Chapter 12

With thewords spoken, not only was Gu Lang shocked, but even Xia Ling Mei was stunned.For a split second, the house was so quiet a pin drop could be heard.

Gu Langwith a trembling finger pointed at w.a.n.g Yun Feng, before pointing it at XiaLing Mei, stuttering incredulously: “You, you…” If they are a married couple,why is Xia Ling Mei wearing the hair of a young woman? If they are a marriedcouple, how can you Lord w.a.n.g allow your own wife to wonder outside as shewishes, and stay in another’s residence?

“Lordw.a.n.g,” Xia Ling Mei gritted her teeth, “Is the feeling of being cuckold by yourwife so great?”

Gu Langsucked in a breath, before staring at w.a.n.g Yun Feng, running his eyes up anddown the man repeatedly, before his gaze fell on the gilded crown embedded withprecious gem on top of his hair. The early summer sun shone through theopenwork window frame, reflecting on that bright gem, now it was red, now itwas green.

If Lordw.a.n.g was really being cuckold, then wouldn’t Gu Lang be… at this moment, GuLang not only drew out a cold breath, but was covered in a cold sweat. Xia LingMei you bad person, femme fatale, alluring woman who can’t be killed by lightning.

Lord w.a.n.gwas very satisfied with Gu Lang’s response. He wanted this sort of effect, noman is allowed to think about his wife. Xia Ling Mei is w.a.n.g Yun Feng’s, this onepoint is not questionable.

He had theaudacity to pat Xia Ling Mei on back of her hand: “Husband knows you’re stillangry at me for not cherishing you enough.” Xia Ling Mei was stumped for words,w.a.n.g Yun Feng was even more remorseful: “and ignored your feelings, I’ve alsomisunderstood you a lot. We were still young then, arrogant, unable to tolerateanything at all, therefore making you feel wronged. Right now, husband alsounderstands he’s wrong, and has seriously apologised to the in-laws,furthermore promised to certainly respect and love you hereafter, not bullyyou.”

Xia LingMei was suspicious. He ought to have apologised to her parents, but when did hepromise her? How did she not know?

w.a.n.g YunFeng used his seriously injured hand to hold the hollow of her palm, withunprecedented tenderness: “These days, you’ve beat me, you’ve scolded me,however much anger between husband and wife ought to have disappeared.” Heraised his head fixing his gaze on her, “Flowers by the path are now in fullbloom, and I"m here expecting you to come back soon.”

This sortof expression, Xia Ling Mei had only seen a long time ago.

At thattime, he was a kind and jaded young man. Standing under a blossoming peach treein spring, picking a budding peach flower, with a smile presenting it to ayoung lady. His eyebrows coiled as he looked fondly on her, the tenderness ofthe corner of his mouth infatuated Xia Ling Mei who had stood for a long timein the distance. She vowed, she must have him.

But, afterthree years of marriage, suffering numerous neglect and harm she had todefinitely admit, she could not get w.a.n.g Yun Feng’s heart, she could not seizeit.

Closing hereyes, Xia Ling Mei waited for that cloud of smoke to dissipate, heart againstill.

Gu Lang justsaw Xia Ling Mei’s expression go from absent-minded to feverish again changingto ice-cold, he secretly cried out no, before continuously stepping back twosteps, watching the iron fist Xia Ling Mei gently pull on the open lapel ofw.a.n.g Yun Feng’s jacket, eyes narrowed, like a lioness staring at her prey:“Lord w.a.n.g, does ruining my reputation make you happy?”

w.a.n.g YunFeng did not open his mouth, Gu Lang gave a forced laugh out loud: “Exactly,Lord w.a.n.g, you need to act with honesty. Lady Xia’s reputation cannot just beruined by someone.”

w.a.n.g YunFeng turned his head, giving a silent warning: shut up.

“Or, do youfeel fabricating my marriage, will be enough for me to remain unmarried for therest of my life, unable to marry?”

Gu Langgave a hearty laugh: “Exactly, exactly, Lady Xia is gentle and graceful, intelligentand talented, well-mannered, kind-hearted, self-cultivated and virtuous, a manwith just a little taste won’t because of slander said by outsiders, easilygive up on her.”

Xia Ling Meiturned around, considering the weight of the man in her hand: like this I’mgentle and graceful?

Gu Lang subconsciouslyplaced both hands in front of him: “Since you are not husband and wife, then,Lady Xia, are you willing to tell me what rank my father-in-law’s family is?Where his official residence is? I really want to…”

w.a.n.g YunFeng could not help but shout loudly: “Get lost!”

Thus, theloyal Juan Shu rolled up his sleeves, one hand pressing down on Gu Lang’s head,another hand holding his arms, with one foot kicking the other’s bottom, lethim leave appropriately.

“Ling Mei,let me go.” w.a.n.g Yun Feng grabbed the wrist holding his own lapel, “Right now 

I’m very angry, I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Mygoodness, Lord w.a.n.g such a loud tone.” Just with that one sentence, Xia LingMei wanted to beat him up again. He was amazing, he actually said he was veryangry.

“I’ve saidbefore, Gu Lang is not your husband.” He paused, “He also isn’t the person weneed to look for.”

“I don’tknow what you’re talking about.” Xia Ling Mei loosened her hand, w.a.n.g Yun Feng entirebody tumbled to the floor.

“The peoplewho wanted to kill me last night are not Gu Lang’s subordinates. Gu Lang is asixth ranked county magistrate, it’s not impossible for him to rise to fifthrank with help, rather the Hua family’s connections. His and Hua family’s littlerelationship, still means he cannot involve himself with the big matters ofcourt.” w.a.n.g Yun Feng took out a jade pendant. The dark green body, illuminatedunder the sunlight, you can see the word `Gu` embossed in gold, a delicatecarving, a warm sleek jade.

w.a.n.g YunFeng whispered: “This was taken from the drunkard, you might find it familiar.”

Xia LingMei this type of woman, from young she had touched more jades than she had atesalt, without looking too carefully she could already tell where it came from:“Beiding city’s Gu family.”, she pondered, expression changing: “Gu Sun Cui.Didn’t she die?”

Gu Sun Cui,inside the Dayan imperial city she was the second young mistress of the Gufamily who ranked as one of the influential families. She was clever andquick-witted from childhood, educated in the four arts,all kinds of skills insinging and dancing, when she was alive she was known with the current Imperialconsort Xia Ling Shu as `the pair of pearls in the imperial city`. A woman whowas so talented and good-looking, in the end because of her hatred for hersister, she and the then oldest prince plotted a palace rebellion, ultimatelyshe was killed under the upheaval of swords.

Gu familyand Xia family, had a long-standing feud.

w.a.n.g YunFeng did not reply, only taking back that thing: “This matter is out of theordinary, don’t get involved in it. These days do not go anywhere, don’t takehalf a step out of this residence.” He quickly changed to a serious tone, withan unquestionable intensity. He thought about it, smiling again: “Last nightthank you for saving me.”

Xia LingMei’s face paled, she snorted once, elbow suddenly striking the pit of w.a.n.g YunFeng’s stomach: “Rescuing you was only in pa.s.sing. If I knew today you wouldtell Gu Lang nonsense, I should have waited until you were beaten to death bythose people before capturing them for questioning.”

w.a.n.g YunFeng laughed bitterly: “You really want me to die?”

“Yes.” XiaLing Mei said, directly ignoring the other person’s flash of pale expression,“I’ve said before, I hate you.”

Even thoughshe spoke of hate, she knew the severity of the situation, without sayinganything again about leaving, and not going out to play, from this point on shewould stay at w.a.n.g residence.

w.a.n.g YunFeng was seriously injured, luckily she was willing to spend money on medicine,over half a month she had shredded quite a bit. It was clear he could get outof bed, he still stubbornly laid on his bed, every day he raised his headexpecting Xia Ling Mei to visit.

Xia LingMei sounded tough, but her heart still worried about the condition of hisinjuries, every day while she waited for a maid to make his medicine, she wouldgo inside without the slightest hesitation and scatter a large handful of lotusseeds. Once she was not careful, with a shake of her hand, she had actually shehad poured half a bag of lotus seeds into the pot for decocting herbalmedicine, almost sealing up the mouth of that pot. The servants who knew whathappened every time saw w.a.n.g Yun Feng drink it all without a frown of hiseyebrows, they all wished they could throw up on his behalf.

That simplywasn’t medicine, rather yellow lotus water.

When XiaLing Mei held the empty bowl, a beaming smile would show on her icy face,patting the other person’s shoulder: “Not bad, you’re still the same Masterw.a.n.g who can eat bitter things.”

With thispraise, w.a.n.g Yun Feng wished he could continue to be ill day and night.

In thishalf a month, Gu Lang reported to w.a.n.g residence almost every day.

First thingin the morning w.a.n.g Yun Feng had just woken up, when Xia Ling Mei had justchanged her clothes to practice martial arts, Gu Lang came knocking on thedoor, with glory praising Lady Xia’s valiant and outstanding disposition; atnoon, Xia Ling Mei’s lunch had just been placed on the table, Gu Lang withoutshame would freeload food; at dusk, Lord Gu leaving the government office wouldrun in the direction of the w.a.n.g residence, telling 

Xia Ling Mei about hisendless pining for her, endless tender sentiments. Causing w.a.n.g Yun Feng’scondition to deteriorate a bit, the doctor only said he was too irritated.

Bai Yanexplained to Juan Shu: “Irritation, as they say is jealousy. Our master isactually a jealous husband.”

Juan Shunodded: “Jealousy is unacceptable, he will be a divorced man.”

Hei Zisitting on the roof snorted: “Your master has long ago been divorced by thelady.”

Bai Ziwrapped like a dumpling was jumping around in the courtyard, pointing at HeiZi: “You dare to be jealous, I’ll divorce you.”

Hei Zi:“Get lost!”

Juan Shuhugged Bai Yan: “Brother Hei is really vicious.”

Bai Yanreturned Juan Shu’s hug: “Don’t worry, even if you’re more vicious to me Iwon’t divorce you .”

Hei Zi: Allof you get lost (#‵′)凸

Everydayw.a.n.g residence had to receive numerous officials expressing sympathy, owranking officials could be not seen, those officials with real power and thosewith family ties to the influential families in Beiding could not be blocked,even more those gifts were seemed to be transported to w.a.n.g residence likerunning water.

w.a.n.g YunFeng is an imperial censor, what he feared the most was being framed. Everydaywhen he met someone, he had to listen to Juan Shu read the gift list, if it wasabove quota he openly returned it, putting out the image of a clean-living andhonest official. Secretly showing filial piety, not a bit was out of place inthe books. w.a.n.g Yun Feng intended to make Xia Ling Mei take control of the rearcourt again, dragging on his illness to make her handle this and otherreciprocities, however Xia Ling Mei had long been prepared. Every day apartfrom seeing Gu Lang at certain times, she actually spent the rest of her timedrinking with a monk.

This monkwasn’t some random person, it was precisely that drunkard who had taken w.a.n.gYun Feng that day.

Thedrunkard and Xia Ling Mei had no discord, no concord, their exchanges were veryhappy, he had taken out that piece of jade. Amongst the three of them, he had asort of reputation in the Jianghu, known as `alcoholic`, he didn’t like nothaving alcohol, if he did drink he must get drunk, when he’s drunk he sleeps,and when he slept his eyes are wide open.

Xia LingMei had wandered for many years, she really understood how to deal with peoplefrom the Jianghu, not long after she was like a brother to that drunkard. Thedrunkard was also direct, telling her everything he knew, on the day he hadleft the dark prisons he had asked for a doctor to treat his toe, and hadwashed, shaved his beard, having finished he had asked someone to buy a monk’sgown, with a head brighter than a night pearl he sat in the back gardendrinking with Xia Ling Mei.

He didn’tbuy the alcohol, Xia Ling Mei even more would not go to buy it, the both ofthem had together stolen it from w.a.n.g residence’s wine cellar, no one knew.Those who did didn’t dare to speak about it, such as Hei Zi ╮(╯ ▽ ╰) ╭.

w.a.n.g YunFeng asked Xia Ling Mei for help, if she wasn’t ignoring the sweet words of Gu 

Lang, she was drunk in the bushes fighting over wine with the drunkard, she wasvery busy, aiya, she was too busy.

Maybe, theheavens feel Lord w.a.n.g wasn’t unfortunate enough, he was, while he was `bedriddenwith a serious illness`, another unexpected guest arrived at w.a.n.g residence.

“Two tong.”

“Northwind.”

“Seventiao.”

“Aiya, I’vemade a mistake.” This unexpected guest smiled deviously, “everyone, inaccordance with our agreement, the loser must promise the winner one thing.”

Xia LingMei jeered as she picked up a mah-jong tile: “Speak, as long as you don’t askthis lady to sell herself.”

Thedrunkard: “Don’t make this old man give up drinking.”

Hei Zi: “Iwon’t sleep with Bai Zi.”

Theunexpected guest suddenly slapped the table: “Tonight we’ll all go be flowerthieves!” 

This person was exactly the person who used to be w.a.n.g Yun Feng’spartner, the famous flower thief ---- Zhuang Sheng, Hero Zhuang

At thismoment, with the sun down supporting himself with crutches, tears werestreaming down his face in the bottom of w.a.n.g Yun Feng’s heart, he wished hecould say: Ling Mei, come and pick my flower. Of course, on the surface, he wasas dignified as before, a strangers beware zombie face.

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