Chapter 805: The Game of the Powerful

Zheng Che, who looked extremely fierce and seemed very capable in a fight, was defeated at lightning speed by Yu Shuimei, killed with a single palm strike, and passed away very peacefully.

Ruan Yuchang's face darkened somewhat, and he squeezed out a sentence from between his teeth: "Trash!"

Yan Yan laughed like a Maitreya statue, "Ruan Xiang, this coral tree… hahaha, I've lived this long in delusion and still never seen a red coral tree two zhang tall; today I must certainly broaden my horizons."

Ruan Yuchang glanced at Yan Yan, then suddenly laughed, "Yan Xiang, your eating manners are getting uglier and uglier; the coral tree can be yours, but it's just a plaything. However, I have a word of advice for Yan Xiang: while I treat the coral tree as trivial, you treat the Yu family as playthings—beware that the plaything may bite its master."

Yan Yan, with both hands clasping his round belly, weighed it thoughtfully, "Devour the master? A family that can barely protect itself trying to devour its master would be difficult; besides, Ruan Xiang has mistaken one thing—I dare not be the master of the Yu family, I merely see their pitiful state and lend a hand."

Ruan Yuchang snorted derisively, "Insolent rat!"

"Hey hey hey, calm down, don't curse people." Yan Yan shouted helplessly, "You scoundrel, when will you fix that mouth of yours? If we're going to fight, we fight; why resort to words? It's unbecoming of a scholar."

"Hmph, you ought to thank me for this; if it weren't for me, you rats would have been beaten to death countless times!" Ruan Yuchang flicked his sleeve forcefully, turned and left, "My people, you may not use them all, but a few must be used."

Formerly, officials would readily exchange blows; if they couldn't win an argument, they'd fight, and sometimes even in the court hall people were killed. Some scoundrels wrapped a thick layer of iron around the ivory, claiming they feared damaging ritual implements, with the result that officials were injured every few days.

After Ruan Yuchang became minister, he killed several opposing officials, thereby completely suppressing this chaos.

He said those words, and they actually weren't wrong.

Yan Yan gave a disdainful chuckle, his gaze deep as he watched Ruan Yuchang's retreating back, and muttered, "Thank you, you must use… Who do you think you are? Just an incompetent upstart who rose on his wife's coattails."

"Minister, I have accomplished the task without disgrace!"

Yu Shuimei walked with light steps, a faint smile on her face, full of sunny aura, came over and clasped her fists.

If one overlooks that she just killed a master with two palms, this woman dressed as a man looks like a sunny, charming maiden from next door whom a couple of glances would make one fall in love.

"Shuimei, you did beautifully; what reward do you need? Just name it!" Yan Yan said cheerfully, in high spirits.

Yu Shuimei's eyes flickered, she smiled lightly and asked, "Minister, you really mean anything can be requested?"

"Anything can be requested!"

"Then I really will ask—may I have your permission to kill Yu Xingcang?" Yu Shuimei bit her little tiger tooth, clenched her fists fiercely, "This scoundrel actually erased my name from the jade register!"

Yan Yan furrowed his brows sharply, "Yu Tongzhi is quite muddle-headed!"

"No need to rush over this; I, the minister, will personally go see Yu Tongzhi to discuss the matter. Think again and propose another condition."

"Really?" Yu Shuimei smiled delightedly.

"Since the minister is willing to help Shuimei personally discuss the matter, this is sure to succeed, but the minister must certainly not give Yu Xingcang any pleasant face; he must definitely make things difficult for him."

"As for other conditions…" Yu Shuimei thought seriously, "Minister, I want a precious horse!"

"Just a precious horse; tomorrow, take my personal order and go to the horse fields to pick one." Yan Yan readily agreed, "Also, in the next few days make preparations; you must go to Nan Jun."

Yu Shuimei thanked him, then asked puzzled, "Minister, why do you want me to go to Nan Jun? I've heard there's a fellow named Chen Wuji there who's become extremely fierce; you wouldn't be sending me to assassinate him, would you?"

Yan Yan smiled faintly and shook his head, "You'll know in a few days; no need to ask further."

"Yes!"

……

A thunderstorm fell without any warning.

Dark, heavy clouds appeared from the south and suddenly poured down a heavy rain, all in less than half an hour.

At that time, Chen Wuji was happily playing with the Three Little Fortunes on the mountain.

A moment's carelessness left him soaked like a drowned chicken, and in a hurry he had to find a cave to temporarily shelter from the rain.

Just a few days ago, upon the onset of summer, the thunderstorms followed immediately, with no delay whatsoever.

This year, Heaven has been somewhat lenient with rain; the spring rains were fairly abundant, and the summer rains have come even more urgently and precisely, so for now we only hope there won't be a great downpour that turns this fine climate into a flood.

Days of contact have made the Three Little Fortunes familiar with Chen Wuji; now they are more enthusiastic about him than about their own parents, and whenever Chen Wuji goes up the mountain, the three little creatures come running, following his scent.

Afu helps Chen Wuji hunt, and the three little ones cling to his heels, impossible to shake off, terribly clingy.

Chen Wuji sat at the edge of the cave watching the rain; the three little ones, wet and shivering, crowded over again, curling into a ball in his embrace, piling on top of each other, eager to warm themselves on him.

"Afu, watch your young; look how wet they are!" Chen Wuji shouted to the side.

Afu was lying sideways three or five steps away from Chen Wuji.

This fellow lazily groomed his own fur, paying no heed to the three cubs at all.

Hearing Chen Wuji's shout, it lifted its head for a glance, then lowered it to earnestly lick its paws, as if saying, "I heard you, but don't bother me."

"Hey, you fellow, these are your cubs, not mine!" Chen Wuji laughed in exasperation.

Chen Wushuang walked out of the cave, "My lord, the fire's lit; let's roast something!"

Chen Wuji rose, grabbed the Three Little Fortunes with one hand on each side, and said to Afu with feigned ferocity, "We're going to roast by the fire; you just stay here and slowly bake yourself, you irresponsible father."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than he turned his head and saw Afu striding up with steady steps.

Chen Wuji shook his head speechlessly, "They say a shameless person is invincible under heaven; I didn't know what a shameless tiger was like before, but now I've seen the world."

Afu let out a loud snort, seeming to find Chen Wuji's remark extremely contemptible.

An expression that said, "You say what you will; I'm just like this—what can you do about me?"

Chen Wuyi gazed enviously at the Three Little Fortunes in Chen Wuji's arms, his longing nearly spilling over his eyes.

He also wanted to rub the big tiger and keep a tiger as a pet.

But unfortunately…

The tiger simply gives no face at all.

Chen Wuji doesn't mind however much he bullies these three little ones, but if they dare to move, Afu will immediately unleash his might.

The sole exception is when they feed the three little ones; then Afu may allow them to come into close contact with his cubs.