Chapter 46: She and I have long since had nothing to do with each other

Chapter 46: She and I Have Long Been Unrelated

"Sister-in-law, please wait a moment."

Tao Yiran looked somewhat haggard as she called out to Xin An, who was about to leave. Xin An stopped in her tracks and turned around. "Is something the matter, Sister-in-law?"

Tao Yiran bit her lip lightly and stepped forward slowly. "What happened before is in the past, and the household has handled it appropriately. I ask that you and my second brother look past it and not dwell on the past."

This was regarding Tang Rong's dissatisfaction with Tang Mo hitting him. Xin An nodded. "You are right, Sister-in-law. Is there anything else?"

Tao Yiran shook her head. Xin An turned to leave. After walking a few steps out of the door, she arrived at Qiushi Courtyard. Tang Mo was applying medicine to his fist; he had used too much strength when striking Tang Rong, and inevitably, the skin had been scraped.

"Well? Do I look as pathetic as a dog?"

Seeing Xin An enter, he didn't even look up, continuing to blow on his injury. "This was a case of losing eight hundred to damage a thousand of the enemy. It was pure misery."

Xin An sat down beside him. "They are just superficial wounds, just adding injury to injury. Your fists aren't much good either; you need to practice more. You'll be heading to the Northern Command soon; how can you manage like this?"

"A true master can break two ribs with a single punch and leave a man heavily injured. You tell me how many punches you threw, and all you did was scrape some skin."

Tang Mo was indignant. Claiming he was strong and healthy, Xin An laughed. "A man who gets angry enough to die from just two outbursts, and you're telling me you're strong and healthy?"

"Look at you, how narrow-minded you are."

Seeing her mock him again, Tang Mo glared at her fiercely, teeth clenched. "I only 'kicked the bucket' because I fell into the lotus pond and drank too much filthy water. I wasn't angered to death."

Xin An nodded with great solemnity. "Filthy water is rich in fertilizer; it seems you are simply too weak to handle such nourishment."

After saying this, she laughed herself. Tang Mo rolled his eyes so hard they nearly disappeared, then decided to reclaim his dignity. "Your anger only goes toward Tang Rong. Why don't I see you lay a hand on Tao Yiran? Do you show mercy just because she's a woman?"

"I was doing it for your sake. Wasn't I trying to keep you from feeling bad?"

"Don't give me that." Tang Mo considered himself a man of character who wouldn't stoop to retaliating against a woman, but that didn't stop him from watching the drama unfold. "She and I have long been unrelated."

Xin An sighed, ceasing their bickering. "Actually, I did think about giving her a hard time. With my methods, wouldn't dealing with her be as easy as picking up a piece of fruit?"

Tang Mo thought she was boasting. "So you're staying idle? Are you waiting for an opportunity? Or do you lack confidence?"

"Neither."

Xin An said, "She is indeed detestable to me. I used to hate her quite a bit, but on second thought, flies don't sting eggs without cracks. The culprit is still Tang Rong. If he were upright, how could he be so easily manipulated?"

"I just want to know—if these two were truly soulmates in this life without a stumbling block like you and me, would they be incomparably devoted, or would they grow to loathe each other?"

In their past life, Tao Yiran was perfect in Tang Rong's eyes. She had beauty, talent, and was a soulmate. There were no conflicts of interest or the trivialities of daily life between them; they only saw the best sides of each other. Without her and Tang Mo acting as the laborers who handled all the mundane chores, she wondered if they would still be able to enjoy their romantic moments under the moon.

She wanted to see, and Tang Mo wanted to see too. She glanced back at the room. "Grandmother's people just came to pass word. We are still going to the manor tomorrow, and Mother is coming along. Have you packed your things?"

"Packed."

For the current Xin An, she was most enthusiastic about going out.

In the evening, Tang Mo was called away by Tang Gang's men. Tang Mo expressed that he didn't like his father's sudden kindness at all. In the past, he might have felt some sentimentality, but now, he saw his father's kindness as nothing more than a result of weighing costs and benefits.

He pretended to be very angry and deeply saddened, even reddening his eyes while stubbornly refusing to bow his head. Finally, he claimed he would not hold the past against him, but when he returned, his expression was sour, looking as if someone owed him money. Without a word, he went straight to his bedroom, kicked off his shoes, lay on the bed, and pulled the quilt over his head.

Chun Yang curiously peeked in a few times, then returned shaking her head. "I don't know what's wrong with the Young Master."

How unhygienic, sleeping directly on the bed like that. Fortunately, she hadn't slept there, but the thought that he would eventually sleep there made her feel uneasy. She had just complained a few words when Auntie Wang tapped her forehead. "Watch your mouth. That is the Young Master, the master of Qiushi Courtyard. It is only because he has a good temperament that he doesn't hold it against you. In any other household, you would have been dragged out and beaten with a ruler long ago."

"Be careful with your words in the future. Don't make things difficult for the Young Mistress."

Xin An looked up. "Auntie Wang, from today onwards, anyone following me into the Marquis's estate must keep their mouths shut. They should know what to say and what not to say."

Auntie Wang complied and glared at Chun Yang. Chun Yang shrunk her neck, not daring to speak. After Auntie Wang left, Xin An spoke to her. "Don't speak of him so casually in the future. Auntie Wang is right; he is simply easygoing and unwilling to argue with you. He is only like this today because he is in a bad mood. Show him more respect from now on."

Chun Yang nodded. "I understand. Actually, we only lost our sense of propriety because we know the Young Master is easy to talk to. I won't dare do it again."

It was a勉强 (barely) restful night. Early the next morning, Tang Mo led the three generations of women from the household out of the gates, heading toward the manor.

The manor bestowed by the Emperor was a hundred miles from the capital. The land where the manor was located was quite level, and the scenery was beautiful. Although summer had arrived, it was not yet excessively hot. The crops in the fields were growing vigorously, and people could be seen working in the fields.

The group departed from the Marquis's estate early in the morning and arrived by evening. The two generations of women in the carriage went from excitement to exhaustion, leaning against soft pillows. When they disembarked, their heads were still spinning, but fortunately, the scent of fresh grass entering their lungs gradually revived their spirits.

The sunset filled the sky, birds flew low, and several dogs ran along the field paths toward them. The manor's steward led a group to welcome them at the entrance, earnestly inviting them inside.

"We prepared as soon as we heard the Second Young Master was coming. However, the manor is simple and not as grand as the city; we ask the noble guests to please bear with us."

The steward's surname was Yang, and he was the same steward from before—a person of the royal family, though he now received his monthly stipend from the Marquis's estate. Tang Mo looked around, feeling that the manor was quite excellent. It was neither too far nor too close to the capital, the environment was quiet, exquisite, and pleasant, and the manor itself was well-built, with flowers blooming beautifully everywhere.

"The flowers here bloom so well."

Thinking of something, Xin An supported the old lady and stopped before a cluster of jasmine. "These flowers are like snow, and the scent is sweet. We have them in the estate, but they aren't as fragrant as this bush."

The old lady picked a flower and sniffed it lightly. "This jasmine is also called 'Jade Fragrance.' It is the most pleasant to smell; its refreshing aroma can dispel the irritability of a hot day and help with sleep."

She looked around. "Why are there so many planted?"

The path leading to the manor's main gate was lined with such jasmine. Steward Yang stepped forward and cupped his hands. "To answer the Old Madam, the previous master of this manor was Prince Jin. Princess Jin loved Jade Fragrance most of all. At that time, the Prince ordered the manor to cultivate high-quality Jade Fragrance to be sent to the Prince's estate. Over time, there became as many as these."

Prince Jin was the Emperor's brother. Two years ago, he offended the Emperor and was demoted out of the capital; his imperial residences and properties were all reclaimed. Otherwise, this manor would not have fallen to the Marquis's estate. Xin An toyed with the jasmine in her hand, thinking that walking more often was indeed beneficial—it provided another path to explore.