Chapter 202: Entering the Hall

Cheng Zhao did not rashly bestow a surname upon Xian Si. She had the maids call Xian Si "Second Aunt."

Because the Duke still had Mu Jiang ahead of her.

"...Second Aunt will bring her two personal maids and move into Nonghua Courtyard for a few days. The rest will stay temporarily in the courtyard at the back garden. That courtyard is crude, close to the servants' quarters and the storeroom, and near the back street—it may be noisy." Cheng Zhao said.

The entire room was shocked.

But no one dared show any sign of surprise; they respectfully acknowledged the order.

The household servants all knew that the Duchess was a formidable woman, and her authority was known from top to bottom.

Xian Si was stunned for a moment, then her eyes welled with tears: "Thank you for your generosity, Madam. But would this be too much of an imposition? I could share quarters with Lady Concubine."

Cheng Zhao: "Lijing Courtyard also needs to be inspected, and I fear the termites might tunnel through the ground—they could come to your place, and also to hers."

She added, "Lady Concubine recently made a mistake, and the Grand Madam punished her. She was beaten. Her welts have not yet healed, and she can hardly withstand the disturbance of your presence."

Upon hearing this, Xian Si lowered her head and said, "Yes, I will follow all of Madam's instructions."

And so it was done. Xian Si, with her two maids, packed two large bundles containing her change of clothes and cosmetics, and moved into Nonghua Courtyard.

Within half an hour, this matter had spread throughout the Duke's mansion.

Strictly speaking, Cheng Zhao's arrangement was not wrong—a concubine staying in the mistress's courtyard to serve the mistress and the Duke was within the rules.

Some mistresses bullied their concubines, using them like night-duty maids.

But the Duke's household did not torment people that way.

Cheng Zhao was also a young wife, not quite able to put aside her pride.

She was willing to take Xian Si in—regardless of how people privately speculated about her motives, publicly they had to praise her as "virtuous."

After arranging for Xian Si's accommodation, Cheng Zhao proceeded to inspect the termite nests in Yujin Courtyard.

As she left Yujin Courtyard with Suyue and Qiubai, she passed by Lijing Courtyard and encountered Mu Jiang.

Mu Jiang's face was sallow. She wore only her inner garments and trousers, with a thin robe draped over her shoulders, her hair scattered.

She stared quietly at Cheng Zhao.

Cheng Zhao also noticed her, as well as the maid and the stewardess who were supporting her on either side.

"Third Young Madam."

The maid and stewardess bowed to Cheng Zhao.

Mu Jiang only glared hatefully at Cheng Zhao, filled with both pain and rage.

Cheng Zhao ignored her, addressing only the servants who had greeted her: "Why is Lady Concubine standing in the draft?"

Then she asked, "Is Lady Concubine in poor spirits, that she cannot speak?"

Mu Jiang whirled at her: "Are you cursing me?"

"So she can speak. I thought she had been beaten so hard that her throat was injured." Cheng Zhao said.

"Cheng Zhao, you—"

She was about to charge forward, but the maid and stewardess behind her had already swiftly flanked her and grabbed her arms.

Mu Jiang struggled furiously: "Let go!"

Her eyes bulged, her arms flailed, and she kicked at those restraining her. With no way out, she spat at them.

She was utterly disheveled.

Many servants passing by gathered around.

Someone blocked in front of Cheng Zhao, trying to curry favor, saying: "Third Young Madam, be careful—don't let her spit on you."

Others scolded Mu Jiang's maid: "Take her back at once. For such dereliction of duty, the Grand Madam and the Duke will not spare you. Don't think that just because Third Young Madam has a good temper, you can take things lightly."

"Shut up! Cheng Zhao! Cheng Zhao!" Mu Jiang screamed instead, "Cheng Zhao, if you don't save me, one day you will be me! You'll come to no good end either, Cheng Zhao!"

Everyone was speechless.

Cheng Zhao looked at her.

Mu Jiang's mouth had already been covered.

She glared at Cheng Zhao with a fierce, venomous gaze.

After Mu Jiang was taken away, Cheng Zhao slowly walked back.

She didn't take the small cart but strolled back to Nonghua Court on foot.

She was thinking about Mu Jiang.

Those frantic movements, those twisted expressions—Cheng Zhao had been baffled at first, then gradually came to understand.

Mu Jiang had deliberately come out of the courtyard, intending to beg for help.

But when she saw Cheng Zhao, her first instinct was hatred.

Hatred that Cheng Zhao looked polished, hatred that she looked respectable.

Hatred that Cheng Zhao had everything Mu Jiang wanted.

The instinctive jealousy and resentment were so overwhelming that Mu Jiang couldn't lower herself to say soft words. She simply stared at Cheng Zhao, waiting for Cheng Zhao to ask her.

Waiting for Cheng Zhao to offer her a way down.

At the same time, she didn't trust her own judgment or decisions.

Whether Cheng Zhao could save her—she had no confidence.

It wasn't until she was seized and about to be taken back that she realized it would be hard to run into Cheng Zhao in the future, and she wanted to cling to her last shred of opportunity.

Still, she didn't beg Cheng Zhao.

She threatened Cheng Zhao.

Threatening that Cheng Zhao had to save her, because it was also Cheng Zhao's self-rescue.

Cheng Zhao sorted out Mu Jiang's mindset and gave a faint shake of her head.

Suyue and Qiubai were walking beside Cheng Zhao. Thinking Cheng Zhao had been angered by Mu Jiang, they both tried to console her: "Young Madam, don't lower yourself to her level."

Cheng Zhao gave a slight nod. "Alright, I won't lower myself to her level."

Then she added, "Suyue, Qiubai—back when we were in Fengzhou, whenever we went to the seaside, my mother always told us that if we saw someone drowning, we should run far away and never reach out to pull them in."

When a person falls into water, no matter how pitiful or innocent she may be, the one who approaches to save her could very well become her substitute death. A person flailing and fighting for survival will trample all kindness underfoot in exchange for their own chance to live.

Mu Jiang didn't just fail to beg Cheng Zhao—even if she had wept bitterly and shown deep regret, Cheng Zhao still wouldn't have reached out a hand.

This was the karma between Mu Jiang and the Zhou family, their own entanglement of sin.

"Yes, the lady always taught us that," Qiubai said. "But we've never actually encountered someone drowning."

Cheng Zhao hummed in acknowledgment.

They returned to Nonghua Court, where Nurse Li had already settled Xian Si in.

Xian Si was staying in the west wing; the furnishings there were relatively new.

"Second concubine, you'll only be staying a few days. Once the ant nest in the house is found, dug out, and the pests eliminated, you can go back," Nurse Li reassured her repeatedly.

Xian Si softly murmured her agreement.

After returning, Cheng Zhao first changed into casual clothes, intending to head to Jiangyun Court for the evening meal, when the Second Madam arrived.

The Second Madam came alone, hurrying into Nonghua Court.

"Mother, why are you—"

As Cheng Zhao spoke, her eyes darted toward the side rooms.

The Second Madam followed her gaze, shocked and incredulous: "You brought the woman from Yujin Court here?"

"Yes."

The Second Madam: "...Are you out of your mind with anger, Zhao Zhao?"

"Just two days, Mother. Termite inspections are quick—they wouldn't dare delay," Cheng Zhao said with a smile.

"Even so, she can't stay in your courtyard," the Second Madam said.

"If she stays in my courtyard, it's actually the most proper arrangement. If I were short on maidservants, she'd have to remain here indefinitely, serving me," Cheng Zhao said.

The Second Madam: "..."

She took Cheng Zhao's hand.

Cheng Zhao chuckled lightly: "Don't worry, Mother. I've already come to an agreement with the Duke—we won't be staying here for the next two nights."

The Second Madam gradually relaxed a little: "Where will you go?"

"The General's Mansion," Cheng Zhao said.

Second Madam: “......”

Cheng Zhao lowered his voice again, smiling. “Mother, during the Dragon Boat Festival when we went to the General’s Manor, you said something.”

“I said countless things. Which one?”

“You said, next time you want to scare Grandmother, we could move to the General’s Manor for a stay.” Cheng Zhao grinned.

Second Madam: “......”

She remembered now.

Back then, Cheng Zhao had also said that if anything really happened, they could first move to the General’s Manor for a temporary stay. If the Grand Lady wanted her to move back, she would have to vacate Chengming Hall.

That statement Second Madam recalled.

She shot Cheng Zhao a puzzled look.

“Her moving over—the Duke also agreed to it,” Cheng Zhao added.

That was what Zhou Yuanshen meant by “betting bigger.”

As the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were talking, Nanny Fan arrived.

Nanny Fan said to them, “The Duke has gone to the Jiangyun Courtyard. The Second Master and the Fifth Young Master have also returned. They await you both for dinner.”

Cheng Zhao and Second Madam then left together.

After dinner, Cheng Zhao and Zhou Yuanshen went out, using the excuse of browsing the night market, and went to stay at the General’s Manor.

Ever since Xian Si moved into Nonghua Courtyard, Zhou Yuanshen had not set foot there again.