Black Belly Wife c7-8

BBW – Chapter Seven and Chapter Eight

BBW – Chapter Seven

Murong Yun Su didn’t set out for Shaolin Temple as her first destination. It was March, another five months until August. Someone like Chu Zhang Ca wouldn’t show up at a tournament too early or late. From Jin Liang Province to Shaolin Temple would take two months. It gave her three months to clean up the mess at Murong Sect’s door.

Since Murong Cheng’s pa.s.sing, Murong Yun Su went about her everyday life of eating, sleeping, reading, playing chest, and playing musical instruments.

‘Mistress, can’t you act like a normal person?’ Lu Ji asked.

Murong Yun Su lazily sun baked on a chair. ‘Lu Ji, if you keep chirping, you’ll turn into a bird.’

‘Mistress, people are spreading rumors Murong Sect is joining hands with Mo Jiao Cult and are betting when Murong Sect will fall down,’ Lu Ji said.

‘Let them wait and see,’ Murong Yun Su said.

‘Mistress, what’s your plan?’ Lu Ji asked.

‘Not joining hands with Mo Jiao Cult to harm the world,’ Murong Yun Su said.

Lu Ji’s tongue was tied.

Finally the people Murong Yun Su waited for arrived under a sunny sky.

‘Qian Song Quan, Yan Song Quan, here are the books I’ve checked in the last ten days,’ Murong Yun Su said. ‘Everything is in order. Resume trading as usual.’

‘Mistress, business has slowed down,’ Qian Song Quan. ‘If it wasn’t for the Qian Sect, Murong Sect would have closed its door by now.’

‘Don’t you think there’s something fishy going on?’ Murong Yun Su asked.

‘Why?’ Yan Song Quan asked.

‘When my father was alive,’ Murong Yun Su said. ‘The relations.h.i.+p with Qian Sect was good. But after my father died, Qian Sect suddenly lost track of business records with Murong Sect.’

‘About this…’ Qian Song Quan said, and he exchanged an uneasy look with Yan Song Quan.

‘Qian Sect haven’t found out what happened to Murong Sect’s missing money,’ Yan Song Quan said.

‘This is news delivered from the capital,’ Murong Yun Su said.

Qian Song Quan read the letter, and his lips quivered. ‘How is this possible? Why would Qian Sect spend Murong Sect’s money to bribe court ministers? Mistress, who did you receive this news from?’

‘When gege came here,’ Murong Yun Su said, ‘he helped me look into the root of the problem.’

After investigating the matter, Murong Yun Su understood why the empress dowager allowed Hua Liang Tian to leave the palace, and visit Jin Liang Province. The empress dowager wanted Hua Liang Tian to offer marriage to her so she’d hand over Hai Feng Qian to Hua Liang Tian, but she rejected him. It made her see how cut throat palace politics were. How could Hua Liang Tian throw away their friends.h.i.+p to use her as a p.a.w.n?

‘Mistress, what should we do?’ Yan Song Quan asked. ‘We’re sitting ducks. After Qian Sect goes down in flames, Murong Sect will follow suit.’

‘No one can take anything from Murong Sect under my watch,’ Murong Yun Su said coldly.

‘But we can’t fight against the kingdom,’ Qian Song Quan said.

‘There’s someone who can,’ Murong Yun Su said.

‘Who?’ Yan Song Quan asked.

‘Buddha,’ Murong Yun Su said.

Qian Song Quan and Yan Song Quan didn’t know how Murong Yun Su could joke during a crisis.

‘Mistress, your tea is ready,’ Lu Ji said.

Murong sipped the tea, and dropped the hot tea cup onto a pile of blank books. ‘Lu Ji, do you want to kill your mistress?’

‘Mistress, I didn’t know you’d be in such a hurry to drink tea,’ Lu Ji said.

‘Then what do you know?’ Murong Yun Su asked.

‘Mistress, don’t send me away,’ Lu Ji pleaded. ‘I promise in the future, I’ll think like a worm in your stomach.’

‘Are you cursing me to grow worms in my stomach?’ Murong Yun Su asked.

‘Mistress, the heavens knows I’d rather curse myself than curse mistress,’ Lu Ji said.

Murong Yun Su appeared to trust Lu Ji, she continued to read and sun baked.

‘Mistress!’ Lu Ji cried out, and pointed at the wet pile of blank books. ‘There are words on the books.’

‘Of course books are filled with words,’ Murong Yun Su said.

Lu Ji picked up the wet blank books, and showed them to Murong Yun Su. ‘Mistress, take a closer look.’

‘Jian,’ Murong Yun Su read. ‘Lu Ji bring a water basin here.’

‘Yes mistress,’ Lu Ji said.

Murong Yun Su soaked the blank books into the water basin. The fatty layer on the blank book covers dissolved. Combing the words showed a message, ‘five hundred thousand silver taels are kept at Ming Jian Sect.’

Five hundred thousand silver taels were the exact missing amount from Murong Sect. Murong Yun Su understood why Murong Sect couldn’t find the missing money. Her father had hidden it at Ming Jian Sect, and was the reason why Fang Hong Fei was in a hurry to break their betrothal. What she didn’t understand was when her father was alive, why he didn’t use his mouth to tell her directly.

End of Chapter Seven

BBW – Chapter Eight

‘Mistress, did you know the crown prince is sick?’ Lu Ji asked.

‘I found out three days ago,’ Murong Yun Su said.

‘Mistress, the crown prince is your gege,’ Lu Ji said. ‘Why aren’t you worried?’

‘He’s alive,’ Murong Yun Su said, and made another chess move. ‘What’s there to worry about? I know the person who poisoned him.’

‘Someone poisoned the crown prince?’ Lu Ji asked.

‘Yes,’ Murong Yun Su said.

‘Mistress… it can’t be Master Chu,’ Lu Ji said.

‘It’s him,’ Murong Yun Su said.

‘Has Master Chu gone crazy?’ Lu Ji asked. ‘How can he poison the crown prince?’

‘He used Hao Feng Courtyard’s weiji poison because he was worried people wouldn’t know who to give credit to for poisoning the crown prince,’ Murong Yun Su said.

‘Mistress, you have your priorities backwards,’ Lu Ji said. ‘Poisoning the crown prince is a deadly crime.’

‘Why are you worried?’ Murong Yun Su asked. ‘No one is going to kill your household for poisoning the crown prince.’

‘…’ Lu Ji was in disbelief.

‘We’re not married,’ Murong Yun Su said. ‘It’s his household who’d be killed.’

‘Mistress, even if you don’t love Master Chu,’ Lu Ji said. ‘The crown prince is your gege. Aren’t you worried about his health?’

Murong Yun Su played another chess piece.

‘Mistress, I think you’re worried,’ Lu Ji said. ‘Mistress, are you listening?’

‘Lu Ji, haven’t you heard when a woman marries a man, she supports her husband to the end?’ Murong Yun Su asked.

‘Mistress, do you plan to support your husband to the end?’ Lu Ji asked.

‘My future husband poisoned the crown prince,’ Murong Yun Su said. ‘If I don’t stand on the same boat as my future husband then I’m doing a disservice to myself.’

‘Mistress, have you forgotten Master Chu’s enemy is your gege?’ Lu Ji asked.

‘Lu Ji, put away the chess board but don’t move the chess pieces,’ Murong Yun Su said.

‘Mistress, what about the crown prince?’ Lu Ji asked.

‘You should change your name to No Brain,’ Murong Yun Su said.

Lu Ji went to put away the chess board.

Murong Yun Su looked up at the sky. ‘Father, how can you do this to me? You know I’m a clean freak. How can you hide our money in a dirty place? How can I clean the dirt off five hundred thousand silver taels?’

Murong Yun Su lounged on the chair, sighed, rubbed her temples, and Chu Zhang Ca’s arrogant face popped into her head. She pictured him asking how she could have stopped him from poisoning Hua Liang Tian.

‘Mistress, what are you smiling about?’ Lu Ji asked.

‘What happened?’ Murong Yun Su asked, and stopped smiling.

‘The groundskeeper reported that Fang Hong Fei brought people here to cause trouble.’

Murong Yun Su couldn’t help smile at how such a dishonorable man fooled people to believe he was righteous.

Murong Yun Su went to deal with Fang Hong Fei.

‘Gentleman Fang, I have bad hearing,’ Murong Yun Su said. ‘What did you say?’

‘Murong Sect and Mo Jiao Cult are one,’ Fang Hong Fei said. ‘Today I brought people here to rid the world of evil doers.’

Murong Yun Su couldn’t believe Fang Hong Fei twisted the situation to hide his real agenda.

‘Why are you laughing?’ Fang Hong Fei asked.

‘At you,’ Murong Yun Su said.

‘You dare insult me?’ Fang Hong Fei asked.

‘What crimes you commit is your business,’ Murong Yun Su said. ‘Don’t s.h.i.+ft the blame onto me.’

Murong Yun Su looked contemptuously at Fang Hong Fei, and his followers. ‘Murong Sect is a small place. It’s a privilege to be in the presence of Wudang Sect. Someone, find seats for our guests.’

‘Yes mistress,’ the servants said.

‘Lady Murong, I’m sorry for coming here and inconveniencing you,’ Elder Mo said. ‘If it’s not too much, one cup of tea is all I ask for.’

‘Elder Mo, you came to right place and at the right time,’ Murong Yun Su said.

A maid served Elder Mo tea.

‘Murong Sect tea is delicious,’ Elder Mo said.

‘Elder Mo, are you on your way to Shaolin Temple to take part in the martial arts world tournament?’ Murong Yun Su asked.

‘Yes,’ Elder Mo said.

‘Then why did you come here with Gentleman Fang?’ Murong Yun Su asked.

‘About that matter…’ Elder Mo said.

‘Elder Mo, Gentleman Fang and I are foes on the outside and inside,’ Murong Yun Su said. ‘You can insult him all you want.’

Fang Hong Fei’s face paled.

‘Lady Murong, you’re nothing like the rumors spread about you,’ Elder Mo said.

‘Elder Mo, you know rumors aren’t reliable,’ Murong Yun Su said.

Elder Mo wasn’t easily fooled, and he understood Murong Yun Su’s double meaning.

‘I have to see things for myself to believe it,’ Elder Mo said.

Elder Mo stroked his beard, and he was pleased someone young like Murong Yu Su had a good brain to survive.

‘Leader Mo, we’re not here to drink tea,’ Fang Hong Fei said.

‘No one gave you tea to drink,’ Lu Ji said.

Fang Hong Fei used Lu Ji as an excuse to attack Murong Yun Su again. ‘Murong Yun Su, do you admit you and Mo Jiao Cult are planning to make the world suffer?’

‘What crime?’ Murong Yun Su asked. ‘I’m not part of the martial arts world. The only person I need to answer to is the emperor. Whether or not the emperor convict me of a crime is none of your business.’

‘You’re Chu Zhang Ca’s betrothed,’ Fang Hong Fei said. ‘Your union with him is the martial arts world business.’

‘Is that so?’ Murong Yun Su asked. ‘Wouldn’t that make you someone who broke off a betrothal with the future wife of Chu Zhang Ca?’

Fang Hong Fei should have known Murong Yun Su would turn things around to make it his fault for giving Mo Jiao Cult the opportunity to join forces with Murong Sect.

Fang Hong Fei ordered his men to retreat.

‘In the future if anyone from the martial arts world has a problem with me marrying Chu Zhang Ca,’ Murong Yun Su said, ‘go to Hao Feng Courtyard and talk to your death. But it’s better to keep your opinions about my future marriage to yourselves than losing your lives.’

‘Lady Murong is right,’ Elder Mo said. ‘The bad blood is between the martial arts world and Mo Jiao Cult. We shouldn’t frame innocent people.’

‘Murong Yun Su, today we’re leaving,’ Fang Hong Fei said. ‘But listen carefully, you’re now an enemy of the martial arts world.’

‘Is everyone in the martial arts world as blind as you?’ Murong Yun Su asked. ‘How can you justify that I’m an enemy of the martial arts world?’

Elder Mo rea.s.sured Murong Yun Su. ‘Lady Murong, if anyone from the martial arts world doesn’t know how to reason, and causes you trouble then they’ll need to deal with Wudang Sect.’

Fang Hong Fei didn’t expect Elder Mo would take Murong Yun Su’s side. He farewell Elder Mo, and left disgruntled with his followers.

‘Thank you Elder Mo for taking the side of justice,’ Murong Yun Su said.

‘Lady Murong, siding with justice is only right,’ Elder Mo said. ‘But reconsider about marrying Chu Zhang Ca.’

‘Thank you Elder Mo,’ Murong Yun Su said. ‘I’ll think about it.’

Murong Yun Su escorted Elder Mo out, and a worried Qian Song Quan appeared.

End of Chapter Eight