Favoring a concubine and destroying the wife? I'll abandon my husband and children and wipe out

The next day, Cheng Nanzhi, unusually, got up early to pay her respects to Madam Zhao and took the opportunity to mention the spring banquet ten days later.

"This banquet is organized by the Lady of Wu'an Marquis, and the families of various princes and ministers will be invited. The Zhao family is also on the invitation list. Now that I have returned and made my appearance, the Lady of Wu'an Marquis will certainly not miss sending us an invitation."

Madam Zhao looked displeased upon hearing this.

This is as if without Cheng Nanzhi, the Lady of Wu'an Marquis wouldn't have considered inviting the Zhao family. She really thinks she's so important!

"But what does this have to do with being able to see Abbess Fang?" Old Madam Zhao suppressed her displeasure and asked about what made her happiest.

Cheng Nanzhi pretended not to notice and slowly said, "I already inquired with the wife of the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel at the last banquet for Ze Ge'er to become an apprentice. The wife of the Marquis of Wu'an will also invite the eldest daughter of the Left Prime Minister to the banquet."

Madam Zhao had heard of the Left Prime Minister's eldest daughter, a woman of dignified and virtuous character, skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, whose demeanor was that of a noble lady from the capital.

"What does this have to do with Master Fang?" she asked, puzzled.

"It's very important. The Left Prime Minister's eldest daughter is highly favored by the Empress. She has been frail since childhood, so the Empress specially obtained an imperial decree for her, allowing her to freely enter and leave Yunyin Peak behind Lingtai Temple, to follow Abbess Fang Xi and chant Buddhist scriptures, so that she can nourish her body and gain blessings through Buddhism, and cultivate her character."

"It can be said that she is the easiest person to get in touch with Abbess Fang so far. If we rashly send a visiting card to see Abbess Fang, she will not see us, and we cannot force our way in. However, Abbess Fang can listen to the words of the eldest daughter of the Left Prime Minister. If we can persuade her to deliver the visiting card for us, Abbess Fang will most likely agree."

Cheng Nanzhi began to speak slowly.

Madam Zhao's eyes lit up slightly. "That's a good idea! Let's do it that way!"

Cheng Nanzhi looked troubled.

"What? You still can't get the Left Prime Minister's eldest daughter to help you? Do you think she'll refuse to give you face?" Old Madam Zhao frowned.

Cheng Nanzhi said calmly, "If the Left Prime Minister's eldest daughter is unwilling, can we force her? There's no such thing as forcing a cow to drink water if it doesn't want to. Besides, that would offend the Left Prime Minister, which would be bad for my husband."

"Then what should we do?" Old Madam Zhao sat up straight, subconsciously throwing all the difficulties and troubles to Cheng Nanzhi. "Since you've come up with this path, you must have a solution. I'll leave it to you to handle. Make sure you do it well."

Cheng Nanzhi sneered inwardly, thinking, "Dream on."

“I do have a way. I heard that the eldest daughter of the Left Prime Minister is extremely fond of incense. I remember that one of my dowry items was a piece of Imperial Snow-Topped Silver Pine Agarwood. But I ordered my servants to search for a long time without success, so I came to ask my mother-in-law if it is with you?”

Having gone through so much, Madam Zhao was already traumatized by her dowry, and reflexively, even though she didn't want to hear it, she still blurted out that she didn't know.

But Cheng Nanzhi spoke first: "Perfect timing. When I came, I had someone call the elders in the household, and it really was you who took it two years ago, Mother-in-law. Mother-in-law, then please take it out quickly, and I'll prepare it to take to the Spring Banquet."

Madam Zhao's face stiffened slightly, and she cursed inwardly which servant had been so talkative!

Besides, when did she take Cheng Nanzhi's incense...? It seems there really is one?

Upon careful recollection, Madam Zhao's expression stiffened even more.

She remembered that last year she had taken that incense out to show off at a banquet in a noble family, but the others flattered her so much that she couldn't bear it and gave it away at the banquet.

Where did she get that back?

"It's been too long, I've already used it all up," said Madam Zhao. "Isn't there anything else I could give as a gift?"

“Yes, there is. I remember a double-embroidered screen depicting the Four Gentlemen, made with gold and silver threads strung with pearls. The threads were even soaked in shimmering powder, so it sparkles in the night. It is both precious and exquisite. It would be very appropriate as a valuable gift for someone to do business with. I’m sure the Left Prime Minister’s daughter would not refuse it,” Cheng Nanzhi said with a slight smile.

Madam Zhao: "!!!"

She also likes this screen.

It is indeed still in her possession, but it is the most valuable item in her warehouse!

Without this, her storeroom would have very few things that would make her look presentable, and it would be so shabby that she wouldn't even want to go in!

"If we give it away like this, who knows if the Left Prime Minister's eldest daughter will refuse to accept it because it's too valuable?" Old Madam Zhao didn't want to give it away.

Cheng Nanzhi was not in a hurry, and then named a few more items.

The more Madam Zhao listened, the darker her face became.

Those were taken away when the "A Thousand Cranes on a Lonely River" painting was redeemed last time!

"These are all the suitable gifts. Mother-in-law, you are in charge of the household now, so you can decide. Just inform your daughter-in-law of the result before the Spring Festival Banquet." Cheng Nanzhi deliberately mentioned the screen.

She knew better than Old Madam Zhao herself how much valuable stuff she still had in her storeroom. After all, the things they had pawned last time had ended up in Uncle Lin's hands.

That little bit of stuff back wasn't enough. Sooner or later, she would make them pay back every last penny they owed her, and make them repay tenfold what they owed her!

So this is nothing.

Seeing the pained look on Old Madam Zhao's face, as if she had been stabbed, Cheng Nanzhi happily got up to take her leave without saying another word.

However, after returning to Guantang Courtyard, Cheng Nanzhi asked someone to find out that Zhao Ye had returned from court and sent someone to invite him over.

"Why did you suddenly seek me out, Madam?" Zhao Ye was unusually flattered, as this was the first time Cheng Nanzhi had taken the initiative recently.

Cheng Nanzhi told him in detail about the spring banquet and the gift-giving.

Upon hearing that it was related to Abbess Fang, Zhao Ye immediately perked up.

"It's just a screen, but since it allows us to have an advantage in proximity, it's worth taking!"

“But my mother-in-law seems to think that sending too much is a bit much,” Cheng Nanzhi said with a troubled expression. She told Zhao Ye about the things she had suggested to send but which had been rejected by Madam Zhao. Finally, she said, “My mother-in-law has been managing the household for three years and has been in the capital. She must know the noble ladies in the capital better than I do. If she thinks it is inappropriate, then it must be true. Let’s listen to my mother-in-law.”

Zhao Ye's face stiffened.

He knew perfectly well that the old lady didn't just think it was inappropriate; she was clearly just reluctant to part with it, especially since she had lost everything else!

It would be difficult to get Old Madam Zhao to spit out this screen!

Thinking of Abbess Fang, Zhao Ye made up his mind again: "I'll go and talk to Mother."

If this screen truly wins the favor of the Left Prime Minister's eldest daughter, then the Zhao family will have established some ties with the Left Prime Minister, and perhaps in the future, the Left Prime Minister will be able to speak on their behalf in court.

Thinking of this, Zhao Ye became even more determined. Without lingering, he hurriedly left for Shou'an Hall.

"It seems that the old lady has no choice but to give it this time, even if she doesn't want to." Qingdai and the other two gloated.

Cheng Nanzhi felt that Old Madam Zhao's troubles were not enough, so she smiled slightly and said, "Go find a few people and tell Ye Ruyue and Zhao Huaiyu that this is true."

"Yes!" The three of them couldn't wait to go.

When Zhao Ye arrived at Shou'an Hall and mentioned the screen, Old Madam Zhao indeed disagreed. No matter how Zhao Ye explained the benefits to them, she only softened her stance slightly and ultimately refused to make such a big deal out of it.

Ye Ruyue soon found out. When she thought about how Old Madam Zhao had so many good things but was so stingy with her and made her daughter suffer, she was so angry that she went to Shou'an Hall to persuade Zhao Ye together.

When Zhao Huaiyu found out, she couldn't sit still any longer. Old grudges and resentments surged up, and she immediately rushed over to beg and plead with him.

Finally, Old Madam Zhao could not resist and had to agree. Her heart was breaking as she watched Zhao Ye have someone take the screen away, and she wiped away her tears as she looked at the increasingly empty and drafty storeroom.

"What sins have I committed to deserve this, to suffer such hardship and financial ruin at my age?"

Zhang Mama offered a dry, perfunctory consolation: "Madam, there will be more things."