Zhou Zhen tossed and turned, unable to sleep all night.
He thought of when Zhuang Shi was alive—besides studying, he had lived with clothes stretched out to him and meals brought to his mouth, never needing to manage anything. Even social dealings with Jiuru Lane, she had handled everything perfectly, earning everyone’s praise.
He couldn’t help thinking how wonderful it would be if Zhuang Shi were still alive. He wouldn’t need to worry about Shaojin’s marriage at all—he would only need to earn money properly to add to his daughter’s dowry.
Thinking of this, he could no longer lie still. He simply got up and went to offer another stick of incense before Zhuang Shi’s memorial.
The Zhuang Shi in the portrait was actually much plainer than her appearance in life—this had been intentional on his part. He had always felt Zhuang Shi was too beautiful, and their marriage had been harmonious without a single flaw, perfectly embodying that saying “beauty is ill-fated, deep affection brings early death.”
He sighed.
Li Chang Gui was peering around at the doorway.
Zhou Zhen frowned and called him in, scolding, “Can’t you stand up straight to speak? Sneaking around like that—what kind of appearance does that make?”
Ever since Fourth Master of the Cheng family had come to visit the master yesterday, the master found fault with everything.
Li Chang Gui laughed sheepishly, not daring to say an extra word.
Zhou Zhen demanded, “What do you want?”
Li Chang Gui immediately shrank back and said in a low voice, “It’s Fourth Master of the Cheng family’s First Branch—he’s sent in a calling card…”
“Don’t accept it!” Zhou Zhen said without thinking. “From now on, I won’t accept any cards from their family.”
Li Chang Gui said “Mm” but didn’t immediately withdraw.
Zhou Zhen said impatiently, “Is there something else?”
Li Chang Gui’s voice dropped even lower as he said, “Fourth Master of the Cheng family’s First Branch… is standing outside the government office waiting!”
“Then let him wait!” Zhou Zhen felt irritated just hearing about it and waved his hand at Li Chang Gui as if shooing away a fly.
Li Chang Gui quickly withdrew.
The early autumn midday sun still burned fiercely on one’s skin.
Cheng Chi stood with imposing bearing, a flawless jade cicada hanging from his waist, radiating noble air from head to toe.
The gatekeepers of the government office came out to look several times but didn’t dare approach to drive Cheng Chi away.
Standing in the glaring sunlight, Cheng Chi suddenly recalled when he was seven or eight years old, standing in the sunlight practicing his stance training just like this.
Back then, he hadn’t known what the Seven Star Hall meant—he had been filled with excitement, as if once he mastered the stance, he would be invincible and could save his family from peril.
So many years had passed. Once again he stood in the sunlight.
This time, though, it was for himself.
For that young girl who trusted him with her whole heart.
Cheng Chi’s mood was calm as still water as he stood there quietly, letting those entering and exiting the government office point and whisper.
Huai Shan felt wronged on Cheng Chi’s behalf.
Fourth Master of the Cheng family’s First Branch, heaven’s favored son, Hall Master of the Seven Star Hall—a figure whose slightest movement made the entire martial world tremble—now stood here being scrutinized because of Second Miss Zhou.
He brought over an umbrella.
Cheng Chi smiled and said, “No need! Prefect Zhou probably wants to punish me a bit. Don’t get involved.”
Huai Shan remained unmoved and continued holding the umbrella for him.
Cheng Chi let him be.
Zhou Zhen spent the entire morning in the front office handling official business, but his heart felt as if something was weighing on it, making him restless.
After a long while, he finally understood—Li Chang Gui had said Cheng Chi was still standing outside the government office…
He looked at the bright sunlight outside and called Li Chang Gui to ask, “Is Fourth Master still standing outside?”
Li Chang Gui nodded repeatedly and said, “People coming to the office on business are all asking what’s going on! Master, look, shouldn’t you let Fourth Master come in… If people keep seeing this, within a few days it will spread throughout Baoding Prefecture. What if someone recognizes Fourth Master’s identity… others will think you and the Cheng family’s First Branch have some grudge!”
Zhou Zhen hadn’t expected Cheng Chi to disregard his dignity like this.
But if he summoned Cheng Chi to come sit inside… wouldn’t that be admitting defeat!
His expression darkened as he said, “If he wants to stand there for everyone to gawk at, let him stand!” Then he turned and headed back to the inner quarters without looking back, to have lunch and take his afternoon nap.
Nanny Li summoned Li Chang Gui and asked, “How did it go? What did Master say?”
Li Chang Gui said somewhat despondently, “I told Master what Madam instructed me to say, but Master is the same as yesterday.”
“Thank you for your trouble!” Nanny Li quickly smiled and slipped a piece of silver to Li Chang Gui, saying, “Madam is doing this for Second Young Miss’s good, for the good of this household. Please bear with us, Li Chang Sui.”
Li Chang Gui made a show of declining twice before accepting the silver.
Nanny Li rushed off to Li Shi’s quarters.
Li Shi had been waiting anxiously. Seeing Nanny Li, she quickly asked, “How did it go?”
Nanny Li sighed and shook her head.
Li Shi’s face filled with disappointment.
She twisted her handkerchief worriedly and murmured, “What if Fourth Master gets angry and leaves?”
Nanny Li was also worried and said, “Why don’t you go persuade Master?”
“That won’t work!” Li Shi said. “I know Master’s temperament—the more I speak, the less he’ll agree…” She muttered quietly with concern, “This is a major matter… If Shaojin could marry Fourth Master, what a wonderful thing it would be… No, I can’t let this matter fall through…” As she spoke, her expression became resolute and she instructed Nanny Li, “Quickly find a way to send word to Eldest Master, say something major has happened here and he should come immediately.”
Nanny Li hurried off.
Li Shi took tea to Zhou Zhen’s quarters.
Zhou Zhen had just gotten up and a young servant was helping him wash his face. Seeing Li Shi, he said coldly, “What are you here for?”
Li Shi silently congratulated herself for not having thought to persuade Zhou Zhen again.
She smiled and said, “Isn’t the Double Ninth Festival coming soon? I was thinking whether we should send some things to Old Madam Guan. Didn’t a letter come from Jinling recently saying Old Madam Guan wasn’t feeling well? Why don’t we have Old Madam Guan come stay with us for a while? A son-in-law is half a son, and she treats you so well—it would be good for us to show our filial respect to her.”
After the Jiuru Lane branch division, Old Madam Guan had been both anxious and angry, falling ill for many days before recovering.
Zhou Zhen glanced at Li Shi and said, “You’re certainly breaking your heart over this marriage matter!”
Hearing this, Li Shi’s eyes reddened as she said, “Master, you wrong me. I listen to everything you say—if you say one, I would never say two. If anyone’s to blame, blame my belly for not producing a son. Master only has First Young Madam and the three sisters under his knee. If we don’t maintain close ties with the young masters in Jinling, I fear when they marry there won’t even be anyone to help carry the wedding sedan…”
Her words struck Zhou Zhen’s heart at once.
His close relationship with Jiuru Lane had much to do with the Zhou family’s sparse male lineage.
Zhou Zhen said nothing and walked out.
Sitting in the government office, his heart felt as uncomfortable as if sand had fallen into it.
He called Li Chang Gui again to ask, “Has Fourth Master of the Cheng family left?”
“No!” Li Chang Gui said somewhat timidly. “He’s been standing at the office entrance… Magistrate Huang went to speak with him, but Fourth Master made no response…” He couldn’t help advising, “Master, if Fourth Master really does become your son-in-law, how will the people in this office view things…”
“Shut your mouth!” Zhou Zhen flew into a rage.
Li Chang Gui shrank his neck and ran off. Shortly after, he came back in to report, “Assistant Magistrate Huang has arrived!”
Zhou Zhen invited Assistant Magistrate Huang in.
Assistant Magistrate Huang’s eyes flickered as he inquired about Cheng Chi.
Zhou Zhen brushed him off with a few words.
Before long, Director Tan from the Records Office came over. After finishing official business, he tactfully inquired about who Cheng Chi was.
Zhou Zhen found it tiresome. After sending Director Tan off, he returned to the inner hall.
Li Shi was playing with Zhou Youjin in the main hall.
Seeing Zhou Zhen, Zhou Youjin immediately rushed over, calling “Papa” indistinctly.
Zhou Zhen picked up Zhou Youjin and asked Li Shi reproachfully, “She’s this old—why can’t she speak yet?”
Li Shi’s eyes dimmed as she said, “I don’t know either—I have the people serving her talk to her every day now!”
Zhou Zhen played with Zhou Youjin for a while, then had dinner with Li Shi before returning to his study.
But as soon as he returned to the study, he summoned Li Chang Gui to ask, “Has Fourth Master of the Cheng family left?”
Li Chang Gui quickly said, “He’s left!”
Zhou Zhen breathed a sigh of relief.
He couldn’t tell if he felt happy or relieved.
The next day, Cheng Chi sent in another calling card.
Zhou Zhen still refused to see him.
Cheng Chi stood outside the government office for another full day.
On the third day, Cheng Chi came again…
This continued for four or five days. Everyone at the Baoding Prefecture office was discussing the matter, but Cheng Chi’s mouth was sealed tight as a clam—he wouldn’t respond to anyone’s questions.
Zhou Zhen immediately hardened his heart and said loudly to Li Chang Gui, “Go tell Fourth Master of the Cheng family that even if he turns into a stone statue standing at the office entrance, I will never agree.”
Li Chang Gui acknowledged quietly.
Cheng Chi continued going his own way, sending in a calling card every day and waiting for Zhou Zhen to see him.
By the Mid-Autumn Festival on the fifteenth of the eighth month, Zhou Zhen really couldn’t withstand it anymore. He summoned Cheng Chi and said, “What exactly do you want? I’ve already said that if you want to marry Shaojin, it’s impossible. I cannot let Shaojin suffer with you…”
After days of wind and rain, Cheng Chi showed more weathering than before.
He said calmly, “Prefect Zhou, I was born on the seventh day of the seventh month in the Xinwei year. I am a jinshi from the Renchen examination of the fifteenth year of Zhide. I have not yet married. I am the youngest in my family. I have a widowed mother, two elder brothers, two sisters-in-law, three nieces, and two nephews. Soon I will assume the position of Vice Director in the Water Conservancy Department of the Ministry of Works, going to the office of the Grand Canal Governor in Jining Prefecture to assist Yang Shoushan in controlling the Yellow River floods. I ask you to betroth your daughter to me. I will certainly accompany her through poverty and wealth, never abandoning her. I beg Prefect Zhou’s permission!”
Zhou Zhen’s expression shifted slightly.
When Cheng Chi entered officialdom, he didn’t go to the Ministry of Personnel or the Censorate, but went to the Water Conservancy Department of the Ministry of Works to take a minor position as Vice Director, going to the Grand Canal Governor’s office in Jining to help Yang Shoushan with water conservancy… he either had great ambition or great capability!
Whether the former or the latter, both were worthy of respect.
He couldn’t help saying, “If you’re going to Jining, would you have Shaojin follow you there to suffer?”
Cheng Chi’s heart eased.
Since Zhou Zhen could say such things, he had clearly considered what it would be like if Shaojin married him.
He wasn’t afraid of Zhou Zhen making difficulties—he feared Zhou Zhen being single-mindedly opposed.
“Shaojin is still young, but I want to establish our betrothal.” Cheng Chi said solemnly, his expression earnest and sincere. One could see these words weren’t spoken on impulse but were deeply considered. “I’ll be in Jining for five years at most, three years at minimum before returning. That would be better for Shaojin too. If she wants to follow me to Jining, she can go. If she wants to stay in the capital, she can keep my mother company. My mother has never treated her as an outsider…”
The implication was that he would wait several years before consummating the marriage with Zhou Shaojin.