Chapter 7: Transmigration of Souls

  Zhang, Zhao Zhuo and Mi had already packed most of their luggage, and the soft goods were all packed in boxes. When checking against the inventory book, Zhao sat aside "playing" and listening to it all the way, feeling that their future days would absolutely not be poor.

  But her cheap uncle, the newly appointed Marquis and his wife, had not sent over the contract and silver that Zhao Zhuo had divided for Father. Miss Mi began to worry: "They won't even try to cheat on this little thing?" Zhao Zhuo frowned: "It shouldn't be, Eldest Brother Zong Fangyu is still there."

  Mr. Mi sighed, "How is the old master of Zongfang? Qian Lao's wife is his aunt, and it was under the auspices of Old Lady Zongfang that she married the Duke back then. If the old lady hadn't come back to life earlier, Qian Lao's wife would have been established as the rightful one long ago. The new duke is the second cousin of the old master of Zongfang, so naturally he will side with them."

  Zhang heard it and was also worried, looking at Zhang Shi, Zhang Shi said lightly: "That day, when the family was divided, there were not only Master Zong's father-in-law, but also two relatives as witnesses. The division of the house by the Marquis was unfair from the beginning. We didn't compete with him, and things wouldn't have gotten out of hand. If he wants to take even this little thing, I'm not a pushover either. At worst, I'll go beat the drum for justice. Zhao Jiong is indeed the eldest son of the Duke, but I am also the legitimate wife of the Duke!"

  Zhao looked at Zhang with a worshipful gaze, this calm tone was filled with an overbearing aura, what's going on? Was grandmother such a majestic person?

  Zhao Jiong and Miss Mi also calmed down, the former simply wrote a note, ordering the book boy to send it to his eldest brother, asking him when he would bring over the land deed and silver ticket, indicating that he would soon pack up his luggage and leave with the things, and would never again be a hindrance to him in the Hou Mansion!

  After Zhao Jiong saw the note, he didn't know what reaction he would have. He hadn't received any response and only heard in the evening that Old Lady Qian's condition had worsened. She was already sixty years old, and normally irritable and short-tempered, also fond of greasy food and occasionally drinking wine, her body had long been uncomfortable. This time she had suffered a shock, her thoughts were heavy, and for some reason, she was afraid to close her eyes all night, and after holding on for two or three days, she couldn't hold on anymore. When Zhang Shi and others heard the news, they were somewhat surprised but also felt it was within reason.

  On the second day, Zhao Kuang suddenly sent someone to invite his younger brother over to discuss something. Zhao Jiong thought that he had finally agreed to give him the deed and silver ticket, but instead, he brought back some bad news.

  "He actually wants us to accompany him with our whole family of five to send Father's coffin back to his hometown, and then stay in the old house for mourning!" Zhao Zhuo was furious, "We have already packed up our house, he still wants to say such things, obviously trying to drive us to desperation!"

  Mi also surprised: "Hou Ye is confused? The emperor had said that he would let the Duke of Jun be buried in the imperial mausoleum! The former emperor has long been at peace, and there was an edict forbidding burial with him. The emperor's intention is naturally to wait for the future..." She paused, "If not, we would have sent the coffin of the Duke of Jun back to his hometown, how could it be placed in the ancestral temple outside the city?"

  Zhang also felt that something was not right, and as a widow, such an important decision could not be made without her knowledge. Why did Zhao Kuang abandon the honor of his father being buried in the imperial mausoleum and instead send their family of five back to their hometown? Was it that he was so wary of them that he couldn't bear for them to live in the same city as him?

  Zhang stood up abruptly: "No, I must get to the bottom of this!" He called out to his son: "Follow me, I want to ask the new Marquis who made this decision?!"

  Mrs. Zhang took her son to question her stepson, while Mrs. Mi stayed in the house, feeling anxious and uneasy. She went to the side room to take a look, then came back to check on her daughter, putting the two children together to play. She sat beside them for half a day, but still didn't see her husband or mother-in-law return, making her even more worried.

  Chiang came over at this time.

  As soon as she entered the door, Zhao noticed that she quickly scanned the room and didn't see Chuncao, slightly furrowing her brow.

  Since the fake rumor spread yesterday, Chun Cao knew Jiang Shi's intention and avoided her as soon as she heard she was coming, so she wasn't here.

  Miss Mei met with Mr. Jiang, and his attitude was still quite welcoming, but because her mind was preoccupied, it showed on her face. Mr. Jiang then asked her: "Is it the matter of returning south that's troubling you?"

  "Exactly! We were discussing it earlier and everything was fine, but then your mother-in-law changed her mind. We've already bought a house in the capital and have finished furnishing it, we can move in at any time. But now your father-in-law and mother-in-law want us to go back to our old home in the south, all this would be for nothing! Do you know what they're really thinking?"

  Jiang naturally knew the truth of the matter, but it was impossible to tell Mi the truth, so he used words to fool her: "I heard that, like last night, the Duke's father had a dream about Hou, saying that he missed his hometown and wanted to go back. Leaves fall and return to their roots, which is also common sense. Although the emperor's grace is vast, now the emperor is only in his 40s, who knows how many years it will take? Can't let the Duke's father be alone in the ancestral temple? Those glories are actually false, what's most important is to fulfill the old man's wishes, this is filial piety. Does Second Aunt think that Niece-in-law is right or not?"

  Although Miss Mi felt that her words were not wrong, they always carried a strange momentum. If the spirit of County Master really wanted to be buried in his hometown, why did he only entrust Duke Hou with a dream and not mention the fact that Duke Hou treated his stepmother and younger brother poorly? Moreover, since the Emperor had already spoken about burying County Master alongside him, wouldn't the Zhao family be afraid of the Emperor's wrath if they disobeyed his orders and sent County Master's coffin back to his hometown? If in the future the Emperor insisted on burying County Master alongside him, would they have to dig up the old man's coffin from the ground and transport it back to the capital again?

  "Anyway, this is a big deal. Master Hou shouldn't have made the decision without consulting Old Madam and the Emperor. Isn't there anyone around you to advise you?" She looked deeply at Jiang: "I wonder what Eldest Sister said about it."

  What else would Niu say? Jiang covered up the pride in her heart and didn't intend to speak out, this decision was actually made after she found a reason to persuade Niu, and then Niu let Zhao Jiong speak. She lowered her eyelids: "I just heard about it now, I don't know the details. Auntie also knows that Ze has been ill these days, I need to take care of him, and there's a daughter to take care of, where do I have the leisure to ask about other things?"

  No time to ask about other things, but somehow have the leisure to drop by!

  Mi thought to herself, "Forget it, I don't even want to talk to her anymore." She had thought that she was different from before, and still had some conscience, but it turned out that old habits die hard. Just look at how yesterday she cried and sniveled for the second house, but when something really happens, she's still just standing by with her arms crossed?

  Jiang didn't stay for long and bid farewell, saying casually before leaving: "Although the Hou family has the intention of sending the coffin of the Duke back to the south for burial, but the old lady is still ill, I'm afraid it won't be possible to move within ten days or half a month. Our Zhao family can't just quietly take the coffin away without saying anything, we must inform the palace first. If the old madam really doesn't want to, she can stay for a few more days and slowly persuade Hou Ye and his wife."

  Mr. Mi was stunned, as if in thought.

  Zhang and Zhao Zhuo returned just in time for dinner, and from the look on their faces, it was clear that they had not been able to gain an advantage at Zhao Jiong's place. Mrs. Mi hastily handed the child over to the wet nurse and rushed forward to repeat what Jiang had said. Zhao Zhuo began to have hope again: "That's right, if we can't do anything about him, let's just tell the palace and ask the emperor to take charge!"

  Zhang's eyebrows furrowed again, she felt that Jiang's words seemed a bit strange... but couldn't quite put her finger on what was wrong. Looking at Zhao Kuang's resolute attitude today, it didn't seem like something that could be persuaded in just a few days. So even if they stayed for a few more days, what difference would it make? Moreover, listening to Niu's tone, it seemed like she didn't plan on letting them move out, wanting them to directly follow Zhao Kuang back to their hometown. Was this perhaps because she was worried that after the mother and son left the Hou estate, they would expose the truth about Zhao Kuang's unfilial behavior?

  Humph, having the guts to do such a thing, but not having the guts to let people know about it. How come you didn't think it was inappropriate when you were doing it?

  As dusk approached, another message came that Qian Lao's grandmother was on her last legs. Although she was not young and her illness had come on suddenly, it was still unexpected that things would take a turn for the worse so quickly. Zhang Shi had thought that she would only be ill for a while and wouldn't be in danger of losing her life, but now it seemed that she was already beyond hope.

  Qian Lao's wife passed away in the middle of the night. According to her attendants, she had only one wish before her death, which was to be buried together with County Duke Ye.

  Zhang was furious.

  So that's it! Zhao Kuang insisted on transporting the coffin of Duke Gong back to his hometown in the south for burial, and this was what he had in mind. The first wife of Duke Gong, Qin Shi, had long been buried in her hometown in Fengxian, and at that time no one knew that the emperor would allow Duke Gong to be buried together with him. No one thought about it, but perhaps in the future, only she, his second wife, would be buried together with Duke Gong. Zhao Kuang risked violating the imperial edict by transporting his father's coffin back to his hometown, clearly because he saw that his birth mother's days were numbered and wanted to take advantage of the situation to let her be buried together with his father. By the time Zhang Shi, the second wife, died of old age, it was likely that there would no longer be a place for her in Duke Gong's tomb. How sinister is Zhao Kuang's intention!

  Mr. Mi suddenly realized: "The words my daughter-in-law said, turned out to be this meaning! She actually knew her parents' intention long ago, but didn't dare to say it directly, so she hinted vaguely!"

  "Zhang coldly snorted: 'Even their own daughter-in-law can't stand them, it's clear how absurd they are! This matter I must see through to the end with them! If they persist in their stubbornness, I'll go and file a complaint with the imperial court!'"

  Zhao worriedly said, "They're still on someone else's turf, aren't they? Grandma says she wants to file a complaint, but what if the door hasn't even been opened yet and they get locked up? And that Jiang family, they wouldn't be so kind as to remind them!"

  Zhao Zhu hesitated and made a suggestion to Zhang: "You can't just tell them directly, they won't listen. Since our niece-in-law is willing to help us out, why not let her think of a way?"

  Mi said with a sneer: "She has always been one who minds her own business, hinting at one or two sentences is already the limit, how could she possibly help?"

  Zhang's face sank, and Zhao Jiong and Mi also started to worry.

  Zhao thought for a moment, suddenly had an epiphany, looked up at Chun Cao, and saw that Chun Cao's face was full of struggle, but soon made a decision, revealing a resolute expression.

  She rushed into the center of the room and fell to her knees with a thud: "Madam, Second Master, Second Mistress, I have something to report!"