Chapter 178

Chapter 178: Good News Arrives One After Another

Winning hearts was something Xin An handled with ease; she knew exactly with whom to use sentiment and with whom to use silver.

After issuing orders for everything that needed doing, she had barely sat down to drink tea when she heard Tang Mo’s returning footsteps. Tang Mo hurried in, downed a cup of water, and said: “I’ll change my clothes; I still have to head out in a while.”

He had barely gotten back before he was summoned to Tang Gang’s study and informed of the day’s matter; he told her: “Keep an eye on things at home for me; I’ll be back late today.”

Luo Qi Wen truly had ability. Tang Mo had only given him the general situation, and after half a cup of tea’s thought Luo Qi Wen already had a countermeasure. After attending the banquet tonight, Tang Mo had to consult with him again.

The days of using underhanded tricks in secret were about to end; next he would have to confront Tang Rong head-on, and he needed to be prepared.

He added: “By the way, I heard something today that might be worth exploiting.”

After changing, Tang Mo sat beside Xin An and lowered his voice, saying that while he was on duty with a colleague today, idle talk had come up, and it was about Tao Yi Ran.

He said: “Duke Xiang’s third grandson Zhu You has admired Tao Yi Ran for a long time. It’s said he even made a fuss about wanting to marry her, but his mother refused no matter what and forced him to marry General Chang Wei’s second daughter, Huang Wei. After the wedding the two either traded barbs or traded blows.”

He continued: “The day before yesterday they fought again. They say Huang Wei called Tao Yi Ran a whore, Zhu You lashed out in anger, and ended up with Huang Wei beating him until his nose bled all over the floor, throwing the household into chaos.”

[So she had admirers? In the last life I only ever saw her cozying up to Tang Rong,] Xin An thought.

She asked: “Is the news true?”

He said: “It is.”

Tang Mo explained that his colleague’s younger sister was the second young madam of Duke Xiang’s household, and said: “She mentioned it when she visited her mother’s home yesterday. Zhu You still cannot forget Tao Yi Ran, and the couple often brawl because of it.”

Tilting her head, Xin An idly flicked her earring and said: “This is interesting.”

She added: “Send someone to investigate in detail. We are not in a position to make any more moves against the neighbors, but if he gets thrashed by a love rival, that has nothing to do with us.”

Tang Mo nodded repeatedly and said: “That is exactly what I mean.”

In this life, now that he was no longer swayed by Tao Yi Ran, many things suddenly became clear to him.

One must know that before Tao Yi Ran married into the marquis’s household, she appeared at every banquet. Whenever one saw her, she was either playing the zither or composing plaintive, lingering verse, drawing the gaze of many young men. In the past he had thought this woman truly outstanding; now it seemed she had willingly lowered herself.

How could a respectable young lady attend every banquet to play the zither?

She was not a professional musician.

Yet to be fair, through those repeated appearances she did make quite a few men obsess over her. She was beautiful and talented; when she looked at people she never met their gaze directly but lowered her eyes with shy demureness, then tilted her head slightly to steal a glance, letting her eyes ripple with light. It was easy for a man to mistakenly believe she fancied him.

He said: “Who knows how many she’s secretly entangled with. I’ll make further inquiries to see who else loves her without result. If they learn how miserably she is living under Tang Rong, how pained they will be.”

The two exchanged a look and smiled. Tang Rong was formidable, but he could not withstand being dragged down by the people around him.

[Tang Mo even nursed a furtive thought: if in the last life Tao Yi Ran really did hook up with Tang Rong and made him wear the green hat, then in this life Tang Rong must wear it too!]

With a plan in mind and energy to spare, he said: “I’m off. No need to wait for me tonight.”

Watching him stride off as if with the wind at his heels, it was clear he was in high spirits.

Tang Mo had not yet left the residence when he ran into Liu Chang. In fact, Liu Chang had come specifically to intercept him. He had spent money and still had no news, so he could not help feeling anxious; just then he had learned a secret as well, and thinking that opportunities are seized by oneself, he mustered his courage and approached Tang Mo.

Tang Mo asked: “What is it?”

Tang Mo had not yet decided to use Liu Chang, because the Liu family belonged to his mother’s faction; he feared the man would have a loose tongue and go running his mouth before his mother.

Liu Chang cupped his hands and said: “Reporting to Second Young Master, I happened to learn something and do not know if I should say it.”

Tang Mo raised a brow and said: “Let’s hear it.”

Delighted, Liu Chang bent closer and lowered his voice to tell him about Auntie Cai’s family, then said: “That day I happened to go to Steward Zhang about something and overheard him scolding Cai Quan. He said that only for My Lady’s sake had he not driven them out on the spot, and told them to make up the shortfall quickly.”

Tang Mo asked: “Cai Quan?”

Tang Mo perked up again. Cai Quan belonged to the personal staff that had come with Tang Rong’s birth mother, tsk tsk.

He asked: “What is your purpose in telling me this?”

Liu Chang stepped back yet kept his bow and said: “I have been thinking that the household is managed by My Lady, so everyone here ought to be My Lady’s people. But the Cai family father and son, relying on their ties to the Heir Apparent, swagger around barking orders all day, which is truly out of line.”

The corner of Tang Mo’s lips curved as he said: “Angling to serve at my side?”

He replied: “If you do not despise me, I will certainly attend you faithfully.”

Liu Chang’s voice trembled; his face was full of expectation.

Tang Mo said: “Then I will give you a chance.”

He went on that he currently lacked quick-witted men to work, and said: “Investigate discreetly whether the Cai family has done anything besides skimming silver. If I recall, there is more than one household in league with the Cai family, is there not?”

Liu Chang answered: “You are right, there are also the Wu family and the Wei family. One manages shops under the Heir Apparent’s name and the other manages the farmland; they do not serve within the residence.”

Tang Mo nodded and said: “Look into them as well and see if there are any violations of law or discipline.”

He added: “Report back once it is clear, but do not let my mother know about this.”

Liu Chang bowed and answered yes. This would not be difficult for him: his father had been secretly watching the people under that Madam’s banner for years, waiting for the chance to drive them all out of the residence.

[Who do they think they are, swaggering about just because they belong to the Heir Apparent!]

For Tang Mo, good news truly came one after another today. No matter how capable Tang Rong was, the dead weight around him could drag him straight into the mire, just as in his previous life: once he got tangled with Tao Yi Ran, he never had a single day of peace, and in the end even lost his life.

It rained again in the night and stopped before dawn, leaving a carpet of fallen leaves.

A maid reported: “Young Madam, the second young madam of Marquis Qing’s household has sent someone to invite you to admire chrysanthemums. She will wait for you after the mid-serpent hour at Qian Ya Garden and says that, if convenient, she would like you to invite Madam Liao to join as well.”

Since it was Lin Yao’s invitation, Xin An naturally would go; she said to the maid: “Go and reply to Sister Lin that I will be there on time. I will send someone to invite Madam Liao.”

She also wanted to inquire about Tao Yi Ran. If not for Tang Mo’s mention last night, she would not have realized how little she knew about Tao Yi Ran.

The Grand Matron had originally wanted Xin An to accompany her today to select some pretty chrysanthemums to bring back for display. Learning that Xin An was going out, she set the idea aside. Xin An smiled and said: “If Grandmother is in the mood, of course I will accompany you. Would tomorrow be all right?”

The Grand Matron said: “Just right. The Xin family’s house also needs arranging, and I want to visit the Flower and Bird Market.”

Given the marquisate’s status, they could of course have the gardeners deliver flowers directly, but that would rob it of much of the fun. She said with a smile: “I have long wanted to see the Flower and Bird Market, and I want to buy a talking myna. I have yet to see a bird that can speak.”

The Grand Matron’s face lit with joy as she said: “Then it is settled. Tomorrow morning we shall go, and we will only return after having lunch outside.”

Xin An said: “All according to Grandmother.”

When it came to coaxing the Grand Matron, Xin An had a knack.