Chapter 112: The Duke's Tactics

Qiubai told Cheng Zhao that Hu Zhiwei and her mother had disappeared.

The Song family had taken the mother and daughter away.

"...They were taken away the evening before last," Qiubai said.

Upon hearing this, Cheng Zhao frowned slightly. "Who ordered this? The Dowager Madame?"

Qiubai replied, "I do not know. If it was the Dowager Madame, then this mother and daughter are in grave danger."

In the Chongyang Temple, Hu Zhiwei had been the Dowager Madame's assistant.

Originally, it was only a minor matter, but the death of the Fifth Prince had turned it into a major case overnight. Grandmaster Yang, who was involved, had died, let alone a minor figure like Hu Zhiwei.

Cheng Zhao had remained inactive because she could not move against Hu Zhiwei without going over the Dowager Madame and Eldest Madam Song—it would alert the enemy.

The Dowager Madame was now enraged and might not lack means to counter Cheng Zhao.

Provoking a wounded beast was extremely dangerous, and Cheng Zhao dared not act rashly.

Moreover, Zhou Yuanshen had been busy these days establishing himself at court and throwing off the Dowager Madame's grip on him. He had no time to enter the inner quarters to help Cheng Zhao.

The matter was left in limbo. Cheng Zhao had already abandoned hope; Hu Zhiwei had become a dead piece on the board.

But her sudden disappearance still felt regrettable to Cheng Zhao, as though she had foolishly lost a chess piece.

"...It doesn’t matter anyway. The Dowager Madame’s backing is the Emperor; the truth holds no real significance. Whether this person lives or dies cannot shake the Dowager Madame," Cheng Zhao thought again.

So Zhou Yuanshen had not focused his attention on Hu Zhiwei.

Even if she were made to speak the truth, what use would it be?

Proving the Dowager Madame guilty—what good would that do Cheng Zhao? She was the wife of a duke, her status tied to the Chen Duke Manor. If the Dowager Madame fell into disgrace, Cheng Zhao, as the Duke’s wife, would also be besmirched.

Hadn’t Zhou Yuanshen known that Grandmaster Yang had learned too much, yet still ordered his death in exchange for real power over the Capital Garrison?

"The Dowager Madame has grown weak," Cheng Zhao said suddenly with a faint smile.

Qiubai asked, "Why?"

"If she still had her former strength and authority, with everything under control, she wouldn’t have disposed of Hu Zhiwei. She’s nothing but an ant; Hu Zhiwei could not affect anyone. Yet the Dowager Madame treated her as a loose thread and found a way to eliminate her," Cheng Zhao said.

Hu Zhiwei had sought the help of a tiger. She acted as the Dowager Madame’s blade to scheme against Cheng Zhao, and she should have known the consequences of failure.

She claimed she had no choice.

But having no choice was not an excuse for scheming against Cheng Zhao.

If she had no ambition and only wanted to live peacefully, she would never have stepped forward, and the Dowager Madame would not have used her.

Cheng Zhao had some authority over household management, especially over the main kitchen. She knew very well that in the servants’ quarters at the back of the Chen Duke Manor, many impoverished relatives who had come seeking shelter were being fed.

Their meals were not especially refined, but they were filling, with some meat every day, and they received a few hundred coppers each month.

If a family is poor and must rely on relatives, yet can still eat fully and dress warmly without hard labor—isn’t that a good life?

But Hu Zhiwei was not content with that.

From the very beginning, she was used by Eldest Madam Song because she considered herself beautiful and ambitious enough to seduce the Lord Duke. Later, she caught the Dowager Madame’s eye.

She participated willingly.

Take the incident of throwing herself at the Lord Duke—could Eldest Madam Song have forced her to barge into Morning Glory Courtyard?

She was never coerced; she lied to Cheng Zhao.

She wanted the wealth and glory of the Zhou family too much and was willing to be a pawn.

Once she started down that path, she should have known that whether she succeeded or failed, she might very well be silenced.

Her end was brought on by her own actions.

Cheng Zhao was the truly innocent one.

"Qiubai, do you truly think the Fifth Prince’s death was just an accident?" Cheng Zhao suddenly asked.

Qiubai was taken aback. "The Dowager Madame had no reason to kill him."

Precisely. Because the Fifth Prince died, the Dowager Madame’s scheme spiraled out of control. Otherwise, even if her plan had failed, it would have been nothing more than a squabble among family.

If it had succeeded, it would have achieved the Dowager Madame’s goal at a very small cost.

She had looked down on Cheng Zhao so much that even in dealing with her, she was unwilling to pay a heavy price.

She tried to catch a whale with an earthworm.

"But someone benefited from this incident," Cheng Zhao said.

She stared intently at Qiubai.

Qiubai’s face changed, and she grasped Cheng Zhao’s hand tightly. "Young Madam, do not say it!"

Who benefited?

The Lord Duke, of course.

He gained real authority over the Capital Garrison instead of an empty title—this was what he wanted most. Moreover, the dual inheritance arrangement with Huan Qingtang was postponed, because the Fifth Prince’s death caused such a stir that the Emperor was too distracted to see to that matter.

Hadn’t the Fifth Prince’s blatant staring at the Duke of Chen’s wife openly shown contempt for Zhou Yuanshen?

His wife being so openly coveted was also a challenge to his prestige.

Thus, the Fifth Prince died at the hands of Sun Zhiya.

In this matter, Zhou Yuanshen bore not a shred of suspicion.

"Young Madam, this matter must remain buried within your heart," Qiubai said.

Cheng Zhao nodded slightly and said no more.

Zhou Yunqi had gone to the Capital Garrison and indeed did not return for seven or eight days.

Cheng Zhao’s days returned to a peaceful routine, much like the early days after she had first married in—she kept to a regular schedule.

She slept early and rose early, went to pay respects to her mother-in-law after breakfast, and was never late. Then she made her way unhurriedly to Chenning Hall, without any delay.

Unlike those days when Zhou Yuanshen was around, when they would argue until late at night, forcing her to rush through her morning salutations when she barely woke in time.

Fortunately, her mother-in-law was fond of her and did not hold it against her, nor did she expose her, so Cheng Zhao could smooth things over.

"Is Zhou Yuanshen still in the Capital Garrison these days?" Second Madam asked.

Cheng Zhao replied, "Presumably."

"We have not been summoned to greet the Dowager Madame at Shouan Courtyard," Second Madam said in a low voice.

"Grandmother is probably observing her devotions," Cheng Zhao said.

Second Madam snorted contemptuously. "More likely she’s feeling guilty. The court officials are still pressing against the Sun family. The death of a prince is not so easily tidied up."

Cheng Zhao lowered her voice. "Mother, please be careful. The walls have ears. With the Lord Duke away from home, Grandmother might take her anger out on us, and no one would stop her."

Second Madam fell silent.

She then asked Cheng Zhao, "How is Chenning Hall these days?"

"Eldest Madam is handling household affairs, though she seems somewhat timid in her speech and actions, being overly cautious. The Elder Young Lady has not stepped forward and even claims to be ill and refuses to help," Cheng Zhao said.

Second Madam replied, "She brought it upon herself."

Then she added, "The elders of the main branch are too greedy. Since the title has fallen to us, they should cede Chenning Hall. Do they think I would treat them poorly?"

Cheng Zhao said, "Mother, your words are just."

"Don’t mock me for being petty. I have never fought for what is not mine, but when what is rightfully mine is withheld from me, others mock me behind my back and treat me like a fool," Second Madam said.

Cheng Zhao replied, "Mother, this is not being petty. They are trampling over you; of course, you would feel aggrieved."

The two women spoke heartfelt words for a long while.

Cheng Zhao comforted and understood her, and Second Madam felt somewhat better.

That day, in the late afternoon, Cheng Zhao and Second Madam strolled through the back garden to relax and pick some fresh flowers for decoration.

They ran into the Dowager Madame there.

The Dowager Madame was leaning on Hu Yanqing’s arm and accompanied by Mu Yan. Her spirits seemed well, and she was smiling as she spoke about the peonies being near the end of their bloom and wanting to pick some for Shouan Pavilion.

Meeting face to face, both sides were startled.

"Grandmother," Cheng Zhao greeted her, then exchanged greetings with Huan Qingtang and Mu Jiang. "Elder Sister-in-Law, Secondary Wife."