Because New Year was approaching, each branch had begun spring cleaning. The maids and servants of Wanxiang Residence were mostly helping at Jiashu Hall, so the courtyard was quiet with barely any sound.
Zhou Chujin held a letter in her hand, her brows tightly furrowed as she paced back and forth in the study, appearing somewhat agitated.
Zhou Shaojin’s heart skipped a beat seeing this. She hastily gave Shi Xiang a look, signaling her to withdraw, then hurried into the study in quick steps, smiling and saying, “Sister, I heard there’s news from Ma Ci’s side…”
But before she could finish speaking, Zhou Chujin, hearing the commotion, had already turned around.
“Shaojin!” She was full of joy, pulling her sister toward the east. “You’re finally back.”
Zhou Chujin and Zhou Shaojin sat down in the study, her eyes and brows unable to suppress their elation. “That Ma Ci you recommended is truly capable! Not only did he find out Xinlan’s whereabouts, he even pretended to be a traveling merchant going to Jingzhou to trade cotton and tricked Xinlan and her husband into coming to Jinling.” As she spoke, she spread open the letter for Zhou Shaojin to see. “Look! In the letter, Ma Ci says he reported to Li’s Silk and Satin Shop on Great Market Street and wants us to find a way to meet them at Jiangdong Bridge to avoid exposing the ruse!”
Zhou Shaojin was both surprised and delighted. While asking “How did all this happen,” she took the letter from her sister’s hand and read through it rapidly.
Zhou Chujin sighed beside her, “Family scandals should not be made public. Whether what Lanting said is true or false, I couldn’t speak plainly to Ma Ci. But I was also afraid Ma Ci would blunder in blindly, alerting the enemy and letting Xinlan escape, never to be found again. So I just told Ma Ci that Xinlan was an old servant of our household, that there had recently been a theft case at home that might be related to Xinlan, and asked him to find a way to discover Xinlan’s whereabouts.
“I was also afraid Ma Ci would act rashly and alarm Xinlan. As an outsider there unfamiliar with the place, he might be held hostage by Xinlan instead. So I gave Ma Ci one of Father’s calling cards, telling him that if he found himself in desperate straits, he could use Father’s card to seek help from the government office.
“Who knew he would be so resourceful. Upon arriving in Wuchang Prefecture, he claimed to be from Jinling going to Jingzhou Prefecture to collect cotton. He hired two experienced hands familiar with the trade as guides and bought himself good clothes before going to Jingzhou Prefecture.
“Xinlan’s husband has always worked in this trade. When he went to Jingzhou Prefecture, he easily found out Xinlan’s whereabouts with just a few questions.
“It turns out that within two years of returning from Jinling City, Xinlan encountered flooding. Both her sons drowned, and her husband, having choked on water, contracted consumption and couldn’t do heavy work. The family circumstances gradually declined. These past few years they’ve reached the point of barely having food, relying entirely on Xinlan washing and starching clothes for other families to earn a bit of money.
“Although Ma Ci didn’t know the grievances between Xinlan and our family, thinking about how Xinlan had already married into Jingzhou Prefecture yet we still sent someone to quietly investigate her, he suspected Xinlan’s matter was not simple. He simply pretended to be the young master of Li’s Silk and Satin Shop on Great Market Street—a playful, ignorant youth sent by his family to Jingzhou Prefecture to collect cotton. He hired Xinlan and her husband to help escort the cotton to Jinling.
“Xinlan refused to agree.
“But Xinlan’s husband coveted the twenty taels of silver Ma Ci promised as payment. Not only did he immediately agree, he even urged Xinlan to visit the Zhou family. He said that after all, she was released by the Zhou family. Although Madam was gone, we sisters were still there. For the sake of Madam from the past, we sisters would surely reward her with several dozen taels of silver. With that silver and the Zhou family as backing, he could make a comeback.
“He also said that before, they had wanted to return but had no silver. Now not only would they not have to spend silver to return to Jinling, they could even earn twenty taels. If she dared refuse, he would sell her to Old Lady Li on the street to work as a half-door prostitute.
“At first Xinlan still gritted her teeth and refused. Her husband gave her a severe beating, and only then did she agree to come to Jinling together.
“Because I didn’t give much silver, Ma Ci was afraid Xinlan and her husband would see through the ruse. He took Father’s calling card and asked the Jingzhou Prefect to help him obtain over two hundred taels worth of cotton on credit. He also lied that he needed to continue collecting cotton and had Xinlan and her husband escort the cotton back to Jinling City first.
“Calculating the days, Xinlan and her husband should arrive in the next day or two. I called you here because I wanted to discuss with you how best to handle this matter.”
“Me?” Zhou Shaojin said in surprise.
She had thought Sister already had a plan.
“Yes!” Zhou Chujin said. “I’m thinking this matter requires Ma Fushan to come forward, inform Li’s Silk and Satin Shop, and have them help by receiving the cotton. Then when Xinlan and her husband go to the accounts office to settle accounts, bind them and bring them back to confront Lanting with Xinlan. If what Lanting said is true, then write Father a letter. Then use Father’s calling card to report to the authorities and have the government judge.”
Zhou Shaojin said hesitantly, “Have the government judge? Won’t that make it known to everyone?”
“Father is an official and can request the government not hold a public trial.” Zhou Chujin said. “I think Magistrate Wu will agree.”
Zhou Shaojin nodded.
Zhou Chujin said, “Then remember to write Father a letter afterward. I’ve already sent someone to call Ma Fushan. He should arrive soon. We’ll also need to ask some trustworthy people to hide near the accounts office door at Li’s Silk and Satin Shop…”
There were many matters to attend to.
Zhou Shaojin hastily said, “Sister, rest assured. Leave the letter-writing to me.”
Zhou Chujin smiled with relief and went to the main hall to wait for Ma Fushan.
Zhou Shaojin couldn’t help but sigh.
It seemed Sister had also overspent… Should she remind Sister?
That afternoon, Zhou Chujin and Ma Fushan’s wife went to the Zhou ancestral home on Pingqiao Street. Zhou Shaojin went to Hanbi Mountain House to copy scriptures.
Old Madam Guo seemed to be in very good spirits.
Zhou Shaojin quietly asked Biyu, “Is there some happy news?”
Biyu smiled and said, “A letter came from the eldest master.”
Cheng Xu had left on the sixth of the tenth month.
He and Min Jianxing had gone to the capital.
Zhou Shaojin said “Oh.”
Biyu smiled and said, “The eldest master says he arrived safely in the capital and met Great Master, Second Master, and Second Grand Master. Second Grand Master and the two masters all asked him to send regards to Old Madam on their behalf. He also said Second Grand Master is in very good spirits and the two masters are also in good health. Great Master, Second Master, and Second Grand Master all want the eldest master to stay in the capital for New Year. He also visited Compiler Min—Min Jianxing’s elder brother Min Jianjian—and asked Compiler Min to review his essays and examination pieces. Compiler Min was very enthusiastic, giving the eldest master many suggestions. The eldest master benefited greatly. Compiler Min said if the eldest master has time, he can often visit the Min residence. Old Madam was extremely happy reading this and just had me write a reply letter to the eldest master, telling him to heed Second Grand Master’s and the two masters’ teachings and stay in the capital for New Year. She said he should often visit the Min residence, both to settle his mind for studying and to make more like-minded friends.” At this point, Biyu smiled and whispered to Zhou Shaojin, “Old Madam also had the steward delivering the letter take one thousand taels in bank notes to the eldest master.”
Elder Branch is truly wealthy!
Zhou Shaojin sighed, then thought of Cheng Chi.
How was Cheng Chi’s business doing this year—good or bad?
She decided to find time to ask Ji Ying.
However, the urgent matter was to tell Sister about herself and Ji Ying and invite Ji Ying to Wanxiang Residence for Laba porridge.
Zhou Shaojin left Hanbi Mountain House and returned to Wanxiang Residence first.
Zhou Chujin hadn’t returned yet.
Zhou Shaojin was somewhat worried and had Shi Xiang wait at the door for Zhou Chujin while she went alone to pay respects to Old Madam Guan.
Old Madam Guan beckoned to her and tucked a large red brocade purse embroidered with “surplus year after year” into her hand, smiling warmly and saying, “New Year is approaching. You young ladies always want to buy this and that. Take this to buy yourself some little trinkets you like.”
Zhou Shaojin’s face turned slightly red, knowing this was Grandmother privately supplementing her allowance.
She hastily expressed her thanks.
Returning to Wanxiang Residence and looking, it was a twenty-tael bank note.
Ten taels more than previous years.
She put the twenty-tael note in the trunk, becoming even more reluctant to exchange those silver ingots and gold beans.
But if she didn’t exchange those silver ingots and gold beans, what would she use to fill this gap?
She definitely couldn’t ask Sister.
Should she borrow three hundred taels from Father and repay it slowly later?
Though Father definitely wouldn’t make her repay it!
As Zhou Shaojin’s thoughts wandered, Sister returned.
She quickly went to greet her.
Winter evenings were very cold.
Zhou Shaojin helped Sister remove her cloak and brewed a cup of hot tea.
Zhou Chujin drank some tea to warm herself, then smiled at Zhou Shaojin. “It’s settled! Li’s Shop agreed to help. We don’t need to hire outside people either—just the clerks from their shop who usually help carry cloth.”
Zhou Shaojin breathed a sigh of relief and said, “Should we prepare some wine and food to thank those clerks?”
“I actually forgot about that.” Zhou Chujin was somewhat surprised and said, “Honorable people cannot be used cheaply. I’ll instruct Ma Fushan right away to have him order two tables at a restaurant tomorrow to treat those helpful clerks to a meal.” Then she smiled and asked, “How do you know about these things?”
Zhou Shaojin giggled.
In the past, during spring planting and autumn harvest on the estate, the landowners would prepare good food to reward the hired help.
She took the opportunity to mention wanting to invite Ji Ying to the house for Laba porridge.
Zhou Chujin felt that since Ji Ying served Cheng Chi, she should be courteous to her, so she readily agreed and even said, “Should we also invite Cousin Jia?”
After Jing’an Studio resumed classes, Jiang Shi had managed Cheng Jia even more strictly. Cheng Jia hadn’t come to Wanxiang Residence for some time.
Zhou Shaojin happily agreed and had Shi Xiang go tell Cheng Jia.
But when Shi Xiang returned, her expression was somewhat strange. She said quietly to Zhou Shaojin, “Miss Jia had an argument with Madam Lu. When I went, Ruyi Pavilion was in complete chaos. I didn’t mention inviting Miss Jia over.”
What could it be about now?
Zhou Shaojin sighed and said, “Then go tell her again tomorrow!”
Shi Xiang acknowledged and attended to Zhou Shaojin’s washing.
The next day, news came that Duke Liang’s heir Zhu Kun intended to take Cheng Jia as his second wife, but Cheng Jia adamantly refused. The matter escalated all the way to Cheng Lu, who finally declared that whoever dared mention making his daughter a second wife would immediately be expelled from the household. Only then did the matter settle.
It was as if a stone hanging in midair had finally dropped.
Only then did Zhou Shaojin breathe a long sigh of relief and said to her sister, “Cousin Jia should really filially honor Uncle Lu in the future.”
“You silly little thing!” Zhou Chujin pinched her sister’s cheeks and smiled. “If Aunt Lu didn’t make such a scene, where would the Duke of Liang’s household put their face!”
Zhou Shaojin laughed dryly.
She really wasn’t suited for life in a great household.