Emperor's Cunning Wife

"Xiaohua, good morning."

"Good morning, did you have a good time last night?" Ning Lou stopped in her tracks when she noticed some red marks on the lady's neck.

The lady lowered her head and slightly nudged Ning Lou's shoulder, "Keep your voice down. Anyway thanks for the tip. Here, I'll reward you the portion from my earnings." The lady blushed a bit before shoving a purse on Ning Lou's hand.

"You really don't need to." Ning Lou spoke without reluctance and stuffed the purse inside her dress.

"Xiaohua, you're looking good today." Another woman greeted Ning Lou with high spirits.

"Sister jokes, you're the one who's looking good. A new customer?" Ning Lou asked as she noticed an additional ring on her finger.

The lady raised her finger to show Ning Lou, "Yes, he said he will visit again tonight." Her face had a happy expression.

"Then that's good. I need to do something for a moment, this one will ask to be excused."

"Okay, Xiaohua."

"Xiaohua, I'll play with you tomorrow."

Ning Lou waved at them and proceeded to stride towards the entrance. From where she was, she could already spot a young man timidly lowering his head after being surrounded by three women, in his hands was a fan.

"Feng Hong!" Ning Lou shouted gaining the attention of the young man. The three women made way for Ning Lou.

"Sister Xiaohua, is this your son?" One of them asked and her eyes alternated between Ning Lou and Feng Hong trying to find out some similarities.

"Xiaohua is too young, look at her small h.i.p.s. She couldn't possibly have given birth yet."

Feng Hong who was being discussed was absent-mindedly looking at Ning Lou's direction. Zhaopin Zhe turned out to be Xiaohua and was a woman. Although her face was only clean and ordinary, her figure alone was too alluring for men. Feng Hong felt his face heat up at the thought. His eyes met with Ning Lou's and he immediately lowered his head again, his cheeks were flushed. Reminiscing those times when he had said some rude words to her, the tips of his ears flushed.

"He's the son of a friend whose sister is also a friend of my brother under my mother's cousin." Ning Lou said without batting an eye.

"He's going to stay with me for a while because he did some unacceptable things. The friend whose sister is also a friend of my brother under my mother's cousin had said to cultivate him into a great young man." Ning Lou said, her eyes twinkling brightly.

The three women were too dizzy from her introduction that they didn't even bother to analyse their relationship. The main point was, Feng Hong was not her son and they were not related by blood.

"Cultivate into a great young man? Sister Xiahua, the school fees are expensive. You better consider it."

The school in Yangmei was only for the wealthy sons of well-to-do clan. Commoners won't be able to afford the monthly fees costing a gold ingot. A gold ingot could feed an ordinary family for three years, could buy several mus of land to farm and livestock to herd.

Feng Hong also heard Ning Lou's words and was about to refute, but her eyes had shone with unknown light stunning Feng Hong momentarily.

"Is there a need for school when there are books?" Ning Lou replied nonchalantly.

"Sister Xiaohua, you know how to read and write?" The three women immediately left Feng Hong's side and gathered around her instead. Females in this time had been forbidden to learn. Some wealthy boudoirs could only hire some private tutors who were well versed in the four arts to teach the women. Those without any status and money could only succ.u.mb. This was another reason why commoners were often cheated off some of their properties and assets after signing some dubious contracts.

"A little…" Ning Lou mysteriously smiled at the three women and Feng Hong.

Feng Hong remained silent and held the fan in his hands tighter. He can read and also his sisters otherwise they wouldn't be able to escape unscathed. The fan in his hand had saved them and he was filled with endless gratitude toward Ning Lou. If he could ever pay for the three lives, he will be her cow in the next life.

"Xiaohua, this one will pay you if you teach me some words."

"I'm also paying. Xiaohua, do you have time?

"Alright. Alright. How about in the afternoon?" Ning Lou grinned after gaining another gig.

The three women nodded immediately and dispersed.

Ning Lou flashed Feng Hong a smile after skimming over his body without any signs of fight. "Long time no see."

Feng Hong released his hold on the fan and presented it to Ning Lou, "Thank you."

Ning Lou grabbed it and was about to ask about his sisters when Feng Hong suddenly kneeled and cried in front of her.

"Thank you, if it wasn't for you, they would be dead. I would've caused their deaths. I didn't realize that my decisions will endanger them one day. Thank you so much." Feng Hong covered his eyes with one of his arms and wailed.

Ning Lou: "…"

Ning Lou watched the crowd gathering in front of the brothel and felt a headache, "Young man please stand up. This one will give you some food to eat. Come on; look at you, so skinny." Ning Lou helped him stand up, her face held pity.

"I'm not dead yet. What are you paying respect for?" Ning Lou let out those words through her gritted teeth when she was holding Feng Hong.

With no gaps between them, Feng Hong smelled her scent, he stopped crying and gulped letting his arm be dragged inside.

"Close your eyes." Ning Lou ordered after realizing that some women in the brothel were accustomed to dress lightly in the morning.

"Why…" Feng Hong hasn't even finish his question when he saw a group of woman in their flimsy clothes. Blood rushed into his brain. He immediately did what Ning Lou said.

Ning Lou dragged him until she reached her temporary room provided by Mother Shen.

"Alright, help yourself." Ning Lou said and poured him a cup of hot water.

Feng Hong took it and gulped the whole content in one go. His throat was parched from the hike to the temple.

"Did you send them yourself?" Ning Lou asked while fixing her small bed.

Feng Hong gazed at her and nodded, "We met some monks on the way, but I wasn't reassured and travel with them until we arrived at the temple."

"Can you describe to me who'd you met?" Ning Lou asked, a smile blooming on her face.

Feng Hong tried to remember, "An abbot with a slightly big ears, although he was old, he can catch up to those two young monks. One of the monks was muttering 'Xiaohua', is that you?" Feng Hong paused wanting to satisfy his curiosity.

Ning Lou nodded and signalled him to continue. She already had a clue to who might be the two.

"And the last one, he was silent along the way, but he would occasionally glance at us. He had a slender build but his hair was unshaved and only braided." Feng Hong continued.

"Is the environment really safe?" Feng Hong asked after a few seconds.

"You already knew I'm a girl, and I once live with them. Don't worry those kids won't do anything bad to your sisters, it's just that…" Ning Lou paused intentionally making Feng Hong nervous.

"Hey, don't make such a face." Feng Hong complained.

"It's just that your sisters will be fat once you see them again." Ning Lou chuckled and slightly eased Feng Hong's mood.

"Fat is good at least their safe."

Ning Lou saw his genuine smile and kept quiet.

"By the way, how did you know that that guy will have some unscrupulous plans?" Feng Hong questioned his eyes deeply confused.

Ning Lou put away her smile and replaced it with sternness, "You should be more careful next time. Try to avoid those people with branded tattoos."

Crash-

The debris from small cup had scattered on the floor. Feng Hong's face was painted with utter disbelief.