Chapter Nine: The Jealous Young Lady
Despite the Xiongnu advancing southward, rebellions erupting everywhere, droughts descending from the heavens, prices soaring, and refugees and hungry commoners everywhere, the food in the Wang household was truly excellent—three vegetarian dishes, one meat, and a soup.
“My lord, why have you brought the food to the bed?” Peach Blossom asked, puzzled, as she saw Su Yang set the food on the bed.
“Just wait a moment.”
After setting down the food, Su Yang moved the table from the inner chamber and placed it beside the bed. “You’re not feeling well. Sit on the bed to eat; don’t trouble yourself with the hard chairs.”
“Thank you, my lord.” Peach Blossom felt a sweet warmth in her heart at Su Yang’s unexpected concern. She threw herself into his arms, planting a firm kiss on his cheek. Her fragrant, delicate body was quite a delight.
After their meal, the two could hardly wait to bury themselves under the covers and sleep.
Since entering the Blood-burning Realm, his strength had grown monstrously. He could easily lift a solid wooden table by himself, and his other abilities had become all the more formidable.
If he wished for longevity, he needed to develop his family as soon as possible—have many children and raise them well.
This, naturally, would be a hardship for Peach Blossom.
...
“Miss, please have a little something to eat?” Xi Chun asked softly.
“I’m not hungry.”
“Are you thinking about the master and the maid?” Xi Chun inquired in a hushed voice.
“No.”
Wang Chunxiao frowned slightly. Sensing her mood, Xi Chun quickly shifted the topic. “Miss, it was the master who suggested stockpiling grain. Should we ask him how much we ought to store?”
“I think the time is about right.”
A long pause.
“Very well, go and ask.” Wang Chunxiao settled herself in her wheelchair, and Xi Chun pushed her toward Su Yang’s small golden residence.
...
In a secluded, damp, and foul-smelling room on the Wang estate, Martial Master Zhang Hu was drinking with two other martial masters.
“Brother Zhang, that Su Yang is nothing compared to you. How could the lady have chosen such a spineless man for a son-in-law?” said Wang Han, one of the martial masters.
“That’s right. The young lady and Brother Zhang would make a perfect pair,” agreed Ma Chao, the other martial master.
“Drink,” Zhang Hu replied tersely, focused only on his wine. Yet in his heart, murderous thoughts were brewing. If he wanted to win the young lady, Su Yang had to die.
These two fools before him had no idea why he would be attracted to an ugly, lame woman. They didn’t know he had seen the true face of the young lady, a beauty capable of toppling kingdoms.
If he could win her, the second young lady—so graceful and elegant—would hardly slip from his grasp.
And then, even Lady Liu Wenxiang of the Wang family, mature and alluring, would fall into his hands. The entire Wang family would be his, along with all the maids and servants.
At this thought, Zhang Hu grew all the more excited.
But the first thing he had to do was eliminate Su Yang, and the opportunity must be chosen carefully so as not to expose himself.
Soon, a plan began to take shape in his mind.
...
A knock sounded at the courtyard gate. Su Yang frowned. “Peach Blossom, go to the outer room for a while. I’ll answer the door.”
“Oh.” Peach Blossom obediently went out of the inner chamber and lay on the bed in the outer room.
Su Yang’s courtyard had a main building, two side rooms on either side—five rooms in all—and a small kitchen.
As one entered the main hall, there was a central space; to the left, behind a curtain, was the outer room, containing a bed where the maid slept at night to tend to her master at any time.
Farther in was the inner chamber, with a bed, a table, a wardrobe—everything properly arranged.
To the right of the main hall, behind a curtain, was the study; beyond that, a storeroom. So Peach Blossom staying in the outer room was perfectly appropriate.
Opening the courtyard gate, Su Yang was greeted by Wang Chunxiao in her wheelchair, with the clever and poised Xi Chun behind her.
“Young lady, what brings you here?” Su Yang asked, a little surprised.
“What, am I not allowed to visit your so-called golden house?” Wang Chunxiao’s tone was displeased as she glanced up at the plaque. “Golden House—how vulgar.”
“Vulgar?”
“Isn’t it?”
“Young lady, do you really not know the meaning behind this?”
“What meaning?”
“Have you read much, young lady?”
“My mistress is very well-read!” Xi Chun retorted. “Even those who’ve gained scholarly honors and official titles are no match for her. If not for her being a woman, she’d surely have topped the imperial examinations by now.”
“My lady, we call her ‘young lady’—you should call her ‘madam’,” Xi Chun added with a hint of displeasure.
“There’s no need for a wealthy man to buy good land, for in books is grain in abundance. There’s no need for a grand house, for in books there is a golden house. Do not regret lacking companions when you travel, for in books there are carriages and horses in plenty. Do not regret lacking a good match, for in books there are beauties like jade. If a man fulfills his lifelong ambition, let him diligently study the Six Classics before the window.”
“My so-called golden house is named after the line ‘in books there is a golden house,’ to encourage myself to study hard and rid my mind of distractions. How could that be called vulgar?” Su Yang replied calmly.
“There’s no need for a grand house, for in books there is a golden house.”
As his words fell, Wang Chunxiao and Xi Chun both froze, shocked and incredulous that such words could come from this seemingly spineless man.
Did he truly possess such talent and insight? Why, then, would he humble himself to become a son-in-law in the Wang family?
Turbulent emotions welled up within Wang Chunxiao. These words—she doubted even her own tutor could have spoken them so well.
Could it be that this man was genuinely learned?
Wang Chunxiao and Xi Liu also felt embarrassed and ashamed of their own ignorance.
“You two are unfamiliar with this poem?”
“Don’t tease us, my lord. How could we know?” Xi Liu said.
“I must admit, you’re rather talented,” Wang Chunxiao said coldly. Yet in her mind, she thought it a pity he was so spineless—her first impression of Su Yang, and one hard to change.
Unless one day Su Yang could slay a wild bull with a single punch or crush a formidable foe with his bare hands, only then might her impression shift.
For now, though, the embarrassment remained.
“Could it be that the culture of this world differs from my previous life? How could such a famous poem on the value of study be unknown?” Su Yang wondered. “If so, I’ll have plenty of chances to show off in the future.” Joy filled his heart.
“So what brings you here, madam?”
“I have business.”
For some reason, hearing him address her as “madam” brought her a sense of comfort.
“Let’s go in.”
With an indisputable tone, Wang Chunxiao instructed Xi Chun to wheel her inside. Peach Blossom, hearing voices, hurried to dress.
“You lazy thing, you made your master open the door himself?” Xi Chun scolded as she saw Peach Blossom in the main hall.
Peach Blossom lowered her head, saying nothing, for she was still feeling unwell and found it uncomfortable to stand. Su Yang stepped forward, shielding her. “The servants have been inattentive; the rooms and courtyard weren’t tidied until Peach Blossom arrived. She’s just finished and only now lay down to rest.”
“Look, she can hardly stand. Though I am the master, I still care for my servants.”
“Peach Blossom, go back and rest. You’ve worked hard today.”
Wang Chunxiao and Xi Chun glanced at Peach Blossom and saw she was indeed unsteady on her feet. They said nothing more, merely asked Su Yang about the grain stores, and then took their leave.
“Miss, are you at ease now?” Xi Chun asked as they left.
“Ease about what?” Wang Chunxiao replied stubbornly.
“Why, that the master hasn’t gotten involved with the maid.” Xi Chun smiled. “I must admit, the master is rather talented. To speak such words—perhaps we’ve misjudged him all along.”