Chapter 125: The Emperor in Command

The entire Duke of Chen's mansion was in chaos.

The atmosphere was tense, but no one could enter the Courtyard of Beautiful Views, not even Cheng Zhao.

The Second Madam sent for Cheng Zhao to come to the Crimson Cloud Courtyard.

Zhou Yuanqi and the Second Master were already there.

"There are armed guards stationed outside the Courtyard of Beautiful Views," Zhou Yuanqi said.

He couldn't help himself and had gone to take a look, only to be turned back at a rockery.

Those guards weren't from the Zhou family.

Zhou Yuanqi knew everyone in the household and what they looked like; he was just as clever and inquisitive as Nanfeng.

Those were imperial guards—the Emperor's own guards.

The Second Madam's face shifted colors several times.

The Second Master pondered for a moment and asked Cheng Zhao, "What about that child from the Morning Light Courtyard? Send someone to fetch him; I have questions for him."

He meant Nanfeng.

The Second Madam said, "What would a child like him know?"

"He knows quite a bit," the Second Master said meaningfully.

Before the Second Madam could grasp the implication of his words, Zhou Yuanqi explained, "Nanfeng is the eyes and ears that brute placed in the household."

"Him?"

A child, not yet old enough to have his hair bound, thin and small—what could he possibly do?

Though he had grown a bit taller lately.

Cheng Zhao said, "I'll send Qiubai."

Zhou Yuanqi added, "Among your maids, Qiubai is the most skilled in martial arts."

The Second Madam was surprised again.

Of the maids around Cheng Zhao, Suyue was the most capable and efficient, while Qiubai was quiet and unremarkable.

Zhou Yuanqi had first exposed his third brother's secret, then revealed his sister-in-law's hidden talent. The Second Master felt that if he got beaten, every beating would be well deserved.

"Shh, keep it secret!" Cheng Zhao said.

The Second Madam: "..."

One of them was like a little oriole, chirping all day and unable to keep any secret—not that she could blame anyone, since the child took after her. The other got caught and still tried to cover her ears while stealing a bell.

Hopeless. The Dowager Madame was going to have them all killed.

Cheng Zhao instructed Qiubai to handle it.

Qiubai was efficient and returned quickly, reporting in a low voice: "I didn't see Nanfeng. I checked the stables; he took a horse and left half an hour ago."

Cheng Zhao understood and dismissed her, then said to her in-laws, "Nanfeng has probably left the city to deliver a message. The question is whether he can get out before the city gates close."

She added, "If he can't get out, he'll likely turn back. If he does get out, once the city gates open tomorrow morning, the Lord Duke will be home. Whatever happens, if we hold out until the Lord Duke returns, our chances are better."

The Second Madam nodded obediently.

Listening to her daughter-in-law speak brought her a sense of calm and reassurance, even though Cheng Zhao could sometimes be childish herself.

The Second Master stood up: "I'll go outside and take a look."

He left.

Zhou Yuanqi didn't want to sit around waiting either, so he ran out as well.

Cheng Zhao instructed Qiubai: "Follow the Fifth Young Master."

Only the two women remained in the Crimson Cloud Courtyard.

Cheng Zhao said, "Mother, please eat something."

The Second Madam's lips were dry: "How can I eat at a time like this?"

Her mind was in turmoil.

Her emotions were a tangled mess, and she couldn't process them, so she just sat there in a daze.

She pitied Mu Jiang because, as a mother herself, she knew exactly how much pain Mu Jiang was suffering right now. But she was also afraid—if the Dowager Madame was angry enough, she might take it out on many people, including their branch of the family.

"...Zhaozhao, she must have been five months along, right?" the Second Madam suddenly asked.

Cheng Zhao: "Yes."

"At five months, the fetus would have taken shape. They could tell if it was a boy or a girl," the Second Madam said.

Cheng Zhao: "Mother, it's already lost. The gender doesn't matter."

"You're right." The Second Madam sighed deeply again.

She was too overwhelmed to think strategically, so she just chatted randomly with Cheng Zhao to ease her mind.

"I kept thinking, wouldn't it be nice if Mu Jiang had a daughter? I have no daughter of my own, and I was hoping for a granddaughter. If it were a girl, Mu Jiang might cause less trouble—she wouldn't be able to compete with you as much," the Second Madam said.

Cheng Zhao held her hand: "Mother, Secondary Wife conceived this pregnancy quickly; she's fertile. After resting for half a year or so, she'll have another child."

The Second Madam: "Who knows what the future holds? The Dowager Madame is probably furious."

That was certain.

Not only was the Dowager Madame angry, but Zhou Yuanshen was likely furious too.

With armed guards at the Courtyard of Beautiful Views, it meant the Emperor was there.

In Cheng Zhao's mind, she thought, The Emperor actually came.

He was truly unhinged—the affairs of the Zhou family had practically become his personal business. He had been crazy enough in the Imperial Study when he said Zhou Yuanshen and Mu Jiang should have a child to become his heir.

And now, this same insane thread of logic seemed even more frightening.

A man whose madness followed a pattern was far more terrifying than one who was chaotic without rhyme or reason.

What would become of the Duke of Chen's mansion?

"As long as the Dowager Madame is here, the Zhou family won't fall. But what about us?" Cheng Zhao couldn't help shivering. "Especially me."

If the Emperor wanted to vent his fury by killing her, the Zhou family could even cover it up.

Cheng Zhao's heart tightened, but her face betrayed nothing. At this moment, she remained remarkably composed, thinking through her options step by step.

She also comforted her mother-in-law.

Nanny Fan had also gone out.

Night had fallen. It was dark now. The Duke of Chen's mansion lit its lanterns, and the floor-level horn lanterns illuminated the paths brightly.

No gates had been locked, yet there wasn't a single sound of commotion. The maids and servants all tiptoed, afraid to make even the slightest noise.

The Second Master returned, and so did Nanny Fan.

"...I heard a fully formed fetus was expelled, the size of a palm, like a little mouse. But it should have been the size of a kitten by five months; Secondary Wife's pregnancy was particularly small," Nanny Fan whispered.

Being too small meant it was inherently weak.

So even without all the upheaval, that fetus might never have come to term.

But she had pretended to be ill and then had her knees struck when the Lord Duke punished her.

"Could they tell if it was a boy or a girl?" the Second Madam asked.

Nanny Fan nodded: "Yes, it was a girl."

The Second Madam felt a pang of sorrow.

If it had been a boy, the Dowager Madame would have a "hostage" to control Zhou Yuanshen, and the Second Madam might not have cared for the child.

But a granddaughter—it gave the Dowager Madame less leverage and posed no threat to her daughter-in-law's position. And the Second Madam had longed for a granddaughter, so now she felt a deep regret.

Cheng Zhao held her hand: "Mother, please calm down."

Then she ordered, "Bring some bird's nest porridge."

A maid went to pass the order.

Soon, three bowls of bird's nest porridge were brought in. No one had the appetite for a meal, but the Second Master joined the two women in having some porridge.

Having an empty stomach was truly hard to bear.

The Second Madam sighed deeply again.

Zhou Yuanqi returned from his outing and also told the Second Madam it had been a girl.

The Emperor was really there.

The Second Madam frowned: "This Emperor..."

Cheng Zhao covered her mouth.

The Second Madam: "..."

After midnight, when it was deep into the night, the Dowager Madame's people arrived at the Crimson Cloud Courtyard.

It seemed they assumed no one had slept.

"The Dowager Madame summons everyone to the Hall of Inherited Light," the stewardess said. Noticing Zhou Yuanqi trying to sneak away, she added, "Fifth Young Master, you are also required to go."

The Second Madam was about to speak, but Cheng Zhao firmly held her hand.

"Mother, we will win this. Please trust me. No matter what you hear, don't panic. Say as little as possible," Cheng Zhao said solemnly.

The Second Master straightened his collar and led the way: "All of you, follow me."

The group took small oiled carriages and headed toward the Hall of Inherited Light.