Chapter 212

Chapter 212: Madam Wang Lays the Groundwork

Tang Gang was not himself. Madam Wang turned the thought over once and immediately guessed the cause, the corner of her mouth lifting in a cold smile: [So it really is the favored son. A man who made such a disgraceful scene has everything excused after one bout of illness, and the one who fainted with rage at the news now even feels sorry for him.] She concluded: [After all that fuss, he only felt sorry that his eldest son’s courtyard was not good enough and that the boy was being wronged.]

After they reached the front courtyard and Tang Gang had taken his tea, he brought up the two courtyards: “The second son’s place looks open and airy.”

Madam Wang set down her cup with composure and said: “Marquis, have you forgotten? Qiu Shi Courtyard was originally prepared for the eldest, precisely because it is spacious and bright, while the second was meant to live in Chun Hua Courtyard. He is the younger brother; living in a smaller place would not have mattered.”

She continued with an easy calm: “It was the master who said that Qiu Shi Courtyard, though it looks open and bright, cannot store wind and gather qi, whereas Chun Hua Courtyard, though smaller, is more favorable to descendants. Only then were the brothers’ residences switched.”

She added with a mild smile: “Now the eldest is about to have two children; that shows the master spoke truly. It does benefit descendants.”

With her reminder, Tang Gang recalled the matter, yet he still muttered: “The eldest’s courtyard feels lifeless, while the second’s is lively and pleasing.”

[She rolled a very large eye inwardly.] Then she said in an even tone: “The construction of the marquisate was reviewed by the Astronomical Bureau; it must be a place of good Feng Shui. As for those two courtyards, they were originally similar, differing only in size. The difference we see now has much to do with the people living in them.”

Knowing better than anyone how to make things sound reasonable to Tang Gang, Madam Wang explained: “The second son’s wife likes bustle; you can tell from how she dresses. Red and green, gold and jade never leave her person. She looks wealthy, like a riot of blossoms, so naturally the courtyard she lives in follows her lead. Even the flowers are replaced with fresh ones every month.”

She contrasted with gentle precision: “The eldest son’s wife loves plainness. If propriety allowed, she would drape herself in white from head to toe. The jewelry she uses is mostly jade, and it has to be white jade. It looks rather austere. Servants follow their mistress, so Chun Hua Courtyard has fewer ornaments and decorations. It is simple and dull. I suppose that is also why she wishes to play the zither.”

Tang Gang thought it over and found it exactly so. That Tao Yi Ran’s style of dress did look inauspicious; those who did not know better might think the marquisate was on the verge of collapse, unlike Xin An, who looked joyful and prosperous.

Madam Wang, considerate as ever, made a suggestion: “If the Marquis feels that courtyard is unsuitable, there are other courtyards in the residence to choose from. Shall we relocate them?”

Tang Gang shook his head. Perhaps he had overthought it; it should not be the courtyard’s Feng Shui that is bad. In the end, it was still Tao Yi Ran’s ill fate.

Madam Wang lifted her cup, lowered her eyes with a faint smile, and gently blew across the tea. Drawing a deep breath, Tang Gang said he would open the storeroom and select two fine jade pieces. Madam Wang glanced up and asked softly: “Is the Marquis thinking of dropping in at Lord Wang of the Ministry of Rites?”

Tang Gang said nothing, and Madam Wang understood at once. She said with easy sympathy: “The eldest boy has had some unlucky turns. Let us hope the child in your eldest daughter-in-law’s belly is blessed and can bring smooth days to the eldest.”

Then, as if casually, she mentioned another matter: “I heard from Lady Cao that there was a period when Young Master Cao was out of luck, meeting one mishap after another. But after his wife conceived, his fortunes turned. The baby born was a pretty little girl. On the child’s full-month day, Lord Cao was promoted one rank, and three months later Young Master Cao was also promoted. They all say that child came to the Cao Family to enjoy a blessed life and brought her own good fortune with her.”

Tang Gang had heard this too. Lord Cao could never stop smiling when he spoke of his little granddaughter, saying she was fair as jade, lovable, and always laughing. At the time, he had scoffed inwardly; it was only a girl, what was there to brag about? Now, however, he felt a tinge of envy, and he placed a little more hope in the child in Tao Yi Ran’s belly, waiting for the baby to bring good luck to the marquisate.

Madam Wang drank her tea with a slight smile. Tang Gang rose and went to the study. As soon as he left, Madam Wang set down her cup, thinking: [I must inform Tang Mo and see to it that Tang Rong suffers another run of bad luck. To think she can turn the tables just because she is pregnant? She is dreaming.]

“At that time I will definitely arrive early. I will not leave you shorthanded,” Yan Shi Mao said with a smile to Tang Mo at the gate of Marquis Qin’s residence: “It is an opportunity for me as well. How could I miss it?”

On the opening day of the Herbal Cuisine Tavern, the invited guests would not be few. Tang Mo could not manage alone and had specially asked Yan Shi Mao to help receive the guests. For Yan Shi Mao, who had recently begun to strive forward, this was indeed an opportunity.

Tang Mo said with a grin: “We are brothers, no need for polite words. Once the busy day is past, I will set a banquet and invite you and my sister-in-law.”

He ended briskly: “I’m off,” then swung neatly into the saddle and rode away.

After returning to the residence, he did not go straight to Qiu Shi Courtyard. He first went to see Madam Wang. Ever since their last heartfelt conversation, mother and son had tacitly worked toward the same goal. Now that Madam Wang had laid the groundwork, she needed to tell Tang Mo at once so they could plan thoroughly.

Learning that his mother had already planted the seed, Tang Mo smiled and said he would arrange everything that followed: “Mother, just watch. In a few days, there will be another fine show.”

Madam Wang cautioned him to be careful. Tang Mo nodded. They talked for quite a while in the room before he went to Chun Rong Hall to pay his respects to the Grand Matron.

Before he even entered, his worried voice reached her: “Grandmother, are you feeling better?”

The Grand Matron’s face immediately lit with a smile. Seeing him, she said happily: “Grandmother is fine; hearing your voice makes me even better,” then she asked with fondness: “Have you just come back?”

“Yes,” he said as he sat by her side, adding with warmth: “I was thinking of you and wanted to hurry back, but another matter cropped up today and delayed me.”

He studied her face and said gently: “Grandmother’s complexion does not look quite as good as yesterday. You must take good care to recuperate.”

The Grand Matron had already learned that Tao Yi Ran was pregnant. The arrival of a new life always brought joy, though this joy had been dampened. Taking Tang Mo’s hand, she said: “Today your mother went to the Tao Family. Your elder sister-in-law is with child.”

Tang Mo feigned just hearing the news and smiled: “Then we must congratulate Eldest Brother. He has been out of luck these past two or three months. With such a happy event, the days ahead should be smooth sailing.”

This was not what the Grand Matron wished to discuss. She said with earnest gravity: “Your brother now is about to have two children. When will you give Grandmother the same kind of good news?”

He smiled bashfully and answered, “There will certainly come a day.”

The Grand Matron did not intend to let him off so easily. She admonished with solemn kindness: “You have been married for some time. It was understandable that at the start you were not familiar with one another and that such a thing happened, but after these months you two seem to get along very harmoniously. This ought to follow as a matter of course. You are a man; you must not be timid and hesitant. Grandmother is waiting for your good news.”

The Grand Matron’s thoughts were complicated and contradictory. Tang Rong was the marquisate’s Heir Apparent, and his child would naturally be of high standing, yet that child would come from Tao Yi Ran’s womb. Tang Mo was the second son; expectations for him had always been far lower than for Tang Rong. But his wife, Xin An, was far superior to Tao Yi Ran, and not by a small margin. At this rate, the marquisate would find it hard to enjoy peace. It truly was one misstep leading to many.