Cheng Chi couldn’t help but rub his forehead.

Wasn’t he supposed to take this opportunity to scold that little girl and make her behave herself in the future? How did he end up following along with her words and telling her how to give rewards?

Zhou Shaojin, however, fled as if she had escaped disaster, heading straight for the side room where Zhou Chujin was.

Uncle Chi was truly frightening when he lost his temper!

No wonder Ji Ying and the others were afraid of him. It turned out she had never seen Uncle Chi angry before.

If Uncle Chi lost his temper again in the future, she’d better keep her distance from him.

Zhou Shaojin patted her chest and steadied her breathing before entering the side room with a smile. She told her sister about the people from Yutai’s Hangzhou branch sending her flowers, saying, “Uncle Chi also knows about it and told me to reward Madam Wang like I would an ordinary servant woman.”

Zhou Chujin said, “That doesn’t seem quite right. Shouldn’t you give double portions?”

“What’s wrong with it!” Zhou Shaojin said nonchalantly. “Uncle Chi said so himself. After all, they’re only sending me flowers to curry favor with Uncle Chi. My attitude doesn’t matter to them at all. I’ll just do as Uncle Chi said.”

She didn’t dare tell her sister about Cheng Chi getting angry, afraid her sister would scold her and forbid her from seeking out Uncle Chi in the future.

Zhou Chujin had never encountered such a situation before and couldn’t quite make up her mind for a moment. “Do you want me to accompany you to meet this Madam Wang?”

Zhou Shaojin thought for a moment and said, “I’ll go by myself! Madam Wang is mainly coming to sound out Uncle Chi’s attitude. I don’t want her to see you and then get ideas about you, making Uncle Chi think we’re using his influence to intimidate others.”

Just looking at that newly planted osmanthus tree in the middle of the Hangzhou branch’s courtyard showed how shrewd these people were.

Zhou Chujin nodded.

Zhou Shaojin returned to Wanxiang Residence, changed her clothes, and had her hair redone. Nanny Lü personally accompanied Madam Wang over.

When Madam Wang saw Zhou Shaojin, her dark hair was simply pulled into a bun. She wore a half-old rose-purple dual-color gold vest, with only a pair of lotus seed-sized South Sea pearl earrings hanging from her ears. She looked casual and graceful yet still maintained an air of noble elegance, quite different from the refined and reserved demeanor on the boat—she seemed more at ease now.

Perhaps it was because this was the place where she had lived since childhood!

Madam Wang speculated, smiling as she curtsied to Zhou Shaojin.

Maids brought tea and refreshments.

Zhou Shaojin said politely, “Please convey my thanks to your branch’s head manager on my behalf. The gift may be modest, but the sentiment is profound. This gift is far too valuable. Not to mention anything else, just considering the thousands of miles it traveled, I accept this favor.”

If it weren’t to make you accept this favor, why would they have sent the flowers from Hangzhou Prefecture all the way here? Wouldn’t it have been simpler to just deliver the flowers to your boat at the time?

Madam Wang thought to herself, though her face was all smiles. “Second Young Miss is too kind. We should have sent the flowers for you to take away earlier. Who knew that Master Miao had cultivated another pot of Eighteen Scholars there? We waited for that pot of Eighteen Scholars, which is why we were delayed. Fortunately, Master Miao’s skills are excellent—the flowers have already budded on the road. To ensure this pot of Eighteen Scholars blooms during the Spring Festival, our manager even asked Master Miao’s chief disciple to accompany them and care for the flowers. In a moment, he’ll probably need to give some instructions to your family’s flower house steward.”

Another pot of Eighteen Scholars!

Zhou Shaojin was secretly amazed and couldn’t help but admire the Hangzhou branch’s manager. She smiled and thanked Madam Wang, instructing a junior maid to fetch the flower house steward.

Madam Wang took the opportunity to say, “Our manager heard that the young master will be taking the examination next year and was thinking whether to order a few more pots of Eighteen Scholars from Master Miao in advance. When people come to pay New Year’s calls and see them, it would be an auspicious thing!”

This manager was truly thorough in his considerations!

Zhou Shaojin smiled and said, “This matter really needs to be discussed with Uncle Chi. After all, it’s your idea.”

Madam Wang was overjoyed at these words.

Everything they had done was simply to leave a good impression in Cheng Chi’s heart. The reason they decided to make a breakthrough through Zhou Shaojin was that they felt Zhou Shaojin was young. When encountering such matters, she would surely ask an elder for advice. This way, they could both test Cheng Chi’s attitude—able to advance or retreat—and find someone to speak well of them.

Madam Wang thanked Zhou Shaojin repeatedly and spoke of the other pots of flowers: “…Although the black chrysanthemum is past its flowering period, we brought seedlings. When they sprout next spring, they can be divided into several pots to give as gifts. One pot of Grand First Rank and one pot of Hexagonal Bright Red are both about to bloom. And thinking that New Year’s is approaching, we also sent various narcissus and orchids. Your room will be a mass of blooming flowers, Second Young Miss—absolutely beautiful.” After speaking, she showed a troubled expression.

She was waiting for me to pick up the conversation, wasn’t she?

Zhou Shaojin pretended not to notice and smiled, inviting her to drink tea. “This is our local Rain Flower tea. Try it and see how it tastes.”

Madam Wang had no choice but to drink some tea and praise it at length.

Chun Wan came in to report, “Master Miao’s chief disciple has made everything clear to the flower house steward. The flower house steward is now personally directing the servants to move the flowers.”

Zhou Shaojin nodded and said to Chun Wan with a smile, “You know Madam Wang too. I still have duties at Listening to Rain Pavilion. It’s rare for her to visit. You accompany Madam Wang for a tour around Jinling City. Whether you need a carriage or a sedan chair, just give the orders directly.”

Chun Wan stepped forward with a smile to greet Madam Wang, respectfully responding, “Yes.”

Madam Wang became very anxious. Unable to worry about propriety anymore, she quickly said, “Second Young Miss, since we’re already here, it wouldn’t be right not to pay our respects to Old Madam. We also have a few pots of narcissus and orchids specially sent for Old Madam.”

Zhou Shaojin said reproachfully, “Why didn’t you say so earlier! Show me which pots of flowers are for Old Madam, and I’ll have the servants separate them now to send over later.”

Madam Wang said, “Then regarding Old Madam’s place…”

Zhou Shaojin looked surprised. “Didn’t you just encounter Nanny Lü? What? You haven’t been to Old Madam’s quarters yet?”

“I heard that Grand Secretary Song’s wife is visiting the mansion, so…” Madam Wang hesitated.

Zhou Shaojin said thoughtfully, “Nanny Lü has always been in charge of matters concerning Old Madam. If that’s the case, I really can’t help you make decisions!”

Madam Wang looked at Zhou Shaojin with hopeful eyes.

Zhou Shaojin sighed inwardly.

Uncle Chi and Old Madam Guo’s attitude was already very clear. Not only was she unqualified to change anything, but even if she were qualified, she wouldn’t go against Uncle Chi and Old Madam Guo’s wishes.

She only asked which pots of flowers were for Old Madam Guo.

Madam Wang couldn’t hide her disappointment.

Bitao hurried in and whispered in Zhou Shaojin’s ear, “Miss Jia has arrived!”

To Cheng Jia, Wanxiang Residence was like a vegetable garden gate. She could enter whenever she wanted and leave whenever she pleased. When did she need such discreet notification?

Zhou Shaojin’s heart skipped a beat slightly, though her face remained composed. She smiled and gave Chun Wan a few instructions to “be sure to fulfill your duties as a good host,” then went to the study with Bitao.

Cheng Jia was sitting in the master’s chair in the study, weeping alone.

Seeing Zhou Shaojin enter, she immediately stood up and said indignantly, “Tell me, isn’t this ridiculous! No matter how far I, Cheng Jia, have fallen, I wouldn’t stoop to becoming a merchant’s wife. That cousin from the Li family—that’s Li Jing—actually brought twenty thousand taels of silver as a betrothal gift, saying he wants to marry me… Do I only worth those twenty thousand taels of silver? He’s really underestimating our Cheng family of Jiuruxiang! Does he think our Cheng family would sell their daughter?”

They would!

Zhou Shaojin remained silent.

For silver, the Cheng family would indeed sell you!

Seeing that Bitao very perceptively hurried out and thoughtfully closed the study door for them, she personally poured a cup of tea and handed it to Cheng Jia.

What happened in her previous life was repeating itself.

Except in her previous life, Li Jing had brought fifty thousand taels of silver. In this life, he only brought twenty thousand.

In her previous life, Cheng Jia had no other path to take. In this life, the Cheng family hadn’t reached the point of abandoning Cheng Jia.

Li Jing couldn’t possibly succeed.

Zhou Shaojin asked her, “Are you angry that Li Jing brought twenty thousand taels of silver to marry you, or are you angry that Li Jing wants to marry you?”

Cheng Jia didn’t understand. “What’s the difference?”

“Of course there’s a difference!” Zhou Shaojin said lightly. “If you’re only angry that Li Jing brought twenty thousand taels of silver as a betrothal gift, it means you don’t really mind marrying Li Jing—you’re just angry that he doesn’t respect you enough and is trying to buy you with silver. If you’re angry that Li Jing wants to marry you, then you probably mind Li Jing’s status and position, so you’re unwilling to marry him…”

Cheng Jia fell into deep thought.

Although Zhou Shaojin hoped that Li Jing could protect Cheng Jia as he had in her previous life, in that previous life, Cheng Jia had been forced to marry Li Jing. What she truly thought in her heart was most important. So in this life, she wouldn’t take the initiative to interfere in this matter.

“I, I don’t know either.” The usually forthright Cheng Jia acted uncharacteristically, thinking for a long time before murmuring, “In any case, I don’t want to marry Li Jing.”

Zhou Shaojin smiled and asked again, “Is it because Li Jing is a merchant?”

“Not really,” Cheng Jia said. “If our family weren’t attached to the first and second branches, wouldn’t we be looked down upon just the same? If I really married Li Jing, I would be marrying beneath me. Who in his family would dare give me attitude? If I married into a scholarly family, the more dowry I bring, the more I might be looked down upon. In the end, those people would use my dowry and still despise my lowly origins! Anyway, I don’t want to get married!”

Then it would depend on whether Li Jing could win Cheng Jia’s heart.

Zhou Shaojin smiled with pursed lips and spent a long time comforting Cheng Jia: “…Twenty thousand taels of silver! Look at all of Jinling City—which young lady has ever received a betrothal gift of twenty thousand taels of silver? Your worth has definitely risen again! You should be content!”

Cheng Jia burst out laughing and said, “If you’re so envious, why don’t you marry him? If you keep talking like this, I’m going to get angry.”

Zhou Shaojin smiled with squinted eyes. With great difficulty, she finally persuaded Cheng Jia to leave.

However, news of Li Jing’s twenty-thousand-tael betrothal gift quickly spread throughout Jinling City.

Zhou Shaojin had been somewhat worried that this rumor would grow more intense and be detrimental to Cheng Jia. Who knew that the heir of Duke Liangguo would actually take as his second wife the eldest daughter of Old Master Liu from the Liu family on Official Street at the Mei Mansion—that is, the in-laws of Third Miss Sun’s family who had borrowed two thousand taels of silver from the Sun family because they felt Third Miss Sun’s dowry wasn’t generous enough and then refused to repay it, leading to a lawsuit.

Everyone’s eyes in Jinling City fell to the ground in shock.

For a time, this matter was discussed on every street corner and in every alley. Li Jing’s twenty thousand taels of silver scattered with the wind and was quickly drowned out in the crowd’s discussions.

Zhou Shaojin breathed a sigh of relief.

Huang Yijun came on Old Master Song’s orders to fetch Madam Song: “…If we don’t set out for the capital soon, we won’t make it back in time for New Year’s.”