Chapter 476: Bringing Good and Bad News, Great Joy and Shock

Zhang Xin was exiled to Jiaozhi several years ago, and this year Zhang You was sent there by imperial order. Add to this Zhang Zhuo in Nanjing and Zhang Yue who had gone to Xuanfu, and Lady Gu’s health kept fluctuating. Even the eldest wife, Lady Feng, had to stay indoors recuperating from a cold a few days ago. The once bustling Yangwu Bo’s residence was now eerily quiet. The always competitive Dongfang family had no rival left, leaving her feeling awkward, though she dared not provoke Fang Shuixin anymore.

This was not only because her mother-in-law had seen through her tactics but also because her obedient son, Zhang Chao, had spoken to her in private. Though she knew that sending Fang Shuixin away rashly had caused trouble, she hadn’t realized how serious Zhang Chao’s scheme of keeping her hidden was. Finally frightened, she missed the days in Kaifeng for the first time—where she still had to please her mother-in-law but could breathe freely outside, without having to be so cautious.

So, despite viewing the pregnant Fang Shuixin as an eyesore and even naming their maid Musk Scent, wishing to cause another miscarriage by using more of that substance, she now ordered the kitchen to pay close attention to Fang Shuixin’s diet and even visited her several times. Yet after her kindness was met with indifference several times, she lost interest in playing the virtuous wife. When she heard Fang Shuixin was going to Lingji Temple to pray, she didn’t even bother asking questions, fearing she might lose her grip on her again. Instead, she ordered Musk Scent to select a few suitable maids to accompany her.

Once they left, since Lady Wang of the Duke of Yingguo’s household sent Xi Yu to visit Lady Gu, she completely forgot about the matter and rushed to the main house in the north courtyard to keep her company—after all, she was the true mistress of the household. But as soon as Xi Yu sat down and spoke a few words, her composed demeanor vanished, and she nearly jumped in shock.

“The Marquis of Fengcheng is now seriously ill. Military affairs were originally under the control of Lord Rongzhi. After Yangwu Bo arrived, he refused to hand over command. On top of that, eunuch Ma Qi sowed discord before returning. As a result, our lord was informed that Yangwu Bo posed many obstacles. Fortunately, with Minister Huang’s strong support, things have held together. Our lord also warned that Ma Qi had amassed great wealth by acting tyrannically in Jiaozhi and is now returning to face punishment, so we must be wary of his schemes. Please keep an eye out here as well.”

“It was all going well… but we offended that eunuch, and now it’s our master who has to bear the consequences. How can such a thing happen in this world?”
Madam Dongfang couldn’t help but complain, but she eventually quieted down after noticing Madam Gu’s expression, though her heart was still filled with worry for her husband far to the south. She was concerned that the local people there wouldn’t obey orders, worried that he might encounter some women from Jiaozhi, and even more afraid that the rebels might send assassins after him. In no time, the handkerchief in her hands was completely torn apart.
Seeing Madam Gu frowning in deep thought with no discernible emotion on her face, Xi Yu remembered what Lady Wang had told her before she left and quickly said with a smile, “There’s one more thing. Although it’s not definite news, Master and Madam still asked me to tell it so that the old lady can be happy. A few days ago, the emperor summoned Master to the palace and ordered him to discuss with the ministers and nobles how to transport supplies for the northern campaign. It turns out that the emperor plans to recall Master soon!”
“Is this… true?”
“Old lady, how could I deceive you about such an important matter? Although it’s not 100% certain, since it’s the emperor’s word, it should be true to about seventy or eighty percent. Master has been exiled to Jiaozhi for almost five years now. He’s always been diligent and has made many achievements. Even if he made mistakes in the past, he should have made amends by now, and the emperor surely takes that into account.”
Madam Gu, who had been lying on the couch, still looked utterly incredulous, her breathing even becoming heavier. After a long while, she finally took a deep sigh and gently closed her eyes. Just then, voices of several maids greeting her came from outside. Soon, someone pulled back the curtain, and Zhang Jiu, dressed as a student, rushed in cheerfully and knelt down in front of the couch.
“Grandmother, I’ve been promoted! I’ve moved up to Chengxin Hall, and the dean has chosen me as the leader of the study group!”
Madam Gu was already overjoyed that her eldest son could return, and hearing this, she could no longer hold back her emotions. She quickly opened her eyes, took Zhang Jiu’s hand, and asked again. Overjoyed beyond measure, she clasped her hands together and murmured a few Buddhist mantras, tears streaming down her face. Seeing this, Xi Yu quickly stood up and said, “Congratulations, old lady! This is truly double joy! If Master returns and hears how accomplished Brother Jiu has become, he will surely be very pleased!”
Seeing his grandmother suddenly cry, Zhang Jiu was momentarily stunned. Only after hearing Xi Yu’s words did he realize what was happening, his voice turning hoarse. “Is what Aunt Zhong said true? Can Father really return?”

Back in the day, Zhang Jiu often visited the British nobleman’s residence. Xi Yu knew this young master, who had been hailed as a prodigy since childhood, very well, so she felt deeply moved by his experiences over the years. She explained things to him in detail before turning away.

“Lord Xin has always been troubled by this matter. If not for Lord You going to take charge of the border region, and now Young Master Yue heading to Xuanfu, plus the two scholars from the cabinet suggesting that since all the Zhang family members are stationed outside, and the old lady is already advanced in age, the family cannot neglect both loyalty and filial piety, this matter will likely be delayed further. An imperial decree should come within these few days, but it’s uncertain what position he will hold upon returning. Please, old lady, stay calm and wait.”

Year after year of waiting, Lady Gu only wished for his safe return, caring little about fame or career prospects. She quickly wiped away her tears. “His wife has waited patiently at home for so many years, and Brother Jiu has also waited anxiously. Now that this day has finally come, as long as he returns safely, it doesn’t matter what position he holds—safety is the greatest blessing. I only hope the second son can succeed quickly, and Brother Yue’s journey goes smoothly. That would satisfy me completely.”

When Zhang You was mentioned, Lady Dongfang finally snapped out of her daze, though she was extremely dissatisfied. Not only the three Zhang You brothers but also the younger generation like Zhang Chao had grown up, yet they still lived crowded together in the mansion, with no privacy at all. Now that Zhang Xin had returned and taken the position of the eldest, the official plaque hanging outside still read “Yangwu Bo’s Residence”! Zhang You had earned his status and titles through hard battles on the battlefield. Back then, to protect Zhang Xin, he not only gave away his hard-earned wealth but also stayed in Jiaozhi for several more years. Otherwise, there wouldn’t have been troublemakers like Fang Shuixin. Why should he still be burdened by such a large family now?

After staying to talk with Lady Gu for a while longer, Xi Yu prepared to leave. Before she could get up, someone rushed in suddenly. This time it was Linglong, whose face was pale as death. Seeing all eyes fixed on her, she quickly took a deep breath. Given the seriousness of the situation, she didn’t care about such things. Kneeling and bowing, she hurriedly said, “Old lady, second madam, Concubine Fang was praying at Lingji Palace when she happened to meet a noblewoman in the palace who sent a eunuch to pray as well. She didn’t know what was going on and said many crazy things in front of others. Her attendants couldn’t stop her, and it took a lot of effort to bring her back!”

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the room was shocked, especially Lady Gu, who instinctively felt something was wrong. Ever since Fang Shuixin had been brought back, her pregnancy had been disrupted due to the stress of traveling, and the Eastern family was also at fault for previous incidents. After the doctor’s diagnosis, she temporarily settled things down, scolded them a bit, and ordered her servants to keep a close eye on her. After more than half a month with no unusual occurrences, she assumed Fang Shuixin had come to her senses and stopped paying much attention. Who would have thought trouble would arise again?

“How could you let her go when she’s pregnant?”

“Madam, she claimed that two deities from Lingji Palace appeared to her in a dream and said some harsh words. I really couldn’t stop her. Besides, I had Xishang choose four of the most steady maids to follow her, ordering them not to leave her side. Who would have thought she’d go crazy!” Eastern family member Dongfang Shi, who was already furious, snapped loudly, “What crazy things did Concubine Fang say to them? Stop talking in riddles! Can’t you see Madam is terrified?”

Although Linglong was no longer part of the second branch of the family, not to mention that today’s incident was related to them, and those four maids had earnestly asked her to deliver a message for a reason. So she ignored the fact that Lady Gu hadn’t spoken yet and quietly said, “In their panic, the maids only heard part of it. They said Concubine Fang told one of the eunuchs in the palace that the Zhang family father and son shared the same nature—going to war while also seducing women, leaving those women to suffer. She, at least, was married legitimately by the second master, yet still faced countless disasters at home and nearly lost her life. The other one was simply blamed by her family as having been killed by pirates…”

Before she could finish, there was a loud crash. Eastern Shi, who had been furious, accidentally dropped her teacup. Her face turned pale as snow, and her legs turned weak. Lady Gu struggled to support herself with her left hand, feeling so enraged that her heart seemed to leap out of her throat, followed by intense pain. Bai Fang, seeing the situation was serious, quickly went to the inner room to get pills and forced one down into Lady Gu’s mouth, then rubbed her chest for a long time before she finally regained her senses. Zhang Jiu, who didn’t understand what was going on, saw chaos in the main room and, not knowing what to do, rushed out to find his mother for help.

Xi Yu also never expected that delivering good news would lead to such a situation. Moreover, she knew nothing about what Linglong had mentioned, so she had no way to offer advice. Seeing that none of them could free themselves, she got up, gave a few instructions to a young girl, and then quickly left the main house to head straight for the western courtyard. Hurrying into the main room, she saw Du Wan teaching Zhang Jing to write, and without caring to be rude, she hurriedly explained everything that had just happened in detail.
Lingxi, who was coming out of the inner room, heard this and, recalling that she had handled the matter herself at that time, was suddenly filled with confusion. How could Aunt Fang, who usually ignored everything, be aware of such a scheme?