Indeed, when Old Lady Guo heard that Cheng Chi didn’t want to go help Zhang Hui in Kaifeng Prefecture because he didn’t wish to become too closely associated with Grand Secretary Song, rather than because he was reluctant to leave his elderly mother and beloved wife at home, her expression softened considerably. She said: “Your concerns are quite reasonable. However, everything has its advantages and disadvantages. You’re grown now, so I won’t interfere in this matter. You two decide for yourselves!”

Zhou Shaojin’s lips moved, about to express her own views, when she caught Cheng Chi glancing at her.

She immediately swallowed her words.

Only then did Cheng Chi smile and say: “I’ve already decided to go. However, there are some matters I need to negotiate with Grand Secretary Song first. I didn’t expect him to be so anxious that he came first. Since that’s the case, I can’t continue being standoffish. Yesterday after leaving the yamen, I went to see him.”

This pleased not only Old Lady Guo but also Zhou Shaojin, who said: “Fourth Master, please rest assured. With Mother holding down the fort, nothing will go wrong at home.”

Cheng Chi smiled faintly.

Old Lady Guo laughed: “I’m not some house-guarding deity.”

Zhou Shaojin deliberately sought to please Old Lady Guo and said with a smile: “You’re even more formidable than a house-guarding deity—if it weren’t for you here at Chaoyang Gate, how could things be so well-ordered?”

This wasn’t false flattery.

Thanks to Old Lady Guo’s guidance, in just over a year at Chaoyang Gate, the maids and servants had developed proper conduct and the bearing of a great family.

Old Lady Guo smiled slightly.

Zhou Shaojin leaned closer and said: “What flowers did you order from Fengtai? When can they be delivered? Once the flowers arrive, I’d like to arrange them together with you, Mother.”

“Good, good, good.” Old Lady Guo thought that if Cheng Chi went to Kaifeng Prefecture, he wouldn’t be able to return even for New Year’s. Zhou Shaojin was pregnant and needed companionship—she should certainly keep this child good company. She indulgently said: “Today I bought many wintersweet and camellias that you like, as well as narcissus, cymbidium, and Chinese orchids. When the flowers arrive, I’ll arrange the rooms together with you.”

Zhou Shaojin nodded with a beaming smile.

Cheng Chi felt relieved.

If Shaojin had things to occupy her, she wouldn’t spend all day thinking about him.

But thinking this way made him feel somewhat uncomfortable.

If Shaojin wasn’t thinking about him, he would still be thinking about her!

By the end of the tenth month, Cheng Chi’s transfer orders came through.

The advisor Zhang Hui had left in the capital to liaise with the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Works came to visit Cheng Chi that very evening, wishing he could depart the next morning.

Zhou Shaojin sat in the heated Tingxiang Courtyard doing needlework with the maids and keeping Old Lady Guo company. Hearing this, she couldn’t help but say in surprise: “Are they really that short-handed there?”

Old Lady Guo smiled: “It’s probably not a shortage of people, but rather that Zichuan impeached Grand Secretary Qu and lawfully exempted those river workers performing labor service from part of their taxes, gaining some reputation. Minister Zhang wants Zichuan to arrive early so the dredging work can proceed more smoothly.”

Zhou Shaojin wanted to ask if this might be disadvantageous to Cheng Chi, but then thinking of how capable Cheng Chi was, she smiled and kept the question to herself. She began helping Cheng Chi pack for Kaifeng Prefecture, and noticing that several of his fur robes and cloaks had been made before she entered the family, she thought to find some good pelts to make him a few new fur robes and cloaks.

She opened her trunks and searched for a long time, finding several pieces of excellent sable fur. However, it wasn’t enough to make a complete fur robe, and being prohibited goods, it could only be made inside-out to wear against the skin under clothing. She took a piece of the fur to Steward Xiang, asking him to find a way to obtain several identical pieces in the capital—enough to make Cheng Chi a fur robe for New Year’s and also make Old Lady Guo a headband for winter.

While Steward Xiang went to search for sable fur, Zhou Shaojin went to see Nan Ping.

Chief Steward Qin had taken his descendants back to his hometown, where Qin Ziping and Ji Ying’s wedding was held. However, neither Qin Ziping nor Qin Zi’an had remained in the hometown—Qin Ziping continued serving at the Six Arrests Bureau, while Qin Zi’an went to the Western Hills Military Camp. Ji Ying stayed behind in the hometown to serve Chief Steward Qin. The more Zhou Shaojin thought about it, the more unusual it seemed. She quietly asked Cheng Chi and only then learned that Ji Ying remained not merely to serve the Qin family elders, but because she excelled at swordplay. The Qin family possessed several excellent sword manuals, and Chief Steward Qin had kept Ji Ying behind to help organize these manuals. He also feared that if the newlywed couple couldn’t restrain themselves and consummated their marriage, it would damage Ji Ying’s martial cultivation.

Zhou Shaojin’s eyes widened in astonishment.

Ji Ying and Qin Ziping… hadn’t consummated their marriage yet!

She even wrote a letter to Ji Ying asking if she wanted to return to the capital.

Ji Ying responded by asking what she would do in the capital, then wrote at length about the sword manuals she was organizing. She also said that if Zhou Shaojin gave birth to a son, she would take him as her disciple and guarantee to make Zhou Shaojin’s son a martial arts master.

Not a single word about Qin Zi’an.

Zhou Shaojin’s shoulders had drooped at the time.

Nan Ping, however, had remained at the Cheng household.

But Cheng Chi no longer had her do needlework for him. Instead, he set aside a small courtyard in the eastern compound where Nanny Wang, who had come from the needlework room at Jiuru Lane in Jinling, lived with her. In her free time, she helped instruct the household maids in needlework.

Only this year after winter set in, Nan Ping had caught a chill. Since Zhou Shaojin was pregnant, it had been some days since she’d seen Nan Ping.

Having never made a fur robe for a man before, she wanted Nan Ping to help with suggestions.

Who knew that when she entered the room and sat down on the large kang by the window, from the corner of her eye she spotted a half-finished man’s spring garment tucked in the sewing basket under the kang table.

Zhou Shaojin remembered that Cheng Chi’s clothing had long been entrusted to Nanny Wang.

She couldn’t help but look a few more times.

Nan Ping, who was pouring tea for her, noticed and her face suddenly flushed crimson. She murmured: “It’s for Second Master Qin. He’s living alone at the Western Hills Military Camp now. Sometimes he has someone bring over clothes for me to mend… I had nothing to do, so I’m preparing to make him a spring garment…”

Zhou Shaojin said “oh” as if it were nothing, then discussed making a fur robe for Cheng Chi with her.

The more Nan Ping spoke, the more natural she became. She offered many suggestions, and finally said: “You’re pregnant now and shouldn’t overexert yourself. Why don’t I make it for Fourth Master instead?”

“No need.” Zhou Shaojin smiled. “I want to make him a fur robe with my own hands.”

After all, the Guanyin embroidery was already finished—she just needed to choose an auspicious day to send it to Mount Putuo. Since Cheng Chi was about to leave for Kaifeng, she had time to do needlework.

Nan Ping said nothing more.

After they chatted for a bit longer, Zhou Shaojin took her leave.

But as soon as she returned to her room, she immediately gossiped to Cheng Chi: “…Even if he lives alone, surely it’s not difficult to find a servant woman to clean and tidy for him, yet she’s making him spring garments…”

Cheng Chi chuckled, not at all surprised—clearly he’d known for some time.

Zhou Shaojin couldn’t help but pout: “You don’t tell me anything?”

Cheng Chi kissed her and said: “How could I speak of such things? It depends on whether they have fate together. Years ago, Chief Steward Qin asked Nan Ping too. Qin Zining had just died then, so Chief Steward Qin couldn’t very well say anything. If she can marry Qin Zi’an, both I and Chief Steward Qin would be delighted to see it happen. Otherwise, why would I still keep her in the household at her age?”

Nan Ping’s parents were both house-born servants of the Cheng family, having been freed and remained in Jinling.

If she returned home, she and Qin Zi’an would be completely severed.

Zhou Shaojin nodded repeatedly, looking as if she couldn’t wait to see Nan Ping married off, which made Cheng Chi laugh again.

After packing his luggage and obtaining the appointment documents from the Ministry of Personnel, they chose an auspicious day. Cheng Jing, Old Lady Guo, and Zhou Shaojin saw Cheng Chi off to his post.

After Cheng Chi’s carriage and horses disappeared down the official road, they returned to the mansion.

Cheng Jing even made a point of coming to tell Zhou Shaojin: “If anything happens at home, just send someone to bring me word.”

Zhou Shaojin thanked him.

Two days later, heavy snow began to fall. Yuan Shi brought Min Jia with a large pot of mutton soup to honor Old Lady Guo, while Qiu Shi brought Abao and Aren to pay respects to Old Lady Guo. They happened to meet, so Old Lady Guo had someone send word to Cheng Xu and Cheng Rang to come eat mutton hotpot.

Cheng Rang was at Sanming Academy. Since Sanming Academy was closer, he arrived first. After greeting Old Lady Guo and the others, he took Abao and Aren to build snowmen.

Both children’s eyes lit up when they saw him, clearly showing they got along well with him normally. While building the snowman, they giggled constantly, calling “Second Uncle! Second Uncle!” non-stop. Cheng Rang also patiently played with them, which brought relieved smiles to the faces of Qiu Shi and Zhou Shaojin, who were watching them through the window with some concern.

Before long, Cheng Xu arrived.

Coming with him were Cheng Sheng’s husband Peng Zao and Cheng Sheng herself.

This left Qiu Shi dumbstruck.

Her son, daughter, son-in-law, and even the two nephews she was raising were all gathered together.

She asked Cheng Sheng in surprise: “How did you come?”

Cheng Sheng smiled: “The snow is falling so heavily, and my husband only wore a cotton robe when he left early this morning. I was afraid he’d be cold, so I brought him a fur robe. When I reached the gate, I ran into Jiashan. He said Grandmother had invited him over for a meal and was making mutton hotpot, so we came together.”

Cheng Xu and Peng Zao both now studied at Shuanghe Academy, though under different teachers. Although they often encountered each other, they didn’t spend much time together.

Old Lady Guo was delighted and loudly instructed the maids and servants to set out chopsticks. She then pulled Cheng Xu and Peng Zao aside to ask about their studies.

Peng Zao had long heard from his father’s generation that Cheng Shao, Cheng Jing, Cheng Wei, and Cheng Chi had all been tutored by Old Lady Guo, and that the older generation greatly revered her. Naturally he didn’t dare be careless, answering with the same seriousness as he would before his teacher. This greatly satisfied Old Lady Guo, who nodded repeatedly and praised Peng Zao again and again.

Zhou Shaojin still remembered that Peng Zao had passed the provincial examination as a youth, seemingly even earlier than Cheng Gao. Looking at him now, she felt she must have remembered correctly.

Min Jia’s gaze, however, kept darting toward Zhou Shaojin and Cheng Xu.

Cheng Xu kept his eyes on his nose and his nose on his heart, not looking at Zhou Shaojin.

Zhou Shaojin stood to the side with Cheng Sheng, watching Old Lady Guo test Peng Zao on his studies, also not sparing Cheng Xu a single glance.

Yet somehow, the more Min Jia watched, the more troubled her heart became.

Her mother-in-law Yuan Shi was truly meddlesome.

If not for Yuan Shi, how would she have fallen into such a predicament?

With her looks, character, talent, and family background, how could she fear not finding a good husband?

Min Jia quietly gave instructions to a serving maid, then stood in the covered walkway blowing in the cold wind for a while before feeling somewhat better. Only when the maids called her to eat did she come back inside.