Wife Doting Addiction：My Abducted Tsundere Husband - Chapter 68

Chapter 68: Insane

Ji Yuxian straightened his posture and leaned back. He grabbed Su Jiu’s hand and placed it on the chair with a warm smile. “My wife, seeing how busy you’ve been with disciplining the servants, surely you haven’t had any time to eat. How about you sit down and dine with me?”

The instant he spoke, a servant girl immediately filled a bowl of rice and set down a pair of chopsticks, silver with floral engravings, in front of Su Jiu. “Enjoy, Young Mistress.”

Su Jiu was indeed hungry. She momentarily put aside her confusion as to why Ji Yuxian did what he did. She inhaled deeply. At the moment, it was far more important for her to fill her empty stomach.

She picked up a piece of red, cooked pork, crunchy on the outside and tender within, and stuffed it in her mouth. She complimented the meal with a nod. “The food you have here is delicious!”

“Is that so?” Ji Yuxian smiled mildly. He never thought of the food in his home as particularly delicious.

But as he watched Su Jiu enjoy the food, he began to think that the meal that day was tastier than usual. He watched her quietly, with a smile twinkling in his eyes.

Su Jiu began feasting on a chicken leg. She looked at Ji Yuxian with a tilted head. “Why aren’t you eating?”

“I’m already full. You go ahead and eat.”

Su Jiu nodded her head and continued eating.

Ji Yuxian picked up a cup of tea, He suddenly asked, “My wife, did you learn martial arts when you were at home?”

How would a person who was not skilled in martial arts be able to knock Xie Ying unconscious with a single slap?

Su Jiu started and spoke through her food. “Yeah, I learned a few moves. To strengthen my body and health.”

She didn’t know if Ji Yuxian believed her, but he didn’t ask more questions. He quietly sipped his tea with downcast eyes.

After she was full, Su Jiu subconsciously tried to wipe her mouth with her sleeve, but a servant girl who stood behind her hurriedly offered her a handkerchief.

“Many thanks!” Su Jiu smiled, casually wiped her mouth with the handkerchief, and then shoved it into her pocket. She looked up at Ji Yuxian. “I’m done eating, so I’m going to return. Thank you for dinner!”

“You’re welcome, my wife.” Ji Yuxian gently rested his head on his long fingers and smiled a smile that put moon-lit flowers to shame.

For a moment, Su Jiu felt like the bright sunlight of springtime shook her to her very core. She nodded her head slightly and then turned to leave.

Ji Yuxian, sitting crookedly on the wooden chair, watched as Su Jiu’s silhouette disappeared into the darkness of the night. The corners of his lips unwittingly tugged up in a smile.

Not bad! She didn’t disappoint him.

When Su Jiu returned to Perched Phoenix Pavilion, Nanny and Chang Huan immediately rushed towards her when they saw her approaching. They had been anxiously waiting for her return.

They returned to the bedchamber and closed the doors. Nanny asked worriedly, “Why were you gone for so long? Did Eldest Young Master punish you?”

Su Jiu poured a cup of tea and took a sip. She wiped her mouth and replied, “No. But I did get a free meal.”

Nanny and Chang Huan looked at her in surprise. A free meal?

Su Jiu finished her tea, and then explained what happened when she was in Cloud Pavilion.

Nanny wrinkled her brow. “What does the Eldest Young Master mean by this?”

Su Jiu married into Ji Manor nearly ten days ago. He came to Perched Phoenix Pavilion on the second day and left in the middle of the night looking displeased. After that, he had never come again.

It was clear that Ji Yuxian did not really like Su Jiu.

Why would he punish his beloved concubine to defend Su Jiu?

After pondering for a moment, Nanny let out a sigh. “So it’s true! These big families lack human sentiment. No matter how much Eldest Young Master dotes on Xie Ying, he will always side with you when conflicts arise. Miss, you are his wife and a master in Ji Manor. The rule cannot be broken.”

This was not a problem of who Ji Yuxian liked more, but rather, the problem of protecting the authority of the masters in Ji Manor.

And from this, they saw an example of Ji Yuxian’s stone-heartedness.

Nanny was both happy for Su Jiu and worried.

Was it fortune or misfortune for Su Jiu to marry into a family like this?

“What are you sighing about? I didn’t really marry him!” Su Jiu chuckled.

Nanny pondered quietly.

At this moment, somebody suddenly knocked on the door. “Miss, are you sleeping?”

It was Mrs. Fan!

“Come in!” Su Jiu said.

Mrs. Fan pushed open the door and entered. She walked towards Su Jiu with small steps and looked at Su Jiu with an increased level of respect. She bowed, and said, “Young Mistress, I just received the news that the manor physician has left Lotus Pavilion. Second Young Mistress is not in danger, but she remains unconscious.”

Su Jiu nodded. “Alright.”

“The night is late. Your humble servant won’t disturb you any longer.” Mrs. Fan looked down. She hesitated for a moment, and then added, “No matter how Second Young Mistress tries to retaliate, I’ll protect Young Mistress with my life.”

Was this a declaration of loyalty?

Su Jiu smiled. Loyalty was something to be done, not merely something to be said.

“I’ll be on my way now.”

Mrs. Fan turned to pay her respects to Nanny, and then slowly retreated out of the room.

Nanny said, “It’s indeed getting late. I’ll order a servant to prepare bathwater. Miss, why don’t you take a bath and then retire for the night?”

Su Jiu stood up and stretched lazily. “Alright!”

After the bathwater was ready, Chang Huan retreated. Nanny gently rubbed Su Jiu’s back.

“Miss, we’ll be lucky if what happened today comes to an end. In the future, don’t become angry for me. And don’t punish those servant girls,” Nanny said softly.

Su Jiu sat in the wooden tub. Droplets of water slid down her shoulders, like morning dew on beautiful jade.

“Nanny!” Su Jiu rested her arms on the edge of the tub and spoke mildly. “I’ve been in the Dragon Conqueror Gang since I was a child. The Dragon Conqueror Gang doesn’t keep useless people. Everybody who joins the Gang must face countless tests. The very first test is to trap everybody in the mountains with no food or supplies. Those who survive after ten days may remain in the Gang. The first time I was trapped in the mountains, I was less than ten years old. I survived the test again and again because I understood a principle. If you want to survive, you must never let your heart soften!”

Especially towards malicious people. Soft-heartedness towards your enemies will one day become a thorn in your flesh.

Nanny nodded her head. The same principle was true in the back courtyards of wealthy families. The strong preyed on the weak, and thus, they survived.

“Don’t worry!” Su Jiu rested her head on her arms. Her eyes were bright and clear, almost as if they had been cleansed with water. “I will protect you all!”

Even if they failed to rob Ji Manor, Su Jiu would protect the others to make sure they retreat safely.

Nanny smiled and picked out a towel to pat dry Su Jiu’s hair.

The next morning, Mrs. Fan walked in as Nanny was combing Su Jiu’s hair. Mrs. Fan said respectfully, “Young Mistress, those servant girls are kneeling outside the door, waiting for you to punish them.”

Nanny twisted Su Jiu’s hair into a chignon on either side, and left the rest down. She slid a jade hairpin into the simple but elegant hairstyle.

Su Jiu stood up and walked out the door. She looked at the four girls kneeling by the door. Every one of them was sickly pale and shivering, clearly ill.

But, they looked at Su Jiu with more respect than before.

“If people outside Perched Phoenix Pavilion cause trouble for you, I will be there to support you. But if you cause trouble within Perched Phoenix Pavilion, then you cannot blame me for showing no mercy!” Su Jiu stood with her hands behind her back. Her beautiful face looked stonier than ever.

“Yes, Mistress! We won’t dare to ever do it again!” The servant girls cowered on the ground.

“Go, now. Take some medicine from the manor physician, and get back to work when you’re back to health,” Su Jiu said mildly.

“Thank you, Young Mistress!”

The servant girls frantically thanked Su Jiu.

After the servant girls left, Su Jiu headed towards the dining room. Mrs. Fan followed closely behind, and attentively straightened Su Jiu’s skirt. She spoke with a polite smile, “Young Mistress is indeed benevolent. I have been a servant for many years, and served a number of different masters. Young Mistress is the kindest and most gracious of all of them. If it were somebody else punishing those servant girls, they wouldn’t have allowed the girls to see a physician. In fact, they would probably want the girls to remain ill in order to better remember their misdeeds.”

“Mrs. Fan, is that how you’ve been living in the past?” Su Jiu turned to ask.

Mrs. Fan smiled cheerily. “It’s the same for all servants.”

Su Jiu patted Mrs. Fan’s shoulder. “How pitiful!”

For that very reason, Su Jiu would rather be a bandit, than a servant in a wealthy family.

Mrs. Fan started. She originally thought Su Jiu was poking fun at her. But when she saw the serious expression on Su Jiu’s face, she became uncertain.

Within the next few days, the news that Su Jiu slapped Xie Ying had spread everywhere. There was no longer anybody who dared to challenge Su Jiu.

At least on the surface, everything was peaceful and calm.

People said, however, that Second Young Mistress was still bedridden, haunted by nightmares at nighttime and by spirits in the daytime, or so she claimed.

Su Jiu was quite confused. Did the slap drive Xie Ying to insanity?

She had beaten people to death, and she had beaten people until they were crippled. But she had never beaten anybody insane.

The news of spirits haunting Lotus Pavilion intensified. So much so, that a Taoist was eventually hired to exorcise the spirit. It caused quite a commotion.

Ji Yuxian had been busy recently. The Second Mistress was busy as well with self-cultivation and ignored the matters of the back courtyard. The entire Ji manor watched as Xie Ying continued to fuss.

On this day, Jin Mi spoke to Ji Yuxian the moment he returned to Ji Manor. “A servant from Lotus Pavilion wishes to see you. She claims it’s an urgent matter.”

Ji Yuxian replied, “Is Xie Ying ill?”

Jin Mi was dumbstruck. “Young Master, Second Young Mistress has been ill for a few days! She’s been ill ever since Young Mistress slapped her. I’d say Young Mistress slapped her much too hard!”

“Let the servant enter,” Ji Yuxian said.

“Yes!” Jin Mi replied, and left the room to summon the servant girl.

The moment the servant girl entered the room, she knelt down onto the rug and sobbed. “Eldest Young Master, please come see Second Young Mistress! It’s been two days since she’s had food or water!”

Ji Yuxian narrowed his eyes. “It’s that serious?”

“Yes! Quickly, Eldest Young Master, go see! Or else,” the little servant girl sobbed, unable to say more.

Ji Yuxian walked out the door, taking big strides.

Jin Mi and the little servant girl hurried to follow him.