Chapter 332

Chapter 333: Father, If I Don’t Feel For You, Who Will

Tang Mo suddenly felt that the muddleheaded father of Liao Zhi the old man had just described sounded rather like his own father, so he cut in with a straight face: “Father, are you not much the same as Liao Zhi’s father?”

Tang Gang was speechless for a beat.

Then he exploded, cursing: “You little bastard, if I wanted you dead, would I be letting you sit here babbling nonsense?”

Tang Mo leaned back tactically and muttered: “You are similar in two points at least, muddleheaded and partial. Dare you say you are not biased? You are so biased it shows.”

At that, Tang Gang stepped in and gave him a kick, snapping: “Shut up. One of these days you will be the death of me.”

He barked: “Are you going to listen or not? If not, get out.”

Tang Mo held up both hands: “I am listening, I am listening. I will keep my mouth shut.”

He sat back down like a model child. Tang Gang drew a deep breath and said, steady and cold: “I am telling you this so you will understand that Liao Zhi has only one road he can walk, and that is the Emperor’s. His life and everything he is rest in the Emperor’s hands. After his wife became pregnant, the Emperor gave him reward after reward, not because he values him more, but because he approves of his sense of timing.”

He warned: “Do not set your whole mind to currying favor with him. You must leave yourself a way out. I see that you and your wife are close with the Xu family. Every time your wife leaves the Xu residence she goes by the Second Prince’s manor. What exactly are you planning?”

Tang Gang had never spoken to Tang Mo about such matters before. This sudden formality and gravity made Tang Mo uneasy, even a little guilty; [the old man was proving sharper than he had expected].

Tang Mo said blandly: “What could we possibly be planning? We are being pulled along.”

He would never speak the whole truth. The explanation was simple: the Xu family had courted the Xin family first, leaving him and his wife passive.

He added with a shrug: “Which house can we afford to offend? Since others are willing to befriend us, we go along with the current. We neither cling close nor reject. We will see what they intend later.”

Then he grumbled: “And do not guard against us like we are thieves. What trouble could we two possibly stir up?”

Even so, Tang Gang did not feel at ease, especially not with Xin An. He knew well enough how capable women in the inner courtyard could be. They had only just come to the capital, and already she could enter this house and speak at that house, calling this one elder sister and that one younger sister, moving like a fish through water. She had a great deal of silver to spend on her ventures, and [the Grand Matron’s savings would be emptied by her sooner or later, the very thought made him angry].

He set his jaw: “No matter what you intend, you must remember this: in everything, put the marquisate’s interests first. Think matters through. If you cannot see clearly, come ask. Do not imagine that you understand everything.”

He concluded: “You must keep your wits about you regarding Liao Zhi. If you plunge in headfirst, the consequences are more than you can bear.”

Tang Mo’s expression turned sober: “I will consider it. But right now I am in no position to say no. I can only take it one step at a time.”

Tang Gang had no better solution either, and he dared not act rashly for fear of stirring the Emperor’s displeasure.

Tang Mo’s eyes turned and he said lightly: “But there is one thing I should make clear. My wife and I do not know much and have little experience. If we take a wrong step, it will inevitably implicate you, Father. Perhaps you could see if there is something you could give us, or someone you might introduce us to. Do not keep it all tucked away. Eldest Brother will not be using it for the time being. If you leave it in your own hands, will it not grow mold?”

Tang Gang shot him a fierce glare. Tang Mo lifted his hands in mock surrender and sighed: “Forget I said anything. I cannot afford to provoke your darling precious son. One of these days my wife and I will have to pack up and leave so we do not offend your eldest son’s eyes.”

He brightened wickedly: “Since I cannot touch your dear son’s things, you should at least give me some benefits.”

He stretched out his hand, the meaning plain: “I have been harmed so miserably by your stinking son again this time. Our husband-and-wife reputation is in tatters. If you will not let me swallow this insult, I fear I might dose him again. This time it will be a potent drug, and then I will find ten or eight faded courtesans for him. In the end they can give you ten or eight well-behaved grandchildren. Just imagine it: you come home from court, and ten grandchildren run toward you. Ah, how merry and lively that will be.”

“You wretch, you… I…” Tang Gang choked. Against his will, the scene sprang up before his eyes. The thought that he might have ten-odd grandchildren born under such circumstances made him not want to live.

He threatened hoarsely: “If you dare make trouble, believe it or not…”

“Break my legs, yes, I understand,” Tang Mo said with a cherubic smile. “By then you will have so many grandchildren and the clan will be thriving. I will no longer be important, and my wife and I will have run off long before, so you will have no chance to break my legs.”

“I…” Tang Gang felt a blackness wash over his vision. A wave of vertigo hit him; if he had not grabbed the table he might have fallen. Tang Mo darted forward in one step: “See? Just saying it makes you unwell. If I actually did it, would you not be driven to your grave?”

He softened his tone and sighed theatrically: “All right, all right. Since you are my father, if I do not feel for you, who will? As long as you give me a little benefit, we will let this matter rest.”

Seated again, Tang Gang drew a long breath and snapped: “Get out. You are already rich as oil and still want to pluck the passing goose. Have you gone mad for money?”

He spoke again before Tang Mo could cut in: “Your mother nearly emptied my storerooms to calm your wife’s nerves. You still want to sweep up the very dust of the storerooms?”

Tang Mo heaved a sigh: “There, you see, I am soft-hearted. I cannot bear to put pressure on you. You just take advantage of me.”

A shiver of disgust ran through Tang Gang. Tang Mo, all solicitude, poured him a cup of water. It was not that he truly felt for Tang Gang; he simply thought one should not slaughter the fattened pig too frequently. Better to take it slowly. [There would be opportunities later.]

Before leaving, he did not forget to add with a grin: “Remember to investigate for me. What if your reeking son truly wants to finish me off?”

He tapped his chest: “I am your darling son. You must protect me.”

“Out,” Tang Gang barked.

Just seeing that shameless grin made his head ache. He suddenly felt that Heaven, seeing his life had been too smooth, had deliberately sent this scoundrel to torment him.

Tang Mo then mentioned the banquet he had arranged and even put in a good word for Xin An: “Your daughter-in-law is not bad, is she? Very thorough.”

He reminded cheerfully: “At the New Year, remember to give her a big red envelope. Do not be stingy.”

Tang Gang drew a deep breath. Every time he finished speaking with this rascal, his chest hurt, and it always took a while before he felt normal again.

Steward Zhang watched Tang Mo leave with a smiling squint. When the second young master was away, one did not feel it so much, but the manor felt desolate. When he returned, it came alive again. He ventured to the Marquis with a grin: “Do you feel Second Young Master is becoming more and more outstanding? This time out, he suffered greatly and did not utter a single complaint. A sharp blade is forged by grinding. Second Young Master is sure to have an even brighter future.”

Tang Gang raised his eyes and asked evenly: “How many benefits have you collected?”

Steward Zhang coughed. “Second Young Madam’s New Year gift did arrive, but what I said is true.”

He sighed with heartfelt warmth: “Ah, Second Young Master is very filial to you. Truly father and son.”

Tang Gang let out two dry laughs: “When did you go blind?”

It seemed he had been accepting quite a few gifts lately.

His thoughts turned. At a time like this, why had the elder daughter-in-law still not acted? The whole household needed tending and greasing. Without greasing, who would carry whispers to Chun Hua Courtyard? [Could she not see that the entire manor was already full of the second daughter-in-law’s ears and eyes?] She was only pregnant; it was not as if she were bedridden. And even if she were bedridden, her mouth could still speak. How hard was it to give a few instructions?

His elder son’s present predicament had half his wife’s “credit” to it. [It made his temples throb just thinking about it.]