Chapter 12: Yan Wushuang (1/2)

Chapter 12: Yan Wushuang

This year, spring had come particularly early.

The primroses had bloomed early, creating a sea of yellow flowers across the yard. The overwhelming flowery fragrance filled the yard, causing the entire Su Clan to be immersed in a sea of perfume.

Opening the gates, Su Chen breathed in a deep breath of air and smelled the delightful scent of flowers. He stepped out his room and arrived underneath a redbud tree in his courtyard.

Steeping a cup of tea for himself in passing, Su Chen sat down. His movements were natural and unforced and were becoming increasingly smooth and unrestrained.

Two months had passed since the end of year competition.

Because of Su Chen’s counterattack, the entire Su Clan naturally underwent a period of turmoil. Su Keji was undoubtedly angry enough to jump ten meters high. It was said that even servants were met with calamity when they crossed his path him. Also, even Su Cheng’an didn’t look at Su Chen favorably. He had instead become more resentful. His young son Su Hao was born and took up a large part of his emotions. Now, he spent a majority of his time with his fourth concubine. Tang Hongrui fought with her husband without end and the blindness of his son became a common point of their fights. His heart had also become depressed, giving birth to serious disease. His body greatly weakened and now he couldn’t even easily walk outside.

Fortunately, Clan Master Su Changche was still very appreciative of Su Chen. But the more he cherished him, the heavier the regret he felt.

It was said on the evening Su Chen won the competition, Su Changche shook his head and said, “He is a good child. But it is a pity being too exceptional is as bad as being deficient. What is hard is easily broken.”

Being too exceptional is as bad as being deficient and what is hard is easily broken. Those were the comments of the Clan Master, clearly making the Clan Master’s attitude known. Do not obstruct him. Do not support him. Let him do as he pleased.

From that day on, Su Chen felt a strange isolation.

After two months, those many matters had quietly stayed the same without change.

But not everything was bad.

There were even good things.

Su Chen’s eyes had become increasingly better.

Previously, he could only sense light. Now, he could vaguely see a few things. Although they were hard to distinguish, he was not longer as completely blind as before.

This raised Su Chen’s spirits as he began to eagerly look forward to the future even as his clan viewed him with disregard.

At this moment, just as he was sipping tea, Jianxin arrived, “Young Master, Fourth Concubine requests your presence.”

“Fourth Concubine wants to see me?” Su Chen blankly stared.

Every since this Spring Moon Brothel’s Young Lady Yan Wushuang entered the Su Residence, he had only seen her two times, both during clan ceremonies. Aside from that, Su Chen didn’t have the slightest contact with her. However, Su Chen had secretly heard rather unflattering rumors about her.

It was said that this woman was both wise and intelligent. Not longer after she entered the clan, she had grasped the business of Jade Band Lane in her hands.

Jade Band Lane was Northface City’s busiest street. The Su Clan had owned four stores here, with Su Cheng’an as the manager. Now, these four stores were being run by Yan Wushuang. Supposedly, Tang Hongrui had also had a huge argument with Su Cheng’an over this matter, but in the end nothing came of it. Most aggravatingly, those four stores actually flourished under Yan Wushuang’s care without any hiccups or accidents at all. They were even able to settle a few huge deals, forcing the gossipers to keep mum.

It was unsurprising that this Fourth Concubine received such pampering. She was beautiful, could do business, was very persuasive, and even bore a son.

However, Fourth Concubine’s style of doing business did not endear her to anyone. Supposedly not long before, she had sacked the Green Jade Store’s shopkeeper and three elderly assistants simply because they were not respectful to her. These were people that had worked for the Su Clan for twenty years, and yet if she fired them they were fired!

Now that Fourth Concubine was suddenly inviting him over, even Su Chen could not understand why.

Thinking for a moment, he finally nodded and said, “Got it. I’m heading over now.”

After changing into new clothes and tidying himself up, Su Chen headed for the Fourth Concubine’s Blue Fragrance Pavilion, with Jianxin leading the way.

At that moment, Yan Wushuang was sitting in the Blue Fragrance Pavilion, holding a cup in her hand. A pair of servants, one male, the other female, were kneeling next to her, trembling with trepidation.

Yan Wushuang’s face was round like a goose egg1, and her eyebrows were long and sleek. While she certainly was beautiful in appearance, her gaze was menacing.

Just as Su Chen arrived, he heard Yan Wushuang use the lid of her cup to fling her tea to the side and calmly say, “Normally, I would not interfere with your mutual relationship. But if I were to allow you to indulge yourself so unrestrainedly, would this palace still care for rules? If all of the people here were to behave as they wanted to, how would I have any authority? Isn’t that right, Fourth Young Master?”

Yan Wushuang carelessly spoke this last sentence upon seeing Su Chen enter.

Su Chen lowered his head and answered, “How Aunt Concubine deals with her servants is her business. Su Chen has no right to interfere.”

Yan Wushuang spoke, her voice unrestrained, “No matter, you can just speak a few words without care. If I think that they have some merit, then perhaps I will consider your suggestion.”

Thinking for a moment, Su Chen replied, “Although the clan has many rules, there are no written rules forbidding secret relationships among servants. The main reason for this is because these occurrences happen too often and are difficult to address. If one ignores the matter, it is difficult to prevent people from becoming indulgent and then pandemonium will reign. On the other hand, if the restrictions are too strict, it is impossible to not break up relationships and beat the offenders with wooden poles. The way I see it, it will be easiest if one only takes care of what is considered part of the palace and ignores what is not.”

“Only take care of what is considered part of the palace and ignore what is not?” Yan Wushuang repeated, then asked, “What is considered part of the palace, and what is not?”