Chapter 57: The Coldness of Human Nature
Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW
You can buy coins here to unlock advanced chapters: https://gravitytales.com/coins-purchase-page/
See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil, do no evil.
The words of sages, regardless of Buddhism or Taoism, could be heard and understood by all people. As for whether people could actually achieve this, that was no longer the sages’ concern.
After chanting mercy at the doorway for a long time, Xu Yan finally felt much better, though he still had lingering fears.
He finally understood one truth – sometimes women were more terrifying than ghosts…
Xiao Cui sneaked over, as if afraid of being seen caring for Mei Sanniang. When she arrived, she didn’t have time to acknowledge Xu Yan and hurriedly entered the room.
With someone to care for Mei Sanniang’s bathing, Xu Yan felt relieved. Returning to his own room, he quickly drank a large pot of tea to calm his nerves, then took out several herbs he had taken extra from the Mei family pharmacy and began brewing them in a medicine pot.
He also needed to treat his own injuries. Since the Mei family had mountains of medicinal materials, it would be wasteful not to use the ready-made herbs.
“These three days, has my father come by several times?”
Soaking in the wooden tub, Mei Sanniang inquired of Xiao Cui, her voice so calm it carried no emotion. Behind her, Xiao Cui remained silent, only shaking her head.
Sighing softly, with Mei Sanniang’s intelligence, she naturally understood her current status and situation.
Living in guest quarters, with no one to care for her, her father not visiting, even the Mei family’s resident physician unwilling to be summoned for her.
While feeling her relatives’ coldness, Mei Sanniang also sensed her father’s hatred and estrangement. Little Cheng’s death, ultimately, was caused by her involvement.
If she had known this would happen, she might as well have died at Yuan Mountain Stronghold…
As soon as this thought appeared, Mei Sanniang completely cut it off. She was a strong person, and strong people never spoke lightly of life and death, because suicide was merely the cowardly act of those who dared not face reality.
The hot, clear water washed her body clean but couldn’t cleanse her heart. Fortunately, she still had one or two close people around her, which was better than being completely alone.
From this day forward, Mei Sanniang’s complexion gradually recovered. Over half a month, dozens of doses of antidote entered her stomach, completely eliminating the deadly poison in her body. The naturally cheerful woman finally returned to her original appearance.
Thanks to Mei Sanniang’s presence, Xu Yan also enjoyed good food and drink at the Mei mansion.
Though Mei Xinju didn’t favor this daughter, he wouldn’t make things difficult regarding food and drink. The vast Mei family didn’t care about a few meals, so Xu Yan and the little black pig finally found a good place – eat when full, sleep when fed, living like pigs all day.
Happy times never lasted long, especially for women like Mei Sanniang who had thin fortune. In the month since returning home, Mei Xinju had come to see her only twice.
The first time he asked about her injuries – the conversation didn’t exceed three sentences. The second time was to inform Mei Sanniang that the family had arranged a marriage for her, and the groom’s family would come to fetch her in a month.
A woman who couldn’t even return to the rear quarters was destined to be hastily married off. This was also how wealthy families dealt with unwanted children.
When Xu Yan learned of the Mei family’s coldness, his face filled with anger. The little black pig even sulked in the corner, snorting to express its dissatisfaction.
It wasn’t that Xu Yan resented the Mei family’s heartlessness, but rather he regretted losing three good meals a day. Where in the world could you find such a free inn that also provided free food and drink?
Thinking the little Taoist was indignant on her behalf, when Mei Sanniang heard Xu Yan muttering about losing his free meal ticket, all her resentment and anger vanished. She pressed the little Taoist against her chest and tormented him for a long time, only releasing Xu Yan when his nose bled profusely.
“Third Sister, what should we do? Should we just find a Taoist temple to stay at?” Xu Yan sighed.
“You’re a Taoist – you can stay at a temple. Do you want Third Sister to become a Taoist nun?” Mei Sanniang said irritably.
“What’s wrong with being a Taoist nun? Chanting scriptures and eating vegetarian food daily, cultivating body and mind – no worries at all.” Xu Yan blinked.
“I haven’t had enough of the mortal world yet. Third Sister won’t become a nun.” Mei Sanniang straightened her back. So what if her family despised her? What was the big deal? She could just leave.
“Oh, then Third Sister should get married, and I’ll stay at a Taoist temple.” Xu Yan scratched his head, grinning foolishly.
“Third Sister won’t marry. Even if I did, I wouldn’t marry that scoundrel Shen Liu.” Mentioning the marriage the Mei family arranged for her made Mei Sanniang’s teeth itch with hatred.
Who was Shen Liu? A gambling thug and a cripple.
Shen Liu wasn’t born disabled. His crippled leg was broken by creditors when he couldn’t repay gambling debts. This man was in his thirties, idle all day, lazy and good-for-nothing, and addicted to gambling. He could even gamble away his leg – who knew when he might gamble away his wife too. Marrying such a person, how could Mei Sanniang agree?
Mei Sanniang disagreed, but all her elders agreed, especially her two sisters-in-law from the first and second households, who couldn’t wait to get that dirty woman out of the Mei mansion tomorrow.
Hadn’t they seen how the other branches’ children and nephews looked at them strangely? Who could bear this?
With Mei Xinju making the decision, Mei Sanniang had no choice even if she disagreed. In this era, when the family head spoke, let alone marrying a daughter to a scoundrel, even marrying her to a pig wouldn’t be opposed – and opposition would be useless anyway. This marriage was settled with Mei Xinju’s single word.
Mei Sanniang’s mother had died early, and she was no longer young. Nearly thirty and still unmarried would invite ridicule. Five years ago, when she was just over twenty, she had fought bitterly with her father over marriage. Mei Xinju, having no choice, had ignored the matter. This time he was determined to marry off this jinx early, so he personally arranged this marriage without even consulting her.
Learning of her arranged marriage, Mei Sanniang didn’t object or resist, only smiled bitterly in silence.
She had no plans to run away from home, seemingly resigned to waiting for the groom’s family to come fetch her after a month.
The seemingly resigned woman was definitely not as she appeared in Xu Yan’s eyes. Otherwise, which family’s daughter about to marry would spend all day sharpening knives?
Every time he saw Mei Sanniang sharpening the dagger Xiao Cui had found for her, Xu Yan felt a chill down his neck.
No wonder – a woman who had poisoned over a thousand bandits with him couldn’t be an easy target.
Mei Sanniang didn’t leave the Mei family because she needed money – she needed the dowry the Mei family would prepare for her.
Once she left the Mei family, she would have to be self-reliant. To survive in Fengshan City without money was impossible. Xiao Cui had already married a groom from the Mei mansion and couldn’t accompany Mei Sanniang. So once she married out of the Mei family’s gates, Mei Sanniang would truly be alone.
After two months of recovery, Mei Sanniang had long since regained her health. Xu Yan’s hands could also move up and down, though he didn’t dare use too much force. However, his daily walking and sitting had become much more comfortable.
Nourished by the Mei family’s medicinal materials, plus a young person’s natural recovery ability, Xu Yan was certain that with another two months, his hands could once again unleash the Flying Locust.
Though his body was getting better, the two-month deadline was also approaching. On this day, a donkey cart arrived outside the Mei family’s main gate. The limping, beaming bridegroom finally came calling.
