Zhou Zhen’s study wasn’t large. The two-room open space was divided by a floor-to-ceiling partition with an ice-crack pattern. The west side was the inner chamber, containing a small lacquered bed along with tables, chairs, flower stands, footstools, and basin racks—all properly arranged. This was Zhou Zhen’s temporary resting place. On the east side, where he read and wrote, a large writing desk made of entire pieces of pear wood was placed in the center of the room. Surrounding it were bookshelves reaching up to the ceiling, and by the window sat a luohan bed.
When Zhou Shaojin entered, Zhou Zhen was sitting on the luohan bed making tea.
“You’re here!” He smiled and greeted his younger daughter, pointing to the empty seat across from him and saying: “This is Lushan Yunlin tea I brought back from Jiangxi. Try some!”
Zhou Shaojin thought for a moment, then smiled and curtsied to her father before sitting across from him.
Zhou Zhen then handed her a purple clay cup.
Zhou Shaojin saw the bright tea liquor and smelled it—an elegant fragrance like orchids. She tasted a sip—the aftertaste was sweet and mellow. She couldn’t help but praise it: “Good tea.”
Zhou Zhen laughed and poured her another cup.
Only then did Zhou Shaojin feel something was amiss. She quickly reached for the kettle, saying: “Let me do it!”
“No need, no need.” Zhou Zhen smiled warmly and said: “There’s no one else here. I’m your father—between father and daughter, we don’t need to stand on ceremony.”
But Zhou Shaojin still felt somewhat uncomfortable.
Zhou Zhen let her have her way.
Zhou Shaojin poured her father several cups of tea.
Zhou Zhen praised her: “I didn’t expect you could make tea.” Assuming his younger daughter had learned it at the Zhou household, he didn’t think much of it.
Zhou Shaojin naturally wouldn’t explain otherwise.
After drinking several cups of tea, Zhou Zhen said: “That letter you wrote me—it was because you discovered your mother was once betrothed to the Cheng family, wasn’t it?”
Zhou Shaojin was so frightened her hand trembled, nearly splashing tea on herself.
Zhou Zhen said gently: “Don’t be afraid. I’m not blaming you. You did very well. When something came up, you neither blindly believed what others said nor went around asking questions everywhere. Instead, you wrote to ask me.”
Zhou Shaojin’s face flushed.
If she hadn’t lived two lifetimes, she certainly would have believed what Cheng Lu had said.
Zhou Zhen said: “All in all, this matter was my fault. Having you sisters grow up at the Cheng family’s home, you must have suffered many grievances. But I truly didn’t have the energy to look after you sisters, and I didn’t want to casually marry some woman and bring her home. If she were negligent in disciplining you, even regret would come too late. As long as you don’t resent me in your heart, that’s enough!”
“No, no.” Zhou Shaojin quickly said: “I’ve never resented Father. I know Father entrusted us to Grandmother to raise for our own good.”
Even after what happened in her previous life, she had never resented her father for leaving her to grow up in the Cheng household.
She knew her father’s difficulties and could understand his feelings.
Not everyone was like her birth mother, who would treat a previous wife’s children well. Once Father remarried, the new madam would have to manage the household. He couldn’t watch over his new wife every moment. They were still young—if a stepmother had wicked intentions, it would be easy to raise them improperly while leaving no evidence for him to catch. So Father would rather let his daughters suffer a little than have them grow up ignorant of propriety and be trampled on after marriage.
That’s why when she said “home really is the best,” her sister had said “once in a while is fine, but if it were like this every day, I’m afraid you’d be spoiled rotten with no sense of propriety.”
Zhou Shaojin told her father about her earlier conversation with her sister, smiling and saying: “You see, elder sister also understands your painstaking efforts.”
His daughters’ understanding made Zhou Zhen’s heart ache. After a long while, he finally collected his emotions and said: “Actually, the main reason I came back this time was to talk to you about your mother.”
Zhou Shaojin was astonished.
Zhou Zhen nodded and said: “I know that if nothing had happened, you certainly wouldn’t have written me a special letter, nor would you have mentioned the Zhuang family’s old residence on Official Street. Afterward, I had someone ask Ma Fushan. He told me everything—how you learned about the old residence on Official Street, how you sent him to investigate the Cheng family matter, how you ‘paid a thousand gold to find bones’ and located servants who had once served your grandfather… he told me everything.”
Zhou Shaojin’s face burned hot.
She thought she’d acted discreetly, never imagining Ma Fushan would tell her father every detail of what had happened.
“I… I didn’t mean to…” she murmured.
“I know.” Zhou Zhen’s voice grew even gentler. “I knew about what happened back then—after your grandfather betrothed your mother to me, your mother wrote me a letter telling me everything that had occurred. In the letter she also said she felt she had done nothing wrong, and if I couldn’t accept it, since the two families hadn’t yet exchanged the betrothal gifts, it would be better to just let the matter drop. Your sister was still young then, and I hadn’t thought about remarrying so soon. When your mother said this, I actually became rather curious. So I borrowed an excuse to visit the Gu family and met your mother…”
He suddenly stopped, his gaze filled with tender affection.
Father must be remembering the scene when he first saw Mother, right?
Zhou Shaojin felt both melancholy and envious.
Melancholy that Mother had died too early, envious that even though Mother was gone, she still held a place in Father’s heart.
She said nothing, afraid to disturb Father’s memories.
After a while, Zhou Zhen came back to himself. Looking slightly embarrassed, he smiled at Zhou Shaojin and said: “Your mother was a kind and honest person who never lost herself. What that old beggar said was mostly true—your mother never wronged anyone. In the future, if anyone speaks ill of your mother, you needn’t feel guilty. Just straighten your back and strike back hard.”
Zhou Shaojin’s eyes immediately moistened.
To be protected like this… it felt so good!
“I understand.” She couldn’t help but say with a choked voice: “I won’t let anyone slander my mother’s reputation.”
“That’s right!” Zhou Zhen looked at his younger daughter with great satisfaction. He produced a handkerchief from somewhere and handed it to her, saying: “Some people, when they’ve done wrong, not only fail to reflect on themselves but think it’s all everyone else’s fault—that others look down on them, that others despise poverty and love wealth, crave enjoyment, and curry favor with the powerful… With such people, don’t say anything to them. You won’t get through to them anyway. Just stay far away from them. Understand?”
Father must be talking about Cheng Bai, right?
Zhou Shaojin nodded repeatedly.
Zhou Zhen’s expression visibly relaxed.
Zhou Shaojin then boldly said: “Father, after elder sister gets married, I’d like to go with you to your post. Would that be all right?”
Zhou Zhen was quite surprised and said: “Why? Are you uncomfortable living at the Cheng family’s home?”
“No.” Zhou Shaojin thought for a moment and said: “Cousin Lu… seems to really hate me… When he runs into me, he appears very kind to me. But when no one’s around, he treats me very badly… If you ask what specific wrong he’s done, it seems like nothing. It’s just my feeling…”
She couldn’t speak of what happened in her previous life. In this life, Cheng Lu’s attitude toward her was only ambiguous—insufficient as evidence. She could only speak in vague terms.
Since Father cared so much about her and her sister, he certainly wouldn’t stand by and do nothing.
Sure enough, upon hearing this, Zhou Zhen’s expression changed dramatically. After pondering for a moment, he said: “Does he say things in a sarcastic way that sounds uncomfortable but seems like nothing to others?”
“Exactly, exactly.” Zhou Shaojin’s goal was to have Zhou Zhen investigate what Cheng Bai had said or instructed Cheng Lu before his death, which would explain why Cheng Lu hated him so much. “But it’s hard to tell Grandmother and the others about it.”
“I understand.” Zhou Zhen’s expression was calm, but his gaze was somewhat cold.
Zhou Shaojin brought up going with her father to his post again: “So can I go to Baoding Prefecture then?”
“Is it only because of this matter?” Zhou Zhen asked carefully: “Your grandmother… or your eldest aunt—are they good to you?”
“Very good!” Zhou Shaojin said sincerely: “Like a real granddaughter or daughter. Last time, eldest aunt went to the Gu family on Plum Blossom Lane for a wedding celebration and brought elder sister and me along.”
Zhou Zhen breathed a sigh of relief and smiled: “If it’s only because of Cheng Lu, there’s no need for you to be so anxious to go with me to my post!”
Zhou Shaojin didn’t understand.
Zhou Zhen thought for a while and said: “Do you know the Cheng family’s standing among the scholarly circles in Jiangnan?”
Zhou Shaojin shook her head: “I don’t know!”
Zhou Zhen smiled, organized his thoughts, and said contemplatively: “In earlier years, Jiuru Lane had two branches—the senior branch was Cheng Fu, the second branch was Cheng Bi. Cheng Fu had three sons: eldest son Cheng Zhi, second son Cheng Lie, and third son Cheng Ze. Among them, the eldest and second sons were legitimate sons, while the third son was a concubine-born son. The second branch’s Cheng Bi had two sons: eldest son Cheng Kan and second son Cheng Gang. Of these, Cheng Gang was concubine-born.
“The senior branch’s eldest son, Cheng Zhi, was the last top scholar of the previous dynasty. During Emperor Lie’s reign, he served as Hanlin Academy Scholar and Director of the Court of Imperial Messengers. When the capital fell, it was he who carried Emperor Lie on his back to escape from the capital. And it was he who commanded the Imperial Guards in several bloody battles against the current dynasty’s founding general Lin Tiande to escort Emperor Lie southward.
“Later, Emperor Lie was welcomed by Prince Xin, Prince Guang, and Prince Wei to Quanzhou, where he established the Xiangxing dynasty. Cheng Zhi was enfeoffed as Prime Minister. Later, when the court besieged Yaishan, Prince Xin and Prince Wei died in battle. Prince Guang secretly opened the gates to welcome the court’s heavy troops. Seeing that the ruler and ministers could not be saved, Cheng Zhi suggested Emperor Lie take his own life. When Emperor Lie didn’t dare, Cheng Zhi accompanied him in jumping into the sea to his death.”
Zhou Shaojin was utterly shocked.
In two lifetimes, she had never heard of this part of the Cheng family’s history.
But thinking about it, these were all matters from the previous dynasty—it made sense why no one mentioned them.
Could this be the reason the Cheng family was confiscated and executed?
No, that’s not right!
If it were for this reason, the Founding Emperor would have confiscated and executed the Cheng family back then. Why wait until now?
Zhou Shaojin couldn’t help but ask: “Is what you’re saying all true?”
This was old history from a hundred years ago. His daughter, having grown up in the inner chambers, had probably never heard of it.
“It’s true.” Zhou Zhen nodded and said: “When a new dynasty writes the history of the previous one, I heard from your Uncle Jing that His Majesty has already ordered the Ministry of Rites and the Hanlin Academy to begin compiling the previous dynasty’s history. The assessment given to Cheng Zhi is ‘thoroughly versed in classics and history, steady and strategic, loyal and courageous with great integrity.'”
Such high praise?
Zhou Shaojin’s eyes widened.
Zhou Zhen said: “The senior branch’s second son, Cheng Lie, was a provincial graduate at the time. He was studying in the capital with his brother, only eighteen or nineteen years old. When he heard news of the court attacking the capital, he volunteered to join the righteous army organized by Right Vice Minister Wang Qing. After the capital fell, he escorted Emperor Lie southward with his brother and later died in battle at Yaishan.”
Both brothers died at Yaishan!
Zhou Shaojin asked in amazement: “Cheng Zhi must have been married by then, right? So his children…”
Zhou Zhen’s eyes dimmed slightly as he said: “Cheng Zhi had three sons and two daughters. When the capital fell, Lady Cheng fled with her children to Tongzhou. By chance, they encountered the court’s army pursuing Emperor Lie, and someone informed on them. Knowing she couldn’t escape, Lady Cheng wanted to commit suicide with her daughters. But a loyal servant named Qin Da, unwilling to let Cheng Zhi’s line die out, secretly switched his own youngest son for Cheng Zhi’s youngest son, Cheng Bei. Only then did Cheng Zhi’s bloodline survive!”