Chapter 69: Time and Again

Chapter 69: Time and Again

Tang Shuyi left the ancestral hall, looked up to the sky, and sighed deeply. Even now, her heart was racing with fright.

He had thought Xiao Yuming was merely a wasteful playboy, never expecting him to be so dangerous. Just fourteen years old, and he spoke of murder as if it were as simple as taking a drink of water. Was there an innate danger within him?

Considering that Xiao Huai went to battle at fifteen, perhaps it was a possibility.

She, who had lived for over thirty years in a modern society where the law was strictly enforced, found it hard to accept this readiness to resort to violence and killing.

Was she being too indecisive in her actions?

Regardless, Xiao Yuming was too young and lacking in cunning and physical strength to think about murder so readily. It might very well end up with him not killing his target, but instead, getting caught and putting both himself and the marquisate in peril.

In her previous life, she had encountered all sorts of people, but she had never dealt with someone harboring such dangerous thoughts, ready to speak of killing so casually. Now her own son was such a person; how should she educate him?

Surely she couldn't seriously give him lessons on morality and ethics?

The key issue was his shamelessness.

When Xiao Yuchen was punished and made to kneel in the ancestral hall, the atmosphere was solemn and tense. However, when it was Xiao Yuming's turn, the ambiance seemed far less serious, almost lax.

"Madam, please put on your cloak," Cui Zhu offered, holding out a cloak and assisting her in draping it on.

Standing there, Tang Shuyi let her assist and after a while inquired, "Was Yuming always this mischievous? I seem to have forgotten."

Pondering her words, Cui Zhu replied, "When I began serving you, the Second Young Master was already seven or eight years old. Though he was a bit naughty back then, he didn’t cause much trouble."

Wrapping the cloak tighter, Tang Shuyi walked towards Shi An Yuan, her mind occupied with thoughts of educating her second son. But upon arriving, she still lacked a good plan. Eventually, she told herself to take it slow. Children don't grow up in a day, and education isn’t something that can be accomplished overnight.

Nevertheless, this time, he can kneel in the ancestral hall for a longer duration.

Upon reaching the entrance of Shi An Yuan, she saw Housekeeper Zhao waiting. Seeing her, he bowed and said, "Madam, Minister Wu has been waiting for you in the front hall."

"Let him wait," Tang Shuyi said as she entered Shi An Yuan, with Zhao following behind. He added, "Minister Wu’s demeanor is very humble."

Tang Shuyi huffed heavily, "Humble? Everyone can put on an act. With the effort he puts into this charade, he'd do better to manage his household."

"Shall I not bother with him then?" Housekeeper Zhao asked.

"Don’t mind him. If he wants to wait, let him wait; if he wants to leave, let him leave," Tang Shuyi said, sitting down on the brocade couch and falling silent for a moment before asking, "Does the Wu family have any vulnerabilities? The kind that could bring Wu Guoliang to his knees in court?"

The Wu family’s biggest vulnerability was in her hands, but she couldn’t reveal it. It wasn't because of any promise made with Wu Guoliang, but because if the affair at Chongguang Temple were exposed, all the women of the Wu family, whether married off or still in their boudoirs, would suffer.

Those not yet married might face broken engagements, and those yet to be betrothed would find it difficult to join respectable families. For those already married, those with a solid standing in their in-laws’ homes would merely lose face, but those who weren’t valued might face divorce.

Such was the fate of women in ancient times.

She couldn’t, out of vengeance against Wu Guoliang and Wu Jingyun, involve so many innocent women. Perhaps many would call her too indecisive, but she couldn’t bear to ruin the lives of the innocent with a single act.

After a moment of thought, Zhao said, "A cousin of mine was once in a tight spot and borrowed money from Lady Wu's pawn shop."

When he had first heard about it, he didn't think much of it, as many prominent ladies were involved in pawnbroking, although it was officially prohibited. Nevertheless, it was an illegal act, and it should be enough to charge Wu Guoliang.

Hearing this, Tang Shuyi chuckled. Wu Guoliang had indeed married a capable second wife!

"Write down the details of your cousin borrowing from Lady Wu's pawn shop," Tang Shuyi said, reassuring him in case he was worried about Wu's family retaliating against his cousin, "Don’t worry, the Wu family wouldn’t dare to trouble him. Our Marquis mansion will protect him from now on."

Housekeeper Zhao complied with a yes.

In the end, it all boiled down to Wu Jingyun not giving up, did it?

Perhaps I was too lenient before. I thought that, given the hardships Wu Jingyun suffered because of Xiao Yuchen in her previous life, leading to her bitter end, her hatred was justified, and her desire for revenge understandable. That's why, though I thwarted her schemes, I never retaliated.

But this cannot keep happening time and again; this time, I cannot let her off easily.

Everyone is selfish, and I am no exception. Now that I am the Lady of Yongning Marquis, the mother of Xiao Yuchen, I cannot let Wu Jingyun continue unabated.

In the front courtyard's hall, Wu Guoliang had already sat through several cups of tea, having visited the outhouse twice, yet still no sign of Tang Shuyi. Not even the shadow of that steward Zhao. He knew the Lady Marquis was furious, deliberately leaving him to stew.

But really, he was the aggrieved party. He still had no idea how Fang Shanlong suddenly began championing his daughter's cause.

Although Fang Shanlong had a close relationship with his late father-in-law, he had only been on good terms with the Zhang family. As for his daughter, Wu Jingyun, he hadn't seen him pay her much attention.

Wasn't this just adding to the chaos?

He was truly frightened now, dreading that in a fit of rage, the Lady Marquis would disclose the incident at Chongguang Temple. If that were to be exposed, not only would the Wu family women suffer, but he would also lose all face, effectively ending his career in the official circles.

He paced anxiously in the hall, alone, like an ant on a hot pan. Seeing a young servant of the Marquis standing by the door, he took a five-tael silver ingot from his pouch and handed it to the servant, "Please pass a message to your Lady Marquis."

The servant quickly stepped back, "Please don't implicate me, Master Wu."

What could Wu Guoliang do but return to the hall and continue to wait?