Zhou Shaojin’s face flushed red with embarrassment.

She wasn’t so delicate as all that—she was just too embarrassed and somewhat uncomfortable. Yet both Old Madam Guo and Cheng Chi seemed to think she would fall over if the wind blew on her, leaving her at a loss for what to do. If she accepted their kindness, she felt uneasy in her heart. If she didn’t accept their kindness, it would hurt their feelings.

Zhou Shaojin could only murmur her thanks, saying, “I’m fine… I’d rather stay and serve the Old Madam.”

Nanny Lü had served Old Madam Guo for many years and knew that the Old Madam favored this youngest son most. Cheng Chi was also accomplished—he could earn money and knew how to please the old lady. Moreover, he was a proper two-examination degree holder who, with the old lady’s support, had entered official service. He had even used the excuse of making room for Master Xu to move to the Chaoyangmen area, even establishing the ancestral hall in this residence. Though Madam Yuan said nothing, she probably had long been grinding her teeth at the Old Madam in her heart. Others might not know what Madam Yuan’s grudge was about, but old servants like herself and Nanny Shi who had been moving about the inner quarters for years knew all too clearly.

The Old Madam was advanced in years. When she passed away, Madam Yuan wouldn’t do anything to them, but they shouldn’t expect any favors either. Especially for someone like her whose entire family served in the Cheng manor—it was best to choose sides early. Just like when the main branch and Jiuru Lane divided the clan, only those who consistently stood with the main branch weren’t abandoned. They either came to the capital or stayed in Jinling to help guard the sacrificial fields. Even those unwilling to leave their homeland were given manumission papers and gifted gold, silver, and farmland. Word was spread that if anything happened, they could come to the capital to find the Master or Old Madam, ensuring they not only had adequate food and clothing but wouldn’t be bullied by local idlers and petty officials.

She herself was supported by the Cheng family. But what about her sons and grandsons?

Would they become farmhands on an estate?

This morning when Old Madam Guo had her check on the activity in the bridal chamber, she had made up her mind.

Rather than curry favor with Madam Yuan, who held a grudge against Old Madam Guo and already had no shortage of fawning attendants, she might as well ingratiate herself with the Fourth Madam, who was favored by Old Madam Guo and Fourth Master but had no family foundation.

So after hearing Zhou Shaojin’s words, Nanny Lü’s response was particularly sincere: “Fourth Madam, please forgive my presumption. Of the Old Madam’s three daughters-in-law, she treats you like a daughter. In my view, you should put half your effort into being a daughter-in-law and half into being a daughter. The Old Madam would be delighted. Since the Old Madam has told you to rest, you should rest. Wait until near dinner time to have a maid call you. Then you can go serve the Old Madam. This way, the Old Madam will know you appreciate her kindness while you fulfill your duties as a daughter-in-law. Wouldn’t that be perfect?”

Zhou Shaojin was somewhat surprised.

That Nanny Lü could serve the Old Madam for so many years meant she was certainly no simple person. Wanting to hear heartfelt words from such people or get information from them was basically impossible.

What was with Nanny Lü today?

She hadn’t said anything herself, yet Nanny Lü poured out everything like beans from a bamboo tube, saying things she should and shouldn’t say… Her attentiveness was unmistakable.

With Nanny Lü’s status and position, there was no need for this at all!

This made Zhou Shaojin wonder silently. Yet she had to admit Nanny Lü’s words made sense. She thanked Nanny Lü with a smile.

Nanny Lü was very pleased. She thoughtfully helped Zhou Shaojin lie down, lowered the bed curtains, then left the gauze cabinet.

Perhaps because she had worried for two days before the wedding about what to do on the wedding night, and on the wedding night itself she had forced herself to accept Cheng Chi, and after accepting Cheng Chi he was difficult to satisfy—until now, with Cheng Chi’s joy and Old Madam Guo’s relief, her heart finally settled. As soon as she lay on the bed, fatigue crashed over her like a tidal wave. She couldn’t help but close her eyes and fall into a deep sleep.

Hazily, she heard someone speaking.

“…The young ones don’t understand, don’t know the gravity of things. By the time we knew, it was already done…” This was followed by a long sigh. “Even if we had known earlier, it would have been useless… She’s just a woman, an inner-quarters wife at that. Even as a daughter-in-law, even if she had such insight, she wouldn’t have such courage…”

Zhou Shaojin drowsily opened her eyes and listened for a while before identifying the speaker as Hong Xiu’s mother, the mother of the second branch’s Yi Grand Madam.

It seemed the Hong family didn’t want the second branch to become enemies with the main branch.

She lay there a while longer. Seeing the several old ladies continuing to talk, she could only pretend to sleep. Who knew she would drowsily fall asleep again.

In the Cheng family’s garden, Madam Yuan entertained the female guests watching opera.

Wei Second Madam Qiu led Cheng Zheng and Cheng Xiao in helping from the side.

Seeing the opera had begun and Cheng Zheng and Cheng Xiao were attentive yet appropriately reserved, Madam Yuan couldn’t help but breathe a long sigh of relief. A wave of fatigue washed over her.

She tried inviting several old madams and ladies to stay longer in the capital and leave after Jiashan’s wedding. The old madams and ladies all responded politely but with some distance. She immediately knew they were just being perfunctory with her. Even Old Madam Guo had no intention of returning to Jinling for New Year’s or staying here longer.

Madam Yuan’s expression inevitably darkened.

Fortunately, most of the Yuan family relatives were in the capital. If this were in Tongxiang, when her son married, her maternal family couldn’t even fill one table. What face would Jiashan have left?

Thinking of this, she felt she couldn’t stay another moment.

The Old Madam had slapped her face like this, yet she not only spent over three hundred taels of silver buying an antique hairpin as a meeting gift for Zhou Shaojin, but also busied herself front and back helping Zhou Shaojin entertain guests and manage the kitchen… and had to put on an appearance of being delighted and willing…

She was so frustrated she wanted to vomit blood.

She couldn’t bear it any longer. She stood up, quietly called her wet nurse over to give some instructions, then excused herself with a headache to rest in a side warming pavilion.

Cheng Zheng, who had been watching her mother, frowned almost imperceptibly.

Cheng Xiao came over and asked quietly, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing!” Cheng Zheng answered reflexively. Then, thinking she shouldn’t keep it from her sister—with so many guests in the house, if something happened it would be even more troublesome—after a moment’s silence, she said, “I’m afraid Mother can’t control herself and will lose composure. Keep an eye on things! If worst comes to worst, go keep Mother company.”

Cheng Xiao thought for a moment and said, “Then I’ll just go keep Mother company.”

The house wasn’t short of people to entertain guests, but there were few who dared speak to Mother.

Cheng Zheng nodded.

Cheng Xiao went to the warming pavilion.

Wu Baozhang, who had been sitting behind several old madams, old matrons, and ladies watching the opera, turned her head.

Madam Yuan had actually left early.

So it seemed not everyone in the Cheng family welcomed Zhou Shaojin.

A cold smile appeared at the corner of her mouth.

So many people—from the mothers of first-rank officials to matriarchs of century-old families, from wives of fourth-rank officials to young ladies in their prime—not one failed to praise Zhou Shaojin for being beautiful, gentle, and compliant. Yet not one person mentioned that she had formerly been just a pitiful creature living under someone else’s roof at Jiuru Lane… So it turned out everyone was equally snobbish. Seeing her enter this splendid place, each one painted a rosy picture, treating her as a noble lady from a wealthy family.

Wu Baozhang thought of the recognition ceremony earlier.

They were clearly old acquaintances, and she was even Zhou Shaojin’s cousin-in-law by marriage. Yet Zhou Shaojin acted as if she didn’t know her, not even glancing at her from the corner of her eye.

Wait, she wasn’t her cousin anymore—she was her clan aunt now. No wonder her eyes were on top of her head.

In this world, there were no flowers that bloomed for a hundred days, no careers that flourished for a lifetime. She was just afraid that one day when Zhou Shaojin fell on hard times, she would come begging!

She was just relying on having married Cheng Chi!

Thinking of Cheng Chi, Wu Baozhang’s heart felt like a hundred cats were scratching it.

Why did she get to marry Cheng Chi?

She couldn’t do anything, didn’t understand anything, didn’t know anything… A niece marrying her uncle—why wasn’t there a single person exposing Zhou Shaojin’s true face!

As Wu Baozhang thought this, her gaze fell on the female relatives who had come to recognize the family.

The Fang family and Min family hadn’t sent anyone. The Guo and Gu families had always been on good terms with the Cheng family. The Shen family? The Liao family?

Then she saw the elder sister-in-law of the second branch’s Yi Grand Madam—Grand Madam Hong.

Should she have a word with her?

Wu Baozhang stood up.

Grand Madam Guo also stood up and smiled. “Grand Madam Nuo, where are you going? Have you seen Grand Madam Shen? I don’t see her anywhere!”

Wu Baozhang nearly ground her teeth to powder.

This Grand Madam Guo was truly like a persistent ghost.

Since that day at the wedding, she had been keeping constant watch over her, using Grand Madam Shen to pressure her whenever she had the chance.

She wasn’t Grand Madam Shen’s daughter-in-law. Why should she serve Grand Madam Shen every day, acting as if she needed to follow rules in front of Grand Madam Shen?

But she didn’t dare say this.

Grand Madam Shen’s triangular eyes clearly showed she wasn’t someone to trifle with. Her father-in-law was preparing to stay in the capital to open a shop. She wanted to take advantage of the fifth branch’s Old Madam and Grand Madam both being absent to hurry back to Jinling and compete with Grand Madam Wen, using this opportunity to topple Grand Madam Wen so she could do as she pleased in the fifth branch!

She didn’t want complications or let Grand Madam Shen and Grand Madam Guo ruin her plans!

Wu Baozhang smiled respectfully and pointed ahead to Grand Madam Shen sitting a row away, smiling. “The Old Madam is just about to speak with Madam Qu!”

Qu Yuan’s wife had come today too, and had given a set of silver-gilded South Sea pearl hair ornaments. The three pearls on that center piece were each the size of a thumb—clearly worth a fortune.

Wu Baozhang’s chest immediately felt stuffy.

Grand Madam Guo had already said, “I need to go to the lavatory. Come with me, will you?”

Wu Baozhang helplessly agreed and went with Grand Madam Guo to the lavatory.

When the opera ended, there would still be fireworks to watch in the garden.

But Grand Madam Guo went to Old Madam Guo’s place. “Aunt, you need to be careful of that Grand Madam Nuo from the Jinling Prefect’s family. In my view, you should have her return to Jinling Prefecture as soon as possible. For Jiashan’s wedding, having Grand Master Wen and Master Nuo there won’t be considered improper…” She told Old Madam Guo about today’s events.

Old Madam Guo’s expression showed slight displeasure. “A good wife is half a man’s fortune. Grand Madam Wen is unreliable, and the daughter-in-law she found is equally unreliable. I think that’s just the fifth branch’s fate.”

Grand Madam Guo didn’t dare comment.

Old Madam Guo said, “I’m aware of this matter. Don’t mention it for now—just keep an eye on her. In a couple of days when things are less busy here, I’ll deal with this matter.”

Before she finished speaking, Zhou Shaojin’s sweet, soft voice came from outside the door. “Mother, Eldest Aunt, the tea is here!”

The two women exchanged glances and simultaneously dropped the topic, smiling as they responded, “Coming!”