Chapter 130: Managing the Household

Stepping into the main hall of the rear residence, one enters what Zhou Huai referred to as the "Inner Hall"—the Zhou family ancestral shrine.

High above the entrance hangs a plaque engraved with the words "Zhou Family Ancestral Shrine." Inside, rows of ornate, gold-leafed plaques line the towering rafters, maintaining a proud and solemn air amidst the dust of history, a testament to the family's century-long rise and fall. One entire wall is covered in plaques bearing titles like "Top Scholar" and "Presented Scholar," not to mention countless others inscribed with phrases like "Upright and Filial," "Enduring Legacy," and "Eternal as the Pine and Cypress."

It is ancient, majestic, and profoundly solemn.

"Are you afraid?" Zhou Lichuan asked, his arm wrapped around Jiang Zao’s waist.

Jiang Zao looked at him and said softly, "No. These were all earned bit by bit by the ancestors of the Zhou family. It was their constant diligence that built the foundation the Zhou family stands on today. Besides, they must have loved you very much for you to have grown up so carefree and happy."

Zhou Lichuan let out a bitter laugh. "It wasn't that easy. When I was a child, I often made mistakes, and my father would lock me in this hall, forcing me to kneel before the ancestral tablets and repent. Back then, I only felt fear—I didn't know if I was afraid of my father or these seemingly ominous plaques. When I grew older and my father made me come in again, I dismissed it all as feudal superstition; I never stepped foot in here unless it was mandatory for the holidays. Until..."

Intrigued, Jiang Zao quickly asked, "Until what?"

Zhou Lichuan looked down, his gaze meeting hers, filled with intense, tangled affection.

"Until you left. Every time I returned to the old mansion, I would come to the Inner Hall to offer incense and kowtow. I hoped the ancestors of the Zhou family would forgive my youthful ignorance and bless my Zaozao, keeping her safe and healthy."

Jiang Zao hugged his waist in return. "Did you never pray that I might forgive you sooner?"

Zhou Lichuan gently rubbed her shoulder. "If you haven't forgiven me, it’s because I’ve done too much wrong; I am inherently unforgivable. Your forgiveness should come from the things I do and the words I say, not from ethereal prayers."

Jiang Zao looked up. "I know."

As a wisp of blue smoke rose, the helper finished lighting three incense sticks. Jiang Zao took them and gestured for Zhou Lichuan to support her.

No sooner had he steadied her than Jiang Zao knelt on the prayer cushion in the center of the hall.

Her belly was enormous, and the suddenness of her kneeling startled them both.

"Young Mistress!"

"Zaozao! Be careful!"

Cold sweat broke out on Zhou Lichuan’s forehead.

Jiang Zao smiled calmly. Holding the three sticks of incense to her forehead, she whispered, "Ancestors of the Zhou clan, I, your junior Jiang Zao, have married into the Zhou family. I vow to be diligent and tireless in bearing heirs and managing the household affairs. I pray for the blessing of this ancestral hall, to protect the child in my womb and ensure a safe birth."

Hearing this, Zhou Lichuan took the incense the helper had relit and knelt beside her, joining her in three bows.

The helper took the incense and placed it in the burner before the tablets. Only then did Zhou Lichuan help Jiang Zao slowly stand up.

"You are heavy with child; how can you just kneel like that? What if you had startled the ancestors?" Zhou Lichuan’s words were chiding, but his voice was filled with heartache.

Jiang Zao playfully tapped him. "I’m not that fragile. It wouldn't be right not to kneel on my first time offering incense at the ancestral shrine. I used to be a skeptic about these formalities, too. But after my grandmother passed away, I longed for her soul to find peace, to be free and unrestrained in the afterlife. Even if only occasionally, I wanted her to come back and look at me, to know that I had set up a tablet for her so she wouldn't have to be a wandering ghost in this world."

As she spoke, Zhou Lichuan’s gaze grew even more tender. "You are purely filial, Zaozao. Grandma will surely know."

Jiang Zao took his hand and walked outside. "After all, the child in my belly carries the Zhou bloodline, so the ancestors will surely protect me and the baby, right?"

Zhou Lichuan stroked her long hair. "He is also of your bloodline."

Jiang Zao laughed. "Of course he is of my bloodline. It’s a pity the Jiang family doesn't have much of a legacy left, otherwise, it wouldn't be your turn. Don't you know that matrilineal heritage is the most solid of all?"

Zhou Lichuan was stunned into silence. "Zaozao, we’ve already registered our marriage. Can you... show me a little bit of affection?"

"Don't I show you affection?"

"...I suppose... you do..."

"Why are you hesitating? I’ve already borne your child; what more could you be dissatisfied with? How else do you want me to show you affection?"

"...It’s perfect as it is. I am content just as things are, don't change a thing."

"Good boy."

The helper, having overheard the entire exchange, felt deeply awkward. How could the Young Master, usually such a wise and dignified man, turn into a silly boy on the street when he was with the Young Mistress? The Young Mistress treated the Young Master like a pet, and the Young Master seemed to enjoy it.

The world of young people was truly hard to understand.

As soon as they returned to the main house, Shen Xiaonan was waiting at the door.

"Zaozao, come with me. Mother has something to tell you."

Zhou Lichuan held Jiang Zao’s hand, reluctant to let go. "Mom, what could you possibly have to say that I can't hear? Zaozao is pregnant."

Shen Xiaonan gave him a cold look. "I know she's pregnant. In your eyes, am I some kind of wicked mother-in-law? Can't I have a word with your wife without you interfering?"

Jiang Zao gave Zhou Lichuan’s hand a comforting pat, smiled lightly, and followed Shen Xiaonan upstairs.

They went straight to Shen Xiaonan’s lounge.

Though called a lounge, it was essentially a room for her personal belongings; her dowry, jewelry, and various valuables were all securely locked inside. Jiang Zao had learned of the room's existence during her stay at the old mansion; it was hidden among many other rooms and looked no different from the outside.

Pushing the door open, Shen Xiaonan invited Jiang Zao to sit by the window. "Sit tight, I’ll get something for you."

Jiang Zao sat down obediently. Moments later, Shen Xiaonan returned with two boxes from her safe.

"You still have the bracelet I gave you before, right?"

Jiang Zao nodded. "It’s safely stored at the villa."

Shen Xiaonan sat down and said, "The property behind Tingshan Villa has been incorporated into the estate. Let’s call it a manor from now on instead of a villa. I will have all the assets of the manor transferred to your name, including the house you’ve been living in."

Jiang Zao did not refuse and nodded in agreement.

Shen Xiaonan placed the boxes on the small round table and pushed them toward Jiang Zao.

"You should understand the basic situation. This mountain we are on is called Tingshan. The entire mountain is Zhou property. The rear mountain has been reclaimed for a medicinal herb garden, and a resort villa was built nearby. While parts of it are open to the public, it is far from the old mansion and your manor, so it won't disturb you. The foot of the mountain where you live was once contracted out, but the developer breached the contract, and we sued to get it back. The residence merged into your villa was originally the former home of your grandfather’s old comrade-in-arms. Since we reclaimed it, there have been no other private properties on Tingshan."