Chapter 26: The Cheng Family

"Huangtu, I am leaving now. Next time we meet, I promise to feed you the best dried fish in the world."

After lifting the chubby Huangtu and returning it to Ling Yuan, Su Yunqing said her goodbyes to everyone one by one.

Ling Yuan spoke to her very gravely: "Remember, if your relatives ask, just say you hired a boat yourself from Zejiang. Do not mention anything you encountered on the road, and do not mention anything about us."

Su Yunqing understood his meaning perfectly. After nodding solemnly at him, she boarded a small boat.

Meng Hu and the others waved, watching as the small boat sailed into the vast sea, growing smaller and smaller. Ling Yuan, meanwhile, called others to help repair the ship's rudder and sail rigging.

As for how the rudder and rigging had been damaged, Su Yunqing insisted it was the work of the Japanese pirates, and Banjiu could offer no explanation either. Ling Yuan, however, felt it was not that simple; if the pirates had intended to seize the ship for their own use, why would they maliciously destroy it? Still, the immediate priority was to fix it.

While tying the ropes, Ling Yuan said to Meng Hu, "Meng Hu, go tell Uncle Bao that we can set sail back to Longyin Mountain in about an hour. As for who will remain to guard Zhusha Island, he will arrange it."

Meng Hu gave a low grunt and, somewhat reluctantly, climbed off the ship, muttering under his breath, "The kid hasn't even grown his first beard, yet he’s already here giving me orders."

Ling Yuan pretended not to hear and continued his work with a calm, focused expression. Uncle Kun, noticing his resentment toward Ling Yuan, followed him off the ship and said, "A-Hu, I asked you to go because you are the least injured among us. If you don't want to go, then you can fix the rudder, and I'll make the trip myself."

"Oh, Uncle Kun, that’s not what I meant. You go on back."

Uncle Kun patted his shoulder. "You better not mean that. Let me tell you, don't look for trouble."

Meng Hu scratched his head at Uncle Kun and ran off.

A carriage was waiting at the pier. A large character, "Cheng," was written on the lanterns hanging from it. A middle-aged man sat on the carriage, listlessly picking at a hangnail on his finger.

Su Yunqing first found a spot to take her female clothes out of her bundle and change, then restyled her hair into a young woman’s bun. She walked up to the carriage and asked, "Excuse me, sir, is this the carriage of Master Cheng from Chengyi Hall on Furong Street in Pan County?"

The middle-aged man sprang up and climbed down to look her over. "You must be the third young lady of the Su family?"

Su Yunqing smiled. "Indeed."

"We’ve finally waited for you," the man said. "Ever since we received your letter, the mistress has had me waiting here for you every day. It’s been three days; the mistress is so worried about you. Get in the carriage, Third Young Lady, let’s head back first."

Su Yunqing glanced around the carriage. Besides this man, there was no one else in sight. She asked, "Are you the only one?"

"Yes, my surname is Li; you can call me Old Li. Originally, the young master should have gone to Zejiang to pick you up personally, but..." Old Li sighed and continued, "It’s a long story. You’ll understand when you arrive. Get in, miss."

This Old Li did not seem like a bad person, but other than the "Cheng" character on the carriage, there was nothing else to prove he was truly from the Cheng family. Su Yunqing hesitated.

Then she thought, if no one knew her whereabouts in Zejiang, it was unlikely that someone would be trying to harm her thousands of miles away. She just needed to keep her wits about her. With that, she climbed into the carriage. "Then, Uncle Li, let's head back."

"Alright!"

Su Yunqing lowered the curtain and checked the interior of the carriage; finding nothing unusual, she relaxed slightly. Still, she dared not be careless, keeping an eye on the scenery outside through the curtain while straining her ears to listen to Old Li driving the carriage.

Leaving the pier, they passed through a stretch of sparsely populated farmland and entered the city. As the carriage gradually moved into the bustling streets, Su Yunqing finally let down her guard.

Just as she was about to speak, Old Li spoke first: "Third Young Lady, you may not know, but when the Master and the eldest young master went to Zejiang to deliver the betrothal gifts, they were attacked by Japanese pirates near Huamu Ridge on their way back. Everyone on the boat fell into the water. The Master and the eldest young master barely escaped with their lives."

Su Yunqing’s mind buzzed. Her eyes widened, and she whipped open the curtain. "What? They, too... they encountered an attack by Japanese pirates?"

"Yes. The people accompanying them all died. The eldest young master was struck in the head by the pirates while trying to save the Master, and now he cannot move his limbs. The Master choked on water and was only saved with great difficulty; he is still unconscious and hasn't woken up."

Su Yunqing stood there, stunned and speechless. The Cheng father and son had encountered Japanese pirates on their way back from delivering the betrothal gifts, leaving them both bedridden, while she had arrived alone, with nothing to her name. At the root of it all was the Su family—and her.

This made her feet feel as heavy as lead as she stepped through the gate of the Cheng estate.

The Cheng estate was massive, even larger than the Wu family's home. The south was relatively warm, and even in autumn, the leaves remained lush. The courtyard was filled with flowers—varieties her grandmother and mother used to grow back in the capital. In the north, they could only survive in greenhouses, and since her grandmother and mother were always frugal, she hadn't seen these flowers since returning to her hometown.

A matron led her along. "Miss Su, please come with me. The mistress is watching over the eldest young master in Jade Pavilion. The young master has shown slight signs of improvement these past two days. I will take you to Jade Pavilion to see her first."

Su Yunqing nodded. "Thank you, Mother."

The matron said, "My surname is Jin. I am the eldest young master's wet nurse; I watched him grow up."

Su Yunqing corrected herself. "Thank you, Mother Jin."

"Third Young Lady, no need to be so formal. Once you and the young master marry, you will be the eldest mistress of this house..."

"What eldest mistress? Where would an eldest mistress come from?"

Su Yunqing looked toward the voice. A boy of about ten years old was holding a ball, his eyes fixed on her like a young wolf. It was the third young master of the Cheng family, Cheng Cong.

Mother Jin quickly said, "Third Young Master, you must not speak to Miss Su like that." She then explained to Su Yunqing, "Miss, please don't take it to heart. This is our third young master; he is young and doesn't understand."

"Who says I don't understand?" The hostility in the wolf-cub's eyes grew deeper. He tossed the ball into the air and caught it hard.

Su Yunqing felt bewildered, but she did not avoid his gaze, meeting his eyes for a moment. Just then, a young girl followed behind him, looking about his age; it was the fourth young lady of the Cheng family, Cheng Yuan.

Cheng Yuan first nodded and bowed to Su Yunqing. "Greetings, Elder Sister Su."

Su Yunqing nodded in return.

Cheng Yuan turned and pulled Cheng Cong’s hand, saying with a worried face, "Third Brother, being so rude—if Father and Mother find out, they will surely punish you."

Upon hearing this, tears welled up in Cheng Cong’s hostile eyes. "If Father could wake up, I would gladly accept a beating, or even a knife to the chest."

Mother Jin took out a handkerchief to wipe his tears and said to Cheng Yuan, "Fourth Young Lady, why don't you take the Third Young Master to play elsewhere?"

Cheng Yuan pulled Cheng Cong’s hand. "Third Brother, let's go. Mother has been through so much these days; don't make things harder for her."

Cheng Cong glared at Su Yunqing one last time before being forcibly dragged away by Cheng Yuan.

Vaguely, Su Yunqing heard Cheng Yuan say, "Third Brother, how can you be so unreasonable? Father and Big Brother were injured by Japanese pirates; what does that have to do with Sister Su?"

"How can it not have anything to do with her? If it weren't for her, would Father and Big Brother have gone north? If they hadn't gone north, would they have encountered the pirates?"

Mother Jin called softly in Su Yunqing’s ear, "Miss Su?"

Su Yunqing finally pulled her gaze back from the direction the two children had disappeared in. She steadied herself and said, "Mother Jin, let's go. Let's see the mistress."