Zhou Shaojin was so angry when she heard this. Thinking that these people were all Cheng Chi’s elders, she puffed up her cheeks and held it in for a long while before finally squeezing out the phrase “a cuckoo occupying a magpie’s nest.”
Hearing this, Cheng Chi couldn’t help but smile slightly. He patted her head and continued, “Our family’s Old Ancestor had no idea what the Seven Stars Hall did, let alone that it was an elder’s decision, so naturally he nodded repeatedly in agreement. Steward Qin’s grandfather, however, breathed a long sigh of relief and praised our family’s Old Ancestor for doing the right thing.
“Not long after, Duke Lie passed away.
“The following year, Steward Qin’s grandfather also passed away, and Steward Qin’s father became the steward of Nine-Blessings Lane.
“Another year later, my grandfather passed the imperial examinations and was admitted to the Hanlin Academy.
“Our family’s Old Ancestor cared even less about those external matters. How the family’s revenue was managed—he never inquired about it. However much the Second Branch allocated to the First Branch, the First Branch received that much.
“At that time, the Old Ancestor of the Second Branch was serving as an official outside with my grandfather. Second Grand-Uncle studied diligently at home and in his spare time tutored the family’s children in reading and writing. Grand-Uncle Li managed the family’s miscellaneous affairs, and business was thriving. The two branches were like one household. Life was warm and prosperous, and restoring the family’s reputation seemed within reach.”
As Cheng Chi spoke, he curled his lip, “Unfortunately, the good times didn’t last long! In the year of Renzi, which was the sixth year of Jianlong, in the summer after Second Branch’s eldest master Cheng Yi had just celebrated his third birthday, Grand-Uncle Li went to Huai’an to obtain salt permits. Because he was smuggling illegal salt, the boat sat heavy in the water. When passing the Huai’an Patrol Office, the Canal Gang sabotaged them, both sides got into a dispute, and during the brawl he was killed by people from the Canal Gang.”
Zhou Shaojin’s lips trembled, not knowing what to say.
When Cheng Chi mentioned that Cheng Lie had Cheng Li take over the Seven Stars Hall, she had a premonition that Cheng Li’s death was probably related to conflicts in the martial world.
As Buddha said well, plant melons and reap melons, plant beans and reap beans.
Cheng Li’s death was the consequence sown by Cheng Lie’s greed.
And now, the one managing the Seven Stars Hall must be Uncle Chi!
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have appeared at the courier station in fitted martial attire, otherwise his arrows wouldn’t fly like shooting stars, otherwise he wouldn’t know Xiao Zhenhai…
But the Uncle Chi she knew was someone who assessed situations and made decisive choices—how could he cling to these external matters that weren’t even worth chicken ribs to him?
Could this be the reason he left home in his previous life?
Zhou Shaojin’s heart ached just thinking about it.
Her hand unconsciously covered his hand gently.
Cheng Chi smiled at her slightly, turned his hand to grasp hers in his palm, and said softly, “People of the martial world value loyalty and honor lineage, but it’s also a place where fists do the talking. Only then did the Old Ancestor of the Second Branch realize that to control the Seven Stars Hall, one not only needed proper birth but also needed fists.
“But he realized it too late.
“He lost his only son’s life.”
If that was the case, why not take the opportunity to disband the Seven Stars Hall?
Zhou Shaojin pondered this in her heart, then felt that matters might not be as simple as she imagined. She felt she should listen to Cheng Chi continue speaking.
“The Old Ancestor of the Second Branch, an elder burying his child, looking at the young Cousin Yi—the Old Ancestor of the Second Branch was overcome with grief.
“Our family’s Old Ancestor, however, was simple-minded and felt that no business was worth more than human life. He urged the Old Ancestor of the Second Branch to end the Seven Stars Hall’s business.
“The Old Ancestor of the Second Branch disagreed.
“The two parted on bad terms over this.
“Only when our family’s Old Ancestor received hints from Steward Qin’s father did he learn that the Seven Stars Hall brought substantial revenue to the Cheng family every year. The reason the Old Ancestor of the Second Branch was able to establish himself so quickly in the court, besides Duke Zhi’s reputation being well-known, was not unrelated to his having silver to smooth relations above and below.”
“At that time, my grandfather was serving as an official in the court. Second Grand-Uncle had never practiced martial arts. The Third Branch had enmity with the First and Second Branches. The Fourth Branch was sickly. The Fifth Branch was unruly and useless. My father and uncle were already young scholars. Uncle Fen from Second Grand-Uncle’s family was still too young. I hadn’t even been born yet… Calculating it all, the Cheng family surprisingly had no one who could take over the Seven Stars Hall.” He said with no small amount of irony, “Of course, even if the Cheng family had someone who could take over the Seven Stars Hall, if this candidate wasn’t satisfactory to the Old Ancestor of the Second Branch, the Cheng family probably still wouldn’t have anyone who could take over the Seven Stars Hall!”
Zhou Shaojin said nothing.
Uncle Chi must have many grievances in his heart, yet these grievances couldn’t be spoken aloud.
This kind of pain probably gnawed at his heart constantly!
Zhou Shaojin sat obediently beside him, letting him hold her hand.
“So when the Old Ancestor of the Second Branch decided to have Steward Qin’s father represent the Cheng family in temporarily taking over the Seven Stars Hall, our family’s Old Ancestor remained silent.”
At this point, Cheng Chi’s expression suddenly became stern.
Zhou Shaojin’s heart also tightened.
“The Old Ancestor of the Second Branch forgot last time that the martial world is about fists. This time he forgot that the martial world is about lineage—although Steward Qin’s father was highly skilled in martial arts, nominally he was just a servant of the Cheng family. Who would submit to a servant’s control?”
“What happened?” Zhou Shaojin couldn’t help but blurt out.
Cheng Chi glanced at her, the corners of his eyes faintly bloodshot.
He said in a heavy voice, “In the sixth month of the sixteenth year of Jianlong, which was the tenth year after Grand-Uncle Li’s death, when the Seven Stars Hall was paying respects to Duke Zhi at Yashan, the Hua family of Guangdong was the first to cause trouble. They questioned Steward Qin’s father’s qualifications, feeling that the Cheng family sending Steward Qin’s father to manage the Seven Stars Hall was an insult to these Seven Stars Hall elders, and demanded that a legitimate son of the Cheng family come forward to explain.
“Steward Qin’s father knew they were just using this as an excuse, wanting to rebel against the Seven Stars Hall.
“At this time, only fists could reason with them.
“He took his two nephews and six grand-nephews and fought fiercely with those people for a day and a night. Although he ultimately suppressed those people of the Seven Stars Hall, two nephews and four grand-nephews died.”
Those people were Qin Ziping’s and Qin Zi’an’s uncles and brothers!
Thinking of the kind and friendly Qin Ziping and the cold-faced but warm-hearted Qin Zi’an, Zhou Shaojin’s eyes nearly fell out.
Cheng Chi said, “Afterward, Steward Qin’s father managed to hold on for over ten more years before finally succumbing to his old ailments and passing away.
“During those ten-plus years, internal strife in the Seven Stars Hall never ceased. It had fallen from being the undisputed hegemon of the martial world to a martial sect ranking in the top five.
“It wasn’t until the seventh year of Zhide, when I was fourteen, that I took charge of the Seven Stars Hall…”
Zhou Shaojin listened and inexplicably blushed.
In the seventh year of Zhide, she was only one year old, but Uncle Chi had already begun managing the family business…
She thought of Nan Ping’s fiancé, who was Qin Ziping’s and Qin Zi’an’s older brother, and couldn’t help saying, “Then Qin Ziping…”
Cheng Chi’s expression darkened as he said in a low voice, “Although the Yashan incident ended in the Cheng family’s victory, the Cheng family was also severely depleted and had no strength to suppress the various elders. By the time I took charge of the Seven Stars Hall, the several so-called great leaders of the Seven Stars Hall had all become influential figures in their regions—how could they possibly listen to my commands? And although I had learned a set of martial arts that Duke Lie had somehow obtained, I had very little combat experience. When I was ambushed in Panyu, Qin Zining covered my retreat and lost his life.” He paused for a moment, then added, “He was Steward Qin’s eldest grandson!”
Uncle Chi must have been very sad at that time.
Zhou Shaojin looked at Cheng Chi gently and softly comforted him, “Things will get better. Everything will get better.”
Cheng Chi suddenly couldn’t control the moisture welling up in his eyes.
So many years had passed, and he had never mentioned Qin Zining. He even allowed Nan Ping to stay in his rooms like this, as if Qin Zining hadn’t died but had just gone out to handle matters for him and would return soon… It turned out that those unspeakable pains had already scabbed over and festered in his heart…
He pressed his lips together without making a sound.
Zhou Shaojin, however, felt the stiffness of his body.
She really wanted to stand up and embrace Uncle Chi, to give him some comfort.
But she felt very shy inside, feeling that would be far too bold.
While she hesitated, Cheng Chi’s emotions had already returned to calm.
He smiled gently and said, “I’m fine! Things are as you said—they’ll all get better.”
Cheng Chi decided that in a few days he would return to Jinling City and have Nan Ping properly pay respects to Qin Zining, to tell Qin Zining the words he had been keeping in his heart. Both he and Nan Ping would bid farewell to the past and start new lives.
He said to Zhou Shaojin, “After I spend the Buddha Bathing Festival with you, I’ll return to Jinling City for a visit.”
Zhou Shaojin guessed he was going to pay respects to Qin Zining.
She said warmly, “Should we bring Nan Ping here? If she changes locations, might her mood improve?”
No wonder people say daughters are like little padded jackets.
Shaojin was not only gentle and tender but also especially understanding.
Cheng Chi gently squeezed Zhou Shaojin’s hand and said warmly, “I’ll ask her when the time comes. If she’s willing to come, I’ll bring her over to keep you company. If she’s unwilling to come, I’ll let her move to the Qin family residence—since she misses the Qin family members, let her follow her heart. People live in this world for just a few short decades, which pass in the blink of an eye. It’s better to try to live as happily as possible!”
Zhou Shaojin nodded.
Then would she and Uncle Chi… be able to live contentedly and peacefully?
She didn’t quite dare to think about it.
She quickly redirected her thoughts and couldn’t help asking curiously, “Uncle Chi, did the Old Ancestor of the Second Branch choose you to manage the Seven Stars Hall? Why would he choose you? How could the Old Master and Old Madam agree? People in Nine-Blessings Lane all say you grew up in the capital. Did you secretly learn martial arts from someone in the capital?”
Even for a prodigy, learning martial arts could only be faster than others but couldn’t be accomplished overnight. Otherwise, the Qin family wouldn’t have helped the Cheng family manage the Seven Stars Hall for over twenty years.
Sometimes what binds two people together isn’t just profit but also secrets.
Cheng Chi smiled and said, “Using money from illegal salt trading to supplement the national treasury wasn’t exactly a glorious matter. Duke Zhi’s establishment of the Seven Stars Hall was originally a temporary measure born of necessity—how could he publicize it widely?
“By the time Duke Lie took control of the Seven Stars Hall, everything had completely changed. To avoid being turned on by these people, he not only killed several elders who knew the relationship between the Seven Stars Hall and Duke Zhi, but when traveling outside, he interacted with people in the name of the Seven Stars Hall’s Hall Master. His manner and style all subtly reflected northern boldness. Many in the martial world knew the Seven Stars Hall belonged to the Cheng family, but very few knew this Cheng family was the same as the Cheng family of Nine-Blessings Lane in Jinling.
“After the Yashan incident, both the Old Ancestor of the Second Branch and Steward Qin’s father felt the situation was unfavorable for the Cheng family. They feared that if those people learned the Cheng family’s true circumstances, they would come knocking, or even use the court’s power to attack and retaliate against the Cheng family.
“Second Grand-Uncle moved from Xinglin Lane to Shuangyu Lane. Steward Qin’s father also faked his death in Jinling City and settled in the capital. One taught me reading and writing, the other taught me internal cultivation and martial techniques. Saying I grew up in the capital is also correct—at least I stayed in the capital until I was fourteen.”