Chapter 37: Obtaining Another Treasure from the Old Lady

Chapter 37: Obtaining Another Treasure from the Old Lady

As the moon rose above the willow branches, the clamor of the night market gradually faded. Having spent a whole day frolicking outside, Xin An felt thoroughly satisfied. After boarding the carriage, she began to yawn incessantly. "I'm so tired."

"I thought your legs were made of iron."

Tang Mo massaged his legs. "I'll have to be more mindful when taking you out from now on. Honestly, how can you walk so much?"

Not only could she walk, but she could also gamble. Today at the Cuju field, she had placed consecutive bets and even won two taels of silver; her luck was simply too good.

Xin An, who had just yawned, said with teary eyes, "How should I know? I didn't feel tired while we were walking, so why do my legs ache so much now that I've stopped?"

"But I was in a great mood today. Remember to take me with you next time you go out to play, otherwise, don't blame me for tattling on you."

"How can you be so bossy?"

Tang Mo decided not to go out at all for the next two days; he wanted to rest properly. Suddenly, he felt less expectant about their upcoming stay at the manor, feeling that this woman was a bit too wild and fearing she wouldn't be able to restrain herself once they arrived.

Upon reaching the gates of the Marquis's manor, they encountered Tang Gang returning home just as they stepped off the carriage. Tang Mo muttered a silent "unlucky" to himself and bowed with cupped hands. "Father is back."

Tang Gang scrutinized them with a full gaze. "Don't tell me you've been out since this morning and only just returned now."

Tang Mo replied respectfully, "Xin An was curious about various places in the capital. Since son thought she would inevitably be traveling around in the future, I took her to wander for the day."

Tang Gang said nothing more and stepped into the house. "Go rest early."

Tang Mo raised an eyebrow triumphantly at Xin An. "How was it? Not bad, right?"

"Not bad."

Xin An stepped into the house, thinking about how she needed to soak her feet properly once she returned. She walked with a bit of urgency, and Tang Mo followed closely behind with large strides, thinking to himself that this woman had just been complaining about being tired and in pain, yet how could she walk so fast in the blink of an eye?

"Quick, bring two basins of warm water for a foot soak."

As soon as they entered Qiushi Courtyard, the orders were given. Once her feet were in the hot water, her whole body felt comfortable. Having been idle at home all day, Chun Lü stepped forward to help massage Xin An's calves, chatting about the day's events in the manor—especially regarding the Chunhua Courtyard across the way. "The Eldest Young Madam gave her dowry vases to the Heir, and in return, the Heir gave the keys to the Chunhua Courtyard warehouse to the Eldest Young Madam."

Tang Mo, who was also enjoying a foot soak nearby, let out a comfortable sigh. "Truly clever."

Chun Lü didn't understand, but Xin An understood perfectly. How much could Tang Rong actually possess?

By handing her small stash of belongings over to Tao Yiran for safekeeping, she could henceforth use Tao Yiran to legitimately withdraw silver and items. Tao Yiran would be left with nothing to say, forced to swallow a bitter pill.

However, that wasn't certain; Tao Yiran was not the same as her former self and might not be so foolish.

After the foot soak, Tang Mo handed a casket to Xin An. Inside was the private savings he had accumulated over the years, along with two keys to his warehouse. "I'm not trying to take advantage of you, but considering you have expenses in your own courtyard, I can't let you spend all alone. There are a few valuable items in my warehouse; if an urgent situation arises, you can arrange them yourself."

Xin An accepted them without any hesitation. "Even if you didn't offer them, I would have asked. If I want to live comfortably in this manor, I need silver to sprinkle around; one cannot be stingy."

"Also, there is something else I need to tell you."

The Xin family's residence in the capital was only occupied for a few days when her parents visited. "A house that isn't lived in for long loses its vitality and decays quickly. I was thinking of spending some money to renovate it and decorate it well, but I haven't decided on its purpose yet."

Tang Mo rubbed his hands together and leaned in shamelessly. "When your parents aren't here, it can serve as our villa. In the future, you and I will certainly make more friends, and we'll need a place to host them. This manor isn't convenient for that."

Xin An nodded; it truly wasn't convenient. Any slight movement would be known by the neighbors immediately. Tang Mo had already begun planning the renovation. "The key is to build a beautiful garden to facilitate banquets and conversation. The courtyards where Father, Mother, and Brother Huan stay should also be renovated, but they won't be occupied; we'll just have people go in daily for cleaning. That way, it will be convenient when they come to stay."

"We'll pick a few reliable people to live there and handle the daily upkeep."

Xin An agreed. "I'll have Uncle Wang come find you later. Leave the specifics of the renovation to him."

As Tang Mo prepared to go to rest, he asked before leaving, "Do you need me to tell the Old Lady for you tomorrow morning? I could say you're too tired and should sleep in?"

"No need."

She still wanted to win the Old Lady's favor and secure her support. She had to accompany her for breakfast every morning. Besides, "The breakfast at the Old Lady's place is delicious."

"True, and there's a lot of variety. I'll go with you tomorrow morning."

Breakfast in the manor followed a set routine; if one wanted variety, one had to pay out of pocket. Eating at the Old Lady's place could even save some money—how wonderful.

Yawning, Xin An turned and climbed into bed. Outside the door, Auntie Wang hesitated, wanting to say that she couldn't even figure out their relationship anymore. They seemed quite harmonious, discussing everything together, and they looked very well-matched standing together. Sometimes there was no strict boundary between man and woman; they had just been sitting together soaking their feet, having seen what each other's feet looked like. With a relationship like this, why weren't they living together?

The nature of their relationship was truly a mystery.

Perhaps due to exhaustion, or perhaps because she was in such a good mood, Xin An fell asleep almost as soon as she hit the bed. When she woke up, she felt refreshed. When she arrived at Chunrong Courtyard with Tang Mo, they found that Tang Rong and his wife had arrived a step ahead of them and were waiting outside the door.

"It's rare for Eldest Brother and Eldest Sister-in-law to arrive so early today."

Tang Mo's mouth was troublesome, always looking for a way to tease them. Tang Rong forced a professional smile. "Second Brother and Second Sister-in-law aren't late either."

"I heard that you two spent the whole day out playing yesterday?"

Tang Mo smiled. "We aren't like Eldest Brother and Sister-in-law with your grand prospects and heavy burdens; naturally, we just live as freely as we can."

"By the way, I've always wanted to find a high-quality Tianhuang stone for a carved seal. I heard Eldest Brother recently acquired a pair; I wonder if you would be willing to part with one?"

Wasn't he just advertising that he liked to snatch things? This reputation had been pinned on him for a long time; he might as well make it official.

The fake smile on Tang Rong's face faltered. "That pair of stones was meant for carving seals for my wife and me. If Second Brother wants one, I will find an even better one for you."

"Then many thanks, Eldest Brother."

Gan Lu opened the door and invited them in to pay their respects. The Old Lady was drinking water; seeing them, a smile appeared on her lips. After they had paid their respects, the Old Lady asked, "I heard you talking outside just now. What were you saying?"

Tang Mo leaned forward and smiled. "Eldest Brother said he found a pair of Tianhuang stone seals to share with Eldest Sister-in-law. Upon learning that I also like Tianhuang stone, he said he would help me find one as well. I was just thanking him."

The Old Lady laughed. "Your Eldest Brother is about to start his duties at the Ministry of Rites; how will he have the time to help you find one in the future?"

"As it happens, I have a pair of Tianhuang stones that are of no use to me. I shall give them to you to have carved—one for you and one for your wife, symbolizing harmony."

Never expecting such good fortune, Tang Mo hurriedly knelt and kowtowed. "Thank you, Grandmother! Your grandson knew you were the most kind-hearted!"