What excellent tactics.
No wonder he could completely bamboozle her sister.
Had he calculated that she wouldn’t dare confine her sister at home?
Had he calculated that she wouldn’t dare create discord with her mother-in-law?
If it were any other matter, she would have gone along with it, but this concerned her sister’s future happiness—how could she just let it pass without caring or asking?
Zhou Chujin looked at her sister pleading with her, feeling even more vexed. After a long while, she finally calmed herself and said to Zhou Shaojin, “Since that’s the case, you’ll stay here temporarily. Before I send you back to Baoding Prefecture, you are not to leave your courtyard. If I discover you meeting anyone in private, I’ll immediately ask Father for Chun Wan and Fan Liushi’s indenture contracts and sell them far away.”
Zhou Shaojin nodded, docile as a little cat.
Seeing this, Zhou Chujin couldn’t bear it, and her voice softened somewhat. “If you feel bored, read some poetry anthologies at home, or do some embroidery and needlework. If that won’t do, have Xiao Tan accompany you in shuttlecock kicking…”
She could do anything—just not be allowed to meet Uncle Chi again.
Zhou Shaojin understood her sister’s intentions and repeatedly promised. Only then did Zhou Chujin’s expression lighten slightly.
When Cheng Chi received the news and learned that Zhou Shaojin was well, only confined and not allowed to see him, the heart that had been suspended in anxiety finally settled.
After such an incident occurred, many people would directly place the blame on the woman—at best scolding her, at worst beating her. He feared Shaojin would suffer grievances because of him.
Fortunately, Zhou Chujin was as Zhou Shaojin had said—both mother and sister, treating her with abundant affection, merely not allowing them to meet.
Cheng Chi went to take leave of Old Madam Guo: “…I didn’t expect Chujin to detect something amiss. With such a major matter, she’ll certainly ask Minister Zhou to step forward and resolve it. I want to personally make a trip to Baoding Prefecture before Chujin’s letter arrives, to meet Minister Zhou and propose marriage to him.”
He still couldn’t bring himself to shamelessly say in front of his mother that he had improper intentions toward Shaojin and had been caught by Zhou Chujin.
A mother knows her own son.
If he didn’t want others to know, he certainly had ways to ensure they wouldn’t.
Even if he slipped up, it was mostly because Zhou Shaojin couldn’t hide it well.
Old Madam Guo didn’t expose this and smiled, saying, “What if Chujin’s letter has already reached Baoding Prefecture?”
Cheng Chi said with complete confidence, “It won’t. I’ll definitely reach Baoding Prefecture before Chujin’s letter.”
Meaning he would have to employ some tactics!
Hearing this, even Old Madam Guo couldn’t help but worry for Zhou Shaojin.
This child—meeting Fourth Son, was it her fortune or misfortune?
She said, “Go quickly then! If you can’t find suitable gifts in time, go to my storeroom and take some. When you meet Minister Zhou, you must be careful and cautious. Bow your head when you should bow your head, apologize when you should apologize. The bride’s family holds their heads high, while the groom’s family must humble themselves. They’ve raised their daughter like a precious treasure, and she’ll come to our home to manage household affairs, help you serve your elders, and bear children—you should be deeply grateful. Don’t take that foul temper you display outside to the Zhou family. And don’t rely on Shaojin liking you to feel emboldened. The more this is the case, the more respectful you should be toward the Zhou family, the better you should treat Shaojin. Only such a married couple can last long and live better and better together.” After saying this, she couldn’t help but sigh again. “It’s a pity I only gave birth to you three sons. If I had a daughter, I could experience having one daughter sought by a hundred families, taste what it’s like to have others watch my expression!”
Cheng Chi laughed heartily and said, “Mother, don’t worry! I’m not someone who doesn’t understand social graces—I know this principle. If you want to taste the feeling of having one daughter sought by a hundred families, after Shaojin enters the family and bears you a granddaughter, you can be in charge of her marriage arrangements, won’t that work?”
“You’re just talking!” Old Madam Guo wouldn’t fall for it. “Once children are born, you’ll be so delighted you won’t know what to do. Don’t try to make me happy here—go quickly and persuade your father-in-law. Otherwise, where will the wife come from, where will the daughter come from?”
Back when, she had said the same thing to her eldest and second sons.
And the result? Once married, each one prioritized their own small family first.
However, everyone was the same.
She had been the same when young.
All thinking of their own small families first.
Old Madam Guo smiled faintly.
Cheng Chi, however, coaxed the old madam: “Shaojin is different from others—you watched her grow up. After she marries into the family, household matters will still require your guidance. Just don’t abandon us when the time comes!”
Old Madam Guo smiled and shook her head, saying, “This world belongs to you young people. I’m old—some matters you must decide for yourselves.”
But after Cheng Chi left, the old lady sat before her mirror looking again and again, leaning close to the mirror and saying to Nanny Shi, “My white hair seems to have increased again?”
After Old Master passed away, Old Madam Guo no longer paid attention to her appearance. As white hair gradually appeared, Nanny Shi and others had advised the old madam to dye it, but the old madam waved her hand dismissively, saying, “Dye what? Whatever age you are, that’s what you are. Do you think if I dye my hair I’ll truly become a seventeen or eighteen-year-old young lady?”
Why, after so many years, was the old madam suddenly concerned about her white hair?
Old Madam Guo said implicitly, “I was thinking, I helped eldest son raise Zheng Ge’er and Xiao Ge’er, helped second son raise Sheng Ge’er. When fourth son marries, I should at least help him raise a daughter!”
So she was afraid Fourth Master would dislike her for being too old!
Nanny Shi smiled and said, “So you must take good care of your health. Fourth Master’s household will still be counting on you to be in charge in the future!”
She thought Old Madam Guo would surely be modest after hearing this, but unexpectedly Old Madam Guo nodded very seriously and said, “I think so too—eldest son’s and second son’s households don’t need me to worry, but if fourth son marries Shaojin, that child is so young, the first few years I’ll have to help them out no matter what!”
Nanny Shi couldn’t help but smile with pursed lips and said quietly, “Old Madam, Madam has invited Second Madam Fang and Grand Madam Liao to visit.”
Old Madam Guo smiled without speaking.
In Apricot Grove Alley, Yuan Shi’s wet nurse was helping Yuan Shi select fabric from the storeroom.
Yuan Shi finally chose a bolt of dark green brocade with persimmon-calyx pattern and folded branch flowers, instructing her personal senior maid Yun Bin: “Take this to Madam Wang and have her make me a vest.”
Yun Bin acknowledged and left.
Having come from Jinling, Yuan Shi had brought Madam Wang from the Jiuru Lane sewing room.
She said to her wet nurse, “Only after moving here did I realize that Apricot Grove Alley is really too cramped. We can’t even set up a proper sewing room… Once Miss Min from the Min family enters the family, the household will have even more people. We can’t have Madam Wang handle everything—I think we need to add someone to assist Madam Wang. I wonder if any of the household maids have good needlework skills?”
The wet nurse mentioned several names, but Yuan Shi wasn’t satisfied with any. Finally she said, “Then let’s just buy one from outside.”
The wet nurse smiled and agreed, but her expression showed hesitation.
Yuan Shi smiled and said, “What can’t you say?”
Clearly, she was in a good mood.
But the wet nurse still hesitated repeatedly before saying quietly, “Marrying the sixth young lady from the Fang family… is that appropriate?”
The sixth Miss Fang was only sixteen years old, more than ten years younger than Fourth Master!
Moreover, that sixth Miss Fang had been raised in the palm of her hand, while Fourth Master was an extremely cold and stern person. The two were poles apart—could they live together harmoniously?
Seeing that no servants were in the room, Yuan Shi said meaningfully, “Precisely because the sixth Miss Fang was raised in a honey jar, with a simple mind and easy to talk to, I had this idea to act as matchmaker for Fourth Uncle—you don’t know, Old Madam has substantial wealth! Just the trunks moved to the Chaoyangmen side numbered over two hundred sixty. Old Madam’s heart is completely biased. Second sister-in-law is someone who doesn’t manage affairs. If third sister-in-law can’t be of one mind with me, even if I had the ability to steal the sky and change the sun, I couldn’t withstand someone pulling my legs from behind!”
So she was counting on the sixth Miss Fang being easy to manipulate.
But was Old Madam someone so easily fooled?
The wet nurse couldn’t help saying, “Madam, I think this matter should be considered more carefully. If Old Madam doesn’t agree, wouldn’t you be offending the Fang family this way? You should first consult with Old Madam before inviting Second Madam Fang and Grand Madam Liao to visit—it’s not too late.”
Yuan Shi smiled and said, “I must first probe Second Madam Fang’s and Grand Madam Liao’s attitudes, right? Lest we be the only ones eager while they’re not!” Speaking of this, her brow furrowed slightly. She said thoughtfully, “It’s just that this residence is really too small… Now that we’ve separated from Jiuru Lane, Master is the eldest son. Old Madam residing at Chaoyangmen for so long is somewhat improper—those who know say Old Madam prefers the spaciousness there; those who don’t might think Old Madam is angry with Master about the branch separation, misunderstanding that Old Madam didn’t want to separate and that Master and Old Madam have discord.
“But with Jiashan getting married, where will Old Madam live when she moves back? We can’t have Old Madam live in the back chambers, can we? Old Madam has lived in wealth and honor all her life—she’s never suffered such grievance! Master would be furious with me! But what can I do? Can I conjure up a place?
“I’m thinking we need to exchange for a more spacious residence.”
On such matters, the wet nurse didn’t dare speak.
Yuan Shi pondered in her heart, and the more she thought, the more she felt their current residence was too small.
When Cheng Jing returned, she told him her idea.
Cheng Jing also felt somewhat uncomfortable these days with his mother living at Chaoyangmen, but he currently didn’t have the silver to exchange for a larger residence. Hearing this, he couldn’t help but frown and say, “I’ll discuss this matter with Mother myself—don’t get involved. This residence was purchased by Duke Zhi over a hundred years ago. When our elders served as officials in the capital, they all lived here. Fourth brother was even born here… How can we just sell this residence?”
Having been married for many years, Yuan Shi knew her husband’s temperament.
In small matters, he usually didn’t interfere and let her handle things. But if it concerned Old Madam or the Cheng family, he would personally oversee it and take it very seriously.
Hearing him say this, she nodded repeatedly, appearing very respectful. But what she said made Cheng Jing very troubled: “Then where will Mother live when she moves back? If it weren’t for Jiashan getting married and needing the main hall for the wedding ceremony, I would have long since given the main residence to Mother. What should we do now? Master, you must give me a decision.”