C27 – You Have to Pay Me Back!
“Yue’er, you hold too high an opinion of people. An ambitious man will not be swayed by women. When Ya assists him, he will treat her with sincerity. However, once his power surpasses that of Marquis’s Mansion and Ya can no longer aid him, his heart will change,” Wang Yao explained to Tang Yue.
Tang Yue understood this concept well. He suddenly recalled a popular saying in his social circle.
Tang Yue mentioned that if a man was willing to follow a woman when he was in love, he would be willing to do anything for her when he was in love. “Kneel and lick,” Tang Yue added. After marriage, the man might even demand twice as much from her.
“As for Ya’s temperament,” Wang Yao continued, “She could not care less about things that do not concern her. She would not lift a finger for anything she does not care about. She already knows the character of the Noble Heir of State Duke Heng, so she has no expectations from him.”
Compared to living a life of joy and sorrow, Ya’s father would rather see her living a life of affluence and luxury, even if it means giving up on love.
“It’s just feelings!” Tang Yue’s values, accumulated over forty years, were defeated by these six words. He always unconsciously applied modern thoughts and ideas to this world. However, he failed to realize that this was not the twenty-first century, where gender equality was recognized, nor was it a society based on law where everyone was equal.
The social hierarchy here was strict, with the gap between nobles and commoners and that between nobles and slaves established from birth. Slaves would fight their entire lives but never attain wealth and riches.
He only wanted Ya to marry a good man who would make her happy, but he forgot that a good man might not remain good forever.
Even someone like Zhao Sanlang, how could he remain faithful to only one woman for the rest of his life?
In this society, love did not necessarily mean two people would be together for a lifetime.
Tang Yue suddenly felt lost. He had once wished to find true love in this world, but perhaps it was an unattainable hope.
The Marquis of Yueyang patted his son’s shoulder and spoke with a sense of accomplishment, “Remember what your father said today. You will understand it in due time.”
Marquis’s Wife had taught all seven of their daughters, so it was the first time Yueyang Marquis had the opportunity to educate his children, and he was quite proud of it.
He was finally someone who could scold his own son!
Zhao Shi was preparing dishes for the old mistress when Tang Yue’s order was served. She picked up a small fried fish and placed it in the old mistress’s bowl. “Yue Er is an excellent cook. She always makes dishes that the wealthy have never tasted before. Old mistress, you should give this a try. It’s a fried fish.”
The old mistress was hesitant at first, as it contained many fish bones, but since Tang Yue had made it, she felt it necessary to try it.
As she took a bite, the seven Tang sisters sitting at the head of the table asked in unison, “Amma, how does it taste?”
The old mistress’s eyes lit up as she nodded. “It’s crispy and delicious, and I didn’t have any trouble with the fish bones. You should all try it.”
Yueyang Marquis walked in at that moment, and upon hearing her words, he added, “It tastes really good, and it’s even better with wine.”
Zhao Shi’s hands stopped moving, and she observed the expressions of the father and son. She noticed that both of their expressions were not good, especially Tang Yue, who seemed to have been dealt a significant blow.
He must have been reprimanded by Master Hou! Ohoho!
Tang Yue approached the old mistress to greet her and reminded her, “Grandma, please eat fried food in moderation. Overeating is not good for your stomach.”
Zhao Shi leaned back in her chair and smiled upon hearing his words. “Mother, I only found out today that Yue Er knows medicine. If anyone in the family suffers from a headache or fever, they no longer need to call a physician.”
“Madam, you flatter me. I only know how to treat external injuries. Please do not ask me for help with headaches or fevers. It may exacerbate your condition if it is delayed,” Tang Yue replied humbly.
The Marquis’s Wife covered her mouth and chuckled with delight. “I’m just teasing. How could I have Yue’er treat a servant? It would be too embarrassing.”
Tang Yue raised an eyebrow. He understood that she was ridiculing him for tending to the driver’s injury earlier. However, to him, all patients were equal. He did not feel ashamed.
“Speaking of which, Master Hou should find a tutor to teach Yue’er the Book of Sage. He cannot be outdone by his younger sister in terms of education. He cannot even read a single word,” the Marquis’s Wife seemed to be thinking for Tang Yue with each sentence, but she held onto his sore leg and made him feel worthless.
Tang Yue smiled and expressed gratitude to the Marquis’s Wife, “Madam, you are absolutely right. This is what I have been thinking too. I do not understand difficult words, which is too embarrassing for Marquis’s Mansion.”
He did not want to remain illiterate. He did not want to rely on others to write prescriptions for him in the future.
“It’s a good thing for Yue Er to improve. However, it is not easy to find a tutor. Why don’t you let the guests residing here teach you some basic knowledge first? I will continue to search for a tutor,” the Marquis’s Wife suggested.
Tang Yue didn’t require a tutor. He only needed someone to teach him how to read. Moreover, he didn’t intend to pursue an official career. What was the point of learning so much?
