Old Madam Guo’s eyes showed a peculiar light as she smiled. “This is probably Fourth Son’s intention as well. Otherwise, he certainly wouldn’t have gone to take such a prominent role. A young man just entering officialdom daring to presumptuously manage the affairs of the Office of the River Conservancy Director-General without knowing his place—that’s not Fourth Son’s style.” Speaking gently to Zhou Shaojin, she added, “Now you can be at ease! As for your eldest uncle, I’ll speak with him myself.”

Zhou Shaojin nodded and thanked Old Madam Guo.

A little maid came in, saying that the family of Minister Peng, Director of the Personnel Evaluation Bureau of the Ministry of Revenue, had sent someone to deliver Laba porridge to Old Madam Guo.

The Director of the Personnel Evaluation Bureau of the Ministry of Revenue was fifth rank senior—a high official in prefectures and counties, but in the capital, such officials weren’t even qualified to appear at imperial mourning ceremonies. When had the old lady befriended a madam of such rank?

Zhou Shaojin looked toward Qiu Shi.

Qiu Shi gently shook her head, indicating she didn’t know either.

Yet Old Madam Guo actually said to the two of them, “You’ve had a tumultuous day today and must be tired. Go back and rest for a while! When Da Lang and Er Lang return, we’ll have a proper meal together.”

She actually wanted to see the person from Madam Peng’s family who had come to deliver porridge, and was dismissing them.

Both Qiu Shi and Zhou Shaojin felt puzzled, but still obediently curtsied and left the main hall.

Zhou Shaojin asked, “Second Sister-in-law, where did Elder Sister-in-law go?”

Qiu Shi sighed. “Elder Sister-in-law said there were some matters at Xinglin Alley and she’d return after going there once. But when I saw her out, I heard her instruct the sedan chair bearers to go to Yitiao Alley.”

Yitiao Alley was where the Yuan family of Tongxiang resided in the capital.

Zhou Shaojin didn’t know what to say about Yuan Shi’s stubbornness.

Qiu Shi worried for her, saying in a low voice, “Shaojin, I don’t know what she’s thinking. Look, Mother went out for just one round and learned what background Huang Li’s daughter-in-law has. She was even riding in the Cheng family’s sedan chair—if Mother wanted to know, she would have known long ago. Mother told her not to go to the Yuan family, yet she insists on going. Isn’t she deliberately making Mother unhappy? She wasn’t like this before!”

But people change!

They change according to their status and position.

Zhou Shaojin sighed. “I can only guarantee that if Mother doesn’t ask, I won’t say anything. But if Mother asks, I’ll certainly tell the truth.”

Before her marriage, she had received Old Madam Guo’s support. When she married Cheng Chi, the old lady hadn’t objected. Now she was her mother-in-law as well—naturally she had to stand on Old Madam Guo’s side.

Hearing this, Qiu Shi nodded repeatedly. “That’s what I think too!”

Yet in her heart, she couldn’t help but regard Zhou Shaojin more highly.

There weren’t many who acted so decisively and efficiently.

Thinking that at such a young age she already had her own principles—she was much stronger than A’Sheng had been at that age!

The two went to the side room in the back to drink tea.

Nanny Lü personally saw the Peng family’s matron off.

Zhou Shaojin asked Nanny Lü, “How does the old madam know Madam Peng?”

Nanny Lü smiled. “Madam Peng’s maiden name is Yu. Her elder sister was the Sacred Lady who passed away over a decade ago. The madam’s husband’s family and the Earl of Pengcheng are from the same hometown. The madam has a very good relationship with the Duchess of Pengcheng. When the Sacred Lady was alive, she had frequent contact with the madam, so she was also familiar with the Duchess of Pengcheng. These years, with both the old madam and Old Madam Peng widowed at home, they haven’t interacted much. It was only when sending New Year gifts the other day that the old madam specifically added the Peng family’s name. Only then did the two families begin interacting again. A few days ago, the old madam specifically visited Old Madam Peng’s home.”

The Sacred Lady was the Emperor’s wet nurse.

Zhou Shaojin’s heart trembled greatly.

A few days ago, she and Cheng Sheng had gone together to visit Cheng Jia. When returning, she had seen a sedan chair resting in the sedan hall with its curtains soaked by snow. At the time, she had wondered if the old madam had gone somewhere and asked the attendant on duty at the sedan hall. The attendant said he didn’t know—they had just changed shifts and asked if she wanted him to help inquire with the previous shift.

She had wanted to ask then, but a maid from the household had run over saying that Uncle Li from Jiangxi had sent someone with many New Year gifts—several cartloads of things. Qin Ziji had already checked them against the gift list, but the gift-bearer said Uncle Li had instructed that he must see her, kowtow to her, and only then return. With snow falling, darkness coming early, and the night particularly cold, she feared delaying their return to the inn and had hurried into the inner courtyard. Unexpectedly, not only had Old Master Li sent whole sheep and whole pigs as New Year gifts, but also two full boxes of gold ingots. Zhou Shaojin couldn’t refuse and had to seek Old Madam Guo’s guidance. The old madam had told her to keep the items, and only then had she dared accept them, seeing off the Peng family’s matron. She had then gone to Tingxiang Court, where Old Madam Guo taught her how to “return gifts.” With all this back and forth, she had forgotten about the matter.

It seemed Old Madam Guo had gone out that day.

Upon returning, she hadn’t mentioned it at all.

Yet normally, if Old Madam Guo went anywhere or did anything, she would tell her about it…

Zhou Shaojin vaguely felt this matter wasn’t as simple as it seemed.

But if you asked her to specify what she felt, she couldn’t say—it wasn’t that she thought the Cheng family’s status was so high that they only associated with great households and that the Peng family, being merely fifth-rank senior officials in the Ministry of Revenue’s Personnel Evaluation Bureau, would lower the Cheng family’s status by association.

It seemed there were other things involved that she didn’t know about.

Zhou Shaojin kept her puzzlement to herself.

That afternoon, Cheng Wei returned early. He told Old Madam Guo, “The Emperor summoned several ministers from the Grand Secretariat to the palace. Elder Brother sent word to me—it’s probably about the Jining Prefecture matter. He asked me to tell you that no matter what, he’ll do his utmost to mediate and won’t let Fourth Brother be ruined by this.”

Old Madam Guo nodded with satisfaction. “Now he looks like a proper elder brother, the head of the Cheng family, the one in charge.”

Cheng Wei chuckled. “Elder Brother said we shouldn’t wait for him. After leaving the Emperor’s presence, the Grand Secretariat ministers may need to deliberate further… He doesn’t know when he’ll be able to return.”

Old Madam Guo was pleased. “Then we won’t wait for him. Have Jiashan and Rang Ge’er arrived yet?”

She looked at Nanny Lü.

“They’ve both arrived.” Nanny Lü smiled. “They’re changing clothes in the guest room on the east wing. They’ll be here in at most a quarter hour.”

Old Madam Guo murmured her satisfaction.

Yuan Shi returned.

She greeted everyone with smiles and brought out several boxes of pastries for everyone, saying she had bought them from a pastry shop on the way back. She made absolutely no mention of having gone to the Yuan family.

Zhou Shaojin and Qiu Shi couldn’t help exchanging a glance, both pretending not to have heard anything.

Before long, Cheng Xu and Cheng Rang came to pay their respects to Old Madam Guo.

Old Madam Guo asked about Cheng Xu and Cheng Rang’s studies, while Zhou Shaojin hid in the tea room directing maids to brew tea and arrange fruits.

Cheng Xu quickly scanned all the women standing behind Old Madam Guo but didn’t see Zhou Shaojin. He couldn’t tell if what he felt was disappointment or relief—it was extremely complicated.

※※※

The next day, before dawn had broken, Cheng Jing arrived.

Wearing bright red court robes and a gray squirrel fur cloak, he entered and bowed to Old Madam Guo. Without even removing his cloak, he said, “Mother, I must go to court immediately. I’ve come to tell you and then leave—yesterday the Grand Secretariat deliberated. Fourth Brother failed to report what he knew and unauthorized mobilized people from the Jining garrison. He’s been stripped of his position as Bureau Vice Director of the Ministry of Works. However, in consideration of Fourth Brother’s proper handling that prevented civil unrest, he’s been appointed Investigating Censor to assist the Chief Censor of the Right at the Censorate in supervising the Yellow River dredging operations, to atone for his errors through meritorious service. Today the Grand Secretariat will submit the memorial. Grand Eunuch Liu Yong of the Directorate of Ceremonial has also agreed. You can rest assured! Fourth Brother can be considered to have turned misfortune into fortune this time.”

Old Madam Guo’s graying hair was casually twisted into a bun. Wearing an autumn-fragrance colored plain quilted vest, she smiled and nodded upon hearing this. “When you brothers work together, you can break metal. After you’ve finished being busy these next few days, bring your wife and children here for a meal! Mother has matters to discuss with you.”

Cheng Jing respectfully acknowledged this, took his leave of Old Madam Guo, and headed to the palace.

By the time breakfast was served, Zhou Shaojin had received the news.

She couldn’t help showing a joyful smile.

Old Madam Guo smiled faintly.

Two days later, the court deliberations concluded. Cheng Chi was demoted to seventh-rank senior Investigating Censor.

Cheng Jing brought Yuan Shi and Cheng Xu over for a meal.

Cheng Wei also brought Qiu Shi and Cheng Rang.

Zhou Shaojin prepared the menu and supervised the kitchen in cooking, when the Earl of Pengcheng’s residence sent someone to bring word to Old Madam Guo: “Our old madam says she plans to enter the palace in the next couple of days and asks if the old madam has time—perhaps you could enter the palace together with our residence’s old madam to sit with the Empress for a while.”

Old Madam Guo agreed readily.

Cheng Jing smiled. “Mother, you haven’t been in the capital for over a decade. I never expected the Empress would still remember you!”

Old Madam Guo looked at Yuan Shi, whose face was somewhat pale, and said unhurriedly, “Where in this world are there free pies falling from the sky? I merely have more forethought than others. Upon entering the capital, I went to visit the younger sister of the former Sacred Lady’s family, spoke of my hardships. Perhaps the Duchess of Pengcheng pitied my circumstances. When she entered the palace and saw the Empress, she inevitably mentioned me a few more times. Only then did the Empress think of me. What’s there to be proud of?”

Cheng Jing said awkwardly, “When all is said and done, it’s all my fault. Burdening Mother, who should be enjoying peaceful retirement in her later years, to still worry about us children.”

Hearing this, Yuan Shi’s face grew even paler, and she couldn’t help lowering her head.

The Min family truly didn’t regard the Cheng family as allies.

She had gone to the Min family under the pretense of having business there and asked about the young ladies’ marriage prospects. Everyone was tight-lipped, as if nothing had happened!

Fortunately, her mother-in-law didn’t know—otherwise, the so-called marriage alliance with the Min family would become a joke.

Thinking of this, Yuan Shi couldn’t help clutching her handkerchief tightly.

But Old Madam Guo pulled her two sons into the heated alcove to talk.

Seeing that both Qiu Shi and Zhou Shaojin had been left outside, Yuan Shi’s heart felt somewhat better.

In the heated alcove, Old Madam Guo got straight to the point and told her two sons about her plan to divide the family.

Cheng Jing naturally wouldn’t compete for Mother’s private savings. After hesitating for quite a while, he brought up the matter of Seven Stars Hall: “…I know that because of the clan division, the family has suffered damage. I think we should talk to Fourth Brother—at most two more years, then withdraw! After that, whether Seven Stars Hall disperses or scatters, it will have nothing to do with us. That was originally used by our ancestor to clean up after the previous dynasty’s imperial family. Now the grass on the previous dynasty’s imperial graves has probably grown as tall as a person. We’d better not invite such troubles. This is also our family’s good fortune—Fourth Brother can suppress Seven Stars Hall. If we end up like the second branch, without anyone who can command Seven Stars Hall like an arm commands fingers, won’t Seven Stars Hall just descend into chaos and scatter? Rather than fall to that state, better to let go early and stop managing it. If the second branch wants it, let them have it.”