Chapter 325

Chapter 326: The Whole Family Disgraced Together

At Chief Grand Secretary Ouyang’s residence, the banquet was lavish and dignified; the ladies, seated together, shed much of their usual restraint and rules, chatting and laughing at ease.

Even Madam Wang, who had not been especially popular at past gatherings, lifted her smile, carried fruit wine, and spoke warmly with the hostesses; as they bantered she tossed out riddles, then answered with courteous laughter.

The three girls relaxed as well. They felt that the capital’s banquets were not so different from those at home. They did not try to stand out, watching what others did and learning quickly; with their second sister-in-law sitting nearby, they felt secure.

During the New Year season every household was busy. After lunch they only managed to watch two opera scenes before people began taking their leave. Madam Wang was in no hurry; she remained to accompany the guests until most had departed, then rose and led the ladies home.

On the way back she said with a satisfied smile: “I truly basked in your glow today; didn’t you see how several ladies gravitated toward me?”

Madam Wang had no daughter, so she had never savored the pride of a household with a girl sought by many families. Today finally taught her what that felt like.

Madam Zhao was grateful for her thoughtful hosting. The clan hoped to raise its standing by arranging good marriages for the three girls, yet their care for the girls was not feigned. To achieve both aims, they needed Madam Wang and her daughter-in-law to invest their hearts; Madam Wang’s conduct today put Madam Zhao much at ease.

In one carriage sat the three girls with Xin An, all with rosy cheeks, for they had made many acquaintances at the banquet.

One of the girls said with delight: “The young ladies of the capital are easy to get along with; they speak so pleasantly and invited us to play together in the future.”

Xin An watched their happiness, yet in her heart she formed a new understanding of Tang Gang: [Only while the marquisate is strong will these three girls be shown favor. Aristocratic daughters learn early to weigh profit and loss; they never extend kindness without cause.]

[The young men are impressive, but what they represent lies in the future. Only Tang Gang counts for the present.]

[At home he is excessively partial and exasperating; outside, it is likely another matter. People call him mediocre, yet at least he has never erred in government. No mistakes? That alone is remarkable. It seems I must reassess this partial father-in-law.]

Just as they entered the marquisate’s main gate, they saw Madam Zhang walking toward them, her face full of displeasure. The previous night she had proposed to accompany them to today’s banquet; failing that, she wanted the Wei sisters to go. Not only did Madam Wang refuse, Tang Gang also refused.

Even if the Wei sisters had done nothing particularly offensive, the principle of hating the house and the crow upon it applied; because of his resentment toward their side, Tang Gang judged them unworthy as well.

Madam Zhao offered a polite greeting, then took the three girls back to Ning Xiang Courtyard. Madam Wang and her daughter-in-law faced Madam Zhang; seeing she had no chance of winning, Madam Zhang managed two sour remarks before turning away to her own quarters. Yet as she turned, her eyes still glinted with pride; she did not believe she could not bring that mother-in-law and daughter-in-law to heel.

Since the curfew had been pushed to a later hour, the capital’s nights had grown particularly lively. Teahouses and taverns glowed with light, and talk rang out without cease.

Some discussed next year’s Imperial Examinations; some spoke of the holiday bustle and guessed which household would be most generous in ladling porridge to the poor. The topic shifted to temple fairs, to where the Bodhisattva was most efficacious; talk circled round until it landed on Tang Rong. They said that he had been struck by misfortune several times since marriage and now did not even step beyond the marquisate’s gate: “So it seems South Crossing Temple is not as efficacious as rumored.”

It was no secret that the marquisate’s Grand Matron had herself gone to pray at South Crossing Temple.

Someone remarked with a knowing air: “No matter how efficacious the Bodhisattva, people are more formidable. For the marquisate’s Heir Apparent to be so unlucky, who is to say it isn’t man-made?”

At this, many felt the speaker knew some inside story. He did not hold back, speaking ambiguously with phrases like “it’s heard” and “it’s said,” until he led everyone’s suspicion toward Tang Mo: “Think about it. With the Heir Apparent brought low, who profits?”

“While one falls, another rises. Lately the marquisate’s second son has been basking in glory; even the ladies’ social calls are handled entirely by the Second Young Madam. When have you seen the Heir Apparent’s wife go out?”

Peering into the secrets of great households is a favorite pastime for many. After a few sentences, most were convinced there must be something to it, and the discussion only grew livelier.

In the time it takes to eat a meal, Madam Wang, Xin An, and Tang Mo had, in those mouths, almost lost all standing.

The next morning, Nan Feng hurried to deliver the news to Xin An: “The rumors began yesterday and by today have spread through every street and alley. Whoever is behind it spent heavily.”

Nan Feng asked for instruction: “Shall we seize them all?”

Xin An replied calmly: “No rush.”

She suspected the matter must surely be tied to the neighbors; even if Tang Rong had not moved his own hand, he had directed others. He was most adept at having others do his bidding.

Since that was the case, she could only counter with a counter-plan. [It has come to this; I do not mind dragging more people into the water. I will borrow another’s force to strike.]

After a moment’s thought she curved her lips and ordered Nan Feng to do two things: first, secretly identify the mastermind; second, add fuel to the fire and turn the blaze onto Tang Gang.

Nan Feng fetched twenty taels of silver from Chun Yang and left at once. Xin An then sent Chun Lv to the front court with a message for Madam Wang: she should go straight to Tang Gang and demand an explanation.

By afternoon, new rumors were flying: Tang Gang, disgusted with Tang Rong’s ill-omened misfortune, had locked him in his courtyard and forbidden him to go out; the Grand Matron favored Tang Mo and moved every good thing into his quarters; what was more, she wanted to change the marquisate’s Heir Apparent. These reports spread swiftly, melded with the earlier talk, and fit the onlookers’ guesses, successfully casting Tang Rong as a tragic Heir Apparent framed by his brother and disliked by both father and grandmother.

Even Tao Yi Ran had become a figure to pity. They said she and Tang Rong had long been in love, but because the Xin family’s betrothal came first they could not be together; what happened on the wedding day was merely two lovers following their hearts.

They also said Tang Mo ought to be magnanimous, since he had gained a wealthy father-in-law; and that Xin An should not bear grudges. A merchant’s daughter marrying into a marquisate was luck enough; she ought to bring out half her dowry for Tang Rong, since he was the Heir Apparent, and cultivating good relations would be the wiser course.

Some even claimed that Tang Rong’s recent seclusion might be because Tang Mo had harmed him, with Tang Gang as accomplice.

As the rumors grew ever more ridiculous, Tang Gang flew into a rage upon hearing them. He immediately ordered a thorough investigation and demanded that the mastermind be found within twelve shichen.

Madam Wang sat wiping her tears and lamented to Tang Gang: “I start toiling before dawn and do not rest for a moment, yet they call me venomous and say I swallowed my elder sister’s dowry. Who does not know the true situation?”

She wept harder, accusing him: “Every line points at us three, mother and children. Now even you are no good. You tell me how you harmed him.”

She added bitterly: “From now on I need not go out at all; my name is in tatters. You might as well repudiate me.”

Tang Gang’s face went dark. In his mind, the first person he suspected was Tang Rong, and the thought startled him. [Since when did my impression of Tang Rong change, that he would be the first to come to mind?] Yet he did not dare believe his son would do something so foolish. But beyond Tang Rong, he had no second suspect.