“Wife, I want to eat meat” 《娘子，我要吃肉》Chapter 13

When the peony flowers were in full blossom in the courtyard, May had already quietly arrived with the rowdiness of the people.

Wang Yun Feng’s medicines were already replaced with tonics, apart from the ingredients having changed, the taste was as bitter as before.

The injuries of numerous secret guards in the residence had also almost completely healed, on top of that flower thief Zhuang Sheng who looked for trouble where there is none, and picked grass where there’s no flower, and the drunkard who wished for the whole world to be in chaos, day and night the residence was in general turmoil, very lively.

These two days Xia Ling Mei had released Fei Dao who had returned having lost weight, at the same time bringing news for her from the Xia family.

Obviously, Wang Yun Feng this imperial censor officer good at plotting again displayed his skilful sharp tongue that right and wrong is black and white, unaware of how he convinced Xia Ling Mei’s father, making the other person write a letter to her, forcing her to have no choice but to stay by Wang Yun Feng’s side.

A few days ago, Xia Ling Mei had stayed at Wang residence for her own safety, and now, she had been ordered by the patriarch of the Xia family, not only did she have to protect herself, she also had to protect Wang Yun Feng.

At a time when she didn’t know, Wang Yun Feng had already launched his net, trapping Xia Ling Mei in the middle of it, not allowing her to leave.

Xia Ling Mei was extremely angry.

She and Wang Yun Feng had been entangled for so many years, amongst these were quarrels, kindness and enmity, which of the elders in the Xia family did not know, did not understand. Back then she had forced Wang Yun Feng to write the divorce document, it also determined back then the connection of marriage between Xia family and the Wang family would not be broken, therefore they would maintain a tacit manner to her unilateral decision.

Right now, Wang Yun Feng took the initiative, Xia family’s response ought to bewilder Xia Ling Mei.

“Remember when we were younger, mine and yours favourite thing to do when the moon was at its highest was to go down to the nine bend stream and light coloured lanterns. At the Dragon Boat Festival, there were countless rainbow coloured dragon wax boats meandering down from the top of the river, the dim flames clearly looked like a moving fire dragon, even lighting up our galaxy.”

Xia Ling Mei folded the letter into her sleeve: “Such a long time ago, apart from you no one remembers.” Throwing a handful of fish bait into the pond, watching the red and white koi under the hazy light competing for the bread. Waiting until the plate of fish bait was finished, she then tilted her head to ask: “What did you do to convince my father, to allow you to make use of the Xia family connections to protect you thoroughly? Don’t tell me that nonsense that it’s an imperial matter that everyone has a responsibility to, that lecherous emperor allowed you to supervise officials not permit my Xia family to investigate corruption and bribery. What’s more don’t throw out your zombie face, don’t think I won’t get a confession from you just because you won’t talk, when necessary I will beat you up that you would be looking for your teeth all over the floor.”

Wang Yun Feng coughed, if she didn’t say he was indeed planning to get away with it by playing deaf-mute, considering it he said: “Actually I didn’t do anything particular, I only said one thing.”

“What?”

Wang Yun Feng turned to face her, carefully observing her expression: “I said, I want to take Xia Ling Mei as my wife.”

Xia Ling Mei was sluggish, she asked incredulously: “What did you say?”

Wang Yun Feng remembered her expression in his mind, sighing obviously and unable to supress the faint disappointment in his heart: “Don’t be sceptical, it’s just as you think. The same words, I’ve said to your father for seven years, he also turned me down seven times.”

Xia Ling Mei narrowed her eyes: “The first year after you wrote the divorce document, you shamelessly said you wanted to marry me?”

Wang Yun Feng hung his head, the rim of his eyes reddening: “I didn’t write that divorce document.”

“But from the moment you married me, you always wanted to divorce me.” Xia Ling Mei smiled grimly. Fei Dao flew over from the high wall, spinning in a circle on top of both their heads, dropping on to Xia Ling Mei’s shoulder. The person and pet stared at him like some sort of monster: “First you cold-bloodedly divorced your wife, then hypocritically returned as a prodigal son. I say, Lord Wang, Wang Yun Feng, you regard yourself as the lecherous emperor inside the imperial palace, punishments and rewards are gifts from the emperor, let those who comply with me thrive and those who resist me perish.! On what basis do you think a woman you divorced would marry you again? On what basis are you determined Xia family will surrender to common customs, once again marrying their daughter off to you an ungrateful man? Do you think you’re the reincarnation of Pan Yue,[1] or do you think of yourself as a rare genius loved by all, flowers would blossom if you looked at them?”

Wang Yun Feng pursed his lips, quietly he said: “I want to look after you.”

The person and the bird placed both hands on their hips: “This lady does not need your care.”

“You can’t wander the Jianghu for the rest of your life, even if father-in-law… Uncle Xia doesn’t say it, they all really worry about you. Moreover, the Jianghu is dangerous, you are a young lady who should stay in her room, if you carry on like this it would only effect your reputation.”

The person and the bird both leaned forward, quite angry against a common enemy, she spat out: “None of your goddamn business.”

Wang Yun Feng widened his eyes, no matter what he did not imagine an educated and well-balanced woman of the Xia family would actually say such an extremely vulgar thing: “You…” His heart struggled for a bit, “Your business is my business. Why do you not believe a thing I say? Is it because I owe you first? Or is it because you’ve decided I have no feelings towards you? They say a day together as husband and wife means hundreds of years of devotion, you and I for three years, not talking about a hundred years, we ought to have half a lifetime. Do you dare to say you so easily forgotten our innocent childhood from when we were young? Do you dare to say I’ve never shown you the tiniest bit of sincerity? Do you dare say, in those three years, I’ve never thought on behalf of you, ached for you, for you…” He did not finish speaking, he only felt his body was light, the view in front of him changed `plonk`, innumerable amount of water rushed in his eyes, nose and ears, choking he couldn’t stop coughing, his body couldn’t help sink down.

Xia Ling Mei standing by the pond still had her leg raised, and with Fei Dao the two of them watched the flopping man in the pond, laughing deviously: “I think you need to clear your head, don’t imagine love is reciprocated it’ll burn your brain.”

Fei Dao raised its wings, mockingly calling out: “That time you speak of, this lady has not remembered from the start. What hundred years of devotion? What innocent childhood? 

What sincerity? Did we have days like that? You must have mistaken the person.”

Fei Dao `ka`, like it was in distain.

Xia Ling Mei nodded her head: “You must have remembered the wrong person, you must know there are many sisters in the Xia family, the one who grew up with you is not limited to me Xia Ling Mei, also Xia Ling Shu, Xia Ling…Wo.”

Wang Yun Feng sucked in a breath, water surging to be the first to enter his throat, as he was befuddled, he only had the time to see Xia Ling Mei heartlessly turn around, leaving without even looking back.

Xia Ling Mei mood was very bad with this information, inside Wang residence she couldn’t release her emotions.

“Really, lady pushed the master into the pond yesterday night.” Xiu Yu was very worried when she heard the gossip.

Hei Zi jeered: “The lady is too soft. How is kicking him into the pond enough, at least she should have tied Lord Wang’s legs to two boulders, let him directly drown in the pond and become fish bait.”

“Alas, that is murder. If it was me, I would get him drunk and kick him in, make is absolutely impossible for people to figure out who killed him.” This was the drunkard.

Bai Zi was suspicious, Juan Shu was angry, Bai Yan cracked melon seeds between his teeth.

Bai Zi: “If she killed the master, what would the lady do?”

Juan Shu snorted: “Be a widow.”

Bai Yan drew out his sword: “Kill her, make them ghosts husband and wife.”

Xiu Yu walked away angry, Hei Zi sneered, the drunkard belched.

Ying Shi carrying tea walked by: “What are you doing?”

Everyone: “Gossiping,”

“Oh,” Ying Shi bypassed the long hallway, “I’m going to present tea to the lady, the matchmakers have delivered a big pile of people portraits, for the lady to pick a husband.”

Xiu Yu gladly and diligently followed: “The lady is finally remarrying?”

“Yes, the lady said she is finally starting to yearn for love, while she still has a little thought of love, she needs to quickly find a suitable man to marry, next year we can wait upon a little master.”

A little master, Xiu Yu salivated. The group of people diligently followed behind, like a long queue going to watch and gossip.

Inside the drawing room of the rear court, a group of all kinds of meddling women were standing in a group, holding tea, face filled with a good-natured smile, inwardly no one knew each other’s strength against each other.

Xia Ling Mei sat at the front, Zhuang Sheng sat nearby with one leg over the other, the two people with a roll of a portrait in their hands, looking at it horizontally or vertically or slanted, eyebrows raised, noses wrinkled, this expression was already exhausted. Each portrait placed down, some of the matchmakers sitting down would laugh happily, some would be worried.

“My lady has said, if the other person is an official, she doesn’t want anyone below fifth rank, she doesn’t want those who use their family wealth to buy a title, she doesn’t want anyone who isn’t the son of the first wife, she doesn’t want a bachelor who has children, she doesn’t want anyone who already has over two concubines and maids[2], finally, she doesn’t want anyone below fifth rank official, if the other person is a Jianghu person, even if they are a fifth rank official she doesn’t want him. She doesn’t want criminals, she doesn’t want those with damaged bodies, if their appearance isn’t adequate she doesn’t want them, she doesn’t want a homeless drifting with the wind, she doesn’t want someone who only knows how to fight and kill without the ability to support his family. Apart from these, those from merchant families will not be considered, normal civilians are not included in this range of choices, don’t even think about those who will stop a re-marriage, without exception those with brothers in their residence who has committed murder are not wanted…”

Zhuang Sheng switched one leg over the other before continuing, taking a sip of strong tea, sighing in despair: “Why don’t you just tell us directly what you want.”

Xia Ling Mei tossed the portrait in her hand onto the pile of waste papers, rubbing her eyes, eating a piece of pastry: “Actually my requirements aren’t much, I only need someone who can enter the imperial court and fight in the mountains, able to venture the Jianghu’s fires and waters, on the outside he’s a upright nobleman gentle as a jade, inside he’s a respectful and virtuous person who thinks of his wife as the sky. Strive for self-improvement, brave and astute, fair and reasonable, gentle, modest and courteous, speak cautiously and acts quickly, capable of versatility, and have great ambitions, a visionary and sagacious…”

“And so on, “ Zhuang Sheng shouted, “Are you looking for a husband, or looking for a national hero?”

“Relatives of the emperor also will not pass?” a certain matchmaker quietly said.

Xia Ling Mei laughed: “There are also vermin within the emperor’s relatives.”

“Then influential families?”

“There are also immoral and despicable people.”

“Then official aristocratic families?”

“There are also refined scums of society.”

“Jianghu hero?”

“A fool can be found everywhere.”

Everyone heaved a sigh.

Some matchmakers held their breath, maliciously asking: “This marriage is a two-sided matter. Lady for you to make so many requests is also expected, but, if there is such a man willing to propose marriage, what can we use on behalf of this lady? Us matchmakers have drank many cups of tea, so far we still don’t know this lady’s background, talent and learning, and the amount of dowry.”

“Ah,” Xia Ling Mei used her circular fan to fan herself twice with cold air: “The Xia family one of Beding city’s influential family, not speaking of my father’s honour, talking only about our younger generation, amongst the five wives, six daughters are of the first wife, three married an official above fifth rank, one Princess, one Imperial Consort; five sons of the first wife, three cultural officials above fifth rank, two military officials above fourth rank. Amongst them there are also twelve bastards, nine of those are civil and military officials above sixth rank, the remaining three are still minors; fifteen women born of a concubine, eight has married, eight married officials above sixth rank, the other seven remain at home.”

She raised her eyebrows, a dignified woman remain peacefully in her room and a heroic charming and agreeable woman of the Jianghu, where there is water there is fire, fire contaminated with smoke, carrying a serene charm to attract people.

Zhuang Sheng held his breath, glancing over, at the door Gu Lang was drooling, Wang Yun Feng outside of the courtyard had a pale complexion, his body on the verge of collapsing.

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[1] A Chinese poet known for being one of China’s Four Most Handsome Men.

[2] Sometimes maids were given with the bride as dowry which meant husbands could take advantage of them as their own property.

T/N: Sorry for the late update I've been away over Easter >_<