On this boat there were only the old and the young, so Cheng Chi naturally didn’t mind. He sat down with a smile beside Old Madam Guo. Since it was a round table, it had a bit of the flavor of a tripod standing on three legs.

Zhou Shaojin wasn’t a picky eater, so naturally she ate with great relish.

Having spent the first half of the month preparing and rising early that morning, although she had rested at noon, Old Madam Guo still felt quite tired due to her advanced age and initially had no appetite. But seeing Zhou Shaojin’s excellent appetite, she couldn’t help but eat more than half a bowl of rice.

Cheng Chi watched and nodded inwardly.

He felt it was right to bring Zhou Shaojin to Mount Putuo. Otherwise, given his temperament and his mother’s temperament, they would likely travel in silence all the way to Putuo, or his mother would talk to herself and secretly grieve all the way to Putuo.

That evening, they lodged at the Yizhen County ferry crossing.

The county magistrate of Yizhen County, Chen Zhaokun, came to pay his respects to Cheng Chi.

Zhou Shaojin hid in the cabin. After Zhaokun greeted Old Madam Guo through the curtain and invited Cheng Chi ashore for drinks, only then did Zhou Shaojin go to the cabin to keep Old Madam Guo company.

This time Old Madam Guo didn’t insist on playing cards with her. Instead, after looking over the Shurangama Sutra she had copied, she began critiquing the shortcomings in her calligraphy.

Zhou Shaojin listened carefully, rewriting each character according to Old Madam Guo’s instructions for her to see.

Seeing her extremely earnest attitude, Old Madam Guo’s spirits were lifted, and her guidance became very detailed.

One taught, one wrote—time passed quickly. When Cheng Chi returned, it was already past the hour of Hai (10 PM).

Zhou Shaojin got quite a fright and quickly urged Old Madam Guo to go rest.

Perhaps because she had been doing things she enjoyed, Old Madam Guo was in good spirits. Not only was she not sleepy, she asked Cheng Chi, “Why would this Zhaokun think to visit you? Is there some matter?”

Cheng Chi held no official position and was merely traveling for pleasure. Those with some connection to the Cheng family would at most send a staff member to deliver a gift. Those without connections could completely ignore them. Yizhen was a strategic waterway stronghold—countless officials passed through each year. If they all had to be welcomed and seen off this way, the Yizhen county magistrate would either be exhausted to death or bankrupted. This time Zhaokun not only personally came to pay his respects to Cheng Chi but also invited him to dinner and drinks—he surely wanted something.

“He’s Second Brother’s examination classmate.” Cheng Chi had already changed clothes and washed up, his damp hair coiled atop his head. He said calmly, “Hearing that you were passing through, he specifically came to pay his respects.”

“You can stop trying to fool me.” Old Madam Guo smiled. “He has a request for your two elder brothers, doesn’t he?”

Cheng Chi smiled. “He said there’s news from the Bureau of Receptions. The Minister of Rites and Grand Secretary of the Wenhua Hall, Zhang Junhua, is in poor health and has already memorialized the Emperor. He plans to retire in September, and Elder Brother may go to the Six Ministries.”

Cheng Jing was currently the Left Chief Censor of the Censorate, one of the Nine Ministers. If he went to the Six Ministries, it could only be to take up a ministerial position.

The ministers of this dynasty had always been concurrently appointed as Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet.

In other words, Cheng Jing would enter the Cabinet.

Zhou Shaojin felt somewhat uneasy.

In her previous life, Cheng Jing had entered the Cabinet after the new Emperor’s enthronement.

If things hadn’t changed, this time Cheng Jing might still have to continue in his position as Left Chief Censor of the Censorate.

She could only hesitate, wanting to speak but stopping herself.

The delighted Old Madam Guo didn’t notice. But the attentive Cheng Chi did.

After leaving the cabin, Cheng Chi specifically stopped Zhou Shaojin and asked her, “Have you heard some rumors?”

Zhou Shaojin didn’t know whether she should speak or not.

Since such rumors were circulating, it meant Cheng Jing was naturally one of those being considered by the Cabinet. If the Cheng brothers planned early, perhaps Cheng Jing could enter the Cabinet sooner. The officialdom always emphasized seniority and rank—if Cheng Jing could enter the Cabinet a day earlier, the Cheng family’s influence would strengthen a day earlier. If she didn’t speak, Cheng Chi had already noticed her unusual behavior and she’d have to find an excuse to brush it off. If she did speak, how should she phrase it so Cheng Chi wouldn’t become suspicious? The biggest problem was that she really wanted to tell Cheng Chi.

She hoped Cheng Jing could enter the Cabinet early. The closer the Cheng family got to the inner circle, the more they could obtain information others couldn’t, and the greater their chance of escaping their previous life’s fate.

But Cheng Chi didn’t think this way.

Strictly speaking, his relationship with Zhou Shaojin was shallow for such deep conversation. Even if Zhou Shaojin had heard or knew something and was hesitating whether to tell him, that would be natural. It was just that he had always been observant of details and had inadvertently caught Zhou Shaojin’s subtle expression, placing her in a difficult position.

After thinking for a moment, he said, “You don’t need to worry. I won’t ask about your source of information or investigate how you know this. You only need to tell me the outcome.”

Zhou Shaojin’s heart raced.

If she could maintain this kind of good relationship with Fourth Uncle Chi, when the time came for her to reveal the news that the Cheng family would be completely executed, would Fourth Uncle Chi also be like now—not asking the reason, only asking the result?

No matter what, she had to try.

This way she wouldn’t have to fabricate lie after lie to cover up the incredible things happening to her.

Even so, Zhou Shaojin still felt somewhat uneasy.

She stammered, “I… only heard… it might be Huang Li!”

In her previous life, she hadn’t paid attention to these matters.

In her view, Cheng Jing’s career had been smooth sailing.

Later she vaguely heard that Huang Li and Cheng Jing had an old grudge dating back to when both were still among the Nine Ministers. But when Huang Li’s mentor retired, he personally came forward to ask the then Chief Grand Secretary to let his disciple enter the Cabinet. Later Cheng Jing also entered the Cabinet, but his ranking was after Huang Li’s. Even last year during the Ghost Festival when she went out with A Zhu, A Zhu mentioned things that happened between Cheng Jing and Huang Li but she hadn’t thought much of it… Until just now, when Cheng Chi mentioned that Cheng Jing might enter the Cabinet, she suddenly realized that the Huang Li from her previous life who served as Minister of Rites and Grand Secretary of the Eastern Pavilion was the Cabinet minister who had suffered at Cheng Jing’s hands and later didn’t get along with Cheng Jing.

Cheng Chi believed Zhou Shaojin’s words.

She was only a thirteen-year-old girl, born in Jinling and raised in an official family. No matter how clever, she couldn’t possibly make up such detailed fabrications about court politics she didn’t understand. Moreover, what she said made perfect sense.

No one knew better than him how Cheng Jing had climbed to the position of Left Chief Censor of the Censorate!

Right now Cheng Jing and Huang Li were both just among the Nine Ministers, with numerous senior officials above them. No matter what opinion Huang Li had of Cheng Jing, to appear magnanimous and far-sighted, he couldn’t possibly let people see his true attitude toward Cheng Jing at this time. But last time Huang Li suffered greatly at Cheng Jing’s hands. His mentor Shen Minzhi had already retired, and when retiring had recommended Yuan Weichang to succeed him as Chief Grand Secretary. If Shen Minzhi worked on Huang Li’s behalf, as a return favor, Yuan Weichang couldn’t possibly side with Cheng Jing. And Huang Li had always clung tightly to Shen Minzhi’s coattails. Shen Minzhi had already been quite unfair to Huang Li before, so this time he would have to give Huang Li a push no matter what. Otherwise, wouldn’t Shen Minzhi’s colleagues and disciples be disheartened?

Most importantly, now that Shen Minzhi had retired, his grandson had just passed the imperial examination two years ago and entered the Hanlin Academy to observe administration in the Ministry of Justice. If he didn’t leverage his remaining influence now to leave some protection for others, why would others look after his grandson?

It seemed Yuan Weichang had made up his mind to repay Shen Minzhi’s favor!

Thinking this through, Cheng Chi nodded slightly at Zhou Shaojin and said, “Thank you for telling me this. This time I owe you a favor! In the future you can ask me to help you with one thing.” He paused, then emphasized again, “Anything! But if you want to be a female emperor like Empress Wu Zetian, I’m afraid I’ll be powerless! What you ask me to do must be something I can accomplish.”

Zhou Shaojin laughed, her heart beating even more wildly.

She couldn’t ask Cheng Chi right now to help her relay a message to Cheng Jing saying the Cheng family would be executed in twelve years!

Fortunately, even with the words on the tip of her tongue, she managed to control herself and didn’t speak recklessly.

“No need, no need.” Zhou Shaojin waved her hands repeatedly. “You’ve saved me several times before, and I never properly thanked you. This time just consider it my repayment for your rescue.”

When Cheng Chi said this, he hadn’t thought much about it. And Zhou Shaojin didn’t know the weight and significance of his promise of “any one thing.”

If he hadn’t decided to leave, he definitely wouldn’t have left it so vague. But since he had already decided to depart, he wouldn’t concern himself with Cheng family matters anymore. This promise to Zhou Shaojin had at most two years of validity… He might as well help her a few times as circumstances arose—that would be more beneficial for Zhou Shaojin.

Having made up his mind, he smiled and parted ways with Zhou Shaojin at the ship’s rail.

Zhou Shaojin was extremely excited. Even after washing up, changing into her sleeping clothes and getting into bed, the smile at the corners of her mouth remained as brilliant as summer sunshine.

She had finally helped Fourth Uncle Chi once.

Fourth Uncle Chi surely wouldn’t think her completely useless anymore.

As long as this could continue, her relationship with Fourth Uncle Chi would definitely improve greatly.

At this moment, Cheng Chi was writing a letter to Cheng Jing.

Nothing was settled until the coffin lid was closed. He said nothing explicitly, only reminding his elder brother in the letter to pay attention to the relationship between Shen Minzhi and Yuan Weichang, and to be mindful of the rift with Huang Li.

He believed Elder Brother should be able to understand his meaning.

Although he had already decided to leave the Cheng family, as long as he hadn’t left yet, he was still a disciple of the Cheng family.

Cheng Chi set down his brush, stood up, and pushed open the boat window.

The crescent moon hung in the starry sky, with several stars twinkling beside it. The surroundings were completely quiet. Only the large red lanterns hanging on the mast reflected red on the lake surface, adding a touch of warmth to this cool night.

Cheng Chi called for Huai Shan and said, “Ride at full speed and deliver this letter to the Grand Master.”

Huai Shan acknowledged and left.

Cheng Chi stood alone by the window for a long time before finally closing it.

The swaying pleasure boat was like a cradle.

Zhou Shaojin quickly fell asleep and had a dreamless night until dawn.

The boatmen’s work songs, the splashing and cooking sounds of boat-dwelling families, and the footsteps on the deck… woke her up.

After a moment of confusion, Zhou Shaojin remembered she was on the pleasure boat heading to Zhenjiang.

She repeatedly called for Chun Wan and got out of bed, slipping on her shoes.

Chun Wan and two rough servant women came in carrying water.

“Second Young Miss, you’re awake.” While directing the women to place the water by the vanity, she helped Zhou Shaojin hang up the bed curtains, saying, “Qingfeng says we’ll arrive in Zhenjiang tomorrow afternoon. Then we’ll change to a sand boat to go to Hangzhou Prefecture.”

Zhou Shaojin asked, “Have you seen Ji Ying?”

Since boarding the boat, she hadn’t seen Ji Ying.