For now, whether they quarrel or argue with the Cheng family, it’s all a family matter. And since it’s a family matter, it should be resolved according to family rules, etiquette, and clan regulations. But if we take it to the authorities, it will no longer be just a family affair.
Of course, Steward Cao didn’t believe the girl was truly foolish enough to think that moral self-discipline alone would suffice—that beating someone would simply land them in jail.
If judged by that standard, she herself would have deserved death several times over.
“Miss, are you trying to escalate the situation?” Steward Cao asked hesitantly.
Cheng Jiao-niang smiled and nodded.
“I’ve always been afraid that things aren’t dramatic enough,” she said.
Beside her, Ban Qin felt a moment of dizziness—when had she last heard such words?
“So, Sister, you mean you want to blow this up?”
“In all matters, as long as they can be brought into the open and discussed publicly, there’s nothing to fear.”
After a moment of reflection, Steward Cao nodded.
What was there to fear about jail? Think of those men from Tai Ping Residence—they were arrested but still emerged unscathed. Besides, if the lady was having them turn themselves in, it couldn’t be just for the sake of going to jail.
“I understand, Miss. Please give your orders,” he said.
…
Exiting the courtyard of Cheng Jiao-niang, Steward Cao did not head directly to the authorities. Instead, he first summoned all his attendants, instructing those who had not been involved in the recent incident to remain behind. Then, he led the others to the construction site at the rear.
The area was bustling with activity and lively chatter. Men were busy organizing and cleaning, while women set up pots and stoves nearby to boil water and prepare meals. The children, naturally drawn to the excitement, ran about playing in the surroundings.
Noticing Steward Cao’s arrival, Cheng Ji and the others hurried over to greet him.
“What instructions do you have, sir?” Cheng Ji asked.
“Nothing too specific,” Steward Cao replied, though his expression was uncharacteristically somber.
It was the first time they had seen him wear such a grave look, and Cheng Ji and the rest couldn’t help but feel a stir of unease.
“I have something to entrust to you,” Steward Cao said, noticing the solemn expressions that had settled over the group.
Entrust…
The word stirred a faint, peculiar feeling in the hearts of those present.
They—people like them—could actually be entrusted with something? And by someone of such high status, no less.
“Sir, please speak freely. There’s no need to stand on ceremony,” Cheng Ji responded.
Steward Cao let out a sigh before he began, and that sigh sent a renewed wave of tension through the crowd.
“You probably already have a general idea about my mistress’s situation,” he continued.
The matter of the Cheng family giving birth to a simple-minded child was, of course, known to everyone.
“As for the specifics, I won’t go into every detail from start to finish. The main point is this,” Steward Cao continued. “My mistress is not well-regarded in her family. And, without fear of your judgment, she has indeed been cast out this time.”
Understanding dawned on the faces of those present. So it is as we suspected. Was building this house an act of defiance, then? Will it even be honored?
“That’s why my mistress wishes to build a place of her own—to avoid being driven away again and again,” Steward Cao said, his gaze sweeping over the crowd. “She bears the Cheng name. Where else could she go? If she’s not wanted there, she can only turn here. After all, we are all of the same clan.”
Cheng Ji sighed and nodded.
“A child without a mother is truly pitiable…”
“But the young lady isn’t foolish… She seems better now, doesn’t she?”
“What does it matter if she’s better? She didn’t grow up among them. They’ll never accept her…”
Low murmurs of discussion rippled through the crowd.
“So you can rest assured—the funds for building this house were provided by the young lady’s maternal grandfather’s family,” Steward Cao explained. “It was meant to secure her livelihood. Building a home here and having you as neighbors is far better than leaving her to wander destitute elsewhere.”
So it was the Zhou family’s money.
A collective sigh of relief swept through the crowd, and their doubts were put to rest.
Thanks to Master Zhou’s several disruptive visits, everyone here was familiar with the Zhou family—and they left a lasting impression. They knew the Zhous were wealthy: back in the day, the dowry of Lady Zhou had been so lavish it could circle Jiang-zhou three times. They also knew the Zhous were fierce—during Lady Zhou’s funeral, they had nearly beaten the Cheng family into fleeing in panic.
So, all of this was the doing of the Zhou family—both wealthy and unyielding.
“I’ll keep it brief—something has come up, and though I really shouldn’t trouble you all…” Steward Cao began.
“Sir, there’s no need to stand on ceremony with us,” Cheng Ji interjected promptly.
“Yes, yes, don’t speak of trouble—it’s an honor that you’d consider us capable of helping…” others around chimed in, nodding in agreement.
After allowing a moment for their responses, Steward Cao continued.
“Due to the unpleasantness with the Cheng family, and with my mistress soon to be married, she felt it necessary to reclaim the dowry left by Lady Zhou all those years ago—for the sake of her future. Is that unreasonable?” he said.
How could it be unreasonable? It was an entirely justified request. Everyone present nodded in agreement.
Steward Cao let out a heavy sigh.
“But it was precisely because of this that we clashed with the Cheng family again. In the heat of the moment, we resorted to violence. Regardless of the reason, raising a hand to strike someone is a crime. The young lady insists that we turn ourselves in at the authorities, and we are on our way to do so. However, we are deeply uneasy about leaving her alone. She refuses to return to the Cheng family, and as a vulnerable woman, she would be helpless if they tried to force her back. So, I wish to entrust her to your care. If possible, please watch over her. On behalf of Lady Zhou and the Old Madam Zhou, I thank you all.”
He spoke these words in one breath, then bowed deeply and turned to leave.
Earlier, he had spoken slowly, pausing after each sentence, but now he had delivered this lengthy appeal without interruption. The crowd was momentarily stunned, their minds buzzing as they struggled to process his words. By the time they grasped what had been said, Steward Cao and his men were already walking away. Panic quickly set in—those who understood hurried after him, while those who hadn’t caught everything pulled others aside to ask, and the story spread from mouth to mouth, growing more dramatic with each retelling.
“This won’t do, this simply won’t do!” Cheng Ji exclaimed, chasing after them with a few others in tow, urgently trying to persuade him. “Sir, you’re being too upright—how can you go and confess to a crime like this?”
Steward Cao only shook his head.
“I leave the young lady in your care. Please look after her as much as you can,” he said, clasping his hands in a respectful salute. He offered no further explanation and strode away with the four men.
Cheng Ji and the others eventually returned empty-handed.
The crowd buzzed with chaotic discussions, everyone voicing their opinions—some reasonable, others exaggerated—until the air was thick with noise and confusion.
“Alright, everyone, what should we do now?” Cheng Ji signaled for the crowd to quiet down and asked.
For a moment, the scene fell into silence. Even the craftsmen working nearby had stopped—this was a matter for the Cheng clan, so they hadn’t approached to listen closely. But from the earlier discussions, they could tell something was wrong. Of course, what concerned them most was whether the construction would continue and if they would still be paid…
“Since Steward Cao thinks highly of us, we should honor his trust,” someone spoke up, breaking the silence.
Once those words were uttered, more and more people joined in agreement.
“Exactly! There’s nothing to fear—we’re not in the wrong here.”
“It’s truly pitiable…”
“They say she was born into wealth, but in truth, she might have it worse than any of us…”
The voices grew louder and more numerous. Nearby, Jin Ge’er, who had been keeping an eye on the craftsmen’s work, suddenly snatched up a wooden staff and dashed off without a word.
“Jin Ge’er, where are you going?” Cheng Ji called out urgently.
“I’m going to protect my mistress! No one is allowed to bully her!” Jin Ge’er shouted over his shoulder, already sprinting away.
His words were like a ladle of water splashed into a sizzling wok of oil—instantly setting off a crackling, explosive reaction.
“That’s right! We’ll protect her!”
“It’s truly pitiful—she only has one young maid attending to her. How can she manage all the washing, cleaning, and tidying alone? If she doesn’t mind, we should go and help…”
As the voices rose, first one, then two, then three—soon a growing crowd of men and women followed Jin Ge’er, rushing toward the courtyard. Just as they reached the entrance to Cheng Jiao-niang’s compound, they saw a group of people storming over with aggressive energy.
“Members of the Zhou family, come out!” they yelled. “How dare you cause trouble and assault people here on Cheng territory in Jiang-zhou! Have you no fear of heaven?”
Sure enough, they had come to make trouble! The crowd from the southern branch of the Cheng family felt as if another handful of kindling had been tossed into their already blazing anger. Someone took the lead and blocked the front of the courtyard, and soon others pressed forward, shoulder to shoulder, forming a human barricade.
“What do you think you’re doing?” they shouted in a disorderly but determined chorus.
The sudden surge of people blocking the path took the approaching group by surprise.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Lin Jiu shouted, his brow furrowed. As the chief steward of the North Cheng estate, he was naturally familiar with the existence of the South Cheng branch—but only as a concept. As for the people of South Cheng… who ever paid them any mind?
“Step aside, step aside. Don’t meddle in others’ business,” he said.
“What do you want?” No one moved; instead, more voices rose in challenge.
“We’re here for the Zhou family. This has nothing to do with you. Now scram!” Lin Jiu snapped impatiently.
He’d already had enough trouble dealing with the Zhou family’s arrogance—was he really going to tolerate insolence from these lowly Southern Cheng people too?
“You scram!”
“This is our territory!”
Almost as soon as the words left his mouth, a unified roar erupted from the crowd opposite.
Lin Jiu and his men were caught off guard and startled.
Have these people lost their minds?
“What are you doing? This is none of your concern!” Lin Jiu shouted.
“You causing trouble at the young lady’s doorstep makes it our concern! Get out, get out now!” someone stepped forward, pointing at Lin Jiu and yelling. “They’ve already gone to the authorities to confess—what more do you want? Who’s right and who’s wrong isn’t for you to decide! Let the officials handle it!”
The authorities? The authorities!
Lin Jiu and his men were stunned. The Zhou family had gone to confess to the authorities?
Have they lost their minds?
Is this for real?
They glanced around and confirmed that the Zhou family members were indeed nowhere in sight…
Since the Zhou family wasn’t here, this was the perfect opportunity to take care of another matter.
“Everyone, everyone—let’s set aside the Zhou family for now. We’re here to escort Lady Cheng back home. Please step aside,” a steward from the Cheng family stepped forward and said.
Instead of moving aside, the crowd at the gate pressed forward even more firmly.
“Lady Cheng will return when she says she’s ready. Since she hasn’t said so yet, you should hold off on taking her back,” someone replied.
The Cheng family steward’s eyes widened in disbelief.
Had these people from the South Cheng branch truly lost their minds? Did they even understand what they were saying?
In truth, they both knew and didn’t know what they were doing or saying. Standing at the back of the crowd, Cheng Ji watched the scene with a complex expression.
This Steward Cao of the Zhou family was truly remarkable—the tactic of advancing by retreating was executed with exquisite skill. Even more impressive was how he had stirred them up with just a few brief words earlier.
Confessing to the crime, accepting punishment, lowering their posture, revealing their helplessness, winning sympathy, and then pleading for help as if begging for alms—in this world, those who give are always more stirring to the heart than those who receive.
The lure of money, housing, and material benefits; the powerful psychological hint of the Zhou family’s influence; the advantage of holding both emotion and reason on their side—all of this convinced everyone that they were the strong ones.
The strong remain strong. A momentary show of weakness doesn’t change their status; it only makes people eager to seize the opportunity to help the strong. The satisfaction of that mindset, along with the potential for future rewards, is a temptation difficult to resist.
Cheng Ji shook his head and smiled wryly. So, in this world, there’s no such thing as blessings falling freely from the sky. To gain something, one must give something—it all depends on whether the sacrifice is worth it.
He looked at the confrontational crowd ahead and took a deep breath.
Let’s do it!
“Everyone, everyone—please listen to me!” Cheng Ji shouted, stepping forward.
