Changying the Lady

It was high noon around midsummer. The sun shone so brightly that the sun beam burned the eye.

In the rear house of the patrimonial Wei family in Fengzhou, around ten in the morning, the well water was poured on the ground once, and within seconds the water evaporated without a trace, not even a few water marks were left. Under the dazzling bright sunlight, the yard was full of summer dust floating in the air. As the damp south wind blew, it got thicker and stickier. The wind blew through the body, yet no soothing feeling was felt. It was like being dragged into this invisible swamp, sinking deeper and deeper in unspeakable tedium.

Nowadays in the great Vi Dynasty, family status was highly valued. The Wei family had lived in Fengzhou for generations, and the origins of its ancestors could be traced back to the Middle Ages. Talents had emerged for hundreds of years, and it was one of the top six gentlefolks within the country. Such a noble family would want to treat its members right. During this ridiculously hot time, servants who could not use ice were instructed to stay in the shades to relax and avoid heat stroke. This approach had gained a good reputation for being sympathetic to the servants within the state city.

At this moment the entire courtyard was quiet. Only occasionally there came a few chirpings of cicada, and the courtyard became deeper and quieter.

The courtyard in front of the main rear house was generously spaced. A wide Camphor tree grew in the southeast corner of the courtyard, lush and leafy, covering most of the courtyard with a shade. And it was just a shade. Since May in Fengzhou, even under the shades, it was difficult to find any soothing coolness.

And right under the shade of the Camphor tree where no blazing heat could be hidden, a boy was standing, and a girl was kneeling. They spoke softly under the cover of cicadas chirping.

The one standing was a young boy, wearing a goose-yellow Yueluo round-necked shirt, hair tied with a golden ring. He wore a jade belt around the waist, looked around 14-15 years old, and had a long thin body, a thin-waist and narrow arms. Standing upright, his good-looking features still accompanied a sense of childishness.

Right now, he couldn't even open his eyes due to the scorching sun. Wiping the sweat dripping down like rain, he looked worried and somewhat resigned. Lowering his voice, he spoke to the girl in full disclosure, "... Mother has had the meal and has called for nap time. Before that, she has also sent someone to get Lvfang to go over at grandmother's, saying that you have something to do today, and you wouldn't be able to greet her later. Grandmother has already approved. Sister, I suggest that you go and apologize to mother. Otherwise, how can you stand kneeling down until after dinner?"

"No, I won't," said the girl. The girl kneeling upright was slightly older than the boy. She had a beautiful thin waist and silky black hair, so pretty that her goose egg-shaped face seemed to be sparkling. Her eyebrows were clear, and her eyes slightly slanted up. Her straight nose and naturally red lips made her such a dazzling beauty.

Under the scorching sun she had been kneeling down for more than an hour, yet her eyes were still bright and shone with even more spirit. Her pale skin was like snow and jade. Due to the sun exposure, her skin looked tinted as if she had applied a rouge blush. Her face was glowing, glazed in the golden light. The cyan crepe tight cuff shirt she was wearing had now been soaked in sweat, blurring its color. A strand of hair from her forehead to the back of her ear adhered to her cheek, soaked in sweat. Drops of sweat dripped along the arc of her beautiful chin and down to her emerald skirt. There were now more than a dozen dark green water spots on her skirt. And those were only the ones that had not been dried yet.

Nevertheless, this young lady Miss Wei Changying still didn't care to repent. She raised her chin a little, slightly snickered, and spoke surely, "It's such a hot day and I am still kneeling down here in high noon. Don't worry. You'll see that mother won't be able to sleep, and it won't be long before she sends out someone to get me."

"But Lvfang is at grandmother's place..." Her brother, the fifth son in Wei Family, Wei Changfeng, didn't agree with her. Slightly frowning, he reminded her that their mother had already sent out her maidservant Lvfang to inform madam grandmother that before dinner she wouldn't be able to greet her, which meant it was obvious that her punishment wouldn't end until dinner.

Wei Changying didn't seem to think so at all. "Isn't it obvious that mother is only trying to scare me?"

"But big sister, you have been kneeling for more than an hour," Wei Changfeng sighed, looking resigned. "It's such a hot day today. I am almost passing out just by standing here and speaking to you. All the servants have retreated inside the house to pour the well water on the ground just to let the heat wear off a bit. Why are you persisting to stay out here?"

"Well, you can stay under the shade." Wei Changying slanted at him and used her sleeve to pat off the sweat on her face. The cyan sleeve turned into a dark green jade color instantly, and she didn't seem to care at all. "You are not like me. I've been following Uncle Jiang practicing martial arts since I was little. I can easily stand another hour out here."

Comparing to her, Wei Changfeng looked embarrassing holding up his sleeve to guard off the sun. He said patiently to her, "Listen to me, big sister. You are a lady, and our family has been studying literature for ages. Why do you have to learn martial arts? Nowadays it is indeed not safe out there, but our Wei family is one of the most famous noble families in Fengzhou, and the most important family in Zhongyuan. No warfare will be able to make us suffer. And even though our family has been studying literature for generations, we still have private army and guards to protect us. Are you seriously counting on yourself to protect us, big sister?"

He lowered his voice. "Come on, big sister. You are going to marry next year. In Western Liang, the Shen family has led its army suppressing the Di tribe for generations... You have even less to worry about now. I've heard from grandmother that Shen Cangfeng's martial art is preeminent. Last year during the martial art tryout in front of the emperor, he took on ten people just by himself and had beaten up the Liu family from Eastern Hu and the Su family from Qingzhou, becoming the top hand in the contest. The only concern is that now the Rong tribe and the Di tribe have been seeking chances, and that groups of robbers are gathering on the way from Fengzhou to the capital. But he will be coming to Fengzhou to pick you up himself. Big sister, what are you worried about?"

"Moron!" Wei Changying glared hard at him, and claimed in a low voice, "Exactly because the Shen family has been in charge of the army in Western Liang for years, their boys have learned martial art since they were children. Shen Cangfeng is especially famous for that. I have heard about how he was so preeminent since I was three years old, and nobody could defeat him. I have to work hard and dare not to relax because of them. Do you think I want to suffer from all this?"

"What?" Said Wei Changfeng, surprised.

"You moron, just think about it." Wei Changying explained solemnly, "This Shen family is the same as the Su family from Qingzhou, and the Liu Family from Western Hu. Their family is passed down by practicing martial arts, and you would expect what a fierce atmosphere it must have been growing up in such an environment. And my fiancé is supposed to be the best in the Shen family! I suppose his martial art is surely very impressive..."

"Isn't that a good thing?" Said Wei Changfeng, confused. "If he isn't that good, how come grandfather was willing to marry you to him? You're the eldest daughter in our Wei family, and we are the most well-known noble family from Fengzhou. He has to be a good match for you."

Wei Changying got a bit angry. "I mean! He most likely has a bad temper and is rude because of what he does! He could be easily irritated and violent! What if after I marry him I get angry with him over some small quarrels and we end up getting into a fight? Or what if I do something that he doesn't like? Once he gets upset, wouldn't he just give me a hard time and even get violent with me? What would I do if I am a weak girl who can't put up a fight?! Even if he apologizes afterwards, wouldn't I suffer in the first place?"

Wei Changfeng was stunned hearing what she was saying. He wiped his sweat off and replied, "How is that possible! Big sister, you are the eldest daughter in our Wei Family. You are of the same status as him. It's not like you are some maidservant he could buy with a few dimes. How would he dare to treat you bad? Does he think that none of us, none of our Wei family will do anything about it?"

"Huh! These warriors are the most irritable and temperamental. Will he care whether you are his wife or his concubine once he gets angry at you? Let alone both the capital and Western Liang will be so far away from Fengzhou. Should I expect to count on my maiden family every time?" Wei Changying said clenching her fist. A glance of perseverance shone in her eye. She sneered, "Even if he doesn't get physical with me, what happens if later he gets one concubine after another, and even more maidservants? What would I do then?!"

Wei Changfeng seemed irresolute and spoke hesitantly, "Well...Well...You know, all these maidservants and concubines... If big sister you don't like them, you can just shush them off once he gets them, right? What does it have to do with practicing martial art?"

"Well, if that's the case, wouldn't people say that I am easily jealous?" Wei Changying sneered, curling her lips. "Let alone that this buying and selling thing would make me lose money that should be in my own pocket. I'm not like Cousin Song. I can't learn the way she maneuvers everything smoothly, edifyingly. I think back and forth about it, and there is only one way to deal with a husband like this and all those foxy bitches crawling up his bed!"

She glanced at her brother, softly opened her red lips and claimed, horrifyingly, "Beat him up!"

Wei Changfeng was dumbfounded!

"If Shen Cangfeng dares to have concubines in the future, every time he mentions it, I would beat him up so that he wouldn't even be able to get off the bed for three days!" Wei Changying said while slowly cracking her thin, delicate hands. Her beautiful glowing face was then covered in a murderous haze. She claimed viciously, "If he truly dares to bring someone in, I would close the door and break his legs! If he dares to go out to the brothel and spend the night with prostitutes, I will have him never be able to leave the medicine jar for his life!"

"Not just that. I don't like rude warriors at all! No matter what he likes before, how he lives in the future has to be determined by me!" Wei Changying stated proudly, "He has to drop every habit I don't like! If he doesn't obey, I will beat him up to death! Everything I like, he has to follow them as well! If not, I will also beat him up to death!"

Wei Changfeng looked at his murderous sister, horrified. He reminded her, speechless. "Big sister, nowadays it is important in a society that a lady should follow the three obedience and four virtues. You...if you are like this..."

"I know!" Claimed Wei Changying, scorning. "Am I that stupid? I have my plans!"

Just when Wei Changfeng finally felt relieved, he heard her continued. "Before I beat him up, I will close the door!"

"!!!!!" Wei Changfeng almost puked blood. "What kind of idea is that?!"

Wei Changying smiled scornfully. "As long as nobody from the outside knows about this, who would know that I am pretending to be a virtuous lady?"

"...Big sister, are you so sure that you can definitely defeat Shen Cangfeng?" Wei Changfeng groaned, "How can you have such a ridiculous thought? Shen Cangfeng is a guy, and he is two years older than you. If he can't even handle you, isn't all his martial art learned in vain?"

Wei Changying snorted, "Fifth brother, now you don't understand. The Shen family has been in charge of the army for decades, and they often fight with the western Di tribe. Their passed-down martial art refers to one of the art of war, and another of fighting and killing on horses in the front-line. Why do you think among all our guards I didn't pick anyone else but Uncle Jiang to be my teacher? It is because Uncle Jiang is best skilled at close combat!"

She proudly said, "Since Shen Cangfeng is the best among his family, he is sure to have a great strategy and frontal battle skills. But I have worked diligently for twelve years ever since I was five years old. I got up in the morning as the rooster crowed and didn't rest until the sun set. I didn't even pay much attention to studying literature and women's work. I spent all my effort in close combat. I don't have to fight Shen Cangfeng on horses, only in close combat. He has to learn at least two things, art of war and frontal battle, but I only need to learn one. I've worked so hard in practicing close combat, I don't believe I can't handle him!"

Thinking of these twelve years of hard work, Wei Changying signed and murmured, "Has it been easy for me these years? Let alone other things, simply working hard in martial mart gave me callus on my hands. In order to get rid of the callus, I had to take medicated bath after an exhausting day, and have my maidservant bring me nourishing ointment to apply to my skin, rub it in and do a careful massage... I had to do all this work so I can keep practicing hard while also maintaining a soft, glowing skin... Isn't my perseverance for the past twelve years all for the sake of my future?"

Wei Changfeng was speechless for a long while, then he said, "Big sister, all these things mother asks you to learn now. Aren't they for the good of your marriage? Next year you are going to marry..."

Wei Changying replied angrily, "Yes! I am going to marry next year. Now is the most crucial time, yet mother is still thinking of having me learn women's work like sewing and cooking. These can be fixed easily by bringing a cook and a dressmaker with me as part of my dowry. It's more important for me to master the set of close combat skills from Uncle Jiang as soon as possible, and make Shen Cangfeng obedient to me once the day comes!"

"But big sister, even if you beat up Shen Cangfeng and frighten him, you can't count on him to take care of the household." Wei Changfeng took a deep breath, and said, "And if there are no concubines in the rear house, you have to manage the account statements of the servants by yourself. Shen Cangfeng has been appointed as the Private Guard in Three Guards, replacing his father several years ago, and you can't expect him to stay at home all the time. Big sister, you don't learn anything else but martial art. What happens if in the future you can't even manage the rear house? Do you want people to call you all brawn but no brain?"

Wei Changying replied scornfully, "Managing the household and the rear house can be learned easily in the future, or else I could borrow Granny Shi from mother for a couple of years when I marry. Wouldn't that be enough for me to learn eventually? But making a husband listen is the first priority. A temporary 'all brawn and no brain' isn't bad compared to not focusing on the big picture!"

Wei Changfeng groaned again, and said, "Big sister, you say you want him to listen to you, but that's straight up using violence to control him. Even if you beat him up so he obeys you, wouldn't he hate you for that? After all, isn't mutual love the true path for marriage?"

"Grandfather has decided to marry me to this warrior after only seeing him once!" Wei Changying glanced at his brother fiercely, and claimed in a low voice, "It's good enough that I am not crying my eyes out, now you speak of mutual love? It is because of grandfather's order that I have to agree to this arranged marriage. Since I was young, the only sweet days I can imagine for the future is that I beat him up so that he has to listen to me for the rest of his life, and never make me upset! Mutual love... How could I possibly like a warrior! Since I don't even like him, does it matter if he likes me? What's important is that he has to be obedient to me!"

Wei Changying solemnly told his brother, "Therefore, even if mother continues to make me kneel down for another ten hours, I wouldn't learn those women's work and chores. Kneeling down here is exercising my body and bones! I don't believe that mother will be able to see me suffer for long. Once she feels bad for me, she would surely listen to me, and there won't be any of those things to bother me anymore! If you can't stand the heat, you should go away quickly. Otherwise, if mother sends someone out and sees that you are here, she will hesitate to call me in!"

In the main room of the back house, the curtain hung low, but it didn't feel sultry. It was because there were tanks about half the height of a man filled with ice in the four corners of the room, and four little maids holding palm-leaf fans, fanning neatly and uniformly. Although it was in the summer, it was still cool and enjoyable like autumn. There were two pieces of frozen cheese to hand, and it was the most sleepy noon. Song, the wife of the Wei Family had just finished a day's work and had lunch. It was a good time to have a rest so that she would be fresh to visit the old Madam later.

But Madam Song tossed about for a while on the couch with the bamboo mat, and could not fall asleep.

"How is she now?" Madam Song thought over and did not feel at ease. She sat up with her hair down and asked her wet nurse, Granny Shi, who came to this family as her dowry.

Granny Shi answered embarrassedly, "I just lifted the curtain and glanced through the window. Miss Wei is still kneeling in the sun. It looks very hot out there."

After hearing this, Madam Song hissed and asked, "Did anyone give her water?"

"I did not see that." Granny Shi said carefully, "Madam, it's going to be a very hot day. I'm afraid that Miss Wei can't stand it!"

Madam Song looked very bad. She slapped the small Bintangor table beside the couch with so great force that she almost turned it over. She said angrily, "Don't worry about her! If she doesn't admit her mistake, she won't be allowed to get up! I didn't say where to kneel in such a large yard. She chose a place that was not covered by the camphor tree to kneel deliberately, just to soften my heart. I'm not going to being soft-hearted today! Humph!" After saying that, she put on a poker face, lay down again, and commanded coldly, "No one is allowed to give her water! Let her kneel! If she doesn't admit her mistake and gets sunstroke, you can just call a doctor to see her without telling me! This heartless little thing! Does she really think I can't harden my heart to discipline her!"

Granny Shi answered carefully, "Yes!"

When Madam Song turned her face back and seemed to fall asleep. Granny Shi winked at Huajue and Huaping, the maidservants who were waiting by the curtain, and led them out of the inner room. When they got outside, Granny Shi murmured, "Do you understand what the madam just said?"

Huajue and Huaping looked at each other and whispered, "Shall we give some water to Miss Wei?"

"Take the frozen cheese to her as well. Tell her to eat slowly. It's not good to eat too much cold food on such a hot day." Granny Shi reminded, "Then persuade her to kneel under the tree. In a word, we can't let her stay in the sun any longer!"

Huajue and Huaping answered, and were just about to go out. Granny Shi said again, "By the way, ask her whether she is willing to admit her mistake. If not, persuade her to pretend to faint later."

Huajue said with a wry smile, "I'm afraid that Miss Wei will be stubborn. What if she refuses to listen to me?"

If the eldest daughter of the eldest branch of the Wei family was willing to pretend to faint, she would not refuse to lower her head to Madam Song. Granny Shi sighed, "If she is not willing to pretend to faint, you can coax her into going back to her room. Didn't the madam say that if Miss Wei faints, we won't need to tell her? If we don't mention it, madam will think that Miss Wei is sent back to the room when she faints while kneeling."

The two maidservants understood the real meaning of the Madam Song's words and thanked Granny Shi for her advice. Just when they were about to open the door, unexpectedly, the sound of footsteps came from the veranda outside, soon came to the door and knocked gently on it. A very gentle voice said with a smiling mood, "Can aunt see me now?"

"Quick, open the door!" Hearing this, Shi hurriedly ordered the maidservants to open the door and straightened her skirt again. The door opened, and a girl of about 17 or 18 years old was standing outside. Without any makeup, her eyebrows were black like the distant mountain, her eyes and teeth were bright, and her skin was white like the moon.

Her black hair was tied into a bun, and two Jeweled lotus hairpins were inserted obliquely. She was smiling, showing two deep dimples in her cheeks. Wearing a lotus colored shirt with wide sleeves, a moonlight covert skirt, and a light Fragrance Sachet on the waist, she looked generous and bright. As soon as the door opened, a very comfortable smile appeared on her face. Seeing Granny Shi, she immediately called her.

When Granny Shi saw the young girl, she couldn't help showing her joy. Because the heatwave was rolling outside, she hurriedly invited her and the two maidservants in blue behind her to come in and talk. She closed the door and blocked the heatwave outside. Granny Shi didn't have time to greet her and asked the young girl in a low voice, "Thank God that Miss Song is here. Are you coming for..." Through the door, Granny Shi also accurately looked to the place where Wei Changying was kneeling at that moment.

Cousin Song Zaishui was the niece of Madam Song. Like the Wei Family of Fengzhou, her family was the first-class gentlefolk of Jiangnan, and she was the oldest daughter of the Song Family. Her father, Song Yuwang, minister of public and also the Dazongbo, was the brother of Madam Song. His official career was in the capital, Haojing, and his mother, Wei, died prematurely. In the gentlefolks, the Wei Family of Feng Zhou and the Song Family of Jiangnan had an appointment several generations ago that they were united by marriage from generation to generation. Although they did not only marry people in each other's family, they always preferred each other. Song Zaishui's birth mother was an aunt of Wei Changying and Wei Changfeng, so the relationship between Song Zaishui and Wei Changying was more than close, and she called Madam Song aunt.

Wei died of an illness more than ten years ago. After her death, Song Yuwang ordered Song Zaitian, the eldest son, and Song Zaijiang, the second son, to go back to Jiangnan for burial. Song Zaishui also came back with them. These three brothers and sisters stayed in Jiangnan to observe mourning for their mother. Unexpectedly, after the mourning, Song Zaitian received a letter from Song Yuwang, which asked him to take his brother and sister back to the capital. Song Zaishui was unwilling to leave and took the old madam of the Song family for an excuse to stay. Considering that after Wei's death, Song Yuwang didn't marry again, and Song Zaishui wouldn't have any female elder to teach her if she came back to the capital, the old madam of the Song family also agreed to keep her around to teach her for some time.

This teaching let Song Zaishui stay until that year. At the beginning of that year, Song Yuwang urged her to return to the capital again. Even Old Madam Song also told her to leave, so she left Jiangnan unwillingly. When she passed by Fengzhou, she came to visit her Grandaunt, Old Madam Song, and her aunt, Madam Song and found an excuse to refuse to leave.

Although she stayed in the Wei Family for more than four months, refusing to leave after receiving letters from her family several times and made it clear that she wanted to stay in the Wei Family, no one in the Wei Family dared to despise her. The only reason was that before her mother's death, Song Zaishui got the praise of Zhaoyi, who became the Empress now, and got the golden words of the Emperor, who gave her a Ruyi Jade and promised to let her be Crown Princess after she turned fifteen. This meant that she would become the Empress and a motherly model of the nation in the future!

Therefore, such a trusted old servant, Granny Shi, who regarded Miss Wei as half a daughter and sometimes blamed her, treated Song Zaishui with full respect whenever she saw her.

Although Song Zaishui was born in an honorable family and had a great future, she was not crafty or arrogant at all. Instead, she was modest and gentle, with demeanor. Listening to Granny Shi, she nodded and said in a low voice, "I didn't know about this. Just now the fifth cousin came to see me. Is aunt in there? Is she asleep?"

Granny Shi admired Wei Changfeng's smartness. In fact, she thought about inviting Madam Song's niece to intercede. But Song Zaishui was the Crown Princess to be. How dare they disturb her except for Wei Changfeng?

She said quickly, "Miss Wei is still kneeling outside. How could the madam fall asleep? Miss Song Zaishui, please come in now!"

As expected, Madam Song couldn't sleep. Not only couldn't she sleep, but she was also picking up her ears to all the sound around. Hearing the footsteps different from that of Granny Shi and maidservants coming into the inner room, instead of turning over, Madam Song coughed with airs of greatness and said coldly, "Do you admit your mistake?"

Although she was scolding, the expectation in her tone could be recognized by anyone. The eager scold was more like a hint. The maidservant all bowed their heads and clenched their lips.

Song Zaishui also felt a little funny. She pursed her lips with force and called as usual, "Aunt?"

"Zaishui?" Madam Song immediately felt disappointed. She didn't care to put on airs, turned over and sat up. When she saw that there was not even the shadow of her daughter behind her niece, she asked listlessly, "Why did you come here on such a hot day?"

"I couldn't sleep just now and wanted to find cousin Changying to talk. Unexpectedly, her maidservants were in the room, but I was told that she was here with you." Song Zaishui went to Madam Song and sat down next to her warmly. She hugged her arm and said, "I thought it was quiet in the house now. Maybe my aunt hid something good for cousin Changying and I became suspicious, so I came here to have a look!"

Although Madam Song was full of worries about her daughter's stubbornness, she couldn't help laughing, "How could Changying be more obedient and sensible than you are? If I had hidden something good, I would certainly give it to you, not to her!"

"We must call cousin Changying in to hear that!" Song Zaishui smiled and said, "Let her be jealous!"

Madam Song said angrily, "Don't call her in. As I just said, if she doesn't admit her mistake, she won't be allowed to get up!"

Her words were relentless, but for Granny Shi and Song Zaishui, the people who were familiar with Madam Song's temperament, the real meaning was - after I just lost my temper like that, if she didn't relent, how could I find a reason to ask her to get up?

Song Zaishui couldn't laugh or cry in her heart, but she still said seriously, "Didn't she admit her mistake long ago?"

"What?" Both Madam Song and Granny Shi were stunned.

Song Zaishui said, "When I just came by, my cousin was still there saying that she was sorry for letting you down!"

"Really?" Madam Song was stunned for a while. When did her daughter become so obedient?

"Certainly!" Song Zaishui said seriously, "If aunt doesn't believe it, why not ask about Chunjing and Xiajing?"

These two maidservants both nodded, "We did hear Miss Wei saying so."

Song Zaishui took the opportunity and said softly, "It's so hot outside. Aunt, look at my clothes. I changed them before going out. They just got wet on my way here. I don't know how long my cousin has been kneeling outside. Don't let her get sunburnt!"

Madam Song said with a poker face, "She deserves to be sunburned! She got it all by herself!" Just after saying so, she switched the conversation and said quickly, "Since she has admitted her mistake and Zaishui has interceded for her, I'll let her off this time. Granny Shi, go and tell her to go back to her room! This ignorant girl! I don't want to see her now!" When it came to the last sentence, she struck the table again! She was afraid that others couldn't tell that she was actually a "strict mother".

Granny Shi tried her best to stop laughing. She said seriously, "I will go now."

As soon as she came out of the inner room, Granny Shi put out her hand to cover her mouth. Even so, she couldn't help laughing out. Madam Song saw clearly that her niece and maidservants were lying, but she had been waiting for an out. Naturally, she can't wait to believe it, but she thought it was disgraceful. She was afraid that her daughter would expose Song Zaishui's lie when she came in and met them. Therefore, she had to put on airs, as if she had been still angry with her daughter, and ask her daughter to go back to her room directly.

Pity her! Madam Song couldn't help it. Although her husband Wei Zhenghong was the eldest son of Wei Huan, the head of the Wei family, he had been bedridden with a lingering disease since he was young, so that Madam Song did not get pregnant for nearly ten years after she got married. It was until the ninth year that they found a good medicine, with proper recuperation, her husband began to get better and got Wei Changying and Wei Changfeng. Up to now, Wei Zhenghong still lived in a separate yard without Madam Song. It was not because the relationship between them was bad, but because Wei Zhenghong needed to rest quietly to recuperate and couldn't be disturbed at all.

As the daughter-in-law of the family, in the first nine years after Madam Song got married, she was dreaming of having kids. So after having children, she really treated them with all the care, and couldn't spoil them more. Her indulgence made her daughter Miss Wei Changying very stubborn. The things she believed couldn't be challenged by anyone. Since she was told by someone that Wushu was the best when she was young, she got no interest in what decent girls must learn, such as poetry and needlework and planned to learn martial arts and make a "good future" in her husband's family with her fists.

"Miss Wei is so smart. Ten years ago, she saw through the fact that madam would never be cruel to her own children." Granny Shi hid behind the door and laughed for a while. Then she refrained, wiped the tears out of her eyes, and started to worry again. "But next year, Miss Wei will get married. She doesn't know anything except martial arts. How can she live like that? Madam can't do anything with Miss Wei..."

Feeling refreshed, Wei Changying sat straight on the imperial couch, slowly picking grapes in the frozen cheese with a silver spoon. She was enjoying the same service as Madam Song‒ an ice tank in each corner of the room, with four maids fanning and four chief maids around her. The chief maids were working separately, one massaging Changying's shoulders while another gently pounding her legs, and the other two were carefully drying her hair with a handkerchief. As for Mrs.

He, she was holding a handkerchief and crying in earnest after ordering the maids to serve Wei Changying out of the bath.

"Madam Song is your natural mother and she always doted on you," said Mrs. He, "If you have said any pleasing words, she wouldn't treat you like this..." Seeing Changying's flushed cheeks that have not been recovered after a hot bath, Mrs. He's tears fell from her heart. "She is your natural mother as well as your father's wife. Isn't it reasonable for you to say sorry to your mother? It was more than two hours! Thanks to your clever fifth brother, he asked Miss Song Zaishui for help... If the madam were still embarrassed, how long on earth will you be kneeling? Oh, dear... Look at your little face. Look! Look at that!"

Mrs. He became even sad while talking. What's worse, Wei Changying was still having frozen cheese without responding to her words. So Mrs. He cried out, covering her face with the handkerchief.

Wei Changying glanced at her and swallowed the grapes. "Don't cry anymore," she said frivolously. "Can't you see that I'm alright? It was just for two hours. In the days when I was practicing horse-ride stance with Uncle Jiang, every practice lasted for several hours. And if I dared to move, he would whip me..."

"That fucking old thing," said Mrs. He, pulling off her handkerchief suddenly. Without paying attention to her tears on the face, she gnashed and scolded, "It's all his fault! He is the one who has misled you! When you were little, you looked so delicate like a snowball, and you were the loveliest of all. But that damn wicked old thing turned you into this!"

"What's the matter with being like this?" Wei Changying felt wronged, holding a five-petal sunflower shaped porcelain bowl covered with gold foil and said, "I have practiced for years to become what I am today. And in these years I was healthy and strong. Isn't it great?"

"Practicing martial arts was very difficult," she thought. "How exhausted I was for practicing 12 years without stopping!"

If not that people always tell her that Shen Cangfeng was outstanding among the students of the Shen family, Wei Changying wouldn't have even persisted in practicing. After all, she was not born a warrior.

But her grandfather has already engaged her to a warrior! Wei Changying was a strong person since childhood, so she always disdained to complain. What's more, she would become her husband's wife after marriage, so if she always complained to her parents, they would feel too ashamed to live on.

All she did was aimed to avoid the destiny of being a wife with nothing but a position, while a concubine of her husband possessed everything. Or maybe she would have to bear the concubine's children inheriting the property. And if that happens, she would live a miserable life and die in melancholy without anyone knowing her after a grand funeral...

‒ The thought of such destiny made Miss Wei shiver.

‒ But after all these years, why her efforts aiming to avoid such destiny met strong opposition from her natural mother, wet nurse, and even her brother?

Wei Changying ate a spoon of frozen cheese with anger. "Damn the sewing work, cooking skills, the Women's Commandments and the Women's Principles that emphasize the virtues of being a good woman," she thought, "If all these can ensure women a perfect marriage and help them become beloved by their parents-in-law, how comes the poem of resentment-'the White Flower' in The Book of Songs?"

"Since these things can not guarantee me a peaceful life, why don't I go another way?"

"As long as I am good at martial arts, no matter what Shen Cangfeng is, and whether he has lovers or not, beating him up indoors is the best way to live a happy life."

"Since this guy is quite famous in the distinguished families, I guess he would never tell anyone that he was beaten up by his wife."

Wei Changying believed that her way was the best way.

"No matter what happens, I will always stand still!"

Wei Changying's mother Madam Song and her wet nurse Mrs. He both cared for her, but it seemed that they hoped she could be obedient to her husband.

Having grown up in all the love, Wei Changying believed that a good life meant to live the way she wanted. If she pleaded for her husband's love by possessing those virtues of good women, she would puke blood in grieve before she receives the love!

‒Briefly speaking, there is only one situation in Miss Wei's life‒ being doted by all the people, including her elder family members. Therefore, she could never please others. Even if the person were her childhood-arranged fiancé, she would find a way to let him satisfy her!

"It's not easy to be a daughter of a distinguished family," Wei Changying thought. "I have tried so hard..."

Seeing Wei Changying's aggrieving expression, Mrs. He pulled her handkerchief and almost shouted, "It's good for you to be healthy, but the ladies nowadays have to learn sewing and read the Women's Commandments and the Women's Principles, and you should look delicate as well. If you don't like the Four Arts, at least you should be as diligent as those embroidery and sewing workers, or learn how to make a string bag and cook several dishes!"

She was distressed and said, "Tell me, Miss! Can you achieve any of those I have mentioned?!"

"...There are too many," Miss Wei said with an unpleasant look. "Cut down them!"

Mrs. He wiped her eyes with pleasure. "Well then," she said, "which one would you like to learn first? Making string bags or cooking?"

...After staring at the ceiling for a while, Wei Changying said, "Is there anything that can make me move? Not just staying indoors?"

"Well," after thinking for a few seconds, Mrs. He said, "what about planting flowers? This is also an elegant activity. If you do it well, you can give some to your aunts and sisters-in-law. This can bring you a reputation for caring plants and leave a good impression on your husband's family..."

Wei Changying looked bored and said, "Is a family like us short of gardeners? What's more, even if I become very good at planting, in case my future husband doesn't like plants, isn't it a waste of time for me?"

Mrs. He agreed and said, "You are right. Well... What about playing instruments?" She then lowered her voice, "In the future, you can achieve marital harmony by playing music with your husband in the moonlight. What a wonderful scene!"

"What can a warrior like Shen Cangfeng know about musical instruments?" Wei Changying said with a cold humph, "Hopefully I wouldn't play music to a person who thinks the music noisy. He might kick the instrument!" When Mrs. He was about to console her, she clenched her fist and said to herself, "I'm not a kitty cat! If he dared to do this, I would beat him up with the stand!"

"Miss!" Mrs. He went green in the face and yelled to her. "Poor Miss! It's all that damned old uncle Jiang's fault! You are the daughter of an eminent family, so you should look and act delicate, your words should be soft, and you should remember to be elegant in every expression... How, how could you beat your fiancé! Huh?!"

"I am saving against a rainy day," Wei Changying sighed as she said. "Granny He, I guess that Uncle Jiang has been cursed by you hundreds of times since I was a little girl, but still nothing happened to him. Don't think about him anymore... Here, I have finished the frozen cheese. I want another one!"

Mrs. He forgot about Uncle Jiang immediately. She wiped her face and asked gently, "More grapes as usual?"

"More grapes as usual," Wei Changying nodded.

Mrs. He said kindly, "Have less ice or you'll feel cold. There's ice in the room too."

Wei Changying touched her long hair and casually replied, "Ok." She felt that her hair was about to dry.

A few moments later, Mrs. He prepared the frozen cheese with more grapes and less ice. As soon as Wei Changying ate one grape, Mrs. He returned to the topic, pulled up her sleeves, and continued to scold, "That uncle Jiang is the son of a bitch! You should no longer learn from him! That kind of person can never marry a decent woman even if he has died eight times! What does he know about? You are going to be the Head Mother in the future, so you can not be misled by that damn person..."

Staring at the small cup, Wei Changying had her chin in one hand and smiled as she said, "Uncle Jiang taught me martial arts. How could he mislead me?"

"All in all, he deserves being killed for thousands of times," cursed Mrs. He, the servant of the Wei Family. Her family had been the servants of the Wei Family for generations. She breastfeeded Wei Changying. She was loyal to Wei Changying and treated Miss Wei as her treasure. To Mrs. He, all the mistakes Wei Changying has made were other people's fault. She would always think, "How nice Miss Wei was! But she's now cheated by the evil."

Wei Changying was punished several times by Madam Song because she insisted on practicing martial arts. Therefore, Mrs. He hated Uncle Jiang so much that she had to curse him twice a day‒ before and after Wei Changying practices martial arts, even when Wei Changying was safe and sound.

If anything happened on Wei Changying‒ such as being punished today‒ Mrs. He had to curse at least for several hours.

Anyway, Wei Changying and the maids were used to it.

While Wei Changying was eating frozen cheese and listening to Mrs. He with amusement, someone knocked at the door. She put down the silver spoon immediately and ordered, "Lvyi, go and have a look, quick!"

The maid called Lvyi put down the massage hammer and opened the door in the outer room. They then heard Song Zaishui complaining as she walked in. "Well, well, Changying," she said, "I was having a good nap while Changfeng woke me up and asked me to plead for you. I came under the hot sun and asked Madam Song to set you free. And you? So you are resting here, eating and drinking without caring about me?"

Wei Changying immediately asked her to sit. She then ordered the maid Lvbin to stop massaging and take another frozen cheese for Song Zaishui. "My dear cousin," Wei Changying said with a smile. "My mother has nothing to be afraid of. She likes you the best and always tells me to learn from you!"

Song Zaishui's pretty face still lingered with anger. "How couldn't I be afraid of my aunt," she said coldly. "Don't you know that I never wanted to return to the capital? These days I have made a lot of excuses to avoid seeing my grandaunt and aunt! Look what you two have done! You refused to commit your fault, and your brother woke me up and asked me to plead for you because he cared for you. I thought you would think about me after I have helped you. Even sending me a servant and giving an excuse could help me out!"

She was so furious that she pounded the carved red sandalwood table. "You heartless people," Song Zaishui said as she gnashed her teeth. "Look what you've done! Changfeng thought everything's fine as soon as I arrive! And what about you? You just went away without thinking about me until now! Aunt Song has asked me several times when I will return the capital!"

"I've been shameless enough to live here for four months. Don't you think I have lost my face already?!" Song Zaishui said with anger.