It took Zhou Shaojin quite a while to come back to her senses.

She decided to quickly return to the Buddhist hall to avoid hearing anything else she shouldn’t.

However, what she hadn’t expected was that just as she left the covered corridor, the curtain of the main hall lifted and Cheng Chi walked out.

Zhou Shaojin was shocked and dismayed.

Wasn’t he talking with Old Madam Guo? How had he come out so quickly? The courtyard was quiet with only herself present. She wondered if he would suspect she had been eavesdropping on his conversation with Old Madam Guo.

Feeling uneasy, she went forward to curtsy to Cheng Chi and called out “Uncle Chi.”

Cheng Chi’s expression was somewhat dazed, as if he hadn’t noticed her before. Only when she greeted him did he seem to discover Zhou Shaojin’s presence.

“You’re here!” Abandoning his usual warmth, he greeted Zhou Shaojin indifferently, his brows showing traces of weariness.

Was it because the conversation with Old Madam Guo had not gone smoothly?

Zhou Shaojin speculated inwardly and smiled, saying, “I was copying scriptures in the Buddhist hall and just came over for tea!”

Although she hadn’t told Cheng Chi the complete sequence of events, she hadn’t concealed anything either.

“Is that so?” Cheng Chi responded casually, appearing distracted.

Understanding the situation from his words, Zhou Shaojin quickly took her leave, “Then I’ll return to the Buddhist hall to copy scriptures.”

Cheng Chi nodded, but after Zhou Shaojin had walked a few steps, he called her back and said hesitantly, “The Old Madam is in the inner chamber and is in a bad mood. Since you’re already here, why don’t you keep the Old Madam company and chat with her!”

Her?

Chat?

Zhou Shaojin was stunned.

What could she possibly talk about with Old Madam Guo?

Moreover, at this moment, what could she say to Old Madam Guo?

Zhou Shaojin was in a difficult position, but unexpectedly Cheng Chi had already changed his mind, saying, “Never mind… Your nature is tranquil, not lively like Sister Sheng. Even if you kept the Old Madam company, you probably couldn’t make her happy… Go back to the Buddhist hall and copy scriptures!”

Her face flushed bright red. She responded softly and quickly walked toward the Buddhist hall.

But when she turned the corner, Zhou Shaojin still couldn’t help looking back.

Cheng Chi stood alone on the steps below the covered corridor of the main hall, with a straight posture. With his hands behind his back, he gazed quietly at the azure sky. Peaceful, yet filled with loneliness.

What had happened between him and his parents?

Why wouldn’t he marry?

What had happened at the Guo family?

And who was the old scoundrel?

Zhou Shaojin’s mind was like a revolving lantern, spinning incessantly. Even when she took her leave from Old Madam Guo, her mood still hadn’t calmed down.

Old Madam Guo, however, was tougher than she had imagined. From her appearance, she was no different from usual. If Zhou Shaojin hadn’t been certain that she had heard Old Madam Guo’s roar that afternoon, she would have thought nothing had happened. But this was only on the surface. Old Madam Guo unusually inquired about Zhou Shaojin’s progress in copying scriptures. When she heard Zhou Shaojin say it could be completed before the New Year, she was very satisfied and even showed a hint of a smile.

In Zhou Shaojin’s view, rather than saying Old Madam Guo was pleased because of her smooth progress in copying scriptures, it was better to say that because this matter was being smoothly implemented according to Old Madam Guo’s wishes, it made the Old Madam feel slightly better.

Returning to Fragrant Orchid Residence, she asked her sister, “Do you know about Uncle Chi’s childhood?”

Zhou Chujin asked curiously, “Why are you asking about this?”

“I ran into Uncle Chi at Cold Emerald Mountain Lodge today,” Zhou Shaojin said. “I’m very curious. Why didn’t he enter officialdom after passing the imperial examination?”

Zhou Chujin suspected nothing and smiled, “What’s so strange about that? Officials must serve five hundred li from their hometown. How many places in the world can compare to the prosperity of Jinling City? Rather than going to some harsh, desolate place to be a seventh-rank minor official, it’s better to stay in Jinling as a refined gentleman of leisure!”

Zhou Shaojin smiled with pursed lips, vaguely feeling that Cheng Chi’s reasons for not becoming an official were probably not so simple.

Zhou Chujin gave her younger sister advice, “If you really want to know about Uncle Chi’s childhood, why not ask the elderly servants in the first branch? They definitely know.”

Zhou Shaojin had Fan Qi go inquire.

The next day, Fan Qi gave her a report, “Fourth Master was born in the capital. In the fifteenth year of Yongchang, when the Old Master of the first branch passed away, Fourth Master was only six years old. He returned home to observe a year of mourning, then was taken to the capital by Second Old Master. After that, he spent most of his time in the capital studying under Second Old Master, occasionally returning to Jinling City to visit Old Madam Guo. It wasn’t until the thirteenth year of Zhide, when Fourth Master was twenty years old and about to take the examination, that he returned. If you want to know about Fourth Master’s childhood, you’d have to ask those who served Second Old Master in the capital.”

“Ah?!” Zhou Shaojin’s eyes widened.

In other words, Cheng Chi had spent most of his time in the capital, and his return to Jinling had only been in recent years.

No wonder she hadn’t heard news of him before.

But this wasn’t right either!

When did he establish the Yutai Bank?

Since he was studying under the first branch’s Second Old Master, how could Second Old Master have allowed him to pursue “improper occupations”?

Fan Qi lowered her voice again and said mysteriously, “Second Miss, I also heard them say that Fourth Master has a villa in Limestone Mountain, thirty li northwest of the city, called ‘Algae Garden.’ When Fourth Master first returned, he didn’t live in the household compound but lived at Algae Garden. Later, only after the Old Madam spoke did Fourth Master move back.”

Zhou Shaojin had long ago heard that Cheng Chi had a villa; she just hadn’t known it was in Limestone Mountain.

She didn’t take this matter to heart, but instead asked Fan Qi, “Help me find out when the Yutai Bank was established.”

“I know,” Fan Qi told her with certainty. “It was the eighth year of Zhide, on the ninth day of the ninth month.”

Zhou Shaojin asked in confusion, “How do you know?”

Fan Qi grinned and said, “When I was in the village, the young scholar next door desperately wanted to become an apprentice at Yutai Bank—he told me. He also told me that every ninth day of the ninth month, Yutai Bank distributes rice, and many people queue up to receive it.”

The ninth day of the ninth month was both the Double Ninth Festival and Old Madam Guo’s birthday.

Could there be no connection between these things?

The eighth year of Zhengde, which was ten years ago, Uncle Chi was fifteen years old… He was so young, and his family was wealthy—why would he think to establish a bank apart from the family business?

Those who managed household affairs in a family were usually those with no prospects in officialdom. At that time, the family shouldn’t have yet decided to have him manage household affairs. Moreover, later events proved that although Uncle Chi took the examination late, he hadn’t missed a single examination cycle. Without an extremely solid foundation, even with a Hanlin Academy scholar uncle and a successful imperial examination scholar brother supporting him, it couldn’t have gone so smoothly.

Could the Grand Madam have told Uncle Chi not to blame the deceased Old Master of the first branch because they had decided too early to have Uncle Chi manage household affairs, thus delaying him until he was twenty-one before taking the examination?

But this wasn’t right either!

Hadn’t Old Madam Guo also managed household affairs in earlier years? If Uncle Chi were material for scholarship, given Old Madam Guo’s strength of character, she would definitely have continued managing household affairs herself. How could she have compromised her son’s future for this reason?

The more Zhou Shaojin thought about it, the more her head ached.

She waved her hand and dismissed Fan Qi to rest, “If there’s anything else in the future, come tell me then.”

But Fan Qi smiled and said, “There really is one more thing to tell Second Miss—Sister Heming from Small Mountain Osmanthus Grove Courtyard is getting married. Moreover, she’s marrying far away to Huzhou. This leaves an opening for a senior maid at Small Mountain Osmanthus Grove Courtyard. Many people want to go through Chief Steward Qin to get into Small Mountain Osmanthus Grove Courtyard, but Chief Steward Qin said Small Mountain Osmanthus Grove Courtyard won’t be adding people… Does this count as news?”

Zhou Shaojin was very surprised and said, “Is what you’re saying true?”

“It couldn’t be more true!” Fan Qi assured her. “If you don’t believe it, at most in two more days, Chief Steward Qin will make an announcement.”

Good girl!

Zhou Shaojin almost patted Fan Qi’s head.

This morning at Cold Emerald Mountain Lodge, when that young maid asked Biyu about it, Biyu still hadn’t had a definite answer, but only a few hours later, Fan Qi had already gotten the news.

She happily rewarded Fan Qi with one tael of silver.

Fan Qi cheerfully tucked it away and said, “Second Miss, there’s one more thing. However, it’s not related to Small Mountain Osmanthus Grove Courtyard—it’s about the second branch. Do you want to hear it?”

So there was even a bonus!

Zhou Shaojin wasn’t interested in matters of the second branch, but she felt that knowing more about the Cheng family’s affairs would make things more convenient for her in the future. Therefore, she smiled and said, “Tell me quickly, what is it?”

Seeing Zhou Shaojin’s interest, Fan Qi became enthusiastic too and said, “Some time ago, didn’t Second Young Madam of the first branch give birth to a son, and First Grand Lady Shi of the second branch also give birth to a young master? As a result, the first and second branches competed in giving rewards. Because the washing ceremony gifts sent to Second Young Madam earned praise from her in-laws and put the second branch in the shade, the second branch was uncomfortable. I heard that this time Old Lady Tang of the second branch took out her own private money and had someone send it to First Grand Lady Shi’s maternal family, so that First Grand Lady Shi’s maternal family could send two presentable full-month celebration gifts…”

Zhou Shaojin found this both laughable and absurd and said, “Wasn’t First Grand Lady Shi’s maternal family angry?”

She hadn’t expected that such a shrewd and capable person as Old Lady Tang would do something so foolish!

Fan Qi grinned and said, “I heard from others that First Grand Lady Shi’s maternal family is an empty shell.”

Having said this, he waited for Zhou Shaojin to continue asking.

But Zhou Shaojin remained silent.

He looked up suspiciously, only to see Zhou Shaojin sitting there with a face full of shock.

Fan Qi didn’t know what he had said wrong and, feeling a bit frightened, carefully called out “Second Miss” and said, “What’s wrong with you?”

“I’m fine!” Zhou Shaojin took a deep breath.

She remembered.

The old patriarch of the second branch, Cheng Xu, had retired from office due to illness in the eighth year of Zhengde.

In other words, Uncle Chi had established Yutai Bank after Cheng Xu stopped being an official.

Why?

Because the Cheng family had become an empty shell?

Zhou Shaojin didn’t believe it.

There must be some connection here!

She just didn’t know what it was.

Zhou Shaojin’s mind was in complete chaos.

She obliquely and indirectly asked the old servants in the household about the Cheng family’s food, clothing, and expenses back then.

The old servant smiled and said, “As long as Mochou Lake hasn’t dried up, how could Nine Blessings Lane lack for provisions? Not to mention in these peaceful and prosperous times—even during the change of dynasties, my grandfather said that while people outside Jinling City were reduced to eating their own children, the Cheng family never lacked for food or clothing. On Third Master’s birthday, the servants still received their customary reward money.”

Was the Cheng family really that wealthy?

Zhou Shaojin felt she had learned something, but when she thought about it carefully, she couldn’t clearly articulate what she had learned.

In her slightly anxious mood, Lan Ting, following Zhou Zhen’s orders, delivered a box of oriental pearls to each of the two daughters.