Nan Zhi did not wander far with Ma Chunxiang. She pretended to admire the courtyard’s rockery and flowing water, while her eyes inconspicuously drifted toward where the Wang father and son were.
Ma Chunxiang hesitated, looking as if she wanted to say something.
But seeing that they were standing quite far away—so distant that even someone with eight ears would likely fail to hear anything spoken inside—she did not stop her, instead keeping Nan Zhi company to view the flowers.
In truth, Nan Zhi genuinely could not hear what the father and son were discussing.
But she had eyes.
Everything the NPCs said was written clearly in the speech bubbles floating above their heads.
In the main hall, the Wang father and son dismissed the servants, shut the doors, and began talking in hushed tones.
【Young Master Wang: Father, why did you deceive that Butcher’s Daughter just now and pin the haunting on the Qu family?】
【Young Master Wang: She already accepted our silver before. If she can’t even handle such a trifling matter, wasn’t our silver given to that Butcher’s Daughter entirely wasted?】
【Master Wang (Wang Fugui): Fool! The haunting in the distillery is at most a street rumor; no one has actually seen it.】
【Wang Fugui: By bringing someone from the Demon Suppression Division here with such fanfare, aren’t you essentially sounding gongs and beating drums to announce to everyone that our distillery is tainted by unclean things?】
【Wang Fugui: It’s one thing if such rumors reach the ears of common folk, but if the noble dignitaries above learn of it, the reputation of our “Immortal Drunk” will be utterly ruined!】
【Young Master Wang: At worst, we just give that Butcher’s Daughter a bit more silver. She used to be a half-wit, so surely she hasn’t seen much of the world.
Besides, Brother Zhou’s death at the jaws of that tiger demon is inextricably linked to her. If you calculate it carefully, that Butcher’s Daughter still owes our family a life.
Aunt was crying her eyes out just a few days ago. Father, have you truly forgotten?
If she dares to blab outside, at worst, we can find people to overturn Nan the Butcher’s meat shop.
I refuse to believe that out of all the capable and extraordinary people under heaven, we can’t find someone to serve our household.】
Oh-ho.
Just a moment ago, he was respectfully addressing her as “Lord Nan” with every breath, yet the moment he turned his back, it became “Butcher’s Daughter”?
She had wondered why the Wang family seemed to have completely forgotten about Zhou Dalang’s existence. Turns out they hadn’t forgotten at all; they were harboring malicious intent.
Nan Zhi slowly plucked a peony from the garden, a beaming smile on her face, yet her eyes brimmed with murderous intent.
In the front hall, Master Wang was still coughing as he lectured his son:
“Cough, cough! Fool! Fool! I, Wang Fugui, have been shrewd all my life, so how did I sire such an idiot like you?!
Do you know what kind of place the Demon Suppression Division is? In the past, if she were merely a capable young woman and you wanted to vent anger for your aunt, killing her secretly wouldn’t have mattered.
Yet now that she has entered the Demon Suppression Division, she belongs to the Emperor and is a disciple of the immortals! Whoever dares to lay a hand on her is making an enemy of the Emperor and the immortals!
Never mind the death of a nephew—even if my own biological son died, this old man would still have to treat her with utmost courtesy and respect, at least making the etiquette flawless on the surface so no one can find fault!”
Seeing that Young Master Wang was still defiant, Master Wang let out a deep sigh:
“Son, Father knows your pride runs high. But in the eyes of the nobles, a family like ours—no matter how much wealth we amass—is nothing more than a lump of mud to be kneaded however they please!
Look at the Qu family. In the past, their threshold was bustling with visitors, their prosperity like oil poured on a blazing fire. Yet once they fell into crime, look at how utterly ruined they became in just a few short years.
If your father hadn’t arranged for you to marry Lady Ma early on, I fear the Qu family would have entangled themselves with our Wang family sooner or later.”
“What does the Qu family even amount to? I looked down on them back then, and their actions now are even more despicable!
I heard Mother say that back then, that Old Man Qu only took you in as an adopted son because he took a fancy to your brewing talent, and even wanted to marry his daughter to you.
Later, when the Qu family fell into crime, Father, who knows how many strings you pulled to save their women and children! Old Man Qu’s daughter hanged herself—what did that have to do with you?
Once the Qu family fell into ruin, spending a little silver to occasionally provide them with relief was more than enough. Yet that old Qu hag didn’t know her place, insisting on adopting a girl from a branch family to betroth to me just to cling to our household!”
Young Master Wang gave a cold snort and said nonchalantly:
“Father, I think you’re just too soft-hearted, always dwelling on past ties with the Qu family, which is why we end up on the losing end.
If you ask me, this Qu family matter is easy to resolve. If they truly dare to come knocking and make trouble, I’ll find a few ruffians to smash up the Qu residence. Even burning down their shop wouldn’t be an issue.
If that really fails, I can secretly hire people to kidnap that daughter of the Qu family, keep her outside for a night, and then send her back in broad daylight...”
Nan Zhi’s fists clenched tight.
Ancient times were harsh toward women. If a woman spent a night alone outside, even if nothing happened, in the eyes of others, her chastity was gone.
For the daughter of the Qu family, this was tantamount to driving her to her death.
Young Master Wang’s viciousness went far beyond Nan Zhi’s expectations.
“Shut your mouth! You... you unfilial wretch! Cough, cough, cough!”
Before the words had settled, Master Wang was trembling with rage. He kicked Young Master Wang in the knee and began flailing his walking stick furiously against him:
“You heartless beast! What utter nonsense are you spouting?!
Back then, if Master Qu hadn’t taken this old man in as a servant in his household, how could your father have achieved what I have today?!
How could you enjoy today’s life of luxury and fine clothes?! In the past, you were a good-for-nothing who chased after loose women, and I let that slide. But how could you harbor thoughts of ruining the virtue of the Qu family daughter?!
I told you long ago not to associate with those worthless scoundrels, cough, cough, cough, but you refused to listen...
Cough, cough! You are meant to enter officialdom in the future! If someone catches wind of such a handle on you, what will you do then?! Cough, cough, cough!”
Caught off guard, Young Master Wang took several hard blows from his father. Aching with pain, an involuntary layer of resentment crept onto his face.
“Fine, cough, cough, cough... In any case, this foundation will eventually be handed over to you and your wife, cough, cough... Tomorrow, tell Lady Ma to attend to me.
It is also time to pass down the secret recipe for ‘Immortal Brew.’”
Seeing how incorrigible his son was, Wang Fugui waved his hand wearily, tapping his walking stick against the floor:
“You unfilial wretch, beating you today is to make you remember that a real man must never lose the greater good for minor gains. You have a bright future ahead of you. You must not act recklessly in a fit of impetuous bravado and leave behind a handle for others to use against you, cough, cough, cough...”
“Father! Have you truly gone senile from illness?! Even though Lady Ma is my new bride, she is ultimately an outsider. How could you pass the recipe to her?!”
Young Master Wang’s eyes widened in disbelief:
“I begged you for so long in the past, yet you never agreed to pass the recipe to me. Now that a new bride has entered our household, you want to give it to her instead? What kind of sense does that make?!
In this world, there is no precedent for bypassing one’s own biological son to hand over the craft of one’s livelihood to someone else!”
“Enough!”
Wang Fugui closed his eyes impatiently and said harshly:
“Just remember this: Father is doing everything for your own good. According to the dynasty’s laws, commerce is lowly, and officials are strictly forbidden from engaging in private business.
You are to pursue an official career in the future, and you and Lady Ma have no children yet. If this secret recipe isn’t given to Lady Ma, should it follow me into the coffin when I die?!
As for the haunting in the distillery, you need not concern yourself with it anymore.
That thing has been like this for over a decade; it’s just making a bit more trouble this year...
In a couple of days, I will have your mother visit Jiming Temple to request a spirit talisman, and all will be well.”
Having said that, Wang Fugui called for servants to help him back to his room to rest, completely failing to notice the deep hatred in Young Master Wang’s eyes.
...
“Lord Nan? Lord Nan? Is there... something wrong with these flowers?”
In the Wang Manor garden, Ma Chunxiang asked cautiously, looking ready to uproot the entire patch of peonies the moment Nan Zhi gave a nod.
“It’s nothing. I just suddenly remembered something and won’t be able to accompany the Young Mistress to view the flowers.”
Recovering her senses, Nan Zhi looked at Ma Chunxiang, an involuntary trace of concern showing in her eyes.
So there was such past history between the Wang and Qu families.
Wang Fugui—Master Wang—was once merely a hired hand in the Qu Family Distillery.
Later, who knew what had occurred, but the Qu family was convicted of a crime, while he transformed into today’s wealthy Master Wang, building such a vast family fortune.
“Like this for over a decade.”
Mulling over Wang Fugui’s words, it was clear he had long known what kind of thing was haunting the distillery; he simply found it inconvenient to tell her.
As for who that daughter of the Qu family was who hanged herself...
Nan Zhi had already guessed much of the truth in her heart.
Wang Fugui was plagued by karmic debt, which surely was tied to those past events.
With such a husband and father-in-law, Ma Chunxiang’s future days were unlikely to be easy.
“Lady Ma, you might not like hearing this, but I must say a word.”
Nan Zhi spoke tactfully, “Women living in this world already have a harder time than men. If you ever run into difficulties, feel free to come find me.”
Ma Chunxiang did not catch the underlying meaning, assuming Nan Zhi was merely exchanging pleasantries, and smiled in response:
“Naturally. Who in Dingyuan doesn’t know how capable you are, Lord Nan? If I encounter any troubles, I will certainly be the first to seek you out, my Lord.”
Nan Zhi could not explain further and had to let it drop.
—After all, in the other woman’s eyes, she was merely a stranger met for the first time.
If she directly told her, “Your household’s haunting is probably because your father-in-law did something shameful years ago, which is why he is now plagued by karmic debt and won’t live long,” she would probably just get kicked out immediately.
Forget it. Take it one step at a time, and save who she could.
Having said all she could, Nan Zhi nodded and took her leave.
Right at that moment, the system notification chime sounded right on cue:
【Long-term Quest: Wanniang Has a Grievance (I)】
【Quest Description: Thirty years ago, Qu Wan was the finest brew-mistress in Dingyuan County. The fine wine she brewed could make princes dismount and immortals pause in their tracks.
Yet she met the wrong man. The Qu family was convicted because of wine and fell into ruin overnight, while Qu Wan met the tragic end of being strangled to death.】
【Qu Wan is at the City God Temple. She seems to be in dire need of your help.】
Rate on N.U.
