Xia Ling

Mei did not think she had anything to say to Gu Lang, she also didn’t want to

see Hua Bao Xia.

That’s

right, she remembered when she stayed at the Gu residence, Gu Lang mentioned

this younger female cousin, at that time when she was in Zhuozhou she did not

think Hua Bao Xia was the gentle and virtuous powerful and influential younger

cousin Gu Lang spoke of, but a regional influential family’s daughter can at

most only be connected by marriage, they were simply not powerful and

influential, rather their family behind them were.

The Gu

family looked up to the Hua family, the Xia family however did not find the Hua

family worthy. The imperial censor w.a.n.g family, what more had no connection

with other regional influential families.

Xia Ling

Mei wasn’t stupid enough to create trouble for w.a.n.g Yun Feng, and would not allow

her pregnant self to face unknown dangers. She had her dignity, it was not

worthwhile splitting hairs with an outsider girl.

The old

housekeeper received orders to step in and greet Gu Lang and Lady Hua on behalf

of Xia Ling Mei, clearly reporting the information that Lord w.a.n.g had left the

residence, in addition the Lady’s body is too heavy to see visitors. Afterwards

he served good tea, and ordered someone to present two hundred silvers, saying

it was a gift for that time when the old Lady Gu took care of her.

The old

housekeeper omitted the fact that Lady w.a.n.g had once stayed at the Gu

residence, and did not speak of the mistress’s thoughts on Lady Hua coming this

time, he merely explained the gift was for the old Lady Gu, and cut off the

relations.h.i.+p between Gu Lang and Lady w.a.n.g. Afterwards the old housekeeper

mentioned Lord Gu had not returned home for a visit for a very long time, if it

is because it’s too far, the w.a.n.g family was willing to   rent a carriage for them. As he spoke, he

even intentionally moved his gaze between Gu Lang and Lady Hua bodies once,

ambiguously smiling.

Waiting

until Xiu Yu came out, again saying the mistress is giving a set of head

ornaments to Lady Hua, considering it to be congratulations.

What

congratulations? Naturally it was the fortune of newly weds.

A youthful

official not having married, and a young lady of an influential far from home

together outside, what was their relations.h.i.+p? Did they elope? Is it long

ago…people said these things vaguely, in any case the gifts were delivered, no

matter what they think it had nothing to do with the w.a.n.g family.

Lady Hua

was flushed with anger, and used all her effort to maintain her virtuous

façade, it was difficult to see her former extravagant background from her grey

and old gown. She accepted the head ornaments and walked away practically

walking away without turning her head back, Gu Lang moving around embarra.s.sed

yet not. However, Gu Lang too did not leave the silver, he placed the silvers

in his bag, and left.

Gu Lang had

only met Hua Bao Xia by chance, seeing the other person’s appearance he also

vaguely 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 had

eloped 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 elderly

woman, Gu Lang could not gain any benefits from Hua Bao Xia. He forgot the

support of Hua Bao Xia’s father in the past, after leaving the w.a.n.g residence’s

gate, he carefully thought about the old housekeeper’s words, feeling there was

already no meaning for him to stay in the Imperial city any longer, it would be

better to return home soon and plan later.

Therefore,

that night after he was chased out by w.a.n.g Yun’s mother Wu s.h.i.+, confidently and

at ease carrying those hundreds of silvers he left Beiding city.

The people

Hei Zi sent out came back to report, Xia Ling Mei relaxed half the heart, the

other half of her heart could not relax no matter what.

w.a.n.g Yun

Feng had not returned!

A long,

long time ago, w.a.n.g Yun Feng would leave without saying a word, but since the

two of them seriously reconciled, no matter if he was leaving home or returning

home, 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, there

was no reason for him to stay overnight and not return home.

Over on Bai

Zi’s side there was also no one sending information back, Hei Zi’s people said

the dragon boat compet.i.tion had finished earlier. Xia Ling Mei ate dinner by

herself, before the time for bed came, there was still no news of w.a.n.g Yun

Feng.

She was

quite tired, her pregnant body was very heavy, it was like carrying a burning

coal furnace in her bosom, making her unable to sit or stand still more and

more.

May’s wind

already brought heat, blowing onto people’s skin making them slightly giddy and

slightly sticky.

She

couldn’t help call Xiu Yu and Ying s.h.i.+ to support her to the front room to sit,

once that father and son returns home, she would be able to directly see

through the main room’s doors to the screen wall, she would be the first to

see their shadows. Her body which was used to sleeping early already became

dazed, she half supported her head, drinking some warm tea. It was still not

the 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 the

heat, not cold, not hot, a little bit sweet, a little bit tart, the flavour was

too mixed, she only knitted her eyebrows together.

Not long

after, someone came to report, saying w.a.n.g Yun Feng met an old friend, staying

one night with his son at the other person’s home.

There was

only one letter, the messenger was the carriage driver’s son, who had left

together with the w.a.n.g family’s father and son, but ran back by himself.

Xia Ling

Mei asked him what the surname of w.a.n.g Yun Feng’s old friend was, where did

they meet, the other person shook his head in complete ignorance. Only saying

when they were watching the dragon boats compet.i.tion, the servants were outside

the building, there were many people entering and leaving the restaurant, and

did not know which one was the old friend. Only when it became night, someone

came to give him a letter to deliver to the mistress.

Xia Ling

Mei hearing these words, was not at ease, rather she was increasingly more

impatient.

The

residence was brightly lit, the path from the front room to the main entrance

was s.h.i.+ning brightly and s.p.a.ciously, there wasn’t a single shadow.

Xia Ling

Mei sat inside the front room, beside her were Xiu Yu and Ying s.h.i.+ waiting upon

her, Hei Zi was hidden on the room’s roof beam, the old housekeeper sat on a

lower 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 night

bugs chirping.

Suddenly,

there was a noise at the gatehouse outside the gates, as if someone was

knocking.

Xia Ling

Mei eagerly stood up, looking towards the gate. 

The gatekeeper appeared to be saying something, Xia Ling Mei glanced at

the water clock used to mark night watches, it was already hai s.h.i.+.

Suddenly,

there was a cry of fear in the middle of the night, everyone in the residence

who was calm and quiet almost jumped in fear. Xiu Yu and Ying s.h.i.+ hurriedly

supported Xia Ling Mei, some had already hurried to the gate, then, the second

sound, the third sound…

There were

some 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 striding

forward going round the shadow wall to come in.

A slim

figure ducked out from behind that shadow, someone recognised her: “It’s Lady

Hua!”

Before Hua

Bao Xia, was evidently biting a broken arm ----- black bear!

The quiet

residence, with the bright lights s.h.i.+ning on it, numerous startled shrieks

exploded suddenly, some maids immediately fainted on the spot, the young brave

servants had already grabbed up things within reach one by one throwing it at

the black bear. From an angle where people couldn’t see, tens of shadows

noiselessly gathered around the front room.

The old

housekeeper also trembling wanted to pick up his chair, for quite a while he

was motionless, his old body wondered around the front room twice, finally

picking up a vase he stood in front of Xia Ling Mei: “Quick, quickly help the

mistress leave!”

After the

initial shock, Xia Ling Mei had already stabilised her feelings. She was a

person who fought on the battlefield at the risk of her own life, facing fierce

pirates her expression remained unchanged, besides it was only a black bear,

and a woman who appeared to almost be burned out by hatred and lacked

intelligence.

Xiu Yu and

Ying s.h.i.+ already pulled out flexible double-edged swords, standing in attendance

on Xia Ling Mei’s left and right side. They knew the mistress’s temper, the

more dangerous it is the more she would not cower back.

Xia Ling

Mei came out from behind everyone, arrogantly looking ahead at Hua Bao Xia not

far away from her: “Lady Hua coming here so very late at night, what is the

purpose?”

Hua Bao Xia

chuckled, her former sweet and charming appearance had paled quite a lot, a

mess of fine black hair drooped down, her clothes were still the thick garments

from last winter, fluttering in the air, appearing weak and frail. She half

leaned against the black bear’s side, ignoring the crunching sound of the bear

chewing on a person’s arm, that mouthful of blood pattered onto the ground,

very quickly there was a puddle.

“I came to

see you.” She said, tilting her head to the side attentively sizing up the

swollen Xia Ling Mei due to pregnancy: “too see the wonderful and frail beauty

Lady w.a.n.g described by Lord w.a.n.g. At first I had thought you were a sickly

person, I didn’t expect you would actually be able to produce an offspring for

Lord w.a.n.g, you don’t have much good looks, how did you seduce Lord w.a.n.g to be

infatuated and head over heels in love!”

Xiu Yu

already couldn’t help shout loudly: “Impudent! You’re not allowed to insult my

mistress.”

Hua Bao Xia

laughed heartily, patting the black bear. That wild animal appeared to

understand her meaning, without hesitation it threw out the broken and

destroyed arm from it’s mouth, spreading his five claws he licked up the blood on

it, his pair of bear eyes were already crimson in excitement by people’s blood,

appearing strange and frightening.

“Little

servant girl, you need to be careful what you say to me, my pet does not like

any person or animal to be disrespectful against me.” She again patted the

black bear, that huge wild animal lowered its head, allowing her to caress the

top of its head.

Some people

already couldn’t help having goose b.u.mps all over their bodies, couldn’t help

thinking about a certain recent rumour in Beiding city.

Hua Bao Xia

gaze 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 your

belly really Lord w.a.n.g’s? Shouldn’t you have been so ill since long ago? How

can you stand arrogantly as the female master of the w.a.n.g family here? You

betrayed him, you…ought to die!” She suddenly pulled on the bear’s back, that

tall bear instantaneously stood up, brandis.h.i.+ng 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.

Numerous

people 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 the

bear heading their way, swearing while talking: “Grab it, slaughter it to

supplement the mistress’s body!”

Everyone

was distracted, in cold sweat.

The old

housekeeper, this wasn’t the time to think about the problem of tonic? Old man

can you not make a joke at such a critical moment?

The old

housekeeper’s calmness and incisiveness made everyone apart from fear abruptly

feel a little bit more confident, soon that black bear will break through the

human wall and into the hall, the shadow guards originally gathered all around

rushed over. Everyone only had time to see a huge net streak across the sky, in

a flash the black bear was trapped in the middle of the net.

As it turns

out that was a countless stranded la.s.so holding it, more than ten people at the

same time tightened up the ropes, the black bear faced upwards howling, the

tiles 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 sorts

of daggers, hairpins, knife and forks, bamboo sticks stabbed holes all over its

body.

Xia Ling

Mei stood where she was before, watching Hua Bao Xia standing in the courtyard

looking paler than a ghost, lightly laughing: “So this black bear is the wild

animal recently attacking people in the Beiding city. It was raised by Lady

Hua? Not only do you use it to slaughter the innocent, but also pull it to

break 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. This

mistress also will not present tea to see you off, go safely, I won’t see you

off.”

“You!” Hua

Bao 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 last

long…haha, that’s right, your son, he will wait for you in h.e.l.l…”

Xia Ling

Mei tilted her head to look at the roof beam, Hei Zi already flew down, a sword

directly flying towards Hua Bao Xia’s right arm. Hei Zi deeply asked: “Speak,

where is the young master?”

Hua Bao Xia

whimpered biting back her painful shout, a command came from bursting forth

from the depth of her throat: “Bear, kill that woman, kill her! A person I

can’t have, no one can have them… all the glory, splendour, wealth and rank

here, belongs to me, it’s mine!”

From everyone’s

surprise, the black bear which was originally trapped motionless abruptly

escaped, directly swiping towards Xia Ling Mei…