Screams echoed one after another.
Ming Zhouqing didn’t drag things out either. The two brothers took turns with a club, skillfully knocking the man unconscious with practiced technique.
Ming Zhouhe sneered coldly as he pulled back the sack that had been covering the man’s head, then kicked him. “Aspiring for the heavens—aren’t you afraid your life might be as fragile as paper?”
Ming Zhouqing flexed his wrist. “Let’s go. Given our family status, beating someone in public would give people grounds for gossip. We can only resort to ambushing them discreetly in the shadows.”
“Mm.”
The two brothers turned and strode away, leaving without a second glance.
The Great Zhou dynasty followed a system of periodic breaks and monthly breaks. Officials rested every ten days, known as “ten-day rest,” for one day; and once a month, they had a longer break, called “monthly rest,” for three days.
Thus, the Family School at Anguo Gong Manor also observed the seasonal breaks and monthly breaks schedule.
Around the hour of Mao, Shi Jianli was already dressed neatly and heading to the Family School when she encountered someone approaching in a Scarlet Official Robe with a Mandarin Square featuring a Tiger and three-inch scattered flowers on a round collar, a golden lychee belt at the waist, and a five-tiered court crown on the head.
She paused her steps and called out to him, “Heir.In the Great Zhou dynasty, the court assembly began precisely at the Chen hour. Ming Zhaohuan should have been on his way to court at this hour.
Seeing her, Ming Zhaohuan recalled his sister’s advice from a couple of days prior—not to show a displeased expression to others—so he nodded with a smile. “Mm, Miss Shi, off to the Family School?”
“Yes.”
Hearing her response, Ming Zhaohuan strode past her and continued on his way.
After finishing her lessons, Shi Jianli went to Qionghua Pavilion, where Qiao Ruoying was reviewing account books.
“Aunt.”
“Come, sit.” Qiao Ruoying beckoned to her.
Shi Jianli sat beside her, and soon an account ledger was handed to her.
Resigned, she began checking the accounts for her aunt.
Freed from her task, Qiao Ruoying placed some pastries and snacks within her niece’s reach, then picked up her tea and took a sip. “Li’er, how about your aunt selecting a new husband for you?”
A woman came of age at sixteen, but her body had not fully matured yet. The manor typically kept its young ladies for an additional two years, yet the process of evaluating potential matches needed to be scheduled promptly. Following the Three Letters and Six Rites meticulously required time at every step.
“Alright,” she replied softly. “But Aunt, pick someone good-looking.”
When men and women reached marriageable age, it was natural for them to wed. She had no reason to resist. Since she had to marry anyway and there were options to choose from, why not marry someone handsome?
Qiao Ruoying chuckled. “You, just like your mother, have an eye for good looks.”
Back in the day, her elder sister had agreed to her brother-in-law’s proposal precisely because of his handsome appearance—her standards were quite particular. Fortunately, her sister had chosen well: her brother-in-law excelled in his official career and remained devoted solely to her, never taking a concubine even though they had only one daughter, Li’er.
It was just a pity that the couple passed away early, one after the other, due to misfortune and illness. With no elders on her brother-in-law’s side and his brothers being unreliable, poor Li’er was left with no one to depend on.
The newly appointed prefect had a penchant for keeping catamites and also favored young girls in their early teens. When he cast his lecherous gaze upon Li’er, she had no choice but to seek refuge with her aunt.
When Li’er first arrived at the manor, she was in a disheveled state, her expression panicked. Tearfully, she recounted how she had smashed her uncle’s head open with an inkstone after he tried to hand her over to the new prefect, then fled.
“Mm.” Shi Jianli nodded.
To put it bluntly, if he wasn’t good-looking, even in pitch darkness, she wouldn’t be able to bring herself to kiss him. No matter what, she shouldn’t shortchange herself.
Qiao Ruoying gazed at her niece’s features, so similar to her own, and couldn’t help but reflect: if she had a daughter, she would likely have grown into someone with bright eyes and white teeth, as lovely as the moon and flowers.
“Your cousin is the same—rejecting this and refusing that, just like you.” She snapped back to reality and sighed with worry.
Shi Jianli offered comfort: “Second Cousin hasn’t begun discussing marriage either, Aunt. There’s no need to rush.”
“Your second cousin naturally isn’t anxious,” Qiao Ruoying remarked. “His mother wants him to marry her own niece. Just the other day, my sister-in-law mentioned to me that her sister-in-law also intends to wed her daughter to Zhouqing.”
Shi Jianli’s hand, which had been flipping through the account books, paused briefly. She merely said, “Strengthening family ties through marriage is quite favorable.”
Some words were not for her to utter.
Qiao Ruoying’s thoughts drifted—yes, strengthening family ties was good, but regardless of whether her husband and mother-in-law agreed, He’er was utterly unwilling to marry Li’er, and Li’er had no desire to wed He’er either.
Marrying Li’er off would not bring the same peace of mind as keeping her close by; whether she was faring well or not, Qiao Ruoying would have a clear understanding.
Yet, marrying her niece to her husband’s illegitimate son was also something Qiao Ruoying opposed.
Why? What woman would cherish a child born of her husband and another woman?
Li’er, too, had no interest in those illegitimate sons, feeling their family status was somewhat elevated and thus difficult to manage.
Qiao Ruoying continued, “Zhouqing’s marriage may be settled, but she still has plenty to worry about.”
“Worry about what?” Shi Jianli responded appropriately, multitasking as she reviewed the accounts and chatted with her aunt to pass the time.
“Your eldest cousin’s marriage.”
Qiao Ruoying took a sip of tea before elaborating, “Zhaohuan was betrothed early on to the eldest daughter of the Hongnong Yang Clan. The Yang girl is only a year younger than Zhaohuan and should have been married long ago.”
“However, Zhaohuan has been away for six years, and the Yang family’s patriarch passed away three years ago. The Yang girl had to observe the mourning period, which delayed everything.”
“The mourning period should be over now. Is the Lady of the Manor worried about how to arrange the wedding?” Shi Jianli divided her attention, picking up a brush to circle questionable entries in the account books.
“If it were about arranging the wedding, she ought to be happy, not worried.”
“The Yang girl caught a chill last year, and it’s been nine months now with no improvement. My sister-in-law visited last month and returned saying the Yang girl lay listlessly in bed, looking terribly pale and haggard.”
“My sister-in-law summoned the imperial physician, who said the Yang girl has a frail constitution and is gravely ill, likely beyond cure—perhaps even at death’s door.”
“The Yang family’s second daughter is only nine now, too great an age difference with Zhaohuan. The Yangs will probably withdraw from the betrothal.”
“So, how could she not be worried and anxious?”
Shi Jianli knew Ming Zhaohuan was betrothed but was hearing these details for the first time. “The Heir is only twenty-one; surely there’s no rush?”
“You call Zhouqing ‘second cousin,’ so why do you refer to Zhaohuan as ‘the Heir’?”
“He is the eldest son of the main branch, one step removed. It’s safer to be cautious,” Shi Jianli replied, lowering her gaze.
Qiao Ruoying sighed—Li’er was still too reserved.
She returned to the earlier topic. “Twenty-one isn’t old, but many already have children running around by that age. My sister-in-law longs for a grandson.”
“Besides, most girls of suitable age and status are either married or betrothed, leaving few options to choose from.”
“The only one she doesn’t worry about is Lin’er. Once Lin’er turns eighteen, the Fuguo Gong Manor will formally propose the wedding date. It’s a good match—well-suited in status, Prince Ji is steady, virtuous, young, and promising.”
Shi Jianli nodded. Yesterday, she observed that Prince Ji wasn’t entirely as rigid and dull as Lin’er described. Though somewhat aloof, his gaze occasionally lingered on Lin’er, revealing care and concern upon closer inspection.
Sipping her tea, Qiao Ruoying grew fonder of Shi Jianli the more she looked at her, while inwardly despising Qiao Jingchuan all the more.
Pearl is not only beautiful and elegant, but also excels at managing accounts. The dozen or so shops under her supervision are all highly profitable, especially Hua Si Meng and Qunyu Pavilion, which attract streams of customers daily. Their business is so prosperous that she need not worry about food and clothing in the future, and her finances are ample.
Since Pearl arrived and began assisting, the revenue from the shops under her management has visibly increased.
Qiao Jingchuan is blind!
Shi Jianli looked up from the account books and saw that Xianyue, whom she had sent out in the morning, had returned. She set down her brush and beckoned to her.