Тhе оuting wаs sаid tо be for viеwing thе sunning оf sсriрtures, but in realitу, it wаs simply а trip to thе tеmрlе fоr lеisure.
Whethеr it was the womenfolk of thе Еarl оf Pеngсhеng's hоusehоld оr Сhеng Хiaо and the othеrs, аll gladlу agreed. Еspeсially Сhеng Хiао—thе mаtter cоnсerning Сhеng Jing hаd pаssed, аnd thе Cheng аnd Yuаn familiеs appеared to hаvе mоved оn, resuming their formеr сhеerful соnvеrsаtiоns. Yеt evеrуonе knew this wаs merelу a suреrfiсial саlm. Whо сould tell when sоmething might happen thаt would shatter thе relatiоnship bеtwеen thе two families into dust? Every word and action carried a hint of forced harmony, and to make matters worse, this was her marital family, the place where she would spend the rest of her life. The discomfort was almost unbearable.
Zhou Shaojin's invitation provided her with a perfect excuse to step out for some fresh air.
Everyone joyfully discussed which temple to visit for the scripture-sunning.
An imperial decree arrived from the palace, ordering the Fourth Prince to take up his fief in Xinyang. The Emperor had consulted the Imperial Astronomers for an auspicious date, and the second day of the sixth month was deemed favorable, setting it as the day for the Fourth Prince's departure.
Counting the days, there were only about twenty left. The Fourth Prince had already established his own household for over a decade, and with so many possessions, how could everything possibly be packed up in just over twenty days?
The Fourth Prince sent someone to plead with the Emperor, requesting to delay his departure until after the Mid-Seventh Month festival, but the Emperor rejected the appeal. Instead, he ordered Han Ding, the commander of the Imperial Guards, to send men to assist the Fourth Prince's household in packing.
But how could Han Ding dare to rush the Fourth Prince?
Anxious and distressed, he sought out Cheng Shao to discuss the matter, asking if there was any solution.
Since the two had worked together on matters concerning the Crown Prince, they had come to regard each other as reliable individuals. Although they did not interact frequently in daily life, when faced with difficulties, they felt the other was someone they could trust.
Upon hearing this, Cheng Shao smiled and said, "The Emperor only ordered the Fourth Prince to take up his fief, not to move his entire household. In these days, hurry and pack the items commonly used by the Fourth Prince and his consort, so they can depart for Xinyang on the second day of the sixth month. As for the rest of the household assets, you can help pack and seal them gradually."
This way, both sides would be accommodated.
Han Ding's eyes lit up, and he teased Cheng Shao with a smile, "It's true that scholars are clever! Those of us with military backgrounds would never have thought of such an idea."
Cheng Shao smiled faintly.
Chang Shi instructed a maid to bring in fruits and snacks.
Han Ding then inquired about Chang Shi, "How is your wife doing?"
Chang Shi had once served in the Qianqing Palace and had crossed paths with Han Ding before.
"She is well," Cheng Shao replied with a smile. He thought of how Chang Shi, aside from visiting Old Madam Guo at Chaoyang Gate, spent her days at home reading, writing, and caring for their two great-grandchildren, rarely having anywhere to go. After seeing Han Ding off, he went to Chang Shi's quarters.
Chang Shi had intended to invite Han Ding to stay for a meal, but he had left after just a few words with Cheng Shao.
Seeing Cheng Shao, she couldn't help but ask, "Has something happened? Commander Han left after only a few sips of tea."
Cheng Shao told her about the Fourth Prince's situation.
Chang Shi sighed and said, "Who knows what the Emperor is thinking. If the Fourth Prince had gone to his fief earlier..." At this point, she stopped abruptly, her expression uneasy.
Cheng Shao's heart stirred, and he asked, "The matter concerning the Crown Prince... do you know about it too?"Seeing no one else around, and Cheng Shao being someone she trusted deeply, Madam Chang couldn't help but lower her voice. "How could I not know? Matters in the palace—often they can be kept from those above but not from those below. And I served in the Palace of Heavenly Purity. Not to mention the Crown Prince's affairs, even the matter of Lady Dai—we knew about it early on. Of course, if the Fourth Prince hadn't praised Lady Dai before the Empress Dowager back then, she would have been given to the Seventh Prince. How would this whole case have come about?"
Cheng Shao gave a wry smile. "I was foolish."
Madam Chang flushed slightly. "It's not that you were foolish, Master. It's just that you didn't realize how dark things can be in the palace."
Cheng Shao thought for a moment. "For you to leave the palace smoothly was no simple matter either."
His expression was serious and solemn, and his words came from the heart.
Madam Chang's eyes grew slightly moist. She murmured, "What's so difficult about it? It was just a struggle to survive."
Cheng Shao nodded.
Thinking that these were likely not pleasant memories, and recalling the purpose of his visit, he changed the subject. "I'm usually at the Hanlin Academy. On rare days off, I'm often summoned to the palace by His Majesty. You must be lonely at home alone with two children. If you have free time, you should visit Chaoyang Gate more often. Si Lang's wife seems to have a good temper from what I've seen, and she always appears happy when you visit. She should be good company. If you feel it's inconvenient to go there too often, you could also visit your old sisters from before."
Having spent so many years in the palace, it was impossible she hadn't formed close friendships with other palace maids.
But none had been as fortunate as her, able to marry someone like Cheng Shao as a second wife. Most became governesses or adopted nephews from their natal families. Whether the former or the latter, they were all commoners. Madam Chang feared Cheng Shao would look down on them, so she had only visited them twice after leaving the palace. After that, she stopped seeking them out. Those who managed to stay in the palace until their release were all shrewd individuals—naturally, they didn't come looking for her and cause trouble.
Madam Chang felt both surprised and moved, yet also had the feeling that this was just like Cheng Shao—he truly hadn't disappointed her.
"I'll visit them when I have time," she said, quickly blinking back the tears welling in her eyes. "But they all have families to care for, unlike me who just eats, drinks, and idles around all day with nothing to do." She expressed her gratitude subtly, then added, "A few days ago, Si Lang's wife invited me to watch the scripture airing at the temple on the sixth day of the sixth month, saying we should bring the children along. These past few days, everyone's been discussing whether to go to Daxiangguo Temple or Zhetan Temple. Even if you hadn't mentioned it, Master, I was planning to visit Chaoyang Gate tomorrow—I heard Eldest Young Master's wife isn't well, and I wanted to ask Si Lang's wife and Second Young Master's wife what they plan to do. I thought of going with them to visit in the next couple of days!"
Madam Chang had a pleasant disposition and was observant, getting along well with all the women of the Cheng family.
In this regard, Cheng Shao felt at ease.
He had the accountant give Madam Chang three hundred taels of silver for her expenses, then went to his study.
Yet Cheng Shao's words still lingered in Madam Chang's heart like a stone dropped into water, creating ripples.
She decided to visit an old sister who had entered the palace with her but had become a governess.
Little did she expect that when she went, she would encounter Madam Fang—the adopted daughter of her old sister who still served in Cining Palace—coming out of the palace to visit her.The three of them enjoyed a pleasant and carefree time together.
Not only did they drink wine, but they also spontaneously called in a blind storyteller to perform a tale.
However, having spent too long in the palace, even such lighthearted moments left them feeling unable to truly relax.
Madam Chang’s old companion remarked self-deprecatingly, "We’ve been servants for so long, it’s become second nature!"
Her words left both Madam Chang and Madam Fang silent for a long while.
Madam Fang quickly changed the subject, addressing Madam Chang’s old companion, "Godmother, did you know the Fourth Prince is about to leave for his fief? I heard the Empress Dowager was quite displeased when she found out. She asked the Emperor why the Third Prince is still staying in the capital if the Fourth Prince is leaving for his fief. It’s said that after the Fourth Prince departs, the Third and Eighth Princes will also leave for their fiefs."
Having spent most of their lives in the palace, they were more familiar with palace affairs than with matters outside.
Madam Chang’s old companion smiled upon hearing this and said, "Has the Empress Dowager not urged the selection of a consort for the Imperial Grandson? She loves having a house full of children and grandchildren. Back then, she was dissatisfied with the Crown Princess for giving birth to only the Imperial Grandson. But the Emperor will surely have another headache when he finds out."
The Imperial Grandson is only eleven this year, far too young to marry.
Madam Fang smiled and said, "Exactly." Then, her expression turned serious, and she whispered, "But yesterday, the Fourth Prince’s consort entered the palace, hoping to entrust a niece from her family to the Empress Dowager... Surprisingly, the Empress Dowager agreed and placed her under the care of Consort Lin, asking Consort Lin to teach her..."
Both Madam Chang and her old companion were visibly moved.
With this, all that needed to be said had been said.
The three of them then chatted about trivial matters—who entered the palace when and where they served now, who became a senior maid in the Kunning Palace, and so on—before parting ways.
When Madam Chang returned home, her maid informed her that Cheng Chi had come over: "...He’s speaking with the Second Elder in the study!"
Although both were nephews, Madam Chang sensed that Cheng Shao favored Cheng Chi more.
She personally brought tea and snacks to the study.
Cheng Chi stood up and respectfully thanked her.
Madam Chang quickly curtsied in return and closed the door for them.
But Cheng Chi’s words still drifted out: "Shi Kuan, who serves the Fourth Prince, sent me a message saying he will stay behind to help the Fourth Prince’s household pack their belongings. He wants to meet with me before the Fourth Prince departs..."
Could it be that the Cheng family has taken sides?
The Emperor holds the Cheng family in such high regard, and Cheng Shao is no fool—why would he do such a thing?
Madam Chang hurried away from the study, standing breathless in the corridor with a hand pressed to her chest.
The setting sun dyed half the sky crimson. The hosta flowers in the courtyard bloomed in abundance, their rich fragrance wafting through the air. The scene was as tranquil as a painting.
This was the peace she had sought for half a lifetime.
Madam Chang’s mind conjured the image of Cheng Shao’s slender yet gentle face.
Pursing her lips, she called over a young maid and said, "Go inside and ask the Second Elder to come out. Tell him I have something urgent to discuss."
The young maid, unaware of the gravity of the situation, cheerfully replied, "Yes!" and happily headed to the study.
Shortly after, Cheng Shao appeared in the corridor.
"What’s the matter?" he asked with concern, not a trace of impatience in his expression.
This only strengthened Madam Chang’s resolve.
She quietly relayed Madam Fang’s words to Cheng Shao.Cheng Shao's expression immediately turned serious. He said, "Come with me—Si Lang needs to know about this! The Fourth Prince might not be able to deal directly with those senior ministers, but he has been quite active in befriending their sons and nephews."
Lady Chang breathed a sigh of relief.
As long as the Cheng family wasn’t actively taking sides, that was good.
She went to the study.
Cheng Chi listened to Cheng Shao’s words and remained silent for a long time.
The atmosphere in the study was quite oppressive.
Lady Chang also grew uneasy and said, "Maybe I guessed wrong… I’ll go and find out how old the niece of the Fourth Prince’s consort really is. Perhaps they just want her to stay by the Empress Dowager’s side to show filial piety, so they won’t be forgotten after staying in Xinyang for too long…"
"That’s fine," Cheng Chi said. "But Aunt, you must be careful and don’t push yourself. If anyone notices anything suspicious and drags you into this, it would be troublesome."
"I know," Lady Chang said with a smile, breathing a sigh of relief and joking, "It’s not like I don’t know how to speak properly."
Seeing she was still in the mood to joke, Cheng Shao and Cheng Chi also breathed a sigh of relief.
※
Dear readers, here’s today’s update.
PS: There are only one or two chapters left before the story ends. I’m really going to miss you all…(>_<)
Sisters with monthly votes, please cast a few. Next month, there won’t be another chance to compete for monthly votes…
※ (To be continued ~^~)
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