It was midday the following day when Murong Yunshu woke up. The first thing that caught her eyes was an anxious handsome face. His chin was covered with dark scruff, his expression a little tired, and his eyes were closed, not knowing whether he was asleep or pretending to sleep. Murong Yunshu stretched out her hand to tenderly touch his face and was just about to withdraw it when he grabbed it violently.
Chu Changge opened his eyes simultaneously as he grabbed the hand on the side of his face. He was flabbergasted for a moment before saying joyfully, "You're finally awake. I'll go and call the physician."
A short while later, the physician came to take Murong Yunshu's pulse and prescribed some nourishing medicines to nourish her body, instructing her to take care of her rest and not to have significant emotional ups and downs. Otherwise, her heart palpitations would recur continuously, and the consequences would be unthinkable.
"Miss, why did you never mention that you had heart palpitations?" Lu-er asked tearfully as soon as the physician left.
Murong Yunshu was also surprised to learn that this fainting spell was due to heart palpitations. Ever since her mother's death at the age of six had caused her heart palpitations, she had started to control her emotions and had not suffered from them again for more than ten years. This time, she had a relapse. Thinking of that incident, Murong Yunshu hurriedly asked Yun Si Niang, "When did you discover that the silver was stolen from the warehouse?"
"About seven or eight days ago." Yun Si Niang said, "After Li Shaoqing was rejected by you, nothing strange happened in Shu, and there was no sign of movement from the party concerned in the brothel either, so I took the opportunity to go to the warehouse. I wanted to see what the Murong family had, but I didn't expect to see anything."
Seven or eight days ago. At that time, Murong Yunshu had just rejected Li Shaoqing, and almost everyone was watching Li Shaoqing's movements, including her, so she had overlooked other things. Seeing people from all walks of life gathered at Jiugua House, Li Shaoqing's baffling action of proposing marriage, and Hua Tiancheng's sudden appearance in Shu just to hide in the brothel. All of these weren't just mere coincidences. She just didn't expect that they actually came for the silver warehouse. "Is the situation of the one in the brothel still the same?" Murong Yunshu asked Li Wunai.
Li Wunai said, "Yeah. Hua Tiansheng is still the same as before. He has been spending his day and night with music, song, and arms around the flower queen, living like a happy immortal. But his minions are diligent, going in and out, seemingly premeditating something." In fact, Hua Tiansheng's premeditated plan was now clear, but Li Wunai did not say anything because he was concerned about Murong Yunshu's emotions.
Although Li Wunai did not tell her clearly, Murong Yunshu already thoroughly understood the situation. Hua Tiansheng was about to make a comeback. When she thought of how determined he was to die at the palace, Murong Yunshu suddenly wanted to laugh, a self-deprecating laugh. Despite being as clever as she was, there was still a time when she had been calculated. Hua Tiansheng must have expected that she would let him live, so he dared to fight with his back to the river. But, Hua Tiansheng, you couldn't win against us three years ago, and you will still lose three years later. The smile on the corner of Murong Yunshu's mouth was icy, and her eyes were filled with chilly light.
Upon seeing her reaction, Yun Si Niang immediately advised, "Murong Meizi, don't get too excited. You are a patient now. You must not get excited."
"Yes. Leave the missing silver matter to us." Li Wunai said.
Soon after, East, South, North and West quartets also clarified their stance. East Guardian: "Right, leave it to us. We will skin him if Hua Tiansheng dares not return the silver."
South Guardian: "Draw his tendons."
West Guardian: "Break his bones."
"Eat his flesh." As soon as he spoke, North Guardian managed to get three looks of contempt⸺eating human flesh too? Aren't you disgusting? North Guardian lowered his head in dismay. It wasn't his fault that he could not find the right words? At first, North Guardian wanted to say 'castrate his......' but couldn't continue and was unable to think of any elegant word as a substitute after a while. It wasn't like he could say dirty words in front of Madam, couldn't he? Alas, it was very dreadful not being uneducated these days.
After making their position clear, they all looked at the person who should have spoken up but had remained silent⸺Chu Changge.
Leader, although you're currently brainless, you are still a man, and you can't be unmanly at this time. East, South, North and West quartet stared at Chu Changge with unparalleled earnestness.
Brother Chu, although you are not what you used to be, at least your brainlessness hasn't ruined all your skills and body. So don't let people look down on you. Li Wunai also stared at Chu Changge with unparalleled eagerness.
Chu Changge ah, although you are incredibly brainless to even forget Murong Meizi, fortunately, you still remember how to kill people. Hurry up and give those people a few stabs. Yun Si Niang stared at Chu Changge with immense anticipation.
The naive Chu Changge was oblivious to the crowd's earnestness, eagerness and anticipation as his pair of black eyes stared unblinkingly at Murong Yunshu with deep affection. Only after a long time, when even Murong Yunshu began to feel confused by his silence, did he say sullenly, "The quota for this month has been used up."
Everyone was puzzled. What quota?
Faced with everyone's persistent pursuit, Chu Changge said extremely impatient, "I can only kill one person a month." The implication was, stop looking at me. It's useless to look at me. I can't kill anyone else this month.
Everyone fell over in defeat. What kind of principles are you talking about at a time like this?
"Leader, you can't be too rigid. You must know how to be flexible and adaptable." East Guardian risked his life to argue with him.
Chu Changge thought for a moment and replied, "No."
"Why?" East, South, North and West asked in unison.
"I can only kill one person a month."
"......" That's why you were told to be flexible! The East, South, North and West looked at the sky with tears in their eyes. Dear Heaven, quickly take this brainless back. Please return our wise and amazingly skilled Great Leader!
Faced with this stubborn, brainless man, they all had no choice but to pin their hopes on Murong Yunshu. As the saying went, the wicked would have their own way. They believed that she would be able to straighten out his distorted outlook on life and win an overwhelming victory. Surprisingly, Murong Yunshu did not persuade Chu Changge but said very understandingly, "Then let's talk about it next month."
Everyone was stunned. The silver warehouse was the backbone of the private banks, and now that it had been stolen, how could the private banks hold up for another month? Could it be that Miss Murong had lost her mind because of extreme anger?
"Miss, a month seems a bit long." Lu-er reminded in a small voice.
"I know." Murong Yunshu said, "It's just that one must have principles. He has just this one principle. If I force him to give it up, he will become a person without principles."
"There's nothing wrong with having no principles. Aren't you also without any principle, Miss?" Lu-er said naively.
Murong Yunshu raised her eyebrows at her words. "Who said I have no principles?"
Is there? This time it wasn't just Lu-er. Everyone was also staring at her with a questioning expression, including Chu Changge. Ever since they had met her, they had learned what it meant to have no lower limits. As for principles, that was something purely imaginary. At least they hadn't seen it in her.
Murong Yunshu relaxed her eyes and said lightly, "Of course there is."
"What is it?" This question was asked from different mouths but with the same voice.
"It depends on my mood."
"......" This is still called having principles? This is the most unprincipled thing ever! Everyone secretly rolled their eyes as they were so disgusted with someone's unethical behaviour of doing things without limits.
When Murong Yunshu sensed everyone's grieving eyes, she was silent for a moment and modified her previous remark. "If you guys strongly request it, I can let him give up his principles. After all, it's not a big deal. At most, once he loses his principles, he will kill people without the need to take care of his principle, only his mood. As long as you don't mess with him, you won't have to worry about your lives."
The faces of the people turned white with fear. Killing people according to his moods. How can this not be a big deal? If you don't mess with him, you won't be in danger of dying? God knows what the definition of 'messing with him' was! Maybe even a mere look at him can also be considered provocative.
"Better......better to leave him as he is." Li Wunai said unhappily. A particular person had listed him as a love rival, and if that person lost his principles, he would probably be the first one he killed.
South, East, North and West nodded heavily. It's rare for the Leader to become a man of principle, so we should just support him.
Murong Yunshu was very satisfied with everyone's reaction. The corners of her mouth curled up as she said, "Lu-er, change my clothes."
Everyone's faces were full of black lines when they heard these words. "We're still here." Li Wunai had to raise his voice to remind a certain woman, who never bothered about trifles, that women must not forget to protect themselves against men.
Murong Yunshu raised her eyebrows at his words and asked, "Is there anything else you want to talk about?"
Li Wunai froze. "No."
"Then, why are you still not leaving?"
"......" As it turned out, she had been sending her guests off implicitly? Li Wunai silently sighed. Before, she would always say, 'take care, and I won't bother myself to send you off'. Now she even skipped this not-so-polite sentence and directly ignored the other people while doing whatever she wanted. She honestly considered everyone else beneath her! As Li Wunai walked out of Murong Yunshu's boudoir, he asked Yun Si Niang in a weak voice, "Did the physician say that heart palpitations could cause her temperament to change drastically?"
"Are you worried about her change in temperament?"
"No." The corner of Li Wunai's mouth twitched and said, "I am worried that her temperament will remain the same."
"......"
"If she can change her temperament, we might have a better time."
"Don't. You must not become a crow beak." Yun Si Niang said with a fearful face, "Some people are born to torment people. If she changes, she will only become more horrible. A living example of the bloody truth is right before us." After saying that, she carefully glanced at Chu Changge.
Thinking of all the excessive sharpening of Chu Changge's sword after he became brainless, Li Wunai nodded his head repeatedly and muttered, "Yes, yes, she should not change. She must definitely not change. Just keep it as it is." A specific person surnamed Chu used to be dark inside too, but at least on the surface, he looked pleasing to the eye. Ever since he became brainless, he had been as dark as his inside, and even the air around him was filled with fierce gusts of gloomy wind, which was really scary. As he was thinking, his ears heard an eerie voice asking, "You like her a lot now?" Li Wunai felt this was not spoken words but a knife resting sharply on his neck. If he dared to nod, he would never look up again. "It's not like that! Don't worry. I wouldn't like her even if all the women in the world were dead!" Li Wunai made his position clear with this conviction.
Chu Changge frowned lightly at his words and asked coolly, "You don't like her?"
This clearly said that you will be killed with a knife if you dare to dislike her! Li Wunai looked up to the sky and sighed. I can't even like or dislike her. What the hell do you want me to do? Li Wunai suddenly felt that his Master was so wise. He had foreseen that his life would be full of helplessness when he gave him his name Wunai. Hey, if only his surname was Wu. How good it would be!
Chu Changge asked again, "She's so good. Why don't you like her?"
"......" Li Wunai restrained his rising blood as he took a deep breath. He squeezed out an extremely twisted smile and gritted his teeth, "She's so good. It's enough to have only you like her." After saying these words, Li Wunai felt that he had ground away a layer of his teeth.
Chu Changge pondered for a few moments and said, "Then you can't help liking her."
"......" Li Wunai exploded completely and barked, "Are you trying to force me to shave my head and become a monk again?"
"It's good if you can just become a monk. You don't need to shave. You've already shaved."
"You......" Li Wunai was about to fume when he suddenly realised that the sound of the voice was wrong and turned around to find Murong Yunshu standing behind him. He was immediately overjoyed and said, "You're just in time. Hurry up and stop your man. If this goes on, I'll be driven mad by him."
"He's only going to add another crazy person in the world. It's not a big deal. Just let him be." Murong Yunshu said indifferently.
Li Wunai turned speechless. "What is considered a big deal in your eyes?"
Murong Yunshu looked at him and said, "One more dead person."
"That......is true." Li Wunai suddenly felt that Murong Yunshu was very good at comforting people. See, after going through her advice, he now felt that as long as Chu Changge didn't make a move on him, it didn't matter how much Chu Changge spoke with his mouth. It was true that those who handle cinnabar are stained red; those who work with ink are stained black. After following her for a few months, he became increasingly fond of smashing the already cracked pot.
"Where is Mister Shi Er?" Murong Yunshu asked Yun Si Niang.
Yun Si Niang said, "He packed his bag and left yesterday after learning that the silver from the warehouse had been stolen, saying that he was going to find a place with good feng shui to commit suicide."
He was fleeing to escape from punishment, right? Everyone would not accept his action as correct and waited for Murong Yunshu to throw a fit. Instead, she said with a blank face, "I want to see the living thing before I reach the silver warehouse."
A living thing. The corners of Yun Si Niang's mouth twitched a few times as she asked, "What if he was already buried?"
"Then, dig him out of the grave and make him alive again."
"......you can't make a corpse alive again just because you want to." Yun Si Niang said weakly with a black face.
"Then call back his soul. In short, I want to see a Mister Shi Er who can hear and speak human words."
"......then it's better to let him be a human again." Shitou, ah, Shitou. This old woman had told you a long time ago that pretending to be dead would not work, and the best thing to do would be to take the blame, but you didn't listen. Now, if you've got a reputation of being dead once, how will you turn yourself into a human being in the future?
Seeing Yun Si Niang's look of hatred, they all guessed that Mister Shi Er must have faked his death and were all gloating in their hearts. Only Chu Changge directly filtered the content related to Mister Shi Er and said to Murong Yunshu with a firm face, "I will accompany you to the silver warehouse."
Murong Yunshu didn't even think about it and said, "Okay."
Li Wunai also hurriedly said, "I'll go too!" He didn't want to stay in the brothel as a pimp.
Murong Yunshu gave him a blank look and didn't say anything, which could be considered her giving tacit approval.
"Madam, the carriage is ready." East Guardian said attentively.
Murong Yunshu did not expect the East Guardian to suddenly become so considerate and was a little overjoyed. She nodded slightly to express her thanks and then said to Yun Si Niang, "After you find Mister Shi Er, take him to the silver warehouse." After saying this, she lifted her leg and was about to leave.
Lu-er hurriedly said, "Miss, I haven't had time to pack our bags yet!" Miss was too optimistic about her efficiency, wasn't she?
Murong Yunshu said, "Then don't pack."
"But, how will we get by on the road if we don't pack our bags?"
"The normal way."
"......"
"Go directly to buy whatever is missing."
"......but we have a shortage of silver," Lu-er said weakly. [+]
"There are plenty of private banks on the road."
"Then, at least you have to fetch silver tickets first."
Murong Yunshu paused at her words and turned back to raise her eyebrows, "I'm going to use the money from my own bank, and I still need to cash it in with silver tickets?"
"Uh......" Lu-er was embarrassed. After thinking about it, she found she didn't need to pack a bag and said happily, "Then I don't have to pack a bag when we go out. That will give me so much less work. Huh? Wait a minute. If you really don't need to, why did you always tell me to pack my bag in advance?"
"If I don't find something for you to do, how can you live up to the few taels of silver I pay you every month?" Murong Yunshu asked.
"......Miss, do you think I only eat plain rice?"
"No. It's called making the best of one's talents."
Luckily her Master didn't say she was the best use for everything. Lu-er took a sigh of relief and asked again, "Is my talent packing bags?"
"Pretty close."
! Not even close! Lu-er's eyes glared, and she asked incomparably aggrieved, "Then what about serving tea, delivering water and helping you change?"
Murong Yunshu pondered for a moment and answered, a bit unsure, "Instinct?"
Lu-er looked speechlessly at the sky. "Why do I never see you with any instinct?"
"My instinct is to make money."
"......there are other things you can do."
"And spending money."
"......" The corner of Lu-er's forehead jumped slightly, "Let's just hurry up and get going."
"Mmm." Murong Yunshu remained as calm as a deity as she left with a brisk gait.
The crowd looked at that person's free and easy rearview from afar with awe. She even managed to get a reaction from a slow-to-respond, thick-skinned Lu-er and beat her thoroughly without leaving a trace. Now that was what you called a master!
After Murong Yunshu and the others left the Jiugua House, the jianghu people also tagged along. This surprised Murong Yunshu. According to her guess, Hua Tiansheng was the mastermind behind this play, aiming to steal the silver in the silver warehouse. Now that he had achieved his purpose, even if he wanted to tail her, he shouldn't have made it this loud and with such big fanfare.
Knowing Murong Yunshu's concerns, Li Wunai volunteered to help. "Why don't I go and find out the actual situation?"
Murong Yunshu originally wanted to reject his proposal to avoid beating the grass and startling the snake. But then she thought that these people had followed her brazenly to Shang Yang, so they must not be afraid or frightened by her. Thus, she nodded slightly, "Don't kill anyone."
The corners of Li Wunai's mouth twitched as he said, "I'm not Chu Changge!"
"That's why I specifically told you."
"......"
"He's a man of principle."
Li Wunai remembered Chu Changge's principle, and the corners of his mouth twitched again as he commented, "I really don't understand what you're thinking. Just bring Hua Tiansheng in for a beating and be done with it! But you have to bring him all the way to the silver warehouse in Shang Yang. What's so great about an empty warehouse?"
"If he doesn't confess, what will you do?" Murong Yunshu asked rhetorically.
"Kill him."
"And after killing him?"
"Then look for the whereabouts of the silver......" Halfway through the sentence, Li Wunai suddenly realised, "So you expected that Hua Tiansheng would not confess and that we would take this step sooner or later. That's why you didn't look for him but came straight to Shang Yang to find out where the silver was. After all, silver from such a large warehouse could not be easily transported."
"You can go snooping around now." Murong Yunshu said.
It's not like you would die if you were not being so profound and inscrutable just once! Li Wunai rolled his eyes and jumped off the carriage.
After a while, the carriage suddenly came to a halt. Murong Yunshu thought it was Li Wunai who had returned and was lamenting that his efficiency had taken a quantum leap when she heard a gentle voice from outside the carriage, "Miss Murong, can you give me a lift?"
Murong Yunshu lifted the curtain and saw a nobleman in green standing in front of the carriage. It was none other than Li Shaoqing, who had asked her to marry him some days ago. He was in a wretched state, and his shoes still had mud stuck to them. "Did you encounter robbers on the road?" Murong Yunshu asked with a smile.
"Precisely." Li Shaoqing said awkwardly, "My father is critically ill, and I was in a hurry to return to the capital to do my filial duty, but unexpectedly I met robbers halfway and lost all my money. Luckily I met you. Otherwise, I really don't know what to do."
Murong Yunshu raised her eyebrows and said, "Then you will continue not knowing what to do, right?."
Huh?
"The carriage is already overwhelmed and cannot carry one more person."
Li Shaoqing was dumbfounded and flabbergasted for a long moment before he recovered. "As the saying goes, Heavens' kindness expands to all living things. How can Miss Murong refuse to help a dying man?"
Murong Yunshu: "Would you die if I didn't carry you along?"
Li Shaoqing was again stunned, "No."
Murong Yunshu: "Since you won't die, how can you consider yourself a dying man?"
Li Shaoqing: "But, when you see injustice in the road, you pull out a knife to help the victim......"
"I always take a detour whenever I see injustice." Murong Yunshu interrupted him and added after a few seconds, "But if you insist, I can send someone to pull out a knife for you. There are four of them who will do as you wish."
Before the words left her mouth, North, South, East, and West had already consciously drawn their swords. The four sharp, shiny blades shone brightly in the air, showing their power.
Li Shaoqing's face suddenly changed as he asked, "What do you mean by this?"
"Pull out knives to help." Murong Yunshu was beaming from ear to ear.
Li Shaoqing was furious as his face turned from blue to white after a while.
East Guardian shouted, "Do you want to leave now or do you want to be run over by a carriage before you leave?"
Li Shaoqing had run into a stone wall. He was furious but could not afford to lose his temper, so he had to give way. Only after Murong Yunshu's carriage had gone far away did he mutter, "Murong Yunshu really could not absorb any oil or salt at all. Begging for her hand in marriage doesn't work, and even playing a pathetic guy to get her sympathy also doesn't work. How can I get close to her?"
A man came out of the woods beside the road at that moment. "His Highness said, if you want to get close to her, you either become her friend or her enemy. She won't talk to other insignificant people, and you are now an insignificant person in her eyes."
"What Brother Huo said is extremely true. It's just that her attitude just now has made it clear that she doesn't want to be with me, and being friends with her is out of the question." Li Shaoqing said.
"You should know that His Highness did not send you to approach her to become an enemy with her."
Li Shaoqing nodded. His Highness meant that she had to become friends with Murong Yunshu.
Meanwhile, inside the carriage, Lu-er asked in disbelief, "Miss, why don't you give him a ride?" It was just as easy as lifting one's finger.
"I don't feel good when I look at him." Murong Yunshu said.
"......" This reason was compelling. When Miss was displeased with someone, even one more word was too much of a waste of breath, let alone rescue. The more Lu-er thought about it, the more she envied her Master. There was no more dashing than her in this world, even Guye......suddenly, Lu-er noticed that Chu Changge was not inside the carriage. "Where is Guye?" She asked Murong Yunshu.
Only after Lu-er reminded Murong Yunshu did she realise Chu Changge was gone. She was surprised when she glanced at the seat he was sitting in before, which was currently empty. "Probably too stuffy inside and went out to breathe fresh air." Murong Yunshu said with a thoughtful frown.
Take a breath of fresh air? Lu-er opened the carriage's curtain and looked out but did not find any sign of Chu Changge. Only four people were driving the carriage, South, East, North and West. "Where is your Leader?" Lu-er asked the East Guardian.
"Isn't he with your Miss?" East Guardian asked in the same tone as Lu-er.
Lu-er: "No. Haven't you seen him come out?"
East Guardian shook his head with a puzzled expression. "No."
"Was he pissed off by your Miss?" South Guardian asked calmly.
Lu-er gave him a blank look. "Is my Miss that kind of person?"
"Yes!" The four people from the East, South, North and West answered in unison. Their word could chop the nail and slice the iron.
Ugh. Lu-er was embarrassed and said, "Even......even if my Miss can be very irritating, your Leader is not that easy to get angry either. Who doesn't know that his skin is unusually thick."
"That's true." Four people nodded with great approval. What else could be more impenetrable than the Leader's skin?
Seeing that none of the quartets knew where Chu Changge had gone, Lu-er retreated back into the carriage and said worriedly to Murong Yunshu, "Miss, Guye is not outside either."
"Mmm." Their conversation was overheard by Murong Yunshu, and her heart was wondering about Chu Changge's disappearance. Although it was said that his martial arts skills were strong and could come and go without a trace, but to disappear out of thin air? That was a bit too ridiculous.
Suddenly, the carriage stopped, and Murong Yunshu was almost thrown out by force, followed by North, South, East and West of the carriage exclaiming 'Leader'. Chu Changge was outside the carriage? Murong Yunshu lifted the curtain of the car, walked out, and saw Chu Changge standing in front of the carriage. Seeing Murong Yunshu come out, they gathered around her and blocked her. "Madam, Leader's expression is not right." East Guardian reminded her in a harsh whisper with a gloomy face.
Murong Yunshu nodded slightly. She had noticed at first glance that something was wrong with Chu Changge. Those torch-like black eyes carried a steaming murderous aura as if he was possessed. If she had not been too familiar with him, she would have thought that the Chu Changge in front of her was someone else's impersonation.
"Mi, Miss, is Guye being possessed by a ghost?" Lu-er asked with a trembling voice as she hid behind Murong Yunshu.
Murong Yunshu did not immediately answer Lu-er's question. She stared at Chu Changge for a long moment before saying, "No. His heart has been invaded by a demon."
------ OFF-TOPIC (AUTHOR) ------
The second part has been revised. At the request of the publisher, many plots have been deleted. Some of the supporting characters that appeared in the book's first part will not appear in the second part. While some will make their first appearance in the second part, such as Bai Yefeng, who will appear later on. Mo Feng also wants to alter the web series, but it involves the word counts for the VIP, which the author does not have the authority to change. Hope everyone will understand.
Noob Translator's Musing
Finally, I'm done! I don't know if the author is trying to kill me or what, but most chapters for the second part have more than 7000+ Chinese characters. Sorry in advance if I am always late in posting new chapters for Black Belly Wife. But don't worry, I'm going to finish this story. And before I forget...
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Black Belly Wife