The sky was azure, with tufts of white clouds, light as cotton.
Su Jin and Xie Jingchen walked side by side in front, with Xingxing trailing a few steps behind, her delicate face filled with confusion and bewilderment.
She pondered for a long time but couldn't understand why the Young Madam asked if a candle was needed when cracking a whip. She was certain the Marquis never said such a thing because it was entirely unnecessary.
In broad daylight, obviously no candle was needed; at night, even if not whipping the son-in-law, one would still need a candle, right?
Su Jin touched her cheek, suppressing a twitch of her mouth. She always thought Marquis Dongxiang had an unusual way of thinking, but her mother, Mrs. Tang, was no less quirky.
Just now, after finishing the topic of whip training, she casually asked Xingxing, "Did my father have any other messages for you to relay?"
Xingxing shook her head like a rattle drum, "The Marquis didn't say anything else, but Madam mentioned that your whip precision is lacking and suggested practicing more when free."
At that moment, she was stunned, "Didn't you say my mother forbade me from practicing martial arts?"
Xingxing nodded, "Yes, Madam has always forbidden you from practicing martial arts, which is why you didn't become a top-notch expert, and there's been no shortage of complaints behind her back for holding you back. That's what I told Madam, and she said she previously didn't allow you to practice because she felt it was inappropriate for a girl, fearing you wouldn't get married. Now that you're married, it's a different matter altogether."
Different matter altogether...
These four words lingered in Su Jin's mind, making her feel a bit sympathetic towards Xie Jingchen. She looked at Xie Jingchen and asked, "Do you know how to use a whip?"
"Are you planning to have me teach you?" Xie Jingchen's eyes were a bit complex.
"Mm."
"Teach you so you can whip me?"
"... ."
Heavens, no, she didn't have such an idea. It's just that Su Jin hit Princess Huining with a whip and probably earned a grudge. She wasn't truly Marquis Dongxiang's daughter and didn't know how to use a whip. If someone wanted to spar with her, wouldn't she only be on the receiving end?
Moreover, the Emperor had gifted her such a whip—it would be a shame to just let it gather dust on a shelf.
But Xingxing's words were said too early. If she denied them now, Xie Jingchen probably wouldn't believe her, so Su Jin looked at Xie Jingchen for quite a few moments before he frowned and asked, "What are you looking at?"
Su Jin earnestly said, "I plan to test my aim when we get back. As long as I don't end up aiming for your back and hitting your head, or aiming for your chest and hitting your face, I won't practice. Handling swords and spears is indeed not great."
Xie Jingchen ground his teeth, "Are you threatening me?"
Su Jin lightly laughed, patting his chest, "I'm speaking from the heart. To threaten you, I wouldn't use a whip but poison, like last night when you were out cold. I'd be the knife; you'd be the fish on the chopping board. I wouldn't need a whip—just a stick to have you jumping up and down..."
Upon seeing Xie Jingchen's smile freeze and his forehead vein twitching, Su Jin silently changed her tone, "Sorry, I forgot you're still dizzy, jumping's not an option."
Xie Jingchen truly wished he could raise a hand and strangle the woman in front of him, lest she anger him to death one day.
When Su Jin patted Xie Jingchen's chest, her hand was immediately seized by Xie Jingchen. She tried forcefully to pull back, but no matter how much she tried, it was futile.
This scene, in the eyes of passing maids, looked like their Eldest Young Master was unwilling to let go of the female bandit's hand, harshly turning their faces, fearing even another glance might conjure a needle in their eyes.
Unaware of the tense atmosphere between the two, Xie Jingchen asked, "Repeat it again, who's the knife; who's the fish on the chopping board?"
A real face-slap.
As soon as she finished saying it, her hand got caught, rendering her unable to move, clearly indicating she was the weaker one. But admitting defeat was embarrassing; losing the game didn't mean losing face. Su Jin's eyes twirled, and she shyly said, "Husband, please let go, or my hand will be skinned by you."
The tone twisted and turned, giving listeners goosebumps all over.
Xie Jingchen, "... ."
A passing maid quickly shot a glance that said, "Eldest Young Master, are you that deprived of women?"
The female bandit had thick skin and flesh, and even though she refused to let you hold her, you still didn't let go!
Have some backbone, and ignore her in the future!
Su Jin stifled her laughter, which left Xie Jingchen feeling enfeebled with anger, dragging Su Jin toward the Agarwood Pavilion.
Behind, the maid's pained gaze trailed them: the Eldest Young Master was truly beyond rescue!
Just after Su Jin was dragged back to Agarwood Pavilion by Xie Jingchen, the Second Steward from the front courtyard caught up, saying, "Eldest Young Master, Eldest Young Madam, the stewards of those shops are still waiting to collect the money."
Xie Jingchen released Su Jin's hand and gestured for the steward to follow him to the study.
Su Jin rubbed her hand that was sore from Xie Jingchen's grasp and asked Xingxing, "Is Qingyun Mountain very poor?"
Xingxing shook her head, "Not poor at all. Just a few months ago, I even saw people carrying two large chests of gold into the village. Not sure whom they robbed."
"Then why on earth rack up a pile of debts?" Su Jin had guessed they weren't poor; otherwise, why would the court attempt to suppress bandits every year?
Xingxing replied, "The Marquis and Madam came to the Capital, bringing only a thousand silvers, saying the Capital's nobles are obscenely wealthy, and skimming off some would suffice for our Feihu Village for about a year or so. Carrying too much is cumbersome. It's just that you got married too quickly, the Marquis hasn't even identified a target to rob, and having no money at hand, they had to put debts first."
Su Jin, "... ."
Apparently, being indebted was already a given.
This is the Capital, the Emperor's domain, not Feihu Village! Those court ministers, who among them is easy prey for plundering? Instead of acquiring wealth, they might end up losing themselves.
Having such an unthoughtful father left Su Jin exasperated; she needed to figure out a way to earn money.
Before earning money, she needed to figure out a way to borrow money; it seemed she might have just offended someone...
Su Jin walked toward the study and met the steward coming out, holding a stack of silver notes.
Standing at the study's entrance for a moment, Su Jin instructed Xingxing, "Go bring the whip the Emperor gifted me."
Xingxing said in surprise, "Ah!" Su Jin urged, "Quickly go."
Xingxing, not daring to delay, quickly returned to the inner room.
Once she saw Xingxing return, only then did Su Jin push the door open and enter. She walked to the desk, with Xingxing keeping a distance, unwilling to come closer, and Su Jin urged, "What are you standing there for? Quickly give me the whip."
Xingxing somewhat regretted that her previous words might have been hasty. She approached, saying, "The son-in-law just helped you pay off the Marquis Mansion's debts, and he's still weak. He hasn't offended you. Let's not be too fierce; let's delay it for another day."
Xie Jingchen knitted his eyebrows, unable to comprehend what play this master-servant duo was performing.
Su Jin rolled her eyes, "Am I such a heartless person?" She directly went to grab the whip, but Xingxing, being stronger, wouldn't budge.
Su Jin furiously said, "Let go."
When she glared, Xingxing released her hand, giving Xie Jingchen a sympathetic glance.
Su Jin took the whip, took a deep breath, and placed it firmly onto Xie Jingchen's desk.
She hadn't even started speaking when...
Xingxing silently took two candles out of her chest and placed them beside the whip.
Su Jin, "... ."