Chapter 13: Unable to Bear This Humiliation

Chapter 13: Unable to Bear This Humiliation

Xiao Yuchen returned to the marquis's estate with his heart pounding and hurried towards Tang Shuyi's courtyard. With an injured knee and his brisk pace, his journey was quite a stumble. Seeing him like this, Tang Shuyi thought there had been a raid or something?

"What happened?" she asked.

"Mother," Xiao Yuchen found himself at a loss for words in front of Tang Shuyi. He didn't know what to say or how to say it; he was frightened after the fact. He had always believed his actions were undetectable, and he had never considered what would happen if they were exposed.

He was now frightened, guilt-ridden, and deeply self-reproachful.

Tang Shuyi tightened inside when she saw him like this and asked, "What happened? Did your grandfather scold you?"

Xiao Yuchen shook his head and then sat down, still silent.

At this moment, Cui Zhu brought over a cup of tea and placed it beside him. He picked it up and gulped it down in several large swigs. The maids in the room were shocked; their esteemed young master had never lost his composure like this.

"What exactly happened?" Tang Shuyi asked, anxious to pry open his mouth.

Xiao Yuchen looked at him, resembling a startled pup, "Just now... the Liang family went to Mei Hua Alley and burst into that residence."

Tang Shuyi was taken aback, but the anxious expression on her face soon dissipated.

Wu Jingyun acted swiftly.

"Mother, are you not shocked at all?" Xiao Yuchen asked, his hands still trembling.

After sipping her tea, Tang Shuyi said, "I’ve told you before, you cannot hide fire within paper. Once an act is committed, one must be prepared for it to be discovered. Regret and fear are useless now that it has been exposed; what matters is how to resolve it."

Seeing her composure, Xiao Yuchen suddenly realized he was too unsettled and sat up straight, looking earnestly at Tang Shuyi, eager to hear her plan.

But Tang Shuyi asked him, "What do you think we should do now?"

Xiao Yuchen felt much calmer and pondered seriously before saying, "Since the Liang family has gone to Mei Hua Alley, they will surely investigate at the Ministry of Punishment as well. Our plan was to hurry Pan Shan to leave the capital tonight, but now we must move it up."

Tang Shuyi gave him an approving look, "However, we can’t make our move now. The daytime is too busy with prying eyes, and the Liang family will definitely be watching us."

"First, we hide Pan Shan until the Liang family lowers their guard, then we send him away," Xiao Yuchen said.

Tang Shuyi nodded, then asked, "Anything else?"

Pleased with Tang Shuyi's agreement, Xiao Yuchen thought hard and then added, "Send someone to keep an eye on the Liang family's movements. Know thyself, know thy enemy."

"Very good," Tang Shuyi said with a smile of relief, "The youngster is progressing."

"Leave it to Steward Zhao," Tang Shuyi continued, "He used to be an aide under your grandfather."

Those who have served in the military tend to be more reliable.

Xiao Yuchen clenched his fist in excitement, instructing Chang Feng to call for Steward Zhao.

Tang Shuyi picked up her jade-green teacup and took a sip, saying thoughtfully, "It's only proper to return a courtesy. The Liang family has come knocking, and we must strike back."

"How... do we strike back?" Xiao Yuchen's eyes sparkled as he looked at Tang Shuyi. His mother was truly formidable.

"The Liang family burst into my property without cause and destroyed things in my courtyard; our Marquis of Yongning's estate cannot bear such an affront," Tang Shuyi said leisurely.

Xiao Yuchen thought: But it seems they didn't actually destroy anything, right?

"But that's not important," he asked, "What do you plan to do?"

Tang Shuyi replied, "Go to the yamen and sue them. Make a list and demand compensation."

Xiao Yuchen's eyes sparkled with curiosity, marveling at how effortlessly his mother handled matters.

At that moment, Steward Zhao approached. Tang Shuyi remained silent while Xiao Yuchen relayed the instructions item by item. Steward Zhao respectfully noted each one, then inquired, "How much compensation should we demand from the Liang household, and on what grounds?"

Xiao Yuchen glanced at Tang Shuyi, knowing he had never been concerned with financial matters and naturally had no idea how to demand compensation from the Liang family.

After pondering for a moment, Tang Shuyi said, "The Liang family trespassed into private property, broke my gate, ruined the rockery in my estate, and even killed my fish. Those rocks were transported from Mount Putuo, each one blessed by a high monk.

"Moreover, those were Chi Lin fish, each worth a fortune. Including the damage to some valuable furniture, the total loss adds up to... thirty thousand taels would still be an underestimation. But we are not petty people; a loss can be tolerated. Let it be thirty thousand taels."

The room fell into a profound silence...

Xiao Yuchen mused, "So, matters can be handled this way!"

Steward Zhao couldn't help thinking, "I never expected the lady to be such a person."

Cui Yun and Cui Zhu looked on in admiration.

"I'll make arrangements right away," Steward Zhao said as he bowed, lifting the door curtain and stepping out with footsteps as swift as the wind. The lady truly has changed. If she could always be like this, the marquis's estate would surely never fall.

"May the heavens bless us, may the old marquis and the current marquis protect us," Steward Zhao muttered under his breath, but his body was filled with vigor.

Meanwhile, Tang Shuyi leaned against the brocade couch and said to Xiao Yuchen, "Go back to your courtyard and review the events."

"Review?" Xiao Yuchen didn't understand the meaning of the word.

Tang Shuyi paused for a moment, inadvertently using a modern term. She explained calmly, "It means to think through the entire matter from beginning to end. Consider what was done well, if anything could have been done better, what wasn’t done well, why it wasn’t, and what should be done instead."

After some thought, Xiao Yuchen remarked, "Mother’s use of the word is ingenious, ‘review’—to repeatedly contemplate."

Tang Shuyi gestured for him to leave, but Xiao Yuchen stayed seated, "I'll accompany Mother for lunch."

Tang Shuyi glanced at the time; it was indeed almost lunchtime, so she let him stay for the meal. Shortly after, Xiao Yuzhu and Xiao Yuming also returned, and the family of four sat down to eat together.

Xiao Yuzhu and Xiao Yuming bickered from time to time, while Xiao Yuchen played the role of the elder brother; the atmosphere was quite pleasant. Tang Shuyi watched them, feeling content with how things were progressing.

In her previous life, her parents had divorced when she was very young, and then they remarried. She lived with her grandparents, and after they passed away, she was on her own. These moments of family togetherness were a long-forgotten memory for her.

While she was lost in memories of her past life, suddenly, Xiao Yuzhu picked up a dish and splashed it onto Xiao Yuming, who then pushed Xiao Yuzhu to the ground in retaliation.

Xiao Yuzhu burst into tears, stood up, and crying, picked up another dish from the table to splash onto Xiao Yuming, inadvertently splattering Tang Shuyi and Xiao Yuchen with sauce as well.

Xiao Yuming, never one to suffer a loss, raised his hand to slap Xiao Yuzhu.

The scene descended into utter chaos.

Tang Shuyi, flushed with anger, picked up a bowl from beside her and smashed it onto the ground, instantly silencing the room.

She was wrong; the word 'harmony' had nothing to do with this family; they were nothing but a scene of utter commotion!

"Why?" Tang Shuyi asked Xiao Yuzhu and Xiao Yuming with a cold voice.

"He insisted on snatching the shrimp I wanted to eat," Xiao Yuzhu cried, pointing at Xiao Yuming, who retorted with clenched fists, "That dish wasn't yours alone, why can't I eat it?"

"I ordered it this morning, it's mine."

"Even if it's yours, what's it to you? If I want to eat it, I will."

"You can't eat my dish."

"I will eat it anyway."

………

Tang Shuyi had never seen siblings fight like this. Taking a deep breath to suppress the urge to discipline these unruly children, she said, "All three of you, copy the 'Disciples' Rules' five times and recite it ten times."

Xiao Yuchen looked perplexed, "Me too?"

"The three of you share the same mother; one's honor is another's, and so is the disgrace," Tang Shuyi left them with these words and headed towards the inner chamber, only to stop after a few steps, turn around and add, "No washing up, copy it as you are."

A day without discipline is like a day without fixing the roof!

Tang Shuyi went into the inner chamber to change her clothes, and Cui Yun led the three siblings to the study. Tang Shuyi's study was spacious, and the desk was large enough to comfortably accommodate three people.

"The lady has been extremely preoccupied these last few days, scarcely having a moment's rest," Cui Yun said while preparing ink and paper for the three, "You, as her children, surely feel for the lady's burdens, don't you?"

Xiao Yuchen's face turned red at the mention; his mother was always troubled by his affairs. Xiao Yuming stiffened his neck in silence, while Xiao Yuzhu pouted and shed tears.

Cui Yun said nothing more and turned to leave the study.

PS: The fight has broken out!

It's said that in families with many siblings, it's almost impossible to avoid fights.