Chapter 249: Epilogue (9)
The affairs of state, when there was no war, did not affect ordinary people’s food and drink.
From the third month to the fourth, Zhou Yuanshen was stationed at the capital’s outskirts.
The young servant Nanfeng secretly told Cheng Zhao, “There’s been a rebellion in one of the prefectures in the northwest. Lord Duke went to deal with it on His Majesty’s behalf.”
“It wasn’t reported to the court?” Cheng Zhao asked.
Nanfeng said, “I don’t know the details. We should ask Sister Mingyu.”
Cheng Zhao sent someone to summon Mingyu.
Mingyu knew everything. She was responsible for passing messages between the Chen Duke’s residence and the residence of the General of Pacifying the West.
“The memorial reporting the matter to the court was withheld by the emperor and never circulated. He still sent Lord Duke there, just like last time. Officially, he’s an imperial commissioner; in truth, he’s been sent to kill people,” Mingyu said.
Cheng Zhao’s heart gave a hard jolt.
“This isn’t the first time he’s done this for the emperor. The rebels will be on guard against him,” Cheng Zhao said.
“Lord Duke told us not to tell you, because he was afraid you’d worry. But if he didn’t go, no one knows how much worse the situation might become.”
Cheng Zhao said nothing.
She sat alone, her heart heavy and troubled.
She could not help thinking of Zhou Yuanshen.
He hated the emperor deeply, but he did not want to see the world descend into chaos, either. He wanted peace. And so, with the realm as his first priority, he swallowed every grievance.
He continued to serve as that blade.
If he could intimidate the rebels and nip the beginnings of a bloody conflict in the bud, then it was worth it.
Cheng Zhao felt unbearably stifled.
Perhaps she had simply eaten too much at noon. The discomfort became more and more intolerable, and she began dry-heaving.
Nanny Li and the maids hurried over to surround her.
One brought a spittoon, another poured water for her to rinse her mouth, while someone else prepared a handkerchief to wipe her face.
Cheng Zhao brought up nothing. She only dry-heaved several times, coughing up tears and mucus and looking thoroughly disheveled.
Once she had been cleaned up, she said, “I couldn’t possibly be pregnant, could I?”
The moment the words left her mouth, she herself froze.
Nanny Li said, “Shall we send for a physician now, or wait a little? The last time you had your period was before you went to the saltworks.”
“It’s been two months since I returned from the saltworks.”
Then, afraid that her hopes might come to nothing, Cheng Zhao added, “I only made a few bows and didn’t even bring home an image of Guanyin. Could it really have worked that quickly?”
Nanny Li immediately told her not to tempt fate and advised her not to say any more for the time being.
Cheng Zhao did indeed send for a physician.
A doctor skilled in women’s ailments came, examined her pulse, and asked her a few questions. He said that her pulse was indeed slippery and showed signs of pregnancy. If she was still uncertain, she could invite several more physicians to examine her.
Cheng Zhao rewarded him generously.
She immediately sent someone to inform Second Madam. She also had Nanny Li return to the Cheng household and ask her mother to send a trusted physician to examine her.
That afternoon, her mother came to the Chen Duke’s residence with a physician in tow.
“It is a happy pulse. Congratulations, Madam.”
Her mother-in-law, who had been sitting beside her in obvious anxiety, was overjoyed at the news. Cheng Zhao’s mother was delighted as well.
“You must take good care of yourself and get plenty of rest. For now, only the family should know. Don’t tell anyone else,” her mother said.
“Yes.”
“Whatever you feel like eating, just send someone to tell me,” her mother added.
Cheng Zhao smiled. “What did you like to eat when you were pregnant with me?”
“There were far too many things to count. You weren’t a quiet one even when you were still in my belly.” Her mother laughed.
“Then send me some of them too. I’d like to try them,” Cheng Zhao said with a smile.
Second Madam laughed along with them.
The household servants still knew nothing of the matter. Second Madam came to Cheng Zhao’s Chengming Hall every day to see her, beaming with joy, while the Cheng family sent delicacies over every few days.
The fourth time Cheng Zhao’s mother came to the Chen Duke’s residence with fresh delicacies, she happened to run into Cheng Chao.
He said, “You’ve sent things over several times already. Don’t tell me she’s pregnant?”
His mother shot him a look. “You certainly notice everything.”
“She really is?” Cheng Chao was astonished. “She used to torment all of you every day. From now on, she’ll have a little one to torment her. What goes around comes around.”
His mother fell silent.
Cheng Chao was about to leave when his mother stopped him again.
“Don’t go telling people,” she said. “The first three months are not a time to make an announcement, and don’t tell your grandfather either. Once her pregnancy is stable, her family will send gifts, and we can mention it then.”
“Understood,” Cheng Chao said. “It hasn’t been easy for her. She’s been married nearly two years.”
“Yes. At last, there’s some good news.” His mother sounded relieved.
The worry that had been hanging over her heart finally eased.
Cheng Chao said, “The Chen Duke’s residence is a den of vipers. Not a day goes by without trouble. It would be strange if she could get pregnant there. When the weather is too cold or too hot, even hens stop laying eggs, let alone people.
“Now that everyone who needed to die is dead, Zhaozhao knows she’s safe, and she and her husband are living in harmony. Of course she’s pregnant now. It would have been strange if she’d conceived earlier.”
His mother stared at him. “That mouth of yours needs to quiet down too! Of my five children, only you and your sister spend all day bickering.”
“We came from the same womb.”
“Did the others spring from rocks?” His mother rolled her eyes. “Go tend to your own affairs. Don’t stay here and irritate me.”
Cheng Chao was just about to leave when his mother called him back once more.
She asked, “Have you made up your mind about what I asked you last time? Once you have, tell your father and grandfather.”
Cheng Chao refused. “I’m not telling them.”
His mother glared at him. “How long are you planning to drag this out?”
“I don’t want to marry Guo Hanzhang. It took us long enough to marry Zhaozhao off, so she wouldn’t have to serve that old lady anymore. Why would we invite another one into the family?” he said.
“You were born to serve difficult women!” his mother said. “I’ll ask you one more time. If you refuse, I’ll arrange another marriage for you myself. And don’t cause trouble like you did with the Prince Rong’s household and nearly offend them.”
Her tone grew sterner.
“If your sister-in-law hadn’t smoothed things over and the Yin family hadn’t helped, the matter with Prince Rong’s household would have turned into a feud.”
Cheng Chao fell silent.
His mother continued, “You’re not young anymore. Stop being so stubborn. How many more disasters are you going to cause me?”
After a long silence, Cheng Chao finally raised his eyes. “Isn’t this a very difficult situation? Grand Preceptor Guo is no kind man. I don’t want to put Grandfather in a difficult position.”
“A married daughter belongs to her husband’s family. If the Guo family truly commits some monstrous crime in the future, she can sever ties with them,” his mother said. “Our Cheng family can bear that.”
“Father and Mother have gone to such lengths to plan for us.”
“What parents don’t exhaust themselves for their children?” His mother smiled. “It’s rare to hear you say something so affectionate.”
Cheng Chao said, “I’ll find an opportunity to speak with Grandfather.”
Then he called out, “Mother.”
His mother looked at him in confusion. “What else do you want?”
“Nothing. I just wanted to call you.” Cheng Chao smiled. “Mother.”
Then he turned and walked away.
His mother stood where she was, her eyes slowly growing moist.
After the Dragon Boat Festival, Cheng Zhao finally came out of the early stages of pregnancy. She could eat and sleep normally again and continued to manage affairs as usual. Every day, she matched wits with the household managers—winning over those who needed winning over, suppressing those who needed suppressing, sometimes establishing her authority and sometimes demonstrating her mercy.
Her belly hardly showed, and she did not even feel pregnant herself.
Nanny Li was constantly on edge. She kept urging Cheng Zhao to rest more and take better care of herself.
“Using your mind tires you out too. You mustn’t exhaust yourself.”
When she failed to persuade her, she even asked Second Madam to help.
Second Madam said, “When I was pregnant with Ah Shen, I rode a horse for two whole days without the slightest problem. I still practiced with my spear as usual. Zhaozhao isn’t delicate. Just let her be.”
Nanny Li was speechless.
Second Madam was no help at all.
With no other choice, Nanny Li could only continue wearing away at Cheng Zhao, nagging in her ear and telling her to rest more.
Cheng Zhao was very easygoing. As long as no one overstepped their bounds and made decisions without her permission, she was tolerant of everything else. For instance, even when Nanny Li’s constant reminders made her ears ache, she merely let the words go in one ear and out the other without arguing.