Chapter 323: The Butcher’s Infamy

Xiaosongjiang Prefecture had many prominent families, so there were numerous gardens and residences with flowing water and arched bridges. The Yang family’s mansion was located in the southwest of Shanghai County, surrounded by streets on three sides, with tall walls and strict gates. Although it was an ancestral home, since the current owner, Yang Shande, became wealthy, skilled craftsmen were hired to renovate and redesign it. There were courtyards within courtyards, beautifully constructed pavilions and towers, and a garden with flowing water, along with artificial hills made from rare rocks from the south—giving it the grandeur of a large mansion.

Since the owner was not an official, the main gate consisted of just one pair of doors, made of iron rings and coated in black oil. Normally, this gate was only opened for weddings or visits from important guests or officials; it was not opened casually. This time, Fang Qing led Zhang Yue in through the east gate. Although the decorations in the house could not violate regulations, aside from the prohibition on colored carvings on rooftops, beams, and eaves, other areas like window frames were extremely delicate and luxurious. Trees were planted in front of and behind the houses, creating a pleasant sight.

Of course, Zhang Yue would not simply move from the inn to the Yang family’s mansion just because of Fang Qing’s words. As a son-in-law, Fang Qing himself was an outsider, and it would be inappropriate for him to make such a decision unilaterally. Moreover, he didn’t want to get too close to the Yang family until things were clarified—this also relieved Chu Yun, the owner of the Xilai Inn. As they walked along the cobblestone path, he noticed the servants, each going their own way, with no one paying attention to him, which made him frown slightly.

It seemed this wasn’t simply due to well-trained discipline but rather because they were preoccupied. It appeared that the dispute over the Yang family’s inheritance was quite serious.

Although the inner courtyard rarely received outsiders, since Fang Qing said it was his close friend, the maid at the second gate dared not stop them, though she still sized up Zhang Yue for a while. As she stepped aside, she said with a smile, “It’s really busy at home these days. Yesterday, the second young master returned with a friend whom he settled in his Plum Garden. Now, you, the third son-in-law, also have a friend visiting. Fortunately, there are plenty of empty rooms in the Bamboo Garden that can accommodate them.”

Fang Qing replied casually to the maid. Only after leading Zhang Yue around the screen wall and up a path leading to the east gate did he whisper, “Since our old master fell ill a few years ago, matters related to the sea have been under the control of my second uncle. He just returned last night, probably after sending off a new batch of ships. Though I’m not aware of the specifics, the government now tightly controls the coastal areas, so even if one wants to go out to sea, it’s probably only to a few nearby islands.”

Zhang Yue had already gained a general understanding of the people in the Yang family, so he nodded slightly at this point. After walking a few dozen steps and turning into another door, he emerged on the other side through a moon gate behind a marble screen, only to find himself in a courtyard hidden among bamboo groves. A hand-embroidered curtain of green bamboo hung at the entrance of the main house, and a young girl dressed in a front-buttoned jacket stood there. She was quite quick-witted; upon seeing someone, she quickly went inside to announce their arrival and then lifted the curtain right away.

“Miss, your husband has brought guests back!”

In these days, married women rarely saw outsiders, but Fang Qing still led Zhang Yue straight in. Seeing his wife, Yang Lin, dressed neatly coming forward, he gave her a subtle wink. When she bowed in greeting, he guided Zhang Yue to the seat in the center and introduced her, saying, “This is my wife, Lady Yang.”

Zhang Yue returned her greeting, waved his hand, and casually sat down in the first chair at the lower end, saying with a smile, “There’s no need for formalities. No matter how important the guest is, they can’t take the main seat—that’s just common sense. Sister-in-law, since Brother Fang rushed me here, I came empty-handed without any gifts for the first visit. Please forgive me. Next time I visit, I’ll definitely bring something as a compensation. For now, I must apologize.”

Yang Lin had already heard about Zhang Yue from Fang Qing and was aware of his notorious reputation in Qingzhou Prefecture. She thought this successful young nobleman would be extremely difficult to get along with. Seeing him speak in a friendly manner without any condescension, she was somewhat surprised and wondered if the rumors were exaggerated. Fang Qing, observing his wife’s stunned expression, couldn’t help but smile bitterly inwardly.

“Lin, I asked you to meet my father when I left. How did it go?”

“I didn’t see Father,” Yang Lin replied. Seeing Fang Qing’s expression darken and even Zhang Yue frown, she hurriedly explained, “It’s not that I didn’t try—I simply couldn’t reach him. Father never woke up. I waited by his bed for an entire hour, but he remained asleep. The two maids said he went to bed very late last night, and I didn’t want to wake him…”

“What time is it already!” Although he usually got along very well with his wife and never lost his temper, Fang Qing couldn’t keep a calm expression now. Annoyed, he said, “My father’s illness is indeed due to old age and weakness, but you should know the real reason! It took me a great deal of effort to bring Lord Zhang here. Do you expect Lord Zhang to wait until my father wakes up after having his fill of sleep? You… forget it. I’ll go see my father in Lan Yuan myself!”

Although she wasn’t the kind of woman who stayed indoors solely to manage household affairs and understood some things outside as well, Yang Lin didn’t fully grasp the implications involved. Seeing her husband stand up angrily and head outside, she was instantly stunned. Watching the thick cotton curtain rise high and then fall heavily, she finally realized that Fang Qing had shown her disapproval in front of outsiders. Feeling both ashamed and angry, she managed to force a weak smile after some effort.

“Please forgive me, sir. I’m young and inexperienced, and I didn’t realize just how important this matter was, which is why I delayed it…” Before Zhang Yue could respond, she hurriedly added, “I was so focused on talking that I forgot to serve tea. I’ll go tell Xiao Qing right away. Please wait in the room for a while while I check if there are any snacks to offer our guests.”

Seeing Yang Lin rush out in a flurry, followed by more instructions from outside, Zhang Yue couldn’t help but smile. He understood that this young lady from the Yang family was worried about any conflict between her husband and father, so she had made an excuse to leave. After sitting for a while, he saw the curtain rise again—this time it was the girl who had been standing by the door, carrying a tea tray.

“Sir, please have some tea.”

Earlier, when she heard that her future husband had brought guests in, Xiao Qing was sent outside by her masteress to wait. She endured the cold wind for a while before being allowed to enter. At first glance, she found Zhang Yue quite young; nothing else stood out. But when she heard the noise inside suddenly get louder, followed by her future husband slamming the door and rushing out, and then her masteress leaving in a hurry as well, she felt puzzled. Now, after serving the tea, she couldn’t help but observe Zhang Yue closely.

He had two eyes, a nose, and a mouth—seemingly an amiable person. How could he have angered her future husband so much upon arrival? She had heard him called “Lord Xiao Zhang” earlier. He seemed so young; he probably wasn’t a high-ranking official… Wait, why did that title sound so familiar?

In an instant, her previously rosy complexion turned deathly pale, and she staggered back several steps. Only when she hit the wall did she force herself to swallow hard, her heart pounding wildly.

Could this be Lord Zhang, the same one who had beheaded over four hundred people in just an instant in Qingzhou last time? Although she hadn’t been able to go to the execution site, many members of the Fang family and servants had gone to watch. They left full of excitement but returned in fear. A bold maid later described to her the scene of blood flowing like rivers, and even though she hadn’t seen it with her own eyes, she couldn’t help shivering several times and had nightmares that night.

Zhang Yue took a sip of tea, then looked up to find no one in front of her. After searching around, she noticed the girl in the lotus-colored jacket had hidden in a corner. She raised an eyebrow and casually asked, “Do you know me?”

“Your servant knows… You are Lord Zhang… Ah, your servant doesn’t know you!”

Xiao Qing immediately thought of Zhang Yue’s reputation as a butcher and felt the chill in the room, making her speech hesitant. She wished she could fly away from this eerie place right away. Seeing Zhang Yue studying her with interest, she couldn’t help but recall the countless rumors she had heard, and now her scalp tingled with fear.

“Since you know me, then I’d like to ask you a question,” Zhang Yue said with a slight smile, setting down her teacup as if unaware of how terrifying her smile appeared to others. “How did everyone in the Yang family treat your mistress and her fiancé when they came here?”

“Of course, the old master and the two young masters treated them very well…” Xiao Qing blurted out instinctively. Seeing Zhang Yue’s gaze fixed on her, she became extremely anxious. Realizing it wasn’t some major secret, she gritted her teeth and said, “The old master and the eldest young master were happy, but the second young master wasn’t… After all, the mistress can’t inherit any family wealth, so it’s unclear what the second young master is worried about. As a result, even many servants were whispering behind their backs.”

Zhang Yue asked a few more questions. Although Xiao Qing was reluctant, she answered them one by one, and he began to chat with her casually. Seeing her always keep a careful distance, he smiled, thinking that his notorious reputation was actually useful. He didn’t care much, but it was hard on Xiao Qing—she had to worry whether what she said might harm her mistress and fiancé, while also facing those “frightening” gazes. Unaware of it, she had revealed quite a bit. Just as she was about to collapse, the door curtain was lifted again, and it was Fang Qing who entered.

“Lord Zhang, your father-in-law has woken up. Hearing that you are here, he originally wanted to come here in person to meet you, but fearing that news might leak and reveal your identity, plus his limited mobility, he could only ask you to come to Lanyuan for the meeting.”
Zhang Yue then stood up. Before leaving, he gave Xiao Qing a slight smile again: “Thank you, Miss Xiao Qing, for answering my questions earlier. As for my identity, please keep it a secret.”
Seeing Fang Qing’s warning look, as the door curtain was drawn shut, Xiao Qing suddenly collapsed to the ground. After taking a few deep breaths, she looked blankly at the beams on the ceiling. That butcher has finally left… Wait, how did he know her name was Xiao Qing? What had she just told him… Damn it, he had asked many tricky questions, and aside from the private matters between the young lady and her fiancé, it seemed she had revealed quite a lot about the Yang family!