TRBDM -Chapter 146 The Second Household Moves Out

Before dawn had fully broken, the sounds of clattering and banging rang out from the Quyang Courtyard.

The second household was moving.

The decision had come suddenly, and Shen Zhizhi was still asleep when her maid woke her.

“Madam, madam, wake up! Second Master said we’re moving today. Let me help you get up, wash, and change clothes.”

Shen Zhizhi had only fallen asleep past midnight the night before; she was still dazed.

It wasn’t until the maid helped her sit up that she realized—they were moving.

“But the doctor told me to stay in bed for a month… it’s only been twenty days…”

Shen Zhizhi rubbed her stomach, afraid of disturbing the baby, unwilling to get out of bed.

The maid hesitated before saying, “Second Master says a few more days won’t matter. We’re moving today.”

Shen Zhizhi lowered her head in dejection.

Now, her husband didn’t even care about the child in her womb?

Shen Zhizhi was sharp and perceptive; she immediately noticed the change in Xie Sheng.

He knew there was a risk of miscarriage at this time, yet he couldn’t wait until later—he insisted on moving today.

Something was wrong.

Shen Zhizhi felt as if she were trapped in a crisis. The child could no longer bind Xie Sheng to her.

If she couldn’t safely give birth to a son, how much longer could she maintain her position as Madam Xie?

At Anhe Courtyard, Nanny Qi was helping Wei Zhaorong dress.

“Madam, the second household is moving today. From what I’ve seen, the servants are efficient—everything might be moved out within two days.”

“Keep an eye on them. Don’t let anything go wrong.”

“Yes, Madam.”

The second household leaving the Marquis Mansion was a good thing.

With a whole family of opportunists feeding off her, if Xie Sheng were smart, he would cut ties with the Shen family completely. Otherwise, he’d be drained dry.

In the previous life, the second household had taken most of the mansion’s wealth. Supporting a gambler was no problem. But this time, the portion they received wasn’t enough to feed the entire gambler family.

Shen Zhizhi left the Marquis Mansion in the afternoon by carriage.

Before leaving, she didn’t utter a single word, keeping her head bowed the entire way, supported by her maid into the carriage.

When she had first married into the Marquis Mansion, she had been celebrated and admired. Today, leaving the mansion, she felt lonely and desolate.

The melancholy in her heart had no one to soothe it.

Two days later, Quyang Courtyard was empty.

With the courtyard vacated, Nanny Qi had it cleaned thoroughly from end to end, preserving it for future use.

At the Imperial Academy, Zhao Jingheng was reading in his study when the door suddenly got kicked open.

Jianxi was startled and rushed toward the door.

“Who is it, daring to barge into the Tenth Prince’s quarters? Do you not want to live—”

But when Jianxi saw the Ninth Prince’s face, he immediately swallowed the rest of his words and knelt quickly.

“Your Highness… Ninth Prince, you… you’re here?”

Zhao Jingtian glanced sideways at Jianxi. “Get Zhao Jingheng out here.”

The visitor meant trouble.

“Ninth Brother.”

Zhao Jingheng stepped out of the study, standing quietly in the corridor, his eyes darkened. “What do you want with me?”

The moment Zhao Jingtian saw him, his anger surged. He stormed up to Zhao Jingheng and grabbed him by the collar.

“Zhao Jingheng, as the saying goes, an untrained dog bites. The ancients did not deceive me. All these years, hiding quietly in the Imperial Academy, I underestimated you.”

Zhao Jingheng frowned, not understanding Zhao Jingtian’s meaning.

“Ninth Brother, if you have something to say, just say it plainly.”

“Heh, pretending so well.”

Zhao Jingtian tugged forcefully, trying to pull Zhao Jingheng closer—but he didn’t budge an inch.

“Tch.”

Zhao Jingtian refused to believe it, pulling harder, still no movement.

“You!”

Zhao Jingtian was half a head shorter than Zhao Jingheng. Even standing on tiptoe, he wasn’t taller, making the collar-grab awkward and giving him no advantage.

He hadn’t expected that, lacking a height advantage, he would also be weaker in strength.

Zhao Jingtian felt his pride wounded and reached out with both hands to pull.

This time, Zhao Jingheng stumbled and was bent over by his pull.

“Tell me, when did you secretly meet Father?”

Meet Father?

For the past three years, apart from returning to the palace during the New Year to attend the clan banquet, he had rarely left the Imperial Academy.

He always sat in the seat farthest from the emperor, reciting greetings with everyone else, and had never met the emperor alone.

Among all the princes, Zhao Jingheng was the one with the lowest presence.

He neither competed nor contended, was quiet and reserved, and after moving to the Imperial Academy, he had completely cut off any chance of meeting the emperor.

Therefore, Zhao Jingheng didn’t understand why Zhao Jingtian would say such a thing.

“I haven’t met Father.”

“Lying again! Zhao Jingheng, don’t think a few sneaky tricks will get you anywhere. The throne will definitely go to Third Brother.”

Zhao Jingtian’s words were outrageous, but he wasn’t afraid of Zhao Jingheng reporting him.

If he had the ability to report him, would he have hidden away in the Imperial Academy for three years?

“Ninth Brother, why don’t you just say it—what exactly happened?”

Zhao Jingtian stared intently at Zhao Jingheng, trying to figure out if he genuinely didn’t know or if he was acting.

The result—

He couldn’t tell.

Damn it, Zhao Jingheng’s poker face was usually expressionless, always looking like a dead man. Zhao Jingtian felt that now he looked no different from usual.

“You really don’t know?”

“I don’t.” Zhao Jingheng said calmly. “Ninth Brother, can you let go?”

Zhao Jingtian, used to strutting around the Imperial Academy, had no intention of listening: “I won’t.”

The two of them were at an impasse.

At that moment, a voice came faintly from outside the courtyard, seemingly that of the Supervisor.

Zhao Jingtian immediately let go and even smoothed out the wrinkles in Zhao Jingheng’s collar.

He pointed at him warningly: “Don’t say anything reckless, understand?”

After that, Zhao Jingtian stepped back a few paces, putting some distance between them.

Just then, someone entered the gate.

Jiangxi looked up and saw it was the Deputy Chief Eunuch behind the Chief Steward Eunuch.

He was so shocked that he opened his mouth, then hurriedly lowered his head.

“Your Highnesses, Ninth and Tenth Princes.” The Deputy Chief Eunuch smiled respectfully.

“Greetings, Eunuch.”

The Supervisor said, “Tenth Prince, the eunuch is here to escort you to the palace to see His Majesty.”

Zhao Jingheng was momentarily stunned.

No wonder Zhao Jingtian suspected he had secretly met Father.

So Father had actually sent someone for him.

“Eunuch, please wait a moment while I change my clothes.”

“Of course, Tenth Prince, please do.”

After Zhao Jingheng went inside, Zhao Jingtian asked, “Does the eunuch know why Father summoned Tenth Prince?”

The Deputy Chief Eunuch’s smile was unbreakable: “Your Highness, this servant does not know either.”

Zhao Jingtian hit a dead end and felt irritated. “Besides Tenth Prince, did Father summon anyone else?”

The Deputy Chief Eunuch answered truthfully, “No, only Tenth Prince.”

The emperor’s health was fragile, and it was clear to all the princes that he might not last much longer.

It was said that the Crown Prince visited the emperor daily, attending to him carefully.

Third Prince Zhao Jingyan, naturally unwilling to fall behind, although not visiting every day, made sure to see the emperor every three to five days.

The rivalry between the two princes was nearly out in the open.

Rumor had it that the emperor had already issued a will of succession, but Third Prince had gone to great lengths to investigate and had gained no information.

At this critical moment, the emperor suddenly summoned Zhao Jingheng, striking a nerve with everyone.

This move was far from ordinary.