“I see!” Li Shi said with a smile. “Having Second Miss say this is enough!”

What did I say?

I don’t think I said anything at all!

Zhou Shaojin’s mental alarm bells rang loudly. After seeing Li Shi off, she ran to the greenhouse.

Her sister was there learning from Nanny Yu how to cultivate orchids.

She wanted to bring back all the orchid pots that Zhuang Shi had left behind to the Cheng family.

Zhou Shaojin volunteered to help her sister care for these orchids.

But Zhou Chujin didn’t trust her, saying: “At most, you’ve only grown two pots of camellia before. If anything happens to these orchids, I’ll cry but won’t get them back. These were left by Mother.”

Zhou Shaojin had no choice but to give up.

After hearing what her sister said, Zhou Chujin gave a cold laugh and said: “I knew she had no good intentions. Don’t worry about this matter anymore. When Father returns, I’ll go tell him myself.”

Zhou Shaojin said worriedly: “Won’t it be too late—if it were me, by changing the tone a bit without omitting a single word, I could pin the whole thing on myself, saying I was the one who asked her to discuss it with you…”

“So you know you said the wrong thing!” Seeing her pitiful appearance, Zhou Chujin felt both annoyed and amused, chiding: “Let’s see if you’ll speak carelessly again!”

Zhou Shaojin laughed sheepishly.

Zhou Chujin shook her head and said helplessly and gently: “All right, all right, don’t worry. Leave this matter to elder sister.”

Zhou Shaojin asked: “Then what does elder sister plan to do?”

Zhou Chujin originally didn’t want to say much to her, but then thinking of Zhou Shaojin’s carefree nature, she felt it would be good to tell her—if not to change her nature, at least to make her more perceptive. So she said in a low voice: “From Li Shi’s tone, Lanting is relying on being someone Mother left for Father. Even if she hasn’t made things difficult for Li Shi, she’s probably made Li Shi very uncomfortable. No matter what, Li Shi is Father’s properly married wife. The person who will spend a lifetime with Father is her. If what Li Shi said is just a means to deal with Lanting, that’s one thing. But if Lanting really is using Mother’s name to make things difficult for Li Shi like this, Mother’s reputation will also be damaged. Better to go with the flow and let Lanting come back once. If what Li Shi said is true, Li Shi can’t do anything to her, but you are Mother’s biological daughter and can deal with her. If Li Shi’s words are untrue, I’m afraid Lanting won’t have good days at Father’s side either. Better to ask Lanting what she wants—if she wants to stay by Father’s side, then we can’t manage her future affairs. If she wants to leave, we’ll ask eldest aunt to make the decision and arrange a good match for her, marrying her off in grand style.”

“That’s a good idea!” The stone in Zhou Shaojin’s heart dropped as she smiled at her sister with curved eyes.

“All you know is to smile foolishly.” Zhou Chujin really had no way to deal with this sister. She said: “I’ll tell you one more thing. This matter benefits Father and benefits Li Shi even more. Since Li Shi dares to use us as her tools, we can’t just let her use us as pawns for nothing. We must make her pay some price. Otherwise, she’ll think we’re soft persimmons she can squeeze however she wants.”

Zhou Shaojin had no concept of such matters at all.

She followed her sister’s lead in everything.

Zhou Chujin didn’t expect Zhou Shaojin to do anything either. She instructed Ma Fushan’s wife to wait at the gate: “As soon as Father returns, send someone to tell me. If Madam learns of Father’s return before me and suddenly brings us rock sugar snow pears for a late-night snack like last time, you might as well go with Ma Fushan to Baoding to serve my father.”

Ma Fushan’s wife was so frightened she fell to her knees with a thud: “First Miss, I originally thought…”

“Enough!” Zhou Chujin coldly interrupted her before she could explain. “Just do your duty properly. Whether you’re loyal or treacherous, I naturally know in my heart.”

How could Ma Fushan’s wife dare say anything more? She withdrew submissively.

Zhou Shaojin was quite impressed.

She wondered if she would one day be able to command such authority like her sister.

While she was admiring this on one side, Li Shi sat in the study with her heart pounding.

Nanny Li comforted her: “The words have already been spoken—like spilled water, regretting won’t help. Madam might as well think more broadly. Both young ladies are well-bred people, and Madam hasn’t wrongly accused Lanting of anything. It’s just that out of respect for the former Madam Zhuang, it’s difficult to deal with Lanting. If you explain things properly to First Miss, she’s not unreasonable.”

“I’m just a bit afraid of her.” With no one else around, Li Shi spoke without reservation and said: “I just brought her a bowl of rock sugar snow pears, and she immediately returned a box of pastries; I kindly offered to prepare a set of bridal porcelain for her, and she looked disdainful… And look at the household servants—which one doesn’t act according to First Miss’s expressions?” As she spoke, she rubbed her forehead and said with a headache: “I have no other options. If this can’t deal with that Lanting, once we go to Baoding Prefecture, there will be even fewer opportunities. She’s already twenty-eight or twenty-nine now. If this child is a daughter, I can’t very well keep suppressing her and not let her have children, can I?”

How could Nanny Li not understand? That’s why when Li Shi went to find Zhou Shaojin, she hadn’t stopped her.

“Second Miss is still better!” Li Shi sighed. “Beautiful and gentle in temperament…” As she spoke, an idea suddenly occurred to her, and she said to Nanny Li: “What do you think about matching Second Miss with my eldest aunt’s son?”

Li Shi’s eldest aunt had married into the Huang family of Saiyang. Though also a second wife, she was from the legitimate line, and her son was handsome, of pure character, and well-educated.

Nanny Li’s expression changed dramatically. She quickly said: “My dear madam, you absolutely must not have this idea. I can see that the master treats Second Miss like the apple of his eye. If she marries over there and things go well, that’s fine, but if there’s anything unsatisfactory, just wait to see the master’s displeasure!”

Li Shi couldn’t help but sigh and say: “I know. I’m just clutching at straws in desperation. If only Second Miss could be of one mind with me.”

As the two were talking, a little maid reported: “Madam, the master has returned.”

Li Shi was delighted and quickly groomed herself before going out to greet him.

Zhou Zhen had drunk a bit but was still quite sober. After having sobering soup, he said: “I heard from Chujin that you went to see her about Lanting’s matter?”

Li Shi was badly startled and quickly said: “No…”

Zhou Zhen smiled and said: “Don’t be anxious. I know Lanting’s matter has always been a thorn in your side. But she’s been with me all these years and was Zhuang Shi’s personal maid—I can’t just abandon her like that. Chujin is right—being a stepmother is difficult. You’re so young and yet married me—you’ve truly suffered many grievances…”

“Master, I’m not aggrieved.” Li Shi grew anxious and said repeatedly: “Really, I’ve never felt aggrieved…”

She hadn’t even gone to find Zhou Chujin, yet Zhou Chujin had already turned the tables on her.

But she dared not say this.

She felt Zhou Zhen certainly wouldn’t believe what she said and would instead offend Zhou Chujin.

Zhou Zhen comfortingly patted Li Shi’s hand and smiled warmly: “However, Chujin is also right—Lanting’s matter wouldn’t be good whether handled by you or by me. Your idea is good. Let Lanting come back once. If there’s anything to say, we’ll ask Ma Fushan’s wife to question her. Whether she stays or goes, we should have a definite answer.”

Li Shi’s heart grew cold.

What difference was there between saying this and saying nothing?

If Lanting wanted to leave, she would have left long ago. Why has she been staying with Zhou Zhen all these years?

Wasn’t it because she wanted Zhou Zhen to elevate her to concubine status?

It wasn’t that she couldn’t tolerate Zhou Zhen having a concubine—what she couldn’t tolerate was Lanting always using Madam Zhuang’s name to point fingers and give orders, making her feel like there was a blockage in her chest.

Men aren’t as attentive as women.

After Zhou Zhen finished speaking, he set the matter aside.

He instructed Li Shi: “Prepare tomorrow—we’re going to Jiuru Lane as guests.”

Li Shi said blankly: “Didn’t we already go?”

“That day we went to pay a visit,” Zhou Zhen said. “Tomorrow they’re hosting a banquet for us.”

Li Shi could only suppress this matter in her heart. The next day, she followed Zhou Zhen and brought the Zhou sisters to Jiuru Lane.

The second branch’s old ancestor Cheng Xu personally came out to entertain Zhou Zhen. Cheng Yi, Cheng Lu, Cheng Mian, Cheng Wen, Cheng Shi, Cheng Yu, Cheng Zheng, Cheng Gao, Cheng Yi, and Cheng Nuo—almost all the Cheng family men in Jinling served as accompanying guests, but Cheng Chi was conspicuously absent.

Cheng Xu’s explanation was that a batch of Cheng family goods had encountered some problems in Lin’an, and Cheng Chi had gone to Lin’an.

Zhou Zhen smiled and nodded. Thinking of Cheng Chi’s distant and cold manner when he came last time, he couldn’t help feeling somewhat puzzled.

After returning home, he quietly asked Zhou Shaojin: “When you copy scriptures for Old Madam Guo at Hanbi Mountain Hall, do you often encounter Fourth Uncle Chi?”

Zhou Shaojin’s heart jumped as she said: “What’s wrong?” Her tone was somewhat tense.

“Nothing.” Seeing this, Zhou Zhen smiled and said: “I heard from Elder Ze that Fourth Uncle Chi went to Lin’an, so I didn’t run into him today. I had originally wanted to ask him to look after you sisters more.”

Cheng Xu’s courtesy name was “Chunze Jushi” (Hermit of Spring Marsh). People in official circles respectfully called him “Elder Ze.”

Uncle Chi isn’t home?

Zhou Shaojin thought of the scene when she went to Xiaoshan Conggui Courtyard to see him… and was quite doubtful.

If only she still lived at Jiuru Lane—she could use the excuse of visiting Nan Ping and immediately know whether he was home or not!

Zhou Shaojin wanted to find out some information about Cheng Chi. She pulled her father to talk and said: “Uncle Chi seems to rarely participate in such banquets. If I weren’t copying scriptures at Hanbi Mountain Hall, I probably wouldn’t even know him. What kind of person is he? Has Father ever heard anyone mention him?”

“I see!” Zhou Zhen murmured, somewhat distracted, and didn’t answer Zhou Shaojin’s question.

Zhou Shaojin instinctively felt her father was hiding something from her. And it seemed to be related to Cheng Chi.

She said directly: “Father, has something happened?”

“No.” Zhou Zhen answered quickly and decisively but offered no further explanation.

Zhou Shaojin became even more certain her father was hiding something from her. She simply said: “Father, even if you don’t tell me, once I return to Jiuru Lane and ask around, I’ll find out.”

She put on a somewhat smug and provocative expression as she looked at her father.

Zhou Zhen laughed heartily and teased her: “Then tell me, how would you find out?”

“I’ll ask Old Madam Guo!” Zhou Shaojin bluffed her father. “When Old Madam Guo is bored, she also tells me things. If I find an opportunity to ask Old Madam Guo, she’ll definitely tell me…”

Zhou Zhen had met Old Madam Guo twice.

She was a woman stronger than many men.

But even the strongest woman had moments of vulnerability, especially when facing a lively and charming young lady like his younger daughter.

Zhou Zhen pondered for a moment, then said seriously: “Shaojin, you’d better not ask Old Madam Guo about this matter.”

“Why?” Zhou Shaojin was very surprised.