Easier said than done.
Although Zhou Shaojin had boldly called out to Cheng Chi, when the next day arrived, she paced around the cabin for a long time before taking the chess manual to Cheng Chi’s quarters.
Cheng Chi acted as if nothing had happened, instructing Langyue to set up the chess board.
Zhou Shaojin mustered her courage to stop Langyue, saying to Cheng Chi, “Uncle Chi, your chess skills far exceed mine. Playing chess with me is like arm wrestling with a small child—victory brings no glory, and defeat brings no satisfaction. Why don’t you explain the standard patterns in this chess manual to me instead? Although I’ve been learning go from Madam Shen for some time, I still can’t understand chess manuals!”
Cheng Chi had always believed that people’s talents varied, and he didn’t like teaching those who compensated for lack of talent with diligence.
Zhou Shaojin clearly couldn’t be called clever.
But Zhou Shaojin had already walked up to him and spread the chess manual on the small table on the arhat bed, pointing to several pieces in the upper left corner: “I know I should make a move here, but I don’t understand why I need to respond here on the side. If it’s just to create a live eye, wouldn’t it be enough to place a stone right next to it? If the player with white stones doesn’t make this move but instead plays here, wouldn’t that move be wasted?”
Cheng Chi hadn’t expected her to study so seriously, and his displeasure involuntarily diminished somewhat.
He pointed to several pieces in the upper right corner, saying, “Look, he has several more moves over here. If you place the stone at the position you just indicated, this area would be left open, and the pieces in the upper right corner would become targets for attack. Only by placing the stone at this position do they support each other.” As he spoke, he casually recreated the game from the chess manual on the board. “Look, the black stones form this shape. Whether white approaches from the left or right, black can extend in either direction from this point, making things very troublesome for white… so this move is quite brilliant…”
Cheng Chi continued making hypothetical moves.
Zhou Shaojin greatly cherished this opportunity and, no longer caring about embarrassment, kept saying, “Uncle Chi, please go slower, I haven’t understood yet!”
Although Cheng Chi didn’t often review chess manuals with others, whenever he did, he was usually surrounded by go masters. No one had ever been as straightforward as Zhou Shaojin in saying they didn’t understand and asking him to slow down.
He had no choice but to slow his pace, explaining each move to her one by one.
Zhou Shaojin felt this still wasn’t clear enough, so she simply instructed Langyue to grind ink for her. She set up a small table on the arhat bed, and as Cheng Chi spoke, she took notes.
Going back and forth like this left Cheng Chi completely exasperated.
When Old Madam Guo heard about it, she fell into deep thought.
Nanny Lu, who had told Old Madam Guo about Zhou Shaojin playing chess with Cheng Chi as an amusing story, felt somewhat uneasy.
She had served Old Madam Guo for decades. Logically, she should more or less understand Old Madam Guo’s temperament, and she usually took pride in this. But at this moment, she couldn’t guess at all what Old Madam Guo was thinking. She stood there holding her breath, not daring to make a sound.
After quite a while, Old Madam Guo finally instructed her in a low voice, “Go bring Qin Ziping to me.”
Nanny Lu, relieved, summoned Qin Ziping.
Old Madam Guo dismissed Nanny Lu and had her close the door. She beckoned Qin Ziping closer to speak.
“Ziping, your family has been chief steward in our household starting from your great-great-grandfather,” Old Madam Guo stared intently at Qin Ziping, like a tiger eyeing a rabbit. “By your generation, it’s already the sixth generation. Though we call ourselves master and servant, you’re more trusted by our family’s old master and masters than even clansmen brothers. I’m old and shouldn’t be interfering in affairs anymore. But Fourth Son is my son, my youngest son, still unmarried and not yet fully grown. I can let other matters go, but I can’t set my mind at ease about his affairs. Tell me honestly—has something gone wrong with his business?”
Qin Ziping was stunned, saying, “Why would you think that? Fourth Master’s business is doing well, nothing’s gone wrong!”
“You needn’t try to fool me,” Old Madam Guo’s face darkened. “If it’s not business matters, then he has some plan, and moreover one that if spoken of I would definitely oppose… otherwise he couldn’t possibly have patiently accompanied me to Mount Putuo to offer incense!”
Qin Ziping broke out in a cold sweat, saying half-truthfully, “Old Madam, I don’t mean to hide things from you. But as you know, I’m Fourth Master’s attendant. His affairs—I don’t dare and cannot tell you about them. Please don’t force me!”
Old Madam Guo laughed coldly, saying, “Of the three brothers, Fourth Son favors your second brother most. It was I who saw that you were honest, reliable, meticulous, and thoughtful, which is why I also sent you to serve in Fourth Son’s quarters… Since I could send you to his quarters, naturally I can also call you back. You’d better think carefully.”
Beads of sweat the size of beans fell from Qin Ziping’s forehead. After a long while, he finally said in a low voice, “Fourth Master wants to partner with someone to build a shipyard at Beitang in Tianjin, so he sold this year’s salt permits and the looms from Hangzhou… This business is profitable, but before it makes money, it can swallow up however much silver you throw at it. The family doesn’t know yet, but when they find out, there will likely be quite an uproar.”
Old Madam Guo was still somewhat doubtful: “If it’s just a matter of silver, Fourth Son wouldn’t be so unable to contain himself.”
Qin Ziping had no choice but to continue fabricating: “It also seems to involve several imperial princes. Fourth Master is handling this matter personally. The specifics—I can’t say clearly.”
Old Madam Guo frowned, saying, “Fourth Son isn’t someone who seeks quick success and immediate gain… How could he get mixed up with several imperial princes?”
“That…” This time Qin Ziping truly broke out in a cold sweat. “I don’t know either… Fourth Master’s actions have always been like a dragon—you see the head but not the tail. I really can’t guess.”
Old Madam Guo gently brushed away the tea leaves floating on the surface, remained silent for a long while, then said gravely, “You may go. Don’t mention this matter to Fourth Son.”
“Old Madam, rest assured.” Qin Ziping felt as if he’d survived a disaster, saying with a bitter smile, “How would I dare tell Fourth Master about such things? If Fourth Master found out, he’d skin me alive!”
“Good that you know.” Old Madam Guo said sternly and waved her hand.
Qin Ziping rushed straight to Cheng Chi’s cabin.
As luck would have it, Cheng Chi was in the middle of explaining the chess manual to Zhou Shaojin, so he could only hide in the nearby tea room. Just as it was approaching mealtime, Zhou Shaojin finally rose to take her leave.
Qin Ziping quickly requested an audience and told Cheng Chi about what had happened.
Cheng Chi was unconcerned and praised Qin Ziping: “I didn’t expect your brain to be quite nimble at critical moments. This matter was handled well. I’ll remember this. In the future, if the old ancestor from the second branch asks, you should all say the same thing. Pass this information along as well, so people won’t need explanations when they ask.”
Qin Ziping let out a long breath of relief.
After lunch, Old Madam Guo brought up the Yutai Bank: “…Even I wasn’t optimistic about it at first, yet you still made it succeed. The family isn’t lacking in resources. You don’t need to be too concerned about others—do whatever you want to do. At worst, we’ll start over from scratch.”
Cheng Chi smiled and agreed.
Zhou Shaojin felt that Old Madam Guo’s words had deeper meaning.
After leaving Old Madam Guo’s quarters, she sent Chun Wan to inquire, saying, “It should be something that happened in the last couple of days, otherwise Old Madam wouldn’t have said such things today.”
Chun Wan kept this in mind and told her two days later: “I heard that Fourth Master has his eye on a piece of land in Tianjin. He wants to build a dock there, but everyone opposed it, and Fourth Master felt quite upset about it.”
This connected everything!
Zhou Shaojin asked, “Do you know which piece of land in Tianjin?”
In her previous life, she knew very little about such matters. She didn’t know whether a dock was built in Tianjin or whether that dock was profitable.
Chun Wan shook her head: “Everyone spoke quite vaguely. They probably only caught fragments while serving tea and water.”
Zhou Shaojin nodded. When she next went to learn chess from Cheng Chi, she was even more careful.
Cheng Chi felt that although this young girl wasn’t very clever, she excelled in being obedient and well-behaved. Sometimes she understood what to do with just a glance, and could grasp implied meanings from half a sentence. Being around her felt very comfortable, and naturally he became more patient when explaining chess manuals.
Zhou Shaojin felt that Cheng Chi was the most remarkable person she had encountered in both her lives.
Whether in favorable or adverse circumstances, he could remain neither arrogant nor impatient, neither angry nor resentful, conducting affairs with a peaceful mindset.
Her brother-in-law Liao Shaotang had once said that such people were usually perseverant, possessing strong willpower and firm beliefs—they were people who accomplished great things.
Then why would Uncle Chi leave the Cheng family?
Zhou Shaojin pondered this in her mind.
Could it be that the old ancestor from the second branch forced him?
No matter how capable Uncle Chi was, the old ancestor from the second branch was his elder by several generations—he could only avoid direct confrontation… It seemed that in her previous life, he too was a pitiful person!
She couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.
Thinking this way, every day after keeping Old Madam Guo company in the morning, she would spend the afternoon reviewing chess manuals with Cheng Chi.
Within a few days, they arrived at Changzhou.
Changzhou was located on the shore of Lake Tai. Connected to Jingkou above and Gusu below, it was one of the major docks connecting north and south. Known as “an important town of the Three Wu regions and a famous capital of eight counties,” its geographical position was extremely important, and its population very prosperous.
But this was also one of the important strongholds of the River Transport Gang.
Zhou Shaojin had long ago decided to keep Ji Ying confined to her cabin out of sight.
But when she went to find Ji Ying, she discovered Ji Ying was sleeping soundly.
Zhou Shaojin couldn’t help but laugh.
When their boat docked, it was nearly lantern-lighting time. Yet the wharf was still crowded with people—vendors carrying poles selling snacks, street peddlers, workers unloading cargo from ships, brokers and middlemen chasing after merchants… The entire dock was clamorous yet full of common folk’s atmosphere.
Zhou Shaojin leaned against the boat window, watching with great interest.
Chun Wan said, “Miss, do you think we can go ashore to buy things? I promised Sisters Shi Xiang and Chi Xiang that I’d buy combs to bring back.”
Zhou Shaojin sighed, “I also promised Grandmother, First Aunt, and Elder Sister that I’d bring back combs… But look at this situation—is it appropriate?”
That’s exactly why I’m asking with a hopeful heart, because it’s inappropriate!
Chun Wan looked worried.
Zhou Shaojin said, “We’ll just have to buy them in Hangzhou. I’ve heard that Hangzhou has everything.”
But it still won’t compare to buying them locally!
Chun Wan thought this but didn’t dare say it aloud.
Someone was shouting loudly, “May I ask if this is the boat from the Cheng family of Jiuru Lane in Jinling?” walking back and forth in front of the wharf designated for sand ships.
Zhou Shaojin heard Qin Ziping respond loudly, “Which old friend might you be? This is indeed the boat of the Cheng family from Jiuru Lane in Jinling!”