After returning from Ganquan Temple, everyone was exhausted. Zhou Shaojin fell asleep as soon as he hit the bed and slept until dawn.
I haven't had a good sleep like this in a long time!
Zhou Shaojin stretched, lay on the bed and listened to the chirping of birds for a while before getting up.
Today is the ninth day of the fourth lunar month. After the Buddha's Birthday, she will go to Jing'an Zhai for classes.
After paying respects to Old Madam Guan, Chunwan took the writing brush, ink, paper and inkstone and took Zhou Shaojin to Jing'an Zhai.
Cheng Ji hasn't come yet.
Jing'anzhai was the same as before. The wide hall was divided by floor-to-ceiling shades. The first room on the east side was occupied by the master's large desk, and below it were several small desks placed alternately, an armchair, a multi-treasure cabinet shelf, a three-legged gilded incense burner, and on both sides of the master's large desk were handwritten couplets written by Cheng Zhi, the ancestor of the Cheng family: "Stay by a hundred-year-old tree, read ten thousand books."
Zhou Shaojin stood there in silence for a long time.
The Spring Festival Gala cautiously called out "Second Miss".
Zhou Shaojin came back to his senses, only to see a little maid running in in a hurry: "Second Miss, you are here!" She added, "Why are you here so early today? The master is still having breakfast, so he will come over later."
Zhou Shaojin saw that the maid had a friendly face and knew that she was the one who served Madam Shen. However, she had not seen her for a long time and she could not remember the maid's name.
She could only smile and said, "It's okay, I came early today. Don't worry about me, I'll practice my calligraphy first."
The little maid breathed a sigh of relief and made a pot of tea for Zhou Shaojin.
The Spring Festival Gala set up the writing brush and ink, and Zhou Shaojin calmed down to practice calligraphy.
After writing two large pieces of paper, Cheng Ji came.
"Why didn't you wait for me?" She looked angry and as if she was about to overturn the table.
Zhou Shaojin then remembered that she used to wait for Cheng Jia every day at Xiaohong Bridge, the only way for them to come to Jing'an Zhai.
"I've been waiting for you for almost a quarter of an hour and you didn't come." Cheng Ji's face turned red with anger, and he said, "If it wasn't for a little maid telling me that you had come earlier, I would still be waiting there foolishly!"
Zhou Shaojin decided not to argue with her and said, "I was wrong about this matter. Don't wait for me anymore. Let's go to Jing'an Zhai separately, so as not to wait and waste time on the road."
Cheng Ji is not a dull person. On the contrary, she is very smart, otherwise she would not be liked by the elders of the Cheng family.
"What do you mean?" she asked, with more confusion in her eyes, "Do you mean to break up with me?"
It's not that we have to break up, but we just don't stick together as much as we used to.
But Zhou Shaojin has never been the kind of person who can hurt others at will. She said tactfully: "I want to copy the sutras for Madam Guo. It is the Shurangama Sutra, a full ten volumes, and it is this thick." She gestured, "I will finish it when I finish copying it. How can I have free time in the future? I didn't wait for you today, so I took the time to write two large sheets of paper!"
Cheng Ji looked at the two large pieces of paper on Zhou Shaojin's desk, and was as deflated as a ball. However, he still said unforgivingly, "Then you should have told me! What's the point of keeping silent like this?"
"I will always tell you in the future." Zhou Shaojin said in a conciliatory manner, deciding to take this opportunity to make it clear to Cheng Ji what he should say. "Not only can I not wait for you to go to school, I can't wait for you to finish school either. Madam Guo said that if necessary, I have to go to her place for lunch at noon. I can't let an elder wait for me, right?"
"Is that so?" Cheng Ji said with a frustrated look on his face, "Then, can we play together during our vacation?"
"It's definitely not possible before the scriptures are copied." Zhou Shaojin said, "We can talk about the future after the scriptures are copied."
Cheng Ji is full of energy and rarely has free time. If I ignore her for half a year, she might make other friends and the two of us would naturally become distant.
Zhou Shaojin made up his mind, took out another large piece of paper and started practicing calligraphy.
Cheng Ji tilted his head and watched from the side, and said in surprise: "Shao Jin, I noticed that your handwriting has improved a lot since I last saw you for a few days!"
"Really?" Zhou Shaojin asked her perfunctorily.
She continued, "Really! Look at this stroke. You used to be hesitant and would stop writing halfway through, but now you have finished it in one go and it feels much smoother."
Zhou Shaojin paused and murmured, "Really?"
"Yes, yes!" Cheng Ji said excitedly, "And this point is also chosen very decisively, making people feel clean and neat at first glance..." She chattered and commented on the side.
A gentle voice interrupted: "Not bad, Shaojin's handwriting has improved a lot."
The two turned around and saw Aunt Bai Shen, who was wearing a plain blue silk jacket and had gray hair, standing behind them.
"Mr. Shen!" They both stood up and knelt down to salute.
Aunt Shen showed a gentle smile on her thin face and said, "Get up! Let's take a look at what Shaojin wrote."
In her previous life, Aunt Shen left a vague impression on her.
She was born in a family of poets and scholars, and had a beautiful handwriting. She became a widow at the age of 20, but when her family fell into decline, her husband's family began to treat her harshly. She simply taught female students in a wealthy family in Jinling and made a living as a tutor.
Although Aunt Shen had a good temper and treated people gently, she never restricted them. Once Cheng Sheng mentioned it and even suspected that she "believed in Laozi and Zhuangzi".
Zhou Shaojin stood beside her respectfully, listening to Aunt Shen's comments on her calligraphy, and couldn't help but think of her brother-in-law's aunt Liao Zhangying.
He was also a miserable person, with a noble character and great knowledge, but he spent his life in the lonely night under the light of a beehive.
The morning class was about "Meng Mu Cutting the Loom" from the "Records of Heroines". Because he had already learned it once, Zhou Shaojin was thinking about going to Madam Guo's place in the afternoon, so he couldn't help but be distracted.
Aunt Shen asked her a few questions in a roundabout way, and she answered them all correctly, so Aunt Shen just let it go and ignored her. This made Cheng Ji a little angry but helpless. So after class, she pulled Zhou Shaojin aside and asked, "Did you ask someone to explain it to you privately?"
Zhou Shaojin was afraid that she would keep pestering him like this, so he coaxed her, "I learned it myself at home."
Cheng Ji didn't believe it and said hesitantly, "Doesn't that mean I have to study hard day and night?"
"Yes!" Zhou Shaojin said, "I was sick at that time, and I couldn't go out. So I thought I might as well read more books."
Cheng Ji twisted her handkerchief, hesitating whether to learn from Zhou Shaojin.
Zhou Shaojin hurriedly said, "I have to go back quickly, otherwise I will be late for the trip to Hanbi Mountain Villa." He parted ways with Cheng Ji at Xiaohong Bridge.
Cheng Ji returned to Ruyixuan in a depressed mood.
Jiang was directing the maids to change the door curtains of Ruyi Pavilion. Seeing this, she hurriedly touched her forehead and asked with concern: "What's wrong? Are you feeling uncomfortable?"
"No!" Cheng Ji entered the inner room and said, "Shao Jin has become a different person after being sick for a few days. He talks less and doesn't come to Ruyi Pavilion very often. His studies are also better than mine..."
Seeing her daughter like this, Jiang's heart tightened. She hugged her daughter and said, "Don't worry, I will let you enter Hanbi Mountain House no matter what."
Cheng Ji frowned: "Is this why she ignored me?"
"Of course I need to say that." Jiang sneered, "How can she, the daughter of a mere fourth-rank prefect, turn the tables?"
Isn’t mother wholeheartedly hoping that my brother can pass the imperial examination
Why do you look down on Shaojin's father at this time
Cheng Ji wanted to say something but stopped.
Zhou Shaojin naturally didn't know what happened in Ruyixuan. When she returned to Wanxiangju, she saw Cheng Gao's personal servant Wuer sitting under the eaves of her room drinking mung bean soup.
Hearing the noise, he put down the bowl, walked over in a hurry, took out a small black lacquer box with white magnolia painted on it and handed it to her: "Second Miss, you are back! Master heard that you wanted to copy scriptures for Old Madam Guo, so he specially asked me to send this box of ink sticks over. He said it was the Luo ink left by the old master, which is as hard as a rock and as black as rhinoceros lacquer, for you to use when copying scriptures."
Only with good ink can you write good characters.
Since it was left by the old man, it will be used when cousin Gao gets into trouble!
How could she accept it!
"No, you take it back." Zhou Shaojin refused to take it. "The Mo Hanbi Mountain House that copied the scriptures will prepare it. It would be a waste to use this."
"Master guessed that the second young lady would say that." Wuer said with a smile, "Our master said that this ink is not given for free. He wants to exchange it with you for some clear mind paper. Master's classmate's father is having a birthday and he invited you to the birthday party. Master wants to give it as a birthday gift."
The Chengxin paper from Huizhou is as hard and clean as jade, thin and smooth, and is truly one of the best paper produced there, and its price is higher than gold.
During the Chinese New Year, Zhou Zhen gave Zhou Shaojin and her sister a knife, and told them that each sister would get half of it.
If it were in the past, Zhou Shaojin would definitely not understand, but with the experience of her previous life, she knew clearly that if a family like theirs had such things as dowry when marrying off their daughter, it would be more decent than any gold, silver or jewelry.
This was part of the dowry their father prepared for them and their sisters.
Zhou Shaojin sent Shi Xiang to open the box and get the paper, but he refused to accept the ink.
Wu Er said with a bitter face: "If I take the paper back like this, won't you skin me alive?"
Cousin Gao is a very gentle person, so why would he punish Wuer
However, Wuer's words also reminded Zhou Shaojin.
When did cousin Gao need a few sheets of paper? He just said this to let her keep the ink with peace of mind. If she kept pushing it back and forth, it would be a waste of cousin Gao's kindness. It would be better to accept it for now and return it when there is a chance. As for whether she used the ink he gave her to copy scriptures for Madam Guo, if she didn't tell him, how would cousin Gao know
The more she thought about it, the better she thought her idea was. She accepted the ink with a smile, and gave Wuer two silver ingots worth eight cents each, and wrapped a few snacks for him. Then she asked Shi Xiang to see him out, and she personally put the box of ink in the box.
Looking at the copper lock on the box, Zhou Shaojin was a little dazed.
Speaking of which, in order to pass the time in her previous life, she not only embroidered Guanyin and raised two-color peonies, but also made ink, Buddhist incense, and fragrant dew, and she kept improving them according to ancient recipes. The things sold in ordinary shops were not as good as hers.
Why not she make a few ingots of ink as a gift for her cousin Gao
When I have some free time in the future, I will make something else to give to my sister, grandmother, aunt, cousin Gao and cousin Yi... as well as father... stepmother... after all, it will be a token of my love.
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Sisters, I am fixing the typos intermittently... ~~~~(>_