Chapter 33: A Nighttime Investigation

In the reception hall of the main branch’s inner residence, Yu Xinglong and Suo Hong sat upright and solemn.

They turned the teacups in their hands slowly, their troubled thoughts impossible to conceal.

Second Master Suo had originally been busy taking over the trade routes that the Yu family had relinquished. He intended to establish the Suo family’s commercial network across Yu territory and expand the reach of its business empire.

Among the Eight Clans, the Suo family’s mastery of commerce had always been unrivaled.

But whether Suo Chanzhi was pregnant was far too important to the Suo family, so he had to be present.

Of the three renowned physicians specializing in women’s medicine who had been summoned, one had been found by Second Master Suo himself.

“Congratulations, Old Master! Congratulations! Our Young Madam is with child!”

The three physicians were still discussing the matter when a matron came running in to deliver the good news to the clan lord.

The moment she spoke the word “congratulations,” light burst into Second Master Suo’s eyes.

Yu Xinglong’s expression, however, was difficult to describe.

The old servant bringing the news had no idea how complicated her master’s feelings were. With a loud thump, she fell to her knees.

Banging her forehead firmly against the floor, the matron said joyfully, “Old Master, Second Master Suo, our Young Madam is with child.”

Yu Xinglong’s fingers trembled slightly, and scalding tea spilled over them.

Yet his hand only quivered faintly. He continued holding the teacup steadily, as though he felt no pain at all.

At last, the first shoe had dropped. His daughter-in-law… was pregnant.

But was this child truly his son’s flesh and blood?

Once suspicion took root, doubt became like a venomous snake coiled in the depths of his heart, darting out from time to time to bite him.

Yet he had no way to prove it.

In this age, there was no technique capable of making a reliable determination in such matters.

That was one reason why nobles, high officials, emperors, and generals guarded their inner chambers so strictly.

Still, counting backward from the time Suo Chanzhi had conceived, she truly had become pregnant on the road to the Yu household.

At that time, she had been traveling with the bridal procession. With so many people from both the Yu and Suo families watching her, she had been constantly beside his son. How could she possibly have been with another man?

So this child ought to be his son’s flesh and blood, shouldn’t it?

And yet… his son had already resolved to die. Could he really have failed to restrain himself?

The corner of Yu Xinglong’s mouth twitched. He wanted to look happier, but for a moment he could not produce the proper expression.

Second Master Suo, however, had already thrown back his head and burst into laughter.

“Ha-ha-ha! Wonderful, wonderful! Although Chengye is gone, Heaven has shown him mercy and left him an heir! Wonderful! Truly wonderful! Ha-ha-ha…”

“Brother Yu, congratulations. My congratulations to you!” Second Master Suo turned toward Yu Xinglong with a beaming smile.

Yu Xinglong forcibly suppressed the tangled thoughts in his heart and squeezed out a smile.

“Likewise, likewise. Ha… ha-ha…”

His smile looked worse than tears.

Second Master Suo did not find this strange. The Yu clan lord was plainly crying tears of joy. It was perfectly natural.

Second Master Suo rubbed his half-bald head, then looked at the grinning matron who had brought the news.

“I shall make the decision on Clan Lord Yu’s behalf. Everyone in the main branch, from top to bottom, shall receive a reward.

“You, old woman, have been especially clever. You brought me the very news I most wished to hear. I reward you with one hundred taels of silver.”

The matron was overjoyed. Her exhausting sprint had not been in vain, though she was still gasping for breath.

The household manager immediately bowed her head to the floor in thanks.

“This servant thanks Second Master Suo for his reward.”

Yu Xinglong gathered himself and gave a dry cough.

“My son has only just died, so naturally we should not hold an extravagant celebration.

“However, my son has left behind his flesh and blood. That is a momentous blessing for the Yu family.

“Very well. Beginning today, the Young Madam’s household allowance shall be doubled.”

“All servants and retainers of the main branch shall receive double their monthly wages this month.

“All managers and those above them shall each be rewarded with a celebratory banquet.”

The household manager happily bowed to Yu Xinglong once more.

“This servant thanks Master on behalf of everyone. I shall go and share this wonderful news with them at once.”

The matron hurried away.

Yu Xinglong remained troubled in his heart.

Was the child in his daughter-in-law’s womb truly of the Yu family’s blood? Was it truly?

The matron who had delivered the news ran as lightly as a swallow to the flower-gate beneath which the inner and outer residences met. She planted herself on the steps, puffed out her chest, and announced the news with shining eyes.

“Great joy has come to the household! The Young Madam is pregnant!

“Master has ordered that all servants and retainers of the main branch shall receive double their monthly wages this month.

“All managers and those above them shall each be rewarded with a celebratory banquet!”

The managers of the outer residence, who had been finding excuses to linger in nearby side rooms and gossip, came rushing out when they heard the news.

The Young Madam was pregnant. The main branch’s position was secure!

Well, to be precise, it was secure for at least the next nine months.

Regardless, what had once been a bleak one-in-four chance had now become a one-in-two chance.

The advantage was theirs.

“Ha-ha-ha! The main household is blessed. We get to share in the joy!”

“Indeed, indeed! A great celebration! A great celebration!”

The managers smiled from ear to ear.

Naturally, they could not say that they shared the joy. This was the main household’s happiness, and they had no right to claim it as their own.

…

Night had fallen deep, yet the main branch remained filled with jubilant celebration.

In the dining hall beside the servants’ kitchen, Big-Eyed Li had already received his reward of a banquet and invited all the managers to drink with him in celebration.

Chief Steward Li Youcai naturally occupied the seat of honor, but Yang Can was nowhere to be seen in the place beside him.

Big-Eyed Li had invited Yang Can as well, but Yang Can had said that he was suffering from a minor ailment and needed to rest.

The illness was merely an excuse. Most likely, this steward, who had always opposed the Suo family, had simply been unhappy upon hearing that the Young Madam was pregnant.

Therefore, the considerate accountant had not insisted on inviting him again.

Inside the rear residence, Suo Chanzhi sat lazily before the bronze mirror on her dressing table.

The excitement and exhilaration gradually faded, leaving her somewhat weary.

She had therefore taken only a simple bath before changing into a gauze bodice.

Her shapely curves appeared soft and fluid beneath the thin, supple silk robe.

Her hair, still especially damp and lustrous after her bath, fell loose over her fair shoulders.

Like the leaves of the elegant orchid tree, it did not vie for color, yet only made the surrounding beauty more vivid.

Her lovely face in the bronze rhomboid mirror thus appeared even more alluring.

At last… she was pregnant. All those exhausting efforts had not been in vain, after all.

Thinking of those many rounds of “hard work,” Suo Chanzhi suddenly felt a faint itch in her heart.

She actually found herself missing the sensation of being tormented until she could barely stand. What was wrong with her?

She secretly spat to herself and instinctively stroked her lower abdomen.

How wondrous. After nothing more than that one act, a living being was now growing inside her.

But the child’s sex was still unknown. Nine months from now, she would face yet another difficult trial.

If she gave birth to a girl instead of a boy, she did not know whether she would be able to pass through that ordeal safely.

Suo Chanzhi let out a quiet sigh, picked up an ivory comb, and began combing her hair.

Whenever her thoughts became troubled, she liked to perform this simple act to soothe herself.

Her smooth, black hair lay over her fair and delicate shoulders like silk, making her skin appear even more translucent, like white jade.

Suddenly, her delicate body trembled, and a cry of alarm nearly escaped her lips.

But a large hand had already swiftly covered her mouth.

Suo Chanzhi’s beautiful eyes widened in terror, yet she quickly regained her composure.

In the polished bronze mirror, she had seen Yang Can’s face.

Yang Can withdrew his hand. Suo Chanzhi drew a deep, ragged breath and twisted around on the embroidered stool.

Yang Can stood before her in a scholar’s robe. He had not changed into night clothes, nor had he even covered his face.

His handsome features were sharply defined, and his figure was exceptionally straight.

“You’re insane. How dare you sneak into the inner residence like this—and dressed that way?”

Yang Can gave a soft laugh.

“If I trespass into the inner residence without being discovered, then nothing happens. If I am discovered, wouldn’t disguising myself only make me even harder to explain?”

Suo Chanzhi said nervously, “Why did you come here? It’s dangerous.”

“Isn’t it because you’re pregnant? How could I fail to see you even once?”

Yang Can sighed.

“The child in your womb is my flesh and blood too.”

Suo Chanzhi snapped, “But if someone discovers you… You should never have come.”

“But I have already come.”

After saying this, Yang Can felt that something about the exchange was oddly familiar.

To prevent their conversation from turning into stiff, clipped martial-arts dialogue, he hurriedly changed the subject.

“Now that you are pregnant, we have no choice but to continue along the path Aunt Tu planned for us.”

Although they were still following Aunt Tu’s plan, there was a world of difference between working for someone else and seeking to take their own venture public.

Yang Can said, “Many people have been watching and waiting these past few days. They need to see the outcome before they can choose a side.

“I am the same. I had to wait for news from you before deciding whether I should compete, and how I should compete.

“Now, we are only one step away from the final choice.

“And even that last step can be guided toward the result we want.”

A sudden impulse surged through Suo Chanzhi’s heart.

She wanted to tell Yang Can that there was no need to try to control everyone in the main branch, nor to prepare for the child-swapping operation nine months from now.

Even if the child was a girl, she would accept it.

Even if it meant losing her position as the Young Madam of the main branch, the one who held real authority, and being kept in idle comfort from then on, she would accept that too.

So long as the child could grow up safely and happily.

But if she gave up everything they had fought so hard to obtain, could the child truly grow up safe and happy?

Even if the child grew up successfully, would she not end up just like her mother, sacrificed to the interests of the family?

Yang Can said, “From now on, I’ll have to carry out certain actions with a clear purpose.

“You handle the inner residence. I’ll take care of the outer residence.

“In any case, remember one thing: you must continue pretending to hate me, make things difficult for me, and resist me…”

Suo Chanzhi rolled her eyes.

“There’s no need to pretend about that.”

Yang Can chuckled.

“All right, all right. Do you think I don’t know how sharp your tongue is?”

Suo Chanzhi’s lovely face instantly flushed crimson. With an annoyed expression, she lifted a foot as fair and crystalline as frost and kicked him in the shin.

She had slipped the foot from her soft-soled slipper. It was tender and feeble, utterly incapable of causing harm.

Yang Can said, “Nine months. In nine months, can you turn the main branch’s inner residence into an impregnable fortress?”