Zhou Shaojin thought about it and told Zhou Chujin about his several encounters with Cheng Xu.
Zhou Chujin was stunned. It took him a long time to come back to his senses. He stammered, "You mean, you mean that Master Xu from the eldest house treats you, treats you... differently?"
If it were in her previous life, Zhou Shaojin would have nodded without hesitation, but after experiencing Cheng Lu's sudden engagement with Wu Baozhang, she had learned to keep her mouth shut. She would never be sentimental unless others explained clearly.
"I don't know." She said, "But I always feel that this is not a good thing. It's better to stay away from him..."
Zhou Chujin thought for a while and said, "I think he is more reliable than Cheng Lu..."
Zhou Shaojin was so frightened that he broke out in a cold sweat and said hurriedly, "Sister, you just said that if I had any trouble with any of the cousins from the Cheng family, my grandmother and my aunt would have been responsible for the incident. The two elders love us so much, we didn't slap them in the face, but we can't smear them either! I think we should never mention this matter again, and you have to find a way to help me stay away from Cheng Xu."
She thought about the entanglement of Cheng Ju from the fifth room with her after the news of Cheng Lu and Wu Baozhang's engagement came out. She realized that Cheng Ju had long coveted her beauty and had long wanted to do something bad, but he didn't dare to do it because of Cheng Xu. She said, "It's best to stay away from these so-called cousins of the Cheng family." Thinking about her own difficulties after her sister got married, she said, "I will go to my father's post after my sister gets married." After all, her father was the master of the family. No matter how badly her stepmother treated her, she didn't dare to embarrass her in the matter of marriage.
Zhou Chujin was really shocked and ashamed when she heard this. She pulled her sister's hand and said, "I was confused. I only thought about fame and wealth, but forgot about the right family background. Fortunately, you have a prudent character, otherwise I would have misled you."
"No, sister is just too concerned." Zhou Shaojin felt that if she had not lived two lives, she might not be able to see so clearly. She sat down next to her sister and talked to her in private: "I know that sister is worried about me and wants me to marry into a good family. But not everyone can marry into the Cheng family. Let's not talk about anything else, just take the third cousin Zheng. He is 22 years old this year, a scholar in the 17th year of Zhide, but he has not yet arranged a marriage. I heard from Cheng Jia that her grandmother felt that the third branch was weak and wanted to find a wife for the cousin Zheng who could help him in his official career. The third branch is like this, let alone the eldest branch
"You will definitely say that. The eldest son of the family is already a junior minister, and our ancestors have produced five Jinshi scholars. Finding a Yue family member who can help in the official career is just icing on the cake, and there is no need. But sister, have you ever thought about it? People outside see us wearing gold and silver, and having carriages and servants when we go out, and they are very envious, but we still feel that our lives are not going well, and we hope to move up to a higher level. Similarly, I think cousin Xu is already very good, and Aunt Jing may even hope that he will be appointed as a prime minister and enter the cabinet, and become a famous person in history."
Having said this, Zhou Shaojin was stunned.
Why didn't she think of this in her previous life? !
Logically speaking, after what happened between her and Cheng Xu, Yuan should have considered Cheng Xu's reputation and married her first. Whether it was harassment, scolding, life or death, she became the daughter-in-law of the Cheng family, and even if her father knew about it, he couldn't do anything about it. But Yuan's reaction was so violent, she was completely furious, hysterical, and desperate... The greater the hope, the greater the disappointment.
Not only did she destroy the marriage between the Cheng and Min families, hindering Cheng Xu's future, but she also dashed Yuan's hopes...
Who will benefit from it
Second room!
Cheng Rang, the son of Cheng Wei, the second master of the eldest house, is still young. Although he is well-educated, he has a very weak temper; Cheng Chi, it seems, has never married and has no children; Cheng Xun, the son of the second master, died early. If nothing happens to the Cheng family, it is only a matter of time before Cheng Shi, the second master, crushes Cheng Rang and becomes the head of the Cheng family.
There are three more bedrooms!
Because Cheng Zheng was finally married with the daughter of Wang Jian, the Minister of Personnel, through the matchmaking of the Hong family. He passed the imperial examination before Cheng Gao, entered the Shuji Academy, and served as a Censor in the Ministry of Justice.
At that time, Cheng Jing's health was already poor. According to Cheng Yi, Cheng Zheng had been studying with Cheng Jing since he passed the imperial examination, and the chief examiner of Cheng Zheng that year was Cheng Jing's senior fellow student.
Now that I think about it, Cheng Jing might have had some sense, which is why he started to spare no effort to promote the Ctrip card.
Cheng Zheng was promoted to Junior Official of Dali Temple after only two years in the post of Imperial Secretary. His career was so smooth that it made people jealous. Even his brother-in-law Liao Shaotang once lamented...
Zhou Shaojin pursed his lips and told his sister that he had Zichuan's protection.
Zhou Chujin was shocked and asked, "Did you hear clearly that those people called him 'Zichuan'?"
"I heard it clearly." Zhou Shaojin said seriously, "It is true that the young master was called 'Zichuan'. Could it be that sister knows who he is
Zhou Chujin didn't know whether to laugh or cry, and said, "He is the fourth master of the eldest house, Cheng Chi, with the courtesy name Zichuan, and he was a Jinshi in the 15th year of Zhide." As she spoke, she tapped Zhou Shaojin's forehead, "You, you didn't even know that you had the blessing of your elders. Fortunately, you told me today, otherwise you wouldn't even know who to thank."
"Yes, it's the fourth master of the eldest house, Cheng Chi?" Zhou Shaojin really didn't expect it even in his dreams. "I saw that he treated the prince of Liangguo very casually... I thought he was some prince who came to celebrate the birthday of the ancestor of the second house?"
She muttered softly, thinking that it was him who rescued Cheng Xu from the execution ground in her previous life, and suddenly she felt that he should be this kind of person, otherwise he would not have done such a thing as robbing an execution ground.
No wonder Cheng Xu took Pan Zhuo away without saying anything.
And Pan Zhuo's expression at the time, as if he was dumbfounded, he obviously recognized one of them.
But who did he recognize
Gu Jiunie was not yet famous at that time. He was just a young man from a noble family in Jinling City who was famous for his poetry and literature. Although Zhu Pengju was a nobleman, his influence on scholars was small, so he was not that surprising to Pan Zhuo... Could it be that he recognized Yuan Bieyun
Zhou Shaojin's heart was filled with curiosity, but more of it was gratitude.
If I hadn’t met Cheng Chi today, this wouldn’t have been the outcome.
She said, "Sister, what you said makes sense. As for Uncle Chi, I don't know whether he knew or not. Since I know it was him, I should at least go and thank him. After the birthday banquet for the second ancestor, sister, can you accompany me to thank Uncle Chi? And we should also say thank you to father."
Zhou Chujin nodded and said hesitantly, "I think it's better not to make it public about my father, so as to avoid causing trouble."
Yes! How to explain Cheng Chi's help to me
Zhou Shaojin nodded and said, "Should we tell Madam Guo?"
Zhou Chujin said: "It is definitely not appropriate for you and me to go and talk to them. It is best to discuss this matter with my grandmother and my aunt first."
The two sisters were talking when Shi Xiang reported through the curtain: "Miss, Miss, Dong Wan said that the show at the Peony Terrace is about to end. Can we go over?"
It will naturally pass.
Otherwise, how will you answer when the elders ask you questions
Zhou Shaojin quickly changed his clothes and went to Mudan Terrace with Zhou Chujin.
Fortunately, the show was just over when they entered, and most people thought that Zhou Chujin was waiting for Zhou Shaojin to come in together. Only a few people noticed that Zhou Chujin had not appeared since Zhou Shaojin left, and Cheng Ji was one of them.
She pulled Zhou Shaojin's sleeve and whispered, "What did you sisters do? You were sneaky!"
"You are the one who is sneaky." Zhou Shaojin said unhappily, "Why do your words become so unpleasant to the ear? If you do this again, don't talk to me anymore!"
Cheng Ji turned around and left in anger.
Zhou Shaojin disagreed and quietly looked at the female guests.
Pan Qing calmly supported his grandmother, Old Lady Tang, while Wu Baozhang was talking in a low voice and laughing with Miss Sun, who was wearing a scarlet gold-woven jacket.
As if nothing had happened.
Zhou Shaojin winked at Feicui, and Feicui took the opportunity to walk to Zhou Shaojin's side. Zhou Shaojin asked her, "When did Miss Pan and Miss Wu come back?"
She was a little nervous before and didn't pay attention to these things.
But it’s different now.
If she wants to save herself, she must not only find out why Cheng Lu wants to destroy her reputation, but also find out the power relations between the several branches of the Cheng family!
Feicui was a little surprised, but still said, "Before I came back, Miss Wu was talking to Miss Sun. About a quarter of an hour later, Miss Pan came back. At that time, Old Man Tang asked Miss Pan why she had been gone for so long. Miss Pan said that she met Master Pan and they had a conversation."
Zhou Shaojin thought Pan Qing was the first to come back.
In other words, after Pan Qing and Pan Zhuo broke up, Pan Qing did not return to Mudan Terrace immediately. He either went somewhere else or did something else...
Zhou Shaojin smiled and thanked Feicui.
Feicui distanced herself from Zhou Shaojin calmly.
Wu Baozhang walked over and said with a smile: "I didn't expect that the second young lady got along so well with Miss Feicui just a few days after knowing her. The two of them were talking and laughing, which really made others envious!"
Are you the only one who can pretend
Zhou Shaojin sneered in his heart, but he was very polite on the surface, saying: "Thanks to Madam Guo for her kindness, she specially asked Miss Feicui to take care of me. Miss Feicui is careful and considerate, and we get along very well."
"Really?" Wu Baozhang laughed, "I thought it was because of Mr. Xu!"
I knew Wu Baozhang would make a fuss about this matter.
Zhou Shaojin opened his eyes wide in astonishment and asked curiously, "Cousin Xu? What does this have to do with Cousin Xu? Miss Feicui is from Old Madam Guo's room."
Wu Baozhang was surprised, then slowly squinted his eyes and smiled: "Second Miss, I didn't expect you to be so funny! Not only me, it seems that Miss Pan also saw Master Xu chasing you all the way to Sanzhixuan!"
It turns out that the place where Uncle Chi drinks tea is called Sanzhixuan.
She thought Sanzhixuan was a house, but it turned out to be a thatched pavilion.
Zhou Shaojin didn't know why she had the time to care about these things at this time... She said: "What is Miss Wu talking about? Why don't I understand? You said that Cousin Xu followed me to Sanzhixuan, and Miss Pan also saw it..." She shouted "Cousin Qing" loudly, then smiled and whispered, "Why don't we call Cousin Qing to confront her!"
※
Tomorrow is another tearful Monday...
※(To be continued)