Extra 2 – Collecting Flowers in a Dark Alley

Miantang returns to the State of Xi every year to visit her grandfather, and for more than a decade, there have been constant storms.

 

Especially in recent years, Cui Xingzhou has become the regent king, busy with official duties. She has nothing to do, and her business has become even bigger. When she has nothing to do, she always goes to various places for a walk, and in the end, she will stop by the State of  Xi.

 

Although her grandfather was already old, martial arts practitioners are naturally tough. Nowadays, their hair and beard are all white, but their waist is still straight. Although the business at home was entrusted to her Elder Uncle, everything else was up to my grandfather.

 

Watching Miantang always miss them and run tirelessly every few days, her grandfather waved his hand and moved his family to the State of Zhen.

 

Now, Cui Ling’er can also constantly follow her mother to her great-grandfather’s house to practice boxing, clubs, and martial arts.

 

There was no other way, although her father taught her elder brother Cui Yi to practice martial arts, her petite little daughter couldn’t stand it anymore. Watching her bend down made him feel heartbroken, so she was simply not allowed to practice.

 

When one side doesn’t work, there will come a way for it to work. Ling’er can only secretly learn from her mother. Her mother has said that girls are born beautiful and need to master some martial arts to not suffer losses.

 

Ling’er felt that her mother’s words were very reasonable. When she was in the capital before, the little emperor in the palace secretly wanted to kiss her, but she gave him a backdrop and rode behind a rockery to beat him up.

 

However, the little emperor said that this was their secret, and never told her parents, otherwise, she may be the one who gets beaten.

 

Thinking about the little emperor, he said that when the lotus flowers were in full bloom, he would come to the State of Zhen to see her. Ling’er secretly smiled and continued to practice the newly learned martial art set, so that the little emperor would be impressed by her.

 

However, she did not tell her great-grandfather that her mother brought her here this time because she had an argument with her father and ran away from home.

 

Her mother won’t let her say, this feeling of being full of secrets was really tough. Ling’er has been growing up recently and has decided to eat an extra crispy chicken later to reward herself for keeping the secret.

 

Miantang, on the other hand, sat with her sister-in-law and several cousins embroidering shoe patterns, but her ears were propped up, listening to when someone knocked on the door of the mansion.

 

As a result, she didn’t sit still much and heard someone shouting at the door.

 

When the gatekeeper looked at the door, it was Lu Mu, the second master.

 

Back then, the separation was a happy one. But within three years, Lu Mu regretted it.

 

Although he had accumulated a lot of family wealth before, he couldn’t support his daughter marrying an empty Su family.

 

The Young Master Su pretended to be diligent, but in the end, he failed to pass any academic exams. The mother-in-law of the Su family always scolded Qingying for not being able and bring down the family, monopolized her dowry, and even occasionally asked Qingying to go and scrape some benefits from Second Master Lu.

 

Second Master Lu was not someone who allowed others to take advantage of him. He first gritted his teeth and refused to give them, but was afraid of his daughter’s divorce and was laughed at by the Elder Master family. In the end, he had no choice but to let his wife, Quan-Shi, help them every three to five times.

 

After the separation, his business has been struggling and he has lost a lot of money. In fact, there are not many who can compensate for his daughter, and he can only have his teeth and blood swallowed, trying to maintain his dignity.

 

In the end, Qingying’s husband used her silver to redeem a top-notch prostitute from Hualiu Lane as a concubine. She was so angry that she went home and cried, but Second Master Lu only told her not to make too much noise and spread it out to make people laugh. She couldn’t take it easy and even tried to commit suicide. If her son hadn’t seen it, he wouldn’t have been able to save her.

 

Finally, the old man of the Lu family came forward and cursed Second Master Lu to the point where he only cared about his good looks but didn’t care about his daughter’s life or death.

 

In the end, it was Qingying who separated from the Su family and found a middle-aged widower who had lost his wife and remarried.

 

The dignity of the Second Master, Lu Mu, cannot be preserved. He has a thick skin and often sits with his Elder Brother, always wanting to help manage the family’s business again.

 

But Miantang solemnly warned the Elder Uncle that if the Second Uncle’s family couldn’t survive, giving him some silver would be enough, but the business at home, shouldn’t let the second family get involved.

 

However, the second master always wanted to maintain his dignity in front of his elder brother, and every time he borrows money, other embarrassing scenes are often staged in the Lu Mansion.

 

Today, the second uncle’s family came to the door, and it seemed that there was not enough money and silver in their mansion again.

 

Miantang looked disappointedly at his smiling second uncle and decided to sit down in the back garden.

 

Now that she has been married for several years, he has become increasingly impatient, and even after arguing, he doesn’t come to comfort her.

 

Miantang suddenly felt a rare sadness and just wanted to take a walk outside the mansion.

 

So she put on her clothes and left the mansion with only a little maid and two guards, strolling freely on the street.

 

Today, the market was a bit cold, and Miantang wanted peace, so she only found a secluded alley to walk through.

 

But when she was halfway through the alley, she realized that the maids and guards behind her had disappeared at some point.

 

When she reflected, suddenly a fist hit her ear. She turned her head and saw that it was a masked person. She instinctively blocked and wanted to draw out the dagger from her waist, but was one step faster by the person and took away the weapon.

 

The martial arts used by that person were strange, and Miantang had never seen them before. She was surprised and naturally went all out.

 

But that person fights in close proximity, with each move taking advantage of her, like a thief picking flowers.

 

Miantang was repeatedly taken advantage of by him, her sideburns were messy, and her collar was also open. Finally, unable to bear it anymore, she gritted her teeth and shouted, “Thief Cui, you thought I couldn’t recognize you?”

 

The tall masked man suddenly burst into laughter, pressing Miantang against the wall and reaching out to uncover the masked handkerchief. Scraping her nose, he said, “I changed my move and you can still recognize it.”

 

Upon seeing that it was indeed him, Miantang’s cheeks turned red with anger, and said, “How could I not smell the fragrant of your body? I didn’t realize at first that you still have the habit of blocking girls in the alley?”

 

Cui Xingzhou grabbed her and said, “Why are you still angry? Did I say you were wrong the day before yesterday? When you were discussing business with someone, you dressed up as a man, visited the Tianxiang Building, and even took care of two girls alone. Are you trying to make me angry?”

 

Miantang half raised her head and said, “Didn’t you take your colleagues there first? If you can go, I can naturally go too. I can also see how the girls there are so attractive?”

 

Prince Huaiyang said helplessly, “I went to investigate the rebels, not go there to explore. It’s not like I’m playing the prostitute. How can those mediocre and vulgar girls compare to you?”

 

Speaking of this, Cui Xingzhou lowered his head and kissed her mouth where she was about to curse, muttering, “When you walk, your waist is so twisted that I’ve been wanting to drag you into the alley for a long time. What’s up, little lady? Are you willing to give up some fragrant soft…”

 

Miantang’s eyes turned and her backhand wrapped around his neck, saying, “Sure, I just beg this master not to make too much noise. I’ll follow you. I’m married, and although my husband has an elm head, if he knows I’m stealing in the alley, he will be jealous. Let’s keep it from him, don’t let him know… If you’re better than him, I can leave a door for you at night.”

 

The expression on Prince Huaiyang’s original smile stiffened, inexplicably giving him a subtle feeling of wearing a green crown. Looking at the beautiful woman with a gentle bite of her red lips and flowing eyes in her arms, he thought about the situation if she really cheated on others behind his back, the surging sea of jealousy washed away his throat and eyes, causing acid to rise.

 

“Liu Miantang, if you dare to attract bees and butterflies outside, I will not spare you lightly!”

 

For a moment, there were bursts of laughter coming from the alley.

 

Miantang thought sweetly, The girls in the prostitution place said it well, fighting occasionally helps in building better relationships. Wait and see what other moves will she use next time.

 

Anyway, my dear husband, please take the call!

 

TL/ Note: Hello readers, we have come to the end of this novel. Thank you for your love and support with this novel. It has been a great journey to translate and communicate with you guys.