With Song Mu present, even if that page had any ideas, he wouldn’t dare speak!
He lowered his head and said: “This small one doesn’t know!”
“What a fool!” Song Sen scolded.
Song Mu grew curious.
Ever since his younger brother went to Jingzhou Prefecture to bring their grandfather back, he would talk about nothing but his “immortal sister” from Jinling Prefecture—the cousin everyone praised wasn’t as pretty as his “immortal sister”; the pastries at home weren’t as delicious as what his “immortal sister” made; Mother’s speech wasn’t as gentle and pleasant as his “immortal sister’s”… He often threatened him: If you’re not good to me, I’ll marry my “immortal sister” to you.
Song Mu’s ears had grown calluses from hearing it, but he never took it seriously.
Children—what did they know about good or bad? Whoever treated them well, they thought everything about that person was good; whoever treated them poorly, they felt that person had no redeeming qualities.
But this time, after Song Sen returned from that “immortal sister’s” home, he stopped mentioning marrying the “immortal sister” to him… He knew his younger brother well. To put it nicely, he was firm in his convictions; to put it bluntly, he was stubborn. To compromise so easily didn’t match his brother’s character at all.
He couldn’t help but smile: “What did your ‘immortal sister’ say to you? You suddenly changed your mind…”
Upon hearing this, Song Sen gave a cold “hmph” and glanced at him proudly with a sidelong look: “I won’t tell you!”
Song Mu laughed heartily: “Is it that your ‘immortal sister’ ignored you and you have no way to account to me, so you’re saying this? Don’t worry, I won’t take seriously all that nonsense you said before.”
Song Sen had always said how well Zhou Shaojin treated him, and that if he stepped forward to be a matchmaker for Song Mu, Zhou Shaojin would definitely give it serious consideration.
Clearly knowing his brother was using a provocation tactic, Song Sen still couldn’t help but fall for it and shouted loudly: “Who said that! The ‘immortal sister’ asked me why I insisted she become my sister-in-law. I said, after you become my sister-in-law, you can come to our family. The ‘immortal sister’ said…”
He told Song Mu everything Zhou Shaojin had said with great emotion, and fearing Song Mu would think Zhou Shaojin spoke too bluntly, he embellished: “…So this matter requires the parents’ decree and the matchmaker’s word. It was wrong of me to say such things to her.”
Song Mu couldn’t help but view Zhou Shaojin in a new light.
Song Sen never verbally admitted he was wrong.
He suddenly became very interested in Zhou Shaojin.
“You said your ‘immortal sister’ is the cousin of the Cheng family in Nine Graces Alley, Jinling.” Song Mu smiled. “What’s her surname? How old is she this year? How did she come to the capital?”
Song Sen glanced at Song Mu provocatively and gave a disdainful “hmm.”
Song Mu then said: “If you tell me, next time you go see your ‘immortal sister,’ I’ll make your knees look like you’ve been punished with kneeling.”
“Really!” Song Sen’s eyes lit up.
Song Mu glanced at Song Sen without speaking.
Song Sen smiled awkwardly: “Brother is a gentleman. Your word is your bond. I shouldn’t have doubted you.”
Song Mu couldn’t help but ruffle Song Sen’s hair: “At least you know what’s good for you. Otherwise, I’d make you copy the ‘Three Character Classic’ two more times.”
Upon hearing this, Song Sen grabbed his brother’s sleeve and acted coquettishly: “Brother, brother, good brother. Please let me copy it two times less! I’ll definitely listen to you from now on.”
For Song Sen, saying such things was like drinking water. Song Mu was unmoved: “Do you want Father to punish you by making you write in the ancestral hall when he returns? Or would you rather write in my study?”
Song Sen stopped talking and obediently lowered his head to write.
Song Mu shook his head with an indulgent smile.
※※※
Meanwhile, Mama Yang, who was on duty at Elm Tree Alley, was extremely excited. She whispered to Mama Fan: “I never expected our First Madam and Second Miss to have such face. That Madam Song would personally come to visit the two sisters. But why do I feel like Madam Song came specifically to see Second Miss?”
Given her age, she felt there was a generational gap with maids like Chun Wan and couldn’t talk about things together. Nanny Li was Li Shi’s person—if she said something wrong and it reached Li Shi’s ears, that would be bad. Nanny Shang was too shrewd, with eyes that seemed to see into your heart. After calculating everything, only Mama Fan by Second Miss’s side was the best—amiable, cautious in her conduct, and pleasant in speech. She would chat idly with Mama Fan when she had nothing to do.
Mama Fan wasn’t someone who liked to gossip about people. She smiled: “How did I not see that? Madam Song has a relationship with Old Madam Guo of Nine Graces Alley. When First Young Madam hadn’t yet married, she and Second Miss once received Madam Song together. Madam Song’s visit this time is probably just to return that favor, right?”
Mama Yang was about to say something more when stewards from both Apricot Forest Alley and Twin Elm Alley came over, saying they had received the calling cards the Zhou Shaojin sisters had left. But having just returned from West Garden, with official business keeping them busy, they wouldn’t be inviting the two sisters over to reminisce. They asked Liao Shaotang to come for a meal when he had free time, and sent return gifts worth twice what they had received.
Zhou Shaojin knew this was because neither household had womenfolk managing the household. Although they were the younger generation, they were ultimately only marriage relatives. Cheng Xun and Cheng Jing had received their sisters’ respects and would let Liao Shaotang know when there was an opportunity.
Liao Shaotang took advantage of a rest day to pay his respects to Cheng Jing and Cheng Xun.
Cheng Jing asked Liao Shaotang when he planned to take the imperial examinations, while Cheng Xun asked when he could come help compile the “Records of the Capital”… When Liao Shaotang returned, he was extremely happy and said to Zhou Chujin: “Both elders are tolerant, cultivated people who like to promote younger generations.”
“That’s good!” Zhou Chujin also hoped her husband would distinguish himself. When the maids served him washing up, she stood to the side helping to pass towels and such, saying: “Those coming and going at Twin Elm Alley are all presented scholars and provincial graduates, right? When you go there, you’ll definitely have to do many trivial tasks. But as the saying goes, only by eating bitterness among bitterness can one become a person above people. Not everyone has the opportunity like you to help compile a book at such a young age. Just consider those grievances as tuition fees…”
Compiling something as major as the “Records of the Capital” couldn’t possibly be completed by just a few people. Several old scholars from the Hanlin Academy were participating—it was just that the Emperor had personally appointed Cheng Xun as chief compiler. Several renowned Hanlin scholars were helping with the book compilation together. Liao Shaotang going there would just be to help restore old maps, transcribe geographical records, or copy manuscripts—tasks like actual compilation wouldn’t be his turn at all.
Liao Shaotang laughed heartily: “Don’t worry. I understand this principle. I won’t feel aggrieved. My scholarship truly isn’t equal to those people’s, so doing those trivial tasks is appropriate. As you said, such opportunities are too rare. Not everyone at my young age can have such an opportunity.” At this point, he pondered: “As for Uncle Chi’s side, should we find a way to thank him?”
“Let’s wait until Uncle Chi returns!” Zhou Chujin smiled. “We really should thank Uncle Chi properly. He seems cold and distant, not easy to approach. But he keeps everything in his heart. Like this time going to Baoding Prefecture, Uncle Chi quietly gave Nanny Shang to Second Sister—it was because he saw that Second Sister lost her mother young and lacked someone to guide her, fearing she would lose propriety in front of relatives and be ridiculed… This kindness, we must remember in our hearts.”
Liao Shaotang smiled and agreed.
The next day he went to the Hanlin Academy to help compile the book.
But before his rest day arrived, Zhou Chujin went into labor.
After being in pain all night, she successfully gave birth to a baby boy weighing seven catties and eight taels.
Liao Shaotang wrote a letter back to Zhenjiang to announce the happy news and ask Grand Master Liao to name the child.
Zhou Chujin, tired but with a face full of joy, leaned against the headboard while Li Shi served her fermented rice with poached eggs.
Zhou Shaojin held the baby, staring at him without blinking.
Li Shi looked and teased: “Look at our Second Miss—she’s staring at her nephew so intently she’s gone silly.”
Zhou Shaojin really had gone silly staring.
Although the birth time wasn’t right, and the hour wasn’t right either, this child looked exactly like Liao Chengfang from her previous life—as if cast from the same mold.
She couldn’t help but say: “Sister, let’s give him the name ‘Chengfang’?”
Zhou Chujin was somewhat troubled.
The child was the legitimate eldest grandson of the Liao family. As for naming, Grand Master Liao would probably need to hear the opinions of the family elders.
However, if the family elders gave the child another name, they could use this name as a milk name.
Zhou Chujin smiled: “When your brother-in-law comes back, I’ll tell him.”
Zhou Shaojin nodded repeatedly, her eyes somewhat moist as she gazed at Chengfang.
At the third-day washing ceremony, Li Shi’s elder brother—that is, Grand Master Li of the Li family—arrived in the capital travel-worn and presented a palm-sized purple-gold Maitreya Buddha as a third-day washing gift.
Everyone was surprised both by his arrival and by his lavish gift.
Li Shi couldn’t help but scold him for not consulting with her: “…Who gives such an expensive third-day washing gift?”
Grand Master Li was a tall, stout man, fair and clean, with features that somewhat resembled Li Shi’s.
He wore a purple robe with green circular floral patterns and smiled very kindly: “Aren’t I also giving you face? Since they’ve acknowledged you as their mother, I as their uncle won’t treat them poorly.”
“But you can’t just throw gold at people!” Li Shi muttered. “All that will be collected by the midwife. Aren’t you just giving it away for nothing?”
According to custom, the midwife who delivered the baby presided over the third-day washing ceremony, and all the gifts given at the ceremony went to the midwife.
Grand Master Li smiled: “You don’t understand this. I heard this midwife was arranged through First Young Madam’s maternal family, the Fang clan, and has quite a reputation in the capital. With such an expensive third-day washing gift, that woman will definitely not forget after collecting it. When word spreads, First Young Madam will have face, and the Fang family who introduced her will also have honor.”
“That’s true!” Li Shi had always admired this brother who was nearly twenty years older than her. She said no more and kept her brother to dine at home.
If it were before, Grand Master Li definitely wouldn’t have stayed, but now that his sister had barely established a foothold in the Zhou family, he wasn’t polite and stayed.
Zhou Chujin had a steward order a table of dishes from a restaurant to entertain Grand Master Li. After Liao Shaotang returned from the Hanlin Academy, he personally kept him company and kept Grand Master Li to stay at home for several days.
Grand Master Li came happily and left satisfied.
Li Shi served Zhou Chujin even more attentively.
In the blink of an eye, Liao Chengfang’s first month was approaching.
A letter came from Zhenjiang giving the child the milk name “Guan Ge’er.” His formal name was undecided, and Grand Madam Liao, Lady Fang, would be departing soon to arrive in the capital for the child’s hundredth-day celebration.