Chapter 50: The Second Chapter Upon Release

“If the rebel army besieges the city for too long, eventually the food supplies will run out. In these chaotic times, fighting for survival is inevitable,” Su Yang said.

“With your eighth-rank status, you can’t stir up even the smallest ripple in this troubled Yanggu County. You’ll be crushed in an instant, and with no powerful backer to help you, what’s the point of acting tough?”

“If food truly becomes scarce in the future, I’ll go and ask the master of the White Ape Martial Hall for help. She went through a great deal of trouble to recruit me as her disciple—if I ask, she will surely agree.”

“If even the master of the White Ape Martial Hall runs out of food, the people of Yanggu County would have starved to death long ago, and the rebels would have already taken the city. In the future, I hope you’ll stay quietly at home and not get involved in such muddy waters.”

“Someday, after you pass the imperial examinations and become a scholar-official, a mere county will be beneath your notice.”

“Scholars are endowed with the fortune of heaven. A Confucian who rises through the official exams brings blessings wherever he is appointed. His heavenly fortune can protect a land and its people, and some great scholars can even summon wind and rain, ensuring prosperity for those under their charge.”

“In the days to come, if you encounter danger or difficulty, never act rashly. Come to me first, and I’ll find a way. I don’t want to become a widow so soon...!”

Nestled in Su Yang’s arms, Zhang Qingshi gazed up at him, her eyes tinged with anxiety, her heart full of fear at the thought of losing her beloved.

“Don’t worry, my dear. If danger comes, I’ll stay away from it,” Su Yang replied with a calm smile, reaching out to tuck a stray lock of her hair behind her ear. Unable to resist, he finally pressed his lips to hers.

A faint sweetness lingered on his tongue; her lips were soft and tender.

At first, Zhang Qingshi’s eyes went wide in surprise, but soon she closed them, surrendering to the sweetness. Her heart fluttered wildly, and she clung to his neck with her pale, slender arms.

Only when footsteps sounded in the courtyard did the two reluctantly part. Her eyes, brimming with moisture, flashed him a glare as she whispered, “Don’t spout nonsense—who’s your dear one...!”

“My beloved.”

At his words, Zhang Qingshi blushed furiously and glared at him again, lowering her head to focus on the poetry laid out on the table. The maid, Xi Shi, entered with their lunch.

It wasn’t until dusk that Su Yang finally left the Zhang residence.

At the Wang residence—

Upon Su Yang’s return, Peach Blossom, Plum Blossom, and Xi Chun hurried to greet him. The three women, having weathered storms together, now bore a mature, womanly air.

Peach Blossom was still petite and doll-like. Though pregnant for over a month, she barely showed. The first trimester is always delicate; Su Yang wished he could hide her away in his arms, cherishing her in some secluded place.

Plum Blossom was slender and fragile, her eyes tender and full of emotion—any man who saw her would feel a surge of pity. She too was nearly a month along in her pregnancy.

Xi Chun, on the other hand, exuded the poise and reserve of a noble lady. Her figure was graceful, legs slender, wrapped tightly in a deep green dress. The sight made one long to peel away those layers...

A few maids greeted him as “Master.” They were still thin and frail, though their complexions had improved and a bit of spirit had returned to their eyes. They would need more time to recover fully.

These girls were still naive, newly enraptured by the promise of a better life. In time, as their bodies grew healthy and their cheeks round and rosy, they would settle into this new existence. Eventually, they would yearn for even better things.

The best way to achieve that, of course, was to attract the master’s attention.

How fortunate he was, to witness each young beauty’s changing heart and growth.

Because Shui Niang’s health was still fragile, Su Yang had instructed her to stay in bed for the next month and properly rest. At that moment, her door was left slightly ajar, and she watched him secretly from within, a strange emotion stirring in her heart.

She was an ordinary woman, cherished by her parents and brothers since childhood. After marrying, her life changed drastically—she was treated little better than livestock. Her newborn child had died, and she had been sent to work as a wet nurse in a wealthy household, barely out of her confinement, still subject to her in-laws’ cold disdain.

The best thing she’d eaten at her husband’s home was a single egg before giving birth.

After being rescued by the master, she was treated with kindness and given a proper environment for her confinement. She had eggs for nourishment, even chicken soup, and he often came to ask about her well-being.

In such circumstances, her feelings for her master deepened into something more—but she knew she was no longer pure, perhaps even considered tainted, and could not help but feel a pang of sorrow.

She was unworthy of the master. Even as a chamber maid, there were untouched girls like Peach Blossom and Plum Blossom to serve him.

A single tear slipped from her beautiful eyes, reddening her rims as she gazed on with both envy and grievance.

“Master, Sister Xi Chun made lotus seed soup—go and try some,” Peach Blossom said sweetly.

Both she and Plum Blossom were pregnant, so only Xi Chun had yet to conceive. They hoped she would soon, so there would be three expectant mothers in the house, and company for each when the time came.

Su Yang glanced at Xi Chun, who kept her head lowered. Though they had long since shared the intimacy of husband and wife, her conservative heart still made her a little shy.

“Let me savor my beloved’s sweetness before I taste the lotus seed soup,” Su Yang said, sweeping Xi Chun into his arms. Her soft body melted against him—he had been stirred up already by Zhang Qingshi, and the time was right.

“Master, there are so many people...!”

Su Yang paid her no heed, striding into the room and kicking the door shut behind him, tossing his beloved onto the great bed.

Night had fallen.

In the courtyard, both maids and mistresses had blown out their candles and gone to sleep. Only from Su Yang’s chambers came the sharp, unmistakable sounds of passion.

The room closest to Su Yang’s was Black Lotus’s. The space was small, meant for one, and usually used for storage—now it was a quiet place for her to recover. In a few days, she would regain her ninth-rank strength, but until then, she had to remain in bed as much as possible.

Yet the noises from the neighboring room made Black Lotus’s brows knit tightly. Her body trembled with irritation as she lay on the bed, yearning to storm in and drag that pair of lovers out by the hair.

Her frosty eyes burned with anger, but as time passed, her agitation faded, replaced by a flicker of heat. One hand, unable to restrain itself, began to wander...

The next morning.

After breakfast, Su Yang, out of courtesy, brought up his wish to take a wife to Liu Wenxiang. She did not object, expressing her full understanding, only asking that he not forget his original promise.

He had expected the madwoman Wang Chunxiao to become jealous or make a fuss, but she merely kept her head down, eating in silence. Only Wang Xiahé blinked her bright eyes, curiously asking which family the Su household’s principal wife hailed from.

Meanwhile, Hu Shi, the chief constable of Yanggu County, had entered the residence and was waiting for Su Yang in the parlor, his face alight with excitement and anticipation.