Some things were better left unknown. Once she learned the truth, she had nearly laughed out of sheer anger.
As for how he had come to call her Mother, she remembered that quite vividly too.
She remembered him shamelessly flattering her back then, going on about how beautiful she was. Having barely read a book, he kept recycling the same compliments, until hearing them became irritating instead. She had told the big fellow to save his breath, saying she was old enough to be his mother...
Before she could even finish, the big fellow had dropped to his knees with a thud and crisply called her Mother.
It was downright startling. The word had left her stunned. She had only meant for him to speak more respectfully, not to adopt a son, and hastily explained that he had misunderstood and must never call her that again. Yet every time they met afterward, he remained true to his original resolve. Somehow, the name had stuck.
After that, every encounter consisted of one calling her Mother and the other telling him not to.
If not for the rules of the Land of Exile, which made it inconvenient to resort to violence inside Zhixu City, she felt that even if she did not beat this bargain-bin son to death, she could at least rip out his tongue.
She simply could not understand it. Even an idiot could see he was trying to forge a connection with her. There was no sincerity in it whatsoever. What was the point of shamelessly forcing such a relationship?
Then, just recently, who knew what unnecessary concerns had possessed her subordinates? While delivering goods outside, they had made a point of reporting Shi Chun and his companions' situation to her in the outside world. Apparently, the Eastern Nine Plains bunch had acquired a vast quantity of supplies, and all of them had earned the right to escape that sea of suffering. More than a hundred had left at once.
In the Land of Exile, that was no small number. It was an enormous one, enough to pique her curiosity. What had happened?
So she had picked two capable-looking people from those who had left the Eastern Nine Plains and offered to recommend them for work at Wangbo Tower, asking whether they were willing.
She meant Wangbo Tower in the outside world. Its holdings throughout the cultivation world were extensive; she, Lan Qiaoyan, was only responsible for its business in the Land of Exile.
For people who had just escaped the Land of Exile, joining Wangbo Tower was an opportunity dropped straight from heaven. How could they refuse? They were willing ten thousand times over.
But where in the world did such good fortune come free? Naturally, there were conditions. Those two promptly sold out Shi Chun and his companions, explaining how they had obtained that shipment of supplies. To ingratiate themselves, they also divulged plenty of other things, both recent and long past.
Among those revelations was the fact that Wu Jinliang had called many women Mother.
Calling them Mother was secondary. The problem was that almost every woman Wu Jinliang had called Mother had met a terrible end. Worse still, he had personally dealt the fatal blow to some of them.
Calling someone Mother to her face, then stabbing her in the back-was that something a human being would do?
Now he still dared come here and call her Mother. How could she not be angry? All she could do was console herself with the fact that violence was inadvisable inside Zhixu City.
Fortunately, she seemed reasonably magnanimous. After giving the bewildered Wu Jinliang a dirty look, she turned her gaze to Shi Chun, her tone returning somewhat to normal. "Are you heading out?"
She had also noticed the difference from their usual visits. Wu Jinliang was carrying bundles and luggage on his back.
Shi Chun nodded demurely, trying hard to present a refined, gentlemanly air. "Indeed."
At this performance, Lan Qiaoyan's smile went no deeper than her skin. With him constantly pestering her daughter, how could she not have investigated what sort of man this chief of the Eastern Nine Plains really was? Since this fellow had taken over, the Eastern Nine Plains' fearsome reputation throughout the area had certainly not been built by pretending to be cultured. It had been carved out through killing. Who knew how much blood stained his hands? He was a killer who would not blink at taking a life.
Outwardly, she still tried to sound unconcerned. "Leaving is good, too. But the rules outside aren't like the rules here, where fighting and killing are left unchecked. Take care of yourself."
"Yes." Shi Chun cupped his hands in thanks again, then casually asked, "Madam, where is Miss Miao?"
The question left Lan Qiaoyan rather speechless. She had no idea what was going on. Could this be some ill-fated bond?
She had sent her daughter around the twelve cities of the Prison of Life to inspect their accounts so she could learn and gain practical experience. If she wanted to accomplish anything at Wangbo Tower someday, how could she not know how to read accounts? Nor had Lan Qiaoyan ever intended to keep her daughter forever in this forsaken Land of Exile, where even birds would not come to shit. On top of that, the young man before her pursued her daughter shamelessly, with a whole bag of tricks. She genuinely feared that, given enough time, a young woman might not hold out. It was not a matter of looking up or down on him. Their status and standing were simply too far apart. They truly were not suited to each other.
So, three months earlier, after her daughter's last visit here to inspect the accounts, she had sent her out and secured work for her at Wangbo Tower in the outside world.
And now, the moment she turned around, this fellow had solved the departure problem for the entire Eastern Nine Plains bunch and was leaving himself. Could the timing possibly have been any more perfect? It made her look as though she had been paving the way for the two youngsters in advance.
The trouble was that Wangbo Tower was no place for games. It was not that transferring her daughter back, or elsewhere, would cause any particular problem. She could arrange a transfer without much difficulty. But moving her around on a whim was inappropriate. How long had it been since the last transfer? An established power had its own rules, and things had to be done properly. She did not have the final say over all of Wangbo Tower.
Thus, unwilling to reveal her daughter's whereabouts, she gave an evasive answer. "She had something to do and didn't come for this round of account inspections."
The old man attending her wore plain clothes and had a face that combined shrewdness with gentleness. Known as Old Tan, he was Lan Qiaoyan's trusted assistant and ordinarily a composed man. Yet even he failed to suppress a smile upon hearing her answer. Apparently guessing his mistress's thoughts, he let a clear trace of amusement curl his lips.
He knew his mistress disliked these two young fellows, but also felt a certain appreciation for them. Otherwise, how would they have been entitled to this conversation, much less repeatedly given easy access to Miss Miao? In some matters, an onlooker like him really did see more clearly.
She had not come? Shi Chun was somewhat taken aback. He had intended to make a special farewell visit to Miss Miao. Although leaving meant he no longer needed to keep acting out his courtship, he had put on that performance for so long that exposing it just as everything ended would hardly be worth it. What would people think?
Was he playing at teasing her daughter, assuming her family was easy to provoke? Wangbo Tower's influence was far greater than that of the Qi Household backing Shen Youkun.
Besides, he had wanted to ask Miss Miao about letting them travel out with Wangbo Tower's delivery caravan. Given her gentle, kind nature, she presumably would not refuse.
Her absence made things troublesome.
What else could he do? Shi Chun fixed a faintly calculating gaze on Lan Qiaoyan and sighed. "What a pity. I'm leaving, yet I cannot see Miss Miao one last time. My heart is truly troubled. A thousand regrets, a heart full of regret, a lifetime of regret."
Then he cupped his hands again. "Madam, when you next see Miss Miao, please pass along a message from Shi Chun. Tell her Shi Chun has gone, and if fate permits, we shall meet again!"
"Of course. I'll remember." Lan Qiaoyan waved a gracious hand, concealing a teasing note in her words. "Go on, go on. Set off in peace."
With his sordid past exposed, Wu Jinliang could no longer swagger. He obediently kept his mouth shut beside them, his large eyes looking from one to the other.
His objective still unmet, Shi Chun could hardly leave it at that. Immediately picking up on her words, he assumed an uneasy expression. "Madam, you truly have discerning eyes. You saw that we cannot set off in peace."
Was that what I just meant? Lan Qiaoyan questioned herself, nearly bewildered by him. Surely I didn't convey the wrong sentiment? A little curious now, she asked, "Why can't you set off in peace? Have you done something guilty again?"
Shi Chun looked sincere. "We know neither the people nor the places outside. Going somewhere unfamiliar does make us rather nervous and afraid."
"Pfft." Lan Qiaoyan laughed. "You, afraid? Why do I find that hard to believe? Even you know fear?"
Having deliberately kept an eye on him, she naturally knew he had committed plenty of outrageously bold deeds in the Land of Exile.
"The way things are done outside is different from here, after all. I hear there are many rules. I really am a little afraid." After this brief explanation, Shi Chun cupped his hands again. "Please be kind, madam. When the goods go out later, could you take us along for part of the journey? Let us travel with the delivery caravan and learn from them along the way. Just take us along in passing. Rest assured, madam, we won't be any undue bother."
Lan Qiaoyan did not fuss over such a minor matter and agreed at once. "Ask Old Tan later when they're leaving."
Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang were delighted. They were just about to bow in thanks when Lan Qiaoyan, who had begun to turn away, gave a puzzled sound. She stopped and looked back suspiciously. "Could it be that you've offended too many people and are afraid someone will be waiting to corner you once you step outside?"
Shing! Shi Chun suddenly reached out and drew the saber from Wu Jinliang's back. Holding it, he said with perfect composure, "Though Shi Chun is a scholar, wielding a saber is what he does best. I may fear anything else, but never crossing blades with another man. What is there to fear in licking blood from a blade's edge? Madam, do not underestimate Shi Chun. With this saber in hand, I can prove my resolve!"
"And me!" Wu Jinliang swung his great saber up with a whoosh in support.
Lan Qiaoyan shot him a cold look, plainly conveying, What the hell does this have to do with you? Wu Jinliang immediately wilted. However large the saber in his hand, it was useless, and he lowered it too.
Lan Qiaoyan actually believed Shi Chun's nonsense, accepting that he truly did not fear fighting and killing. That did not prevent her from retorting sarcastically, "A scholar? Have you ever even seen what a book looks like?"
Shi Chun said, "I saw one at Miss Miao's."
He had dragged her daughter into it again. Lan Qiaoyan did not want to say another word. She immediately turned to leave, glancing back to give Old Tan a meaningful look.
Old Tan understood at once and nodded to indicate that he would make the arrangements.
As Lan Qiaoyan walked away with graceful steps, she gave Wu Jinliang another disgusted glare. She simply could not understand it. Such an imposing big fellow, with unmistakably thick brows and large eyes, looked every inch the makings of a fine man. How had he developed this habit of dropping to his knees and calling women Mother at the slightest opportunity?
Now that she knew the truth, she found it rather hard to stomach. It was revolting.
Knowing she despised him for calling her Mother, Wu Jinliang wore a faintly aggrieved expression. He had not wanted to do it at first either. Later, on one occasion when circumstances forced their hand, Chun had refused to acknowledge a mother himself and persuaded Wu Jinliang to do it instead. After tasting the benefits, he had gradually grown accustomed to it.
Chun had also told him to sweeten his tongue when meeting Lan Qiaoyan. That was why he felt so wronged, and why he felt he had sacrificed a great deal during Chun's climb to the top of the Eastern Nine Plains.
Unaware of his thoughts, Shi Chun merely hurried after Old Tan to ask exactly when they would leave.