Chapter 37: Trouble

Seeing that it was a woman, Zhou Shixiang could not help lowering his guard. He moved the long blade away from her face, then asked softly, "Who are you? Why are you hiding here?"

The woman was terrified. She only hugged herself tighter and did not answer. Yet her frightened look made her seem all the more beautiful, and one could not help feeling pity for her.

Zhou Shixiang, however, had no mind to pity a delicate flower. Instead, he was all the more determined to find out who this woman really was and why she was hiding here.

He frowned, slid the blade back into its sheath with a reverse grip, and said, "Do not be afraid. I am no villain and will not harm you. You may answer without worry."

Seeing that Zhou Shixiang had put away his blade, that his face showed no malice, and that he did not look like a bad man, the woman finally relaxed a little and said in a low voice, "My name is Lin Wan'er. I am the daughter of the Lin family of this city."

"Which Lin family?" Zhou Shixiang could not for the moment recall any Lin family in the city, and he looked at her with a puzzled expression.

Lin Wan'er saw that he truly did not know, so she had no choice but to say, "My father is Lin Wanfu, the owner of the Datong Rice Shop."

The moment he heard the name, Zhou Shixiang suddenly understood. In his mind rose the image of that fat shopkeeper with his face full of fawning smiles.

But then he grew curious again and asked Lin Wan'er, "Since you are Lin Wanfu's daughter, why are you here in the prefectural office, and why hiding in this room?"

"That..."

The reason was too embarrassing for Lin Wan'er to speak of. She did not know how to tell this strange man before her.

"You will not say?"

Seeing Lin Wan'er stammer and refuse to speak, Zhou Shixiang could not help giving a slight snort and putting on a stern face. Although she was only a weak woman, her appearance here was far too strange. Unless he got to the bottom of it, he could never set his mind at ease.

The moment his face hardened, Lin Wan'er, already frightened, was startled. She shrank back, and, heedless of a maiden's modesty, said in a low voice with a reddened face, "Three months ago my father gave me to Battalion Commander Kong Guoliang as a concubine.

After you entered the city last night, Kong Guoliang abandoned me and fled for his life alone. Outside there is chaos everywhere, with dead bodies all around.

I did not know what to do, so I hid in this room."

Hearing this account, Zhou Shixiang shook his head inwardly. For Lin Wanfu to give his own daughter to Kong Guoliang as a concubine — such a father's heart was far too cold. Did he not fear people pointing at his back and cursing him?

"Get up."

Now that he knew the reason, Zhou Shixiang's tone naturally lost its iciness. He motioned for Lin Wan'er to rise, and after a moment's thought, said to her, "Kong Guoliang has already been killed by me. Go home."

"Kong Guoliang is dead?"

At this news, Lin Wan'er's face showed some astonishment, but not the slightest trace of grief. On the contrary, she let out a long breath as though she had just heard good tidings.

Zhou Shixiang was not surprised by Lin Wan'er's reaction. Kong Guoliang was a crude brute, and she had been given to him by her father as a plaything. How could she possibly have any fondness for Kong Guoliang, or any feelings for him at all?

And indeed it was so. Lin Wan'er had no feelings whatsoever for Kong Guoliang — only humiliation and sorrow.

His death lifted a great stone from her heart, and nothing more. But Zhou Shixiang telling her to go home was somewhat beyond her expectations.

As though she had heard something unbelievable, she said in disbelief, "You would truly let me go back?"

Now it was Zhou Shixiang's turn to be puzzled. "If I do not let you go back, what would I keep you for?"

At these words, a flush of red quickly swept across Lin Wan'er's face. She boldly raised her head and took a careful look at the man before her.

She found him quite handsome — far better than Kong Guoliang, by who knew how many times. Her heart stirred at once, but she quickly suppressed it and turned her thoughts back to the matter of going home.

Thinking of that home, Lin Wan'er felt an indescribable bitterness. After being given to Kong Guoliang by her father, she had not been without resentment or hatred.

Yet no matter how much she resented and hated, it could not change the fact that Kong Guoliang had defiled her. What was done was done, and she could only endure it.

However wrong her father had been, he was still her father in the end. Right now, apart from returning to the Lin family, she truly had nowhere else to go.

But she did not know how her mother was now. She had heard that after she was sent away, her mother had quarreled with her father for a long time and wept every day. Surely her health must have declined.

Lin Wan'er was anxious about her mother's health, and her heart yearned to return home like an arrow.

Seeing that Zhou Shixiang's expression showed no pretense, and that there was not the slightest hint of mockery in his eyes — and that he even turned aside to make way for her to leave — she no longer dared hesitate.

She stepped toward the door, fearing that this man might go back on his word and deceive her.

Just as Lin Wan'er cautiously reached the doorway, Zhou Shixiang behind her called out, "Miss Lin, wait a moment!"

That single "wait a moment" rooted Lin Wan'er to the spot. Only one thought filled her mind: Is this man also toying with me? Does he want my body?

Unexpectedly, the man behind her said, "Miss Lin, the night is deep now, and it is not peaceful outside. How can a woman alone make her way home by herself? How about this — I will send someone to your home with word, and have your father send people to escort you back. That would be safer."

So it was not what I thought...

Lin Wan'er was overwhelmed with mixed feelings. She turned around gently, placed both hands crossed at her left waist, and inclined her body slightly in a bow to Zhou Shixiang. Her thin lips parted softly: "Thank you!"

Lin Wan'er was beautiful, young, and lovely. Her bosom in particular was exceedingly full, enough to stir such thoughts in any man who looked.

Zhou Shixiang was no saint; he was a normal man. How could he be entirely unmoved?

But he had just suffered the tragedy of his parents, wife, and children dying horribly, and his mind was wholly occupied with how to establish a foothold in Luoding and resist the Qing. For the time being, he naturally had no thoughts of such matters between men and women.

To avoid gossip, and fearing he might not keep himself in check, Zhou Shixiang had Lin Wan'er wait in the next room while he went to find someone to notify Lin Wanfu.

Knowing also that Lin Wan'er had been hiding in this room all day and must be starving, he had someone prepare a meal and bring it over.

Lin Wan'er was grateful for this arrangement, but it was not convenient for her to come and thank him in person.

The person sent to notify the Lin family was a minor clerk of the yamen named Zheng San, who ordinarily also served as a runner.

Having received Zhou Shixiang's instructions, he scurried off to the Lin household in high spirits, thinking that if he told Lin Wanfu his daughter could be brought home, Lin Wanfu in his joy would surely give him some reward silver.

But when he reached the Lin household and Lin Wanfu heard the news that his daughter was safe, he made no mention at all of sending anyone to bring her back, nor did he give Zheng San so much as a copper for the news.

He only told him to return and report that his daughter was safer staying in the prefectural office than in his home. If General Zhou or Master Song could look after her a little, then his entire Lin family, high and low, would be grateful beyond measure!

What was the meaning of this? Did he want his daughter or not?

Hearing Zheng San's embellished report, Zhou Shixiang did not know what to say. Song Xianggong also learned of the matter.

He questioned the minor clerks of the yamen and confirmed that what Lin Wan'er said was true. He too felt great contempt for Lin Wanfu as a father, and whatever good impression he had previously held vanished in an instant without a trace.

"What does the Master think of Lin Wan'er?"

With Lin Wanfu refusing to take his daughter back, Zhou Shixiang had no way to settle her for the time being. He could hardly follow Kong Guoliang's example and take the woman as a concubine. After much thought, he kicked the ball over to Song Xianggong.

Song Xianggong knew perfectly well what Zhou Shixiang was scheming. With a laugh, he said, "Your elder brother would not dare steal another man's prize. Since this woman was found by you, worthy brother, then you shall dispose of her." With that, he patted his backside and went off to sleep.

Song Xianggong's blunt refusal left Zhou Shixiang dumbfounded. Could it be that he had no taste for women?

Sigh. Leave her to me to dispose of — how am I supposed to dispose of her?

Inside the room, Lin Wan'er's figure, illuminated by the lamplight, appeared especially graceful and alluring. Zhou Shixiang looked at her and felt a great headache. In the end, he simply summoned Zheng San and told him to take two men and escort Lin Wan'er directly to the Lin household.