Chapter 188: The Way of the World - She Still Doesn't Understand
As soon as Minglan stepped into the Wei Bei Marquis Residence, she immediately sensed that something was off. Instinctively, she wanted to leave and said with a smile, "Recently, my aunt sent over a jar of fiddlehead ferns, so I brought some for Sister Zhang. There's nothing urgent, so I'll take my leave now."
The one who came to greet her was one of Zhang's senior maidservants, surnamed Fan, whom Minglan had met a few times before and found to be the most composed. However, Fan's eyes were slightly red now. She said, "The Marchioness of the Gu Household is a distinguished guest. If you leave like this, our lady will blame us for not knowing proper etiquette."
Minglan had no choice but to follow her inside. As they walked, she asked, "How is Sister Zhang's health?"
Mama Fan, her voice hoarse, replied, "She's not doing well." After a pause, she added, "The Duchess is here too. She has gone to call on the Duke, and I am waiting outside for them."
Upon hearing that even the Duke of Ying would be coming, alarm bells went off in Minglan's mind. But they had already arrived at Zhang's courtyard, and leaving now would be terribly rude. She had no choice but to continue forward, mentally cursing her bad luck a thousand times. If only she had known, she would have let Gu Tingye come instead!
When she entered the main hall, it was completely empty. Mama Fan led Minglan directly to the west side chamber of the main residence. The courtyard was bustling with maids and servants rushing about, carrying water and basins, but no one made a sound. As they continued west, even before entering the room, Minglan could already hear voices inside, along with faint sobbing.
"…I understand you still think of your first wife. I don't blame you. After all, you were married for over ten years, and it's only natural to have feelings," said Madam Zhang. "But my daughter was married to you through proper rites and a marriage bestowed by the Emperor. Do you think no one wanted a daughter of the Zhang family, that she has to rely on your pity, Lord Shen?!"
Then came a low male voice, "Mother-in-law, please calm down. This was truly an unfortunate accident…"
Minglan felt extremely awkward. She glanced at Mama Fan and whispered, "There's a lot happening in your residence today, maybe I should come back another day…" Before she could finish her sentence, the maid standing at the door had already lifted the curtain and announced, "Madam Gu is here."
— Damn it, what a big mouth, Minglan gritted her teeth silently.
The room fell silent. After a moment, Madam Zhang's voice came from inside, "Please, come in."
With no choice, Minglan braced herself and walked in. The room was already crowded with people. Madam Zhang was sitting in a high-backed chair, dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief. Lord Shen Congxing, the Marquis of Weibei, stood beside her, looking extremely displeased, while the younger Madam Zhou huddled in a corner, quietly sobbing.
Seeing Minglan, Shen Congxing lowered his hand and spoke with difficulty, "Sister-in-law from the Gu family has arrived."
Minglan quickly curtsied to Madam Zhang and greeted her, "Aunt, I hope you are well. Greetings to you, Lord Guogong."
Shen Congxing was actually quite handsome, despite being thirty-five or thirty-six years old. He still stood tall, with a straight back, a strong physique, and striking, well-proportioned features. Minglan had seen him a few times before. At this moment, his face was clouded with anger, but when he saw Minglan, there was a hint of relief in his eyes. Minglan later learned that before she arrived, Madam Zhang had been crying for quite some time, publicly scolding Shen Congxing and making him very uncomfortable.
The atmosphere in the room was awkward, so Minglan decided to speak first. "Today, I received a jar of fiddlehead ferns and remembered that Sister Zhang loves them, so I brought them over. How is Sister Zhang doing… is she alright?" As soon as she asked, Minglan realized how foolish her question was—given the situation, how could things be alright?
Madam Zhang, still in tears, said, "You're such a kind child, remembering her like this. I'll remember you for it." She choked up again and added, "Guifen… she's about to give birth…"
Minglan had already guessed as much but was still slightly surprised. "Isn't there still more than half a month to go?" She clearly remembered that Changfeng's wife, Liu Shi, was due two weeks earlier than Zhang Shi, and Liu Shi hadn't given birth yet.
Upon hearing these words, Madam Zhang's fury instantly ignited. She shot a fierce glare at Xiaozou Shi, who was huddled in the corner, then covered her face with her handkerchief and cried, "My poor daughter…"
The Shen family had few members—no mother, sister-in-law, or older female relatives to rely on. As Madam Zhang wept bitterly, Shen Congxing, feeling it inappropriate to step forward, found no one able to offer comfort. Minglan glanced around, then stepped over to support Lady Zhang, speaking softly, "Aunt, please try to stay calm. Now that Sister Zhang is about to give birth, she needs your strength more than ever. You mustn't let yourself fall apart."
Madam Zhang, hearing this, gradually stopped crying. She leaned on Minglan and slowly wiped her tears. Shen Congxing felt a slight relief in his heart.
Unfortunately, before much time passed, a maid rushed into the room, her clothes stained with blood. She fell to her knees with a thud and cried out in despair, "Madam, please hurry! The young lady… she's not going to make it…"
Minglan's mind went blank with a deafening roar, while Lady Zhang staggered out of the room. Since Minglan had been holding onto Lady Zhang's arm, she unconsciously followed her out.
Crossing half the courtyard, they arrived at the door of a side room, where a crowd of maids and servants stood outside. Basins of bloody water were being carried out one after another. Even for women, the sight was overwhelming, and Shen Congxing's heart raced as well.
Weak cries of pain came from inside the room. Madam Zhang called out through the lattice window, "Fen'er, you must hold on..." She was about to go inside when, at that moment, a young servant in sharp attire rushed into the courtyard, gripping a horsewhip in his hand. He knelt on the stone slabs in front of Madam Zhang and shouted, "Madam, the Duke has arrived!"
Madam Zhang stopped in her tracks and quickly called into the room, "Good child, your father is almost here! You have to hold on!"
It seemed that Zhang Shi heard her words, as her cries of pain paused for a brief moment. However, moments later, a startled voice came from inside, "This is bad! Quickly, bring a cloth!" Immediately after, a heart-wrenching scream rang out—so piercing and sorrowful that it seemed to tear through everyone's hearts.
"Father, your daughter has fulfilled her duty!"
"Your Grace!" the young servant kneeling in the courtyard suddenly called out.
Everyone turned to look, and there stood an old general, covered in dust, wearing his battle armor. He was holding onto a pillar for support, his body trembling slightly.
...
Lady Shen's face was ashen, and her fingers, gripping her handkerchief, had turned pale from the tightness of her grasp. "Did my sister-in-law really say that?"
Minglan wiped the cold sweat from her forehead and weakly replied, "I've never heard such a scream before. I couldn't sleep for half the night after I got home."
Seeing how terrified Lady Shen looked, Minglan tried to comfort her, "At least she gave birth, and both mother and child are safe. Don't let it weigh too heavily on your heart."
Yesterday's ordeal was truly terrifying. In the end, even the imperial physician was called, but Zhang Shi finally gave birth to a baby boy by late afternoon. Seeing that things had settled down, Minglan quickly slipped back home. When she saw Gu Tingye, she exclaimed how unlucky she was to have stumbled into such a private family affair, then she shared everything she had seen and heard. The couple sighed over it for quite some time.
Minglan was worried that it might lead to trouble, wondering if someone would resort to silencing them.
Gu Tingye chuckled, then thought for a moment and said, "I suspect the Zhang family has made this public."
Due to a restless night, Minglan slept heavily the next day, and by the afternoon, someone from General Zheng's household came to invite her.
"What happened? How did it get so out of hand?" Xiao Shen was also informed last night, but the Zheng family wouldn't let her move and sent a few maids to inquire, returning with unclear answers.
Minglan sighed, "It's just a small matter that got blown up."
Ever since she became pregnant, the doctor who checked on Zhang's wellbeing came by every ten days. Each time, Xiao Zou would complain of headaches and foot pain, detaining the doctor for about half a tea's worth of time before letting him go. Although it didn't cause significant delays, it brought some annoyance to Zhang, which made her feel a bit better.
Zhang had a cold temperament and was too lazy to bother with her, but the mama by her side had been simmering with discontent for a long time.
Yesterday morning, the doctor came, and as usual, Xiao Zou pretended to be ill to delay him. Unexpectedly, the Zou family's elder uncle and his wife arrived, and upon learning that the doctor was a renowned physician in the city and was there to check on Zhang, they immediately made a scene. They insisted that the doctor examine them from head to toe and prescribed a number of expensive medications (the costs naturally recorded as part of the national expenses).
This delay took up most of the day. Now, not just the mamas, but even Zhang felt secretly annoyed. For a long time, she and Xiao Zou had reached an understanding, usually only detaining the doctor for a short while, but this time he was absent for far too long.
Zhang sent someone to call for him, and after a while, a little maid returned in tears, saying that the Zou elder had claimed the visitors were disrespectful and had ordered his servants to tie them up and beat them. Zhang was furious and, ignoring everyone's attempts to stop her, went over to confront them while cradling her belly.
The Zou elder and his wife were very arrogant, saying many unpleasant things and publicly embarrassing Zhang. Furious, she and her people began to push each other. Seeing the situation escalating, Xiao Zou hurried out to mediate. In the chaos, Zhang was somehow pushed to the ground. The scene quickly descended into disorder, and the elder couple took the opportunity to flee back home.
Minglan knew all this clearly because she had been so frightened the previous day that her legs went weak. She had been sitting in a corner, drinking tea to calm herself when she overheard the conversation.
"Why did she give birth so early?" — At the time, she was just asking casually, but to her surprise, the standing Mama Fan immediately recounted everything in detail, leaving her quite shocked. In retrospect, it made sense that a mama who had accompanied Madam Zhang wouldn't be a reckless person; if she dared to speak out, it seemed the Zhang family intended to handle the matter seriously.
The real drama was yet to come.
After Zhang gave birth, Madam Zhang went in to offer some comforting words. Once her daughter had fallen asleep, she suddenly seemed possessed, angrily berating Xiao Zou. When Shen Congxing tried to defend her with a few words, Madam Zhang pointed a finger at him and scolded him for being "blind to the truth."
Then, one of the mamas knelt down and exclaimed loudly, "Does the Marquis think of Zou as a good person? He doesn't know how long she's been deceiving you!"
She pointed out that Xiao Zou had pretended to save the eldest Zou child from drowning, which was all a ruse. It turned out that her pregnancy had been unstable from the start, and the doctor had already said that the fetus could not be saved. So, the Zou family decided to stage a scene to ensure that Shen Congxing would always remember Xiao Zou's supposed good deeds.
Of course, Xiao Zou refused to admit any of this. Madam Zhang stated that her daughter had already thoroughly investigated everything but had kept silent for the sake of family harmony. Now that things had come to this point, she no longer cared — she had evidence from the doctor who examined Xiao Zou during her pregnancy, the doctor who treated her after the drowning incident, previous prescriptions, and the old woman who tricked the child into going to the pond...
Ming Lan took advantage of Madam Zhang's absence to quickly make her escape.
Xiao Shen's lips trembled violently. "...The Zou family...how dare they deceive us like this!"
Ming Lan comfortingly patted her hand. "You're just thinking of the previous sister-in-law, which is why you treated the Zou family so well. It's understandable."
Xiao Shen stared blankly for a moment, her expression shifting several times. Suddenly, she threw herself onto the bed and began to sob uncontrollably. Ming Lan was startled and hurriedly asked why. Through her tears, Xiao Shen finally spoke.
"...I...I don't hate the current sister-in-law because of the previous one! I treated Madam Zou well on purpose because... before we came to the capital, the Zhang family had already arranged a marriage with the Zheng family, but it was delayed due to the late emperor's passing. My...my husband was originally supposed to marry that Zhang girl!"
Xiao Shen's face was flushed with shame as she cried, "...After I entered the family, my in-laws and siblings have all been so kind, and my husband treats me so well... Every time I think of how poorly the sister-in-law is doing, I feel like a thief, and it weighs heavily on my heart..."
Ming Lan's mouth fell open in shock, her mind swirling. "You heartless person! If that's the case, you should treat her even better!"
"I know I was wrong, I know I was wrong! I will definitely treat her well from now on... I won't let myself get angry anymore..."
Xiao Shen was so choked up that she couldn't speak, burying her face in Ming Lan's arm and sobbing continuously. Ming Lan felt helpless and comforted her back for a long time until Xiao Shen gradually calmed down.
Madam Zheng entered, followed by two maids carrying soup bowls. After placing the bowls down and dismissing the others, she sat beside Xiao Shen's bed and said gently, "You child, I told you not to pry, yet you insisted on knowing everything. Now that you know, don't let it worry you anymore... And still crying, you really are just a child..."
Xiao Shen nestled in Madam Zheng's arms and softly replied, "I'm sorry to trouble you, sister-in-law. I will take good care of myself."
"This is more like it." Madam Zheng patted Xiao Shen's head and turned to Ming Lan with a smile, saying, "Sorry to have put you through that."
Ming Lan quickly waved her hand, saying it was nothing, but in her heart, she thought of the pale, weak woman. If not for the cruel twists of fate, it should be Zhang Shi nestled in her strong sister-in-law's embrace, peacefully nurturing her pregnancy.
Back at the estate, Ming Lan found Gu Tingye already home, sitting in a rattan chair playing with their chubby son. After changing her clothes, she leaned over and began to recount the day's events. Gu Tingye listened, shaking his head disapprovingly. "After such a ruckus, the old marquis has fallen ill and didn't attend court today."
The Duke of Zheng was already of advanced age and had been working hard to earn the new emperor's trust.
Zhang Shi was the cherished daughter of the Duke and his wife, doted on from a young age. It was unfortunate that at seventeen or eighteen, she still hadn't found a suitor, and her marriage to Shen Congxing was a last resort. Just yesterday, the old duke had hurried back from the military camp and upon stepping into his daughter's courtyard, was met with her heart-wrenching cry. After days of hard work, he fell ill upon returning home.
"The emperor sent the imperial physician to see him, saying the old man had been overworked and then suddenly heard such bad news, causing his blood to stagnate and injure his vitality," Gu Tingye explained.
He bounced their son on his lap, the little chubby one giggling happily, reaching out his plump arms to wrap around his father's neck. Ming Lan used a handkerchief to wipe the fine sweat off her son's forehead.
"The emperor went straight to the empress's chambers after court. Just two hours later, the palace issued a decree to the Duke's residence, stripping that Zhao concubine of her title and having her slapped fifty times by two palace matrons. She was ordered to behave herself from now on and not to act recklessly."
Ming Lan sighed softly, "I heard from Madam Zheng that the Duke has already locked up the Zhao concubine." After fifty slaps, her face must be a mess.
Gu Tingye replied, "The emperor is preparing for war and needs the Duke of Zheng now. It's unfortunate that Brother Shen made such a blunder at this critical time. How could the emperor not be angry?" He had always disapproved of the Shen family's attitude toward the Zhao family. There was a proper way to repay favors; elevating a concubine above the main wife was a source of chaos. If they wanted to repay the big Zhao family, there were many ways to do it without resorting to such crooked paths, which harmed the little Zhao while dragging themselves down—and possibly involving the big Zhao's children as well.
"Word has it that the emperor also reprimanded the empress," he added.
The palace was filled with ears, and among the powerful families, everyone kept their eyes and ears open. Gu Tingye was no exception.
"Is that Zhao lady really that good?" Ming Lan couldn't help but ask.
Gu Tingye sighed, "She was a virtuous woman, sincere and genuine with everyone, willing to lay her heart bare. When she passed away, Brother Shen almost couldn't bear it."
Ming Lan raised an eyebrow, lightly mocking, "But he got through it, didn't he? Now he's in a high position with a beautiful wife and concubine."
—He managed to endure, after all. No matter the glory and wealth, he shouldn't marry again in his later years. Hmph, pretending to be deep in feelings—who couldn't do that? She didn't believe for a second that if Shen Congxing refused to marry, the emperor would execute him.
Gu Tingye fixed his gaze on her. She pouted slightly, frowning, unconsciously displaying a dismissive attitude.
"Deep feelings with shallow fates are ultimately regrettable..." he mused.
"But shallow feelings with deep fates lead to resentment," Ming Lan blurted out.
Gu Tingye immediately shot her a glare: "There are also deep feelings and deep fates in this world, leading to growing old together!"
Ming Lan quickly replied, "Yes, yes, that's true." Recognizing her mistake wasn't enough; she felt compelled to provide examples. "Like the Yu couple, don't they love each other for a lifetime?"
Gu Tingye was speechless, staring at her with his thick brows furrowed for a long time before he suddenly let out a sigh, helplessly ruffling Ming Lan's hair. He then pulled both her and their son into his embrace—let it be a fated couple; as long as they could grow old together.
...
At this moment, there was more than one couple in need of comfort.
In the main courtyard of the Wei Bei Marquisate, in a side room, a faint scent of blood from childbirth still lingered. Madam Zhang sat steadily in a grand armchair at the foot of the bed, her face now devoid of the pain and grief from the previous day.
"This time, even your father has fallen ill. If you still can't understand what's happening, you're truly unworthy of being a daughter of the Zhang family," she said.
Zhang Shi had just changed into a clean set of undergarments. Hearing her mother's words, she hesitated and replied, "Mother, why must you..."
"I shouldn't have to!" Madam Zhang erupted in anger, pointing at the infant cradled in a maid's arms by the bedside. She exclaimed loudly, "You are a daughter of the Zhang family, the legitimate wife of the marquis, yet the servants dare to lay hands on you. This shows just how far the Zhou family has reached! If they can push you today, what's to stop them from harming this child tomorrow?"
Seeing her daughter bow her head in silence, Madam Zhang scoffed, "Wake up! You've married out. How much can your family truly help you? No matter how hard we try, it ultimately depends on you. As long as your father and I are alive, it's one thing; but when we're gone and your brother and sister-in-law take charge, that's a different story. What future will this child have?"
Zhang Shi lifted her head, her expression slightly stirred.
Madam Zhang continued earnestly, "Though women may be weak, a mother's strength is fierce. If it were just you, your death would only sadden us two old folks. But now that you have a child, can you bear to see him live a pitiful life, neglected by his father, bullied by siblings, and mistreated by servants?"
The baby seemed to understand, letting out a small, plaintive sound like a kitten. Zhang Shi hurried to take him in her arms, gazing at his tiny, wrinkled face. All her pride and grievances melted away, transformed entirely into maternal love.
She kissed the baby's tiny face repeatedly, her tears falling as she said, "What you say is true, Mother. I was thinking too much, but now..."
The maid who had been holding the baby quickly wiped her tears and took the child back. "My dear girl, you mustn't cry during your confinement. Just today, someone from the palace came and slapped that wretched woman so hard that a few of her teeth fell out. As long as you have this resolve, everything else will be easy. With a family like the Zhou's, who do they think they are to challenge us? Hmph, they must be tired of living!"
Seeing her daughter change her mind, Madam Zhang finally revealed a faint smile. "We're not cruel people. Originally, I thought since Zhou's wife died young, you could get along with her sister just fine. Who knew that wretched woman would dare to use her sister's child as a pawn? That's when I realized her intentions were ill; she had to be dealt with..."
Zhang Shi suddenly raised her head and asked, "Mother, why didn't you let me tell the marquis back then?"
"Silly girl, what good would that have done? After all, she lost her child—perhaps the Duke still has some sympathy for her. Such leverage needs to be held onto until a crucial moment, then it will strike true!"
Looking at her mother's cold expression, Zhang Shi felt a chill in her heart.
Seeing her confusion, the maid respectfully said to Madam Zhang, "Miss has been raised by me; she's always had a kind heart. How could she understand these matters? Please teach her slowly."
As she gently patted the baby, she said, "The Shen family is too much! Not only did they grant that wretched woman a title, but they also keep promoting her. Not only can the young lady not touch her, but she has to endure her bullying. How can that not make one angry? Now, this is good! Let's see if that wretched woman dares to be so unruly in the future!"
Madam Zhang spoke solemnly, "Exactly. No one is allowed to touch her from now on!"
The maid was puzzled and asked, "Madam, why is that?"
"If she truly meets her end, the Duke will surely feel sorry for her," Madam Zhang replied coldly, a smirk on her face. "I want to keep the Zhou family around, making those uncles stir up trouble constantly, always dragging the marquis's household into messes. One by one, the marquis will have to clean up the mess. You'll have to encourage your husband to help too. Hmph, I want to see how long that deep affection of his can last!"
The maid laughed, "I understand, we certainly won't add to your troubles, Madam." After a pause, she added, "Hmph, both you and the young lady have kind hearts. That Zhou family really dares to step on the Zhang family's toes without knowing their place? Thankfully, Madam was prepared for this."
Zhang Shi whispered, "Mother, I'm fine now. Let the doctors go home."
In truth, the initial bump hadn't been severe, and the delivery wasn't life-threatening. It was just the unbearable pain that made her feel hopeless, leading her to cry out in despair—only now did she realize it was all her mother's arrangement.
"Miss, that won't do," the nurse quickly replied. "If we're going to put on a show, it has to be convincing. That doctor is one of us; even if he's not treating you, he should still help take care of your health. Once you've recovered, I'll help you have a few more sons."
Zhang Shi looked at her nurse's kind face and felt a pang in her heart.
"You and your husband being so cold is not a solution. You're too shy to humble yourself, so I need to find a way for you. If not today, then another day," Madam Zhang said seriously. "This is an excellent opportunity—not only have we eliminated half the trouble. Your husband must feel guilty toward you right now. When he comes to see you again, you mustn't show him a cold face. For the sake of the child, you need to soften up. Cry if you need to, express your grievances, show some vulnerability—pull him in, do you hear me?"
Zhang Shi's face flushed with embarrassment. "Mother, I'm afraid I can't…"
"You must do it!" Madam Zhang raised her voice in anger.
Zhang Shi shuddered at her mother's raised voice, causing the baby to cry, prompting the nurse to comfort him immediately.
Madam Zhang took a breath and softened her tone, "Fen'er, do you remember Lady Liang from the Yongchang Marquis's residence?"
Zhang Shi nodded. "You've mentioned her before."
Madam Zhang felt a wave of nostalgia as she recalled the past. "Ah, she was my close friend since childhood, just like you. Back then, she also married someone she didn't like. She sulked for three days straight, and their relationship soured, allowing a concubine to seize the opportunity and give birth to a son first. Sigh... I tried to advise her, but she wouldn't listen. Now, the eldest son has risen above her and her child."
In wealthy families, having an eldest son from a concubine isn't unusual, but once a biological son is born, the main wife should strategize early—either bring the illegitimate child close to foster a bond or neglect him entirely to eliminate future issues. Lady Liang's aloofness and unwillingness to act, resulting in the growth of a resentful, capable illegitimate son, is indeed rare.
Zhang Shi had heard of the Yongchang Marquis's affairs, and now, learning the inner workings, she felt a mixture of emotions.
Madam Zhang stood up and sat beside her daughter, gently rubbing her back. "Fen'er, in this world, not everything goes as we wish. Good days must be lived, and bad days have to be endured and made better."
Zhang Shi held back her tears and nodded.
Embracing her daughter's shoulders, Madam Zhang continued, "When I presented myself to Empress Jing'an, she said something to us young ladies—'Don't always blame fate; if you don't take charge of your own destiny, fate will take charge of you.'"
Madam Zhang's usual gentle demeanor was replaced with determination. Her gaze was resolute as she spoke, "The Empress was such a good person, but unfortunately fell victim to treachery; fate was not on her side. Yet, I still remember her words and will never forget them! You must remember them too!"