Zhou Shaojin sat at the round table with her elbow propped up and chin resting on her hand, staring blankly at the bed full of glittering ornaments.
The red coral prayer beads and jeweled flowers, and the glass hairpins were gifts from Uncle Chi. The diamond was from Madam Guo. Madam Guo had also lit a perpetual lamp for her at Fayu Temple on Mount Putuo, plus all the food, clothing, and necessities throughout this journey… She owed Madam Guo and Uncle Chi so much!
How could she ever repay them!
Madam Guo had said not to forget her kindness—how could she possibly forget?
Without Her Ladyship, she would be nothing more than a young girl living under someone else’s roof on Jiuru Lane.
Madam Guo had once said that if she was grateful, she could make her a forehead band or a small garment when she had time. But even if she did needlework for Madam Guo her entire life, she still couldn’t repay this debt!
Zhou Shaojin couldn’t help but smile bitterly. She called Chun Wan in and said, “You and Bitao organize everything. I’ll take these red coral ornaments back to give to Grandmother and Elder Sister and the others. These glass hairpins will go to Chi Xiang and the others. See if there’s enough, and how many more we need to buy. When we reach Hangzhou, we’ll buy some combs and brocade to supplement. In any case, it’s better to buy too much than to shortchange anyone—we don’t want gift-giving to create conflicts.”
Chun Wan smiled in acknowledgment and recorded each item with Bitao.
Zhou Shaojin then went to see Ji Ying.
Ji Ying was wearing a man’s short coat, tied with a cloth belt, and was talking with several broad-shouldered, thick-waisted women. Seeing Zhou Shaojin come looking for her, she was quite surprised. She welcomed her into the inner room for tea, saying, “It’s so late—do you have some urgent matter?”
Zhou Shaojin held her tea and looked around. Seeing the sword that originally hung in Ji Ying’s inner chamber, she couldn’t help asking with great interest, “Do you know martial arts? Like what’s written in books—scaling walls and crossing rivers on a reed?”
Ji Ying hesitated for a moment, then smiled and said, “I do know martial arts. It’s a family tradition, but it’s not as miraculous as what’s written in books.”
Even so, Zhou Shaojin found it very miraculous.
She looked at Ji Ying with eyes full of admiration and respect. “You’re so impressive! No wonder you’re not afraid of Uncle Chi. You even severed that Jiao Ziyang’s arm with one sword stroke—I should have realized it earlier. You’re really amazing! Is it very hard for girls to practice martial arts? How could your parents bear to have you practice? I’ve heard the Canal Gang has many rough people. Do they also have many people with excellent martial skills? You as a girl might handle one person fine, but if there are many, surely you couldn’t match them, right? I see that although you know martial arts, it’s still best not to confront them directly, lest they gang up on you. Uncle Chi must also know about your martial arts skills, right? Otherwise he wouldn’t have you leading those matrons on night patrols. These past days I kept pulling you along to go shopping—was I disturbing your sleep? Uncle Chi said we’ll depart for Hangzhou Prefecture early tomorrow morning. You said you wanted to watch the tidal bore—will you be able to go then? Should we speak with Uncle Chi about having someone else take the night watch…”
Zhou Shaojin rambled on and on, her words straying further and further.
Ji Ying couldn’t help but press her forehead, saying, “Second Cousin Miss, your Uncle Chi knows all about my situation. This time I could come to Hangzhou with you all—the reason your Uncle Chi brought me was precisely because he valued my martial arts skills and ability to lead the rough-work matrons on night patrols. But although the Qiantang tidal bore is spectacular, it’s also dangerous. Some years ago, people were swept away by the waves. So when he takes you to watch the tidal bore at Qiantang, he’ll definitely bring me along. You can rest assured.” Fearing Zhou Shaojin would continue asking questions curiously, she returned to the main topic. “What brings you to find me so late?”
Zhou Shaojin’s face reddened. She lowered her head shyly and said in a low voice, “I… I didn’t bring enough silver. Could you lend me some bank notes? I’ll repay you as soon as we return! Really, I’ll repay you as soon as we return!” In two lifetimes, this was the first time she’d borrowed money from someone. By the end of her words, she was eagerly making promises.
Ji Ying said in surprise, “When you buy things, doesn’t your Uncle Chi pay for you? Fourth Master Cheng shouldn’t be such a petty person!”
“He paid.” Zhou Shaojin became even more embarrassed, her voice dropping further. “But I can’t always have him pay for me. I originally thought I’d repay him the silver he spent buying things for me, then borrow a few taels from you for emergencies. But Uncle Chi buys things as if money means nothing. This was just the first day—if Uncle Chi hadn’t helped pay, I’m afraid I would have spent all the silver I brought from home and it still wouldn’t have been enough…”
Ji Ying understood. She said, “I brought five hundred taels of silver out. Would borrowing four hundred taels be enough for you?”
Zhou Shaojin was secretly astonished.
Ji Ying was so wealthy!
Such a large sum of silver could buy land and property.
But having witnessed how Cheng Chi shopped, Zhou Shaojin wasn’t quite certain if this silver would be enough.
Most importantly, after rewarding Fan Qi, she didn’t have much silver left in hand. Ji Ying was being so generous in lending to her—she’d need to have silver to repay Ji Ying when they returned!
“Just lend me one hundred taels.” Zhou Shaojin decided that in the coming days she’d control her desires and buy fewer things.
Ji Ying thought for a moment and said, “Better to lend you two hundred taels. My father once said that money is one’s courage. With money on you, your courage grows a bit too.”
“That works.” Zhou Shaojin didn’t make a fuss about it with her—she just wouldn’t use that much.
Ji Ying went to fetch bank notes for her, all in ten-tael denominations—a thick stack.
Zhou Shaojin noted this favor.
When she returned to her room, Chun Wan and the others were still tallying the glass hairpins, saying, “Second Young Miss, rewarding all these things would be extravagant. You’ll need them for rewards in the future too. There’s no need to give them all away at once. You could also give some to First Young Miss. First Young Miss is married now—let her take them out to reward the steward mothers at her husband’s family. After all, First Young Miss will be dealing with the Liao family for the rest of her life.”
The implication was that it would be better to save these things to reward people at her husband’s family after her own marriage.
Zhou Shaojin sighed softly in her heart.
If those events from her previous life hadn’t occurred, with Chun Wan by her side, she probably would have become a capable senior maid or even a steward mother!
She asked Chun Wan, “You’re only three years older than me. Do you plan to follow me as a steward mother, or do you want to be released when you come of age like Shi Xiang?”
Chun Wan’s face reddened. She said in a low voice, “If I could follow Second Young Miss, that would be this servant’s fortune for a lifetime!”
The matter was now clear. Zhou Shaojin smiled slightly and let Bitao attend her while she washed up.
***
The next day was fine and sunny.
Wang Xiao escorted them all the way onto the boat before reluctantly watching their vessel depart from Ningbo dock.
Cheng Chi stood at the bow, gazing into the distance against the wind.
Huai Shan said in a low voice, “We’ve verified it. The silver Manager Wang gave out was from his own earnings over the years. Moreover, because his expenses have been too great these years, life at home has been tight. His wife has threatened suicide several times, but he never changed his mind. I’ve heard he’s competing with the manager of the Quanzhou branch for the position of head manager of the Zhejiang branch.”
“Seems like an ambitious fellow,” Cheng Chi said. “If someone can keep him in check, he might not be a bad steed. The fear is that he won’t accept discipline, his audacity will grow, and eventually he’ll cause trouble.”
Huai Shan didn’t concern himself with such matters and didn’t dare comment.
Cheng Chi smiled and said, “Do you know what Second Miss Zhou went to see Ji Ying about yesterday?”
Huai Shan couldn’t help but smile, saying, “I heard she went to borrow silver… Ji Ying keeps her mouth shut tight, but Nanny Shang’s eyes are sharper. She said she saw Ji Ying giving bank notes to Second Cousin Miss.”
Cheng Chi said “Oh” indifferently, yet deep laughter flowed from his eyes.
***
Zhou Shaojin and the others arrived at Hangzhou Prefecture at dusk.
The one who came to receive them was the head manager of the Hangzhou branch.
The head manager was about forty years old, fair and plump, with kind features and a gentle manner. He seemed naturally to carry a smile, like a Maitreya Buddha. Speaking unhurriedly, he said, “Fourth Master, in half an hour the city gates will close. However, because the Hangzhou prefect is Second Master’s examination year classmate and has always been very considerate of our exchange, knowing that you and the old madam are passing through Hangzhou Prefecture and will stay a few days, he not only had his secretary specially send over a calling card, but also asked me to report to him once I confirmed your itinerary, saying he wants to personally visit and pay his respects to the old madam. Since I had no instructions from you, I didn’t presume to decide. I only asked the gate guards to show us consideration—once our sedan chairs arrive, to let us through first. As for lodging, following your instructions, I’ve arranged it in the rear courtyard of the exchange. The rough-work matrons and young servants have all been arranged. Would you like to drink some tea before disembarking, or shall we disembark now?”
Look at how he phrased it—clearly urging them to disembark quickly to avoid complications when the gates closed, yet saying it so gently without a trace of urgency.
Standing behind the curtain, Zhou Shaojin sighed inwardly. This was what a true Maitreya Buddha was like. As for Madam Li of the third branch, she only resembled one in appearance but not in essence—at most a fake Maitreya Buddha.
Cheng Chi had chosen to enter the city at dusk with purpose.
Both Xiao Zhenhai and Jiang Qin were in Hangzhou Prefecture. Though he needn’t avoid them, if they could learn of his presence a few days later, it would be more convenient for his activities.
He immediately decided to disembark at once.
Zhou Shaojin and the others’ trunks had been packed in the afternoon. Hearing Cheng Chi’s decision and knowing time was tight, they tidied up briefly and boarded the sedan chairs the Hangzhou exchange had prepared.
When the sedan chairs arrived at the rear courtyard of the Hangzhou exchange, Zhou Shaojin was greatly astonished.
Of course the Ningbo branch couldn’t compare to the Hangzhou branch. The Hangzhou branch’s courtyard was not only much larger than Ningbo’s, it also used rosewood furniture, displayed jade stone arrangements, was paved with gold bricks, and featured precious orchids—decorated magnificently and luxuriously like a wealthy family’s private residence rather than an exchange’s rear courtyard. But this wasn’t enough to astonish Zhou Shaojin—after all, an exchange was a business place, and the bigger the business, the grander the display. What astonished Zhou Shaojin were the two osmanthus trees planted in the middle of the courtyard. Their branches and leaves were luxuriant, thick as two arms could embrace, as tall as the eaves, with oil-green leaves dotted with yellow blossoms like stars. But the newly laid blue stone border and freshly added soil all told Zhou Shaojin these were two osmanthus trees that had just been transplanted.
The plump manager told Madam Guo, “…How can there be no osmanthus trees for the Mid-Autumn Festival? So I specially selected this courtyard with osmanthus trees for you. When the Mid-Autumn Festival comes, you and Fourth Master can smell the flowers, admire the moon, and eat mooncakes—it should comfort your homesickness to some degree.”