Zhou Shaojin had Fan Liushi sit on the small stool beside her and said, “I was hoping Mama would continue serving me! You and your sons are always separated like this—even if you don’t worry about it, I do! I think it’s better to have them both come stay with you. How much can a few rural farmlands yield anyway? It wouldn’t matter if they weren’t cultivated!”
Fan Liushi was deeply moved.
That Second Miss could be so considerate of her—it wasn’t in vain that she had nursed Second Miss!
“As long as Second Miss still has use for me, I will continue serving Second Miss,” Fan Liushi said, wiping her eyes. “It’s just that those few mu of land at home were left by the children’s father. They’re ancestral property and cannot be lost. I have no choice in this matter! Moreover, whether the children’s uncle will let them leave is another question entirely! How could I be willing to throw away a watermelon to pick up sesame seeds? But if I don’t preserve those few mu of land, how will I have the face to see the children’s father when I’m underground!”
These words also made sense.
Zhou Shaojin thought for a moment and said, “How about letting Lu’er stay in the old home while Qi’er comes with you to work at the Zhou family? This would reduce one mouth to feed and also allow you to care for him nearby. If the harvest is poor, Qi’er’s monthly wages could supplement the household expenses more or less. Wouldn’t that be the best of both worlds!”
More than just the best of both worlds.
Every aspect had been considered. If this could be done, they would soon be able to live well!
Fan Liushi was very tempted, but thinking that the household was managed by the eldest miss, she couldn’t help showing some hesitation in her expression. She said, “The servants in the Zhou household all have their assigned positions. Qi’er is young—what could he do if he came? He can’t just take monthly wages without working, can he? What kind of household rules would that be!”
Zhou Shaojin only needed her agreement. As for other matters, in her view they weren’t really issues at all—if her sister felt it was inappropriate, she could use her own private funds to pay Fan Qi’s wages and explain things clearly to Ma Fushan and the others when the time came.
In any case, she would not make things difficult for Fan Liushi.
“Then this matter is settled,” she said. “In a moment I’ll go tell my sister and have Fan Qi temporarily run errands for me. After all, I need people to serve me anyway.”
If before she had only wanted to repay Fan Liushi for her kindness in the previous life, then by the time these words left her mouth, Zhou Shaojin suddenly felt that this idea of hers was quite good.
Since she had matters to handle while avoiding her sister, she needed to train and cultivate a few people of her own. Fan Qi had been a capable person in her previous life, and Nanny Fan was her wet nurse who was wholeheartedly loyal to her… There was no one more suitable than Fan Qi.
Zhou Shaojin urged Fan Liushi, “Mama, you should go back right now, arrange things at home, and bring Fan Qi over.”
Fan Liushi still hesitated somewhat.
Shi Xiang came in to help Zhou Shaojin change clothes.
“Hurry, Mama,” Zhou Shaojin said while combing her hair. “I still need to go copy sutras for Grandmother.”
Fan Liushi bit her lip, stood up briskly, and said, “I’ll go back right away and bring Qi’er to you.”
If the eldest miss didn’t agree, worst case scenario she would have Qi’er not take monthly wages and save from her own food allowance to let him work for Second Miss for free for a few years. She couldn’t disappoint Second Miss’s good intentions.
Zhou Shaojin naturally didn’t know what Fan Liushi was thinking.
She went to Jiashu Hall with her sister.
Old Madam Guan was tending to a pot of evergreen plants. Seeing the two sisters, she smiled and put down her scissors, saying, “You’re here—the weather is getting hotter and hotter. I had Nanny Wang get some mulberry tea drink from Madam Zhou. Chujin, when you go to Hanqiu Hall later, remember to take some to share with your eldest aunt—each of you should drink a large cup.”
Zhou Chujin agreed with a smile. After Madam Mian came to pay her respects to Old Madam Guan, maids carried the mulberry tea drink as she went to Hanqiu Hall.
Zhou Shaojin continued copying sutras in the inner chamber where the windows were open.
A gentle breeze blew. Looking up, she could see her grandmother trimming the evergreen plants under the eaves.
The sound of snipping, rather than creating an annoyed feeling of being disturbed, brought a reassuring sense of stability.
Zhou Shaojin couldn’t help but smile slightly, and her brush moved even more smoothly across the paper.
However, she had just finished copying one section of sutras when a young maid came running in with rapid footsteps.
“Old Madam, Old Madam!” the young maid said breathlessly. “The Old Mistress has come!”
Zhou Shaojin’s brush paused, and ink dripped onto the paper, forming a blob.
In the Cheng family, there was only one person who could be called “Old Mistress.”
Cheng Xu’s grandmother, Yuan Shi’s mother-in-law, the mother of Cheng Jing and Cheng Wei and Cheng Chi, the wife of Cheng Xun who was posthumously granted the title of First Rank Grand Master for Splendid Service after his death, the old lady of the main branch of the Cheng clan—Madam Guo.
Old Madam Guan was somewhat surprised. Looking at the sun outside, she said, “Why is she coming over at this time?”
“I don’t know,” the young maid said nervously. “From the Old Mistress’s appearance, it doesn’t seem like there’s anything urgent.”
Old Madam Guan muttered a few words and instructed the young maid, “Invite the Old Mistress to the flower hall for tea. I’ll change my clothes and come right over.”
The young maid ran off again with rapid footsteps.
Si’er attended to Old Madam Guan as she changed clothes.
But Zhou Shaojin’s hands and feet turned ice cold, and she sat there for quite a while unable to catch her breath.
The fourth branch’s Jiashu Hall was adjacent to the main branch’s Hanbi Mountain Lodge, and Hanbi Mountain Lodge was precisely where the widowed Old Mistress Guo resided.
In her previous life, she had only seen Old Mistress Guo a few times from afar, but she knew that Yuan Shi, as the youngest daughter of a Grand Secretary’s family, dared to argue with her husband Cheng Jing but didn’t dare speak one word loudly in front of her mother-in-law Old Mistress Guo. This wasn’t just because of filial piety or the hierarchy between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. According to private discussions among the fourth branch’s servants, it was also because Old Mistress Guo could suppress Yuan Shi and dominate her daughter-in-law.
Yuan Shi came from a distinguished family, but Old Mistress Guo’s background was no less impressive—her grandfather was the last imperial examination top scholar of the previous dynasty, who had served as Grand Secretary of the Hall of Military Valor and Minister of War. When the Taizu Emperor attacked the capital, he was ordered to defend the city. After the city fell, he died for his country. Old Mistress Guo’s grandmother had advanced and retreated together with her husband, taking their four children and throwing themselves into the river. Only Old Mistress Guo’s father, Guo Yuansheng, had been rescued by a loyal servant and escaped this calamity. Afterward, Guo Yuansheng studied under the great Jiangnan scholar Gu Qinghong. Though renowned throughout the north and south for his exceptional skills in both calligraphy and painting, he had repeatedly declined imperial favors and made his living teaching in Stone Lane of Jinling City. By the time he died of illness at forty-five, his disciples were everywhere and renowned scholars had emerged from among them.
Yuan Shi was greatly respected by her husband Cheng Jing. Though she could walk about with confidence, she had given birth to two daughters in succession and only received her only son, Cheng Xu, after turning thirty, continuing the incense line for the main branch.
Old Mistress Guo and Cheng Xun had not only treated each other with mutual respect like honored guests throughout their lives, but when past forty had also produced a pearl in old age, giving birth to their youngest son Cheng Chi. Moreover, all three of their sons had passed both levels of the imperial examinations, with the eldest son Cheng Jing even ranking among the lesser nine ministers. They had not only spread branches for the Cheng family but had also succeeded in raising their children.
Yuan Shi truly couldn’t straighten her back or speak up in front of her mother-in-law.
Zhou Shaojin still remembered when Yuan Shi was humiliating her and no one could stop her, Old Mistress Guo had suddenly walked in, and Yuan Shi’s voice had stopped abruptly, a flash of panic appearing in her eyes.
She still clearly remembered that casual glance Old Mistress Guo had thrown her way.
The look was filled with disdain, contempt, and indifference.
As if she were some lowly thing, and Old Mistress Guo looking at her even once was showing her favor.
However, she couldn’t blame Old Mistress Guo for looking down on her. The good are bullied by people, the gentle horse is ridden by others. Standing there so foolishly letting Yuan Shi throw dirty water on her—forget someone as noble as Old Mistress Guo, even the servants beside Yuan Shi looked down on her, didn’t they?