Chapter 210

Chapter 210: Madam Wang’s Three Birds with One Arrow

The Tao family had replaced the person in charge of the household; there must surely have been other developments behind that change. Madam Wang gave the scene only a brief glance before looking away without the least show of curiosity, then walked on with a pleasant smile. Madam Li, following her lead, addressed her as Aunt, and at once the two appeared much closer; they chatted at length as they went.

Seeing her to the gate, Madam Li said with a smile: “Aunt, take care.” She watched Tang Gang and Madam Wang step into the carriage, then turned back into the residence. When she reached her bedchamber, the nursemaid waiting on her approached with tea and a cheerful face, saying: “As of today, the running of the Tao family’s inner household has formally fallen into Young Madam’s hands.”

After drinking, Madam Li said: “Do not be too quick to rejoice. The situation within the manor is likely to remain messy for some time. If the Master is reassigned out of the capital, I can only leave together with him.”

The Grand Matron still had not woken. Who could tell what commotion she would stir up once she did? The struggle between two generations of mother?in?law and daughter?in?law would, of course, benefit her, yet the Tao family was no longer what it once was, and the days ahead were hard to predict.

The nursemaid was optimistic, saying: “If we can find a way to make the Young Master give up gambling, then ask the Master to secure a post for him here in the capital, we will naturally have grounds to remain.”

“I noticed from what Madam Tang said to Young Madam today that she is extremely displeased with our Lady. For Young Madam, that may not be a bad thing; you can visit her more often in the future.”

Madam Li let out a cold laugh, then thought in scorn: [How much genuine feeling can a stepmother have for a stepson?] All the more so when that stepson had snatched her own son’s bride on the wedding night. If such a thing left no thorn in her heart, what would that make Madam Tang, tofu?

Madam Li was certain Madam Wang was not as broad?minded and benevolent as she appeared. To serve as mistress of a marquis’s household and oversee its inner affairs for years, how could such a person be simple?

“She is not only displeased with her mother?in?law,” Madam Li said, “she must be even more displeased with that person. If she truly valued the child in her belly, she would not have shown the attitude she did today. Only her mother?in?law cannot see clearly, thinking that a pregnancy will let her claw back a round.”

“Was not that pregnant maid in the marquis’s household also sent off to the country estate?”

“In my view, there is no need to curry favor with the marquis’s household. Better to watch and see.”

The nursemaid nodded with a smile, then turned to matters of household management. Once a person holds authority, there will be several busy days.

As they spoke, another old servant woman entered, a letter in her hand and an expression as if she had discovered something momentous: “Young Madam, we just caught a sneaky servant. We found this letter on him. He said Third Young Master Zhu of Duke Xiang’s manor slipped it to him to deliver to Grand?Aunt.”

The crucial point was: “This is not the first time.”

Madam Li took the letter and examined it twice without opening it. Her lips curved as disdain flashed in her eyes, and she said: “Send the letter to Mother, and repeat exactly what you just told me.”

[This is taking advantage of someone’s illness to finish them off; I wonder whether her mother?in?law, still in a rage, can withstand something like this.] After the servant left, the nursemaid lowered her voice and said: “Our Lady’s housekeeping is truly too lax if a letter like this can move unimpeded within the manor. If we let Master and the Grand Matron know, Young Madam’s authority over the household will be solid.”

Madam Li only smiled without replying. [They crippled themselves; I merely struck a spark. One could almost say the victory feels unsporting.]

Tang Gang returned to the residence with a stormy face, Madam Wang half a step behind him. Once inside, she took a sip of tea before speaking: “It truly caught us off guard. The Tao family had finally taken the initiative to break things off. It looked as if our marquisate could free itself from the Tao family, and then she turned up pregnant.” [Heaven itself is helping her son.]

Her words hit home for Tang Gang, who asked: “You went to see her. How was it?”

“How else could it be?” Madam Wang sighed, saying: “Her face was all delight. She thinks that a stir in her belly means everything is settled, and that she can ignore the affairs outside, leaving the marquisate to clean up the mess.”

Tang Gang snorted: “In a few days, bring back the one out at the estate. She should be due soon, yes?”

He meant Xue Yu, the woman by Tang Rong’s side. Madam Wang calculated the days and said she should give birth by year’s end: “Auntie Cai has been caring for her all along. I hear the child is growing well.”

Tang Gang added: “She carries the blood of our marquisate. It is better to raise her under our eyes. Choose a suitable day and bring her back.”

Xue Yu’s birth was low, but how fine was Tao Yi Ran’s? With a mother whose name was in tatters and who knew no restraint, that child, once born, would not be truly esteemed; when grown, people would always have grounds for reproach. Xue Yu’s child, apart from lower birth, left little to criticize.

Thinking that both of Tang Rong’s children would be in such circumstances made his anger burn. “We will wait a few days before fetching the other one from the Tao family.”

“Let it cool for a couple of days and it will be fine,” Madam Wang said, “but if we let it drag on, there will be idle talk. When I saw the mother?in?law today, her words sounded as if she wanted to use the child in that belly to press the marquisate, and even force the marquisate to give her an explanation.”

“How did you respond?”

Smiling, Madam Wang said: “They are young and only recently wed; losing control for a moment is not some earth?shattering scandal. But the Tao family’s servants lacked discipline and spread the matter; that is unacceptable. If anyone is to be held accountable, it is naturally the Tao family’s fault.”

Madam Wang considered more angles than Tang Mo. Tang Mo had proposed denying the matter, then laboring to erase its impact on the marquisate. In her view, that was unnecessary. Far better to acknowledge it outright and save time and effort.

By doing so, she not only nailed down Tang Rong’s lack of propriety, she also struck at Madam Tao for poor household management, and most importantly, she, the stepmother, would gain a reputation for magnanimity. Why not do it?

This delighted Tang Gang and made him all the more satisfied with Madam Wang, for her explanation also gave him grounds to forgive Tang Rong. It was a pity Madam Wang had not told him her idea a bit sooner; when he spoke with Lord Tao today, he had been caught slightly on the back foot.

Madam Wang then steered the topic back to Tao Yi Ran. Tang Gang snorted again: “Does she take my marquisate for the Tao family, willing to invite anything foul or fragrant for the sake of an heir?”

“Once she is brought back, do not let her out again. She can behave herself in Chun Hua Courtyard.”

[Which suits Madam Wang perfectly.] If Tang Rong had no chance to latch onto a stronger bride’s family, then no formidable daughter?in?law would enter the gate to split authority with Xin An. With one arm cut off, nothing could be more convenient.

“I understand,” Madam Wang said. “Rest easy, Marquis. Before the child is a full month old, I will not let her go out and be seen.”

Tang Gang’s expression relaxed considerably. He invited Madam Wang to go with him to see Tang Rong and deliver the news as well. As they stepped outside, he felt as if the sky had grown bluer, the air clearer, and his mood quite good: “The weather is fine today.”

Madam Wang looked up at the sky and said: “It is indeed fine.”

“A pity the rest?day outing we agreed on earlier will not come to pass.”

Tang Gang nodded, feeling some regret.