Chapter 46: The Fence-Sitter (2)

“You didn’t know, Master Yin?” Meng Dafu’s beady mung-bean eyes darted slyly again. He chuckled, then feigned a troubled expression as he said to Yin Guanghong, “I think, Master Yin, you’d best go home and ask your sister. I promised Meng Qiancheng I wouldn’t breathe a word of it.”

“Not even to me?”

“Well…” Sun Dafu leaned in close, making a motion with his hand like flipping coins. “I took hush money from Meng Qiancheng.”

“How much did he give you?”

“Three or four taels of broken silver.”

Yin Guanghong pulled out a silver piece from his waist pouch and tossed it to Sun Dafu.

“Now that’s what I call forthright,” Sun Dafu grinned as he pocketed the money, then rattled off everything he knew to Yin Guanghong.

“Master Yin, I must warn you, that little chit Lin Furong already knows it was your sister who messed with her behind her back. Now she’s married to a hunter—heard the man can punch a bear to death. If something were to happen…”

“Is the hunter really that tough?”

“No joke. Just yesterday, he went up the mountain and killed a wild boar. I swear, its head was the size of a washbasin, and he cleaved it clean off.”

Hearing this, Yin Guanghong’s enthusiasm to return to the village instantly deflated by half.

He’d come for Lin Furong, but if her new husband was that formidable, he’d have a hard time forcing anything.

Turning on his heel, he made to leave.

Sun Dafu grabbed his arm.

“Master Yin, you’re going the wrong way—village is that way.”

“I’m not going back.”

“What’s wrong?” Sun Dafu, shrewd as ever, noticed Yin Guanghong backing off at the mention of the hunter. Maybe he was scared.

The Yin family was the richest in Yushou Village. If even Yin Guanghong had someone to fear, then perhaps Sun Dafu’s golden opportunity had come.

“Master Yin, are you worried that the hunter might seek revenge on your family because of Lin Furong?”

Yin Guanghong naturally denied it. “Nonsense. Our Yin family is loaded—why would we fear a hunter? And anyway, Lin Furong eloping with a man is a disgrace. If he had any backbone, he’d divorce her.”

“I agree completely,” Sun Dafu nodded eagerly. “That hunter’s not even from our village. He’s only heard Lin Furong’s side. And the one who proposed on his behalf was a friend—the same man who saved her from hanging herself. The hunter doesn’t even know what kind of person Lin Furong is.”

“What are you trying to say?”

Sun Dafu chuckled slyly, tossing the silver piece in his hand as he watched Yin Guanghong’s reaction.

“Master Yin, I’ve got a good idea. Don’t know if you want to hear it.”

“What idea?”

“Ruin Lin Furong’s reputation—make the hunter dump her.”

Yin Guanghong had already been scheming after Lin Furong, and this piqued his interest.

He leaned in, urging, “Say it quickly.”

Sun Dafu played coy. “It’s a bit nasty. I can’t just say it casually.”

He tossed the silver again and looked at Yin Guanghong expectantly.

The meaning was obvious.

Yin Guanghong understood—but he wasn’t about to pay again. In Jiming Town, he was the one who collected bribes, not the other way around.

That silver piece just now? A show of generosity.

Another one? That’d be blackmail.

Damn it, Yin Guanghong cursed inwardly. This Sun Dafu dares to extort me?

His face darkened. If he didn’t teach this guy a lesson now, Sun Dafu wouldn’t know his place.

Without warning, Yin Guanghong snatched the silver from Sun Dafu’s hand.

“You got guts, trying to keep secrets from your Master Yin. What, don’t want to go drinking at the market anymore?”

“No, no, Master Yin…” Sun Dafu panicked. The silver he just got was taken back again.

He reached out to grab it, but Yin Guanghong flipped his hand away and kicked him squarely on the backside.

“Damn you! If you’re not playing games, then spit it out. Don’t think just because I call you Brother Dafu that you’re worth anything. I’ll tear your shabby straw hut down with my own hands if you keep trying me.”

Yin Guanghong could absolutely do that.

Sun Dafu was a leech, but not a tough one.

Yin Guanghong, when pissed, was terrifying.

Better to swallow the insult now. Sun Dafu forced a smile and quickly shared his plan.

“Just find some desperate idiot to climb the wall of the hunter’s house. Then we spread the word that Lin Furong is cheating while her husband’s out hunting. The hunter will surely believe it.”

Yin Guanghong was delighted. Brilliant!

Once the hunter kicked her out, he could bring Lin Furong into his own house.

That little beauty would be his.

“You’re a crafty one, alright.” Yin Guanghong gave Sun Dafu another kick, then threw the silver piece back at him and left, satisfied.

Sun Dafu took two kicks to the backside, furious but helpless. He picked up the coin, cursing under his breath as he limped away.

“Yin Guanghong, you bastard, just you wait. When Grandpa Sun gets rich, I’ll kick your ass so hard you won’t sit for a month!”

Not long after He Jingtian returned home, he was back again with a small bundle of vegetable seeds, handing them to Wen Lan.

“If you’re too busy, I can help. Though I’m not sure whether that hunter would welcome me.”

“No need, I can manage,” Wen Lan replied, knowing full well that hunter wouldn’t welcome anyone right now.

They parted ways, and Wen Lan hoisted the sacks of soap pods back up the mountain.

As luck would have it, she ran into Sun Dafu coming back from the market again.

Not wanting to see him, she quickened her pace.

But Sun Dafu, seeing her dodge him, slinked over to start up a conversation.

“Lin Furong!”

Wen Lan kept walking.

“Lin Furong, guess who I just ran into on the road?”

Still, she didn’t stop.

These countryside ruffians had always enjoyed teasing decent women. Sun Dafu was no exception.

He’d just been humiliated by Yin Guanghong, and now seeing the very woman in question strolling around like nothing happened made his anger twist into something else—an ugly urge to harass.

“Lin Furong! Don’t rush off. I’ve got something important to tell you.” Sun Dafu ran in front of her, blocking her way.

Wen Lan had no intention of entertaining this fool. She figured he was up to one of two things—getting a few coins or getting handsy.

“The hell do you want now?” she snapped. “I told you—I have no money. Don’t waste your time.”

“Who said anything about money? I’m just worried about my dear little sister,” Sun Dafu said, reaching out to grab her hand.

Wen Lan stepped back, dropped her sack, and raised her wooden stick, glaring. “Spit it out or back off. Don’t you dare touch me.”

“Whoa, look at that temper. Never saw this side of you before.”

Back when Sun Dafu teased Lin Furong at Meng Qiancheng’s behest, she’d only blush and flee, never daring to talk back.

Everyone in Yushou Village knew Lin Furong was an easy target.

Now, seeing her raise a stick and threaten him caught Sun Dafu off guard.

Could it be marriage had made her fierce? Suddenly, he regretted the plan he gave Yin Guanghong. The guy sent to climb the wall might get beaten half to death before he got a chance.

Look at her—fierce as a demon, not a trace of softness!

“You saying it or not? If not, move!” Wen Lan waved the stick again.

“I’ll talk, I’ll talk—don’t be mad, sis. Put the stick down,” Sun Dafu smiled obsequiously.

Wen Lan crossed her arms, clearly impatient.

Sun Dafu hunched lower, tried to sidle closer, but caught sight of her stick and thought better of it—his awkward posture was almost comical.

Finally, he said, “Someone’s trying to mess with you.”

“Who?”

“Yin Susu’s brother—the one who’s the peacekeeper in town.”

Yin Guanghong!

Wen Lan immediately recalled his hideous face. Why would he target her?

“Did you go stir things up with Yin Guanghong?” she asked sharply.

In her experience with petty schemers, someone like Sun Dafu, who made a living selling gossip, loved nothing more than stirring the pot for profit.

She wouldn’t be surprised if he’d instigated this.

Hearing her accusation, Sun Dafu froze. He slouched even further.

“No, no—I’d never! I swear I’m on your side.”

Wen Lan scoffed. “You only ever stand on the side with money. Spare me the crap, stop scheming, and just say what you came to say so I can go.”

Realizing she was too sharp to fool, Sun Dafu quickly blamed everything on Yin Guanghong.

“Yin Guanghong’s scared your man will come after him, so he wants to ruin your name again. He’s planning to have some guy climb your house wall.”

Climb the wall?

Wen Lan’s eyes narrowed. In the Southern Dynasty, that was slang for a woman cheating. If someone was really sent to do that, then Yin Guanghong was playing dirty.

“Climbing the wall, huh?” Wen Lan decided to give him a little scare. “If he’s not afraid of dying, let him try. We’ve got a big hunting dog at home. That dog can tear a cow in half.”

A dog? Sun Dafu had heard something about that—some massive dog loyal to the hunter.

A dog that could tear a cow…

Suddenly, he had another devious idea.

Maybe Yin Guanghong should try climbing the wall himself.

“Well, Sis Furong, I’ve given you the heads-up. Whether you sic the dog on him or tell your man, that’s up to you. I’ve got things to do. Gotta run.”

He hunched over and scampered off like a rat toward the market.

Wen Lan watched him go, suspicious. He was heading toward Yushou Village earlier—why the sudden turn toward the market?

Clearly, that weasel was up to something again.

She’d have to discuss this with the hunter.

Back at the house, she soaked the soap pods, tidied the yard, and prepped lunch.

The hunter wasn’t home, so she ate simply.

After feeding herself, she sat in the courtyard contemplating where to build the vegetable garden.

Behind the house was a hot spring—clearly destined to be the bathhouse one day. Planting vegetables there would be like growing flowers in a bathroom—didn’t make sense.

In the yard?

It was spacious, but she planned to move the stove out of the woodshed eventually, which would take up room.

After weighing her options, she decided to use the slope behind the house. About ten meters uphill was a rocky ledge covered in weeds. With some work, she could turn it into a garden.

The sunlight was excellent—perfect for growing vegetables.

Once the decision was made, she checked the sun—already drifting west.

She flipped the soaking soap pods, wiped the table, and brought in the laundry.

As she sat folding the hunter’s clothes, Wen Lan felt for a moment that this peaceful mountain life wasn’t so bad.

If only…

Her thoughts drifted back to Sun Dafu and everything he’d said.

If it weren’t for those troubles, life would be quite pleasant.

But sure enough—evil men came from harsh lands. This place, while beautiful, wasn’t somewhere she could stay long-term.

She’d have to rely on the hunter.

She neatly stacked his clothes at the door and went to prepare dinner.

In the kitchen were cured meats and some dried goods and vegetables she brought from Lin Furong’s home. Since she planned to tell the hunter about Yin Guanghong’s scheme tonight, Wen Lan decided on hotpot.

Hotpot meals always lasted the longest—and it was the only time she could sit and eat face-to-face with the hunter.

There was only one copper pot, after all.

Decision made, she chose a fine cured pig’s trotter, singed and cleaned it, chopped it up, soaked some dried string beans, sliced ginger, gathered wild peppers, peeled cinnamon bark—and through stir-frying, simmering, and braising, made a rich pork trotter hotpot.

She placed some still-glowing coals into the pot’s bottom, laid in the softened string beans, and poured the pork on top.

Just as she carried it out to the table, the hunter returned—Iron Marshal by his side, full of wild mountain energy.

“Master, you’re back. Perfect timing—I just made dinner. Genuine wild-cured pork trotter hotpot. Jingchu-style, not spicy.”

The hunter didn’t respond. He stood in the courtyard staring at Wen Lan—clearly bewildered by her mention of Jingchu-style.

Wen Lan scratched her head. This was the Southern Dynasty, a place that didn’t exist in any history she knew. “Jing” and “Chu” meant nothing here.

So…

She could only offer a sheepish grin.

“Master, go wash your face!” she scurried over to take the game from his hands.

He had a good haul today—two rabbits and a large fox.

The fox, pure white, had been expertly shot straight through the head, leaving the pelt untouched. A top-grade specimen.

Of course, Wen Lan’s attention wasn’t on the spoils. She hurried to place them neatly in the corner of the yard, then bustled around with a basin and towel.

The hunter approached the water vat to wash up—but paused.

The vat was full of soaking soap pods.