Chapter 327

Chapter 328: Madam Zhang no longer wants to live in the marquis’s residence

It only proves how seasoned Wei Liang Cai is in officialdom; with just a few words he redefined the whole affair as a misunderstanding: Tang Rong had merely vented his pent-up frustration, and Madam Zhang became the maternal aunt who, out of heartache for her nephew, did a foolish thing.

Having spoken both the good and the bad, he left Madam Wang feeling a touch of regret.

She had planned to press further, but under these circumstances it was no longer suitable to cling to the matter.

His attitude was sincere; he admitted fault, apologized, and promised to handle the aftermath. What else could she say?

Even Tang Gang felt that Wei Liang Cai had told the truth; in any case, he did not wish to believe Tang Rong capable of such a deed, and he only grew more addicted to deceiving himself.

Taking the offered slope to dismount, Tang Rong admitted that annoyance had made him speak too much, explaining: “During the festival Father and Second Brother were busy without rest. I should have shared Father’s burdens, but instead I had to stay in my courtyard nursing my injuries and could do nothing. It is natural I felt stifled and low. When Maternal Aunt visited, after a few words of small talk I confided in her. I did not expect her to misunderstand. This was my thoughtlessness. From now on I will guard my tongue and will not let such a thing happen again.”

On the surface the matter seemed resolved, but in his heart he understood [he had completely lost his uncle’s support, and the loss was by no means small].

He also felt [a growing resentment toward Madam Zhang; she truly could not accomplish the slightest task and had disgusted him more than once for nothing].

Under the warning look in Wei Liang Cai’s eyes, Madam Zhang reluctantly apologized to Madam Wang. As for the other victim, Xin An, she considered herself the elder and saw no reason for an elder to apologize to a junior, so she did not mention it at all.

Once the Wei family and Tang Rong left, Madam Wang turned her aim on Tang Gang and mercilessly tore open his self-deception, saying: “When a son grows up, he is no longer governed by his mother, nor by you as Father. Fooling yourself occasionally is one thing, but do not become addicted to it.”

She continued, her words sharp: “Last time it was so, and this time it is the same. The fault is always someone else’s, and he is always innocent. What a pure, blameless little white flower.”

She pressed the warning home: “Today, for your sake, I will accept what they said as truth, but as Marquis you had better keep the real situation in mind. Do not wait until a knife is plunged straight into your heart and still think he is innocent.”

Her tone turned coldly ironic: “For the dignified Heir Apparent of a marquis’s household to rely on women’s tricks and have not the slightest sense of responsibility, truly, Marquis, you have raised your son well.”

With that she rolled her eyes and let him stew in it, then, right before him, she opened the storeroom, selected a few valuable items, and said she would take them to calm Xin An’s nerves. Tang Gang did not say a single word.

Xin An, seeing the few costly pieces, could not help but laugh and cry as one. Nan Feng had just told her what happened in the front compound. She had meant to go offer a few words to comfort her mother-in-law, but instead the latter arrived without the slightest attempt to conceal anything, bearing such fine things.

Xin An teased, smiling: “Mother, are you moving Father’s storeroom again?”

Madam Wang entered, sat, and began to drink tea. She truly had been enraged; only after a full cup went down did the fire in her chest subside a little. In a few words she outlined the essentials for Xin An, then said, calm and practical: “Now that the whole city says I am a vicious stepmother, why should I bother to be discreet?”

She added plainly: “I never intended to use this to crush him. Your Father is partial, and your Grandmother will not allow his reputation to be harmed. The best we can do is force the Wei family to distance themselves from him.”

Xin An felt that was already the best outcome. There was no help for it; he was the favored one. So long as he did not completely touch Tang Gang’s bottom line, he would be forgiven. [When he was injured before, didn’t they visit Chun Hua Courtyard every single day? When it was Tang Mo who was injured, bedridden for many days yet still bringing back merit, Tang Rong managed only one visit, and that because he had something to ask. Weeds and jewels cannot be compared.]

“Uncle Wei is a clear-sighted man who knows what to keep and what to give up,” Xin An said.

Chun Lv came in carrying two bowls of bird’s nest soup; she set them down and withdrew. Xin An handed one to Madam Wang and soothed her with a steady tone: “Take the edge off your anger. It is nothing serious. Rumors stop with the wise. Ordinary folk only watch the spectacle; anyone with discernment can see what happened at a glance. It will not affect us.”

Madam Wang accepted the bowl, took a spoonful, and confessed with a weary half laugh: “After a bout of anger, I find I am a little hungry.”

She sighed again, wry but not surprised: “Say what you will, Madam Zhang really is blessed. Even after all this, Wei Liang Cai still shields her.” It turns out that the saying is true: fools are often favored by fortune.

Xin An smiled and lifted her own bowl. When Madam Wang had set her chopsticks down, Xin An mentioned the gift she had sent to Prince Jin’s residence, saying: “People from the estate said Princess Consort Jin loves jasmine, so I had some cultivated. Prince Jin’s residence has invited me to a banquet after the New Year.”

Madam Wang was not surprised and praised her matter-of-factly: “In the matter of social ties, you are far more capable than I. The road ahead for you and the second one will be hard; if you can open some paths, it is a good thing.”

She repeated the promise she had made before, warm but firm: “As for matters outside, Mother cannot help you, but within the manor I will see you are not distracted, and I will not allow those two next door to disturb you.”

A child not one’s own is different; even if you treat him well, he will not be grateful, and he may bite you back at any time.

Half an hour later, Xin An, as if nothing had happened, went to Ning Xiang Courtyard. The three girls looked at her with worried eyes, no doubt having heard the talk outside. Xin An seized the chance to give them a lesson, showing them what it meant to remain unflinching even if Mount Tai collapsed overhead, and said with calm clarity: “It is a small thing. In the future you may encounter all sorts of unexpected events. The first principle is not to panic. So long as it is not a matter of life and death, it is a small matter and can be solved.”

Madam Zhao stepped forward with a smile and encouraged them: “Learn more from your Second Sister-in-law. This composure alone is worth learning.”

After all, she had been a daughter-in-law in this house for only half a year. With such ugly rumors outside, another woman would have cried herself into a state long ago.

Xin An remained in Ning Xiang Courtyard for half a day. By the next day, more and more families came to the marquis’s residence with narcissus and New Year gifts. Madam Wang began arranging to send out the household’s gifts in return, and Xin An helped register every gift received so they could increase or decrease the reciprocation accordingly.

Wei Liang Cai also did his part. He first sent compensation gifts to Madam Wang and Xin An, then he personally went to the busiest teahouse in the city to declare that the rumors were baseless. As head of the Wei clan, he vouched that Madam Wang was a compassionate mother and that Xin An and Tang Mo were good children. He also spent money behind the scenes to guide public opinion and turned the tide.

All told, from the moment he entered the marquis’s residence until now, he had spent more than twenty thousand taels of silver. It was not crippling, but it was a major loss. He regretted not preparing lavish gifts when they first came to the marquis’s residence; then both face and substance would have been secured. Now they had offended people and spent money besides, far too passive a position.

Seeing so much silver go out, Madam Zhang ached to the point of trembling and lay in bed the entire day. Wei Liang Cai had wanted to explain to her in meticulous detail that Tang Rong had used her as a cat’s paw, but he worried she could not keep her mouth shut and would march straight to confront Tang Rong, tearing the relationship apart completely.

In the midst of his headache, Madam Zhang spoke up and asked weakly: “Do we really have to wait until the third day to leave?”

Having suffered losses one after another, she felt the marquis’s residence was jinxed for her and no longer wanted to stay.

Wei Liang Cai said that, precisely now, they must not depart; what difference would that be from fleeing in disgrace. They had already apologized and done their best to make amends. They would have to wait until the third day of the New Year to leave. He instructed with forced patience: “Stay quietly in the courtyard. If you are truly bored, take the children out for a turn and purchase some things to take to the post. Money is an external thing. It will come again.”

He added a final caution: “Try to go to Chun Hua Courtyard as little as possible.”

“I will not go,” Madam Zhang answered listlessly.

Then she asked with lingering resentment: “Truly he did not bring us any money?” She had suffered such heavy losses for Tang Rong; should he not have come with rich gifts to visit them? [He really is no good at all.]