"Wife, I want to eat meat” 《娘子，我要吃肉》Chapter 55

She blinked and blinked again, suddenly bursting into laughter, she held his head tightly, the two people relying on each other for support, intertwined, slowly two became one.

That night, Wang Yun Feng unexpectedly appeared weak and suffering like the night blooming cactus shows once, with daybreak it could not be seen again.

Early morning, when it was still not time for Wang Yun Feng to go to court, the housekeeper hurriedly ran over, saying: “Last night faint footsteps outside the main entrance was heard, the gatekeeper opened the door to see if there was anyone. Xiao Bai sent people to guard the main entrance, afterwards this was picked up.”

Strong male servants were sent to carry in several baskets, inside were an assortment of quilts, there were old clothes, there were even more medicinal ingredients, furthermore herbal medicines with mud attached.

Dew still clinging onto Xiao Bai’s clothes, he reported along with the old housekeeper: “Last night people came one after the other, some of the clothes were from merchants, many were from young servants, there were even inhabitants of the city, old and young, they placed the things at the door then left.”

Wang Yun Feng was eating breakfast, Xia Ling Mei was ladling congee for him by his side. It was autumn, the weather was gradually turning colder, if he didn’t eat breakfast and went to court, Wang Yun Feng would get dizzy on the way both cold and hungry. Before the old housekeeper had to patiently persuade him to eat, after Xia Ling Mei came to the Wang residence, she took the initiative to replace the old housekeeper, every day she stared at Wang Yun Feng having a meal, he couldn’t have a meal less.

If there was an emergency in the evening, the old housekeeper would still come to report at this time of the day, to give Wang Yun Feng an overview.

The two physicians from the Xia family also woke early, perhaps from hearing the various conversations of the servants, they came out to take a look, then came to see Wang Yun Feng, in one of the physicians hands he was also holding herbal medicine, in great delight he said: “These herbal medicines are hard to come by, it can prevent dysentery, fever and other pressing illnesses, it’s best to dry them in the sun and bring to the stricken region. Can Lord Wang possibly send a few strong men from the residence, to come with this old man to the mountains to pick medicine?”

Wang Yun Feng asked them: “Could it be these medicinal herbs are not available at the shops?”

The old housekeeper urgently said: “There is, but the court is organising the disaster relief, the majority of them have been acquired by the court these past few days, the common people cannot buy much.”

The doctor also said: “Precisely, there are many medicines to treat illnesses and blights, but it cannot withstand the unrestrained purchases by the court every few days, the usual big pharmacies basically sell to the court, the small pharmacies cannot prepare much. Beiding city is surrounded by mountains on three sides, apart from the imperial horse enclosure, the influential families’ villas, there are still many mountainous forests ordinary people can go to pick medicinal herbs. There are always not much of this sort of medicinal herbs, it’s best if we privately prepare some to bring with us.”

Wang Yun Feng looked at those baskets of medicinal ingredients and clothing, only saying quite a while later: “Medicinal ingredients are necessary, housekeeper you choose some strong robust men to go pick herbs together with the physicians in the mountains. And in addition send some young servants to the pawn shops and ready-made clothes stores to buy some old clothing and bedding and other things, bundle them together, ask the armed escorts to send those to the stricken region in advance.”

The old housekeeper immediately complied, Xia Ling Mei once again took money from the accountant to give to people, thinking about it, she herself went out with a further several hundred silvers, making the old housekeeper go with her to arrange to buy things for the disaster relief.

At first she thought this was a matter only for the Wang family, who knew by morning, the 

Xia family again sent people to deliver several carts of medicinal ingredients, quilts and clothing. This was still not enough, the physicians who they originally couldn’t get to come, unexpectedly several more appeared at the Xia residence, there were even young physicians with their bundle who set out immediately.

The emperor allowed Wang Yun Feng to have complete responsibility for the disaster relief, the things Wang Yun Feng was to take with him were naturally the court’s goods, with no connection to the Wang family. The influential families sent things to the Wang residence, only to do their bit to help the court’s disaster relief, not involving the influential families’ reputations. Wang Yun Feng only made Juan Shu make a record of everything, before setting out he presented it all to the emperor, whatever rewards were up to the emperor, unrelated to the Wang family. Juan Shu’s table had just been moved to the hall, the influential families acting at once on hearing the news, one after another sent their servants to buy medicines and other such things, if they were unable to buy it they also overturned trunks and boxes from their storerooms to bring out quite a lot, everything being sent to the Wang residence.

This was too different from the completely deserted scene from yesterday, in a moment it deeply moved Xia Ling Mei. Apart from the influential families and officials, what was even more moving was the compassion of the ordinary people. The Wang residence’s man entrance was immediately blocked by the influential families, the side entrance and rear entrance were mainly things given by the ordinary people. There were husbands and wives donating in the spirit of cooperation, there were sons supporting the old leaning on walking sticks to deliver goods, even young children holding sugar-coated fruits on a stick came, saying it was for the children of stricken region to eat. Each and every one with an ordinary appearance, each a single trifle thing, each one a piece kindness unasked for, shocking those who walked by, and moved the people. On the second day, people from the outskirt of the city also entered the city, directly to the Wang residence, some brought money other brought silver, even more brought medicine and rations and so on.

The palace halved the disaster relief’s expenses, the imperial concubines also one by one sold their ornaments and other such things in exchange for money for the cause, Bailu academy encouraged its students to voluntarily contribute, directly sending it to the stricken region. The doorway of the Ministry of Revenue, more or less every day there were officials coming to donate money.

After three days, Wang Yun Feng set out on his journey carrying the compassion of numerous people inside and outside of Beiding city, one after the other the goods the court prepared also set off, at the same time countless ordinary people accompanied them on its route, they also wanted to use their own strength to help the victims of disaster.

Xia Ling Mei stood at the entrance, watching Wang Yun Feng leave without even turning his head, the north wind blew, his back looked lonely and desolate.

Turning to look at the absolutely empty residence, if felt like the hustle and bustle of the last three days never existed. The Wang residence, was forever proud and aloof, cold and desolate, with the departure of its master it became even more gloomy.

She soullessly watched the servants sweep up the dust accumulated over the three days, from the front hall to the rear court, every servant showed a lonely expression, reflecting the appearance of the dead autumn leaves, noiselessly speaking of the end of its glory.

Bai Yan came out of the side hall, seeing her he wanted to say something but hesitated.

Xia Ling Mei was puzzled: “Why didn’t you go with the master?”

Bai Yan paid his respects, lowly saying: “The master repeatedly urged me to stay here to keep watch.”

“What about Xiao Bai?”

“Naturally he’s gone with the master.”

Xia Ling Mei smiled gently, it simply didn’t reach her eyes: “Hei Zi ought to have said he was bored.”

Bai Yan was silent, as if he was thinking of something. Xia Ling Mei didn’t ask again, she had wanted to go to the palace to see Xia Fen. The empress had sent someone to say, the crown prince had gone out travelling with Xia Fen.

The way the empress taught the crown prince was extremely strange, apart from letting the crown prince study at Bailu academy, every few days he would send him to visit the class of an ordinary school, once in a while out of the city to find a highly skilled in martial arts hermit to learn from and compare military skills. These aside, the emperor and empress stipulated he must take a look at each of his imperial uncle’s annexed territory every year, on route with only the restricted imperial guards secretly following, on appearance apart from his companion and three imperial bodyguards there were no one else. No matter what difficulties he faced on the road he must resolve it himself, he wasn’t allowed to find an official, and must not reveal his identity.

The crown prince was seven years old, this was the second time he went somewhere far away this year.

Xia Ling Mei did not think the empress would allow Xia Fen to go with him, thinking about it, it was planned in advance, that’s why Xia Fen was taken into the palace these past few days.

Thinking of Xia Fen’s fearless character, Xia Ling Mei was even more worried, sending people to the Xia residence for news of Kong Xian and Wu Sheng, the two of them had actually left a few days ago to the border station to carry out their mission.

Xia Ling Mei couldn’t stay still, simply running to her parents’ home, looking for her father for information. Learning that there were also Xia family’s shadow guards by the crown prince’s side, then did she relax a little.

Those days without husband or child, some of the other branches of the Wang family gradually came to visit, the strangest thing was that Wu Shi’s son Wang Yun coming to the residence was extremely baffling.

That Wu Shi was also a very strange woman, after causing a disturbance for Wang Yun Feng’s main residence for half a month, was sent to the second branch by that calamity Xia Ling Mei. Who knew, after one month had passed, although Wu Shi did not prove her identity, but had gain a part of the second master’s property, buying a house in the city, although it wasn’t big, it was just right to live in with her son, and hiring a gatekeeper, a cook, a maid to wait upon them, their lives were comfortable.

The second master of the Wang family was not like Wang Yun Feng’s father. The oldest Wang master was naturally a ruthless minor government official, when he was alive, he was most strict with Wang Yun Feng’s teaching, every word and action were measured and calculated, and brought about Wang Yun Feng’s gentle temper. Such intense parents, the son could only obey and endure, not daring to take a step wrong, and because of the eldest master’s excessive honesty, he offended a lot of people, Wang Yun Feng did not have good relations with people at Bailu academy, often bullied by people in secret. At that time Xia Ling Mei was truly a lioness, sticking up for him, teaching the other children a lesson for him, the more Xia Ling Mei helped him, the further away he got. The second master on the other hand, because he wasn’t of the main branch, was jealous of Wang Yun Feng’s father from a young age, envious by nature abandoning all restraint, taking countless wives and concubines, Wu Shi hooked on to the weak spot of the second branch, stubbornly turning something non-existence into the truth, anyway the second master was also old, how was he to remember the son born of a mistress from his youth. The old mistress of the second branch in order to keep the peace, sent Wu Shi packing with some money.

That Wang Yun then simply admitted his surname was Wang, with a supporter, he straightened his spine and caused trouble in the city. But did not take things too far, only eating the young maid his mother had bought, that young maid was only thirteen years old, after being assaulted by Wang Yun she also did not dare to tell anyone. Every day Wang Yun went to his mother for money to go to amuse himself with prostitutes, not long after he gained a licentious reputation. However he wasn’t afraid, he pulled out his father’s cheap reputation, able to deceive one or two stupid people.

Ever since Wang Yun Feng left, that Wang Yun on a certain day on hearing the Lady Wang’s name it again set off some thoughts in his head. That day, he sneakily looked up hopefully to fulfil Wang Yun’s ideal dream, as he was rushing headlong into that young maid’s body he couldn’t help think of Xia Ling Mei’s beautiful body, he truly couldn’t help it and every few days would go to the Wang residence to try to gain her friendship.

Xia Ling Mei did not like him, every time he would be stopped by the gatekeeper. On a certain night, that Wang Yun actually climbed up the wall, just by chance met by Bai Yan, he was immediately kicked, crippling Wang Yun’s ability to have offspring. Again worried the other person would ruin Xia Ling Mei’s reputation, he immediately gave some money to the government office, throwing him into jail on the crimes of theft, locking him up.

Luckily that Wang Yun only secretly thought of Xia Ling Mei, he didn’t dare to say anything, so while Wu Shi was searching the city, she did not think it had anything to do with Xia Ling Mei.

Xia Ling Mei stayed at the residence by herself, nothing really major happened, occasionally she would go out and meet with the other women of the influential families, pulling chrysanthemums, taste a few cups of teas, gossip for a bit then have nothing more to do. Because Wang Yun Feng’s been demoted, some wives of officials did not like her even more. She didn’t get angry, only associating herself with the usual wives, most of the time she only went when she heard there was a sister from the Xia family there.

Little by little, for the most part she actually associated with the Xia family.

Every time she returned home, she would see Bai Yan standing in the front hall, staring at her trembling with a pale face.

“I thought the mistress will do the same as seven years before, again leave and not come back.”