Chapter 051

Chapter 51: Tang Mo’s Thoughtfulness

Xin An’s suggestion moved Tang Mo; he truly lacked a clever runner at his side, and he said with interest: “I will ask him later.”

Not far away, the Grand Matron and Madam Wang watched, pleased by how harmoniously Tang Mo and Xin An got along. The Grand Matron said with satisfaction: “I told you the two are well matched. They can talk together and play together. That is fate.”

Madam Wang smiled and nodded. These days she had no household affairs to manage and nothing to vex her, and her mood had improved; seeing her son and daughter?in?law so at ease made her even happier, though she remarked with mock complaint: “The two of them are both too playful. Yesterday they hunted some game in the hills and said they would roast it this afternoon. I think they are having such fun they do not want to go back.”

She added, half amused: “They also picked a pile of colorful mushrooms. I do not know if they are edible.”

The Grand Matron did not want to return either; she found living on the estate delightful, with open skies, fresh air, and its own amusements, far more comfortable than staying in Chun Rong Hall. She concluded with decision: “You two will go back in a few days. The residence cannot be left without someone in charge. I will stay a while longer.”

Madam Wang rubbed her forehead, thinking this was a place one did not want to leave once one arrived. She said with concern: “This place is fine but not as convenient as the residence. I would not be at ease if you stayed here alone. Better I remain with you for a short stay and leave the household matters to the second daughter?in?law. She does have some talent for management.”

The Grand Matron would not agree; this trip was to ease her mind, and she still hoped the couple’s relationship would soften. She decided firmly: “You should return too. The second daughter?in?law is young and does not know enough of the household. As the mother?in?law, you must wait a while before you can rest.”

She set it in stone: “It is settled. I will stay half a month more and then go back.”

Still uneasy, Madam Wang turned and instructed people to return to the residence to bring more of the Grand Matron’s necessities, to send the household physician, and to assign several bodyguards, striving for thoroughness.

Those sent back were Auntie Wang’s husband and son. They had come to help check the estate’s fields; after several days of close inspection, they found nothing amiss. The soil was fertile, the crops were thriving, the grounds were neatly kept, and there were no idlers shirking work. There was little use for the two of them here, so it was better to return early and start arranging the house’s renovation.

The cuju match reached a fever pitch. Tang Mo stood, one hand on his hip, shouting from the sideline: “Good, quick, Er Shan, chase it down, quick…” Xin An was excited as well, though she managed not to leap up and wave her arms. Madam Wang, more helpless, said to the Grand Matron: “As he is, I do not expect great achievements of him. If the couple can live steadily, keep out of trouble, and be a bit more filial, that is enough.”

The Grand Matron laughed and replied: “There are not so many destined for great success. To live a smooth and steady life is also a skill.”

She beckoned with pleasure: “Come, let us go fish by the Lotus Pond.”

The Grand Matron had become enamored of fishing; whenever a fish bit she grew as excited as a child and could sit for half a day.

At dusk they roasted game. Er Shan directed a group of boys to work with crisp efficiency. While they waited for the meat to be done, Tang Mo asked if he was willing to follow him. Er Shan nodded without hesitation and asked in return: “I am willing. May I bring one more person?”

Tang Mo had expected a playmate, but it turned out to be a young girl. Er Shan explained candidly: “To be frank, young master, there are many in my family and I am the second. My father dotes on my elder brother, and my grandfather dotes on my younger brother. Stuck in the middle, I am liked by neither side. They all think I am wild. Of the three brothers, I do the most work, eat the least, and wear the worst. My cousin is named Xia’er, and she is even worse off. When the family figured that Prince Jin was not in the capital and no one watched the estate, they secretly sold my cousin. If Steward Yang had not discovered it and brought her back, she might have been beaten to death.”

He continued with a grim set to his jaw: “Now she lives little better than livestock, housed in the firewood shed, given the worst food while doing the most work, beaten all day long. If you would take my sister along, then until we die, we brother and sister will acknowledge only Second Young Master and Young Madam as our masters.”

Ever since he learned the young master would come, he had been putting on his best performance. These past few days he had used every trick he knew, waiting for this chance. His family was full of favoritism; he could never finish the work yet never had enough to eat. It was suffocating.

Tang Mo did not agree at once; he said he would consider it. A little disappointed, Er Shan redoubled his efforts and showed even more energy afterward.

Xin An did not care for the blackened, tough roasted game, but she loved the atmosphere: the sky full of evening glow and birds returning to their nests, everyone laughing, even the dogs wagging their tails in delight, and she could not help laughing along. Tang Mo handed her a roasted rabbit leg, glistening with oil, and said with pride: “Here. I had it marinated and then fried before roasting it again. Crisp outside, tender inside, and well seasoned.”

Knowing that, although she was not a high?born lady, she had still grown up in wealth and had never eaten such rough fare, Tang Mo would never admit he was accommodating her tastes; he told himself it was simply to thank her for mentioning Prince Jin, which had given him another path to strive along.

Xin An did not refuse. She took it and, shielding herself with a kerchief, took a bite; it was indeed crisp without and tender within, with fine flavor. Seeing how hard it was for her to eat, Tang Mo snatched the rabbit leg from her hand, set it on a plate, drew a knife, deftly stripped off the meat, and cut it into small pieces before handing the plate back, saying: “Eat.”

He leaned closer and declared with authority: “I tell you, any leg should be held and gnawed directly to have the best taste. Try another bite and you will see the flavor differs from just now.”

Xin An was skeptical; it was the same leg. How could gnawing it whole be different from eating cut pieces? She picked up a piece with her chopsticks, tasted carefully, suspicion in her eyes, and found that it truly was not as fragrant as before. Tang Mo smiled in triumph and teased: “See? In eating, I am more practiced than you. Next time I will buy a crispy chicken and eat it in the room, tearing off the leg to gnaw. That is the best.”

She set down her chopsticks; food was not a subject she knew much about, and she said with a small smile: “In the future, if there is anything good to eat or drink, remember to bring me along.” [In her previous life she had scarcely left the marquisate’s gates, busy without respite; studying food had been out of the question, which felt hardly worth it.]

Though he talked cheerfully, Tang Mo did not eat much of the roasted game either; he still found the flavor lacking and ended up finishing the rabbit meat Xin An left. That night, as they lay in bed, he brought up returning, for they had come only to stay briefly and the matter of Prince Jin was already an unexpected boon. He said with purpose: “I need to get to the Northern Garrison Army early, and I still have to go back and press Second Uncle’s matter.”

He frowned at a thought and asked: “If we are not there, will those two next door not turn the place upside down?”

Xin An was reluctant to return, but thinking that idling today would mean more work tomorrow, she decided calmly: “Let us go back. I had Uncle Wang inspect the estate carefully, and he said the management is good. You have also looked at the books. The people chosen by Prince Jin are indeed all useful; there is no need to replace them. From now on we only need to ask Steward Yang about the situation when he comes to the city each month to draw wages.”

Tang Mo gave a grunt of assent, then suddenly felt his stomach churn. He had eaten a pile of random things at once and his digestion could not bear it; clutching his belly, he gasped: “Oh no, I cannot, my stomach hurts.”