Chapter 55 - Destroying a Couple's Relationship Is a Wicked Thing to Do
“The third family is from State Duke Ann Prefecture. It's common for State Duke Ann's family to demonstrate their appreciation for your kindness to Wang Zizhao.”
Tang Yue felt relieved upon hearing that it was the Hu family. He nodded in agreement. “So, there won't be any conflicts with the specific dates for these three families, right?”
“Don't worry about that. Each of these families will inform the others before sending out their invitations. It just so happens that the next three days have been allocated, one family per day. Tonight, you will be attending State Duke Heng's Mansion. I will take care of the gifts on your behalf.”
Tang Yue sighed with relief, suddenly feeling like he was stepping into the upper class. However, he was never fond of socializing and preferred to avoid such events in the future.
“Then, I'll trouble you, Uncle Quan.”
“Young master, it's no trouble at all,” the butler replied with a smile, bowing respectfully before taking his leave.
Tang Yue was about to head to the carpenter's office to have a few small chairs made. While he intended to follow the arrangements, he didn't want to sit on his knees every day. In his own courtyard, he still wanted the freedom to do as he pleased.
Just before stepping out of the courtyard, the butler, who had just hurriedly left, rushed back. “Young master, quickly… come with me to the front hall to receive the decree!”
Tang Yue didn't dare to waste any time. He swiftly changed his attire and followed the butler to the front hall. As soon as he entered, he noticed that all the esteemed and minor families had already gathered.
The entire family knelt in a respectful manner, listening to the long and monotonous eulogy recited by the servant. Finally, a series of rewards was announced. Judging from the expressions of the others, these rewards seemed to be quite generous.
It appeared that the king was very pleased with his handling of Wang Zizhao, at least on the surface.
Tang Yue accompanied his family in examining the bestowed treasures. This was his first experience with the rewards given by an ancient king, and it felt especially invigorating.
Moreover, the items granted by the emperor were truly impressive. The cart full of cloth was of the highest quality, both in color and texture. There was also half a carriage of wine, which made Yueyang Marquis feel quite content.
The other useful items were distributed by the madame. Anything that couldn't be immediately used was securely stored away with designated caretakers watching over them.
Just as the distribution was completed, another round of rewards arrived. This time, it came from Queen Madame Hu. The gifts were slightly less extravagant than those from the emperor, probably to avoid overshadowing the king's offerings.
Among the gifts, ten beautiful women stood out conspicuously. Tang Yue sighed with a headache, thinking, “It seems that in this era, the upper class enjoys presenting people with various specially trained individuals.”
He glanced at Marquis's Wife, whose face appeared tense. Mischievous thoughts crossed Tang Yue's mind, “If he were to give these lovely ladies to Yueyang Marquis, I wonder if she'd want to devour me alive.”
Nevertheless, he quickly dismissed the idea. It would be wicked to meddle in a husband and wife's relationship.
As usual, he sent the women off to perform their tasks. Ignoring the odd glances from others, Tang Yue cheerfully carried a box of precious wood back to his yard.
He had a strong feeling that the box came from Wang Zizhao. When he counted the wood and found twelve different types, his certainty grew.
But then, he wondered if Wang Zizhao expected him to carve another set of twelve zodiac pieces with these wood materials.
Tang Yue suppressed his thoughts and shifted his attention. He selected a piece of sandalwood and began carving a bracelet for the madame.
Though he couldn't inscribe Buddhist scriptures on the bead, crafting Buddha statues on it posed no issue. Next, he fashioned a wooden pendant from high-quality aromatic wood for Yueyang Marquis. Its pleasant fragrance also possessed medicinal qualities.
As for Marquis's Wife, he decided to set that aside for now. Once she stopped opposing him, he would show her respect.
Tang Yue worked diligently, not rushing to present his creations. He treated it as a pastime during his leisure moments.
In this era, late-night feasts were uncommon. It was only half past midnight, equivalent to three-thirty in modern times, when Tang Yue boarded his carriage and headed to State Duke Heng's Mansion.
The butler, wiping sweat from his forehead, watched the carriage approaching. It was nearly autumn, yet the heat remained relentless.
Accompanied by a group of beautiful young ladies, he encountered Marquis's Wife along the way, who was admiring the flowers. Quickly, he arranged for a warm reception.
“What's happening here? Weren't these people supposed to be sent to State Duke Heng's Mansion?” Marquis's Wife pointed at the women behind him and inquired.
The butler lowered his head and answered, “The young master believes it's not appropriate to send these beauties to State Duke Heng's Mansion, considering our relationship.”
“What's the issue with that?”
“Well… the young master mentioned that Noble Heir of State Duke Heng is known for his lecherous nature. He's constantly surrounded by beauties and has a preference for both newcomers and older ones. If too many beauties are sent, it will be difficult for his future wife to manage the household efficiently.”
In fact, there was one more thing that Tang Yue wanted to convey but the butler didn't have the courage to tell Zhao Shi. Tang Yue's exact words were: “The human body has its limits when it comes to producing sperm. Now that he's been ‘squeezed dry' by other women, what will he use to father a child in the future?”
In such a prominent family, divorce wasn't a straightforward option.
Furthermore, even if there was a fertility issue, it was likely to be blamed on the woman. Therefore, they needed to ensure that the Noble Heir of State Duke Heng still had the ability to conceive before getting married.
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