Wu Baozhang rolled his eyes, but Zhou Shaojin was happily talking to Qiu: "...Are you going to help out at the master's house today?"
They are talking about letting my brother go!
Qiu looked around and saw Wu Baozhang looking over here. She smiled and nodded at Wu Baozhang, saying loudly, "Nue, it's cold outside. Go back to the house and rest!"
Wu Baozhang came over with a smile, said hello and left.
Mrs. Qiu placed the cleaned incense burner on the incense table, and then whispered to Zhou Shaojin, "The teacher who taught Rang'er is Mr. Xie, who retired from the Imperial Academy. He was over fifty years old before he passed the imperial examination, but his son Xie Yi passed the imperial examination when he was in his thirties. He is now the chief clerk of the Imperial Household Department. Mr. Xie took a liking to our Rang'er and wanted to marry his granddaughter to him. Today, he specially asked Rang'er to come to his house to help. I was afraid that he would be impolite, so I asked Jiashan to accompany him."
Zhou Shaojin opened his eyes wide and said, "Doesn't that mean we're going to have another member in our family?"
Mrs. Qiu smiled and said, "I don't know if it will work out yet!" Then she changed the subject and said with a look of joy on her face, "Even if this doesn't work out, my brother is old enough to get married."
Zhou Shaojin smiled and said, "Have you ever seen the young lady from the Xie family?"
Mrs. Qiu looked around again and whispered, "I haven't seen them yet, but they are all honest people. Mr. Xie went to the academy to supplement the family income. You also know our family. Now we are separated and live alone. Brother is also an honest person. I have discussed it with your second brother and think that our family should find a daughter-in-law who can live an honest life."
Zhou Shaojin didn't know what to say.
Even so, we have to look at the person, right
However, some things are fate, and it would not be good for her to object or agree at this time.
Qiu also saw through her thoughts and said with a smile: "I think we are making our brother timid. If the other party likes her, it won't be too late for us to go and take a look at the girl."
Since Qiu knew everything, Zhou Shaojin didn't say much. He set up the altar with Qiu and went to the kitchen.
Yuan's side was also ready. Seeing them coming, she said, "The eldest master just came back from the Yuan Lord's place and is talking to mother in the hall. We can start the feast as soon as our brother and Jiashan come back!"
Before she finished her words, a little maid ran over and said with a smile: "Madam, Second Madam, Fourth Madam, the First Master and the Second Master are back!"
Yuan's face lit up with joy, and she said to Zhou Shaojin and Qiu with a smile: "Then let's go to the hall too!"
Old Madam Guo was in the hall, so when Cheng Xu and Cheng Rang came back, they naturally went to pay their respects to Old Madam Guo first.
Zhou Shaojin and Qiu agreed, and the three sisters-in-law went to the hall together.
Cheng Shao, Cheng Chi, and Cheng Wen came out of the study room at some point and sat around Madam Guo. Cheng Rang and Cheng Xu stood side by side in front of Madam Guo, one blushing and shy, a little overwhelmed, while the other spoke to Madam Guo in a very dignified manner: "… The headmaster of the academy invited Mr. Xie's family to a reunion party, so we didn't stay long. We just talked a few words and asked about homework, and then my second brother and I came back."
Madam Guo smiled and nodded, then said to Cheng Xu, "It's cold outside, go change your clothes quickly, and then take your brother to set off the firecrackers and then we'll have the feast."
Cheng Xu smiled and replied “yes”.
Cheng Nuo hurriedly said: "I'll go help too."
Madam Guo didn't bother to be polite with him and said, "It's New Year's Day, so be careful."
Cheng Xu and the others responded in unison and walked out one after another.
Zhou Shaojin took a few steps back.
But Cheng Xu still saw her.
His eyes suddenly became dim and his steps came to a halt.
Zhou Shaojin subconsciously wanted to avoid him, but then she thought that she had done nothing wrong, so why should she avoid him? Besides, she was already Cheng Xu's aunt, and they would meet each other every day. It was impossible for them to never meet again. Instead of avoiding him at this time and making Cheng Xu feel uncomfortable, it would be better to meet him head-on and let him know her attitude.
She made the decision in a flash, and her clear eyes met Cheng Xu's gaze without dodging or avoiding.
Cheng Xu was stunned.
Then, he felt a little uncomfortable in Zhou Shaojin's eyes, which were as clear as a mountain spring.
It was his fault what happened back then... But isn't Zhou Shaojin affected at all
Or is he simply not worth mentioning to her
Cheng Xu was confused.
Cheng Rang, who was behind him, bumped into him for no apparent reason, and cried out, "Ouch!", "Brother...what's wrong with you?"
"It's okay, it's okay." Cheng Xu came back to his senses and said hurriedly, "I was thinking about whether I should get an incense stick from here..."
"It's in the kitchen!" Cheng Rang smiled shyly.
Cheng Xumang and Cheng Rang left the main hall.
Zhou Shaojin felt relieved.
It seems that some things should be faced directly!
She felt someone's gaze resting on her.
Zhou Shaojin looked over following her feeling and saw Cheng Chi looking at her with a smile.
His eyes were full of encouragement.
Cheng Chi should have seen the scene just now, right
Does he also think he is doing the right thing
Zhou Shaojin couldn't help but laugh along.
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On the second day of the Chinese New Year, they went to Xinglin Tong Hu again. Zhou Shaojin and Cheng Zheng, Cheng Xiao, and Cheng Sheng accompanied Mrs. Guo to play mahjong for a whole day.
In the third year of junior high school, Zhou Shaojin and Cheng Chi went to Zhou Chujin's place.
Mrs. Liao went to Fang's house. Liao Shaotang and Cheng Chi were drinking in the banquet room, while Zhou Shaojin and Zhou Chujin were chatting and teasing Guan Ge in the inner room.
"Grandmother said that they will set off for the capital after the Lantern Festival." Zhou Shaojin pulled Guan Ge's thumb out of his mouth and said to him with a smile, "Then let them stay at my place!"
Zhou Shaojin is Zhou Chujin's half-sister, and Zhou Zhen is the son-in-law of the fourth room, which is unavoidable. After the Cheng family split up, Zhou Zhen asked Cheng Mian and others to preside over Zhou Shaojin's marriage, which in itself was a hint to the fourth room to choose between Zhou Zhen and the eldest room of the Cheng family. Cheng Mian agreed to send Zhou Shaojin off as an uncle, which actually meant accepting Zhou Zhen's suggestion. So after Zhou Shaojin got married, Cheng Mian returned to Jinling, while Old Lady Guan and others went to Baoding Prefecture and stayed at Zhou's house for the New Year.
Zhou Shaojin smiled and hugged Guan Ge, saying, "Why bother? Your mother-in-law is not easy to talk to. Instead of living with you, it's better to live in Yuqian Hutong."
Zhou Shaojin had more or less guessed what his father was up to.
She didn't invite Old Lady Guan and others to live near Chaoyangmen.
Zhou Chujin smiled and said, "Isn't it that I'm afraid Cheng Zichuan won't agree?"
After all, he was her uncle and took good care of her at that time. She was embarrassed to call Cheng Chi brother-in-law, nor was it appropriate to call him uncle, so she called Cheng Chi by his full name.
Zhou Shaojin smiled and said, "I can still make the decision on this little matter!"
But the upper room cannot be occupied by anyone.
The two sisters had reached an agreement. Zhou Shaojin asked curiously, "Why did your mother-in-law go to Fang's house? Today is the third day of the Chinese New Year!"
Zhou Chujin smiled and said, "The Sixth Miss of the Fang family made a reservation today and invited my mother-in-law. I said you were coming, so you stayed."
Zhou Shaojin said: "So fast!"
Zhou Chujin smiled and said, "They said they've already picked a wedding date - it's set for March 6th."
Cheng and Xu got married in February, and Fang Xuan got married in March.
It can be said that it is in line with the saying "walking first leads to advancing later", and it keeps the blessing at home.
Zhou Shaojin smiled slightly.
Following Cheng Chi to visit relatives and friends, the Lantern Festival will soon be here.
Since Old Madam Guan agreed to live in Yuqian Hutong and Old Madam Guo wanted to move back, people had to be arranged in Yuqian Hutong and Tingxiangyuan also had to be cleaned up, so Zhou Shaojin had to be busy on both ends.
The Spring Festival Gala reminded her: "I heard that there are lanterns to see at Xizhimen and Zhuque Street."
However, Zhou Shaojin did not say a word in front of Cheng Chi - even when Cheng Chi went to visit people these days, he often talked to people in secluded places. She guessed that he was investigating the matter of Lord Qu.
On the Lantern Festival, Cheng Chi not only did not mention taking her to see the lanterns, he also left early and said that he would not be back for dinner, so she should go to bed early and not wait for him at the door.
The maids and servants in the house didn't know what was going on, and they spoke and acted cautiously.
Zhou Shaojin was amused and said to Chunwan, "You still don't allow the Fourth Master to have any problems? You are going too far."
Chun Wan and the others laughed and said, "Fourth Master usually takes care of you! But this time he didn't take you to see the lanterns!"
As she was talking, Qiu came over.
I was also surprised to see her home alone.
Zhou Shaojin had no choice but to say: "The Fourth Master has gone out for something. He will be back later!"
After hearing this, Qiu's expression immediately became a little relaxed, and she said, "Shaojin, the Xie family is satisfied with letting my brother see her, and has arranged to meet him at Daxiangguo Temple on the second day of February. You and Ah Sheng will accompany me then."
Zhou Shaojin naturally agreed, and Qiu left happily.
When the lights went out on the 17th day of the first lunar month, Zhou Shaojin and Cheng Chi went to pick up Old Madam Guo. Cheng Chi impeached Qu Yuan for embezzling river silver, which caused a civil uprising in Jining Prefecture to explode inside and outside the court.
Mrs. Guo was silent for a long time after hearing the news, and asked Cheng Chi: "Have you decided to stay in the Censorate for a long time?"
Cheng Chi nodded and said with a smile: "I didn't plan to stay for a long time. It seems that I have no choice but to stay in the Censorate this time!"
He looked calm and composed, with a relaxed smile, which made Mrs. Guo sigh and say "you kid", then she didn't know what to say.
Cheng Chi comforted his mother: "My second brother also said, 'A gentleman should do what he should do and should not do what he should not do.' This is also what our mother often taught us when we were young. I don't want to regret it one day."
Madam Guo heaved a long sigh of relief and said decisively, "Then go on. Don't betray your conscience."
Cheng Chi bowed to his mother.
Mrs. Guo became happy again, took Zhou Shaojin's hand, and said, "Let's go and have dinner."
Zhou Shaojin took Mrs. Guo’s arm and smiled.
In the evening, Cheng Jing and Cheng Wei came over, and the three brothers talked in the study for a long time. When Cheng Chi returned to the inner room, Zhou Shaojin filled some hot water for him to soak his feet and asked him quietly, "What did uncle say?"
"He said he would come forward to talk to Lord Yuan. He asked me to ask Lord Song to come forward to visit the Minister of Justice Li Jiangling." Cheng Chi laughed, "He said the same thing as Lord Song - Lord Song asked me to ask my brother to come forward to visit Lord Yuan."
At the critical moment, Cheng Jing did not let go.
Zhou Shaojin's heart finally settled down.
Qingfeng reported through the curtain: "Fourth Master, Huo Dongting is here. He said he has something urgent to discuss with you."
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Hey guys, today's update.
O(∩_∩)O~
PS: Tomorrow’s update will still be around noon.
※(To be continued)