The next day, Ji Cheng returned from school and seized an opportunity to speak privately with Ji Lan.
“Aunt, I’ve thought long about what you said yesterday. I know you have my best interests at heart, but the palace is such a place that even the most cunning can miscalculate. With my limited talents, I fear I’d end up wrapped in a straw mat within a couple of years, even if I were to enter.”
Ji Cheng paused before continuing, “I only wish to live a simple life. Aunt, your kindness towards me will be forever etched in my heart. Should you ever need anything, I’d willingly go through fire and water for you.”
Ji Lan frowned inwardly, thinking Ji Cheng was naive and childish. Why couldn’t she understand her good intentions? This was all for the benefit of the Ji family. There are no easy paths in this world. Entering the palace indeed carried risks, but one’s fate is in one’s own hands. Even if Ji Cheng were to marry into a noble family, without careful maneuvering, she’d still suffer. In large clans, arranging a daughter-in-law’s death wasn’t a difficult task.
Moreover, given Ji Cheng’s status, what wealthy family could she marry if she remained outside the palace? All this talk of gratitude was just empty words. Ji Lan doubted Ji Cheng could achieve anything on her own. Only by marrying into the imperial family would everyone benefit.
Thinking this, Ji Lan considered writing to her brother, Ji Qing, asking him to persuade Ji Cheng. Thus, she merely gave Ji Cheng a superficial response, “I understand your feelings. I can’t make decisions for you. Do as you see fit.”
By saying Ji Cheng should do as she saw fit, Ji Lan implied that if she didn’t enter the palace, her aunt wouldn’t help with her marriage prospects either. This was a form of pressure.
Ji Cheng sighed inwardly, knowing that Ji Lan had already made up her mind and that her words wouldn’t change her aunt’s determination. Still, Ji Cheng had tried, hoping against hope. Now that this win-win path was closed, she’d have to find another way.
Ji Cheng mentally reviewed the events in the Shen family’s third branch over the past two months. Her aunt, blessed with heavenly beauty, had developed a competitive nature from a young age. After marrying into the Shen family as the third young master’s wife, she became a legendary figure in Jin territory. However, upon entering the Shen household, her status plummeted in comparison. Thus, while appearing low-key in recent years, she had been waiting for a chance to make a grand entrance.
For Ji Lan to make her mark, she needed Shen Ying to become a high-ranking official. Otherwise, it would be impossible to surpass the first and second branches. In Ji Cheng’s view, it was unlikely for Shen Ying to attain the highest rank, so Ji Lan probably pinned her hopes on her two sons. Or perhaps she hoped Ji Cheng could enter the palace and become an Empress Dowager in the future, naturally elevating the third branch’s status.
Ji Cheng sighed. Her aunt’s ambition was too great, ultimately fueled by excess wealth. She had even extended her reach into the palace, bribing numerous eunuchs with silver. Ji Cheng had only recently uncovered a bit of this information.
So although the Ji family had given Ji Lan considerable wealth, it still wasn’t enough to fill her bottomless pit of ambition. Ji Cheng frowned, knowing that the Ji family’s money wasn’t easily earned. She couldn’t help but worry for Ji Lan, feeling that such grand ambitions would do her no good.
That day, under the pretext of learning painting from Madam Yu, Ji Cheng returned to the Ji family residence in Orchid Lane. Manager Mei and the others had mostly withdrawn from Ji Lan’s shops and begun arranging matters for the Western Regions.
Ji Cheng said, “Our family is a latecomer on the Western Regions route, without much backing. So there’s no need to compete with the Tan and Chen families. I think it’s better to start small, even if it’s just a tea shop. The key is to gather information. Once we have a grasp on the news along this route, we’ll know where to focus our efforts. This is a long-term plan, so there’s no need to rush. It’s better to progress steadily. And we must pay close attention to the internal situations of various Western Region countries to avoid operating blindly.”
Mei Changhe and the others nodded in agreement.
“Miss, Mr. Hao has arrived,” Liuye’er entered and whispered in Ji Cheng’s ear.
Ji Cheng nodded. Mei Changhe and the others, being perceptive, took their leave. Ji Cheng then set off for the Fish-Watching Pavilion in the back garden.
The “Mr. Hao” Liuye’er mentioned wasn’t a respectable gentleman. He was originally a hooligan from Jin territory, involved in all sorts of scams and frauds. Once, he fell into Ji Cheng’s hands and was caught red-handed, and nearly sent to prison.
Hao Ren had harmed countless people in his lifetime. Once in prison, a small pond for a dragon, many would be after his life. Knowing he absolutely couldn’t face the authorities, he used every means at his disposal to beg Ji Cheng for mercy.
If it were any other member of the Ji family, they would have shown no leniency. But Ji Cheng had always been cunning, or to put it bluntly, she had the deeply ingrained blood of a merchant, considering only profit in all matters.
Ji Cheng knew that Hao Ren was full of devious tricks. If used properly, the Ji family wouldn’t have to dirty their own hands with unsavory matters in the future. In business, a reputation for integrity was quite useful, so it was better to let others handle the dirty work.
So Ji Cheng, while holding Hao Ren by the throat, released him. Not only that, she provided him with a large sum of money to establish himself. Now, Hao Ren’s scams were no longer at the level of cheating people out of ten or a hundred taels of silver. There wasn’t a person in the capital’s underworld that Hao Ren didn’t know, and his connections were extensive.
Ji Cheng rarely sought out Hao Ren, and someone like him wasn’t easily controlled. The two were more like allies.
“Third Miss,” Hao Ren bowed to Ji Cheng as soon as he entered. “I heard long ago that Third Miss had come to the capital, but I never had the chance to pay my respects. When I received your message yesterday, I couldn’t sleep all night, eager to see Third Miss’s divine countenance again.”
This kind of flattery made Yumian’er, standing beside Ji Cheng, burst into giggles. Ji Cheng inwardly felt helpless towards Hao Ren. This man’s mouth seemed coated with honey, his tongue quick, but not a word he said could be taken seriously.
“Mr. Hao, I trust you’ve been well,” Ji Cheng smiled.
“Not itchy at all, not itchy. I washed with three buckets of water yesterday. How could I bring lice to meet Miss?” Hao Ren joked.
This Hao Ren had never attended a day of school, but he prided himself on understanding the words of the sages better than most bookworms. He wore the robes of a scholar and had a square face with an honest appearance. Dressed up, he looked every bit the part of an honest scholar and enjoyed being called “Mr.”
This time, even Liuye’er couldn’t help but laugh.
Ji Cheng glanced at the two maids, and Liuye’er and Yumian’er immediately went to prepare tea and food.
Hao Ren called out from behind, “It’s been years since I’ve had authentic plum blossom buns from central Jin. I hope Miss Yumian’er can grace this lowly one with a basket.”
Yumian’er turned back to glare at Hao Ren, lifted her chin, and said, “Wait for it.”
After the two maids left, only Ji Cheng and Hao Ren remained in the pavilion. This pavilion was built over water, connected to the shore by a zigzag bridge. All the screens had been removed, so anyone speaking in the pavilion need not worry about being overheard.
Ji Cheng also didn’t have to worry about being alone with a man, as the pavilion had almost no hiding places. Liuye’er waited on the shore to serve.
“I’ve invited Mr. Hao here today because I have a favor to ask,” Ji Cheng said, getting straight to the point.
“Please speak, Third Miss,” Hao Ren said, also dropping his playful facade and speaking seriously.
If Ji Cheng had to say the following words to anyone else, she would certainly feel embarrassed. But with Hao Ren, it was a case of one scoundrel meeting another, so there was no need to hide any underhanded dealings.
Ji Cheng explained her plan to Hao Ren, who immediately agreed. “I thought Third Miss was going to order something difficult. This is just a small matter. I’ll make sure she spits out everything she’s swallowed for you, Miss. Just wait for my good news.”
Ji Cheng nodded slightly.
As Hao Ren walked out across the zigzag bridge, he looked back at Ji Cheng sitting motionless in the pavilion. After more than a year, this Third Miss Ji had blossomed like a clear water lotus, only marred by the slightest hint of powder and rouge. Even a distant glance was enough to stir admiration in one’s heart.
It was a pity that this seemingly fragile and harmless young woman had a terrifyingly cunning mind. Truly, whoever crossed her would suffer. Although Hao Ren himself was full of dirty tricks, he still believed that women should be kind and obedient to be considered true women. He wanted nothing to do with someone like Ji Cheng.
While men might feel a flutter in their hearts upon seeing Ji Cheng’s appearance and figure, those who knew her well wouldn’t dare approach. They might not even know how they died one day. Hao Ren couldn’t help but shudder. Scorpions shouldn’t be touched, even if Ji Cheng was truly beautiful.
Hao Ren couldn’t help but think of his recently acquired eighth concubine, whose looks truly didn’t lose out to Ji Cheng. But something was lacking; at least, she couldn’t make his heart flutter in the same way.
Shaking his head, Hao Ren turned and continued walking, thinking that this Third Miss was truly iron-hearted, even moving against her aunt. He wondered what her aunt had done to provoke her.
However, from what Hao Ren knew of Ji Cheng, Miss Ji never made enemies unnecessarily. If a win-win situation was possible, she would rather suffer a little loss to keep everyone happy. But if the other party was unreasonable, she would act decisively.
Of course, Hao Ren couldn’t be bothered to understand the intricacies of other people’s family affairs. This deal proposed by Third Miss Ji was quite lucrative, and Hao Ren couldn’t help but smile, satisfied with Ji Cheng’s generosity.
After leaving Orchid Lane, Ji Cheng went to the pigment shop on Shunyang Street. She had been practicing painting diligently recently, consuming a lot of materials, so she needed to replenish her pigments, paper, and brushes. Since she was out, she decided to choose them herself.
After buying pigments, Ji Cheng went to a spice shop to select some newly arrived exotic fragrances. In her leisure time, she also mixed her perfumes. Just as she finished selecting fragrances, Ji Cheng noticed a sign across the street at a calligraphy and painting shop: “New Arrival: Master Ziyu’s Painting Manual.”
Ji Cheng had heard Madam Yu mention this Master Ziyu from the south. He was particularly skilled in flower and bird paintings, especially shrimp and fish, capturing their liveliness without losing a sense of humor. He was considered to have established his unique style.
Now that she had the chance to see Master Ziyu’s new painting manual, Ji Cheng naturally wanted to take a look.
“Shopkeeper, please give me a copy of Master Ziyu’s painting manual,” Ji Cheng said directly as soon as she entered.
The shopkeeper looked at Ji Cheng with a troubled expression, “Miss, you’ve come a step too late. The last copy has just been sold to that young master.”
Ji Cheng looked in the direction the shopkeeper pointed, and Qi Zheng also turned to look upon hearing the voice. Their gazes met, and Ji Cheng immediately recognized him as the elder brother of Qi Hua from the Yunyang Marquis’s household. However, Qi Zheng couldn’t immediately recognize Ji Cheng through the veil of her hat.
Ji Cheng lifted half of her hat’s veil, revealing her frost-white nose and cherry lips. Qi Zheng recognized Ji Cheng at once, even seeing only half her face.
“Miss Ji,” Qi Zheng nodded slightly to Ji Cheng, his face turning slightly red.
Ji Cheng nodded back, “Young Master Qi.”
After that, Qi Zheng didn’t speak again, but Ji Cheng noticed him glancing at her from the corner of his eye, knowing he was just shy, not unwilling to talk to her.
“Young Master Qi, I didn’t see Miss Qi Hua anywhere during the Dragon Boat races on the Dragon Boat Festival. Has she not recovered from her fall into the water?” Ji Cheng asked.
A look of relief flashed across Qi Zheng’s face, “Yes, she still has a bit of a cough, so Mother didn’t let her go out. In a few days, when she’s fully recovered, she said she wants to personally visit the Shen residence to thank Miss Ji.”
“I don’t deserve such thanks. It’s more important that Miss Qi Hua takes good care of herself,” Ji Cheng said.
The conversation cooled again, and Ji Cheng, seeing Qi Zheng hesitating and not knowing what to say, spoke again, “Does Young Master Qi also like Master Ziyu’s paintings?”