Chapter 181: Encounter on a Narrow Path
Cheng Zhao sat with her third sister for a long time.
She also saw Master Dai.
Master Dai was a distant relative of the Cheng family. She had also taught Cheng Zhao swordsmanship and later followed Cheng Ying as her personal companion.
Even now, Cheng Zhao still practiced with her sword in the early mornings, though occasionally she was too busy to keep up.
However, she did not seek to refine her skill; it was merely for exercise, and her swordsmanship was quite ordinary.
“......Master Dai hasn’t changed much,” Cheng Zhao said.
“The Fifth Lady has grown into her looks, more beautiful than before,” Master Dai said.
Cheng Zhao smiled and asked about her children.
“Her boy is thirteen this year and studies beside the steward in the prince’s household. I plan to have him learn accounts for ten years; in the future, he can manage my dowry properties,” the third sister said.
“That is well arranged. A bookkeeper can always earn his keep,” Cheng Zhao remarked.
The third sister: “It’s mainly because he’s shy and introverted; otherwise, I would cultivate him to be a head steward.”
“Teaching according to one’s talents—only you truly know how to judge people, Third Sister,” Cheng Zhao said. “And what of Master Dai’s daughter? She must be nearly ten by now.”
“She is passionately devoted to the sword, even more so than Master Dai. I sent her away to study formally,” the third sister said.
Cheng Zhao: “Then in the future, you will not be short of capable hands.”
Master Dai smiled beside them: “I only hope they can both serve the young lady well; otherwise, the money would be wasted. The young lady has spent a great deal on us, mother and child.”
“Whether a tree becomes timber depends on heaven’s will. Third Sister values you, which is why she is willing to invest such effort. Your unwavering loyalty by her side has already repaid her,” Cheng Zhao said.
The third sister nodded: “Exactly so.”
The conversation was lively and warm.
When the midday meal hour arrived, Cheng Zhao prepared to return to the main courtyard.
“I’d rather not leave my mother-in-law too long with the princess consort. She dislikes socializing,” Cheng Zhao said.
“Second Madam is a down-to-earth woman, and my mother-in-law is not one to be petty or controlling. Don’t worry—they’ll get along just fine,” the third sister said.
Even so, the two sisters hurried back to the main courtyard of the prince’s residence.
Indeed, the Second Madam and Princess Consort Jingnan were deep in pleasant conversation.
Prince Jingnan had earned his non-imperial title through military merit. On that account, the princess consort and the Second Madam had no shortage of topics to share.
“It’s about time, isn’t it? Quickly bring out the meal—we are both hungry,” the princess consort said, smiling as she saw the two sisters return.
She then asked Cheng Ying, “Has Dongbai returned?”
Zhang Yunqi, styled Dongbai, had been granted this courtesy name by the late emperor himself.
During the late emperor’s reign, he had shown exceptional favor to Prince Jingnan, making him nearly the foremost among his close ministers.
“He gathered some osmanthus flowers and sent them to me,” Cheng Ying said.
The princess consort smiled: “He never has any serious business. Now that he’s back, he doesn’t even come for a meal—off running somewhere again.”
“There are female guests present, so it isn’t proper for him to come over,” Cheng Ying said with a smile. “He knows his manners well enough.”
Cheng Ying’s beauty was so striking it rivaled frost and snow. Even with the faintest smile, she appeared ethereal and moving. Every word that came from her lips sounded extraordinarily refined.
When she spoke of her husband, her tone was relaxed and natural; toward her mother-in-law, Princess Consort Jingnan, she showed a certain affection.
The Second Madam glanced at Cheng Zhao.
She had expected Cheng Zhao to chime in with a compliment for Zhang Yunqi, but Cheng Zhao remained silent.
The Second Madam recalled what Zhou Yuanqi had once said—that everyone in the Cheng family held Princess Consort Jingnan in high regard, yet none of them paid Zhang Yunqi any attention.
When it was time to be sweet-tongued, her daughter-in-law’s words were honeyed; but when principles were at stake, her daughter-in-law drew clear lines between gratitude and grievance.
The backbone of a scholarly family was stiffer than the Second Madam had imagined.
Over the past half year, the Second Madam had come to see a whole new side of the world and understood many truths that had eluded her for most of her life.
The midday meal was lavish.
The princess consort had also invited her other two daughters-in-law to join as companions.
The young ladies of the Zhang household got along harmoniously, each with a pleasant countenance and gentle disposition.
After the meal, Cheng Zhao and the Second Madam lingered briefly before taking their leave.
As they were about to depart, a maid from the second gate rushed in and said urgently to the princess consort: “Your Highness, the princess has arrived, and she seems in a great hurry.”
The princess consort’s expression shifted slightly.
Cheng Ying asked calmly, “Which princess? This is rather without context.”
The eldest daughter of Princess Consort Jingnan had been titled Princess Deyang.
Just two days earlier, the princess had visited her natal home, and all had been well. Moreover, when the princess returned to the residence, she would send word ahead; she would not arrive in the middle of the afternoon like this.
Furthermore, even if she were in haste, the guards at the second gate would not dare to stop her, and there would be no need for a maid to come all the way to announce her.
This particular maid looked unfamiliar—perhaps recently assigned to the second gate.
Cheng Ying sensed immediately that something was off, while the princess consort, caught up in her concern, had not yet noticed.
“It is Princess Qing’an,” the maid said, lowering her head.
The princess consort: “......”
When she realized it was not her own daughter, her heart settled back into place, and her composure returned: “Why has Princess Qing’an come? There was no advance notice, not even a card sent.”
The heir’s wife rose to her feet: “Mother, I’ll go and see.”
The princess consort nodded: “Tell her not to rush into anything. I still have guests here. Entertain her first.”
The heir’s wife acknowledged and left.
With this commotion at hand, and knowing the Second Madam and Princess Qing’an did not see eye to eye, Cheng Zhao took her leave.
The princess consort and Cheng Ying saw them to the door.
Unexpectedly, Princess Qing’an was heading toward the main courtyard.
As soon as she saw the princess consort, she rushed over and tried to seize her hand: “Your Highness, you must help me this time! My husband—he’s been taken by the prefect of the capital!”
Princess Consort Jingnan was taken aback.
Princess Qing’an was about to say more, but her eyes swept over the unfamiliar faces, and she stopped herself.
She recognized the Second Madam of the Zhou family.
That time when she had hastily arranged a match between Huan Qingtang and Zhou Yuanshen, coming out of nowhere, the Second Madam had been present.
That incident had rankled the Second Madam for many years.
“Your Highness, we will take our leave then,” Cheng Zhao said.The princess consort’s hand was still held by Princess Qing’an, so she only smiled and said to Cheng Ying, “See them to the main gate.”
Then to Cheng Zhao and the Second Madam: “Please forgive us for the poor hospitality. Do come again another day.”
Cheng Zhao and the Second Madam acknowledged with polite words and turned to leave.
Princess Qing’an did not release the princess consort’s hand, and unwilling to face the strangers, she turned her face to the other side and remained silent.
Cheng Zhao and the Second Madam boarded their carriage at the gate.
“......What happened to her husband?” the Second Madam asked, curious.
“We’ll send someone to find out later. Since the prefect has arrested him, he must have committed some offense,” Cheng Zhao said.
The Second Madam: “She seems to be on quite good terms with the princess consort.”
“Last time we visited, the princess consort mentioned she had some friendship with Princess Qing’an. She didn’t try to hide it,” Cheng Zhao said.
The Second Madam had forgotten this detail: “Is that so? I wasn’t paying attention at the time.”
“Just trivial matters,” Cheng Zhao said.
Back at the Duke Chen residence, the Second Madam was still thinking about Princess Qing’an’s husband’s trouble and planned to have the Second Lord make inquiries.
However, when the Second Lord returned, Zhou Yuanqi came along with him, and the matter was soon explained.
“......The river transport on the Jinzhou section of the Qu River has been controlled by them for years. This time, someone died, and that’s what brought it to light. It was a steward from the Sun family—the natal family of grandmother—whom Princess Qing’an’s husband had beaten to death,” Zhou Yuanqi said.
The Second Madam: “......”
She had thought it was merely some gossip to amuse herself, but it turned out the story came full circle back to their own household.
The Second Madam quickly sent for Cheng Zhao.
When Cheng Zhao returned to the Nonghua Courtyard, she had already heard the news.
It had been told by Nanfeng, a servant of Zhou Yuanshen, to Qiubai, who in turn relayed it to Cheng Zhao.
“Merit-based noble families fighting over interests—this is common enough,” Cheng Zhao said.
"Your grandmother is likely to be upset. Since someone has died in the Marquis of Qingyuan's household, they will certainly come to complain to her," said the Second Madam.
At that moment, a senior maid from Shou'an Courtyard arrived at Jiangyun Courtyard.
"Second Master, the Madam Dowager requests your presence at Shou'an Courtyard," the senior maid said.
Zhou Yuanshen was stationed at the capital garrison, so matters at home required the Second Master to step in.
The Second Master smiled good-naturedly and said, "Go ahead and eat without me."
He rose and left.