Chapter 061

Chapter 61: Tang Rong has some regrets

Upon learning that Xin An intended to make clothes for Tang Mo, Madam Wang, in excellent spirits, opened her private coffer and selected several fine bolts of cloth to send over. She also secretly slipped in one thousand taels of her own private silver. Xin An tried to refuse, but Madam Wang was sincerely determined and said: “I know you don’t lack money to spend, but this is a mother’s intention. You two as a young couple will surely have expenses. One can never have too much of such things.”

Xin An could only accept. In good humor, she asked about the state of the Wang Family. Madam Wang sighed and said: “They have fallen on hard times. Only two nephews amount to anything, and who knows whether they will truly achieve much.”

Xin An knew Tang Gang was unwilling to let the Wang Family borrow the marquisate’s light, yet she feigned ignorance and asked further: “With Father and Mother’s guidance, how could they fall?”

Madam Wang said that her father had originally had bright prospects, but Heaven had not favored him and he had passed early. “Our family’s foundation was thin to begin with. No one in my generation is truly accomplished. We can only pin our hopes on the next generation. Still, thanks to the marquisate’s reputation, we can at least manage food and clothing without worry.”

Xin An cared so much because Madam Wang had a nephew named Wang Shi who, in her previous life, struck great fortune in the year of Tang Mo’s last breath. First he ranked very high on the lists of the imperial examinations, then he caught the Emperor’s eye, becoming a disciple of the throne and basking in boundless glory. [Had Madam Wang not been crushed by the blow of Tang Mo’s death and fallen into decline, she would surely have risen again on the strength of that nephew.]

“I was thinking the sec… hus… Tang…” Xin An began, only to realize she had no idea how to address Tang Mo properly before Madam Wang. Every option felt awkward. She settled on: “Second Master…”

“Just call him your husband,” Madam Wang said with a smile. “There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. If you feel it isn’t sufficiently proper and aboveboard, then we can refit your bedchamber into a bridal chamber, put on the wedding clothes again, and go through the rites once more.”

Xin An widened her eyes in surprise and said: “There is no need for that, at least not for now.”

“I meant that my hus…” she began.

“Your husband,” Madam Wang prompted, still smiling.

“Yes, my husband,” Xin An said, helplessly amused. “My husband could help Second Uncle; he could also help the Wang Family. We are all one family, with aligned interests and shared risks. I simply think that having more paths to walk is always a good thing.”

Taking her hand, Madam Wang felt warmed through and said: “For you to think so is the second boy’s good fortune. As you have seen, the marquisate is not exactly teeming with descendants. The elder one is not my own son, and the second boy is not much favored by his father. It is as if he has no backing at all, so he should strive for more support.”

She advised: “Among our relatives, if you two find anyone suitable, you may certainly cultivate closer ties. Beyond relatives, consider befriending those old veterans who have retired from the army. Old Master Tang’s military achievements were illustrious, but those achievements were inseparable from the brothers who put their lives on the line for him. Although he no longer holds military command, the bonds remain. Yet those bonds will not last much longer.”

She explained: “Most of those who followed Old Master Tang through life and death are already of great age. Many have died or fallen ill; few remain. If they are no longer here, how will their descendants still remember Old Master? Over these years the marquisate has provided them some relief, but you know the marquisate’s situation. That assistance is limited, and most of them do not have it easy.”

Xin An asked, frowning slightly: “If we were to approach these people, Father would surely learn of it. Would he be willing?”

“Leave this small matter to Mother,” Madam Wang said. “I will handle it for you.”

Xin An showed a contented smile and said: “Having Mother thinking for us at every turn is our great good fortune.”

Madam Wang felt even more gratified. [She thought that Xin An had been born to be her daughter-in-law; with this daughter-in-law, her own days had grown much easier.]

The two women quickly agreed on a shared goal. After Madam Wang left, Xin An reclined on her Beauty Couch, supremely at ease.

Madam Wang sent cloth to Qiu Shi Courtyard but not to Chun Hua Courtyard; she did not bother to conceal such a small matter. Auntie Liu sighed. When Madam Tao had chosen Tang Mo as a son-in-law, it was firstly because there was no better candidate and secondly because he was the marquis’s legitimate son, who would surely receive favor. Although Tang Gang valued Tang Rong more, as a marquis he could not manage the affairs of the inner residence. If Madam Wang had been harsh, what good days could Tang Rong’s wife have expected? “It is all fate,” she lamented.

“There is no need to sigh, Auntie. It is only a few bolts of cloth,” Tao Yi Ran said, reading a book.

Auntie Liu stepped forward to advise: “Young Madam, the Heir Apparent’s injury is almost healed. Tomorrow morning you should still go pay your respects to the Lady. If you keep not going, rumors will harm your reputation.”

Impatience flashed in Tao Yi Ran’s eyes, and she was about to agree when Auntie Cai came over and said: “Young Madam has worked so hard these days caring for the Heir Apparent. Now that he is improving, she ought to rest more. Look how haggard her complexion has grown these past days. The Lady always calls herself benevolent; she will understand Young Madam’s hardships.”

These words struck right at Tao Yi Ran’s heart. If she would not receive any favor upon going, why go only to seek humiliation? She said: “Auntie Cai is quite right.”

Auntie Cai looked smug, while Auntie Liu was furious. The two had clashed openly and in secret many times, and Auntie Liu had always come off the worse. She thought again how Tao Yi Ran had always been one for good food, laziness, and sly shortcuts: as a child, asked to do anything, she would say she needed to read, to learn chess, to practice the zither; as an adult, she claimed every kind of discomfort, feigning illness and frailty. Now married, she had only grown worse, and with that old crone Cai to bewitch her, she had even stopped paying her morning and evening salutations to her mother-in-law.

Thinking of this, Auntie Liu grew anxious and decided on the spot to return to the Tao Family to speak with Madam Tao. Next door the Second Young Madam was already making waves in the household, while her Eldest Young Madam would not even step beyond the courtyard gate. This would not do.

Tang Rong knew nothing of these matters. Even if he had known, he would not have said anything. Since the marriages, Tang Mo had given him a sense of crisis. He looked down on the Xin Family, but the Xin Family’s silver could not be done without. Money made matters go smoothly. He guessed that the reason Tang Mo had managed Cousin Tang Yao Ming’s affair must have been that he opened the way with silver.

[Surely Xin Kuan had secretly provided Tang Mo with funds.]

Having thought this through, he felt a pang of regret. His original plan had been lacking. If only he had made Tao Yi Ran the principal wife and Xin An a concubine, he would have had the best of both worlds. Alas, it was too late for regret.

He ordered: “Send someone to shadow Second Young Master. See what sorts of people he associates with.”

Qing Mo assented but did not leave. Tang Rong looked up and asked: “Is there something else?”

Qing Mo smiled ingratiatingly and said: “Heir Apparent, gathering information requires silver, and not a small amount. One could say the amount of silver determines how reliable the news is. As your close attendant, I was never short of money before. Since the master of the purse changed, I have not seen any.”

Tang Rong knit his brows and asked: “Didn’t the Young Madam give you some last time?”

“She did, but only for last time, and no extra,” Qing Mo said.

Tang Rong frowned slightly and took silver from his private stash to give Qing Mo. When Tao Yi Ran entered, he brought it up at once and said: “Qing Mo is responsible for keeping an eye on matters outside. He cannot be without silver. Later, give him more.”

Utterly uninterested, Tao Yi Ran said: “Give him two taels later.”