Cheng Jing’s words made Cheng Wei unable to help but look up and scrutinize him.

Zichuan had truly managed the Seven Stars Hall for several years. When splitting the family, he could produce one million two hundred thousand taels of silver without even touching his wives’ private savings and dowries. Calculating this way, how much silver could he earn each year… Moreover, according to Chief Steward Qin’s words, the Seven Stars Hall’s profits were even greater than when Lie Gong was around. In another two years, how much silver would that be?

What did Big Brother mean by saying this?

Could it be that he wanted Zichuan to fill the holes in the public accounts first before discussing anything else?

Big Brother… these words made even him feel like a stranger.

Old Madam Guo’s heart was clear as a mirror, though.

The eldest son wanted to cast off the Seven Stars Hall onto Fourth Son.

She couldn’t help but sigh deeply in her heart.

Wasn’t he just afraid that in the future, the Seven Stars Hall’s hall master would be selected from among his own descendants?

That was fine too!

The Seven Stars Hall had been revitalized from Fourth Son’s hands. Since they all acted as if they were terrified of being tainted by it, then let Fourth Son decide the Seven Stars Hall’s fate.

Hand it to someone else, and they might not even be capable of managing it!

Old Madam Guo slowly took a sip of tea and said, “This is exactly what I wanted to discuss with you both. Second Son may not know this, but Big Son, you should know. When I married in, I only had five hundred taels of silver as dowry. Combined with the two thousand taels betrothal gift from the Cheng family, your maternal grandfather and grandmother let me bring it all over to become my personal savings. The silver I have now, as well as the fields and shops under my name, were all given to me by your father after the Cheng family divided the household. He was afraid that later I would have no money in hand, and even buying rouge and powder would require watching my daughter-in-law’s expression. But at that time, it was only fifty or sixty thousand taels of silver. To truly have an annual income of twenty thousand taels only happened after your younger brother took charge of the Seven Stars Hall.”

Both Cheng Jing and Cheng Wei nodded repeatedly.

They had guessed this long ago.

Only after seeing this did Old Madam Guo continue, “Since you both understand in your hearts, then make up your own stories for your wives. Save them from everyone being envious that I bought this residence for Fourth Son.”

Both Cheng Jing and Cheng Wei’s faces reddened. The former knew why Mother said such words. The latter thought that Mother buying him a separate residence was probably to guard against him having such thoughts.

“Therefore, this residence is equivalent to Fourth Son buying it himself.” Old Madam Guo pretended not to see, and repeated what she had previously told Qiu Shi: “I’ll give you each fifty thousand taels of silver… the second household gets one hundred thousand taels… I’ll bear the costs for Jiashan and Rang Ge’er’s weddings… the sacrificial fields will go to the eldest after I die…” Finally she said, “As for Fourth Son, aside from this residence, I won’t allocate anything else to him. Don’t interfere with the Seven Stars Hall matters either. Let him manage it for however many years he wishes. In the future, you brothers must work together with one heart, spread branches and leaves for the Cheng family, and make the Cheng family’s Beijing branch prosper.”

Although Cheng Jing had heard from Yuan Shi that Mother wanted to divide the household, as a self-proclaimed scholar, how could he go around inquiring about exactly how Mother planned to divide the household? Seeing that Mother still had so much property, he was quite surprised. He also understood why the old ancestor of the second household, Cheng Xu, who could be considered a shrewd and calculating person, couldn’t see through the Seven Stars Hall’s harm to the Cheng family.

If it were him, he would probably be just as reluctant to give it up!

Cheng Jing smiled bitterly and said, “I understand Mother’s intentions. Currently, the public accounts have no silver. You’re afraid we’ll have difficult days, so you want to distribute everything in your hands to us early. This both relieves our temporary difficulties and prevents us brothers from developing rifts over money. It’s just that Fourth Son has just gotten married. If you give all the silver to us, Fourth Son’s side… is too disadvantaged. Although this residence cost a great price, that residence cannot be eaten or drunk, and every year silver must be spent to maintain it…”

He thought of the Seven Stars Hall.

Cheng Wei also thought of the Seven Stars Hall.

After pondering for a moment, he interrupted his brother’s words, saying, “Mother, what are Fourth Son’s plans for the Seven Stars Hall? If he plans to disband it, even if you divide this silver equally among our three families, it won’t last more than a few years. Better to sell off the eastern section of the residence, or let us move in—this way we can also save an expense.”

Residences near Chaoyangmen had always been priceless commodities. The residence Qiu Shi bought a few days ago had an excellent location and could easily be sold. If they weren’t in a rush to sell, they could even profit several hundred taels of silver.

“But if Fourth Son still plans to keep the Seven Stars Hall in hand, then there’s nothing more to say. We’ll just divide the household according to your intentions!”

As long as the Seven Stars Hall was in hand, why worry about not having silver!

“However, I think the Seven Stars Hall should still be disbanded! No need to operate it for another two years—disband it now. A great man conducting himself in the world cannot be corrupted by wealth or subdued by force. The Seven Stars Hall’s silver was ill-gotten to begin with. The Cheng family has already enjoyed it for so many years. Now that there’s an opportunity to sever ties, it’s better to do so. Our Cheng family relies on poetry, books, and ritual propriety to pass down our legacy. If the Seven Stars Hall continues for several more generations, I fear it will transform into passing down gold, silver, and profit-seeking instead, and the Cheng family will rot from the roots!”

Old Madam Guo couldn’t help but reveal gratification in her eyes upon hearing this.

Previously she had only thought her eldest son clever and quick-witted. She hadn’t expected that after all these years she would discover the second son had such firm principles and determination.

This was someone capable of great things.

Old Madam Guo said, “Fourth Son decided long ago to disband the Seven Stars Hall. The silver he’s brought home these past two years has all been properly earned through legitimate business. He’s just afraid that if the Seven Stars Hall suddenly disbanded, the people inside would cause trouble everywhere, so he’s proceeding gradually—first finding reasons to weed out those with poor character, keeping those with better character, and slowly assigning them to branch stores. At most in two years, the Seven Stars Hall will cease to exist.”

Cheng Wei said joyfully, “That’s good, that’s good!”

Cheng Jing was stunned though, saying, “How did I not know this?”

Old Madam Guo looked at him deeply and said, “Fourth Son said that since you are both court officials, it’s better if you don’t know what relationship exists between the Seven Stars Hall and the Cheng family. To prevent implicating you both if something happens someday!”

Both Cheng Jing and Cheng Wei’s faces burned bright red. Cheng Jing sat restlessly and said, “Mother, it’s I as the eldest brother who failed in my responsibilities as elder brother. Please punish me!”

Cheng Wei then said, “Mother, since that’s the case, your private savings should be divided equally among us three brothers. There’s no need to buy me any residence…”

Old Madam Guo shook her head, interrupting Cheng Wei’s words, saying, “That’s why I’m taking the income from the sacrificial fields. In the future when I live at Chaoyangmen, I can also subsidize Fourth Son’s living expenses.”

“This, how can this be acceptable?” Cheng Jing said anxiously. “How can you not live at my place? If it’s only to subsidize Zichuan’s expenses, then give that fifty thousand taels of silver to Zichuan…”

“It’s not entirely about the silver.” Old Madam Guo said, “First, it’s more spacious here and I’m comfortable living here. Second, Fourth Son’s wife is still young, and I can’t let go. I must help them for a few years. Besides, I won’t be living here permanently without leaving—after the twenty-third of the twelfth month and Little New Year passes, I’ll go back to live at Xinglin Alley for some days. After the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth of the first month, I’ll come back. This also saves you all from difficulty.”

“Mother!” Cheng Jing still wanted to persuade Old Madam Guo, but Old Madam Guo had already impatiently waved her hand, saying, “This matter is settled. If you feel you’ve wronged Fourth Son, just put more thought into Fourth Son’s affairs from now on.”

Seeing Mother’s mind was made up, Cheng Jing and Cheng Wei didn’t dare say anything more. They mumbled their assent, and the matter of dividing the household was thus settled.

***

In the reception room of Tingxiang Courtyard, Yuan Shi, Qiu Shi, and Zhou Shaojin were about to set out the bowls and chopsticks.

Yuan Shi seemed somewhat distracted.

She was willing to divide the household.

The public accounts already had no silver left. Among the three sisters-in-law, her dowry was the most substantial. Moreover, Cheng Jing had been an official outside these many years and had received various tributes. Counting up their family property, the small eldest household had the most. Add to that that Min Shi was about to enter the household—she would become a mother-in-law. Yet there was still a grandmother-in-law pressing down on her head, and this grandmother-in-law found her displeasing no matter how she looked at her. How could she hold her head up in front of her daughter-in-law in the future!

It was better to divide the household before Min Shi entered.

Qiu Shi, however, was quite anxious and uneasy.

For the first time in their married life, the couple had deceived their mother-in-law to get her to buy them a residence. She didn’t know if mother-in-law would scold them.

She was also afraid that once eldest sister-in-law Yuan Shi learned of this matter, she would think Qiu Shi had schemed against her…

She quietly asked Zhou Shaojin, “Why haven’t mother-in-law and eldest brother-in-law come out yet? Nothing’s wrong, is there?”

“It should be fine!” Zhou Shaojin glanced at the quiet warm room and said, “If something were wrong, there should be some commotion. Since there’s no movement, it means everyone is talking properly…”

“You’re right!” Qiu Shi let out a long breath and said embarrassedly, “I just like to overthink everything.”

Zhou Shaojin gave her a kind smile.

Qiu Shi then said, “A Sheng said she gave one of the silk flowers you gave her to A Zheng, and one to A Xiao. Everyone said they were lovely. In a few days they want to come ask you how to make silk flowers!”

Hearing someone mention her daughter’s name, Yuan Shi snapped back to attention and smiled, saying, “What about A Zheng and A Xiao?” She looked up to see Zhou Shaojin and Qiu Shi standing side by side. Zhou Shaojin wore a brand new rose-purple Hangzhou silk vest with four persimmon patterns over a bright blue fine cloth lined robe. Her face was powder-soft and even more tender than a baby’s, even prettier than before her marriage. Thinking of her son’s silent and submissive manner in her presence, a fire suddenly rose in her heart. She wanted to say something but didn’t know where to start. She wanted to pretend nothing was wrong, but her chest ached with the effort of holding it in.

As she hesitated, a little maid ran in, happily saying, “Fourth Madam, Fourth Madam, Fourth Master sent someone from Jining Prefecture with New Year goods. He also wrote two letters—one addressed to Old Madam and one addressed to you. The steward is unloading things at the gate and will be here shortly!”

Zhou Shaojin was both surprised and delighted. Smiles overflowed unstoppably from her eyes, brightening her entire face.

She smiled at Qiu Shi and said, “Second Sister-in-law, I’ll trouble you here. I’ll just go take a look and come right back!”

Without waiting for Qiu Shi to respond, she lifted her skirts and hurried out of the reception room with the little maid.

Qiu Shi smiled with pursed lips.

Yuan Shi, however, gave a cold “hmph” and said, “How frivolous!”

Qiu Shi smiled and said, “Young couples, separated for the first time after marriage—how can they not miss each other? Being happy is understandable. Not like us old married couples who face each other daily—even heavenly immortals become ordinary mortals.”

Yuan Shi disagreed and was about to say something, but Qiu Shi didn’t want to hear it. She smiled and said, “I wonder what the kitchen has prepared? Our Second Master has caught a slight chill these past two days. I need to tell the kitchen to see if they can make a bowl of hot and sour soup for him to drink…” Then, leaving Yuan Shi behind, she left the reception room.