Chapter 41: It Was Cheng Zhao Who Was Stirring Up Trouble

Mu Jiang was grounded.

The Old Madam needed a "protocol" for doing things; everything had to follow the rules. Simply put, when beating or scolding servants or juniors, an excuse was required.

Zhou Yuanshen turned her own weapon against her, using the excuse of "considering the heirs" to place Mu Jiang under house arrest in Lijing Courtyard.

The Duke's estate was once again buzzing with discussion.

The servants were confused for a moment.

The concubine's status was extraordinary, and she was pregnant with a child, so how could the Duke treat her so indifferently?

The Eldest Young Madam, Huan Qingtang, came to Chengming Hall.

From the end of the year until the Lantern Festival, Chengming Hall did not handle official estate duties. The First Madam, Madam Song, sat in the eastern side room drinking tea and chatting about trivial matters with her trusted confidante.

"Mother, your daughter-in-law has something to say to you," Huan Qingtang said.

Madam Song dismissed her confidante.

"Why the troubled face?" Madam Song slowly sipped her tea.

Huan Qingtang asked, "Mother, why did you tell Mu Jiang about the Duke subsidizing the monthly allowances of the two places?"

Madam Song set down her teacup, her face darkening. "You are questioning me?"

"The Old Madam already knows," Huan Qingtang said.

Madam Song's expression twisted slightly. "You are of one mind with the Old Madam now, do you even respect me anymore?"

Huan Qingtang looked at her in confusion. "What do you mean by that, Mother?"

"Did you know about the dual-lineage inheritance beforehand?"

Huan Qingtang looked at her, her gaze calm and composed. "Mother, you advised me several times to have a child of my own."

"Lady Huan, you are playing dumb!" the First Madam said resentfully.

Madam Song had known about the dual-lineage inheritance for a long time and thought it was an excellent idea. However, making it public in front of the clan members on New Year's Eve without telling her in advance was a different matter.

The First Madam always believed that her prestige in the Duke's estate was significant, second only to the Old Madam.

For such an important matter, they should have certainly communicated and discussed it properly before making it public.

As for how to announce it, they should have picked a more suitable time, instead of bringing a child who looked very much like her son to pay New Year's greetings on New Year's Eve, using that as an excuse to bring it up.

Madam Song had no choice but to quickly pretend she knew nothing about it.

The Old Madam had not only bypassed Madam Song, completely ignoring her, but had also used her deceased son to make a point: "Even looking like Yuancheng doesn't qualify one to be the heir," forcing the clan members to give up their hopes.

At that moment, the First Madam was furious.

She was treated like a deaf and foolish person, and her deceased son was exploited. It was not only a show of contempt for her but also a rejection of her son.

And Huan Qingtang definitely knew.

The First Madam used to think that the dual-lineage inheritance was excellent, much better than adoption, because Huan Qingtang was on her side and utterly loyal to her.

Having a child of Lady Huan's own bloodline would better secure the First Madam's wealth and glory.

During the New Year, Huan Qingtang went to Shou'an Courtyard a few times, and she changed.

She became closer to the Old Madam.

With the comparison of the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law from the Second Branch, Madam Song grew suspicious of Huan Qingtang.

Once trust was broken, this dual-lineage inheritance would completely sideline the First Madam, just like on New Year's Eve, and she would reap no benefits.

Her husband and son were both gone, yet she was still hurriedly acting as a stepping stone for others.

She was absolutely resentful.

Having had to pretend she knew nothing on New Year's Eve, the indignation and embarrassment made Madam Song want to tear someone to pieces just thinking about it.

She did not dare disobey her mother-in-law, so she could only vent her anger on this widowed daughter-in-law.

"...I actually think now that adoption would be better," Madam Song said coldly.

Huan Qingtang looked back at her, neither servile nor overbearing. "Mother, these matters are decided by the elders. If you think it is good, then it is very good."

Madam Song choked on her words.

"Are you talking back to me?" Madam Song asked coldly.

Huan Qingtang's expression remained tranquil, like a willow swaying in a gentle breeze—slightly stirring but still gentle, without any great waves.

"I wouldn't dare," Huan Qingtang said softly. "Mother, your daughter-in-law just feels that Cheng Shi seems to have some capability."

Madam Song's chest tightened with anger. "Don't drag others into this!"

"Mother, if you dislike your daughter-in-law, I won't dare to be an eyesore in front of you in the future. But I have a few words; would Mother be willing to listen?" Huan Qingtang asked.

Madam Song only glared at her hatefully.

Huan Qingtang slowly began to speak.

"Mother always told me to get close to the Old Madam. Only by gaining the Old Madam's favor can our mother-in-law and daughter-in-law pair securely hold our place in Chengming Hall forever.

Everything in the Duke's estate is in the Old Madam's hands, and we can only inherit from her. But on the Laba Festival, Cheng Shi merely supported our aunt, and Mother became angry.

I always thought Mother wouldn't take such a small matter to heart. Cheng Shi doesn't have the right to serve by the Old Madam's side, but Mother couldn't see that; you only saw that I didn't support you at that moment.

Mother used to say that an adopted son would always worship his biological parents after a hundred years, and it would have nothing to do with Yuancheng. Only a child I bear myself will worship my father-in-law, you, Yuancheng, and me.

But in such a short time, Mother has forgotten all of this and even deliberately tried to undermine me. You even attempted to spread rumors in my name, making the Old Madam think that I was the one who instigated Mu Jiang to cause trouble."

The First Madam calmed down a bit.

Huan Qingtang had mentioned the ancestral worship.

Asking Huan Qingtang to agree to the dual-lineage inheritance and have a child was not just for the management rights of Chengming Hall, but also for future ancestral sacrifices.

Huan Qingtang's son, in terms of bloodline, would not depart from the First Branch.

The First Madam was still angry, but her stance softened somewhat.

She had been blinded by anger.

"...Mother, Cheng Shi truly has some capability. If she hadn't received an imperial mandate, you wouldn't care about her this much. The more you care about her, the easier it is to fall into her trap," Huan Qingtang said.

She continued, "The title and properties of the Duke's estate should rightfully be yours. The Second Branch should live separately just like our granduncles, relying on whatever benefits slip through your fingers in the future to get by.

It is perfectly normal that you cannot stand Cheng Shi. However, before you have even done anything to Cheng Shi, you first suspect your own daughter-in-law. This pains me deeply."

Madam Song felt a wave of shame, followed by an inexplicable surge of annoyance. "Are you accusing me?"

"I wouldn't dare," Huan Qingtang said, kneeling before her.

Tears quickly welled up in her eyes. "Mother, we are the ones who depend on each other for survival. Without you, why would the Old Madam even pay attention to me? Without you, how could I ever compete with Cheng Shi and Mu Jiang?

You say I am accusing you, but I only want to wake you up. If you continue to be deceived, I will have no way out but death."

Seeing her cry, the irritation in Madam Song's heart dissipated significantly.

She sighed in silence.

After a long while, she finally said, "Get up and wipe your tears. What do you look like crying and weeping like this? It makes it seem as if I have mistreated you."

Huan Qingtang stood up and wiped away her tears.

Madam Song fell silent for another moment before saying, "In the future, when you go to the Old Madam, you must tell me early on if anything happens.

You cannot hide things from me. In this family, without me, you are nothing. It is good as long as you understand this principle."

Huan Qingtang murmured her agreement.

She left Chengming Hall and went to the Old Madam's Shou'an Courtyard.

She admitted that she was the one who found out about the matters of the public accounts and accidentally let it slip, which was how it reached Mu Jiang's ears.

"You are a good child willing to take responsibility," the Old Madam said calmly. "Ah Jiang is arrogant and willful; it's good to temper her character a bit. Besides, this is the Duke punishing her. It's just young people flirting and quarreling; we don't need to worry about them."

Huan Qingtang murmured her agreement.

The Old Madam went on to say that she would seek an imperial decree without delay, asking the Emperor to bestow a marriage and command Zhou Yuanshen to take Huan Qingtang as his concurrent primary wife.

"I will leave everything for Grandmother to decide," Huan Qingtang replied.

Whenever this matter was brought up in the past, she had always remained completely silent. This was the very first time she had explicitly relented.