Chapter 40 – He Abandoned Me, I Abandoned Him—What Wrong Is There?

Dong Xinrui hadn’t even stepped into the room when she heard the Second Madam’s wailing cries.

“Sister-in-law, please, have A’Yan save my husband! He’s the Prime Minister! And isn’t your niece-in-law the Empress Dowager’s niece…? Sob sob sob…ask them to think of a way to spare my husband’s life!”

Old Madam Fei hadn’t expected that the Second Household would actually end up committing a crime worthy of execution.

“Sister-in-law, don’t cry just yet. Your crying is making my head ache.”

Old Madam Fei was utterly helpless—then she spotted Dong Xinrui walking in.

She let out a breath of relief, as though she’d seen a savior. “Xinrui, you’ve come at the right time. Come, help persuade your aunt.”

Dong Xinrui wore a gentle smile. She first saluted Old Madam Fei.

The Second Madam, her face covered in tears, immediately clutched Dong Xinrui’s hand. “Niece-in-law, my husband is A’Yan’s own uncle! You must help us plead for mercy, just let him keep his life!”

The crime Fei’s Second Master had committed this time—His Majesty was clearly using it as an example to warn others. He had personally issued the decree and obviously had no intention of showing leniency.

An autumn execution was all but certain.

Neither she nor Fei Yan could help with this.

“Aunt, the Emperor’s will cannot be changed. When A’Yan returns, I will discuss with him how best to settle your household,” Dong Xinrui spoke in a tone that seemed gentle but carried unyielding firmness.

Nanny Huang applied just enough strength to gently pull the Second Madam aside.

Dong Xinrui calmly took out her handkerchief and wiped the hand that had just been seized.

The Second Madam still wanted to cry and make a scene, but her eldest son, Fei Jin, suddenly stepped forward to stop her.

Fei Jin walked over to Dong Xinrui, squeezing out a fawning smile, ingratiatingly asking, “Sister-in-law, could you arrange for us to stay here in the capital? Or perhaps to live inside the Prime Minister’s residence?”

Hearing this, Dong Xinrui felt displeasure rise in her heart. How brazen—pressing their luck so quickly.

“You may temporarily stay in the residence for a few days. When A’Yan returns, I will consult with him,” she said.

Then she turned to Nanny Huang. “Nanny Huang, arrange for people to escort Second Madam and her family to rest.”

Fei Jin hadn’t received the answer he wanted and looked disappointed.

But this matter wasn’t urgent—he could find another way later.

Fei Jin had always thought he was handsome, more adept at charming women than Fei Yan.

If he could stay in the capital, perhaps he’d get a chance to marry some official’s daughter, just like Fei Yan!

Fei Yan’s fortune was truly enviable—each wife he took was nobler than the last.

Nanny Huang led the Second Madam’s family away to rest.

For the next few days, the Second Madam’s household temporarily resided in the Prime Minister’s residence.

As for Fei family matters, Tang Chaoyang paid them little mind.

*

The next day, while Tang Chaoyang was out buying boots for her son, she came across a commotion.

Her cousin Su Ziliang was quarreling with someone.

She approached and realized that the people confronting Su Ziliang seemed to be from the Second Master’s household.

In the Su family, all the men of her generation had the character “Zi” in their names.

Her eldest cousin was Su Zixuan, the second cousin Su Ziliang, and the third cousin Su Zijing.

At the moment, a porcelain vase lay shattered on the street. Fei Jin and Fei Yin were putting on a great show of theatrics, loudly lamenting how a vase they’d bought for five hundred taels was now broken.

Fei Jin looked at Su Ziliang and affected an indignant posture. “We clearly spent five hundred taels, and you want to pay just one hundred? What kind of shameless cheat is that!”

Su Ziliang snorted coldly. “Don’t try to extort me. Otherwise, I won’t give you even a hundred taels—I’ll take you straight to the magistrate.”

Fei Jin wasn’t afraid. “Fine, let’s go! Who’s scared of who? Everyone, look! This vase was bought from a traveling merchant, and it really cost five hundred taels!”

This was the first time Su Ziliang had encountered such shameless ruffians.

Traveling merchants had no fixed shop. If the authorities wanted to investigate, they’d first have to track the merchant down.

“I was wondering who it was. So it’s the Fei family’s lot. What—Prime Minister Fei hasn’t disciplined you two? You’re running about extorting people in the streets? Has the Fei household fallen this low?”

Tang Chaoyang’s fingers brushed the whip coiled at her waist. After nearly being shot with arrows yesterday, she now carried the whip whenever she left the house.

Fei Jin and Fei Yin turned to the languid woman’s voice and saw Tang Chaoyang.

Fei Jin eyed her up and down. Recognizing her, he let out a mocking laugh. “Ah, it’s former sister-in-law. What—come to meddle again today?”

Once, when the Second Master’s family visited, Fei Jin had dragged a young maid to harass her.

Tang Chaoyang had caught him in the act and without a word ordered him pinned down and flogged.

Since then, though he lusted after her beauty, he also hated her.

Tang Chaoyang walked over unhurriedly. She unfastened her whip and used the handle to nudge the broken porcelain on the ground.

“This vase is worth at most ten taels. You pig-brained fool—how could you let someone con you out of five hundred?”

She lifted her hand in mock astonishment, five slender, white fingers gleaming in the sunlight.

Each finger was so perfectly shaped it made people instinctively feel they were beautiful.

Just then, Ling Gurong, sitting in a carriage nearby, lifted the curtain slightly.

He looked at the woman with her hand raised, and a flicker of confusion crossed his deep eyes.

This Tang Chaoyang…looked so much like Elder Sister Tang Dahong in figure.

And her hand—also resembled Tang Dahong’s hand very closely…

Ling Gurong’s brow furrowed. He tapped his knee thoughtfully, his handsome face solemn.

Could Tang Dahong actually be Tang Chaoyang?

Wasn’t it said that Tang Chaoyang knew nothing, that she only had a pretty face?

Today, clad in a red fur-lined cloak, scolding people as “pig-brained,” her face looked dazzlingly beautiful.

Being called pig-brained in front of everyone, Fei Jin glared and stepped forward in rage.

Su Ziliang moved to shield his cousin. “Stay away from my cousin.”

“Oh-ho, so this is your cousin? Cousin, huh?” Fei Jin sneered. “Miss Tang—are you planning to marry your own cousin after your divorce?”

Su Ziliang’s face turned red with fury. He was about to punch that foul mouth.

Tang Chaoyang calmly placed her hand on her cousin’s shoulder. She smiled faintly. “Don’t waste energy getting angry at a pig. It’s not worth it.”

The bystanders burst into laughter.

Even Ling Gurong, inside the carriage, curved his thin lips in amusement. What a sharp tongue.

Tang Chaoyang’s gaze turned cool as she lazily swept it over Fei Jin and Fei Yin, her tone tinged with mockery. “Did you two forget about Fei Gang? Your dear father is scheduled for execution this autumn, isn’t he?”

In just one sentence, Fei Jin looked like someone had strangled him.

The crowd’s stares grew either startled or contemptuous.

Fei Yin’s face flushed bright red. He glared at her and shouted, “You shameless whore—you deserved to be cast aside by my cousin!”

Murmurs rippled through the onlookers.

Someone whispered, “Isn’t that Prime Minister Fei’s ex-wife?”

When a man and woman divorced, it was always the woman who drew the most gossip.

Su Ziliang clenched his fists so tight they shook. If not for his cousin holding him back, he would have punched Fei Yin already.

But Tang Chaoyang only laughed lightly. “You call me a whore? Did I cuckold your cousin? Did I run off to some other man’s bed?”

“My divorce from Fei Yan—what is there to be ashamed of? He abandoned me, and I abandoned him. What wrong is there?”

Ling Gurong sat in the carriage, watching her easy smile. His gaze grew darker.

The more he looked, the more she resembled Elder Sister Tang Dahong.

He lifted his hand toward the window. His strong fingers twitched slightly.

Not far away, Fei Yin was still glaring furiously—when suddenly, something struck both his knees with tremendous force.

His legs buckled, and he dropped to the ground.

Right in front of Tang Chaoyang.

Sensing something, Tang Chaoyang lifted her eyes to look toward the carriage in the distance.