“So did you agree?” Zhou Shaojin asked.

“I agreed.” Old Madam Guan sighed. “What she said made sense. It’s better to leave things as they are than to stir them up. If someone else comes to be Jinling’s prefect, it might not necessarily be better for the Fourth Household than Magistrate Wu.”

Zhou Shaojin agreed.

Old Madam Guan spoke absentmindedly with her for a few sentences, then sent her back to her room.

Nanny Wang asked hesitantly: “Aren’t you having Second Young Miss accompany you?”

“We still don’t know what the First Household is thinking!” Old Madam Guan said with a tired expression. “Better not to drag Shaojin into this.”

Nanny Wang smiled: “This child is also blessed to have gained your favor!”

“What blessing is there in gaining my favor!” Old Madam Guan said modestly. “Gaining Old Madam Guo’s favor—that’s real blessing!”

“Gaining the favor of elders—that’s all blessing!” Nanny Wang smiled and complimented Old Madam Guan with a few words.

Old Madam Guan chuckled and said: “Go help me send a calling card to Cold Jade Mountain Studio!”

Nanny Wang smiled and agreed, then went to the First Household.

Cheng Chi was lazily reclining against the large welcoming pillow on the daybed, reading a travelogue with great interest while waiting for the evening meal.

Old Madam Guo walked in and chided: “Where did you pick up this bad habit? Lying down wherever you go. If I didn’t have this daybed, I bet you’d bring one in yourself!”

“You guessed right!” Cheng Chi smiled dismissively, tossed aside the travelogue in his hand, and smiled: “What are we eating tonight?”

“Your favorite roasted lamb leg.” Old Madam Guo smiled. “Is there anything else you want to eat?”

“The New Year is over—time to show some restraint.” Cheng Chi said. “I’m going to Zao Garden tomorrow to pick up some things. I’ll be back tomorrow evening.”

Upon hearing this, Old Madam Guo’s eyes flashed with confusion, and she said with a probing tone: “In past years you’d be out and about right after the third day. What’s this? Are you very idle this year?”

Cheng Chi smiled: “You’re really hard to please! When I go out, you complain I’m never home; when I’m home, you complain I’m not earning silver for you to spend. I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place…”

“Nonsense!” Old Madam Guo scolded with a smile. “I’m afraid you’re bored at home!”

Cheng Chi smiled without responding.

A little maid ran in with a pale face, saying: “Old Madam, Fourth Master, the capital, a letter has come from the capital!”

Seeing the maid’s expression, Old Madam Guo had an ominous premonition. When she opened the letter, her legs went weak and she nearly collapsed to the floor.

Cheng Chi was greatly alarmed. He sprang up like a startled rabbit and steadied Old Madam Guo firmly, asking solemnly: “What happened?”

Old Madam Guo’s lips trembled. She could no longer speak, and the hand holding the letter shook like a sieve.

Cheng Chi took the letter from Old Madam Guo’s hand. With just one glance, his expression changed dramatically.

The only son of the Second Elder Master of the First Household, Cheng Fen, had died suddenly of illness sixteen days ago.

Cheng Chi shuddered.

Old Madam Guo’s tears flowed down.

“Could it be that Heaven wants to destroy our Cheng family!” She suddenly seemed to age ten years, and her expression no longer held its former strength. “You refuse to marry. Both Grand Master and Second Master only have one male heir each, and now Third Master has also been taken… No matter how capable you all are, two hands can’t fight four fists. What can you achieve?” As she spoke, she grabbed Cheng Chi. “You must go to the capital. I’m afraid your second uncle can’t withstand this blow.”

Cheng Chi’s gaze darkened slightly. He said: “Mother, rest assured. I’ll leave for the capital immediately.”

Old Madam Guo’s complexion improved somewhat, and she allowed Cheng Chi to help her sit on the daybed.

The room fell deathly silent. The serving maids didn’t even dare breathe loudly.

Cheng Chi poured his mother a cup of tea.

Old Madam Guo slowly finished the entire cup before saying deliberately: “Fourth Lang, go personally to the Old Ancestor of the Second Household and tell him about Third Lang’s death. Then tell him I want to see him.”

Hearing this, Cheng Chi frowned and said: “Mother, whatever you want to say, let me go tell him. You’re getting on in years and shouldn’t get upset. You must take care of your health.”

Old Madam Guo laughed coldly: “He made you take over the household affairs, which is equivalent to cutting off one of our First Household’s arms. And you’re telling me not to get upset with him? Even a saint couldn’t do that, let alone me. If you won’t go tell him, I’ll go tell him myself.”

“Mother!” Cheng Chi said calmly, “No matter what you say, I won’t let you meet with him. Either let me deliver a message, or keep it all to yourself. You decide.”

“You unfilial son!” Old Madam Guo was furious, but seeing her son’s upright and imposing figure before her, her anger couldn’t help but dissipate. “Fine, you go deliver a message for me. Tell him I want to adopt Yun to be under your nephew Xun’s name, and I’ll help raise him.”

The Second Household’s Cheng Shi had two sons. The eldest son’s formal name was Cheng Geng, and the second son’s formal name was Cheng Yun. Nephew Xun referred to the grandson of the Second Elder Master of the First Household, Cheng Fen’s son Cheng Xun.

Cheng Chi said helplessly: “Mother, that’s impossible…”

“What’s impossible?” Old Madam Guo suddenly jumped up and said, “Nothing is impossible in this world! What did he say back then? He’s forgotten, but I still remember! What, he wants to have his cake and eat it too? There’s no such good thing. You tell him exactly that—don’t change a single word. I want to see what face he has to tell me ‘no’!”

Seeing his mother’s face flushed red, Cheng Chi’s heart pounded. He quickly said: “Don’t worry, I’ll repeat your exact words to him.”

Cheng Xu would fight to the death before giving his great-grandson to the First Household. Mother understood this in her heart—she just wanted to vent.

After comforting his mother, he had no appetite for the evening meal and simply went to Springwater Dwelling to report the death to Cheng Xu.

Upon leaving, Cheng Chi ran right into Nanny Wang, who was earnestly talking with Biyu.

Nanny Wang quickly stepped forward to pay respects to Cheng Chi and explained: “I am Wang from the Fourth Household’s Old Madam Guan’s side. Our Old Madam wants to visit the Old Madam tomorrow morning and specifically sent me to inform you.”

With such a major matter happening in the household, who had the patience to deal with social calls?

Cheng Chi originally wanted to stop it, but then thought that over the years his mother had only been close with the Fourth Household. While others saw his mother as high and mighty, she was actually quite lonely. He immediately changed his mind, gave an “mm” of acknowledgment, and left Cold Jade Mountain Studio.

Nanny Wang broke out in a cold sweat on her back.

Biyu smiled: “Our Fourth Master is the most amiable person. Nanny doesn’t need to be afraid.”

Nanny Wang thought to herself: That’s because you’re young and didn’t see Fourth Master back in the day, sitting there with that half-smile, standing up to the Old Ancestor of the Second Household as equals. But these words couldn’t be spoken carelessly.

She smiled and said: “I’m just timid. I don’t usually see Fourth Master much.” She glossed over the matter.

Meanwhile, at Jia Tree Hall, Old Madam Guo was somewhat restless.

Logically, Nanny Wang had been gone long enough that she should have returned by now, but there was still no sign of her. Could it be that Madam Wu’s request had reached Old Madam Guo, and Old Madam Guo didn’t want to help but couldn’t refuse, so she was just keeping Nanny Wang waiting?

As the thought flashed through her mind, she immediately felt she was being too anxious.

Old Madam Guo dared to say “no” even to the Old Ancestor of the Second Household, let alone to her.

She couldn’t help shaking her head.

When would the Fourth Household be able to hold their heads high for once!

Old Madam Guan thought of her two grandsons in Pukou and fell into deep thought for a moment.

Just then, Nanny Wang rushed back: “Old Madam, something terrible has happened! Third Master Fen of the Second Elder Master’s household in the First Household suddenly died of illness. The First Household is now in complete mourning.”

“How could this happen?” Old Madam Guan was completely stunned. “This, this means the Second Elder Master of the First Household has no heir!”

She immediately thought of the Second Household’s Cheng Shi’s two sons.

“This is really troublesome!” she murmured.

“Exactly!” Nanny Wang’s face was full of chagrin. “Although Old Madam Guo said you should still come as arranged tomorrow, how can you bring up this matter with her now!”

“That’s a small matter now.” Old Madam Guan said with a headache. “Third Master Fen’s death in the Second Elder Master’s household of the First Household—that’s the big matter.”

She decided that when she went to Cold Jade Mountain Studio tomorrow, she would only offer condolences for Cheng Fen and say nothing else.

However, Old Madam Guo, though looking somewhat haggard yet still robust, saw through everything and got straight to the point: “Coming to see me at such an unusual time, and you being a widow who rarely goes out—you must have something to ask of me. You and I have been sisters-in-law for most of our lives. You know my temperament. Whatever you have to say, just say it directly. I’ll consider it. If it can be handled now, I’ll handle it now. If it can’t be handled now, we’ll discuss it again after Third Lang’s thirty-fifth day memorial.”

Seeing that nothing could be hidden from Old Madam Guo, Old Madam Guan felt somewhat embarrassed as she explained Madam Wu’s request.

Old Madam Guo was somewhat surprised: “Are you certain it was our First Household that spread the word?”

“Sitting at home, I have no way to verify it.” Old Madam Guan said. “But I do agree with what Madam Wu said, which is why I came to ask this favor for her.”

As the two were talking, Cheng Chi came in to bid farewell to Old Madam Guo.

Old Madam Guo simply called him over, told him about Madam Wu’s matter, and said: “I also think what Madam Wu said makes sense. When you go to the capital this time, ask your elder brother what exactly is going on. If it’s not something critical, don’t meddle in Jinling’s affairs. There are no walls that don’t let wind through. If this gets out, it won’t be good for Magistrate Wu’s reputation, and others will think we’re overbearing. We’d also make an enemy for nothing… A典型 case of harming others without benefiting ourselves! I don’t know who came up with such a terrible idea!” By the end, she was quite impatient.

Cheng Chi’s expression became somewhat strange.

He had requested a fourth-rank prefect position in Jiangnan for Xiang Zhiyong. Could it be that those people had been overly clever and arranged Xiang Zhiyong in Jinling?

Cheng Chi cursed inwardly.

He had originally wanted to extract Xiang Zhiyong from danger. If Xiang Zhiyong was placed in Jinling Prefecture, wouldn’t that be going from the tiger’s den into the wolf’s lair?

“Don’t worry about this matter. I’ll handle it properly.” He said indifferently, his expression full of confident assurance.

Old Madam Guan was stunned.

Ever since Cheng Chi at age sixteen had convinced them to invest in Yutai, she had only seen Cheng Chi a few times from afar during ancestral worship ceremonies.

Cheng Chi was even more of a stranger to her than the stewards in the Fourth Household’s outer courtyard!

Had she missed something?

Old Madam Guan quickly smiled: “Uncle Chi, this matter troubles you then!”

Cheng Chi only smiled.

Very coldly!