“Wife, I want to eat meat” 《娘子，我要吃肉》Chapter 7

Hiding deeply in the city, this was something Xia Ling Mei knew a lot of from experience.

Shut indoors in the tavern for three days, Hei Zi[1] came to give a report, he said that the person who had pretended to run away had already lost Wang family’s secret guard.

Xia Ling Mei bring two maids with her, if someone really wanted to follow her it would be very easy, therefore, this time when she planned her escape, Hei Zi immediately made his subordinates transform into women, a three men team separated into three different directions leaving the city.

Wang Yun Feng also did not know the reason for so, even if the secret guards were exploited by Xia Ling Mei that they’re skeletons didn’t even remain, he would continue as always to send people to follow her.

After three days, the most difficult pair of man and horse also lost Wang family’s secret guards, worthy of celebrations. Before Wang Yun Feng could again obtain her whereabouts, Xia Ling Mei was happily free and at leisure.

This sort of one-upmanship between them had already been going on between them for many years, they enjoyed it and never tired of it. When it reached the fourth day, Xia Ling Mei had already worn a veiled hat, shedding her entire body of the superfluous clothes and ornaments of a girl from a wealthy family, changing into a woman of the Jianghu, dressed light and convenient, wandering in the great streets and small alleys of Chenzhou.

No one could have thought, she simply had not left, moreover no one would have thought she would openly stroll along the streets. The most dangerous place is the most safest place, the aspect of playing with Wang Yun Feng, had always been an easy task for Xia Ling Mei. Although, every year when they met in the Xia residence, she never exposed a hint of a smile at him.

She was already used to seeing him once a year, seeing him she only said one thing “May 

you have a prosperous New Year.” Afterwards, the next day, like running water the Wang family would send countless gifts, the list of gifts given to Xia Ling Mei could fill a book of <Three Character Classic>.

Perhaps, in Wang Yun Feng’s eyes, Xia Ling Mei who journeyed away from her lacked money?

In fact, everything was good when at home, but troubled when she left. Compared to when she was at Xia residence or Wang residence, Xia Ling Mei while travelling in the Jianghu, did indeed lack money.

In the few months she was in Chenzhou, when she first stayed at Gu residence she almost didn’t leave or near the entrance, therefore she rarely went to visit the surrounding scenery. After she left the Gu residence, without restrictions she relaxed for a few days, completely exploring all the fun places in the hundred of miles of Chenzhou. She found out in these two days that a wander, a greater teller of stories, he spoke of the rain and wind of Dayan of the last two hundred years with rhythmic undulation, he even spoke casually of the regent and beautiful court ladies. Xia Ling Mei by chance walked past hearing a few words she became interested, after a day of going to the flower and bird market, after walking around once, she was holding a small simple headed and simple minded Tibetan Mastiff sitting in the quiet corner of the second floor. With a gentle breeze of April, drinking good quality bi lo chun tea, eating a mouthful of light refreshments and giving one mouthful to the Tibetan Mastiff, listening to the pingshu,[2] getting by freely and at leisure. Occasionally, from her window she can see Wang Yun Feng’s carriage being swarmed by everyone as it went on.

He simply didn’t come to find her, Xia Ling Mei thought, the grand imperial censor senior officer appointed to Chenzhou, naturally it was for the purpose of imperial matters, being immersed in love was already something he could only see but not touch.

Wang Yun Feng who had suddenly appeared, didn’t give her enough time to build up her own high walls.

She was used to, in a year, three hundred and sixty four days, to give her heart a little bit of strength to build her walls every day, then afterwards she would use it for one day to block him no matter how stubborn, gentle, strongly he attacked. Every third day of the New Year, in an instant when she saw him her walls would erect highly, again just as when he left it would crumble with a loud bang. Therefore, unexpectedly meeting, she still did not have time to counterattack and had already retreated in defeat little by little.

“The wind on the sea blew loudly, making crashing sounds, numerous seabirds spiralled in the air, nonstop, vomit, bird calling. As far as the eyes can see, on the sea there were countless Dayan ships, neatly organised so that they looked like an arrowhead. The black hulls were slapped by water, the legendary giant bird with its wings spread out was embedded into the prow of the ships with gold feathers, the commander, general Xia, stood on the biggest boat, his cloak blown upwards by the wind, red like the colour of blood. The sun was too immense that day, it seemed like a person was being roasted, when the pirate boat came speeding along the shoreline, it made people think it was completely ablaze. Two armies faced each other, gongs and drums exploded in the air, this naval battle was completely different from battle on land, battle on land only required officers and soldiers on horseback to rush forward, but naval battle ah, if you rush over with a tiger head and tiger brain you will only end up in the sea. Ai, you don’t think falling into the sea will be very safe, I’ll tell you, as long as it’s on a battlefield, anywhere is hell. In the sea smelling a little bit of blood, you will attract a large number of sharks…”

Xia Ling Mei smiled, lifting the two fat paws of the Tibetan Mastiff she said: “The officers and soldiers of Dayan beheaded pirates and the enemies of the sea states, throwing their corpses into the sea to feed sharks, afterwards cooks would again hunt and kill fish to make food, feeding the tens of thousands of people everywhere.” She said to the two maids who had lowered their heads: “Does that count as cannibalism? It’s still the flesh of the enemy country’s soldiers.”

Xiu Yu had just picked up a piece of meat floss lotus seed paste cake, having heard what was said she stopped, looking at her lady, again looking at the pastry in her hand, she placed it down: “Lady, I’m very happy we were sent back here by the Fifth master.”

Two fingers suddenly went into the plate, pinching a piece of cake and placing it into her mouth: “The fifth master. You are talking about is the current fifth uncle of Imperial Consort Xia, as well as the fifth elder of the Xia family, furthermore is the second ranked army officer who became important general Xia Xiang Min.” Zhuang Sheng was minding his own business eating cakes, again he spat out a mouthful of tea before again drinking a cup of tea: “Then you truly are a relative of the emperor, I wonder what is the relationship between Lady Xia and him?”

Xia Ling Mei glanced at him: “Are your wounds better?”

Zhuang Sheng moved his arms around: “The lady is lucky, I’m fine. I only beg of you, next time Xiao Sheng bares his flesh, please don’t hang me on the memorial arch, that place presses painfully on people, with the sun shining, the marble scalded my skin. Me getting scalded isn’t a big problem, irritating the well-bred young lady who adore me to be heart-broken is not good.”

“You acted like a pervert again?”

“Who did!” Zhuang Sheng scowled, beckoning a waiter over, asking the other person to bring a good pot of wine, before again frivolously winking at Xia Ling Mei: “Recently I’ve been busy with something, after I finished I came to find you.”

Xia Ling Mei was suspicious: “To seek revenge?”

“No,” Zhuang Sheng crossed his left leg over his right, laughing as he said: “I came to find the lady to ask for a bit of expense for psychological damage. You must know, hanging a grown man like me completely exposed in public, is not right.”

Xiu Yu angrily said: “You came to extort us!”

“You shouldn’t say it like that. You didn’t do anything to me, at most you stole the last best room in the middle of the night; you also didn’t plot against me, at most you only let your bodyguards rough me up, I was completely fine only after three days; You also didn’t slander me, at most you only stripped the innocent me like a poached chicken, suspending me in public for everyone to see.” His eyes wide, he innocently said: “If the lady thinks these things are enough to make us enemies, then fine, I came to extort you. Ladies how much money do you have, hand it all over.”

Xia Ling Mei had travelled extensively, she met a lot of people, she had also met people like this who took the opportunity to blackmail people. But, she was certain her opponent was smarter than other blackmailers from before, at least, the things he said to provoke her did not have much harm. At least he didn’t say something like `this master is here to sort you out`, instead casually he ate their light refreshments and drank their tea. This confident and ease, truly was hard for nasty people to portray.

She was slightly interested: “Outside of home, those I can rely on are friends. If money can eliminate our enmity…”

“Don’t think of using a little money to get rid of me.” Zhuang Sheng interrupted, staring at her in the eyes: “The elder cousin of Dayan’s current Imperial Consort, external relative of the Xia family, the eldest daughter of the second wife, Xia Ling Mei.”

Xia Ling Mei threw away her mask of pretence: “You investigated me.”

Zhuang Sheng held the wine pot and poured all of the liquid into his own bottle gourd, nonchalantly said: “Know yourself, know your enemy. If I didn’t understand your history, how could I open my mouth to quote a price. Fifty thousand, hand it over right now. If you don’t, on the spot I can let everyone hear your past right here, providing an amusement to everyone during their leisure time.” He lifted his eyelid, shrugging his shoulder as he smiled: “A young lady of a rich family who should have stayed at home in her bedroom but actually appeared in a tiny place like Chenzhou, were you disowned by your family leading you to wonder the Jianghu, or where you tricked by a scoundrel, leaving home to elope…”

“Shut up.”

“Could it be you really eloped?” Zhuang Sheng laughed loudly, “Don’t tell me you were lured to Chenzhou by Lord Gu…ah, wei, you lioness, don’t frequently take your whip to thrash people.”

Xia Ling Mei bared her teeth: “If I beat you to death I get rid of many problems, also fifty thousand, fine.”

Zhuang Sheng wailed out loud, jumping up from his chair, instead of retreating he repeatedly attacked her wrist, he wanted to thereby take control of her whip. However, he clearly forgot about the two maids, as he was moving forward to attack, Xiu Yu had already with one move poked his belt.

“Oi, little maid do you want to molest Xiao Sheng?” He only had the time to clutch one side of his trousers, preventing himself from being a complete featherless poached chicken again, or his bottom half being featherless. Just as he had finished speaking, a hot pot of tea came at him right in the face, burning him that he leapt about: “My body is wet, my body is wet, you have to take responsibility for me.”

Ying Shi held the empty teapot, the corner of her mouth twitched, she just happened to see the glimpse of severity in her lady’s eyes, this was a desire to murder.

The reputation of a daughter of the Xia family, was not permitted to be slandered or vilified 

by anyone.

Zhuang Sheng was besieged by the shouting and screaming of the three women, from that window he jumped to another window, in between his movement his trousers slide down several times carelessly, Xia Ling Mei’s whip seemed to demand his chastity – managing to 

follow him like the shadow of an evil tyrant.

Saliva was still flying out of the storyteller’s mouth downstairs: “The boss of the pirates had 

a shiny smooth head, missing an eye, with just half a leg he still charged and broke through 

enemy lines. His target was our Dayan’s General-in-Chief who Guards the Army, Xia Xiang Min. The bald pirate charged towards him, his long sword pointed directly at the lofty motionless General Xia. Suddenly, the air split to reveal a rainbow dyed with blood, directly from the lower half of the bald pirate. Only a screech of `oh----` was heard, the baldy…”

“Oh----, oh----“ Zhuang Sheng jumped into the corridor from the window.

“Hey, storyteller, the baldy cried out.”

“Oh, oh----“ Zhuang Sheng moved around on the staircase.

“Did the baldy die?”

“Oh, oh, oh----“

“Oh you scum %**&（）*——）（）%&” The angry listeners swarmed around, beating the young man down who was shrieking miserably, holding up his trousers and jumping about.

Xia Ling Mei smirked pulling on her blood red whip, one foot stepping on Zhuang Sheng’s chest, smiling with malicious intentions.

She did not put pressure on him, but again Zhuang Sheng shrieked: “Lord Wang, good morning, you also came to listen to stories? A----“

Xia Ling Mei was shocked, she only saw the narrow doorway of the teahouse had already been surrounded by people that it was impenetrable, in the centre right in front of her was a 

man dressed entirely in green, black clouds over his head, Wang Yun Feng.

Inside the teahouse, the storyteller suddenly banged his wooden gavel block: “So, that is a dark red whip covered with spikes, and the girl who is wearing a similar coloured skirt. Only hearing a few `swishing` sounds, the baldy, gloriously became the first eunuch amongst pirates.”

“Sh!” The listeners sighed.

---

[1] Literally means “Black”.

[2] A folk art where a singer performer narrates stories from history or fiction.