In the past, whenever Nanny Cai voiced her opinions, Tang Rong would at least listen, even if he didn’t act on them. But this time, he didn’t let her touch the dowry at all. Instead, he carefully handed the keys and the account records to Tao Yiran, entrusting her with their safekeeping.
Nanny Cai clenched her fists. She had suffered a great loss in the other courtyard yesterday, and the servants were all mocking her. She had to regain her authority as soon as possible.
“Young Master,” she called out, stopping Tang Rong just as he was about to escort Tao Yiran inside. “Now that Young Madam has entered the household, and today is such an auspicious day, it would be appropriate for her to offer a cup of tea to the Madam as well.”
This time, not only did Tang Rong find her words reasonable, but Tao Yiran also agreed. “I should indeed pay my respects to Mother. Please make the arrangements, Nanny Cai.”
Immediately, Nanny Cai instructed the people of Spring Blossom Courtyard to prepare. In no time, the setting was arranged, but when Tao Yiran arrived, she was met with an unexpected sight—Nanny Cai stood there holding the memorial tablet of the late Marchioness, while a chair was placed prominently in the center, with a prayer mat laid out before it. Though there was an altar, she still chose to cradle the tablet in her arms.
Tao Yiran’s dowry maid, Nanny Liu, immediately understood what she was trying to do and smiled as she asked, “Nanny Cai, why have you brought down the late Marchioness’s memorial tablet?”
Nanny Cai’s expression was solemn. “The late Marchioness loved the Young Master dearly in life, and even in her final moments, her greatest concern was for him. Now that the Young Master is married, she would surely be overjoyed. It is only right that she personally receives this daughter-in-law’s tea.”
Nanny Liu continued to smile, though her tone was laced with meaning. “The late Marchioness was a noble and kind-hearted woman. Surely, she would have wanted to spare her daughter-in-law from undue hardship. Since Nanny Cai has thought this through so thoroughly, why not invite the current Marchioness to receive the tea on the late Marchioness’s behalf?”
The audacity of this old woman! How dare she try to take the honor of accepting the Young Madam’s tea on behalf of the late Marchioness?
Nanny Cai turned her gaze toward Tang Rong, certain that he, the child she had raised, would grant her this dignity.
But Tang Rong furrowed his brows. “Nanny Cai, please return my mother’s memorial tablet to the altar. She was kind-hearted and would have liked Yiran.”
The smile on Nanny Liu’s lips deepened. With a single look, two maids stepped forward and removed the chair. Nanny Cai’s face darkened, but she had no choice but to step back and place the tablet back on the altar.
Tao Yiran knelt, and a maid handed her the tea. But just as the teacup reached her hands, a startled cry rang out.
The tea spilled, the cup clattering to the floor. Scalding liquid splashed onto her knees, burning her enough to make her eyes well with tears. Nanny Liu rushed forward and scolded, “Who prepared this tea? Sending it out while it’s still boiling—do you mean to prevent the late Marchioness from drinking it?”
Nanny Cai had initially planned to reprimand Tao Yiran, but now her words stuck in her throat. Instead, she turned around and slapped the little maid who had carried the tea. “You wretched girl! You can’t even handle such a simple task properly.”
The maid didn’t dare protest and quickly retreated to fetch fresh tea.
Tang Rong, distressed by Tao Yiran’s pain, wanted to take her inside to apply medicine. But despite her tear-filled eyes, she stubbornly shook her head. “Mother hasn’t had my tea yet. I’m fine.”
Tang Rong’s heart ached even more. He began to feel a hint of dissatisfaction toward Nanny Cai. Finally, after much trouble, the tea ceremony was completed, and he wasted no time in carrying Tao Yiran back to their room to tend to her injury.
That evening, Tang Mo received news from the other courtyard and sneered.
“And she had the nerve to say she was ‘letting me have’ the Yellow Jade Peony Courtyard?”
“Anyone who didn’t know better would think she already owned it in the first place.”
Xin An wasn’t the least bit surprised by Tao Yiran’s actions but was curious about Tang Mo’s reaction. “I remember you used to treasure her, worshiping her like some divine being. Shouldn’t you have already known she’s not the type to fight for anything? Why the righteous indignation now?”
Tang Mo shot her a glare. “Didn’t my dear elder brother always act as though he doted on his wife? Now you want to poison him just to put him out of your misery.”
Xin An rolled her eyes dramatically. Tang Mo laughed bitterly at himself. “Tao Yiran has always been lenient toward herself and harsh on others. She’s an expert at putting on a show while shoving blame onto others. Tang Rong probably expects her to fight for that Yellow Jade Peony. Meanwhile, Tao Yiran expects him to do it for her. Do you think they’ll eventually turn on each other?”
Xin An sighed, feeling a storm of emotions. “I deserved to lose to Tao Yiran.”
Tang Rong had merely used her; he genuinely loved Tao Yiran. The difference was glaringly obvious.
“In my past life, Nanny Cai gave me a terrible time. First, because Tang Rong never truly cared for me, he didn’t mind if I suffered. Second, because the Xin family lacked noble status, Nanny Cai always used my birth as an excuse to look down on me. Even though I had the means to argue back, I held back for Tang Rong’s sake. My maids—Wang Gugu, Chunyang, Chunlü—all followed my example, so we all lived stifled lives.”
“But whether she was with you or later attached herself to Tang Rong, Tao Yiran always lived well. She never suffered even a moment’s grievance.”
Xin An had secretly hoped that Nanny Cai would make things difficult for Tao Yiran today. How ridiculous.
Tang Rong saw everything clearly—he just hadn’t cared to look at Xin An.
Tang Mo turned abruptly, gripping his cup tightly. “Explain that properly. ‘Later attached herself to Tang Rong’? When? How?”
Xin An, feeling drained, wasn’t in the mood to explain. But Tang Mo paced back and forth, hands on his hips. “Did Tang Rong force her? Of course! They were just a lonely mother and son in that estate. Who knows what you put them through? Seeking Tang Rong’s help must have been her only choice.”
Xin An lifted her eyelids slightly. “If lying to yourself makes you feel better, I won’t stop you.”
Tang Mo froze mid-step, then let out a bitter laugh. “Yeah, I guess I am fooling myself.”
She had been flirting with Tang Rong while he was still alive—why would she need to be forced?
“Tell me—if she never had feelings for me, why did she agree to marry me?”
That question had haunted him in his past life.
“Simple,” Xin An said. “She was betting on your mother’s abilities. She was gambling on whether you would survive long enough to inherit the title. You do realize the Tao family originally planned to send her to the Second Prince’s estate as a concubine, right?”
Tang Mo’s stunned expression answered for him—he had never known.
Xin An exhaled slowly. “I learned this while chatting with other noble ladies. She had tried to win the Second Prince’s favor, and he did take an interest in her. But his wife’s father was a general with military power, a decisive and ruthless woman who personally humiliated Tao Yiran. The Second Prince, still relying on his wife’s family, didn’t dare offend her.”
“Though the scandal was never widely publicized, many noble families caught wind of it. After that, her prospects narrowed. She picked through her options, and you—well, you were just the tallest dwarf in the lineup. If you had inherited the title, she would’ve hit the jackpot. But now that Tang Rong is the rightful heir, do you think she’d hesitate?”
Tang Mo let out a bitter chuckle. Finally, he understood—he had never been her first choice.