Cheng Chi then scraped Zhou Shaojin’s nose and said with a laugh: “I’ll listen to you. We won’t go.”
Zhou Shaojin’s eyes curved with a smile as she said coquettishly: “You shouldn’t have gone in the first place.”
Cheng Chi held Zhou Shaojin, his heart filled with emotion.
His young wife had finally learned to say “no” to him.
Early the next morning, the couple brought Yun Ge’er to pay their respects to Old Madam Guo, only to unexpectedly find someone in Old Madam Guo’s room.
Zhenzhu said in a low voice: “It’s a stewardess sent by Madam Yuan. She says that Grand Madam Nuo at Xizhimen attempted suicide but failed. Though she’s been saved, her emotional state is very poor. She cried and made a scene for half the night, alarming both the Elder Master and Young Master. They’re both at Xizhimen trying to persuade Elder Master Wen. The Elder Master even had his attendants rush back to Xinglin Alley to fetch a change of clothes, hastily washed up, and went to court.”
Cheng Chi frowned slightly and said to Zhou Shaojin with a smile: “No wonder people say a good wife brings half one’s fortune.”
To actually discuss such matters in front of those serving in Old Madam Guo’s room.
Zhou Shaojin’s face turned crimson, but she couldn’t deny that her heart felt sweet.
Over there, Chenxiang quickly went to inform Old Madam Guo.
Before long, the stewardess from Xinglin Alley emerged from the room, curtsied to greet Zhou Shaojin and Cheng Chi, and was led away by Chenxiang.
Zhenzhu lifted the curtain.
Zhou Shaojin, holding Yun Ge’er, followed behind Cheng Chi into the room.
Having just risen, the window lattices in the room were all open for ventilation. The slightly cool air was fresh and natural, invigorating those who breathed it.
Old Madam Guo quickly instructed Zhenzhu: “Close the window lattices quickly. Yun Ge’er is here—be careful not to let him catch cold.” She then reached out her hands toward Yun Ge’er: “Good child, come to Grandmother.”
Yun Ge’er grinned, melting Old Madam Guo’s heart. She quickly ordered Zhenzhu and the others: “Quick, quick, bring over the chestnut cake that Elder Master brought a few days ago.”
It was something the Emperor had bestowed on Cheng Jing while he was on duty at the palace. Knowing it was good for elderly people, he had specifically sent it over.
Zhou Shaojin quickly smiled and said: “Mother, Yun Ge’er can’t eat such things yet!” As she spoke, she handed Yun Ge’er over.
“Look at my memory!” Old Madam Guo said with a laugh as she took Yun Ge’er into her arms and said to Zhenzhu: “Then bring a bowl of goat’s milk for our Yun Ge’er.”
Yun Ge’er wouldn’t even drink his wet nurse’s milk, let alone goat’s milk.
Zhou Shaojin felt it inappropriate to stop Old Madam Guo again and looked toward Cheng Chi.
Cheng Chi remained impassive and said: “Mother, Yun Ge’er just had his milk. If you feed him whenever you think of it, he won’t eat later. You should feed him some plain water first. He hasn’t had a drop of water since getting up this morning. I don’t know what’s wrong with this child—he refuses to drink water.”
Hearing this, Old Madam Guo’s spirits lifted. Full of confidence, she said: “That’s because you don’t know how to feed him!” Then she called loudly for Zhenzhu to bring water.
Zhenzhu and the others didn’t dare delay and immediately brought over warm water.
Old Madam Guo personally filtered it through fine cloth for Yun Ge’er and used a silver spoon decorated with ginkgo leaves to feed him water.
Yun Ge’er tasted half a mouthful and spat the rest out.
The old madam coaxed Yun Ge’er with a cloth tiger toy to drink water and used the ginkgo leaves on the spoon to play with him. But no matter what, Yun Ge’er simply wouldn’t drink water. Even when she occasionally managed to get a mouthful in, he immediately spat it out.
Old Madam Guo wiped the drool from his mouth and said to Cheng Chi with a beaming smile: “Look how clever he is—he knows this is water, that it has no taste, and he doesn’t like drinking it!”
Cheng Chi was speechless. Seeing it was getting late, he rose to go to the office.
Zhou Shaojin saw Cheng Chi out.
Cheng Chi whispered: “The child can’t be raised by Mother. Back in the day, if we dared to spit out what we’d put in our mouths, we’d be waiting for the punishment stick! Look at how Mother treats Yun Ge’er—everything is wonderful. If this continues, I’m afraid he’ll become a spoiled wastrel. For the child’s sake, please take more care and try to raise him yourself. When he turns three, I’ll personally give him his initial education.”
Raised by him personally.
Zhou Shaojin felt Cheng Chi was making too much of a small matter.
Youngest sons and eldest grandsons were always the darlings of old madams. The child was still young—it didn’t matter if he was a bit spoiled and indulged, as long as proper rules weren’t forgotten.
But since Cheng Chi had instructed her, she would just spend more time playing with the child in the future.
Zhou Shaojin obediently agreed, watched Cheng Chi board his sedan chair, and only then returned to Tingxiang Courtyard.
Inside the room, Old Madam Guo was still patiently trying to feed Yun Ge’er water, but Yun Ge’er lost his temper and with one swipe knocked over the bowl Old Madam Guo was holding, spilling water all over the bed.
Zhou Shaojin was greatly startled and called out “Yun Ge’er” with a stern face.
As if knowing he had angered his mother, Yun Ge’er’s little mouth drooped and he began wailing.
Old Madam Guo quickly said: “The child doesn’t understand—what’s so serious about knocking over a bowl? Is it worth frightening the child like this?” Then she turned and gently patted Yun Ge’er, coaxing him softly: “Our Yun Ge’er is a little man. Don’t cry, don’t cry. Grandmother will buy you candy.” After speaking, perhaps realizing Yun Ge’er couldn’t eat candy yet, she added: “When Yun Ge’er grows up, Grandmother will buy you many good things.”
Though Yun Ge’er was young, he could still sense the adults’ emotions.
Knowing that Zhou Shaojin was angry at that moment, he buried himself on Old Madam Guo’s shoulder and cried loudly.
Old Madam Guo felt extremely distressed, coaxing him with “good child, good child” for quite a while, adding: “If you don’t want to drink water, then don’t. My Yun Ge’er can drink when he wants to.”
Watching this, Zhou Shaojin suddenly felt that Cheng Chi’s words weren’t without merit.
After Yun Ge’er was finally pacified, Old Madam Guo had broken into a sweat. Yun Ge’er then kicked his little legs wanting to go out. Zhou Shaojin simply bundled the child up warmly and handed him to the wet nurse, while she herself attended to Old Madam Guo, helping her change clothes.
Old Madam Guo couldn’t help but sigh: “I’m old, so old! I remember when Fourth Lang was little, I could hold him all day without feeling tired. One can’t refuse to accept old age!”
Zhou Shaojin smiled and said: “It’s that Yun Ge’er is too mischievous. Where is there a child his age who can’t stay still at home?”
“He’s clever!” Old Madam Guo made excuses for her grandson. Supported by maids, she climbed onto the large heated bed by the window, accepted the tea Zhou Shaojin offered and drank two sips, then said: “Do you know about the trouble at your cousin Wen’s place?”
“Yes.” Zhou Shaojin told Old Madam Guo about how Cheng Wen had sent someone to find Cheng Chi last night, but fearing Old Madam Guo might think she had encouraged Cheng Chi not to help his brother, she didn’t mention that she had stopped Cheng Chi.
Old Madam Guo nodded after hearing this and said: “You were right not to go. Although that Madam Wu is at fault, Nephew Wen’s actions are also wrong. We can’t assist in tyranny by arranging some equal wife arrangement that would make people laugh their heads off.”
Zhou Shaojin breathed a sigh of relief and agreed with a smile.
A maid came in to report: “Grand Madam has arrived.”
It must be about the matter at Cheng Wen’s household.
Old Madam Guo said “please,” and a young maid led Yuan Shi over.
Whether from not resting well last night or not sleeping at all, Yuan Shi looked haggard and exhausted.
After paying her respects to Old Madam Guo, Zhou Shaojin had a young maid bring a brocade stool for Yuan Shi and courteously asked whether she had eaten breakfast. The kitchen still had half a silkie chicken stewing—would she like some silkie chicken soup over noodles?
Yuan Shi was probably truly exhausted, as she actually said politely to Zhou Shaojin: “Then I’ll trouble Sister-in-law.”
Zhou Shaojin gave the instructions.
When she returned to the sitting room, she heard Yuan Shi saying to Old Madam Guo: “…Elder Master Wen has made up his mind completely. No matter how I tried to persuade him, I couldn’t. When I left, his attendants and some servant women were helping pack Nephew Nuo’s wife’s luggage, saying they’d send her back to Jinling first thing tomorrow morning to serve Elder Madam Wen!”
“Outrageous!” Old Madam Guo’s face immediately darkened. She said sternly: “What kind of father-in-law is he, actually having attendants and servant women touch his daughter-in-law’s things? If word gets out, will he still be able to show his face?”
“That’s exactly what I said,” Yuan Shi said helplessly. “But he has to be willing to listen. Right now he’s singlemindedly set on getting rid of Nephew Nuo’s wife to make room for that woman outside. Seeing him like this, I told him that if he does this, from now on I won’t manage any affairs of their household—he can handle it himself. When he heard me say that, he seemed somewhat regretful. I was worried he’d be stubborn and we’d all have a falling out, so I pretended to be angry and came to you.” After speaking, she touched her chest: “Though it wasn’t entirely pretense. I’m so angry I’m full.”
Old Madam Guo was clearly also disgusted by Cheng Wen’s actions and said to Yuan Shi: “Just don’t bother with this matter. Let him make whatever fuss he wants. Just remember—though he bears the Cheng surname, we’ve already split from Jiuru Alley. If he doesn’t care about our Cheng family’s face, I won’t care about his face either.”
Yuan Shi’s spirits lifted upon hearing this.
That evening, Cheng Shao came over and asked what exactly was going on at Cheng Wen’s household: “…When I left the office today, I ran into the Prefect of Shuntian. Why did he tell me that Cheng Wen wants to take an equal wife for Nephew Nuo, and even went to the yamen to write documents and affix his seal, inviting the Prefect of Shuntian to the wedding banquet?”
Everyone had previously heard Cheng Wen mention it and thought it was just his dissatisfied grumbling. No one expected he would actually do such a thing, much less tell Cheng Shao about it.
Now that Cheng Shao had come to their door asking, knowing the matter couldn’t be concealed, they could only tell Cheng Shao what had happened.
In Zhou Shaojin’s mind, Cheng Shao was a gentle and tolerant person. She never expected his temper to be so fierce when roused.
She held Yun Ge’er and hid in her own room.
Before long, Cheng Chi also returned.
Knowing that Cheng Shao was at Tingxiang Courtyard and still losing his temper, Cheng Chi said to Zhou Shaojin with a bitter smile: “My Second Uncle has this character—his temperament is too straightforward, he can’t stand these nefarious deeds…”
Zhou Shaojin’s heart stirred upon hearing this. She lowered her voice and said: “Fourth Lang, do you think Second Uncle’s death might be related to his character? For instance, if the Fourth Prince killed the Emperor…”
Cheng Chi laughed heartily, pulled her into his embrace and ruffled her hair, saying: “You clever little thing, how can you be so quick-witted!”
Zhou Shaojin looked at Cheng Chi uncomprehendingly, which only brought another bout of laughter from Cheng Chi.
He held her and whispered in her ear: “Just say these things to me—don’t go spreading them around. Whether it’s fratricide or patricide, these are all future matters. Speaking too early, others will just take you for a madwoman. Speaking too late, when disaster arises from within and endangers the state, you’ll feel guilty instead.”
Zhou Shaojin nodded.
The two went to Tingxiang Courtyard where Old Madam Guo now resided.
From a distance, they could already see Cheng Shao pacing in circles in the courtyard.