Chapter 342

Chapter 343: Half the Credit Belongs to You

After the envoy departed, Tang Gang turned and looked at Tang Mo, his expression complicated. He had already known that His Majesty the Emperor viewed this lad with special favor, but he had not expected such weight. With a bestowed dish set apart specifically for him, so long as he did not make mistakes, this year would certainly be the year he rose to prominence; he might even be promoted. It truly was the case that one planted flowers deliberately and they did not bloom, yet planted willows without meaning to and they cast shade.

Tang Mo, having no mind to notice him, grinned as he carried the food box over to Xin An and deliberately lowered his voice: “Half the credit belongs to you. Eat more later.”

Though he spoke softly, several nearby still heard and could not help teasing the young couple, leaving Xin An blushing scarlet.

When everyone returned to the dining hall and sat down, the freshly bestowed dishes were set in the center of the table. Madam Zhao spoke first in bright spirits: “I have long heard of His Majesty the Emperor bestowing dishes. Today I have finally seen it with my own eyes. We all share in the honor.”

At the next table, Tang Yu chimed in cheerfully, and took the chance to remind Tang Nan and the others that in the new year they must not slack off, but study even harder than at home, taking their second cousin as an example.

The complexity in Tang Gang’s heart was soon set aside, leaving only joy. Smiling, he instructed Tang Mo: “Take two tofu-skin rolls to your grandmother.”

Tang Mo rose with a laugh, and Xin An, smiling with her eyes crinkled, stood up as well. Three Delicacy Egg Custard was, after all, steamed eggs topped with several kinds of seafood. She personally ladled half a small bowl and offered it with both hands before the Grand Matron: “Grandmother, please taste.”

Tang Mo’s tofu-skin rolls were also brought over. With two imperial dishes before her, the Grand Matron was all delight, her smile so broad her eyes could hardly be seen. “Good, good, good. New year, new fortune. This is an excellent omen. In the year to come, all of us will go smoothly and rise steadily.”

“Everyone, pick up your chopsticks,” she said. “Let us share the palace’s blessing.”

At such a moment she felt no regret that the one so honored was not her eldest grandson. So long as it was someone who could win honor for the marquis’s residence, she liked them.

Xin An personally served custard to several elders, Madam Zhang included. She was learning to keep her joy and anger from showing on her face, to be more self-possessed. Madam Zhang felt a little awkward, but pulled out a smile.

Tang Gang was happy too, and in his good mood he drank a few extra cups.

At the table everyone chatted and laughed with genuine feeling. Only Tang Rong was forcing a smile, his emotions long since surging within. [So that is why, that is why he wants to send me out of the capital. It turns out Tang Mo has already won His Majesty the Emperor’s favor.] [The Northern Garrison Army’s post ought to have been mine. If I had not yielded it to Tang Mo, the glory today would have been mine.] [If even Tang Mo can swim like a fish in the Northern Garrison Army, why could I not?]

After the meal, they sat and drank tea. Naturally, Tang Mo became the center of attention and received much encouragement from the elders. Even Wei Liang Cai praised him warmly. There were many who could do their assignments well, and many who had backing, but few enjoyed imperial favor. A single bestowed dish was enough for him to see Tang Mo’s potential.

After chatting for a while, Tang Mo led several lads off to set off firecrackers.

However steady or studious a boy might be, there were none who did not like firecrackers when they met them.

Keeping vigil to see in the New Year was hard to endure. To while away the time, Xin An also led several young ladies in playing cards. In truth few of them knew how, but learning as they played was lively enough.

Even so, by the time they returned to their rooms they could hardly keep their eyes open. Falling onto the bed, Xin An’s eyelids refused to lift, and Tang Mo resigned himself to stepping forward to serve her.

Early the next morning, all the younger generation of the residence gathered at Chun Rong Hall to pay New Year’s respects to the Grand Matron. Her face was full of joy. Red envelopes were handed out one by one, and auspicious phrases spoken one after another. The whole courtyard bustled.

Afterward, Tang Rong and Tang Mo led all the juniors to pay respects to Tang Gang and Madam Wang. Seeing so many outstanding lads, Tang Gang’s face glowed, and Madam Wang beamed with happiness. Once they had received their red envelopes, they went to pay respects to Tang Yu and Madam Zhao.

When it was Wei Liang Cai and Madam Zhang’s turn, everyone discovered that the Wei family had prepared unusually generous New Year’s money. Tang Mo exclaimed in surprise, “Uncle, why so much?”

The Grand Matron had given only one hundred taels per person, yet Wei Liang Cai gave six hundred taels each, and even the Tang family clan’s lads received sixty taels apiece. What a lavish hand.

Wei Liang Cai said with a hearty smile: “We should have prepared gifts when we came, but our departure was too rushed and we did not have time. My wife and I discussed it and decided to make the New Year’s money larger, combining two intentions into one. That is why it looks like more. Buy whatever you like.”

With these words he neatly covered the fact that they had not brought formal gifts into the residence. The Grand Matron laughed and said, “You are their uncle; why be so polite when visiting your nephews’ home? The expense is too great. In the future you must not be so formal. Your coming makes the children happy. Even if you bring nothing, they are delighted. Do not spoil these boys.”

Wei Liang Cai added a few more courtesies and so thoroughly wiped away the earlier matter, feeling a rush of relief.

Compared with Tang Mo’s delight, Tang Rong’s heart was more a mix of flavors. [That was his blood uncle, yet there was not the slightest partiality toward him.]

After the formal greetings, the younger ones in the residence began to chat and play on their own. Having received abundant gifts, they clamored to go out for a turn about town. Tang Mo did not dare take so many people out at once; naturally he pulled Tang Rong in on the riskier task. With Tang Gang’s permission, a large group of lads and girls went noisily out of the residence.

From the second day of the new year they began visiting relatives and friends. This year, unlike years past, Tang Gang had both Tang Rong and Tang Mo at his side wherever he went. In previous years, only Tang Rong had had the chance to accompany him in receiving friends and hosting kinsmen. The message carried in this change could not help but make the discerning add two degrees of consideration. With the news of Tang Mo’s bestowed dish spreading, Tang Mo officially became a figure in every household’s eyes, no longer linked with the word playboy.

By contrast, Tang Rong, the marquis’s Heir Apparent who had once been so illustrious, now seemed to be standing behind his younger brother.

Xin An’s standing rose in tandem. When she went out, those ladies who used to treat her perfunctorily would now exchange a few more words with her. At night, with the door closed, husband and wife discussed these matters at length.

Quietly, Xin An sent a generous gift to her Sister Xu, generous in truth: a banknote for five thousand taels from a money house. She only said that when Tang Mo had gone with Commander Liao to the army he had seen those soldiers with military merits living in hardship, and could not bear it, so he wanted to offer some help.

“This thoughtfulness came at just the right time. You can be counted as having brought money into the household,” said Madam Liao, putting the banknote back into a small coffer. “During the New Year the expenses are everywhere. Just giving the soldiers in your army a proper meat feast cost over a hundred pigs their lives. Then there are clothes, shoes, socks, and all kinds of subsidies. Our residence is now so poor it jingles.”

Since being prompted by Tang Mo, Liao Zhi had begun to take an interest in the household’s affairs. He even sought an opportunity to back his wife and establish her authority, and personally flipped through the accounts. He had been shocked to see that he alone had spent several tens of thousands of taels in a year, all money his wife had managed to bring in. A backbone that had seemed hard as iron suddenly softened, and he lost his confidence when he spoke. As one fell and the other rose, Madam Liao now carried herself with even more presence, and her authority in the residence grew still greater.