Chapter 082

Chapter 82: Of All the Household, You Are the Most Quick-witted

Grand Matron spoke of the late Old Master with deep feeling, unable to keep from recalling his former glory, while Xin An, smiling with her eyes, chimed in: “My husband says the same thing. The Commander of the Northern Garrison Army already disliked him. If he were to go beg someone to speak for him, wouldn’t the commander look down on him even more?”

She added, voice soft but bright: “People may hold the Marquis Residence in mind and keep quiet, but when good posts appear later they certainly won’t think of him. In that case, what difference would there be from muddling along in the Northern Garrison Army? He still wants to build merit and make a career.”

“Good.” Grand Matron laughed, and the pearl powder newly dusted on her face shook loose a little as she said: “In that case Grandmother must reward you all the more. Besides giving you two treasures, I will also give you that yellow jade peony you have coveted for so long. Take it and set it in your room.”

Joy rose to Xin An’s brows. She stood to thank her, then teased with a grin: “I have been in the household only a month and have already received several treasures from Grandmother. How many people will envy me when this spreads? It seems I have fallen into a nest of blessings.”

Grand Matron laughed even more freely: “As long as you and the second boy behave, Grandmother will reward you both often.”

Xin An thought of her previous life and sighed in her heart: [After Grand Matron passed away, Tang Gang opened her vault. The good things were truly countless; even Tang Gang, with a face still grieving for his mother, closed the door and laughed aloud. In the end, all the treasures Grand Matron cherished her whole life were used by Tang Gang to pave the way for Tang Rong, and once Tang Rong took over, a portion went to Tao Yi Ran and her child. The moment I think of this, my chest tightens again.] Aloud she said, warm and earnest: “Then Grandmother must stay healthy always and live past a hundred.”

“Good, Grandmother will strive to live a long, long life.”

Gan Lu brought out the bundled valuables. Seeing that Xin An had brought only one attendant, she assigned two reliable maids to help carry the treasures to Qiu Shi Courtyard. Once everything was arranged, she turned to the old lady and said: “The sun is strong these days. The grain in the storehouse should be taken out to sun, or shall we notify the grain merchants we know to take a portion away?”

Grand Matron’s maiden family had become very formidable. No one among them had yet entered the Imperial Court, but they had long been great landowners, and after the Old Master of the Marquis Residence rose to power, the clan grew severalfold. They were honest folk. Every year, besides sending money to honor Grand Matron, they also sent three thousand jin of grain to the capital, saying they feared Grand Matron might not be used to grain from other regions.

In past years Grand Matron had contributed that grain to the household for daily use. This winter, however, when she learned that Tang Gang had earlier refused to help her maiden family, she was furious and declared that not a single grain would be taken out to feed ungrateful wolves. As a result, Madam Wang this year bore an additional expense for purchasing grain.

“Grandmother, if you plan to sell the grain, could you sell it to me?” Xin An picked up where Gan Lu left off.

Grand Matron looked at her, mildly suspicious: “What do you want with grain?”

Xin An spoke of Tang Mo’s purchase of a shop: “The shop itself is truly excellent, only the price is twenty percent above the market. I went to see it myself and found many people with disabilities living in the rear courtyard, all supported by General Wang. After asking around, I learned…”

“What did you learn?” Grand Matron pressed.

Xin An sighed: “Many of them are old soldiers that Grandfather once led. General Wang’s father once served under Grandmother. Later, General Wang came to our gate seeking help and was blocked by the porter. My husband happened to run into him. These years my husband has been scraping up money here and there, and part of it has been given to General Wang. For the moment those men are still living in that shop. I hear they have not yet found a new place to settle and will very likely have to move outside the city. Won’t life be harder still?”

Grand Matron slapped the tea table, clearly angered. Xin An rose at once, flustered and fearful: “Grandmother?” She added in a small voice, eyes down: “Did I say something wrong?”

Grand Matron steadied her breath, thinking: [Before he died, the Old Master repeatedly exhorted me to treat the brothers who fought at his side well. Even if not for sentiment, then for the future. To think they were not even admitted at the gate. How many years has it been since the Old Master left?] Then she said coldly, “Your father is truly disappointing.”

Xin An knelt in a hurry, all timid dread: “Grandmother, please do not be angry. If you harm your health, what shall we do? If Father learns of this, he will drive me out.”

Knowing what she feared, Grand Matron softened her tone: “Get up. This matter has nothing to do with you.”

She added, clear and firm: “The second boy is filial. But sneaking about is not proper. Give him half the grain in the storehouse. When he returns, tell him to come see me.”

Xin An did not rise and instead wore the look of someone about to confess: “Grandmother, there is one more matter I must be honest about.”

Grand Matron told her to speak, and Xin An explained how Tang Mo had sought an official post for Tang Yao Ming, lowering her voice: “From the start we kept this from Grandmother, fearing you would be angry. My husband felt that Second Uncle was not bad to him. Seeing Second Uncle run himself ragged for a post, pleading with Father and with Grandmother, pouring out baskets of honeyed words to no effect, and hearing that both he and Elder Brother had smoothly obtained posts, he worried people outside would gossip. So he asked a friend to help. It worked.”

She concluded succinctly: “It is the Censorate’s Investigating Imperial Censor.”

Grand Matron drew a long breath and fixed Xin An with a steady gaze, until Xin An felt her heart quail. But the deed was done and she had to clear a bright path for it. She thought, steadying herself: [If I say nothing and wait for Tang Rong to file a malicious charge, we will be on the back foot.]

At last Grand Matron spoke: “You two have nerve. Are you not afraid this old woman will throw you both out?”

Xin An looked very pitiful: “My husband says Grandmother is kind. Even if you say you will drive us away, in your heart you surely cannot bear it. He also says Grandmother has favored him lately, and those who are favored become bold. When the time comes, let Grandmother beat him to vent your anger. He will howl loudly and you will surely feel distressed. At most you will make him kneel a while, and that will be enough.”

“Enough?” Grand Matron deliberately put on a stern face: “With such boldness, should I not reward each of you with several ringing slaps and make you come before me every day to sing Husband and Wife Return Home Together? Would Grandmother then let you go?”

Xin An cupped her own cheeks, eyes wide with panic as she pleaded: “Grandmother, could you beat him and not me? His skin is thick and he can take it. I cannot.”

Grand Matron could not hold back and laughed first herself: “What, are husband and wife merely birds of the same grove, and when calamity comes each flies away?”

On her knees, Xin An shuffled forward to rest her hands on Grand Matron’s knee and said with mock solemnity: “I will not fly. I will stand to the side and watch. Once the beating is over, I will go rescue him.”

“You.” Grand Matron could not resist tapping her between the brows: “Of the entire household, you are the most quick-witted.”

“Hurry and stand. If you hurt your knees, won’t the second boy feel distressed?”

“Grandmother is no longer angry?” Xin An asked as Grand Matron helped her up, and Grand Matron replied lightly: “How much anger can there be?”

She added in a level voice: “What Grandmother thinks is Grandmother’s own affair and has nothing to do with you juniors. These years Tang Yong has been considered filial. Though his branch has separated, he still comes to pay respects on holidays and keeps to the rules. If he has difficulties, helping him once is nothing much. He is, after all, of the Marquis Residence. To ignore him would reflect poorly on our name.”