Black Belly Wife

"Not bad,  not bad. You recognize me at such a young age. Little girl's got a bright future in front of you." Guo Que De was very pleased. He has been living a reclusive life within the Mojiao sect for many years, he did not expect someone junior of him would recognize him. Feng was flattered by his comment, she shyly stuck her tongue out, "My dad had brought you up occasionally. Thirty or so years ago, you traveled jianghu with just one pot, your were infamous for your nefariousness. Your ability to cause trouble injianghu exceeded that of brother Chu!" "Oh, you even knew that!" Guo Que De was ecstatic. Back in the days he had so much prestige! Little girl has such bright future, bright future indeed. "Who's your dad?" he asked. "Feng Yan." "What? How did that old bastard Feng Yan ended up with such an adorable daughter?!" After the shocking revelation, Guo Que De ignored everyone else, walked over to the side and pounded his chest, tormenting over the fact that the divine spirits didn't leave Feng Yan with no descendant. Seeing this, Murong Yun Shu was speechless. Guo Que De, indeed, lived up to his name. He certainly lived up to the expectation of the person who gave him his name. Perhaps, that was the expectation from the very beginning. similar to parents who named their son "Epic", certainly they would have rubbed his head passionately and said to him, "Son, be sure to grow up to be a man with epic achievements." Or in Guo Que De's case, his folks probably rubbed his head and said, "Guo Que De, be sure to grow up and commit all sorts of immoral crimes." Feng Ling, on the other hand, tugged on Nie Qing's sleeve and said, "See? Someone said I am cute." Nie Qing rolled his eyes at her, what a fool! Feng Ling pouted, the squatted down in search for antidote. "Guo qian bei didn't happen upon us, did you?" said Murong Yun Shu calmly, dragging Guo Que De back from the middle of his profane rampage. "The boss sent me!" Guo Que De became normal again as soon as the sect leader who was even more immoral than him was mentioned, "Oh yeah, madam, please stop referring to me as qian bei, the boss won't like that. Please call me Chef Guo, it's how the boss calls me too." "Sure, Chef Guo," said Murong Yun Shu smoothly. She was glad he didn't ask her to call him "Chef Immoral", plenty of times in her life she has insulted people implicitly, but rarely explicitly. She would have a hard time addressing him as "Chef Immoral". "Have you been follow us this whole time?" asked Murong Yun Shu. "Ever since you entered Beijing." "So you were the second man in black?" "I sure was. Originally, I was going to mess around with you by pretending to be an assassin to see how brave you are. I didn't expect to run into a real assassin." Embarrassed, Guo Que De poked the back of his head with the backside of his pot, chuckling like a child. "What happened to the assassin?" "I took care of him." "Where's my maid?" Guo Que De chuckled and pointed to the room next door, "Soundly asleep in the room next to us." "Thank you." "Haha, you are welcome, you are welcome. Protecting madam for our boss was an honor for us." Murong Yun Shu lifted her eye brows in response to his words, "Us?" "Oh yes, since the day you began your journey, anyone who happened to be in the path of or usually hang around Beijing all received 'black wind command' from the boss. We must protect madam at all cost." Guo Que De flexed his neck and whispered, "Madam, please don't tell boss about the assassin, if he ever found out I accidentally let the assassin placed his sword on your neck, I am sure he'll chop my head off and serve it with alcohol." No wonder their journey was so smooth, Murong Yun Shu felt a pang of appreciation in her heart, the corners of her mouth lifted slightly. It took her a few seconds to return to normal and said, "Don't worry, I won't let him chop your head off and serve it with alcohol." Guo Que De felt very grateful. Chu's ancestors must have collected a lot of goodwill, that's why he was able to have such a kind wife. "It's too bloody to be eaten, it's better to dig a whole and bury it." "....." just when he was wondering there was no way Chu's ancestros would have collected such good will!! "No worries, my brother is amazing in medicine, you won't get sick." Feng Ling chimed in cooperatively. Guo Que De gave her a stare, "So not cute!" Feng Ling was eager to defend herself, "but I was only telling the truth..." Nie Qing gave her another stare, that's exactly why I called you a fool! The bawd awaken right at this moment. She opened her eyes and saw everybody, suddenly realized what had happened and tried to get up. Another strike to her head with the pot put her out again.Murong Yun Shu smacked her own forehard, did he think the bard was well versed in the art of iron head? Even if the bard could survive a few more smacks, she would not have the mental capacity to relate her message to King Liang.

"Do thank your boss for me!" said Murong Yun Shu as she walked out of the room.

"Our boss don't accept verbal gratitude," replied Chef Guo in a mischievous way.

Murong Yun Shu paused and raised her brows, acknowledging his words. She walked over the room next door to look for Lu'er. After a while, she returned with a sleepy and confused Lu'er and handed a letter to Chef Guo.

"Is this for the boss?" teased Chef Guo.

"Yes, written gratitude."

"That's not what I meant...." Chef Guo was slightly baffled.

"I know, but it is what I meant." said Murong Yun Shu in a very matter-of-fact way.

***

It was when the group started walking out of the brothel and headed toward Nie Qing's place for the night when they realized they were missing one member of the party.

"Where's Nie Qing?" asked Murong Yun Shu.

Feng Ling looked to the left and the right and couldn't find her sweetheart. Suddenly her eyes widened and she started running back while shouting, "That creep! He must have been distracted by some working girls!"

Murong Yun Shu was stunned, did Feng Ling not have eyes or just have very bad eye sight? Did she not notice the devastated look on Nie Qing when he was entering the brothel with them?

Right when she was finding it amusing, she heard Chef Guo mumbling next to her, "That's pretty impressive of Nie Qing, he could still enjoy the ladies even after the bard had hit his acupuncture point..."

Murong Yun Shu stared into the sky wordlessly. Had Feng Ling heard that comment, she probably would chop his head off and serve it with alcohol.

***

With Nie Qing leading the way, Murong Yun Shu was able to enter the palace smoothly without further hindrance and arrive at the outside of the imperial study.

"Department of Expenditure Minister Nie Qing, Murong Yun Shu, enter the imperial study to meet with the emperor!" Announced an old man who exited the study. Then he added, "Master Nie, the emperor is not feeling well, don't talk for too long."

"Thanks for the tip."

Nie Qing was his old stone cold self. Murong Yun Shu felt that he would make a very good judge, always playing it by the book, always a stuck up look on his handsome, gigolo-like face. He just didn't look like anyone who worked with money day in and day out.

The imperial study basked in a majestic gold tone, giving it a very solemn feel. A pleasant is not allowed to look at the emperor directly, so Murong Yun Shu lowered her head slightly, remaining a mildly humble posture, in a leveled tone, she greeted the emperor, "Long live my king."

"You may stand."

"Thank you, my lord."

Qie Ning merely bowed slightly, "Your majesty."

"You may stand, Bishop Qie."

"Thank you, my lord."

Murong Yun Shu observed the interaction between the two of them quietly and a sense of understanding smile flickered in her eyes. This Department of Expenditure Minister wasn't doing too bad.

"Murong Yun Shu," said the emperor. His voice was full of vigor, didn't sound unwell at all.

"Peasant girl is here."

"If I accept your request and let Huifeng banks control the release of 'silver coins', what would you say?

"Will your majesty grant  me my request?"

"I am asking you a question!"

Murong Yun Shu smiled lightly and slowly responded, "If your majesty won't grant me my request, then the question will be moot."

"You need to answer me first, I will then decide if I am going to grant you your request."

"Please forgive this pleasant girl for not being able to your majesty's question."

"How dare you!" The emperor was slightly irritated.

"Please do not be angered, my lord," continued Murong Yun Shu, "The Royal Administration decided to reform the currency, using small face value 'silver coins' instead of real silver and gold in the market. Theoretically this will benefit both the country and the peasants, but whether this will work in reality, nobody knows. Hence peasant girl is not able to guarantee any kind of return for your majesty."

"Then why are you so adamant about retaining controlling right of the bank?"

Murong Yun Shu continue to keep her head lowered, in a mild mannered way she replied, "Because peasant girl does not wish her family business to be ruined in someone else's hand. Whether this works out or not, the House of Murong and the bank will live and die together."

Her speech gave the emperor the pause, eagle sharped eyes measured her for a long while, then said, "Okay, I'll let you have it, but I have a condition."

"Do tell, my lord," Murong Yun Shu listened attentively.

"Marry the crown prince."