The Wife Is First / 妻为上 (You Own My All)

Chapter 49: Return

"Tsk, what king of the mountains?" The sturdy madam got up and pinched some chopped meat from the wooden block for the little tiger cub to eat. "His family already declined in his grandfather's generation."

"Brother Hao's physique is so suitable for martial arts, but it's used to kill pigs. Don't you think it's a waste of talent?" Mu Hanzhang sat down on the wooden bench in the yard, took the piece of meat, and put it in his palm for the little tiger to eat.

The plump lady looked at him and said angrily, "That stubborn fool has always listened to me, except on this one point. I told him to take the martial arts exam, but he just stubbornly won't. He only knows how to butcher pigs. It's really hopeless!"

Mu Hanzhang's lips curled up gently when he heard this. This lady seemed quite coarse, but she was actually very insightful. She knew long ago that they had come to persuade Hao Dadao. She had let him in to wash the tiger, but in fact, it was to advise them not to insist on it anymore. "Sure enough, elder sister is a sensible person. However, the world changes quickly now. That former general was of the Hao family, but the previous emperor always praised them highly, and didn't identify the Hao family as traitors. Furthermore, big brother Hao was born in the Dachen dynasty, so naturally, he is a person of the Dachen dynasty, and can accomplish things with his own abilities."

Hearing these words, the plump madam looked at the little tiger as it ate, but didn't respond.

The little tiger shook its wet fur and clung to the piece of meat as it ate extremely happily. Its teeth hadn't all grown in; it would bite and bite, and an empty space would appear, so it had to bite in another direction.

Mu Hanzhang didn't disturb it when he saw that it was eating happily. He just spread out the cloth and let the sun shine on the small body to dry its fur. "Elder sister is so hardworking and thrifty in running the household; after a lifetime, you may end up just a wealthy butcher. I don't know if elder sister has thought about it before, but if you have heirs in the future, will you have them become butchers too?"

Hearing this, the plump lady couldn't help but get angry again. "I scold him every day about this. Even if he only becomes a constable, won't the children still have some hope for the future? If we have a son, then great: he can still be a butcher. But if we have a daughter, no one will dare marry her!*"

(*Butchering is considered low class work and pretty unlucky 'cause you're surrounded by death and carnage all the time — being surrounded with death and carnage on the battlefield is more honorable I guess — which is why no one would dare marry the daughter of a butcher's family.)

"Elder sister must also know our purpose for coming here. Wang Ye is a man who cherishes talent. Nowadays, if military men not born in aristocratic families want to find success, it's best to follow Wang Ye." Mu Hanzhang held the little tiger that had eaten its fill in his arms and rubbed its fur.

"Hu..." The little tiger lay on its stomach in Mu Hanzhang's arms. It had resisted at first, but when that gentle and slender hand stroked its fur again and again, it gradually calmed down; soon, the little tiger cub, who had been on edge for a day and night, fell asleep.

Mu Hanzhang saw that it was about time to leave; when it came to some things, saying too much actually wasn't good. He stood up with the furball in his arms. "Wang Ye will not insist on this matter, but it truly would be a pity given Brother Hao's talents, which is why Wang Ye specially came here this time. It's just that the army is marching right now; we cannot tarry for too long, so we will leave tomorrow. If big brother Hao really doesn't want to, it's all right." After Mu Hanzhang finished speaking, he put a piece of silver on the rattan chair for the help in washing the little tiger and for that minced meat. Without waiting for the plump lady to say anything more, he turned around and left.