Chapter 251

Chapter 251: Tang Rong Gets Beaten Again

As it was told, after leaving the Ministry of Rites and on his way to a banquet, Tang Rong’s carriage had not even turned onto the main street before he was set upon. More than twenty men in black appeared; some dragged off his two bodyguards and attendants, while others toppled the carriage, dragged Tang Rong out, and laid into him with fists and boots. They left a single line behind: “You do the first day, I do the fifteenth,” then split up and vanished without a trace.

He was carried home. Tang Gang could no longer spare a thought for the quarrel between Auntie Cai and Xin An; he rose and strode off at once.

Xin An had just finished venting and was preparing to return and cry herself into a picture of aggrieved innocence, but curiosity won out. In the end, the desire to watch the spectacle took over; supporting the Grand Matron, she hurried after them. Since her eldest brother-in-law had been injured, going to “show concern” would also display her magnanimity.

This time Tang Rong’s beating was brutal. When Xin An saw him, she almost did not recognize him. Cuts marred his face, and blood smeared it red. The bodyguards and Qing Mo were not in good shape either, each of them wounded.

She spoke with a show of distress: “Eldest Brother has been beaten so badly.” She sighed again, all concern: “Who could it be, to strike with such a heavy hand?” [I would really like to add a couple more kicks.]

The Grand Matron gave a single “Ah” and fainted. The estate physician was nearly driven mad. He had only just managed to settle the pregnant women’s abdominal pains, and now a grievously injured man and a fainting matriarch. Physician Qin’s eyes flicked, and he said evenly: “I will go see the Old Madam. You attend to the Heir Apparent,” then took off at a run. [He had no desire to treat a faithless scoundrel and was afraid he might not resist the urge to stab him to death with his needles.]

Back in Huai River, he had already seen that the eldest young lady was fond of the Heir Apparent and paid close attention to him. That scoundrel had been shameless. Humph.

Xin An turned on her heel and followed to Chun Rong Hall. The spectacle had been watched; now she would sit by the Grand Matron’s bed and cry.

The estate physician regretted that he had not run faster and could only brace himself to tend to Tang Rong. Thus the three pregnant women in the courtyard could not sit still either; comfortable or not, they each rose to go see Tang Rong, one after another beginning to sob, making it seem as if he had already departed this life.

Madam Wang scolded sharply: “All of you be silent. Go back to your rooms to cry. Do not come out.” She snapped an order without turning her head: “Auntie Cai, why are you still standing there? Arrange for hot water to be heated.”

Auntie Cai came to her senses and began flustering about, directing the servants to their tasks.

After an examination and treatment, it was determined that one of Tang Rong’s ribs had been broken this time. The assailants had clearly used ruthless force. This was unlike Tang Mo, who bellowed fiercely but did not strike to maim; when he had beaten Tang Rong, it had been no more than surface injuries.

Madam Wang shouted “Serves him right” in her heart, yet tears fell from her eyes as she said: “Who would use such a vicious hand? Marquis, you must find them. How bitter is this child’s fate.”

At that moment, Tang Gang’s head was spinning. Spurred by Madam Wang’s words, his temper flared like a mountain fire. He summoned the two bodyguards. In view of the repeated misfortunes that had befallen Tang Rong, they had made preparations earlier and sprinkled a special powder on the attackers’ black clothes. As long as they took the estate’s hounds to track it, they stood a good chance of finding the men.

Tang Gang strode forward and gave each of the two a kick, roaring: “Why aren’t you off to chase them!”

The two men ignored their own wounds and hurried out at once. Hands on his hips, Tang Gang glared at the sky with a sigh, then lashed out with a boot and sent a flowerpot flying. Pain lanced up his foot and twisted his face: “Who put this flowerpot here? Are you blind?”

Nan Feng, who had come under the guise of helping but was in fact there to watch the fun, tossed out a line: “Auntie Cai,” then fled, leaving Tang Gang livid, his face iron-blue.

In Chun Rong Hall, Physician Qin unhurriedly set needles for the Grand Matron. Catching his look, Xin An let tears slip down. When the Grand Matron awoke, the first thing she saw was Xin An blotting her eyes. Xin An bent close and said softly: “Grandmother is awake?” Then she called across the room with careful solicitude: “Uncle Qin, please examine Grandmother again.” The tears still clung to her lashes as she fussed over the Grand Matron, and then, in a secret rush, she wiped them away. Who would believe she was not the truly aggrieved one?

Physician Qin delivered his verdict: “The Grand Matron is in no danger, but she must not be agitated again.”

Everyone in the room exhaled in relief, but the Grand Matron could not calm herself: “How is your elder brother?”

Gan Lu stepped forward and said: “Grand Matron, the Heir Apparent is not in life-threatening danger. The estate physician is attending to his wounds.”

“Help me go and see him,” the Grand Matron ordered.

Xin An did not try to stop her; otherwise, later they would say she harbored resentment. Physician Qin took the chance to say that he had other matters to attend to and needed to leave first.

“Be careful on the road,” Xin An said gently, then instructed Chun Yang to have two bodyguards escort him: “We do not know what is happening outside. Better to be cautious.”

Physician Qin did not stand on ceremony and departed quickly, afraid the Grand Matron might ask him to treat Tang Rong as well. At that moment a servant came to report that Madam Liao had sent word for Xin An: Liao Zhi had taken Tang Mo out of the city on an errand and would return in a few days.

“Did they say what errand?” Xin An asked.

The servant shook his head: “The Liao family said the commander sent someone to report back an incense-stick’s time ago. Where they went and what they are doing is unknown.”

“I understand. You may go,” Xin An said. [She was uneasy; there had been no time to prepare, and she did not know whether this trip would be dangerous.]

All the way, the Grand Matron said nothing, and Xin An kept silent as well. As soon as they supported the Grand Matron into Chun Hua Courtyard, Tang Gang looked up and asked: “Where is Physician Qin?”

“He has gone back,” Xin An answered. She did not wish to look at Tang Gang and turned to leave, but he spoke first: “Send someone to call Physician Qin back, and invite Divine Physician Hua as well.”

“Was it not said that Eldest Brother is in no danger?” Xin An replied. “If so, the estate physician can treat him. Father is not afraid that I am small-minded and might bribe a divine physician to deliberately let Eldest Brother die?”

“You wretch,” Tang Gang snapped, trembling with fury.

Xin An gave a soft, cold laugh: “There is no need to be angry, Father. I will go back to my courtyard now and have our things packed. At first light we will move out. That way Father will not feel disgusted every time he sees us.”

She turned and left. She ordered the gate of Qiu Shi Courtyard closed and told Auntie Wang to find a length of white cloth. If Tang Gang dared to make trouble again, she would hang herself and say he had forced his second daughter-in-law to death for the sake of his beloved son. Let us see whether the historians’ spit would not drown him. [Let him learn that he cannot afford to offend any woman.]

Auntie Cui Ping was present and felt that Xin An’s handling tonight lacked her usual prudence: “Once a conflict breaks out, it is not easy to clean up afterward.”

Tearing one’s face with a father-in-law would sound even uglier once it spread. And there were clearly better ways to resolve the matter.

Xin An said calmly: “Aunt, you do not understand my father-in-law. Weeping and wailing before him is useless. Finding evidence to prove one’s innocence is also useless. In his heart there is a scale that belongs only to him, and nothing weighs as much as his eldest son.”

“Strike a snake at seven inches. Tang Gang loves his face and is a little timid. Prescribe the right medicine and you can hold him.” She smiled faintly. “I learned that from my mother-in-law. When a wife explodes and parades it right in front of his face, did he so much as let out a fart? The more you cringe, the more he bullies you; the opposite is also true.”

Auntie Cui Ping thought this marquisate grew more interesting by the day. Who would have imagined a daughter-in-law could have the old father-in-law so neatly pinched in her palm? The Marquis had raged and leapt about, yet in the end did nothing; now he could neither advance nor retreat.

After all the commotion, dinner had not been eaten. Xin An’s stomach grumbled, and she nibbled on pastries before saying: “Bring me a bowl of bird’s nest.”

“The small kitchen prepared golden millet with sea cucumber. I will bring it to you,” Chun Yang said, turning toward the kitchen.

Xin An called Nan Feng over and instructed: “Tell Liu Chang to go first thing tomorrow morning to report Auntie Cai for stealing estate property. Since it is already this chaotic, it ought to be a bit more chaotic.”