That evening, when Cheng Chi returned, Nanny Shang directed a young servant to bring hot water in to help him change clothes, while she herself stood to the side and reported, “Second Young Miss came looking for you.”

Cheng Chi was quite surprised and said, “How did she come?”

Nanny Shang didn’t understand at first and smiled. “I didn’t ask about that. However, Second Young Miss came together with her stepmother, so she probably came by sedan chair!”

“That’s not what I’m asking!” Cheng Chi said patiently. “I’m asking whether Second Young Miss came after paying respects to Old Madam, or whether she came quietly?”

Hearing this, Nanny Shang couldn’t help but consider carefully. “When Second Young Miss came, Old Madam was talking with Madam Zhou. Before Old Madam and Madam Zhou finished their conversation, Second Young Miss returned to the main room…”

So she had come quietly.

This little girl—had she caused some trouble?

Cheng Chi pondered this in his mind, and his speed in removing his brocade robe slowed down.

She’d been happy and cheerful when she left.

Later Cheng Zheng sent two boxes of imperial kitchen pastries. Mother had specially saved one box for that little girl, planning to give it to her on the second day when she came. But on the second day, after she went to Joyful Tree Hall to pay New Year’s respects to Old Madam Guan, she hurriedly returned to Pingqiao Street… Could it be that the fourth branch had let something slip, and knowing that Old Madam Guan wanted to keep her in the fourth branch made her uncomfortable, so she ran away?

That was quite possible!

Cheng Chi’s brows furrowed.

He did want to secure a good marriage for that little girl, but looking around, there wasn’t anyone he approved of.

Perhaps he should look further afield?

Suzhou, Hangzhou, Songjiang, Wuxi were all quite close to Jinling—just a few days by boat. If there were suitable candidates in those places, they could certainly be considered…

Cheng Chi handed the brocade robe he’d removed to Qingfeng and asked Nanny Shang, “Didn’t that little girl have you pass along a message?”

“She only said she had something urgent to find you about.” Nanny Shang spoke more cautiously now. “Other than that, she didn’t say anything else!”

Cheng Chi pursed his lips.

In that little girl’s eyes, even trivial matters were big matters.

But he still thought about it and said, “Then what was her mood like?” Afraid Nanny Shang wouldn’t understand, he explained, “I mean was she worried and distressed? Or was she the same as usual? Or was she quite happy?”

Nanny Shang carefully recalled the scene at the time and said, “She seemed… the same as usual?”

What kind of answer was that?

Cheng Chi said dissatisfied, “Was she the same or not the same?”

Nanny Shang became even less certain and hesitated for a long while.

Cheng Chi said, “Forget it! I’ll know when I see her tomorrow.”

Nanny Shang smiled in acknowledgment, broke out in a cold sweat on her forehead, and respectfully withdrew.

Cheng Chi couldn’t help but laugh at himself.

Why was he in such a rush?

He’d know in a few hours anyway.

He washed his face, changed into fresh clothes, and was just preparing to go pay respects to Old Madam Guo when Langyue ran in, saying urgently, “Fourth Master, Old Madam Gu has passed away!”

“What did you say?” Cheng Chi shot to his feet. “Old Madam Gu has passed away? When did this happen? Has Old Madam received word?”

Langyue hurriedly said, “The Gu family specially sent someone to deliver a mourning notice to Old Madam. The Cheng family’s mourning notice hasn’t arrived yet. Old Madam is already changing clothes. She sent a young maid to inform you that you should also quickly change clothes and go to the Gu residence right away. Household matters should temporarily be left to Chief Steward Qin.”

With Old Madam Gu’s passing, the Cheng family would also need to offer condolences. But mourning notices were usually sent after the deceased’s initial laying out. Sending someone specially to inform Cheng Chi’s mother meant they considered them extremely close family members—after going over, even if they didn’t help with the laying out, they should help with funeral arrangements.

Cheng Chi quickly called Qingfeng to help him change clothes and instructed Langyue to pack things. “We’ll probably have to stay there for two or three days.”

He could only leave temporarily once the accounting and protocol offices for the funeral were all in place.

Langyue repeatedly acknowledged.

Cheng Chi thought briefly, then called Nanny Shang in and said, “My mother won’t be able to host Madam Zhou tomorrow. When you go over, remind my mother. Tomorrow morning, go personally to Pingqiao Street and ask Second Young Miss what exactly the matter is. If it’s not urgent, tell her to wait a few days. If it’s very urgent, tell her to wait and I’ll go over in the evening.”

Nanny Shang’s heart was in tumult.

When had Fourth Master become so accommodating?

If Master Ji and Xiao Zhenhai saw this, wouldn’t their eyeballs drop to the ground!

But she had walked the jianghu in her early years and been a formidable figure in her own right. She’d long since mastered the ability to keep her emotions from showing on her face. No matter what she thought inside, her face still bore a smiling expression as she respectfully acknowledged.

Cheng Chi, satisfied, changed into a moon-white coarse cotton robe and went to his mother’s quarters.

Old Madam Guo was just as he’d expected, wearing a dark plain fine cloth jacket, her expression sorrowful as she sat on the arhat couch fingering the eighteen purple sandalwood prayer beads in her hand.

Cheng Chi stepped forward and softly called, “Mother.”

Old Madam Guo came back to herself. Her eyes were already full of tears. “When your father and I had our first quarrel, it was she who came to mediate. At the time, right in front of me, she severely scolded your father, then lectured me as well. Finally she asked us whether we wanted to divorce. If we didn’t want to divorce, then everything had to be discussed together in our daily life. If we did want to divorce, there was nothing more to say—we should inventory the dowry right then, the children would stay with the Cheng family, and I should take my dowry and return to my natal family. She would immediately find your father a new wife to live in the rooms I’d lived in and raise my children… I was furious—how could that work? I could give up the rooms, but I couldn’t hand the children over to someone else to raise, to have them call someone else ‘Mother.'” Old Madam Guo’s tears fell uncontrollably as she spoke. “Who knew she would pass so unexpectedly…”

Cheng Chi stepped forward and embraced Old Madam Guo, consoling his mother in a low voice. “Old Madam was already eighty-nine years old. During her life she could eat and drink well, and she died so suddenly without lying in bed suffering—this is a good thing, a joyful funeral. You should be happy for her. You know the Gu family’s situation better than anyone. With Old Madam’s passing, Ninth Master Gu will have to return to observe mourning, and the Gu family’s position will only become more difficult. Elder Brother’s side—the Gu family will definitely count on you to help speak up for them. You must go over quickly.”

Though the Gu family had many male descendants, the one currently successful in his official career with promising prospects was Old Madam’s eldest grandson, Gu Qinghe. He now served as Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial, one of the Lesser Nine Ministers. With Old Madam’s death, he would have to return home to observe a year of mourning and give up his position. What kind of post he could obtain when he returned to the capital was uncertain.

At this time, Cheng Jing, who served as Minister of Rites and Grand Secretary of the Wenhua Hall, was very important to Gu Qinghe’s return to office.

Old Madam Guo nodded, wiped her tears, and her expression had already become resolute. “I know. Tell those around you to finish packing and we’ll go right away.” Then Old Madam Guo exclaimed, “Oh my! I was planning to invite Shaojin’s stepmother to dinner…”

His mother still remembered!

Cheng Chi said, “I’ll send someone to inform her.”

Old Madam Guo sighed. “It’ll have to wait a few days.”

“A few days later is actually better.” Cheng Chi said. “In a few days spring will be warming and flowers blooming—perfect for inviting Madam Zhou to the mansion to appreciate the flowers.”

Mother could also take this opportunity to ease her sorrowful feelings.

Old Madam Guo nodded slightly.

※※※

Pingqiao Street, Zhou residence.

When Zhou Shaojin received this news, she was stunned for quite a while. Thinking of Old Madam Gu’s childlike straightforward personality when she’d visited the Gu family last time, her heart felt very uncomfortable. She asked Nanny Shang who’d come to report, “Will Uncle Chi and Old Madam both have to stay at the Gu residence for several days?”

Nanny Shang said respectfully, “They should have to stay several days. Fourth Master and Old Madam both brought clothing over.”

Zhou Shaojin inexplicably felt relieved and said, “Go tell Uncle Chi that my matter isn’t urgent. He should first focus on finishing Old Madam Gu’s funeral arrangements.”

Nanny Shang smiled in acknowledgment.

Zhou Shaojin brought her to see Li Shi.

With such a matter occurring, Li Shi naturally had no complaints. She hurriedly said, “The deceased takes precedence. We can pay respects to Old Madam anytime.” She then politely asked about Old Madam Guo’s state of mind, exchanged a few pleasantries, rewarded Nanny Shang two taels of silver, and personally saw her to the door.

Zhou Shaojin asked Nanny Shang, “Are you returning to the mansion or going to the Gu residence?”

“Going to the Gu residence!” Nanny Shang said with a smile. “Fourth Master said if there was news from your side, I should go report to him.”

Zhou Shaojin had Nanny Shang take a message to Seventeenth Miss Gu: “…Tell her to restrain her grief and accept fate’s changes!”

Nanny Shang acknowledged and went to the Gu residence.

Cheng Chi was busy discussing funeral announcements with the Gu family. The various old masters and masters of the Gu family still hadn’t emerged from the grief and shock of Old Madam’s death. Their words and actions were confused and contradictory. Several stewards simply reported matters to Cheng Chi and had him help make decisions.

In no time, Cheng Chi was surrounded by people sitting and standing.

Nanny Shang poked her head in at the doorway then drew it back.

Cheng Chi’s eyes were sharp—he immediately spotted her.

Before the steward asking for his decision could finish speaking, he stood up and said, “I have something to attend to. Wait a moment.” Then under everyone’s gaze, he left the hall and stopped in the covered walkway.

Nanny Shang quickly stepped forward and quietly reported on her visit to Pingqiao Street.

Hearing this, Cheng Chi instead became worried.

If the matter really wasn’t important as the little girl said, she would usually rashly barge in, demanding without any consideration that he do this or that. Conversely, if the matter was very important, she would be anxious and uncertain about how to broach it with him. Just like when she went with him and Mother to Mount Putuo—on the way there, no matter what she wanted to buy, she never spoke up so as not to delay their itinerary. But on the return trip with no pressing matters, she started wanting now to get bricks from Leifeng Tower, now to buy combs in Changzhou. When he and Old Master Song became absorbed in the water conservancy matter, she could quietly stay beside them without fuss, finding things to occupy herself. She seemed willful but actually had good sense of propriety.

He pondered this, glanced at the crowd sitting or standing in the room, and said thoughtfully, “Like this—go tell Second Young Miss that I’ll come over around the hour of the Dog (Note: around 7 PM) after I’ve arranged the evening meal here. Have her wait for me.”

Nanny Shang was secretly surprised.

Didn’t she say the matter wasn’t important?

Why was Fourth Master still going over?