Rêve de Jiangshan

Chapitre 5

Upon hearing this, the butler frowned even more deeply, and after a moment he said with a do-or-die attitude, "Alright, young master, I believe in your abilities. You've been exceptionally intelligent since you were a child."

As a result, for the next few days, Ru Feng was able to eat the same good meals as usual.

"Young Master, look, the punishment period is over, and I've added meat to your dishes as you instructed. So what's the recipe you mentioned?" The butler asked with a fawning expression. The young master was really something, afraid that he wouldn't add more food for him halfway through, so he insisted on waiting until four days had passed before telling him the secret recipe.

Ru Feng chattered, patted his round little belly, seemingly feeling even fatter, and asked, "Butler, do you think I'm getting fatter and fatter?"

The butler quickly laughed and said, "Nonsense, how could you be fat? You're adorable, young master. You really look like a pageboy beside Guanyin Bodhisattva, so incredibly cute." Especially that red mole on your forehead, which makes the young master so charming. Who in the manor doesn't like this young master, uh... even though he can be a little mischievous at times.

"Really?" Ru Feng smiled, narrowing her big eyes into slits, completely forgetting that people only call someone cute if they're not pretty.

"Then I'll tell you the recipe: it's like cooking rice into stale rice. You can have a secret rendezvous with Cui Niang at night, so let's just add fuel to the fire. If that doesn't work, just use an aphrodisiac. Straight to the point, that way I don't believe Cui Niang won't be with you." People in ancient times were so honest; after being taken advantage of, they obediently let others take responsibility.

"Young...Young Master, who dared to teach you these things?" The butler wasn't excited; instead, he was startled. Was this something a six-year-old child would say? Although everyone in the manor knew the young master couldn't be judged by ordinary children's standards, this was still a scare tactic. The young master hadn't left the manor for three years, and the people there wouldn't say such things. How could he possibly know?

Ru Feng could tell what he was thinking just by looking at his expression, so he waved his hand and said, "Uncle Steward, listen to me. To deal with someone as stubborn as Cui Niang, you have to use extreme measures. Otherwise, when your hair turns white, you'll still be in the stage of being an illegitimate concubine. Think it over carefully. This young master is going to make a comeback."

After saying this, Ru Feng dashed out like a gust of wind. For the past three years, she had been getting up very early every day, practically at the crack of dawn, diligently practicing martial arts and calligraphy. Ru Feng felt she had never been so diligent in her eight lifetimes. And the results were obvious; hadn't she already defeated the guards in the manor? Although she had ambushed them, that was still a skill.

Therefore, she now has an inflated sense of self-confidence and feels that she is already a top-notch master in the martial arts world.

As soon as Ru Feng went to tell Yu Chi Huaiyang, he agreed.

Thus, the scene unfolded as Ru Feng, wearing a hat, swayed as she walked down the street, followed by four guards.

Ru Feng's eyes darted around as she touched the twenty coins in her pocket, sighing at how things were different now. Before, she used to go out with a credit card, spending thousands of dollars in a single shopping trip, contributing significantly to China's economic growth. But now… Ru Feng frowned. Only twenty coins? That could only buy a few steamed buns or candied hawthorns. Did Grandpa really think she was a six-year-old? Such a small amount of money wasn't even enough to fill a tooth gap.

So now she can only look but not touch. Sigh, when will she be able to reach the point where she can buy whatever she sees, with someone following behind to pay and someone carrying her things? It's a pity she doesn't know how to do business, and her grandfather is an official, so she can't do business on her own. That's why her allowance is so small.

As Ru Feng sighed, she wandered aimlessly, followed by her sullen guards, completely unaware that people on the street were staring at her.

"What an adorable child! So young and already imitating others by frowning. Look at that pretty little face! Whose child is this? I've never seen him before," Auntie said.

"Yes, yes, he's probably from a wealthy family. Just look at the entourage behind him. Sigh, aren't they afraid such a beautiful child will be kidnapped? If he were my child, I'd raise him at home. With his adorable looks, I wonder how many girls he'll charm when he grows up," said Granny Liu.

The guards behind him chuckled in unison: Young Master kidnapped? Hmph, who knows who kidnapped whom?

Ru Feng was strolling around casually, not intending to cause any trouble, but trouble found her anyway.

A little girl with disheveled hair suddenly grabbed her sleeve. She looked about six years old and cried pitifully, "Young master, save me."

Ru Feng's thoughts were suddenly pulled back. Looking at the two people running behind the little girl, he suddenly became excited. Ha, the opportunity to be a hero and save the damsel in distress has arrived!

Ru Feng rubbed his hands together, looking excitedly at the two people who were arriving, and said, "Don't worry, leave it to me."

"Boy, do you want to meddle in my business?" The boy, about ten years old, with a square face and big ears, was dressed in fine brocade clothes and accompanied by a skinny boy. Why did this scene seem so familiar?

"Have we met before?" Ru Feng asked suspiciously, stroking his chin.

"How dare you spout nonsense in front of Young Master Bai! When have we ever met?" the skinny man shrieked.

“Young Master Bai? Yes, it’s Young Master Bai! We had a fight on the street three years ago, I remember now.” Ru Feng snapped his fingers happily, praising his memory.

As soon as Ru Feng reminded him, Young Master Bai remembered that he had never suffered such a great loss in his life.

"Hmph, finally caught you, kid. Three years ago, you scratched my face and made me a laughingstock for a long time. Today you're not leaving. I'd be doing myself a disservice if I didn't beat you up." Young Master Bai cursed fiercely, rolling up his sleeves. He was a bit more muscular than he was three years ago, a head taller than Feng.

The guards behind Ru Feng immediately stepped forward and protected Ru Feng and the little girl behind them.

Young Master Bai wasn't stupid. He had gotten into trouble a few days ago, and his father had grounded him. He had sneaked out today, so he didn't bring any guards. He had originally planned to behave himself, but when he saw a pretty young girl alone, he couldn't resist flirting with her. It was just holding her hand and tugging at her hair, why did she run away like she'd seen a ghost? He wouldn't even bother with her if she wasn't pretty. What Young Master Bai didn't expect was that he would run into Ru Feng. Seeing that Ru Feng had attendants, he was afraid that he wouldn't be a match for them, so he decided to only fight Ru Feng.

Anyone can see that this is unfair; Ru Feng is much shorter than him.

Unfortunately, Ru Feng wanted to test his martial arts skills and show off in front of the young girl, so he readily agreed.

So, the two figures, one tall and one short, quickly started wrestling.

!

Chapter 010 Punishment

Ru Feng executed the moves she learned from her grandfather one by one, and her performance was truly spectacular. Unfortunately, before she could finish feeling smug, Young Master Bai launched an attack.

Young Master Bai is ten years old today. He is very strong and robust. Although he is not interested in literature, he has been learning martial arts seriously, so Ru Feng was quickly defeated by him.

Bang! A ring of light hit her fair face, leaving her with a panda eye.

*Smack!* Her chubby little bottom got kicked.

Ru Feng was furious. His little bottom had been kicked by a boy! What a disgrace!

His inner power exploded, and Ru Feng, like a little bull, fiercely grappled with Young Master Bai, acting entirely on instinct, rendering his previous learned techniques completely useless.

The guards nearby were very anxious. The young master had been hit, and they couldn't even do anything about it!

The little girl standing to the side was also very anxious, with tears in her eyes. If she hadn't run away from home without telling her father, how could she have encountered bad people and caused such a handsome young man to be beaten?

A scream rang out, freezing the bustling street for a few seconds.

"Young Master!"

"Young Master Bai!"

"Young Master!"

Both sides cried out in unison, and it was unclear who was injured in the tangled mess.

Gradually, the two separated. Although Ru Feng was bruised and battered, the strange smile on his face told everyone who had won.

Young Master Bai clutched his penis in pain and stood up. The skinny man quickly helped him up, saying, "You bastard, you're really ruthless! How dare you hurt my precious thing! You wait, I won't let this go! Kid, if you've got the guts, tell me your name!"

Ru Feng also felt a little guilty. Although she wasn't a real boy, she knew how vulnerable that area was. Sigh, what could she do when she accidentally lost her leg? But she believed she hadn't done anything wrong; she was just helping someone.

"My name is Yuchi Rufeng, and I'm waiting for you to take revenge!" Rufeng proudly announced his name.

The people nearby exclaimed "Oh!" So this is what the legendary Yuchi Rufeng looks like. He's a very handsome little guy, but... well... he's a bit wild.

"Very well, my name is Bai Shaojun. One day I will make you taste the pain I'm experiencing today." Bai Shaojun left his name behind and walked away with the skinny man's help.

Behind him was Ru Feng's strange smile.

"Thank you for your help, Young Master Rufeng." The young girl bowed gracefully and expressed her gratitude in a clear, crisp voice.

Ru Feng's clothes were disheveled and her face was bruised and swollen. Although it was an eyesore, she still helped the young girl up with great gentlemanly manners: "No need to thank me. It is my honor to serve such a beautiful lady."

The young girl had a delicate nose and bright eyes, and was indeed a beautiful girl. No wonder Bai Shaojun teased her.

"Young master, my name is Liu Biyan. If it weren't for you today, I don't know if I would have been able to escape," Liu Biyan said, expressing her gratitude once again. Normally, a girl wouldn't casually reveal her given name to a man, but Rufeng was her benefactor, and also just a child, so Liu Biyan didn't feel anything was amiss.

"Little Yan'er, you can just call me Rufeng, there's no need to refer to yourself as 'this humble servant,' it sounds awkward to me." Although Rufeng was in pain all over, he still had the mind to chat with the pretty girl.

"Alright then, Young Master Rufeng, I must go back now, otherwise my father will be worried." Liu Biyan blushed slightly and quickly took her leave.

To be a good person to the end, and to help someone to the very end, Ru Feng, after escorting the pretty girl back to the inn, happily whistled his way home.

"Young Master, why are you so happy? Perhaps you've gotten yourself into big trouble. That Bai Shaojun seems to be the son of the Prefect of Yuezhou City." One of the guards hurriedly reminded him. He hadn't had a chance to interrupt when the young master was talking to Liu Biyan. If something happened to the young master, he wouldn't be able to escape either.

Prefect? Isn't that the highest-ranking official in Yuezhou? Equivalent to a provincial governor today. My grandfather is a third-rank general; I wonder whose rank is higher. As Ru Feng pondered this, her eyebrows drooped unconsciously. Hopefully, her kick didn't hurt him. What if Bai Shaojun becomes "incapacitated" later? Wouldn't she have really gotten herself into trouble?

Ru Feng's face was all scrunched up; being a hero is indeed not easy!

Sure enough, after the guards dutifully reported the incident, Ru Feng was met with a huge storm.

"Well, Yuchi Rufeng, you're something else! I never thought you'd be so well-behaved for three years, only to cause trouble the moment you stepped out onto the street. You even got into a fight, and you were all all tangled up together!" Upon hearing the news, Lin Yilan immediately grabbed Rufeng's ear and scolded him fiercely, "You can forget about ever going out on the street again!" This time, there were no outsiders around, so Lin Yilan didn't need to shut herself in to discipline Rufeng.

"Mother, be gentle, it hurts! I was just playing the hero and saving a damsel in distress, how can you blame me?" Ru Feng tilted her head and hunched her shoulders, trying to minimize the pain. Damn it, her mother's grip was still so strong!

Yu Chisong could only watch helplessly from the sidelines. His wife never allowed him to interfere in the education of their son, saying that a doting father often spoils his son.

Yu Chi Ruxue could only stand obediently to the side, feeling sorry for her younger brother, who had clearly done nothing wrong.

"Grandpa, help!" Ru Feng felt the grip tighten, and desperate to save his precious ears, he cried out as soon as his grandfather appeared at the door. His grandfather always doted on him; surely he wouldn't just stand by and watch his mother punish him?

Yu Chi Huaiyang glared at Ru Feng and angrily scolded, "How dare you call me that? Did I teach you martial arts so you could be fierce and violent? You even injured the governor's son, and in a place you shouldn't have. How am I supposed to explain this to everyone?" They were both officials in the same court, and now the governor's cousin was the emperor's favorite concubine, at the height of her power. So for everyone's sake, he should go and apologize.

He took another big gulp of tea, feeling irritated; these were the things he hated most.

"Father, do you think this matter can be resolved?" Yu Chisong asked cautiously. Even Lin Yilan, who was known for her harsh physical punishments, listened attentively, for she was his precious darling.

"That depends on Bai Shaojun's injuries. Steward, immediately summon a doctor and prepare some fine gifts. I'll go to the governor's mansion right away." After thinking for a moment, Yu Chi Huaiyang immediately decided to go and see.

Before leaving, he gave an order: "Lock Rufeng in the ancestral hall. He is not allowed to eat tonight or tomorrow. Let him learn his lesson!"

Ru Feng wailed, "Grandpa, you can't be so cruel to me! I'm still injured!"

"No one is allowed to plead for them! Otherwise, they will be punished according to family rules!" From afar, Yu Chi Huaiyang's voice came, severing Ru Feng's last thoughts.

!

Chapter 011 Ancestral Hall

The night was as dark as ink. In the dining room of the Yuchi family, the usual laughter and chatter had vanished, and everyone was focused on eating their rice, while the servants stood by with stern faces.

After a long silence, someone finally broke it.

"Father, how badly is Young Master Bai injured?" Yu Chisong finally couldn't withstand his wife's glare, and thinking about the marks on his waist, he quickly spoke up.

Yu Chi Huaiyang snorted coldly: "Luckily, he's not seriously injured, otherwise I would have given that brat a good beating!"

"Can my little brother come out to eat now? It's very dark in the ancestral hall, he'll be scared. He must be very hungry right now." Yu Chi Ruxue glanced timidly at her stern grandfather, biting her tender red lips, worried about her little brother's situation.

"Who said it was okay? Do you think my words can be changed at will? He was lucky this time that nothing happened to the Bai family's child. What if something really did happen one day? My punishment is already very lenient. None of you are allowed to plead for him!" Yu Chi Huaiyang swept his cold eyes over everyone, and they shrank back. The general's aura was not just for show.

“Ru Feng is the only grandson of the Yuchi family, and the future of the Yuchi family depends on him. Although he is a little clever, he is mischievous by nature and often plays pranks on the people in the mansion. I have not taken it to heart, but he is really childish, impulsive, willful, and often speaks without restraint. If he continues like this, how will he become a great man in the future? So we can only take advantage of his young age to temper his temperament.” Yuchi Huaiyang explained earnestly.

“You know he’s still young, so isn’t it normal for Ru Feng to have a childlike mentality?” Lin Yilan retorted. Ever since Yu Chi Huaiyang kept pressuring Yu Chi Song to take a concubine, Lin Yilan disliked her father-in-law, but she still maintained a facade of respect.