Chapter 806: A Surprise for You

After the rain eased a little, Chen Wuji led people down the mountain.

His good days were about to end.

As expected, this should be the last time he goes into the mountains to run wild during this leave.

Originally, according to his discussion with Xu Zengyi, he should have broken camp and headed to Jie Jia Zui five days ago.

Then, from Jie Jia Zui he headed north, inspected the Qiang Land just conquered by Yang Tiejiang, looked it over in person, refined the upcoming arrangements for the Qiang Land, finally entered Chongyi Prefecture, and prepared for the forthcoming war with the Court's army.

But a few days earlier, Chen Huaiyuan came to report that the Military Arsenal Workshop would finish a batch of armor and bows and crossbows in the next three to five days. Chen Wuji then decided to wait a little, take this batch of military equipment, and arm the frontline troops.

In this era, military equipment is a very direct manifestation of combat power.

Even a weak force, if fully equipped with armor and bows and crossbows, can fight elite troops with the strength of its weapons; the most direct sign is that it is not so easily killed.

As long as they are not killed, everything else remains possible.

Having just returned home after descending the mountain, Huo Sanniang came up to him, wiping the rain from Chen Wuji's head while complaining: "Even though you are a Military Governor, you still act like a child, always liking to go into the mountains; now there's plenty of food at home, why keep thinking about hunting all day?"

Chen Wuji put his right arm around Huo Sanniang's slender, soft waist and said, "You're right, hunting is secondary; the real point is to have fun, to go to the mountains and relax."

"Hmm..." Huo Sanniang let out a soft, shy moan, her cheeks quietly flushing: "You have many affairs and great pressure; it was my meddling. This isn't... given today's situation, the mountains are more dangerous, and with your exalted status, risky endeavors should be done less."

"Today a sudden downpour fell; Elder Shi Yi Shu was so anxious his eyes almost turned red. I persuaded Zhan Hong with good words and bad, and only then did he calm down. He was almost about to brave the rain and lead the Personal Guard Lìng up the mountain to look for you."

Chen Wuji stared for a moment, then nodded slowly.

His life was no longer his own; it concerned the fate of his clan, the lives of all clan members, two hundred thousand soldiers, and the people of Nan Jun.

Chen Wuji had realized this long ago.

But he really hadn't expected today's matter to provoke such a strong reaction from Elder Shi Yi Shu.

"I'll have a good talk with Elder Shi Yi Shu later," Chen Wuji said softly.

He knew what he bore on his shoulders, but this rare chance to run wild was not something he wanted to give up easily; it was one of the few things his modern soul retained.

We must strive for it!

If even these little things were to be tangled with self-blame, that would be too dull.

"By the way, Yu Ji and Zhan Hong have been secretly preparing a little surprise for you these past few days; you'd better have an idea in mind, for this surprise might be... more... stimulating." Huo Sanniang suddenly gave a low, amused laugh, having pondered her wording for a long before finding a fitting description.

"What they're doing is surely something you like, but perhaps... the method isn't quite right; you must absolutely not say more. For this matter they also find it difficult; just go along with it, and I think it's fine too."

"Besides, don't say these things came from me; you're about to leave again, if I say a few extra words, don't let it end up making me the culprit."

Chen Wuji looked at Huo Sanniang with a strange expression, "What's the matter? Why are you being so mysterious?"

Huo Sanniang's eyes bore a hint of shyness: "You'll find out tonight; I've asked Yan Qiushui to heat some water for you to soak in. You got soaked in the rain, so don't catch a chill carelessly."

Chen Wuji's heart instantly felt as if wrapped in warm sunshine.

After so long, San Niang remains just like this, always caring about every detail of his life.

Whenever San Niang is by his side, there is nothing in life for him to worry about; he only needs to attend to outside affairs, and for every matter at home, San Niang always thinks of it first.

"No rush on the bath; with my physique, a little rain won't hinder me. I'm more concerned about what big surprise Qin Zhanhong and Xiao Yuji, those two troublemakers, are preparing for me." Chen Wuji said, "San Niang, you'd better secretly tell me; I definitely won't tell them."

Huo Sanniang gave him a white-eyed look: "What's wrong with your physique? If you're healthy, you won't get sick? Go take a bath. You'll naturally know about that tonight; I won't say more, otherwise those two dead girls will never let me off."

Having said that, she shoved Chen Wuji out the door without further ado.

Chen Wuji smiled and no longer insisted on the matter.

Since it can only be revealed at night, it must certainly be related to bedroom matters.

He merely wondered, their bedroom affairs were already so familiar, all kinds of patterns have been tried; what other way or method could be a more stimulating surprise?

Chen Wuji asked himself, his experience was already broad, yet he truly couldn't imagine Qin Zhanhong and Xiao Yuji managing to produce anything out of the ordinary in this matter, let alone a fresh play that adds the label of stimulation to the method.

In the kitchen, Yan Qiushui and Shen Lu squeezed together to tend the fire.

Neither spoke; only the crackling of firewood came from the stove.

The apricot wood that the two brothers Yuan Jinshi and Licentiate Yuan had cut the previous year, after being stored for nearly a year, became exceptionally burn-resistant, its sound exceptionally crisp, the crackling like firecrackers.

"Sister, tonight really..."

Shen Lu rested her chin on her knees, gazing quietly at the flames in the stove, then spoke softly, her tone laced with inescapable melancholy and regret.

Yan Qiushui turned, her slender hand lightly brushing Shen Lu's waterfall-like long hair, "Actually, Miss truly has our best interests at heart; we've drifted half a life, and in the end we need a home."

"You know the master's rules well; even if we don't comply in a few years, he will certainly not let us stay in the manor, but will have us find a family to marry into."

Shen Lu snapped her head up: "Then let's just leave, and stay together forever?"

Yan Qiushui sighed deeply: "Although we are still young, even if we earn nothing for the next few years, relying on these savings we can still live a few peaceful years in tranquility."

"But what about when we're old? Xiao Lu, it's not that I'm heartless; I really can't imagine us growing old with no sons or daughters, where even wanting a bowl of hot soup would have no one to bring it to our bedside."

"Worldly affairs are nine out of ten unsatisfactory; we cannot escape birth, aging, sickness, death, nor the burdens of rice, firewood, oil, and salt. These matters... we won't think about now; when we reach that age, thinking then will be too late."

"Don't mention whether we can live to that age, nor say it's no big deal to just die; before, I always relied on you, I just didn't want to bring these up, nor refute you. But these matters are indeed my heart's ailment, and the greatest obstacle between us."