Seeing Zhou Shaojin ask her so naturally and without affectation, Nanny Shang felt genuine joy from the bottom of her heart and said warmly, “Fourth Master rushed back early this morning—today is Old Madam’s birthday! Who would have thought that when he returned, Second Young Miss had already gone to Chaoyangmen, so Fourth Master gave the things to us. He also said that he might have quite a few social obligations these next few days, so it would be a few days before he could see Second Young Miss.”
Zhou Shaojin nodded and asked with a smile, “Is he going to take up his post in Jining?”
Nanny Shang smiled and said, “Originally he should have left these past few days, but because of Old Madam’s birthday, Fourth Master requested several days’ leave, and took advantage of this opportunity to go to Baoding Prefecture.”
In other words, everyone already knew about her upcoming engagement to Cheng Chi.
Zhou Shaojin’s face flushed crimson.
Nanny Shang laughed cheerfully and congratulated Zhou Shaojin.
Zhou Shaojin mumbled her thanks and bashfully retreated into the inner room.
At the Chaoyangmen residence, after seeing off the guests, Madam Yuan was helping Old Madam Guo remove her makeup.
Old Madam Guo closed her eyes and let Nanny Lu comb through her hair, asking Madam Yuan, “How are the preparations for the Min family marriage going? I noticed Jiashan didn’t seem very spirited.”
At the mention of this, Madam Yuan was filled with hatred and said, “It’s all because of those two despicable wretches Cheng Shi and Cheng Zheng. If not for them, Jiashan wouldn’t be like this!”
Which meant that since the incident with Shaojin, Jiashan still hadn’t recovered.
It would be better for her to stay at Chaoyangmen after all.
Old Madam Guo didn’t want to say another word to Madam Yuan.
She instructed Madam Yuan, “Have Jiashan come over tomorrow. I haven’t spoken with him for quite some days.”
A mother-in-law still feels for her grandson after all.
Madam Yuan smiled and replied “Yes,” then brought up Cheng Chi: “…Has it already been decided that he’ll take the post in Jining? Should I speak to my cousin? Water management is such hard work! Just let him go there to gain some experience and then come back, won’t you? Fourth Uncle isn’t young anymore either. In the past when he managed household affairs, we could only help find someone from among relatives who knew him well. Only those who knew Fourth Uncle’s character and learning wouldn’t be wronging him. Now that Fourth Uncle has an official position, the selection range is much wider.”
Old Madam Guo knew this was the main dish being served.
She smiled and said, “He’s already at this age anyway. If we rush to find him just any match, that would truly be wronging him. Let him have his way, shall we?”
Madam Yuan pondered for a moment upon hearing this and said, “Mother, what do you think of the Fang family’s sixth young lady, Axuan?”
Old Madam Guo smiled and said, “Why would you think of Axuan? Is she fifteen or sixteen this year? That’s much too young. Fourth Son needs to find a wife, not raise a daughter.”
Madam Yuan laughed and said, “Mother, the way you talk! When choosing a wife, one chooses virtue. Character comes first. Moreover, she’s only about ten years younger, and it would be his first marriage. Fourth Uncle cuts such a fine figure—how could he not be worthy of Axuan? If you ask me, it’s rather that Axuan is somewhat unworthy of Fourth Uncle—there are few young ladies with Axuan’s appearance and background, but it’s not as if there are none. It’s just that we know the Fang family’s background best, and Second Madam Fang is famously virtuous. Though Second Master Fang’s official position isn’t high, he has wide connections. A young lady raised in such a household would naturally have a cheerful and lively temperament, perfectly complementing Fourth Uncle. The more I think about it, the better it seems!”
Old Madam Guo made a sound of acknowledgment and began seriously considering this matter.
A flash of delight appeared in Madam Yuan’s eyes. She knew the old lady had a very strong personality. No matter how much she herself said, it wasn’t as good as the old lady thinking it through herself, so she stopped talking and took the handkerchief from the young maid’s hands, waiting to help Old Madam Guo wipe her hands after her hair was combed.
Second Madam Wei, Qiu Shi, came to pay her respects to Old Madam Guo.
Today being Old Madam Guo’s birthday, she was responsible for putting away those cups, bowls, vessels, and other items into storage.
Old Madam Guo took the opportunity to ask Qiu Shi, “What kind of wife do you think would be best for Fourth Son?”
Qiu Shi had always known that her sister-in-law Madam Yuan was domineering, and she herself wasn’t someone who liked to compete. Moreover, Madam Yuan had already been serving her mother-in-law in her quarters before she came—who knew if there was some conflict between mother-in-law and sister-in-law?
Fourth Uncle was her mother-in-law’s precious darling. She would rather offend her sister-in-law than offend this mother-in-law who treated her extremely well. Without a second thought, she smiled and said, “Fourth Uncle’s marriage should naturally be decided by you. How could we sisters-in-law have any say in it?”
Madam Yuan sneered inwardly.
This sister-in-law of hers never managed anything and never spoke up about anything, but as long as the old lady opened her mouth, the old lady was a hundred percent, a thousand percent right, and a thousand times, ten thousand times good—she had no opinions of her own whatsoever. Ordinarily she had been reprimanded by the old lady plenty of times, but from the looks of it, she hadn’t learned her lesson at all.
The old lady asked the wrong person.
But strangely, today Old Madam Guo somehow smiled and said, “You’re certainly gentle and compliant. I’m not worried that Fourth Son’s wife won’t get along well with you when she enters the family.”
Qiu Shi asked with surprise, “Do you already have someone in mind for Fourth Uncle’s match?”
“Not yet!” Old Madam Guo smiled and said, “I’m just thinking that sooner or later he must marry, and his wife will probably be much younger than you all.”
Qiu Shi quickly said obediently, “Your judgment will not be wrong. When the time comes, we’ll just treat her like a daughter and will certainly treat her well.”
Old Madam Guo smiled and nodded, saying, “It’s getting late. You’ve all been busy all day, so go rest! These next few days I need to prepare things for Fourth Son to take to his post, so I won’t be managing things for you. You don’t need to come pay respects to me every day either.”
By the time the news got out, they would still have plenty to keep them busy.
Madam Yuan and Qiu Shi respectfully acknowledged this and left with their respective maids and elderly servants.
Cheng Chi came to see his mother.
Old Madam Guo asked excitedly, “How did you get Master Zhou to agree?”
Cheng Chi knew his mother valued him. In the future, he would have his mother on one side and his father-in-law on the other—he didn’t want to offend either side. He omitted the matter of standing outside the yamen for several days, only mentioning Zhou Zhen’s discussion about water management with him: “…He even planned to take me to the village to look around. Since I was concerned about Mother’s birthday, I politely declined. Master Zhou then told me to leave the capital early, and when passing through Baoding Prefecture, to help him draft a plan which he would try to implement in the countryside to see if it could solve the problem of water-impoverished land.” When he got to this point, he couldn’t help but smile. “Then before I could bring up the marriage proposal again, Master Zhou took the initiative and told me to just follow the ancient rites in everything. I’ve already sent someone to prepare the betrothal gifts and want to finalize the marriage before going to Jining Prefecture to take up my post.”
“Good, good, good.” Old Madam Guo smiled with her eyes narrowed, beaming with pride. The more she looked at her son, the more pleased and satisfied she felt—whose family’s daughter-seeking son was like her son, getting the prospective father-in-law to nod in agreement with just a few words, asking nothing about betrothal gifts or money?
She quickly instructed Cheng Chi, “Although Master Zhou said so, we cannot omit any of the proper courtesies.”
Cheng Chi smiled and agreed, then said hesitantly, “Eldest Sister-in-law has some prejudice against Shaojin. I’m afraid that when the time comes, Eldest Sister-in-law will be unhappy about it and show Shaojin a sour face… Plus, once I leave, I won’t be back for three to five years. I’m not comfortable with you living alone at Chaoyangmen. If I have you move to Xinglin Alley, I’m even less comfortable. I want to bring Shaojin into the family early, so that after I leave, you’ll have someone to keep you company and chat with. Shaojin lost her mother young and had no one to guide her. You could also teach her how to manage household affairs.”
Old Madam Guo said in surprise, “You’re not planning to take Shaojin to your post?”
His mother was waiting to hold a grandchild—how could he dare say he wasn’t planning to consummate the marriage with Zhou Shaojin?
“If she goes with me to my post, what will you do?” Cheng Chi said firmly. “This matter is settled. Don’t try to persuade me otherwise. I don’t know how it is in other families, but in my household, it cannot be that once the daughter-in-law enters the family, the mother-in-law is pushed aside.”
Truly, a thousand words and ten thousand words can’t match flattery.
Old Madam Guo was incredibly happy inside and asked, “So have you thought about who to ask to be the matchmaker?”
“I’m planning to ask Master Song and Master Zhang.” Cheng Chi said, “One is the person who recommended me. The other is my direct superior. They’re also teacher and student—it couldn’t be better.”
Old Madam Guo agreed, and the two discussed matters until late into the night. Early the next morning, Old Madam Guo went to the Song household.
After learning the purpose of the visit, Madam Song was quite surprised, but thinking of Zhou Shaojin and Cheng Chi’s appearances, she also felt it was a match made in heaven and said, “It’s a pity my mother-in-law has passed, and I only have one son. Otherwise, I would volunteer myself to serve as the auspicious married woman for your family.”
Old Madam Guo laughed cheerfully and said, “Originally we didn’t want to trouble you, but your Master Song has shown great favor to our Fourth Son as his mentor and patron. Our Fourth Master says that for his wedding, no matter what, he must ask Master Song to be the matchmaker. You must come help me when the time comes. Since we split from the clan, there are only three brothers among them.” She added, “If we hadn’t split from the clan, I wouldn’t have even thought of making Shaojin my daughter-in-law. Now it can be considered a blessing from misfortune.”
Madam Song comforted Old Madam Guo for a long while and kept her for lunch before personally seeing Old Madam Guo off.
That evening when Song Jingran returned home and heard Madam Song mention this, he readily agreed.
Setting aside their current relationship, Cheng Chi’s learning alone was worthy of his respect.
Song Jingran and Zhang Huishun smoothly accepted the matchmaking duties. On Cheng Shao’s side, he was also very happy and said to Cheng Chi, “You must have several more children. Whether boys or girls, with more children in the family, it will be livelier!”
Thinking of the quietness throughout the courtyard when he arrived, Cheng Chi smiled and said, “If we have two boys, I’ll adopt one to Cousin Fen.”
But Cheng Shao shook his head and said sadly, “If you truly care, adopt a grandson to Brother Xun, won’t you? I cannot let him become a lonely ghost!”
Looking at his uncle whose temples had gone completely white, Cheng Chi felt a pang of sorrow for the first time.
Perhaps it was because he himself was about to marry, and his heart had grown softer?
But by the time he had grandchildren, Second Uncle would probably long since have departed this world—what meaning would that have?
Cheng Chi thought for a moment and said, “Second Uncle, why don’t you adopt a child from a charitable home to raise?”
Cheng Shao was stunned.
Cheng Chi said solemnly, “That year when I went to Huai’an to get salt permits, I encountered the breach of the Yongding River. Outside Huai’an city there were either children who had lost their parents or parents who had lost their children. At that time I thought, in the face of such suffering, clan inheritance is so fragile—which is more important, the continuation of the clan or life itself?”
This was like asking which was more important, the debt of birth or the debt of upbringing—an unsolvable question.
Cheng Shao smiled faintly and said, “I’m afraid clan property is more important, isn’t it?”
Cheng Chi laughed heartily.
Cheng Shao said, “Let’s discuss this matter after you’re married, shall we? I’m old now. Even if a child were brought back, I wouldn’t have the energy to raise them.”
But he was tempted nevertheless.
Cheng Chi smiled and took a sip of tea.