Chapter 208: The Beauty Trap

Cheng Zhao was a slippery eel that no one could catch.

Nanny Sun tried to deal with her and nearly had a heart attack from frustration.

Compared to the First Madam and the Second Madam, Cheng Zhao was far bolder. She didn't even fear the Dowager Madame, let alone Nanny Sun.

Nanny Sun's authority was utterly useless against her.

When it was time to be firm, Cheng Zhao was clear in her stance; when it was time to play weak, she looked utterly pitiful.

Nanny Sun talked for a long while, her face turning uglier by the minute, yet she still failed to drag Cheng Zhao back.

Her first mission was a failure.

The Dowager Madame naturally assumed that since Nanny Sun had gone in her stead, it was as good as going herself, and Cheng Zhao would surely return.

But only Nanny Sun came back.

"...You were right, that Cheng Shi is simply out of her mind!" Nanny Sun said. "Dowager Madame, this old servant couldn't do a thing with her."

The Dowager Madame pondered for a moment: "Help me change my clothes. I'll pay a visit to the palace."

Nanny Sun: "You wish to have the Emperor intervene?"

"That Cheng Shi was married into this family by imperial decree from the Empress, so she has backing, which is why she dares to act so brazenly. She shows no respect to her elders. I ought to voice a complaint or two," the Dowager Madame said.

Nanny Sun acknowledged the order.

The Dowager Madame did not need to request an audience in advance; she could always visit the Emperor whenever she pleased.

The Emperor was always happy to see her.

But to her surprise, in the imperial study, she ran into Zhou Yuanshen.

The Emperor was nowhere to be found.

"Grandmother, His Majesty has a bit of a headache. He went for a stroll in the imperial garden. Consort Wu is with him," Zhou Yuanshen said.

Consort Wu was the Emperor's newly acquired consort and greatly favored by him.

Last time the Emperor went out, he even had Consort Wu dress as a young eunuch to accompany him. It had been many years since the Emperor had doted so heavily on any consort.

This Consort Wu had entered the palace in the fifth month, and her rise to favor was only in the last two months. The official who selected and sent Consort Wu into the palace was rumored to be a close aide of Zhou Yuanshen's.

— Only rumored, though; the Dowager Madame wasn't certain.

She had sent people to investigate, but they had found nothing.

"Aren't you stationed at the capital's garrison?" the Dowager Madame asked, all affability.

"His Majesty issued a special decree to summon me back. He had a nightmare last night and was restless, so he called me to keep him company.

He had originally planned to visit the Zhou residence, as Grandmother's pastries soothe him. But with me back, he had someone to talk to, and naturally he recovered," Zhou Yuanshen said.

He spoke slowly.

His gaze was calm and steady, seemingly devoid of emotion.

But every single word struck at the Dowager Madame's heart.

She looked at him: "Yuanshen, what are you doing?"

"Exactly what a minister should do: loyalty, duty, and outstanding ability," Zhou Yuanshen said.

The Dowager Madame's smile was almost impossible to maintain.

Moments later, the Emperor and Consort Wu returned.

Consort Wu was eighteen or nineteen, with a delicate, seductive beauty, and her manner was somehow familiar.

The Dowager Madame knew of this consort but had never seen her before. She was exquisite and graceful, exuding a gentle charm that strongly resembled Xian Si, the singing girl the Emperor had once bestowed upon Zhou Yuanshen.

Seeing the Dowager Madame, Consort Wu was warm and reverent: "The Dowager Madame indeed has remarkable bearing, like a bodhisattva. This humble consort feels at peace just looking at you."

Then she turned to the Emperor: "Your Majesty, even worshipping Buddha would not give me the same comfort as meeting the Dowager Madame."

The Emperor's face unconsciously broke into a smile: "You certainly have good taste."

The Dowager Madame smiled modestly: "Your Highness flatters me too much."

"This must be fate between this humble consort and the Dowager Madame. I hear Your Ladyship also recites Buddhist scriptures. Allow me to embroider nine volumes of sutras for you," Consort Wu said cheerfully and breezily.

The Dowager Madame hastily declined, saying it was too much honor.

But the Emperor said, "Let her do it, Mother-in-law. Consort Wu has plenty of spare time, with youth and energy to spare—it is her filial devotion."

The Dowager Madame could only consent.

A few words from Consort Wu, and the frown lines on the Emperor's brow smoothed away.

The Dowager Madame lowered her gaze.

Zhou Yuanshen stood nearby, silent.

The Emperor asked the Dowager Madame why she had come.

"...I saw sparrows feeding their young under the eaves this morning and found myself thinking of Your Majesty," the Dowager Madame said with a smile.

The Emperor was even more pleased: "I did suffer nightmares last night and barely slept. Since Mother-in-law is here, and Yuanshen too, let us have lunch together."

The Dowager Madame and Zhou Yuanshen acknowledged.

At lunch, the Dowager Madame shared the table with the Emperor, Zhou Yuanshen sat at a lower seat, and Consort Wu stood to the side, tasting dishes and serving the Emperor.

She performed all this with perfect skill.

After the meal, the grandmother and grandson of the Zhou family left the palace together.

Nanny Sun was waiting at the palace gate. Seeing Zhou Yuanshen, she too was startled; then she looked at the Dowager Madame's face.

The Dowager Madame's expression showed nothing unusual—her smile remained as amiable as ever.

Once in the carriage, the Dowager Madame unclenched her tightly held hand; the palm was wet with sweat, and fine beads of perspiration stood on her temples.

"...Yuanshen used 'an eye for an eye.' He sent the Emperor a woman," the Dowager Madame said.

Nanny Sun was taken aback: "You mean the consort the Emperor recently promoted above rank?"

"Yes, her," the Dowager Madame said. "What beauty, what cleverness—she has the Emperor completely figured out."

Consort Wu's deference toward the Dowager Madame had been so abject, so utterly humble, that even she had been startled.

And the Emperor, without a doubt, was thoroughly pleased. When he looked at Consort Wu, his eyes held an added layer of tenderness.

Even the Empress had never shown the Dowager Madame such reverence before the Emperor. And Zhou Yuanshen excelled at reading the Emperor's mind—this was almost certainly his design.

"Will she work against you?" Nanny Sun asked.

The Dowager Madame: "She is Yuanshen's woman. Of course she works against me."

With Consort Wu in the palace, if the Dowager Madame wanted to deal with her, she would have to do it through the Emperor.

But right now, the Emperor's heart was entirely with that consort.

Observing closely, the Dowager Madame felt that the Emperor was showing off in front of Consort Wu—but he was the Emperor. What did he need to flaunt?

Unless it was courtship.

No matter a man's age, in front of a woman he truly fancied, he could not resist displaying himself.

"Did you bring up matters at home?" Nanny Sun asked.

The Dowager Madame shook her head.

She said nothing more, silent for the entire ride home.

Once back at the ducal mansion, the Dowager Madame immediately summoned the household steward and ordered him to have the family possessions moved to the main quarters of the Chenming Hall.

"Tell the Duke and the Duchess to return and take up residence," she said to the steward.

The steward was stunned: "Move into Chenming Hall?"

"The Duke has inherited the title; it is only right that he resides in Chenming Hall," the Dowager Madame said.

Then she added, "But first, go ask the second branch: does Madam Fan wish to reside there too?"

The steward: "..."

To have the Duchess move into Chenming Hall and then ask the Second Madam about it—was that not fanning discord?

But since the Dowager Madame ordered it, the steward had no choice but to comply.

He went personally to the Jiangyun Courtyard.

Upon hearing this, the Second Madam was blank for a moment, then said: "Go and fetch the Duke and the Third Young Madam back home. I know of this matter; we will discuss it later."

The steward acknowledged and took his leave.

After he was gone, the Second Madam couldn't help but laugh.

"...Sending such clumsy tricks toward me. How shamelessly transparent!" the Second Madam said. "Zhaozhao has what she wanted—she can live in Chenming Hall."

Nanny Fan said: "They wanted you to fight for it."

"Am I mad, to fight over that? If my son and daughter-in-law live in Chenming Hall, that is even more secure than if I lived there myself," the Second Madam said.

Then she let out another cold laugh: "What filthy thoughts. They want to drive a wedge in this family. The old lady really does judge others by herself."