Chapter 223: The Past Exposed
Before lunch, Second Madam made a special trip to Chengming Hall.
Cheng Zhao had just finished handling her affairs and was preparing to eat. When she saw Second Madam, she rose to greet her. “Mother?”
Second Madam looked as though she wanted to say something but could not bring herself to speak.
Cheng Zhao instructed Nanny Li, “Have the main kitchen send the meal over.”
Then she asked Second Madam, “Mother, have you eaten?”
“Not yet.”
“Then eat here with me,” Cheng Zhao said. Turning to Nanny Li, she added, “Bring my mother’s meal over as well.”
Nanny Li acknowledged the order and left.
After Suyue served the tea, she led all the attendants away. Only the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law remained in the side room. Lowering her voice, Second Madam said, “Madam Sheng came by earlier and mentioned something that happened yesterday.”
Madam Sheng, the wife of General Sheng, was her mother-in-law’s close friend from girlhood. She often came to visit, and Cheng Zhao knew this.
The only matter connected to the Zhou family that could have happened yesterday was the snow-viewing banquet at Prince Jingnan’s residence.
“Was it about Eldest Sister-in-law?” Cheng Zhao asked.
Second Madam said, “As expected of you, Zhaozhao. You’re so clever.”
Cheng Zhao smiled. “What happened?”
“Lady Huan pushed County Princess Xizhen into the pond. Princess Qing’an wanted to have her arrested and handed over to the authorities, but Princess Consort Jingnan persuaded her to let the matter go,” Second Madam said.
Cheng Zhao was speechless.
County Princess Xizhen was Princess Qing’an’s daughter. Because she had been overly particular about choosing a husband, she had reached the age of twenty without becoming betrothed, making her a constant topic of conversation in the capital.
The entanglement between her, Huan Qingtang, and the Duke of Chen’s household went back to the time when Huan Qingtang had used Zhou Yuanshen and Princess Qing’an as stepping stones to marry into the Duke of Chen’s residence.
“Many titled ladies were present,” Second Madam continued. “Princess Qing’an said that Lady Huan had schemed against her back then and used Ah Shen as a stepping stone to marry into the Duke of Chen’s household. Madam Sheng said everyone was stunned. None of them had known about this hidden history.”
As she spoke, Second Madam looked both irritated and delighted.
She hated verbal sparring. It would be better to fight openly and have done with it. Whenever she heard other people arguing, she wished she could hand each of them a spear and let them settle it properly.
Yet Zhou Yuanshen’s grievances had finally come to light.
And it was Princess Qing’an herself—the woman who had set the scheme in motion—who had exposed them.
Huan Qingtang and Princess Qing’an had never regarded Zhou Yuanshen as a person. They had trampled all over him simply to secure a marriage with the Duke of Chen’s household. What they had really been scheming for was Zhou Yuancheng.
Who could have known that Zhou Yuanshen would ultimately inherit the title?
The two women had turned on each other. Princess Qing’an would rather injure herself than let Huan Qingtang escape unscathed, and so she had exposed the past before everyone present.
From then on, everyone would know that Zhou Yuanshen had never had an improper relationship with his widowed sister-in-law. He had merely been the victim.
Now that he had become the Duke of Chen, both Huan Qingtang and Princess Qing’an had clearly misjudged him.
Such gossip was bound to be popular. It was more exciting than a stage performance and more deeply satisfying—who did not enjoy this kind of drama?
At the thought, Second Madam felt thoroughly vindicated.
Cheng Zhao’s heart stirred slightly.
“No wonder Eldest Sister-in-law didn’t come to Chengming Hall this morning to handle affairs. Her maid said she had caught a slight chill,” Cheng Zhao remarked.
Second Madam sneered. “How could she still have the face to show herself?”
Nanny Li returned with two rough-serving women carrying a food chest. Suyue and Qiubai set the table.
After Cheng Zhao and Second Madam finished lunch, Cheng Zhao sent Second Madam home in a small covered carriage.
She handled affairs as usual in the afternoon, finishing in less than half an hour.
Then Cheng Zhao went to visit her eldest sister.
Her eldest sister was teaching her daughter to practice calligraphy by tracing red characters.
Cheng Zhao had brought a delicate little toy for her niece, Heng’er. Heng’er was delighted and kept praising her, saying that Fifth Aunt was the best and that she liked Fifth Aunt the most.
The wet nurse took the child outside, and Cheng Zhao immediately asked, “What happened yesterday?”
Her eldest sister could not help laughing. “You couldn’t even wait one night? You came rushing over in the middle of the afternoon.”
“It really was unexpected.”
“It was nothing more than sowing discord. Princess Qing’an’s household has repeatedly meddled in court affairs and has even grown quite close to the Fourth Prince. Princess Consort Jingnan has taken issue with that.
“Prince Jingnan is loyal to the Crown Prince. What he fears most are ambitious members of the imperial clan. Princess Consort Jingnan wanted to reduce her dealings with Princess Qing’an but had no excuse to do so.
“I mentioned the Duke of Chen to Ah Ying, and the princess consort said, ‘Why not force the princess to say something reckless and make a scene? Then I’ll have an excuse to distance myself from her.’
“Princess Consort Jingnan knows Princess Qing’an very well. With Ah Ying and me egging things on from the side—and with your sister-in-law from your husband’s family so eager to show herself—that scene came about.”
At the banquet, Huan Qingtang and Princess Qing’an’s daughter, County Princess Xizhen, had not gotten along.
It was Cheng Zhao’s eldest sister, Cheng Han, who had deliberately brought up County Princess Xizhen’s marriage, using deliberately inappropriate words to provoke Huan Qingtang.
County Princess Xizhen had still not married, all because of what Huan Qingtang had done in the past, and she was full of resentment. Huan Qingtang, meanwhile, felt guilty and was desperately trying to make amends while also attempting to appear gracious and composed.
Princess Consort Jingnan’s snow-viewing banquet was not a family gathering of the Zhou clan. No one was there to flatter Huan Qingtang, and no one was willing to act as her henchman and help her out. As a result, she struggled to cope.
She was already making mistakes in her fluster. Then County Princess Xizhen deliberately picked a fight, and the two of them made an utter spectacle of themselves. The hostess, Princess Consort Jingnan, not only failed to mediate but fanned the flames, causing County Princess Xizhen’s mother, Princess Qing’an, to become furious as well.
“Still, County Princess Xizhen is spoiled,” her eldest sister added. “She was the one who tried to shove your sister-in-law. She simply wasn’t as strong, so she ended up falling into the water herself.”
Cheng Zhao said, “That was quite a show. Fortunately, I didn’t go. Otherwise, I would have been dragged into that mess too.”
“Exactly. Since this involved the Duke of Chen, your sister-in-law might have used you if you had been there,” her eldest sister said.
Cheng Zhao took her eldest sister’s hand. “I know you dislike getting involved in such schemes. You did this for me.”
“Yesterday’s performance could never have taken place if any one of your sister-in-law, Princess Qing’an, or County Princess Xizhen had been innocent.
“They brought this on themselves. It was simply the retribution for all the wicked things they had done. I have no qualms about involving myself in a matter that will not touch me,” her eldest sister said with a smile.
Then she added, “Your brother-in-law’s appointment was secured through Yuanshen’s efforts. He asked me to help him, so how could I refuse to repay the favor?”
“He also said that he ‘owed his eldest and third sisters-in-law a favor.’ If you need anything in the future, just go to him,” Cheng Zhao said.
Her eldest sister laughed. “Then I won’t stand on ceremony.”
The sisters were chatting and laughing when a maid from the front gate announced, “A nanny from the Cheng family has arrived.”
Both of them hurriedly stood up.
Her eldest sister said, “Invite her in at once.”
It was the senior woman in charge of their mother’s attendants.
After offering her greetings, the woman asked with a smile, “The Fifth Lady is here too?”
“Yes.”
“Madam only wishes to know what happened at the prince’s residence yesterday. The whole city is in an uproar today. Even the kitchen’s purchasing servants have heard about it and repeated it to Madam.
“Madam was very worried, so she sent for Eldest Lady to come home and ask about it. She has also sent people to summon Third Lady and Fifth Lady.”
Cheng Zhao was speechless.
Bad news truly traveled a thousand li.
Princess Qing’an and the Duke of Chen’s household were both prominent families. Their scandals were bound to become the subject of endless gossip. If they had been an insignificant household, far fewer people would have cared about their romantic entanglements.
And now there was the added titbit of two women—a widowed sister-in-law and a county princess—fighting over a marriage into the Duke of Chen’s household while trampling Zhou Yuanshen in the process. It made the story all the more sensational.
If the Duke of Chen had been Zhou Yuancheng, the matter would not have spread so quickly. But Zhou Yuanshen had unexpectedly inherited the title.
The despised Third Young Master of the Zhou family had now risen to immense power. Back then, those women had trampled all over him simply because they believed he had no future.
That kind of reversal was immensely entertaining, like oil poured onto a blazing fire. In less than a day, the story had already spread throughout the capital’s prestigious military and meritorious families.
It would likely travel much farther still.
Perhaps before long, the teahouses in the market districts would even be making up stories about the whole affair.
Cheng Zhao wasn’t worried. In this matter, Zhou Yuanshen wasn’t the fool made to look ridiculous.
He might even win some sympathy.