Chapter 58: Shi Xiu: I Could Tell at a Glance That Hu Sanniang Had Issues

On the small boat drifting from the North Mountain Hotel to Duck-Beak Shoal, Song Jiang affectionately held Cai Fu’s hand the entire way.

"Brother, how do you find the scenery of Liangshan Marsh?"

Song Jiang was utterly exhausted.

Socializing with Cai Fu for a single day was more mentally draining than dealing with anyone else for a full year. Yet, the mandatory rituals could not be skipped. Even if it was all an act, he had to put on a show of brotherhood with Cai Fu. Therefore, he held Cai Fu’s hand with warm affection and chatted about light topics with a radiant smile.

Cai Fu replied, "Truly breathtaking."

Song Jiang let out a hearty laugh, then spouted a stream of hollow, meaningless platitudes to glide through the rest of the water journey.

Upon reaching Duck-Beak Shoal, the moment Cai Fu stepped ashore, Song Jiang swayed, instinctively halting his steps to support his forehead with both hands. Wu Yong hurriedly rushed forward to steady him:

"Brother, what is the matter?"

With his hands pressed to his forehead, his eyes hazy, and his complexion as pale as earth, Song Jiang groaned:

"Perhaps I caught a chill from the lake wind. I feel rather dizzy..."

"Brother Song Gongming has been broken in body and spirit ever since the passing of Heavenly King Chao, and he has never truly recovered!"

Wu Yong supported Song Jiang, shaking his head and sighing bitterly toward Cai Fu:

"I have urged my brother to take better care of his health time and again, but he simply refuses to listen..."

"It is nothing..."

Leaning his entire weight against Wu Yong, Song Jiang tremblingly cupped his fists toward Cai Fu:

"Brother Cai Fu need not concern yourself... A good night's sleep is all Song Jiang needs. We shall host a banquet tonight to properly welcome you..."

Cai Fu nodded, "Take good care of yourself, Brother."

"Blue-Eyed Tiger" Li Yun was in charge of overseeing the construction of dwellings at Liangshan Marsh, so Song Jiang instructed him to arrange Cai Fu's quarters. Watching as Song Jiang was helped into a sedan chair by Wu Yong, a playful smile flickered at the corners of Cai Fu's lips: Truly, all the world's a stage, and life depends entirely on acting!

The Liangshan heroes had traveled to the North Mountain Hotel in individual small boats, and they returned the same way. Cai Fu was now the Deputy Chieftain of Liangshan Marsh, and every hero who passed him along the path greeted him. Regardless of faction, and regardless of whether their sincerity was genuine or feigned, everyone had to respectfully address him as "Brother."

The leopard-headed, ring-eyed, swallow-jawed, and tiger-whiskered ones had to call him brother; the falcon-eyed, tiger-headed ones had to call him brother as well... The ones with palm-sized birthmarks on their faces had to call him brother; the clear-browed, bright-eyed, white-toothed, and red-lipped ones had to call him brother too... The ones with phoenix eyes, silkworm-caterpillar brows, flushed red faces, and long beards had to call him brother; and the other ones with phoenix eyes, silkworm-caterpillar brows, flushed red faces, and long beards still had to call him brother...

Splendid!

Magnificent!

Cai Fu kept the corners of his lips upturned the entire way, until he caught sight of a woman with double sabers strapped to her waist standing halfway up the mountain slope.

She was as gorgeous as a peach blossom yet as cold as frost, with skin whiter than snow, standing eight feet tall. Her face and figure utterly outshined any Victoria's Secret supermodel! She was truly a single patch of red amidst a vast expanse of green in Liangshan Marsh, making it impossible for Cai Fu not to notice her:

Ten-Foot Green, Hu Sanniang!

Hu Sanniang stood gracefully at the fork in the mountain path, slender as a willow, with a face like peach blossoms. Her pair of lifeless, autumn-water eyes suddenly sparked with a hint of vitality the moment they landed on Cai Fu.

For some inexplicable reason, Cai Fu had an illusion, as if Hu Sanniang had been standing there specifically waiting for him.

Hu Sanniang gave Cai Fu a deep, lingering look. As their eyes met, Cai Fu understood that this was no illusion at all: Hu Sanniang was indeed standing there specifically to wait for him!

"Wife, let's hurry along!"

At that moment, an ugly, short-statured, and fierce-looking man standing beside Hu Sanniang shot Cai Fu a cold glare. If we don't leave now, this fellow is going to catch up!

Though Cai Fu did not know who he was, a short man standing right beside Hu Sanniang had a ninety-nine percent chance of being Wang the Dwarf Tiger. Although Wang the Dwarf Tiger failed to make the cut among Song Jiang's "four die-hard loyalists," he was nonetheless a core member of Song Jiang's faction. Consequently, Wang the Dwarf Tiger had taken an instant dislike to Cai Fu—only to find out that Cai Fu and Hu Sanniang had locked eyes with mutual interest!

"Short-Statured Tiger" Wang Ying inexplicably felt a faint hint of green upon his head, and he hurriedly urged Hu Sanniang to depart at once.

Even as he urged her, Wang Ying reached out to grab Hu Sanniang, only to be met with a swift strike from a scabbard!

"Snap!"

Hu Sanniang abruptly spun around and strode forward. Whether intentional or accidental, the scabbard at her waist lashed out viciously against Wang Ying's groping hand!

Wang Ying let out a muffled grunt, retracting his hand in a flash, his ugly face contorted with resentment and anger. Yet the expression vanished as quickly as it had appeared; forcing a fawning smile, Wang Ying trotted along behind Hu Sanniang down the fork in the path.

Since the fork where Hu Sanniang and Wang Ying stood was dozens of paces away from Cai Fu, no greetings were exchanged.

"Master, that man and woman are 'Short-Statured Tiger' Wang Ying and his wife, 'Ten-Foot Green' Hu Sanniang."

Shi Xiu leaned close to Cai Fu, lowering his voice:

"I could tell at a single glance that something is off with Hu Sanniang..."

Leave it to you, Xiu!

Cai Fu slowed his pace, widening the distance between himself and their guide, Li Yun, and whispered to Shi Xiu:

"What seems to be the problem?"

Shi Xiu stroked his chin as he analyzed the situation for Cai Fu:

"Master may not know this, but Hu Sanniang was originally the young mistress of the Hu Family Village. Back during the campaign of 'Three Assaults on the Zhu Family Village,' the Hu Family Village had already surrendered to Liangshan, yet Li Tequila flew into a murderous rage and slaughtered the entire Hu family. Song Gongming merely reprimanded Li Tequila lightly, took Hu Sanniang as his sworn sister, and arbitrated her marriage to Wang the Dwarf Tiger...

"I have heard that although that lecher Wang the Dwarf Tiger won the beauty, Hu Sanniang's martial arts far surpass his, and he is beaten every single day, living a miserable life. Much like 'Vegetable Garden' Zhang Qing and 'Little Lieutenant' Sun Xin, he trembles in fear before his wife. In this disciple's view, the couple is together in name only, and Hu Sanniang is extremely guarded against Wang Ying! The moment Wang Ying reached out his hand before he could even touch her, she struck him with her scabbard! Wang Ying showed a look of resentment, yet he still had to wear a smiling face and scurry after Hu Sanniang like a shadow... If this disciple is not mistaken, the rumors must be true!"

"Well reasoned!"

Cai Fu nodded in agreement.

It was entirely natural for Hu Sanniang to be on her guard against Wang Ying. After all, she had originally been the pampered young mistress of the Hu Family Village before her entire family was mercilessly slaughtered by Li Tequila. During the battle, Wang Ying had also behaved like a hooligan when fighting her single combat, only to be captured alive by her. In the end, after her family was destroyed, she was coerced by Song Jiang into marrying the very man she despised most. How could Hu Sanniang not treat Wang Ying as an enemy and guard herself accordingly?

Furthermore, as a time traveler from the twenty-first century, Cai Fu noticed one crucial detail that escaped Shi Xiu.

Hu Sanniang's heaven-defying long legs were tightly pressed together; Cai Fu even suspected she could hold a single sheet of paper between them without dropping it. When Hu Sanniang walked, her footsteps moved in a straight, steady line, and her lower base did not sway from side to side. Most importantly, Hu Sanniang showed extreme sensitivity to spatial intrusion, displaying an immediate aversion whenever a man drew near her.

All these minute details matched the online descriptions of an untouched maiden.

Thus, Cai Fu grew deeply curious: Could it be that Hu Sanniang was still an immaculate virgin?

That shouldn't be possible! According to the original timeline's pacing, a whole year had passed since the "Three Assaults on the Zhu Family Village," and they still hadn't consummated their marriage?

Cai Fu furrowed his brow, realizing the matter was far from simple.

Hearing the conversation between Cai Fu and Shi Xiu, Yan Qing darted forward to strike up a conversation with Li Yun. Although Li Yun lacked any enthusiasm for chatting, Yan Qing was clever and quick-witted, managing to pry information out of Li Yun in no time at all.

[Apologies to the readers, the author has a bit of a cleanliness fixation, so it was set that Hu Sanniang's marriage was never consummated. My apologies to those who prefer married women.]

[Special thanks to book friend 150217092805364 for the tip (100), hugs, please keep following and reading! Please keep reading! Please keep reading!]