Chapter 044

Chapter 44: Tang Rong’s Counterattack

The Grand Matron had come with anger, for Madam Wang’s outburst today had thrust Tang Gang into an extremely unfavorable position. Yet when she saw Madam Wang’s haggard face and heartrending tears, she felt a pang of pity. At a glance from Xin An, Tang Mo hurried forward to kneel before the Grand Matron, saying: “Grandmother, do not blame Mother. If anyone is to blame, blame me. Mother only spoke those words in a fit of rage because she was defending me. It is all your grandson’s fault.”

Tang Mo’s eyes reddened as he added: “I beg Grandmother, for the sake of the great injustice Mother has already suffered, please do not hold her to account.”

The maids serving Madam Wang wiped their eyes. The Grand Matron’s anger quickly turned to guilt; she knew her own son, and he was not a good one.

The Grand Matron said: “All of you, withdraw.” The servants answered: “Yes.”

The room emptied quickly, and Madam Wang cried even harder, soaking a handkerchief in no time. The Grand Matron sat on the edge of the bed, but before she could speak Madam Wang said: “Mother, tell me, why must he humiliate the second boy like this? That child is so good. Whenever he sees his father, when does he not behave with utmost respect? The poor child has never had his father’s favor since he was small.”

She went on in sobs: “As a little boy, whenever he saw his father he would happily run up, eyes full of longing. If he helped me with something, or if the tutor praised him, he always wanted to tell his father and earn a word of praise. If his father happened to be in a good mood, he would coax him a few words; if not, he ignored him. Whenever he and the Heir Apparent liked the same thing, it never fell to him. He was always sharply reprimanded not to compete with his elder brother.”

Her tears fell like beads from a broken string as she covered her face, her shoulders shaking: “Back then he kept asking me whether Father didn’t like him, whether he was not obedient. My heart ached every time he asked. It was all my fault, my fault for becoming a second wife and being looked down upon, so that even the son I bore was not welcomed.”

Thinking of Tang Mo’s childhood, she could not stop the pain: “Even when the marriage-swap incident happened, his father did not comfort him with so much as two words. From beginning to end, the second boy never spoke half a sentence blaming him.”

She lifted her swollen eyes and cried: “How could he do such a thing this time? The Heir Apparent is his son, but is the second boy not his son too? They are both sons; why favor one and trample the other?”

Her voice trembled as she concluded: “Today I thought of all the grievances the second boy has suffered over the years, and my heart… how can he wound a child like this?”

The Grand Matron’s eyes also turned red. She felt her own son truly was worthless, and she could not fault Madam Wang for such an uncontrollable outburst.

The Grand Matron said softly: “Do not cry.”

Drawing a long breath, the Grand Matron added: “It is this old woman who failed to teach her son well and has allowed you to suffer.”

Madam Wang cried for a long time, as if expelling years of pent-up grievance. Her eyelids swelled, her whole face puffed, and only when she could cry no more did she lower her gaze and say: “Your daughter-in-law is unfilial. I have made Mother worry.”

The Grand Matron sighed and said: “It is good to have cried it out. Do not be too heartsore. The child is sensible; he is married now and has a good wife. There will be many good days ahead.”

She looked at Madam Wang and counseled: “You seem formidable, but in truth you are tender-hearted and yield too much to your husband. Hereafter, advise when advice is needed, speak when speech is due, and in any case try to set your mind at ease.”

She herself did not quite know how to persuade; what Tang Gang had done was indeed vile. Yet he was still her son, the Marquis, the pillar of the marquisate. Many matters left him with little choice; the future of the house had to be considered. She said gently: “Freshen up. Tomorrow, come with us to the estate for a change of air. For the time being, let the affairs of the residence be.”

Then she added: “As for the Mo boy, when he goes to the Northern Garrison Army, choose a few valuables from my collection for him. With the right gifts, he may very well secure his footing. You must believe in that child’s ability.”

Madam Wang nodded and said: “Thank you, Mother.”

The Grand Matron sighed: “It is I who have wronged you. There was quarrelling today, but let this matter pass. Put yourself in order; when you step outside you are still the dignified Marchioness. Do not let others have a laugh at your expense.”

Madam Wang felt the urge to cry again. The Grand Matron rose with a smile and, once outside, instructed Tang Mo and Xin An to persuade gently: “Do not further sadden your mother.”

The two understood the Grand Matron’s meaning and hurried in to see how Madam Wang was. The Grand Matron stepped out and exhaled: “Invite the Marquis to Chun Rong Hall.” The servant answered: “The Marquis has gone out.” The Grand Matron said: “Then summon him back.”

[She had long enjoyed a life of ease and truly did not wish to deal with such things, but it had come to the point where she had to step forward.]

With Tang Mo and Xin An there, Madam Wang’s mood improved quickly. Xin An applied a compress to her eyes, and Tang Mo cracked jokes, successfully making Madam Wang laugh.

While this family relaxed, Tang Rong and Tao Yi Ran both wore furrowed brows. Madam Wang’s eruption had placed them in an awkward position; especially for Tao Yi Ran, whose mother-in-law was not her birth mother to begin with. Now that this mother-in-law had quarreled fiercely on Tang Rong’s account, how was she to face her in the future?

Tang Rong had not expected Madam Wang to react so strongly. He was the Heir Apparent of the marquisate; only by preserving him could the house be preserved. If he prospered, the marquisate prospered. For the sake of the long view, it was proper that Tang Mo endure some grievance. Why could they not understand?

[After such a scene, how was he to face outsiders in the future?] He gritted his teeth and said: “Help me up. I must go to beg Mother’s pardon.”

Tao Yi Ran immediately understood his plan. She supported him to rise, found a veiled hat and set it on his head, then led the attendants as they went to kowtow and admit fault.

Just then the physician arrived and was taking Madam Wang’s pulse. Madam Wang only reported a pain in her chest, dizziness, and shortness of breath. The physician said it was agitation attacking the heart and that, besides taking medicine, she must also keep her spirits up. Tang Mo escorted the physician out. Looking up, he saw a group of people surrounding a figure under a veiled hat approaching. Seeing Tao Yi Ran, he knew who she was supporting. He paid them no mind and only saw the physician off.

Tang Rong halted in the courtyard, then lifted his robe, knelt, and knocked his head to the ground: “Your unfilial son Tang Rong has come to beg Mother’s punishment.”

As he knelt, Tao Yi Ran knelt as well, and all who had come with them dropped to their knees.

With a single sentence, he had placed Madam Wang on the roasting fire of public opinion. Inside the room, Madam Wang trembled all over with rage. Xin An quickly soothed her and said: “Mother, try to sleep a while.”

Crying for so long was truly exhausting. Xin An rose, smiled at Madam Wang, then turned her head with a face full of alarm and called out: “Mother has fainted. Quickly, fetch the physician back, quickly!”

She strode to Tang Rong and said anxiously: “Elder Brother, Sister-in-law, what are you doing? Mother has been worried sick about Elder Brother being beaten, fretting that until the culprit is caught Elder Brother will not be safe whenever he goes out. Yet Elder Brother is here to plead guilty. You were injured in a mishap; what fault is yours?”

Without giving him a chance to speak, she continued rapidly: “Are you perhaps resentful that the culprit has not yet been caught? Father is already investigating with all his strength. Elder Brother, Sister-in-law, please rise. Just now, when Mother heard Elder Brother had come to confess guilt, she thought you blamed her. She was so anxious she fainted on the spot.”