Zhou Shaojin shook his head and quickly put these thoughts behind him. He helped his sister slowly go to the room Zhou Chujin had prepared for her.
During the Spring Festival Gala, several people helped her to wash and dress.
Zhou Chujin sat on the Luohan bed and looked at her, talking to her: "Can you stay here for a few more days? We sisters haven't had a good chat together for a long time."
Zhou Shaojin also wanted to stay in Zhenjiang for a few more days, but she knew that the Liao family did not like her sister very much in her previous life. Although things have changed in this life, her sister has an old lady above her and a mother-in-law below her, and she cannot be the head of the family. She has been pampered by Old Madam Guo and Cheng Chi in Jiuru Lane in the past few years, and has developed a temper. She does not want to please the Liao family, and does not want to embarrass her sister. It would be better for her to wait until her sister gives birth to a son and then find a way to persuade her sister to go to the capital. Then the sisters can meet in the capital from time to time and have a good time together.
"I will come back to stay for a few days when my sister gives birth to a nephew." She said with a smile, "Father is still waiting for me in Baoding Prefecture! I'm afraid he's getting anxious."
Zhou Chujin had a heart as kind as crystal and immediately understood her sister's worries.
She couldn't help but gently twist the handkerchief in her hand.
It would be great if she could be the head of the family someday. The two sisters could get together as often as they want. Who would dare to gossip about them
Although Mrs. Fan Liu was not as shrewd as Nanny Shang, she was very well versed in the ways of the world.
As soon as she saw Zhou Chujin's expression, she knew what Zhou Chujin was thinking, and hurriedly changed the subject with a smile: "Miss... No, looking at my mouth, you should call me Aunt. Guan Lao'anren and Madam Mian have brought you a lot of things, including some clothes that Master Gao and Master Yi wore when they were young. They also specifically told you to put your head under your pillow every night when you sleep. I'll get it for you right away. Ask Chixiang to keep it well for you."
It is said that this will help give birth to a boy.
Zhou Chujin agreed happily, and then started to look through the children's clothes that Zhou Shaojin had brought over.
She asked curiously, "Why so many? Did you get a good rest at night?"
Zhou Shaojin smiled and said, "These were all made by the people in the needlework shop in Jiuru Lane. They were not made by me."
Zhou Chujin knew that the needlework room in Jiuru Lane was a place that even Cheng Mian from the Fourth House could not control, so he asked hurriedly, "What's going on?"
Zhou Shaojin smiled and said, "I was sewing clothes for my nephew that day, and by chance, Madam Wang from the sewing room came to deliver autumn clothes to Madam Guo. Knowing that I was making clothes for my sister's unborn child, she volunteered. I thought her craftsmanship was excellent, so I agreed. I asked Chunwan to take a few more pieces of cloth, originally to thank her, but she didn't want any of it and made small clothes for my nephew. She also gave me a silver locket with the words "Immediately Become a Marquis", saying it was a full-month gift for my nephew, asking you not to dislike it... I brought it along this time as well."
Zhou Chujin could tell that it was clearly Madam Wang trying to flatter her sister.
What happened after she left? How did all the important people in the sewing room start to look at Shao Jin differently
After meeting the old lady and the first wife of the Liao family, Zhou Shaojin politely declined the invitation of the old lady and the first wife of the Liao family and went to his sister Zhou Chujin's banquet room for dinner.
After dinner and tea, Zhou Chujin sent the servant away and asked her seriously, "Tell me the truth, why do you suddenly want to go to Baoding Prefecture? Didn't you want to stay in Jiuru Lane before? Father also agreed... Is it Madam Guo..."
"No, no." Zhou Shaojin said hurriedly, "Mrs. Guo treats me very well, like my own grandmother..." But she fell in love with Uncle Chi, and she felt like sitting on pins and needles every day, and she could not stay any longer. "It's just that something happened - the day after cousin Gao got married, the two courts congratulated Hong. I don't know who put something like Wu Shi San in cousin Xu's tea. Cousin Xu was unconscious, and we met in the Taihu stone fake cave by the lake. He mistook Jiying for me and wanted to drag Jiying back to Hanbi Mountain House. Jiying thought that cousin Xu was going to flirt with her, so she beat cousin Xu who was powerless in the resistance. Mrs. Guo placed cousin Xu in the green gauze cabinet in her inner room. I felt that it was not good for me to continue living in Hanbi Mountain House, so I wrote a letter to my father, wanting to go see my father and my newborn sister, just in time for the family to reunite for the New Year."
Zhou Shaojin has made up his mind that if anyone asks him about what happened that day, he will answer like this.
Zhou Chujin was still a little confused, but when she saw Nanny Shang and those guards who obviously did not belong to the Zhou family, she felt that if her sister had angered the eldest house, the eldest house would not treat her sister so well. So she didn't pursue these matters and asked about Zhou Shaojin's diet and daily life these days.
Zhou Shaojin was smiling and chatting with his sister until the third watch drum sounded. Chixiang came in and urged Zhou Chujin to rest. Zhou Chujin then said, "I'll rest here tonight."
Liao Shaotang has gone to Beijing to study, but Zhou Shaojin is a guest from afar. Even if Zhou Chujin wants to sleep in the same bed and talk to Zhou Shaojin privately, he has to help Zhou Shaojin arrange a guest room.
Chixiang responded with a smile, and helped the two sisters make their beds together with Chunwan.
The two sisters chatted for a long time and agreed to meet in the capital. Then they chatted idly and fell asleep without knowing when.
When he woke up the next day, several young ladies from the Liao family came to visit Zhou Shaojin.
Zhou Chujin's status as the eldest lady, the gold and ruby hairpin and the smoky gauze jacket that Zhou Shaojin wore when she went to see the old lady of the Liao family yesterday, all made the young ladies of the Liao family feel a chill in their hearts, and they dared not look at her as the daughter of a "fourth-rank prefect". Today, seeing Zhou Shaojin with only a simple bun on her head, but wearing a magnolia flower with jadeite, and the pearl on the tip of her shoe, the size of a lotus seed, emitting a quiet glow in the dim light of the room, their expressions became a little subtle.
Zhou Shaojin did it on purpose.
In her previous life, the people of the Liao family always felt that her sister came from a humble background and were afraid that she would have to subsidize her parents' family. So this time she came with great fanfare. Not only did she give out rewards of ten or fifteen taels of silver, she also chose low-key yet luxurious clothes to support her sister.
Mrs. Fan Liu didn't notice anything, but Nanny Shang immediately smelled a different scent.
She sent a message out.
Before noon, the wife of Zhenjiang Tongpan Chen Shuming and the wife of Zhenjiang prefect Gao Yao both posted invitations to Zhou Shaojin to come to their homes for dinner.
Zhou Shaojin was very surprised. He couldn't understand how they knew he was passing by Zhenjiang and invited him to dinner.
She naturally declined politely and sent two gifts in return.
But this matter spread throughout the Liao Mansion.
When she got up to say goodbye in the afternoon, Zhou Chujin's aunts, sisters-in-law and unmarried sisters-in-law all came out to see her off, and old lady Liao even personally escorted her out of the courtyard where she lived.
Zhou Shaojin left the Liao family with a smile.
But as soon as she got back to the official ship, she pulled Shang Ma to ask, "How could they possibly post a notice to me?"
Especially Gao Yao's wife, whose father was the Minister of Works and Grand Secretary of Jinshen Palace Qu Yuan, and who was related to the wife of the Duke of Liang. And she didn't look like the kind of person who would entertain people.
Nanny Shang smiled and said, "The Fourth Master has written a letter to Lord Gao, asking him to take good care of her while you are staying in Zhenjiang Prefecture. As for Lord Liu's wife, I don't know what's going on!"
"Oh!" Zhou Shaojin responded lightly and asked Nanny Shang to retreat. Then his eyebrows lit up and he fell on the bed with a smile.
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The journey after that was smooth sailing and I didn't encounter any unexpected events or people.
Sixteen days later, they arrived in Tianjin.
Zhou Zhen’s lawyer has already brought people to wait at the dock.
He was shocked when he saw the dozen or so guards accompanying him.
Li Changgui hurriedly explained: "It's someone from the Cheng family."
The lawyer heaved a sigh of relief, and while offering a warm welcome, he couldn't help but glance at the carriage Zhou Shaojin was sitting in. He had originally been a little disapproving of Dong Weng's mobilizing so many people to pick up a young lady, but now he had changed his attitude and acted a little more cautiously than usual.
Taking a carriage was more tiring than taking a boat, but fortunately they reached Baoding Prefecture in just five days.
Zhou Zhen did not rent a house outside, but lived in the county government office.
This day was not a day off, he was still handling a case in court. Li, with a large group of maids and servants, was waiting at the second gate to welcome Zhou Shaojin.
When Zhou Shaojin saw the pretty little girl being held behind Li, he immediately fell in love with his half-sister.
After greeting Li, she couldn't help but gently touch the girl's black hair and said with a smile: "This is my sister Youjin, right?"
Li hurriedly asked Zhou Youjin to call her sister.
Zhou Youjin was very obedient. She called "Sister" in a baby voice and buried her head shyly in her wet nurse's arms.
Zhou Shaojin chuckled.
Li's heart finally settled down. She went to the east wing with Zhou Shaojin and explained apologetically, "The yamen is very small. Knowing that you were coming, the master had asked people to inquire about whether there were any better houses for rent. But the master is the parent official here, and there are many things to consider. He couldn't find a suitable place for the time being. You have to stay in the yamen for a few days. Once we find a suitable place, we will move in."
Zhou Shaojin thought that he had brought too many people with him, and his face turned red. He said, "Madam, there is no need to be like this. Those guards were arranged by the old lady. They will send me to the land and then go back. As for those who serve me, everyone can squeeze in. I will send some of them back to Jinling in a few days."
"How can that be possible?" Li said with a smile, "There is no reason to send all the servants around the Second Miss back."
As the two were talking, Zhou Zhen returned to the back house early.
Zhou Shaojin happily went to greet them and specially introduced Nanny Shang and Xiao Tan to his father.
Because one was rewarded by Old Madam Guo and the other was rewarded by Cheng Chi, Zhou Zhen spoke a few words to them in a friendly manner, then let the two of them leave, and smiled as he took Zhou Shaojin to the study to talk.
Li personally instructed the maids in the house to help Zhou Shaojin clean up the side room. Zhou Zhen had already started talking to Zhou Shaojin in the study.
"What happened that made you rush to Baoding so quickly?" Zhou Zhen frowned, looking solemn and dignified.
Some things can be hidden from my sister, but not from my father. What's more, she has owed Uncle Chi a favor and needs my father's help to repay it!
Zhou Shaojin nervously told Zhou Zhen everything that had happened.
※
Dear readers, yesterday's typos have been corrected, and a few minor inconsistencies have also been corrected. I'm afraid today's typos can only be corrected at noon...
※(To be continued)