Wang Yun Feng’s trick of injuring himself to gain the other’s confidence, seemed to have scared people, in fact he actually wasn’t seriously injured.
After his wound was bound up, by the Dragon Boat Festival his skin and flesh had knotted together. Xia Ling Mei relaxed, setting her heart on taking care of the arrangements for the celebrations at the small courtyard. Originally she intended to take Xia Fen to see the dragon boats, but she didn’t bring it up taking into consideration Wang Yun Feng’s condition.
Wang Yun Feng was forced to stay in bed by Xia Ling Mei for two days, at the same time the tiredness built up over the past days were all swept away, although he had free time his relationship with the imperial court however was not severed.
Having been schemed against Zhuang Sheng, was increasingly not seen. Contrary the drunkard dropped by for a day, yelling and demanding to drink with Wang Yun Feng. Juan Shu by chance came in with a bowl of medicine, seeing the jug of wine he drooled, rolling up his sleeves he said: “You a man of the Jianghu how can you do something hitting a man when he’s down. My master had his stomach ripped open, a jug of wine going down will only be spilt in vain, a waste, if you have the courage then have a drinking competition with me a person with a good stomach, I guarantee I will drink you away.”
The forthright drunkard, also didn’t say much, immediately asking someone to bring ten jugs of wine, with Juan Shu the two people sat on the floor, unrestricting their belly and starting to drink.
Juan Shu was no good at martial arts like Wang Yun Feng, ordinarily he was responsible for being a personal servant waiting upon him, working a little as an assistant and an attendance in pressing matters, occasionally substituting as a wine and meat boy, taking the place of the master in blocking wine, blocking meat, blocking beauties, his belly capacity was absolute not like the gentle and feeble external appearance that can easily be bullied.
An entire earthen jar went down, his face flushed, eyes misty, a bit more naïve and innocent looking.
“Drunkard, I tell you ah, I was not a servant before, I was a Buddhist monk.”
The drunkard was steady, and bumping into Juan Shu’s shoulder: “Hehe, young brother you’re the same as me, before I was a Buddhist monk of wine and meat. When I was at the small temple I would stealthily drink alcohol, when I reached the big temple I would stealthily eat meat, afterwards I was discovered by the Buddhist abbot, I ran to the Anguo Buddhist temple’s kitchen, getting drunk for several days on the roof.
Juan Shu gave an alcohol belch: “Anguo Buddhist temple is great ah, daughters of influential families, young ladies of officials, ge, once in a while you may also see a princess or lady, ge, you young fellow has a lot of luck with women.” Two, three jugs of wine down the belly, Juan Shu had already started to babble nonsense, his whole body leaning on the drunkard: “Say, have you broken lust!”
The drunkard was also faintly intoxicated, having heard what was said he laughed mischievously: “What do you know. I’ll tell you, those dignified princesses and ladies are all fake, what female beauty captivating even the birds and beasts are all nonsense.”
Juan Shu again opened a jar of wine, suddenly taking two gulps, obscurely asking: “What?”
“Actually that isn’t right, there was simply a seven, eight years old little girl stabbing a small monk to death, that imposing manner, hahaha…”
“Did he say the family name of that girl?” Wang Yun Feng sat on the couch, with Xia Fen in his arms as he held his hand forcing to correct his writing technique.
“No. Afterwards Juan Shu tried to probe once more, the drunkard changed the subject.”
Wang Yun Feng did not ask again, waving his hand to signal the secret guard to leave.
Xia Fen sat in his arms, it felt like there were nails under his butt, wiggling about he couldn’t get comfortable. Wang Yun Feng wound was not completely healed, but did not bring it up, letting his restlessness open up his wound once more, soaking through his clothes.
Dragon Boat Festival, the weather was very hot, Xia Fen’s stomach burned with rage, he thought the wetness behind his back was sweat, reaching out his hand to wipe it, blood covered his entire tiny hand. His small sensitive nose sniffed, turning his head to look at the indifferent Wang Yun Feng.
Wang Yun Feng held his hand, still steadily putting pen to paper, only saying: “Concentrate.”
Xia Fen did not listen, instead pressing his claw into his wound with all his strength, thinking Wang Yun Feng would release him from pain, how did he know the other person was very stubborn, clutching him even tighter within his arms: “If your writing technique does not improve today, don’t think about visiting the night market tonight.”
Xia Fen snorted with boredom, unable to tell whether the other person was in pain or not, wiggling about for a while he well behaved began to write characters.
Wang Yun Feng’s hand was different from General Xia’s. A scholar’s palm was colder, ten fingers slender, no coarse skin from cutting people, only the three fingers which held the writing brush had thick callous, they looked like the clear shoots of white bamboos, a bit cold, not weak. Xia Fen’s small claws looked chubby, in fact his palm was coarse, it was a pair of small hands that held weapons all year round. A martial artists body temperature was unusually high, being held by the large hand of a scholar, it was a little cold, a little soft, the big hand covered the small hand, for no reason at all he felt he could depend on it, displaying some stamina when it came to his temperament.
The father and son joint together practiced writing characters for the afternoon, half way he let go off Xia Fen to do it himself, Xia Fen knew being raucous had no effect on Wang Yun Feng, Wang Yun Feng was even more not afraid of a fight, he had tried all kinds of thick skinned shameless acts, all useless, finally he could only temporarily comply.
To a soldier, switching to another barrack meant kind of changing a way to exist. He Xia Fen feared nothing in Heaven or Earth, Wang Yun Feng was nothing.
When the colourful sun slowly climbed down the high mountain, Wang Yun Feng changed his wrappings once more, one hand pulling at Xia Ling Mei, another hand being pulled by Xia Fen, swaying leisurely walking out of the manor.
En route, by chance they ran into the martial arts leader Jiu Fang Xi. Xia Ling Mei entered the carriage first as if to avoid arousing suspicion, Xia Fen already shook off Wang Yun Feng jumping onto a steed, almost snatching the horsewhip to leave wanting to abandon Wang Yun Feng at this point.
People of the Jianghu and officials throughout history minded their own business, however Jiu Fang Xi had taken over the position of martial arts leader, probably knowing the relation between the former martial arts leader and the Xia family, he also did not speak lowly to Wang Yun Feng, not cold not hot. Greeting him simply, he smiled: “Tonight the manor has prepared wine, this owner invites everyone to celebrate together, I wonder if Lord Wang has free time?”
Wang Yun Feng coughed once, right hand pressing at the wound on this abdomen, expression pale: “The owner has requested, Wang will certainly return soon.”
Jiu Fang Xi nodded his head, quite without thought he glanced at Xia Fen on the horse, dropping his head he turned and left.
Wang Yun Feng got into the carriage, pulling close the curtain, grasping both of Xia Ling Mei’s hands tightly: “Have things been sorted?”
“Yes.”
“Then let’s go, don’t return.”
Xia Ling Mei suddenly smiled: “Okay.”
The tens of li of land around Xia Yun manor was the manor house’s property, wanting to go the closest small town for a wander would at the quickest on horseback take over an hour. From the surroundings around the carriage, only a deeply sleeping Juan Shu and Bai Yan urging on the horse can be seen, no other servants. Xia Fen the wild animal like nose however had long ago smelled the numerous familiar scents on the road, not only the secret guards of the Wang family and Xia family, even Kong Xian and Wu Sheng charged with accompanying him were also hiding in the surroundings.
Xia Fen was extremely strange, growing up from a young age he had been protected by General Xia’s people, knowing no matter where he went he didn’t have to worry about being alone, however the amount of people tonight seemed too much. He sat on the belly of Juan Shu who was sleeping like the dead, not feeling the bumping of the carriage at all, every now and then he would take out a small stone throwing it at the birds who flew overhead, gathering a few things unfamiliar things beaten to death, the carriage flew by during the whole journey, there dead bodies of birds in the surrounding area. Not long after, Fei Dao could be seen flying in the sky in a circle over the carriage, finally landing on his skull, he killed another bird, Fei Dao would stretch out his neck calling out once, with a hint of using powerful connections to intimidate people.
Wujia town, was surrounded by mountains, a brook divided the small town in half, a great number of stores stood by the shore. Because it was close to Xia Yun manor, a lot of people of the Jianghu came and went, making the small unknown town unusually lively, during the holidays it was even more busy.
River lanterns, fragrant wine, handsome and clever women and crude and violent people of the Jianghu brought out the best in each other, a harmonious and happy group.
It was the first time Xia Fen stopped over in a small town, seeing the completely distinct liveliness by the seaside, his childish nature slowly appeared. Seeing children sitting on the shoulders of their father, he didn’t even ask, doing as he liked he flew on top of Bai Yan’s shoulders, with his two short legs wide open he prompted the other person to buy this, buy that, even in his hand he held roast meat saliva splattering everywhere. Behind him swaying side to side as if very drunk, was Juan Shu carrying numerous delicious foods and fun things, again behind him was Wang Yun Feng and Xia Ling Mei.
These two people’s cold war had lasted nearly ten years, today was the first time they held hands having fun in the streets.
Wang Yun Feng rubbed her slender fingers, light emotions, the corner of his mouth held a slight smile, his relaxed expression held a bit of content. Xia Ling Mei followed by his side, no longer the arrogantly reckless and valiant posture as before, actually becoming a lady who held her husband as the sky, refined and proud.
The night breeze was cool and refreshing, willows everywhere, lights waning, just like a loving married couple made by Heaven and arranged by Earth, along the way unware of how many red eyes they attracted.
However, the happier they are now, the easier it was for former pains to arise.
As Xia Ling Mei walked along she suddenly said this: “I remember one year, by every possible means you ditched studying to go outside to play. I thought you were being bullied, I secretly followed you, how was I supposed to know you entered a gold and jade filled hall.”
The gold and jade filled hall was a famous gold and jade store in Beiding city. Every year it would release the newest style ornament, it was very much loved by the married women of the influential families. Wang Yun Feng remembered the time she spoke about.
“I bought a jade hairpin, isn’t it now in your accessory box?”
Xia Ling Mei snorted: “When did you buy it for me, it was a birthday present you bought for Ling Wo, I demanded it.”
Wang Yun Feng bitterly smiled, back then he had given a lot of things to Xia Ling Wo, many of those were in Xia Ling Mei’s hands through different methods.
Even if this small town had a gold and jade store it would not have the same elaborate jewellery as Beiding city. Wang Yun Feng thought about it, taking Xia Ling Mei to a painting and calligraphy store, finding the shopkeeper he asked for first-rate paper and writing brush, not looking at anything else, lifting his hand drawing the outline of a flying woman’s beautiful body.
White jade cheeks, supple waist, flying red whip, a body of red moving in a dance in a bamboo forest. The woman in the middle, light green bamboo leaves followed, faintly a grey clothed man quietly watched.
The stores waiter rushed over to take a look, he couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration, again raising his head to look, amazed: “Isn’t the woman in the painting the lady?” The grey clothed man naturally was Wang Yun Feng.
In a short while everyone stood in a circle and watched inside the store, even the bitter scholars recited poetry: “I'd been looking for her for thousand times. When I looked back, I just found that she is just there where the lights are shining.”
Xia Ling Mei couldn’t help but blush at such words, only hating from now to the dawn of time, there was a manner in the way he put brush to paper, able to remember the other person deep in his mind.
That night, Xia Ling Mei was perfectly content, Xia Fen propped up his round as a ball belly, Wang Yun Feng seemed to have long ago forgotten his arrangement with the martial arts leader, taking his wife and child to stay at the best tavern in the small town.
In the dead of the night, it was darker than ink.
Opening the window widely, Fei Dao flapped his body rushing in.
Inside the hall, Kong Xian and Wu Sheng pairs of eyes were already flickering with a blood-thirsty radiance, Hei Zi and Bai Zi, one leaned against the window, the other stood by the door, Bai Yan kicked the sleeping like a pig Juan Shu awake, everyone’s gaze looked at the ruthless and indifferent Wang Yun Feng.
“Come, kill!”
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T/N: WYF knows how to woo a woman and XLM knows how to get what she wants haha