Chapter 152: The Storm Subsides

Chapter 152: The Storms Begin to Clear

At the end of October, the temperature had already dropped, and dawn broke late. Long before the first crow of the rooster, the grand Su estate awakened from its slumber, gradually stirring back to life. Last night had been fraught with chaos, and today was destined to be a day of bustle and confusion.

When Ning Yi woke up, a faint light flickered outside the window. Xiaochan, long accustomed to his routine, was already out of bed, boiling hot water in the small kitchen. Her slender figure glided back and forth across the corridor, her steps light as she hummed a soft, delicate tune.

With so many events unfolding the previous night, all three maidservants had been involved. It was already very late by the time Ning Yi and Su檀er returned from outside the city, and everyone had retired only then. Ning Yi practiced the internal arts taught by Lu Hongti, which were quite beneficial for physical cultivation; sleeping just two hours a day was enough to restore his vigor. For Xiaochan, however, such a schedule was rather taxing on her mind and body. Yet, judging by the sound of her voice, the young girl’s spirits seemed quite good, though a moment later, she gave a soft cough, whether from the smoke or something else.

Not long after Ning Yi lit the oil lamp in his room, Xiaochan arrived in perfect coordination, carrying a basin of hot water. When the door opened, the morning wind wailed, causing the lamplight to flicker wildly. Xiaochan quickly kicked the door shut. She had also just gotten out of bed, wearing a thin, light-pink quilted jacket, her hair not yet properly styled, which only made her look all the more fresh and endearing. After placing the washbasin on the stand, she came over to the bed to adjust Ning Yi’s mosquito net.

"The wind is fierce this morning, and it's quite cold. It might even rain. Are you still going out for your run, Master?"

"Mmm, it isn't raining yet, is it?" Hearing the sound of the wind whistling past the eaves outside, Ning Yi looked Xiaochan up and down, placed a hand on the young maid's forehead, and frowned. Xiaochan blinked, her face full of bewilderment. "Master, what is it?"

"You seem to be coming down with a cold." Ning Yi got out of bed, draped an outer robe over Xiaochan’s shoulders, and pressed her down to sit on the edge of the bed. Looking her in the eye, he made a decision: "Go back to your room and sleep for a bit longer. It's cold; pull another blanket over yourself."

Xiaochan reached up to feel her own forehead for a long moment. "N-No, I'm not. I don't feel hot at all."

"Of course you wouldn't feel it yourself when you've caught a cold. We went to sleep so late last night, the wind is blowing this hard this morning, and you're wearing such thin clothes."

He walked over to the washstand, wrung out a towel, and washed his face with a serious expression. Xiaochan defended herself from behind him, "I'm fine; Xiaochan has a very strong constitution..."

In truth, although Xiaochan and the other maids appeared delicate, they constantly bustled about with various chores, making their physical health much better than that of ordinary people. Even Su檀er was far from as frail as the typical young ladies of wealthy households. However, Ning Yi had no intention of arguing with her. Once he finished washing his face, when Xiaochan came over to take the washbasin, he caught her hand and pulled her out of the room.

Although Xiaochan and Ning Yi were close at heart and had already shared numerous physical contacts, practically belonging to him, this status had not yet been fully realized before the mistress truly consummated her marriage with Ning Yi. Being pulled by the hand like this instantly made her blush. Too timid to argue, she lowered her head and followed Ning Yi outside.

The courtyard was still quiet at this hour. Juan'er and Xing'er did not need to serve Ning Yi in the early morning, and since they were exhausted from the previous night, they had not yet risen. When Ning Yi pulled Xiaochan to the door of his bedchamber, she whispered a few words of protest: "But... there's still work to do. Since I'm already up, I need to boil the water... I'm really not sick..."

Ning Yi smiled, pushed the door open, nudged Xiaochan inside, and pointed at the bed. "Go to sleep. No talking back."

Xiaochan wrapped herself in Ning Yi's unlined robe, sat on the edge of the bed, and pouted. "Master didn't sleep much longer than I did."

Ning Yi chuckled. "I am a first-rate martial artist endowed with peerless skills. How can an unnamed nobody like you compare with the Blood-Handed Human Butcher? Be a good girl and listen."

Though he was not particularly old himself, whenever he conversed with Xiaochan, he always treated her like a child, using phrases like "Be a good girl" and "No talking back." Deep down, Xiaochan was quite displeased with this—she especially disliked being treated like a child by her master—yet whenever Ning Yi spoke in that tone, she could only obediently obey. Pouting, she glared at Ning Yi for a moment before finally taking off her shoes. Still wrapped in Ning Yi's single robe, she burrowed into the blankets, leaving only her small face exposed.

Ning Yi walked over to the bedside, looked at the young woman's resentful expression, and smiled. After a long moment, he bent down and kissed her on the forehead. Xiaochan blinked, her face instantly catching fire as she froze, completely lost for words.

***

By the time Ning Yi turned, blew out the lamp, and stepped outside, closing the door behind him, Xiaochan finally pulled her hand out from under the covers, pressed it against the spot on her forehead where she had been kissed, and then covered her burning-hot face. The room was dark and dead silent. The sound of the post-drop temperature wind filtered in from outside, and wrapped tightly in the quilt, the young maid felt as though her entire body was enveloped by her master's shadow, brimming with warmth. Only the dizzy, floating sensation made her think that perhaps she really had caught a cold after all...

In reality, Xiaochan’s health was fine, showing no signs of a cold. Yet, he had seen all the hard work she had put in over the past few days. Now that matters had been settled, it was time to let her rest for a while.

He returned to his room to empty the washbasin, then headed over to the small kitchen. The firewood in the stove was still burning; Xiaochan had mentioned earlier that since she was already up, she might as well boil some extra water for Juan'er and Xing'er to use later. The water still needed some time to boil, and with nothing else to do for the moment, Ning Yi stood by, watching the fire and tossing in a few pieces of firewood. Then, he heard a faint "creak" from the courtyard. A white figure emerged from the doorway opposite and walked toward him.

In the faint light, the figure's demeanor vaguely resembled that of Su檀er. She was dressed in a white single gown and long trousers, the white silk trouser legs decorated with two small yellow flowers, and her feet shod in moon-white embroidered shoes. She looked to be in her sleepwear, having draped a long coat over her shoulders as she gathered it around herself while walking toward the kitchen. Recognizing Ning Yi, she smiled faintly, walked into the room, and crouched down by the stove beside him, likely because she was a bit cold. The firelight cast her delicate, exquisite curves into Ning Yi's eyes.

"Where's Xiaochan? I thought I heard her boiling water here just now."

"She didn't sleep much either, so I sent her back to her room to rest."

"You shouldn't have to trouble yourself with chores like this, Husband..."

Su檀er had not yet reached the point of showing such deep consideration for her maids, but as for Ning Yi, he simply hadn't considered casually tending a kitchen fire to be any sort of big deal. He picked up another piece of dry firewood and tossed it in, a crackling sound rising from the flames.

"It's nothing. They've all been exhausted these past few days. What about you? Why are you up so early?"

"I..." Su檀er squatted there, shifting her weight on her toes as she gazed at the fire in the stove, ignoring his question. Softly, she asked, "Is Husband going out for his morning run again?"

"Mmm. It isn't raining today either."

"These past few days... perhaps you shouldn't go?"

Su檀er glanced at him, and after a moment of thought, Ning Yi understood. Last night's affairs were not entirely concluded yet. The men of the Hundred-Blade Alliance were, after all, not as orderly as a regular army. When they finally cornered Oupeng and twenty-some others, those men fought desperately to break through. By the time the government troops arrived, four or five of them had still managed to fight their way out in a bloody battle, and Oupeng had even dragged the heavily injured Xi Junyu away with him.

The Hundred-Blade Alliance held considerable influence around Jiangning, and a manhunt had been launched immediately, but the final outcome remained unknown. When the government soldiers rushed in, Ning Yi, Su檀er, Su Boyong, and the others had no choice but to withdraw as quickly as possible.

Su檀er had not slept much either. Yet, guessing she had this on her mind and had been unable to speak with Ning Yi about it last night, she had rushed over upon hearing movement to urge Ning Yi not to leave the house for the next few days until the situation blew over. That she had hurried out of bed without even changing her clothes or styling her hair, throwing a single coat over her nightgown, showed just how deeply concerned she was. Even so, her tone of voice remained as casual as everyday family chatter.

Ning Yi smiled, indicating that the matter was of no great consequence and she needn't worry.

In truth, there were indeed reckless and ferocious people who, after suffering a defeat, would immediately launch a counterattack to catch their opponents off guard. However, given the bizarre circumstances of yesterday's ambush, those men were probably still bewildered by what had happened. Even if they managed to escape, they were severely injured, and their accomplices were being hunted down by the Hundred-Blade Alliance. To come after him at a time like this would not be bravery; it would be sheer stupidity. The probability of that happening was extremely low. Having tasted the sweet fruits of martial arts, Ning Yi's confidence had greatly increased, and he couldn't be bothered to dodge and hide over such an unlikely scenario.

The two chatted softly for a while, exchanging a few lighthearted remarks about household trivia. Once the water boiled, Ning Yi subdued the flames in the stove a bit. Su檀er offered a few words of caution before wrapping her coat tightly around herself and heading back to her room. Viewed from behind, her figure still appeared slender and frail, but the smile she gave when she turned back was warm and serene. With so many matters now settled in her heart, the nineteen-year-old girl looked precisely like a nineteen-year-old girl should.

That morning, he ran his usual exercise route along the original path, and indeed, no one came to harass him. He spent a while chatting with Nie Yunzhu at the small pavilion, discussing matters concerning the location, decoration, and high-potency liquor of the Zhuji branch shop, without mentioning a single word about the events of the previous night. It was only when Yuan Jin'er bounced over full of vibrant energy to tease him about writing a new ci-poem that he stood there blankly for a moment.

Ning Yi might not have brought it up, but how could Nie Yunzhu not know about the recent changes in the Su family? Naturally, she had been paying attention. With Yuan Jin'er acting as a bouncing, running intelligence agent, the moment the poem spread last night, Jin'er heard about it immediately.

***

When Ning Yi had rushed outside the city the previous night, the two women had been discussing these very events in their boudoir, piecing together the occurrences of the entire evening.

Yuan Jin'er had a sharp tongue but a soft heart. While she never had anything nice to say about Ning Yi himself, she regarded him as a very special "insider" largely because of her relationship with Sister Yunzhu. For instance, her competing with Ning Yi for Sister Yunzhu's affection was one thing—that was an internal conflict—but facing outsiders was an entirely different matter. As for Yunzhu's state of mind, it went without saying.

Strictly speaking, they hadn't participated in these events, and their connection to them was slight. Yet, as Jin'er chattered endlessly and Yunzhu listened with a smile, occasionally chiming in, the small pavilion was situated quite far from the Su residence. Yet in this little haven by the riverbend, the two women felt a joy that seemed even more worth celebrating than if something wonderful had happened to themselves.

Ning Yi still knew nothing about the poem *Duo Fengbo*, so Yuan Jin'er embellished the story as she recounted the commotion at the Changyun Pavilion and Yuexiang Tower last night, repeating lines like, "With bamboo staff and straw sandals, light as riding a steed; what is there to fear!" Yunzhu would occasionally smile and chime in with a supplementary detail.

In the end, Ning Yi could only spread his hands with a helpless smile. "I've gone and made a name for myself again."

"Ten steps to scheme against Ning Liheng," Yuan Jin'er critiqued playfully. "This fellow is far too sinister and cunning. Sister Yunzhu, you shouldn't pay him any mind in the future, or he'll sell you off and you'll still be helping him count the money."

Yuan Jin'er cast a smiling glance at Ning Yi and remained silent. In truth, she had already given her heart to Ning Yi; being with him was no different from being "sold" to him, except that she trusted his character. The notion that Ning Yi would ever sell her out was something she simply didn't believe—such a thought didn't even warrant consideration, and her heart remained entirely untroubled. After a long moment, she smiled at Jin'er and said, "Hardly anyone even recognizes me anymore; I wouldn't fetch a high price anyway. If anyone is to be sold, selling you, Jin'er, would be the worthwhile deal."

Jin'er rolled her eyes. "Hmph, I'd never let myself be sold to anyone."

After such idle chatter and laughter, he left the small pavilion and made his way home. It was still morning when he arrived back at the little courtyard—just the usual time to sit down together for breakfast. Over the past few months, the courtyard had generally been rather quiet. However, upon returning today, many people greeted him along the path. Reaching the courtyard entrance, he found a crowd of maids and pages gathered outside, while voices of conversation drifted from the reception parlor inside, with several maids carrying teacups in and out of the doorway.

Ning Yi walked up to the entrance and glanced inside, only to discover that Su檀er was already up and fully dressed. Seated in the room were several paternal cousins, alongside two uncles and elders from the clan. Su檀er sat in a lower seat, smiling as she conversed with them. Her expression was poised, intelligent, and elegant; the youthful clarity of the nineteen-year-old girl from a short while ago had once again been neatly masked beneath it.

In the past, when Su檀er entertained guests, Ning Yi usually lacked any real presence. But the moment he appeared at the doorway, preparing to walk past, the people inside spotted him. Within a fraction of a moment, the entire courtyard fell into a hush. Seeing him, Su檀er turned around and smiled, rising to her feet. "Husband is back."

Ning Yi exchanged greetings and bows with these relatives one by one. Now that they finally began to take Ning Yi seriously, they realized they didn't quite understand his temperament and weren't sure what to say to him first. Ning Yi smiled and said, "Please, everyone, continue chatting. I don't really understand these matters; I'll go have Xing'er and the others prepare breakfast." With that, he walked away just as casually as ever.

Leaving the parlor and returning to the small pavilion across the way, intending to have Xing'er prepare breakfast, he was greeted instead by Xiaochan, humming a little tune as she carried a tray toward him. She looked at Ning Yi, her face flushing slightly before she pouted. "Master, I'm really not sick."

A moment later, she added earnestly, "I slept right until just now," clearly afraid that Ning Yi would send her back to bed.

Shortly after, Ning Yi, Su檀er, and this group of relatives partook of breakfast in an adjoining room. Most of these people were close to the main branch of the family, though not quite closely enough. Though they spoke of mundane family matters to foster ties, what they truly wished to discuss was, naturally, business.

Throughout her conversation with Su檀er, everyone occasionally glanced at Ning Yi's expression, watching to see if he would offer any input. Their insinuations, hints, and underlying thoughts were crystal clear to Ning Yi. Yet, since he genuinely cared nothing for these affairs, throughout the entire breakfast—aside from the occasional polite invitation to eat—he simply buried his head in his bowl, slurping porridge and eating vegetables. The onlookers could not fathom his attitude; some even wondered if this man truly cared nothing for the household's affairs.

In truth, what occupied Ning Yi's mind at that moment were likely the ripples caused by the spread of *Duo Fengbo*, alongside such idle comments as the moniker "Ten Steps to Scheme." When he went to his lectures today, he would definitely have to give Xiao Qi, that blabbermouth of a girl, a thorough scolding. Then again, considering her father had been played so brilliantly by him, she was probably having a hard enough time as it was. He would magnanimously forgive her and offer some words of comfort instead.

Naturally, there were also those who believed his silence indicated a deliberate withholding of his stance, suspecting he would consult privately with Su檀er later. Among those present, probably only Su檀er possessed a rough understanding of Ning Yi's true nature, and she found the scene secretly amusing.

As for what kind of temperament her eccentric husband truly possessed, it would likely take a long time for everyone else to truly comprehend. Or perhaps, for many people, they would never understand it at all...