"Wife, I want to eat meat” 《娘子，我要吃肉》Chapter 23

When building a manor house it was the similar to the emperor building a palace for the people of the Jianghu, the more respected you were the more aloft you would like to live, enjoying looking at all living things disdainfully out of the corner of your eye with a feeling of supremacy. In a carefree mood you can look down with an evil and charming smile, in a gloomy mood you can raise your head shouting aloud, enjoy life while you can! Xian Yun manor was several hundred li from Chenzhou, between there are numerous thickets of lofty mountain ranges, waterfalls, streams, uninterrupted undulation of mountain peaks forming a hidden dragon, and the manor house was at the highest peak of the dragon head, for ordinary people it would take them at least a day to get up there. For the people of the Jianghu, it depended on their qing gong. ╮(╯▽╰)╭

When Xia Ling Mei received the news the Zhao Princess was safe, she could already see in the distance the eaves of the pagoda on the fat dragon’s head, countless black birds circled down from the top of the pagoda, with a somewhat sinister feeling.

Behind her there were still assassins, following her was Zhuang Sheng who she did not know of his loyalty, although she did not have many guards she did not have a lot either. As a chess piece of the Xia family placed in the Jianghu, Xia Ling Mei’s safety was not as significant as other titled women, and she was exceptionally skilled, apart from the two years right at the beginning where she stirred up trouble, the last five years she never made the family worry, as a result, even if she was suffering, she was not too anxious and afraid.

“As for that martial arts leader Jiu Fang Xi, he was also a legendary person, when he was still an infant his mother had died of illness, he was bought up by a wet nurse. His father is said to have fame and prestige in the country, yet always left him at the villa, never bringing him into the official residence. Afterwards, his father because he was set up by an official of power his whole family were executed unto the third generation, he survived as he was protected secretly, after he had a fortuitous meeting, he was guided by a very able person to become a rare young talented man of the Jianghu.”

Xia Ling Mei was not interested in that martial arts leader, the person she genuinely wanted to look for was not Jiu Fang Xi. However, letting Zhuang Sheng misunderstand could dispense a lot of inconvenience, she and Hei Zi wisely decided to let that misunderstanding carry on beautifully.

“Jiu Fang Xi is the martial arts leader that rarely sees the relatives of the imperial household.” Zhuang Sheng said thinking rather deeply.

“So?” Xia Ling Mei raised her eyebrow, “just because he sought my hand in marriage? I’m only a daughter of the Xia family, not the sole daughter. Although the Imperial Consort comes from my family, it still does not mean any in-laws can easily be promoted to a high official position.”

Zhuang Sheng mischievously laughed: “What you want to say, favouritism towards relatives, friends or associates are unacceptable, right? But, having this marriage is better than not having it. Moreover, this martial arts leader martial art skills can barely match up to mine, with him as my rival in love, I have seventy percent success.”

“Hey, you are boasting a bit too much?” Hei Zi finally could not bear to carry on listening, he really has never seen such a brazen person. What sort of person is that martial arts leader, what sort of person is that Zhuang Sheng, he actually dared to say the martial arts leader couldn’t match up to him!

Xia Ling Mei smiled and asked: “Have you forgotten the most important factor?”

“What?”

Xia Ling Mei insipidly said: “My feelings.”

Zhuang Sheng blanked for a moment: “Don’t you women from influential families only choose based on family background and the other person’s characteristic and talent? When was the women’s opinions considered!”

Xia Ling Mei urged her horse on twice the speed: “Originally it’s like that, but I don’t like it.” She turned back to look at him, “Have you heard about a lady who picks her own husband? Have you also heard of an unmarried woman waiting to be married off taking her own initiative to marry if she wants to, not marry if she doesn’t? Have you also heard of a woman of the influential family wandering the Jianghu recklessly? You haven’t, but now you’ve seen.”

She raised her head, the corners of her eyes and eyebrows were arrogant and wilful: “I can tell you, apart from me, in this world there are no women who dare to say `no` against her own marriage.”

“Even if they have a good family background, a man with talent and good looks, if I don’t love him, I won’t marry him.”

“If I am truly moved, no matter who the other person is, whatever his status, I can be his good wife at ease, for this lifetime struggling against the family because of his career and status.”

When she was saying this, Zhuang Sheng appeared to have heard the sound of a waterfall far away flowing down, beating onto a boulder. The sweet-sounding and resounding words of the woman tinkled and thudded as it beat on the stone gate, word by word splashing inside the gate, flowing into the heart. Popping through, a small rabbit leapt out, a jubilant small deer followed closely behind, a flying fish, a wild goose formed a large crowd, momentarily dominating his ash-coloured sky.

As if he could hear his own breathing: “I think, finally I know why Lord Wang is obstinately persisting in the wrong way with you… be careful!”

Quick as lightening, Zhuang Sheng in a flash flew himself at Xia Ling Mei’s back, countless hidden arrows came rushing in from all directions.

“`Jia!`” Zhuang Sheng grabbed hold of a lot of arrows in a flurry, flinging his long whip on the horse’s bottom, very quickly breaking out of the enclosure of screaming secret guards.

In a split second of palpitation, Wang Yun Feng opened his eyes. It seemed like he had fainted just now.

“Master, you haven’t rested in two days and one night, it’s better to go back. I will bring the mistress back.” Xiao Bai rode his horse up to his side, singlehandedly holding up his back.

Wang Yun Feng shook his head, looking at Xia Fen in front of him lying on his stomach on Wu Sheng’s shoulder, inquisitively looking at him, seeing him awake, his mouth twitched up: “You’re so weak!” Xia Fen said, “If you dosed off on a battlefield, in an instant your head would be rolling on the ground.”

“You’ve been on a battlefield with General Xia?”

“Of course, a man who is scared to go on a battlefield is not a man, he is a coward.”

Wang Yun Feng slightly frowned: “Who taught you that phrase?”

“The soldiers all say this. Adoptive mother says, a battlefield is the best place to toughen your courage, also only on a battlefield can a man of indomitable spirit be born.”

Xia Fen perhaps felt it was too boring, since there was someone who was willing to speak to him his manner was also somewhat good-natured. Of course, his tone was still fairly disdainful: “You’ve never been on a battlefield, you’re a weakling.”

Wang Yun Feng sat upright, again grasping the reins firmly, only saying: “In ancient history, a great general still dies by the hands of a civil court official. You’ve been on a battlefield, at most you’re considered to be a boorish fellow, but still the smallest.”

Xia Fen furiously waved his fists: “Wait until I’m older, I will beat the crap out of you. I won’t allow you to bully the Xia family.”

Wang Yun Feng snorted, sure enough he was a child of the Xia family, the deep-rooted family ideology, must not allow anyone be rude towards the Xia family, even if it’s just words. Only, he unexpectedly called the Xia family’s fifth master as General Xia, clearly he had grown up in the barracks from childhood. The Xia family never pampered the younger generation in their upbringing, at home and in the imperial court were entirely two types of manners.

Wang Yun Feng was quite tired, he felt teasing the baby a little would freshen him up: “Who is your adoptive mother?”

Xia Fen turned his head: “I won’t tell you.”

“Then who is your birth mother?”

“Adoptive mother.”

Wang Yun Feng corrected him: “Adoptive mother is adoptive mother, birth mother is birth mother.”

Xia Fen still only said two words: “Adoptive mother.”

As expected he’s a child, Wang Yun Feng thought. Moreover he only had a crude mouth, terrible upbringing, a stubborn tempered stupid child.

The stupid child wrinkled his nose: “There’s a smell of blood.” Wu Sheng immediately gathered him into his arms from his shoulder, like a lofty orangutan holding a small monkey.

Kong Xian asked him: “From which direction?”

Xia Fen extended his head, like a beast looking for his prey sniffing in each direction one by one, pointing at a road no one had walked down. Kong Xian did not dare to be careless, again sending two vanguards to scout it out.

Xiao Bai someone what imitated him puffing out his nose and sniffing everywhere, he couldn’t smell anything. Bai Yan urged his horse to the side of Wang Yun Feng, with Xiao Bai protecting Wang Yun Feng in the middle. Wang Yun Feng asked: “This is a mountain forest, could it be hunters hunting wild animals?”

Kong Xian cast a glance at him, from his brocade pocket he took out an embroidered handkerchief, placing it under Xia Fen’s nose.

Wang Yun Feng was a bit too far away, only feeling that embroidered handkerchief was somewhat familiar. Bai Yan softly said: “This child is a dog? He actually gave him a woman’s embroidered handkerchief to smell.”

Xia Fen again pointed in the direction before: “Adoptive mother’s smell.”

Kong Xian took the lead rushing forward, the other secret guards of the Xia family immediately followed after.

Wang Yun Feng was somewhat distrustful, there wasn’t much difference between the direction they rushed in and the direction Xia Fen had pointed, Xia Ling Mei was being pursued and attacked, there was a possibility halfway she had to change her direction…

“Adoptive mother, adoptive mother.” Xia Fen repeatedly cried out.

“Young master Fen, this is another battlefield.”

The Xia Fen far away immediately shut up, unconsciously in the air there was a smell of a massacre to happen at any moment.

“Follow them.” Wang Yun Feng said.

Just at the right time the secret guard’s scouts also had news, “The mistress is under a surprise attack!” Bai Yan said.

Wang Yun Feng had already followed Kong Xian, he didn’t hear him.

Brambles were everywhere, scraping people’s faces, the back of the hands were very sore, like small needles were sliding in for the whole journey.

Xia Fen was protected very well by Wu Sheng, Wang Yun Feng urged on his horse following behind, his temple throbbing, now and then lifting his head he could see Xia Fen’s pair of black eyes gazing out from the crook of Wu Sheng’s arms.

Not knowing how long they had travelled, Wang Yun Feng’s face was sticky, not knowing whether it was from the rainwater on the branches or his cheeks had been cut up. Faintly, he could also finally smell blood. He travelled even faster for another ten zhang[1], seeing the first corpse, he died from a random arrow to the heart, at one glance that outfit was of a secret guard of the Xia family.

Wang Yun Feng heard his own heartbeat, his palms were sweaty.

On the way from time to time the direction changed, everything was based on the small Xia Fen’s nose. General Xia’s subordinates all believed in this child, the people of Wang family under the pressures of reality also had no choice for the time being but to believe him.

Everyone was sweating.

There were more and more corpses, there were people dressed in black, there were also secret guards. On the tree trunk, on the grass, everywhere there was the remains of horses and people, the scent of blood came with the wind as it blew through.

Everyone was used to seeing corpses, they did not falter at all, with the daytime twilight gradually descending when they finally reached the mountain top, everyone already heard the sounds of weapons in conflict Water covered Wang Yun Feng’s eyelashes, he saw a red silhouette, those clothes seemed more vibrant than usual, it was Ling Mei.

She had already been surrounded by a group of people to the edge of the cliff, further behind her was a waterfall splashing into an abyss. Behind her was a man in white, his shoulder still had a broken arrow stuck in, messy hair, his white clothes almost dyed red.

“Adoptive mother. ---“The young and tender voice of a child broke through the air, Xia Ling Mei struggled to lift her head from being attacked from all sides.

Blood covered her face.

Wang Yun Feng nearly also cried out in fear, he could not call out, he saw an arrow, fly over extremely quickly from the dense forest by his side, the silvery light of the arrowhead was too dazzling, too sharp, too abrupt, making all his actions come to a spontaneous end.

He saw the arrow charge towards Xia Ling Mei.

Behind the arrow, his figure reflecting in her eyes;

In front of the arrow, Xia Fen ran quickly as if he was a flying wild leopard, hurrying past everyone.

She was knocked in the back by someone, Zhuang Sheng that cheeky face appeared in the centre of everyone’s field of view.

Wang Yun Feng heart was being pulled by an immense hand.

Xia Ling Mei fell down, the arrowhead pierced into the arch of Zhuang Sheng’s chest, everyone held their breath.

Xia Ling Mei was slightly shocked, her body leaning, again leaning, Zhuang Sheng’s entire body was pushing down on her shoulder blade…The two of them together fell into the waterfall, falling down, apart from the sparkling and translucent water rising high into the air, there was only darkness.

“Mother!” Xia Fen again cried out, his tiny body could not stop his momentum, and he too fell down. Next, Wu Sheng that huge body also took his own initiative and followed jumping down.

Wang Yun Feng’s horse also soared in the air, he needed to find Xia Ling Mei.

Bai Yan with a keen eye deftly held onto his belt, at the moment of life or death he pulled him back.

Wang Yun Feng’s body had left hell, his heart however had already fallen into the eighteenth floor of hell, not knowing when it could climb back out again.

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[1] Ten Chinese feet (3.3m)

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T/N: A child has appeared!!! Hehehe I will have to admit this story started off quite slowly but it's picking up the pace now ^_^