Chapter 13: Confrontation with the Prime Minister

In response to Madam Li’s question, Tang Chaoyang didn’t hide anything. “While taking my child to see a waterfall in the mountains near Guangping Village, I discovered the ginseng.”

“….” That kind of luck was enough to make people jealous.

Tang Chaoyang first reviewed the prescription written by Doctor Hu. She adjusted a few ingredients and handed the revised formula to Nanny Zhou, who served Old Madam Su.

She also remembered the prescription for Ma Ge—to help relieve the pain in his broken left hand, which ached when the weather changed.

She handed the prescription to Madam Li. “Eldest Aunt, please give this to Ma Ge. He was one of the guards who accompanied us to Cold City.”

Madam Li smiled as she accepted the prescription.

Tang Chaoyang chatted with the old madam for a bit longer before leaving Jinhe Hall.

Once she returned to her courtyard, she immediately took out the coarse light gray cloth she had bought earlier that day.

She wanted to make a cloth bag for her son with her own hands.

Seeing her lady measuring and snipping the coarse fabric with scissors, Nanny Wu grew anxious. “Miss, what are you doing? Let this old servant help you cut it. Don’t hurt yourself.”

“I’m making a bag for An’an. Nanny, I’ll do it myself.”

Tang Chaoyang was no longer as pampered as before. She wanted to personally make everything she could for her son.

Liu’er walked in and reported, “Miss, the Second Miss is here.”

Tang Chaoyang was a little surprised. Why was Su Ling here?

Su Ling had always disliked her. The two of them never got along. For her to show up voluntarily now… it couldn’t be anything good.

“Invite her in.”

Liu’er responded and soon after, a pretty young woman dressed in a cloud-patterned jacket walked into the room.

Tang Chaoyang put down her scissors. “Second Cousin, did you just return from outside?”

Su Ling casually sat down. After the maid served tea, she looked Tang Chaoyang up and down with a sneer. “There was a plum blossom appreciation banquet hosted by the Grand Princess this morning. Guess who stole the spotlight?”

Tang Chaoyang sipped her floral tea, uninterested. “Who?”

Su Ling had attended the banquet today. Most noble ladies kept their distance from her and her sister, which left her both humiliated and furious.

After returning to the manor, she came straight to find the person she blamed for everything. “The Prime Minister’s wife, Dong Xinrui. She stole the show. Both the Empress Dowager and the Emperor rewarded her handsomely. Do you know how everyone’s mocking you?”

Nanny Wu tried to interrupt, afraid Su Ling would say something to upset her lady, but she was just a servant.

Su Ling said coldly, “They say you have no self-awareness, shamelessly stealing a man in the street!”

“Second Miss!” Nanny Wu raised her voice. “My lady is tired and needs to rest.”

Her lady had her reasons. If not for Yuan-shi…

But Tang Chaoyang wasn’t angered by Su Ling’s harsh words. Her attention was on the Empress Dowager and the Emperor.

Dong Xinrui was the Empress Dowager’s niece.

If Dong Xinrui entered the palace and asked the Empress Dowager to help take Fei An’an back to the Prime Minister’s residence, then she would be powerless to stop it.

It seemed she needed to speak with Fei Yan tomorrow and make things clear about An’an.

Su Ling felt even more irritated when she saw Tang Chaoyang remain so calm and composed. She huffed angrily. “Keep pretending.”

She didn’t believe Tang Chaoyang was truly unbothered.

After Su Ling left, Nanny Wu looked at her lady worriedly. “Miss, don’t take Second Miss’s words to heart.”

Tang Chaoyang shook her head and smiled lightly. “I’m fine, Nanny.”

But Nanny Wu felt her lady was only pretending to be strong.

She had liked the Prime Minister for so many years—how could she let go so easily?

Tang Chaoyang took another sip of her floral tea and recalled the reason people accused her of being shameless.

In Jin Country, there was a tradition of women choosing husbands from the public rankings. Many scholars from poor families rose through marriage alliances.

She had overheard her stepmother Yuan-shi planning to marry her off to a playboy who indulged in wine and women. So when she saw the elegant and noble Fei Yan on the street, she decided to marry him herself.

She had even asked around about Fei Yan’s family background and whether he was already married or engaged.

In this era, people often only got to know each other after marriage.

After the wedding, Tang Chaoyang had tried everything to win his favor, believing that one day, he would be touched.

But two months ago, when he prepared to marry Dong Xinrui, she finally realized that the one he liked was Dong Xinrui!

She didn’t know who had spread the rumor that she had forcibly stolen Fei Yan away and dragged him into the bridal chamber.

Now thinking back, Tang Chaoyang realized she had been incredibly foolish.

—

The next day.

Tang Chaoyang reluctantly parted with Fei An’an outside the clan school.

Every few steps the little one took, he would turn back to look at her.

Finally, he ran back for one last hug.

Nanny Wu chuckled at the sight of her lady and the young master.

“Son, let’s work hard today.”

“Mm-hmm! Mother, you too!”

Fei An’an would study hard, and Tang Chaoyang would work hard to earn a living.

After sending him off, she didn’t return to the General’s Manor right away. She had to talk to Fei Yan about their son.

If she tried to arrange a proper meeting with Fei Yan, he probably wouldn’t show up.

Her only option was to wait along the route he would take after morning court.

Tang Chaoyang had already informed Old Madam Su during morning greetings that she would be going to speak with Fei Yan.

Worried, the old madam had asked Madam Li to assign bodyguards to protect her.

The guards were the Ma brothers—Ma Ge and Ma Jiang—who had accompanied them to Cold City.

At that moment, Fei Yan was in his carriage, contemplating the case the Emperor had tasked him with.

Suddenly, the carriage stopped.

Guard Cheng approached the window and whispered, “Master, Miss Tang is blocking the carriage.”

Fei Yan instinctively frowned.

What nonsense was she up to now?

“Tell her to le—” Before he could finish, Tang Chaoyang’s voice rang out.

“Prime Minister, this is about An’an. I need to speak with you.”

This road was open to the public. Tang Chaoyang’s approach was completely aboveboard.

But to those with malicious intent, it looked like she was shamelessly pestering Fei Yan again.

And one such person happened to be a noble lady close to Dong Xinrui.

She whispered instructions to her maid, telling her to report the incident to Dong Xinrui at the Prime Minister’s residence.

The noble lady smiled slyly—there was sure to be a good show.

—

In a private room at a teahouse.

Tang Chaoyang sat at a polite distance from Fei Yan.

He glanced at her calmly, surprised by her composed demeanor.

There was no resentment, no anger.

It was as if the woman who had once knelt before him, begging in tears, no longer existed.

Fei Yan waited silently for her to speak.

Tang Chaoyang got straight to the point. “You must already know about Lady Fei coming to the General’s Manor to take An’an?”

Fei Yan responded indifferently with a quiet “Mm.”

She continued, “Guard Cheng should’ve relayed what I said in Cold City. An’an will stay with me.”

Her tone was calm. “Since our son was born, you’ve always been cold to him. If you dislike a child born of me, then why bring him back to the Prime Minister’s residence at all?”

Fei Yan leisurely poured himself a cup of tea. His fingers were long and slender—Tang Chaoyang used to love holding his hand.

He said coolly, “The Fei family doesn’t lack a mouth to feed. My mother wants her grandson at home—this is only natural. I am alive and well, and yet you took our son away. Where’s the logic in that?”

Tang Chaoyang’s face turned grim. This world was full of constraints on women.

She laughed mockingly and leaned lazily against her chair.

Fei Yan raised a brow. It was the first time he’d seen her act so indifferent and casual in front of him.

Tang Chaoyang narrowed her eyes and glanced at him sideways. “Prime Minister, I don’t mind writing about the ‘bedroom joys’ we shared and publishing it as a story for Dong Xinrui and everyone else to read. Let the world know that the dignified Prime Minister Fei has quite a taste in bed.”

“You wouldn’t dare!”

“Try me.”

The air between them grew sharp and tense.

Fei Yan’s eyes narrowed dangerously. Her reckless words made his expression darken instantly.

He set down his teacup with a soft but ominous sound, his gaze cutting like a blade.

Tang Chaoyang knew full well—if she truly did what she threatened, the Empress Dowager would likely reward her with a cup of poisoned wine.

But if An’an was taken back to the Prime Minister’s residence, she would lose all rights to see him again.

She would rather die—after making Fei Yan and Dong Xinrui sick to their stomachs first.

“Tang Chaoyang, stay away from Xinrui.” He warned coldly.

His fingers tightened on her chin.