Xin An’s seemingly innocent question instantly pleased Wang Shi. As a second wife, Wang Shi had endured endless grievances from this particular servant. Madam Cai, who had served the late first wife and raised Tang Rong, wielded significant influence in the household, often behaving imperiously and accusing Wang Shi of mistreating her stepson.
Madam Cai’s overbearing attitude was even more pronounced in Tang Rong’s courtyard, where she acted like the matriarch, with no one daring to oppose her. It had been years since she had faced such humiliation, and instinctively, she raised her voice in protest.
“Second Madam, I am a servant of the young lord, not a concubine of the Marquis. Please do not mistake my role.”
“Mother!” Xin An exclaimed, rushing into Madam Xin’s arms. “Tang Rong truly is a liar! How could he have such an overbearing concubine? She’s so fierce! I don’t want to stay here anymore—I want to go home!”
Madam Xin immediately recognized Madam Cai’s true nature and suddenly felt relieved that her daughter hadn’t married Tang Rong. Patting Xin An’s back, she addressed Wang Shi, “Madam Tang, your household is far too unruly. The arrangement we discussed is off. We’ll be taking An’er home now.”
With that, mother and daughter turned to leave, but Wang Shi quickly stopped them, immediately scolding Madam Cai.
“How dare you, a mere servant, speak out of turn? The young lord is at fault here, and the Marquis himself instructed him to come and apologize. An’er has suffered a great injustice, and you think she can’t express her grievances?”
“Or perhaps you’ve grown so bold that even the Marquis’s words mean nothing to you? Are you trying to rebel?”
Tang Mo, who had been leisurely sipping tea, was inwardly thrilled by the unfolding drama. He had quickly come to enjoy having someone like Xin An by his side, matching his wit and fighting alongside him—it was a refreshing change.
Now watching Xin An effortlessly deal with this old shrew, Tang Mo felt even more exhilarated. When he noticed Tang Rong’s darkened expression, he put down his tea with a satisfied smile, preparing to step in.
“Elder Brother, I’ve held my tongue since this incident began, not wanting to strain our brotherly bond. But you’re taking things too far!”
“Xin An is new to the household and doesn’t know everyone yet. Look at this wet nurse of yours—dressed in fine silks, adorned with gold and jewels. What’s so strange about her mistaking her for Father’s concubine? Even Father’s concubines don’t dress this ostentatiously!”
“This woman lords over the household, barking orders at everyone. You knew she was uncouth and still brought her along. Is this your way of challenging Father’s decision and undermining me through her?”
Madam Cai opened her mouth to defend herself, but a sharp look from Lady Wang silenced her. Reluctantly, she knelt before Xin An and admitted her fault.
“It was my mistake to offend the Second Madam. I deserve to be punished,” Madam Cai said, slapping herself loudly across the face.
“The young lord’s wedding is a joyous occasion. I only dressed festively to match the mood and did not forget my place.”
She then removed her jewelry, one piece at a time. Xin An feigned shock, stepping back as if frightened. “Mother, the rules of this household are terrifying. We should leave,” she whispered.
Madam Xin’s displeasure was evident. “This household is truly upside down, with servants behaving like masters. We cannot let An’er remain in such a place.”
Turning to Wang Shi, she continued, “Madam Tang, please don’t try to stop us. If this is how your servants act in my presence, I can’t imagine how they’ll treat An’er when I’m gone.”
She then instructed her servants, “Gather An’er’s belongings. We’re leaving.”
Xin Huan arrived just in time to witness the commotion. Taking in the scene, he loudly declared, “Interesting! A master comes to apologize, and yet there’s a veiled threat? And that servant looks like she wants to kill someone with her sharp eyes. This household is run by its servants, it seems!”
Mother and son exchanged knowing glances. It was clear they intended to deal with Madam Cai thoroughly and embarrass Tang Rong in the process.
Wang Shi tried to intervene, but Tang Mo seized the opportunity to ingratiate himself with his mother-in-law, saying all the right things. Their mutual understanding was seamless. Sensing the perfect moment, Madam Xin sent Xin Huan to fetch Xin Kuan.
In the front hall, Xin Kuan, Tang Gang, and Lord Tao were just beginning to enjoy their meal when Xin Huan barged in, quickly recounting the events, embellishing them for dramatic effect.
“Father, they’re blocking us from leaving. They even sent that old servant to intimidate us. She’s so arrogant—it’s outrageous!”
Xin Kuan slammed his cup down in anger, while Tang Gang’s face turned red with fury. Lord Tao, meanwhile, silently cursed the Tang family for their incompetence and regretted the marriage alliance. Still, he couldn’t resist joining the scene to see how things unfolded.
Tang Rong never anticipated such a development. He had assumed that Xin An, mindful of her reputation, would endure the situation quietly. He thought an apology would suffice.
Madam Cai, still kneeling, felt little fear. As the wet nurse of the eldest son and a long-time servant of the late first wife, she believed even the Marquis would give her some respect.
When Tang Gang arrived, his fury erupted. “You insolent fool! I sent you to apologize, and you brought along this troublemaker?!”
Seeing Madam Cai kneeling with a defiant expression only fueled his rage. “Drag her out and give her thirty lashes for insubordination!”
The Tang family had risen through military exploits, and though they no longer commanded troops, household punishments still involved military-style discipline. Thirty lashes with a soldier’s cane would leave Madam Cai bedridden for months, effectively sidelining her.
Terrified, Madam Cai glanced at Tang Rong for help, but he didn’t dare plead on her behalf. Xin An, however, stepped forward, her voice trembling slightly.
“Marquis, this misunderstanding started because I failed to recognize her. Seeing her dressed so lavishly, I mistook her for one of your concubines. That was my fault. It’s understandable that she was upset.”
“She’s been a wet nurse to the young lord and has served this household for many years. Punishing her too severely might harm her health. Besides, it’s my wedding day—perhaps we should let this matter rest.”
Tang Mo silently applauded Xin An’s tact. Punishing Madam Cai might bring temporary satisfaction, but sparing her would make the Tang family appear magnanimous while further solidifying Xin An’s position.
Tang Gang’s expression softened. Though annoyed by Madam Cai’s past insolence, he now saw Xin An’s actions as gracious. “You’re lucky the Second Madam is kind-hearted. If it were up to me, I’d have had you beaten to death for your insolence.”
He punctuated his words with a sharp kick to Madam Cai’s chest, sending her sprawling and coughing blood. Crawling to Xin An, Madam Cai kowtowed. “Thank you, Second Madam, for your mercy. Thank you for sparing my life.”
Xin An feigned nervousness and reluctance. Moving closer to her mother, she murmured, “You may rise. I was mistaken about your identity, so please don’t take it to heart.”
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