Zhou Zhen was quite surprised. The sincerity revealed in Cheng Chi’s words made him feel favorable toward him.

His expression softened involuntarily as he asked, “Does Old Madam know about this matter?”

Cheng Chi immediately knew his opportunity had come.

At this moment, every word he spoke became critically important—it could mean success or failure, depending entirely on how he responded.

“After my mother came to the capital, I already informed her clearly.” Cheng Chi said, “It’s just that at that time the family was in the midst of dividing the lineage. Mother’s view was that we couldn’t let Second Miss become a target for everyone at such a time, so this matter was temporarily not raised. When I came to Baoding Prefecture this time, I also reported it to my mother in advance—she knows about it!”

Zhou Zhen inexplicably felt relieved.

Perhaps in his view, a marriage between children without parental blessing was equivalent to elopement. And matters in the Cheng family without Old Madam Guo’s approval usually didn’t have good outcomes.

Zhou Zhen picked up his tea cup and slowly took a sip, examining Cheng Chi carefully.

The composed and dignified bearing of a young master from an established family, the confident and carefree manner of one whose belly was full of poetry and books… No matter how one looked at it, Cheng Chi was an exceptionally handsome man, one in ten thousand.

Just as Li Shi had said, aside from his age, he truly was an ideal son-in-law.

Perhaps there was no such thing as perfection in this world!

Zhou Zhen felt his heart become somewhat more at ease.

He asked Cheng Chi, “What arrangements do you have regarding Cheng Jiashan?”

Cheng Chi smiled and said, “My mother already purchased a residence for me near Chaoyang Gate. I will live there in the future.”

The area around Apricot Forest Lane was the Cheng family’s ancestral home, which naturally went to Cheng Jing as the eldest son.

Cheng Chi continued, “So when I return from Jining, I may still be posted elsewhere. At that time I can bring Shaojin with me to my posting.”

Thus husband and wife would not need to be separated.

Being a younger son had its advantages too.

Only now did Zhou Zhen begin seriously considering the possibility of this marriage.

He nodded slightly and asked, “Why did you think of helping Yang Shoushan control the Yellow River?”

Cheng Chi then told him about being skilled with numbers since childhood, how he wanted to study water-related geographical texts whenever he encountered them, how he met Old Master Song, how to calculate water levels, how to take water samples from the middle of rivers… He told Zhou Zhen everything in detail.

Zhou Zhen was very interested and asked carefully about calculating water levels.

Baoding Prefecture also had more drought than rain. If river water could be diverted for irrigation, farmers wouldn’t need to live such harsh lives.

Cheng Chi answered every question.

Gradually, both men’s expressions became somewhat serious as they discussed diverting water for field irrigation.

Outside the reception hall, Li Shi quietly asked Nanny Li, who was listening intently with her ear pressed close, “How is it? Did you hear what Fourth Master and Master said? Did Master and Fourth Master quarrel?”

Nanny Li shook her head repeatedly.

Li Shi breathed a sigh of relief.

The two men didn’t emerge from the study until lunchtime. Even after coming out, following a brief silence at the dinner table, the two went to the study and continued discussing farmland irrigation.

Li Shi’s eyebrows rose with joy.

Eldest Master Li arrived in a cloud of dust and hurriedly said, “What happened? You summoned me so urgently. I still have wine to send to the capital!”

Since doing business with the Imperial Household, the Li family had become the wealthiest in Jiangxi. Eldest Master Li’s face glowed with health, and even his fatigue couldn’t hide his proud ambition.

But Li Shi complained, “Why are you only coming now? If I’d known, I wouldn’t have sent you a message. By the time you arrived, the day lilies would be cold!”

Eldest Master Li didn’t take it to heart.

The siblings bantered back and forth.

In the capital, Old Madam Guo was busily distributing invitations.

The ninth day of the ninth month was her birthday.

Cheng Jing also intended to celebrate the old madam’s birthday.

This was the first family banquet they were holding since dividing the lineage—a perfect opportunity to gather those relatives and friends who had helped them during the division.

Old Madam Guo specifically sent invitations to the Zhou sisters and instructed Nanny Lü, “Take some nourishing medicinal ingredients to the Liao family. Deliver all three invitations to First Madam of the Liao family together. The nourishing medicinal ingredients should be divided—one portion for First Young Madam of the Liao family and one portion for Second Miss Zhou.”

In the Fang family matter, First Madam Liao had exerted considerable effort behind the scenes.

She would certainly come.

And with the Zhou sisters’ invitations delivered to her hands, even if Zhou Chujin intended to prevent Zhou Shaojin from attending, First Madam Liao probably wouldn’t agree.

As for the Fang family, even without an invitation they would likely come.

Nanny Lü smiled and said “Yes,” then delivered the invitations to Elm Tree Lane.

Though she had received this courtesy through the Zhou sisters’ connections, First Madam Liao was still very pleased that Old Madam Guo’s most trusted nanny had come personally to deliver her invitation.

Zhou Chujin, however, silently cursed Cheng Chi’s cunning.

He definitely wanted to use this method to see Shaojin!

She still didn’t know Cheng Chi had already gone to Baoding.

Zhou Chujin couldn’t very well not attend—otherwise First Madam Liao would certainly think she and the Cheng family had developed a rift. If that were investigated and it happened to expose her sister’s situation, that would be bad.

Just as Old Madam Guo had predicted, she found an excuse for Zhou Shaojin: “Shaojin hasn’t been feeling well these past few days. I’ll accompany you to Old Madam’s birthday banquet. Once Shaojin feels better, she can go pay her respects to Old Madam.”

Though she might not succeed in blocking this, she had to try anyway.

First Madam Liao was quite displeased and said, “When an elder celebrates their birthday, unless one can’t get out of bed, how can one not go pay respects?” She instructed Nanny Zhong to invite Zhou Shaojin over and continued scolding Zhou Chujin, “I’ve heard you say before that your sister once received Old Madam’s guidance—that means she has the grace of teaching from her. The old lady is celebrating her birthday for the first time, and you can say such words…”

Zhou Chujin endured the scolding in silence.

Even though she was being questioned by her mother-in-law, she had no intention of compromising on this matter.

But soon, Zhou Shaojin was brought over.

First Madam Liao smiled kindly as she handed the invitation to Zhou Shaojin, saying, “On the ninth, dress yourself up nicely. We’ll go celebrate Old Madam’s birthday.”

Zhou Shaojin could tell from her sister’s expression that she was unhappy about this matter. She smiled and agreed, then as soon as they left the main room, she took Zhou Chujin’s arm and acted like a child, saying coquettishly before her sister, “Sister, I said I would listen to you. Old Madam is celebrating her birthday—in sentiment and reason I should go pay my respects. But I promise to stay with you the whole time and go nowhere else. All right?”

Zhou Chujin’s expression cleared slightly.

When the ninth day of the ninth month arrived, the sisters dressed themselves up nicely and went to Chaoyang Gate together with First Madam Liao.

Cheng Zheng, Cheng Xiao, and the others had arrived early and were standing at the hanging flower gate helping Old Madam Guo receive guests.

Just as Zhou Shaojin and her group entered, they happened to encounter several madams arriving together. They greeted Cheng Zheng warmly and teased the sisters, “You’re young madams, honored guests who should be seated above—why are you standing here receiving guests? Old Madam is too good at putting people to work!”

Cheng Zheng smiled and said, “Today is Old Madam’s birthday. If we sisters can help Old Madam receive guests here, that’s also filial piety, and we can share in Old Madam’s good fortune.”

As she spoke, she took Zhou Shaojin’s hand and introduced the several madams to them.

Zhou Shaojin listened attentively.

The round-faced one was Madam Zhou, the long-faced one was Madam Wang, the one who looked sorrowful even when smiling was Madam Qu, and Madam Shen was from the family of the seventeenth old master of the Shen family in Jinling. She now served as Chief Clerk in the Military Selection Department of the Ministry of War and had received an invitation because she and the Cheng family were fellow townspeople…

She committed all these people to memory.

Since she had decided to marry Uncle Chi, she would inevitably have dealings with them in the future.

Everyone knew Fang Shi was First Madam of the Liao family in Zhenjiang and warmly greeted them.

Cheng Xiao smilingly invited them to sit in the connecting hall.

Second Madam Fang arrived with Fang Xuan.

They had been in the capital longer than First Madam Liao and were acquainted with these madams. Everyone chatted and laughed as they greeted each other, discussing household matters, then went together to pay respects to Old Madam Guo.

Old Madam Guo was very spirited today. She wore a sapphire blue vest embroidered with crane and auspicious grass patterns and a headband set with a pigeon-egg-sized green cat’s-eye stone. Her hair, mixed with silver threads, was neatly arranged in a round bun, and she had even unusually worn a golden hairpin with dangling ornaments.

Everyone cheerfully stepped forward to bow and congratulate Old Madam Guo on her birthday.

Old Madam Guo laughed heartily.

When it was Zhou Shaojin’s turn, she took Zhou Shaojin’s hand and looked her up and down, saying, “I haven’t seen you for some time. I heard you came to the capital with your sister, and I was wondering whether you would have returned to Baoding Prefecture by the time of my birthday banquet?”

From her tone, it sounded as if they hadn’t seen each other for several years.

Zhou Shaojin didn’t understand why, but she trusted Old Madam Guo just as she trusted Cheng Chi.

She obediently and gently continued the conversation following Old Madam Guo’s lead.

Old Madam Guo was very satisfied and specifically had someone reward her with a string of eighteen tourmaline prayer beads, saying, “When you have time, come visit often. The scripture you copied for me back then—I’ve dedicated it to Fayu Temple on Mount Putuo.”

Zhou Shaojin smiled and said “All right.”

Old Madam Guo then instructed Cheng Sheng, “You studied together when you were young. You take her and introduce her to all these older and younger sisters in the capital.”

Cheng Sheng smiled and said “All right,” then stepped forward to take Zhou Shaojin’s hand. Standing beside the screen behind Old Madam, she watched wave after wave of relatives and friends come in to pay respects to Old Madam and whispered, “What’s gotten into Grandmother? You just came to pay your respects to her a few days ago. Could it be that Old Madam is getting old and can’t remember things?”

Zhou Shaojin examined Old Madam Guo carefully and whispered back, “Old Madam’s eyes are clear and bright—it can’t be that she doesn’t remember things…”

She probably has other intentions!

It’s just that they can’t figure it out.

Cheng Sheng continued guessing.

But Zhou Shaojin’s gaze fell on Fang Xuan, who had come to pay respects to Old Madam Guo.

Whether intentionally or not, Second Madam Fang waited until everyone else had paid respects to Old Madam Guo before bringing Fang Xuan forward. When Fang Xuan paid her respects to Old Madam Guo, everyone’s eyes fell on the Fang mother and daughter.

Old Madam Guo clearly now had the leisure to take Fang Xuan’s hand and chat with her.

Only then did everyone learn that Fang Xuan had been studying calligraphy with Old Madam Guo these past days.

Old Madam Guo smiled and said, “Speaking of calligraphy, you and Shaojin are the two young ladies with the most talent I’ve ever seen…” As she spoke, the old madam called to Zhou Shaojin, “You come over too and meet Sixth Miss Fang.”

Didn’t they just meet last month?

Zhou Shaojin and the others all felt privately puzzled. But on such an occasion, no one would be foolish enough to correct Old Madam Guo.

The two young ladies curtsied to each other.