Chapter 159

Chapter 159: Are You Crazy, Woman?

That Tang Gang would propose going out together to enjoy themselves was a rare thing indeed.

Tang Mo raised an eyebrow. Though inwardly reluctant, he had no reason to refuse when viewed from another angle, so he said: “Your son will make arrangements as soon as possible.”

Tang Gang, in good spirits and finding Tang Mo increasingly pleasing to the eye, replied: “Mm, off you go.”

Tang Mo said: “Your son takes his leave.”

After leaving the study he turned and went to Madam Wang’s courtyard. Mother and son chatted for a while before he returned to Qiu Shi Courtyard. Before bed he could not help speaking again of the Liao family, feeling for Liao Zhi’s difficulties.

They did not know the Liao family well; they only guessed that Liao Zhi was not someone to sit and wait for death. Yawning, Tang Mo said: “Sleep. Why is there only one day of rest? The imperial court is too stingy; what would it harm to have one more day?”

Xin An laughed and said: “And you are complaining. Those entangled in state affairs usually cannot bathe properly; on a rest day they are either bathing or washing their hair, busy until afternoon. You at least have time on ordinary days and could still go out to play today.”

He conceded and said: “True.”

Smiling, Tang Mo added: “The old man spent half the day bathing at home today.”

Just as he lay down, he suddenly remembered Xin An’s eyes when she watched the martial artists and asked: “Is a body full of sinewy muscle that good-looking?”

She blinked and asked: “What?”

Tang Mo clarified and said: “When you were watching those martial artists, your eyes were about to fall out; are they that good-looking?”

She answered with perfect frankness: “Good-looking.”

Her gaze swept over him; smiling, she said: “Take off your clothes and let me have a look.”

She went on, half joking and half serious: “I have a Grand Matron living in my heart; you do not understand how strong the shock of those bulging muscles is to me. It made me sit up as if from a deathbed, wanting to shout: ‘Grand Matron is still capable.’”

He stared and said: “Are you crazy, woman?”

Already picturing the scene, he added with a cough: “Are you not afraid your body cannot handle the supplement?”

She parried coolly and said: “Then I have not even supplemented yet.”

She pressed, eager: “Hurry, let me see.”

Tang Mo clutched his collar tightly and said: “Do not even think about it. Give up on that idea.” [This woman, in the end, could not suppress her inner desire and wanted to make a move on him?]

She coaxed in a small voice: “Just one look.”

He refused flatly and said: “No.”

Xin An sighed softly, her expression desolate, pulled up the quilt, and said: “I knew it; even if I relived life, I would still not be liked. This is fate.” Her shoulders trembled under the covers.

For some reason, Tang Mo felt he had gone a bit too far; after all, they were husband and wife, and letting her take a look was not an improper demand. [As a man, he should not be so ungenerous.] Softening, he asked: “Shall I let you have a look then?”

Xin An shook her head and kept shaking, with even a hint of sobbing. Feeling he truly had been excessive, he offered: “Then two looks?”

She still ignored him. He steeled himself and said: “Look then, look; watch as long as you like, is that…”

She cut him off crisply and said: “No take-backs.”

Before he finished, Xin An’s smiling face popped out. Tang Mo understood at once that the shaking had been laughter, not sobbing, and he said: “You little…”

She urged, delighted: “Hurry up and show me.”

After a while, sounds rose from the room that led one to think of indecorous things.

He asked at last, pained: “Have you looked enough?”

She scolded, entirely focused: “Ah, do not move.”

He warned carefully and said: “Look if you must, but do not use your hands.”

She cooed, ignoring him: “I will just touch once. Ah, the feel is really good…”

On the verge of tears and regretting his soft heart, he pleaded: “Do not randomly touch. Truly. I am telling you, I am a normal man, I…”

He yelped as she pinched him and asked: “Ah, why are you pinching me?”

Xin An’s eyes laughed as she said: “To pinch out your desire.”

He began, helpless: “I…”

He pulled the quilt over his head; [this life was unlivable. How had he fallen into this woman’s hands?] Xin An sat cross-legged to the side, laughing freely. She rather liked such a lively Tang Mo and [thought that if things went on like this with him, it might be quite good.]

She ordered with mock severity: “Clothes, put them on. Are you baring your shoulder to seduce me?”

Tang Mo…

In a few moves he wrapped himself up tight, only his eyes showing, and said: “You woman, you are too ruthless.”

After speaking he dragged the quilt over himself again. Despite the chaste and stalwart pose, the corners of his mouth under the covers lifted of their own accord; [having been felt a few times, he was secretly quite pleased].

The next morning, Tang Mo still rose early for martial training, then went off to his post in high spirits, plainly in a very good mood. Staying at home, Xin An was also in excellent spirits; after dressing she went to the Grand Matron’s Chun Rong Hall to scrounge breakfast, lingered there half the day and scrounged another lunch before returning for a nap.

Another day passed. Lin Yao invited her out today to watch opera and drink tea, and while they were at tea, news of the Liao family reached Xin An’s ears. Lin Yao said: “The second branch of the Liao family has entirely left the capital for the frontier; I hear it is Min Town, which lies on the border, where wind and sand rage and life is extremely harsh.”

She continued: “The third branch has one son assigned to the Northern Garrison Army and another to the Ministry of Justice, and the third master has even been promoted.”

She summed up, impressed: “Our Commander Liao is truly not simple.”

Watching Xin An’s expression, Lin Yao leaned closer, lowered her voice, and said: “I hear it was you who lent ten thousand taels, which enabled Commander Liao to settle the matter.”

Xin An smiled and said: “Sister Lin, your news moves quickly.”

She explained: “That day it was Commander Liao who invited us to dine, but when I arrived there were soldiers all over the Liao family’s gate. We had only just sat down when Madam Liao asked to borrow silver; I suppose she had been driven to the point of having no choice.”

Lin Yao said: “Then my news is true: Liao Zhi was plotted against by the Liao family’s second branch.”

Xin An observed coolly: “When the uncle is still present and the nephew already becomes head, trouble is only a matter of time.” She shook her head and sighed, adding: “When I went, the Liao family was already in chaos, and it was not good to stay long. We exchanged a few simple words; once the silver arrived, I left. Madam Liao was forcing herself to talk with me; it was not easy for her.”

“You live better than she does,” Lin Yao said frankly. “The Liao family is a bottomless pit; there are many people, all waiting to live off her dowry. You do not know: before she even married into the Liao family, they had already asked her maternal family for silver several times. If not for Commander Liao’s decisive methods, that huge dowry would likely have been devoured entirely.”

She had not originally been interested in Madam Liao, but after bridging one meeting for Xin An she grew curious and made inquiries, which only increased her dislike of the Liao family: “Old Master Liao’s eye is indeed poisonous. If not for the Xu family, the Liao family would have been finished long ago.”

“Liao Zhi is fortunate too; without the Xu family’s wealth supporting him, no matter how capable, he could not have gotten to where he is today.”

Thus Old Master Liao seemed even more detestable than Tang Gang; one mountain higher than another. With a long, indignant sigh, Lin Yao said: “I was talking with Madam Liao in the courtyard; we had just sat down when a girl from the Liao family’s second branch came to ask whether she should prepare banquet clothes and jewelry for the women at home. I was shocked. Never mind a cousin from a separate branch; even a close little sister-in-law should not be so brazen. To come to her sister-in-law for clothes and jewelry to attend a banquet, do they have no father or mother?”

“To dare such behavior in front of me, an outsider; without an outsider present, who knows how arrogant they are.”

Lin Yao’s contempt was undisguised as she said: “She is a housekeeper, not the mother of the whole clan. That family is truly shameless.”

“No wonder they were exiled; serves them right.”

“There is another family in the city just like the Liao family’s second branch,” Lin Yao added. “Let me tell you about it, so that you will not suffer a loss next time…”