Chapter 334: After the Heir Apparent, One Must Look at the Crown Prince

Nominally in charge of administrative affairs to assist the officials, Zhang Zhuo, as the governor of Ying Tianfu, had not much to do, as the administrative staff there were among the most comprehensive in all the provinces and counties under heaven, making things even easier than when he was the magistrate of Jiangning. He knew well that his status came from his father, so he had little ambition in power struggles. Over the past month since taking office, he had worked diligently, spoken cautiously, and gotten along fairly well with his superiors, colleagues, and subordinates. With few official engagements, he naturally returned home earlier than usual.

Yet that evening, it was already time for Zhang Zhuo to head home, but Lady Sun waited and waited with no sign of him returning. Half an hour passed, and her anxiety grew. She quickly ordered Zhenzhu to go to the Ying Tianfu government office to find out what was going on. When a servant returned, he reported that Zhang Zhuo had left long after the evening meeting. Lady Sun became extremely anxious, racking her brains with worry and even losing her appetite. It wasn’t until all the food on the table had cooled down that news finally came through the door.

“Madam, Master sent word that he won’t be returning tonight!”
“Not returning? Did he say where he’s going or what he’s doing?”
Seeing the maid shaking her head, Lady Sun felt a tightness in her chest. Even when her mother-in-law had forced her to take the two maids sent by the Duke of Ying as concubines for Zhang Zhuo, or even after Hongluan became pregnant and gave birth to a son, she had never been so flustered. Having been married for many years, she thought she understood her husband well and believed she was the most important person in his heart. Yet now, he was spending the night outside, leaving only a casual message without any explanation!

The more she thought about it, the more uneasy she became. Eventually, with Du Wan’s persistent persuasion, she managed to eat a few bites of warm food, but she couldn’t fall asleep at all. In the end, she simply kept Du Wan by her side.

One had spent half her life in fear just becoming a mother-in-law, while the other had been immersed in literature for over a decade and was now a newlywed. Yet that night, they sat side by side on the bed, their roles seemingly reversed. Most of the night, it was Lady Sun who spoke, with Du Wan occasionally interjecting or mostly listening. It wasn’t until dawn that the two women finally fell into a drowsy sleep.

“Master, Madam kept the young mistress in the warm pavilion overnight. I woke up several times and heard them talking inside. I guess they didn’t go to bed until just before dawn.”

“Oh, in that case, don’t disturb them. Let them sleep soundly. I still need to go to the yamen later. Go fetch a basin of water—remember, don’t mix it with hot water.”
“Sir, you don’t seem to be in good health. What if you’re shocked by cold water…”
“Do as I say. Have breakfast brought in; I’ll leave after eating.”
Hearing muffled voices outside, Du Wan gradually woke up. Looking at the unfamiliar canopy above her, she remembered that Mrs. Sun had kept her company the previous night. She glanced at her mother-in-law, who was sleeping soundly, and recalled her endless chatter about Zhang Yue’s childhood and the family life back then. She couldn’t help but smile, feeling that the events of the night had further strengthened the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. It wasn’t until she heard some rustling outside that she remembered what she had heard earlier.
Her father-in-law, Zhang Zhuo, must have returned.
She pulled back the covers and got out of bed, deliberately making a little noise. Sure enough, someone quickly pulled back the curtain and peeked in—it was Xiao Wu. Seeing her wave, Xiao Wu slipped in swiftly, moving as quietly as a raccoon.
“When did Father return?”
“He’s been back for a short while.” Xiao Wu helped Du Wan get dressed and quickly tied her belt. Glancing at Mrs. Sun, who was still asleep in the canopy, she said, “I was shocked when I saw Father-in-law. His face was darker than the bottom of a pot, his eyes red with bloodshot veins, as if he hadn’t slept all night. His tone was harsh too; he must have been in a bad mood. Just now, Sister Zhenzhu suggested that Father-in-law take a day off from the yamen, but he glared at her fiercely.”
Du Wan had just picked up her comb when she heard this, and she was stunned, feeling a sense of unease. Although Mrs. Sun hadn’t said anything about Zhang Zhuo last night, how could she not sense the resentment in her mother-in-law’s heart? She could only pretend not to know. If what Xiao Wu said was true, her father-in-law’s absence all night surely hid some secret.
“Just tie my hair up casually; no need for fuss. I need to go outside and find out what’s going on.”
In no time, dressed properly, Du Wan left the warm chamber with Xiao Wu. After passing through a small door and a colored screen, they entered the main hall. There, she saw Shao Yao, who was wiping the table, quietly pointing at a large red checkered curtain door. She immediately understood and walked slowly to the door, asking, “Is Father in there?”

Although there were brightly colored and fragrant small dishes on the kang table, Zhang Zhuo had little appetite and simply sat there, absentmindedly drinking porridge. It wasn’t until he heard a noise outside that he came back to his senses. He put down his bowl and ordered, “Come in.”

Zhenzhu, who was waiting nearby, hurried forward to pull back the curtain and let Du Wan and her party in before returning to her original position, standing quietly with her hands at her sides. On the kang, Zhang Zhuo saw Du Wan stepping forward to greet him. After giving a slight nod, he said, “I had originally instructed them to let you two sleep a little longer. I didn’t expect it would still wake you up. This isn’t Beijing, so it’s okay if the formalities are a bit lacking. You’re young. While it’s right to take care of your mother-in-law, you also need to pay attention to your own health, especially since you’re still in charge of household affairs.”

“Father hasn’t returned all night. Although Mother doesn’t say anything, she’s still worried. That’s why I got up right away when I heard noise upon waking. When you go to the yamen later, I need to give her some assurance, right? You said I’m young—actually, just an hour of sleep would be enough.” Due to Sun Shi’s insistence, Du Wan now used Zhang Yue’s title in all her addresses. Seeing Zhang Zhuo’s clearly tired and exhausted appearance, she thought for a moment before asking, “Father, did you not return last night because of some urgent matter?”

Hearing this, and recalling the news he had heard the previous night, Zhang Zhuo felt a throbbing pain in his head and gently rubbed his temples with his thumb and middle finger. After a brief silence, he instructed Xiao Wu, “Xiao Wu, stay outside the main house to prevent anyone from eavesdropping. Have Shao Yao keep an eye on the main room. Be careful not to disturb Madam.”

Seeing Xiao Wu nod and head outside, Zhenzhu realized that she was only there because Zhang Zhuo wanted to avoid rumors from others seeing them in the same room as father and daughter-in-law. She immediately understood that this matter was serious and became even more cautious. Indeed, what Zhang Zhuo said next terrified her so much that her heart seemed to leap out of her throat.

“You must know that Yue is no longer in Nanjing. I just received news that he was originally in Songjiang Prefecture but is now likely in Ningbo Prefecture. Two days ago, a dozen Japanese pirate ships with hundreds of men attacked Shanghai County. If not for him leading the defending troops to hold off the attackers at the key passage in the southeast of Shanghai County, the county would have been devastated before reinforcements arrived. He suffered some minor injuries, but compared to physical wounds, you should understand what’s most important now.”

Hearing of the Japanese pirates’ invasion, Du Wan was deeply shaken. When she learned that Zhang Yue was there at the time and was even leading the defense forces to resist them, even she, who was usually so composed, couldn’t help but clench her fists. Yet, more concerning than all this was Zhang Zhuo’s last words. All of Zhang Yue’s previous draft notes had been refined by her—how could she not be aware of their key points?

“Father means that with these pirates attacking, those who oppose lifting the sea ban will take this opportunity to make a fuss?”

“All of Yue’s proposals have been copied and made public; everyone knows he is the driving force behind lifting the sea ban. The emperor, acting unilaterally and ignoring all opposition, insists on implementing it. Others will think the emperor is being deceived and will inevitably blame Yue. So, if news of this victory in Songjiang reaches Beijing, the credit will go to the emperor for sending troops to hunt the pirates, but the one to bear the blame will be him, for daring to propose abolishing the sea ban despite ancestral traditions!”

Du Wan was extremely intelligent. She deduced these things from the initial words and fell silent after her expression changed several times. Of course, she knew that if Zhang Yue gradually climbed the ranks in line with the emperor’s favoritism, it would be safe. But when she saw his focused expression, read those meticulously analyzed articles, and listened to him discuss the possible tragic consequences at the desk, those self-preservation thoughts never crossed her mind again.

At that moment, Zhang Zhuo didn’t look at Du Wan’s expression but continued on his own: “That’s right. He truly has no way out now. The matters he must handle outside—private merchants, the Maritime Trade Office, nobles who secretly support them, and merchants eyeing this lucrative route—are all extremely complicated. He can’t and doesn’t have time to deal with court affairs. Moreover, the emperor values results, not empty words. As long as the emperor values him, and he remains upright and cautious in his actions, he can hold his position. But after all, the emperor is getting older! Even if lifting the sea ban brings rewards now, after the emperor’s death, it will depend on the crown prince!”

These were undoubtedly extremely treasonous words. Not only did Zhenzhu’s face turn pale, but even Du Wan couldn’t help but gasp. She had known little about this eunuch, Zhang Zhuo, before, but now she gradually felt he seemed to have his own plans. After a moment of silence, she bowed deeply: “My husband’s affairs are my affairs. If there’s anything I can do, please instruct me, Father.”

Although Du Wan being his daughter-in-law was entirely decided by his legitimate wife, Lady Gu, and also agreed to by Zhang Yue himself, Zhang Zhuo had always held Du Zhen in high regard and had long hoped that his son could form a marital alliance with the Du family. Now, seeing Du Wan’s attitude, he was even more satisfied.

“You now hold the rank of a fifth-rank noblewoman and are entitled to enter the palace according to protocol. Likely within the next few days, you will be summoned by the Crown Princess. It’s best if you prepare accordingly,” Zhang Zhuo said, standing up from the bed, emphasizing each word. “Yue really catches the Crown Prince’s favor, but after all, the Crown Prince is still the heir apparent. The Crown Princess is known for her strictness and does not like those who try to win her favor with novel words. You need to handle this carefully.”

At that moment, Du Wan nodded seriously without asking Zhang Zhuo where he got this information. She had heard her father, Du Zhen, speak about Crown Princess Zhang before and knew well that she was not only the emperor’s trusted daughter-in-law but also a pillar of support for the Crown Prince and a respected legitimate mother to the Crown Prince’s heir. Such an experienced woman would not be easily deceived.