Chapter 24 – The Man with a Menacing Air

Tang Chaoyang still needed to pick up her son, so she stood up, preparing to leave.

Before going, she lowered her eyes and asked the man whose entire presence radiated a menacing air, “May I ask—Guyuan—how old are you?”

Ling Guyong lifted his head slightly and looked straight into her eyes. “Twenty, the age of the capping ceremony.”

Tang Chaoyang raised her brows, then earnestly instructed, “I’ll permit you to call me ‘sister’ in the future, but please don’t say ‘Big Red Sister.’”

Ling Guyong had been full of pent-up hostility, but her remark dissipated it a little.

He smiled faintly. “Alright. I won’t call you Big Red Sister.”

Seeing that she was about to leave, he deftly unfastened a pouch at his waist. “This is your consultation fee.”

Tang Chaoyang was badly in need of money. She happily accepted the pouch. “You’ll probably be very busy over the next while. Once things settle down, you can come to Zhuque Alley, the last house there, and find me.”

She was sure he would be investigating who had schemed to make him consume the Ajiao.

Tang Chaoyang stepped out of the private room, her eyes carrying a trace of curiosity. Guyuan was likely from an influential family.

Just now, upon learning he had eaten opium for years, he’d still waited calmly for her to finish her meal before asking questions.

An ordinary person would have demanded answers immediately.

But Tang Chaoyang only thought about it for a moment. He had saved her, and she had saved him—no need to overthink it.

Not long after she left the room, a hidden guard appeared inside.

Ling Guyong’s expression turned extremely cold. His palm tightened slightly, and the teacup in his hand shattered into pieces.

Yet his hand remained unscathed, without so much as a scratch from the broken porcelain.

“Go investigate everything I’ve consumed,” he ordered coolly. “But do not alert anyone.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Should we also look into Miss Tang?” the hidden guard leader asked respectfully.

Though Ling Guyong hadn’t known Tang Dahong long, he had already guessed her temperament.

If he sent people to pry into her affairs, she would likely be displeased. “For now, there’s no need.”

Unless she threatened his life.

**

Meanwhile—

Tang Chaoyang left the restaurant and returned to the house on Zhuque Alley to wash off her makeup and change her clothes.

Before she left, she informed the blind old servant.

She entered through a hidden door and exited the alley from the neighboring house.

**

Fei An’an walked out of the academy with a blank expression.

But the moment he saw Tang Chaoyang, his little face instantly blossomed into a bright smile.

“Mother!”

He trotted over happily. Tang Chaoyang knelt down, opened her arms, and embraced her son.

Seeing his radiant smile, she too felt warmth rising in her heart. She picked him up. “Let’s go home. Are you hungry, An’an?”

Fei An’an nodded seriously. “I’m hungry. Very hungry.”

Other people were also outside the academy to pick up children, but they were mostly the servants in charge of caring for them.

Those children looked at the way Fei An’an and his mother interacted—some with envy, some with puzzlement.

Inside the carriage, Tang Chaoyang asked Fei An’an about his day.

Fei An’an patted his little chest and promised solemnly, “Mother, don’t worry. I studied very diligently.”

Then, swaying his little head, he began reciting aloud.

After reciting a short passage, his bright eyes darted up to peek at Tang Chaoyang.

She immediately understood that look.

Internally amused, she said warmly, “An’an, you’re so clever, so amazing—you can already recite the Three Character Classic.”

Fei An’an beamed from head to toe, overflowing with joy.

Another day of being praised by Mother!

Tang Chaoyang took a small pastry and fed it to him first. “Mother was busy today and didn’t make any treats. I’ll make some tomorrow.”

Fei An’an narrowed his eyes in delight as he savored the soft, sweet dumpling. His words came out muffled, “Mother, you don’t have to make them every day. It’s too tiring for you.”

Tang Chaoyang chuckled softly.

When mother and son returned to the General’s Manor, they washed up, changed clothes, and went to Rong’en Hall to dine with Old Madam Su and the rest.

Old Madam Su pulled Fei An’an into her arms, hugging him tight. “Good, good little great-grandson.”

Tang Chaoyang leaned her face closer. “Grandmother, have you forgotten there’s also a big good one over here?”

Everyone in the room burst out laughing.

Old Madam Su’s eyes crinkled into crescent moons as she laughed, pushing Tang Chaoyang’s face away in mock annoyance.

At that moment, Old Master Su came into the room, unfastening his black fur cloak. The laughter subsided, and the maids began tending to their master in an orderly fashion.

Tang Chaoyang and Fei An’an bowed respectfully to him.

Old Master Su stroked his beard and asked about Fei An’an’s studies.

He nodded with satisfaction. This child was clever—he could be a pillar of support for Chaoyang in the future.

**

After dining in Rong’en Hall, Tang Chaoyang got up to leave, while Fei An’an stayed behind to accompany Old Madam Su for a walk.

“Liuer, go to the outer courtyard and find the steward. I’d like to see Ma Jiang and Ma Ge.”

Liuer acknowledged the order and hurried off to find them.

Tang Chaoyang returned to the main hall of Lanting Courtyard to wait.

Before long, Ma Jiang and Ma Ge arrived.

The two brothers bowed, heads slightly lowered, and followed the proper etiquette without raising their eyes to the woman seated before them.

Tang Chaoyang quietly studied them before speaking. “I’m short of people to handle certain matters. Would you prefer to remain here in the General’s Manor as guards, or would you be willing to work for me, a woman who has separated from her husband?”

These two had been to war, had seen blood, and were efficient in their duties. She needed reliable people.

She was quite self-aware. Staying in the General’s Manor was more stable for them, while following her…didn’t seem to offer any advantages.

The brothers exchanged a glance. They had actually discussed this before.

At the time, Ma Ge had felt Ma Jiang was overthinking it—after all, they were both disabled men.

Who would value men with disabilities? The General’s Manor had plenty of able-bodied guards.

Ma Jiang answered respectfully, “Miss, if you do not disdain us, we are willing to follow you.”

Ma Ge nodded silently, less talkative by nature.

Tang Chaoyang hadn’t expected them to decide so quickly without needing much time to consider.

Her eyes softened with a smile. “Very well. Tomorrow I’ll speak with my grandfather about this. From then on, you will be under my command.”

The two brothers immediately bent in a deep bow.

“I have two matters I need you to help with. Here is a letter—find a way to deliver it to the eldest son of Prince Cheng’s residence.”

Ma Jiang received the letter with both hands.

“And the second matter— I plan to open a school to teach literacy to ordinary people. We’ll need to buy a property, preferably near Yingtian Prefecture.”

The brothers hadn’t expected she would want to open a school—especially the kind that would obviously lose money.

Ma Ge asked steadily, “Miss, if it’s only for teaching literacy to commoners, we could choose a cheaper area.”

Tang Chaoyang smiled faintly. “No, it must be near Yingtian Prefecture.”

She had her reasons for establishing the school there.

The brothers accepted the instructions respectfully and withdrew.

Tang Chaoyang poured herself a cup of tea and considered the day’s affairs.

Though the Embroidered Guards had intervened in Prince Cheng’s affairs, the princely household would not collapse—Prince Cheng hadn’t truly committed treason.

The new Emperor merely wanted to make an example of them under the law, not commit wanton slaughter.

That vicious Second Young Master, who had kidnapped and brutalized women, could not escape the death penalty.

But the problem was—Prince Cheng’s household possessed an imperial token that granted immunity from execution.

Tang Chaoyang worried Prince Cheng would use the token to save that degenerate’s life.

She could not allow that scum to go on living. Nor did she want the princely household to retaliate against Widow Liu and her daughters.

She sipped her tea, thinking.

Prince Cheng had only two sons.

The eldest was the heir by the principal wife, while the second son was born to a concubine.

In the past, Prince Cheng had favored the elder son, since he was legitimate and exceptionally talented in literature. But five years ago, the heir had fallen gravely ill. Even after seeing countless physicians, he had never recovered.

Because of this, the second son—being the only one still in good health—had grown arrogant and unrestrained.

That eldest son hadn’t appeared in public for a long time.

She didn’t know if Ma Jiang and Ma Ge would manage to deliver the letter to him.