Chapter 177: Take a Look at Your Husband

Cheng Zhao was somewhat surprised.

She didn't know Guo Hanzhang well. She had heard that the girl was hot-tempered and prone to outbursts, and many young ladies of noble birth had suffered at her hands.

Still, there was no conflict between her and Cheng Zhao.

But her grandfather excelled at political balancing. The Cheng family's marital alliances were mostly with powerful, influential houses. To form another connection with the Guo clan at this point would be like pouring oil on fire — hardly wise.

"How does Miss Guo come to know Cheng Chao?" Cheng Zhao asked.

She wasn't in a hurry to take a stance; instead, she probed with an indirect question.

"It's been more than a year or two," Guo Hanzhang said. "If he dares to say he doesn't know me, I'll break his legs."

Cheng Zhao said, "I'm close in age to my fourth brother, and we've bickered since childhood, but he doesn't share private matters with me. I hadn't heard of this before."

Guo Hanzhang said, "Hearing it now is just as good."

"Miss Guo should let the elders on both sides decide," Cheng Zhao said.

"It's precisely because that won't work that I'm asking you. You're deeply favored by your aunt, and you know her better than I do. You're also the Duchess of Chen, so you carry weight with your family's elders. Help me come up with a plan — how can I get this settled?"

Cheng Zhao said, "Miss Guo, since you know my temperament, you should also know I won't agree to such a request."

Guo Hanzhang: "..."

After a moment of silence, they turned back. Guo Hanzhang still urged her, "Keep it in mind."

Cheng Zhao made no reply.

Back at the small courtyard, Second Madam called Cheng Zhao over to ask, "That Miss Guo — did she give you any trouble?"

"No, she just said a few words to me. Private words between women," Cheng Zhao said.

"She has a bad temper, and she has heavy backing. Be careful you don't suffer a loss," Second Madam said.

Cheng Zhao smiled. "Mother, rest assured."

The next day, everyone rose in the middle of the night to make ready and set out on the road.

Because they departed two hours earlier, they returned to the capital by mid-afternoon.

The carriage procession dispersed at the city gate.

The imperial carriage of the Emperor and Empress, with an honor guard clearing the streets and heavy security, advanced slowly toward the imperial city; everyone else returned to their own residences.

The road back to the Duke of Chen's mansion almost overlapped with the imperial route, so Cheng Zhao and the others found a restaurant by the city gate to have a meal and wait.

The deputy general went ahead to report their return.

The Zhou family sent a head steward; and from the Grand General's mansion came the Old Madam, accompanied by Zhou Yuanqi at her side.

The Old Madam first went to see Zhou Yuanshen: "I heard the wound is severe?"

"Just a flesh wound," Zhou Yuanshen said.

The Old Madam said, "Good. A man who can fight a white wolf single-handedly is truly brave."

"I nearly ended up in the wolf's belly. It was Cheng Zhao who sent me her crossbow, which allowed me to turn the tide and win," Zhou Yuanshen said.

Cheng Zhao quickly said, "It was no trouble at all. It was your archery that did the work."

The Old Madam looked at one, then the other, smiling, and said to Cheng Zhao, "Zhaozhao saved his life. How many people, at a critical moment, only cause more harm? Zhaozhao saw the white wolf and still didn't clutch the crossbow to her chest — that too is courage. When faced with danger, most people dare not hand their protective weapon to another."

Cheng Zhao felt a bit embarrassed at the praise.

She truly hadn't thought that deeply at the time.

She trusted Zhou Yuanshen's archery and knew the crossbow would be more formidable in his hands.

At a moment of life and death, she certainly wanted to save her own skin as well — but Zhou Yuanshen was more reliable than the weapon, so she chose the better option.

Now that her grandmother was praising her so highly, she could hardly bear it.

"Zhaozhao is a lucky star," Second Madam said.

Zhou Yuanqi interrupted, asking what exactly had happened.

Cheng Zhao was skilled at telling a story and explained the matter in a few brief sentences.

Zhou Yuanqi curled his lip. "Good thing I didn't go. You all went to survive a tribulation."

"Yes, it was terrifying," Cheng Zhao said.

Zhou Yuanqi heard that his mother was now a First-Rank Lady of the State with a stipend, so he bowed respectfully to her. "Congratulations, Mother."

He added, "Mother, if you were a man, you'd already be a Grand General."

He added further, "Father is only a general, Third Brother is only a general, Fourth Brother is only a junior officer — all the men in the family combined don't match you."

Second Madam: "...You don't have to make so many enemies for me."

Everyone burst into laughter.

The Old Madam patted Zhou Yuanqi's head, praising him for his wit, saying children spoke without forethought, and told them not to take a boy's words to heart.

Only Second Master affirmed Zhou Yuanqi's statement: "Yuanqi has spoken the truth at the core of the matter. Madam has indeed been held back."

Second Madam felt a little pleased, and also a little shy.

She had been raised under a very strict education by her mother, and after marriage, she had been suppressed by her mother-in-law and sisters-in-law. She was not used to being the center of such praise.

Cheng Zhao had been constantly encouraging her, building up her confidence.

"Mother deserves this. One day, Mother will be an honored Old Madam like Grandmother," Cheng Zhao said.

And so Second Madam thought to herself: She must stand firm, gain prestige, so her children would have more confidence and support.

True to that resolve, she straightened her back.

After they had eaten their fill, the imperial carriage should have entered the royal city. It was getting late, and the Zhou family's carriage returned to the mansion.

By the time they reached the Duke of Chen's residence, it was dusk.

After the Ghost Festival, the days grew shorter, and night fell earlier than usual. Lanterns were already lit at the entrance of the Duke of Chen's mansion.

No one was waiting at the gate.

Zhou Yuanshen ordered the servant to remove the threshold plank and let the carriage go straight in.

Cheng Zhao returned to Nonghua Courtyard, feeling as though a yoke had been lifted from her, her mood greatly brightened.

The courtyard was in perfect order. Mother Li told the young couple to rest first, while she and the maids would handle the unpacking.

The baggage was brought in first; they would organize it in the morning, so as not to make noise and disturb them.

Cheng Zhao asked Zhou Yuanshen, "My Lord Duke, how will you bathe?"

"As long as the wound isn't touched, it's fine," he said.

"Do you need me to change the dressing?" Cheng Zhao asked again.

Zhou Yuanshen said, "No need. I'll go to the Imperial Medical Bureau tomorrow to have it changed."

Cheng Zhao nodded.

The bath barrel was only half filled, the water reaching his waist, to prevent any splashes from dampening the gauze on his shoulder.

Cheng Zhao wrung out a cloth and carefully wiped his back and neck.

"...Tell me if it hurts," Cheng Zhao said.

Zhou Yuanshen said, "No need to worry. My skin is tough."

Cheng Zhao smiled.

When she moved to the front to wipe his chest, her eyes glanced downward — then quickly looked away.

She was a little embarrassed.

Zhou Yuanshen caught her hand. "What, is your husband not worth looking at?"

"Don't be silly," Cheng Zhao said. "Hurry up and finish bathing so we can sleep. There's a mountain of things to do tomorrow."

Zhou Yuanshen leaned in and kissed her lips.

Cheng Zhao, afraid that any sudden movement would pull at his wound, didn't dare move.

So he guided her hand, stroking his skin with a gentle but firm pressure.

His chest was solid, with no softness at all; his flesh was hot in the warm water as she trailed her hand downward.

Cheng Zhao ended up half-crouching, half-kneeling beside the bath by the end, because she could no longer stand steady on her feet.

When he was satisfied, he finally released her.

Cheng Zhao quickly checked his wound.

It seemed that he had been a bit too vigorous, and a bead of blood had seeped out.

"...Does it hurt?" she asked with worry.

Zhou Yuanshen said, "It doesn't hurt."

Cheng Zhao, seeing this, felt a flash of irritation. Men, for the sake of a taste of pleasure, could bear pain and pretend all was well.

After drying him off, it was nearly the middle of the night.

Cheng Zhao hadn't had time to wash her hair, so she took a quick bath and returned to bed.

Zhou Yuanshen wasn't asleep yet; he was sitting up in bed, reading by the lamp, waiting for her.

When she got into bed, he covered the lamp, and the couple settled down for the night.

"Cheng Zhao..."

"Hm?"

"Never mind," he said.

Cheng Zhao groggily opened her eyes and looked at him. Seeing that he clearly didn't want to say more, she closed her eyes and went back to sleep.

The next morning, when she woke early, she heard him say, "Settle her in the Jade Brocade Court."

Cheng Zhao: "What?"

"You don't need to worry about it. Have Grandmother's people go take care of her," Zhou Yuanshen said.

Cheng Zhao: "..."