Chapter 186

Chapter 186: Tang Rong Starts Plotting Again

Tang Mo’s delight made everyone in the room lower their heads and snicker, as Xin An smiled and introduced Auntie Cui Ping: “Mother invited her for me; starting today she will live in the residence.”

Auntie Cui Ping stepped forward to pay her respects, and Tang Mo answered with a nod: “Since you are here, do not be too constrained. The Second Young Madam has an easy temper. If you notice anything improper, speak up directly.”

She replied: “Yes.”

Auntie Cui Ping said nothing more, while Tang Mo cheerfully took Xin An by the hand and went next door to talk. Seeing this, Auntie Cui Ping looked puzzled, so Chun Lv explained with a smile: “Auntie Cui Ping, do not be surprised. The Second Young Master and Second Young Madam are very close and very easygoing. In this courtyard you only need to serve well and do your duty.”

Auntie Cui Ping nodded and drew out a smile, then said: “I must ask you two girls to tell me the habits of the Second Young Master and Second Young Madam.”

They answered briskly: “No problem.”

The two maids quickly cleared the crab shells, piling the crab meat together to take it out and make crab meat buns, and Auntie Cui Ping followed along, chatting as she helped with the work.

In the next room, Tang Mo was talking about the people sent to him by Tang Yong, saying: “Two half-grown boys. The older one is extremely quick-witted, the younger very bright. They are the sons of a merchant family. Their father met with misfortune while traveling on business, their mother died of illness, and a blood uncle seized the family property and drove the two boys out. Second Uncle knew their father and decided to send the younger one to study, while the older follows me.”

He added, with satisfaction: “They once lived in prosperity, have seen a little of the world, and can read. He is even more nimble than Er Shan. Used well, he will be a good helper. His name is Wei Xiang.”

He went on: “There is also an entire family that sought refuge with me, also merchants. Their trade was squeezed into failure, they fell into debt, and sold themselves to me. I promised them a term of ten years; if they perform well during those ten years, I will restore their freedom.”

As he spoke, he handed several indenture contracts to Xin An and said: “Keep these.”

Xin An looked through them one by one, then asked: “Did the two brothers also sign indentures?”

Tang Mo answered frankly: “Wei Xiang signed.” He prided himself on not being soft-hearted and would never take in people casually, then added: “The younger has a gift for study. If he can amount to something, that is a good thing too.”

Xin An nodded, thinking that an indenture was good for both sides, and said: “With Liu Chang as well, the people you have inside and outside the residence are enough.”

Tang Mo said lazily, entirely at ease: “Later we will take some silver to acquire a few properties.”

He crossed one leg over the other in comfort and concluded: “At last, another matter is settled.”

With the manpower in place, the next step was for him to exert himself.

Xin An brought up her medicinal cuisine shop and said: “In about ten days we can open. When the time comes, you must keep an eye on it.”

Tang Mo had already gone to look at the shop’s decoration and greatly admired Fang Da’s ideas. As long as it opened, he and Xin An would have one more source of support. Still pleased, he heard Xin An mention another matter and say: “Grandmother told me today that the day after tomorrow I am to go into the palace with her to pay respects to the Empress Dowager.”

Tang Mo raised his brows and quickly understood, then said: “Grandmother can only count on Mother and you. Mother is not free to spare, so you became the best choice.”

He chuckled and added: “The one next door will grow anxious again.”

Then he said matter-of-factly: “I will find you a bodyguard. Who knows what the one next door might do.”

Xin An did not refuse and only asked about Zhu You: “Do not give the one next door time to catch his breath. It would be best if Zhu You strikes hard and aims for the face.”

Tang Mo replied with composed confidence: “It is in progress.”

They exchanged a glance and smiled. [If we cannot match Tang Rong at pure brainwork, then we will keep Tang Rong confined within the residence to win ourselves more time.]

At that very moment, Tang Rong was already standing before Tang Gang. The addition of an aunt who had served in the palace to Xin An’s side gave him a fresh sense of crisis. He had intended to rest a few more days in his courtyard to slim down a bit, but now he could not sit still. He said in a low voice: “I plan to visit the Tao family tomorrow, not to bring Tao Yi Ran back, but to see where the Tao family stands.”

He analyzed coolly: “The road to the Crown Prince is blocked. Father-in-law has no reason to remain in the capital. It would be better to be assigned out sooner. If he goes to a decent place, that would be fine too. It is better than wasting away in the capital.”

He glanced at Tang Gang, who set down his teacup and said faintly: “What are you trying to say?”

Tang Rong instinctively lowered his voice and said: “We cannot rely only on the Xin family. It is not that I am small-minded and begrudge Uncle Xin’s support of Second Brother, but the bride swap offended Uncle Xin. Although my sister-in-law is in our household, I cannot feel at ease.”

He continued soberly: “If we find Father-in-law a good posting, we may well find another purse.”

He needed money everywhere; the Marquis’s household was short thirty thousand taels this year, which directly affected his expenses.

Tang Gang was not persuaded. The Xin family might resent the Marquis’s household, but the Tao family had also torn their face with them. He did not trust the Tao family. If he agreed to Tang Rong’s idea, any assent from the Tao family would surely be conditional on bringing Tao Yi Ran back into the residence.

He thought of the Tao woman and felt that even a glance at her would be distasteful, then said curtly: “Your Grandmother’s anger has not cooled; she will not allow the Tao woman to return.”

He granted a little and said: “You may go look in on the Tao family, but as for what you propose, put it aside for now. Xin Kuan is not one to ignore the greater situation. He will not tear things open with the Marquis’s household lightly. His business still needs our house to support him.”

Seeing he could not move his father, Tang Rong did not press the point, making it seem as if he had mentioned it casually, then shifted topics and said he was preparing to return to the Ministry of Rites: “There are only a few months left before the New Year. The Ministry of Rites will be busy. It is not proper for me to keep resting.”

Tang Gang did not stop him and only warned that he must bring enough bodyguards when he went out and that it was best to ride in a carriage, saying gravely: “Once or twice might be coincidence. You cannot suffer a third accident.”

Tang Rong responded obediently: “I understand.”

He did not truly understand; nowadays everyone looked like a villain in Tang Rong’s eyes. Even on the short walk from Chun Hua Courtyard to here he had taken bodyguards with him, like a bird startled by every bowstring.

Night fell. At dinner, a steaming tray of crab meat buns was served.

Grand Matron, rarely eating with them, praised them repeatedly, so Xin An, smiling, picked up another bun for her and said: “These crab meat buns can be eaten only a few times a year, and they take quite some work to make. Since Grandmother likes them, it is quite all right to have another.”

The buns were not large. Chun Yang and Chun Lv had made them in the Huai River style, highlighting sheer freshness. Tang Mo ate them two bites to a bun and soon had eaten four.

Wishing to slim down, Tang Rong took only one to taste. Seeing Tang Mo eating with relish, and seeing that he truly had slimmed down compared to earlier, with smooth facial lines, more vigor, and a handsome brightness, he felt a fresh surge of crisis. He forced a smile and said: “Second Brother’s appetite seems better than before.”

His original intent had been to draw Tang Gang’s attention to the unrefined way Tang Mo was eating, but Tang Mo admitted straightforwardly with equanimity: “I used to be covered in flab, which was not very pleasing. So now I practice martial training every day. The flab is gone and my appetite has opened up. I really do eat more than before.”

He looked over and said with generous concern: “Big Brother, you should eat too. You are recuperating and ought to eat more.”

[Best if he eats himself into a pig. I wonder if there is a medicine that makes people fat. If I quietly give him a dose, he can grow so greasy he shines.]

Seeing him handle the exchange so calmly, Tang Rong felt even more threatened, and he asked with a smile that did not reach his eyes: “Second Brother, are you training so hard because you want to take the path of a military officer?”