RMBLCUCS – Chapter 25: Tang Mo Has Struck It Rich!!!
At the entrance of Yu Dao Xian Lou, three people arrived—Yan Shimao from the Marquis of Qing’s Residence, Xie Changyou from the Marquis of Chang’s Residence, and Wei Ye from the Academy Scholar’s Residence. Xin An had a deep impression of these three men. They were all second sons of their respective families, known for idling around the city, cockfighting, and gambling, but they were also loyal and had been friends with Tang Mo for years.
In her past life, after Tang Mo’s death, these three had even blocked her path, questioning her about his death. For a long time, they opposed her at every turn, making her grit her teeth in hatred.
Tang Mo peeked his head out, and upon seeing them, he immediately smiled and turned to Xin Kuan. “Father-in-law, I have three friends here. I’ll go greet them.”
“Go ahead.”
Xin Kuan had already decided to fully enjoy himself today, waving his hand dismissively. “No need to rush back.”
Xin Huan wanted to follow, but Madame Xin pulled him back. “Must you be everywhere? Sit down.”
Xin Huan sighed, mumbling that it was fun hanging out with his brother-in-law, but unfortunately, he would be leaving soon. “Had I known earlier, I would have spent more time with Brother-in-Law before he got married.”
Everyone’s eyes turned to him. Xin An’s mouth twitched—her younger brother suddenly didn’t seem so smart anymore. “When you go back, focus on expanding our family business. But don’t just fixate on salt—though it’s highly profitable, it’s also risky. Find other businesses with moderate profits that don’t attract too much attention as a backup.”
Madame Xin shot a glare at Xin Huan. “Listen to your sister. You’re about to get married, yet all you think about is playing.”
“We agreed today was just for fun, no business talk. And here you go again.”
Xin Huan pouted in dissatisfaction. Xin Kuan chuckled without paying him any mind, leaving Xin Huan sulking in frustration.
Downstairs, Tang Mo greeted his three friends with a smile, but before he could say a word, they surrounded him.
“What’s going on with you?”
The three of them already knew that Tang Mo’s wife had been switched. The entire city was abuzz with gossip. Xie Changyou gritted his teeth. “Did Tang Rong set you up again? Don’t hide it from us. We’ll help you get revenge.”
Yan Shimao nodded firmly. “How can we let go of such an insult?”
Wei Ye scrutinized Tang Mo. “We were going to find you a couple of days ago but figured the Tang family must be in chaos. Now that we’ve run into you, you’d better tell us everything.”
Upstairs, in a private room, Tang Mo didn’t hide anything. With just a few sentences, he explained the situation. His friends gritted their teeth in anger.
“How shameless! To pull something this despicable!”
“Scheming and hypocritical! I knew he wasn’t a good person. He thought that once the deed was done, you wouldn’t be able to do anything about it.”
“What about your biased old man? Did he beat Tang Rong to death?”
Tang Mo gave a bitter smile. “What else could he do? He made him kneel in the ancestral hall for an hour and then let him go. Gave him some benefits to shut me up.”
None of them were eldest sons—they had all been raised to listen to their older brothers. But at least in their families, their elder brothers weren’t completely selfish. Even if resources were skewed in favor of the firstborn, they weren’t left with nothing, and their brothers even protected them. Tang Mo, however, had a brother who wanted to hoard everything for himself.
“Your old man’s bias is off the charts. You’re a legitimate heir, and yet he treats you like this.”
“Why didn’t you take advantage of this? At a time like this, you could have demanded anything, and he would’ve had to give it to you.”
Though they were furious, there wasn’t much they could do other than vent their anger.
Tang Mo grinned. “Well, I’ve actually come out ahead in all this. My wife Xin An is truly something—beautiful, lively, and sharp-witted. She despises Tang Rong to the core, and she and I are of one mind now.”
“My father-in-law’s family is great too—straightforward, warm, and generous. They’re heading home in a few days, so I brought them out for a stroll today. They’re in a private room just ahead.”
Wei Ye frowned slightly. “You’d better think carefully. The Tao family is an influential government household, while the Xin family is just salt merchants. The gap between them is enormous.”
Xie Changyou and Yan Shimao shared the same concern.
Tang Mo, of course, had thought it through more clearly than they had. After all, he had personally experienced the Tao family’s nature in his past life. “I know my own limits. The Tao family would have always looked down on me. I don’t have grand ambitions—having a wealthy father-in-law who cherishes me is far more comfortable.”
His friends fell silent, their expressions heavy. They assumed Tang Mo was simply putting on a brave face.
Tang Mo cheerfully reassured them, insisting that he truly had no regrets. “Come, let me introduce you to my father-in-law. He’s had to swallow some grievances, so do me a favor and show him some respect.”
The three got up, adjusting their attire and closing their folding fans. “Let’s leave a good impression on Third Brother’s father-in-law.”
Since things couldn’t be changed, there was no point in being angry. It was better to look ahead.
When they arrived, Tang Mo made the introductions. Immediately, his friends started their antics.
Yan Shimao stepped forward with a grin. “Uncle Xin, I am Yan Shimao, a close friend of Tang Mo. Meeting you today feels like destiny—we immediately hit it off. Since you are Tang Mo’s father-in-law, that makes you our elder.”
“Uncle Xin, I’m Xie Changyou, Tang Mo’s sworn brother outside the residence—we’re as close as if we wore the same pair of pants.”
“Uncle Xin, I’m Wei Ye. If you ever visit the capital again, just look for me. I know all the fun spots and will make sure you have a great time.”
Before entering, they had planned to maintain some dignity, but as soon as they spoke, their true natures were revealed.
Xin An smiled—now that they weren’t her enemies, they actually seemed quite likable.
Xin Kuan exchanged pleasantries with them, and then they turned to Madame Xin, bowing in unison. “Greetings, Madam.”
Madame Xin was delighted. She wanted to give them a token gift but hadn’t prepared anything. After some fumbling, she pulled out a stack of silver banknotes, handing them two each. “Since you are my son-in-law’s brothers, as his mother-in-law, I should give you a meeting gift. I wasn’t prepared today, so I hope you don’t mind this simple token.”
Each note was worth one hundred taels. The three were overjoyed.
Despite their seemingly extravagant lifestyles, they all lived off their family allowances—Yan Shimao received the highest at twenty taels a month, while Wei Ye had only twelve. Occasionally, they got some extra money from their mothers or from their barely-profitable tea house. Two hundred taels was a fortune!
At that moment, they almost wanted to call Madame Xin “Mother-in-Law,” but they barely managed to restrain themselves. “Madam is too generous.”
“Indeed, Madam is truly kind—we are overwhelmed by your favor.”
“A gift from an elder cannot be refused. We shall shamelessly accept.”
No wonder Tang Mo looked so smug—he had truly hit the jackpot.
If they got two hundred taels each, how much had he received? Two thousand?
Tang Mo… he’s made it big!!!
Tang Mo was quite pleased—his friends knew how to keep the atmosphere lively, making the interaction smooth and comfortable. He then formally introduced Xin An to the three of them.
Upon seeing her, they found that she was truly as beautiful as a blooming peach blossom, elegant like drifting clouds. At first, they greeted her properly, showing respect. But soon after, they couldn’t resist teasing Tang Mo, saying how lucky he was to have such a stunning wife. Their words gave plenty of face to the Xin family.
Xin Huan was so excited that he jumped in before he could even be introduced, quickly presenting himself. Tang Mo, seeing this, praised him lavishly, boasting about his talent for business and various skills. Xin Huan was overjoyed, feeling that his brother-in-law truly had sharp eyes, able to recognize his greatness.
Meanwhile, Xin An silently held her forehead—was this still the same Xin Huan? It seemed that ever since Tang Mo replaced Tang Rong as her husband, her younger brother’s personality had changed as well. When he had been around Tang Rong, he had always acted like a steady and mature young man. But now, he was suddenly acting so carefree and lively.