Our Second Master Chapter 2
Translated by One Second Spring
Translate Checked and Edited by Pure
Chapter 2: Our Second Master was Injured
I did not leave.
I also did not know why I did not leave. Maybe it was the tears shed by Old Madam Yang when I asked about Second Master.
In the end everyone left– not only the servants, the female family members returned to their maternal homes. Old Madam Yang took a few maidens and also left. Before she departed she told me, “Please take care of this place. In a while, Second Master will return.”
First Master did not leave.
He said that the Yang Family that Old Master Yang left behind cannot collapse like this. He told his wife to return to her family and he will return for her.
I personally thought that he said it just to comfort his wife. There were only thee servants left: Me, Granny Feng and a servant of First Master. Even First Master's wife had left.
First Master's servant was called Yuan Sheng.
One day, while we were doing chores, he asked me why I stayed. I did not answer.
I asked him back why he stayed. He said that he owed a debt of gratitude to First Master and he cannot be ungrateful.
Then he asked me if I stayed because I owed a debt of gratitude to Second Master. I laughed.
Not to mention gratitude, it was already great I bore no grudges against Second Master.
But, I didn't say this because I would have to go through the effort of explaining if I did.
So, I said yes, Second Master did a great act of kindness to me and I cannot forget this debt of gratitude.
After hearing this, Yuan Sheng pulled me aside and said in a small voice, "You are also a loyal servant. Second Master shall rely on you to be taken care of."
I paused. These words were not spoken lightly, so I asked him, "Why?"
Yuan Sheng's expression was not good but he answered, "Something went wrong with the business group right? They didn't only delay the emperor's shipment, they met enemies."
I asked him, "What enemy?"
"Who knows," Yuan Sheng said, "When a business prospers, there will be many enemies. Seeing the Yang Family lost their backing, someone robbed them on their way back. Old Master Yang didn't even have a chance and passed... sigh..."
Stop sighing. I persisted to ask, "Then our Second Master?"
Yuan Sheng replied, "Our Second Master managed to escape, but..."
I really wanted to slap him. "What happened?"
Yuan Sheng finally answered, "I heard that he was crippled."
That day, I was in a daze.
Yuan Sheng said that Second Master's legs were seriously injured and could not move it. He had slightly recovered and was on his way back to Hangzhou.
I started to imagine, how serious was seriously injured? Broken? Lame?
At that time, I did not think about it too deeply. I only thought that if his legs were injured, he would need to recover while lying in bed. Knowing Second Master's temper, I wondered how many kicks I was going to suffer.
So, I still earnestly hoped that Second Master would quickly recover.
I was simply too naive.
The day that Second Master returned, I opened the door.
Truthfully, I could not recognise him at all.
There was a cart pulled by a cow. A fifty-year old plus rider with shabby clothes. I thought it was a beggar and said, "Mister, you should go somewhere else, we barely can support ourselves."
The old man waved his hand and pointed to the back. With a thick foreign accent, he said, "It's delivered. You have to give me two taels."
I turned to the back and saw the cart was covered with straw. I thought I saw a glimpse of clothes. I walked over and said, "What is this? Who called you?"
I thought he was selling goods and was going to chase him away when I saw the person lying on the cart.
I stared for at least half the burning of an incense before I stuttered, "... Se–Second...Second– Second... Ma– Master?"
I did not know if Second Master was awake but his eyes were wide open. He did not move at all nor did he blink. It was truly a chilling sight to behold.
His hair was a complete mess and his face was so scrawny that he had lost his dashing looks.
There was a thick layer of grass covering his body. Seeing him ignore me, I hesitated if I should help carry him. But the old man cried, "Miss, you have to slow down! Don't kill him!"
I was immediately unhappy - A perfectly fine person, how would I kill him? But when I removed the layer of straw, I immediately understood the old man's words.
I calmed down and went to the yard to call Yuan Sheng for help.
Second Master was completely expressionless the whole time while we carried him back to the house. Almost as if he was a fake.
After we brought Second Master in, Yuan Sheng gave the money to the old man.
In the evening, First Master returned. When he saw Second Master, his tears immediately fell down.
He fell by Second Master's bedside and cried, "My younger brother, my younger brother..."
Actually, I really wanted to remind him to fetch a doctor. But seeing him cry so miserably, I didn't open my mouth.
Compared to First Master, Second Master was much calmer. He stared at the ceiling. Don't mention crying, he did not even have a single expression.
I waited at the door and looked at Second Master through the door crack.
Was this still our Second Master? I finally understood what Yuan Sheng's previous serious expression signified.
Previously, I thought that Second Master could recover. But seeing Second Master's body now, I lamented how ignorant I was.
Second Master was crippled, extremely crippled.
How should I say this– There was only half of Second Master left.
His two legs were gone.
The left side was slightly stronger than the right, there was half a leg left, but the right leg was completely gone. I used to have to raise my head to look at Second Master, but now he was about up to my chest.
Later, First Master finally remembered to call for a doctor.
Now that the Yang Family was in ruins, we could not hire a good doctor. A wandering doctor was invited to give him a look. The doctor lifted his blanket and gace our Second Master a good look-over.
To look after the injuries, Second Master did not wear any clothes for his bottom half.
The doctor told First Master that his life was saved and to take special care of him.
After sending the doctor off, First Master returned to the house to talk to Second Master, but Second Master completely ignored him.
After a few days, before First Master could get Second Master to speak, he had to run outside to do some business.
Before he left, he told me to take care of Second Master, he would return in two months. First Master brought Yuan Sheng away, and there was only Second Master and me left.
Oh and Granny Feng.
But Granny Feng did not speak all day, so I almost forgot about her.
Accepting First Master's command– actually even if he did not command me, I will also take care of Second Master. Who asked me to be a maid?
Yuan Sheng had been taking care of Second Master before this. The first day when I entered his room, the entire room smelt of decay.
I opened the windows and explained to Second Master who was lying on the bed, "To allow the air to circulate." As expected, Second Master ignored me.
Then, I fed Second Master food. He was like a mentally ill person, opening and closing his mouth, his eyes unfocused.
Until at night, when I brought the medicine in the room, I said to Second Master, "Second Master, this maid will help you change your medicine." This was when he finally had a reaction.
Second Master's eyes started to move, he looked towards me. I walked over and was about to remove his blanket. Before I could make another move, he spoke in a low voice, "Scram."
Actually, I already guessed he would say this. But to be what Yuan Sheng called a ‘loyal servant’, of course I could not scram. I lowered my head and gently said, "Second Master, your injuries needs a change of medicine everyday. It may hurt, so please tolerate it."
Then, I removed the blanket and smelt a strong stench of rotting flesh.
Yuang Sheng did not know how to take care of people at all! I held the medicine and used my greatest effort to lightly rub the medicine on Second Master's injuries.
Before the medicine touched him, I saw Second Master's leg shaking. And then, I was pushed back by a great force.
I fell and the medicine splattered on the ground.
Second Master's arms were quite long.
I lifted my head, and saw that Second Master's hair was in a mess, his pair of eyes like a wild beast glaring at me. "I told you to scram!"
Did I scram? -- of course I didn't. I was very clear of how ferocious Second Master's temper was, after all I was his venting bag for so many years.
I really wanted to tell him that this push was not even painful, the kicks you gave me before had much more power.
And then I suddenly realized. Was I no longer afraid of Second Master because he could no longer kick me? As I was ruminating on this, I prepared the medicine again and returned to Second Master's bedside.
Once bitten, twice shy– I was smarter and applied the medicine at the end of the bed.
Even if Second Master tried to use his arms, he would not be able to reach.
I was truly clever.
I almost wanted to cheer but Second Master was furious.
His two arms were placed at his side, and his whole bearing was as if he wanted to sit up and resolve me. But, I was completely unafraid. Because he was truly too weak now. What's more his leg injuries had not yet recovered, they were reddish black, looking at it, I felt pain all over. If he sat up and pressed on his injuries, he was as good as dead.
So, I calmly applied the medicine.
Actually, I was a little embarrassed while applying the medicine.
After all, Second Master was not wearing anything.
Even though I was always called a monkey in the courtyard, I was still an unmarried monkey.
Seeing Second Master's naked body, even thinking about it now, made me a little nervous. That part of Second Master... I can only describe it as magnificent. But comparing it, Second Master's legs were a grander sight.
I concentrated on applying the medicine. Every time I touched one part, Second Master would groan a bit. After I applied even more, Second Master's entire buttock shook, it shook with a cry.
I dared to lift up my head to catch a glance. I saw that Second Master's face was ghastly white with his veins throbbing, his face full of cold sweat.
He probably was so in pain that he did not even have the strength to scold me.
After applying finish the medicine, I went to the kitchen to prepare food. When I returned to the room, Second Master was still like a dead fish, eyes opened, lying down on the bed.
I lifted up a spoon of porridge to Second Master's lips. Second Master slapped it away. Luckily, I protected the bowl carefully. Although it was hot, the porridge did not spill out. "Second Master, eat a little."
Second Master said, "Scram."
I did not know what to do.
If it was before, if Second Master asked me to leave, I would quickly leave as far as possible. But now... what would happen to Second Master if I leave? But, I did not have any other method, I could forcefully apply medicine, but what will I do with food.
Wait... forcefully? Indeed, forcefully.
I placed the porridge aside and stared at it till it cooled. This way, then it was forcefully fed down, it would not burn him.
After a while, I tested the porridge and felt it was ok. So, I brought the bowl over again.
Second Master probably never had the experience of being looked down by a monkey before. He looked very displeased as I said - Second Master, sorry to offend you.
And then, I really offended him.