Tang Dayong wore a brown brocade robe embroidered with subtle patterns, a dark belt fastened around his waist. His black hair was tied up in an openwork silver crown, accentuating his thick eyebrows and large eyes, making him appear even more righteous.
Those unaware of his background might assume he came from a noble family, born with such extraordinary bearing.
With his hands clasped behind his back, he stood in the main hall, scanning the empty surroundings. Frowning, he questioned Li Qiushuang, “Why must you insist on divorce? If you had remained a concubine, at least you wouldn’t have to suffer with the children. Now, to survive, have you really resorted to selling off the tables and chairs…”
Li Qiushuang lowered her head, sewing shoe soles, trying her best to appear calm. Unfortunately, her trembling fingers betrayed the emotions in her heart.
Suddenly, she threw down the shoe sole and pointed at Tang Dayong’s nose, all her anger erupting.
“Tang Dayong, how dare you say such shameless things! I thought that with those fine clothes, you might finally act like a decent person! Who would have thought you’d still be as blind and foolish as ever!
“Your mother has been vicious, stingy, and cruel for years—do you truly not know? What do you mean, I sold the tables and chairs? It was your mother who did it!
“At the time of the divorce, everything in this courtyard was bought with my dowry and belonged to me and the children. But your mother brought your brother and took everything away, even setting the firewood pile ablaze! I haven’t gone to confront you or spread the story all over town to shame you—that alone shows my restraint. How dare you come here and blame me! You are heartless, worse than a beast!”
Tang Dayong was stunned by the scolding, his mind instantly recalling the pile of junk in his family’s side room. His face flushed red, wanting to retort but knowing he was in the wrong.
He glanced at the few soldiers at the door and his sickly but hate-filled eldest son, feeling even more irritated.
He simply kicked a bag of coarse rice by the door and said coldly, “That’s all in the past, no need to mention it again. Since we’re divorced, we have no ties anymore, but the children are still my flesh and blood. I can’t let them starve. This bag of rice is for the children to eat.
“Also… in a few days, I will be marrying Princess Wulan. You must keep your promise and not go around spreading rumors that would tarnish the princess’s reputation. Otherwise, I won’t show any mercy. If the princess takes your life, it will be your own fault…”
Li Qiushuang finally understood the real reason for his sudden visit. It wasn’t out of concern for the children—he was just afraid she would expose his disgraceful affairs and embarrass his new lover!
“Tang Dayong, you thunder-struck scoundrel…”
Li Qiushuang grabbed an awl and was about to lunge at him, but Tang Tian, who had rushed in, was faster. She leaped up and kicked Tang Dayong hard in the lower back.
Caught off guard, Tang Dayong stumbled forward two steps and fell flat on his face.
As he struggled to get up, two front teeth were left on the ground!
“You little brat! You’re dead!” Tang Dayong was in severe pain. Wiping his mouth, his hand came away covered in blood. Enraged, his eyes turned red as he charged toward Tang Tian to strike her.
Tang Hai, the simple-minded boy, had entered the room earlier but hadn’t grasped the situation. Now, seeing his sister attack, he howled and rushed forward, headbutting Tang Dayong and sending him tumbling again!
Rubbing her knee, Tang Tian gave her silly brother a thumbs-up.
Tang Dayong was utterly enraged. As a fourth-rank general who had never suffered such humiliation on the battlefield, being beaten black and blue by two children was an unbearable disgrace.
He grabbed a soldier and directly drew his waist sword!
Li Qiushuang was also stunned by her children’s bold actions, but instinct drove her to grab her daughter and son and flee outside, screaming at the top of her lungs.
“Help! Tang Dayong is going to kill someone!”
The villagers, having noticed carriages in front of the Tang family’s house again, had already gathered at a distance, whispering gossip.
Hearing the commotion, they rushed forward and immediately saw Tang Dayong brandishing his sword, chasing after Li Qiushuang and her two children like a ferocious demon!
This was absolutely unacceptable!
Someone immediately dashed off to fetch Second Grandpa Li and Third Grandma Tang, while the others raised their voices to bolster their courage.
“Dayong, Dayong! Put down the sword, this is no way to behave!”
“Oh, Brother Dayong, you’re an official now—you can’t kill your wife and children!”
Tang Dayong was blocked a few times, and Li Qiushuang and the two children had already taken refuge behind the crowd.
Tang Dayong breathed heavily, gripping his waist sword tightly, trapped in a dilemma.
Just then, Second Grandpa Li arrived swiftly, his steps firm, and shouted sternly, “What exactly is going on? Tang Dayong, who are you trying to kill? Now that you’ve become a general, do you find Tangjia Fort an eyesore? Are you trying to send us all to meet King Yama, is that it?”
“No!” Tang Dayong suppressed his resentment with great effort and threw down his waist sword.
As the saying goes, a single tree does not make a forest.
Tang Dayong might disregard his wife and children, but he dared not completely offend the people of Tangjia Fort. Even if he became a general or was enfeoffed as a marquis or appointed as a chancellor, he would still be a member of Tangjia Fort, his name recorded in the Tang family genealogy.
If the Tang family went to the authorities and lodged a complaint, accusing him of being unfilial and discordant, even if it didn’t cost him his official position, it would at least stall his promotion for eight to ten years.
The clan was both the foundation and support for everyone, but also a shackle and a constraint!
“Li Ershu, I was just too angry. These children dared to lay hands on me!” Tang Dayong’s speech was slurred, making him appear utterly disgraced.
Second Grandpa Li frowned and looked toward Li Qiushuang and her children. Tang Tian quickly seized the opportunity to speak, sobbing as she replied, “Second Grandpa, wuwu, this man said he’s going to marry a princess and told my mother and us to act like dead people, not to go to the city and be an eyesore, not to hinder his rise to power and wealth!
“My mother was so angry she cried and scolded him a few times, and then he tried to kill her! Wuwu, I was scared, so my second brother rushed over and bumped into him, and then he tried to kill my second brother too…”
These words were all true, though the order of events was slightly rearranged, successfully placing Tang Dayong on the pedestal of shame.
For a grown man to abandon his wife and children for wealth and status was already disgraceful enough, but now he had returned to threaten them further, afraid they would disrupt his plans to live off a woman’s wealth!
Truly, he had no shame left!
“This is really… tsk tsk, unheard of.”
“Yes, if this gets out, all of us in Tangjia Fort will lose face!”
“What was he thinking? It’s truly unspeakable!”
The villagers were full of contempt. Though they didn’t dare to curse Tang Dayong loudly, their muttered remarks were enough to make his face burn with shame.
He wanted to shout that Tang Tian was lying, but in the eyes of the villagers, it only made him look like a bully targeting a child.
Second Grandpa Li coughed heavily twice and said coldly, “Dayong, now that you’ve become an official, you should live well in the city and don’t come back casually! After all, you and Qiu Shuang are already divorced. She and the children will be taken care of by all of us, so you don’t need to worry. Besides, that Princess of yours has a bad temper. If you end up being blamed because of her, we certainly can’t bear the responsibility!”
This was clearly mocking Tang Dayong for being a kept man while also warning him not to ruin his comfortable situation!
Tang Dayong was so angry he could spit blood, his back teeth grinding audibly. In the end, he just flicked his sleeve and climbed into the carriage in disgrace!