Chapter 234: Huan Qingtang Must Seize the Opportunity
Father was at home.
When he saw Cheng Zhao, Father gave a slight nod. “Have you come home for something?”
Cheng Zhao answered in a stiff, proper manner, “I wanted to speak with Fourth Brother.”
Father turned his gaze to Cheng Chao.
Cheng Chao was usually cheeky in front of Cheng Zhao, but the moment he saw Father, he became tense. His features settled into a dignified, refined expression, and even his speech grew gentle and unhurried.
“Zhaozhao was asking about Helian Xuan.”
“...The Prince of Andong has been highly favored of late. His influence is at its height,” Father said.
Cheng Chao replied, “I’m not coveting his overwhelming power and influence. As long as his reputation remains untarnished, the Cheng clan of Wu Commandery will remain invincible. That isn’t something money or power alone can accomplish.”
Father looked pleased, and his expression relaxed somewhat. “Very good. You’ve remembered your grandfather’s teachings.”
Cheng Chao secretly breathed a sigh of relief. His back was no longer quite so rigid.
Cheng Zhao inwardly cursed him for being so spineless. He was a grown man who dared to act recklessly behind Father’s back, yet in Father’s presence, even his calves cramped with fear.
Just as she was thinking this, Father turned his gaze toward her, and her own back instantly stiffened.
“I certainly won’t associate with Helian Xuan either. He’s bullied me since we were children, and I haven’t gotten my revenge yet. He’s meddling in the affairs of the Chen State Duke’s household and secretly dealing with the Huan family, so I came to warn Fourth Brother,” Cheng Zhao said.
Father’s brows drew together slightly.
“Fourth Brother has his own judgment. A few words from him actually put my mind at ease, so I’ve let go of my needless worries,” Cheng Zhao added.
Father’s brows relaxed somewhat. “Siblings must not harbor suspicions of one another. If there’s something to say, make it clear.”
Cheng Zhao and Cheng Chao both agreed.
After dinner, Cheng Zhao returned to the Chen State Duke’s residence, with Cheng Chao seeing her off.
The siblings mocked each other, calling one another cowards.
“What are you afraid of? You’re already married. Can he still punish you?”
“You’re the one who’ll take my punishment for me. I’m helping you avoid disaster, and you still don’t appreciate it?” Cheng Zhao said.
Cheng Chao was speechless.
He should never have shown her any kindness. Without even seeing Cheng Zhao to her carriage, Cheng Chao flung his sleeve and turned back inside.
By the time Cheng Zhao returned to the Chen State Duke’s residence, the first watch had already begun.
Two large lanterns hung at the entrance, bathing the vermilion steps in a wash of red light. Cheng Zhao had just stepped down from her carriage when another carriage stopped behind her.
She turned around and saw Huan Qingtang.
“Elder Sister-in-law,” Cheng Zhao called out first, leaving Huan Qingtang no opportunity to find fault with her.
Even if the two of them came to blows, as long as Huan Qingtang remained a member of the Zhou family for even one day, Cheng Zhao would still address her as sister-in-law.
Huan Qingtang’s complexion was not very good.
She seemed to want to smile, but failed. She merely inclined her head slightly. “Younger sister-in-law.”
“Elder Sister-in-law, why have you returned so late? Where have you been?” Cheng Zhao asked.
Huan Qingtang replied, “Grandmother has been unwell, so I went to Jin’an Temple to pray for her. The talisman for Grandmother had to be blessed with sutra recitations, which is why I was delayed.”
Cheng Zhao was puzzled. “At this hour? The city gates have been closed for ages.”
Huan Qingtang panicked for a moment.
It was not especially obvious, but she tried desperately to suppress it. “I returned while it was still early. I saw some shops while passing through the streets and bought some pastries, which is why I was late.”
Cheng Zhao glanced at the coachman.
He seemed to be one of Huan Qingtang’s personal servants, not a member of the Zhou family.
Huan Qingtang’s senior maid was with her as well. That maid was usually sharp-tongued and eloquent, but at this moment she said nothing, standing quietly to the side with her eyes lowered.
Cheng Zhao did not say anything more.
The two sisters-in-law returned to their respective courtyards.
After sitting down, Huan Qingtang fell silent, staring blankly into space.
“Miss.” Her senior maid no longer called her Young Madam. In private, she had reverted to addressing her as Miss.
Huan Qingtang drew a deep breath.
“Have you still not made up your mind?” the maid asked. “The medicine the Prince of Andong gave you can make the Grand Dowager Lady sleep for half a month. Once she wakes, all four of her limbs will be immobile.”
Huan Qingtang said nothing.
The maid asked, “What are you worried about?”
If the Grand Dowager Lady were rendered unconscious and then left paralyzed in bed, like a stroke victim who could barely speak and could not move, would she not have to rely on Huan Qingtang for everything?
Then Huan Qingtang’s good days would truly begin.
She would have the Grand Dowager Lady in her grasp.
Huan Qingtang had made all her preparations, but the Emperor had refused her. Not only had the Grand Dowager Lady suffered a tremendous blow, so had Huan Qingtang.
The Grand Dowager Lady had been struck even harder. She knew perfectly well that Zhou Yuanshen had succeeded, and that her own power had become extremely weak.
“If Grandmother really becomes paralyzed, unable to move or speak even after regaining consciousness, that would naturally benefit me greatly,” Huan Qingtang said.
The maid replied, “When will you give it to her, then? During this trip to pray, the abbot gave you talisman paper. You can mix the medicine into the talisman water and feed it to the Grand Dowager Lady. She believes in blessed water.”
“No. I just...” Huan Qingtang fell silent for a long while before looking up at her trusted confidante. “I just feel that the Prince of Andong cannot be trusted.”
He had appeared out of nowhere.
Previously, he had barely had any dealings with the Huan family.
Her father had been won over by him and placed all his trust in him, even hoping to use him to rise to great heights in the future.
Huan Qingtang wondered why Helian Xuan wanted to help her. Was it merely because of her father?
Her father did not possess that kind of ability.
If Helian Xuan was not helping her, but instead trying to suppress Zhou Yuanshen, did he want the Grand Dowager Lady dead—or merely paralyzed and unable to move?
Huan Qingtang believed it was the former.
The former would resolve everything once and for all.
Using Huan Qingtang’s hand to kill the Grand Dowager Lady would sever Zhou Yuanshen’s old relationship with the Emperor and drive Zhou Yuanshen out of the picture.
That was Huan Qingtang’s own speculation.
“...Of course, paralyzing the Grand Dowager Lady would also benefit Helian Xuan. They say that there are no truly filial sons once a parent has been bedridden for a long time. When the Emperor thinks of the Grand Dowager Lady in that state, yet finds himself powerless to help, he might even vent his anger on Zhou Yuanshen,” Huan Qingtang added.
Her senior maid listened as she repeatedly analyzed the matter, growing increasingly anxious. “Miss, you must seize this opportunity.
“You said it yourself—the Prince of Andong has no deep ties with the Huan family. He won’t help you again and again. Have you forgotten how Cheng Zhao obtained her title as an Imperial Mandate Lady?”
The moment she saw even the slightest sign of an opportunity, Cheng Zhao had seized it at once.
She had never wavered or agonized over gains and losses when faced with an opportunity.
Those words struck Huan Qingtang, and all the calm and reason in her mind vanished.
If the Grand Dowager Lady died, Huan Qingtang would indeed be completely finished. But if Helian Xuan was telling the truth and the Grand Dowager Lady would only be paralyzed, then Huan Qingtang would possess a guarantee of survival from that point onward.
Had she not endured so many grievances for the sake of this very moment?
“I’ll give the medicine to the Grand Dowager Lady tomorrow morning. You’ll distract Nanny Sun when the time comes,” Huan Qingtang said.
The two of them discussed the matter at length: how to lure Nanny Sun away, and how to give the medicine to the Grand Dowager Lady without arousing suspicion.
They talked for quite some time.
Cheng Zhao returned to Chengming Hall, while Zhou Yuanshen went to the Jiangyun Court.
She took a small covered cart over there as well.
Zhou Yuanqi was there too. The family of four was chatting together.
“...My Fourth Brother said he would be careful,” Cheng Zhao said.
Zhou Yuanshen replied, “Your Fourth Brother isn’t a foolish man. You can rest easy.”
The Second Madam asked what had happened.
Cheng Zhao told her everything.
She also mentioned encountering Huan Qingtang at the entrance.
“...Since she’s been associating with Helian Xuan, could she be plotting against our family?” Cheng Zhao asked. “Or perhaps against Grandmother?”
“Has she gone mad? If anything happened to your grandmother, she’d become a helpless duckweed, with nothing left to her. She would never dare harm your grandmother,” the Second Madam said.
The Second Master added, “She probably wouldn’t go that far. If it became known that Helian Xuan had been dealing with her in secret, he wouldn’t be able to escape responsibility either.”
Zhou Yuanqi said, “But she might still take the risk out of desperation. We should send more people to guard Grandmother.”
Zhou Yuanshen said, “We can’t interfere in Shou’an Court. If anything goes wrong, we won’t be able to answer to His Majesty. By then, we could be accused of ‘stealing under our watch,’ and they might say we were the ones who harmed Grandmother. We’d never be able to explain ourselves.”
“Then what do we do?”
“I can think of only one way,” Zhou Yuanshen said.