Chapter Eighty-Six: Oh, My Husband

After the steward left the room, he looked back at the young master behind him and shook his head helplessly. Men always lost their reason over women.

It was just like what had happened to him at sixteen.

For the sake of the thirty-four-year-old widow at the entrance to the village, he had resolutely challenged his own father to a duel. In the end, his father won the right to companionship, and he himself left home and came all the way to Yanggu County.

If he had not left his hometown back then, perhaps he would never have come into contact with martial arts. He might have remained at home, watching the woman he loved day after day and night after night with his father.

And if he happened to be in a good mood one day, he might even let the one next door hear the sounds.

...

"Oh? Your young master really said that?"

Su Yang stood outside the threshold and looked down at the steward below the steps.

"Yes. If you are willing to fight in the match three days from now, regardless of win or lose, you will be given ten eighth-rank medicinal herbs. If you win, there will be an additional seventh-rank medicinal herb."

The steward said.

"If your young master wants me to take part in the match in three days, that can be arranged. But these conditions are far from enough."

"Besides the ten eighth-rank medicinal herbs, if I win, then in addition to that one seventh-rank herb, the deeds to more than twenty houses of all sizes around the Su residence must also be given to me."

"If your young master is willing, send word. If not, there is no need to come again."

A gleam of slyness flashed through Su Yang's eyes as he spoke.

"What?"

"The deeds to more than twenty houses around the Su residence?"

"Master Su, do you know how valuable these are?"

"I don't know, and I don't care to know. You only need to carry the message back. If they disagree, then there is no need to come looking for me again."

"Close the door."

As soon as Su Yang finished speaking, the gate was shut, leaving only Zhou Bao's steward outside, cursing in fury.

"An ignorant brat who does not know the height of the heavens and the breadth of the earth. Hmph..."

...

"Agree to it."

"Young master, this absolutely cannot be done. Those more than twenty houses around the Su residence are worth a fortune."

Seeing this, the steward hurriedly spoke to stop him.

"Hmph, they're only a few houses. What is there about them that makes them worth a fortune? Besides, my father got those houses without spending much silver. Go to the storeroom and take them out. If anything happens, I will take responsibility."

"The rebel army is besieging the city. These past few days the family has swept up who knows how many assets. Who can even remember those more than twenty houses?"

"Besides, I am certain to win my match in three days. As long as we win, we won't have to hand over those deeds to him. There is no loss at all, only ten eighth-rank medicinal herbs."

"This young master thinks it is very worth it!"

In Zhou Bao's heart, there was nothing in the world more important than Zhang Qingshi. Even if he were to be asked for his heart, liver, and lungs, so long as Zhang Qingshi liked it, he would do it without hesitation.

If it came down to choosing between his own father and Zhang Qingshi, he would not hesitate to swing his blade at the old man.

She was the fairy of his dreams, the embodiment of all his longing.

But just thinking that his fairy was about to be pinned beneath a live-in son-in-law and ravaged at will made it feel worse than death.

"The old servant will go and handle it at once."

Seeing this, the steward knew he could no longer persuade him. He had no choice but to leave and go once more to the Su family. If the young master had not repeatedly instructed him otherwise, he would have wished to send men to wipe out the Su family outright, sparing them all these troubles.

However, the duel in three days would certainly be won by the Zhou family, so there was no need to worry.

The eighth-rank fighter the Zhou family had chosen was definitely one on the verge of breaking through to the seventh rank, his combat strength exceedingly formidable, even capable of fighting beyond his rank against some newly advanced seventh-rank warriors.

Against that live-in son-in-law alone, he could never possibly be a match.

When Su Yang saw that the Zhou family had actually agreed, he was overjoyed. He had originally intended to find an opportunity to reveal his seventh-rank strength in front of outsiders. Since it had not been exposed early, he could now scheme to acquire quite a bit of property.

Fortunately, the maids at home who knew his true strength were sufficiently loyal, and the Zhou family had not managed to uncover anything.

At present, his true strength was at the sixth rank, while the strength he had publicized was eighth rank. He was preparing to reveal his seventh-rank power next, frightening away some of the lesser opportunists.

After all, whether he was going to cooperate with Zhao Wild Bow to refine demon corpses, or connect all thirty courtyards into one and build a large estate, eighth-rank strength would not be enough to protect it. At the very least, he would need seventh-rank strength to keep some people from coveting it.

Time passed swiftly. Three days slipped by in the blink of an eye.

During these few days, more ninth-rank warriors had come to seek service under him, among them even some ninth-rank fighters from other small families. In the end, he selected six more ninth-rank warriors.

Thus, under his command there were now seventeen ninth-rank warriors in total.

He still had no eighth-rank warriors, but Su Yang believed that once he supplied them with some medicinal herbs, someone would soon advance to the eighth rank and become the first eighth-rank warrior under his banner.

This day was the day of the match between Su Yang and the Zhou family's fighter. Zhou Bao had actually set the arena up right in front of the Zhang family gate. Because the rebel army was besieging the city in this troubled age, there were not many people watching.

Only the servants and slaves of various households, along with a few martial artists who loved excitement, the heads and enforcers of the gangs in charge of the district, had come.

When Zhang Qingshi heard that her fiancé was about to duel someone else, she inevitably felt a trace of worry. She hurried out of the house with her maid.

On the open ground outside the Zhang family gate, an arena had already been built.

The Su and Zhou families sat on opposite sides, waiting for the hour of the duel. Both sides were tense and confrontational, the atmosphere heavy and stifling.

"Young Master Su."

Zhang Qingshi, dressed in white, hurried toward Su Yang. A hint of anxiety flashed across her delicate, cool face as she asked, "Who are you fighting today?"

"Miss Qingshi, this live-in son-in-law is simply sparring with one eighth-rank fighter of my Zhou family."

After seeing Zhang Qingshi, Zhou Bao stared blankly, his words turning somewhat flustered. He could not help wiping the sweat that had broken out nervously on his forehead.

"Do not worry, my dear. Your husband will be all right."

Su Yang took Zhang Qingshi's small hand and gently toyed with it, speaking with deep affection.

"Darling, you must be very careful in the match."

Zhang Qingshi likewise looked at Su Yang with equal affection.

"My lady, it is still early. Shall we go sit and rest for a while together?"

"Qingshi will listen to her husband."

With that, the two of them embraced each other in an intimate manner and walked toward the chairs at the side, leaving Zhou Bao behind, staring in wide-eyed bewilderment. He glared at Su Yang's back with naked envy, jealousy, and venom.

If he could, he would tear Su Yang apart with his bare hands and skin him alive right now. The fury in his heart burned on and on, almost impossible to suppress. Fortunately, the steward came over in time. After saying a few words, he finally restored a measure of Zhou Bao's reason.

"Li Qingshan, cripple this brat's arms and legs for me. There will be a generous reward."

"If you cannot do it, then when you return, you may cripple your own limbs instead."

Zhou Bao walked up to the eighth-rank fighter who was about to duel Su Yang and spoke with a voice full of cold menace and threat.