Chapter Sixteen: The Eighth-Rank Martial Artist

"Good morning, Summer Lotus," Su Yang greeted his sister-in-law, feeling that Wang Chunxiao’s gaze was somewhat peculiar today.

"Son-in-law, come sit beside me," Liu Wenxiang said gently, her voice full of warmth.

"No!" Before Liu Wenxiang could finish, Wang Chunxiao suddenly stood up from her wheelchair, her tone sharp and high-pitched, almost neurotic. She was furious about her mother and Su Yang's inappropriate closeness.

At the dining table, Su Yang, Wang Xiahe, and Liu Wenxiang all stared at Wang Chunxiao with astonishment, especially Su Yang, whose eyes nearly popped out.

"What are you staring at?"

"It's not that... you... How did you stand up?"

"What do you mean, I stood up... I stood... I stood up...!" Only now did Wang Chunxiao realize that, in her excitement, she had forgotten to pretend to be lame and had risen from her wheelchair.

"Wow, sister, you’re standing! Are you healed?" Wang Xiahe reacted quickly, her youthful face brimming with delight.

"Ah, yes... Daughter, your leg is healed, you can stand now," Liu Wenxiang hurriedly chimed in to cover up.

"I... I don’t know how it happened, but since I can stand now, so be it..." For a moment, Wang Chunxiao was at a loss. Su Yang suggested that such a joyful event called for celebration, and the household servants and maids should be rewarded, then he sat beside Liu Wenxiang.

Yet, Su Yang found it odd. A cripple suddenly recovering is nearly impossible. Even if it’s possible, it would require gradual rehabilitation, but Wang Chunxiao walked as naturally as anyone. This was not the recovery of someone who’d been lame for years. Unless, this troublesome woman had been pretending all along—but why would she? She was so unattractive, no one would marry her regardless, except himself out of necessity. Whether Wang Chunxiao was truly lame or not did not concern Su Yang. To him, she was merely a passing cloud in his life.

"Mother-in-law, how is our grain storage progressing?" Su Yang moved closer to Liu Wenxiang, the scent of her perfume wafting over as he spoke earnestly.

"All preparations are complete. I had the servants buy a thousand taels’ worth of grain. However, with rice prices soaring, a thousand taels only bought five hundred bushels."

Wang Chunxiao frowned as she watched Su Yang and Liu Wenxiang’s intimate conversation.

"Mother-in-law, if there’s any spare silver in the house, use it all to stockpile grain—the more, the better."

"Counting everything, we can scrape together at most three thousand taels. That’s after buying the pharmacy and the textile shop. If we spend it all on grain, and the unrest settles, and disasters end, won’t all the grain be wasted?" Liu Wenxiang voiced her worries.

"Rest assured, Mother-in-law, this turmoil won’t end so easily. The corruption is deep-rooted, and now is the time to sell the Jiangnan Pavilion."

"Sell Jiangnan Pavilion too?" Liu Wenxiang’s brow furrowed, a hint of reluctance showing.

"Brother-in-law, Jiangnan Pavilion was father’s pride. If we give it up..." Xiahe began.

"Isn’t it a bit unfilial?" Summer Lotus added.

Wang Chunxiao’s jealousy over her mother and husband’s closeness had already spilled over many times, but for her mother’s sake, she could only pretend to care.

"If Mother doesn’t want to sell, then don’t," Su Yang said. He hadn’t intended for Liu Wenxiang to sell Jiangnan Pavilion today. Including the land, it might fetch a thousand taels at most. Once his own power grew, such things would be trivial.

The price of grain had doubled—this marked the true beginning of chaos. In the future, prices might triple or quintuple, and still be in short supply.

After breakfast, Su Yang took Peach Blossom to the street, disguised himself, and sought out a physician. As expected, she was pregnant. Both Peach Blossom and Su Yang were in high spirits and went to a fine restaurant.

Biting into the sweet and sour candied hawthorn, Peach Blossom’s face shone with happiness. "Son-in-law, now that I’m pregnant, I won’t be able to serve you. Why not get along with the eldest lady? Otherwise, no one will look after you."

"How can your mouth not be stopped by eating?" Su Yang’s tone softened.

Though Wang Chunxiao was no longer lame, Su Yang thought it better if she were—better yet, if she were mute, or even bedridden. It would save him trouble. He’d rather chat with his mother-in-law.

Since learning Peach Blossom was pregnant, Su Yang felt a sense of responsibility—perhaps from living two lives, and now, for the first time, becoming a father. He was determined to raise this child well.

After eating and drinking their fill, Su Yang brought Peach Blossom home. The Wang family hadn’t yet noticed Zhang Hu’s disappearance; perhaps they thought the martial master was simply missing. He also packed some food for Li Doukou.

Knowing Peach Blossom was pregnant, Li Doukou was more cautious when playing with her. Judging by appearances, if Li Doukou were released now, she likely wouldn’t betray him. But just in case, he kept her confined.

Panel.

Name: Su Yang (Quasi-Immortal)

Incense Value: 110

Realm: Ninth Grade—Burning Blood Stage

Techniques: [Incense Department+] [Aura Observation Technique]

Lifespan: 110+

Family Progress: The family is progressing smoothly; you are about to have your first offspring. Raising each child requires vast resources. Please, by your own ability, acquire a thousand taels of silver—reward: 20 incense, Gu Technique [Mind Control Worm].

Daily Tip: The Mind Control Worm is a rare secret of the Gu arts, not to be missed.

The family progress panel had changed: a "+" appeared after the techniques, indicating the realm could be enhanced through incense value. Two days ago, he’d consumed a Blood Ginseng from Shou Mountain, greatly reducing the incense needed for his breakthrough to eighth grade.

Otherwise, Su Yang estimated he’d need two to three hundred incense points.

He traced his finger over the "+" on the panel, and a warm surge swept through his body.

An hour later.

Su Yang drew a dagger across his arm, leaving only a shallow pale scar—his skin was as tough as iron.

Eighth grade: Tempered Skin Stage!

Next, he aimed for seventh grade, the Thousand Gold Martial Artist: Tempered Tendons!

Tendons tempered like dragons, strength bursting like mighty bows!

This stage also required mastery of qi and blood, refining every tendon in the body. In Yanggu County, few reached the seventh grade.

After upgrading his realm with incense, only five incense remained—this advancement cost 105 incense.

The next family progress was still about earning money, which Su Yang excelled at. Now, he could display the power of ninth grade in public, while hiding his true strength. Small ventures would avoid envy.

As for secret recipes, Su Yang decided not to pursue them further; they were golden eggs that even the magistrate would covet. He could only do one-off deals that couldn’t be replicated.

For example: refined salt!

Most salt in the market was coarse, or simply sackcloth filtered. Only the wealthy could afford refined salt; in Yanggu, perhaps only the magistrate and two other leading families.

The method of refining coarse salt was simple; he could claim to be a middleman, unlike the braised pork recipe, which was clearly original.

Coarse salt was about half a tael per jin, five taels per bucket!

But refined salt was twenty times the price!

A bucket cost a hundred taels; ten buckets, a thousand. Deducting costs, making eleven buckets would yield a thousand taels in pure profit.

Of course, there would be some loss.

There was a suitable pot in the courtyard. Buying coarse salt required sixty or seventy taels, so Su Yang borrowed some from Liu Wenxiang. Xi Liu kept a suspicious eye on him, as if guarding against a thief.

How strange—did she think he’d steal her lady?

To avoid attention, Su Yang bought only a bucket or half a bucket at a time from each city ward, planning to amass the coarse salt over four or five days. No need to rush.

...

Wang Family!

"Miss, you saw what happened between Madam and Son-in-law this morning," Liu Wenxiang’s maid, Xi Liu, sighed to Wang Chunxiao. "This can’t go on."

Wang Chunxiao felt troubled—how had she ended up with such a troublesome husband?

"Eldest Miss, now that your secret is out, you might as well drop the ugly disguise. With your looks—beauty that could topple a kingdom—wouldn’t Son-in-law obey your every word?" Xi Liu suggested.

"No."

Before Xi Liu finished, Wang Chunxiao rejected the idea firmly. "I, Wang Chunxiao, will never let a spineless man be my husband."

"Aunt Liu, this must not happen."

Although Su Yang had greatly improved her and the Wang family’s impression of him lately, Chunxiao still deeply resisted the idea of Su Yang as her man; perhaps it was a childhood psychological issue.

"Then there’s only one solution left."

"What solution?"

"There are many maids in the house, some quite beautiful. Choose one to be his chamber maid. With a young and pretty girl, he’ll settle down."

Xi Liu’s words made Wang Chunxiao frown again, jealousy bubbling up.

"Chunxiao, if you don’t like Son-in-law, just treat him as a stranger. Why bother about him with other women?"

"If you do like him, take off the disguise and meet him face to face. With your beauty, you’ll have him wrapped around your finger," Xi Liu advised earnestly.

After a long pause.

Wang Chunxiao finally gritted her teeth and agreed to Xi Liu’s plan—to select a maid of decent appearance for Su Yang as a chamber maid.

But the candidate still needed to be chosen.

...

Wang Family’s main courtyard.

Patriarch Wang Shangfu sat in the hall with his two sons, and a fair-faced scholar with a folding fan, dressed in white, tall and elegant, with handsome features.

This was Liang Baihe, a young actor from a neighboring county, whom Wang Shangfu had hired at great expense.

"In the coming days, I’ll arrange for you to meet Second Miss. As soon as she takes a liking to you, we’ll proceed with the plan to assassinate Scholar Su."

"Once Su is dead, you’ll marry Wang Xiahe, becoming the sole man of the second branch. Then, step by step, we’ll hollow out the Wang family and seize control."

"You’ll have your share of silver."

"Of course, we’ll package your identity—a fallen noble, seeking refuge in Qinghe County, and a scholar yourself. With Brother Liang’s good looks and voice, you’ll be the darling of the ladies," said Wang Hewen, the eldest son.

"We’re friends, that’s why you’re here."

"All right, all right," Liang Baihe replied. "It’s just an unmarried girl—how could she escape my grasp?"

"Frankly, I’m not interested in gold and silver, only in picking flowers. I’ve charmed dozens of ladies and madams already," Liang Baihe boasted, waving his fan confidently.

"Haha, I knew Brother Liang had the skill," Wang Hewen replied, and the two exchanged knowing laughs.

...

The next day!

"Peach Blossom, how long has Plum Blossom been gone?"

"Son-in-law, about two days!"

"Two days?" Su Yang frowned, a sense of foreboding rising. "After breakfast, I’ll check on Plum Blossom’s family. You stay home."

"Mm!" Peach Blossom nodded obediently, biting into the candied hawthorn and offering the rest to Li Doukou. "Doukou...!"

"I don’t want it, too sour!" Li Doukou shook her hand.

"Son-in-law says sour means a boy, spicy means a girl. I’m sure to give him a son!" Peach Blossom said cheerfully.

"But you’re still a maid. Once you start showing, what if the Wang family finds out? Will they force you to abort?" Li Doukou asked.

"No, my son-in-law will handle it," Peach Blossom said, caressing her belly, a hint of worry in her heart.

"Silly girl," Li Doukou shook her head. These days, she and Peach Blossom had grown close. Perhaps innocence breeds closeness. If Su Yang couldn’t protect Peach Blossom, wouldn’t he still have Li Doukou?

...

"Brother-in-law!" As he entered, the slender Wang Xiahe greeted him sweetly.

"Son-in-law, come sit beside me!" Liu Wenxiang was increasingly fond of Su Yang, and quickly called him over. "Son-in-law, you truly foresee events. Yesterday, I followed your advice and stocked another thousand bushels of grain, spending two thousand taels—my heart ached for the expense!"

"But guess what? This morning, news arrived that the rebels in neighboring Qinghe County had revolted. Grain in Yanggu County is now three taels per bushel, and there’s no supply—no sellers at all."

"Our family has fifteen hundred bushels, which could sell for forty-five hundred taels. The cost was three thousand, so we’ve profited fifteen hundred taels!"

"How’s the situation? Has Qinghe County been taken by the rebels?" Su Yang asked.

"Not yet. The rebels have breached the city several times, but were driven out again. The battlefield changes rapidly; no one knows if they’ll take Qinghe. If Qinghe falls, Yanggu County might be next."

At this, Liu Wenxiang’s face turned worried. "If the rebels enter, burning and pillaging, who knows if we’ll be able to keep our grain?"

"Son-in-law, should we hire more martial masters?"

...

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