The thought emerged, and Qin Shi’san-lang himself was startled by it.
Why would he have such a thought?
Was it because all those who had opposed her met with grim fates? For instance, Secretariat Editor Liu, who coveted her assets, ended up ruining his own family and losing everything.
Was it because she always struck directly at the vital points? Take the military affairs in the northwest, for example. When a minor officer stole the credit belonging to her seven brothers, she straightforwardly overturned the entire northwest, sweeping away all the influential figures those minor officers relied on.
If it weren’t for Prince Ping, the Gao family wouldn’t be so arrogant.
If it weren’t for Prince Ping…
“…Born of the Imperial Consort… The Imperial Consort’s surname is Gao…”
Faint whispers reached his ears.
“This has nothing to do with Prince Ping.” Qin Shi’san-lang quickly interjected, his voice rising slightly. As soon as he spoke, the room fell silent.
The silence brought Qin Shi’san-lang back to his senses, and he noticed both Zhou Liu-lang and Cheng Jiao-niang looking at him.
“What are you doing?” Zhou Liu-lang frowned in confusion. “Imperial Consort Gao is Prince Ping’s birth mother – how could it not be related?”
Qin Shi’san-lang picked up his tea bowl and smiled.
“What I meant is that His Majesty is still very wary of maternal relatives. Moreover, maternal relatives are not permitted to hold key ministerial positions, so while the Gao family may have influence, they do not hold substantial power,” he explained.
Zhou Liu-lang nodded and continued speaking with Cheng Jiao-niang.
“So this is Prince Ping’s background and his relationship with the Gao family,” he said.
Cheng Jiao-niang nodded.
“So this is Prince Ping,” she remarked.
So this is Prince Ping…
It seems I was indeed overthinking things.
Qin Shi’san-lang couldn’t help but laugh at himself.
“Given how things stand, thinking we can resolve Young Master Gao’s resentment is nothing but a pipe dream. I don’t intend to achieve that anyway – I just want to ease the tension for now,” he said.
“Thank you,” Cheng Jiao-niang replied.
Qin Shi’san-lang smiled.
“Speaking of thanks makes it sound distant,” he said.
“If you take this chance to make any other requests, that would be even more distant,” Zhou Liu-lang warned from the side.
Qin Shi’san-lang burst into laughter.
When First Master Cheng entered the door, he saw two young men chatting and laughing as they stepped out – one handsome and refined, the other bold and heroic, both carrying the unmistakable elegance of scions from prominent families in the capital.
He narrowed his eyes for a moment and recognized one of them as Zhou Liu-lang, while the other…
Sensing the gaze, the young man instantly turned his eyes toward him. Though his expression was gentle, it carried an air of authority that discouraged scrutiny.
First Master Cheng quickly averted his face, using the pretense of adjusting his hooded cloak to raise his sleeve and cover the scratches on his face left by Second Madam Cheng.
In such a disheveled state, it was truly inconvenient to be seen – especially by those who appeared so dignified.
“Is Young Master Qin leaving?”
The voice of Master Zhou speaking with the steward carried over from ahead, causing First Master Cheng to jolt involuntarily.
Young Master Qin? The Qin family?
“Is that the Qin family affiliated with the Princess’s estate?” he couldn’t help but ask.
The same Qin family that had once come to propose marriage to Cheng Jiao-niang.
Master Zhou turned around, a hint of boastful pride in his expression.
“Of course,” he said.
Ever since meeting Master Zhou, the man had worn this irritatingly smug expression – a rare sight. In the past, members of the Zhou family had always looked at him as if he were a sworn enemy, as if even a glance in his direction was nauseating.
Naturally, compared to that, First Master Cheng disliked both attitudes equally.
“He certainly didn’t come for your family’s sake,” First Master Cheng remarked.
His words instantly darkened Master Zhou’s expression. Though Master Zhou wanted to retort, he didn’t dare lie when the matter involved Cheng Jiao-niang. He could only let out a muffled huff, flick his sleeve, and stride ahead.
First Master Cheng followed with a hint of smug satisfaction but couldn’t resist glancing back once more.
The young man was just mounting his horse. After saying something to Zhou Liu-lang, he threw his head back and laughed heartily, his presence radiant under the sunlight.
A young man like this was someone one wouldn’t even dare to dream of – and what mattered most was that his family had shown interest in her.
Earlier, the maid and Ban Qin had already informed Cheng Jiao-niang that First Master Cheng had arrived, so she wasn’t surprised. However, when they saw First Master Cheng’s disheveled state, the maid and Ban Qin couldn’t hide their astonishment.
“My apologies for the impropriety,” First Master Cheng said with a hint of embarrassment, using his sleeve to partially cover his face while smoothing his slightly disheveled hair.
“Stop pretending. If you really didn’t want to be improper, you should have tidied up earlier,” Master Zhou retorted with a snort.
Wasn’t this just an act to appear pitiable, to show how hard he had fought to seek justice for her?
This shameless old fool – since when did he learn such tricks?
First Master Cheng coughed lightly.
“Master Zhou,” he said, “I’d like to speak with Jiao-niang about some family matters. Would you mind stepping aside for a moment?”
He emphasized the words family matters.
After all, no matter what, Jiao-niang’s surname was Cheng, not Zhou.
Master Zhou inwardly scoffed.
“How rare that you still remember Jiao-niang’s surname is Cheng,” he remarked with a sarcastic smile.
This was a far cry from the days when he had cursed her as “the Zhou family’s jinx.”
“Master Zhou, likewise,” First Master Cheng replied with an equally mocking smile.
As if this uncle had never once called her “the Cheng family’s jinx” back in the day.
The maid gave a light cough.
“The two elders seem to be having quite an animated discussion,” she remarked with a faint, knowing smile.
Watching Master Zhou leave reluctantly, First Master Cheng straightened his appearance.
“Jiao-niang,” he said.
After calling her name, he fell silent again.
The room was quiet for a moment before First Master Cheng suddenly raised his hands and bowed to her.
“Regarding Si-lang’s matter… thank you.”
Cheng Jiao-niang returned the gesture.
“You flatter me. It was only right and proper,” she replied.
First Master Cheng let out a sigh.
“There are many things that are considered ‘right and proper,’ yet few actually manage to do them,” he said, once again raising his hands in a respectful bow. “Jiao-niang, regarding what happened in the past… I was in the wrong.”
Cheng Jiao-niang smiled.
“What happened back then wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. It, too, was only right and proper. There’s no need to speak of who was right or wrong,” she replied.
No need to speak of who was right or wrong?
Was that just a casual, lighthearted remark? Not everyone could say such a thing – only the victor could speak so calmly, using it as a gesture of mercy and forgiveness toward the defeated.
Perhaps this was the moment she had been waiting for – to see people like them bow their heads and admit their mistakes.
First Master Cheng felt a complex mix of emotions stirring inside him.
And at that moment, Second Master Cheng and his wife were experiencing an even more complicated turmoil of feelings.
“Ouch, ouch, ouch!”
Second Master Cheng yelled, pushing away Second Madam Cheng, who was tending to the bruises on his face.
Second Madam Cheng let out a sharp cry as she stumbled and fell to the ground, also groaning in pain.
“My head,” she murmured, reaching up to rub it.
“Brother has gone mad!” Second Master Cheng fumed. “How dare he resort to violence? Hitting me at home was bad enough, but he even chased me all the way to the capital just to beat me!”
“He’s not mad,” Second Madam Cheng snapped angrily. “He’s just blinded by greed.”
“Blinded by greed? He should’ve known better than to aim for what’s mine!” Second Master Cheng retorted furiously.
Second Madam Cheng felt just as enraged whenever she thought about it.
“How dare he try to seize my assets?” she exclaimed. “Does he think this is Jiang-zhou? Where on earth did he get the nerve?”
As she spoke, she abruptly sat up again.
“The Zhou family!” she cried out.
“The Zhou family is no good either!” Second Master Cheng grumbled resentfully, rubbing his arm and hissing in pain.
That arm had been injured by Master Zhou.
“…How dare you! You actually tried to assault your own elder brother! This is outright treason!”
Somehow, Master Zhou had swaggered right through their front door, and his first words were shouted at the top of his lungs.
At the time, Second Master Cheng was the one being beaten by First Master Cheng, yet this blind Master Zhou had somehow mistaken it for him attacking his elder brother. Without even asking for an explanation, Master Zhou had stepped forward and punched him.
The blow came from a military officer who trained year-round and put his full strength into it. The punch sent Second Master Cheng tumbling to the ground, unable to get up.
“Master, it turns out Brother has colluded with the Zhou family!” Second Madam Cheng said.
Second Master Cheng was stunned for a moment before the realization dawned on him.
“Those two shameless scoundrels! Last time, they conspired to divide up Jiao-niang’s dowry, and now they’re trying to seize her assets too,” he fumed. “Haven’t they learned their lesson yet?”
Second Madam Cheng anxiously pulled him to his feet.
“Master, hurry! Master Zhou just dragged Brother away – he must be trying to manipulate Jiao-niang. We need to go quickly, quickly, and explain everything to her! Hurry!” she urged, tugging at Second Master Cheng without regard for his injuries.
Second Master Cheng let out a sharp cry of pain.
“Foolish woman! My arm!”
…
“Young Master! Young Master!”
An attendant rushed in through the door, his face beaming with excitement.
Inside the room, Young Master Gao, who had been gloomily drinking by himself, threw his wine bowl at him.
“Are you fucking happy to see me like this?” he cursed.
The attendant didn’t dare dodge as the wine bowl hit him. He quickly bowed in apology.
“No, Young Master! The prefect has sent someone – it’s about an important matter,” he explained.
“An important matter? If it’s important, they don’t need to ask me. They should write to my father,” Young Master Gao snapped irritably.
“No, it’s about that Cheng lady,” the attendant hurriedly added. “Things are getting lively in her family – her uncle has filed a complaint against her father!”
A lawsuit between brothers was a deeply shameful affair, especially for officials. If one couldn’t even manage their own family, it would surely draw censure from the imperial censors.
Young Master Gao sat up and listened intently as his attendant excitedly recounted the details.
“So that’s how it is,” he nodded in understanding.
So all those assets were controlled by that girl – no wonder she could squander money so recklessly.
First, she showed disrespect and lack of filial piety by hoarding private wealth, and now she was colluding with her father to separate the family estate and divert assets.
“Truly, she is disloyal, unfilial, and utterly audacious,” Young Master Gao snorted disdainfully. “If she herself is corrupt, she can’t blame her own relatives for taking her to court.”
“Young Master, the prefecture sent someone to ask whether we should accept this case or not,” the attendant said in a low voice. “If it’s inappropriate, they’ll reject it and send it back.”
“Don’t you dare,” Young Master Gao frowned. “Why send it back? The family head isn’t in the wrong here.”
The attendant hesitated for a moment.
“Do you mean to escalate this case, Young Master?” he asked. “Should we consult Scholar Mao first?”
Scholar Mao was the adviser assigned to Young Master Gao by Gao Lingjun.
Young Master Gao frowned.
“The master instructed us to maintain harmony in the Cheng family and prevent any public disputes that might tarnish their reputation. Should this case be suppressed? If it escalates, it could become a scandal,” the attendant said.
Damn it, I’ve already been humiliated because of her – and now I’m supposed to protect her family’s reputation? To ensure their domestic harmony?
Isn’t that just degrading myself?
“The master initially wanted their family to remain harmonious so that he could smoothly serve as an official in the capital. It was also to expose any mistakes and let the world see the lack of integrity in the Cheng family. We should have succeeded back when Feng Lin was involved, but that woman managed to narrowly escape. Now, they’re tearing each other apart over money – truly, they are reaping what they have sown.”
Young Master Gao sneered coldly.
“Major matters should be referred to my father, but a trivial dispute over family assets like this is not worth bothering him. Let the prefecture judge it according to the law.”
