Whenever the Old Madam spoke of her late husband, she became deeply nostalgic, unable to resist recalling his commanding presence from years past. Xin An, smiling sweetly beside her, chimed in:
“My husband said the same. That commander of the Northern Command already doesn’t think much of him—if he tried to curry favor through back channels, wouldn’t that only make him look even worse in the man’s eyes?”
“Even if no one says it outright out of regard for the marquisate, when it comes to good assignments in the future, they definitely wouldn’t consider him. In that case, he might as well just idle away in the garrison doing nothing. But he’s still hoping to make a name for himself.”
“Well said.”
The Old Madam chuckled aloud, sending a few specks of the pearl powder freshly applied to her face fluttering down.
“That being the case, Grandmother ought to reward him all the more. In addition to the two treasures I promised you both, I’ll give you that yellow jade peony you’ve had your eye on for ages. Take it and display it in your room.”
Xin An’s delight was visible. She stood and bowed with a bright smile. “I’ve only been married into the family for a month, and I’ve already received several treasures from Grandmother. If word gets out, people will be green with envy. Looks like I’ve landed myself in a nest of blessings.”
The Old Madam laughed even more heartily. “As long as you and the Second Boy behave yourselves, Grandmother will keep on rewarding you.”
But Xin An’s mind wandered briefly to a scene from her past life: after the Old Madam’s death, Tang Gang opening her private storeroom. There had been so many good things inside, even he—still draped in mourning garb—had to shut the door just to laugh in delight.
And of course, Tang Rong reaped the spoils. Much of the treasure eventually ended up in the hands of Tao Yiran and her son. The memory tightened in Xin An’s chest.
“Then Grandmother must live long and stay in good health. You must outlive a hundred.”
The Old Madam’s lifelong collection of treasures had ultimately become fodder for Tang Rong’s ambition. Just the thought of it left Xin An quietly stewing.
“I’ll try my best to live long and well,” the Old Madam responded warmly.
Ganlu brought out the carefully wrapped gifts. Seeing that Xin An had only brought one maid, she called for two trustworthy attendants to help deliver the treasures to Autumn Harvest Courtyard. Once everything was arranged, she turned back to the Old Madam.
“The sun has been harsh these days. Should we air out the grain from the storeroom? Or call in one of the grain merchants we trust to take a portion away?”
The Old Madam’s natal family had become quite powerful over the years. While none of them held court positions, their origins as prominent landowners had only been magnified after the marquisate’s rise to prominence. Every year, her relatives not only sent her silver as tribute, but also shipped 3,000 jin of grain to the capital—claiming she might not stomach grain grown elsewhere.
In past years, she had generously allowed the household to use the grain. But last winter, upon learning that Tang Gang had previously refused to help her family, she’d been furious. She declared that not a single grain would be shared with those ingrates again.
As a result, Wang Shi had to add the cost of buying grain to the household budget this year.
“If Grandmother does plan to sell the grain,” Xin An asked with a glint in her eye, “might I be allowed to purchase it?”
The Old Madam raised a brow. “What would you need grain for?”
Xin An then explained about Tang Mo’s recent shop acquisition. “It really is a fine shop, though the price was twenty percent above market. I even went there myself. But the back courtyard… it’s full of people with disabilities, all under the general’s care. Then I learned—”
“What did you learn?” the Old Madam asked, intrigued.
Xin An let out a soft sigh. “Many of those men were veterans who once served under Grandfather. Even General Wang’s father followed him back then. Some years ago, General Wang came to seek help, but the gatekeeper turned him away. It was only by chance that my husband saw it happen.”
“These past few years, he’s been scraping together money here and there—and some of it has gone to support General Wang. Now those veterans are still living in the shop’s rear courtyard. I heard they haven’t found a new place yet. If they’re forced to move out of the city, life will only get harder.”
The Old Madam slammed her hand down on the tea table—clearly angered. Xin An immediately rose, flustered and alarmed. “Grandmother?”
“Did I say something wrong?”
The Old Madam exhaled slowly, her mind recalling the old Marquis’s final days. He had instructed her again and again to take care of the brothers-in-arms who had bled beside him. Even if not for sentiment, then for the sake of the future. And yet now, the man hadn’t even been let through the door?
It had only been a few years since he passed!
“Your father… is truly a disappointment.”
Xin An quickly knelt down, looking frightened and remorseful. “Grandmother, please don’t get upset. If you harm your health, what shall we do? And if Father finds out I was the one who told you… he’ll surely cast me out!”
The Old Madam knew what she was afraid of. Her tone softened. “Get up. This has nothing to do with you.”
“The Second Boy has a filial heart. But sneaking around isn’t proper either. Give him half the grain from the storeroom. And when he returns, have him come speak to me.”
But Xin An didn’t rise. She remained kneeling, a guilty expression on her face.
“Grandmother, there’s… one more thing I must confess.”
“Speak.”
Xin An lowered her voice and admitted to Tang Mo pulling strings to help Tang Yaoming get an official post. “We kept it from you from the start, worried you’d be angry. But my husband just couldn’t bear to see Second Uncle struggling so hard—begging for favors, saying all the right things and still getting nowhere. He and Eldest Brother both have posts already, and he didn’t want people gossiping.”
“So he asked a friend for help. And it worked.”
“Tang Yaoming was appointed as Supervising Censor in the Censorate’s Inspection Division.”
The Old Madam drew in a long breath and stared straight at Xin An—so intently that Xin An felt a chill crawl up her spine.
But it was too late to backtrack. Better to face it now than to wait for Tang Rong to spin it later. That would be far worse.
At last, the Old Madam spoke.
“You two are bold. What, you thought this old woman would toss you out and be done with it?”
Xin An, still on her knees, looked thoroughly pitiful. “My husband said Grandmother is kind. Even if you say you’ll throw us out, in your heart you couldn’t bear to. He said lately you’ve been especially fond of him, and if you wanted to vent your anger, you’d just give him a few beatings. As long as he cries loud enough, you’d feel bad and forgive him. At most, you’d make him kneel a bit—and that would be the end of it.”
“That would be the end of it?” the Old Madam said with mock severity.
“You two are so daring—shouldn’t I give you each a few slaps a day and make you come sing ‘Husband and Wife Return to the Family Together’ in front of me?”
Xin An held her face in mock horror, eyes wide with innocence. “Grandmother, can’t you just hit him and spare me? He’s got thick skin—he can take it. I’m too delicate!”
The Old Madam couldn’t hold back and burst out laughing.
“What’s this? Husband and wife, but when disaster strikes, each one runs for themselves?”
Xin An shuffled forward on her knees and leaned against the Old Madam’s knee.
“I won’t run. I’ll stay right here and watch. Then, once it’s over, I’ll come rescue him.”
“You—” the Old Madam said, laughing again, and tapped Xin An lightly on the forehead. “You’re the cleverest one in the entire household.”
“Go on, get up. If you hurt your knees, won’t Second Boy feel heartbroken?”
“Grandmother, you’re not angry anymore?”
The Old Madam reached out and helped her up. “So much fuss over nothing.”
“What I think is my own concern—it has nothing to do with you youngsters. Tang Yong has been a dutiful relative these past years. Even though his family branched off, he always comes by during festivals, pays his respects, and keeps to his place. If he’s facing difficulties, lending a hand isn’t a problem.”
“He’s still part of the marquisate. Turning our backs on him wouldn’t look good for the family’s reputation either.”