Chapter Twenty-Nine: Let Me Go Over There

Su Yang went to the mortuary, slipped some silver to the old caretaker, and asked him to burn all the corpses and bury them somewhere. There was no time for elaborate funerals.

Upon returning home, Su Yang handed the land deeds to Liu Wenxiang and explained their implications. The remaining estates, taverns, and other properties were offered as tribute to Head Constable Liu, which in turn meant a gift to Magistrate Zhou.

He was the only ninth-rank martial artist in his household; if he demanded too much, he might court disaster and be unable to protect his wealth.

“You’re right, son-in-law. Greed clouded my judgment,” Liu Wenxiang said, startled, nodding in agreement as she watched Su Yang’s retreating figure, feeling ever more reliant on him.

Leaving his mother-in-law’s room, he returned to the courtyard to dally with Plum Blossom, hoping she would soon conceive and advance the family’s progress, so he might quickly break through to seventh rank after earning enough merit.

Plum Blossom swayed wildly in the wind, filling the air with sweet fragrance.

In Yanggu County, under the supervision of the Zhou, Feng, and Wei families, a Zhou family market had been established in a clearing. Everyone could freely buy and sell there, with sellers taxed at thirty percent.

Of course, you could open your own shop on your street, if you dared risk being smashed.

At the time of national ruin, they were still scheming for profit—one had to admire the county magistrate for never forgetting his roots, always looking to make a little extra, no matter the circumstance.

The official reason for gathering merchants in the market was easier management and protection.

To be fair, though this was done to squeeze more from the people, it did revive commerce in town. For example, the Wang family hadn’t eaten meat in a long time; though they had cured pork, it wouldn’t last.

But with rebels besieging the city and ruffians plundering everywhere, merchants dared not open for business, leaving nowhere to buy. Now, one could go to the Zhou market, though prices were steep.

Scarce resources like meat and medicine had been hoarded by the big families since the rebel siege began, waiting to be sold at high prices. Some small traders had a little left, but not much.

Living on bran and vegetables was possible, but it was too miserly. Su Yang could endure, but how could Peach Blossom, a pregnant woman? She didn’t need meat every meal, but at least once a day.

Luckily, the Wang family still had enough supplies. When their meat stores ran low, he’d find another way; though silver’s purchasing power had fallen, it hadn’t depreciated too drastically.

He’d netted a full eight thousand taels of silver from the Chen and main Wang family’s extermination.

At dusk, several commoners knocked at the door, wanting to sell their maids. Su Yang glanced at them—all less attractive than Rui’er—and found an excuse to refuse.

Night fell.

Plum Blossom was exhausted; Su Yang, under cover of darkness, made his way to the room of Xi Chun, curious whether the girl had left her door open for him tonight.

Wang Chunxiao, Wang Xiahe, and Liu Wenxiang’s courtyards were adjacent, all in the central rear of the estate; servants’ quarters flanked both sides, now mostly vacant. Behind the houses lay a small garden, not as luxurious as the main house; beyond was Su Yang’s own courtyard.

The front yard, now abandoned, had only a servant watching the gate.

The courtyard gate was half open—likely left so by Xi Chun. He carefully pushed it open and entered. Xi Chun’s room was the first on the left, with the door ajar.

Gulp.

In the darkness, Su Yang swallowed nervously, his gaze glowing as he looked into Xi Chun’s room, cautiously stepping inside, afraid of waking a certain deranged woman.

He pushed open the wooden door; a faint, feminine scent filled the room.

In the dim moonlight, a graceful silhouette lay slanted on the bed, seemingly tired from waiting.

Seeing Su Yang enter, Xi Chun sat up on the bed’s edge, gripping her clothes nervously—her first time breaking the rules like this.

“Son-in-law…!” she whispered.

“Come, let me hold you…” Su Yang said.

…

Her fair, soft feet slipped into embroidered shoes as she got out of bed, lit a candle, and walked outside. Wang Chunxiao had heard the door open when Su Yang entered, but paid it no mind.

The noise from Xi Chun’s room was too loud; Wang Chunxiao grew concerned and decided to check.

Ordinary people wouldn’t notice these sounds, but martial artists had keen senses and could hear even the slightest noises.

“Xi Chun, what are you doing?” Wang Chunxiao called, holding a candle, opening the door to Xi Chun’s room.

Inside.

Su Yang and Xi Chun, just holding hands, froze. If the deranged woman caught them in a romantic tryst, she’d surely go berserk. They hurriedly hid under the bed.

He remembered the last time he hid under a bed; it was Peach Blossom.

“Miss, it’s nothing… just a mouse in the room…!”

“A mouse?” Wang Chunxiao questioned.

“Really, just a mouse. But now I don’t know where it went…”

Xi Chun straightened her clothes and exited the room, her face flustered but not noticeable in the night. She quickly stepped forward, saying, “Miss, hurry back to your room; it’s cold at night.”

“Xi Chun, what was that sound in your room?” Wang Chunxiao remained suspicious; martial artists couldn’t divine the cause of a sound, and she hadn’t reached that level.

“Miss, truly a mouse. Why ask?” Xi Chun lied, blushing.

Fortunately, it was dark.

Otherwise, the redness of her face would betray what happened inside.

Xi Chun accompanied Wang Chunxiao back to her room, then returned once more.

“Son-in-law, the noise was too loud; Miss could hear it. Tonight isn’t possible—let’s find another time or place,” she whispered. “Or, in a few days, I’ll come to your room.”

She added softly, “My Miss’s senses have become sharper these years.”

“A moment’s romance is worth a thousand gold coins.”

“Tomorrow’s romance will be just as precious…”

Looking at Su Yang lying in bed, her heart was full of him; she didn’t want to disappoint, but further disturbances would surely alarm Miss.

One deception might pass, but repeated ones would not.

“Son-in-law…”

Seeing Xi Chun troubled, Su Yang said, “I know what you’re worried about; I don’t want that deranged woman to fight me either.”

“Son-in-law, don’t call Miss that… actually, Miss…”

“What about Miss?”

“She loves you very much!” Xi Chun lied again, face reddening.

“That crazy woman? Forget it, I’m better off with my little Xi Chun.”

Su Yang whispered.

“Miss is pitiful too…”

“Son-in-law, please ask Madam to let me become your chambermaid,” Xi Chun murmured.

“Your Miss won’t go mad?”

Upon Su Yang’s words, Xi Chun’s mood darkened; if Miss disagreed, she’d never be able to become his chambermaid.

“Don’t worry, I’ll think of something,” Su Yang comforted.

“Mm.”

…

He waited.

Once Wang Chunxiao was asleep, Su Yang quietly opened the door and left the courtyard, being as silent as possible. He thought he hadn’t disturbed her, but his inexperience woke her.

Still, Xi Chun’s hands were incredibly soft, delicate as boneless—he hadn’t even managed to embrace or kiss her.

Returning to his own courtyard, Plum Blossom lay tenderly in bed, her hair loose and alluring. She looked at Su Yang entering, saying, “Son-in-law, you’re back?”

“Yes, I’m back.”

Before dawn.

Outside, Plum Blossom swayed in the wind, unable to settle.

Upon rising—

Su Yang practiced the Wild Ox Long Fist in the courtyard, then went to breakfast. Nothing major happened in Yanggu County today, though rumors circulated that some government soldiers sent to suppress the rebels had defected.

Heavy casualties on both sides left the situation stalemated; the authorities’ recent advantage vanished, and Yanggu County was dangerously unstable, with many militiamen killed atop the walls.

Left with no choice, the officials forced the people into desperation. Today, the gangs came to collect grain again. If the people’s supplies were exhausted, starvation was inevitable. What then?

Simple—join the militia on the walls, where food was provided.

As for women at home, their fate was ignored—if they died, so be it. If desperate, sell themselves to wealthy households.

If no rich family wanted them, or they sought a better price, they could go to the brothel.

…

Recent days passed quietly, with no major events. Su Yang stayed home practicing the Wild Ox Long Fist, spending the rest of the time with Plum Blossom, hoping she’d soon conceive.

May she prove diligent.

Outside the gate, poor families came daily to sell their children, though their looks were disappointing. Two were decent; one, with bad conduct, had already consorted with men at a young age—not a virgin.

If brought into the household, she’d be trouble.

The deed claimed she was a virgin, but upon purchase, Xi Liu would check. If not, she’d be rejected, so the girl’s father dared not lie.

The other maid was promising—graceful, intelligent, and literate, claiming she loved reading and hadn’t secretly learned from the neighbor’s tutor.

Su Yang spent some silver and grain to keep her. He thought to name her Apple, but it sounded odd, so he dropped ‘fruit,’ leaving just Ping’er, and finally called her—

Ping’er!

Ping’er was still young, interested in reading and writing. Su Yang wanted to send her to his room for lessons, but Wang Chunxiao firmly refused, so she stayed in Liu Wenxiang’s room.

Still, leaving her some books for self-study was fine.

They’d hidden indoors for over half a month, everyone restless. Liu Wenxiang’s close friend, Lady Zhang, visited, and they chatted happily. Su Yang met her—a woman of lingering charm.

He heard Lady Zhang had a daughter ready for marriage, but she was proud and wouldn’t accept any suitor, still unmarried and causing Lady Zhang much worry.

They said she was quite beautiful, a renowned local beauty.

…

In a common house in Yanggu County, dozens of men gathered, their eyes fierce and weapons at hand. They were once ordinary folk, but now had blood on their hands.

“The Black Wolf Gang has gone too far. What business is it of theirs if we rob? They won’t rest till we’re wiped out!”

“There were twenty brothers last gathering; now only a few dozen remain—outrageous!”

“Damn it, let’s fight the Black Wolf Gang—death before dishonor!”

“The Black Wolf Gang’s lieutenants are all ninth-rank martial artists. We can’t match them, let alone their eighth-rank guardians. Their leader is rumored to be seventh-rank. What can we do?”

One man shook his head, dispirited: “Maybe we should quit and find another way to make a living.”

“Another way? Where?”

“Exactly. With rebels besieging the city, chaos everywhere, what livelihood is left? I used to sell dumplings—what, should I wheel my cart out now? Who would buy? Even if someone did, I wouldn’t want to sell—grain is too precious.”

“This can’t go on. Maybe we should join the Black Wolf Gang?”

“Are you qualified? If not, they’ll kill you.”

Silence fell.

Finally, one man said, “Brothers, why don’t we band together for one big job, then quit for good?”

“But those rich houses have ninth-rank martial artists and experts guarding them—we’re no match.”

“The Black Wolf Gang collected protection money nearby; ordinary households have no grain left. Robbing them yields nothing.”

“Ah, this world… can people still survive?”

A long sigh. The dozens of thugs lamented their fate, though they’d shown no mercy when killing.

“I know a rich house without a ninth-rank martial artist,” said a man in gray, “You all know I used to be a Wang family servant—I know them inside out.”

“The Wang family only had one ninth-rank, and two expert guards, but Zhang Hu disappeared over ten days ago. Now, only two guards remain, and few men in the household.”

“Counting carefully, the Wang family has maybe four or five men. If we sneak in at night, we can quietly kill them all.”

“The Wang family isn’t the top household, but their maids and ladies are all beauties. Our brothers will have a feast, especially Madam Liu Wenxiang—she’s been on my mind for ages.”

“Wasn’t there a big fire at the Wang family recently? All their grain burned!”

“A dead camel is bigger than a horse—the burned grain was only their reserves. There’s still food in the kitchen and storeroom. If we rob the Wang family, we’ll get plenty.”

“Well said—a dead camel is bigger than a horse!”

“This is a good plan. Let’s discuss when and how to act.”

The men began to plot.

Su Yang’s ninth-rank strength had only been displayed in the main Wang house, witnessed by the county’s elite, spreading through their circles.

But these men were all from lower classes, unaware the Wang family’s son-in-law was a ninth-rank martial artist—if they attacked, it would be certain death.