Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Inheritance

After wrestling with her thoughts all night, by the next morning, Xi Chun’s eyes were shadowed and sunken. Wang Chunxiao knew exactly what her maid had been up to the previous evening, but she said nothing.

Everyone has their secrets, and Xi Chun was not only her personal attendant but also her childhood companion. There were matters that should remain hidden from prying eyes, and Wang Chunxiao had no desire to intrude. Besides, if she brought up last night’s events, Xi Chun would surely wonder how she knew. Some truths must wait for their moment; if revealed too soon, one risks losing everything.

…

At dawn, Su Yang practiced the Wild Ox Long Fist for half an hour. Plum Blossom, her body aching, sat in the courtyard basking in sun, while a maid soon arrived to summon them for breakfast.

Peach Blossom was pregnant. If Wang Chunxiao saw her, she’d surely be jealous, so it was better to keep them apart. Plum Blossom, still sore, was left to rest in the courtyard, her meal brought out by the maid. The Wang household had enough maids for such arrangements.

Of course, if more concubines joined the household, things could change.

The mother-in-law’s chambers still carried that alluring fragrance that invited longing. Wang Xiahe, at the age when girls are most spirited, called Su Yang “brother-in-law” in the sweetest voice. Her skin was so tender it seemed you could squeeze water from it, her legs long and slender; even her maid, Xi Xia, was much the same.

Both still young, with faces innocent and pure, yet their bodies had begun to hint at the promise of adulthood, carrying a subtle allure.

Wang Chunxiao—always cold and distant—never showed a hint of warmth. What was it she held herself aloof for? Behind her, Xi Chun watched with dark, tired eyes; clearly, she hadn’t slept well.

After breakfast, Liu Wenxiang spoke first. “The eldest branch was wiped out by rebels. Son-in-law, you knew about it last night, didn’t you?”

“What?”

“Mother? The eldest uncle’s family was exterminated? When did this happen?”

“There were four ninth-rank fighters in their household. Whoever did this must be formidable.”

At her mother’s words, both Wang Chunxiao and Wang Xiahe stared at Liu Wenxiang in shock.

“Yes, Head Constable Shen brought the notice yesterday. I didn’t mention it for fear of alarming you, but it seems Mother-in-law has already heard the news,” Su Yang explained.

“Alas, Yanggu County is in chaos now. The eldest branch’s home had four ninth-rank martial artists, yet they were still destroyed by rebels.” Liu Wenxiang sighed deeply, her graceful face tinged with worry and helplessness.

Their own branch had only Su Yang as a ninth-rank.

“Mother, it’s actually good that the eldest branch is gone. They were always eyeing our family’s assets,” Wang Xiahe declared, clenching her delicate fists.

“Should we recruit more martial artists to guard the Wang family?” Wang Chunxiao suggested.

“No, that would be inviting wolves into our midst.”

Liu Wenxiang quickly waved the suggestion away, then looked at Su Yang with satisfaction. Her son-in-law had planned shrewdly; knowing that stockpiling grain would attract outsiders’ envy, he’d set fire to the stores.

In truth, the grain had already been moved elsewhere behind the scenes. Only she, her son-in-law, and Xi Liu knew of it; her daughters were unaware.

Wang Chunxiao glanced at Su Yang, thinking, “Isn’t the wolf right in front of us?”

“By the way, since the eldest branch has been wiped out, all their assets should pass to us. After breakfast, let’s go to the magistrate’s office to collect the deeds and silver,” Liu Wenxiang said.

Yesterday, officers had already collected the bodies, sent them to the public mausoleum, and registered all property and silver at the magistrate’s office, awaiting the next of kin to inherit and settle affairs.

After breakfast, Su Yang set off for the Yanggu County magistrate’s office.

Several gangs had done their part to restore order in the city, so things were calmer now. Open street killings had disappeared, especially in areas like the Wang family’s, under the Black Wolf Gang’s protection.

Residents paid a protection fee, obligating the gang to safeguard their safety. If criminals entered to rob or kill, the gang would handle them, and their fate in the Black Wolf Gang’s hands would not be pleasant.

When chaos first broke out, the gangs were slow to react, watching the situation unfold and leaving a window where civilians turned to crime. But now Yanggu County was holding together, the gangs were cleaning up or recruiting local thugs, and squeezing another layer of profit. The Black Wolf Gang understood that only a stable territory ensured willing compliance from the people.

There were more people on the streets, but all hurried and reluctant to linger.

Business at Yanggu County’s pleasure houses was booming. Many inexperienced girls had arrived in recent days, and gentry, young masters, and lords flocked to try something new. Prices were steep, but cheaper than before the unrest.

The girls who came to sell themselves fell into two categories: some sold themselves outright to the brothel for a sum of silver; others sold only their first night, took the money, served the customer, and left the following day.

Many families had sent their daughters to these places; even some who temporarily pawned their wives, letting them work for a few months before taking them back.

There was no other way—grain was running out in the city.

The rebels had come so swiftly, no one was prepared. Big merchants hoarded grain, hoping to exploit the masses, never intending to sell, so even with money, it was impossible to buy food.

Any surplus had already been seized by the gangs.

Of course, grain could still be bought at exorbitant prices, but ordinary people couldn’t afford it.

…

Shen Lian wasn’t at the magistrate’s office, so Su Yang went alone to the third division. The head constable of Yanggu County was Wu Song, famed for tiger-slaying, and thus not easily met.

Handling the aftermath of the massacre was a constable named Liu, a ninth-rank martial artist with a bushy beard and shrewd, lecherous eyes.

Shen Lian had mentioned that Liu was the magistrate’s brother-in-law; his eighteen-year-old sister had married the nearly fifty-year-old magistrate, earning him this lucrative post.

The room was dim and sour. Besides Liu, two other constables were present, both ninth-rank martial artists—clearly Liu’s trusted aides.

Any lesser-ranked constables were likely out laboring, dealing with the aftermath.

“You’re the son-in-law of the second branch?” Liu asked.

“Yes.”

“Do you know how much silver and property the eldest branch owned?” Liu narrowed his eyes.

“Just a single courtyard,” Su Yang replied tactfully.

“Oh, only a courtyard? No tavern, cloth shop, pawn shop, or such?”

“No, just the ancestral house.”

“Sign here. Hand him the eldest branch’s deed, and make sure all bodies at the mausoleum are properly dealt with, understand?” Liu said.

“Yes, yes.” Su Yang nodded quickly, took the deed, and left, preparing to handle the burial of the eldest branch.

…

“Boss, this one knows how to behave. What remains of the Wang family’s property is in the box. We’ll deliver it to the magistrate soon,” said one trusted constable.

“Knows how to behave?”

“If he really knew, he wouldn’t have come to claim it. I planned to ask my brother-in-law for that Wang family house to keep women in,” Liu’s eyes flashed coldly.

“So you mean…?”

“If he doesn’t know his place, let’s finish this work first, then in a few days pay the Wang family a visit and make this son-in-law disappear, and retrieve the deed.”

“A ninth-rank, able to guard his ancestral home, should count himself lucky. To covet the other property is courting death.”

A murderous glint appeared in Liu’s eyes; from the beginning, he had never intended to let a single silver piece of the Wang family slip away.