Chapter 278

Chapter 278: Tang Rong’s Uncle Arrives

Underestimating an opponent is a grave taboo; even if the difference in strength is vast, one should still give one’s all. Tang Mo did not grow overconfident and nodded his assent.

After he left, Xin An lay down again. She slept for a while, then opened her eyes helplessly: [Why is the quilt getting colder the longer I sleep?]

Frost had fallen today. When Chun Yang and Chun Lv came in to attend to her, the cold wind slipped in with them through the door, and Xin An shivered as she said: “It must be time to start burning charcoal, right?”

No sooner had she spoken than Nan Feng arrived, saying that a message had just come from the front courtyard that braziers would begin to be used everywhere today: “We need to send people to collect charcoal. Our courtyard is allotted twenty jin of Red Luo charcoal and twenty jin of black charcoal per day, to be drawn every five days.”

Chun Lv did a quick calculation and said: “That much fuel will certainly not be enough. When the weather turns cold, the price of charcoal changes by the day. Fortunately, Steward Wang stocked up early. If not, shall we send someone now to ask Steward Wang to have the charcoal delivered?”

Xin An nodded: “Have a thousand jin sent over first. The room for storing charcoal must be put in order so the fuel doesn’t take on moisture.”

Everything the marquisate allotted to each courtyard was on a fixed ration. Twenty jin for day and night together was far from enough. If one refused to spend personal silver to buy extra charcoal, one could only grit one’s teeth and endure until evening before lighting the braziers. Once the heavy snows came, the night cold would keep one from sleeping at all.

Xin An had no intention of wronging herself; the braziers must burn around the clock without interruption. Even when she went out, the fire inside the rooms could not be allowed to die, or returning to a chill, empty room would be far too uncomfortable.

“The smell of common charcoal is strong; if you burn it without opening the windows it makes one dizzy, but if you open the windows the draft pours in,” she said. “At night, have each room in the courtyard use the same odorless fine charcoal I use, five jin per day. Aunt’s room is not subject to any limit.”

There was no reason to let her attendants suffer when she herself lived comfortably; all the servers in the courtyard were women, and women needed warmth in winter.

Hearing this, Nan Feng smiled until her brows arced. Serving a mistress who lived in wealth was a different matter altogether; they would enjoy it too.

The common charcoal allotted by the household would be used by day, and before bedtime they would add the odorless good charcoal, so everyone could sleep warm and comfortably. What could be more pleasant?

Such a simple matter made every maid and matron in the courtyard beam with delight and thank her again and again.

After breakfast, Nan Feng brought more news: “Madam Wang sent a message saying the Wang household will notify each house today to begin collecting charcoal.” She added: “The New Year gifts you asked her to purchase are all prepared. Do you want to go take a look?”

Madam Wang had bought charcoal well in advance. With Nan Feng and Liu Chang helping, she had secured a large batch, tens of thousands of jin. She had thought to issue it early, but worried people might not store it properly or might sell it off for cash, so she decided to wait until after the first frost before letting them collect.

Xin An thought about it and knew she had no time: “Tell her she’s worked hard. I’ll go take a look once I get through these next few busy days.”

Auntie Cui Ping came in to report that the visiting gifts for the Xu family were ready: “Young madam, please see if there’s anything you’d like to add or remove.”

Auntie Wang had returned to the Xin residence, so matters in the courtyard temporarily fell to Cui Ping. With the exceptionally generous benefits on offer, Cui Ping dared not be lax. The gift list was substantial, and even General Xu’s little grandson had not been overlooked—she had prepared an inkstone for him.

Xin An said: “Aunt arranged everything thoroughly; let’s do it this way. This afternoon I’ll trouble you to accompany me on a trip.”

“Yes.”

There was one matter Xin An could not decide: “Aunt, do you think I should pay a call at the Second Prince’s residence? Ever since the Second Prince’s consort conceived, I haven’t gone to offer my respects.”

Cui Ping said: “Since you’re visiting General Xu’s residence today, young madam can ask there and see what Madam Xu thinks.”

“Mm.”

Xin An looked to her again: “Aunt, also think of two more items to send as visiting gifts to the Second Prince’s residence. If the storeroom doesn’t have them, go buy them. Don’t worry about the price—what matters is that the gifts reach the heart of the Second Prince’s consort.”

“Yes.”

Once matters in the courtyard were settled, Xin An rose and went to the front compound, only to find that Tao Yi Ran and her two “younger sisters” were there as well.

Unwilling to remain in Chun Hua Courtyard, Tao Yi Ran had taken the initiative to come pay respects to Madam Wang. She had brought along the two concubines because Xue Yu’s due date was approaching, and as the principal wife she needed to make arrangements for Xue Yu.

When Xin An arrived, they had just finished deciding on the midwife and were discussing where the child should be raised after the birth. Tao Yi Ran said: “As your daughter-in-law, I think that since this will be my husband’s first child and Concubine Yu followed my husband early on, her bond with him is naturally different. Why not let Concubine Yu raise this child herself? What does Mother think?”

Madam Wang felt she had merely come to avoid Chun Hua Courtyard and deliberately find something to discuss: “This is a matter for you and your husband to decide. They are all children of the household. As long as they are properly raised, it makes no difference where they are raised.”

“Mother is right.”

Tao Yi Ran lingered, unwilling to leave. She would rather sit here bored than return to Chun Hua Courtyard. She felt that lingering stench would not disperse; she had not slept well the previous night.

Someone announced: “The younger sister-in-law has arrived.”

Xin An nodded and said to her: “Elder sister-in-law, your complexion is not good. Did you not rest well last night?”

Tao Yi Ran, touching her slightly swelling belly, said: “The belly is heavy. It’s hard to fall asleep.”

“This won’t do, elder sister-in-law,” Xin An said, sitting opposite her. “If it’s already hard to sleep at this stage, what will you do when you reach the month Concubine Yu is in?”

“By the way, how is eldest brother?”

At the moment, Tao Yi Ran did not want to mention Tang Rong at all. That morning she had only stood by his bed for a moment, said a couple of simple sentences, and turned away—mainly because the stench in that room was unbearable.

“Much better. The household physician says he can try getting out of bed and walking. Since the bone was injured, it will have to be slow.”

Just then the gate porter hurried in to report that people of the Wei family had arrived at the gate, “saying they are here to visit the Heir Apparent.”

For a moment, Madam Wang did not remember which Wei family this was. Once she recalled, her good mood vanished. She looked at Tao Yi Ran and asked: “Did you receive any notice that the Wei family would be coming?”

Tao Yi Ran shook her head: “I haven’t heard my husband mention it.”

She had no idea they had such relatives.

Madam Wang rose slowly: “The Wei family is your husband’s mother’s family, your husband’s own maternal clan. Come with me to greet them.”

Xin An had no wish to greet any Wei family members, especially since the Wei family’s Aunt Zhang was particularly exasperating.

One could say she had never seen someone so lacking in sense and so thick-skinned. Tang Rong’s birth mother had been dead for many years, yet the Wei family still acted as if the marquisate were their domain. In her previous life, that Madam Zhang even put on the airs of a mother-in-law before her and said: “Your birth mother-in-law passed away early, and some rules were never taught to you. As the maternal aunt, I must point out one or two.”

[She had no decorum herself yet wanted to lecture me, chattering like a busybody all day long, with shallow eyes to boot. At the time I could have slapped her twice, but I forced myself into a meek, green turtle to swallow it. Thinking back now, I was damn spineless. Even I look down on myself. Tch!]

“Mother, I still haven’t paid my respects to Grandmother,” Xin An said.

“Then go,” Madam Wang replied.

Madam Wang was very indulgent toward her and knew Madam Zhang was difficult; she did not want her daughter-in-law to be subjected to unpleasantness. As for Tao Yi Ran, how could she slip away? Relatives from the Wei family were exactly the ones she should receive.