty taels of silver to Madam Tan.

Having made up her mind, Madam Huang went to visit Madam Tan.