Young Master Wen, Wen Liangyu

Lu Chen drove the carriage out through West City's gates.

Inside the carriage, Master's Wife sat upright in the middle. She had wrapped herself in a snow-white fox-fur coat, with a dark green dress clinging tightly beneath it. The fabric pulled taut over the two soft mounds of her breasts, making them tremble; her waist was so slender one could span it with a hand, while her legs were long and straight, full and rounded. Their ample flesh swayed up and down with every jolt of the carriage.

Her face still wore that cool, distant expression, but with her figure half concealed beneath the fox fur, she was even more alluring than if she had been fully exposed.

Mei Dai, sitting beside her, looked demure in her pale moon-white dress, which made her seem like a water lily. Beneath the skirt, her slender legs were pressed together and wrapped in plain white stockings, as white as freshly peeled eggs and gleaming faintly in the dim light.

Mei Ying was the liveliest of them all, dressed in a goose-yellow jacket and a begonia-red skirt, bright and playful.

She sat close to her sister, but her body kept fidgeting, ever so slightly. Her feet, in green embroidered shoes, stretched out in front of her, revealing most of her smooth legs. They were long and shapely, and every now and then, she unconsciously pointed her toes.

The carriage was warm and cozy, but the mood inside was livelier than the winter air outside.

"Mother, do you think that martial hall from Wenwu County is really that formidable? I heard the people there fight as if they're ready to die." Mei Ying asked curiously.

Master's Wife nodded.

"That's not entirely wrong. Long ago, Wenwu County was where Great Liang stationed its frontier troops, so the local people have always been hardy and fond of martial pursuits. Besides, the mountains there are high and the forests dense, with wild beasts roaming about. Many of the county's people make their living by hunting in the mountains, and fighting vicious beasts is an everyday occurrence. Tempered by such conditions, the martial artists there are said to be... a little fiercer in actual combat and more experienced in life-and-death struggles than those of us trained in peaceful Wen'an County."

Mei Ying patted her chest as if relieved, making her clothes rise and fall slightly. "Thank goodness they didn't pick our martial hall. What if we really faced them and lost?"

Master's Wife felt relieved as well, though it wasn't because she was afraid.

The Plum Blossom Martial Hall still had a solid foundation. If it came to a fight, they might not lose.

But... one less problem was one less problem.

By the time the martial hall had passed into her hands, its reputation had long since fallen short of what it had been in her father's day.

Over the years, she had worked hard to manage its affairs, acquiring many shops and fields in Wen'an County. The rental income alone, together with the tuition paid by her disciples, was enough to keep everyone at the martial hall comfortably fed and clothed.

When it came to the storms of the martial world, it was best to avoid them if possible. Protecting the family estate and passing it down safely was what mattered most to her now.

For a while, the carriage fell quiet, leaving only the sound of hooves and wheels.

Master's Wife drew her gaze back from the window and happened to glance at her elder daughter, Mei Dai, seated opposite her.

She saw that Mei Dai had lowered her eyes slightly, her fingertips absently worrying the hem of her skirt. She seemed lost in thought, as if she hadn't even heard what her younger sister had just said.

"Dai'er."

Master's Wife called gently, "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell, or is... something weighing on your mind?"

"Huh?"

Mei Dai seemed to snap out of some reverie and jerked her head up. A flicker of panic crossed her face, and she hurriedly shook her head. "N-no, Mother. I'm fine."

Mei Ying, sitting nearby, grinned. "My sister must be thinking about a man!"

"You! What nonsense are you talking about?"

Mei Dai's pretty face flushed crimson, as if rouge had been smeared across it; even the tips of her ears turned pink. Both embarrassed and flustered, she reached out to pinch the soft flesh at Mei Ying's waist.

"I'll tear that mouth of yours off! Let's see you spout nonsense after that!"

"Ah! I hit a nerve, so now you're lashing out!" Mei Ying dodged, still grinning as she teased her. "Mother, look at my sister! She's as red as a boiled shrimp!"

"Mei Ying! Enough!"

Both angry and embarrassed, Mei Dai lifted her foot and gave Mei Ying a light kick.

Mei Ying let out an "Ouch!" Naturally, she refused to take that lying down and immediately kicked back.

The sisters traded little kicks. Neither of them used much force, but in the already cramped carriage, their skirts soon fluttered amid soft cries, laughter, playful scolding, and coquettish protests. What a lively scene.

"You two! What kind of behavior is this? Stop at once!" Master's Wife was both exasperated and amused as she hurried to intervene.

At the front of the carriage, Lu Chen suddenly called out, "Master's Wife, is everything all right in there?"

He had heard quite a commotion inside, so he asked.

Looking at her two daughters, who had yet to fully separate and were still glaring at each other, both panting and blushing, Master's Wife couldn't help laughing. She cleared her throat and called through the curtain:

"Nothing's wrong. Ying'er is being naughty again, playing around with her sister. Just focus on driving."

Inside the carriage, Mei Dai and Mei Ying glanced at each other.

Mei Ying stuck out her tongue, while Mei Dai turned away in embarrassment and annoyance. Each began to straighten her rumpled clothes and hair.

The little disturbance gradually died down amid the carriage's steady rumble.

Zhou Lan had originally asked Lu Chen to come along on this trip.

But when the agreed-upon day arrived, something came up at the last minute, and Zhou Lan couldn't make it.

There was no helping it. In the end, Lu Chen went with Master's Wife and the others on his own.

As for Master Deng, he had never cared for this sort of thing and did not come along.

The carriage passed through the last sparse stretch of woods, and the clamor of people and the crisp winter air swept toward them together.

They had arrived at Yunmiao Lake.

The lake's surface was frozen smooth as a mirror.

On an open stretch of shore, a wooden platform about ten feet high had already been erected and ringed with thick ropes. Several flags representing the local martial world fluttered in the biting wind.

A dense crowd surrounded the platform.

There were martial travelers carrying weapons, wealthy households dressed in fine clothes, and, more than anyone else, ordinary people who had come to watch the excitement.

Vendors called out their wares, children played, and the crowd buzzed with conversation. Their voices mingled with the white steam rising from food stalls nearby, driving away some of winter's desolation.

Lu Chen found a relatively spacious spot at the edge of the crowd and brought the carriage to a steady stop. He jumped down first and set out the footstool.

Master's Wife gathered her fox-fur coat around herself and stepped down with composed elegance.

Mei Dai and Mei Ying followed close behind.

The three women's arrival, especially the striking, fresh beauty of Master's Wife and the two young ladies, immediately drew plenty of eyes.

Master's Wife remained unruffled and was about to lead her daughters and Lu Chen toward the viewing area reserved for the martial hall.

A handsome youth in a white brocade robe, about sixteen or seventeen years old, hurried through the crowd toward them. He bowed respectfully.

"This junior is Wen Liangyu. I pay my respects to Madam Deng. I hope you are well."

Lu Chen watched him, his expression shifting slightly.

He knew Wen Liangyu. Wasn't he the classmate of Mei Dai and Mei Ying whom he had seen the last time he went to the Martial Education Academy to bring them home?

Hearing him, Master's Wife looked up and studied Wen Liangyu.

The young man was unfamiliar to her. He was neither a disciple of the martial hall nor one of the sons from the few families in Wen'an County she knew.

"May I ask who this young master is?"

Standing beside Master's Wife, Mei Dai saw Wen Liangyu approach, and the blush on her cheeks deepened. She hurried half a step forward and spoke softly and quickly.

"Mother, this is Young Master Wen, Wen Liangyu. He's a classmate of mine and Ying'er's at the academy. His... his family runs a business in another province."