At the mansion near Chaoyangmen, things were lively and bustling.

Everyone was gathered around the table drinking Laba porridge.

Following the principle of silence while eating and sleeping.

After Yuan Shi finished her Laba porridge, she set down her spoon and praised it repeatedly with a smile. “No wonder Mother is so reluctant to leave. Fourth Sister-in-law’s Laba porridge is truly delicious—not only sweet and glutinous, but sweet without being cloying. I wonder how Fourth Sister-in-law made it. Someday you should instruct the kitchen matrons at Xinglin Alley.”

Zhou Shaojin also set down her bowl and said gently, “This isn’t anything difficult. Elder Sister-in-law can have that matron come find Biyu anytime—Biyu is managing the kitchen affairs now!”

She wasn’t a kitchen matron herself—why should she deal with the kitchen matrons from Xinglin Alley?

Zhou Shaojin deflected the request with subtle firmness.

Old Madam Guo’s eyes flickered briefly, but she said nothing.

Qiu Shi lowered her head in silence.

Yuan Shi was secretly astonished.

She hadn’t expected that Zhou Shaojin, who appeared so gentle and weak, actually had a needle hidden in silk wadding. Originally intending to suppress her somewhat, she had ultimately been outmaneuvered instead.

They really had interacted too little in the past!

Yuan Shi reflected, putting away her casual disdain. Knowing her words and actions today had been inferior, she tried to salvage the situation with a smile. “That’s even better. I’ll have the kitchen matron from Xinglin Alley come find Biyu, come here to learn some skills secretly, and make a few dishes Mother enjoys.”

As she spoke, her gaze fell on Old Madam Guo.

Old Madam Guo smiled without speaking.

She knew what Yuan Shi had come for.

With the New Year approaching, she had come to take her back to Xinglin Alley.

Otherwise, when relatives and friends came to pay New Year visits, where would her face be?

Old Madam Guo slowly took another sip of porridge before saying, “At my age, I’m reluctant to change. The dishes I like, back and forth, are just those few. There’s no need for such trouble.”

The implication being: you’re the eldest daughter-in-law, married into the Cheng family for so many years, yet you don’t even know what your mother-in-law likes to eat—how have you been showing filial piety?

Yuan Shi’s face paled slightly.

Qiu Shi couldn’t bear to watch. After thinking for a moment, she tried to smooth things over with a laugh. “Mother, hasn’t A’Sheng’s Laba porridge arrived yet? That girl knows how to sweet-talk people. She said the other day she would personally make Laba porridge and send it over, but there’s still no sign of her…”

Zhou Shaojin didn’t like Yuan Shi, but she didn’t want to make things difficult for Qiu Shi, who had always been kind to her. She smiled and responded, “I’ll have Chun Wan go check. Perhaps someone has already arrived and is still at the gate.”

Before her words had finished, a little maid came running in, breathing heavily.

“Old Madam, Fourth Madam.” She looked so anxious she was nearly in tears. “A eunuch from the palace has come to deliver an edict, saying the palace will be bestowing Laba porridge shortly, and that the Empress specifically named Old Madam to receive it…”

Old Madam Guo’s expression darkened.

This was the problem with a newly established household—the maids and matrons had all seen nothing of the world. Even the smallest matter could send them into a panic.

Zhou Shaojin felt it too.

Before Old Madam Guo could speak, she said sternly, “Old Madam and I are both at home—what are you panicking about? Stand properly, catch your breath, and speak clearly!”

Seeing that the people seated in the room remained perfectly still, the maid’s anxious heart finally settled. She took several deep breaths and clearly recounted the entire matter again.

Yuan Shi’s heart surged with shock and turmoil.

Every Laba Festival, the Emperor would send eunuchs to deliver Laba porridge to important ministers at court.

Cheng Jing of the Cheng family was a Grand Secretariat minister living at Xinglin Alley, so the porridge was sent to Xinglin Alley.

Now the Inner Palace had specially sent down an edict to deliver Laba porridge to Old Madam Guo… which meant Old Madam Guo was receiving her own special honor.

But when had the old lady registered with the Empress?

In the early years when she had married in, the old lady had never entered the palace except for the grand court assembly on the first day of the month. Even when she did enter the palace, she would go and return quickly, never lingering in the inner quarters. How was it that now… after not entering the capital for over a decade, just a few months after arriving she could be remembered by the Empress… Most critically, she worried that with this special honor, Old Madam Guo would be even more demanding of her, and might even affect Cheng Jing’s opinion of her through her influence on him!

Yuan Shi’s heart filled with anxiety and unease, but her face remained impassive as she stood and smiled, instructing Nanny Shi who was attending nearby, “Quickly prepare the incense table and red envelopes to receive the edict.”

The incense table was used for receiving edicts, while the red envelopes were for rewarding the eunuchs delivering the Laba porridge.

But no one in the room moved.

Old Madam Guo lowered her eyelids.

The maids looked at Zhou Shaojin.

Qiu Shi anxiously tugged at Yuan Shi’s sleeve.

This was Chaoyangmen, not Xinglin Alley.

Yuan Shi belatedly realized.

Then she was submerged by a tide of anger.

She was the eldest daughter-in-law of this family, the principal wife of the Cheng household. Did she not even have the right to speak on such matters?

What did Zhou Shaojin understand?

She was helping Zhou Shaojin!

How could her mother-in-law accuse her of overstepping!

The more Yuan Shi thought about it, the angrier she became, until even her fingertips began trembling.

Zhou Shaojin didn’t even glance at her.

In her previous life, she had known how domineering Yuan Shi was. She could yield to her on other matters, but having a home of her own was the dream of her two lifetimes—she would never allow anyone to destroy it.

She instructed the maid, “Go tell the steward to prepare the incense table and red envelopes.”

A flash of satisfaction appeared in the maid’s eyes.

When they had first entered the household, Nanny Shang had told them that working at Chaoyangmen, receiving Chaoyangmen’s monthly wages, they needed to be clear about exactly whom they were serving and who was paying their monthly stipends. She hadn’t run around randomly, and it had indeed been the right decision.

The little maid curtsied and hastily withdrew.

Zhou Shaojin then smiled and said, “Mother, you should go in and change your clothes.”

In her previous life, she had also entered the palace and received edicts.

Old Madam Guo smiled and nodded, allowing Zhou Shaojin to help her into the inner chamber, where she quietly asked, “Do you still remember what I told you last time about receiving edicts?”

“I remember.” Zhou Shaojin felt something strange in her heart as she repeated what Old Madam Guo had told her at that time.

Old Madam Guo nodded with satisfaction. She dressed formally according to her rank and led Zhou Shaojin, Yuan Shi, and Qiu Shi to wait in the heated alcove by the entrance.

Before long, Eunuch Qian from Cining Palace arrived with a young eunuch.

Besides the Empress’s edict, there was also a bowl of cold Laba porridge.

Old Madam Guo and the others knelt to receive the edict, express thanks, and accept it.

Eunuch Qian, who had just been solemnly reading the imperial edict, suddenly seemed like a different person—his back bent, his face blooming with smiles as he addressed Old Madam Guo warmly. “Old Madam, it’s been quite some years since we’ve seen each other, hasn’t it? Yesterday the Duchess of Pengcheng mentioned in the palace that you had come to the capital, and only then did the Empress learn of it. So today she had Laba porridge sent over. You truly are blessed, Old Madam—three metropolitan graduates in one family. No, wait, five metropolitan graduates! Old Master Shao and the late Old Master Xun were also metropolitan graduates. I hear your grandson was last year’s provincial examination top scholar from South Zhili, and before that was first in the preliminary examination. My goodness, looking across this entire dynasty, no one has the blessings you do, Old Madam. The Empress also said that when the Duchess of Pengcheng enters the palace, you should be invited to come along, so the Empress and the Duchess of Pengcheng can both see you—nowadays the Heir Apparent of Pengcheng is becoming increasingly unmanageable. Even the Empress often finds herself at a loss. What is to be done!”

The Duchess of Pengcheng was the Empress’s mother.

The Earl of Pengcheng was the Empress’s younger brother, and moreover, her only younger brother.

Old Madam Guo smiled. “Eunuch, you’re too kind. It’s merely that the children themselves are diligent. Please help me thank the Empress when you return. Tell her that this old woman will certainly accompany the Duchess of Pengcheng to pay respects to the Empress.” She then personally handed two large red envelopes to Eunuch Qian.

Eunuch Qian left with a face full of smiles.

Old Madam Guo’s expression also grew calm.

Yuan Shi showed a hesitant look. “Mother, why did the Empress suddenly think of you?”

“I wouldn’t say it was sudden.” Old Madam Guo said. “In the past when your second uncle was tutoring the Crown Prince, the Empress was very close to your late second aunt, and I also met her a few times. This time she probably heard our family was dividing the clan and wanted to summon me to the palace to ask about it! Otherwise she wouldn’t have thought of me after the Duchess of Pengcheng entered the palace.”

Hearing this, Yuan Shi couldn’t help feeling guilty. She quickly said, “Mother, when the time comes, shall I accompany you?”

“No need.” Old Madam Guo said. “Let Shaojin accompany me instead—we still don’t know how the Empress views this matter!”

Yuan Shi wanted to speak but hesitated.

Old Madam Guo glanced at her. “Don’t worry. I agreed to the clan division. If the Empress asks, I know what to say.”

“Mother!” Yuan Shi felt both ashamed and embarrassed.

But Old Madam Guo just smiled. “Enough, enough. Today is Laba Festival—everyone should be happy. Shaojin, take the porridge the Empress bestowed to the kitchen. When Da Lang and the others come, we’ll all share it together.”

Cheng Jing and Cheng Wei were both at their offices, while Cheng Xu and Cheng Rang were at their studies. They would all only finish work and classes around the hour of You in the afternoon.

Zhou Shaojin smiled her acknowledgment.

Cheng Sheng sent someone over with Laba porridge.

Zhou Shaojin had just given a reward and packed a small jar of Laba porridge made at Chaoyangmen as a return gift, seeing the person off, when Cheng Zheng sent someone with Laba porridge… By noon, the house was filled with all varieties of Laba porridge, and news from Jining had also reached Chaoyangmen, reaching the ears of Old Madam Guo and the others.

Old Madam Guo slammed her palm down on the platform table with a “smack” and said to Yuan Shi, “What have you been doing all this time? Such a major matter, and you didn’t hear even a whisper of it. What have you been doing when you visit the Yuan and Fang families? Who can’t engage in household gossip—what use are you? Have your eyes been blinded by wealth and glory? Has your heart been clouded by scheming? Running from house to house all day long—what you should know, you know nothing about; what you shouldn’t know, you know everything about…”

Being scolded like this by her mother-in-law in front of her two sisters-in-law, including Zhou Shaojin whom she looked down upon so much… Yuan Shi wanted to die.

Qiu Shi was also a daughter-in-law and naturally could understand Yuan Shi’s feelings. She pulled Zhou Shaojin out of the resting room and said in a low voice, “At this moment we should withdraw to avoid causing Elder Sister-in-law further embarrassment.”

If she wants to save face, why doesn’t she do proper work!

Zhou Shaojin grumbled inwardly and went with Qiu Shi to the tea room to drink tea.

Cheng Zheng had someone bring word that Gu Xu had a fellow examination graduate working at the Office of Transmission and that he had already arranged to meet him—then they would know what had happened in Jining.

Hearing this, Yuan Shi breathed a sigh of relief.

Cheng Zheng was her daughter. Such effort and concern also compensated somewhat for her mistake.

But Old Madam Guo showed no appreciation. She glanced coldly at Yuan Shi and said, “It’s fortunate we didn’t let you raise A’Zheng back then!”