Chapter 105

Chapter 105: Threatening Tao Yi Ran

As soon as Xin An said this, the cup in Tao Yi Ran’s hand shook even more. Her face was tense though she feigned composure, and she said: “You worry too much, Younger Sister.”

Xin An smiled and leaned in a little farther as she said: “Elder Sister-in-law, I have been idle lately and itching to do something, but without a proper reason. If someone were to give me a reason, even I am curious what I might do.”

She continued, her tone airy: “You may not know this, but I am quick to act and not much given to weighing consequences. My parents are not by my side now to restrain me; wouldn’t I then do as I please?”

She added with a gentle smile: “Elder Sister-in-law, if some short-sighted person were to dance up to me and spoil my mood, and I were to make a scene here at this Water Blossom Banquet, you must remember to hold me back.”

She spoke with a serene smile; an outsider might have thought the two sisters-in-law were on good terms. Only Tao Yi Ran understood what Xin An meant. A flash of disbelief crossed her eyes: [We only just discussed the countermeasure with Mother; how did Xin An know?]

As it turned out, after Madam Tao learned that Tao Yi Ran had been mocked for playing the zither, she knew her daughter was at fault for seeking the spotlight, yet she still sought to salvage matters. The best way, she decided, was to make that country bumpkin from the Huai River, Xin An, lose face even worse in public; in that case, Tao Yi Ran’s incident would no longer seem like anything at all.

Then they would dump all the filth of the swapped marriage onto Xin An, saying she had long been entangled with Tang Mo. They had even readied the so-called evidence: Xin An’s frequent outings with Tang Mo after the wedding.

Tang Mo, of course, coveted the Xin family’s vast fortune.

As for Xin An, she supposedly prized the fact that the marquisate was run by Madam Wang; the two must have been in secret collusion for a long time. After all, what girl who had been swapped in marriage would appreciate it, accept it, and then go out shopping happily?

In short, it was premeditated.

As for Tao Yi Ran, she would, of course, be painted as the magnanimous one who endured for the sake of the marquisate’s reputation.

If this scheme succeeded, Madam Wang, Tang Mo, and Xin An would all be thrust into the eye of the storm.

At this moment, feeling a twinge of guilt, Tao Yi Ran set down her cup and said: “You jest, Younger Sister.”

Xin An raised her cup and lightly touched it to Tao Yi Ran’s as she said: “Whether I am jesting, Elder Sister-in-law knows in her heart. I am the last person to take a loss; and even if I do, someone will have to pay with me. I just wonder how many lives that person has to lose.”

A maid from the Duke’s Manor came to serve the hot dishes. Xin An straightened, turned to the other side to exchange a few words with Lin Yao, and then watched the song and dance in the hall.

Uneasy at heart, Tao Yi Ran forced herself to calm down. Xin An’s few sentences had greatly shaken the original plan. She feared Xin An might truly retaliate when the time came. In her eyes, Xin An was a rough commoner: the barefoot are not afraid of those wearing shoes. If she were really provoked…

Neither the marquisate nor the Tao family could withstand the wrath of the Duke’s Manor.

Madam Tao sat toward the back, her gaze fixed on the pair. Seeing them still smiling and chatting, she grew doubtful; seeing no sign of Tao Yi Ran making a move, she grew anxious. A humiliation must, of course, be public, the more people the better and the higher their rank the better. Miss today and it would be no easy task to make her lose face again.

Unfortunately, even as she fretted like an ant on a hot pan, Tao Yi Ran did nothing; in the end, she must have been cowed by Xin An’s few words.

When the banquet broke up and everyone shifted their places, the Hall of a Thousand Guests transformed into a theater. People sat laughing in twos and threes, remarking either on the Duke’s Manor’s deep coffers or on the thoughtful arrangements that made it possible to host so many guests in order and comfort.

Madam Wang drew Xin An to a seat and asked: “Well then, did you run into any trouble?” She had scarcely rested since entering the Duke’s Manor, with too many ladies to greet, and could not look after Xin An much.

Xin An smiled and said: “Everything is well; a small problem should already be resolved.”

Madam Wang nodded in satisfaction and, before the opera began, introduced Xin An to the ladies she knew around them. Skilled in polished speech, they could not help but offer Xin An a few compliments. Seeing her neither servile nor arrogant, neither excited nor overawed, many nodded to themselves.

Not far away, Madam Tao pulled Tao Yi Ran down to sit and asked: “What happened?”

Tao Yi Ran shook her head and lowered her voice as she said: “She seems to have found out.”

Madam Tao was taken aback and whispered: “How is that possible?” It had not been a longstanding plot; they had raised the matter only after Tao Yi Ran suffered humiliation, and there had been no one around at the time. She paused and said: “Wait…”

She asked: “Your maid?”

Tao Yi Ran thought for a moment, then still shook her head as she said: “My maids have followed me since childhood; they are reliable and would not betray me. She saw us speaking; perhaps she guessed it on her own.”

With many people around, the two could not continue whispering and had to put the matter aside for the moment.

Madam Tao felt deep regret. If the aftermath of the swapped marriage was not resolved soon, people would gossip wherever Tao Yi Ran went. Even the position of Heir Apparent Consort would lack rightful standing; not only in the capital but even within the marquisate she would be unable to speak with her back straight.

She glanced at Xin An, who was speaking with others, and sighed softly. [Plainly just a merchant’s daughter from out of town; where did she get such wits?]

The banquet today was fine, the opera fine, and it was cool and comfortable; the guests were in no hurry to depart. Many households had no ice; in such heat, having this indulgence today was reason enough to linger.

By midafternoon, the gate of the Duke’s Manor grew lively again. Officials who had left work early arrived one after another; even more handsome young gentlemen appeared at the Water Blossom Banquet. They did not go straight to admire the lotuses but to another grand hall the Duke’s Manor had prepared, likewise filled with ice basins. Walking in felt like stepping into spring; they gathered in groups of three and five, talking animatedly.

Tang Rong arrived with colleagues from the Ministry of Rites. No sooner had he stepped through the door than someone teased him and said: “Tang Heir Apparent, you are truly blessed.”

Thinking the man was jesting about his mistake of entering the wrong bridal chamber, he smiled, cupped his hands, and said: “Brother Wen, do not tease me. Another day I shall host a banquet and treat you to wine.”

Another retorted: “Tang Heir Apparent, Brother Wen is not teasing you.”

Another stepped forward with a laugh and said: “The Heir Apparent Consort’s skill at the zither is unmatched. A pity the fair lady has married another; I thought we would never hear such music again, but who would have thought we could feast our ears once more.”

Someone chimed in and said: “Our Tang Heir Apparent is like the bright moon, broad of mind. Today we all enjoy the benefit of Tang Heir Apparent’s generosity.”

Laughter rippled among them. These were men who had come in the morning and had personally seen Tao Yi Ran play. Tang Rong, a leading young gentleman in the capital, always monopolized the gaze of many a maiden at every banquet, which had long made many feel disgruntled. Today, having the chance to ridicule him, they did not hold back in the least.

Tang Rong was rather at sea until someone close to him explained what had happened. At once he clenched his fists; he wanted to argue but had no words. What man could tolerate others joking about his wife?

All the more because their tone was contemptuous, likening Tao Yi Ran to a zither-playing courtesan. Husband and wife are one; Tang Rong felt deeply insulted.