Chapter 38: Tang Youze’s Mistress

Aunt Mei forcefully knocked on the courtyard door, making a loud “bang, bang” sound. Bitao beside her could only anxiously urge her to stop.

After a while, the door was opened, and a young servant saw a woman dressed menacingly standing at the entrance.

The woman looked somewhat haggard. The young servant asked, “Madam, who are you looking for?”

Aunt Mei didn’t even glance at the young servant, pushing him aside and striding straight into the courtyard. The young servant stumbled and nearly fell to the ground.

After steadying himself, the young servant hurriedly followed and shouted, “Madam, are you sure you have the right place?”

Aunt Mei quickly walked, scanning her surroundings. The small courtyard was not large but was clean and tidy, with various pots of blooming flowers in vibrant colors.

Laughter and the sounds of children came from the inner courtyard.

With every step she took deeper inside, Aunt Mei’s heart grew heavier…

As she crossed the threshold of the inner courtyard, Aunt Mei saw a scene that made her heart sink: Tang Youze was affectionately holding a child about five years old in his arms while wrapping the other arm around a young woman.

“Tang-You-Ze~” Aunt Mei’s sharp voice echoed throughout the courtyard.

Tang Youze turned his head and saw Aunt Mei, a flash of guilt crossing his face.

“Master, I couldn’t stop this lady!” the young servant panted as he caught up.

Tang Youze let go of the young woman and set the child down, then waved his hand at the young servant, signaling him to leave.

After the young servant left, Tang Youze looked at Aunt Mei, who had disheveled hair and a haggard face, showing no sign of dignity, her expression displeased. “What are you doing here?”

Seeing Tang Youze’s attitude, Aunt Mei’s anger surged even more. She pointed at him and began to scold, “Do you even care about me?”

“I’ve been with you since I was ten, without any status!”

“Later, when you wanted to marry Chi Ran, you kept me outside, and I became your mistress for four years! I even have a child now!”

“If Chi Ran hadn’t died early, I still wouldn’t have been able to enter the door!”

At this point, Aunt Mei could no longer hold back her emotions and started to cry, her finger trembling as she pointed at Tang Youze. “After I entered your house, I’ve always been a concubine!”

“What about the position of the legitimate wife you promised me?

“Now that you think I’m old, you start keeping a vixen outside!”

“Your mother is bedridden, and I take care of her every day. Do you even care about me, Tang Youze?”

The more Aunt Mei spoke, the angrier she became, especially when she saw the young woman beside her looking at her with disdain. She charged at the woman, grabbing her hair and began to hit her delicate face…

“Ah~”

“Hubby, save me~~”

The woman’s weak cries for help immediately rang out. The child beside them saw this scene and rushed over to cling to Aunt Mei’s leg, desperately patting her waist, “Don’t hit my mother!”

“Beat this wicked woman to death!”

Aunt Mei kicked the child away, who fell to the ground, hitting his forehead and beginning to bleed, crying loudly…

Tang Youze had not expected Aunt Mei to suddenly go mad. By the time he reacted, the scene before him was chaotic. He quickly stepped forward, grabbing Aunt Mei’s shoulder and pulling her away from the young woman. He then slapped Aunt Mei across the face.

Afterward, he kicked Aunt Mei to the ground, pointing at her and scolding, “You venomous woman! Have you gone mad?”

Without Aunt Mei’s restraint, the young woman immediately dropped to the ground, holding her child in her arms. Seeing the child’s injury on his forehead and the blood on half of his face, she sobbed, “Husband, please let us go!”

“I can’t bear this fearful life any longer!”

Tang Youze saw the child crying in his arms, and a wave of heartache surged within him. He stepped forward and embraced the child, saying, “Lan’er, don’t be afraid. Your husband will take you and Heng’er home!”

Aunt Mei had a trace of blood at the corner of her mouth as she looked at the scene before her, feeling particularly stung by it. In Tang Youze’s eyes, there was only that wretched woman!

Bitao helped Aunt Mei up and quietly asked, “Aunt, are you alright?”

Tang Youze turned around, his face filled with anger as he looked at Aunt Mei. “This lord will take Lan’er into the house today!”

“If you dare to cause any more trouble, don’t blame this lord for being heartless!”

After saying this, Tang Youze picked up Tang Chuheng and led Xu Rulan out of the courtyard…

A faint sandalwood fragrance slowly rose from the incense burner, filling the entire study with a subtle scent.

On a nearby small couch, two people sat with their knees bent, intently watching the chessboard before them.

“I heard that Uncle Wang has recently been quite concerned about his nephew’s marriage?” The speaker was a handsome young man.

The young man had skin as delicate and smooth as sheep fat white jade, with long, narrow phoenix eyes that were deep and sharp. His thick, slanting eyebrows added a touch of heroism to his appearance.

“Mm.” Gu Qingchen replied lazily.

“Uncle Wang usually doesn’t concern himself with the affairs of the Xuanping Marquis’s residence. Why is that?”

Gu Qingchen glanced sideways at the young man. “Your Highness, you’ve lost!”

Upon closer inspection, the young man smiled brightly, saying, “Uncle Wang’s chess skills are truly admirable.”

“Only with a focused mind can one concentrate!” Gu Qingchen leaned back against the soft couch and spoke coolly.

Xiao Chengyan noticed that Gu Qingchen seemed a bit upset and quickly explained, “Your Highness isn’t trying to pry into Uncle Wang’s family matters. It’s just that there have been rumors circulating in the capital recently.”

“What Your Highness is concerned about isn’t my family matters, but rather the marriage of the general’s granddaughter, right?”

Xiao Chengyan scratched his head and laughed, “Uncle Wang is truly impressive; you’ve seen right through me!”

“The marriage of Miss Tang indeed concerns the situation in court!”

“I wonder what Uncle Wang’s plans are moving forward?”

Gu Qingchen seemed to think of something, the corners of his mouth slightly rising. “Since Miss Tang’s marriage is so important, it naturally can’t fall into the hands of others!”

Xiao Chengyan’s face darkened. “Uncle Wang, Chengyan currently doesn’t want to get married!”

Gu Qingchen shot him a cool glance, causing Xiao Chengyan to feel a chill run down his spine. Did he say something wrong?

“I heard that Uncle Nanyang is coming to the capital next month,” Xiao Chengyan quickly changed the subject, “Xiao Gui will also come.”

Gu Qingchen remained silent, and Xiao Chengyan continued, “The entire capital knows that Xiao Gui has admired Uncle Wang for a long time. I’m afraid these peaceful days won’t last long!”

“Your Highness seems quite happy?” Gu Qingchen’s expression was gentle, but his words made Xiao Chengyan feel a sense of dread rise from the bottom of his heart.

“Uncle Wang is joking. How could the royal nephew be happy? I’m worried for Uncle Wang!”

“Since Your Highness has so much free time, copy ‘The Governance Strategy’ ten times!”

“What? The royal nephew was wrong; Uncle Wang, please don’t!” Xiao Chengyan looked aggrieved.

“A hundred times!” Gu Qingchen smiled slightly, looking at Xiao Chengyan with a teasing expression.

Xiao Chengyan sulked and angrily left…

The spies at the entrance of the Prince’s residence all saw this, and everyone said that the Fourth Prince and the Prince were not on good terms. When the Fourth Prince left the Prince’s residence today, he had a face full of anger…