Chapter 99: Covered in Wounds
wounds.
full of wounds.
Some were scabbed over, some were still bleeding.
Bruises from beatings, burns from pipe stems, injuries from blunt objects… this body was not living in the human world, but clearly in purgatory.
Her face was still in its prime, yet her body was rotting in places unseen by human eyes.
She smiled at Feng Gao, “Director, is this enough?”
The troupe leader accepted a thousand taels of silver notes from the Zheng family, and she became Zheng Tai’s concubine. Zheng Tai never treated her as a person, only as an object. He was extremely fond of abusing her. He dressed her up as the person he could not have, stepped on her face, her chest, her abdomen with his shoes, and he laughed, saying, “Zhu Sangyu, you are nothing more than this.”
She was not a chaste woman.
She didn’t want a memorial arch, she just wanted to live.
She used her suffering to make Feng Gao believe her determination to do business with him.
Feng Gao turned away, not looking at her. He extended his palm, and with a flip, an internal energy like wind swept up the clothing on the ground and draped it over her.
After a while, he asked, “Since we are doing business, tell me, what can you do for me?”
Ning Yue said, “Last night, I overheard the conversation between the Zheng father and son.”
She walked closer to Feng Gao, who instinctively took a step back.
In the time it took to brew a cup of tea, she told him, word by word, about the Zheng father and son’s conspiracy.
Feng Gao suddenly stepped forward and grabbed her by the neck, “Do you know who I am?”
Ning Yue said, “You are the current Director of the Directorate of Ceremonial, Inner Court Commander, Director of the Eastern Depot, His Majesty’s confidant, Feng Gao, who strikes fear into the hearts of officials in the Imperial Court. Your nickname is Black Impermanence. You have countless lives on your hands.”
A thin layer of frost appeared in Feng Gao’s eyes, “Then do you know what the consequence of deceiving me is?”
Ning Yue smiled.
Her smile was so much like Sang Yu’s.
Equally gentle, equally calm. Even the dimple at the corner of her lips was exactly the same.
“The Director’s suspicion is always so heavy, isn’t it?” she said.
She walked towards his hand, her clothes falling off again.
“Director, why don’t you dare to look at me? Have you forgotten how you called me Elder Sister at the Maternal Uncle of the Emperor’s manor? You called me so intimately, so carefully, no one has ever called me that in this life. Call me again—”
Feng Gao shoved her away violently.
“You’ve said so much, what do you want?” Feng Gao asked.
Ning Yue said, “I want to leave the Zheng Residence safely.”
It snowed again on Plum Blossom Ridge.
Outside the post station, the sound of snow falling was soft and lingering.
Ning Yue said leisurely, “I have no home, I’ve never had a home, but do you believe me, I’ve treated many places in this human world as my home. By the stove of a street vendor roasting sweet potatoes, in a thatched hut in the spring rain, in a tavern at dusk, as long as I leave this cage, anywhere can be my home. I only want freedom. Director, I only want freedom.”
“I promise you, I will help you leave the Zheng Residence.”
After Feng Gao finished speaking, he turned and hurried out the door.
He didn’t want to stay in this room for another moment. He couldn’t explain why.
Ning Yue stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his waist.
He was so tall, like a crane.
Her face pressed against his back.
“Director, please look at me, just once.”
She treated him like a normal man.
No one had ever done this before.
Feng Gao lowered his head, his long eyelashes like reeds, swaying by the ripples in his eyes. He was so cowardly. In front of his real Elder Sister, he was cowardly. In front of the fake Elder Sister, he was equally cowardly. He dared not face the face etched into his bones.
He dared not.
“Please conduct yourself with propriety,” Feng Gao said.
Ning Yue walked around him, blocking the door bolt.
Ning Yue tilted her face up, dusty and bewildered.
She could hear the trembling in his voice, which he was desperately trying to suppress.
He woke from a dream. He had no power to fight back, no ability to parry.
He pushed her away and strode out of the room.
The wind rushed into his neck.
He did not look back at the woman.
He took one of his guards to the nearby stable.
“Put on my clothes, ride my horse, and with the brothers, follow the original plan and return to the capital via the official road.”
“As the Director commands.”
The guard did not ask Feng Gao the reason. Working for the Eastern Depot, one should not speak too much; absolute obedience was paramount.
He put on Feng Gao’s black robe, pulled down his hat brim, mounted Feng Gao’s horse, and headed north.
Meanwhile, Feng Gao issued a secret order to the Brocade Guards: dispatch a thousand guards to Yangzhou to investigate the year-end canal transport tax revenue.
After completing all this, he put on a common merchant’s fur coat, wore a bamboo hat, and took a small path back to Yangzhou City.
He walked in the snow, and in less than the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn, he and Plum Blossom Ridge turned white together.
Qin Manor.
I caressed my protruding belly, holding a book, with Cherry nestled beside me.
I recited a poem to Cherry and the child in my womb: “Where does life’s journey lead? It should be like a wild goose treading on snow. A chance imprint on the mud, but where does the goose fly east or west? The old monk is dead, his stupa new, the ruined wall no longer shows the old inscription. Do you recall the hardships of the past? The road was long, the traveler weary, the donkey brayed…”
The midwife Feng Gao hired for me was massaging my feet.
As the months progressed, the swelling in my legs and feet became more pronounced.
The midwife’s technique was skilled and swift.
“Madam Qin is expecting twins,” the midwife said.
Cherry clapped her hands and hopped around the room, “Yuniang is going to have two babies, Yuniang is going to have two babies!”
“Really?” I could hardly believe that the Bodhisattva would grant me such good fortune.
The midwife said with certainty, “I have delivered no less than eight hundred, if not a thousand, children in my life. What I see clearly, I do not mistake.”
She was a very steady person. When she first arrived, she hesitated several times, as if wanting to speak but not. After observing me carefully for several days, she dared to make such a pronouncement.
There were footsteps outside.
Cherry quickly ran over.
Zhu Xifeng entered, holding Hua Lian’s hand. Hua Lian was carrying several infant clothes, presumably all hand-stitched by her.
Upon seeing them, Cherry eagerly said, “Uncle, Aunt, tell you, the midwife said Yuniang is pregnant with twins!”
Zhu Xifeng grinned, “Good news! Good news! If Brother-in-law knew Sister was carrying twins, he would be overjoyed.”
Hua Lian put down the clothes, took my hand, and leaned by my knee, saying, “Carrying twins means more hardship for the Owner.”
After marriage, she still called me Owner.
While twins were indeed a joy, she only worried about my health and safety.
I smiled, “I haven’t been to the counter for quite some time, how is business?”
Zhu Xifeng said, “Very good. Exceptionally good. Today, we just sent off the royal tribute wine. I watched them load the ship at the dock and send it off before returning.”
“Tribute wine? It’s not the season for sending tribute wine.” I said.
According to the Ministry of Revenue’s usual practice, royal tribute items were not sent out until at least mid-December.
Zhu Xifeng said casually, “Yes, it’s still seven or eight days away, but someone from the Directorate of Imperial Manufactures came yesterday, saying this year is different from previous years. Due to Consort Zheng giving birth, there are banquets in the Imperial Palace almost every day, so the tribute wine was sent out early.”
“Who tallied it at the ferry terminal?” I asked.
“Why are you so nervous, Sister? Are you afraid I can’t handle things?” Zhu Xifeng laughed, “It was the people from the Directorate of Imperial Manufactures who tallied it, clearly and meticulously. Sister, please rest assured and focus on your pregnancy. I am now very familiar with the counter’s affairs.”
I nodded, “As long as it’s handled properly.”
Hua Lian comforted me, “Owner, please don’t worry, West Peak and I handled it together.”
Hearing Hua Lian’s words, I finally felt at ease. I called for a servant to bring soup and dishes, and we ate dinner around the stove.
They stayed for a while and then took their leave.
At the second watch, Cherry and I washed up and went to bed.
Qin Mingxu went to Fuliang to collect debts a few days ago and is expected to return around the middle of the month. With him away, my daughter and I sleep earlier. The child in my belly occasionally rolls playfully.
Cherry lay beside me and soon fell asleep.
I read for a while, turned off the lamp, and tucked in the quilt.
Suddenly, I heard Cherry murmuring in her sleep, “Godfather killed someone, Godfather killed someone…”
