Chapter 68 - The Elder Sister and the Younger Sister

Although he was already married, the address 'Husband' was still a bit unfamiliar to Song Yan. Right now, there was only one person who would call him husband.

Luo Tianxuan.

Regarding this wife whom he had never met since getting married, Song Yan was also a little curious. He couldn't help but take a couple more glances. Perhaps because she had been tormented by illness for a long time, Luo Tianxuan's figure was thin, and her complexion was also somewhat pale.

A veil covered her face so her appearance couldn't be seen, yet she had an otherworldly air about her.

Her eyes were very large. To praise them as being 'like autumn waters' would be no exaggeration.

After a brief pause, Song Yan came to his senses: "Miss Tianxuan."

A trace of reproach flashed through the woman's eyes:

"Why is my husband being so distant? Just call qieshen 'wife'."

[TL/N: "Qieshen" is a humble or self-deprecating term used by a married woman to refer to herself when speaking to her husband.]

Ultimately, she was a woman. Saying such words made her a bit shy. Even through the veil, it seemed one could see a blush spreading across her pretty face.

"On the wedding day, qieshen's illness was still severe, and I was unable to meet with my husband, and even made my husband spend his wedding night in an empty room. I hope my husband will not take offense."

Spend his wedding night in an empty room?

Foolish woman. Don't you know your husband was raided at night on his wedding night?

At first, it was a little awkward. After all, it was their first meeting, and he didn't understand Luo Tianxuan's personality or temper at all. In Song Yan's view, it was probably not as relaxed as being with Luo Tianyi.

However, after chatting for a few sentences, this awkwardness gradually disappeared. Song Yan could see that this was a very gentle woman, without the slightest bit of the willfulness of a royal lady.

Worried that her lung disease would be transmitted to Song Yan, Luo Tianxuan did not get close even while speaking, maintaining a certain distance from beginning to end.

Song Yan also knew that Luo Tianxuan had entered Songzhou city last night. It's just that when she arrived at the Luo Mansion, she saw that he was already asleep, so she hadn't disturbed him.

As they spoke, although he could feel that Luo Tianxuan's voice was a little abnormal, she did not cough frequently. He reckoned her consumption had already improved a lot, otherwise Luo Tianxuan would not have left her small courtyard.

"Actually, it's also good to occasionally leave the courtyard for a walk. A lung disease needs air circulation. Being cooped up in a corner is actually detrimental to the illness," Song Yan said.

"Air?" It was probably the first time she had heard this word. Luo Tianxuan was a little puzzled.

"It just means opening the windows for indoor ventilation. If the doors and windows are kept shut all day, it's actually not conducive to recovery."

"Then I will listen to my husband."

"Having entered the Luo family, does my husband feel wronged?" Luo Tianxuan seemed to be choosing her words.

"Qieshen can ask Mother to go to the government office and change your household registration back."

"Life is much better than at the Duke's mansion. There's nothing to feel wronged about."

"But, qieshen feels I have wronged my husband. My husband is very talented, yet now he has become a live-in son-in-law. Those two ci poems you composed, qieshen already knows about them... So, who is Xiao Ping?"

"Hmm?"

"If it's a girl my husband liked before, I can make the decision to let my husband bring her back to the Luo Mansion."

How should I answer this?

On a treetop not far away, a pair of slender little feet gently tapped a branch. Her body was like a leaf growing on the branch, swaying up and down with the gentle breeze.

Her hands were crossed over her chest, but in her arms was a longsword. Who else could it be but Luo Tianyi?

Her dark black eyes gazed from afar at the small courtyard. It was unknown if she was looking at the scenery in the courtyard, or the people in the courtyard.

They spoke like this for a long time. Before they knew it, the sun had also warmed up. The evaporating water vapor made one's body feel sticky.

The content of their conversation was just some everyday trifles. Only the question of 'Xiao Ping' was a bit tricky. Song Yan spent a long time explaining to Luo Tianxuan that it was just a name he had made up on the spot. But this process was inexplicably comfortable, as if a husband and wife should be just like this.

"Ahem..."

A gust of wind blew past, and Luo Tianxuan coughed lightly twice. Her delicate brows furrowed slightly, and her small hand subconsciously covered her lips.

"Husband, it seems qieshen must go back."

After the uncomfortable feeling in her chest gradually dissipated, Luo Tianxuan then raised her head, her eyes revealing a sense of reluctance.

She nodded at Song Yan and then turned to leave. Under the veil, the corners of her mouth curled into a faint smile. She was never one for words. Although she had racked her brains to say so much to her husband, she was very happy.

She didn't know if this was so-called happiness... but she wouldn't allow anyone to destroy it. She had heard from Yushuang that the Yang family had secretly placed some more people in the Duke Song's mansion.

They might be to deal with my husband. I should make a trip and kill them.

The first meeting with his wife ended just like that. There was nothing earth-shattering, no reproaches or difficulties; it was just very ordinary.

Of course, Song Yan didn't dislike this kind of ordinary. On the contrary, even though he hadn't seen his wife's face, his first impression was quite good. His wife was very gentle, and she spoke in a soft, low voice. He guessed she was the type of girl who couldn't even bear to step on a little bug.

To spend a lifetime with such a girl wouldn't be bad.

Thinking this, Song Yan smiled and walked out the door. Although this was also the Luo Mansion, there weren't many servants. The three daily meals were probably eaten outside.

Luo Yuheng was not in the residence; who knows what she went to do.

Even Luo Tianshu and Luo Tianquan were nowhere to be seen. He heard they had gone to a gathering with their fellow students.

It wasn't until he reached the gate of the Luo Mansion that he saw his younger sister-in-law, her hands crossed over her sword, leaning against the doorpost in a very cool posture. Even seeing Song Yan appear, she just coolly lifted her eyelids:

"Where are you going? Mother told me to follow you."

Because of yesterday's downpour, the temperature today was quite a bit lower. The cool wind blowing on his face was also refreshing. Looking up, the sky was clear and bright, with only clusters of white clouds floating in the firmament, like blooming flowers.

Today, Songzhou city was much quieter. There weren't many people on the streets, and most of the shops were closed. The few that were open were mostly cleaning up goods that had been soaked by the floodwaters. Before he knew it, they had reached the bank of the Yi-Luo River. On the bank, one could still see the traces left by the overflowing river water.

The bank of the Yi-Luo River was once the most prosperous place in all of Songzhou city. But now it was a complete mess.

A downpour as ferocious as yesterday's was probably a rare sight in Songzhou city, otherwise so many merchants wouldn't have opened their shops here.

Many houses had been washed away, their bricks and tiles shattered. The walls made of adobe had also collapsed to the ground, like small hills. From the cracks, thin streams of water carrying yellow mud flowed into the accumulated water.

In the churning river water, one could occasionally see broken wooden planks in the calmer spots.

In the end, it had caused a flood disaster. Although the rain hadn't lasted for too long, it had been too heavy. What was fortunate was that this kind of flood came quickly and also receded quickly. Now, the water level of the Yi-Luo River was already below the bank. As long as there wasn't another downpour in a short period of time, there should be no problem.

Some people were digging in the ruins. From time to time, one could hear wails. Perhaps someone in their family had been swept away by the flood.

Hearing such sounds, his originally quite good mood sank. From ancient times to the present, natural disasters like floods and earthquakes have always been very terrifying. Even the martial artists of this world appeared exceptionally insignificant in the face of natural disasters.

A commotion came from up ahead. Looking up, he saw a group of bailiffs in uniform. Curved sabers hung at their waists. Seeing those who were in the ruins either rescuing people or salvaging their property, they would walk up and pat those people on the shoulder.

Upon seeing that they were officials, each person would take out a tael or two of silver from their bosoms.

Even those who were wailing loudly were no exception.

Before long, those officials arrived in front of the two of them.

"You two, old rules. Two people, two taels of silver."

For a moment, Song Yan didn't quite understand what was going on. But Luo Tianyi by his side, her expression was grim. She raised her right hand and slapped a railing on the riverbank.

THWACK.

With a crisp sound, that solid wood railing instantly turned to dust.

Even Song Yan's heart trembled slightly.

The few officials' faces turned ashen. They no longer dared to mention the matter of the two taels of silver. They bypassed the two and rushed straight towards the targets behind them, as if they had seen nothing.

"What's going on?"

Luo Tianyi frowned, her face full of deep disgust.

"Flood control silver!"

……

The flood, of course, would not affect those truly great personages.

The Ji family!

In the mansion covering more than ten mu of land, nearly a hundred servants were busy cleaning up the accumulated water and mud.

Although the Vice Magistrate was not too high of an official and his rank was not high, because he was in charge of criminal law, he could be considered powerful.

Ji Cheng was leisurely sipping his tea soup. Although it was a bit spicy, it was refreshing and cleared the mind. Those lowly commoners called it 'medicine soup.' Ji Cheng scoffed at such a saying. How could those muddy-legs savor the wonders of tea?

Because of the downpour, the prefectural government was on leave for half a month, so he was happy to be at leisure. Opposite him was the Ji family's only son, Ji Wenxan.

Regarding this son, Ji Cheng was relatively satisfied. He wasn't old but already had some literary talent.

To pass the ‘Xiucai’ exam this year, become a ‘Juren’ before thirty, and a ‘Jinshi’ before forty should be no problem. Don't think that becoming a ‘Jinshi’ at forty is a poor showing. How could the imperial examinations be easy?

[TL/N: Xiucai, entry-level scholar; a degree achieved at the prefecture level. Juren, provincial-level scholar. Jinshi, highest-level scholar; awarded after passing the palace examination in the capital.]

The only bad thing was his personality. Perhaps because he came from a family of officials, his temper was a bit irascible, and he couldn't stand to suffer the slightest loss.

Just like now...

"That Song Yun, what is he? He actually dared to write a poem to curse me. That very night, I went with a few fellow students under the cover of darkness and beat him up. Father, you have no idea how miserably that guy was beaten..."

That poem, Ji Cheng had also heard it.

Young people writing poems to cultivate their temperament is quite normal. But that line 'to compose a new verse, I forced myself to speak of sorrow' was a bit too harsh in its scolding.

Just then, a burst of hurried footsteps came from the front courtyard. It was a bailiff. By the time he ran in front of Ji Cheng, he was already panting heavily, and a wheezing sound could be heard from his throat.

"Master, it's bad!"

Ji Cheng's face sank. He had a mild temperament and couldn't stand this kind of impetuousness the most.

“What's bad? Can't you say something auspicious? Panicking like this, how disgraceful! How have I taught you all on a daily basis? When you encounter something, you must be calm. Even if the sky falls, you have me, your Master, to hold it up..."

"Song Yun... is dead!"

Crack!

The teacup in Ji Cheng's hand fell to the ground and shattered into pieces. His original mildness and composure instantly disappeared without a trace.

The sky had really fallen!

I can't hold it up!

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