Chapter 4: Malicious Intent

“Mother, An wants to leave!”
“Ah!” Madam Qin was confused, not understanding what ‘leave’ meant.
Beside her, Lady Liu’s eyes flickered, suddenly alert.
Tang Yushu, seeing his mother’s confusion, explained again, “Mother, An has neither a marriage contract nor betrothal gifts, nor a matchmaker. Now she’s caused this trouble and ruined my reputation... I’m only sparing her out of old feelings.”
“An doesn’t want to stay in the Tang household. She wants to take the child Mu’er and leave. I’ve agreed to let her go, and she’s promised not to remarry, so as not to disgrace the Tang family name.”
Tang Yushu spoke without a hint of guilt.
He thought that allowing An to leave the Tang household as a free woman, taking her child with her, was practically the same as setting her up in a separate residence.
If An could live quietly from now on, obedient as before, he would, for the child’s sake, provide some money for them to live on.
“What? Son, are you mad? Mu’er is your own flesh and blood! How can you bear to part with him?”
Madam Qin finally understood—An was to take the child and leave. Furious, she grabbed a soft pillow nearby and hurled it at Tang Yushu.
Tang Yushu sprang up, his anger mounting.
He was already a respected scholar, and to be treated like this by his mother in front of others, it had to be An’s scheming.
That wretched woman...
He dodged the pillow, ignoring the child lying nearby, and resolutely voiced his true feelings.
“Mother, you’re confused. The legitimate wife’s children are your grandchildren; Mu’er is not!”
Truthfully, he did not want a bastard lingering before him. Erasing that part of his past completely would be best.
“How can you say such things? How can you face your late father? Oh, my dear husband! Why did you have to leave such a cruel son behind!”
Madam Qin covered her face and wept for her deceased husband, who had once said that An, born a member of the Tang family, would die as one of them too; she was no daughter-in-law but at best a concubine—and she could never take the child away.
But now her son had grown and was clearly disobedient!
Lady Liu sat nearby, stunned by the news that An would leave with the child—something she had secretly longed for.
Yet hearing Madam Qin insist on keeping An and the child, her expression darkened.
Seeing Madam Qin start to cry and make a scene to force Tang Yushu to keep An, Lady Liu quickly soothed, “Sister-in-law, please calm down! Don’t blame Third Young Master for being heartless and breaking his promise.”

“You and Third Young Master are both sentimental, which is why you kept An in the Tang household, treating her like the mistress.
If she had stayed obedient all along, when a new wife arrived, with you as mother-in-law watching over her, she might have at least earned the status of a concubine.
And with a son to support her, she would have lived a life of comfort.”

“But you must blame An’s pride—she never followed the rules of a servant, taking advantage of your kindness to cause trouble and tarnish Third Young Master’s reputation.”

“Just mentioning marriage has revealed her true colors. She seized the chance to cause a public scene and even threatened you with what she did to Mu’er.
She’s clearly trying to manipulate your whole family. If she succeeds this time, she will surely cause trouble again.”

“With such a malicious woman around, when Third Young Master’s new wife comes, the household will hardly be peaceful.”

Hearing Lady Liu’s harsh words about An, Madam Qin’s face darkened further.
An had lived with them quietly for years—if she were truly wicked, wouldn’t that mean the Tang family were fools?
Madam Qin couldn’t help but defend her, “An was always reserved but polite. She’s never caused such a scene before.”

Lady Liu, knowing Madam Qin’s weakness and protective nature, lowered her voice with a tone of disappointed frustration, “Sister-in-law, hearts do change.
As the saying goes: greed leads to downfall. Her intentions are ill; trouble was bound to come.”

“You are Third Young Master’s mother and must think ahead. A good wife is essential. Such a calamity cannot be tolerated.”

“Now it’s just one ruined marriage, but if more problems arise after Third Young Master takes office, the consequences will be severe.”

Madam Qin’s face turned pale. She had not considered that holding an official position might complicate matters; she only thought An was part of the family and so spoke more freely.

Seeing Madam Qin hesitate, Lady Liu continued, “The Sun family is related by marriage to the Lord of Guang’an. The second madam of the Lord’s household is a Sun family aunt; the two families have always been close.
The young lady from the Sun family is beautiful and talented in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. She is beloved by the Sun family matriarch and even favored by the Lord of Guang’an’s elderly wife, who often calls her to stay by her side.
It is said that when the young lady marries, the Lord’s elderly wife will provide a dowry of a thousand silver taels as if she were her own granddaughter.
If Third Young Master marries her, it will be like having one foot already inside the Guang’an mansion. Once he passes the imperial examination, the Lord will help him rise further.”

“This is a golden opportunity for a good marriage. How can you not support it, yet insist on keeping a troublemaker?”

Madam Qin was stunned. She only caught the first part and whispered, “You mean the Lord of Guang’an... the one from the family of the palace imperial consort?”

Though she had been in the capital only a few days and never went out, she had overheard some servants mention the imperial household.
They said the favored concubine had won the emperor’s favor and bore him a prince within two years, enjoying great imperial favor.
Her natal family, the Lord of Guang’an’s household, was thus continuously honored. Though not high in rank, they were among the most prestigious nobility in the capital.
If her son could marry into such a family, not only would he soar in status, but she herself would enjoy endless wealth.

Lady Liu ignored Madam Qin’s expression, frowning with a sigh, “Exactly. The Sun family has heard that our Third Young Master is both talented and handsome and does not disdain his modest background. They have already inquired of our master.
This is a blessing fallen from the heavens!
Alas, but now with this trouble, we risk offending not only the Sun family but also the Lord of Guang’an’s household.”

Madam Qin was lost in thought, fixated on the phrase “the Sun family inquired,” which meant they favored her son.
Having such a son filled her with pride and secured her standing with the in-laws.
But the thought of An, who earned a silver tael a month with her handiwork, still made her reluctant.
After her husband’s death years ago, the household’s income dwindled. They only had ten acres leased out, and even with Yushu’s status as a scholar, the monthly stipend of a silver tael and ten catties of coarse grain barely sufficed. It was An’s work that supplemented the family income.
Now, if An left, the family would lose over ten silver taels annually.
Yet the promised dowry from the Sun family was over a thousand silver taels!

After much hesitation, Madam Qin finally said, “An carries misfortune in her fate, bringing harm to both father and mother. Since she wants to leave, let her go early!
But Mu’er is my child; I raised him myself. My late husband said I must raise him well...”

Hearing Madam Qin’s reluctant agreement to send An away, Lady Liu feared delay might cause more trouble. Without waiting for Tang Yushu to speak, she took the initiative, “Then keep the boy!”

She was not surprised by Madam Qin’s sudden change of heart.
Madam Qin was soft-hearted, simple-minded, poor, fond of wealth, and loose-lipped.
Lady Liu had only sent a servant to the countryside in Tang Yushu’s name to send a message and had already uncovered every detail about An.
Just moments ago Madam Qin was reluctant to part with An, but as soon as Tang Yushu’s prospects and wealth were mentioned, she readily agreed.