Chapter 242

Chapter 242: Grand Matron’s Favoritism

Xin An had always known that although Tang Mo looked like a sly, petty man, he was in fact deeply sentimental. His feelings toward Tang Gang were especially complicated, and her proposal would be enough to shatter the already precarious relationship between father and son.

She was worried, whereas Tang Mo acted as if nothing were wrong, saying: “Let’s leave this matter here for now; I don’t think he would sink that low.”

He felt that for the sake of face, Tang Gang would not do such a thing.

Xin An only smiled without speaking. Tang Mo kept her company and chatted for a while about amusing happenings outside; seeing her expression as usual, he still felt a little uneasy in his heart. [Better not let her brood alone.]

No matter what Xin An said, he believed that staying cooped up in the residence all day would not do; being alone invited idle thoughts and was bad for body and mind. He said: “I should take you out more from now on, lest you turn into Grand Matron again. Let’s go now; we won’t dine in the residence tonight.”

Helpless, Xin An let him take her hand and lead her out. Before they reached the gate, they ran into Tang Gang on his way out, who asked: “Where are you going?”

Tang Mo answered with an open expression: “Out to eat,” then added: “We won’t be dining in the residence tonight.”

Tang Gang’s face darkened. He thought: [Rotten wood is still rotten; even if he looks decent on the surface, inside he is no good, with his head full only of food and drink.] [Jade is always jade; with a little carving it shines brilliantly, like my eldest son.]

Thinking of his eldest son’s behavior over the past few days, his mood improved. He could not help recalling Madam Wang’s words, and it seemed the child in Tao Yi Ran’s belly had indeed come at the right time and was blessed with good fortune.

With Tang Mo and Xin An absent, Tang Gang and his son dined and drank together, all fatherly kindness and filial devotion. Tang Rong raised his cup and said: “I was foolish before and made you worry; I owe you an apology, Father.”

Tang Gang replied warmly: “You and I as father and son need not say such things. From the moment you were born I had high hopes for you. You have stood out since childhood, and I have always been proud of you.”

Gratified and proud, Tang Gang watched as Tang Rong set down his cup with a faint smile and said: “I will be more diligent from now on, and only hope not to bring shame to the Marquisate’s name.”

Tang Gang breathed out a long sigh and said: “Good, good, good…”

He wanted to say something more and lifted his eyes to look at Madam Wang; she pretended not to notice and kept eating. After the meal she made an excuse to go to Chun Rong Hall to see Grand Matron, leaving father and son their space. Mainly, she did not want to see the hypocritical faces of the pair, and she also understood why her son no longer wished to curry favor with Tang Gang. [Even if you curry favor, it is useless.] [Say a few casual words, and his heart tilts toward his fine eldest son again.]

As soon as she left, Tang Rong knit his brows slightly, looking troubled, and asked: “Father, have you heard the rumors that have been going around in the residence and outside lately?”

There had been many rumors of late, so Tang Gang asked which one he meant. Tang Rong sighed and said: “I don’t know who is wagging tongues, saying that the exchange of courtyards between Second Brother and me back then was Mother’s deliberate doing. I certainly do not believe it. Mother treats me as her own and would never do such a thing. I ask you to look into it, Father, so Mother’s heart will not be chilled.”

Tang Gang had suspected Madam Wang before, but he found her explanation reasonable, and he said: “It is nothing but idle talk from people with too much time. There is no need to pay attention.”

He changed the subject and asked: “And you? Are you managing in your new courtyard?”

Tang Rong answered at once that it was spacious, saying: “Though it is smaller than Qiu Shi Courtyard, it is more than enough. Father need not worry about me.”

Tang Gang nodded and did not continue on that topic. Having made his point, Tang Rong said nothing more and raised his cup again.

In Chun Rong Hall, Grand Matron was watching Gan Lu inventory several large chests set before her. When she saw Madam Wang arrive, a flicker of unease crossed her face, but she returned to normal at once. Madam Wang asked curiously: “Mother, are you taking these out for a particular purpose?”

Grand Matron smiled and said: “A letter from the clan arrived today. The people being sent to the capital are already on the road and should arrive in a few days. We ought to give them a little meeting gift.”

Madam Wang said with disbelief: “This is far too valuable.” She found it hard to accept that meeting gifts would be such costly porcelain and jade.

Grand Matron explained: “The meeting gift is secondary. With year’s end approaching, there will be many calls to make, and the residence has been unsettled this year. Matters that ought to be settled are best wrapped up by year’s end, so the new year may have a new look. I plan to divide these things into three shares and give one to each of the father and his two sons. How they use them will be up to them.”

Madam Wang grew even more curious. Grand Matron had always been reluctant to take these things out; the last time had only been because Tang Gang pressed her hard. Now she was bringing them out of her own accord?

Looking again at the three chests Gan Lu was apportioning, she suddenly understood: the real shares were for Tang Gang and Tang Rong, while her son’s share was incidental. One chest held only several large porcelain vases that made it look full, but compared with the other two chests stuffed to the brim, the disparity was obvious.

She said with a smile: “These vases are quite pretty.”

Gan Lu, smiling broadly, said: “Grand Matron said Second Young Master and Second Young Madam like porcelain, so she especially had these picked out to pack into Second Young Master’s chest.”

At that moment Madam Wang felt numb. [Does Grand Matron not see how my son and his wife treat her?] Her son and daughter-in-law liked gold and jade, not porcelain. [Is Grand Matron no longer bothering to conceal her favoritism?] [She is not even willing to pretend anymore?]

Maintaining a calm smile, she said: “To give such valuable items to the second boy, with his ox-chewing-peonies taste, could he appreciate them?”

She went on: “Better give them to the eldest. He and his wife both like things that are simple and pure. Celadon or pomegranate-red porcelain, white or yellow jade pieces, they like them all.”

“And besides, the second boy has no friends or colleagues who require gifts this expensive. For him they would be useless. These items would be far more useful in the Marquis’s or the eldest’s hands.”

Grand Matron’s smile turned stiff, and Gan Lu stepped forward to smooth things over, saying: “Second Young Master and the Heir Apparent are both Grand Matron’s grandsons. How could there be a share for the Heir Apparent and none for the second? If word got out, those outside who do not know the inside story would say Grand Matron is biased.”

“You know Grand Matron dotes most on Second Young Master, and on Second Young Madam too. Whenever Second Young Madam has fancied an item here, Grand Matron has never said no.”

This was a pointed reminder to Madam Wang that Xin An had already received many fine things from Grand Matron. Smiling, Madam Wang said: “My thought was simply that good things should be used where they will have the greatest effect. If given to the second boy, they will only end up in storage. Better to let things be used where they will truly be of use.”

She added with a light laugh: “Since you put it that way, it makes me seem inconsiderate. In that case, I will shamelessly accept a bit more of Mother’s favor on the second boy’s behalf.”

Grand Matron smiled and lifted her teacup, saying: “The things in my courtyard will all be theirs in the end. As long as the brothers remain harmonious and support the Marquisate together, I can answer to their grandfather.”

She turned the topic and asked Madam Wang: “Why did you come alone at this hour?”

Madam Wang smiled and said that the second couple had gone out to dine and the Marquis and his eldest were having a small drink: “I thought it has been a long time since father and son felt this relaxed. If I stand there, it only keeps them from opening up. Better to come speak with Mother here and give them time to talk privately. That way any former estrangement might disperse.”

Grand Matron was gratified. Madam Wang had always handled the larger matters properly. For a moment Grand Matron felt she had been listening to only one side; how could she have believed the servants’ gossip in the residence? Back when they exchanged courtyards, Madam Wang had personally come to discuss it with her, and she had nodded in agreement. Hearing things today, she had subconsciously assumed that if not for the swap, there would not have been the change of bride and all the shameful matters that followed, which had left her somewhat resentful toward Madam Wang.

Feeling sorry for Tang Rong’s plight, she had wanted to compensate him a bit, and that was why… She had forgotten the second couple’s filial devotion to her.