Ji Ying was exasperated. Stamping her foot, she glared at Yun Ge’er: “At such a young age, how do you have your mother’s face but your father’s heart?”
Zhou Shaojin was greatly alarmed at these words and quickly said: “Does Yun Ge’er look like me? Where does he look like me?”
Ji Ying said: “Look at these eyes and nose—where doesn’t he look like you?”
Zhou Shaojin grew anxious: “I look gentle and soft. He’s a boy—how can he look like me? He should look handsome and distinguished like his father.”
Ji Ying’s eyes widened: “What’s wrong with looking like you? You’re much prettier than Cheng Zichuan. The child is so beautiful, naturally he takes after you! Cheng Zichuan just has good fortune to have married you. If it were someone else, they definitely couldn’t produce such a beautiful child…”
What kind of talk was this?
Zhou Shaojin was holding Yun Ge’er and about to ask more when Yun Ge’er called out “Papa.”
Everyone looked around—there was no sign of Cheng Chi anywhere.
Ji Ying laughed and pretended to pinch Yun Ge’er’s nose, saying: “You’re scaring me again!”
Zhou Shaojin didn’t know whether to laugh or cry: “He can’t even speak complete sentences yet—how would he know you’re afraid of Fourth Uncle? How could he be scaring you?”
Ji Ying stubbornly said: “Who says I’m afraid of Cheng Zichuan? I just don’t want to have any conflicts with him and then implicate Qin Ziping.”
“Really?” Zhou Shaojin asked Ji Ying with a smile.
She had always worried that Ji Ying and Qin Ziping wouldn’t get along well. But looking now, Ji Ying was radiant and spoke and acted no differently than before her marriage, clearly living quite comfortably.
Ji Ying mumbled something unclear.
But Yun Ge’er said: “Zichuan, Papa!”
“Oh my!” Zhou Shaojin was so delighted she didn’t know what to do. “Yun Ge’er, you actually know your father’s courtesy name.” Thinking about how Yun Ge’er had called “Papa” twice, she couldn’t help kissing her son’s small face with two “smacks.” She smiled at Ji Ying: “Our Yun Ge’er wasn’t scaring you, was he?”
Ji Ying laughed and affectionately patted Yun Ge’er’s head, saying: “You little person, how can you be so clever? Auntie has something good for you.” As she spoke, she took from her pocket a bird-shaped clay whistle and handed it to Zhou Shaojin. “Your needlework is good. Make him a cord to hang it around his neck to play with.”
Unlike items that went on the gift list, this was Ji Ying’s personal sentiment.
Zhou Shaojin had Chun Wan go find a cord and told Yun Ge’er to thank Ji Ying.
Yun Ge’er called Ji Ying “Auntie” in his sweet childish voice, making Ji Ying’s heart itch. She said to Zhou Shaojin: “Can I hold him for a while?”
Cheng Chi had only gotten this son approaching thirty—who knew how preciously he was raised? Even though Ji Ying was carefree, she didn’t dare treat Yun Ge’er carelessly. Moreover, who knew—this child might become the hall master of Seven Star Hall in the future.
“Of course you can!” Zhou Shaojin hadn’t thought that far ahead.
Which family’s child didn’t grow up with bumps and tumbles?
She handed the child to Ji Ying, still unwilling to give up: “Does our Yun Ge’er really look very much like me?”
Ji Ying looked at Yun Ge’er being obediently held by her, then looked at Zhou Shaojin, saying: “You both look very beautiful…”
In other words, Ji Ying only thought they were both beautiful, not that Yun Ge’er looked like her!
Zhou Shaojin breathed a sigh of relief.
Ji Ying said: “I think you should have a daughter next. I like girls.”
Zhou Shaojin didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at these words: “Have one yourself! It’s not like you’re not good-looking.”
Ji Ying gave an awkward smile.
Zhou Shaojin’s heart skipped a beat.
Could things not be going well between her and Qin Ziping?
But before she could speak, Ji Ying had already said: “Oh right, I almost forgot something important.” As she spoke, she called out toward the room: “Da Ya, Er Ya!”
Two girls of fourteen or fifteen walked in.
Medium height, somewhat sturdy build, honey-colored skin, thick eyebrows and large eyes. The one on the left wore a bright red Hangzhou silk vest, the one on the right wore a parrot-green Hangzhou silk vest. Their features were seventy to eighty percent similar. They honestly and sincerely curtsied to Zhou Shaojin.
Zhou Shaojin pointed at the two girls in surprise: “These are…”
“Cheng Zichuan asked me to find maids for you.” Ji Ying said without much enthusiasm. “My father-in-law picked them up during the Yongding River flood that year. They should be sisters, and he took them in as foster daughters. They’ve trained in martial arts with my father-in-law since childhood, then learned proper etiquette from me for two years. Their skills are good. While not exceptionally quick-witted, they’re loyal and reliable, and don’t gossip… You know how hard it is to get women in the inner quarters not to talk. I finally selected these two sisters from the Qin and Ji families.” After finishing, she said to the two girls: “This is Madam Cheng. From now on you’ll follow her and serve in her quarters. Remember what I told you—don’t make any mistakes.”
The two curtsied to Zhou Shaojin again in unison.
Ji Ying said: “If these two girls hadn’t been sent to Golden Sand Gang to learn swimming, making me detour to pick them up and delaying my time, I would have arrived in the capital much earlier! Fortunately I made it for Yun Ge’er’s grasping ceremony…” As she was speaking, Chun Wan entered, bringing the clay whistle threaded with a cord. Ji Ying took it, blew it once, then rinsed it in tea water before handing it to Yun Ge’er.
When Yun Ge’er heard the sound, his eyes lit up. Seeing Ji Ying give him the clay whistle, he immediately tried blowing air into it.
The clay whistle made two squeaking chirps.
He immediately became happy, smiled at Zhou Shaojin, and blew the clay whistle gently.
The whole room filled with the whistling sounds.
Zhou Shaojin couldn’t help saying to Ji Ying: “Well now, you’ve found him a good toy. We won’t have any peace now.”
Ji Ying laughed heartily: “It’s not me who won’t have peace anyway. The more happily Yun Ge’er blows it, the more restless certain people will become, and the happier I’ll be. Who told him to always discipline me?”
Zhou Shaojin didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
But Yun Ge’er twisted his body looking around: “Tea, want tea!”
Chun Wan thought Yun Ge’er was thirsty and quickly poured warm tea water, bringing it to Yun Ge’er’s mouth.
But Yun Ge’er pushed the tea away, stuffed the clay whistle into the teacup, then like Ji Ying, pulled the clay whistle out and shook it vigorously.
“How can this child be so adorable?” Ji Ying looked like she wanted to take Yun Ge’er home with her. She pleaded with Zhou Shaojin: “Let me teach Yun Ge’er when he starts his education. You can tell from looking at Huai Shan’s people—sinister and strange. Their speciallyæ´¾d martial techniques are all vicious, striking with no return, either you die or I die. Nanny Shang comes from an untrained background and can’t enter elegant halls. But our Ji family’s martial arts are upright and proper, derived from the Muscle-Tendon Changing Classic, emphasizing cultivation of internal energy above all. Even when killing, the movements are graceful without a trace of killing intent. In the future our Yun Ge’er will surely be a noble young master—how can he follow the same path as those who perform and beg in the martial world…”
Zhou Shaojin listened with sweat on her forehead: “What Yun Ge’er will be like in the future, Fourth Master says, depends on his talents and preferences. As long as it’s something he likes and has talent for, Fourth Master says he can do whatever he wants. As for learning martial arts, we’ll wait until he’s older…”
“That’s true too.” For the first time, Ji Ying didn’t contradict Cheng Chi. After thinking, she said: “If a person can live following their heart’s desires, that’s true happiness.”
“Exactly, exactly.” Zhou Shaojin, afraid she would change her mind again and insist on teaching Yun Ge’er martial arts, quickly changed the subject: “Da Ya and Er Ya are their names, right? Does Fourth Master know you’re here? Where’s Qin Ziping? Why haven’t I seen him? The banquet is about to start—should I take you to your seat?”
“No need.” Ji Ying knew that those coming today were all official wives. If they asked around, she as a constable’s wife would inevitably have to watch people’s expressions, and she couldn’t use her martial world methods. Thinking of this, she felt somewhat glad that Qin Ziping had become a constable—it gave them a special position in the martial world, and the title of Ji family son-in-law made many people treat them with great respect. “I’ll just have lunch in your room. I can have a good chat with Nanny Shang—I haven’t seen you all for two years.”
This was good too!
Even if Cheng Chi hadn’t said anything, Zhou Shaojin could glimpse the Ji family’s status in the martial world from the pride in Ji Ying’s voice whenever she mentioned them. People walked different paths—forcing her to sit among those official wives would only make her uncomfortable.
She had people settle Da Ya and Er Ya, discussed helping Ji Ying order dishes, then casually asked Ji Ying to save her some sweet soup before taking Yun Ge’er to Cheng Chi’s side and asking: “Ji Ying brought two young maids—did you know?”
“I know.” Cheng Chi took Yun Ge’er, saying: “I didn’t expect her to make it here today—she has good intentions. With so many people and mixed company now, I’ll talk to you more tonight when we return.”
Zhou Shaojin nodded, kissed Yun Ge’er, and let Cheng Chi carry him out to socialize. She ran back and forth between Tingxiang Courtyard and the water pavilion. When the storyteller began storytelling and the opera troupe began performing, Cheng Chi finally handed Yun Ge’er to Zhou Shaojin, who carried him back to their room.
At this time, Yun Ge’er usually took his afternoon nap. On the way back, he was already unable to stay awake, resting on her shoulder asleep. By the time they returned to the main room, he was already like a lump of clay. When Zhou Shaojin changed his clothes, he didn’t move at all, letting her do as she pleased.
Ji Ying watched from the side with great interest.
Zhou Shaojin broke out in a sweat. After hurrying to change her own clothes and dismissing the attending servants, she finally sat down to talk privately with Ji Ying: “Are you still going back to your hometown?”
“Not going back.” Ji Ying smiled. “Old Ancestor thought it would be nice, but after returning, she wasn’t accustomed to the food, lodging, or anything. I could see she had some regrets. But Fourth Master had Old Ancestor stay at home for quite a while longer and had her repair all those old cellars and secret passages.” At this point, she pricked up her ears to listen to the surroundings, then leaned close to her ear: “Is Fourth Master planning to do something? From what I could see, it wasn’t just simple mansion repairs. It looked more like preparing multiple hideouts, laying plans in advance.”
Zhou Shaojin’s heart pounded as she listened. She also whispered in Ji Ying’s ear: “I don’t know the specifics, but the Crown Prince suddenly died of illness, the Imperial Grandson became the heir apparent, Second Uncle is the Emperor’s confidant, and Fourth Master is watching Fourth Prince… Fourth Master is probably preparing for unforeseen circumstances, worried something might happen in the capital.”
Ji Ying frowned: “Is he tired of living? Why get involved in these matters when things are fine? He’s not alone! Why doesn’t he think about you and Yun Ge’er?”