Chapter 186: Husband and Wife Reconciled

Cheng Zhao ate very well; Zhou Yuanshen and the sour radish duck soup both brought her equal delight.

She fell into a deep sleep.

When she rose early the next morning, Zhou Yuanshen had not yet left.

"...No court session today. Later I need to go to the Eastern Palace to see the Crown Prince; and then to the General's Mansion to meet with Uncle." Zhou Yuanshen said.

A maid helped him change clothes.

Cheng Zhao, fully dressed, came over to adjust his belt: "Will you stay the night at the General's Mansion?"

"Not necessarily." He said.

He caught hold of Cheng Zhao's hand. "I'll be staying at Chenhui Courtyard. You can come find me if anything comes up."

Cheng Zhao let him hold her hand.

After a long moment, she said, "There's nothing major happening in the inner quarters. You needn't worry about these things."

Then, after a pause: "I didn't ask you to stay at Chenhui Courtyard. The agreement of twice a month at Nonghua Courtyard was only a temporary measure. If you'd rather stay here, there's no harm in it."

Zhou Yuanshen looked at her deeply: "You don't want me to stay at Chenhui Courtyard?"

Cheng Zhao, paying no mind to the servants still present, leaned her head against his chest.

Zhou Yuanshen reached out and drew her into his embrace.

Suyue, who had just carried in a kettle of hot water, quickly withdrew; only Nanny Li remained in the inner chamber to await orders—and then Nanny Li also left.

Cheng Zhao pressed closer to him, seeming to let out a soft sigh: "If only we were thirty years old."

"What would that change?"

"By then we'd have children, and our position would be secure." Cheng Zhao said.

At that point, spending two nights a month together, discussing matters whenever they arose, respecting each other, without all this clinging—that would work.

They would each have their own duties, not interfering with each other.

"It will happen, Cheng Zhao. We will have a secure position." Zhou Yuanshen said.

Then he asked again, "Would you be willing to have me stay at Nonghua Courtyard on a permanent basis?"

Last time, he was the one who said he would only sleep there two nights.

Now he couldn't very well swallow his own words—he needed a step down.

Cheng Zhao had already offered him a ladder by pressing close to him; yet he still had to fuss, insisting on asking outright. Couldn't he just shamelessly come by every day without making her say it?

"Then you can't complain later that I've kept you trapped at Nonghua Courtyard," Cheng Zhao said. "If you're not staying at the General's Mansion, it's better you come back to Nonghua Courtyard. It's at least more comfortable than Chenhui."

Zhou Yuanshen lowered his head and pecked her on the lips: "Alright."

The corner of Cheng Zhao's mouth curved up: "I need to do my hair now. I'll go to Mother's place for breakfast."

While having her hair combed, Cheng Zhao thought: this matter should be considered settled by now, shouldn't it?

She hadn't recognized him at the temple. Although she had a hundred reasons to excuse herself, considering the little lantern, Cheng Zhao decided to admit her fault.

She would take a step back.

She would also overturn the decision they had made out of pique.

They had to try again.

In moments of life and death, Cheng Zhao trusted Zhou Yuanshen greatly. Not because there was any romance between them, but because she trusted his sense of responsibility, his capability.

And, his integrity.

She knew that as long as he could kill the white wolf, he would ensure Cheng Zhao's safety.

"Safety"—that word was more dependable than affection, and Cheng Zhao was willing to stake her future on Zhou Yuanshen's ship.

"Cheng Zhao, we've been married for nearly a year now, but truthfully, we haven't spent much time together," he said. "Even when we go out, it's on business. Would you like to take a trip?"

"The two of us?"

"Why not? After Mid-Autumn, the weather will be clear and pleasant—neither hot nor cold. I'll find an excuse, and we'll go out for a fortnight or more." Zhou Yuanshen said.

Cheng Zhao: "What kind of excuse could you come up with?"

"Seeking a physician?"

Cheng Zhao: "..."

"Could also say we're going to worship Buddha. Head east—near the salt fields there's an island with a highly efficacious statue of Guanyin." He said it with a perfectly straight face.

Cheng Zhao: "Well, let's see if I'm in the mood."

"If not, no matter—we can wait until next spring," he said. "I'm quite busy lately anyway."

Cheng Zhao let out a breath of relief.

"Very well, let's plan it that way for now, and see when we can get this trip underway." Cheng Zhao said with a smile.

She found herself looking forward to it a little.

The couple finished washing up and went to Jiangyun Courtyard for breakfast.

Second Madam and Zhou Yuanqi had returned quite late the previous night, and Zhou Yuanqi had simply stayed in Second Madam's warm room.

Second Master had left early in the morning for court; he rarely ate breakfast at home.

When he got up, Zhou Yuanqi was still wearing yesterday's sapphire-blue outer robe.

At his waist hung a sachet.

Zhou Yuanshen asked: "What's that?"

"Ask me that when you don't already know." Zhou Yuanqi said.

"Let me see." Zhou Yuanshen reached out his hand toward him.

Zhou Yuanqi refused: "You'll get it dirty with your hands. You can look at it with your eyes just the same."

Zhou Yuanshen: "..."

After the meal, Zhou Yuanqi was to go to school, and Zhou Yuanshen had to rush to the Eastern Palace.

The brothers left together.

They had only just reached the door when they heard Zhou Yuanqi cry out, "Ah!"

Then his young, sharp voice erupted in fury: "Thief! Give it back!"

Second Madam craned her neck out of curiosity: "What's all the fuss about?"

A maid went out to check.

She saw Zhou Yuanshen striding away swiftly—taking long, fast steps, even breaking into a run—while Zhou Yuanqi's little short legs simply couldn't catch up.

"The Lord Duke snatched Fifth Young Master's sachet and bolted. Fifth Young Master couldn't catch him, so he shouted." The maid said.

Second Madam couldn't believe it. She hurried to the door to take a look.

Of course, she saw nothing; both sons had already run out of sight.

She shook her head with a laugh: "Now that's a rare sight—her sons actually roughhousing with each other?"

It was a pity they'd only started their quarrel after leaving the courtyard; Second Madam hadn't witnessed it with her own eyes, and she was rather regretful. She called the maid over to ask for details again and again.

Cheng Zhao likewise found it hard to imagine.

She was certain Zhou Yuanshen had merely walked briskly, not run—the maid must have exaggerated.

But snatching his younger brother's sachet... that was completely unexpected of him, even for Cheng Zhao.

So much so that when Cheng Zhao went to Chengming Hall to handle her duties, a smile lingered at the corner of her lips, barely suppressible.

The matron in charge of the storehouse asked her: "Third Young Madam is in a good mood today?"

The storehouse was managed by Huan Qingtang, but most of her underlings got along well with Cheng Zhao and were happy to chat with her.

Cheng Zhao used a casual excuse: "I was just saying to Fifth Brother that we'd play some cuju this afternoon."

"You know how to play cuju?" The matron asked with a smile.

Cheng Zhao: "How would I? Fifth Brother said he'd teach me. I found the idea rather amusing, so that's why I was smiling."

Then she added: "Cuju is too hard to control; kicking the shuttlecock is better."

"Young men of Fifth Young Master's age don't take to shuttlecock," the matron said. "They think it doesn't look impressive enough."

Everyone laughed.

Cheng Zhao was in the middle of chatting and laughing with them over whether it was better to kick a shuttlecock or play cuju with a nine-year-old boy when Huan Qingtang finally arrived.

A gentle, sweet smile graced her face: "What's got you all laughing so merrily?"

Someone relayed the story to her.

Huan Qingtang said: "Kicking the shuttlecock is more fun."

Cheng Zhao: "I think so too."

With that, the topic was dropped, and they moved on to the day's duties.

The day passed uneventfully.

At noon, Cheng Zhao sent Qiubai to fetch a cuju ball and a shuttlecock, so they could get some exercise before supper—which would also help Fifth Brother eat a heartier meal.

At Jiangyun Courtyard, Second Master had already returned and was with Zhou Yuanqi and Cheng Zhao, the three of them discussing how to play cuju.

Not as a match—more like how you'd kick a shuttlecock.

They also had to set up a rule for winning and losing.

"I'll go first." Cheng Zhao said.

Zhou Yuanqi: "Your hands have to be behind your back. If the ball touches them, you lose."

Second Master said with an easygoing smile: "You two can use your hands if you need."

"Father, you've got no faith in me." Zhou Yuanqi complained.

Second Madam laughed and said, “Close the courtyard gate so that no one from outside can see us, or they’ll laugh at us.” She added, “I want to kick the ball too.”

Cheng Zhao said, “Mother, the two of us are on the same team. Father is with Yuanqi on the other.”

When Zhou Yuanshen hurried back to the Jiangyun Courtyard for the evening meal, he happened to see Cheng Zhao balancing the cuju ball on her head.

“That’s called ‘Buddha’s Pearl on the Peak’ — well done, Zhao Zhao!” Second Madam cheered from the side.

Zhou Yuanshen: “...”