After the flower-viewing banquet, Yang Xiuying’s life returned to quiet once more—until she began to feel bored. Her husband vanished before sunrise, leaving her in this vast, spacious, luxurious manor filled with comfort and tranquility… too much of it.
And so she found reasons to go out and wander during the day—visiting famous restaurants, and renowned shops in the capital. At first, it seemed quite exciting, but after seeing them for many days, familiarity and monotonous repetition began to take over, making her think of going out to play further outside the city.
Jian Hantian didn’t forbid or confine her to the manor. He merely sent Wen Chang to follow and facilitate things for her.
Today was the same. Yang Xiuying thought to go play at a village north of the capital. It was said there was a market selling many strange goods from different regions. Though the atmosphere might be a bit rough and uncivilized compared to the capital’s markets, she found it quite interesting.
Today she wore practical clothing similar to what martial artists liked to wear. After browsing until bored, she took a carriage back in the evening.
But on the way before reaching the city gates, they had to pass through a rather secluded path. Tall grass on both sides grew above head height—it looked extremely suitable for ambushes. And just as expected, there really was an ambush lying in wait up ahead.
“Oh wait, let’s stop and watch. I want to know who’s fighting whom, and who’ll win.” Her life these past several days had been too smooth. Today there’d be something fun for her to watch!
Without waiting for her attendants to object, Yang Xiuying leaped from the carriage to hide and crouch in a tree not far from the scene.
Tan Wu, who never thought about anything except following the young miss according to the Island Lord and Furen’s orders, immediately jumped to follow. Next came Mo Fang and Wen Chang, who by now had become clear in his mind that Wangfei’s two attendants truly had exceptional martial arts.
Last time, Tan Wu had dealt with Li Wang’s shadow guards who were tailing Li Wangfei as easily as plucking peaches from a tree. Even the Emperor’s imperial guards probably couldn’t handle this man easily.
While sitting on a tree branch, Yang Xiuying saw a luxurious carriage convoy being attacked by dozens of assassins in black. She couldn’t help but complain inwardly, ‘Don’t these assassins think to be creative with their attire at all? Always wearing black every time like this. So boring!’
Clearly that group of assassins aimed to take the life of whoever was in the carriage. But because the guards protecting them were quite skilled, though outnumbered, they could take down the assassins one by one until the remaining assassins saw things going badly and decided to flee to save themselves.
“Hey! That’s not right!” Yang Xiuying said only that before lunging out to intercept two assassins who’d jumped to flee in one direction. She was moving so fast that Wen Chang couldn’t even follow her with his eyes. Before anyone could blink, she’d already appeared right in front of the two assassins. They recoiled in shock before taking stance ready to attack.
“If I were the one who hired you, I’d be very displeased to see you fleeing so easily when the job isn’t even done yet. Hurry back the way you came, go on now!”
The two assassins didn’t understand what nonsense this strange woman who’d suddenly appeared was spouting. When you can’t win, you run—that’s just how it is, right? Who would want to throw away their life stupidly? So they decided to eliminate this meddlesome person first, then flee.
Seeing the assassins brandishing swords to attack, Yang Xiuying let out a sharp “Hmph!” before dodging with speed they couldn’t follow. In one blink, she’d vanished.
Wen Chang, who’d caught up, had to stand thinking for a long time—if he reached out to interfere now, would he become a burden to Wangfei? He’d never thought her martial arts would be this advanced. Meanwhile, Mo Fang stood with hands on hips rolling her eyes beside Tan Wu, who merely stood watching quietly as well.
“Geez, I went to the trouble of warning you nicely but you don’t know how to listen.” The young woman who held the status of Qin Wangfei used her shins to kick and break both assassins’ legs simultaneously. They felt as if their bones had shattered to pieces. Now they lay sprawled on the ground wailing.
Just as she was about to haul those two back to the scene so their mission could be completed, the guards from the luxurious carriage convoy—who’d finished dealing with the remaining assassins—caught up at just that moment.
“Thank you, Miss, for helping us.”
Wen Chang was speechless. Meanwhile Mo Fang and Tan Wu, standing not far away, thought to themselves—Help you? She just wanted to watch this fight last a bit longer. Earlier she was going to throw those two assassins back to the scene… if their legs hadn’t broken first.
“Ahem… just a small matter. Don’t worry about it.” When it came to taking credit, she was second to none. Since they’d misunderstood, didn’t she gain face from it?
Wen Chang, “……”
While Mo Fang and Tan Wu were already used to it.
“If Miss doesn’t mind, my young master would like to invite Miss to a meal as thanks. What do you say?”
Wen Chang made to object, but Wangfei had already answered.
“Why would I mind? Sure! Let’s go!”
If those two assassins didn’t feel so much pain they could only moan on the ground, they’d have gotten up to point at her face. How dare she take credit just to score a free meal—so shameless!
***
After reaching a private room at a famous restaurant in the capital, Yang Xiuying blinked at the “young master” from the luxurious carriage convoy.
‘Why does this face look so familiar? Like I saw it just a few days ago?’
On the other side, the “young master”—a man with features beautiful as a woman’s but tall with a slender build, dressed luxuriously and meticulously from head to toe indicating his status was either very high or very wealthy—curved his lips in a smile with mannerisms that were hard to tell if they belonged to a man or woman.
“Ma Xinhong formally thanks Miss once more with this cup of wine.” The sweet-faced man raised his wine cup in respect before lifting it to his lips and sipping slowly.
Yang Xiuying watched that manner, that face, combined with his surname, and an image appeared of a certain woman she’d just had trouble with recently—a woman who’d been expelled from the capital by her clan elders. Who else could it be but Ma Xinyi, Chu Huiru’s friend?
“What’s your relationship to Ma Xinyi?” She asked straightforwardly, so she’d know how to handle—uh… deal with the person before her.
Ma Xinhong smiled slightly, making that extremely sweet, beautiful face even more attractive, before answering.
“If speaking of blood relations, she has the status of my younger relative from the main Ma clan branch. But if speaking of other relations, the main and branch Ma clans have no involvement with each other whatsoever.”
Naturally, Yang Xiuying couldn’t trust a stranger’s words. So she craned her neck to look at Mo Fang standing to the side slightly behind. Seeing her senior maid nod once, she turned back to send a smile to her conversation partner.
“Oh… so that’s how it is. I’m Yang Xiuying—pleased to meet a new friend today. Come, bottoms up!” She knocked back the wine cup and drank easily with the manner of a martial artist.
When her conversation partner heard her name, he looked surprised.
“So it’s the famous Qin Wangfei! This subject was blind and didn’t recognize you. Please forgive me.”
Yang Xiuying waved her hand dismissively. “No need for formalities. Let’s just talk casually like this.”
Hearing that, Ma Xinhong saw no reason to refuse.
“Xinhong… has heard much about Long Yu Island, and has long thought of doing trade with Long Yu Island. Only the journey there is rather… difficult.” The discouraged manner of the sweet-faced man made the Island Lord’s daughter smile.
“True enough. That area’s rather difficult to reach. If you’re not experienced, unexpected things can happen.” ‘Like being dragged down to rest eternally at the ocean floor by Nai’er soldier patrols in the water, making everyone spread rumors about strange beasts capsizing ships…’ That was what she answered in her mind.
“I never thought today I’d have the opportunity to meet an expert in seafaring directly like this. This is truly Xinhong’s great fortune. If Xinhong has the chance to trade with Long Yu Island with support from Qin Wangfei, it would be an incomparable great fortune for the branch Ma clan.” That manner of praising and admiring mixed with sweet coaxing made Yang Xiuying feel a bit dazed. Being flattered this much, how could she not accept?
“You’ve chosen the right person. Me—I’m the most expert at sailing to Long Yu Island!”
“Then let Xinhong toast Qin Wangfei once more to celebrate this trade partnership of ours.” The other party raised his wine cup with an expectant expression, giving the feeling of seeing a small puppy. How could the noble and supremely seafaring-expert Qin Wangfei refuse?
“Oh… Perfect! Excellent! Bottoms up!”
***
And just like that, Qin Wangfei agreed to do business with the young master of the branch Ma clan because she’d “helped” him escape an assassination attempt… and they’d barely clinked cups three times.
For Yang Xiuying, doing trade was a novel, interesting thing that relieved boredom during this time.
For the people from Long Yu Island, arranging passage and sending out some goods to sell was no trouble at all. Money had never been their problem from the start. If they could gain a bit more to make the second young miss happy, they were pleased to do it.
But the happiest person seemed to be her father on Long Yu Island, who received a report letter from Mo Fang—who always wrote and sent them according to Lu Fen’s orders.
“Oh… our daughter… has grown to the point of not just squandering wealth day after day anymore… even though I’m wealthy enough to let her squander for another ten thousand years… but now she knows to think of doing business like other people too!” Yang Yan dabbed at tears of joy that didn’t actually exist—an image that greatly conflicted with his unkempt beard.
As for the young woman’s mother, Lu Fen, she didn’t have much opinion. As her younger sister once said, whatever she wants to do, let her do it. Soon those humans will all grow old and die anyway.
Author’s Note:
When people wonder if Second Miss Yang’s business will actually survive…
Yang Xiuying (gesturing to the team of a hundred people handling everything): “Wait, I’m supposed to do something? Isn’t pointing fingers and giving orders enough?”
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