Chapter9:TheCalmbeforetheStorm
TheSuFamilywashuge.Theirbusinesswasalsohuge.Therewerequiteanumberofyoungergenerations.Afterreceivingtheannouncement,everyonewhohasqualifiedfortheselectiontestwastrainingashardastheycouldallforthesakeofhavingachancetoparticipateintheSacredMountain’sselection.
IftheycouldgetintoSacredMountain,therewasbenodoubtthattheywouldbeabletobecomestrong.Doyouknowhowmuchgloryandhonorthatwouldbringtothefamily?
Withtheattireofabarbarian,SuYiplannedtojumpoverthewallandgetinsidetheSuEstate.
“YoungMaster.”
AsSuYiwassneakingabout,scaredofbeingcaughtbyothers,therewasafamiliarvoice.
Followingthesound,SuYisawWanErwascurledupinacornerofthewall.Herrosyfacewasnowpalewhite.Underherbrighteyes,thereweresignsoffightingspirit.
WhenWanErsawSuYi,herfaceimmediatelylitupandhurriedtohisside.
“Whatareyoudoinghere?”
LookingatWanErwhowascompletelyexhausted,herfacehaggard,bruisesonherhandsandneck,SuYi’sfacefellinaninstant.Hehadgotaroughideaofwhathadhappened.Thegirlmusthavebeeninthecornerformorethanaday.
“YoungMaster,Iamfine,I-"
WanErshookherheadandsqueezedoutasmile.LookingatSuYi’sattireinstead,shewasreallysurprised.
“Speak,whathadhappenedhere!”
SuYisaidwithalowvoice,coldlightglimmeringinhiseyes.
LookingatSuYi’seyes,WanErwasalsoshaken.ItwasthefirsttimeshehadeverseentheYoungMasterlikethis,likeanenragedtiger,araginglion,andallshecoulddowastotellhimthecauseofherplight.
NotlongafterSuYihadleft,WanErwaskickedoutoftheestatebyforceandcouldonlyhideinacornerofthebackwallwaitingforSuYitocomeback.
“Whodidthis?”
HearingwhatWanErsaid,thecoldlightinSuYi’seyeswerealreadytrembling.Adelicateyounggirlwasactuallyforcedtocurlupinacornerofthewallfortwodaysandnight,starving,coldandscared.Justthinkinguptothispoint,therewasawrenchingpaininhisheart.
“YoungMaster,onthesecondmorningafteryouleft,thepersonalmaidofMadamSuJiao,XiaoLan,broughtpeopletofindme,sayingthatIwasnotregisteredinthefamilyindexandcouldnotbeconsideredasaservant.Iamnotasstrongasthem,so…”
WanErdidnotcry.HerfacestillhadasmileandsaidtoSuYi,“IwaswaitinghereforYoungMaster,tosayafinalgoodbyethatWanErcannotbeatyoursideservingyouanymore.”
“Come,I’llbringyoubackin.”
SuYisaidsoftlywhilehecaressedWanEr’spaleface,combingafewstrandsofhermessyhairbehindherears.
“YoungMasteryoucannotbelikethis.Don’tdothisforme.Justbyyoubeingabletoreturn,WanErisalreadyveryhappy.Iwasoriginallyanorphan.IfnotforYoungMasterbringingmebackhomewhenIwasyoung,I’mnotsurewhetherIwouldstillbealivenow.”
WanErshookherhead.SheknewthepredicamentYoungMasterwasin.ManypeopleintheSuFamilywasagainsttheYoungMaster.ShedidnotwishtobringtroubletotheYoungMasterbecauseofher.
“Youarenotanorphan.Youaremysister.FromnowonyoushallbecalledSuWanEr.Iwillbringyouhomerightnow.Ihavepromisedyoubefore,noonewouldeverdaretobullyyoueveragain.TheplacewhereIam,thatshallbeyourhome.”
SuYipulledWanEr’ssmallhand,gentlyholdingitinhispalmandwalkedtowardstheSuEstate’smaingate.
“YoungMaster.”
BeingpulledbySuYi,WanEr’sheartshook.Thecornersofhermouthslightlycurved.Hersoftlipsslowlypartedlikeshewantedtosaysomething.
“CallmeBigBrother.Don’tcallmeYoungMastereveragain.”
SuYigazedatWanEr.Hiseyesturnedsharplikeitwasanorder,butinthesharpgaze,therewasmoreofapainintheheart.
“Big-BigBrother.”
Lookingatthoseeyeswhichdidnotallowrejection,somethingtouchedWanEr’sheartandshefinallycalledoutwithhershakingvoice.
SuYigentlysmiled.Heheldthehandinhispalmmorefirmlyandsaidsoftly,“Come,letusgohome.”
“BigBrother,howcouldyoureturnlikethis.Letusclimboverthewallinstead.”
WanErraisedhereyesslightly.LookingatSuYi’scurrentappearance,herbrighteyeshadabitofastonishmentinthem.
ShehadjustseenSuYi’sscar-riddledbodytwodaysago,butnowitwassmoothandradiantasapieceoffinejade,givingpeopleatemptationtofeelthatbody.
“Thereisnoproblem.Iwanttobringmysisterbackhomewithdignity!”
SuYismiled,holdingWanEr’shandastheywalkedtowardsthemaingate.
WanErwasfollowingbehind,gazingatthebackinfrontofher,walkinginsilence.Notknowingwhy,tearsstartedgatheringinhereyes.Everythingseemedrealyetnot.HereyeswerewetwithtearsandhersmallhandgrippedSuYi’shandeventighter.
Thatbackwaslikeatallmountainthatshecoulddependon.
AsmallsmileappearedonWanEr’sface.Adeepemotionaroseinherheart.
SuYireachedthemaingate.TheguardsstaredattheSuYi’sweirdattireandonlybeingabletorecognizewhohewasafterawhile.
TheguardsalsosawWanEr.Afterhesitatingforabit,theguardonthelefttoldSuYi.
“YoungMasterSuYi,MadamSuJiaohadstatedthatthegirlisnotpartoftheSuFamilyandisnotallowedtoentertheSuEstate.”
Slap!
Beforetheguardfinishedhissentence,acrispsoundofaslapcamefromhisface.
Puh!
Amouthfuloffreshbloodaccompaniedbyteethwasspatoutoftheguard’smouth.Thebodyoftheguardwasalsothrowntothesidebytheslap.halfhisfacewasalreadyswollenandthepersonfaintedrightaway,unclearwhetherhewasdeadoralive.
“Let’sgobackhome.”
SuYididnotbotherwiththoseguardsanymore.HepulledWanEr’shandwhohasnotletgoandwalkedintotheestate.
Theotherguardleftbehindwasstillshaking.Hismouthagapeandhiseyeswideopen.
TheSuEstatewasexceptionallylivelytoday,buttherewerenotmanypeopleintheoutercourtyard.Eventhenumberofservantswerefew,butSuYi’sattirestillattractedgazesofsurprise.
“BigBrother,todayisthedaywhentheyoungergenerationsarecompeting.Ithinkit’sfortherighttogototheSacredMountain’sselection,”WanErsaid.Shehadheardaboutthislongtimeago.
“Suchabigoccasion,soeveryonemustbethere.Well,itsuitsmejustfine.Let’sgotakealooknow,”SuYisaid.Thecoldlightinhiseyesflashedforamomentandvanished.
BigandimportanteventsintheSuFamilywouldnormallybeheldattheMartialDemonstrationGround.Onlythatplacecouldfitsomanypeopleatonce.
Today,theSuFamilywouldchoosesomeoftheyoungeronestogoandparticipateintheSacredMountain’sselection.This,totheSuFamily,wasdefinitelyamatterofutmostimportance.AlloftheyoungergenerationshadalreadyarrivedattheDemonstrationGroundsinceearlymorning.
TheentireSuFamilyexceptthosewhowereawayandunabletomakeitbackwerealsogatheredattheMartialDemonstrationGround.
(TranslatedbyGravityTales😦)
ThiseventwasabouttheSuFamily’sfutureanditwasalsoatestfortheyoungergenerationsofthefamily.TheActingHeadoftheHouse,theHighElders,theoldergenerations,servantsandsoonandsoforthwereallpresentaswell.
SurroundingtheMartialDemonstrationGround,thereweremorethanathousandspectators.Atthetop,thereweremorethan20seatsreservedfortheHighEldersandtherest.
Amiddle-agedmanwassittinginthemiddleoftheupperechelon.Hewasaround40yearsold.Hehadanaveragefigureandbroadshoulderswithbrighteyeswhilehavinganairofauthorityaroundhim.
“Goodjob!Keepitup!”
“SuBaithatlittlekidisnotbad.CompletingtheFoundationBuildingStageattheageof16andhisunderstandingofthe“PurpleYuanTechnique”isalsonotbad.”
“SuNingdoesnotpaleincomparison.Hehasnotlethisopponentgaintheupperhand.”
Thecrowdwasgoingwild.OntopoftheMartialDemonstrationGround,thereweretwoyouthssparringwithoneanother,followingeachotherclosely,causingtheYuanQiaroundthemtomove.Theirbodiesfitandswift.
Thetwoyouthswereyoung,buttheyalreadyhadquitethepresencearoundthem,causingsomeHighElderstonodtheirheadsandpraisethemintheirhearts.