Chapter 93

Chapter 93

When Jiang Chun returned to Dangui Courtyard from the main courtyard, Yu Ancheng had already been waiting in the first-entry inner study for fifteen minutes.

He was a man of an irascible temper. Song Shian had mediated through acquaintances and even paid a personal visit, presenting a finely crafted long sword made by a renowned master. Only then did Yu Ancheng reluctantly agree to take on the task of teaching Jiang Niangzi, Song Shian’s wife, some martial arts.

Unexpectedly, Jiang Niangzi had left him waiting for a full fifteen minutes. What, was she trying to give her master a show of power, hoping to dampen his spirit?

Well, she had made a miscalculation.

He had always been like this, with a dogged temperament. Even the Emperor couldn’t do anything about him, as the saying goes, “It’s hard to change one’s nature.”

What could a woman do to change him?

Although he had heard about Jiang Niangzi’s notable deeds, they were nothing more than slapping some delicate noblewomen.

Did she dare to hit him?

Even if she did, she would have to be able to beat him first.

He wouldn’t just stand there and let her hit him. In martial arts, fists and feet can be unpredictable. If he accidentally injured her, it would be her own fault and couldn’t be blamed on him.

With this mindset, Yu Ancheng met Jiang Chun.

As soon as Jiang Chun entered, she said apologetically, “I’m sorry, I went to the storeroom to find a gift for you, master, which is why I’m late. I hope you won’t take offense.”

With that, she stretched out the hand that had been behind her back and placed a vividly carved Taishan stone talisman on the high table next to Yu Ancheng with a thud. The impact made the lid of the cup on the table jump three times.

Yu Ancheng, however, wasn’t paying attention to that. His eyes were fixed on the Taishan stone talisman, examining it back and forth for a good while.

Still feeling like he hadn’t looked closely enough, he reached out and picked it up, bringing it close to his eyes to inspect it thoroughly from top to bottom, left to right.

The stone used for the Taishan stone talisman was premium Taishan green stone, with a lifelike lion’s head carved at the top and the five powerful characters “Taishan Shi Gandang” painted in cinnabar red at the bottom.

After a moment, Yu Ancheng slammed his palm on the high table and praised in a loud voice, “Fine stone! Excellent craftsmanship! Great calligraphy!”

Only then did he realize that the Taishan stone talisman was given by Jiang Niangzi.

And that he had been upset about being left waiting for fifteen minutes by Jiang Niangzi.

For a moment, he was at a loss—whether to keep holding it or to put it down. The Taishan stone talisman in his hand had suddenly become a hot potato.

Jiang Chun, however, seized the opportunity and immediately said proudly, “Master truly knows his goods. I obtained this Taishan stone talisman by chance and had kept it hidden away, worried my husband might take it and give it away carelessly.

Today, it has come into the possession of someone discerning like you, which is fortunate for it and will not dishonor it.”

She had obtained this item by visiting a pawnshop in the Imperial City.

People from Qi Prefecture didn’t place Taishan stone talismans in their homes, so she hadn’t used it when they moved into the new house.

She had guessed that with Yu Ancheng’s temper, he would definitely get angry about her being late, so she thought of giving him a gift to calm him down.

After all, one feels indebted when receiving favors.

In her system warehouse, she searched through her items and finally picked out this Taishan stone talisman, which was neither overly valuable nor common but sufficiently unique.

Her intuition told her that a martial man like Yu Ancheng would like it.

Seeing his attitude, it was clear that she had chosen the right gift.

Jiang Chun noticed that Yu Ancheng looked hesitant, as if he wanted to accept the gift but felt too embarrassed to do so. She smiled and said, "If Master doesn't want this Taishan stone guardian, and it ends up with someone who doesn't know its value, they might just toss it into a warehouse and forget about it for years or even decades. Wouldn't that be a waste?"

Following her train of thought, Yu Ancheng felt a pang of pain.

This Taishan stone guardian is the finest one I have ever seen. If it were to be misused by someone ignorant, I would lose sleep from the distress.

Either way, it is only natural for a disciple to give their master a gift of introduction. Although Song Shian had already given one on her behalf, there's no rule saying he couldn't accept another one, right?

This wasn't him asking for it. It was Jiang Niangzi offering it on her own accord. No one could fault him for accepting it.

"Coughing lightly," Yu Ancheng said with a serious face, "Then I will accept this gift."

Jiang Chun was radiant with happiness.

His attitude made Yu Ancheng feel much more at ease.

It slightly improved his impression of Jiang Chun as his disciple.

He felt that she wasn't like other young ladies from prominent families who always maintained an air of superiority.

Was it because of her humble origins?

In any case, it significantly reduced Yu Ancheng's reluctance to being her martial arts master.

He asked seriously, "Have you ever studied martial arts under anyone?"

Jiang Chun shook her head, "No, I've only followed my husband's movements a few times when he was practicing swordsmanship, but my husband said that I have great strength and would be more suited for learning martial arts."

Yu Ancheng raised an eyebrow, "Great strength? How great? Certainly not greater than mine."

He was known for his immense strength. Before his legs were injured, the long blade he used weighed eighty jin.

In the entire imperial guard, aside from himself, no one else could handle that blade with such skill.

Jiang Chun said nonchalantly, "A sack of grain weighing one shi? I can easily carry two sacks."

This, of course, wasn't her limit, just her comfort zone.

Even so, it left Yu Ancheng astonished.

One shi equals 150 jin, so two shi meant 300 jin.

She could carry a sack weighing 300 jin? Is she even human?

Before Yu Ancheng could recover from his shock, Jiang Chun said with a grin, "Master, just teach me the moves. There’s no need to start me with basic horse stances.

Once I learn the moves, you can teach me fighting techniques.

Let's go for a fast and efficient approach; there's no need to follow a step-by-step process. That would be too time-consuming."

As for basic training like horse stances, Jiang Chun felt she didn't need it. Her physical condition, even without deliberate training, was better than those who had trained for over a decade.

Coming back to his senses, Yu Ancheng frowned and thought for a moment before nodding, "If it's you, there's indeed no need to start from scratch."

Jiang Chun flashed a brilliant smile.

In her heart, she felt that people had many misunderstandings about her master. Where is his notorious bad temper? Where is his difficulty in communication?

He is clearly a man with a good temper and very approachable.

Jiang Chun stood up, excitedly saying, "Then I'll go change into my practice clothes, shall we start now?"

Yu Ancheng raised his hand to stop her, saying, "No rush. Let me go back and carefully plan out which moves to teach you first and which to teach later. We can officially start tomorrow."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Chun smiled obediently, "I'll do as you say, Master."

Seeing Yu Ancheng rise and hurry out, limping, while carrying the Taishan Stone Guardian, she quickly followed to see him off.

She suspected that her master was in such a hurry to leave not to plan the lessons, but to admire and perhaps even show off the Taishan Stone Guardian to his peers.

But she had no proof.

Jiang Chun personally saw Yu Ancheng off to the second gate, watching him struggle to mount his horse with his good leg before riding out of the Song residence.

She couldn't help but sigh softly.

Clearly, he was a man who insisted on being strong.

Even with a lame leg, he refused to ride in a sedan chair or carriage like civil officials but insisted on riding a horse as usual.

Speaking of which, this was all the misfortune created by the old emperor. If he hadn’t insisted on participating in the Mulan Autumn Hunt at his age and boldly declared that he would hunt a tiger pelt as a seat cushion for Consort Liu, this wouldn’t have happened.

As fate would have it, the tiger was lured out, but two appeared instead of one.

As the saying goes, 'One mountain cannot hold two tigers, unless they are a male and a female.'

These two tigers, a male and a female, directly encircled the old emperor, the accompanying court officials, and the imperial guards protecting them.

Whoever moved or ran was pounced upon.

Even those who stood still couldn’t escape the tigers’ claws and teeth.

The imperial guards fared better; they had martial skills and weapons to protect their lives.

The court officials, however, were in a dire state, with cries of pain ringing out and many being injured.

The ministers who accompanied the emperor to the Mulan hunt were highly favored.

If this continued, there would soon be no one left to attend the small court meetings reserved for these officials.

At the critical moment, Yu Ancheng, the head martial instructor, stepped forward and fought the two tigers.

With the help of the other guards, he successfully killed the male tiger.

Seeing the situation turn unfavorable, the female tiger gave up on the tough Yu Ancheng and lunged at the old emperor.

Yu Ancheng hurriedly flew forward to rescue him, standing in front of the old emperor.

With a snap, his calf was caught in the tiger’s jaws and bitten in half.

At the same time, his long blade stabbed into the female tiger’s eye, twisting and stirring it until the tiger was killed.

Although the imperial doctor promptly bandaged his wound and used splints to bind his broken leg, a few months later, his leg healed crookedly.

From then on, he walked with a limp and could barely move on rainy or overcast days due to the pain.

Under these circumstances, even though the old emperor declared that Yu Ancheng should continue as the head martial instructor, he didn’t have the gall to stay in a position without fulfilling his duties.

In the end, he resigned from the position he had held for over a decade, satisfied with merely the honorary title of "Loyal and Brave General" bestowed by the old emperor. No longer required to attend court or report to the yamen, he simply collected his salary while leading a carefree life.

This was the first time in five years since his leg injury that he was willing to take on other tasks.

Jiang Chun smiled slightly. After all, it was Song Shian, who had both influence and capability, that persuaded such a master to come out of retirement.

As Jiang Chun made her way towards Dangui Courtyard, she instructed Gui Zhi, "Ask Mother Li and Mother Fang to prepare a room in the first courtyard for Lord Yu to rest."

Yu Ancheng and his wife lived in a villa on the outskirts of the capital. The distance was too far for a round trip, so it was certain that he would have to have lunch and rest at the Song family's residence during the day. He would need his own room.

Gui Zhi replied, "Yes, Madam, I'll go speak with the two mothers."

*

After returning to Dangui Courtyard, with nothing much to do, Jiang Chun was about to let Gui Ye help her remove the ornaments from her head, planning to catch a few more hours of sleep.

Last night, Song Shian had kept her awake until the third watch of the night, and she had slept poorly. In her dream, she vaguely remembered dreaming of the original occupant of her body.

Unfortunately, she couldn't remember the specific details of the dream and didn't know if the original occupant had said anything or had any last wishes for her to fulfill.

So, she chose to pretend there was no such thing.

Amitabha Buddha, when a person dies, their spirit fades like a flickering flame, and the original occupant should find peace soon.

Just as Gui Ye was about to pull the first gold hairpin from her head, Gui Zhi's hurried voice came from outside, "Madam, I heard that the matriarch has returned to the manor."

Jiang Chun was immediately on alert.

Over the past few days, she had heard countless people mention the name of the Song family's matriarch, Zhou Shi. Everyone said she was strict and traditional, even more inclined to lecture than the scholars at the Imperial Academy.

Jiang Chun felt a sense of disdain.

From the fact that Zhou Shi doted on her granddaughter Song Shiying, treating her better than the other granddaughters and even some of the grandsons, it was clear that her supposed adherence to rules was merely superficial.

In that case, there was nothing to fear.

What Jiang Chun feared was a matriarch with a rigid nature. Such personalities, formed from a young age, would only become more strict as they aged and were respected and deferred to by others.

With such a formidable great-grandmother above her, Jiang Chun felt that her days of comfortable leisure would come to an end.

Fortunately, Zhou Shi was not such a person and could still be managed.

Jiang Chun raised her hand and said to Gui Ye, "Put the hairpin back."

Gui Ye hesitated for a moment and tentatively suggested, "Madam, perhaps you should change into something more subdued? I've heard that the old lady dislikes flamboyance, and your bright red clothes are a bit too eye-catching."

Jiang Chun rejected the suggestion without a second thought, "If Grandmother dislikes flamboyance, that's her preference, not mine. Why shouldn't I wear bright red?"

Jiang Chun didn't really have a preference for clothing colors. The fabric for this outfit was selected by Song Shiying.

But she had a natural rebellious streak. The more others discouraged her from doing something, the more she wanted to do it.

And so, she walked to the second gate wearing a bright red long jacket paired with a dark blue embroidered horse-face skirt.

Seeing her, Zhong Wenjin, dressed in a simple light blue short jacket and a sapphire-colored horse-face skirt, couldn't help but twitch the corner of her mouth.

She discreetly moved closer to Jiang Chun and whispered, "Big sister-in-law, I heard that the matriarch dislikes flamboyance. Perhaps you should change into something more subdued? The matriarch's carriage has only just entered the city and will probably take another two quarters of an hour to get home."

Zhong Wenjin: “……”

Is this elder sister-in-law blindly confident or simply fearless?

Is this the kind of confidence that comes from having a bridegroom?

What a miscalculation! I should have used the favor of saving his life to force Song Shirui to marry into the Zhong family as our bridegroom.

If that had happened, I wouldn’t be anxiously worrying about whether the matriarch would target me.

Elder sister-in-law is indeed elder sister-in-law, truly calculating!

A moment later, Madame Zhuang and several other sisters-in-law also hurried over.

They were all dressed quite conservatively, in either blue or green, and not even their maids wore clothes in red tones.

Even Song Shiying, the most favored granddaughter of Madame Zhou, had changed into a willow yellow long jacket and a bud green pleated skirt.

Thus, Jiang Chun became the most striking figure in the crowd.

She twitched at the corner of her mouth.

She thought, “Is it really necessary? Is the matriarch some kind of monstrous flood or beast? Everyone is acting as if they’re facing a great enemy, not even daring to wear red clothes.”

After a quarter of an hour, a carriage stopped at the second gate, and an old lady with her hair combed meticulously without a single strand out of place, wearing washed white clothes without a single wrinkle, and a stern, serious expression, descended.

Jiang Chun immediately understood them.

Well, isn’t this just like my high school principal?

How terrifying is she?

Just her standing here, without saying a word, gave off such a strong sense of oppression that one would wish to bury themselves in the ground to minimize their presence and avoid her attention.

Everyone immediately bowed and chorused, “Welcome the matriarch back home.”

Madame Zhou swept her eyes around, which seemed capable of seeing through worldly affairs, and frowned, “Only you few came back? Not a single young master or son returned?”

Madame Zhuang hurriedly replied respectfully, “Rui-ge and An-ge have also returned, but one went to work at the Hanlin Academy, and the other went on duty at the Jinyi Guard.”

Thinking for a moment, she nudged Jiang Chun and then Zhong Wenjin, smiling awkwardly, “But their wives are here.”

Receiving the signal from Madame Zhuang, Jiang Chun and Zhong Wenjin stepped forward and bowed again, saying, “Your granddaughter-in-law pays respects to grandmother.”

Madame Zhou’s brows immediately furrowed into a frown, and she said coldly to Madame Zhuang, “It’s only been a month since the Song family was exonerated, and you’ve already rushed to marry off An-ge and Rui-ge?

Were you in such a hurry that you couldn’t even wait for me, their grandmother, and their father, the eldest son, to return?”

Madame Zhuang, her forehead beginning to sweat, quickly explained, “Please forgive us, Old Madam, but An-ge and Rui-ge were married before the Song family was exonerated…”

Before Madame Zhuang could finish, she was interrupted by Madame Zhou, “Since ancient times, marriages have been arranged by parents and matchmakers. They married without informing us, so the Song family does not recognize these two marriages.”

Jiang Chun, with her fiery temper, could not hold back upon hearing this and immediately interrupted, “Let the old lady know that my husband and I, it’s not that he married me, but I who married him. He is the bridegroom of our Jiang family.”

Reaching this point, she looked up at Madame Zhou and hummed lightly, “Whether the marriage is valid is up to me, the wife, to decide. As the in-laws of the bridegroom, you don’t get to decide.”

Madame Zhou’s eyes widened, and she turned to Madame Zhuang, saying in disbelief, “Madame Zhuang, is what she says true?”

Madame Zhuang stiffened her resolve and nodded, “Yes, Old Madam, that is indeed the case.”

"Nonsense! This is utter nonsense! How could the sons of the Song family possibly become live-in sons-in-law to another family? Which family is worthy of having the sons of the Song family as their live-in sons-in-law?"

Jiang Chun replied in a low voice, "My family is worthy. The Jiang family is worthy."

Madame Zhuang shot a glance at Jiang Chun and silently warned her with her lips, "Shut up."

Shutting up was not an option for Jiang Chun, who continued even more happily, "I saved his life, and he pledged himself to me. My husband and I are both willing. Grandmother, don't be the villain who separates the mandarin ducks. Isn't it better to face reality and adapt to the situation?"

Madame Zhou snorted in disdain and ignored this shameless woman. She continued to question Madame Zhuang, "What is her background and origin?"

The "her" obviously referred to Jiang Chun.

Zhong Wenjin pursed her lips. With the elder sister-in-law attracting all the attention up front, it seemed she had nothing to worry about?

The elder sister-in-law was truly remarkable. She decided to buy some nice things from Pinduoduo Mall to thank her for taking the hit on her behalf.

Madame Zhuang didn't dare to deceive her mother-in-law and replied truthfully, "Shian's wife is originally from Hongye Town, Hongye County, Qi Prefecture, in Daliushu Village. Her family runs a butcher shop, and it's just her and Young Master Jiang, father and daughter."

Madame Zhou was almost amused to anger. "So she's just the daughter of a rural butcher? A rural butcher’s daughter dares to dream of marrying the heir of our Song family, the future clan head, what a joke!"

Jiang Chun, who reveled in provoking others, said, "Why can't she dream? My husband and I have been sharing a bed for a year and a half, sleeping together every night. We're an old married couple now."

Madame Zhou, from a prestigious family and married into the equally prestigious Song family, had never heard such crude and blunt words. She felt a blackout moment.

She held her forehead and said to Madame Zhuang, "Madame Zhuang, just hearing her speak gives me a headache. Tell her to stay out of my sight."

Jiang Chun refused to leave.

If I left just because you told me to, wouldn't that be losing face?

She sprang forward, bent her knees, and scooped Madame Zhou up into her arms.

She shouted, "Oh no, Grandmother is dizzy and can't walk. Let me carry you back to your courtyard. Yin'er, quick, lead the way. I don't know where Grandmother's courtyard is."

Song Shiying quietly gave a thumbs-up to her elder sister-in-law and then said crisply, "Elder Sister-in-Law, follow me. It's so cold outside, and Grandmother has traveled a long way. She must be feeling the cold. We need to send her back quickly."

The sisters-in-law played their roles perfectly, and before everyone could react, they had already walked a long distance.

Madame Zhuang, Madame Li, and Madame Qiu, the three daughters-in-law, hurriedly chased after them.

The younger generations, seeing this, also hurriedly followed.

Madame Zhou only came to her senses after Jiang Chun had been gone for a while. She immediately struggled and said coldly, "Put me down! I don't need you to carry me. I can walk on my own!"

Jiang Chun didn't stop and threatened with a smile, "Grandmother, don't struggle randomly. It's so cold today that my hands are almost frozen stiff. If I don't hold on properly and drop you on the icy ground, it won't be a laughing matter.

You're over sixty, and your bones are as brittle as freshly dug radishes. Bones could snap with a 'crack,' and broken bones are hard to mend perfectly.

For example, my master, Instructor-in-Chief Yu, became lame after his leg bones didn't heal properly and grew crooked, losing his position as the head instructor of the imperial guards.

Your body isn't as resilient as my master's. It might even be that you'll be bedridden for the rest of your life.

Tsk, that would be truly miserable!"

Zhou Shi was speechless with outrage. "Are you threatening me?"

Without waiting for a response, she continued, "Yu Ancheng, the Head Martial Instructor? A man like him, how could he possibly take on a woman as his personal disciple?"

Jiang Chun explained with a grin, "It's not 'Shifu' as in 'master,' but 'Shifu' as in 'tutor,' the 'Fu' in 'Tai Fu.' There’s no formal initiation, no official entry into the master’s school."

Zhou Shi was greatly puzzled. "A tutor An'er found for you? When did An'er become so unreliable?"

It must be this daughter of a butcher who misled him!

Jiang Chun said with a grin, "My husband is often unpredictable, but, alas, those are things I cannot disclose..."

Zhou Shi: "..."

As an experienced woman, she couldn’t help but understand the implications of those words.

Now, not only did her head throb, but her ears ached as well.

She had never met such a brazen woman, one who dared to speak so freely!