The Wife of a Loyal Servant - Chapter 24

Just as the dagger was about to plunge into her, a sharp, slicing whistle tore through the air at the final instant. Ling Yu heard the man gripping her let out a muffled groan, and the force restraining her vanished. His fingers slackened, and the dagger clattered straight to the ground.

Her expression changed in an instant. She threw herself into a desperate roll, narrowly dodging that flash of cold steel. Only for the movement to tug at the wound on her lower back, sending cold sweat cascading down her spine.

The very next moment, a pair of powerful hands seized her and yanked her hard against a solid chest.

Already in pain, Ling Yu saw stars as the collision rattled her dizzy.

“Thank goodness… thank goodness you’re alright—thank goodness…” A trembling voice sounded beside her ear.

Cheng Shaotang didn’t dare imagine what would’ve become of his wife had he been a heartbeat later. The terror of almost losing her and the joy of getting her back surged together, tightening his arms around the woman in his embrace without him even realizing it.

Ling Yu felt as though her bones were about to snap in half, the pain in her lower back flaring sharper and sharper with every heartbeat. She wanted to curse the man squeezing the life out of her, but for some inexplicable reason, she couldn’t muster even a shred of strength.

“Sir Cheng, if you don’t let go of your lady, I fear she’ll die at your hands.” Someone finally couldn’t hold back, cleared his throat, and warned in a low voice.

Cheng Shaotang jerked in alarm and instantly loosened his grip. When he looked down at his wife, he found her pretty face drained to a frightening pallor, twisted in pain.

“What’s wrong? Where are you hurt?” He panicked as he looked her over in a hurry.

Ling Yu took several deep breaths. When the pain in her waist finally eased by a hair, she glared up at him viciously and ground out, “Are you trying to finish me off so you can go marry some young, pretty girl?!”

Before Cheng Shaotang could utter a word, the man who had spoken earlier burst out laughing. “Sir Cheng, with your lady shouting with lungs like that, she’s clearly fine. I’ll leave things to you two. I’m going after the other thieves.”

Ling Yu finally noticed that aside from Cheng Shaotang and the thief unconscious on the ground, four men dressed as constables had also arrived. Their leader murmured a few quick instructions, gave Cheng a nod, and then sprinted eastward with two of his men.

The remaining two constables hoisted the thief up from either side. Only then did Ling Yu see the sharp arrow lodged in the man’s back.

“You shot him?” she asked, startled. However, the worry in her voice was impossible to hide.

Cheng Shaotang nodded, and as if sensing her fear, added, “Don’t worry. I avoided his vital points. He won’t die, just some flesh wounds.”

Ling Yu exhaled in relief.

Good. Killing someone and injuring someone were worlds apart. Even if he was a vile criminal, it wasn’t the place of an ordinary citizen to take his life. And someone bold enough to kidnap people in broad daylight… well, he might very well have a powerful backer.

“Did you report it to the authorities?” she asked again.

Cheng Shaotang carefully lifted her into his arms, ignoring her question as he said, “We’ll talk once we’re home.”

“…Alright.” After surviving such a fright, Ling Yu felt utterly drained, answering in a faint voice.

“No—wait, Suwen! Suwen, she…” The moment she remembered Yang Suwen’s unknown fate, anxiety surged up again.

“Don’t worry. Constable Zhang had already taken men to rescue her. They should bring her back soon,” Cheng Shaotang said patiently.

“No… I can’t just leave her like this.” Her voice faltered on the word leave, a flicker of something complex crossing her face before she whispered, “Let’s find somewhere safe to wait for them, alright?”

Cheng Shaotang had wanted to get her away quickly to check her injuries, but one look at her worried expression told him she wouldn’t go anywhere otherwise. He could only nod. “Alright.”

He carried her all the way to the Tenli Pavilion. To her surprise, she saw County Magistrate Guo Qi standing there in plain clothes.

She still felt a bit of fondness for this ‘God of Wealth,’ gesturing for Cheng Shaotang to set her down. With a slight smile, she bowed to Guo Qi. “This humble woman, Cheng Ling-shi*, greets Lord Guo.”

(*TL’s note: 程凌氏 (Chéng Líng-shì) is a formal, classical way to address a married woman: Madam Ling of the Cheng family)

“Very good, very good. Madam Cheng has been frightened. And what of Miss Yang?” Guo Qi stroked his short beard, looking pleased.

“Reporting to you, sir, Constable Zhang has already taken men to rescue Miss Yang. I believe they’ll bring her back soon,” Cheng Shaotang said.

Guo Qi let out a cold laugh. “Excellent. Madam Cheng, rest assured, I will certainly see justice done for you.”

“The mastermind behind this abduction is a man named Liang Fang. He is a wealthy merchant from Mian’an City. He kidnapped us for the formula of a beauty cream that Miss Yang possesses. Before this, he repeatedly pestered her, trying to buy the recipe, but she never agreed.” After thinking for a moment, Ling Yu told Guo Qi everything she knew.

“A merchant from Mian’an City dares to cause trouble in my jurisdiction? I will not let him off lightly!” Guo Qi declared righteously.

Ling Yu secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

The group waited for news at the Tenli pavilion. After an unknown amount of time, the figures of Constable Zhang and his men finally appeared in the distance.

“My lord, we have accomplished our mission!”

“Suwen!”

“Sister Yu!”

The moment Ling Yu saw Yang Suwen, she was overjoyed. Forgetting her injuries, she pushed aside Cheng Shaotang, who was supporting her, and hurried toward her.

Yang Suwen ran straight into her arms, crying and laughing. “I was so scared! I was so scared! I thought I wouldn’t survive this time!”

“It’s all over now. We’re all fine. We’ll live to be a hundred,” Ling Yu comforted her softly.

“Liang Fang ran away?!” Guo Qi’s angry voice sounded behind them, instantly silencing the two.

“Sister Yu, do you think he might come back to take revenge on us?” Yang Suwen asked nervously.

“I doubt it. He can barely protect himself right now. How could he possibly come back to take revenge?” Ling Yu wasn’t completely certain, but she still forced herself to reassure her.

No matter what, the arrest of Liang Fang and the punishment of his accomplices were matters for the authorities, and it wasn’t their place to say more.

Cheng Shaotang escorted them back to the city. As soon as they passed through the gates, they spotted Ling Dachun. The moment he saw them return safely, his legs went weak, and he collapsed to the ground, muttering nonstop, “May the Bodhisattva protect us, may the Bodhisattva protect us…”

Ling Yu couldn’t help laughing. She lightly kicked him. “Brother Dachun, get up. It’s time to go home!”

Once they reached the city, they parted ways. Cheng Shaotang offered Guo Qi a formal thanks, but Guo Qi waved his hand dismissively. “It’s what I should do.”

After pausing for a moment, he asked again, unwilling to give up, “Are you truly not going to consider my proposal?”

Cheng Shaotang said nothing.

“Fine, fine. Come find me once you’ve thought it through,” Guo Qi said, unconcerned.

Ling Yu and the others temporarily returned to Yang Suwen’s home, and Ling Dachun hurried off to fetch a doctor to treat their injuries.

Aside from a more serious injury to her lower back, Ling Yu only had minor scrapes elsewhere on her body. Yang Suwen was in even better condition, though she had a rather severe abrasion on her arm.

A full day and night had passed since her abduction. Although Ling Dachun had already found excuses to appease Scholar Ling and his wife, Ling Yu was still uneasy. Once her wounds were treated, she prepared to take her leave and return home.

“Sister Yu, c-can’t you stay? Uncle Cheng has gone back to his hometown, and now I’m all alone…” Yang Suwen clutched her hand and pleaded softly.

Ling Yu was also reluctant to part with her. After thinking for a moment, she said, “Why don’t you come stay at my home for a while?”

This “home” naturally referred to the Ling household. After all, the Cheng family had an unmarried man, Cheng Shaoan, making it inconvenient for an unrelated, unmarried girl like Yang Suwen to stay there.

“Really? Wouldn’t that be too much trouble?” Yang Suwen asked in delight.

“No. It’s just my parents at home. If you come, they’ll certainly welcome you.”

“Alright, then I’ll go with you!” Overjoyed, Yang Suwen hurried back into her room and packed her things in just a few quick motions.

A mother’s heart is tied to her daughter’s. Even though Ling Dachun came early the next morning to report her safety, Madam Zhou remained uneasy. Even with little Xiao Shitou in her arms, she couldn’t quite focus.

Scholar Ling naturally began scolding again, insisting their daughter had no sense of responsibility.

When Ling Yu finally returned, Madam Zhou was at last able to breathe freely. And when she saw her son-in-law taking the blame for her daughter’s night away, she finally relaxed completely. Even Scholar Ling had nothing more to say.

As for Ling Yu’s injuries, Cheng Shaotang offered a reasonable explanation to smooth things over. Whether it was because his honest reputation had sunk too deep into their hearts, or he truly had the gift of lying without blinking, Scholar Ling and Madam Zhou didn’t doubt him in the slightest.

“That coachman was really something—can’t even drive properly! It’s a blessing she only suffered a few injuries. If she’d been thrown off completely, what would we have done?” Madam Zhou fussed over her daughter, then glanced at the obediently seated Yang Suwen and asked tenderly, “Did it hurt? Poor child.”

“It doesn’t hurt anymore after applying the medicine,” Yang Suwen answered softly.

Seeing that she was about the same age as her daughter, and hearing she had lost both parents, Madam Zhou felt a surge of pity. She pulled the girl close, fussing over her at length, entirely forgetting about her actual daughter, Ling Yu.

Ling Yu didn’t mind. She tugged Cheng Shaotang to the side and lowered her voice. “What exactly did the county magistrate suggest to you?”

Cheng Shaotang pressed his lips together, hesitated briefly, then answered honestly, “He wants to invite me to serve as a constable at the county yamen.”

Ling Yu was stunned. “Why would he suddenly want to ask you to be a constable?”

Before he could respond, she continued, “Brother Dachun told me you personally went to the yamen to seek an audience with Lord Guo and asked him to bring officers to rescue people?”

“That’s right!”

“Now, do people report to the authorities by going directly to the county magistrate’s door?” Ling Yu was somewhat confused.

Cheng Shaotang’s lips curved into a smile as he affectionately smoothed her temples. “Of course not. I simply didn’t want to make a scene in the courtroom, but I needed the government’s help, so I could only go directly.”

Naturally, it had taken him quite a bit of effort to get Lord Guo to agree.

Ling Yu was stunned for a moment before she understood his worry. She lightly bit her lip. “You’re afraid that once this spreads, even if I’m rescued, I’ll be gossiped about?”

Cheng Shaotang nodded. “I don’t want you to fall into that sort of idle talk. Though the innocent are innocent, people’s words are frightening, and rumors grow with every retelling. If such trouble can be avoided, it should be.”

Ling Yu looked at him for a long moment before finally smiling faintly. “Your concerns are very valid.”

Before going to bed, Ling Yu went to Yang Suwen’s temporary room and found her leaning against the bed, lost in thought.

“Sister Yu, your mother is so good. This is the first time I’ve ever felt what it’s like to have a mother.” The two sat side by side, Yang Suwen leaning against her as she sighed softly.

“You’ve never met your mother?”

“I have, but I was too young then to remember anything. My father always said my mother was a very gentle and kind woman. I think… she was probably like your mother,” Yang Suwen said quietly.

Then she looked at her with heartfelt sincerity. “Sister Yu, you’re very good too. If it weren’t for you, I would never have survived today. It must be my father’s spirit in heaven that let me meet someone as good as you.”

Ling Yu’s smile stiffened. She looked away in embarrassment and, after a long moment, said hoarsely, “No, you’re wrong. I’m not a good person.”

Now that she had started, she felt there was nothing left she couldn’t say. “Suwen, I’m a very selfish person, not the good person you think I am. Why do you think I told everyone to split up? Because I’m selfish. I knew you were their main target; by abandoning you, I had a better chance of escaping.”

“I even heard you scream when they caught you, but my steps didn’t stop for even a moment—on the contrary, I ran even faster.”

“Do you know? If only one of us could survive, even if I hesitated for a moment, even if I couldn’t bear it, in the end, I would still abandon you and choose to escape alone.”

Having faced death several times in her previous life, no one feared death or cherished their own life the way she did. Before life itself, everything else was utterly insignificant.

“So, I’m not a good person!”

Yang Suwen stared blankly at her. Ling Yu felt completely thrown off balance by those clear eyes, yet she still forced herself to meet her gaze, watching every subtle shift of expression, waiting only for a hint of disgust to appear.

The night breeze tapped softly at the window and drifted into the room through the lattice, stirring the bed curtains.

She had no idea how much time had passed before she suddenly saw the person before her break into a smile, leaving her momentarily stunned.

“Sister Yu, do you know? If there truly came a moment where only one of us could survive, and you sacrificed yourself for me, I would hate you for it.”

Yang Suwen gently smoothed her long hair and gave a faint smile. “Life is precious. But if the price of living is carrying someone else’s death… then it’s better to die.”