Zhou Shaojin was extremely embarrassed. He said "Oh" twice and perfunctorily said to Chunwan: "Nothing, it's just that I seemed to have seen a book of lyrics a few days ago, but I don't know where I lost it?"
Chun Wan smiled and said, "Is it the "Return of the Pearl" you read a few days ago? I remember we put the book under the kang for you. I'll go find it for you now..."
What's so good about that book!
The scholar won the first place in the imperial examination and was noticed by the prime minister of the dynasty, who asked him to be his son-in-law. He wanted to be rich but was afraid of losing his reputation. In the end, his first wife and the prime minister's daughter followed the example of Ehuang and Nvying... She read two chapters, turned the page and threw it aside.
"It's not that one!" Zhou Shaojin continued to make up stories, "I don't remember the name, I just remember it had a blue cover... Never mind, don't look for it anymore, maybe it will pop up someday!" She changed the subject, "Where's the fourth master? Why don't I see him?"
Chun Wan smiled and said, "The fourth master got up early in the morning and went for a horse ride with Uncle Huaishan. He also left a message, saying that if you wake up and he hasn't come back yet, you can have breakfast first and don't have to wait for him. Madam, shall I ask Yuanyuanmanman to come and dress you up?"
Now that the Fourth Master is back, the Fourth Mistress will definitely take good care of him.
Zhou Shaojin blushed slightly. She picked out a lavender gold-woven jacket, a pink Xiang skirt with twelve embroidered Baoxiang flowers, and a lotus seed-sized South Pearl hairpin. She looked dignified and beautiful, and also had a bit of girlish liveliness. Chunwan nodded as she watched, not to mention Cheng Chi who had just returned from outside. He handed the horsewhip to Chunwan and said to Zhou Shaojin, "Send someone to fetch some water. I need to change clothes!"
The implication is that you should come and serve me.
Zhou Shaojin stood up with a red face.
Only nine days after their marriage he went to Jining. At that time there were guests at home, and they were either entertaining the guests or making out in bed. Naturally, they were in love with each other, and there was no question of how they should get along as a couple.
Now that she has to settle down and live her life, she has forgotten about it.
Zhou Shaojin walked towards Cheng Chi.
Cheng Chi went straight to the ear room connected to the inner room.
Zhou Shaojin hurriedly followed.
The ear room was divided into two halves, one half was used to store the clothes that she and Cheng Chi often wore, and the other half was used as a bathroom.
Cheng Chi was already taking off his clothes when she went in.
Zhou Shaojin hurried forward to help.
But Cheng Chi held her in his arms, lowered his head and whispered in her ear: "Does your body still hurt?"
Zhou Shaojin blushed.
He didn't ask her yesterday, but what he did was even more embarrassing than asking her. When she woke up in the morning, her body was covered in bruises and purples, all of which were marks he left on her. And she had a vague feeling that he seemed to have done it on purpose.
"I was wrong yesterday!" Cheng Chi apologized to her in a low voice in her ear, "Since the day I left, I have been thinking about you every day. Looking at you in my arms, I couldn't help it..." As he spoke, his eyes revealed the tenderness he had when he looked at her yesterday.
Zhou Shaojin was shocked.
He shouldn't be here at this time...
She thought about how he wanted her help changing clothes, and how he always helped her put on clothes in the past... She became more and more certain.
Zhou Shaojin's face was hot, and he quickly pushed his shoulder and said, "Don't do this, not here..." If someone saw him, he would be so embarrassed...
Cheng Chi hugged her and kissed her cheek, then whispered, "Does your body still hurt?"
She hesitated for a moment, thinking that he might treat her like this tonight, she didn't dare to evade him, and said shyly: "A little bit..."
She said it was still a little bit, and it must be very uncomfortable.
Cheng Chi's eyes dimmed slightly, and he gently stroked her black hair, and said in a slightly hoarse voice: "Shao Jin, I'll apply some medicine for you..."
What you fear will come true!
As soon as Cheng Chi finished speaking, before Zhou Shaojin could come back, he heard a cry of "Ouch!", and Fan Liu came in through the curtain holding a copper basin, and then quickly retreated.
Zhou Shaojin's face felt hot and he wanted to find a place to hide.
Cheng Chi, on the other hand, looked calm and composed. He not only smiled and reassured her, "It's okay," but also said, "You are my wife now, this is the right thing for us to do. If we ignore each other, what will happen? Don't worry, your nurse will be happy to see us like this!"
Zhou Shaojin also knew.
But knowing is knowing, being caught is being caught.
Cheng Chi comforted her for a long time before she had the courage to ask someone to fetch some water through the curtain.
This time, it was Yuanyuan and Manman who came in. They smiled and fetched water for Cheng Chi.
Cheng Chi ordered Zhou Shaojin to change his clothes, as if he had to have Zhou Shaojin serve him.
Zhou Shaojin looked at him, feeling happy in his heart, and circled around Cheng Chi.
Yuanyuan and Manman both smiled.
Zhou Shaojin had no choice but to pretend he didn't see it.
After finally helping Cheng Chi change his clothes, the two of them sat on the big kang by the window in the banquet room to have breakfast.
Cheng Chi then instructed Zhou Shaojin to help her set the table and serve the porridge and soup.
Zhou Shaojin really enjoyed helping him with this and that, and the smile on his face never stopped. Even when he went to Tingxiangyuan to pay his respects to Madam Guo, he couldn't suppress his joy.
Mrs. Guo couldn't help but tease them as she watched: "It's different with one more person in this room. It looks more lively."
Zhou Shaojin lowered his eyelids and placed the tea brought by the maid next to Madam Guo. He did not dare to look up. Cheng Chi said calmly, "Otherwise, why would you want to get married and have children? It would be more lively if you have someone to keep you company."
Mrs. Guo laughed and said nothing more.
Cheng Chi asked about Madam Guo's visit to Xinglin Hutong: "… Lord Yang has been taken to Beijing, and I plan to visit the Yang family, and then go to the home of Lord Song, and then visit a few superiors and colleagues. Since I have returned from Jining, I have to visit them. If you have set a date to go to Xinglin Hutong, please let me know in advance so that I can take you there."
Madam Guo said calmly, "Let them come and pick you up! You don't have to worry about me, Shao Jin will be at home by then. I'll just stay there for a few days and then come back." Then she changed the subject and said, "As for the Yang family, since you are going there, bring some money with you! Lord Yang has committed a crime, and their family must be having a hard time."
Cheng Chi nodded: "I don't need to. I have also prepared some things for the adults."
Mrs. Guo nodded, and the three of them chatted for a while. Seeing that it was getting late, Zhou Shaojin saw Cheng Chi out.
Cheng Chi was afraid that she would get cold, so when they left the east road, thinking that the people from Old Madam Guo's side wouldn't see them coming, he rubbed her hands and said, "Go back and have a rest, everything for the New Year has been arranged anyway, don't get cold, I'll come back and have dinner with you."
Zhou Shaojin reluctantly replied "OK", and reluctantly helped him straighten his cloak which was actually smooth and had no marks, and said "Be careful on the road". A servant came running over and saw them from a distance and called out "Fourth Master". "Fourth Madam" stepped forward and saluted, saying, "The eldest master and the eldest madam are here."
What are they here for
And Cheng Jing came here in person.
The New Year is coming soon and Cheng Chi is so busy, let alone Cheng Jing.
Zhou Shaojin looked towards Cheng Chi.
Cheng Chi smiled and said to her: "Maybe he is here to pick up mom."
Zhou Shaojin hesitated and asked, "Do you want to meet with uncle?"
"Since you're here, we have to meet." Cheng Chi said with a smile, and brought Zhou Shaojin to greet Cheng Chi in front of the hanging flower gate.
This was the first time Cheng Chi and Cheng Jing met after the incident at the River Governor's Office.
Cheng Jing looked Cheng Chi up and down with a smile on his face, "You did a good job, little brat! Now the emperor even remembers your name."
Cheng Chi didn't care, raised his eyebrows and smiled: "When have you ever seen me make a mistake?"
The tone is quite arrogant and domineering.
Cheng Jing laughed out loud.
Yuan couldn't help but look at Zhou Shaojin.
She stood quietly by the side, looking at Cheng Chi with curved eyebrows and eyes, peaceful and gentle, as beautiful as a lotus blooming alone.
Yuan felt as if something was blocking her heart.
I really don’t know what the old lady is thinking
There are so many options for the fourth brother to marry, why did he have to marry her
Even if I wanted to get close to her, I couldn't.
Other families hope for a harmonious family and prosperity, but the old lady is different. She seems to be afraid that the world will not be in chaos.
Fortunately, they separated and lived separately. Otherwise, she and Zhou Shaojin had to go in and out of the same door, which made her so angry that she almost died.
Thinking of this, Yuan took a few deep breaths, and then swallowed the anger and unhappiness in her heart, and greeted Zhou Shaojin: "How are the preparations for the New Year at home going? Is there anything I can help with?"
Zhou Shaojin said to her politely: "With mother here to look after us, there shouldn't be anything missing at home. If you need any help, I will tell my sister-in-law."
After the two finished speaking, they had nothing else to say, so they turned their attention to Cheng Jing and Cheng Chi.
The two brothers were talking in high spirits. Cheng Jing said, "Since the Ministry of Works has sent someone to take the lead, you should not cause trouble. When this matter is over, I will find a way to transfer you back. It is best to go to the Tongzhengsi. That is the position of the Junior Nine Ministers. Lord He is also the father-in-law of Gao Ge'er. I have already discussed with the Dali Temple and transferred an experienced person from there. You will be a fifth-rank official there - it is not easy for others to be promoted directly like this. You were demoted from the sixth rank, and you can be promoted again to pass the test. Just keep a low profile to prevent someone from making a fuss about this."
In the final analysis, it was to tell Cheng Chi not to offend anyone in the matter of Yang Shoushan, and to avoid being impeached when he was promoted to the fifth rank as an exception.
Zhou Shaojin frowned slightly.
If you want to be a powerful official, your resume must stand up to scrutiny.
The fifth rank, unless conferred by imperial decree of the emperor, to be promoted quietly like this is like a brick missing from the foundation of a wall, who knows when it will collapse because of this brick.
Yuan was also surprised, but more than that, she felt uncomfortable.
The husband is doing his best to help the fourth child!
By the time her son is born, she doesn’t know whether the Cheng family will still have such resources.
"Thank you, big brother!" Cheng Chi said with a smile, "Big brother, don't ask anyone for help on my behalf. Isn't Jiashan going to take part in the Spring Examination soon? Besides, I have already decided to spend my days in the Censorate. Although the Tongzhengsi is good, it is not as good as the Censorate. They are all the emperor's confidants, but most of the censors in the Censorate are honest officials."
The scholars in the literati community respect the clean stream more!
※
Dear friends, today’s update!
O(∩_∩)O~
The update will still be around 10 o'clock in the evening!
PS: At the beginning of the month, I’m looking for the guaranteed pink ticket…
※(To be continued)