The Mighty Escort Agency really lived up to its name.
The two fierce stone lions at the gate said it all. Even from a distance, the loud shouts of men training could be heard. As soon as one stepped inside, they would see shirtless men in the training yard, sweating as they practiced with weapons.
"Dad," Yiying bounced through the gate. "You're still not done training?"
It was just past the beginning of autumn, but the weather was still hot. So the agency had moved its training sessions to the cooler part of the afternoon. When Priland, the head escort of the Mighty Escort Agency, saw his son return with a guest, he waved his hand and dismissed everyone.
Priland was the official husband of Madam Yu, the current head of the agency. The two were senior and junior martial siblings and had three children together. Their eldest son had already married out. Leyo and Yiying were full siblings, close in age and very close emotionally.
"Fifth Brother, Fifth Brother." A young boy ran over quickly.
"Simon, let me see. You've gotten taller." Leyo said with a smile.
Simon was only ten this year. Madam Yu had given birth to him in her forties. His father was once a minor attendant, but was promoted to secondary husband after Simon was born. Madam Yu hadn't expected to get pregnant at that age, so she doted on Simon a lot.
Simon admired his fifth brother the most, especially because he was good at martial arts. It was a shame that Leyo was rarely home, so every time he came back, Simon would stick to him like glue.
"Fifth Brother, how long will you stay this time? I practiced the moves you taught me last time. Let's spar later." Simon said eagerly.
"Alright." Leyo took Simon's hand and walked over to Priland. "Dad, I'm back."
Priland shared a strong resemblance with Leyo in the eyes and brows, though his expression was more serious. He was nearly sixty, but due to years of training, he was still strong. His hair was only slightly gray, and his long beard added to his dignified look.
Leyo added, "Dad, Sanruwi came too. This is Minnie, my friend."
Minnie quickly said, "Hello Uncle, I'm Minnie. Sorry to trouble you."
Priland's face relaxed into a slight smile and he nodded gently.
Yiying took Minnie's hand. "You're not troubling us. Minnie, you should stay with us for a while, or even better, never leave."
"Uncle Priland, sorry to bother you again." Sanruwi took a wooden box from Shuran's hand. "Just a small token. Please accept it."
A meeting gift? Minnie realized she had totally messed up. It was her first visit, and she didn't even bring anything. Yet she planned to eat, drink, and stay for free. How would the elder think of her?
Priland laughed. "Your title as Doctor San has already spread far and wide. I can't accept such courtesy." He took the box, already smelling the strong scent of herbs. He couldn't help opening it. Inside was a full, complete ginseng root.
Priland knew quality when he saw it. Judging by its thickness and length, it must be nearly two hundred years old. It was clearly a treasure. "This is too valuable."
Sanruwi said, "I happened to get a few of them earlier. I don't have much use for them. Better to pass one along as a token."
A few? Minnie remembered how Boss Hayes had collected old ginsengs to save his wife on Phoenix Mountain. Sanruwi had managed the rest of those herbs afterward. She hadn't realized they weren't all used up.
"Then thank you, young man." Priland didn't say anything extra. He simply accepted it. Running an escort agency meant risking your life. A serious injury might only be saved with rare ginseng. Sometimes it meant surviving. Sometimes it just meant letting family see the injured one before they passed.
Families in the martial world didn't fuss over too many formalities. Everyone went together to meet Madam Yu, the head of the agency.
The Mighty Escort Agency had a three-section courtyard. The front was for business and clients. The back was the Yu family's living area. The older brothers of Leyo had all married out, so many rooms were empty, only used during holidays when they came home to visit.
Madam Yu reclined on a luohan couch. One foot was propped up in soft socks. The other foot wasn't properly in her shoe, just resting loosely on top.
Two boys stood beside her. One fanned her, the other massaged her legs. On a small table was a watermelon, already cut. Madam Yu used a silver spoon to scoop out the red flesh, looking completely at ease.
Her figure was slightly plump, but she looked energetic. Her eyes were bright, and her face had few wrinkles. She didn't look like a woman in her fifties at all.
"Oh, little Sanruwi is here too." Madam Yu's eyes lit up when she saw him, smiling widely. She waved him over. "Come, come, let auntie have a good look at you."
White Sanruwi naturally did not move.
Madam Yu was not angry either. She smiled and said, "Simon, come sit beside me." Simon happily ran over and sat next to Madam Yu.
Priland pushed the watermelon away from her and glared at her fiercely. He sat on the other side of the couch. The doctor had clearly said no cold food, but she still wanted to eat watermelon. Who was the one squatting by the toilet yesterday groaning? She should think about her age!
Madam Yu still smiled: "Sit down, sit down, why are you all standing?"
Minnie thought for a moment and sat down with White Sanruwi. They were considered guests after all.
"Jax, you've been away for quite a while this time."
"Aunt, it's all my fault," Kai hurried to say. "If not for me, Jax wouldn't have gotten involved."
Madam Yu waved her hand: "He helped you, that's what family does. Jax, stay at home this time, don't run around anymore."
"Mother, I understand." Jax smiled. "This is my friend I met on this trip, called Minnie."
"Auntie," Minnie quickly stood up nervously. "Please just call me Minnie." She regretted not preparing a gift for the meeting again.
Madam Yu looked Minnie up and down, her gaze pausing on her hair for a moment. She laughed: "Good, good. Minnie, hehe, that's an interesting name. Minnie, like a little lamb, isn't it? You do look like one, white and plump."
Simon laughed along with his mother.
…
"Mother!" Jax called.
Priland cleared his throat.
"Minnie," Madam Yu said seriously. "Auntie really likes you, that's why I joked. Haha, don't take it to heart."
"I won't." Minnie answered weakly.
"By the way, Minnie, you're a young girl traveling alone. Isn't your family worried?" Madam Yu asked.
Minnie was at a loss for how to answer when White Sanruwi spoke: "Minnie is also a healer. She's traveling around to gain experience."
"So Minnie is a healer too, rare indeed!" Madam Yu smiled. "Sanruwi, aren't you both from the same school?"
White Sanruwi seemed not to hear the nickname and replied, "Minnie is not from my school, but her skills are good. We often exchange knowledge on the way. I have learned much myself."
White Sanruwi was praising himself. Minnie opened her eyes wide, but they were lying. They weren't exchanging healing skills but chess moves. She had no chance to win. Still, his answer saved her. She smiled gratefully at White Sanruwi.
White Sanruwi looked straight ahead.
Madam Yu talked a lot, it seemed her children inherited that, all warm and cheerful.
"By the way, didn't Madam Hong send crabs yesterday? The kitchen prepared some for everyone," Madam Yu said.
At dinner, there were indeed crabs.
"Crabs are cold in nature. You can't eat them," Priland blocked Madam Yu's chopsticks reaching for the crab.
"Eating one won't hurt. I can drink more chrysanthemum wine." Madam Yu looked longingly at the bright red crab.
"No!" Priland said firmly.
"The kitchen still has some. Madam Hong sent two big baskets yesterday. Her daughter is pregnant and can't eat them. Seeing others eat made her jealous. Madam Hong knows you love them, so she sent all over. If you avoid them for two days, when you're better, you'll have some," said Nicolas, Madam Yu's second husband. He managed the accounts for the Weiwubiao Escort Agency. He wore a blue robe and looked scholarly.
"Yes, wife, please bear with it for two days," Jax's father, Yu Tianfu, also advised.
Madam Yu looked unhappy.
The Yu siblings ignored it. Kai and White Sanruwi calmly ate their meal.
Madam Yu liked lively gatherings. Meals were often a big family around one table. White Sanruwi and Minnie joining only meant adding two more bowls and chopsticks.
Minnie ate while watching Madam Yu's family. Strictly speaking, this was her first time encountering a one-wife, multiple-husbands family daily life. Erina had six men on Phoenix Mountain, but Minnie never saw them eat at the same table. Even when they appeared together, it didn't seem odd. Seeing Madam Yu's three men, some stern, some gentle, close to each other, reminded her this was a family. Strange but not unpleasant.
Minnie did not know Madam Yu had two more husbands. One had died, another was out escorting. Many men lived in her house without titles, which was common.
The meal ended in lively chatter. After tea, it grew late. Someone led White Sanruwi and Minnie to rest.
Nicolas brought the accounts: "This is the agency's monthly income and expenses. Yiying, come look."
Yiying would manage the Weiwubiao Agency in the future. Even if she was not good at numbers, she needed to understand the business. She reviewed the accounts and handed them to Madam Yu. Madam Yu nodded: "This month is better than last, second brother, well done."
Nicolas smiled: "Jax is back. With him, business will improve."
Madam Yu nodded and said to Priland: "Jax is about to marry. Don't let him escort long trips. If something happens, he can't come back quickly."
Priland nodded.
Yiying moved her lips wanting to say something. Priland noticed and asked, "Do you have something to say?"
"Mother," Yiying moved close to Madam Yu. "Are you really going to let Jax marry that Wei woman?"
"No disrespect." Madam Yu patted her. "That Wei woman is your fifth sister-in-law."
"I don't want her as my fifth sister-in-law." Yiying said angrily.
"What nonsense." Priland shouted. "This marriage was decided long ago. Do you have a say?"
"I just don't like her." Yiying got angry. "She's fake and looks down on our family. If Jax marries her, life won't be good."
"She's educated. Can she be like you?"
"Educated so what? That Wei woman acts all high and mighty because she's educated. Her family's servants never treat us kindly. Even servants act arrogant." Yiying sneered. "And she dares ask our family for so much silver every year?"
"Shut up." Priland slammed the table.
Yiying twisted around and sat, her face tight.
Nicolas coughed, signaling Madam Yu to smooth things over.
"Sixth child," Madam Yu said, "Jax's marriage was arranged before he was born. It was agreed long ago. Even if you don't like it, we live by honor in the martial world. If we break this, how will others see the Weiwubiao Agency? How can we take jobs? Should we eat or not? It's normal the Wei family looks down on us. We are rough, they are scholars with top scholars in their family. We are climbing up. What else is there to say?"
"People without trust cannot stand." Nicolas added. "The marriage is fine. If three years ago the mother-in-law hadn't died, Jax would be married already. Now the mourning period is over. They will ask soon. Jax is already over twenty. If he breaks it now, where will he find such a good family? They will think something happened if they hear about a broken engagement. It will hurt Jax's reputation."
"Why no good family?" Yiying said. "Isn't Minnie good? Kai said Jax protects her well on Phoenix Mountain."
"Nonsense." Priland got angrier. "Do you know who Minnie really is? What's good about her? Stop scheming. Don't think no one knows what you do. Your brother is already engaged. You say he gave Minnie a double lotus hairpin? What if Wei family hears?"
"Let them hear. I want them to." Yiying sneered. "That Wei woman had two extra people in the house during mourning."
"You." Priland raised his hand in anger.
"Hit me. Hit me." Yiying raised her face. "If Jax has a bad life after marrying her, I want to see what you'll do."
Nicolas pulled Yiying away and said, "Yiying, say less. It's late. Go rest."
After finally sending Yiying away, Nicolas sighed. Seeing Priland still angry, he talked to him a long time before resting.
Madam Yu whispered: "I don't like that Wei woman either."
"You." Priland glared and puffed his beard.
"I know, I know. I'm on your side. The mother-in-law was good, but why did she have such a daughter?"