Old Madam Cheng was napping inside, and Cheng Min also took a rest, leaving the high-spirited juniors unsupervised. They had no need to rest and no elders were watching. They immediately piled up together to have fun.
Xu Zhixian was growing up among the womenfolks and didn't feel awkward to stay with a group of sisters. He crowded up with Cheng Yumo to look at a picture book. When Xu Nianchun saw them, she also took off her shoes to join in.
At this time, Cheng Yujin was out of place. In fact, she didn't like to mingle in this kind of activity. But her new target, Xu Zhixian, was here. She couldn't just turn around and leave. So Cheng Yujin patiently sat down and waited.
Soon after, Cheng Yujin saw Xu Wanchun who was sitting on a stool and drinking tea alone. Xu Wanchun was a shu daughter. Even if she tagged along with her two di siblings to visit their maternal home, she still couldn't blend in familiarly. When Xu Zhixian reading a picture book with his younger sister Mo, Xu Nianchun soon joined in. But Xu Nianchun was a di daughter, if she wanted to join in then she easily could. This left Xu Wanchun alone, confused and embarrassed. Moreover, she also had a timid temper, thus she could only sat alone and drink her tea with a lowered gaze, staring at her own skirt's pattern.
Cheng Yujin's character wasn't the one to please men. This she realized very early. From a young age, whenever they had guests, the madams would praised Cheng Yujin as soon as they saw her. Boys would also notice her at the first sight, having their eyes stunned by her breathtaking first impression. However, it didn't take long before the madams started to praise Cheng Yujin more and more, but their sons instead find her boring. The boys would prefer to play with the lively and cheerful second miss Cheng Yumo. Afterwards, when the elders let the juniors to play by themselves, they would unconsciously flocking around Cheng Yumo.
At first glance, the eldest miss was more conspicuous, but after getting along, they would slowly liked the second miss instead. Because Cheng Yujin was always looked beautiful and dignified, never let her clothes wrinkled even a bit. However, Cheng Yumo would play with them, ran along and laughed together.
Cheng Yujin admitted that maybe her personality was indeed very boring. But what did that matter? The one who made the decision were the mothers, not their sons. As long as Cheng Yujin managed to please the madams, it would be enough.
For example, right now. Cheng Yumo and her aunt's children were reading book together, heads side by side. Cheng Yujin disliked their unsightly posture. Instead, she noticed Xu Wanchun who was left out alone. She was also a guest from Xu family. Letting their guest uncomfortable was a host's dereliction of duty.
Cheng Yujin sat down next to Xu Wanchun. With a smile, she opened a conversation: "Second biao sister, how are you recently?"
Xu Wanchun was so flattered. She didn't expect Cheng Yujin, this noble di miss whose reputation was famous all over the capital, would come over and chat with her personally. Although initially surprised, once Xu Wanchun started conversing with Cheng Yujin, her tightened fingers slowly became relaxed.
The famous Cheng Yujin didn't seem to be as unapproachable as she thought before.
The two girls chatted back and forth. However, Xu Wanchun wasn't Cheng Yujin's opponent, who easily led the flow of conversation without being noticed. Soon, Xu Wanchun's face was bright with smile. Cheng Yujin also smiled lightly, and slowly led the other party to talk about Xu Zhixian.
While keeping her ears on Xu Wanchun, Cheng Yujin glanced thoughtfully at Xu Zhixian, like someone who was weighting how much money a pig could sell. Still deep in thought, she suddely heard a movement from the door. Cheng Yujin turned around and saw Cheng Yuanjing entering the room. His gaze swept over once, then following Cheng Yujin's line of sight to see Xu Zhixian. He observed the younger man for a moment. After withdrawing his gaze, Cheng Yuanjing's eyes were full with understanding.
Cheng Yujin was utterly dumbfounded. Resentment secretly grew in her heart. Why it was him again! Last time with Huo Changyuan, this man was there. And now right when she was just going to start with Xu Zhixian, Cheng Yuanjing came again. Everytime she had a entanglement with a man, She would be found out by Cheng Yuanjing, and even at the shameful part!
With an utter unwillingness, Cheng Yujin stood up and saluted Cheng Yuanjing: "Greetings, ninth uncle."
Cheng Yujin's voice called everyone's attention. Some juniors who were sitting on the heated kang looked up in confusion and saw a young man standing at the door. They quickly rushed to put on their shoes and following Cheng Yujin to salute : "Ninth uncle."
This made Cheng Yujin very satisfied with her own appearance. Her clothes were neat and her skirt perfectly straight. She didn't need to climb up and down, so nothing on her body was a bit untidy. Her whole facade was probably even more important than her own self.
Cheng Yuanjing indifferently glanced a bit and asked, "Is the Marchioness inside?"
The juniors in the room looked at each other. This man was young, and also very handsome. No one dared to take initiative to speak. Cheng Yujin naturally took the lead and answered, "Replying to ninth uncle, grandmother was taking a nap, and she is probably awake now."
Cheng Yuanjing nodded, and right at that time a servant girl came out from the inner room: "Ninth master, the old Madam is calling."
After Cheng Yuanjing went in, the room was filled with silence. After a while, Xu Nianchun whispered, "He..."
Everyone subconsciously looked at Cheng Yujin. She was always regarded as their invisible leader. Whenever unexpected problem happened, they would turn to her. And this time wasn't an exception either.
Cheng Yujin very naturally accepted their inquiry, and took the responsibility to explain: "That is our ninth uncle. Several years ago, he got the jinshi title and was stationed outside the capital. He has just returned back earlier this year."
Xu Nianchun finally got it. The trouble between old Master Cheng and his wife wasn't small. Cheng Min also privately told her children about their maternal grandfather's favored outside mistress. Xu Nianchun blushed, the shu sons she had seen before all were timid and didn't have presentable look. A child from outside mistress had an even lower position than the proper shu born.
Yet Xu Nianchun had never seen such an outstanding man. For a moment her cheeks were flushed with excitement, no longer noisily clamoring for her brother's attention. Even Xu Wanchun's face also shaded in thin blush, sitting shyly on the chair.
Maternal home: Only the legal wife's family was regarded as proper in law. Shu children only had their legal mother's natal family as their maternal relative. Generally, they were forbidden to acknowledge their birth mother's family as relatives.Kang : A traditional heated floor/bed-stove for general living, working, entertaining and sleeping used in the northern part of China, where the winter climate is cold. It is made of bricks or other forms of fired clay and more recently of concrete in some locations (wikipedia)
Shou'an hall was the largest courtyard in Yichun marquis manor. Although it wasn't as grand or majestic as the old Master's courtyard, its decoration was the most exquisite. The main wing had five rooms, with a side wing each on the west and east. On the southern side, there was a reverse-facing building. Old Madam Cheng resided on the main wing, leaving the west and east wing empty. Even so, it would still be cleaned up daily. Occasionally, when the old Madam let some juniors to stay overnight, they would sleep on the side wings. The reverse-facing building had poor sunlight, the rooms there were dark and damp, thus it became the servants' room.
Old Madam Cheng, as the matriarch of the family, naturally had the best food and clothing, spending money like flowing water. She occupied the five rooms in the main wing by herself. The old Madam also expanded the front and back of the building, adding three rooms each, installing windows, and creating an enclosed porch. The main wing now had a 'three rooms, five rooms, three rooms' structure. The front porch had good sunlight. The servant girls liked to do needleworks while gossiping here. Some juniors also liked to play here. The back porch, however, was darker and gloomier. One room was used as a Buddhist hall, and the rest was to store large trunks and cabinets.
Cheng Yujin and other juniors were staying at the front porch, so people who entered and exited the main wing would bypass them. Today Cheng Min was visiting her natal home. As a nominal younger brother, Cheng Yuanjing had to greet her. When Cheng Yuanjing was inside, a few young girls sat in the porch, looking excitedly, yet with some self-restraint, at the inner rooms.
Cheng Yujin saw Xu Nianchun and Xu Wanchun's action and really wondered what charm did Cheng Yuanjing had. His external appearance was indeed very good. He was tall, his face was top-notch, he had a jinshi title and already a fourth-rank official at such a young age. No matter what, his future was promising. Indeed a much-talked 'that child from another house.' But Cheng Yujin had an intersection with Cheng Yuanjing, and the instinct she honed over the years told her that this man wasn't good.
Could be admired from distance, but shouldn't get closer.
Xu Nianchun lowered his voice and asked about Cheng Yuanjing. Xu Wanchun also raised her ears to listen. Even Xu Zhixian who never had any interest in the imperial exam also full of curiosity about this newly returned ninth uncle. In this place, only Cheng Yujin knew a bit about Cheng Yuanjing. She vaguely told them one or two things and tried to change the subject several times. But her cousins persistently kept asking more.
"How awesome. Getting a jinshi at age sixteen."
Xu Zhixian also sincerely convinced: "Yes. My mother always praised elder sister Jin's fiance, saying that he is still young but already had achievements. However, ninth uncle is one year younger than Marquis Huo, and his official rank still higher. A civil official's post is much harder to obtain than military, and the real power is also greater."
Although Xu Zhixian didn't have any real skill, after all, he still the son of a high ranking noble family. Naturally, he had basic knowledge about the court's official ranks and posts. Xu Zhixian sighed in his heart. But right after he finished his words, the whole room fell into an awkward silence.
Xu Zhixian immediately noticed his mistake and quickly stood up to apologize: "Elder sister Jin, I'm sorry. I was careless. I didn't mean to offend you..."
Xu Zhixian repeatedly bowed his head to apologize. As a man, this kind of action was already hard enough. Besides, it was a truth that her engagement had been canceled. Could Cheng Yujin stop people to talk about it? Now, Xu Zhixian didn't have any malice, but it wouldn't necessarily be true for others.
Cheng Yujin's expression remained unchanged. She smiled and said: "It's okay. I've forgotten about that bad thing. Elder biao brother doesn't have to feel guilty."
Cheng Yujin was actually younger than Xu Zhixian, but this young man subconsciously called her 'elder sister'. Before, Cheng Yujin also had no intention of correcting it, but since now she already set her target on Xu Zhixian, she had to subtly change her address into 'elder biao brother'.
Xu Zhixian never put on the air in front of his sisters. Since Cheng Yujin has a good temper and never made a fuss, this matter passed away politely. Under everyone's eyes, they quickly changed the subject, and the room became lively again.
Cheng Yumo sat on a recliner on the kang floor, her mind wandered a bit when she heard Huo Changyuan's name.
In her previous life, she also heard about her ninth uncle's return. But she was a girl, so she didn't have much contact with him. She only knew that Cheng family had a young man with a high official position. But not long after, he fell gravely ill and quietly passed away during an assignment outside the capital. This short-lived ninth uncle thus soon disappeared from everyone's mind.
On the contrary, after a period of time, Huo Changyuan's momentum greatly accelerated. The crown prince had just returned to the court and vigorously promoted many talents. One of them was Huo Changyuan. Therefore, Cheng Yumo couldn't accept when Xu Zhixian said that Huo Changyuan was not as good as Cheng Yuanjing.
Cheng Yumo was a little absent-minded. Brother Changyuan treated her very well. He was overbearing yet gentle. Unfortunately, they took too many winding roads and wasted too much time. Now that she had the luck to be reborn, she must stay with brother Changyuan from early on.
Cheng Yumo glanced at Cheng Yujin secretly and thought: "Sister, don't blame me. After all, a marriage that doesn't belong to you shouldn't be yours, no matter how much you scheming."
Early separation was better than the late one. She did it also for Cheng Yujin's sake.
"Younger sister Mo?"
Xu Zhixian called Cheng Yumo. She quickly returned to her mind and then joined everyone's conversation with a smile.
Cheng Yujin was planning to take advantage of this good opportunity to catch Xu Zhixian. But she had just said a few words when a sound of footsteps came from the inner rooms. A servant girl lifted the bead curtain and sent Cheng Yuanjing out: "Ninth master, please walk slowly."
Cheng Yujin and the others could only stand up: "We send ninth uncle off."
Cheng Yujin's face was respectful, but her mind busily shouted: hurry and go, don't disturb her effort to secure a future path. She heard Cheng Yuanjing's footsteps went further and was going to smile happily when the man suddenly stopped at the door: "Cheng Yujin ."
Cheng Yujin froze for a moment before quickly responded: "Niece is here. Does ninth uncle need something?"
"The Marquis is calling you."
The volcano inside Cheng Yujin's heart erupted. This man really was too much. Did he have to use the same tactic twice?
Cheng Yuanjing saw Cheng Yujin's suppressed anger, and the smile on his lips became more pleasant: "I've passed the message. Do as you like."