Chapter 7: I Won't Go With You

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Although Tang Yushu despised An’s lowly origins and believed she could not aid his rise to prominence, as husband and wife, he only wished to settle matters quietly at the Zhuangzi Hermitage; he never intended violence. Now, An showed no remorse and even bit back, which deepened his anger.

Madam Liu gritted her teeth in fury; she did not wish An dead either. In the capital’s wealthy households, who did not have concubines or secondary wives? Another An made no difference; concubines were merely servants, and there would be ample opportunity to deal with her later.

The young mistress of the Sun family’s real grievance was that there was a legitimate eldest son, and Tang Yushu was deliberately concealing this fact. She arranged for someone to tell An that Tang Yushu intended to marry a noble lady, then knocked An unconscious to seize the chance to eliminate the child.

If the Tang family caused a scandal, it would be An’s fault alone, unrelated to others. This plan would both secure Yushu’s proposal and remove the threat—a perfect twofold gain.

What puzzled them was how the child, clearly lifeless, had come back to life.

Each person harbored their own thoughts. An Chunfeng clenched her fists tightly, radiating determination without a hint of fear.

Someone in the Tang family wanted her and her child dead; she had to leave today, and under the current tense situation outside, with the Tang family cautious, she must depart securely.

If she were detained in this deep mansion for several days, until Madam Liu and Tang Yushu regained their composure and devised ways to confine her, escaping would become far more difficult.

The atmosphere inside the room was tense. Madam Qin said nothing, only clutching a handkerchief to her face as she wept.

Gritting his teeth, Tang Yushu thought of the wealth and status soon to be his and swallowed his anger, first sending her away: “Fine, you go. Take the child far away. Never set foot in the Tang family again, and don’t let me see you!”

Without further delay, Tang Yushu threw the An family registry, which had been kept by his mother, Madam Qin, onto the floor.

An’s parents had died and their household documents were lost. After An arrived in Baoshan County, the Tang family had gone to the county office to reestablish her registration. The registry was usually locked away by Madam Qin; even if An wished to leave, she could not.

An Chunfeng picked up the precious documents and tucked them into her bosom, speaking calmly: “Scholar Tang, if you keep your promise, I will agree not to remarry or cause trouble. Now, swear it before everyone.”

A heartless man could not be restrained even by law; swearing was merely an empty threat to intimidate.

In the rear chamber, she had told Tang Yushu she was willing to leave with the child, severing all ties with the Tang family, without mentioning alimony.

Tang Yushu was poor; he barely had a few silver coins, and it was not worth the trouble to bicker with a venomous woman here.

But there was one condition: Tang Yushu must acknowledge Tang Mu as his biological son.

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In the future, when the child grew up, he must have a recognized origin; no one should insult him as a fatherless bastard.

Hearing An’s reminder of his promise made in the rear chamber, Tang Yushu relaxed somewhat.

As the saying goes, sincerity brings success!

He cared little for oaths—words spoken without belief held no power to gods or men.

Moreover, acknowledging the child’s identity was simply stating a fact.

Though having an illegitimate child was not honorable for a man, as long as the child was not included in the family register and did not claim inheritance or titles, the legitimate wife usually ignored it.

Tang Yushu was willing to swear; Madam Qin was not.

She could not understand how An had transformed from her usual meekness into such unreasonable obstinacy, sullying the family’s reputation and making demands before her own son, the scholar, suddenly revealing fierce maternal protectiveness.

“An, how can you be so disrespectful? Your mother truly misjudged you.

I once thought you were gentle and kind, but today I see you are a poisonous woman who not only harms your husband’s family but won’t spare your own flesh and blood! What a waste of my care and concern all these years!”

Madam Qin clutched her chest, tearful and sighing, appearing heartbroken and regretful.

An Chunfeng felt no affection for Madam Qin; recalling the original’s humble servitude, she could not even utter “mother” sincerely.

Her heart surged with indignation—pity for the original, disdain for such hypocrisy—and she mocked loudly: “Years of obedience brought only betrayal and deceit. Madam Qin, when have you ever truly cared for me?

You say I’m the daughter-in-law of the Tang family? Bah! You treat me like a slave who takes no monthly allowance and yet you expect gratitude.”

Having been served with such humility for years, Madam Qin was used to An’s submissive demeanor. Now, exposed before Madam Liu, she felt shame and anger.

“You talk of being a daughter-in-law? You are shameless and heartless.

You, a curse upon your father and mother, came here on your own, clinging to my son and refusing to leave. A lowly servant like you is fortunate enough to be a concubine.

The Tang family feeds and shelters you, yet you show no gratitude and even harm my grandson.”

An Chunfeng could no longer bear it, unable to understand whether the original had been bewitched or blinded by fate to cling so shamelessly and shamelessly to Tang Yushu.

She sneered, “Fine, no more pretense. You all truly follow your mothers’ traits—none have a conscience.

If I lived off the Tang family’s charity, then all the silver I earned on my own was thrown to the dogs.

Tang Yushu, you may refuse to acknowledge the child, but I will consider him dead to you.

But don’t think you can come back to claim him when he grows up.”

“I will take the child and leave now. We shall never see each other again!”

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Hearing such harsh words from An, Madam Qin was dumbfounded, trembling with rage as she pointed and clenched her teeth: “You poisonous woman—”

“No!”

Before Madam Qin could finish, a hoarse child’s voice sounded in the room.

Everyone turned attentively.

From behind the curtain of the inner chamber, a small figure emerged.

It was a boy, about six or seven years old, his hair tied in a topknot, dressed in plain white linen, as if just risen from bed, his two buns crooked and messy.

Though his round face was stained with tears, he had finely drawn features and fair skin, with slender, phoenix-shaped eyes that were sharp and clear—he would surely grow into a handsome young man.

Tang Mu, his eyes red, stared fixedly at An Chunfeng, panting: “You leave. Go now. I won’t go with you. I want to stay with Father and Grandmother.”

An Chunfeng was taken aback.

Though she retained memories of the “son,” seeing him in person shocked her—how could someone only twenty-one years old have such a large child?

More than that... was this the look a son gave his mother?

Though Tang Mu was weeping, his phoenix eyes held a fierce anger and an unspoken resentment.

“Brother Mu! I’m sorry!” An Chunfeng called out, her voice strained.

Having never been married or cared for a child, she did not understand how a child might look upon his mother. She guessed it was because the original had nearly strangled him that he hated her so.

Hearing “sorry,” Tang Mu showed no emotion; instead, his expression grew colder.

“I won’t go with you!”