Chapter 319: Excessive Mercy is Sometimes Self-Harm

Chapter 319: Excessive Mercy is Sometimes Self-Harm

After chatting for a while, Xiao Huai and Tang Shuyi went about their separate tasks. Exiting Shian Garden, Xiao Huai made his way to the front courtyard and halfway there, encountered Xiao Yuzhu.

"Father," Xiao Yuzhu greeted, bowing and then hung her head as if she had erred.

She truly recognized her mistake. Her father had just managed to enter her mother's room, and the two of them were so... intimate, only for her to have interrupted.

Xiao Huai, caught between embarrassment and amusement, raised his hand to pat Xiao Yuzhu's head, "Hurry back now, it's cold outside."

Xiao Yuzhu nodded and then, hesitantly, added, "Father, I didn't mean to."

Xiao Huai: "..."

Can we please not talk about this anymore?

"I know, hurry back," he repeated.

With a guilty glance, Xiao Yuzhu bowed and left. Xiao Huai laughed helplessly; he still had to make an effort! He reckoned his children had been a source of constant worry these days.

Meanwhile, Xiao Yuzhu returned to Shian Garden and approached Tang Shuyi with the same contrite demeanor. Tang Shuyi felt a bit awkward upon seeing her but maintained a calm facade, "Did you go to find your brother?"

Xiao Yuzhu nodded, "Big brother was out, so I came back."

Tang Shuyi pulled her over to sit beside her, enclosing her little hands within her own to warm them. Xiao Yuzhu sneakily glanced at her several times before finally giving in to her curiosity and asking, "Mother, have you forgiven father?"

Tang Shuyi was at a loss whether to laugh or cry, "You children should not concern yourselves with your parents' affairs."

Seeing that Tang Shuyi did not look upset, Xiao Yuzhu asked again, "Are you and father going to make up?"

"Soon," was all Tang Shuyi could say. But as middle-aged adults, there was no need for them to be overly sentimental.

Hearing her words, Xiao Yuzhu giggled with delight.

………

The day after breakfast, not long had passed when Old Madam Yang visited, and Tang Shuyi received her in the Shi'an Garden. Today, Old Madam Yang seemed even more weather-beaten than before. Tang Shuyi couldn't help but sigh inwardly; such matters would exhaust anyone.

"Thank you for the warning, Lady of the National Duke," Old Madam Yang said, now that things had come to this point, there was no need for them to beat around the bush.

Seeing Old Madam Yang getting straight to the point, Tang Shuyi didn't beat around the bush either, "I too was driven to a dead end, I hope the Old Madam understands."

Old Madam Yang gave a bitter smile, "We were the ones who pressured you first."

Tang Shuyi hummed in acknowledgment without further conversation. From her attitude, it was clear that Old Madam Yang was truly here to plead. But some things can’t just be forgiven because one says so; even if they forgave others, would others forgive them? Would the emperor forgive them?

Being too kind sometimes means doing harm to oneself.

Seeing that he didn't take up her conversation, Old Madam Yang bowed her head in silence for a moment before saying, "I, an old woman, have come today first and foremost to apologize. I should not have spoken to you about the marriage between the Fourth Prince and your beloved daughter; it was selfish of me."

Tang Shuyi looked down at her nails, still silent. As for their desire to have Yuzhu marry the Fourth Prince, she could neither forgive nor forget.

At this moment, Old Madam Yang felt both embarrassed and uncomfortable, but since she was here, she had to say what needed to be said. Clenching her fists tightly, she continued, "All faults lie with us. This old woman does not dare to expect your forgiveness, I only hope that you, the Lady of the National Duke, will give us a chance to survive."

At this, Tang Shuyi could no longer remain silent, "Old Madam, what you’re saying is not right. Whether you live or die in the future is not for me to decide, but for the one above."

"Yes, yes, I misspoke," admitted Old Madam Yang, who at her age was for the first time so humbly pleading to someone, but she had no choice but to do so.

"But the matters involving Yang Huacan, could you perhaps keep them secret? If you promise not to disclose that matter, I can guarantee that Yang Huacan will no longer aid the Fourth Prince, nor will he do anything against your household."

Hearing this, Tang Shuyi laughed, "Old Madam, you are a wise person, surely you understand that there are no walls that do not leak, no secrets that are not eventually revealed. If I don’t tell, won’t others find out? They’re vying for that position, and it’s not without rivals."

"This…"

Lady Yang's face was a picture of utter dejection. Indeed! With the Fourth Prince contending with the Third for the throne, wouldn't the current Empress, mother of the Third Prince, turn heaven and earth to investigate the Fourth Prince and Concubine Yuan? Perhaps they already knew everything and were simply watching them flounder.

Feeling as if she were plunged into an ice cellar, Lady Yang was frantic and helpless. She looked at Madame Tang and asked, "Madame, what do you think I should do?"

"Haven't you already thought of a solution, my lady? It's just that you can't make up your mind," Madame Tang replied.

When people are faced with the unknown, they always hope to get a definitive answer from someone else. But that's merely psychological comfort; the decision still has to be made by oneself.

"I... I understand," Lady Yang stood up and said, "I apologize for troubling you today, Madame."

Madame Tang stood up and escorted her to the door. Watching the elderly figure vanish from sight, she then turned back inside. Lady Yang's experience was indeed pitiable, but hadn't she also harmed others for her own benefit?

Her father had married her to Yang Taishi for the sake of the family's interests. Previously, she had also intended to have her daughter, Yuzhu, walk the same path.

Thus, Madame Tang felt not a shred of sympathy for Lady Yang.

……

Once Lady Yang returned to her residence, she summoned her two sons again and asked, "What have you decided?"

Both Yang Da and Yang Er wore expressions of difficulty. After a while, Yang Da said, "Mother, if we change our names and start anew, how will others talk about us? How will we interact with our peers in the future?"

Yang Er nodded, "Yes, Mother, is there no other way?"

Lady Yang leaned tiredly against the chair, "What other way could there be? Even if I kill Yang Huacan now, it won't solve the problem."

Yang Da and Yang Er had also been in the officialdom for many years and understood this rationale. They weren't reluctant to break ties with their father, who never considered them in his actions; why should they be considerate of him in every way?

Their concern was about the impact on their careers after severing ties with their father.

At this moment, Lady Yang's voice sounded, "What's more important, your lives or your careers? Think it over yourselves."

Yang Da and Yang Er sat in silence for a long time, then exchanged glances before Yang Da said, "Then, Mother, go ahead and divorce Father. My brother and I are grown up; setting up our own households is not an issue. However, we need to discuss this with our uncles."

Lady Yang's expression was cold, "After what Yang Huacan has done, they naturally want to break ties with him too. Don't worry."