Chapter 25: Tang Mo, he has made it!!!

Chapter 25: Tang Mo is... Striking it Rich!!!

As they approached the entrance of Xianlou, three men appeared: Yan Shimao from the Qinghou Mansion, Xie Changyou from the Changhou Mansion, and Wei Ye from the Scholar's Mansion. Xin An had a deep impression of these three; they were all second sons of various prominent families who usually spent their days wandering the streets and playing games, but they were quite loyal and had been close friends with Tang Mo for many years.

In her past life, after Tang Mo's death, these three had blocked her path to interrogate her about the cause of his death, and they had opposed her for a long time, making her grit her teeth in hatred.

Tang Mo poked his head out, and upon seeing the three, he immediately smiled. He said to Xin Kuan, "Father-in-law, three of my friends have arrived. I'll go greet them."

"Go ahead."

Xin Kuan had decided to fully relax and enjoy himself today, so he waved his hand. "No need to rush back."

Xin Huan wanted to go, but was pulled back by Madam Xin. "You're everywhere! Sit down."

Xin Huan sighed, muttering that playing with his brother-in-law was a lot of fun, but it was a pity he had to leave soon. "If I had known, I would have spent more time with brother-in-law before getting married."

The gazes of everyone fell upon him. Xin An's lips twitched slightly; she suddenly felt that her younger brother wasn't quite as bright as he seemed. "After you return, make sure to expand our family business. But don't just focus on salt; while the profits are high, the risks are also great. You should look for other businesses—the kind with moderate profits that don't attract too much attention—to serve as a fallback."

Madam Xin glared at Xin Huan. "Listen to your sister more. You're about to get married, yet you're always thinking about playing."

"We agreed to only play today and nothing else, but you all started again."

Xin Huan was unhappy, but Xin Kuan just laughed merrily and ignored him, leaving Xin Huan to turn away in a sulk.

Downstairs, Tang Mo greeted the three with a smile, but before he could speak, he was surrounded. "What's the deal with you, kid?"

All three knew that Tang Mo's wife had been replaced, and the city was already buzzing with rumors and inquiries. Xie Changyou said through gritted teeth, "Was it Tang Rong playing you dirty again? Don't hide it from us; your brothers will avenge you."

Yan Shimao nodded heavily. "How can one endure the hatred of having a wife stolen?"

Wei Ye scanned Tang Mo and said, "We were planning to come find you a couple of days ago, but we thought the Tang family might be in chaos. Since we ran into you today, tell us everything."

Once they reached the private room on the second floor, Tang Mo didn't hide anything. In a few words, he explained the situation. The men gritted their teeth. "What shameless bastards! To think they could do something so despicable."

"Calculating and hypocritical! I knew he wasn't a good person. He was just waiting for the 'rice to be cooked' so he could hold it over you."

"What did that biased old man of yours say? Did you beat him to death?"

Tang Mo gave a bitter smile. "What else could he do? He was released after kneeling in the ancestral hall for an hour, and he gave me some benefits to shut me up."

None of them were the eldest sons; they had all been taught from childhood to obey their elder brothers. However, the others were fine—after all, they were biological brothers. Although family resources were skewed, they weren't left with nothing, and their elder brothers didn't monopolize everything; they even protected them. Unlike Tang Mo, whose elder brother wanted to swallow everything for himself.

"Your old man's heart is biased to the heavens. You are a legitimate son through and through, yet he treats you like this."

"Why didn't you demand a massive payout? At a time like this, he would have given you whatever you asked for."

Aside from being angry, the men could do nothing but sit there and curse. Tang Mo smiled at them. "I suppose I've found a blessing in disguise. This lady from the Xin family is wonderful—beautiful, lovely, straightforward, and incredibly intelligent. Right now, she hates Tang Rong to death and is on the same side as me."

"My father-in-law's family is also quite good—warm, enthusiastic, and generous. In fact, they are heading back in a couple of days, so I brought them out for a stroll today. They are in the private room just ahead."

Wei Ye frowned slightly. "You should think this through. The Tao family is an official family, while the Xin family are merely salt merchants. The gap between them is like a chasm."

Xie Changyou and Yan Shimao shared the same concern. Tang Mo, naturally, understood better than they did; after all, he had experienced the Tao family's character in his past life. "I know exactly how much capability I have. The Tao family will inevitably look down on me. I don't have grand ambitions; having a wealthy father-in-law who truly treasures me is quite comfortable."

The men fell silent, their expressions heavy, assuming Tang Mo was merely comforting them. Tang Mo chuckled and reassured them that he was truly fine. "Come, I'll introduce you to my father-in-law. He took quite a hit this time, so I ask you brothers to show me some face in a moment."

The men rose with him, not forgetting to straighten their clothes and tuck away their swaying folding fans. "Let's leave a good impression on Third Brother's father-in-law."

Since the situation was irreversible, there was no point in being angry; it was better to look forward.

Following Tang Mo to the destination, after a brief introduction, the men began to show off. Yan Shimao stepped forward. "Uncle Xin, this fellow's surname is Yan and his name is Shimao. He is a close friend of Tang's second brother. Meeting you today feels like meeting an old friend; it's very pleasant. Since you are Tang's father-in-law, you are our elder."

"Uncle Xin, I am Xie Changyou. I am Tang's brother in spirit, the kind who could share a pair of trousers with him."

"Uncle Xin, I am Wei Ye. If you ever come to the capital again, look for me. I know all the interesting places in the capital and will ensure everything is arranged perfectly for you."

The men, who had intended to act dignified before entering, exposed their true natures the moment they spoke. Xin An smiled; these men didn't seem so bad now that they weren't opposing her.

Xin Kuan smiled and exchanged pleasantries with them. Then, the men all bowed in unison toward Madam Xin. "Greetings, Auntie."

Madam Xin was very happy. Thinking she should show something to the juniors but having nothing prepared, she fumbled around and pulled out a stack of banknotes. She simply gave two to each person. "Since you are the brothers of my dear son-in-law, as your aunt, I should give you a meeting gift. I wasn't prepared today, so please excuse my vulgarity."

The denominations were one hundred taels each. The men felt as if blessings had fallen from the sky. Despite appearing to be notorious playboys, they all lived on their monthly allowances from their families. Yan Shimao, the wealthiest, received twenty taels a month, while Wei Ye only received twelve, occasionally supplemented by his mother. Additionally, the three of them co-owned a tea house that didn't make much profit. Two hundred taels was a massive sum.

At this moment, each of them wanted to call Madam Xin "Mother-in-law," but fortunately, they retained their senses. "Auntie, you are too kind."

"Indeed, Auntie is so loving; we are truly overwhelmed by your grace."

"As elders bestow gifts, we dare not refuse. We shall accept them with thick skin."

No wonder Tang Mo looked so smug; it turned out he had reaped great benefits.

If these guys could get two hundred taels, wouldn't he get two thousand?

Tang Mo is... striking it rich!!!

Tang Mo was also very happy. Everyone was easygoing, making for a pleasant atmosphere. He then solemnly introduced Xin An to the three. Seeing that she was indeed as beautiful as peach blossoms and radiant as clouds, the men first greeted her formally, then teased Tang Mo about his good fortune, giving the Xin family plenty of face.

Xin Huan was extremely excited. Before the introduction could even finish, he introduced himself. Tang Mo boasted about him shamelessly, saying he not only had a talent for business but also many skills. He praised him so much that Xin Huan felt triumphant, believing his brother-in-law truly had a discerning eye for his extraordinary talent.

Xin An silently pressed her hand to her forehead. It seemed that since her brother-in-law had changed, his personality had changed along with him. Previously, he had been a steady adult in front of Tang Rong, but now he was so boisterous.