"Wife, I want to eat meat” 《娘子，我要吃肉》Chapter 74

On the second day of the new year, the people in the city had already begun to visit their friends and relations.

Wang Yun Feng had already long ago sent out invites, on the second day he went to the Xia family to pay a visit to his father and mother-in-law. The first three years of when they had just married, the Wang family were greatly bereaved, he returned to his ancestral home to mourn after the death of his parent, in this way he left for three years, the following seven years he would run to the Xia residence on new year’s eve to catch Xia Ling Mei, after careful calculations, this was the first time the whole family went to pay respects to his father-in-law’s family, and it appeared especially cautious.

The Xia family was long-established, it was a large and influential family of the court, it has continued for two hundred years since the Dayan dynasty, it still stood tall against many trials and hardships, it attracted a lot of sidelong glances from people.

On new year’s day Wang Yun Feng had taken Wang Zi Feng to pay respects to the Wang clan leader, with several old clansmen as witness, burned incense to inform his ancestors, recording the name Wang Zi Feng into the genealogical record. Therefore, reaching the Xia residence, Wang Yun Feng had to once again introduce Wang Zi Feng’s identity to every relative.

How much thought did Wang Yun Feng put into the problem of his son’s identity, he didn’t say to outsiders. With regards to the Xia family, the comparison between a grandson and an adopted son, the difference was not much, so long as their offspring were pious, 

outstanding in talent and learning.

The crown prince and the young princess knew Wang Zi Feng was going to the Xia residence today, and pulling at the empress they threw a tantrum wanting to come to pay their respects to their maternal great-grandmother. New year, most of the descendants of the Xia family usually living outside returned to celebrate the new year, lords, ladies, young masters, young ladies all got together, bustling with activity, everyone laughing openly, even the largest courtyard couldn’t hold everyone.

The crown prince held the highest position amongst the youngsters, with an order, a group of radish heads obediently followed behind him, like a chicken leading a flock of yellow feathered chicks arrogantly charging around the Xia residence’s garden, Liu Ling Mo watched from the distant, suddenly changing into a tall and big eagle, hemming in that flock of little chicks, threatening to snatch a few back to stew and eat.

This flock seemed small and weak, in fact it hid chicks with ulterior motives, there were those outstanding in martial arts and would beat someone up without blinking, there were those remarkably talented in literary and can slander someone tirelessly, there were those who have read and re-read books on the art of war until they were familiar with it and rationally ensnare people with methods to disposition troops, there were those sharp tongued who admonish people without getting themselves dirty, and there were those who killed people invisibly with a smile, even more there were those who moved the ground with their cries making you have no choice but to suffer in silence…the Eight Immortals cross the sea, each showing their own special talent, in the time to drink half a cup of tea they had torn the eagle up and into their belly = =, not even the bones were left.

The most vile thing was, there was still a certain inconspicuous chick who had lifted their short legs to run to complain to the elders.

The second day of the new year, the day the whole family celebrated, Liu Ling Mo was punished to kneel in the Buddhist hall.

When the empress took the three most hateful chicks to visit him, he was already so hungrily famished he almost laid on the praying mat on his stomach sighing in despair.

The crown prince acting mature patted that young uncle’s shoulder: “When Heaven is about to place a great responsibility on a great man, it always first frustrates his spirit and will, exhausts his muscles and bones, exposes him to starvation and poverty…”

The young princess pulled on the empress’ skirt to and fro, pulling a face: “Younger brother crown prince is so loathsome oh, he likes to say things I don’t understand.”

Wang Zi Feng stuffed the basket of food into Liu Ling Mo’s hand: “For you.”

Liu Ling Mo nearly silently cried, he hugged Wang Zi Feng: “Fen Er is still the most considerate.”

The crown prince, young princess all bellowed out together: “Young uncle is so annoying oh!”

Xia Ling Mei’s parents belonged to the second branch of the family, and she was the eldest daughter, from a young age she was loved dearly by her parents. That level of love was equivalent to the Wang married couple’s indulgence to Wang Zi Feng, so long as it’s for their own child’s, the parents unconditionally approved.

This time seeing the family of three come together, the Xia family’s second mistress grabbed Xia Ling Mei’s hand, choking with emotions: “It’s good you’ve figured it out.”

It felt like the gossips about the Wang Yun Feng and Xia Ling Mei over these ten years were like a child’s squabble, after a while, they automatically reconciled.

Dayan’s new year lasted continuously until the fifteenth, the members of the emperor’s inner ministerial circle and several chancellors would only appear in court on the seventh day, to discuss court politics with the emperor. Wang Yun Feng was only fourth ranked now, even though the emperor had promoted his official position, but for the time being it appeared he didn’t have much thought of using him, he was also so happy and at ease, every day he taught Wang Zi Feng at home.

On a day, an infrequent visitor came to the residence, it truly was that Gu Lang who hasn’t been seen for several months.

Gu Lang wore from head to toe the newest and trendiest golden cicada embroidered clothing from head to toe, the cloth was like cicada wings with exquisite golden threaded patterns, garish and beautiful colours, liked by many upright youths in the prime of their lives.

Wang Yun Feng had an icily arrogant disposition, preferring an extremely cold blue or clean and lofty moon white. Wearing a jade crest, a jade buckle with the Wang family’s mark on his belt, hanging from it a small bag of fragrance and a jade pendant, holding a chess piece in the summer, wine in the winter, raising his hands and lifting his feet he had the distinctive manner of luxury that the influential families held.

Wang Yun Feng really didn’t like Gu Lang, he extremely hated any man who had ever admired Xia Ling Mei before. Unfortunately, this time Gu Lang had specially come to visit, saying he wanted to see his old friend. Wang Yun Feng did not want him to see Xia Ling Mei, he could only reluctantly receive him himself. There were simply too little visitors to the Wang residence, the old housekeeper for a moment with excessive enthusiasm had let in a ravenous wolf incapable of telling someone’s feelings, Wang Yun Feng felt he should have a heart to heart with the old housekeeper himself.

“This official has just come to the Imperial city for less than a month. I’ve just got here, and I don’t have many colleagues, I just happened to hear Lord Wang has already returned to the residence, that’s why I came specially to pay a visit, to reminisce.”

Before the new year, the court would recruit a certain number of regional officials to give their work report, then according to their achievements they would be transferred to another post. If there was quite a lot of knowledge in these reports, then someone could very quickly see the emperor’s face, some people will always be waiting, waiting for three years going onto five years, you can no longer return to your place, and there was no one in the Imperial city to help you establish critical contacts, over time some other regional officials would seize your power, even if there were new appointments, those would also need to be given to people once more to show respect, the loss over the years often are not recovered in a few years.

Therefore, the emperor sometimes need to remove certain important minister chess piece at court and arrange for his own person to take its place, then he’ll arrange or the chess piece to enter the Imperial city and report his work. Even if the important minister has been dealt with in secret, the emperor either say a few praises to keep the other person by his side, living a life scared witless as a part-timer; or see the other person to be transferred to a bitter cold place, tormenting him until he dies from old age.

Previously Gu Lang relied on the Hua family. The Hua family had no standing in the Beiding 

city, since coming here he could not find the right social connection, thinking hard that’s when he thought of Xia Ling Mei, then making some enquiries by every means he also then learned the influence of Wang Yun Feng’s Wang family in Beiding city.

Wang Yun Feng knew what his intentions were, but who was Wang Yun Feng, he was the best at turning the truth into fake, turn take into half true half false, tricking people so that they could never rank first in court, but can rank third. The two of them chatted for a long time, Gu Lang could never get Wang Yun Feng’s direct answer, changing subject to the Hua family, then naturally the greatest recent mishap of the Hua family.

“Lady Hua suddenly disappeared for around half a month, then one day she returned to the Hua residence. Afterwards for reasons unknown, she quarrelled with Lord Hua, less than a few days later, she unexpectedly disappeared without a word again.” Gu Lang sneakily looked at Wang Yun Feng’s face, drinking a mouthful of tea he then continued, “some people say Lady Hua has been spirited away by the mountain god, other people say she has eloped with her paramour, there are also people who say she has been forced to marry by Lord Hua, resenting it so much she committed suicide by jumping into a well…”

Wang Yun Feng grimly, interrupted him: “This official already has a wife and child, uninterested by stay at home young ladies of a different surname.” Saying this the sky was already dark, putting down the tea to see the visitor out.

Gu Lang spent half a day to dress himself up, in the end coming to the Wang residence he only drank half a cup of tea, he was made to leave before he got anything. He had originally thought of currying favour a little bit more, that Wang Yun Feng had already flung his sleeves and gone to the rear court.

Hua Bao Xia, Wang Yun Feng had soon forgotten that girl’s name. At that time she had mysteriously stuck around him, then again mysteriously vanished without a trace, he has never thought of a possible reason. He could only remember those days Xia Ling Mei was extremely jealous, and Fen Er’s figure from time to time holding a pike running to and fro, maybe, Hua Bao Xia’s disappearance had something to do with his son?

Wang Yun Feng prepared to wait and ask Fen Er when he returned, that terrible boy, after copying ten pages of the book he had once again sneaked out to play.

Now, the terrible boy in Wang Yun Feng’s mind, was riding on horseback freely and unrestrained, together with the crown prince and the young princess unhurriedly wandered to the detached palace. The emperor need to deal with court politics and had no time to go hunting with the crown prince, the young princess was also bored of staying in the palace, noisily complaining she wanted to go out of the palace to play. The two children considered it, deciding to slip away, incidentally abducting the good child Wang Zi Feng. Following behind them was a huge group of palace eunuchs and Imperial bodyguards, Bai Shu and 

Nu Ju followed behind Wang Zi Feng not too closely and not too far.

Wang Zi Feng lightly flicked his finger: “Older brother you said, so long as I come out you will copy books for me. If my daddy beats me, you also need to take the burden on my behalf.”

The crown prince nodded his head madly: “That’s right, if the sky falls you’ve got me to hold it up for you.”

A laugh came from the side: “You children can do anything, then what can we adults do?”

The three people followed the sound, only seeing a huge shadow enveloping the top of their heads, like a piece of black curtain, concealing them.

Wang Zi Feng stared with wide eyes: “You’re uncle Zhuang mother talks about.”

Zhuang Hei Zi saw the silver coloured Eurasian siskin hanging from the Buddhist beads at his wrist, he laughed: “The young master has a good memory.” He looked left and right, “where is your mother?”

Wang Zi Feng was a little the same as his father, he very, very much disliked other people asking about his mother. At once he puffed out his cheeks: “Mother is together with father, saying they need to take care of younger brother or sister.”

Zhuang Hei Zi laughed heartily: “Then where is the young master going?”

The young princess already loudly replied: “Hunting.”

Zhuang Hei Zi did not approve: “This wintry December, where would there be prey running about. If you are bored, you can go to my hired bodyguard office to play. Before the new year a rich merchant caught quite a lot of prey, waiting to sell them after the new year passes, right now they’re being kept at our hired bodyguard office.”

The young princess felt greatly interested: “Prey can be kept at a hired bodyguard office?”

Zhuang Hei Zi smiled: “Anything can be placed at a hired bodyguard office, regardless if it’s an animal, or… a person, so long as it’s at the bodyguard office it is the safest and most concealed. No one could think of seizing goods from a an armed escort master, and no one could steal anything that doesn’t belong to them from the hired bodyguard office.”

The three children cried out loudly in amazement, the young princess was the first to be interested, wanting to go and see.

Zhuang Hei Zi’s hired bodyguard office was on the boundary of the west side of the city by the city gate, on either side there were food markets and some scattered little shops, the people who came up and down the street were common people, occasionally a person of the Jianghu carrying a sword could be seen walking pass.

This was not a scene different from the one in front of the doors of influential families and 

officials, it was pressed closer to the people, and even more dangerous.

The palace eunuchs and Imperial bodyguards intentionally protected the three masters in the middle, Bai Shu looked around everywhere cleverly, until he saw a familiar figure before making a gesture, not long after, that person stealthily entered the crowd. Bai Shu still did not feel reassured, pulling Nu Ju they also advanced, each of them standing to the left and right of the crown prince. Amongst the three children, the crown prince was most respected, no matter who it was they must first consider his safety.