Chapter Sixty-Two: Purchasing Servants

Dong Menqing did not enjoy forcing women; he preferred when they willingly climbed into his bed, and he treated the goddess in his heart the same way. The government attendants helped change Wu Dalang into burial clothes and moved him into the main hall, where they set up a simple mourning altar. Pan Silver Lotus dressed herself in white mourning attire and knelt before the ancestral tablet.

Dong Menqing had intended to stay with Pan Silver Lotus, but she firmly rejected him. He understood that knowing when to advance and when to retreat was crucial; sometimes, stepping away was the wisest choice. He decided to return the next day—when Pan Silver Lotus would be at her weakest after a sleepless night. He planned to comfort her gently, promise a brighter future, display his handsome face, strong body, and wealthy background. Surely any woman would know what to choose.

Tonight, Pan Silver Lotus’s emotions soared to the heavens and plummeted to the earth. When she saw Wu Dalang die, she was terrified. Yet, thinking of his death meant she could finally be with Young Master Su, her heart leapt with joy. Soon after, when the constables almost killed her to silence her, fear gripped her again. But the very Dong Menqing who had killed Wu Dalang spared her life, and once more her spirits rose. She would not be forever separated from Young Master Su by death.

Wu Dalang’s death, truly, was the best thing that could have happened.

Kneeling before the mourning altar, Pan Silver Lotus wore a mask of deep grief, but inside she was elated—she could hardly resist a celebratory drink.

Once the constables finished arranging the altar, they departed. In such chaotic times, only the shrewdest survived, and all could see that Dong Menqing had set his sights on the young widow. To curry favor, two constables stayed behind to guard her, ensuring nothing happened to the young woman—after all, Dong Menqing would return tomorrow to offer his condolences.

When a woman’s husband dies, her sorrow stems from the knowledge that she will be left defenseless, at the mercy of others. As for whether that young widow truly grieved Wu Dalang, no one with sense would believe it.

...

“It’s over now; the chief constable will never let me off the hook,” Shen Lian said with a wry smile as he watched everything unfold.

“Brother Shen, bring Rainwater with you to stay at my house. There’s food and drink to spare, and you won’t have to keep running for your life—and Rainwater won’t have to worry,” Su Yang replied. “As for what comes next, let’s wait and see.”

Su Yang sighed deeply. “Even I didn’t expect things to come to this, but perhaps it’s for the best. Wu Song probably won’t spare Dong Menqing, so my mother-in-law and sister-in-law will be safe.”

“That’s all we can do,” Shen Lian agreed. “From now on, you’ll have to support Rainwater and me.”

Su Yang accompanied Shen Lian home, woke Shen Rainwater, and began to pack. Before dawn, they returned to the Wang family estate. Su Yang handed Shen Lian a set of keys. “Brother Shen, why don’t you stay in the neighboring courtyard for the next few days? The family sold it to me—it’s quiet and undisturbed.”

“As for food and drink, I’ll have it delivered. I plan to tear down part of the wall between the two courtyards, so they’ll become one large residence.”

“Now that you’ve reached the eighth rank, protecting Rainwater won’t be a problem.”

“Alright,” Shen Lian nodded, accepting the keys.

Su Yang glanced at Shen Rainwater. She was slender, her features delicate, but her face bore a trace of heroic spirit. Her long legs were straight and taut, hinting at someone trained in martial arts. She seemed more like a gallant heroine, or perhaps a Mulan come to life.

A woman like her, even in the privacy of the bedroom, would surely have her own unique allure.

“Rainwater grows more beautiful by the day,” Su Yang thought. “The girl’s only flaw is her stubborn temper—no wonder she still hasn’t found a husband.”

“I’ll find my own husband,” Rainwater replied.

Shen Lian and Su Yang exchanged a helpless smile and said nothing more as they settled the luggage.

During this, Shen Lian brought up Rainwater’s marriage prospects again, hinting that Su Yang might take her as a wife. He’d heard rumors that Su Yang was considering a second marriage, but Su Yang deflected by mentioning Zhang Qingshi, hoping to end the topic. After all, Shen Lian was of the eighth rank—a man of standing in Yanggu County—and how could he let his sister become a concubine?

Unexpectedly, Shen Lian seemed willing for Rainwater to become Su Yang’s concubine. In that case, Su Yang could only suggest they get to know each other first; to refuse further would be impolite. After all, Shen Rainwater possessed a charm all her own.

He wondered why Shen Lian was so set on having him as a brother-in-law.

...

After settling Shen Lian, Su Yang didn’t rest. He escorted Brother Li’s mother to the underworld as well. By the time he returned home, dawn had already broken. With no appetite for breakfast, he simply went to bed and slept straight through to the next morning.

When the first rays of sunlight broke through, warm and bright, Su Yang felt refreshed. He inquired at the yamen and learned from Hu Shi that Chief Constable Wu Song had already received the news of his brother’s death. What would happen next was anyone’s guess.

Aside from that, Hu Shi asked about Shen Lian. Since Shen Lian hadn’t reported for duty that day, Su Yang feigned ignorance and advised Hu Shi to stay out of the matter.

Su Yang planned a trip to the Zhou family market. Passing by Wu’s bakery, he noticed a number of informants lurking about and decided not to enter the street. Instead, he went directly to the Yanggu County market.

A storm of blood and chaos was about to sweep through Yanggu County.

Very few in Yanggu County knew that Wu Song was Wu Dalang’s brother. Dong Menqing hadn’t realized either; just the day before, he’d visited Wu’s bakery and tried to comfort Pan Silver Lotus, only to be turned away—all under the watchful eyes of the constables.

Tonight, he would add the final spark to the flames.

The battle between Dong Menqing and Wu Song was about to ignite in full.

...

The harvest at the Zhou family and Yanggu County markets was modest. He managed to buy three male servants with Grade D aptitude.

The family progress board now showed twenty male servants with abilities superior to ordinary house slaves. Wang Han and Ma Chao, both of ninth-rank strength, each counted as one. Zhang San and Li Si, though not martial artists, were sturdy and well-fed, so they counted as well.

A few days ago, he’d bought four male servants of Grade D. Today, he bought three more—making seven in total, for eleven spots overall. He still needed nine more. After some training and a diet of the most basic old medicines, they would surpass ordinary house slaves and fulfill the task.

In the slave market, there were two main types: robust laborers, ready to work immediately, usually aged seventeen to twenty-five—still young, and useful for many years. The other type was well-featured boys, often bought by wealthy families as pages or for certain peculiar tastes.

Unlike with women, men of all ages were sold and bought. In these troubled times, with an abundance of slaves and few buyers, merchants could only sell their most desirable stock.

Heavenly Silkworm, Heavenly Bean