Chapter 237: The Useless Son-in-Law Must Go
Cheng Zhao was at Jiangyun Court.
She, her mother-in-law, and Zhou Yuanqi were mildly startled when they heard voices speaking outside the gate.
“This is Jiangyun Court. The Duchess of Chen and the Duchess of Chen’s mother-in-law are both here. On what grounds do you need to stand guard?” a matron demanded.
The Second Madam frowned and glanced at Nanny Fan.
Nanny Fan immediately walked beneath the eaves and called out loudly, “Who is making all that noise?”
The Second Madam and the others also came out of the side room.
It was midafternoon, but the sunlight was wan and pale. It offered no warmth at all, while the bitter wind howled through the courtyard.
The matron opened the gate, revealing two soldiers standing outside, each holding a weapon.
The Second Madam’s brows drew together.
Zhou Yuanqi was even more annoyed. “Whose men are being so insolent?”
“Those at the gate, come in and speak!” the Second Madam called out as well.
The two soldiers exchanged a glance. One stepped over the threshold and bowed to the Second Madam.
“Madam, this humble one is from the residence of the General of the Pacified West.”
The Second Madam breathed a sigh of relief.
Zhou Yuanqi grew even angrier. “Since you are from the general’s residence, what are you doing causing trouble at Jiangyun Court? You are outrageously bold.”
Cheng Zhao’s heart began to pound. She clenched her hands, forcing down the sudden surge of unease.
“Lord Duke ordered us to stand guard,” the soldier explained. “Every courtyard in the Duke’s residence is to be watched. Not even a fly is to be allowed to wander about.”
The Second Madam’s brows furrowed. “What happened?”
“Dowager Madame has been attacked.”
The Second Madam’s body swayed.
Cheng Zhao reacted quickly and caught her. “Mother...”
Nanny Fan was startled as well. Once she recovered, she hurried over to support the Second Madam’s other arm.
The Second Madam steadied herself, her face turning deathly pale. Only after a long while did some color slowly return to it. She glanced at Cheng Zhao, then at Zhou Yuanqi.
She did not know what to say.
Zhou Yuanqi was equally shocked.
He asked the soldier, “What do you mean by ‘attacked’? Was she gravely injured, or did she die suddenly?”
“...She has passed away.”
Jiangyun Court was home not only to the masters but also to more than a dozen maids and working matrons. They had been occupied with their various tasks, but every word of the exchange had reached their ears. Now they all stopped what they were doing and stood frozen in place.
“I—I need to go to Shou’an Court!” the Second Madam said.
Cheng Zhao and Nanny Fan each seized one of her arms.
“Mother, you cannot go,” Zhou Yuanqi said. “Didn’t you hear? No one is allowed to move about freely.”
“But...”
“This is Third Brother’s way of protecting us,” Zhou Yuanqi continued. “Everything must be in chaos right now. If we all go there, who knows what might happen to us—or what blame we might end up shouldering?”
The Second Madam looked at Cheng Zhao, her eyes carrying a plea for help.
Cheng Zhao nodded. “Mother, Fifth Brother is right. We should follow Lord Duke’s arrangements.”
Then she added, “Let’s go inside. The wind at the gate is freezing. My face has gone numb.”
Only then did the Second Madam realize how cold she was.
Her entire body felt as though it had frozen stiff.
The Second Madam went into the eastern side room. Cheng Zhao asked Zhou Yuanqi to sit with her, then instructed a maid to bring in another hand warmer and told Nanny Fan to brew some hot tea.
The maids remained outside the curtain. Only Nanny Fan stayed inside with the three members of the family, and Cheng Zhao also urged her to drink some tea.
The heated brick platform by the window was warm, and with the hand warmer as well, the Second Madam gradually thawed. She was no longer as tense as before.
“Where is your father-in-law?” the Second Madam asked Cheng Zhao.
“Lord Duke must have sent someone to look for him,” Cheng Zhao replied. “He is probably at Shou’an Court as well.”
“Are we really not going there?”
“If the Emperor happens to be there, he could start killing people indiscriminately. It would not be easy for Lord Duke and Father-in-law to protect all three of us.
“Lord Duke has confined us here while openly searching for the murderer precisely to keep us safe. Mother, we are in our own courtyard. We will not be in danger.”
Zhou Yuanqi nodded.
His expression had changed as well.
The Second Madam rubbed her hands forcefully over the hand warmer, as though it still was not warm enough.
“How could Grandmother... how could she have died?” she murmured. “I thought she would at least live to be eighty.”
Wasn’t there a saying that calamities befell wicked people for a thousand years?
Dowager Madame spent every day plotting against others, yet she was fiercely protective of her own life. The whole family, young and old, had to prolong it for her. When Zhou Yuanqi had been burning with fever, she had possessed the life-saving Ziyang Pill but refused to take it out. She cared only about herself.
Selfish people were usually very good at taking care of themselves. How could she have died?
And they said she had been attacked...
“Who killed her?” the Second Madam asked Cheng Zhao again, sounding frustrated and vexed. “We know nothing at all.”
“Perhaps it was Lady Huan,” Cheng Zhao said.
She no longer referred to Huan Qingtang as her elder sister-in-law.
“She did it? Would she have the courage?”
Cheng Zhao told the Second Madam about the secret that Fan Xiao had previously revealed to Zhou Yuanshen.
“Prince of Andong has been in close contact with the Huan family.”
The Second Madam’s heart jolted.
Once a household matter was investigated deeply enough, it became a political struggle.
“Using Lady Huan’s hand to kill Dowager Madame and completely bring down the Duke of Chen’s residence?” the Second Madam said. “That is truly a ruthless move.”
Even the Second Madam, as a member of the Zhou family, believed that all of the Duke of Chen’s family’s favor with the Emperor came from Dowager Madame alone.
The Emperor had repeatedly visited the Zhou residence, and the rumors had long since spread far and wide. The censors simply had not openly submitted memorials to stop it.
When censors submitted memorials, some did so for the sake of good governance, while others sought to make a name for themselves. The Emperor visited the Zhou family because his first wife, the woman he had married before ascending the throne, was the Zhou family’s daughter.
He was visiting Dowager Madame.
The matter would not amount to “neglecting state affairs for a beauty,” nor would it interfere with governing. It could even be described as filial piety. Any censor who condemned him might instead find himself accused of being unfilial.
After weighing all these considerations, everyone understood the truth while pretending to be blind.
Even though Zhou Yuanshen had killed people on the Emperor’s behalf, to this day the court officials and common people still believed that he owed his current position to his grandmother.
The Second Madam knew that Dowager Madame disliked Zhou Yuanshen and had suppressed him at every turn. Yet she also believed that once Dowager Madame died, the bond between the Emperor and the Zhou family would be severed.
Thus, Helian Xuan’s use of Huan Qingtang to poison Dowager Madame had been a brilliant move.
Cheng Zhao, who truly understood the whole story, quietly sat beside the Second Madam and comforted her in a gentle voice. “Mother, don’t worry. You must trust Lord Duke.”
“Third Brother can beat Helian Xuan,” Zhou Yuanqi said.
Then, unable to contain his annoyance, he added, “Why is that man so detestable? I even thought before that it would be wonderful if he could marry into Third Sister-in-law’s family.”
The Second Madam and Cheng Zhao both looked at him.
Cheng Zhao asked first, “Marry into my family? How exactly?”
Zhou Yuanqi fell silent.
The Second Madam said, “What kind of nonsense is in your head? Where did that idea come from? Explain yourself, or I’ll break your legs.
“Since we can’t leave this place, you’ll be trapped in this courtyard. Let’s see where you can run—or what reinforcements you can bring in!”
Zhou Yuanqi fell silent again.
He stammered and eventually explained his idea to the Second Madam and Cheng Zhao.
“...If Third Brother were adopted into the main branch and married the widow there, what would happen to Third Sister-in-law? He would have to find someone else,” Zhou Yuanqi said.
A child’s ideas could be utterly fantastical.
Cheng Zhao and the Second Madam both laughed. They were exasperated and amused, yet also somewhat touched.
“I haven’t told this to anyone,” Zhou Yuanqi said. “Now that Third Brother doesn’t have to go to the main branch and is still here in our branch, of course I hope he and my sister-in-law can stay together. If he doesn’t betray my sister-in-law, I won’t insist on him leaving.”
Cheng Zhao could not help smiling. “Thank you, Yuanqi.”
The Second Madam said, “And you indulge him?”
“Mother, if Third Brother really goes to the main branch, you’ll lose both your son and your daughter-in-law. I’m leaving you one child, at least. Shouldn’t you be grateful?” Zhou Yuanqi asked her.
Second Madam was momentarily speechless.
Cheng Zhao answered for her. “Yes. Thank you, Yuanqi.”
Zhou Yuanqi seemed ready to puff up with pride again.
Second Madam suddenly remembered her mother’s words: Zhou Yuanqi had been born lucky. He was destined to have money to spend and people to dote on him.
His maternal grandmother cherished him, his parents adored him, and even his sister-in-law indulged him.
Forget it. She would let him off for today and give him a proper beating another time.
After all the joking and banter, Second Madam temporarily forgot the news of Dowager Madame’s death, and her spirits lifted somewhat.