These days, Wu Baozhang’s life had been rather difficult.

Although there were several major tea merchants introduced by Cheng Chi, people could give face once, could give face twice, but couldn’t always give face without doing business. After the New Year, the purchasing prices lost their advantage. Since theirs was a newly opened shop, when they had many customers they hadn’t found ways to retain them, and once the prices no longer offered discounts, business gradually became quiet.

Cheng Wen was so anxious that blisters formed at the corners of his mouth. To make matters worse, Wen’s First Madam sent someone from Jinling—first to urge Cheng Nuo and Wu Baozhang to return, and second to say that a whole household of people needed food, clothing, and expenses. Last New Year’s income from the estates had all been brought to the capital by Cheng Wen, and now the family had no surplus silver left, so she wanted him to send money back for household expenses.

Wu Baozhang actually wanted to go back.

No matter how bad her maternal family was, at least it was familiar. In the capital she was just the daughter-in-law of a merchant family. Wherever she went she had to use the name of the Cheng family from Xinglin Alley. It wasn’t like in Jinling, where when her sedan chair passed through the streets, people knew who she was. The respect she deserved and envious gazes came flooding in without her needing to say anything. When she had to work hard to explain everything, there was nothing left worth respecting.

This was the only good thing about marrying into the Cheng family.

If she didn’t even have this one good thing, she might as well have married an ordinary scholar—at least that would be better than Cheng Nuo, this silver pewter spearhead who was useless at both scholarship and character.

Thinking of this, her mood became even worse.

Somehow, Cheng Lu had found his way to her.

Originally she hadn’t planned to pay attention to him, but when he pitifully brought up their past relationship, mentioning that year when she sneaked out behind her family’s back to go on a spring outing with him and gave him an embroidered pouch, and how he had taken the opportunity to keep one of her handkerchiefs—although she felt that when Cheng Lu was in dire straits he could even abandon his mother, so nine times out of ten these items were no longer in his possession, when she thought of the flickering look in Cheng Lu’s eyes when he said this, she still didn’t dare to turn against him. She put on an act of crying pitifully, appearing very sympathetic, and gave him twenty taels of silver. She said this was her personal savings from managing the household since coming to the capital, told him to first find a place to stay, and if he had any difficulties in the future, he could come find her again.

Cheng Lu left.

Wu Baozhang nearly vomited.

How had she ever taken a fancy to such a creature!

Actually using a woman’s money and living off her!

She had to find a way to return to Jinling.

Her father was still serving as an official in Jinling. Although her stepmother had borne a son, her father had also managed to place her elder brother in the Inspection Office. Even if Cheng Lu had the audacity to return to Jinling, she had ways to inform the Cheng family of his whereabouts and ways to deal with him.

Wu Baozhang pondered this in her heart while cursing Wen’s First Madam thoroughly.

No wonder she and that outside woman had fought for most of their lives. Clearly she was the legitimate wife married through proper matchmaking, the situation was so advantageous for her, yet she still couldn’t win—now that her father-in-law had no money, she didn’t care about anything and insisted he send money back. Meanwhile, that outside woman was clever and considerate, sending over a trusted steward with two thousand taels in bank notes.

Her father-in-law’s eyes turned red when he received those notes. Originally he and Cheng Nuo had been discussing having them return to Jinling first, but now he immediately changed his mind. Not only did he want Cheng Nuo to continue helping at the shop, he also decided to take over a teahouse next to the shop and sell tea leaves in the teahouse, trying to make both businesses work.

Wu Baozhang sat on the large heated platform by the window in a daze.

There was no way Wen’s First Madam would summon her back. What if she used the excuse that Wen’s First Madam was ill and she needed to return to care for her?

As for her father-in-law… why not hint to him that if she went back, he could bring that outside woman to the capital… Her father-in-law would definitely be very happy.

It was just that when her father-in-law died and they divided the family property, they would definitely be at a disadvantage. However, given her father-in-law’s personality, by the time he died he might have already squandered most of the family fortune, leaving only debts and no assets. But what if her father-in-law actually succeeded in building up the business?

Wu Baozhang felt somewhat hesitant again.

Just as she couldn’t make up her mind, Cheng Nuo walked in.

A maid hurried forward to help him change clothes.

Compared to when he was in Jiuru Alley in Jinling, he had grown taller and more robust, and his movements showed more steadiness and less frivolity.

Seeing Wu Baozhang lost in thought, he said, “I heard Fourth Miss gave birth to a child. Aunt Chi will send someone to Luoyang in a few days. Have you prepared the hundred-day gift for Fourth Miss’s child? You can have Aunt Chi send it along with hers!”

That way they wouldn’t need to send someone separately.

Now their household wasn’t like when they were in Jiuru Alley, where they could spend silver freely.

Only after doing business did he realize how difficult it was to earn money.

Only after doing business did he realize how capable Li Jing was.

Naturally they should maintain closer relations with Cheng Jia’s side.

And there was Xinglin Alley and Chaoyangmen… It was just that their fifth branch originally didn’t have much contact with Cheng Jing’s side at Xinglin Alley. Although he and Cheng Xu grew up together, every time he went to visit Cheng Xu, he was studying. He heard the next examination session Cheng Xu would participate, and Uncle Jing’s wife was hoping Cheng Xu would win top scholar honors—how could he have the nerve to keep visiting? Chaoyangmen was different though. Old Madam Guo lived there and acknowledged his father as her nephew. She had no duties in the inner quarters, and whether it was distinguished families or official households in the capital, she could enter and speak with them. When their family had matters to ask of Old Madam Guo, when the old madam had time she should be happy to listen and willing to help.

That’s why his father had them send things to Cheng Jia along with Uncle Chi’s household.

Thinking of these things, Cheng Nuo also instructed Wu Baozhang, “You and Aunt Chi are about the same age. When you go over, have a good chat with Aunt Chi. The family only has these relatives, and we can only maintain relations with these few households. When you have time you should visit more often—even relatives need frequent contact to maintain closeness.”

Hearing this, Wu Baozhang was furious.

He wanted her to curry favor with Zhou Shaojin?!

In his dreams!

She sneered inwardly and said, “Can’t I associate with Xu’s First Madam instead? Uncle Jing is even a Grand Secretary!”

The implication being: if you want to curry favor, why not curry favor with Cheng Jing who’s a Grand Secretary?

“Whatever you want!” Cheng Nuo and Wu Baozhang never had much to say to each other. He had no patience to say more to Wu Baozhang and said, “As long as you think Uncle Jing will be able to speak up for us when the time comes.”

Wu Baozhang’s face flushed red with anger.

She knew it—this man Cheng Nuo had no backbone whatsoever.

When asking people for help, shouldn’t one weigh the respective positions and statuses?

They had now abandoned their scholar status to engage in commerce. Yet they still expected Cheng Jing to help them, and this help would mostly be in commercial matters. Had Cheng Nuo’s brain broken!

Wu Baozhang despised Cheng Nuo in her heart, feeling somewhat confused as well.

That woman Min Jia had too many schemes and wasn’t easy to deal with.

She had absolutely no intention of associating with Min Jia, let alone going to Xinglin Alley to ask for favors.

On the contrary, Zhou Shaojin was easier to get along with…

Wu Baozhang pondered this. Her personal maid quietly walked in. Seeing Cheng Nuo nearby, she stood in the corner.

Wu Baozhang understood and, ignoring Cheng Nuo who was changing clothes, left the side room.

The maid followed her out and whispered in her ear, “Madam, that Dong Lichun has come looking for you again.”

Wu Baozhang nearly tore her handkerchief.

She had just given him silver five days ago—why was he back so soon?

Wu Baozhang’s voice changed as she said in a low voice, “Tell him to come tomorrow morning. The master has already returned now, and the master will be home soon too. It wouldn’t be good if they ran into him.”

The maid acknowledged and left.

※※※

At Chaoyangmen, Zhou Shaojin was joyfully preparing congratulatory gifts for Cheng Jia’s son’s hundred-day celebration.

Just like in her previous life, Cheng Jia had given birth to a son.

Would it be like her previous life—if Cheng Jia lived well, would she have a happy and fulfilling life?

Old Madam Guo teased her, “You’re happier than if you’d given birth yourself!”

Zhou Shaojin giggled and said, “Everyone says fortune is interconnected. If they’re all doing well, even if I have some shadows, I’ll improve along with them. How could I not be happy?”

“Good then!” Old Madam Guo smiled and said, “Take this pair of longevity locks and wrap them up to bring along. Say they’re from me for the child.”

Zhou Shaojin nodded repeatedly.

Nanny Shang’s figure flashed past the doorway.

Zhou Shaojin calmly chatted with Old Madam Guo for a while before leaving Tingxiang Courtyard.

Nanny Shang waited for her on the small path outside Tingxiang Courtyard.

“Huai Shan says that Cheng Lu has gone to find Nuo’s First Madam again,” she said in a low voice. “He asked me to ask you if we should continue pursuing Cheng Lu.”

Zhou Shaojin’s idea was to have Huai Shan send people to follow Cheng Lu, occasionally secretly stealing Cheng Lu’s things or alerting the prey by beating the grass around him in pursuit, making him see danger everywhere with no place to hide, and every few days “disturbing” Wu Baozhang, finding something to occupy them both so they wouldn’t always be thinking about other people’s affairs.

However, hadn’t Cheng Lu just found Wu Baozhang a couple days ago? Why had he gone looking for her again?

Nanny Shang smiled and said, “This wasn’t our doing—he went looking for her himself. Perhaps he feels that madam has easy access to silver? I heard these past few days he rented a decent residence near Zhuque Street and even bought a servant boy. Those he associates with are all scholars too. All this must cost quite a bit of silver, right?”

Great hermits hide in court, small hermits hide in the marketplace.

Did Cheng Lu think that living in a better place would help him avoid the Cheng family’s search?

Zhou Shaojin felt this was exactly something Cheng Lu would do.

“Then leave him alone,” she said to Nanny Shang with a smile. “Just don’t let him disappear without a trace or have so much free time that he keeps thinking about causing us trouble.”

Nanny Shang smiled in understanding and withdrew.

※※※

On Wu Baozhang’s side, after sending Cheng Lu away, her tightly clenched fists never loosened.

Who did Cheng Lu think she was?

Opening his mouth to borrow two hundred taels of silver from her.

If she had silver, it was from her hard work saving it, not like Zhou Shaojin who could just take it directly from her father.

Although Wu Baozhang inwardly despised Cheng Lu as someone who lived off women, she hadn’t expected that Cheng Lu would actually go and live off women.

She thought when he came to her for silver, it was a case of a penny stumping a hero.

But she never imagined Cheng Lu would come back to her so quickly, and opening his mouth would ask for two hundred taels of silver!

How had he become like this?

Wouldn’t this truly make him a scoundrel?

What about the classics of sages he’d read?

What about his proud bearing?

What about his spirited confidence in conversation?

Wu Baozhang sat down in the chair, unable to hide her disappointment.

Today he asked her for two hundred taels because he lacked money for expenses. What about tomorrow? And the day after?

Wu Baozhang felt as if she’d fallen into a quagmire. Even if she could climb out, her feet would be dirty…