After the laughter passed, those doubts still lay across her heart.
Zhou Shaojin decided to start investigating from the Zhuang family’s old home.
She called Ma Fushan’s wife in and had her pass a message to Ma Fushan: “…See exactly where on Official Street the Zhuang family’s old residence is located? Whose hands is it in now? When was it sold? How much silver was it sold for at the time? Can we buy it back?”
If this old residence wasn’t in Cunyi District, wasn’t neighbors with Cheng Lu’s family, she would definitely find a way to recover it.
But now, just thinking about Cheng Lu living not far from this old residence made her feel uncomfortable all over.
She said this only to prevent her sister and Ma Fushan from becoming suspicious.
Ma Fushan indeed didn’t suspect anything.
Within a few days, Ma Fushan’s wife came to report back to Zhou Shaojin.
“Second Young Lady, guess where that old residence is?” Ma Fushan’s wife was all smiles, and Zhou Shaojin immediately had a bad premonition in her heart.
She said alertly: “Where is that old residence?”
Ma Fushan’s wife seemed to have been waiting for this question. She said excitedly: “It turns out the Zhuang family’s old residence is right next door to Master Lu from the fifth branch. Two years ago, Uncle Zhuang sold it to Master Lu. Now the property deed is in Master Lu’s hands. If Young Lady wants to recover it, wouldn’t that just be a matter of one word!”
On such a hot day, Zhou Shaojin felt her hands and feet turn ice cold.
It took her quite a while before she said: “You haven’t made a mistake, have you?”
“No, no.” Ma Fushan’s wife said quickly: “My husband always does things properly. He even pretended to pass by casually and went in to look—perhaps because Master Lu’s household is simple, after Master Lu bought that residence, it’s remained empty, only used to store some old household items. But the plum tree in the courtyard is growing extremely well. According to the neighboring residents, when it blooms, the whole tree fills with flowers. My husband said that residence has beams and pillars made of cold pine as thick as one can embrace. Back then it only sold for thirty taels of silver. With just a little repair, it could be lived in. Even if we add another twenty taels of silver for Master Lu, it would still be very worthwhile.”
Zhou Shaojin’s vision went dark.
When changing property deeds at the yamen, who the previous owner was and who the current owner is are written clearly.
Cheng Lu couldn’t possibly not know this was the Zhuang family’s old residence.
Yet from beginning to end, he never mentioned it at all.
It took Zhou Shaojin a long time to recover. She forced herself to say to Ma Fushan’s wife with spirit: “Since this residence is so good, I’m afraid Master Lu won’t sell it for just an additional twenty taels of silver. Let’s put this matter aside for now. Otherwise people will say we’re taking advantage of relatives.”
Ma Fushan’s wife was quite surprised, but since Zhou Shaojin had already spoken, she couldn’t say anything more and rose to take her leave.
Zhou Shaojin turned and collapsed on the bed.
If not for those things that had happened in her previous life, she could still deceive herself that Cheng Lu simply hadn’t had the opportunity to tell her.
But now, two years had passed. If he had wanted to tell her, he would have told her long ago.
He clearly intended to hide it from her.
But why did he want to hide it from her?
Zhou Shaojin really wanted to rush before Cheng Lu and question him thoroughly. But in this life, she was even more unwilling to have any connection with Cheng Lu.
It seemed she could only start from Uncle Zhuang!
Zhou Shaojin had a feeling of trying to get a tiger’s hide.
Soon it was the Dragon Boat Festival.
The government office, as in previous years, decided to set off fireworks in the eastern part of the city to celebrate.
Prefect Wu personally came to the door, requesting that the Cheng family donate five hundred taels of silver as in previous years to jointly support this grand occasion.
It was Cheng Chi who received Prefect Wu.
He said: “The family has had a funeral, so it’s not appropriate to celebrate grandly. But government affairs are something the Cheng family has always felt duty-bound to support. Moreover, this year is Prefect Wu’s first Dragon Boat Festival since taking office. The Cheng family will donate eight hundred taels of silver. I’ll have Chief Steward Qin send it over shortly. But this year, could the government change the location for setting off fireworks to somewhere else?”
Prefect Wu immediately agreed, even saying: “I’ve just arrived and don’t know what other places would be suitable for fireworks. Why don’t you help me deliberate, Zichuan?”
Then the location for the fireworks was set at Quqing Street in the southern part of the city.
When Xiao Tan told Zhou Shaojin about this, Zhou Shaojin had just finished copying scriptures for the day and was washing her hands.
Hearing this, she was surprised and asked curiously: “How did you know about this?”
“Of course it came from ‘Smelling Osmanthus Fragrance’!” Xiao Tan said nonchalantly. “Fourth Master didn’t avoid anyone when speaking with Prefect Wu. Everyone serving at ‘Smelling Osmanthus Fragrance’ that day knew about it.” As she spoke, she sighed with disappointment and said dejectedly: “Moreover, Chief Steward Qin has also issued word that this year’s Dragon Boat Festival won’t have lantern festivities, and we’ll eat plain vegetarian zongzi. The Cheng family won’t participate in the Dragon Boat Festival boat races either… I wonder if this year’s Dragon Boat Festival bonus will also be reduced? I was planning to buy two five-poison velvet flowers each for my sister and me once the reward money came down. I’m afraid that won’t happen now!”
The Cheng family’s several farms selected young and strong men each year to participate in the dragon boat races organized by the Jinling government office. At this time, most of the Cheng family’s servant women were given time off to watch the dragon boat races…
All these lively celebratory activities were canceled, which meant the entire household was observing mourning for Cheng Xun… But there were still elderly elders in the household—was it appropriate to do this?
Zhou Shaojin told Old Madam Guan about this matter.
“I’ve also received word.” Old Madam Guan sighed. “These are matters for the elders. You juniors should just pretend not to know. Don’t say anything, don’t ask anything. Just celebrate the festival with us.”
This probably involved another open and covert struggle between the first branch and second branch.
Zhou Shaojin understood. When she next went to Hanbi Mountain House, she wrapped two hundred wen in a red packet and gave it to Xiao Tan: “Whether or not the reward money is distributed, I’m treating you and your sister to flowers.”
According to the Cheng family’s old custom, for the Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, and Spring Festival—at these three festivals the household would distribute bonuses ranging from one tael to fifty wen according to rank.
Xiao Tan’s face turned red. After thinking, she thanked Zhou Shaojin and tucked it in her bosom.
Zhou Shaojin really liked Xiao Tan’s straightforwardness.
But on the first day of the fifth month, the Dragon Boat Festival bonuses were distributed. At the same time, news spread throughout Jiuru Lane that they would eat plain zongzi during the festival, the young and strong men from the farms wouldn’t participate in the dragon boat races, and there would be no lantern festivities.
When Cheng Yi went to pay his respects to Old Madam Guan, he was quite dissatisfied, pouting as he said: “Why should we observe mourning for Cheng Xun? We’re beyond the fifth degree of mourning. I don’t even know him.”
Old Madam Guan smacked him on the shoulder with a “pa!” and said: “Where did all your learning go? You have not a bit of brotherly affection! If I hear you say such things again, you’ll go kneel in the ancestral hall.”
Cheng Yi exaggeratedly rubbed the shoulder Old Madam Guan had hit, grimacing: “Grandmother, you’ve bruised my shoulder.”
“Serves you right!” Old Madam Guan said with a laugh, hitting Cheng Yi another smack.
Everyone serving in Old Madam Guan’s room laughed.
Standing outside the door, Zhou Shaojin hesitated for a moment.
Since Cheng Yi was there, Cheng Gao must be there too.
She wasn’t someone without perception. Since her rebirth, every time she came to pay respects to Old Madam Guan, she hadn’t encountered Cheng Gao and Cheng Yi… Previously, they would run into each other every few days. And they would often leave Jiashu Hall together.
This wasn’t coincidental.
Although she didn’t know what Grandmother was thinking or why things had become this way, Zhou Shaojin decided not to overthink it.
Since Grandmother didn’t want the Cheng brothers to encounter her, she would avoid them.
Zhou Shaojin went to the tea room next door. Only after seeing through the gaps in the tea room lattice window that Cheng Gao and Cheng Yi had left Jiashu Hall did she go pay her respects to Old Madam Guan and present the five-poison sachet she had made.
Old Madam Guan happily hung it on the corner of her bed.
Watching this, the slight sourness in Zhou Shaojin’s heart from earlier quickly dissipated like smoke.
When she went to Hanbi Mountain House, she also presented a five-poison sachet to Old Madam Guo.
Many people showed filial respect to Old Madam Guo. Her sachet was hung on the floor screen in Old Madam Guo’s inner chamber, while more sachets were hung in the sitting room or on the corridor railings. Only the five-poison sachets that Cheng Zheng, Cheng Sheng in the distant capital, and Cheng Xiao who had married into Tongcheng specially sent via their nannies were hung on the corner of Old Madam Guo’s bed.
Closeness and distance were distinct.
At this moment, Zhou Shaojin’s heart was like still water.
Returning to Jiashu Hall, she and her sister wrapped zongzi together.
Although they were plain zongzi, they made various shapes—dragon boat shaped, square, diamond, triangular… They wrapped all kinds, then sent maids to deliver a small basket each to Jiashu Hall, Hanqiu Pavilion, Hanbi Mountain House, and Ruyi Pavilion.
Needless to say about Old Madam Guan’s response. Great Madam Mian’s return gift was several bolts of brocade fabric, saying to save them for the sisters to make winter clothes. Hanbi Mountain House’s return gift was two mutton-fat jade armlets, just right for summer wear. Cheng Jia’s return gifts were a small jar of realgar wine, new-style palace flowers, sachets filled with cinnabar and mugwort, multicolored bracelets, double-yolk salted duck eggs… all sorts of things that left Zhou Shaojin somewhat between laughter and tears.
When the juniors from the third branch came to pay respects to Old Madam Guan on Dragon Boat Festival day, Cheng Jia specifically asked her: “How about that? I’m good to you, right? Whatever good things I have, I think of you.” After speaking, she raised her eyebrows and glanced at Pan Qing.
Zhou Shaojin felt that if Cheng Jia hadn’t glanced at Pan Qing, those words would have been more convincing.
But Pan Qing made a fuss on the side, saying: “Shaojin, since you sent Cheng Jia zongzi, why didn’t you send me any?”
She spoke with a smile, but her voice was a bit loud. Cheng Xian, Jiang Shi, and others all looked over.
Cheng Jia couldn’t help but feel somewhat smug.
But Zhou Shaojin said with a smile: “This was my first time wrapping zongzi. I didn’t know if I wrapped them well, so I asked Cousin Jia to try them first. Cousin Jia is generous and forthright, and very filial. After receiving the zongzi, she would definitely invite everyone to taste them. Otherwise, how would Cousin Qing know I sent zongzi to Cousin Jia? However, if Cousin Qing feels my zongzi taste good, next year I’ll wrap more and send Cousin Qing a portion too!”
“No sincerity!” Pan Qing smiled with pursed lips and said, “If you truly wanted to give me some, you could wrap a few right now.”
If it were someone else hearing such words, they would most likely say “next year I don’t even know if I’ll be in Jinling Prefecture.”
Pan Qing wanted to marry into the Cheng family herself, didn’t she?
Zhou Shaojin sneered inwardly.
The third branch people left the fourth branch after sitting for less than half the time it takes to burn an incense stick.
But those from the fourth branch who went to pay respects to the fifth branch were kept by Great Madam Wen for lunch.
Old Madam Guan said with a laugh: “This could be called an iron tree blooming. Our Great Madam Wen is ill three hundred out of three hundred and sixty-five days a year. When guests visit, they have to speak up themselves if they want tea. But Gao and Yi are blessed—they’ve actually been kept for lunch.”