Ji Ying neither confirmed nor denied this.

Zhou Shaojin’s eyes widened in surprise.

Could it be that even writing letters wasn’t allowed?

Wouldn’t that be imprisonment?

Why would Uncle Chi treat Ji Ying’s family this way?

She vaguely felt that the answer might affect the friendship between her and Ji Ying, so she changed the subject: “I’ve brewed several jars of osmanthus wine. They can be opened after the ninth day. Why don’t you take some back? Bury them under a tree—they’re best enjoyed when eating crabs.”

Ji Ying didn’t stand on ceremony and took two jars with her.

After chatting idly with Ji Ying about this and that, Zhou Shaojin’s mood became much lighter. When she went to the Cold Jade Mountain Room and saw Biyu directing several married women and older servants in changing the furnishings in the main room, she even went over to take a look.

The hanging scroll of “Immortal Pointing the Way” had been replaced with “Magu Presenting Longevity,” the asparagus fern that had been placed on the flower stand had been changed to evergreen plants, and the seat cushions with auspicious cloud patterns had been replaced with ones showing five bats presenting longevity… In short, all the decorations had become related to “longevity.”

Zhou Shaojin asked Biyu with a smile, “Will the birthday celebration for Old Madam be held here?”

“Yes!” Biyu said with a smile. “Old Madam says she’s getting old, and all the coming and going would not only tire her but also tire those who come to celebrate her birthday. She said it would be a simple celebration—she won’t invite the students and old friends from when the Old Master was alive, only the female relatives from a few families she’s close with on ordinary days. After the younger generation kowtows to her here, they’ll go to the Containing Truth Hall to drink wine, watch opera, and play mahjong, leaving only a few old sisters-in-law here to chat with her.”

“So simple!” Zhou Shaojin said with a smile.

Even Fourth Branch’s Old Madam Guan’s birthday celebration had been livelier than this.

Biyu said tactfully, “Old Madam used to enter the palace to pay respects to the Empress Dowager and the Empress. No matter how grand the arrangements, how could they compare to the grandeur of the palace?”

Zhou Shaojin said with a smile, “After climbing Mount Tai, all other mountains seem small?”

“Exactly that principle!” Biyu was chatting and laughing with her when several maids and married women surrounded Yuan Shi as she walked over.

“Shaojin!” From afar, Yuan Shi greeted her with a smile.

Because of the distance, Yuan Shi had sent someone in mid-August to take the third-day washing ceremony gift for Cheng Xiao’s child to Tongxiang, just waiting for Cheng Xiao’s child to be born. This morning she had received a letter from the matron saying that the swaddling cloth embroidered with Zhou Shaojin’s pattern design for Cheng Xiao’s child had not only been praised profusely by the female relatives of the Yuan family, but when the child had the third-day washing ceremony, Cheng Xiao’s mother-in-law had personally selected that swaddling cloth to wrap the child. The gifts sent by the Cheng family had greatly stood out.

Yuan Shi felt her face was filled with glory.

She went to take Zhou Shaojin’s hand.

But Zhou Shaojin smoothed her hair instead.

Yuan Shi didn’t mind and smilingly told her the situation: “This time it’s all thanks to you—you brought honor to your Cousin Xiao. Your Cousin Xiao even specially wrote a letter back, asking me to thank you. She also said the matron who went to deliver the third-day washing ceremony gift brought back some small trinkets for you, and you absolutely mustn’t be polite.”

I don’t need gifts—just please don’t trouble me to design any more patterns for you.

Zhou Shaojin smiled faintly, making her tender and beautiful face seem somewhat shy.

Yuan Shi laughed heartily and wanted to take her to see Old Madam Guo.

Biyu quickly said, “Old Madam went to Fourth Master’s place. She’ll be back in a while. Why don’t you come inside for some tea, Madam?”

Yuan Shi nodded with a smile.

Zhou Shaojin took the opportunity to excuse herself from Yuan Shi and returned to the Buddhist hall.

She asked Xiao Tan, “Do you know why Old Madam suddenly went to the Small Mountain Osmanthus Courtyard?”

“Because Old Madam is about to celebrate her birthday!” Xiao Tan said with a smile. “First Master and Second Master aren’t home. When Old Madam celebrates her birthday, naturally she hopes Fourth Master can attend!”

“You mean Fourth Master might not attend Old Madam’s birthday?” Zhou Shaojin was greatly startled.

“I heard from Sister Biyu and the others that he apparently didn’t show up for several years.” Xiao Tan said. “They said the Yutai Bank had business. Old Madam was unhappy for those years. Because of this matter, one year on Old Madam’s birthday, First Master even rushed back specially from the capital but couldn’t make Old Madam happy… It was only after Old Madam personally went to the Small Mountain Osmanthus Courtyard that Fourth Master came over to pay birthday respects to Old Madam. For the past two years, whenever her birthday approaches, Old Madam goes to see Fourth Master.”

This, this was too strange!

Zhou Shaojin didn’t dare comment. When she went to take leave of Old Madam Guo, she carefully observed Old Madam Guo’s expression. Unfortunately, Old Madam Guo’s expression was solemn and proper—she couldn’t see anything.

The next day she asked Ji Ying, “Will Uncle Chi attend Old Madam’s birthday banquet?”

“The banquet, I don’t know about,” Ji Ying said. “But he’ll definitely go to pay birthday respects.”

Zhou Shaojin hesitated for quite a while before saying, “Don’t you all think that’s strange?”

“What’s so strange about that?” Ji Ying asked in surprise. “A room full of female relatives, and he’s a man—after paying birthday respects, should he not leave and stay there to play mahjong with his sisters-in-law and aunts?”

This remark was too sharp.

Zhou Shaojin decided to ask Ji Ying fewer such questions in the future.

***

On the ninth day, Zhou Shaojin followed Old Madam Guan, Grand Madam Mian, and Zhou Chujin to the Cold Jade Mountain Room early.

Unexpectedly, there were people who had arrived even earlier.

An old madam with two women in their forties, four young married women of marriageable age, and seven or eight girls ranging from seventeen or eighteen to twelve or thirteen years old. Looking at their demeanor, they were steady and reserved—definitely not from ordinary families. But looking at their dress, it was all very plain, and they didn’t seem like female relatives from aristocratic families either.

Zhou Shaojin hadn’t seen any of them before, but Old Madam Guan and Grand Madam Mian recognized them. They hurried forward with smiles to greet them. Only then did she learn that these people were female relatives from Old Madam Guo’s natal family—the Guo family of Stone Alley.

The old madam was Old Madam Guo’s sister-in-law but looked several years older than Old Madam Guo. Her smile was warm and kind, her conversation elegant and refined—one could tell she was a woman who could read and write. When the old madam spoke, the other female relatives of the Guo family all smiled and listened, showing great propriety.

After Zhou Shaojin came the female relatives of the Gu family.

There were seventeen or eighteen of them. Old Madam Gu hadn’t come—the one leading was the Grand Madam of the Gu family. Seventh Madam Gu and Miss Gu Shiqi were also among the crowd.

The female relatives of the Gu family were very familiar with those of the Guo family. After exchanging greetings, they began inquiring after each other’s wellbeing.

Seventh Madam Gu smiled and nodded at Zhou Shaojin and Chujin. Miss Gu Shiqi ran over and greeted Zhou Shaojin and Zhou Chujin with a smile.

The three were talking when the people from the third branch arrived.

The room filled with another round of cheerful laughter.

Cheng Jia spotted Zhou Shaojin and Miss Gu Shiqi at a glance. After paying respects to the elders, she slipped over to Zhou Shaojin’s side.

“Miss Shiqi, when did you arrive?” She warmly linked arms with Miss Gu Shiqi. “Let’s sit together when we have the banquet.”

“All right!” Miss Gu Shiqi agreed happily.

More people arrived.

The room began to feel somewhat crowded.

The managing matron smiled and invited the madams and young ladies to the side chamber for tea, leaving behind only the few old madams who were chatting with Old Madam Guo.

Cheng Jia urged Zhou Shaojin and the others to talk in the courtyard: “Even more people will come later. Our backs will be sore from all the bowing.”

Miss Gu Shiqi covered her mouth and laughed: “I’ll follow the host’s lead as a guest.”

Zhou Shaojin had never liked social gatherings. Not only did she have no objection, she even pointed to a clump of bamboo in the courtyard: “Let’s talk over there—there’s a long stone bench behind the bamboo grove.”

Zhou Chujin, however, couldn’t leave Grand Madam Mian alone in the side chamber. She said with a smile, “You can talk there all you want, but don’t run around everywhere. Be careful—when it’s time to pay birthday respects, we won’t be able to find you.” Thinking that Cheng Jia was unreliable, she said to Miss Gu Shiqi, “I’m entrusting Shaojin to you.”

Zhou Shaojin’s face turned red. Miss Gu Shiqi repeatedly promised, “Certainly, certainly.”

Only then did Zhou Chujin feel at ease and go to the side chamber.

The three of them went giggling behind the bamboo grove.

That place was originally where Biyu and the others took shade—the stone bench was very clean. But before Zhou Shaojin and the others could take out handkerchiefs to wipe it, Chi Xiang came running over breathlessly, holding several cushions: “Second Young Miss, First Young Miss had me bring these. She said the weather has turned cool—it’s not like summer anymore, so it’s better to sit on cushions.”

All three were surprised.

Zhou Shaojin felt as if a warm current flowed through her heart. She quickly accepted the cushions.

Cheng Jia exclaimed, “Sister Chujin is the best!”

Miss Gu Shiqi asked Chi Xiang repeatedly to thank Zhou Chujin on her behalf.

Chi Xiang acknowledged and left with a smile.

Cheng Jia and Miss Gu Shiqi talked for a while about Zhou Chujin’s gentle thoughtfulness. The topic gradually shifted to A’zhu, who had released river lanterns with them last time, and from A’zhu to the Duke of Liang’s mansion… The topics drifted further and further. Finally, they were talking about how the eldest young madam of the Liu family from the Mei mansion on Official Street had divorced, taking her son and daughter back to live at her parents’ home: “They say the Liu family’s eldest son-in-law favored his concubine and mistreated his wife, and the eldest young madam didn’t want to continue living that way. Several masters of the Liu family took people over and beat the eldest son-in-law severely, nearly killing him. They not only made him spit out all of the eldest young madam’s dowry but also forced him to pay several thousand taels of silver in addition. Only then did the eldest young madam sign the divorce papers.”

Such a thing had happened!

Zhou Shaojin listened with great interest.

Suddenly, the loud voice of a woman came from outside: “Fourth Master and the eldest young master have arrived!”

A commotion arose in the courtyard.

Presumably the female relatives were hurrying to withdraw.

Zhou Shaojin thought of how, besides them, there were other female relatives standing in twos and threes in the covered corridors and courtyard talking.

Soon, the courtyard quieted down.

Zhou Shaojin turned her head and through the bamboo grove saw Cheng Chi and Cheng Xu walking in.

Cheng Chi appeared to be a bit taller than Cheng Xu. He wore a sapphire blue plain Huzhou straight robe with a dark blue cloth belt around his waist. A bright blue plain purse hung on the left and a small seal on the right. One hand was behind his back. His posture was like a pine tree, but his expression was indifferent as he walked in.

Cheng Xu followed a few steps behind him, wearing a purple-red cattail and calamus pattern brocade straight robe with a true purple sash tied at his waist. His bearing was spirited as he glanced around, making his face appear even more handsome, with sideburns as sharp as if cut by a knife.

Miss Gu Shiqi looked quite amazed and let out an “Ah,” saying, “Cheng Jiashan is growing more and more handsome.”

But Zhou Shaojin’s gaze fell on Cheng Chi.

Uncle Chi wasn’t wearing a Daoist robe… Clearly he didn’t disregard Old Madam Guo’s birthday as Xiao Tan and the others had said.

Cheng Jia, however, huffed and leaned on both their shoulders, saying, “What’s so good-looking about them! They still just have two eyes and one nose, don’t they?”

Miss Gu Shiqi’s eyes were fixed on Cheng Xu as she said, “Even two eyes and one nose can be different! Cheng Jiashan’s eyes and nose are just better looking than others’.”