Chapter 007

Chapter 7: Sent to Xin An to Be Scolded

The Tang family could not allow Xin An to leave. The late Old Master of the Marquis Weiyuan estate had been a military officer, and when the realm grew peaceful he voluntarily laid down his command.

To cast aside arms and turn to civil life was no easy thing. The sons and grandsons needed educating, the imperial court needed smoothing and tipping, and the old soldiers who had followed the Tang family needed care. Who could say the Tang family would never don armor again? Any one of these was a great expense. The Xin family was the Tang family’s purse, and many people knew it. The Tao family’s eagerness to marry into the Tang family owed not only to the marquisate, but also to the Xin family.

Seeing that Xin Kuan was ready to tear off all pretense for Xin An’s sake, Lord Tao spoke first: “Master Xin, please be calm. I too am indignant that such a thing occurred, but now that it has, we must look to the long term. A clan’s rise and fall and the children’s future are of the utmost importance.”

He continued, “The Heir Apparent was indeed at fault. Yet at one of life’s three great joys it is hard to avoid a few cups too many, and mishaps occur. Our two girls have already suffered losses. If we make a public uproar, will the damage not be greater?”

Tang Gang took the cue and said: “In-law, our two families have been close for years, supporting each other like lips and teeth. Anything can be discussed calmly at the table.”

He added, “After this happened I wanted nothing more than to beat this brat to death, but I cannot truly kill him, can I?”

Xin Kuan let out a cold snort and said: “You have said all your reasoning, yet in the end you still intend to press my assent?”

He lifted his eyes toward Lord Tao and said: “Tang Rong is the marquis’s legitimate eldest son, long ago granted the title of Heir Apparent. In time he will be the next Marquis Weiyuan. If the Tao family holds their noses and accepts this once, the benefits afterward will be endless. And what does the Xin family receive?”

The silent Tang Mo looked miserably desolate, yet he held his tongue. His expression was stubborn, [but in his heart he felt rather comfortable; this cheap father-in-law was about to fight for benefits on his behalf].

In the past it had always been he and his mother who fought together. At times his mother had to act the kindly lady and was ill placed to move, and only he fought alone. As for Tao Yi Ran, she merely enjoyed the fruit of his striving and then despised him as mercenary.

The Tao family did want to help, but they were no match for Xin An.

Xin Kuan’s meaning was direct. Lord Tao fell silent. Tang Gang’s brows knit tight. Madam Wang’s eyes swept the room, then she picked up the thread: “First, the fault is mine, for poor arrangements. Second, the Heir Apparent drank too happily and forgot his limits.”

She proposed, “Let the Heir Apparent apologize in person before An and the second young master and return the tokens of betrothal between the two families. After that, I will hand the stewardship of the inner household to An. What do you say, Father-in-law?”

In truth, it would have been best for Tang Rong and Tao Yi Ran to apologize together, but that would have confirmed that Tao Yi Ran had stolen her brother-in-law’s husband. The Tao family would never accept that.

Naturally, Xin Kuan did not wish to agree easily either, but at this point his objective had been achieved. He was not nobility, yet he knew how important control of the household was to a woman. Madam Xin pressed her eyelids down and said: “It is all for the children. You have said your reasons. Now that it has come to this, what good would it do to beat the Heir Apparent to death?”

She concluded, “Let us do as the marchioness suggests.”

She had agreed. Madam Tao loosened her clenched handkerchief with unwilling resignation. Even if Tang Rong inherited the title in the future, a marchioness without the keys to the household would be ornamental and useless, unable to bring the Tao family any concrete benefit.

Tang Gang let out a breath of relief. Before he could speak, Xin Kuan said: “From beginning to end, why has no one asked what the second young master thinks?”

He pressed, “His bride was taken by his own elder brother, and an apology is enough?”

Only then did all eyes fall on Tang Mo. With a rigid tone that carried a trace of grievance, he said: “I will do as Father decides.”

Tang Gang felt he owed the boy. He thought and thought, yet could find little to give him in compensation, until Madam Wang spoke up: “Last year, on the marquis’s birthday, His Majesty the Emperor bestowed a manor in the outskirts of the capital, sixty mu of choice land. Let us give it to the second.”

On an ordinary day, Tang Gang would never have agreed. A suburban manor was rare, and an imperial boon should by rights go to Tang Rong. Yet now, a single manor in exchange for the humiliation of a stolen wife; he praised the estate a few times, then nodded and had Madam Wang hand the deed to Tang Mo at once.

Tang Mo’s heart surged with mixed feelings. In his previous life he had schemed to exhaustion for that manor and had paid with his life in the end. In this life, it had fallen into his hands with such ease. [Having someone to back him felt almost too good.]

Thus matters were temporarily settled, and it was time for the midday meal. Tang Gang invited Xin Kuan and Lord Tao to stay. Now that the three were a single family, a few cups at table would dampen even the hottest anger. Since they were one family, they naturally had to plan for the future.

Tang Rong let out a heavy breath. Though the process had been difficult, the outcome suited his wishes. Returning to his courtyard, he selected several costly items and personally presented them before Xin An. Seeing him again, Xin An’s anger surged up uncontrollably, [and she wished she could stab him through with a knife].

Tang Rong said, “Though it was a mishap, I have wronged you. Please take heart. Second Brother’s character is noble and his conduct exemplary; he is in no way inferior to me. If you live well with him, your days ahead will be smooth.”

Xin An gave a cold laugh and said: “Is the Heir Apparent threatening me? If I refuse to live well with him and set myself to make trouble for you instead, what will you do?”

Tang Rong bowed with formal hands and said: “When the husband is honored, the wife is honored. Second Sister-in-law is clever and will think it through.”

Xin An’s gaze swept him from head to toe. [She hated him and needed to collect some interest on the spot.] She said, “A gentleman is at ease, a petty man is ever anxious. You, moved by selfish desire, stole your brother’s wife and colluded with Tao Yi Ran to commit an act of shamelessness. Now you want to cover your filthy conduct with a single mishap.”

She pressed on, “Thinking it through, I have every reason to suspect you planned this from start to finish. You did not wish to marry me, yet you wanted a reputation for filial obedience to your elders. Having secured the reputation, you were still unwilling to give up what you desired, so you wanted both the fish and the bear’s paw. You bribed the servants to deliver the wrong bride on purpose, then turned raw rice into cooked in the quickest possible time.”

She finished, “You know perfectly well that not one person will truly believe the excuse of drunkenness. You are merely relying on the fact that everyone cares about face and will cover for someone like you who has none.”

“Absolutely not,” Tang Rong said, though [guilt prickled in his heart]. Tao Yi Ran was dignified and virtuous, famed as a talented lady, and naturally more compatible with him. Xin An was merely a salt merchant’s daughter, and their betrothal had been mocked from the start. Now he had offered compensation, yet she continued to harry him with street language. She truly was not a suitable match.

A woman in her forties spoke up and said: “Please be careful with your words, Second Young Madam. The Heir Apparent is upright and aboveboard. He would never do such a thing. There must be some misunderstanding.”

At the sound of that voice, Xin An felt a new rush of murderous fury.

The speaker wore sapphire-blue brocade, with two steady, dignified gold hairpins in her hair, gourd-shaped gold earrings, and a pair of shrimp-whisker gold bangles at her wrists. She was Auntie Cai, the head maid who had served Tang Rong’s birth mother and later became his wet nurse, the most loyal dog at Tang Rong’s side. Even Madam Wang, mindful of her status as stepmother, refrained from chastising her harshly; this dog, however, treated herself as if she were Xin An’s very own mother-in-law, dared to clutch a dead woman’s memorial tablet and sit to drink the daughter-in-law’s tea, scolded her at will, belittled her everywhere, and would even punish her at the slightest provocation. [Now, just thinking of her made Xin An want to yank out the woman’s thighbone to beat a drum.]

Xin An lifted her chin and said: “Is the lady before me the marquis’s concubine?”

She added with a pleasant smile, “I heard the marquis’s two concubines are most delicate and gentle. No one mentioned there was also… one this broad.”