While Min Jia was contemplating how to use Wu Baozhang, Zhou Shaojin was happily seeing off Fan Liushi—three months ago, Li Shi had given birth to a son. Zhou Zhen was extremely delighted, and before the child was even a month old, he had already named him Zhou Zongjin. Since Zhou Chujin and Zhou Shaojin had both married far away in the capital, Zhou Zongjin’s full moon celebration only invited Zhou Zhen’s colleagues and friends from Baoding. By the time Zhou Chujin and Zhou Shaojin received the news, Zhou Zongjin was already approaching his hundredth-day celebration. After Zhou Chujin and Zhou Shaojin discussed it, they prepared two trunks full of just clothing and shoes for the infant, and another trunk packed with longevity locks, gold bracelets, and writing implements. Chi Xiang went from Zhou Chujin’s side, and Fan Liushi from Zhou Shaojin’s, both traveling together to Baoding Prefecture.

Zhou Shaojin also privately said to Cheng Chi: “The one Tinglan bore was called Jizu, but now that Madam has given birth, he’s called Zongjin. This shows that although Father wanted a son, he still distinguishes between legitimate and concubine-born children.”

Cheng Chi lightly tapped her head and laughed: “Stop talking nonsense. If he just wanted a son, where couldn’t he have one?”

Zhou Shaojin pouted and looked up at him, saying quietly: “I can’t give birth.”

Several months had passed—if she still couldn’t figure things out by now, she would truly be foolish.

But after these months, she had also lost her earlier restlessness.

She felt that since this was Cheng Chi’s decision, it surely wouldn’t be wrong.

Sometimes she could even joke about it with Cheng Chi.

Seeing those pink lips, Cheng Chi couldn’t help but lean down and kiss them.

Amid the gentle tenderness, he didn’t forget to bite her ear and laugh softly: “That’s even more outrageous… We’ll become parents next year… Jia girl should have given birth by then too, right? Our Shaojin will wait until they’ve all had their children before becoming a mother herself, so she won’t be bunched together with them, too busy to even attend full moon celebrations…”

Zhou Shaojin giggled and burrowed into his embrace.

The two were intimately close when they realized it was getting late. Only then did they tidy themselves up again and go to pay respects to Old Lady Guo.

Old Lady Guo was speaking with the Duchess of Pengcheng.

When Zhenzhu informed them, Cheng Chi laughed: “Why is she here again?”

Zhou Shaojin said quietly: “The Pengcheng Earl family…”

“That’s not it.” Cheng Chi laughed, “I’ve run into her two or three times now myself.”

Only then did Zhou Shaojin notice that the Duchess of Pengcheng seemed to always visit precisely when Cheng Chi had his rest days.

The couple couldn’t help but exchange glances before smiling and walking in.

The Duchess of Pengcheng didn’t avoid them, and even praised the couple: “Such filial children!”

After Old Lady Guo made a few modest remarks, Cheng Chi stood up to excuse himself.

The Duchess of Pengcheng seemed to want to say something but hesitated.

Old Lady Guo already understood in her heart. But one must maintain proper dignity. After Cheng Chi left, she smiled: “Did you have something you wished to say? This daughter-in-law of mine is most considerate. You can speak directly about anything, and she can pass word to Zichuan when the time comes.”

The Duchess’s expression clearly relaxed. Smiling, she took Zhou Shaojin’s hand and said: “I knew your daughter-in-law was an obedient one. It’s just this matter of mine…” She hesitated for a moment, then continued, “I’ve long heard people say that your family’s clan school back home is the finest in Jiangnan. I wonder if your family still accepts students? My grandson is quite hopeless and needs someone to discipline him properly.”

Both Old Lady Guo and Zhou Shaojin were quite surprised. Old Lady Guo said: “My two grandsons both study at academies in the capital. We could certainly put in a word with the main family in Jinling, but as the saying goes, a general in the field need not obey every command. How much more so when it comes to placing a child as far away as Jinling? I rather think, if you’re willing to trust us, you might bring the child here for Zichuan to see. Let Zichuan help select an academy for him. As you know, the Cheng family has been a family of scholars for generations. Among the teachers at these academies, we can speak to almost anyone through various connections.”

The Duchess was delighted beyond expectation, thanking them repeatedly, even somewhat impatiently taking leave of Old Lady Guo. She looked as if she couldn’t wait to arrange this matter immediately.

Old Lady Guo watched her departing figure and shook her head with a smile, saying: “How pitiful are the hearts of parents everywhere!”

Zhou Shaojin, however, was thinking about events from her previous life.

Old Lady Guo hadn’t come to the capital, and the Pengcheng Earl household hadn’t associated with the Cheng family. But when both the Crown Prince and the Imperial Grand Prince died in succession, although the Pengcheng Earl household wasn’t as imposingly powerful as it was now, they married children of scholarly families, and their descendants all dutifully stayed out of officialdom. As long as they didn’t get involved in treason, they were certain to enjoy stable wealth and honor.

Thinking of this, Zhou Shaojin felt another headache coming on.

Why exactly had the Cheng family been raided and exterminated?

Even for the Cheng’en Earl household, the Emperor had merely stripped their title. Why had he been so ruthlessly thorough with the Cheng family?

Zhou Shaojin thought and thought.

She felt it must be related to the succession of the throne!

She even had a bold idea.

Could it be connected to Second Uncle Cheng Shao?

Only after marrying into the Cheng family did she realize how low-profile Cheng Shao was.

Although he was merely a Lecturer in the Hanlin Academy, he frequently entered the palace to read and play chess with the Emperor. Sometimes when the Emperor read a good book, he would immediately send a eunuch to deliver it to Cheng Shao. If Cheng Shao obtained something good, he only needed to send word to the West Flowery Gate, and someone would immediately come to collect it. Moreover, this kind of interaction had less of the formality between ruler and subject, and more of the flavor of close friends.

This was evident from how Old Lady Guo wanted to secure a position for Cheng Wei but went through the Duchess of Pengcheng’s connections.

The Cheng family wouldn’t ask Cheng Shao to intervene in their affairs, but as long as this relationship between Cheng Shao and the Emperor existed, when someone from the Cheng family committed an offense, the Emperor would show some consideration for Cheng Shao’s sake.

For the Cheng family, this was already an enormous favor—like holding half an immunity medallion.

But each emperor had his own ministers. A Cheng family like this could easily run into trouble.

Zhou Shaojin’s mind was muddled, unable to figure it out clearly, so she tossed this question to Cheng Chi.

Cheng Chi held her and laughed: “What are we to do? If we have a son like you, it would truly drive us to distraction!”

Zhou Shaojin protested: “If our son resembled me, at least he’d be good-looking. Just find him a capable wife and it would work out.”

Cheng Chi nodded with utmost seriousness: “Then I’ll have to work a bit harder and at least reach the third rank. Then we can choose a wife from any official household in the capital. I’m just afraid his mind will take after yours and his looks after mine!”

Resemble Fourth Brother?

Zhou Shaojin burst into giggles, gazing at Cheng Chi’s handsome features, her eyes growing tender as she said: “If he looked like you, even princesses would marry him, let alone daughters of official families.”

Cheng Chi’s heart warmed completely.

He asked Zhou Shaojin in a low voice: “In your heart, am I really that wonderful?”

Zhou Shaojin nodded repeatedly.

Cheng Chi laughed and scooped her up in his arms: “Let’s go do something else.”

Zhou Shaojin’s face immediately flushed hot: “I won’t go!”

She didn’t want to indulge in daytime passion.

But how could such matters possibly stump Cheng Chi?

In the end, Zhou Shaojin not only compromised but was also the one clinging to Cheng Chi, unwilling to let go…

Cheng Chi suddenly felt that this decision to postpone having children for now was absolutely the right one.

He would just raise Shaojin as if she were his daughter.

※※※

Rest days always passed especially quickly. When he went to court the next day, Cheng Chi was a bit later than usual.

Huai Shan hurried in and said to Cheng Chi: “We’ve discovered Cheng Lu. He’s living as a failed examination candidate at Shengxian Temple in the northern part of the city… But he’s very alert. When our people arrived there, he should have already fled.”

Zhou Shaojin was stunned.

She hadn’t expected Cheng Lu to escape right under the noses of Huai Shan and the others.

But Cheng Chi frowned: “What do you mean ‘when our people arrived he should have already fled’?!”

Huai Shan said: “Our people were too careless. Seeing that he was just a powerless scholar, they only assigned one person to watch him. They saw him enter the abbot’s meditation chamber and waited outside the whole time. When it grew late and they realized something was wrong, they went looking for him and found that his room had all his writing implements, clothing, and other items just as usual. But there wasn’t a single copper coin—I suspect he’s already escaped, but I still stationed two people to watch there…”

Cheng Chi said with some displeasure: “Then find a way to locate him in the next few days.”

Huai Shan acknowledged and withdrew.

Zhou Shaojin comforted Cheng Chi: “Since we’ve found his trail, we’ll surely find him. Don’t be anxious.”

Cheng Chi nodded, but still felt somewhat displeased as he left for the yamen.

Wu Baozhang came to ask her to visit Cheng Sheng.

Zhou Shaojin didn’t want to associate with her and said: “Ah Sheng is still in her confinement month. It’s not quite appropriate for us to visit her now!”

Wu Baozhang laughed: “I heard that Third Young Madam is very bored during her confinement, so I wanted to go keep her company!”

Zhou Shaojin said: “It’s fine for you since you’re of the same generation, but I’m her aunt. If I go, her mother-in-law will have to personally receive me. Do you think it’s appropriate for me to go?”

Wu Baozhang’s smile became somewhat forced: “Look at me, I actually forgot about that.”

Zhou Shaojin couldn’t be bothered to say more to her. After drinking a few sips of tea, she showed her out.

When it came time for Cheng Sheng’s son’s full moon celebration, Wu Baozhang saw that Cheng Sheng’s mother-in-law, Madam Peng, and others were all gathered around Qiu Shi talking, so she pulled Zhou Shaojin aside to talk.

Zhou Shaojin found her tiresome, so she simply went with her to the covered walkway outside the hall. But before Wu Baozhang could speak, Zhou Shaojin said: “Today is Ah Sheng’s child’s full moon. We’ve come as her maternal family to celebrate with her, haven’t we? Then we should properly attend to the Peng family. What is it we can’t discuss after we return home? If you continue like this, you’d better not come out with us anymore.”

Wu Baozhang’s expression changed slightly: “It was Sister-in-law Xu Cong who invited me to come with you all…”

“Perfect.” Zhou Shaojin said bluntly, “From now on, if you have anything, just go with her. Don’t drag me into it.”

Wu Baozhang sneered: “If Sister-in-law Xu Cong hadn’t asked me, you think I’d want to be with you?”

Zhou Shaojin froze.

Whether it was Wu Baozhang’s attitude or the implications in her words, both made her heart feel slightly uneasy.

But before she could figure it out, she saw Cheng Xu walk in.

Zhou Shaojin was astonished.

This was the inner courtyard—what was Cheng Xu doing here?

Compared to the last time she’d seen him, he had grown even thinner. His features had become more defined as a result, losing some of his youthful exuberance and gaining more masculine steadiness.

Seeing Zhou Shaojin, he too was surprised, but quickly, this surprise turned to bitterness. Mixed with the bitterness was a trace of joy, forming an expression that seemed neither smile nor cry.

Zhou Shaojin’s heart grew alert, and she quickly looked around.

Then she saw Min Jia emerge from behind the pomegranate tree beside the stone steps.

Wu Baozhang snorted coldly and said in Zhou Shaojin’s ear: “I told you it wasn’t my idea to come. Why wouldn’t you believe me?”