Wu Da, Wu Xiao’s gaze lit up: “What instructions does the young master have for us?”
Wu Ruo said: “I always get Shi Yuan and the rest to go to Baishi Manor1百食府 (bai shi fu) literally means ‘manor of a hundred kinds of food’. It’s not an actual term or phrase, I think it’s a restaurant name? Or, at least, that’s what I came up with when I double-checked the term. I’ve opted to call it ‘Baishi Manor’ as a restaurant name. to buy dimsum for me, but they can never get the flavours that I like. Since the two of you brothers have now come back, then make a run to Baishi Manor for me. I haven’t had good dimsum in a long time already.”
“Yes, we will definitely buy back delicious dimsum for Young Master.” Wu Da, Wu Xiao glanced complacently at Shi Yuan and the rest who were standing by Wu Ruo’s side. No matter how you put it, the two brothers had served by Wu Ruo’s side for over ten years. They knew the kind of flavours that Wu Ruo liked best. They couldn’t be compared to people who had only worked by Wu Ruo’s side for a month.
After the two people left, Wu Ruo smiled mockingly. How could he still leave them by his side to let them monitor his each and every move?
Wu Ruo got Shi You to move his ear closer, and quietly instructed a few things.
Shi You nodded, then turned around to leave the main hall.
After Hei Xin asked Wu Ruo about the little young master’s name, he went to prepare breakfast for everybody.
After Wu Ruo, Hei Xuanyi and the others had eaten breakfast, Wu Da and Wu Xiao came limping back. Their faces had been beaten until they resembled pig’s heads2If you’ve ever seen a pig’s head being offered for prayers, it’s usually pretty swollen-looking. That’s what the description means, their faces have been beaten swollen., they were bruised all over, their clothes and their hair were also messed up like a beggar’s, and they were dirty and raggedy.
Wu Ruo asked in shock: “What happened to the two of you?”
“Young Master, you must help us get justice.” Wu Da cried out, aggrieved, the moment he came back.
Wu Xiao cried as he said: “We were in Baishi Manor, and accidentally knocked over a young master’s pastries. Then, his servants just started beating us up without a second word. They even wanted us to compensate him.”
They were really unlucky. They had just come back to work when this sort of thing happened.
Wu Ruo asked: “Which family is the young master from?”
“We don’t know.”
“Since you don’t know, then how can I get justice for the two of you? I think both of you are quite badly hurt, it’s still better if you hurry back and rest. The two of you can come back to work after the new year.”
Wu Da, Wu Xiao couldn’t get revenge on the young master, and their frustration at the situation was pent up with no outlet. However, it was only going to rub salt in the wound if they kept dawdling here, so they didn’t oppose it: “We’ll go back now and see a doctor…”
When they said this, they stopped for a while, looking at Wu Ruo with pitiful expressions. In the past, when they got hurt, Wu Ruo would immediately give them medical expenses without them having to ask.
However, in this lifetime, Wu Ruo couldn’t wait to kill them, how could he give them money to see a doctor: “Alright, I’ll get Shi Yuan to see the two of you out.”
Wu Da, Wu Xiao’s jaws dropped, stupefied. They couldn’t believe that Wu Ruo was letting them go back just like that.
Shi Yuan walked forth and gestured to them, inviting them out: “This way, please3In Chinese, it actually says 两位请 (liang wei qing) but I can’t really translate it directly because it’s… polite language? Chinese doesn’t really have a polite vs. impolite form the way Korean and Japanese do (I’m a beginner in both languages), but there are ways to speak more politely.
Liang wei means something like “the two of you”, in this context, but the wei counter is a polite way to refer to/count people. And qing means “please”, or it’s a word that invites the person to do something. “This way, please” was my best approximation for it, but I’m leaving this footnote as cultural nuance notes..”
Wu Xiao looked at Wu Ruo unhappily: “You-young master, we…”
Wu Ruo said indifferently: “Don’t delay getting medical treatment.”
Shi Yuan seamlessly blocked Wu Da and Wu Xiao’s line of sight to Wu Ruo.
Wu Da, Wu Xiao, unable to get any money, left the residential quarters with Shi Yuan with faces of anger.
Wu Ruo laughed coldly, he felt that he’d really let them off too lightly by asking Shi You to only give them a beating. However, their good days were about to come to an end4In Chinese, 好日子也快到头了 literally means ‘their good days are about to come to a head’. Leaving this footnote for cultural stuff, but modified the translation for ease of understanding..
He got Shi Jiu and the rest to help him to stand: “Where is Hei Xuanyi right now?”
“Master is in a room in the adjacent small yard making weapons.”
“Bring me over to take a look.”
“Understood.”
Shi Jiu and Shi Yi supported him to the adjacent small yard. So as not to disturb Hei Xuanyi, they walked stealthily to the window, discreetly opening the window. From the crack, he could see Hei Xuanyi currently focusing all his attention on pouring his spiritual energy into the weapon-making furnace. The fake skin on his face was just like a person’s real skin, perspiring with plenty of sweat. It looked extremely strenuous.
Wu Ruo gazed at Hei Xuanyi’s side profile, with his expression of unwavering determination, and couldn’t help but be lost in his own thoughts.
Ever since after he’d reincarnated back to this time, Hei Xuanyi was either giving his family members presents, or he was giving him servants. Otherwise, Hei Xuanyi was helping him do this or that, and he had never asked Wu Ruo for anything in return. And yet he had never given even a tiny little gift to Hei Xuanyi. He was actually quite embarrassed about that in his heart.
However, Hei Xuanyi had all the money he could want and had all the materials he could want too. He didn’t lack anything. Wu Ruo didn’t even know what would be good to give to him.
Wu Ruo thought about it for a while, then he gently closed the window, leaving the residential quarters. After that, he instructed Shi Jiu to go and prepare the things that he wanted.
