Chapter 39: Having Money Is a Good Thing

As a titled lady, Cheng Zhao attended the spring banquets hosted by the aristocratic families of the capital.

She always attended these banquets with the Second Madam. Under normal circumstances, the hosts would also invite Huan Qingtang and the First Madam.

Outsiders were all eager for a good show, as the matter of the "dual inheritance marriage" had already caused a huge uproar.

However, both Cheng Zhao and Huan Qingtang displayed the refined upbringing of scholarly families. Their words and actions were elegant and graceful, leaving no room for anyone to find fault.

On the surface, they appeared perfectly harmonious.

With the two younger women saving face for the family, the First and Second Madams, as sisters-in-law, seemed afraid of being outshone by their daughters-in-law and vied to present themselves well too.

This picture of peace and amiability created the exact situation the Old Madam desired most.

Even though Huan Qingtang failed to overshadow Cheng Zhao, the Old Madam was still pleased.

What pleased the Old Madam even more was that Mu Jiang started showing signs of pregnancy, vomiting incessantly in the mornings. An imperial physician was summoned to check her pulse, confirming that she was indeed expecting.

Overjoyed, the Old Madam personally entered the palace to report the good news to the Emperor.

The Emperor rewarded Mu Jiang with many fine gifts and even ordered the Empress to send two senior maids experienced in caring for pregnant women to the Zhou family, specifically to look after Mu Jiang.

"Even a princess would only receive such treatment."

The servants of the Chenguo Duke's estate gossiped among themselves.

Cheng Zhao, however, thought to herself, "If she were truly treated like a princess, she would have been given a title long ago. Even if she couldn't be named a princess, wouldn't they at least give her the empty title of a commandery princess or a county princess? Would they let a princess be a concubine?"

From this, it was clear that the Emperor had other intentions and did not care about Mu Jiang at all.

The Old Madam was merely using this to add prestige to the Zhou family.

Outside, those with ulterior motives had their own varied opinions on the matter.

Cheng Zhao counted the days; her monthly courses were delayed by five days.

Her heart skipped a beat.

She tried her best to suppress her joy, planning to wait another two days before calling for a doctor.

"I don't feel like vomiting," Cheng Zhao only told her three trusted confidantes. "Calling for a doctor at this time would look like I'm trying to compete with the Secondary Wife."

Qiubai was very nervous. "Then you must be careful. Starting today, you cannot practice your swordplay in the mornings."

Suyue suggested, "How about I secretly inform the Second Madam and ask her to send for a doctor to come in through the side gate to take a look?"

Nanny Li stopped the two of them.

"Don't panic just yet. The Young Madam's concerns are correct. At a time like this, even if she is pregnant, we must be wary of someone trying to frame or harm her, let alone when it's not even certain," Nanny Li said.

Cheng Zhao nodded in agreement.

After speaking, Nanny Li could not help but ask with concern, "Do you feel any tightness in your chest or bloating in your stomach?"

Cheng Zhao carefully felt her body for a moment.

She shook her head. "No, I feel no different than usual."

She did not go to Chengming Hall to handle affairs that morning. Instead, she sat at the desk in the eastern side room practicing calligraphy, gently touching her stomach from time to time.

It didn't feel like she was pregnant at all.

Cheng Zhao's luck always seemed rather ordinary. Every time she hoped for something, it generally didn't go her way; what she wanted, she usually only got when she wasn't paying attention.

She truly hoped to get pregnant quickly so she could ignore Zhou Yuanshen for a year or half.

But the more she hoped, the more likely she was to be disappointed.

That day, Zhou Yuanshen came to Nonghua Courtyard again.

After dinner, the couple sat on the large heated brick bed by the window, playing chess.

The spring banquets were very lively this year, and he had visited many households as well.

He had also accompanied Cheng Zhao back to her maiden home to pay New Year greetings.

Cheng Zhao had even brought Zhou Yuanqi along. She led Zhou Yuanqi to her grandfather, and sure enough, her grandfather gifted him two copybooks of Master Qu Lian's calligraphy.

Her grandfather even said, "If there are any other books or copybooks you like but don't have, just come and ask me for them."

Zhou Yuanqi was so moved he almost cried.

Cheng Zhao teased him a few times. Because of this, the two who went to the Cheng family for New Year greetings had a very pleasant time, and consequently, Zhou Yuanshen seemed to be in a good mood as well.

During the New Year banquet, no one in the Cheng family forced him to drink.

They didn't even mention the matter of the "dual inheritance marriage."

Sitting on the heated bed by the window playing chess at this moment, both Cheng Zhao and he were preoccupied with their own thoughts, making a complete mess of the chessboard.

"From my monthly allowance, I will subsidize Nonghua Courtyard with one hundred taels every month," Zhou Yuanshen suddenly said.

Cheng Zhao asked, "Will you have enough for yourself then?"

As the Duke's wife, the Zhou family's public account gave her a monthly allowance of two hundred taels.

Cheng Zhao couldn't spend it all.

She also had her own dowry, the dowry rewarded to her by the Ministry of Rites, and so on.

However, if Zhou Yuanshen was willing to subsidize her, she had no reason to refuse.

She just didn't know what sudden madness had taken hold of him.

"It's enough," Zhou Yuanshen said. "I also need to subsidize Lijing Courtyard a bit every month; her monthly allowance isn't much."

Cheng Zhao understood.

"It's only right, as she is pregnant," Cheng Zhao said.

After saying that, she looked at Zhou Yuanshen's face.

Coincidentally, Zhou Yuanshen was looking at her too.

Both sets of eyes held a probing look, and their gazes met squarely.

Seeing that his expression was fine, Cheng Zhao said, "Congratulations, Your Grace."

Although he had to be manipulated by the Old Madam, he had ultimately completed the task given by the Emperor and could gain more imperial favor.

Imperial favor was his opportunity to climb higher and break free from constraints.

Choosing the lesser of two evils. If it weren't for the Emperor, Mu Jiang would never have gotten pregnant so easily; Zhou Yuanshen had compromised on this matter.

"...What about you?" he asked. "I haven't deliberately neglected you."

Cheng Zhao understood what he meant. He was saying that around the Laba Festival, he had done his duty as a husband with both women, giving Cheng Zhao a chance as well.

Just as she was about to speak, she felt a sudden, heavy ache in her lower abdomen.

It felt exactly like this every time her monthly courses arrived, and her heart sank.

It wasn't that she was afraid of losing to Mu Jiang; she simply didn't want to go through the torment with Zhou Yuanshen again.

She didn't answer him, getting up and heading to the washroom.

Her menses had arrived.

When Cheng Zhao didn't come out for a long while, Zhou Yuanshen walked to the door of the washroom and asked, "Are you unwell?"

"I'm fine," Cheng Zhao replied.

Only when she came out did she tell Zhou Yuanshen that her time of the month had come again.

She wasn't pregnant.

Zhou Yuanshen remained expressionless.

He merely said, "Then let's rest early."

Lying in bed, Cheng Zhao thought that her delayed period might have been caused by his torment, which left her body somewhat weak; and his methods on her were truly ineffective.

How was Mu Jiang so lucky?

"It's not really luck. He spends more days at Mu Jiang's place. With more time, the chances of getting pregnant are naturally higher."

Cheng Zhao instantly stopped feeling envious.

She couldn't withstand that kind of grinding torment.

The next day, the manager from the accounting room indeed came to Nonghua Courtyard, informing Cheng Zhao that Nonghua Courtyard could collect three hundred taels of monthly allowance, with the Duke personally subsidizing one hundred taels.

Cheng Zhao thanked him, tipped him with a purse, and asked, "Has the subsidy for the Secondary Wife been arranged as well?"

"Yes, the Secondary Wife gets an additional fifty taels," the manager replied.

Cheng Zhao had someone see him out.

She said to her confidantes, "It's a good thing we didn't call for a doctor. If word had gotten out, I would have slapped my own face today and made a huge joke of myself."

Nanny Li felt a bit heartbroken for her.

She comforted her, "It's good to be cautious. The days are still long, Young Madam."

Cheng Zhao nodded.

Suyue added, "The Secondary Wife is pregnant, but you also gained an extra one hundred taels in your monthly allowance. In short, you didn't come away empty-handed."

"Money is just as good. A child might not be as reliable as money when it comes to knowing when you're cold or hot," Qiubai also chimed in.

Cheng Zhao burst into laughter.

Seeing her laugh, Nanny Li breathed a sigh of relief. "What kind of soup would you like to drink?"

"Black chicken soup with red dates, and some red date cakes," Cheng Zhao said. "Make some extra to send to my mother-in-law and Fifth Brother. The weather is still cold, so eating more of these nourishing foods is good for the body."

Nanny Li hurried off to prepare them.

When Cheng Zhao delivered the soup and pastries to Jiangyun Courtyard, the Second Madam was currently fuming over the news of Mu Jiang's pregnancy.