By the time Cheng Zheng returned home, lanterns were just being lit.
She first went to see her two children.
Ten-year-old Gu Ning and Gu Zhong looked very similar. Both had inherited the best features of Cheng Zheng and her husband. At their young age, they were already growing into handsome boys. When Cheng Zheng entered, the brothers were standing with straight posture before their desks practicing calligraphy.
“Mother!” The brothers called out to Cheng Zheng in unison, both showing joyful expressions. However, Gu Ning respectfully put down his brush and bowed to Cheng Zheng, while Gu Zhong threw himself into Cheng Zheng’s embrace.
Cheng Zheng lovingly stroked her younger son’s head, then took his hand and walked to the desk. “Have you had your evening meal? What did you eat today? Was it good? Haven’t you finished the homework your teacher assigned? You must balance work and rest—be careful not to damage your eyes.”
Gu Ning smiled in acknowledgment.
Gu Zhong chattered away answering Cheng Zheng’s questions.
Hearing that her two sons had taken their evening meal with her husband Gu Xu, Cheng Zheng was somewhat surprised and smiled. “How did your father come home so early?”
Gu Ning smiled. “Father said that today the Crown Prince took the Imperial Grand Grandson to the villa to go boating. They had nothing else to do, so they came back early.”
The Office of Supervision of Heir Apparent was a government office assisting the Crown Prince. Though not high in rank, its position was very important. Gu Xu was the Junior Supervisor of the Office of Supervision of Heir Apparent, essentially the deputy. His daily affairs were extremely numerous, with very little rest. Times when he could return home on schedule like this were few and far between.
Cheng Zheng looked over her sons’ schoolwork, praised them both, mentioned she would take them to Fengtai for an outing in a few days, told them to rest early, then asked the maids where to find her husband and went to the study in the inner courtyard.
Gu Xu was tending to several pots of orchids on the windowsill.
He was thirty-four this year, tall and slender with handsome features and a composed bearing. Years of official life had made him rather silent and low-key. Wearing a treasure-blue robe with purple-red auspicious cloud medallion patterns, he had something of a harmonious, unassuming air about him. But when he saw Cheng Zheng enter, his eyes still brightened. The corners of his mouth lifted as he said, “You’re back,” and his expression immediately became pleased.
Cheng Zheng nodded, smiling as she glanced at the orchids. “Don’t be like last time when you helped me water the flowers and ended up killing them.”
Gu Xu smiled unconcernedly, placed the several pots of orchids back on the windowsill, called for maids to bring water, and asked Cheng Zheng, “Have you had your evening meal? I had the kitchen make lotus seed, lily, and mung bean congee for you. This is the perfect season for it.”
“I had my evening meal at the Liao family.” Nevertheless, Cheng Zheng decided to have half a bowl of the lotus congee.
The couple sat down on the large heated platform by the window.
Gu Xu smiled. “How did you all suddenly think to visit the Liao family? Are the Zhou family cousins well?”
“Quite well!” Cheng Zheng told Gu Xu about Cheng Chi’s request.
As Gu Xu listened, his expression gradually grew serious.
Seeing this, Cheng Zheng’s heart skipped a beat. “What is it? Is there something inappropriate?”
Gu Xu deliberated for a moment before slowly saying, “Do you remember that some time ago Uncle Chi sent me an attendant?”
“I remember!” Cheng Zheng said. “Everyone in our family keeps someone skilled in martial arts as a personal attendant. Xi Shan has Da Xu by his side, and Uncle Chi has that Huai Shan. Has something happened?”
Gu Xu said, “A few days ago, after the Imperial Grand Grandson finished attending Grand Tutor Fu’s lecture and came out from the corridor, several roof tiles suddenly fell. At that moment, the attendant Uncle Chi gave me, named Wang Qing, happened to be passing through the corridor. Before those guards could react, he rushed over and pushed the Imperial Grand Grandson aside… When the Imperial Grand Grandson inquired afterward and learned he was a hereditary servant of our family, not only did he reward him with much silk and fabric, he also repeatedly summoned him to spar in martial arts with the guards at his side. This time when the Crown Prince took the Imperial Grand Grandson to the villa to go boating, the Crown Prince sent someone to tell me to bring Wang Qing along as well… I always feel this matter was too coincidental, somewhat suspicious. But I’ve had little interaction with Uncle Chi and don’t know his character well, so for the moment I’m at a loss…”
Those around the Imperial Grand Grandson were investigated three generations back if not five. Since the Office of Supervision of Heir Apparent had tacitly allowed Wang Qing to serve by the Imperial Grand Grandson’s side, they certainly wouldn’t let him accompany the Imperial Grand Grandson just because Wang Qing was a hereditary servant of the Gu family. Yet Wang Qing had been sent to Gu Xu by Cheng Chi before…
Cold sweat broke out on Cheng Zheng’s forehead. “Uncle Chi has returned to Jinling and won’t be back for some time. I’ll immediately write a letter to Uncle Chi to see what exactly he’s planning.”
Gu Xu nodded slightly and comforted Cheng Zheng. “Don’t be too anxious. I believe Uncle Chi certainly wouldn’t harm us.”
Cheng Zheng nodded distractedly. The next day she went to Apricot Grove Alley.
Cheng Jing was on duty at his office. Receiving the note a servant passed in, he returned from his office.
Cheng Zheng always felt her father’s ears were a bit soft. Though anxious and worried, she still held back somewhat. After sitting down with her father at the large desk in the study, she stated her purpose. “Do you know what Uncle Chi returned to Jinling to do?”
Cheng Jing smiled. “You’re asking me? I really don’t know! Your Uncle Chi has the temperament of a carefree cloud and wild crane—here today, there tomorrow. That year when he accompanied your grandmother to Mount Putuo, he even met Song Jingran’s father and became friends with Old Master Song despite their age difference. He worked out some water management regulations that Song Jingran presented before the Emperor. If your eldest maternal uncle hadn’t blocked it, the Emperor probably would have summoned your Uncle Chi to the palace for questioning…”
Eldest maternal uncle referred to Chief Grand Councilor Yuan Weichang.
Hearing this, Cheng Zheng’s brows furrowed slightly. “Father, didn’t you help Uncle Chi at that time?”
“You don’t think I blocked your Uncle Chi’s path to success, do you?” Cheng Jing said with a laugh. “Your Uncle Chi staying home to manage the family business was decided by your grandmother and the old patriarch of the second branch. Our family has produced seven presented scholars in total since this dynasty began, five of them from the first branch. Your second great-uncle was even second place in the palace examination. Now among the younger generation, there’s your younger brother as a scholarly talent. The first branch’s momentum is too strong—it’s just right for your Uncle Chi to avoid the limelight.”
Cheng Zheng disagreed.
Were some things really avoidable by keeping a low profile?
Being modest and prudent was certainly one path, but crushing dominance could equally terrify opponents—that was also a viable path. Moreover, in Jia Shan’s generation, apart from Jia Shan and You Yi, she hadn’t seen anyone else who could achieve anything in the imperial examinations. Once the older generation all retired, relying only on Jia Shan and You Yi, the Cheng family would likely face decline like the setting sun.
She gently reminded Cheng Jing, “Actually, if Uncle Chi wanted to pursue an official career, it wouldn’t necessarily be bad. Uncle Chi is only eight years older than Jia Shan. If Second Great-Uncle hadn’t agreed to go to the Hanlin Academy back then, when Father and Uncle were restored to office, the old patriarch of the second branch probably wouldn’t have helped Father and Uncle either…”
But Cheng Jing didn’t want to discuss these matters much with his daughter.
The grievances of the Cheng family’s previous generations were too complicated, and none of it was particularly glorious.
He acknowledged with a sound and changed the subject. “Your younger brother isn’t like us in those days. Though he’s isolated and weak, isn’t there still Da Lun? Don’t worry about it.” He then brought up Cheng Xu’s matter. “Your mother wrote to me some days ago saying that the Imperial Academy is now far inferior to what it once was—many people are going to academies instead. She asked me whether Shuanghe Academy or Boya Academy is better, wanting your younger brother to study at an academy. I heard Jin Jiang went to Shuanghe Academy?”
Da Lun was Gu Xu’s courtesy name, while Jin Jiang was Peng Zhao’s courtesy name.
After all, Cheng Zheng was a daughter—there was no principle of daughters lecturing their fathers.
She sighed deeply. “In a few days I’ll be going to Fengtai for an outing with Second Sister, Third Sister, and Second Miss Zhou. I’ll ask Third Sister then!”
The father and daughter talked for quite a while before Cheng Zheng went to the western side courtyard where Cheng Wei lived.
Cheng Wei’s wife, Qiu Shi, also came from a scholarly family, but she had damaged her health when giving birth to Cheng Rang and had been bedridden ever since, unable to manage the household affairs of Apricot Grove Alley. Hearing that Cheng Zheng had come, she was very happy. Leaning against the headboard, she talked with Cheng Zheng for a long time, then kept Cheng Zheng for the midday meal before letting her go.
Cheng Zheng’s heart still felt somewhat uneasy.
Though she and Cheng Chi hadn’t interacted much, she had heard of the reputation Cheng Chi had built in the capital these past few years.
The Cheng family had made its fortune in salt trading. The Salt Distribution Commissioners of Liangzhe and Lianghuai both served two-year terms. The newly appointed Salt Distribution Commissioners of Liangzhe and Lianghuai were about to be announced. Yet Uncle Chi wasn’t staying in the capital to make arrangements but had gone to Jinling instead… Running a business was like being an official—if you didn’t advance, you retreated. Even if Uncle Chi didn’t want to continue in the salt distribution business, could he really let go like this? Who would believe the Cheng family didn’t want to do this business rather than failing to obtain the salt licenses?
Cheng Zheng thought it over repeatedly and sent her milk brother back to Jinling. “Stay at Jiuru Lane. If Grandmother asks, just say I sent you to make purchases. As soon as there’s any movement in the household, use Master’s calling card to send the news to me through the postal relay.”
The trusted servant respectfully replied “Yes” and withdrew.
※※※
A few days later, on the day arranged to go to Fengtai with Zhou Shaojin, Cheng Zheng brought her two sons to Elm Money Alley.
Zhou Shaojin wore a moon-white plain Hangzhou silk vest over a peach-red skirt with precious-phase flower border trim. Her hair was styled in a bun adorned with two South Sea pearl hairpins—elegant yet showing a bit of liveliness.
Cheng Zheng nodded approvingly to herself.
Although flowers competed in splendor when blooming, after all, most were surrounded by green leaves. What flower-viewers most avoided was wearing green, which wouldn’t show color well. It was best to wear red to complement the green trees and morning light—much more striking.
It seemed this Second Miss of the Zhou family knew how to dress well.
She had her two sons step forward to bow to Zhou Shaojin.
Zhou Shaojin’s gaze lingered for a moment on Cheng Zheng’s eldest son, Gu Ning.
In her previous life, when the Fourth Prince ascended the throne and changed the reign title to Tianshun, the nineteen-year-old Gu Ning was the youngest presented scholar of that examination year to pass both levels. After serving three months as a Compiler in the Hanlin Academy, he was transferred by the Fourth Prince to concurrently serve as Left Vice Director of the Office of Receptions, then three months later promoted to Director of the Office of Receptions…
He was someone whose mention made people envious.
Cheng Zheng assumed that her eldest son’s young age combined with his adult-like maturity had surprised Zhou Shaojin somewhat. She quickly smiled and explained, “I hope you don’t mind! Our Ning Ge is the eldest son, so my husband and I are stricter with him. Over time, he’s inevitably become somewhat serious and unsmiling…”
Zhou Shaojin quickly offered humble remarks and brought out the meeting gifts she had prepared.
For Gu Ning, she gave a Duan inkstone and half a ream of Chengxin Hall paper. For Gu Zhong, she gave a box of Huzhou wolf-hair brushes and several ink sticks.
The brothers appeared quite well-mannered, respectfully thanking Zhou Shaojin, and then the group went to Zhou Chujin’s residence at Double Elm Alley.