In the Autumn Harvest Courtyard, Xin An sat calmly, enjoying a bowl of bird’s nest porridge. Watching her relaxed demeanor, Tang Mo couldn’t help but make a snide remark.
“You’re quite generous, aren’t you? Just giving up three-tenths of the dowry like that.”
Xin An placed the bowl down gracefully and replied, “Switching brides may be disgraceful, but it’s the Tang family’s reputation that’s tarnished, not mine. For your dear elder brother, it’s a trivial matter.”
“When outsiders hear of it, they’ll dismiss it as a romantic escapade or a joke. Your brother will play the part of a remorseful man, downing a bitter drink while sighing about his regrets. ‘I even gave her three-tenths of my late mother’s dowry,’ he’ll say. And what will they think of me? A petty woman who made a fuss over it.”
She smirked and added, “Besides, do you even know how much of that dowry is left?”
The good items had long been swapped out or squandered by Tang Gang and Tang Rong, leaving behind trinkets with little real value.
Turning to Tang Mo, she couldn’t resist mocking him. “Your father’s handling of matters is quite fascinating. When he died such a pitiful death, it was truly fitting.”
Tang Mo leaned forward, intrigued. “Go on. Entertain me with the details.”
As a child, he had always been overshadowed by his elder brother, who received all the attention and resources while he was left with scraps. Tang Rong even made a show of giving him “gifts” in front of others, earning himself a reputation for being generous and kind while Tang Mo was painted as greedy and petty.
Xin An rolled her shoulders. “I won’t talk about it. It’s bad luck.”
Still curious, Tang Mo pressed, “At least tell me if his death was tragic.”
“Not at all,” Xin An said bluntly. “He passed away peacefully, surrounded by his children and grandchildren.”
Tang Mo rolled his eyes, clearly disappointed.
Xin An smirked. “That’s your father. Maybe you should learn to fake grief better. Take a page from your brother’s book—pretend to be filial while doing absolutely nothing. People will praise you as the perfect son.”
“Let me tell you something: your father doesn’t actually like your brother that much. He only favors him because Tang Rong brings him face-saving compliments from others. If you can make him proud, you’ll be his new favorite.”
Tang Mo pondered her words, stroking his chin. “You really think so?”
“Do I have any reason to lie?” Xin An shrugged.
“Swear on it,” Tang Mo challenged. “Swear that if you’re lying, this is all just a dream. You’ll wake up old and miserable, still humiliated by Tang Rong.”
“Vile!” Xin An spat at him. “Believe it or not, I don’t care.”
Their bickering resumed until Tang Mo steered the conversation back. “You don’t want the dowry or the household management? That’s a big change for someone who used to fight tooth and nail for them.”
“Experience changes people,” Xin An replied candidly. “Ask your mother how hard it is to maintain this family. Apart from the old lady and you, no one here is truly wealthy.”
Tang Mo stiffened. “Me? Wealthy?”
Xin An chuckled. “Do you want to guess how Tao Yiran spent your hoarded fortune after you died?”
Seeing Tang Mo’s face darken, she continued, “At least half of it ended up in my hands, which ultimately benefited your beloved brother. The rest? Tang Rong got his share too.”
Tang Mo’s expression turned thunderous, his hands clenched into fists. The idea of his money falling into Tang Rong’s hands after his death made him seethe.
He glared at Xin An and growled, “I feel like strangling you right now.”
Just as he said this, Chunyang entered with tea, startled by his words. She slammed the teapot down and glared at him.
“Master Tang, you’ve gone too far!” she snapped.
Tang Mo stared at the audacious maid, contemplating whether he should strangle both her and her mistress.
Meanwhile, Tang Rong had a long night ahead. When he learned that half of his mother’s dowry was already gone, his dissatisfaction was evident. His initial suspicion was that his stepmother had embezzled it, but the detailed records left him speechless.
Tang Gang quickly dismissed any thought of exposing the matter, stressing the importance of preserving their family’s reputation. Tang Rong agreed; he had no desire for rumors of his extravagant lifestyle to spread.
“I’ll give you what remains of the dowry tomorrow,” Tang Gang assured him. “Just act as though you received it all.”
Father and son chose silence, pretending the issue never happened, which suited Lady Wang perfectly.
Later, Tang Mo approached his mother, curious about her schemes.
Lady Wang, clearly pleased, said, “Of course they stayed quiet. Your father cares too much about appearances to let this leak. And your brother? He’s too invested in his virtuous image to cause a fuss.”
“Those two have spent so lavishly over the years, they probably can’t even account for everything they’ve used.”
Tang Mo’s smile widened. It seemed that manipulating his biased father and hypocritical brother would be easier than he had imagined—especially now that Xin An was on his side.
Lady Wang cautioned, “Don’t waste any more thoughts on Tao Yiran. She’s vain and pretentious, not worth your time. Xin An, on the other hand, is capable and resourceful. She supported her family’s business and practically raised her brother. If she chooses to help you, you’ll be in a much better position.”
Tang Mo nodded. “I know what I’m doing, Mother.”
Lady Wang sighed. “Your father listens to me on most things, but not when it comes to Tang Rong. You’ll have to fight for what you want yourself. At least now, you have an ally. Don’t squander this chance.”
“Also, don’t rush into consummating the marriage. Be patient and act like a gentleman.”
Tang Mo scoffed inwardly. Even if I wanted to, do you think Xin An would let me near her?
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