Chapter 17

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The Wen family had met with one misfortune after another, and the household had known little peace for nearly a month.

When the master of the house was ill at ease, those who served beneath him naturally went about their duties in trepidation.

The only place that still seemed remotely normal was probably the Jade Blossom Courtyard.

Several servants passing by heard the lively sound of opera from within the courtyard walls. They exchanged glances, then curled their lips.

Their looks said nothing—and everything.

Only a few days earlier, the eldest young master and the second young miss had both had their engagements broken off. The household was struggling through a difficult time, yet their third young miss still had the leisure to listen to opera. She truly was cold-hearted and callous.

Wen Yan, sitting beneath the veranda with her eyes half closed, seemed to hear someone cursing her outside. She opened her eyes lazily.

Qingyun, who was serving at her side, hurriedly brought her tea.

“Third Miss.”

Wen Yan accepted it and took a sip to moisten her throat.

“What time is it?”

“Just past ten.”

There was still an hour before the midday meal.

At the mention of lunch, Qingyun hesitated before adding, “Master Cao from the small kitchen sent word a moment ago. I'm afraid the phoenix tongues you wanted won't be available today.”

Wen Yan set down her teacup. “Why not?”

“They couldn't buy any.”

Wen Yan was somewhat surprised. “They couldn't?”

Merchant ships passed through West River City every day, and exotic, unusual goods were the one thing the city never lacked. This was the first time she had heard of anything being unavailable.

Qingyun heard the displeasure in her voice. After a brief hesitation, she decided to tell the truth.

“The purchasing steward said that the masters of the household have had poor appetites lately and cannot stomach rich foods, so the steward ordered them to buy more vegetables and other light fare.”

The curve of Wen Yan's lips flattened, and her gaze turned faintly cold.

“Am I not one of the masters of this household?”

Qingyun did not dare reply. The opera continued in the courtyard ahead, gongs and drums pounding loudly.

Wen Yan raised a hand.

The performance stopped at once, and the Jade Blossom Courtyard fell silent.

After a moment, Wen Yan's voice once more took on its usual languid air.

“How many times has this happened?”

Qingyun suddenly grew tense.

She knew all too well that the third young miss was displeased.

The servants nearby, as well as the opera performers, seemed to sense her anger and grew uneasy.

Qingyun's face paled slightly as she answered in a low voice, “Today is the third time.”

For the third time in recent days, the third young miss had been unable to eat what she wanted or use what she wished to use.

Wen Yan said, “Three strikes is the limit.”

A moment later, she straightened and suddenly let out a scornful laugh.

“Useless.”

No one knew whom she was cursing.

Wen Yan was genuinely unhappy now.

The trouble plaguing the Wen family was irritating enough, but it had begun to affect her.

And when it came to trouble, Wen Yan had always dealt with it in the simplest way possible: remove the person who had caused it.

The question was, whom should she look for?

Supporting her head in one hand, Wen Yan thought through the possibilities. In the end, she remembered the words someone had spoken before dying that night.

He had said he was not the first.

If he was not the first, then there had to be a second.

But the second person had yet to show himself. How much longer was she supposed to wait?

The longer this dragged on, the more severely it would affect her.

The Wen family members were in a constant panic, and the servants below them were too preoccupied to serve her properly. Incidents like today's would only become more frequent.

“Third Miss?”

Qingyun called to her cautiously.

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Wen Yan lifted her eyes toward the horizon. A cloud stretched across the sky, and, seen closely, it resembled a blade—a blade meant for killing.

“Take one of the chickens from the cage to the small kitchen and have them prepare it.”

Qingyun froze for a moment. “You mean the pair of miracle chickens brought back last time?”

“Yes. Tell them to decide how best to cook it.”

Qingyun followed her instructions and had someone carry the chicken to the small kitchen. Unfortunately, Wen Yan never did get to taste the roasted miracle chicken.

_

The timing of its arrival was unfortunate. Master Cao had already set something over the stove in the small kitchen, so the chicken naturally lived a little longer.

The dishes prepared for lunch were quite good, but Wen Yan ate very little. In the end, she had not gotten what she wanted, and it had spoiled her appetite.

By dusk, however, her mood had improved.

Wen He Ning had brought back a cow.

No one knew where he had obtained it, but he had even hired a butcher.

He invited everyone in the Wen household to watch the legendary art of dismembering an ox.

The location was the peach grove, where they had held the whole-deer feast before.

When Wen Yan arrived, the cow had just been slaughtered. The butcher was arranging his tools, one by one, in neat rows on a long table.

Not far away, a fire had been lit in an open clearing, with charcoal braziers beside it for roasting meat.

On the table beneath the hexagonal pavilion sat pots prepared with all the necessary ingredients.

In the few days since she had last seen them, Wen Yan's father and Lady Lu had both grown noticeably thinner.

Nothing about Wen Ru Xu or Wen Ru Qing seemed outwardly different, but their eyes were dull, making it clear that the recent days had not been easy for them.

Apart from looking somewhat listless, Wen Chang Ning appeared largely unaffected.

Of the entire family, Wen Yan and Wen He Ning were the only ones who seemed full of energy.

Wen He Ning took in the appearance of everyone present and gave the butcher a meaningful glance.

The butcher nodded slightly, then picked up a knife, spun it once in his hand, and began.

His movements were decisive and fluid. As he separated the flesh from the bones, every cut was precise, leaving clean, even edges.

Combined with his graceful flourishes, the entire process was dazzling to watch.

Even Father Wen, buried beneath a mountain of household troubles, could not help relaxing his brow at the sight. The others needed no persuasion at all.

Watching their reactions, Wen He Ning felt a little relieved. His eyes curved with delight as he said enthusiastically, “Master Sun is a true master of the knife. Many families in the capital enjoy inviting him to their estates for performances. Since he happened to be passing through West River City, I couldn't let such a rare opportunity go to waste. So I invited him here, that we might witness the legendary art of dismembering an ox for ourselves.”

Master Sun's hands never stopped moving. He looked up with a genial smile.

“You flatter me, Young Master.”

Wen Yan watched with great interest. Then, recalling something, she leaned close and gave Qingyun a quiet instruction.

After listening, Qingyun slipped away without drawing attention.

Meanwhile, once Wen He Ning began talking, he showed no sign of stopping. He was not particularly gifted at his studies, but he was clever, quick-witted, and blessed with a silver tongue.

The most ordinary words sounded pleasing when they came from him, soothing the heart of anyone who listened.

With Wen Chang Ning chiming in beside her brother, the two of them traded flattering remarks so skillfully that the gloomy faces around them soon brightened with smiles.

While they chatted, the whole cow was divided piece by piece beneath Master Sun's hands.

The head chef of the main kitchen took over the rest of the work and began preparing the beef in two styles: roasted and cooked in pots.

Everyone moved into the hexagonal pavilion, where the servants waited on their masters and began serving the meal.

Just then, Qingyun arrived with Master Cao, carrying the roasted miracle chicken.

The whole bird, roasted until its skin shone with oil, drew every eye the moment it was placed on the table.

No one had ever seen a chicken so large.

Wen Ru Xu asked uncertainly, “What is this?”

Wen He Ning recognized it at once and hurriedly said, “It's a miracle chicken.”

Only after speaking did he remember Wen Yan. He turned and gave her an ingratiating smile.

“Isn't that right, Third Sister?”

Wen Yan nodded.

Wen Chang Ning immediately followed up, “I heard that eating this chicken can prolong one's life and preserve one's youth forever.”

The instant she finished speaking, Wen Ru Qing burst out laughing.

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“What miracle chicken? It's a turkey, brought from overseas. It's merely larger than an ordinary chicken.”

Wen Chang Ning stared blankly. After a long moment, she said mournfully, “My intricate puzzle ball!”

To win that miracle chicken, she had even wagered her treasured puzzle ball.

Father Wen keenly sensed that something was amiss.

“Where did you get all these things?”

The twin siblings, who had been so lively only moments earlier, immediately fell silent and cast their eyes toward Wen Yan.

Wen Yan ignored the looks they gave her and answered honestly, “We won them at the gambling house.”

Wen He Ning could hardly believe she had simply said it aloud. He placed a hand over his forehead and shut his eyes, with only one thought in his mind.

They were doomed.

Sure enough, the next moment Wen Youzhi's deep voice rang out.

“Wen He Ning!”

Wen He Ning understood at once that those who knew when to yield were the wisest of all. He immediately admitted fault.

“I was wrong, Father. I won't dare do it again!”

His apology was so swift and sincere that Wen Youzhi's back teeth began to ache.

“You are confined to the house starting tomorrow!”

Wen He Ning let out a howl, then drooped his head and answered meekly.

“Yes.”

His expression amused everyone, and they burst into laughter.

The atmosphere in the pavilion eased. For that brief moment, it was as though their many worries and cares had vanished, and the household had returned to its former peace and harmony.

Yet that atmosphere was soon shattered by the arrival of a letter.

“My lord, an urgent letter from the capital!”

A servant came running to report it.

Wen Youzhi froze.

The journey from West River City to the capital was a long one. Even riding day and night without pause, it would take at least a month. The men he had sent should still have been on the road.

This letter had not come from them.

A vague sense of foreboding stirred in his heart. In a low voice, he said, “Bring it here.”

Everyone else at the table lowered their chopsticks. Wen Yan, unaffected, continued eating.

Wen Youzhi opened the envelope and scanned the contents in a few swift glances, but what he read made his heart pound.

“Whose letter is it?”

Everyone held their breath. Wen Youzhi's face had changed drastically, and Lady Lu's face turned pale as well.

“It is—”

“My lord! Someone has arrived from the capital. There is—there is an imperial edict!”

Wen Youzhi's words were cut off by the chief steward, who came running in, stumbling and scrambling along the way.

His disheveled appearance and terrified expression were enough to make anyone's heart tremble.

Wen Youzhi's heart gave a heavy beat. He seemed to have guessed what was coming. His face tense, he rose abruptly.

“Go!”

He strode outside, and the entire family hurried after him, having no time to concern themselves with anything else.

The servants did the same.

When an imperial edict arrived, everyone in the household had to receive it.

The peach grove was empty and silent in an instant. Only Wen Yan remained seated, still eating the meat in her bowl at an unhurried pace.

Qingyun was terribly anxious.

“Third Miss, we must go receive the imperial edict.”

“There is no hurry.”

When Wen Yan said there was no hurry, she meant it. She did not set down her chopsticks until she had finished the beef in her bowl and felt full. Then she picked up the warmed wine at her side and took a sip.

“A cloth.”

Qingyun hurriedly turned around, walked two steps to the basin of hot water behind them, wrung out a damp cloth, and brought it to her.

Wen Yan took it and wiped her hands clean. Then she picked up the sheet of paper Wen Youzhi had left behind on the table and began to read.

When she finished, she clicked her tongue.

“Embezzlement. Property confiscation?”