Chapter 405: Marriage

Night fell, and the relatives and friends in the outer courtyard of the Pang family home took their leave one after another. There was originally a custom of teasing the groom, but none of the relatives dared to tease this Commander Pang, who had killed so many.

Pang Yu and Pang Ding stood at the gate seeing each off. The relatives all wore ingratiating expressions before Pang Yu, most of whom he did not even know; he had only met one uncle before.

Once these people had all left, the maids and old serving women began tidying the outer courtyard. Aunt Liu wiped tears at the doorway, pulling at Pang Yu's nominal mother. "Sister, my daughter is finally saved."

Pang Yu, exhausted, returned to the inner courtyard. His parents had bought another residence and moved there, so Pang Yu was considered to have split from the family and established his own household, which meant he could live in the main house.

The bed in the inner courtyard room glowed with a yellow-red light. Pang Yu stood in the courtyard for a moment. He could imagine the bride, wearing a large red bridal veil, sitting quietly on the edge of the bed, waiting for him to lift the red veil, and his heart could not help but stir with some excitement.

After taking a deep breath, Pang Yu reached out and pushed the door. The door leaf slowly opened, but there was no figure on the edge of the bed.

A slender figure dressed entirely in red was sitting at the round table, where two red candles and five or six plates sat. Liu Ruozi's red bridal veil had gone somewhere unknown. Her delicate features reflected the faint red candlelight, and in Pang Yu's eyes, paired with this beautiful face, the illumination in the room seemed to nearly double. Amid the hazy light and shadow, it was almost a perfect picture.

The slight flaw was that this beauty was lifting a duck leg toward her open mouth. Hearing the door, she looked up and saw Pang Yu, freezing there for a moment.

Pang Yu also froze briefly, then smiled at Liu Ruozi, entered the room, and closed the door behind him.

Liu Ruozi tentatively said, "Then... should I put the veil back on?"

"No need, this is fine. I just like that you're a woman different from the rest." Pang Yu sat down at the table, picked up a piece of duck meat, and took a bite. He hadn't eaten anything all day either.

Liu Ruozi pursed her lips in a smile, reached out and placed the duck leg in front of Pang Yu, tilted her head, and looked at him. "You swindled my mother out of fifty taels of silver, and then your father returned it."

Pang Yu ate while looking at her with a smile. "A scholar's affairs, how can that be called swindling?"

Liu Ruozi's lively eyes sparkled in the candlelight. "Then tell me, if my mother hadn't given those fifty taels of silver, would you have not married me?"

Pang Yu answered with practiced ease, "Naturally, I would have married you anyway. Precious love cannot be measured by money. Never mind fifty taels of silver, even if it were five hundred thousand taels, I'd still have to marry you. Telling your mother about the fifty taels was all according to the immortal's guidance, to help you cross your tribulation."

"Those ghost stories you used to fool my mother can't fool me. Wanting to swindle my mother out of fifty taels of silver is nothing, it's all our old Pang family's money anyway." Liu Ruozi pursed her lips smugly. "You were cured by that whack from the Zhou family girl, it had nothing whatsoever to do with any immortal. Speaking of which, our old Pang family should be thanking her."

Pang Yu picked up that duck leg and looked up curiously. "How should our old Pang family thank her?"

"Let me make this clear first. When the Zhou family girl comes, she'll be the junior wife, and the proper rules must still be observed."

Pang Yu's heart was startled again. He hadn't expected his main wife to actively find him a concubine. Liu Ruozi blinked a few times. "General Pang, I don't want to stay at home all day. I want to go out and manage affairs too."

Pang Yu's heart grew wary. "What affairs do you want to manage?"

Liu Ruozi leaned over with some excitement. "Aren't you a great general leading troops? I want to be a female general too, like She Taijun, or Liang Red Edict of Arrival, or Qin Liangyu."

Pang Yu's eyelids twitched several times. He truly could not imagine this woman appearing in his long-spear formation. He immediately sat up straight and said with righteous solemnity, "A woman staying at home to support her husband and teach her children is the proper principle. Going out and showing your face in public is likely improper..."

"Then when other women want to enter this household in the future, they also won't be able to go out and show their faces in public."

Under the lamplight, Liu Ruozi's delicate face reflected a bright luster, her gaze as pure as a clear lake. But Pang Yu knew this was all surface. This Liu Ruozi, on the very first day of marriage, had already begun guarding against Zhou Yueru seizing power. Her advantage lay in being the main wife, but her disadvantage was not having participated in Pang Yu's commercial empire, lacking external support and seniority.

Now she had effectively set a threshold. If Zhou Yueru wanted to enter the household, she would have to give up her outside duties, stripping away Zhou Yueru's advantage. If Zhou Yueru wanted to continue working, she could not enter the household, thus forfeiting her qualification to compete.

At present, Zhou Yueru was doing well, having gained decent experience over the past few years. With her overseeing the banknote and silver house affairs, Pang Yu could be at ease. Pang Yu felt that Liu Ruozi had no interest at all in managing outside affairs and only wanted to preserve her own advantage. Then he recalled the night of the Tongcheng civil unrest, when someone tried to rob the Liu household, and Liu Ruozi had grabbed a kitchen cleaver wanting to go watch the excitement. He then felt that this woman might actually be capable of managing outside affairs.

He looked up at Liu Ruozi and smiled. "Last time, stopping Circuit Intendant Shi to lodge a complaint — was that your idea?"

Liu Ruozi did not answer. She propped her chin on both hands and looked at Pang Yu. "I dared to stop such a high official. Doesn't that mean I can manage affairs too?"

"Managing affairs can be discussed slowly later, no rush." Pang Yu paused thoughtfully for a moment, then said, "Today is our wedding. Don't keep bringing up others. Think more about our marriage. Look, the returning visit isn't for two months. With nothing to do for these two months, let's go somewhere for a honeymoon."

It was finally Liu Ruozi's turn to look completely puzzled. "What month is a honey-moon? Go to what place?"

In Injury Congyang Town, inside the training room of a small courtyard at the Dark Sentinel Division Academy, over ten women in pairs were grappling on the ground.

Mo Qiyun was drenched in sweat. She had just taken Jiang Shou's back. Mo Qiyun's right arm passed under Jiang Shou's chin and locked tightly around her neck. Her arm squeezed tighter and tighter. Jiang Shou struggled several times but could not break free. Her face gradually flushed red, and she hurriedly tapped Mo Qiyun's arm with her hand.

Mo Qiyun felt the tapping, released her grip, and jumped up joyfully. "I finally won once! So locking Sister's neck is like this."

Jiang Shou sat on the ground, rubbing her neck. "Sister, you've made great progress compared to before. Your strength has also increased a lot."

Mo Qiyun sat down beside her and whispered with a smile, "I know Sister let me win, so I wouldn't lose every single time and get scolded by De Ten Prefectures during evening class again."

The redness on Jiang Shou's face remained. She tapped Mo Qiyun's head and said with some effort, "If you know I let you win, then keep your voice down. Don't giggle during training. If De Ten Prefectures sees it, she really will scold you. You're a Deputy Squad Leader after all. You also have your class in the afternoon, where you're to teach the others how to make Jiangnan snacks. Take them to the kitchen for the meal and explain carefully to each person. Academy Yuan Xuezheng and De Ten Prefectures will both be tasting it. Evening class is Intelligence Identification. Don't bring the wrong notebook again. Is standing punishment that enjoyable?"

Mo Qiyun hugged Jiang Shou's waist and leaned her head on her shoulder. "What Deputy Squad Leader? I don't know how to manage people. I'll listen to whatever Sister says."

"Silly sister, we are the Dark Sentinel Division Academy. Academy Yuan Xuezheng says we come from all corners of the world and will eventually have to part. When your sister is no longer here, who will you listen to?"

Mo Qiyun hugged her tighter. "I don't care. We've only been studying for these few months. They surely won't send us out on assignments yet. Every extra month I can stay with Sister is one more month."

Just as she said this, Yuan Zheng and De Ten Prefectures appeared at the door. Jiang Shou hurriedly shouted, "The Academy Director has arrived."

The other women immediately stopped grappling, stood up, and saluted. Yuan Zheng waved at the others. "Continue drilling."

He turned back to look at Jiang Shou and Mo Qiyun before him, then said, "Jiang Shou, pack your clothing and belongings. At the first quarter past noon, someone will lead you to the Document Receiving Office to report."

The two of them listened, stunned. Mo Qiyun urgently asked, "Where is Sister Jiang going? Why does she need to bring her clothing?"

"Speaking without requesting permission." Yuan Zheng coldly shouted, "Where she is going is even less your business to ask. Where have all the laws and ordinances usually taught been remembered!"

Mo Qiyun lowered her head, tears swirling in her eyes.

Jiang Shou hurriedly said, "This subordinate accepts the order."

Yuan Zheng glared at Mo Qiyun. "Mo Qiyun, after evening class, go to the Garrison Inspector officer to receive punishment."

Having said this, he and De Ten Prefectures turned and went out the door. Mo Qiyun threw her arms around Jiang Shou, sobbing and unable to speak.

Jiang Shou stroked Mo Qiyun's hair, silent for a moment, then looked up at the sun outside. It was nearly noon. She pulled Mo Qiyun along as they walked toward the dormitory.

The two lived in the same room. Once there, Jiang Shou began silently packing her clothing and belongings. Mo Qiyun sat to the side, watching woodenly.

Jiang Shou did not take too long to finish packing. The two sat facing each other in silence. Jiang Shou slowly sat down beside Mo Qiyun, took from her hair the gold hairpin given by Jiang Fan, held it in her hand and looked at it, then said, "Sister's family is poor. When I was sent to Mama's place, my family gave me nothing. I have no other good items on me. This gold hairpin is the most valuable. When I received it, my heart was full of joy, thinking it was a lifelong support. Now I know it is not, but that thought still remains. Going away this time, I don't know if we will ever meet again. I'll leave it with you, sister, as a keepsake. When you see it, you can still remember you had a sister like me."

As she finished speaking, she gently raised her hand and placed it into Mo Qiyun's cloud-like black hair. Mo Qiyun's tears fell like rain. She threw her arms around Jiang Shou and wept aloud, her tears soaking through the hem of Jiang Shou's clothes. Jiang Shou stroked her shoulder, only weeping silently.

After an unknown length of time, a knock came at the door. Someone outside shouted, "Jiang Shou, come out."

Mo Qiyun held Jiang Shou tightly, refusing to let her stand. Jiang Shou hurriedly answered first, then whispered in Mo Qiyun's ear, "No matter how far Sister goes, I will always be a person of the Dark Sentinel Division. De Ten Prefectures says we are also soldiers. Soldiers always have a time to return to camp. When that time comes, we will meet again."

Mo Qiyun looked up, her tear-blurred eyes gazing at Jiang Shou. "Really?"

Jiang Shou nodded, embraced Mo Qiyun once, then gently pried open the hands holding her. She went to the door and opened it. A man in black clothes was waiting outside. He said directly to Jiang Shou, "Follow me."

Jiang Shou turned back to look at Mo Qiyun, then gently closed the door panel.

Night fell. Muffled thunder rumbled from the sky. The military banner on the flagpole in the courtyard flapped noisily in the wind. June in Congyang was very muggy. Such a strong wind was usually an omen of coming rain.

Mo Qiyun stood alone in the courtyard of the Garrison Inspector Dui, receiving her punishment for asking questions without permission today. A Garrison Inspector soldier stood under the eaves supervising.

Tears still lingered on Mo Qiyun's face. She did not wipe them away. While being punished by standing, her body could not make any movement at all, or the time would be extended further.

The pitch-black night sky suddenly turned stark white, heaven and earth brilliantly bright. A moment later, a muffled roll of thunder came, and shortly after, raindrops began drifting down from the sky. In the blink of an eye, the light rain became a torrential downpour. Mo Qiyun's punishment standing was not over. She stood silently in the courtyard, letting the rain soak her entire body.

Cobweb-like lightning tore through the vast sky. Between heaven and earth, gales raged and rain poured. Dense raindrops beat against her face. Before her eyes was a sheet of watery mist, and everything around her grew blurred.

Mo Qiyun stood in the rainstorm until the thunder gradually departed, the violent wind and rain subsided, turning back into a fine drizzle.

From under the eaves came the Garrison Inspector soldier's voice. "Punishment is over. You may return to your unit."

Mo Qiyun's body was nearly rigid. A slight movement and she almost fell.

"No need to rush. Move your limbs a bit before you go."

Mo Qiyun woodenly turned her head to look. It was that Garrison Inspector soldier speaking. In the darkness she could not see his face clearly, nor had she paid attention when she first arrived. She only had the impression that he was somewhat tall and big.

Ordinary Garrison Inspector soldiers were all stern and unsmiling, rarely conversing with others, and their orders were always cold. For this Garrison Inspector soldier not to bring out the bamboo rod to beat her was already good enough. That he could open his mouth and show concern with a couple of words was already unprecedented.

After moving a little for a while, Mo Qiyun gradually shifted her steps. The Garrison Inspector soldier lifted a patrol lantern from under the eaves, and the two walked slowly toward the women's ying. Most of the lanterns everywhere had been extinguished by the rain; the few that remained were very dim, drifting in the darkness like ghostly flames.

The ground was full of standing water, nearly submerging the tops of her feet. Amid the splashing sounds of water as they walked, a faint meow suddenly came.

Mo Qiyun stopped her steps. The Garrison Inspector soldier behind her also stopped. Another flash of white light crossed the sky. In that momentary brightness, a soaking-wet kitten appeared before her eyes in front of the dog hole. Because its fur was all drenched and clinging to its body, it looked especially thin and frail, yet its two eyes seemed large and bright, and it was shivering uncontrollably.

The white light in the sky vanished. In the darkness, the kitten's two eyes were clearly visible. Mo Qiyun crouched down, and the kitten meowed again.

Mo Qiyun lovingly scooped up the kitten. It trembled ceaselessly in her hands. She turned her head toward the Garrison Inspector soldier holding the lantern behind her. "Garrison Inspector daren, may I keep it? In such heavy rain, it will freeze to death."

"Military Law, aside from registered livestock, no animals may be kept within the ying."

The kitten was still trembling in her hands. Mo Qiyun lowered her head in disappointment, but then she heard the Garrison Inspector soldier's voice again. "However, the sky is too dark. I did not see whether you are carrying it or not."

Mo Qiyun froze for a moment, then raised her head in delighted surprise, as if amid a sky full of dark clouds, she had seen a beam of light streak through. By the lantern's glow, she could now make out the Garrison Inspector soldier's face. His brows and eyes appeared very square and upright. Paired with his tall, large frame, he had quite the authority of a Garrison Inspector soldier, yet his expression also carried the warmth of candlelight.

Mo Qiyun's heart skipped two beats. She hurriedly said in a low voice, "Thank you, Garrison Inspector daren."

She then hid the kitten in her sleeve and walked on with her head down. A moment later, the lanterns at the gate of the women's ying were already in sight. The Garrison Inspector soldier would hand over to the sentry there.

"When I am speaking with the sentry, you go straight through the gate. Then you won't be discovered."

Mo Qiyun was somewhat nervous. After all, this was a matter violating Military Law. She only nodded. She suddenly remembered something and looked up at the Garrison Inspector soldier. "I still don't know your honorable surname."

A warm smile surfaced on the Garrison Inspector soldier's face. "My surname is Spit."

Mo Qiyun silently noted it in her heart. When they reached the sentry post, Spit Garrison Inspector went to do the handover. Mo Qiyun, carrying the kitten, swiftly entered the main gate. During that time, the kitten even meowed once in a low voice. Spit Garrison Inspector deliberately spoke very loudly, and indeed the sentry did not notice.

Once inside the residential courtyard, the great stone in her heart finally dropped. Discipline within this small courtyard was not so strict. She knew there were women who kept birds, and no one came to manage it.

Mo Qiyun used her hand to stroke the soaking-wet kitten in her sleeve. "Jiang Jiejie is gone, so you will keep me company. Remember, you must not cause trouble. If they catch you, it will be terrible for you. You'll get the plank."

As she spoke, she pushed open the dormitory door. Once inside, she froze. On Jiang Shou's bed sat a woman, her figure quite tall and straight. Hearing the door, the woman looked up at her. Her gaze was very composed, without the slightest surprise.

Mo Qiyun had not expected that just as Jiang Shou left, the Academy would already assign someone new. The two sized each other up for a moment. The woman spoke first, carrying a slight northern accent. "You must be Mo Qiyun. The Military Office arranged for me to stay here. I am a new student. My name is Qiu Cuizhu. I asked the sisters next door. I am a bit older than you, so may I call you little sister?"

Mo Qiyun was stunned for a moment. At last, a faint smile surfaced on her face.

……

At the harbor of Zongyang Town, Pang Yu, holding Liu Ruozhe's hand, walked across the gangplank. Only after stepping onto the deck of the grain transport ship did he let go.

This time he had traveled by land from Anqing to Taihu and then to Tongcheng, inspecting military affairs along the way. Zongyang was the last stop in Anqing. Currently stationed here were the Water Army and Marine Corps, as well as some organs of the Dark Sentinel Division. This was because it was more secluded than Anqing, yet its transport and logistics were very developed, making the movement of personnel and supplies extremely convenient.

Anqing was Pang Yu's home base. This stretch of the river would also be the most tightly controlled. There were three Water Army garrison sites alone, and ships were still being expanded. Once the settlement operations began, the river surface would be strictly controlled.

Pang Yu inspected very quickly. He was only making a brief stop in Zongyang. The next stop was Wuhu, to see Guo Fengyou's progress in forming his army, and finally to Nanjing. He needed a clear ally — that is, to reach a deal with a certain political force.

The accompanying Water Army Lieutenant came to report on the fleet's situation. Pang Yu merely put on a show of listening, then gave the order to depart. The decks of the nearby ships all began bustling, the sound of orders everywhere.

On a grain transport ship not far away, Jiang Shou pressed her face to the window. She saw someone boarding a ship over there, but did not know who it was. However, judging by the way those officers on the dock were saluting, that person was certainly a high official.

She gently lowered the bamboo blind. The bustle outside seemed to have nothing to do with her. Even this cabin held only her. The accompanying Dark Sentinel Division officer had told her that before disembarking, she was not to speak with any outsider.

Up to this moment, Jiang Shou still did not know where she was going, nor what mission she was to receive.

The hull moved. The grain transport ship left the shore. After only a brief moment, the door was pushed open. That accompanying Dark Sentinel Division officer walked in. He sat down and said directly, "My surname is Yu. This time I am escorting you to Nanjing. Your mission is to make contact with a member of the gentry and become his concubine. Take careful note: only by becoming his concubine is the mission complete."

Jiang Shou's heart jolted. Such a mission might mean that in the future, she might truly never see Mo Qiyun again. For a moment, she did not know what to say.

"Now I will inform you of the target's particulars. This man is called Fang Guangchen, son of Fang Yizao, the current Liaodong Grand Coordinator. He usually assists his father with official duties in Liaodong. This time he is returning to Huizhou to visit family. He will arrive in Nanjing in ten days. Friends have arranged to meet him at Yu Cotton Lou. This man is fond of backgammon and Madiao. In conversation, he likes to discuss military matters and swordsmanship, but he values practical experience and dislikes those who merely spout empty talk from military texts."

The man took out a booklet. "The first page is the target's personality and hobbies. What follows is an analysis of the Liaodong situation compiled by the Adviser Division and the Martial Academy. Memorize it before disembarking, and grasp the key points. When conversing with the target, you must not use any of the specialized military terms within, lest the target grow suspicious."

Jiang Shou took it in a daze. Banner Commander Yu looked at her. "Do you have any questions?"

Jiang Shou hurriedly turned things over in her mind, recalling for a moment what she had learned. "The Liaodong Grand Coordinator is a high official of the imperial court. So is this target our enemy, or our ally?"

The man answered without hesitation. "I do not know. My superior did not brief me. What I can tell you is that the Dark Sentinel Division has only enemies, no allies."

"He is returning to his hometown this time. If he takes a fancy to me, will I be going back to his hometown to live afterward, or will I..."

"You will return to Liaodong." The man's face held no trace of emotion. "You will follow him back to Liaodong. Fang Yizao's station is in Ningyuan City in Liaodong, a key town in the war against the Tartars. Once you arrive there, someone will contact you and issue new orders."

Hearing the word Tartars, Jiang Shou's heart pounded fiercely several times. The Tartars' brutal reputation had spread everywhere, but Jiang Shou had never imagined it would have anything to do with her. Yet now it was a living reality. She was to go to the Liaodong front lines and face the Tartars directly.

The man said calmly, "Fang Guangchen has traveled to and from Nanjing many times. Based on our analysis of the intelligence gathered, you best match his preferences. That is why you were chosen to carry out this mission. At the banquet, there will also be our people present. You must do everything in your power to attract this man. Otherwise, you will face severe punishment under military law."

Without waiting for Jiang Shou to respond, he finished speaking and left the room. Jiang Shou picked up the booklet. On the cover were written the six large characters: Liaodong Situation Handbook. Opening to the first page, there was the target's name, background, personality, and hobbies. Only the second page was the table of contents, with chapters including: Geography of the Liao Garrison and Ji Garrison; Estimated Tartar Military Strength and Combat Methods; Estimated Liao Garrison Military Strength and Combat Methods; Estimated Liaodong Land and Sea Transport Cargo Volumes; and Liao Garrison Commodity Prices and Smuggling.

It was clear the handwriting was very new. It must have been written not long ago, or copied down not long ago.

Jiang Shou pulled the bamboo blind on the window open a crack. The ship had already traveled away from the harbor. The tile-blue sky after the rain reflected on the water's surface. In the polder fields beside the river channel, patches of emerald-green rice paddies seemed to float upon the water.

She lowered her head to look at that booklet and murmured to herself, "So this is my husband-to-be?"