Compared to Tang Gang’s lonely evening at home, Wang Shi was in high spirits.
The cuju match had been thrilling to watch, the tavern’s dishes were delicious, and—best of all—she was surrounded by her son, daughter-in-law, and her maiden family. The comfort and joy of that simple togetherness were beyond words. Normally she drank little, but tonight she even had two cups of wine.
After the meal, Tang Mo suggested they stroll through the night market. Since they were already out and enjoying themselves, the Wangs readily agreed. Laughing and chatting, they walked down the bustling streets.
Wang Shi’s nephew, Wang Shi, had been holding back for a long while before finally blurting out, “Cousin Tang, could you lend me a few books to read?”
He knew the Marquis’s household possessed an impressive collection, but had never dared to ask before—fearing it might trouble his aunt. Besides, the old Tang Mo had always been overly polite and distant toward them, which made such requests awkward.
“If it’s inconvenient, pretend I never mentioned it.”
Tang Mo blinked, then smiled. “That’s my fault for not thinking of it sooner. The household collection is vast, yet I’m no scholar myself. You, cousin, are gifted. With diligence, you’ll surely earn a name on the examination rolls one day.”
“I’ll have some books sent to you tomorrow. Just one condition—those volumes were part of my late grandfather’s collection. Handle them with care. Once you’re done, return them through my servants, and I’ll send you more.”
Wang Shi’s face lit up with joy. He cupped his hands respectfully. “Thank you, cousin!”
“We’re brothers,” Tang Mo said with a smile. “No need for thanks.”
“You silly boy,” Wang Shi scolded lightly. “Why didn’t you say something sooner if you wanted to borrow books?”
“It only came to me today,” Wang Tu added. “I’ve read most of what’s on the market already. A noble household must have rarer works, so I thought to ask while we were here.”
“In future,” Wang Shi said warmly, “if there’s anything you need, come to your aunt. If I don’t have it, your cousin will help find it.”
She had always taken a special interest in this nephew.
“Cousin-in-law,” Wang Bao’er piped up suddenly, “is your family very rich?”
Xin An laughed. “Why do you ask that?”
“You’ve given me so many gifts!”
Xin An had grown up in wealth and was generous by nature. She never fretted over prices—if she liked something, she bought it. Wang Bao’er was sweet and well-behaved, and Xin An, delighted by her, had bought her many small trinkets—though in Xin An’s eyes, none of them were worth much.
“My family runs business,” she explained with a smile. “We’re a little better off than most.”
Wang Bao’er grinned. “Then may I visit you at the Marquis’s residence?”
“Of course you may.”
Xin An took her hand. “You’re always welcome there.”
Hearing this, Wang Shi turned to Madame Wang and said that when the weather cooled, she would invite Bao’er to stay for a while at the Marquis’s household. The girl was only ten—too young for marriage talks yet—but it was never too soon to raise her profile. Staying at the Marquis’s estate would elevate her standing.
Madame Wang, however, shook her head. “There’s no rush. For our family to prosper, we must rely on Bao’er’s two elder brothers. You have enough burdens in the Marquis’s residence. Let the girl visit often, but there’s no need for her to stay.”
The Wang family, unaware of the true reason behind the marriage swap, believed that Wang Shi and her son had been mistreated. Wang Mian, angry but powerless due to the family’s weaker standing, placed his hopes on his sons instead. He also reminded them not to trouble their aunt—being a jishi (second/successor wife) was difficult enough without a troublesome maiden family making things worse.
Wang Shi did not press the matter, though her heart stung with quiet bitterness.
After the night market stroll, the families said their farewells. Wang Bao’er was reluctant to part, clutching the small trinkets Xin An had bought her as she climbed into the carriage. Wang Mian laughed and exchanged a few friendly words with Tang Mo before urging him to take his mother home, lest Tang Gang grow displeased at their late return.
When Wang Shi returned to the Marquis’s residence and learned that Tang Gang had waited for her all evening, she dismissed Tang Mo and Xin An to rest—she and her husband had much to discuss tonight.
“Isn’t it strange,” Tang Mo mused when they entered their chambers, “how people change? Before I had my duties, I found the days endless—nothing to do, time dragging on. But now it feels as though the days vanish in the blink of an eye.”
Xin An nodded, smiling faintly. “That’s because life feels lighter when you have something to do.”
“Come, let’s talk about yesterday’s banquet.”
Since the Shuihua Banquet ended, the two of them had not yet compared notes—a discussion long overdue.
After washing up, they sat cross-legged on the edge of the bed, each with a fan in hand, quietly exchanging what they’d learned and planning their next steps.
“You’re really planning to send word to father-in-law?”
Tang Mo wasn’t surprised that the Xu family wanted to buy sugar—only that they had approached the Xin family about it.
“I think there’s more to this,” Xin An said thoughtfully. “If I write to Father, I’ll feel more at ease.”
Xin An paused. “But you should also consider hiring an adviser. These matters are getting too complex—neither of us can foresee every angle.”
“An adviser? For me?” Tang Mo asked, half amused, half intrigued.
“Even if I wanted one,” he said, “I doubt I could find anyone willing.”
Xin An grew serious. “What we’re trying to achieve isn’t easy. I’m just a woman of the inner court—my upbringing and experience don’t prepare me for schemes of this scale. But you—are you so much better? Do you have that kind of foresight?”
Tang Mo was struck speechless.
“I’ve been thinking about this these past two days,” Xin An continued. “There’s no shame in recognizing one’s own limits. The man next door may not yet realize your potential threat, but if he ever decides to crush you, you might not stand a chance.”
“But,” she added with a spark in her eyes, “you can hire help.”
Tang Mo raised an eyebrow. “From the way you’re talking, you already have someone in mind?”
“Of course,” Xin An said confidently.
She was referring to a man who, in her previous life, had served under Tang Rong—a fallen scholar named Luo Qiwen. After moving into the Marquis’s residence, Xin An had personally managed his living stipends and thus knew his background well.
“He should be studying now at Wangping Academy in the western part of the city. His family once prospered—they still own a small house there. He lives with his elderly mother and younger brother. Later, after misfortune struck, they had to sell their ancestral home. But the man is clever. Tang Rong’s smooth inheritance of the title and later success in court owed much to him.”
“Later, thanks to Tang Rong’s recommendation, he earned official rank. If you act now, you could intercept him.”
She winked. “We may lack extraordinary wisdom, but we have something better—money. We can buy his wisdom.”
Tang Mo’s face lit up. He gave her a thumbs-up. “I knew it—you’re my lucky star.”
Xin An lifted her chin proudly. “If you can secure his service, we’ll both have a much easier road ahead.”
“Oh—and the savings I kept for you are nearly gone,” she added pointedly. “I put more silver in your drawer.”
She gave him a mock-disdainful glance. “Honestly—you’ve saved almost nothing, yet you have the reputation of a man who loves to compete. A name without substance.”
Tang Mo laughed sheepishly. It was true—he wasn’t exactly wealthy. “I still have a few antiques and paintings, though—not entirely destitute.”
Outside, the moon hung bright and stars glittered faintly. In another courtyard, light still burned in Tang Gang and Wang Shi’s chambers. Wang Shi had no intention of keeping her new discovery to herself—Tang Gang needed to hear the truth about the family he had chosen for their son.
“What did you just say?”
Tang Gang could hardly believe his ears. His first reaction was to suspect Wang Shi of exaggeration—after all, he couldn’t exactly go to the Tao family and ask. Then suspicion turned toward the Countess of Changning: perhaps she had fabricated the whole story in malice.
But Wang Shi only lifted her gaze and said coldly, “Then tell me—doesn’t that woman behave exactly like a concubine?”