Chapter 225: Push One's Advantage

This was the first time Cheng Zhao and Huan Qingtang had ever quarreled.

Both of them came from illustrious families. From childhood, they had known what face to present to the world to preserve their dignity, and how to conduct themselves to their own advantage.

Given the similar upbringing they had received, Second Madam might have been utterly baffled by Huan Qingtang’s decision to start a quarrel today and tear away her gentle façade without a care. But Cheng Zhao understood perfectly.

Her reputation outside the household was already beyond saving, so she had come to reclaim some dignity within it.

Huan Qingtang had deliberately acted out of character, creating the impression that she was the victim of a conspiracy and shifting all the blame onto Cheng Zhao.

She had chosen to come and argue instead of crying to the Dowager Madame because she wanted to catch Cheng Zhao off guard.

She was taking a gamble.

She was betting that, for the sake of her position as Duchess, Cheng Zhao would not dare fight back while she was making a scene.

She had not even intended to say much.

She only wanted to make a commotion, let the words spread, restore some of her reputation, and then retreat at once.

But she had underestimated Cheng Zhao.

Of the three Cheng sisters, Cheng Zhao was the most mischievous and ambitious. She had also spent her entire childhood arguing with her fourth elder brother, Cheng Chao, so she was highly experienced at dealing with provocations.

Cheng Zhao alone could hold her own against both Cheng Chao and Helian Xuan, and had never once lost.

In an instant, she could see through her opponent’s intentions and methods, then respond with perfect clarity.

Cheng Zhao scarcely gave Huan Qingtang a chance to speak. The moment she caught the end of one of Huan Qingtang’s sentences, she shoved every accusation Huan Qingtang had intended to pin on her right back at her.

“Is your sister-in-law’s anger because Grandmother made you attend social functions during your mourning period, or because Princess Qing’an exposed what happened back then?” Cheng Zhao asked again.

Huan Qingtang’s expression shifted several times.

Perhaps she was used to sailing across a calm little lake. She could deal with the occasional ripple—for instance, County Princess Xizhen had already suffered another loss at her hands.

But Cheng Zhao had seen the towering waves of the open sea.

After being struck by several questions hurled at her in rapid succession, Huan Qingtang was stunned by the “waves” Cheng Zhao had unleashed. Her face turned pale, then green.

“You needn’t drag innocent people into this. Your two sisters poured filth all over me...” Huan Qingtang said through clenched teeth.

“What filth? Which part was filth? If anyone poured mud on you, it was the conflict between you and Princess Qing’an. You were the one who dragged my sisters into it—that is slander!” Cheng Zhao said.

She continued, “As sisters-in-law, even if we are not on good terms, have I ever involved your family? Yet you dragged my family into this. Since you have made such vicious accusations, let us go and ask Grandmother to judge between us!”

As she spoke, she reached out and tugged at Huan Qingtang’s sleeve.

Huan Qingtang tried to shake her off.

Cheng Zhao appeared to lose her balance.

Suyue hurriedly supported her, then shouted toward the steward and several maids standing by the courtyard gate, “What are you waiting for? Come help! The First Young Madam is attacking our Duchess!”

She glared resentfully at Huan Qingtang. “First Young Madam, how could you be so outrageous? You actually came to make a scene in Chengming Hall!”

Huan Qingtang’s face grew even paler. “When did I push her?”

Cheng Zhao only managed to steady herself with Suyue’s support.

In the midst of the chaos, Nanny Sun from Shou’an Residence arrived with several maids.

She surveyed the scene and said to Cheng Zhao and Huan Qingtang, “The two of you are making such a racket. Do you still have any regard for the Dowager Madame?”

Tears sprang into Cheng Zhao’s eyes. “Nanny Sun, I am in my own courtyard, and I was not the one who started this. I have suffered an enormous injustice, yet the moment you arrive, you treat us both as equally at fault.

“I am going to ask the Empress to judge this matter. This marriage of mine was bestowed by the Empress. If she will not protect me and allows you to trample on and humiliate me, I will throw myself against the walls of Kunning Palace and die.”

With that, she turned and walked out.

Nanny Sun: “...”

The message she had received was that Huan Qingtang had come to Chengming Hall to cause trouble, only to be scolded into silence by Cheng Zhao.

And now, looking at Huan Qingtang—who appeared thoroughly enraged—it was obvious that Cheng Zhao had not suffered the slightest loss.

Yet Cheng Zhao was still putting on this pitiful display.

She was far too difficult to deal with!

Nanny Sun had crossed paths with Cheng Zhao several times and knew all too well how painful Cheng Zhao’s soft knives could be.

She could not allow Cheng Zhao to go make a complaint.

Huan Qingtang’s reputation had already been ruined. If the Empress reprimanded her as well, she would have no face left to live.

Nor could the Zhou family afford another spectacle like this.

Nanny Sun had no choice but to go after Cheng Zhao and grab her. “Duchess!”

She did not call her Young Madam, but Duchess.

“The Dowager Madame is unwell. Are you trying to drive her to her death by making such a disturbance? If anything happens to her, the charge of ‘filial impiety’ will not be borne by you alone,” Nanny Sun said.

If Cheng Zhao were deemed unfilial, her maternal family would lose face as well.

Though the words were stern, Nanny Sun’s tone was gentle, half coaxing and half persuading.

Cheng Zhao carelessly wiped away her tears. “How could I bear to trouble Grandmother? Once one becomes another family’s granddaughter-in-law, one inevitably has to endure some grievances.”

Nanny Sun: “...”

The steward and the servants of Chengming Hall had all heard those words.

Huan Qingtang had come to make trouble, but instead of gaining the upper hand over Cheng Zhao, she had merely covered herself in mud.

Nanny Sun glanced at Huan Qingtang. She had now seen clearly that within this household, Huan Qingtang was no match for Cheng Zhao.

Cheng Zhao had not even used all her strength, yet she had already turned defeat into victory.

Nanny Sun ordered both of them to go to Shou’an Residence.

The Dowager Madame did not see them. She merely called out loudly from the inner room, “Have them copy Buddhist scriptures for four hours and calm themselves down. Quarreling at home is utterly unbecoming!”

Then she added, “If they refuse to copy, have their families come and take them away.”

Cheng Zhao silently went to do as she was told.

Huan Qingtang followed as well.

The small Buddhist chapel had no underfloor heating, and after the snow, the sky was overcast and the air bitterly cold.

By the time the four hours were over, the light outside the window had faded, and night was drawing near.

Cheng Zhao was both exhausted and hungry.

She handed the copied scriptures to Nanny Sun.

Her handwriting was neat and orderly. Even on the final pages, there was not the slightest trace of carelessness.

Huan Qingtang’s handwriting was also excellent, without a single messy stroke. She had simply copied nearly half a section fewer than Cheng Zhao. Her stamina was inferior to Cheng Zhao’s, and her pace had slowed considerably toward the end.

The Dowager Madame had only ordered them to copy for four hours; she had never said how many pages they had to complete.

When Cheng Zhao stepped out of the small Buddhist chapel, she saw Zhou Yuanshen.

He stood upright beneath the eaves.

His gaze did not linger on anyone else. It settled only on Cheng Zhao’s face. “Finished copying?”

“Yes.”

“Nanny Sun, if Grandmother is well, we will return and have our meal,” Zhou Yuanshen said, turning to Nanny Sun.

“She is fine now. The Duchess may return,” Nanny Sun replied.

Zhou Yuanshen then left with Cheng Zhao without going to see the Dowager Madame.

Nanny Sun, meanwhile, summoned Huan Qingtang into the Dowager Madame’s inner room.

The Dowager Madame said to her, “You keep making one foolish move after another. You have disappointed me greatly.”

Huan Qingtang was exhausted and hungry, with barely enough strength left to speak.

She sat there in a daze, like a block of wood. The composure and quick-wittedness she had shown before were nowhere to be seen.

The Dowager Madame recalled why she had chosen her in the first place. She had valued Huan Qingtang’s father for his potential to become a teacher renowned throughout the realm. She had also valued Huan Qingtang’s scholarly family background, her refinement and learning, and the fact that she seemed easy to control.

And what had come of it?

Her father was a hopeless case, making no progress whatsoever in officialdom. Instead, because of his high-minded and eccentric nature, he had become estranged from his colleagues.

As for Huan Qingtang, when circumstances favored her, she could put on a convincing show. But whenever anything happened, her shortcomings immediately became apparent.

Of course, the Dowager Madame did not blame herself for having chosen Huan Qingtang in the first place.

She blamed Cheng Zhao.

Cheng Zhao had not been her choice.

As an outsider who had invaded the family, Cheng Zhao had disrupted the Zhou family’s plans. And Cheng Zhao was simply too difficult to handle—she was nothing like the daughters of respectable scholarly families, but was bold, fierce, and unruly.

Yet in ordinary times, she could also be gentle and composed, never harming her reputation in the slightest. Whenever trouble arose, however, she pounced like a vicious wolf and tore into her opponent without mercy.

Even the Dowager Madame felt somewhat intimidated by her.

“Grandmother, is there still a way out for me?” After a long silence, Huan Qingtang lifted her eyes and asked the Dowager Madame softly.

The Dowager Madame had been waiting for her to say those words.

“How can you already be at the end of the road?” the Dowager Madame said. “You’re still young, and you have a long road ahead of you—as long as you’re willing to walk it.”

“I am, Grandmother. Please, show me a way out,” Huan Qingtang said.