Cheng Xu put on a wry expression, called out “Mother” to Yuan Shi, and said, “I’ve been sitting for ages—I just wanted to stand up and stretch my back! Why are you… with a temper like firecrackers…” As he spoke, he moved closer to Yuan Shi and smiled ingratiatingly, “Tell me, who exactly offended you? I’ll go get revenge for you!”

“Besides you, who else would dare offend me!” Yuan Shi seized the opportunity to say, “When Miss Min was young, I once saw her. Not only was she clever as ice and snow, but she also had bright eyes and white teeth—extremely beautiful…”

Cheng Xu’s brow furrowed as he interrupted Yuan Shi: “Mother, it’s too early to talk about this now. There are plenty of people who are clever as children but mediocre when grown. You shouldn’t always judge people by outdated information…”

Although he tried hard to suppress it, Yuan Shi, who had personally raised him, still detected a hint of impatience in his voice.

Yuan Shi was silent for a moment.

The saying goes well—when sons grow up, mothers lose control. Now her son had not only grown up but had also passed the scholar examination as the top candidate. If he were in an ordinary family, he would already be managing household affairs and have a voice in the ancestral hall. It was only because her son was born into the Cheng family of Nine-Harmony Lane, where scholars and provincial graduates meant nothing, and even successful examination candidates were judged by their official rank, that he still allowed her to scold him like a child. But things reverse when pushed to extremes. With Zhou Shaojin now in his heart, no matter what she said, he wouldn’t listen. Better to let it rest for now and find another opportunity to discuss it in detail with him later. Besides, Zhou Zhen would be returning soon. With his personality, as long as she showed even slight disdain for Zhou Shaojin, he would never marry his daughter into the family no matter what… When that time came, some matters would be beyond her son’s control.

Why should she play the villain now, make her son unhappy, and damage the bond between mother and son?

Yuan Shi’s mind settled slightly.

“Look at you, more long-winded than this old woman. Mother says one sentence, you return ten. You absolutely must argue me down. Which family has a child like you who refuses to yield at all?” She smiled and changed the subject. “However, what Cheng Lu is saying is quite improper. Hearing this, others will think you and Cheng Lu are fighting over a woman out of jealousy. We can’t let Cheng Lu continue spouting such nonsense. You’re a boy so it’s easier to handle. But Second Miss Zhou is a girl who hasn’t even had her coming-of-age ceremony yet and is waiting to be matched. If this talk spreads, which family would dare marry Second Miss Zhou! But you’re involved, so it wouldn’t look good for you to speak up… I think I should handle this matter! You just focus on your studies.” She added, “Next month is your teacher’s birthday. I’ve had the steward prepare a set of boxwood scholar’s implements and a pair of plum blossom appreciation vases for you. Though few items, they’re all quite valuable. In a couple days, take these things and visit your teacher.”

The chief examiner for Cheng Xu’s prefectural examination was the then Prefect of Jinling, who had now been promoted to Provincial Administration Commissioner of Zhejiang.

Yuan Shi was sending her son to Hangzhou.

Cheng Xu understood this in his heart, but knew this was not the time to go against his mother’s wishes. Otherwise, if his mother became determined to confront Zhou Shaojin, he truly couldn’t stop her.

Better to listen to his mother and temporarily go to Hangzhou to visit his teacher, then talk more when he returned.

He smiled and agreed.

Yuan Shi breathed a sigh of relief.

Her son always kept his promises. Since he had agreed, he would definitely go to Hangzhou to visit his teacher. If this caused him to miss meeting with Zhou Zhen, that would be even better.

Mother and son smiled at each other, both knowing this wasn’t the final outcome, but both also knowing the conversation couldn’t continue. To continue would only create distance between mother and son.

Yuan Shi instructed the steward to prepare horses and carriage for Cheng Xu.

But Cheng Xu instructed Huanxi: “Keep an eye on Second Miss’s side. At the slightest movement, send someone to deliver news to me through the postal station. Don’t worry about spending silver—everything can wait until I return.”

Huanxi repeatedly agreed.

Two days later, Yuan Shi saw off Cheng Xu, then instructed a junior maid to invite Cheng Lu’s mother, Dong Shi, over for tea: “…Just say the master sent some Lu’an Guapian tea from the capital, and I’m inviting her to taste it.”

The junior maid went as instructed.

Upon receiving the message, Dong Shi felt uneasy.

She had the junior maid sit in the main hall, excused herself to change clothes, and instructed her wet nurse to send a servant to deliver a message to Cheng Lu, who was teaching at the clan school: “We have no dealings with the first branch at all. Madam Yuan and I don’t exchange more than two sentences a year. She’s suddenly invited me for tea—I don’t know why. Quickly go ask Xiangqing what he thinks. Should I go or not? What should I bring when I go?”

The wet nurse quietly slipped out of the main room and found Cheng Lu’s personal servant, Song Qing.

Upon hearing this, Song Qing immediately ran toward the Cheng Family Academy.

But the Cheng family home was quite far from the Cheng family compound in Nine-Harmony Lane. Before Song Qing’s reply arrived, Dong Shi reluctantly followed the junior maid to the first branch’s Yunzhen Hall.

Yuan Shi warmly welcomed Dong Shi to sit down, smiled and exchanged pleasantries with her for a few sentences, then got straight to the point about Cheng Lu’s matter: “…I was shocked when I heard. I feared the child had spoken carelessly without thinking, or that someone with ulterior motives was spreading falsehoods. I thought that as mothers, our hopes for our children are the same. If this reached Xiangqing’s teacher’s ears, what would he think of him?”

Dong Shi was even more surprised than Yuan Shi.

She was dumbstruck, unable to speak. After a long while she finally reacted, her face turning pale as she began crying: “Madam Yuan, you must stand up for our Xiangqing! Our Xiangqing has been honest since childhood. Besides studying, he knows nothing—how could he say such things? Someone must be trying to frame our Xiangqing. Seeing that he passed the scholar examination and receives a stipend, they’re jealous…”

Just this makes them jealous. If your son passes the imperial examination, won’t everyone see you as gold!

Yuan Shi barely suppressed her look of disdain.

She signaled for a maid to hand Dong Shi a handkerchief, then dismissed those serving in the room. Like intimate confidants, she lowered her voice and said to Dong Shi, “I also heard people say your Xiangqing is quite taken with Second Miss from the fourth branch Zhou family. Is this true?”

“No, no!” Dong Shi instinctively denied it, then remembered the news that had spread through Nine-Harmony Lane some days ago—that Zhou Zhen had been transferred to Prefect of Baoding and would soon enter the capital as a ministry official, joining the Six Ministries as a vice minister. She felt she had answered too quickly. Her gaze flickered involuntarily, her expression carrying some hesitation.

In her view, her son had always valued Zhou Shaojin, and she was happy to have Zhou Shaojin—a girl of good birth but gentle disposition—as a daughter-in-law. With Zhou Zhen about to return, if they formed a marriage alliance with the Zhou family, nothing could be better. But now people outside were saying her son and Cheng Jiashan were fighting over Zhou Shaojin out of jealousy. To propose a marriage alliance with the Zhou family at this time—wouldn’t that confirm the rumors? But if she denied it, there would never be such a good opportunity again in the future…

Yuan Shi saw clearly.

She sneered inwardly.

It seemed her son’s words weren’t entirely biased toward Zhou Shaojin.

If Zhou Shaojin married into the Cheng family, she would be like a chick entering a weasel’s den—going in with no return.

She pretended not to know and smiled, “Hearing you say this puts my mind at ease—I’ll go visit the second branch’s old ancestor shortly and ask him to intervene, teaching those spreading wild rumors a lesson. Otherwise they’ll think our first branch is easy to bully.”

With the conversation having reached this point, Dong Shi couldn’t bring up Zhou Shaojin’s matter anymore.

She laughed dryly, “Then I’ll have to trouble Madam!”

“What trouble? No trouble at all.” Yuan Shi smiled. “This also concerns our eldest.” She invited her, “Why don’t we go together? After all, your Xiangqing is also involved in this matter!”

Dong Shi vaguely felt something wasn’t quite right. What did “your Xiangqing is also involved” mean? But thinking it over carefully, the words weren’t wrong either.

She couldn’t make up her mind and only wanted to quickly return home to see her son and hear what he had to say before taking action.

“I get weak in the knees just seeing the old ancestor.” Dong Shi politely declined. “You’d better go yourself! Isn’t Young Master Xu also involved in this? I should just go home and wait for your news.”

Hearing Dong Shi use her own words against her, Yuan Shi immediately felt a ball of fire in her chest. With a half-smile, she said, “Since sister-in-law trusts me, I’ll handle this matter entirely.”

Seeing that she wasn’t forcing her to go to the second branch, Dong Shi breathed a sigh of relief and quickly smiled, “Naturally.”

Yuan Shi smiled and nodded, invited her to drink tea, then went to the second branch.

Dong Shi hurriedly rushed home.

Cheng Lu was already waiting at home for Dong Shi. Hearing movement, he immediately came out to meet her.

“Mother,” he said before Dong Shi could speak, “let’s talk inside.”

Dong Shi nodded repeatedly and went with Cheng Lu to the study.

Song Qing guarded outside the study while Dong Shi quietly told Cheng Lu in detail everything about her visit to the first branch. Finally she said regretfully, “If only there weren’t these rumors. I was preparing to propose marriage to the Zhou family for you!”

Cheng Lu smiled, “Mother, some things depend on fate. Perhaps Second Miss Zhou and I don’t have that fate.”

His tone was somewhat helpless.

Dong Shi had remained a widow for this son—her son was her everything. Moreover, her son was so accomplished that at such a young age he could already manage the household. What more could she say? So hearing Cheng Lu say this, she thought it over and also changed her view: “I think you and Zhou Shaojin really don’t have much fate. Think about it—everything was fine before, but since she fell ill this March, she’s gradually grown distant from us. She’s not as respectful to me as before either. I suppose as girls grow up, they have more thoughts and look down on our thin family foundation. Now that Zhou Zhen is returning, and with these rumors circulating.” She said with relief, “Fortunately my son passed as a stipended scholar. Finding a good match won’t be difficult. Otherwise my heart would truly feel terrible!”

“Mother, don’t worry. In the future I’ll be even more diligent—pass the provincial examination, pass the imperial examination.” Cheng Lu gently comforted his mother. “Don’t worry about me anymore—just wait to enjoy your blessings.”

“I’m already enjoying my blessings now.” Dong Shi was very satisfied. She took her son’s hand and said, “You’ve reclaimed the property we had under the fourth branch, and you have your scholarly degree. From now on, Mother won’t have to constantly look at the Cheng family’s faces. We can live our own lives behind closed doors like when your father was alive. After some time passes, Mother will ask someone to arrange a good match for you. You can give Mother a few grandchildren, then Mother can close her eyes in peace.”

Cheng Lu’s expression darkened briefly, but instantly became gentle again as he smiled, “Mother, don’t rush about my marriage. The better my examination results, the easier it will be to find a father-in-law who can help me in my career. Better to wait a few years.”

“Mother will listen to you, Mother will listen to you in everything.” Seeing that her son hadn’t commented much on her visit to the first branch, Dong Shi felt she probably hadn’t made any mistakes. Her mood relaxed as she smiled, “When did you get back? Are you hungry? I’ll have the kitchen bring you a bowl of lotus seed soup. The weather is gradually turning cool—you can’t keep drinking that sour plum soup…”