Chapter 35: Lady Wu Enters the Manor

Back at the Fang manor, Lady Lu was in a towering rage. Upon hearing that her husband had given their second son, Erlang, a brutal lashing before dragging him off to the palace to beg for the Emperor’s mercy, she nearly fainted from fury. That old fool—was he truly planning to sacrifice his own flesh and blood for the sake of "righteousness"?

"I wasn't here, and you decided to turn the house upside down?"

When her son was finally brought back to the manor and she saw his shredded, bloodied skin—and that dazed, hollow look in his eyes, as if he had lost all will to live—Lady Lu’s tears flowed instantly.

She had three sons. The eldest, Fang Yizhi, was upright and loyal, though his temperament was somewhat cold and scholarly—in short, a bit of a bookworm. Yet, he had been sensible since childhood and never caused her worry. The third, Fang Yize, was only seven or eight, at that age where he was a nuisance to everyone, and Lady Lu’s head ached just looking at him. But the child was bright and clever, learning whatever the tutor taught in an instant.

It was only this second son who broke her heart.

Not only was he slow-witted and unsociable, but he was also dim-witted; he treated his studies and rites with complete indifference, spending his days daydreaming about charging into battle to slaughter enemies. What kind of family was the Fang family? How could they ever let a son go to the battlefield to risk his life for glory?

The era of founding the dynasty, when one had to trade lives for a future, was over. Fang Xuanling enjoyed the Emperor’s deep favor and still spent his nights sleeplessly devoted to state affairs—wasn't it all for the sake of bestowing honors upon his wife and children and ensuring the family’s legacy?

With the old man’s achievements set in stone, his descendants should be able to live in comfort for generations. Why should a legitimate son have to throw his life away?

Fortunately, Heaven had shown mercy. After falling from his horse and suffering an injury, Erlang’s temperament had changed. He no longer spent his days loitering at the training grounds or swinging swords and spears. Although his talent for causing trouble had grown, in Lady Lu’s eyes, a child who could stir up trouble was a child with potential.

Should she be at ease now?

Far from it!

Good times never lasted. The trouble this rascal caused grew larger each time. If that weren't enough, he seemed to have forgotten the very essence of a man. Instead of favoring beautiful, charming women, he had taken a liking to men...

Lady Lu wailed aloud, the pent-up frustration in her heart finally erupting; she could no longer control her emotions.

"Why is my life so bitter..."

This wailing brought Fang Jun back to his senses. He asked in alarm, "Mother, what is the matter?"

What could Lady Lu say? Could she say, "It’s because I’m so angry at you, you wretch! You won’t be a proper man and insist on being a 'rabbit'?"

She couldn't say that—not even if it killed her. If that got out, her son would never be able to show his face again. She could only snap resentfully, "I’m angered by your father! Where is that old fool?"

Fang Jun felt helpless. There were so many people around; surely his father deserved a shred of respect? Calling him an "old fool" left and right was truly inappropriate.

But he could only think this in his heart; he dared not say it aloud. If he did, the brunt of her wrath would surely turn on him. The sharp-tongued nature of this stepmother of his was legendary.

***

"Father stayed behind at the palace; he has matters to attend to."

"Hmph! He’s wise to stay away. If he were here now, I’d pull out every last hair of his beard! Is that any way to treat a son?"

As she spoke, she noticed a group of people behind them. In the crowd, they were carrying a stretcher, upon which lay a girl dressed like a palace maid. The girl was struggling to sit up, bowing to her with a graceful, shallow curtsy. With a soft, fragile voice, she said, "This servant, Wu Meiniang, greets the Matron."

Lady Lu was momentarily stunned. "No need for formalities... who are you?"

A eunuch stepped forward and bowed, saying, "May the Lady of Fang know that this maiden was personally bestowed upon the young master of your residence by His Majesty as a personal attendant."

Lady Lu looked suspiciously at the pale-faced Wu. She saw that the girl had a slender figure and a beautiful face, though her skin was deathly pale and her forehead was tightly wrapped in gauze, with blood seeping through as if she had been injured. "Since she was a gift from His Majesty, why is she still being left out in the cold? Someone, quickly help the young lady to a room and have the manor’s physician treat her. Her complexion looks quite poor."

Wu quickly curtsied again and said, "Thank you, Matron. This servant is quite alright..."

Lady Lu waved her hand, brooking no argument. "Go as you are told. Since His Majesty has bestowed you upon Erlang, you must take care of your health; otherwise, how will you take care of him?"

Wu had no choice but to reply, "As you command."

She was then led away by a maid.

The eunuchs quickly added, "We must return to the palace to report." With that, they scurried away as if chased by dogs.

It was no wonder they ran so fast; they had been terrified, fearing Lady Lu would vent her rage on them. If they failed their mission, they would surely be punished upon their return.

As for why Lady Lu might vent her rage, that went without saying. The past was still fresh in everyone’s memory.

Back then, when the Emperor saw that Fang Xuanling was exhausted by his duties and yet had only one wife—with no concubines or servants in his chambers—he gifted him two beauties. Unexpectedly, Lady Fang flew into a rage and scolded the Emperor severely. Enraged, the Emperor presented her with a jar of vinegar, claiming it was poison, and threatened that if she did not allow Fang Xuanling to take a concubine, he would have her executed.

In anyone else’s shoes, would they not have submitted? Not to mention the irresistible wrath of an Emperor, but to sacrifice one's life just to stop a husband from taking a concubine? Who would be that foolish?

Yet, who could have guessed that this Lady Fang would truly stand her ground against the Emperor? Without a word, she drank the entire jar of vinegar, leaving the Emperor completely dumbfounded.

The Emperor had given two beauties to Fang Xuanling, and Lady Fang had threatened suicide in defiance. Now, he had given a concubine to her son; while it might not lead to a life-or-death struggle, a massive outburst was expected.

Who knew she would have no reaction at all...

The eunuchs finally understood: Lady Fang was operating on a double standard. Her son could set the mountains ablaze, but her husband couldn't even light an oil lamp.

Poor Prime Minister Fang. With such a fierce wife, alas, alas...

***

On the other side, Wu felt like a rabbit trapped in her heart, uneasy and anxious.

The reputation of the "Vinegar Lady" was known to everyone in Chang'an—who hadn't heard of her? She had been bestowed upon Fang Jun by the Emperor’s golden command, but who knew what attitude the Lady of Fang would have toward her? Others might worry about the Emperor’s face, but this daughter of the Lu clan, a woman whose jealousy could reach the heavens, certainly wouldn't care about that.

Thinking of her own turbulent fate, Wu felt a wave of melancholy.

Unable to bear the coldness and bullying of her elder brothers, she had gritted her teeth and entered the imperial palace, dreaming that one day she might soar to the branches and change her fate forever. Yet, she had nearly died in the Ye Ting Palace. For the dark, filthy, and ruthless nature of the deep palace, Wu still felt lingering fear.

She did not know how long she could endure in that cold, heartless palace. Even if she could endure, how much coldness, how many conspiracies, and how many torments would she have to suffer? Would she, by then, become as cold and cruel as they were?

She was unwilling, she refused to accept it, yet she feared becoming that kind of person. What would be the difference between her and her brothers at home, or that disgusting, bloated female official?

It would be better to just die...

Although she had harbored the resolve to die by dashing against the stones, when she heard she had been bestowed upon Fang Jun, Wu felt a small, secret joy.

Despite the fact that the Fang family’s second son did not have a good reputation, she had at last escaped that deep palace which devoured people without spitting out the bones. Her heart felt a momentary sense of relief.

But then, Wu felt a lingering sense of unwillingness.

She was, after all, the daughter of a meritorious official and a Duke. Was she now to be a concubine to a crude, illiterate, and boorish oaf?

Was this her fate?

In the guest room, Wu bit her bloodless lips hard, a glimmering light shining in her clear, black-and-white eyes.

So what if she was a woman?

So what if she was a concubine?

Whether it was the deep palace or the Fang manor, she, Wu Meiniang, would not submit. Why was it that she could only be bullied, framed, and passed around like a stray cat or dog?

She, Wu Meiniang, did not believe that what a man could do, a woman could not!