Chapter 90: Section Eighteen

"Of course it's because of you, my lord. They are the people of Guangning. You saved the entire city, so naturally you are their savior. And you escorted them all the way south, protecting them from being plundered by routed soldiers and bandits — naturally they feel grateful."

The old subordinate described what he had witnessed before Shanhai Pass. After the scorched-earth order was issued, the Ming army and local government beyond the pass completely collapsed. In other regions, commoners who perished in the wilderness were everywhere; along the road they suffered constant harassment. Countless people had their family wealth seized, their wives and daughters violated, and many routed soldiers simply abducted the children of decent families and sold them to the Mongols. Only Fang Zhenru's main force from Guangning maintained good order, with ample food and clothing. Even the elderly and children safely traveled the full eight hundred li and entered the pass unharmed.

Truly miserable — but Huang Shi still did not find this answer the least bit reasonable. In the Ming dynasty, the literacy rate was less than one percent, and the status of an intellectual was even higher than that of a university professor in the twenty-first century. And military households were not merely the lowest of the low among the debased classes — they were criminals and villains. A minor squad commander, in this era, was only a little better than a beggar. Whether a military household could even compare to a brothel household was debatable. This friendship was simply too unreasonable.

When someone shows unprovoked kindness, they are either a scoundrel or a thief!

Huang Shi shot a glance at Yang Zhiyuan beside him. Could there be some sort of women's underground organization? That would be far too advanced. Perhaps that moment of soft-heartedness back then was a mistake — this good little boy might not be so simple.

"Does this young lady Zhao live far?"

"My lord, this is a military farming settlement. Her family certainly wouldn't live here. So every time she comes while it's light, and leaves well before dark." After speaking, the old subordinate thought it over carefully and, as if reporting military intelligence, began detailing the distance and timing.

"She came on foot?" It seemed the Zhao family was no wealthy clan — well, in the late Ming, modest young women in the north generally had natural feet, so that was not strange. If she were a female underground operative, it would be even less strange.

The meal was nearly finished. Just as Huang Shi was racking his brains for an excuse, Yang Zhiyuan suddenly proposed playing a few rounds of dice, and the old subordinate readily agreed — truly, when luck comes, even city walls cannot stop it.

Miss Zhao indeed left at dusk. Huang Shi had just shifted his body, intending to say he would not overstay his welcome, when the old subordinate immediately leapt up, swiftly escorted Huang Shi out the door and onto his horse, and repeatedly said he would not see him further on his way.

Huang Shi, his mind preoccupied, clamped his legs to the horse's belly and vanished in a trail of dust.

"Miss Zhao." Huang Shi called out to the young woman with a genial smile, dismounted, and offered a salute. Escorting a young lady home was always a good excuse, was it not? "Is the young lady's home far? Would you be willing to travel together? I am being presumptuous."

When someone shows unprovoked kindness, they are either a scoundrel or a thief!

Miss Zhao, both bashful and pleased, agreed. Huang Shi led his horse and walked alongside her. Zhang Zaidi was about to follow, but Yang Zhiyuan grabbed him and dragged him far behind.

Although Miss Zhao was not a bound-foot woman, she moved even slower than a snail crawling. Huang Shi, intentionally or not, probed her the entire way.

"Ahead is my humble home. Thank you, General Huang." Miss Zhao spoke with gentle refinement.

"In that case, I take my leave." Huang Shi's heart had long since settled. He turned to mount his horse.

"General Huang," Miss Zhao called out urgently. Huang Shi turned back in surprise and saw the young woman shyly say: "My father and elder brother both greatly admire the General and have long wished to make your acquaintance. If the General has free time in the coming days..."

As she spoke, Miss Zhao lowered her head and pointed lightly: "That is my humble dwelling."

"I, Huang Mou, am a military man, coarse and unlettered. I fear I would defile your honored father's ears. That your honored father would even mention the lowly name of a rough soldier like myself is already an honor — how could I dare to hope for his acquaintance? Haha, Miss Zhao, I take my leave now."

"That is not so. My father truly wishes to know the General," Miss Zhao's face was bright red, as though she had made a great resolution: "This young woman also feels the General's righteousness reaches the heavens, not one bit inferior to any scholar."

"The young lady flatters me excessively." Huang Shi savored the implications in her words, a faint pride stirring in his heart, but this did not scatter his reason: "My military duties are pressing, though perhaps I may find time to pay a visit to your honored father."

"My father will certainly be very pleased." Miss Zhao's face lit up with joy; she took these words as a promise.

The girl slowly walked toward her family gate. Seeing no one around, she paused and looked back, lingering long...

On the way back to camp, Yang Zhiyuan remarked in a strange, mocking tone: "My lord, have you found another target for sword practice?"

"What sword practice?" Zhang Zaidi was completely baffled.

"Wielding a big blade — two whole hours at a time." Yang Zhiyuan answered with a snicker, waving his arms and striking a bizarre, eccentric pose.

"Nonsense!" Huang Shi rebuked him lightly: "When we return, don't go wagging your tongue recklessly."

"Your subordinate obeys." Yang Zhiyuan assured him with a solemn face, but immediately switched back to his earlier expression: "When does my lord plan to visit Old Mr. Zhao?"

"Never." Huang Shi threw out the answer coldly. As a legend it might sound romantic, but the reality of Liaodong was unbearably harsh. Why go and burden an innocent girl from another family?

"Why?" Yang Zhiyuan cried out strangely: "My lord's future is boundless — Vice Regional Commander, Assistant Regional Commander, all within just a few years. Never mind that her brother hasn't even passed the Licentiate exam yet; even if he had, my lord would hardly be disgracing her family's threshold."

"Who knows, her brother might pass the Provincial Graduate exam, or even become a Metropolitan Graduate." Huang Shi did not intend to explain further.

"But he hasn't yet, has he? By the time he does, the rice will already be cooked. Then you'd be wishing her family produced a few more top scholars." If a military officer had civil official relatives, it was like a sparrow turning into a phoenix.

Huang Shi gave a grunt and said no more. At this moment, he was considering the matter from a political perspective. He had no clan to rely on; if his wife's family could not provide external kin as human resources, then even if he seized the realm, his successor would risk the dynasty collapsing in the second generation. A more ideal marriage alliance would be with a military family or a powerful local clan. Moreover, after talking with Miss Zhao the whole way, he felt she could not be described with the word "shrewd."

Zhang Zaidi had been frowning tightly, afraid of missing half a word, his ears perked up like a rabbit's the entire time. Finally, enlightenment struck and he slapped his thigh: "So my lord has taken a fancy to this young lady."

"Clever, clever." Yang Zhiyuan grinned wickedly and reached out to pat his shoulder, but since both were on horseback, he lightly swatted him with his riding crop instead.

"But my lord said he won't go see Old Mr. Zhao." Zhang Zaidi was still somewhat hesitant.

"Bet one hundred taels of silver." Yang Zhiyuan leaned back, solemnly wagging a single finger, his tone like that of a gambling god.

"But I don't have that." Of course he didn't — at his salary, it would take over a decade without eating or drinking.

"Put it on credit... or are you too scared?"

Impulse is the devil.

"You've won for sure!" Huang Shi assured his young confidant once they returned to camp: "We military men had best know our place. Besides, we're going back to Changsheng Island — which family would be willing to send their daughter to suffer on a desolate island?"

Zhang Zaidi was nearly eighteen. He stared with partial understanding: "Big brother truly isn't in a hurry to marry?"