Chapter 198: Stepping Stone

Second Madam rarely took the initiative, but this time she did.

“......I said nothing at all, and that actually forced her to leak the secret to me.” Second Madam laughed.

When Cheng Zhao heard about Huan Qingtang, she was briefly surprised at first.

She praised Second Madam first, saying, “Mother, you were very quick-witted. You knew to go and inform Grandmother beforehand, and you also knew to change your probing words at the last moment.”

Second Madam: “It wasn’t that hard.”

Though her little game of scheming had been clumsy, the results were good, and it gave her tremendous confidence.

From now on, she could slowly explore and learn.

Second Madam suddenly found it quite interesting—once you taste the sweetness of success in something, it feels easy and you begin to enjoy it.

“Zhaozhao, do you think Madam Song deliberately deceived me, or was she telling the truth?” Second Madam asked again.

Cheng Zhao: “It might be true.”

“Then I don’t understand. Lady Huan married Yuan Cheng for two or three years before he passed away. I remember in the early days of their marriage, Yuan Cheng’s health was still fine.” Second Madam said.

The reason Second Madam remembered so clearly was because Zhou Yuancheng’s chambermaid had gotten pregnant, and in the middle of the night she miscarried with massive bleeding.

It was said that blood flooded the entire bed, and the chambermaid died that very night.

Second Madam had remarked at the time—the heir had been married for several months already, why wasn’t the chambermaid given medicine to prevent pregnancy?

Yuan Cheng married in spring, the maid bled to death in high summer, so more than one season of clothes had changed in between.

Cheng Zhao hesitated, as if about to speak.

Second Madam waited for Cheng Zhao’s analysis, and when she saw her expression flicker, she quickly asked, “Is there some inside story?”

Cheng Zhao’s information network was very well-connected.

Could it be that Second Madam was the only one who didn’t know again?

“Mother, do you remember Princess Qing’an?” Cheng Zhao asked.

Second Madam: “......”

What was the deal with this Princess Qing’an? She turned up everywhere.

“This matter was told to me by the Lord Duke, and I didn’t dare mention it to you. Back then, Princess Qing’an had been the matchmaker between the Lord Duke and Lady Huan.” Cheng Zhao said.

Second Madam: “I know that. That’s why for a while after Ah Shen inherited the title, the servants were always gossiping about Ah Shen and Lady Huan. They said Ah Shen had taken a liking to Lady Huan, but she didn’t fancy him back. It infuriated me.”

“That’s not true.”

“I didn’t dare ask either, for fear it would upset Ah Shen.” Second Madam said.

Cheng Zhao then explained: “Back then, Princess Qing’an’s daughter had her eye on the Duke of Chen’s household and wanted to marry the heir, to become the future mistress of the ducal mansion. The Princess sent two rounds of people to test the waters. The Dowager Madame put out word that she wanted a well-bred lady from a distinguished but modest family. At Princess Qing’an’s birthday banquet, the Huan family suddenly brought up that their own family was of a refined and noble lineage. At that time, didn’t you and the Lord Duke also attend? They had a quiet contest of wits behind the scenes. The Princess, fearing that Lady Huan might catch the Dowager Madame’s eye, hastily dragged Lady Huan into the scheme, offering to make a match between her and the Lord Duke.”

Second Madam was stunned.

She had no idea at all.

In the Zhou family’s social circles, there was almost no one Second Madam was close to, and no one had tipped her off.

At that birthday banquet, was she the only one left in the dark?

“A hastily arranged match naturally couldn’t succeed—the Zhou family didn’t owe Princess Qing’an that favor. The Princess was cornered and made a rash move, but the outcome was premeditated.” Cheng Zhao said.

Second Madam frowned deeply: “Premeditated?”

“Think about it—who did Zhou Yuancheng fear and despise the most?” Cheng Zhao asked.

Second Madam: “He was always afraid that Ah Shen would take his position. Ah Shen was superior to him in every way.”

“If I were Lady Huan, I would find a way to let Zhou Yuancheng know that I had rejected his cousin, yet I admired him greatly. Wouldn’t he think I was someone out of the ordinary and look at me differently?” Cheng Zhao asked.

Second Madam: “......A refined lady from a scholarly family would dare to engage in private assignations?”

“Private matters, kept quiet—who would know?” Cheng Zhao said.

Then she added, “She got acquainted with Zhou Yuancheng, refused the Lord Duke, and had the whole affair spread all over town. Even the Dowager Madame would have heard about Princess Qing’an’s matchmaking scheme. With the Princess and the Lord Duke as stepping stones, Lady Huan rose to prominence and caught the Dowager Madame’s eye, didn’t she?”

Second Madam’s expression darkened.

“Then the Dowager Madame went to inquire. The daughter of the Hanlin Academy’s head—not only widely read, but with a father who had countless disciples, all of them future connections in officialdom. A scholarly family, educated and courteous, with a hidden network of civil officials spread across the court. All it would take is a little support from the Zhou family, and the Huan family would take the top spot among the refined houses, perhaps even surpassing my grandfather’s. Such an easy-to-control and promising family—Mother, don’t you think the Dowager Madame would be tempted?” Cheng Zhao asked again.

Second Madam listened, and a chill ran down her spine.

Were Huan Qingtang and her natal family’s schemes truly that deep?

“As for Princess Qing’an and the Lord Duke, the Dowager Madame paid them no mind. In short, the Dowager Madame soon arranged for the match to be vetted, and had Lady Huan betrothed to Zhou Yuancheng.” Cheng Zhao said.

Second Madam felt as if she’d fallen into an ice pit: “Ah Shen was used by others all along, and had to bear the gossip and slander.”

“The Lord Duke knows full well what that matter was about.” Cheng Zhao said.

Second Madam was both furious and heartbroken for her son: “He never tells us anything!”

“Princess Qing’an realized she had been used, so she deliberately told Zhou Yuancheng about it, and also told the Lord Duke.” Cheng Zhao said.

“Her?”

Second Madam realized then, no one was a pushover.

Princess Qing’an was no simple soul either.

“I think Zhou Yuancheng may not have had much backbone, but to be schemed against like this, and to have his fear and jealousy toward his cousin exposed—wouldn’t he have flown into a rage from humiliation?” Cheng Zhao asked.

Second Madam: “Definitely!”

“Then that is why Zhou Yuancheng refused to consummate his marriage with his lawful wife, and Lady Huan remained a virgin by the time she was widowed.” Cheng Zhao said.

Second Madam sat in silence for a long time.

“Mother?” Cheng Zhao gently patted Second Madam’s arm.

Second Madam’s heart felt blocked with bitterness.

She felt as disgusted as if she had swallowed a fly. This sickening feeling gave rise to a kind of despair, and she suddenly lost interest in everything.

“Zhaozhao, how filthy the human heart can be!” Second Madam said gloomily.

Cheng Zhao: “Mother, there are filthy and dark hearts, but there are also bright and passionate ones.”

After returning from the Crimson Cloud Courtyard, Cheng Zhao sat alone.

She went into the side room and looked at her statue of the Bodhisattva of Sons.

She thought of what First Madam Song had said before the Mid-Autumn Festival, when she’d come to Crimson Cloud Courtyard and offered to copy sutras and make offerings to the Bodhisattva.

Cheng Zhao knew something would come of it.

But she refused to wait passively for trouble to land on her head before striking back. She wanted to take the initiative, to make the wind blow in the direction she desired.

This time, she had “used” her mother-in-law, goading her into going to First Madam’s residence.

She didn’t need her mother-in-law to do anything—just by going, Cheng Zhao’s plan could begin.

If First Madam Song had no ill intentions, the matter might just fizzle out. But if she did harbor murderous intent, she would do Cheng Zhao a big favor.

Cheng Zhao lit a stick of incense for the Bodhisattva.

Nanny Li stood beside her, and when she finished her prostrations, helped her to her feet: “You seem heavy-hearted today. Did the Hall of Resplendence give you grief?”

“No.” Cheng Zhao shook her head. “Nanny, it’s time we moved to the Hall of Resplendence. The moment is ripe.”

She no longer wanted to stay in the Fragrant Blossom Courtyard.

She wanted to take another step forward.

Nanny Li sighed helplessly: “How would the Dowager Madame ever agree?”

“She will come to a compromise.” Cheng Zhao said.

Nanny Li held her arm.

She said nothing more, only urged Cheng Zhao to be even more cautious.