Chapter 49: Brother, Teach Me

In the prison of the Yanggu County Yamen, an old wooden cross, long since caked in layers of dried human blood, stood firmly. Yun Liwan was bound tightly to it.

Su Wu stood before him and demanded, "Those bandits of Mount Liang—were they contacted by you or by Dong Ping?"

"Bah! Su Wu, you mere head constable of a petty county yamen, how dare you frame me and General Dong? What manner of hero is General Dong? Who across the lands of Shandong and Hebei does not know his name? You had better check how many heads you possess on your shoulders..."

Yun Liwan glared so fiercely that the corners of his eyes split open, and veins throbbed furiously on his temples. Truth be told, this ferocious demeanor truly suited his identity as a veteran military man. He had a stubborn spine!

Su Wu deftly dodged that "bah," stepped back, and gave a slight wave of his hand.

Dong Jian immediately stepped forward. "Yun Liwan, Dong Ping was already driven off by our head constable, who is now the Garrison Inspector of Dongping Prefecture."

Yun Liwan turned his face away. "Save your deceitful lies... You think you can fool me? Hmph! Just wait until tomorrow, when General Dong Ping arrives with his grand army, and they shall teach you all..."

Before he could finish, Dong Jian's whip lashed out first, striking him squarely across the mouth—this was merely the appetizer. On the cutting board behind Dong Jian, all manner of torture instruments were neatly arranged, waiting to be deployed one by one.

Su Wu shook his head, stepped out of the prison, and beckoned to Li成 with a wave of his hand. "Go bind Yun Lishou and put him in the cell next door. Make sure Yun Liwan catches a glimpse of him as he is dragged past, and once inside that cell, just beat him..."

Li Cheng nodded and went off to execute the order.

The hour was no longer early, but the interrogation had to be carried out through the night. The proper procedural formalities still had to be meticulously observed; presenting a well-documented case to the two prefectural magistrates would also count as a solid contribution.

As Su Wu sat in the front courtyard before the main hall, he saw Wu Song walking by with his head bowed.

Su Wu asked, "Why is Brother Erlang so dispirited?"

Wu Song raised his head, looked at Su Wu, and his lips twitched slightly as if he wanted to say something, but he held back and stopped short.

A mysterious smile appeared on Su Wu's face.

"What is my brother smiling about?" Wu Song came over to ask.

"Haha..." Su Wu chuckled aloud.

"What on earth is my brother laughing at?" Wu Song pressed further.

"I am laughing because you have run into a difficult trouble," Su Wu said.

"Brother... um... how did you know?" Wu Song's face was full of astonishment. This was a matter truly impossible to utter aloud; how could domestic shame be spoken of to outsiders?

Su Wu shifted the topic first. "I heard you beat someone at Wang Po's teahouse this afternoon?"

"Did my brother hear of it? It truly was a case of beating being the only option, though I did not strike with heavy hands. What does my brother think? Those filthy rumors were spread by Zhang Si, and Wang Po undoubtedly added much fuel to the fire. It just so happened that I ran into them; how could I not give them a thorough thrashing?"

When Wu Song spoke of this matter, a fierce look still lingered on his face.

"Ah, they deserved the beating!" Su Wu nodded.

Wu Song smiled as well. "My elder brother was afraid I would bring trouble upon you, but even if you had been there, you would have struck them yourself."

"Yet this matter does not entirely rest with Zhang Si and Wang Po; it originates with Ximen Qing. But it matters little now; since you have put a stop to the rumors, that is for the best."

"Hehe... I will just make certain no one in the county dares speak of it again." Wu Song knew his brother would certainly not blame him.

"Very well, let us return to the difficult trouble you are facing..." Su Wu said.

Naturally, Wu Song still could not bring himself to speak of it, wearing a constipated expression.

Su Wu continued, "How about this: you simply move out and live in my new residence, and let Li Cheng stay in your old house for a while."

Wu Song did not hesitate to decline further and nodded immediately. "Good! Many thanks, brother!"

Then, realizing the implication, he looked at Su Wu with a puzzled expression and asked, "Could my brother have guessed something?"

"I have probably guessed eight or nine parts out of ten." Looking left and right to ensure no one was around, Su Wu spoke again: "Your sister-in-law, possessing such looks, was naturally unwilling in her heart when she was married off to your elder brother, and inevitably harbors resentment... And you—look at how upright your features are, and how strong and robust your physique is. How could anyone keep their heart from stirring? Some matters, though lacking in propriety, can be properly resolved as long as they do not go too far..."

"Did my brother truly know?" Wu Song was utterly amazed, and added, "Does my brother's insight into people and matters run this deep? From a single meeting, you possess such remarkable foresight!"

Su Wu brushed the question aside and merely sighed, "Ah... troublesome matters."

"Brother, instruct me." Burning with anxiety, Wu Song grabbed Su Wu's arm.

"Moving out first is the correct move, but there is no need to confront your elder brother directly about it. Leave people a shred of dignity so she will not be overwhelmed by shame and subsequently breed hatred in her heart."

This matter had to be stabilized first.

Wu Song hurriedly asked again, "And then?"

Su Wu was pondering as well; he wished to make a sincere effort, hoping for a happy outcome for all.

He said, "You must still speak with her properly—not with a fierce expression, but earnestly, reasoning with her and appealing to her emotions. Speak gently, but make your resolute stance clear from the beginning."

"Ah, that should be easy. I was overcome with anger just now, and upon returning, I shall simply offer an apology to my sister-in-law." Wu Song now seemed genuinely willing to listen to Su Wu's words.

"Doing it that way is correct. If she harbors affection for you, let her harbor it; no matter how she dwells on it, you need only keep yourself in check. Once you have this talk with her, she will naturally restrain herself..."

"Understood, understood..." Wu Song was truly at a loss when it came to such matters. Given his temperament, he likely regarded Pan Jinlian as a woman of loose morals in his heart, and the words he would utter and actions he would take would undoubtedly be those of an insensitive man—not only heartbreaking but intensely humiliating.

Su Wu possessed a different perspective. Women were human beings too, and good and evil often hung by a single thread; he would try to save the situation first.

He continued, "Furthermore, you must bring money home. Inside the house, hire two maidservants; outside, purchase a carriage; and do not skimp on silks, satins, and jewelry for everyday wear. In this way, let her establish a certain degree of prestige and face within Yanggu County... That will also reduce the bitterness lingering in her heart. As for the money, simply draw it from me."

"Easily done, easily done... I bow in gratitude to my brother." Wu Song nodded repeatedly. Today, he had clearly been somewhat rattled by Pan Jinlian's repeated provocations.

"Yet you must not merely pander to her either; you must also utter words of warning. You must advise her, keep a watch over her, and even offer a degree of intimidation. Treat her well, but do not be overly ingratiating when you do so. You must master the delicate balance of it all. Once she bears you a child or two, perhaps things will change..."

Su Wu orchestrated this entirely in the hope that nothing disastrous would happen. Handled this way, even if Pan Jinlian still harbored those romantic feelings for Wu Song in her heart, it mattered little; they could live out their lives this way...

A large part of the actions Pan Jinlian took in the original tale stemmed not merely from physical desires, but even more so from psychological ones. A person lives for pride and reputation, as well as for emotional fulfillment.

She should even be allowed to put on airs and show off before the family of her former master, wealthy Elder Zhang.

People around her should also be encouraged to utter words that would make her heart leap with satisfaction—for instance: "I once thought Pan Jinlian had married the wrong man, but who would have ever expected she would marry so well."

By satisfying her in these aspects, while simultaneously keeping a watchful and protective eye, perhaps she could genuinely live out her days in peace and stability.

Moreover, Wu Dalang was not entirely oblivious; he saw things as clearly as a mirror. As long as Pan Jinlian did not commit any truly egregious acts, Wu Dalang usually coaxed and pampered her.

If Wu Song handled this properly, the probability of them living in stable harmony was very high.

Wu Song nodded obediently: "I shall follow everything my brother has said."

Suddenly, a fierce glint flashed across Su Wu's face as he said, "That Wang Po... she is a bane."

"Brother, what do you mean?" Wu Song asked, puzzled.

"Never mind the details; think of a way to drive that Wang Po out of Yanggu County." Su Wu knew Wang Po was ultimately a true and grave disaster.

"Beating her would be no problem, but driving her away..." At this moment, Wu Song was still a bit too straightforward.

"Leave this matter to Dong Jian to handle." Su Wu gave this instruction; in such crafty and complicated affairs, Wu Song at this stage was far inferior to Dong Jian.

"Very well, very well..." What Wu Song feared most in his heart was failing his elder brother.

"There is one more matter." Su Wu turned to official business.