The door of the main hall creaked open from within. Zhang Yiyi, her eyes red-rimmed, looked at Chong Guang in the courtyard. Her delicate, fair face couldn't help but sink, "Why are you here?"
She had abandoned her dignity and pride to cry to Yang Shoucheng, merely to elicit sympathy. But if outsiders saw her in this state, Zhang Yiyi frowned. If these were servants of the Marquis's estate, she could easily have them sold off far away.
Yang Shoucheng walked out from the house, his gaze suddenly fixed on the green jade bracelet in Chong Guang's hand. His eyes flickered for a moment before returning to calm.
"Madam Zhang, since ancient times, marriage has been decided by parents and matchmakers. There's no such thing as forcing a marriage like you're doing," Chong Guang said with a lazy smile, shaking the bracelet in his hand. "You are not qualified to be a matchmaker for my young lady. As for Yang Xu, I imagine Madam, coming from the inner quarters of the Marquis's estate, you also lack the qualifications."
"You!" Zhang Yiyi's face darkened, and she glared at Chong Guang in anger.
"You want to arrange a marriage for Xu'er?" Yang Shoucheng's voice suddenly turned sharp. He could disregard Zhang Yiyi's past betrayal, but he would never allow her to harm Xu'er.
Perhaps having lost face, Zhang Yiyi no longer bothered to conceal anything. She turned and looked at Yang Shoucheng mockingly, "Xu'er was born after I carried him for ten months. I am his mother, why can't I arrange a marriage for him?"
Her beautiful face contorted into a狰狞 and ugly expression due to her venomous words. Zhang Yiyi's gaze critically appraised the coarsely dressed Yang Shoucheng, "Do you think you are still the Young General? You are merely the son of a convicted official. It is by the Emperor's grace that you were spared your dog's life. Does Xu'er have to marry a crude village girl? And then have a litter of children with patched clothes, so poor they can't even afford to eat?"
Chong Guang clicked his tongue twice, looking at Zhang Yiyi, who was spewing venom, with immense admiration. Wasn't she afraid that Yang Shoucheng would kill her in a fit of rage?
Unfortunately, no matter how disgusted Zhang Yiyi looked, Yang Shoucheng's resolute and upright face showed no trace of anger. "Everything concerning Xu'er has nothing to do with you."
"Get out!" Suddenly, an angry voice rang out.
A child tumbled over the yellow earth wall and then rushed towards Zhang Yiyi like a firecracker, "Get out of my house!"
"Xu'er!" A stern shout sounded. Yang Shoucheng stretched out his long arm and held Yang Xu, pressing a hand on his shoulder, "Don't be unruly."
"You?" Zhang Yiyi stared in shock at the child held by Yang Shoucheng. The dirty cotton jacket, the dark and rough face – it was the wild child who had been thrown out by the guards earlier.
Although Zhang Yiyi knew before coming that Yang Xu couldn't be as pampered as the children of the Marquis's estate, she hadn't expected her son to look like a beggar.
Chong Guang glanced at the child, who stood with a stiff face and clenched fists in anger, clearly relishing the chaos. "Oh, you're quite agile at climbing walls. It seems your internal injuries aren't too serious."
Yang Xu's body stiffened. He glanced at the grinning Chong Guang, then turned his head away.
Yang Shoucheng frowned and placed his right hand on Yang Xu's wrist.
After a while, Yang Shoucheng's seemingly calm gaze suddenly sharpened. "Who is it?"
"So what if I had the guards beat him?" Zhang Yiyi, being questioned, sneered with her chin held high. "If the son is not taught, the father bears the fault! He was hiding by the roadside like a beggar, peeking. The guards were merely administering a small punishment!"
"Who is it?" Yang Shoucheng asked again, his gaze sweeping over the four guards behind Zhang Yiyi.
"Father, I'm fine. I was just kicked once, it won't kill me!" Yang Xu replied defiantly.
However, he was still a child. When Yang Shoucheng asked, Yang Xu instinctively glanced at Guard A.
Chong Guang rubbed his chin with one hand, smiling slyly. "Since it's unclear who struck the blow, why not beat them all? They're all in the same nest, so it wouldn't be unjust."
At the courtyard entrance, Zhan Feiyu watched Chong Guang, who seemed to be stirring up trouble. "Big Brother, has Uncle Chong Guang always been like this without getting beaten?"
"I've beaten him," Yin Wuyan's clear voice sounded.
As for others, they had wanted to beat him, but Chong Guang had followed Yin Wuyan since he was young. With Yin Wuyan protecting him, those who could beat him dared not act. Yin Wuyan had been personally raised by the Emperor.
And the princes and grandsons whose status surpassed Yin Wuyan, their martial prowess was not enough.
Yang Shoucheng's movements were extremely fast. Everyone only saw a blur of motion before Guard A was kicked away. With a bang, he hit the yellow earth wall, fell to the ground, and spat out a mouthful of blood. It was a clear case of an eye for an eye.
"You!" Zhang Yiyi looked at Yang Shoucheng, who had made the move, with extreme anger. One must consider the owner before hitting the dog.
Likely having lost both face and dignity, Zhang Yiyi didn't say anything further. She turned to leave, her gaze sweeping over Chong Guang. She sneered, "You don't need to give this bracelet to me. It's probably some junk you picked up from somewhere. Return it to its owner!"
"Wait." Yang Shoucheng suddenly spoke.
Zhan Feiyu watched as Zhang Yiyi stopped, a smug look appearing on her beautiful face.
Yang Shoucheng's indifferent voice continued, "Take all your things and leave."
Zhan Feiyu saw Zhang Yiyi's expression instantly shift from smugness to ferocity. The speed of her change in expression was astonishing.
Still with her back to Yang Shoucheng, Zhang Yiyi sneered, "Since you don't want them, then burn them all! Let's go!"
Passing by the courtyard entrance, Zhang Yiyi glanced at Zhan Feiyu, who was wrapped in a fox fur cloak. The young girl had red lips and white teeth, and when she looked at people, her eyes were dark and clear. Even though she was a pampered young lady of the Marquis's estate, and even though her attire and hair ornaments were more luxurious, she lacked the grace that comes from having learned and cultivated oneself.
"Little girl, since we've met, I'll give you a piece of advice," Zhang Yiyi said, having regained her usual noble and elegant demeanor, with a shallow, charming smile. "When you get married in the future, remember not to marry a useless man. He will be unsuccessful in his own life and will also drag down the women in his family, unable to even afford a piece of jewelry. What kind of man is that!"
After overtly mocking Yang Shoucheng, Zhang Yiyi finally felt a sense of satisfaction. Surrounded by her maids, servants, and guards, she left the simple, humble courtyard.
...
A moment later, Old General Yang, who had gone to the mountains to chop firewood, returned. Unlike Yang Shoucheng's taciturn nature, Old General Yang was more like a loving elder, his voice booming and his face wreathed in smiles.
"Haha, little girl, no need for formalities. I am now just a mountain woodsman and cannot accept your bow." He laughed heartily and took the letter Zhan Feiyu handed him.
Yang Shoucheng sat in the lower seat, and Yang Xu, after washing his face, also came over. He glanced at Zhan Feiyu and then stood beside Yang Shoucheng. His face remained stern, but the hostility in his eyes had faded.
After reading the letter, Old General Yang looked at Zhan Feiyu with even greater affection and a hint of admiration. "I have been in the countryside for many years, and my news is blocked. I didn't know Scholar Gu had taken a disciple. The illustrious Little Three Yuan is truly a testament to a great teacher producing outstanding students."
Yang Shoucheng was stunned. He then glanced at Zhan Feiyu, likely not expecting her to be a scholar who not only participated in the imperial examinations but also became the Little Three Yuan. This girl looked even younger than Xu'er.
"Thank you for your praise, Old General," Zhan Feiyu replied with a smile, without any false modesty.
"Good. I like your disposition," Old General Yang disliked pretentious scholars the most. They would talk for a long time about a single matter, babbling endlessly.
The old general hadn't expected Zhan Feiyu, such a young girl, to be so straightforward. Even when praised, she remained neither arrogant nor impatient, truly remarkable to be taken as a disciple by Gu Qingzhou.
His gaze swept over his grandson, and Old General Yang suddenly said, "You are a year older than Xu'er, and your age is suitable. Why don't I write a letter to your teacher and arrange a marriage between our children?"
Zhan Feiyu's originally composed and calm expression froze. She looked speechlessly at Old General Yang, who was so quick to act.
Yin Wuyan, who was sitting at the end of the table, had his phoenix eyes darken. His icy, intimidating gaze fell upon Old General Yang, who occupied the main seat. As their gazes met, an invisible clash of swords and sabers made the atmosphere in the simple main hall tense.
Chong Guang, leaning against the doorframe, shrank his body. The old general was indeed still sharp, daring to poke at Seventh Master's sensitive spot at the slightest disagreement.
Yang Xu, who had just been shocked by his grandfather's words, now felt breathless under the invisible pressure. He could only continue to stare blankly at Zhan Feiyu, who sat opposite him.
Being the first to withdraw his gaze, Old General Yang laughed heartily, "Indeed, the younger generation is formidable. I am old now."
Although Old General Yang's words seemed to be praising Zhan Feiyu, he was actually looking at Yin Wuyan. Such presence indicated that he was no mere bodyguard or attendant.
Yin Wuyan now understood. Old General Yang had deliberately tested him, and because he was concerned, he had revealed his identity.
...
At noon, after receiving a secret letter from the Imperial Dragon Guard, Yin Wuyan left with Chong Guang temporarily.
"You're just going to stand there and watch?" Yang Xu's gruff voice sounded, still showing hostility towards Zhan Feiyu, perhaps because he couldn't stand her pampered demeanor.
He Nuan was washing vegetables in the courtyard, He Sheng was chopping chicken in the kitchen, and Yang Shoucheng, the host, was splitting firewood. Only Zhan Feiyu stood in the corridor, observing with her hands behind her back, clearly a young lady whose fingers had never touched worldly affairs.
Glancing at Yang Xu, who had brought the chopped firewood back from the woodshed, Zhan Feiyu raised her eyebrows and looked at Yang Xu as if watching something curious. She said crisply, "A gentleman stays away from the kitchen. These hands are meant for holding a brush, for reading and writing. You actually want me to cook? It's utterly vulgar!"
He Nuan's vegetable-washing action paused, and a smile appeared on her face.
Yang Shoucheng, however, paid no attention to the fiery exchange between the two children and continued to raise his axe to chop wood.
"You call this vulgar? Don't you eat these dishes at noon?" Yang Xu glared at Zhan Feiyu with a stiff face and suddenly said, "Let me tell you, these vegetables are all watered with manure, scooped from the outhouse. Those..."
The destructive power of a bear child was too great. Even Zhan Feiyu had to admit defeat. "A'nuan, I won't eat lunch today."
Just based on Yang Xu's detailed description, let alone Zhan Feiyu being squeamish, He Nuan's hand tightened, and she broke the vegetables in two. Yang Shoucheng's axe strike went askew.
In the kitchen, He Sheng squatted down, picked up the chicken leg that had fallen from the chopping board, and silently took it to the wooden basin to wash it a couple of times.
Hmph! Yang Xu looked at Zhan Feiyu, who refused to eat, with disdain and viciously added, "Even if you're good at studying, you'll only become a corrupt official in the future!"
Zhan Feiyu rubbed her slightly hungry stomach. She looked at Yang Xu, who was like a bear child and a wolf child, again. "Have you seen the fragrant soap in your kitchen? I came up with that recipe!"
The fragrant soap's super strong decontamination ability, coupled with its affordability and the backing of Scholar Gu, made it sell well throughout the Great Qing Dynasty in less than two years. Even in remote villages like Shitou Village, peddlers came to sell it.
Yang Xu, who had just washed his hands and face with the fragrant soap, was stunned. He hadn't expected this plump, short figure to have such a skill.
Zhan Feiyu narrowed her eyes and smiled, continuing to show off. "Do you know how much money the fragrant soap makes? In the first year, it was eighty thousand taels. I suppose you don't know how much eighty thousand taels is. If converted into silver ingots, it would probably take over a dozen wooden chests to store them!"
"Most importantly, I sent all the money to the border to allow the wounded soldiers to receive more money to return to their hometowns." After her triple kill, Zhan Feiyu saw Yang Xu staring dumbfounded.
The Yang family, grandfather, father, and grandson, lived here. Although they didn't starve, their lives were difficult. Fortunately, they were all men and not so particular.
But with so much money sent away, and to injured soldiers at that, Yang Xu, a bear child who had grown up listening to battlefield stories, couldn't utter a single word of rebuttal at this moment.
Yang Shoucheng was also stunned. This silent, tall, and imposing man now looked at Zhan Feiyu with admiration and affection.
"Oh, right." Zhan Feiyu spoke again and said to Yang Xu, "I came from Huaian Prefecture, belonging to Jiangnan Circuit. Before I came, I helped General Deng's second son deliver two hundred thousand taels of silver to the Southwest military camp."
With hundreds of thousands of taels of silver mentioned at the drop of a hat, she, Zhan Xiaoyu, was indeed that extravagant!
Zhan Feiyu patted Yang Xu's shoulder forcefully. "So I've disappointed you. I will definitely not be a corrupt official in the future!"
Feeling a bit cold outside and planning to return to the house, Zhan Feiyu turned back and added, "Besides, my teacher only has me as a disciple. Everything in the Scholar's Mansion will belong to me in the future. I eat meat buns and discard one, otherwise how would outsiders know I'm not short of money."
Yang Xu stared blankly at Zhan Feiyu, who entered the house holding a hand warmer, his mind a chaotic mess.
He trained hard in the summer heat and winter cold, only thinking of restoring the glory of the General's Mansion in the future. He didn't even play with the village children. Even with Yang Shoucheng, a strict father, Yang Xu still possessed pride in his bones, believing himself to be superior to the illiterate children in the village.
But at this moment, all of Yang Xu's pride and self-satisfaction were shattered. He suddenly felt that compared to Zhan Feiyu, he was ten thousand miles behind. No matter how proud he was, he knew he would never earn that much money in his lifetime.
Looking at his crestfallen son, Yang Shoucheng walked over and rubbed his head with his rough hand. "Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. In the army, some are good at observation and are sharp and vigilant, thus becoming scouts; some are immensely strong and become vanguards; and some are naturally intelligent and become strategists. Xu'er, one should not be arrogant, but neither should one be self-deprecating."