Chapter 1451: That's Going Too Far!

There was no chance Guan Fangyi would heed Yuan Se’s warning that no one was permitted to reveal the arrival of his party.

Nor was she afraid of being frightened into silence. Somehow, without even knowing when it had begun, she had muddled along behind Niu Youdao until she was rebelling against the Nine Saints. Even now, she could not quite explain how she had ended up on this road. She had simply kept walking, and before she knew it, this had become normal.

Someone else might have been cowed by such a warning. But everything she was doing already ran directly against Yuan Se. Why would she suddenly have scruples now?

Her reminder about the visitor’s appearance was also meant to make everyone think: what sort of person in Misty Pavilion could possess such a distinctive build?

“A huge fat man?” Niu Youdao looked doubtful and fell into thought. Which important figure inside Misty Pavilion was enormously fat?

Guan Fangyi nodded. “Yes. A huge fat man. Maolu Annex is in the heart of a provincial capital, after all. For Misty Pavilion to conduct business in broad daylight, yet storm into a place like ours without even wearing Misty Pavilion attire, already doesn’t fit their usual style. Then there was the way everyone treated him. Even the manager of the All-Under-Heaven Money House in Nanzhou’s provincial capital was meek and deferential before his subordinates. That fat man’s status is obviously no ordinary one.”

The others were still pondering when Lü Wushuang suddenly asked, “What kind of fat man? What did he look like?”

Her way of approaching the question differed somewhat from theirs.

Ordinarily, she had little contact with the people who handled affairs at the lower levels of Misty Pavilion. So when considering who might be involved, her first instinct was to think of people at her own former level.

Niu Youdao and the others were different. Their first thoughts naturally remained limited to a lower range.

“Not ordinarily fat. Extremely fat. Pale and plump, with a smile always hanging on his face, as though he never had a worry in the world...” Guan Fangyi began describing the man.

Before she could finish, Lü Wushuang, Niu Youdao, Yun Ji, and Yuan Gang almost cried out the same name in unison.

“Yuan Se!”

All four had seen Yuan Se.

There was no need to speak of Lü Wushuang. Niu Youdao and Yun Ji had at least seen him inside the Butterfly Dream Illusory Realm, while Yuan Gang had seen Yuan Se appear when he was imprisoned and tortured in Wentian City.

Yuan Se’s appearance was far too distinctive. Anyone who had seen him would find him difficult to forget.

Yuan Se had actually come to Maolu Annex?

The four looked at one another in disbelief.

Guan Fangyi stared blankly.

What was going on?

She had barely described him, yet somehow everyone seemed to know who he was except her.

Had everyone here except this old lady seen Yuan Se, one of the Nine Saints?

“Are you sure?” Guan Fangyi asked uncertainly.

Lü Wushuang said, “I know him far too well. It should be him.”

Niu Youdao frowned, a trace of alarm in his voice. “Why would Yuan Se come to Maolu Annex?”

Everyone looked from one person to another.

No one could answer.

Yun Ji hesitated. “If he really came for us, could things possibly be this calm?”

“It doesn’t look like it,” Lü Wushuang said. “If he knew something and came here deliberately, then whether he meant to deal with me or the Holy Rakshasa, even knowing I had lost my cultivation, Fatty Yuan would still be extremely cautious. He would never simply barge through the gate looking for trouble.”

“If he came for Niu... for Master Dao and Yuan Gang, then the moment he discovered the targets, he would have acted directly. He would also have made thorough arrangements beforehand and never allowed anyone to escape so easily.”

“Hongniang, tell us exactly what happened from beginning to end. Leave out no details. I understand him. Perhaps I can determine what he intends to do.”

Niu Youdao nodded to Guan Fangyi as well, signaling for her to do as Lü Wushuang said.

“After we finished talking in the secret chamber, Master Dao asked me to contact the Prince and tell him he did not need to worry about the imperial court sending troops. I had only just reached the courtyard outside when I happened to run straight into them arriving at the gate. They quietly stabilized the guards at the entrance by showing Misty Pavilion command tokens, then a whole group forced their way inside and rapidly took control of the entire Maolu Annex...”

Guan Fangyi carefully recalled the incident and narrated everything from the moment it began.

Everyone listened intently.

Lü Wushuang was plainly thinking as she listened.

When Guan Fangyi finished, the others were still pondering, but Lü Wushuang had already spoken.

“Fatty Yuan is sneaking around in secret. The Six Sacred Venerables truly have gone from the light into the dark. He should be the one among the six responsible for handling Yan. I know why he suddenly appeared at Maolu Annex.”

The others were still confused, yet she had already understood?

Niu Youdao was eager to hear the explanation. “How so?”

Unexpectedly, Lü Wushuang turned and stared at Yuan Gang.

Yuan Gang had been looking at her, waiting for her next words. When she suddenly stared back, he sensed something strange in her gaze and became uncomfortable. Looking away felt wrong. Not looking away felt equally wrong.

The other three followed Lü Wushuang’s gaze and looked toward Yuan Gang as well.

Suspicion rose in their hearts.

Had Yuan Gang been exposed?

Had Yuan Se come for him?

Yuan Gang had the same suspicion. “I’ve been exposed?”

“You haven’t.”

Then why are you staring at me?

Yuan Gang had the question in his heart, but did not voice it.

Lü Wushuang did not let him off. “I don’t know whether you’ll believe me if I explain.”

Yuan Gang gave no reaction.

Niu Youdao coughed lightly. “Say it first. We’ll listen.”

Lü Wushuang ignored him and continued staring at Yuan Gang. “You tell me. Do you want me to continue?”

Yuan Gang’s expression was indifferent. He gave only one word.

“Speak.”

“If I speak, will you believe me?”

The other three looked at her, then at him.

Something about this was beginning to feel wrong.

Yuan Gang said, “If what you say is true, then it is true. If it is false, then it is false.”

“My explanation before was true. Do you believe me or not? Answer me now.”

Guan Fangyi had no idea what they were talking about and looked utterly lost.

Niu Youdao and Yun Ji glanced at one another.

“You already explained it,” Yuan Gang said. “That matter is over.”

“Yes, I explained it. But do you believe me? Answer me now.”

“What difference does it make whether I believe you or not?”

“If you believe me, then I’ll continue explaining Fatty Yuan. If you don’t, and you refuse to believe anything I say anyway, is there any reason for me to keep talking?”

What was happening?

Guan Fangyi looked left, then right.

Yun Ji gave a helpless smile.

Niu Youdao lifted a hand and scratched his forehead.

Awkward.

These two damned spouses had locked horns.

At a moment like this, he genuinely did not know whose side he was supposed to take. Even an upright magistrate finds family disputes hard to judge.

Yuan Gang said, “Do you think it’s meaningful to use something like this to threaten me?”

“Fine! It isn’t meaningful. I’ll listen to you. Then let’s talk about something meaningful instead.” Lü Wushuang did not hesitate. “You and I still haven’t consummated our marriage. What exactly do you mean by that?”

Yuan Gang’s expression changed violently.

The usually rigid face became wonderfully vivid in an instant. One could almost call it spectacular.

He had plainly been choked by the question. He opened his mouth, stopped, and immediately looked toward the other three to see their reactions.

The expressions of the other three were equally remarkable.

All three suddenly looked as though they had wandered into the wrong place.

It was already broad daylight, well into the morning, and there they were discussing this sort of thing in public, before everyone’s eyes.

Was that really appropriate?

They were plainly thunderstruck.

This was supposed to be a grave discussion. The matter was serious.

Then the conversation suddenly swerved into something like this.

That was going too far!

And yet none of them knew what to say.

Niu Youdao was helpless.

The last time this woman had pulled something like this, he had helped conceal it from Yuan Gang. Now she was doing it again.

Would there ever be an end to this?

Had she spent so many years standing high above everyone that she had grown accustomed to squeezing people exactly where it hurt just for the pleasure of watching them squirm?

He could see it now.

Monkey was finished.

He had fallen into this woman’s hands for life.

If she kept doing this to him year after year, someone with Monkey’s temperament would never withstand it. Sooner or later she would grind him flat.

Yuan Gang finally became embarrassed enough to turn angry. “Lü Wushuang, don’t go too far!”

“Fine. You don’t want to explain, then don’t explain. You think I’m going too far, so I’ll listen to you and yield another step.” Lü Wushuang’s tone remained firm. “But there’s one thing I have to emphasize. I am very dissatisfied with your attitude toward me.”

“You want me to speak? Fine. I can tell you what you want to hear. But shouldn’t you also say something I want to hear?”

Yuan Gang asked angrily, “What do you want to hear?”

“Can I hear something pleasant for once?”

“Sorry. I don’t know how to say pleasant things.”

Lü Wushuang immediately returned his own manner to him, her voice ringing hard and clear.

“Sorry. Neither do I!”

“Well...” Niu Youdao finally spoke.

They could not continue locking horns like this.

Serious business came first, and they needed to understand the situation quickly. If Guan Fangyi remained away from Maolu Annex too long, Yuan Se’s people might become suspicious.

“Lü Wushuang, I know Monkey. His mouth is hopelessly clumsy. He doesn’t know how to say anything nice—”

Lü Wushuang cut him off at once. “Fine. I’ll give Master Dao face. I’ll yield another step. I only want to hear him say one form of address. Is that acceptable?”

Niu Youdao’s vigilance rose instantly.

This felt like another pit.

He hesitated.

One form of address?

Which one?

This woman’s thoughts really were difficult to fathom.

After considering for a moment, he cautiously asked, “What form of address?”

“Don’t you think it sounds grating when he constantly calls me Lü Wushuang? He can’t say pleasant things, and you say his mouth is clumsy. Fine. I accept that. Then can he at least change how he addresses me?”

“From now on, whenever he sees me, he must address me as ‘Madam.’ We bowed to Heaven and Earth as husband and wife. This request is not excessive, is it?”

Yuan Gang instinctively clenched both fists.

Not because he wanted to hit anyone.

He simply... did not know what else to do with his hands.

In any case, his intestines were green with regret.

He deeply regretted ever marrying this woman.

Niu Youdao chuckled and played peacemaker. “Not excessive. Not excessive at all. I’ll agree on his behalf. Now, can we discuss the serious matter?”

“Is this not serious business?” Lü Wushuang asked. “To me, this is a matter as great as Heaven. Look at his attitude. Why is he clenching his fists? Does he want to kill me?”

“Nothing of the sort,” Niu Youdao said vaguely. “That’s just his damned temper. I’ve already guaranteed it for you. Let’s deal with the urgent matter first.”

But Lü Wushuang’s stubbornness had been roused. She had swallowed too much grievance before.

“Right now, I want to hear him call me ‘Madam’ in front of everyone. That isn’t excessive, is it?”

Guan Fangyi and Yun Ji were exceptionally quiet.

They merely stood to the side, looking left and right with patient, flickering eyes.

They were plainly enjoying the show.

They had completely forgotten how serious the situation at Maolu Annex still was.

Was the demand excessive or not?

Niu Youdao looked from one side to the other.

By ordinary reasoning, it was not excessive.

But for Yuan Gang’s mouth, making him publicly call Lü Wushuang “Madam” truly did seem painfully difficult.

Yuan Gang looked as though he were about to burst.

The joints of both hands had turned white from how tightly he clenched them.

“Come here a moment.” Niu Youdao beckoned.

Yuan Gang did not move.

So Niu Youdao went over himself, seized him by the arm, and dragged him some distance away before shoving him loose.

“What are you going to do? Tell me. What are you planning to do?” Niu Youdao lowered his voice. “Back then you said you wanted to marry her. I tried to stop you and told you to think carefully. You refused to listen. Now you’re standing here looking like a dog pretending it doesn’t eat shit. What do you want?”

“You know perfectly well that Hongniang cannot remain here long unless we have no choice. She has to return as soon as possible. If she stays away too long, Yuan Se will become suspicious.”

Yuan Gang clenched his teeth. “Master Dao, she’s taking advantage of the crisis!”

Niu Youdao looked amazed. “Taking what from you? Is lowering your head and giving in once really that difficult?”

“And if it is, you brought this on yourself. Who are you blaming?”

“Take another step back. What are we supposed to do now? Should I go beat her half to death, or should you go beat her half to death and pry her mouth open?”

“If you think beating her will make her speak, then go try it. With that status she now has, I can’t bring myself to do it. You go.”

With that, he gave Yuan Gang a shove and sent him stumbling forward.

[End of Chapter 1451]