Chapter 280

Chapter 280: Lady Wei Has Long Been Deceased

Madam Zhang had an endless stream of questions, eager to seize on a flaw in Madam Wang’s words so she could prove that all stepmothers were vicious and urge Tang Rong to side more firmly with the Wei family.

Yet although Madam Wang was not especially accomplished, she was always meticulous about appearances and courtesy; she simply did not allow Madam Zhang to catch a single slip.

Madam Zhang asked when Tang Gang and Tang Rong would return and whether anyone had been sent to summon them, putting on the air that, because she had arrived, even Tang Gang ought to come at once to pay court to her and thus display her exalted status.

Madam Wang forced down her irritation, saying: “It is busy at year’s end; the Marquis will be back later, and I will send someone to deliver a message shortly. As for the eldest, that child met with an accident some days ago and was slightly injured, so he has not gone to his post and is recuperating in the manor. Elder Sister-in-law can go see him later.”

At the words that Tang Rong was injured, Madam Zhang was greatly alarmed and immediately pressed: why was he injured, how had it happened, had the household failed to arrange bodyguards, her tone carrying the clear implication that Madam Wang, as stepmother, was incompetent.

Madam Wang very much wanted to curse; [if not for years of practicing forbearance, she would have given Madam Zhang two resounding slaps. The woman was like a gossiping crone, chattering from the moment she stepped in.]

She said only: “For specifics, Elder Sister-in-law may ask the Marquis later.”

Anyone with eyes could tell she was displeased. Wei Liang Cai shot Madam Zhang a warning glare, and they fell silent all the way until they reached Chun Rong Hall.

Grand Matron disliked the Wei family because their hunger for advantage was too strong. The year Tang Gang had been widowed but two months, the Wei family had already been impatient to marry into the marquisate again, trying every method to force Tang Gang to comply, with no thought at all for his reputation.

In front of Grand Matron, Madam Zhang’s manner was entirely different. With a face full of smiles, sycophantic and sweet, she said: “Old Madam, your complexion is as good as it was three years ago. I just caught sight of the Heir Apparent’s wife; her looks are truly outstanding. I hear she is with child as well. You are blessed indeed. In a few months, when the great-grandson is born, won’t the household be lively.”

Grand Matron smiled with polite restraint. Her gaze merely swept over one young lady, and Madam Zhang at once drew two girls forward, saying: “Grand Matron, these are my two daughters, Wei Xiang and Wei Qing. From now on, we must beg Grand Matron to take extra care of them.”

She urged the girls: “Quickly pay your respects to Grand Matron.”

Both girls paid their respects. Grand Matron looked slightly puzzled and asked: “From what you say, are these two girls to remain in the manor?”

Madam Zhang smiled and said: “Some time ago we received a letter from the Heir Apparent, saying he wished to bring two cousins into the capital, and this is also for the sake of the two girls’ prospects.”

“It is rare that their cousin keeps them in mind; only then did we bring them to widen their horizons.”

Grand Matron’s smile nearly slipped. Madam Wang sneered in her heart: [father and son are exactly alike—both set their sights on the women. Utterly shameless.]

As for the Tang family, that could be tolerated; the kinship was close, and it could be justified. But what were the Wei family supposed to be?

Xin An, who had been content to watch the show, had known it would be like this. The Tang family’s girls had come; how could Tang Rong possibly sit still? [This was to sell off the two cousins at a good price to pave his own way.]

The Wei family had risen by clinging to the skirts of others and were not good people. As far as she knew, in those years they had not treated Tang Rong’s birth mother well. She had even heard Auntie Cai say that when Tang Rong’s mother was pregnant, the Wei family sent two girls into the household, saying it was to keep her company and relieve boredom; [their intentions were obvious even to a fool.]

[If a mere marquis inspired this, then if Tang Gang were an imperial prince, would they not send every girl of the Wei family for him to pick at will?]

Grand Matron did not continue down the path of Madam Zhang’s words. Instead she asked whether they were tired from the journey and asked Madam Wang whether suitable quarters for the Wei family had been prepared. Madam Wang replied: “We had no advance notice, so nothing in the way of supplies was prepared. Fortunately the furnishings prepared for the Ning Cui Courtyard and the Ning Xiang Courtyard are new; they can be moved in and used at once.”

“By now everything should be ready. Why don’t I take Elder Sister-in-law over and settle them first?”

Grand Matron nodded: “Very well.”

After Madam Wang led the party away, Grand Matron sighed. Xin An did not avoid speaking plainly, asking: “Grandmother, did Maternal Aunt mean to keep the two cousins in the capital to arrange marriages, or was it eldest brother’s idea?”

So very interesting.

If the girls were from the Wang family, that could be understood; after all, the mistress of the household was their paternal aunt. But what were the Wei family supposed to be?

Their own aunt had long since passed away. Did they expect Tao Yi Ran to run about on their behalf?

Grand Matron looked at her and asked: “What do you think?”

“Not appropriate.”

Sitting at the side, Xin An said: “Eldest brother is a man; it is not suitable for him to make matches. Elder Sister-in-law is heavily pregnant and it is inconvenient for her to go out. Mother, after all, is separated by a generation; how could she take charge of the Wei girls’ marriages? In the end, it would fall to Grandmother.”

“In my view, better not to touch this at all. If the match turns out well, fine; if it doesn’t, Grandmother will be blamed. Grandmother has reached the age of wanting peace and leisure; why take on this burden.”

Grand Matron very much agreed with her. More importantly, three girls of the Tang clan had been sent this time; the Tang girls were properly under the marquisate’s charge. As for the Wei family, what were they to the household? To put it plainly, when a person is gone the tea grows cold; Lady Wei had long been deceased.

Besides, those two Wei girls had their own father and mother.

She said: “Gan Lu, send someone to inform the Marquis that when he returns, he is to come first to Chun Rong Hall.”

Then she turned to Xin An and said: “Will you eat lunch here with Grandmother?”

“Yes. Before, I came here to scrounge meals; now I must come to scrounge charcoal too.”

The charcoal used in Grand Matron’s courtyard was a gift from the palace; when it burned it released a faint fragrance, good charcoal that could not be bought outside. Xin An laughed and said: “If not for propriety, I would move in here to live with Grandmother.”

Grand Matron was amused and told Gan Lu to arrange two more dishes that Xin An liked.

In Chun Hua Courtyard, Tao Yi Ran, suppressing her inward discomfort, went to Tang Rong to tell him that the Wei family had arrived. Tang Rong was not pleased. When he had extended the invitation to his maternal cousins, he had still been at the Ministry of Rites and Tao Yi Ran had not yet been pregnant. Now he was bedridden and Tao Yi Ran did not go out. What use was their coming?

He said: “Prepare hot water; I want a bath.”

Whether useful or not, the most important thing at present was not to let his uncle’s family learn of his humiliation. He ordered: “Make the people below keep their mouths shut; whoever dares to gossip is to be sold off immediately.”

This, Tao Yi Ran could manage; she too did not want people outside to know that she had married a man who soiled the bed.

Auntie Cai, mindful of Tang Rong’s wounds, advised against bathing. Tao Yi Ran, however, wanted him to bathe twice, saying: “Have the household physician attend him; at the slightest sign of trouble, step in and treat it. Being clean and fresh will help the wound heal.”

“Change everything on the bed, and burn a light, refreshing incense. Maternal Aunt and the others will surely come later; he must look spirited.”

[In short, they could not lose face.]

Once Tao Yi Ran grew proactive, the people below grew busy, and at last a little vitality returned to the courtyard.

After settling the Wei family, Madam Wang returned to Chun Rong Hall carrying a fire in her gut. Xin An greeted her with a smile, saying: “Mother, you have come back at just the right time; Auntie Gan Lu just said the meal is about to be served.”

Grand Matron glanced at Madam Wang’s expression and said: “Eating comes first; whatever needs to be said, say it after the meal.”