The Lady Butcher and the Delicate Bride - Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Ever since Mu Dingxiang came to the Chu family, her food and clothing had improved. Her complexion grew more radiant, and she began to fill out, no longer appearing as gaunt and bony as before. This current nourished appearance was like heaven and earth compared to her past self.

Mother Mu had high cheekbones and sparse eyebrows, a face that looked harsh and stingy. Mu Dingxiang’s two elder sisters took after their mother, their faces more or less bearing traces of the Mu couple. In contrast, Mu Dingxiang was different: she had a melon-seed-shaped face, fine and long eyebrows, and eyes that were large and bright. Her vermilion lips were full, a stark difference from Mother Mu’s thin, indifferent mouth.

Chu Yu thought to herself that it was fortunate they looked different; otherwise, sleeping together every night facing a similar face would truly be unimaginable.

Mu Dingxiang did not know what was on Chu Yu’s mind; she was still preoccupied with the question of why Chu Yu was unwilling to touch her.

She admitted that she was initially captured by Chu Yu’s unrestrained exterior, but after living together for over a month, she was gradually moved by her many virtues. The more they interacted, the more she discovered her goodness.

Chu Yu drew clear lines between love and hate; she did not compromise or retreat. Everyone said she was a ruthless person, fierce and terrifying, but in Mu Dingxiang’s eyes, those were layers of armor wrapped tightly around the outside. Without this armor, how could a beautiful woman living alone like Chu Yu lead such a free and easy life? It would not have been easy.

If Chu Yu didn’t have such a temperament, Mu Dingxiang might not have dared to seek her out in the first place; after all, no one in the village had been able to handle her pair of difficult parents until now.

Yet, when facing those close to her, Chu Yu showed a different side—like a warm spring breeze, considerate and patient. She seemed cold and detached, but she often quietly took care of things without making a sound.

What set her apart from others was that Chu Yu never showed even a hint of disdain for Mu Dingxiang’s miserable past.

Mu Dingxiang knew she possessed some beauty. In the past, many young men in the village had secretly sent her flowers, but while they liked her, whose family was willing to take on such a family of “vampires”? In the end, it all came to nothing.

Now that she was no longer with the Mu family, she hoped Chu Yu’s gaze would rest more on her, or perhaps even more directly, that she could become Chu Yu’s person.

But the other woman did not do so. She rose early and returned early every day, working alongside her, and at night they lay in the same bed, sleeping perfectly well-behaved without any overstepping.

So, what was she wary of?

Could it be that Chu Yu doesn’t like women? Mu Dingxiang began to wonder.

The thought caused a faint unease in Mu Dingxiang’s heart. If Chu Yu didn’t like women, would she drive her away if she met a man she liked in the future?

To her, Chu Yu was a light in her life, pulling her out of the mire so she could stand unrestrained in the sunshine and look forward to the future. In the process of envisioning that future, she had undoubtedly placed Chu Yu into the blueprint she was constructing.

Even though she felt uneasy, Mu Dingxiang did not dare to ask for too much; she could only wait passively. If one day Chu Yu revealed even a tiny bit of intent, she would run toward her at full speed.

Thus, while waiting, she transformed from a seemingly docile rabbit into a hunter biding her time small in stature, but possessing great ambition and determination.

The days passed in day-after-day labor.

Mu Dingxiang was a natural at farming. Her years of hard work meant that after arriving at the Chu family, she became even better at managing the affairs of the land.

It was all farming, but back at the Mu house, she was like an old ox being driven by a whip; when the harvest came, not a single copper coin passed through her hands.

But here with Chu Yu, the land was their own. She could plant whatever she wanted or leave it fallow if she didn’t feel like planting. Furthermore, Chu Yu had said they would spend their future together, so the money from selling grain would surely be invested into their life together. This made it very much something to look forward to.

Every day, after Chu Yu finished slaughtering pigs and had rested, she would go to the fields to farm together. She was strong, worked fast, and did a good job, leaving only the light and delicate tasks for Mu Dingxiang. This was countless times easier than at the Mu house, where aside from the eldest sister Mu Yuzhu occasionally coming back to help, no one else ever set foot in the fields.

Mu Dingxiang was naturally close to plants. Since coming here with Zhu-er following her, she felt more and more that growing crops and tending to flowers was a very beautiful thing. Zhu-er told her which seeds would prefer which soil, and which plants wanted more water or fertilizer. Mu Dingxiang noted them down one by one and applied them to this land.

Chu Yu was happy for the girl to find something she loved doing. Every day when she returned, she would help with what she could. The previously idle and boring afternoon hours now felt more substantial because of her arrival. After working in the fields, they would return home, and during dinner in the evening, Zhu-er would also join in the fun. There was talking and laughing outside the cave; it was harmonious and joyful.

Sometimes Chu Yu felt an illusion that the three of them were like a real family of three: a clever and cute child, a virtuous and lovely wife, and herself as the head of the household responsible for working hard outside to support the family. With a wife and a daughter, what more could one ask for?

In the blink of an eye, a month had passed since Mu Dingxiang “married” into the Chu family. The two treated each other with mutual respect, one managing the inside and the other the outside, and life was very comfortable.

One day, Chu Yu had just finished selling meat when someone came to the butcher shop to bring her a message, saying that Master Bai of the Bai Manor wanted her to come over.

Upon hearing the words “Bai Manor,” Chu Yu’s brow furrowed slightly. Her usual hurried movements of packing up to go home slowed down. Originally, Mu Dingxiang had instructed her to buy a new sickle at the blacksmith’s on her way back at noon, but now, delayed by the Bai Manor matter, that would have to be put aside for now.

The Bai Manor was originally a wealthy household in Leshan County, having made its fortune through cocoons and silk. Master Bai had an only son named Bai Lin, who married a young lady from a merchant family of equal status, Miss Ding. They had a daughter and a son: the daughter was named Bai Funuan, and the son was Bai Fuhong.

Chu Yu’s mother had passed away when she was very young. Her father was the housekeeper of the Bai Manor. Chu Yu was the same age as Bai Funuan and had lived in the Bai household with her father since childhood.

The Bai family also had a cousin named Ding Rao. The three of them had a particularly good relationship since childhood and often played together.

In the year they turned sixteen, unknown creatures appeared outside the pass, among them even fierce beasts like the Taotie. The imperial court conducted a massive conscription, and specifically recruited a group of female soldiers. Their primary responsibility was patrolling the Great Wall and slaying encroaching monsters.

Once a fierce beast appeared, the female soldiers could fasten long chains around their waists. Relying on their light weight and agile forms, they would leap down from the city walls dozens of feet high to take the heads of the beasts, then return easily to the wall via a mechanical winch. This avoided the risk of the city gates being breached by beasts during a sally.

The young Chu Yu was filled with a passion to serve her country and was the first to sign up for the army.

Ding Rao and Bai Funuan also responded, but the Bai family only had two children in the grandchildren’s generation. Master Bai had always hoped his grandson would take the path of officialdom; Bai Fuhong was sent to school at a young age.

At that time, the court had loosened the conditions for trade; a family background in business was no longer an obstacle to an official career. This vast family estate also relied on the granddaughter, Bai Funuan, to inherit it.

Hearing that Bai Funuan intended to follow Chu Yu and enlist in the army, Master Bai flew into a rage. He locked her in her room with a heavy bolt, intending to wait until this wave of conscription passed before letting her out.

Enlisting had always been Chu Yu’s wish, but she hadn’t intended for her two companions to go with her. However, Ding Rao also wanted to join the female army; she privately wanted to take Bai Funuan with her.

Ding Rao had come to the Bai Manor with her aunt when she was very young. She had liked Bai Funuan from the first moment they met. Their families lived close by, and after that first meeting, she came every day. Over time, Bai Funuan was also moved by Ding Rao; the two developed a secret affection for each other and had a private affair.

Chu Yu was quite oblivious at the time, not knowing her two good friends shared such feelings in private. The three of them played together every day, and it was a happy time.

However, one day, a love poem written by Bai Funuan to Ding Rao was picked up by Master Bai. Seeing that it contained verses expressing affection between two women, he flew into a towering rage and gave Bai Funuan a beating.

Master Bai asked her whom she had written it to. At that time, the Ding family was in decline; their business had plummeted, and they relied on the Bai family’s assistance to barely stay afloat. Bai Funuan feared that if she named Ding Rao, Master Bai would directly cut off aid to the Ding family. Thus, she lied and claimed she had written it to Chu Yu.

Chu Yu was inexplicably beaten by Master Bai as well, and upon returning home, was beaten again by her own father. She suddenly felt that life at home was stifling. Combined with the rare opportunity for female conscription that year, she signed up without looking back.

Ding Rao was slightly older, and for the past two years, the Ding family had been arranging a marriage for her. She was in love with Bai Funuan, how could she agree? At the same time, she realized Bai Funuan was sixteen; Master Bai would surely arrange a marriage for her with a household of equal status. At the thought of them both becoming wives to others and going their separate ways, how could Ding Rao accept it?

So, she privately discussed with Bai Funuan the idea of enlisting together. At least during the years of military service, their families could not interfere with their marriages. By the time they retired and returned home, they would be grown women, and no one would prize them as much anymore. If they could earn military merit, their families wouldn’t be able to control them even if they wanted to.

Thinking this way, they felt it was an excellent plan. Thus, Ding Rao secretly let Bai Funuan out, and the two signed up for the army behind their families’ backs.

After the enlistment was discovered, Master Bai believed Chu Yu had selfishly instigated Bai Funuan to sign up. He flew into another rage at Chu Yu.

Chu Yu, seeing that both her friends were in difficult positions, found herself unable to defend herself.

Master Bai could do nothing to Chu Yu, so he pressured Chu Yu’s father, telling him to take Chu Yu away.

Chu Yu’s father felt he had failed the Bai family. Since Chu Yu had already signed up for the army, he couldn’t convince her of anything. He promptly resigned from his position as housekeeper and went elsewhere to make a living.

As for the Bai Manor, no matter how much Master Bai protested, the enlistment had been submitted and the matter was set in stone. Bai Funuan and Ding Rao were conscripted into the army as scheduled, following right after Chu Yu, becoming female soldiers guarding the border of the Great Zhou’s Great Wall thousands of miles away.

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