Cheng Chi watched Zhou Shaojin’s receding figure, grumbling inwardly.
This little slip of a girl wasn’t polite at all. She accepted his two hundred taels of silver without even a token word of courtesy.
But never mind. Since the two of them would have to interact in the future, he wouldn’t hold this against her.
He turned to head back to Tingli Pavilion.
But Feicui came running over breathlessly, “Fourth Master, the Old Madam requests that you come speak with her.”
Cheng Chi asked curiously, “Doesn’t the Old Madam have guests?”
Feicui smiled, “This servant doesn’t know. The Old Madam told this servant to relay the message, so this servant came to relay it.”
Cheng Chi thought for a moment and went to Old Madam Guo’s quarters.
Old Madam Guo had changed into a dark-colored vest with crane patterns. Her original hairstyle had been redone into a round bun, adorned with a flawless white Hetian jade hairpin. She sat upright on the arhat bed drinking tea while Zhenzhu led several young maids in tidying up mirrors and handkerchiefs.
The old lady pointed to the seat opposite her and said, “Sit down and talk—what tea would you like?”
This meant a lengthy conversation was in order.
Cheng Chi smiled, “Aren’t the two madams from the Gu family waiting for you? Shouldn’t you see your guests first?”
Old Madam Guo glanced at her son with a half-smile and said, “How could guests be as important as you? I had no idea you were disciplining your own little niece.”
Cheng Chi looked at the roomful of people, lifted his robe, and casually sat down opposite Old Madam Guo, instructing Zhenzhu, “Then brew me a cup of Biluochun tea. Now that spring has arrived, it’s best to drink some green tea to reduce internal heat.”
Zhenzhu smiled as she served tea and refreshments, then led the young maids out of the room.
Old Madam Guo stood up, turned to take a jade ruyi scepter from the curio shelf, and struck at Cheng Chi, “What have you been doing? You frightened that young lady so badly she ran to me for help! Hmm!”
Cheng Chi dodged sideways, and the jade ruyi landed on his shoulder.
“Mother, I’m already so grown, yet you still act this way? When something happens, you beat your own child without asking what’s right or wrong!” He grimaced while rubbing his shoulder and said, “She’s my niece—what could I possibly do to her?” Then he added, “She came to you for help? How exactly did she seek your help?”
Zhou Shaojin had been with him the entire time. Unless she had prepared beforehand.
At the thought of this possibility, the flame of anger in Cheng Chi’s heart flared up again.
He hadn’t even settled accounts with her yet, and she had gone ahead and complained to his mother first.
This little slip of a girl—if he didn’t discipline her, wouldn’t she be climbing onto the roof to tear off tiles in the future?
Meanwhile, having struck her son, Old Madam Guo’s anger had dissipated. She sat down and said, “What exactly happened?”
Cheng Chi had no intention of telling anyone about Zhou Shaojin’s situation, including his own mother, Old Madam Guo.
He had always known that the highest realm of lying was to mix nine truths with one falsehood. Moreover, he had a favor to ask of his mother, so he instantly formulated his story: “Regarding the matter of Elder Brother and Huang Li competing for the position of Minister of Rites last time, I sent Elder Brother a message. You should know about this.”
Old Madam Guo nodded.
Cheng Chi said, “The message was relayed through that girl Shaojin, but the person who received the information was Zhou Dacheng.”
Dacheng was Zhou Zhen’s courtesy name.
Old Madam Guo’s expression became serious. She sat up even straighter and said gravely, “What does Zhou Dacheng mean by this?”
Cheng Chi said, “When I returned, I heard from the maids that in a few days you and Fourth Aunt plan to go to Pingqiao Street to add items to the trousseau of the Zhou family’s eldest daughter. Thinking that the girl Shaojin accompanied us all the way to Mount Putuo, and later when the Hangzhou branch sent her things, she first asked my opinion before acting—quite obedient and sensible—I thought to privately give a gift as well. But I didn’t know Zhou Zhen’s purpose in having Shaojin relay this message to me, so I took the opportunity to summon Shaojin. I originally intended to sound her out, but unexpectedly ended up asking about some old family matters, which made her cry.”
At this point, he said with chagrin, “I thought she was grown up enough, but when she cries, she’s like a child. It put me in quite an awkward position. And then you came in and struck me with the ruyi. It’s fortunate this was at Hanbi Mountain Lodge—if it had been somewhere else, who knows what rumors would have spread!”
Old Madam Guo still had some doubts and said, “Then why did Shaojin’s maid come find me?”
“I say you’re overly suspicious, yet you won’t admit it.” Cheng Chi was so angry the blood rushed to his head, but in front of his mother he didn’t dare show the slightest abnormality. He said, “Wasn’t I worried about others misunderstanding? That’s why I had your Feicui and Nanny Shang go together to summon Shaojin. If her maid didn’t come find you, should she have come to me instead? Had I known this would happen, I shouldn’t have tried to avoid suspicion. After all, I’m her maternal uncle—asking her about something, what harm could there be?”
Old Madam Guo examined her youngest son suspiciously and said, “Is that so?”
“If you don’t believe me, you can summon Zhou Shaojin right now and ask her.” Cheng Chi said with complete conviction, “My good intentions turned into a bad deed!”
“Your words make sense,” Old Madam Guo agreed. “I can’t get a single word of truth from your mouth, so I’ll just have to ask Shaojin some day.”
Cheng Chi broke out in a cold sweat.
That little girl was so foolish—one question and wouldn’t her story be full of holes?
Even if there were holes, that wouldn’t matter much. The important thing was that the favor he had given to Zhou Dacheng would be wasted—with this favor, wouldn’t she worry about not being able to establish herself in the main branch?
It seemed he needed to send someone to give Zhou Shaojin a message so she wouldn’t let something slip.
While Cheng Chi pondered this in his heart, he said to Old Madam Guo, “Mother, there’s something I want to discuss with you—I’d like you to take the initiative and raise Shaojin in your household.”
Old Madam Guo’s brows furrowed slightly.
This was an extremely difficult matter to handle.
Setting aside the fact that Zhou Shaojin had grown up in the fourth branch since childhood, if she brought Zhou Shaojin from the fourth branch to Hanbi Mountain Lodge, it would appear she was seizing what others loved, and people would inevitably say she was bullying others with her power. If Zhou Shaojin agreed to come to her household, that would be even more troublesome. Others would say she was ungrateful and heartless.
But her son had never been one to speak rashly without thinking. She said, “First explain the reasons to me, and I’ll think it over carefully.”
After Cheng Chi came to believe Zhou Shaojin’s experiences, he had made this decision.
Zhou Shaojin’s character was too weak. Leaving her out there like this made him truly uneasy.
At the very least, he needed to protect her until she grew up a bit and could marry a reliable husband.
As for the reason, Cheng Chi had long since thought it through.
He said, “Mother, think about it. Why would Zhou Dacheng use Shaojin to inform us about Huang Li and Elder Brother competing for the position of Minister of Rites? Most likely he was concerned about the fourth branch, wasn’t he? Speaking of which, Zhou Dacheng’s relationship with the fourth branch is very harmonious. What was his intention in doing this? I always feel this matter isn’t simple. You also know my character. Rather than passively taking blows, it’s better to take the initiative. We might as well show goodwill to Zhou Dacheng first and bring Shaojin over properly and legitimately. Then when we speak with Zhou Dacheng later, we’ll have more confidence. Otherwise, having received such a great favor from him without reason, I feel uneasy in my heart, as if something major is about to happen!”
Old Madam Guo listened with some displeasure and said, “Silang, I think in these years you’ve been outside, your mind has become a bit too active. Regardless of Zhou Dacheng’s intentions, since we accepted initially, we must subsequently bear the corresponding obligations. Otherwise, we should have refused in the first place! What kind of behavior is this, holding another family’s daughter hostage? I don’t agree!”
“Mother!” Cheng Chi had long known this would be the result and smiled, “Can you let me finish speaking?”
Old Madam Guo pricked up her ears.
Cheng Chi said, “Actually, I do have a bit of selfish motivation. That girl Shaojin is obedient, sensible, and very lively and lovable. Since Sheng left for the capital, you haven’t had anyone to keep you company. Sheng’s wedding is set for this May, and she’s marrying into the Peng family in Liaocheng, Shandong. In the future, I’m afraid you’ll find it difficult even to see her. When I questioned this girl today, didn’t she cry? From her tone, it seems she learned from her stepmother that after her older sister marries, her father still wants her to continue staying with the Cheng family. Just thinking about it made her feel sad. I wanted to ask that little girl what was really wrong, but aside from crying, she wouldn’t say anything. I couldn’t ask too many questions either. I was at a loss when you sent someone to summon her—otherwise, I wouldn’t have known how to extricate myself!”
Old Madam Guo was very fond of Zhou Shaojin. Hearing this, she said, “Are you suspecting someone is mistreating that little girl?”
Cheng Chi smiled, “In families like ours, there are many experts at reading faces and expressions, and many who like to flatter the high and trample the low. Shaojin, no matter what, is ultimately being raised in the fourth branch. Our family has produced many second-rank, third-rank, and even first-rank officials. Some people might think a fourth-rank prefect isn’t particularly impressive.”
Old Madam Guo then thought of when her husband passed away. Both sons were already jinshi degree holders, but because they were observing the mourning period at home, with the second branch fanning the flames, some shortsighted people thought their branch was finished and openly and covertly created obstacles for her. What about a little girl like Zhou Shaojin in the inner courtyard of a great household, surrounded by a group of illiterate women and servants…
“All right!” Old Madam Guo immediately made her decision. “We’ll postpone Yi’s marriage for now. First, we’ll bring Shaojin over, then discuss Yi’s marriage.”
Cheng Chi already understood what his mother intended to do, but he thought it would be better to praise his mother a bit. This way, perhaps his mother would be more proactive about this matter and view Zhou Shaojin more favorably after she moved in.
He said with confusion, “Your meaning is?”
“Doesn’t your Fourth Aunt want to keep Shaojin at home?” Old Madam Guo said. “Under such suspicious circumstances, even if there’s nothing wrong, it will become something. But if Shaojin is sent to Baoding Prefecture, your Fourth Aunt definitely won’t feel comfortable entrusting Shaojin to Madam Li’s care. If she’s sent back to the Zhou family, that’s even worse than letting her go with Madam Li to Baoding Prefecture. At least in Baoding Prefecture, there would be elders to look after her, whereas on Pingqiao Street, she’d be all alone. I only need to give your Fourth Aunt a hint that I’m willing to raise and educate Shaojin, and your Fourth Aunt will joyfully send her to me.”
Cheng Chi smiled, “You’re truly astute when it comes to matters of the inner household! Just now I was thinking this matter might put you in a difficult position, but unexpectedly you’ve come up with a solution in the blink of an eye. It’s such a pity that Elder Sister-in-law is too stubborn. If she had properly learned from you, how could Jiashan have turned out the way he is today!”
Old Madam Guo said with puzzlement, “Usually when I criticize Jiashan, don’t you speak up for him? How has everything changed today! Has Jiashan done something improper? Or has your sister-in-law had a hot-headed moment and done something noteworthy? You mustn’t hide anything from me!”
Far away in the capital, Madam Yuan sneezed inexplicably.