Along the wall side of the corridor grew a large cluster of datura. The trumpet-shaped white flowers bloomed fiercely, like beautiful women with bowed heads. Yang Jingyuan emerged from behind a man-height tree, pulling down the scarf covering his face.
The lantern placed on the ground by Yuyuan cast a dim light, making Yang Jingyuan’s expression unclear.
He still wore that gray short-collared coarse hemp warrior’s garment, looking less like the former brocade-clad young master and more like a down-and-out wandering swordsman.
Seeing his face clearly and taking in his appearance, Madam Niu covered her mouth with her sleeve and giggled, “Third Young Master Yang, since First Madam Yang drove you from the Yang family, have you fallen to such a state?”
“You should be thankful she’s still alive,” Yang Jingyuan said, echoing Zhao Xiuyuan’s exact words.
Madam Niu stopped laughing, her eyes lifting at the corners as she looked at him sideways, “What if I did kill her?”
Yang Jingyuan extended his hand, palm holding the broken arrow taken from Ji Yingying’s body: “Care to guess whose throat this half arrow might end up in?”
“Haha! I’m not afraid! If she dies, by all means, come kill me.”
Her provocative words and arrogant demeanor angered Yang Jingyuan, and he leaped onto the corridor. As Yuyuan was about to rush forward, Madam Niu’s arm blocked her path: “Don’t let anyone approach.”
Yuyuan pointed at Yang Jingyuan and said, “If you dare harm my mistress, I’ll chop Second Miss Ji to pieces!”
She quickly walked to the corridor corner and began watching for others.
Yang Jingyuan was somewhat surprised by her movements.
“You learned your martial arts from Qingcheng, while Yuyuan trained at Emei. I’m not like Seventh Miss, born with great strength. My father sent Yuyuan to learn martial arts at Emei to protect me,” Madam Niu said calmly. “Yang Jingyuan, don’t think you’re so impressive with your martial arts. If I want the Zhao family to catch you, I just need Yuyuan to keep you occupied.”
“You enjoy playing cat and mouse. But if the Zhao family catches me, the game won’t be fun anymore. Isn’t that right?” Yang Jingyuan looked at her mockingly.
Of course, what then after catching you? Let the Zhao family quietly kill you? Report you to officials as a criminal? Given Old Master Zhao’s mindset, he would certainly have you bound and sent back to the Yang family, slapping their face in revenge. None of these was what she wanted.
“You’ve heard what you wanted to hear. Now that you know the masterminds are Zhao Xiuyuan and me, why don’t you leave?” Madam Niu thrust her face forward, “Want to kill me? Come on then.”
Her pupils flickered like a cat’s, her rapid breathing making the gossamer-thin veil tremble slightly.
“Madam Niu, how long do you intend to hate me? Does every man who refuses to marry you deserve to be sent to the eighteenth level of hell? It’s not your face that’s ruined, it’s your mind that’s sick!” Yang Jingyuan said, pointing at his head.
“There’s no one else! Only you.” Madam Niu’s voice trembled, “I never left the house, and you were the only one I ever favored. Your family refused the marriage, making me a laughingstock throughout Yizhou Prefecture! I, a legitimate daughter of the Military Commissioner’s mansion, wanted to marry down to a merchant’s concubine-born son, only to be rejected. Yang Jingyuan, I married a vicious snake-like Zhao Xiuyuan. What right do you have to marry the woman you love and live happily? Let me tell you if you don’t kill me today, I will eventually kill Ji Yingying. I’ll make you suffer and regret for the rest of your life!”
“You’re insane! Do you want to provoke me into killing you? No, I won’t become a murderer because of a woman like you. I’m going to live a happy, fulfilling life with Ying’er.” Yang Jingyuan suddenly reached out and tore off Madam Niu’s veil.
“Ah!” Madam Niu screamed, instinctively covering her face with her hands.
“So ugly, even a scheming snake-like Zhao Xiuyuan, despite coveting the Niu family’s power, won’t treat you with any kindness. Tsk tsk, Madam Niu, if you’re living such a miserable life and want to die so badly, Huanhua Stream is right behind the Zhao family’s back gate. The river isn’t frozen—feel free to jump in.”
Madam Niu covered her face with her sleeve and shrieked, “Yang Jingyuan, you’re truly vicious!”
A satisfied smile appeared on Yang Jingyuan’s handsome face: “I just arrived to hear a pair of dogs biting at each other. I don’t want to dirty my hands. I was holding onto my anger, but now I feel better. Ying’er took an arrow and is in pain. Hurting your heart will make you suffer ten times more than her. You like playing cat and mouse, right? I didn’t want to bother with you before. But now, Madam Niu, I’ll play along till the end.”
He placed the broken arrow in Madam Niu’s hand and said coldly, “You should also be thankful that Niu Qianniang is your younger sister, and she’s marrying my best friend. Tell Zhao Xiuyuan that if he schemes against Ying’er again, I’ll destroy his face and break your legs. Perhaps then you two can find love in your shared misery.”
Yang Jingyuan let out a laugh, nimbly leaped into the flower cluster, and vanished in an instant.
Madam Niu clutched the broken arrow and gazed triumphantly in the direction he’d disappeared, muttering to herself: “Yang Jingyuan, you came too late. You didn’t hear Old Master Zhao’s words. During this year’s Silkworm Goddess ceremony, someone else from the Yang family’s main branch will die. You’ll regret not killing me.”
Yuyuan walked over and said softly, “Mistress, Yang Jingyuan will surely be on guard now that he knows.”
“No. Yuyuan, I feel life has flavor again. Before, I was the one pursuing him, now he wants to play with me. How wonderful.” Madam Niu started giggling.
Her life had lost all meaning. She couldn’t think of anything else that could make her happy. If she couldn’t be happy, then she would suffer. No matter how much her heart ached, at least it meant she could still feel something.
“Remember the White King of Nanzhao who came to the Zhao family during the New Year?”
“This servant remembers. When we were watching Second Miss Ji, he visited the Ji residence one night. He seemed to fancy Second Miss Ji as well.”
Madam Niu smiled, “Isn’t the Zhao family’s trading caravan to Nanzhao about to depart? Have someone infiltrate it.”
It was past the midnight hour when Yang Jingyuan returned to the Yang residence. Ji Yingying was already asleep.
Yang Jingyuan crept in quietly, and Xueqing hurriedly rose. He raised his finger to prevent her from disturbing Ji Yingying. Sitting beside her, Yang Jingyuan fell into deep thought.
Zhao Xiuyuan and Madam Niu—one wanted to kidnap her to prevent the Yang family from weaving this year’s battle brocade, and the other wanted to kill her for revenge against him. Even if he took her away from Yizhou Prefecture, with his military duties, he couldn’t always protect her. Keeping her in the Yang family was the best choice.
Given Madam Niu’s mindset, she wouldn’t send the martially skilled Yuyuan to infiltrate the Yang family and kill Ji Yingying. As long as she didn’t leave the Yang family, Zhao Xiuyuan would be powerless as well.
The red candle on the side table burned silently. Yang Jingyuan rose and left, heading to White Egret Hall.
This was his first time sneaking into Madam Yang Shi’s bedroom. The elderly woman on the couch had graying hair loose around her shoulders, and on her hand lying outside the blanket was a gold bracelet. Yang Jingyuan’s nose stung slightly. This gold bracelet was a birthday gift he had bought for Madam Yang Shi’s fiftieth birthday. She had worn it so long that its luster had dimmed.
Sometimes when people spend long enough together, they forget their initial purpose. Just like him and Madam Yang Shi. In their eighteen years together, he knew she was always mindful that he was born to a concubine. But sometimes, perhaps even she forgot.
Perhaps his anger at his mother’s sudden suicide was less painful than the iron rod breaking the long bench and shattering the bluestone bricks. Yang Jingyuan silently gazed at Madam Yang Shi. This elderly woman had given him too many beautiful memories.
“Who’s there?” Being a light sleeper, Madam Yang Shi sensed something unusual in the room. She opened her eyes.
Seeing Yang Jingyuan standing by her couch made her heart tremble. Madam Yang Shi slowly sat up: “Have you come to avenge your mother? There’s a belt hanging on the clothes rack—if you want to strangle me, go ahead.”
“I’ve joined the military in Santai Dongchuan Circuit. I have ten days’ leave from the army, and after Father’s hundred days memorial, I’ll return. For the sake of Ying’er weaving the battle brocade for the Yang family, please protect her. The ones who want to kill her are from the Zhao family.”
Yang Jingyuan didn’t ask how Concubine Liu had committed suicide that night and turned to leave.
“I brought her into the family for the Yang family’s battle brocade. You need not worry.”
Yang Jingyuan didn’t look back, quickly walking out.
Madam Yang Shi struck her chest with her fist, tears flowing freely: “Third Son, must Mother kowtow and admit her wrongs before you’ll look back?”
Her pride made her act this way. But her heart made her want this son back again.