In Yunzhen Hall, the atmosphere was tense, like drawn swords and cocked crossbows.

Madam Yuan and Cheng Xu sat facing each other in confrontation.

Cheng Xu’s eyes were wide open as he said unyieldingly, “Why can Eldest Sister’s and Second Sister’s marriages be decided by themselves, but mine cannot?”

“Because you are a man, you are the legitimate son and legitimate grandson of Nine-as-One Lane, you are the person who supports our Cheng family’s门庭,” Madam Yuan looked coldly at her son. “Girls spend their entire lives living in the inner quarters. After marrying, besides having to watch their husband’s expression and mother-in-law’s expression, they also have to watch their sisters-in-law’s expressions and their husband’s sisters’ expressions. When they grow old, they even have to watch their sons’ expressions. But men can travel in all directions, move between court and common society. Naturally they should bring glory to their ancestors, prioritize establishing achievements and serving the state and society. The inner quarters are merely where you occasionally rest. The imperial court is where you should be, where you should exert your efforts.”

Hearing this, Cheng Xu’s face flushed bright red as he said, “Cultivate oneself, regulate the family, govern the state, and pacify the world—is tranquility in the inner quarters not important?”

Before his words finished falling, Madam Yuan had already scoffed and said, “But who wants the inner quarters to be disturbed? Isn’t it you? Abandoning a perfectly good broad path, you insist on going down a dead end. Did your grandmother agree to this matter or did your father agree? Who exactly is the one causing such disturbance here?”

Cheng Xu wanted to speak but held back.

He very much wanted to say that things like establishing achievements and leaving one’s name in history all depended on human planning with heaven determining success—who dared say they would definitely accomplish great things? But marrying a wife he liked was something right before his eyes. At this moment, he only wanted to focus on what was before him.

But he knew even more clearly that he couldn’t say these words.

If he spoke them, that would truly cause domestic disharmony.

Not only would Mother be disappointed, but even Grandmother and Father, who placed unlimited hopes in him, would also be very disappointed.

Cheng Xu looked at his mother, his expression melancholy.

Madam Yuan’s heart softened.

Thinking of her son’s sun-bright little face when he was small, those chubby little hands when he took delicious food from his mouth to stuff into hers… her tone couldn’t help but become much gentler. She said in a low voice, “Jiashan, in this world, where there is gain there must be loss. Your responsibilities do not allow you such willfulness. We won’t speak of other things. Let’s just talk about the Emperor. ‘Under heaven, all is the Emperor’s land’—he should be the most honored person in the world, right? He wanted to establish Noble Consort Lin as Empress, but Noble Consort Lin had no children, and the Grand Secretariat disagreed, so he could only establish Consort Wang Xian, who had borne the eldest son, as Empress instead. Even the Emperor must follow worldly rules, much less us common people? Shaojin is very good, but if she came from a family of officials for generations, not only would Mother not stop you, I would even find ways to help you marry her. You are also very good, but if you were only the eldest son of a common marketplace family, Mother wouldn’t make such demands of you either. You enjoy the support of the Cheng family, so you must repay the Cheng family. This is both your fate and Shaojin’s fate. You cannot only care about yourself and disregard others.”

Cheng Xu was unwilling to accept this. He said, “What about Fourth Uncle then? He passed the imperial examination but didn’t enter office, and he’s past twenty but hasn’t married. Why don’t you manage him? Why do you insist on watching me so closely?”

After saying so much, her son still couldn’t hear a single word.

Madam Yuan was so angry her head was buzzing. Knowing that no matter how much more she said it would be useless, she simply said, “If you can be like your Fourth Uncle, not spending a single coin of the family’s silver, able to establish your own household even if you split from the clan right now, I won’t manage you either!”

Hearing this, Cheng Xu’s spirits lifted. He immediately jumped up and said, “That’s good then, Mother. We’ll settle it like this. If I can also be like Fourth Uncle, not using the family’s silver and living well without relying on the family, you’ll agree to let me decide my own marriage.”

Hearing this, Madam Yuan nearly coughed up blood. Fortunately, she hadn’t been completely confused by her son’s anger. Relying on instinct, she said, “You can wait, but young ladies cannot. Women marry when they come of age. I’m afraid this is just your wishful thinking?”

Cheng Xu knew his mother was trying to make things difficult for him.

But he wasn’t someone who could be stumped so easily.

His mind spun rapidly.

The year after next was the dingyou year, when there would be provincial examinations. If he passed and became a provincial graduate, couldn’t he gradually stop relying on the family like Fourth Uncle?

He immediately said, “Fine then. We’ll set a three-year limit. If after three years I no longer depend on the family, you must honor our agreement. Conversely, if after three years I cannot achieve independence, I will also keep my promise and follow your arrangements.”

Three years from now, Zhou Shaojin would come of age.

Madam Yuan said “Fine.”

After her son passed the provincial examination, he would discover how difficult it was to break into the spring examinations that only admitted just over three hundred people every three years without family support.

※※※

Zhou Shaojin didn’t know that certain moments in this life would shockingly overlap with her previous life.

On the day of the chrysanthemum banquet, she hid in Wanxiang Residence without going out, and Cheng Xu also didn’t use this or that as an excuse to look for her. While she breathed a sigh of relief, her heart was also somewhat uneasy—not knowing when Cheng Xu would pop up again.

She quietly inquired with Biyu and others about Cheng Xu’s whereabouts these days.

“…He’s been accompanying Young Master Min all along,” Biyu said. “According to Huanxi, Young Master Min invited First Master to go study together at the Imperial Academy. Young Master seems to have agreed, and Madam also very much approves. She even wrote a letter to Grand Master. If Grand Master has no objections, after the Cold Clothes Festival passes, First Master will go to the capital together with Young Master Min.”

The first day of the tenth month was the Cold Clothes Festival, when every household performed ancestral rites.

Zhou Shaojin was stunned.

In her previous life, Cheng Xu had always stayed in Jinling.

Could this be another effect of her rebirth?

If so, this was an affected matter for the good. She wouldn’t have to worry constantly about guarding against Cheng Xu. After Cheng Xu went to the capital and broadened his horizons, perhaps he would feel she was nothing special and let go.

This was a good thing!

Zhou Shaojin’s mood soared. She brought several crabs to visit Ji Ying.

Seeing that the crabs were each as big as rice bowls, Ji Ying drooled with desire and said, “I haven’t eaten such large crabs in many years. I remember I buried a jar of Maiden’s Red wine in the courtyard. Let’s dig it out and drink it.”

“No, no, no,” Zhou Shaojin hurried to stop her. “The longer Maiden’s Red is buried, the more mellow it becomes. Let’s bury it a few more years, shall we?”

“Who knows what next year will bring?” Ji Ying disagreed, saying, “I heard from Minghe that Nan Ping has been packing things these days. It seems they’re moving to Zao Garden. If they really move there, who knows how many years this wine will stay buried, and who will benefit from it?”

“You’re moving to Zao Garden?” Zhou Shaojin was very surprised.

Ji Ying shrugged and said, “That’s just what I heard. Whether we’ll actually move or not, I’m not too clear either.”

These words fell like a heavy stone on Zhou Shaojin’s heart.

Then how would she get close to Uncle Chi?

Then who would she find to warn Cheng Jing?

What about the Cheng family?

What about her?

Could it be that the old ancestor of the Second Branch, Cheng Xu, had done something?

Zhou Shaojin became anxious and said, “You’re living perfectly fine here. Why would you suddenly move?”

Ji Ying laughed, “Why are you so anxious? Even if we move, it probably won’t be until after the Cold Clothes Festival.”

Zhou Shaojin said sadly, “Then… will I still be able to see you in the future?”

“Don’t act like we’re parting in life or death, alright?” Seeing this, Ji Ying was both amused and exasperated. “Your uncle is moody and unpredictable. Maybe the moment we move out, he’ll move back the next. Think about it—even though he doesn’t take anyone seriously or hold anyone in his heart, he can’t very well leave his own mother behind, can he? So as long as the Old Madam is still alive, as long as the Old Madam still lives in Nine-as-One Lane, he can’t possibly not return.”

But what if the Old Madam was no longer here?

This thought burrowed into Zhou Shaojin’s mind following Ji Ying’s words.

She couldn’t help but shiver.

When did the Old Madam pass away?

Zhou Shaojin kept trying to recall.

The last time Cheng Xu appeared was in the twenty-fourth or twenty-fifth year of Zhide—she couldn’t remember clearly anymore. But at that time Old Madam Guo was still alive, otherwise Cheng Xu wouldn’t have been able to run to the capital to go mad. So Old Madam Guo must have passed after the twenty-fifth year of Zhide.

In the twenty-sixth year of Zhide, she didn’t remember anything happening to the Cheng family. But in the twenty-seventh year of Zhide, Cousin Gao achieved success in the examinations, passed as a Hanlin scholar, and observed government at the Ministry of Justice. Later Cousin Yi came to see her… it was when Cousin Yi failed the examination, in the bingwu year, the twenty-ninth year of Zhide. Cousin Yi didn’t mention Old Madam Guo, but afterward… Second Old Master Cheng Shao of the First Branch suddenly died of acute illness, and he rushed to Almond Forest Lane to help with the funeral arrangements.

Almond Forest Lane was the Cheng family’s lodging place in the capital. The Second Old Master of the First Branch had always lived there.

She remembered that at the time Cousin Yi had even told her, “Since you don’t want to have any more contact with the Cheng family, just pretend you don’t know.”

Telling her not to send anyone to pay respects.

At that time she saw Cheng Yi was very dejected and was extremely worried. She had secretly sent someone to follow, and the person who returned told her Cheng Yi was fine and not to worry. They also said that someone from Jinling had come to report a death, and Cheng Yi would rush back to Jinling early the next morning, so he wouldn’t come to bid her farewell.

The Cheng family had too many marriage connections in Jinling.

Moreover, Cheng Yi was rushing back early the next morning, so it definitely wasn’t a close relative.

She hadn’t paid much attention to it.

Could it be… that time it was Old Madam Guo!

Zhou Shaojin’s temples throbbed.

Two years later, that is, in the second year of Tianshun, the Cheng family was raided.

The entire Cheng family was arrested.

Whether it was the women and children in their Jinling ancestral home, the children serving as officials in the capital, or Second Uncle Cheng Yuan who was posted elsewhere—yet only the First Branch’s Fourth Master Cheng Chi escaped… and he even staged a jailbreak… saving only Cheng Xu alone!

What if in the twenty-ninth year of Zhide, Uncle Chi had already left Jinling, left the Cheng family?

Zhou Shaojin was startled by this bold hypothesis.

She thought of that day at Three Branches Pavilion.

There was Hereditary Prince Zhu Pengjiu of Duke Liangguo; the later Vice Minister of Works Gu Jiunie; possibly Yuan Bieyun, the eldest son of the current Chief Grand Secretary, Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion, and Minister of Personnel Yuan Weichang… They talked freely about the Emperor’s Chief Companion Wan Tong, the Chief Eunuch of the Qianqing Palace Chen Li, the Directorate of Ceremonial’s Brush-Wielding Eunuch Liu Yong—these figures who could cause tremors throughout court and common society with a single stomp, whom provincial governors would turn pale upon hearing of, yet in their eyes were ordinary.

At that time she didn’t know Uncle Chi’s identity. Later, after learning who had rescued her from trouble, she occasionally couldn’t help but wonder—Uncle Chi knew so many formidable people, yet at the Cheng family’s moment of life and death, why didn’t a single one of them step forward to work on the Cheng family’s behalf?

Clearly they were all just drinking and dining companions!

But what if these people were only on good terms with Uncle Chi, and Uncle Chi had long since left the Cheng family?