Xia LingMei did not think she had anything to say to Gu Lang, she also didn’t want tosee Hua Bao Xia.
That’sright, she remembered when she stayed at the Gu residence, Gu Lang mentionedthis younger female cousin, at that time when she was in Zhuozhou she did notthink Hua Bao Xia was the gentle and virtuous powerful and influential youngercousin Gu Lang spoke of, but a regional influential family’s daughter can atmost only be connected by marriage, they were simply not powerful andinfluential, rather their family behind them were.
The Gufamily looked up to the Hua family, the Xia family however did not find the Huafamily worthy. The imperial censor w.a.n.g family, what more had no connectionwith other regional influential families.
Xia LingMei wasn’t stupid enough to create trouble for w.a.n.g Yun Feng, and would not allowher pregnant self to face unknown dangers. She had her dignity, it was notworthwhile splitting hairs with an outsider girl.
The oldhousekeeper received orders to step in and greet Gu Lang and Lady Hua on behalfof Xia Ling Mei, clearly reporting the information that Lord w.a.n.g had left theresidence, in addition the Lady’s body is too heavy to see visitors. Afterwardshe served good tea, and ordered someone to present two hundred silvers, sayingit was a gift for that time when the old Lady Gu took care of her.
The oldhousekeeper omitted the fact that Lady w.a.n.g had once stayed at the Guresidence, and did not speak of the mistress’s thoughts on Lady Hua coming thistime, he merely explained the gift was for the old Lady Gu, and cut off therelationship between Gu Lang and Lady w.a.n.g. Afterwards the old housekeepermentioned Lord Gu had not returned home for a visit for a very long time, if itis because it’s too far, the w.a.n.g family was willing to rent a carriage for them. As he spoke, heeven intentionally moved his gaze between Gu Lang and Lady Hua bodies once,ambiguously smiling.
Waitinguntil Xiu Yu came out, again saying the mistress is giving a set of headornaments to Lady Hua, considering it to be congratulations.
Whatcongratulations? Naturally it was the fortune of newly weds.
A youthfulofficial not having married, and a young lady of an influential far from hometogether outside, what was their relationship? Did they elope? Is it longago…people said these things vaguely, in any case the gifts were delivered, nomatter what they think it had nothing to do with the w.a.n.g family.
Lady Huawas flushed with anger, and used all her effort to maintain her virtuousfaçade, it was difficult to see her former extravagant background from her greyand old gown. She accepted the head ornaments and walked away practicallywalking away without turning her head back, Gu Lang moving around embarra.s.sedyet not. However, Gu Lang too did not leave the silver, he placed the silversin his bag, and left.
Gu Lang hadonly met Hua Bao Xia by chance, seeing the other person’s appearance he alsovaguely guessed whether Hua Bao Xia had left home to elope, thinking about it,he didn’t want to get close to the other person. After all, a woman who hadeloped was unable to be the mother of a fifth ranked official’s household,moreover a woman who had eloped would not have the blessing of the elderlywoman, Gu Lang could not gain any benefits from Hua Bao Xia. He forgot thesupport of Hua Bao Xia’s father in the past, after leaving the w.a.n.g residence’sgate, he carefully thought about the old housekeeper’s words, feeling there wasalready no meaning for him to stay in the Imperial city any longer, it would bebetter to return home soon and plan later.
Therefore,that night after he was chased out by w.a.n.g Yun’s mother Wu Shi, confidently andat ease carrying those hundreds of silvers he left Beiding city.
The peopleHei Zi sent out came back to report, Xia Ling Mei relaxed half the heart, theother half of her heart could not relax no matter what.
w.a.n.g YunFeng had not returned!
A long,long time ago, w.a.n.g Yun Feng would leave without saying a word, but since thetwo of them seriously reconciled, no matter if he was leaving home or returninghome, he would give prior notice to Xia Ling Mei.
This time,w.a.n.g Yun Feng brought w.a.n.g Zi Feng to watch the dragon boat compet.i.tion, therewas no reason for him to stay overnight and not return home.
Over on BaiZi’s side there was also no one sending information back, Hei Zi’s people saidthe dragon boat compet.i.tion had finished earlier. Xia Ling Mei ate dinner byherself, before the time for bed came, there was still no news of w.a.n.g YunFeng.
She wasquite tired, her pregnant body was very heavy, it was like carrying a burningcoal furnace in her bosom, making her unable to sit or stand still more andmore.
May’s windalready brought heat, blowing onto people’s skin making them slightly giddy andslightly sticky.
Shecouldn’t help call Xiu Yu and Ying Shi to support her to the front room to sit,once that father and son returns home, she would be able to directly seethrough the main room’s doors to the screen wall, she would be the first tosee their shadows. Her body which was used to sleeping early already becamedazed, she half supported her head, drinking some warm tea. It was still notthe time to drink iced water, the physician had also prevented strong teas,inside the so-called warm tea were only several slices of pears to diffuse theheat, not cold, not hot, a little bit sweet, a little bit tart, the flavour wastoo mixed, she only knitted her eyebrows together.
Not longafter, someone came to report, saying w.a.n.g Yun Feng met an old friend, stayingone night with his son at the other person’s home.
There wasonly one letter, the messenger was the carriage driver’s son, who had lefttogether with the w.a.n.g family’s father and son, but ran back by himself.
Xia LingMei asked him what the surname of w.a.n.g Yun Feng’s old friend was, where didthey meet, the other person shook his head in complete ignorance. Only sayingwhen they were watching the dragon boats compet.i.tion, the servants were outsidethe building, there were many people entering and leaving the restaurant, anddid not know which one was the old friend. Only when it became night, someonecame to give him a letter to deliver to the mistress.
Xia LingMei hearing these words, was not at ease, rather she was increasingly moreimpatient.
Theresidence was brightly lit, the path from the front room to the main entrancewas shining brightly and s.p.a.ciously, there wasn’t a single shadow.
Xia LingMei sat inside the front room, beside her were Xiu Yu and Ying Shi waiting uponher, Hei Zi was hidden on the room’s roof beam, the old housekeeper sat on alower seat, there were also maids waiting and keeping watch outside the door,so many people, but it was bizarrely quiet. She could faintly hear the nightbugs chirping.
Suddenly,there was a noise at the gatehouse outside the gates, as if someone wasknocking.
Xia LingMei eagerly stood up, looking towards the gate. The gatekeeper appeared to be saying something, Xia Ling Mei glanced atthe water clock used to mark night watches, it was already hai shi.
Suddenly,there was a cry of fear in the middle of the night, everyone in the residencewho was calm and quiet almost jumped in fear. Xiu Yu and Ying Shi hurriedlysupported Xia Ling Mei, some had already hurried to the gate, then, the secondsound, the third sound…
There weresome servants losing their heads out of fear retreat back from the shadow wall,everyone together saw a both tall and black shadow, heavy, one by one stridingforward going round the shadow wall to come in.
A slimfigure ducked out from behind that shadow, someone recognised her: “It’s LadyHua!”
Before HuaBao Xia, was evidently biting a broken arm ----- black bear!
The quietresidence, with the bright lights shining on it, numerous startled shrieksexploded suddenly, some maids immediately fainted on the spot, the young braveservants had already grabbed up things within reach one by one throwing it atthe black bear. From an angle where people couldn’t see, tens of shadowsnoiselessly gathered around the front room.
The oldhousekeeper also trembling wanted to pick up his chair, for quite a while hewas motionless, his old body wondered around the front room twice, finallypicking up a vase he stood in front of Xia Ling Mei: “Quick, quickly help themistress leave!”
After theinitial shock, Xia Ling Mei had already stabilised her feelings. She was aperson who fought on the battlefield at the risk of her own life, facing fiercepirates her expression remained unchanged, besides it was only a black bear,and a woman who appeared to almost be burned out by hatred and lackedintelligence.
Xiu Yu andYing Shi already pulled out flexible double-edged swords, standing in attendanceon Xia Ling Mei’s left and right side. They knew the mistress’s temper, themore dangerous it is the more she would not cower back.
Xia LingMei came out from behind everyone, arrogantly looking ahead at Hua Bao Xia notfar away from her: “Lady Hua coming here so very late at night, what is thepurpose?”
Hua Bao Xiachuckled, her former sweet and charming appearance had paled quite a lot, amess of fine black hair drooped down, her clothes were still the thick garmentsfrom last winter, fluttering in the air, appearing weak and frail. She halfleaned against the black bear’s side, ignoring the crunching sound of the bearchewing on a person’s arm, that mouthful of blood pattered onto the ground,very quickly there was a puddle.
“I came tosee you.” She said, tilting her head to the side attentively sizing up theswollen Xia Ling Mei due to pregnancy: “too see the wonderful and frail beautyLady w.a.n.g described by Lord w.a.n.g. At first I had thought you were a sicklyperson, I didn’t expect you would actually be able to produce an offspring forLord w.a.n.g, you don’t have much good looks, how did you seduce Lord w.a.n.g to beinfatuated and head over heels in love!”
Xiu Yualready couldn’t help shout loudly: “Impudent! You’re not allowed to insult mymistress.”
Hua Bao Xialaughed heartily, patting the black bear. That wild animal appeared tounderstand her meaning, without hesitation it threw out the broken anddestroyed arm from it’s mouth, spreading his five claws he licked up the blood onit, his pair of bear eyes were already crimson in excitement by people’s blood,appearing strange and frightening.
“Littleservant girl, you need to be careful what you say to me, my pet does not likeany person or animal to be disrespectful against me.” She again patted theblack bear, that huge wild animal lowered its head, allowing her to caress thetop of its head.
Some peoplealready couldn’t help having goose b.u.mps all over their bodies, couldn’t helpthinking about a certain recent rumour in Beiding city.
Hua Bao Xiagaze had already fallen on to Xia Ling Mei’s plump belly: “I’ve always thought,how could you possibly give birth to Lord w.a.n.g’s child? Is the child in yourbelly really Lord w.a.n.g’s? Shouldn’t you have been so ill since long ago? Howcan you stand arrogantly as the female master of the w.a.n.g family here? Youbetrayed him, you…ought to die!” She suddenly pulled on the bear’s back, thattall bear instantaneously stood up, brandishing both arms in the arm twice,opening wide its mouth sticky with blood, bearing two rows of sharp teeth,howling, with a few dashes it knocked over the guards guarding the front room,directly heading for Xia Ling Mei.
Numerouspeople screamed, the old housekeeper was old but br.i.m.m.i.n.g with resolution,unexpectedly at such a time he lifted the vase and shattered it against thebear heading their way, swearing while talking: “Grab it, slaughter it tosupplement the mistress’s body!”
Everyonewas distracted, in cold sweat.
The oldhousekeeper, this wasn’t the time to think about the problem of tonic? Old mancan you not make a joke at such a critical moment?
The oldhousekeeper’s calmness and incisiveness made everyone apart from fear abruptlyfeel a little bit more confident, soon that black bear will break through thehuman wall and into the hall, the shadow guards originally gathered all aroundrushed over. Everyone only had time to see a huge net streak across the sky, ina flash the black bear was trapped in the middle of the net.
As it turnsout that was a countless stranded la.s.so holding it, more than ten people at thesame time tightened up the ropes, the black bear faced upwards howling, thetiles on the roof felt like it trembled. The guards gained more courage,someone had already taken a short knife stabbing it into the black bear’s body,not long after, the trapped wild animal had already been stabbed by all sortsof daggers, hairpins, knife and forks, bamboo sticks stabbed holes all over itsbody.
Xia LingMei stood where she was before, watching Hua Bao Xia standing in the courtyardlooking paler than a ghost, lightly laughing: “So this black bear is the wildanimal recently attacking people in the Beiding city. It was raised by LadyHua? Not only do you use it to slaughter the innocent, but also pull it tobreak into people’s houses, it can’t be help but said, you are truly stupid!Should I thank Lady Hua’s greeting gift delivered to the door?” She blinked,easily laughing: “Now, you’ve seen me, I also received your present. Thismistress also will not present tea to see you off, go safely, I won’t see youoff.”
“You!” HuaBao Xia with great regret, “don’t think you can gain Lord w.a.n.g’s true heart,sooner or later he will leave you, you’re already old and faded, you won’t lastlong…haha, that’s right, your son, he will wait for you in h.e.l.l…”
Xia LingMei tilted her head to look at the roof beam, Hei Zi already flew down, a sworddirectly flying towards Hua Bao Xia’s right arm. Hei Zi deeply asked: “Speak,where is the young master?”
Hua Bao Xiawhimpered biting back her painful shout, a command came from bursting forthfrom the depth of her throat: “Bear, kill that woman, kill her! A person Ican’t have, no one can have them… all the glory, splendour, wealth and rankhere, belongs to me, it’s mine!”
From everyone’ssurprise, the black bear which was originally trapped motionless abruptlyescaped, directly swiping towards Xia Ling Mei…