It was precisely because of his consideration for her and his son that Cheng Chi invited the chief steward Qin to renovate the old house.
Zhou Shaojin muttered to himself but didn't know what to say to Jiying. His slightly embarrassed look turned into helplessness in Jiying's eyes.
Ji Ying has always liked Zhou Shaojin, so naturally she didn't want to embarrass her. She regretted her quick words, and immediately suppressed her dissatisfaction with Cheng Chi in her heart, and told her about her coming to Beijing: "Anyway, remember to tell me if you have anything in the future. Qin Ziping will soon be transferred to Shuntian Prefecture to serve as a constable. The elders bought us a small house with two entrances in Xizhimen. I am almost done with my own work. From now on, I can only take care of the children and do needlework at home. If you don't come to visit me, I'm afraid I won't even have anyone to talk to... You should come to my place often to play."
Madam Guo is here at Chaoyang Gate, and there is a distinction between master and servant. The Qin family has been servants of the Cheng family for so many years, and it would be wrong for the younger generation like them not to pay their respects when they see Madam Guo. But Ji Ying feels uncomfortable being so respectful every time.
Zhou Shaojin understood her thoughts, smiled, and agreed readily.
Because there were guests in the flower hall and Tingxiang Courtyard, Zhou Shaojin said a few words to her and was about to get up to entertain the guests.
"I'll stay and take care of Yun'er for you." Ji Ying didn't know those people, and she loved Yun'er, so she didn't want to go over.
Zhou Shaojin said, "When he wakes up later, we have to carry him over to show him to the old lady, Wu Daxueshi and the others."
"Then let him sleep a little longer." Ji Ying said disapprovingly, "There are loud gongs and drums outside, aren't you afraid that it will scare our Yun brother?"
"He has never been afraid of these things." Zhou Shaojin talked about how he was taken out during the Bathing Festival a few days ago and passed by a temple where a ritual was being performed. There were crowds of people there, and he twisted his body to go over to watch the fun, and would get angry if not allowed.
"Then you should let me take care of him." Jiying just likes Yun Ge'er. "Today is his birthday. Children are ignorant. It would be so unmannerly if he makes a fuss!"
Such words have been spoken.
Zhou Shaojin just laughed.
Looking at the seven or eight maids and servants serving Yun'er, she agreed: "Then let's make a deal. If he starts to make a scene, you should send someone to find me immediately. This child is a bit stubborn sometimes."
"I know, I know." Ji Ying hurriedly urged her to leave, as if she was afraid that she would go back on her word. She thought that with her abilities, she couldn't possibly coax a child.
Zhou Shaojin smiled and shook his head and went to Tingxiangyuan, saying that Yun'er got up too early today and was still asleep, and could not be woken up.
Those old ladies were afraid of disturbing Yun'er, so they told her to stop hanging around and go back to take care of Yun'er.
Zhou Shaojin now knew how to talk, and said with a smile: "Brother Yun is asleep, so I can stay here to accompany you guys a little longer."
Madam Guo and the others laughed, and Madam Pengcheng waved at her, saying, "Go and do your own thing. You don't need to worry about your mother-in-law. We old folks can just have a private chat."
Several other old ladies also asked her to "just take care of it."
Zhou Shaojin arranged the tea and snacks for Tingxiangyuan before going to the waterside pavilion.
The opera troupe invited today was the "Yongchanghao" which had performed for the Empress Dowager and the Queen in the palace a few days ago. It was recommended by Lady Pengcheng. The female role, Xiao Lianhua, was said to be the best actress in the capital. She was very beautiful both in appearance and singing skills. She sang "Garden Tour" and the ladies present were so fascinated by it that no one noticed that Zhou Shaojin was not there.
Zhou Shaojin couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. She felt a little embarrassed when she thought about how Madam Pengcheng cautiously asked her when the Cheng family would start the clan school. She felt that after Cheng Shao got married, this matter would definitely force Cheng Chi to come forward and discuss with Cheng Shao what to do.
Yun Ge'er didn't "wake up" until 12:00 in the afternoon. Ji Ying carried him to the waterside pavilion to find Zhou Shaojin. After everyone had fun with the child for a while, they had a dinner. Yun Ge'er opened his arms and called "Auntie", asking Ji Ying to hold him.
Zhou Shaojin was quite surprised.
Yun'er usually smiles at everyone, but when it's time to light the lamps and go back to the house, he doesn't want anyone except Zhou Shaojin, Cheng Chi and Madam Guo, even his own wet nurse.
Jiying happily hugged Yunger.
Zhou Shaojin curiously asked the servant beside Yun Ge'er: "What's going on?"
Yun'er's nurse said in a panic: "Mrs. Qin San took Master Yun to see the swallow's nest in front of the hall this afternoon, and she also dug up some soil in the back garden for Yun'er to feed the swallows..."
Zhou Shaojin was sweating profusely.
She knew that Yun Ge'er would not like Jiying for no reason.
But Yun'er is a boy, so it should be okay for him to be a little naughty, right
However, Zhou Chujin, seeing that Yun Ge'er was actually playing with Ji Ying, whom he had just met, came over curiously and asked what was going on.
Zhou Shaojin was reluctant to tell his sister what Jiying had done, so he evaded the question with a few vague words and asked about Zhou Chujin's return to Zhenjiang: "... I have prepared some things, you can help me take them to Jinling for my grandmother and the others."
It is not easy for Jinling to come to the capital. For Yun'er's first birthday celebration this time, Zhou Shaojin only wrote a letter and did not invite them, but they still sent someone to deliver gifts.
Zhou Chujin nodded and pulled Zhou Shaojin aside to talk: "I heard from your brother-in-law that Cheng Shi and Cheng Zheng are here, introducing themselves as members of the Cheng family in front of others... How did they come back?"
"Don't talk about them," Zhou Shaojin said with a wry smile, "Even Grandmother Hong from the Hong family, Cheng Shi's aunt, is here. The Fourth Master said that we can take this opportunity to set the relationship right - relatives are relatives, acquaintances are acquaintances. So just pretend that you don't know Cheng Shi and Cheng Zheng are coming, and when you go out to toast, just treat them as uninvited and show surprise, and let everyone know. As for them insisting on coming to Chaoyang Gate, the Fourth Master is the elder, so just let them come. But it's impossible to say anything to help them. People in the capital are all smart, and they understand it after a few times. The Hong family is a bit troublesome. They hinted that Cheng Xu from the second house was old and confused, and Hong Guozhen was also a bit intimate with the Fourth Master in the Metropolitan Procuratorate, which made the Fourth Master feel that the Hong family was not simple and might have dealings with the Hong family. This time when Grandmother Hong came, she was arranged to sit at three tables with Madam Song."
"After all, Hong Guozhen's grandfather was the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate. The Fourth Master is also in the Censorate now. We will see each other every day. The Hong family is very careful. The Fourth Master really can't be disrespectful to the Hong family." Zhou Chujin was still a little worried and said, "But we can't get too close to them, lest something strange happen."
"That's what the Fourth Master said." Zhou Shaojin said with a smile, "He ignored it before, but now he does, just treating it as an ordinary colleague. The Fourth Master is not the kind of person who keeps silent when he is angry."
Zhou Chujin thought that Liao Shaotang would come back and tell her that Cheng Chi was low-key and introverted in the Censorate, but he was very responsible and had a very good reputation. A fourth-rank Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate sometimes had more influence than the second-rank Left and Right Censors-in-Chief of the Censorate... She just smiled and said nothing more.
After Yun'er finished his one-year-old birthday ceremony and Zhou Shaojin had packed up everything, he sent Ma Ci to get the things Zhou Shaojin was bringing to Jinling.
Ma Ci is now the manager of Yushu Hutong. Compared with when he first came to Beijing, he looks more stable, wearing a silk gown, a jade pendant, and a shrewd look. If you don't know his background, you might think he is the manager of a shop in Beijing.
Zhou Shaojin asked him a few questions, then asked Jixiang to call Fan Qi in to accompany Ma Ci to move things.
Fan Qi has been doing well these years. He first followed Xiang, the steward, and later Qin Ziji. Although he did not work as a steward in the Cheng family, all of Zhou Shaojin's dowry was given to him. His brother Fan Lu worked honestly at home and used the money Fan Qi brought home to buy land for Fan Qi, which totaled more than 100 acres. Mother Fan said that Fan Lu would help to farm these lands on weekdays and get the food, but when Fan Qi got married, the two brothers would have to settle accounts clearly, and Fan Lu would not be able to pay less rent. She also asked Zhou Shaojin to help Fan Lu and Fan Qi find a marriage partner if possible. The implication was that she wanted her two sons to marry Zhou Shaojin's maids.
Zhou Shaojin was happy to see it happen, but since they were both young, there was no need to rush.
After seeing Zhou Chujin off, Zhou Shaojin began to prepare wholeheartedly to attend Cheng Shao's wedding.
Who knew that at this time Chaoyang Gate received the news that Song Jingran's father, Old Master Song, had passed away.
"What should I do?" Zhou Shaojin hurriedly changed his clothes and said to Cheng Chi, "Before Yun'er's first birthday ceremony, I took Yun'er to see the old man and he was fine. How come he died suddenly?"
"The weather is too hot." Cheng Chi's face was not good, and he said, "It feels cold with ice, and hot without ice. People with poor health can't stand it." He reminded Zhou Shaojin, "Yun'er is still too young, don't take him there, just let him play at home."
Zhou Shaojin nodded, and tears couldn't help falling when he thought about the first time he saw Old Master Song and Cheng Chi calculating the water level on the boat without sleep or food.
Cheng Chi sighed, helped Zhou Shaojin into the sedan chair, and went to Song Jingran's house.
The Song family has already replaced the red with the white.
Because Cheng Chi and Old Master Song had a special relationship, the Song family immediately informed Cheng Chi after Old Master Song's death without waiting for three days for the funeral. When they went there, no one had come to pay their respects, but they met Song Jingran who had returned from the palace at the door.
Because he was going to meet the emperor, Song Jingran still wore his official uniform, but he looked haggard and his complexion was very bad.
When he saw Cheng Chi, he waved at him, motioning him to follow him, and said, "I have just gone to see the emperor. The emperor wanted to take my love away, but I politely declined. I will start to observe mourning from tomorrow. The emperor wanted me to teach the crown prince arithmetic before, and this time the emperor brought up the old matter again, so I recommended you. The decree may come down in two days..."
"Teaching the Crown Prince?" Cheng Chi was surprised.
Song Jingran did not speak. He led Cheng Chi to the study room in the outer courtyard in silence. After the servant served tea and left, and there was no one else in the room, he said, "Zichuan, I have been gone for two years. There has been a new change in the court in just two days, not to mention two years. Yang Shoushan has been demoted to a commoner and will never be employed again. Zhang Hui has been an official for a long time and likes to judge the situation. Now I only have you..."
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Hey guys, today's update.
O(∩_∩)O~
※(To be continued)