Chapter 156

Chapter 156: Happiness Is Relative

An hour later, Tang Mo returned to the Liao family; exchanging the banknote for silver at the moneyhouse had taken some effort. The treasurer said: “Ten thousand taels in cash, please count and inspect them.”

Several chests were set side by side, and even though everyone had seen silver before, when the lids were lifted there was another collective, sharp intake of breath. Ten thousand taels sounded light when spoken and, reduced to a banknote, was only a few thin slips of paper that scarcely stirred the heart. Now, laid out before them, one finally understood how much ten thousand taels of white silver truly was; if one were simply living an ordinary life, one might never spend it all in a lifetime. The steward reported: “In all, six hundred and twelve jin.”

More than six hundred jin could not be moved even by exerting every ounce of strength. Liao Zhi stared at the silver with a complicated gaze; there was guilt, but more than that there was anger. Madam Liao ordered the household steward to count on the spot, then sent word for those waiting outside to come take their money. After today, the Liao family and those people would go their separate ways.

At that moment another ten or so people arrived, men and women both, claiming to be from the Liao family’s other two branches. One by one their eyes fixed greedily on the silver. A few of them looked shocked, as if they could not believe Liao Zhi had managed to produce so much ready cash; others shot Tang Mo and Xin An dissatisfied glances.

Catching each other’s eye, Tang Mo cupped his fist to Liao Zhi and said: “In that case, my wife and I won’t impose further.” Madam Liao tried to persuade them to stay, but Xin An smiled and said: “I had a delightful talk with Elder Sister Liao today, and there is always more to say. We had hoped to chat a while longer, but we already have plans; when Sister Xu is free, have her invite me anytime.”

Madam Liao agreed, then personally escorted them to the gate. There, the scene had already turned chaotic, reprimands and questions overlapping into a noisy din. At the threshold, Xin An refused to let Madam Liao see them off any farther, and Tang Mo also asked her to stay; he slipped an arm around Xin An’s shoulders and guided her out.

Outside, Lai Lai had already drawn the carriage up to the door, and with Deng Fang and Cao Gui, two burly bodyguards who looked like trouble to tangle with, standing by, no one dared step forward to provoke them. They descended the steps and climbed into the carriage. It rolled quickly out of the alley where the Liao family lived, turned onto the main street, and headed toward a restaurant. [Having finally made it out, how could the two of them possibly just go home?] Even under a blazing sun they could while away half a day at the cuju field; with weather this fine, they would certainly play until evening before returning.

They entered a private room. After settling the two masters, Lai Lai and the maids Nan Feng and Chun Yang invited Deng Fang and Cao Gui to eat downstairs. The two men had assumed they would have to stand guard at the door until their masters finished and then gulp down a few bites to ward off hunger. Hearing they were to go have a proper meal, they simply stood there, rooted, unsure.

Lai Lai said with an easy grin: “Our Second Young Master and Young Madam are law-abiding people. No one is going to come looking for trouble in broad daylight. Besides, we will be right in the main hall downstairs. We can keep one eye on things as we eat.”

He added as he gestured for them to move: “Come along. This is our Second Young Master’s rule.”

That morning on the way to Qiu Shi Courtyard, Deng Fang and Cao Gui had still been rather self-important, feeling that guarding the Second Young Master was a waste of their skills. They were more than a little disgruntled too. After all, the other pair had been assigned to the Heir Apparent; everyone knew following the Heir Apparent promised a future. Following the second son felt like waiting around to eat, taking the blame when trouble arose. Just thinking about it was stifling.

When several dishes were set down, with both fish and meat, the spread already exceeded what attendants usually received. The two men frowned, and Deng Fang asked in a low voice: “Isn’t this too much?”

Lai Lai immediately put on a rueful look, and Deng Fang instinctively thought they really had ordered too much. If there was excess, would they have to pay out of pocket? They had not earned a single coin under the Second Young Master yet and would already be making up the difference; his heart turned cold.

“I ordered according to the three of our usual tastes,” Lai Lai said with a sincere face, “and forgot to ask what you two prefer. That’s on me. But it isn’t too late to add more. How about another chicken?”

Cao Gui asked bluntly: “Is Second Young Master paying for all this?”

“Who else?” Lai Lai replied, then cheerfully explained the rules: “When we go out with the young master, he sits in a private room and we eat in the main hall. Order as you please, so long as it isn’t overly elaborate. No alcohol, of course. If the young master takes a liking to a smaller eatery, then he sits in the main hall while we take a corner table, or we step into a nearby shop for a bite.”

He patted the purse at his waist and said with a smile: “The young master says there is no reason for us to spend our own money when we are out with him. I handle the money. Order what you like.”

The two men’s expressions thawed at once, and they truly did add a chicken. Lai Lai urged them on with a laugh: “One more thing, eat a little faster. It would look bad if the young master came out and found us still at the table.”

“That goes without saying,” they answered, setting their chopsticks to work. They remembered how the bodyguards in the residence had said the Second Young Master was generous and good-natured. They had not taken it to heart at the time. How many masters were truly good-natured? From the looks of it, they had really met one. [Maybe following the Second Young Master isn’t so bad after all.]

In the private room, Tang Mo and Xin An ate in silence for a while before they slowed down; they had been hungry. Once their stomachs were no longer empty, they spoke of the Liao family. Sliding over to sit beside Xin An, Tang Mo lowered his voice and said: “Liao Zhi was set up. The ones who did it must be from the Liao family’s second or third branch.”

Xin An sighed softly and said: “When a family starts scheming against itself, it is impossible to guard against every angle.”

“I always thought I had it hard,” she added, “but after going out and looking around, I realized I am not so unfortunate after all. There are too many monsters and snakes in this capital. The posturing hypocrites who barely act like human beings are even more plentiful.”

Tang Mo asked with an easy smile: “Shall we go boating on the lake later?”

Xin An nodded, eyes bright: “That Lakeside Pavilion we tried last time was good. Let’s listen to some opera in a while, then take a boat, and only go back after supper.”

He said with satisfaction: “All arranged to perfection.”

Both were in fine spirits. There was no helping it; happiness is relative. Even without trying to compare, seeing others shrouded in gloom and then thinking of themselves made their own days feel not so hard.

While the two of them were carefree outside, in Chun Hua Courtyard, Tang Rong was choking on a breath he could neither release nor swallow, miserably uncomfortable. [Father actually drank under the moon with Tang Mo in the garden? Father even got drunk?] That very morning he had sent two men to serve Tang Mo, which showed he truly regarded Tang Mo differently.

He said with a frown: “Wasn’t it said that Father and Tang Mo crossed words several times and could not stand each other?”

Qing Mo did not know how to explain. Auntie Cai spoke instead, saying with calm pragmatism: “They are father and son after all. With Madam mediating between them, how could they truly be at odds? It is only a pity Madam passed early, and the Heir Apparent has had no capable person at the Marquis’s side.”

[This Madam is not that Madam.] Tang Rong’s gaze darkened, and he asked under his breath: “Aunt, what should I do now?”

Auntie Cai was devoted to him, but her vision was short. The only plan she could think of was to have Tang Rong trade on his looks and body. She said in a tentative tone: “I recall Steward Zhang’s daughter is sixteen.”

With Steward Zhang holding a pivotal place at Tang Gang’s side, if Tang Rong had his full support, he would have little to fear. Tang Rong said quietly: “That is the last resort.” Steward Zhang doted on his daughter and would hardly be willing to see her taken as a concubine. What was more, Tang Rong would not easily touch Steward Zhang’s line; it would be all too easy to try something clever and have it backfire.

His gaze flickered. [It seems I must find something for Tang Mo to busy himself with, so he stops thinking about competing with me every day.]

Before he had even decided what to do, Auntie Cai brought another piece of bad news: “An invitation arrived at the household today. It is from the Second Prince’s Consort to the Second Young Madam.”

He stiffened and asked in a rush: “The Moon Inviting Banquet?”

In the past, Tang Mo had not had the opportunity to attend such gatherings. Xin An… [Merchants are experts at currying favor. It was my mistake to underestimate her.]