Chapter 126
Chapter 126
The Zhang father and son remained silent. Shu Tingyu said calmly.
“There's no time. Common sense dictates that when a person suffers a great tragedy, they are most likely to take their own life within twenty-four hours of their despair. After that, no matter how hopeless they feel, they tend to cling to life.”
His words struck a nerve with the Zhang father and son.
“Actually, my 'sister' is my cousin. Her family deals in spices and is known as a giant in the industry in the northern State of Yue. They have no connection to our Hidden Yuan Society. You've likely heard of them, Prefect Zhang—the Chi Clan.”
Of course, he had heard the name. They were merchant magnates, far more successful than Xu Guangyun.
“The Chi Clan has extensive business dealings in Yanzhou, with a solid foothold there. When you become the Governor of Yanzhou in the future, Prefect, their influence will be quite useful. Yanzhou is a far more perilous region than Xuanwu City.”
Zhang Chong closed his eyes. After a long moment, he opened them and said calmly.
“I will send someone to the Chi Clan to propose marriage.”
Then, Zhang Chong looked at Zhang Jin and said.
“Go. Tell them that our Zhang Clan will never break an engagement or cancel a marriage.”
A muscle twitched in Zhang Jin's face as he replied.
“Father.”
“Go. The attack on the Count of Xuanwu's Estate is imminent. We cannot afford to ruin our plans.”
***
Midnight. Inside the Xu Clan's residence in Xuanwu City.
Xu Qianqian lay in bed, her face gaunt and pale, nursing her heartache. Zhang Jin sat by her bedside, his eyes filled with pity, acting even more tender than usual. Xu Qianqian burst into tears again and spoke to him.
“Brother Zhang… it was all my fault for being so desperate. Sister Chunhua warned me to be careful, but I was blinded by greed. If I hadn't dyed all the silk purple and rainbow, I wouldn't have fallen for Shen Lang's trick.”
Zhang Jin spoke in a gentle voice.
“It's alright. There's no use regretting what's already happened. Don't think too much about it. Just rest.”
Xu Qianqian looked at Zhang Jin with eyes full of affection.
“Brother Zhang, even if you wanted to break off our engagement, I would understand. I'll publicly declare that all the fault is mine.”
“Don't be foolish. Why would I ever break off our engagement?”
He then reached out and stroked Xu Qianqian's hair.
“Qianqian, don't dwell on it. No matter how big the problem seems, a good night's sleep will make it feel like nothing.”
“Thank you, Brother Zhang, for not leaving or abandoning me at this crucial moment. Don't worry. I will never disappoint you in the future. I will be the best wife in the world.”
Zhang Jin patted her shoulder and said gently.
“Get some sleep. We can talk more when you wake up. I need to go see Father-in-law.”
***
Xu Guangyun was awake. He seemed half-mad.
“Jin, we haven't lost yet! We haven't been defeated! We'll just return the deposit to the western merchants and tell them to forget about any compensation. Xuanwu City is our turf, after all. The silk is still usable. We'll sell it to the Pirate King, Qiu Tianwei. Others might not want it, but he definitely will.”
Zhang Jin brought a bowl of medicinal soup to Xu Guangyun and said.
“Father-in-law, please don't think too much for now. Drink your medicine and get some rest.”
Xu Guangyun said in a hoarse voice.
“Doesn't your father need money to secure the governorship of Yanzhou? The Count of Xuanwu's Estate is about to fall. When it does, we'll sell the thirty thousand acres of mulberry fields promised to us, convert it to gold, and fund your father's appointment.
It was Shen Lang who plotted against us again! Isn't the Count of Xuanwu's Estate about to be finished? My good son-in-law, when that time comes, you must hand Shen Lang over to me. I will flay him, pull out his tendons, crush his bones, and burn him to ashes! I will annihilate his entire family!”
Xu Guangyun shot up, his eyes burning with endless hatred. If Shen Lang had been there, he would have transformed into a wild beast, devoured him in one bite, and torn him to shreds. A sharp glint flashed in Zhang Jin's eyes as he brought the bowl of medicine to Xu Guangyun's lips.
“Father-in-law, please drink the medicine first.”
“My good son-in-law, you must promise me. After the Jin Clan is destroyed, you must hand Shen Lang over to me. I will skin him alive in front of everyone!”
“I will. Please drink your medicine.”
Only after hearing Zhang Jin's promise did Xu Guangyun down the medicine in one go. Then, he smashed the bowl on the floor.
“Shen Lang, you bastard! This fight won't end until one of us is dead! I'll tear you to pieces!”
As Xu Guangyun screamed, his body trembled violently. Then, a sudden, sharp pain surged from his stomach, startling him.
Pfft!
Bright red blood gushed from his mouth, not once, but twice, then a third time. Black blood trickled from his nostrils, ears, and even his eyes. It was a perfect picture of bleeding from all seven orifices. Xu Guangyun stared at Zhang Jin in disbelief, mustering his last ounce of strength to ask.
“The medicine... was it poisoned?”
***
Love is like war; there is always a loser. Right now, Shen Lang had lost another battle of love. His wife refused to ride the same horse as him. It wasn't a problem, as Mulan had brought three horses for the journey of several hundred li, but she had caught the scent of another woman on him, and her surprise quickly turned to annoyance.
‘This philanderer. Do you cheat wherever you go? How do you manage to catch a woman's eye everywhere you turn! Even in a sacred place like the Ends of the Earth Sea Pavilion, you found someone to have a special relationship with?’
Mulan couldn't help but marvel at his talent.
‘How am I supposed to stop a womanizer like you from cheating?’
Soon, her graceful body leaped lightly from her horse, landing on another steed, leaving Shen Lang to ride alone.
“You're a grown man now, you can ride by yourself.”
“My lady, it had nothing to do with me! That woman forced herself on me. She even tried to sit on my lap, but I stopped her. I'm a man of principle when it comes to my conduct.”
“Haha!”
Mulan scoffed.
“I told her sternly at the time. I said I was a married man, that my wife was beautiful and had a wonderful figure, and that Scholar Yulang should conduct herself with dignity. But she insisted on sitting close to me, and the fragrance from her body made me sneeze constantly. But when you're under someone else's roof, you have to play by their rules. I was there to ask for a favor, so I couldn't possibly refuse, could I?
“Haha, so you even know her name.”
Shen Lang looked crestfallen.
“Ugh... My lady, if I ride alone, I'll fall off.”
“I doubt that. If you're about to fall, my lord, I'll catch you.”
“Really? You promise?”
“Hmph!”
‘My martial arts skills are formidable. Catching a useless oaf like you would be easy.’
“Then I'll fall right now.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, the scoundrel's body tilted and he promptly fell off the horse. Mulan ground her teeth in anger. She wanted to let him fall and get hurt, but her beautiful form soared through the air like a swallow, landing on Shen Lang's horse, grabbing him, and pulling him up behind her.
Shen Lang said in a soft voice.
“My lady, you're a good person. You will forever be the only woman in my heart. All other women are like wildflowers on the roadside to me. I would never pick them, but I might accidentally brush against one while passing by, getting a little pollen on me.”
Mulan had never heard a man describe his infidelity so elegantly. Being with her husband not only made her question her own intelligence but also shook her values. Just then, Shen Lang's hands once again found their way around her waist.
‘So beautiful. The most beautiful waist in the world. Look at this curve—not just slender, but smooth and supple! How exquisite! But that Zhang Yuyin's waist was quite nice too. Being fuller, she would surely feel especially soft to the touch. What a pity. I was too restrained earlier. If I had been more forward, Teacher Yuyin would not have refused.’
If no other man had been watching, she might have truly pretended to slip and sat on Shen Lang's lap.
Shen Lang's hands 'slipped' from Mulan's waist, one moving up and the other down. Mulan didn't stop him. It would be pointless anyway; even if she broke his hands, they would be back on her body in less than a minute. But Shen Lang's hands didn't stop there, preparing to venture even further.
“Shen Lang, isn't that enough?”
Mulan frowned. Shen Lang suddenly asked her a question.
“My lady, did you bathe today?”
“I bathed yesterday. We left in such a hurry today, there was no time.”
“Right, right.”
Shen Lang discreetly withdrew his hands. At that moment, Mulan truly wanted to beat him to death.
‘I'm already letting him touch me, and this is how he acts? Just because I missed one day of bathing, he doesn't even want to touch me?’
Just the other day, when she had rushed to the Ends of the Earth Sea Pavilion, she had bathed almost twice a day and brushed her teeth three times. Mulan sniffed herself, her confidence wavering.
‘I don't actually smell of sweat, do I?’
Mulan spurred her horse on, arriving at a mountain valley with a deep pool. She immediately leaped off the horse, a change of clothes and bathing supplies like scented oils in her hands.
“My lady, what are you doing?”
Mulan ground her teeth and said.
“I'm going to bathe. I'm afraid you'll abandon me.”
***
A bizarre procession entered the Count of Xuanwu's Estate. A dozen or so cavalrymen rode in a line. Despite the deepening autumn chill, they bared their chests and arms, every one of them covered in tattoos. The young rider at the very front even had tattoos covering his face.
His entire body was tattooed with the images of over a hundred naked women. Unlike the tattoos on his body, his face was adorned with a monster that had a human face and a snake's body. He was a handsome man, but the extensive tattoos gave him a demonic appearance. Around his neck gleamed a golden necklace made of more than ten small skulls, and the hilt of the scimitar at his waist was a golden carving of a woman.
They all had dark skin and muscles as hard as iron. With the exception of the young rider at the front, all of them had yellowed teeth.
The group rode as if they owned the place, causing the servants in the estate to scatter in terror, screaming incessantly. The patrolling cavalrymen were furious at their audacity. Jin Jianniang immediately led several dozen riders to block their path, her beautiful voice sharp with reproach.
“Where are you from, that you dare cause a ruckus in our Count of Xuanwu's Estate? Seize them!”
A troop of cavalry charged out from within the estate. They were the men led by the estate's Vice-Commander, Jin Zheng. Jin Zheng spurred his horse forward, intending to clear a path by striking with his greatsword. Not meaning to kill, he aimed only for the scimitar in the demonic man's hand.
But in that instant, Jin Zheng's body was sent flying, spitting bright red blood. The greatsword in his hand shattered into pieces. Yet, the man with the women tattooed all over his body hadn't moved an inch, a sinister smile on his face. The gap in their martial skill was immense. His gaze drifted to Jin Jianniang's thighs, then up her legs to her waist and chest, before finally landing on her face. In that moment, Jin Jianniang felt an unbearable torment, as if she'd been stung by a thousand poisoned needles.
The Count of Xuanwu, Jin Zhuo, appeared alongside a tall, valiant knight. The knight radiated a powerful aura, his warhorse was especially large, and he approached the group with a unique cadence. He was none other than the Count's adopted son, Jin Shiying, the top martial artist in the Count of Xuanwu's army and the de facto Commander and Vice-Commander of the estate's private forces. When the estate was seeking a live-in son-in-law, he had been the most popular candidate and an idol to all the young men of the estate.
“Qiu Xiao greets his father-in-law.”
The demonic man offered his greeting from horseback, his eyes then scanning the crowd as if searching for someone.
“Where is my wife, Mulan? Why hasn't she come out to greet me?”
The Count of Xuanwu asked him.
“Qiu Xiao, the time has not yet come. What are you doing here?”