Chapter 22: East, South, West, and North
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Today was the day the Tang family returned to the capital.
The Tang residence had prepared a family banquet.
When Tang Zhaozhao arrived, she saw that, besides Tang Yuntao, three other young girls were seated at the table.
Under her mother Madam Zhou’s pointed looks, Tang Yuntao rose reluctantly and bowed to Tang Zhaozhao and her mother.
“First Aunt, Sister Zhaozhao.”
The other three girls rose together and prepared to pay their respects.
“Greetings, First Aunt and Sister Zhaozhao.”
Tang Zhaozhao raised an eyebrow. So they were all her younger sisters.
It seemed her second uncle had quite a number of women in his household.
At that moment, the Old Madam Tang was helped inside.
“We are all family. What need is there for such formalities? Those who ought to know proper etiquette haven’t the slightest manners!”
Tang Zhaozhao pretended not to hear the sarcasm in her voice.
Though the Old Madam had said that, everyone present still bowed when they saw her.
Everyone except Tang Zhaozhao, of course.
With everyone else bowing while she stood perfectly still, Tang Zhaozhao was especially conspicuous.
The Old Madam Tang angrily scolded her.
“As expected of a wild girl from the mountains. You have no manners at all!”
Tang Zhaozhao curved her lips.
“Grandmother, weren’t you the one who said that family need not bow to one another? Yet now you’re scolding me for lacking manners. Second Aunt has served you for so many years. It must have been rather hard on her!”
Madam Zhou had not expected Tang Zhaozhao to single her out and was momentarily caught off guard.
When she recovered, she hurriedly said, “It hasn’t been hard at all. Nothing of the sort.”
Her explanation only made it sound as though she were rushing to clear herself.
The Old Madam Tang was furious.
This wretched girl should never have been brought back!
Seeing the situation, Madam Zhou quickly tried to smooth things over.
“Mother, supper is nearly ready. Why don’t we eat first? Otherwise, the dishes will grow cold.”
The Old Madam Tang gave a cold snort before walking to the seat of honor.
But the old woman still refused to let matters rest.
They had barely taken a few bites when the Old Madam Tang looked toward Song Rongzhi.
“Now that you’ve returned to the capital, you won’t be leaving again anytime soon, will you?”
Song Rongzhi set down her chopsticks and gracefully dabbed the corner of her mouth.
“Mother is right. We won’t be leaving the capital for some time.”
The Old Madam Tang gave a grunt.
“The capital is not like Huai City. You cannot afford to be ignorant of proper etiquette here. How can a wild girl from the mountains be taken to banquets? Have Nanny Qin go over and teach the girl properly.”
Tang Zhaozhao rolled her eyes at that. The old woman called her a wild girl from the mountains at every turn.
Clearly, her grandmother disliked everything about her.
And now she wanted to send a nanny to teach her. Wasn’t that merely an excuse to make her suffer?
Song Rongzhi smiled faintly.
“Mother is not in good health. How could you possibly spare Nanny Qin? I will teach Zhaozhao myself, little by little. There is no need for Mother to trouble herself.”
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The Old Madam Tang suddenly slammed her palm against the table.
The younger members who were eating all jolted in fright, yet not one of them dared to make a sound.
“Eldest daughter-in-law, you have been married into the Tang family for seventeen years and still have not borne a son. You raised your daughter to be completely devoid of manners, and now you defy me, your mother-in-law, at every turn. Whose power are you relying on?”
Song Rongzhi’s voice remained gentle.
“Mother, please do not be angry. I have always regarded my husband as the head of the household. Now that only this one daughter remains to me, I ask for nothing more than that she live freely and comfortably. I do not wish to see her bound by endless rules and restrictions.”
The Old Madam Tang grew even angrier at those words.
“So you mean to say that I am always using rules to oppress you, leaving you unable to breathe?”
Song Rongzhi lowered her gaze submissively.
“You are overthinking it, Mother. That was not what I meant.”
“I think that is exactly what you meant! I care about nothing else, but your eldest son is no longer young. If you do not give him another child soon, it will only become more difficult later.”
A shadow passed through Song Rongzhi’s eyes.
“If Mother wishes to arrange a concubine for the General, you may tell him so yourself. I will not object.”
Seeing her expression, the Old Madam Tang was livid.
If she could persuade her eldest son, why would she waste her breath arguing with this woman?
Beside them, Madam Zhou suddenly joined in.
“Sister-in-law, this is where you are in the wrong. Don’t take offense at my bluntness. As women, if we cannot bear our husbands a son, people will condemn us for it!”
Tang Zhaozhao gave a soft laugh.
“Second Aunt is certainly generous. You already bore Second Uncle a son, yet you still filled his household with a whole group of young concubines.”
As she spoke, she cast an amused, knowing glance at the three other girls present.
The three concubine-born daughters lowered their heads even further, not daring to look at Madam Zhou.
Madam Zhou’s face turned faintly green after Tang Zhaozhao’s retort.
What woman would wish to share her husband with three wives and four concubines?
But that was how every official in the capital lived.
Naturally, she could not escape the custom either.
That was one of the reasons she disliked Song Rongzhi.
The Old Madam Tang slammed the table again.
“You insolent wretch! Is it your place to speak here?”
Tang Zhaozhao lifted her chin.
“Grandmother, that is an odd thing to say. I am, at the very least, a commandery princess, and my mother is a First-Rank Noble Lady. How could I possibly have no right to speak?”
The sight of that sharp-tongued wild girl left the Old Madam Tang so furious that she could scarcely catch her breath.
And now the girl was even using rank to suppress her.
She was truly becoming lawless!
Tang Zhaozhao glanced at the dishes on the table and puffed out her cheeks.
“Mother, this food doesn’t taste good.”
Song Rongzhi smiled indulgently.
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“Our Zhaozhao has only just arrived in the capital. It is perfectly normal that she doesn’t care for the local flavors. Come, Mother will take you back and prepare some of your favorite dishes herself.”
Tang Zhaozhao beamed and helped Song Rongzhi to her feet.
Song Rongzhi gave the Old Madam Tang a respectful curtsy.
“Mother, Zhaozhao is not accustomed to these dishes, so I will take her back first.”
The Old Madam Tang pounded her chest in fury.
This was outrageous! Utterly outrageous!
That evening, after Tang Zhaozhao had finished eating at Song Rongzhi’s quarters, a maid came to summon General Tang Wu, along with Song Rongzhi.
The maid’s meaning was clear.
The mother and daughter had angered the Old Madam terribly at the dinner table.
The household physician had already gone over, and the General and his wife were urgently needed to see her.
Song Rongzhi merely smiled when she heard this.
“Zhaozhao, go back to your courtyard first.”
Tang Zhaozhao wanted to go and take a look as well, but Tang Wu stopped her.
His mother might have been in the wrong, but if she were truly angered to death by his daughter, the consequences would be disastrous.
Tang Zhaozhao was sent back to her small courtyard.
The moment she entered, she sensed that something was amiss.
Apart from Jianxue and a few maids doing the cleaning, someone with martial arts and internal energy was concealed in the courtyard.
Pretending not to notice anything, she walked straight into the room.
The instant the door closed, a figure knelt before her.
“Greetings, Second Miss Tang.”
Wasn’t this the guard beside Prince Lin—the very man who had threatened to kill her the last time?
Had his master fallen ill again?
Abei watched as Tang Zhaozhao lazily sat down on a stool.
“Last time, I misunderstood you. I have come today to make amends for my blindness. From this day forth, should you need anything, Miss, you may command me to do it.”
Tang Zhaozhao raised an eyebrow.
“Did your master send you?”
Abei nodded.
“Yes!”
Tang Zhaozhao asked another question.
“What is your name?”
Abei replied, “From now on, Miss may call me Abei. If you would like to bestow a new name upon me, that is also acceptable.”
Tang Zhaozhao was speechless.
“Doesn’t your master also have a guard named Adong?”
Abei stared at her in astonishment.
“How did Miss know?”
Adong had not accompanied the Prince to Huai City this time. How could Second Miss Tang possibly know of him?
Tang Zhaozhao pursed her lips.
“East, south, west, and north. Aren’t you missing the east?”