Chapter 206: Farewell Journey

Chapter 206: Farewell Journey

After having dinner with Gu Tingye that day, Minglan sent the maids and servants away and quickly relayed what Zhang Shi had said earlier. Gu Tingye listened and clicked his tongue in surprise, saying, "Brother Shen is quite something. He always talks to me as if he's guarding against Lady Zhang. This matter involves the royal family, and since there's no conclusion yet, to mention it like this…"

Hearing this, Minglan wasn't surprised. In fact, during their conversation today, she had sensed that Zhang Shi didn't hold much affection for her husband. She pondered aloud, "Why did the uncle think of this? According to our dynasty's customs, isn't it said that the husband of a princess cannot participate in politics?" The implication was that she wasn't optimistic about this marriage.

It was rare for the couple to have differing opinions, and Gu Tingye patiently explained, "Though that may be the case, well… Brother Shen wants to propose to the legitimate daughter of the Duke of Fuguo, but the old duke only wants to offer a niece; he has his sights on the fourth daughter of the Marquis of Ru Yang, but in the end, he's only willing to provide a concubine; then there's talk of the old lady of the Yao family's daughter, but who knew that the matriarch was unwilling, causing quite a stir; the Han family is generous, offering the legitimate daughter of the heir apparent, but…"

Minglan interjected, "But now the Han family has no strong male relatives in court, and their household is in disarray, so the uncle doesn't think highly of them." As she spoke, she lightly chuckled while covering her mouth with her sleeve. She hadn't expected that the uncle had faced so many obstacles: he wanted a legitimate daughter, someone of outstanding character, a direct descendant of a noble lineage, and a family of good standing. It was indeed challenging to find a match.

Seeing his wife's cunning smile, Gu Tingye also felt sympathy for his friend and sighed with a smile, "There are only so many options to choose from. Brother Shen is proud and won't use an arranged marriage to pressure others. The Empress feels for him, so she suggested a marriage with a princess. After some thought, Brother Shen figured it wasn't a bad idea. Firstly, as a princess, everyone must show her respect, so there's little room for trouble. Secondly, although a prince consort has no say in state affairs, who can guarantee that a hero's son will also be a great man? Who knows if his son will achieve something significant? It may be better to choose a secure and honorable path."

Having a princess as a daughter-in-law means that, regardless of the future of the court or their son's abilities, no one would dare to bully their family, and they would always have a stable and prosperous life—this was Shen Congxing's thinking. Finally, Gu Tingye added, "Anyway, it's hard to judge talent at this age. Perhaps Shen's eldest son is just destined for a life of comfort and ease."

Shen Congxing had once brought his eldest son to the training grounds for practice, and after several trials, whether in martial arts on horseback or in military formations on the ground, the son could be considered above average—notably, this was with his father, the Imperial Uncle, present, with all the old brothers cheering him on and giving their support.

Minglan could tell her husband subtly approved, and she understood why. It was like a family's son, with his true abilities, could only make it into a university ranked in the top ten nationwide. Now, a school ranked fourth offered him a guaranteed spot, and the parents decided to play it safe and accept it.

"…It's true, but…" She still felt uneasy. Putting herself in others' shoes, even if Tuan Ge'er turned out to be average in the future, she would still hope her son marries a kind and compatible wife rather than marrying into royalty just for wealth and status.

Gu Tingye gently brushed his fingers over the soft hair by his wife's temples and said tenderly, "I understand what you mean; if it were up to me, I wouldn't want Tuan Ge'er to marry royalty either." His wife was considering things from the usual perspective of family life, but could the Shen family's situation still be considered normal?

Minglan suddenly smiled brightly, "That's good. I was just worried the marquis would say everything was fine here and there, and end up seeking a princess for Tuan Ge'er, too." After thinking for a moment, she added with a laugh, "I always feel the Imperial Uncle worries too much. After all, the Shen family is part of the royal kin. When the Crown Prince ascends in the future, he will surely support his cousins. Even without marrying into royalty, who would dare to look down on the Shen family?"

Gu Tingye remained silent. There was something he had never mentioned, but he hadn't expected Minglan to be so perceptive and figure it out herself.

After a moment's thought, he said, "The Empress is kind-hearted and often reminds her children to remember the favor they owe Lady Zou and to treat their Shen cousins generously. That alone would be fine, but in the early years of the Emperor's reign, Shen family children often entered the palace to study and play with the princes. Somehow, some busybody gossiped, and one of the young children actually dared to argue with a prince, saying something like, 'My mother died for the Empress, my aunt.'"

Minglan gasped in shock, "How could anyone say something like that so carelessly?!" Could it be that the Zou family often brought it up?

Gu Tingye sighed, "The children were so young back then, and Shen himself kept apologizing endlessly. I don't think the Emperor took it to heart (after all, Lady Zou didn't die for him), but as for how the two princes felt, that's another matter."

They were close cousins, yet there was no real warmth between them. Recently, after the Empress was blamed by the Emperor over Zhang's difficult childbirth and the princes were scolded for their studies, the Empress might not hold a grudge, but what about the two princes? Shen Congxing likely has similar concerns, which is why he's so determined to find a reliable family for his son to marry into. This way, even if the Emperor doesn't look out for him in the future, there would still be allies in the officialdom.

"Perhaps Shen is just overthinking it. But the Crown Princess and the two princes are full siblings, and the bond between them has always been deep…"

He didn't say anything further, but Minglan understood everything. The couple sat in silence for a moment before Gu Tingye pulled himself together and smiled, "This is still far from decided; the Emperor hasn't even mentioned it yet. /This is highly confidential/ — don't say a word, just pretend you don't know anything."

Minglan naturally nodded in agreement. Gu Tingye then added, "As for the matter with Fourth Brother Changdong, I think it's a good match. Uncle Shen's family is steady and has never made a misstep. Since you're expecting, why don't I speak to your father about it?"

Minglan quickly replied, "Please, Marquis, let's leave it be. If you go talk to him, even if Father isn't willing, he'll find it hard to say no. Marriage matters should be something both families genuinely agree to for true happiness. I'll handle it, so you don't need to worry about it."

He placed his hand on his wife's slightly rounded belly and gently ruffled their son's hair—who had taken over his parents' pillow, his little belly rising and falling as he snored softly. Gu Tingye looked at him lovingly for a while and sighed, "Everyone has their destined match. I wonder what kind of wife our boy will marry in the future?"

"A bit of a simple one," Minglan said serenely.

Gu Tingye was startled. "Why is that?"

Minglan explained seriously, "The key to harmony between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law lies in balance. I'm already clever enough, so if we get someone equally sharp, wouldn't it turn into a daily battle of wits?"

After a moment, Gu Tingye gently patted his wife's head and asked cautiously, "So… you think of yourself as clever?"

Minglan glared at him, "Do you think I'm stupid?"

"How could that be? Madam possesses great wisdom in a modest guise," Gu Tingye replied with an overly earnest smile.

Minglan frowned, eyeing him suspiciously, sensing hidden meaning and ill intent in his words.

Gu Tingye glanced at their son again and said, "If this boy turns out to be straightforward and his wife is simple too, wouldn't that be a disaster?"

Minglan gave their son's small hand a gentle pinch and sighed, "No need to worry, Marquis—this boy is sharp."

As he grew, Tuan Ge'er's personality was becoming clearer day by day. She was convinced that her little chubby son had a sly streak—if given a boiled egg, he'd nibble off the egg white he liked, then, with an innocent smile, shove the yolk into Nurse Cui's laughing mouth. When Minglan returned, she would see only eggshells on the table, with no idea of what had happened.

Luckily, Nurse Cui was straightforward and, after a few incidents, told Minglan everything. Without a word, Minglan gave Tuan Ge'er's plump little backside a few swats and ordered him to stop being picky with his food. The little chubby boy burst into tears on the spot, sulking in the corner of the bed and refusing to speak to Minglan. That night, he even tearfully complained to his father with dramatic gestures (but to no avail). Honest? Hmph.

…

The next day, Minglan wrote a letter, carefully relaying everything Zhang had said without adding or omitting a word. With Sheng Hong's shrewdness, he would naturally weigh the pros and cons, and there was no need to say more.

Three or four days later, Madam Liu came to visit Minglan with a bright smile, bringing various fresh mountain and sea delicacies, said to be from her brothers outside. After a few warm greetings, the two sisters-in-law got to the main topic.

Madam Liu said, "The master said that this marriage match is excellent in terms of family status. For the Shen family to consider Dong Ge'er is indeed Fourth Brother's good fortune. But he's only concerned that the young lady, having grown up on the border, might have a stronger personality."

The underlying concern was that, as Changdong was the youngest and his mother held the lowest status, he might receive fewer family resources and wealth in the future. Coming from a military family background, if his future wife had a domineering personality, it could cause chaos, repeating the troubles seen in the Hedong household.

After thinking for a moment, Minglan suggested, "Why don't I invite the Shen family ladies over for tea? Sister-in-law and our eldest sister could come as well. We won't mention the marriage—just chat and laugh together, as if we're simply visiting."

Madam Liu, having had the same thought, smiled and said, "If you're willing to do this, I'll be at ease. That's exactly what the master wanted too. Since they've seen Fourth Brother, we should at least know what kind of people they are. And with Eldest Sister's insight, we'll be even more assured."

After Madam Liu left, Minglan chuckled to herself, wondering how Sheng Hong had gone about gathering information over the past few days. It seemed he was satisfied with what he found. Thinking this, she sent a letter to Madam Zhang. The next day, someone from Madam Zhang's household came to say that they would leave all arrangements up to Minglan, but that due to the recent change in weather, Aunt Shen had caught a cold, and the doctor advised that she needed a few more days to recover.

Since both children were still young and neither family was in a hurry, Minglan sent a letter back with reassurances, urging them not to worry and to focus on recovery. In truth, the Shen family was also concerned, fearing that if the cold hadn't fully cleared up and Minglan, who was pregnant, fell ill because of it, it would turn a good thing into a bad one.

As autumn deepened and the night chill grew heavier, Nurse Cui picked a clear day to light the floor heating in several rooms of Jixi Residence. Minglan played with her son, rolling around on the warm heated bed.

Tuan Ge'er had become more sensible, and after Nurse Cui taught him again and again, he often curiously looked at his mother's growing belly. However, he no longer rushed over to ask for a hug; instead, he gently touched it with his chubby little hands.

After finishing his afternoon snack, Minglan was about to take a walk along the corridor when she suddenly heard Gu Tingye laughing as he returned, calling out repeatedly for someone to welcome guests. Minglan was curious, so she quickly got ready and took a sedan chair with him to the front hall. To her surprise, it was the Shi brothers and Madam Che, whom she hadn't seen for a long time.

In fact, their last meeting had been several years ago, when they had spoken briefly on the river at night. Minglan remembered it so clearly mainly because Shi Laoda's striking, battle-ready, full beard had left a lasting impression. Madam Che had gained a bit of weight since then. Though her skin was still somewhat rough, her expression had become more relaxed and joyful, and she now looked very much like a prosperous wife.

When Gu Tingye appeared, Shi Keng quickly punched his younger brother, and both brothers knelt down to greet him. Madam Che bowed deeply beside them. Gu Tingye swiftly stepped forward, grabbed both brothers, and laughed, "We're family, no need for all these formalities!"

Minglan also placed a hand on her belly and smiled, saying, "Sister Che, please sit down, I'll take a break and not bother with the formalities." She then instructed Xiao Tao and Lv Zhi to bring tea and snacks.

Madam Che's personality hadn't changed; she thanked Minglan in a straightforward manner, then playfully nudged her husband. The three of them settled into their seats. The couple was composed and at ease, while Shi Qiang, being younger and shy, blushed deeply when they arrived at this warm, prosperous place. He kept his head lowered, not speaking a word. When Lv Zhi brought him tea, he was so distracted that he almost missed it.

Although they hadn't seen each other for some time, Minglan was not unfamiliar with the Shi brothers and Madam Che. Gu Tingye's former subordinates would send annual gifts from the southern regions, and the Shi family's gifts were always included, with a particularly generous share compared to others.

Seeing that Gu Tingye was genuinely happy, Minglan became even more polite and attentive. After a few casual exchanges, she invited Madam Che into a soft sedan chair, and they headed to the inner garden's flower hall for tea and a chat, leaving the men outside to converse among themselves.

As they talked about the past few years, Minglan learned that after Gu Tingye started working with the right boss, the Shi brothers had prospered significantly. They had gradually secured control over the river transport trade from the Jianghuai region to the Longxi Pass.

"Thanks to Lord Marquis, we now have stable livelihoods and don't need to struggle in the wind and rain for a living anymore," Madam Che said casually, reverting to their old way of speaking. When Minglan thanked her for the gift, Madam Che hurriedly responded, "It's only right! Without the Marquis protecting us, we wouldn't have the good fortune we have today."

"The smooth transport of goods is good for the country and the people. The Marquis isn't just doing this for you," Minglan smiled and said. "No matter how capable the Marquis is, he can't be everywhere. Your success today is thanks to your own efforts and sacrifices; you've earned your money through hard work."

Gu Tingye couldn't issue an imperial edict for them to go around flaunting their power. After all, anyone involved in the salt transport trade had some kind of backing, and much of the time, it was the Shi brothers' abilities that made the difference.

Madam Che was deeply moved and wiped her tears, saying, "With the Madam's words, we will follow Lord Marquis for the rest of our lives."

Her straightforward nature didn't allow her to stay emotional for long. She quickly wiped away her tears and, while looking at Minglan, smiled and said, "Madam and the Marquis are truly a match made in heaven. Back then…" She couldn't help but laugh herself.

She recalled that night several years ago, when the cold winds blew over the icy river, and a great fire blazed up, lighting the pitch-black night sky. She had nearly frozen to death in the water, thinking she might never make it, only to be rescued by Madam Che, who pulled her onto the boat.

"…I never imagined… we would end up like this," Minglan said. Back then, she had called him "Second Uncle," and now he was her husband. They had both heard it with their own ears. Minglan suddenly felt embarrassed. "I haven't properly thanked Sister Che for saving my life."

Madam Che couldn't hold back and laughed out loud, raising her eyebrows and teasing, "What's there to thank me for? The Marquis sent people all over the river looking for you. My foolish husband insisted that your 'uncle's niece' must be a close relative of Lord Marquis, and we had to hurry and save you before you froze in the water. Haha… Who would have thought, once we pulled you out, you turned out to be such a beautiful young lady… Haha… I told him, no uncle looks at his niece like that!"

Minglan's face flushed with embarrassment. She stammered, "Those distant relatives, I called him 'Second Uncle' out of habit, but actually…" There were very few people who had heard her call Gu Tingye 'Second Uncle,' and to think it would be heard here—truly, the net of heaven is vast and wide!

Madam Che, skilled in reading the room, noticed that the teasing had gone on long enough. Not wanting to embarrass Minglan further, she quickly changed the subject and began talking about children. Minglan immediately called for her son, and when Madam Che saw him, she was delighted, giving him a big red envelope. She praised him endlessly, then sighed and said, "I only have one daughter, but Madam is really blessed."

Minglan said, "Sister, you're still young, you'll definitely have a big, healthy son."

Madam Che waved her hand with a carefree smile and replied, "In the early years, life was tough, and it hurt my health. When I had my daughter, I almost lost my life. The doctor said I can't have any more children."

Seeing Minglan's sympathetic expression, she smiled and comforted her, "I'm actually quite lucky. My husband doesn't mind; he just says after my brother marries, he'll have seventeen or eighteen children, and they'll keep the family line going."

Minglan laughed and said, "That's true. After all, they're family. Big Brother Shi is a sincere man, and that's the best thing."

She had heard from Gu Tingye that the Shi family had lost both their parents early, and Shi Qiang had been raised by his elder brother. Despite being brothers, their relationship was more like father and son.

Thinking about how Madam Che had been lonely and destitute in her youth, only to now find a good life, Minglan couldn't help but feel sentimental. She spoke softly, "…Sister, take good care of your health, there will be even more blessings in the future. I remember that year on the boat, Big Brother Shi said he would make you a beautiful embroidered silk dress."

Madam Che touched her sleeve, feeling the smooth and dense texture of the fabric, with vivid embroidery of a magpie perched on a branch. She couldn't help but laugh and sigh, "That simple-minded fool of a husband, now he wishes I would wear embroidered silk clothes every day. To be honest…" she lowered her voice, "the embroidered silk is beautiful, but I think it's not as comfortable as a cotton dress."

Recalling how people in the future admired the natural texture of pure cotton fabric and specifically sought rough linen, Minglan held her sleeve, laughing uncontrollably.

In the evening, Minglan invited Shao Shi and Madam Che to have dinner together. She also arranged a simple banquet outside for the Shi brothers, Gu Tingye, and Old Gongsun, who all drank and chatted late into the night.

The four of them drank and conversed until deep into the night. It wasn't until late that Gu Tingye returned to the room and found Minglan leaning against the head of the bed reading. He hurriedly took off his chilly outer robe, rubbed his hands to warm them, and then leaned over. "Why are you still awake? Be careful, or you'll hurt your health."

Minglan lazily sat up and smiled, "I already slept for a while earlier."

The man gently stroked his wife's soft hair, his tone tender, "It's all my fault, I made you sleep restlessly."

Minglan didn't respond. With her big, bright eyes open, she quietly asked, "…When are you leaving?"

Gu Tingye froze for a moment, then smiled bitterly, "I was afraid you'd worry, so I planned to tell you later. I didn't expect you to guess it yourself."

It wasn't hard to guess—her husband came home late every day, eating late-night snacks for dinner, always busy with no time to spare. The emperor had been inspecting the troops more frequently, and Duke Shen practically lived in the military camp. Although Minglan hadn't gone out because she was pregnant, she could still sense the changes in the atmosphere from the city to the families of the military officers.

"Why is the emperor choosing to go to war at this time? It's freezing cold, and the New Year is just around the corner," Minglan pouted, feeling discontented.

Gu Tingye let her lean into his arms, resting his chin on her head, and softly replied, "For now, we're gathering troops in Longxi, preparing for the campaign. After the harsh winter, when food is scarce on the grasslands, the Qiang tribes will begin to raid in large numbers. If we get there early and set up multiple routes, we can catch them all at once when they come out, and wipe them out."

Minglan remained silent.

The imperial army was like a regular army, while the Qiang tribes were like guerrilla forces. These bandits always took advantage of the times when the main army retreated, rampaging and plundering the people outside the borders. However, the imperial army couldn't stay at the frontier forever. The hardest part of a decisive battle was capturing the main forces of these guerrilla bands.

"Did the Shi brothers come to the capital for business as well?" she asked. It was unusual for them to come to the north just before winter.

Gu Tingye nodded, "While the river hasn't fully frozen yet, they're rushing to send grain supplies over. There aren't enough official ships."

Minglan rubbed her belly—her due date was in May next year. Her heart ached terribly, but she couldn't ask her husband to request leave from his superior. She could only softly say, "When will you come back?"

The reply was a deep sigh, and the man's tone was bitter, "If it's fast, it'll be March or April next year. If it's slow, I don't know… If I haven't returned by then, you'll have to give birth by yourself."

Minglan couldn't help but laugh out loud, "Nonsense. If I don't give birth myself, are you going to give birth for me?"

After saying this, she suddenly felt emboldened. So what if her husband wasn't around to witness the birth? What was so remarkable about that? She could just think of herself as a military wife (though Yao Mama would strongly disagree), while her husband defended the frontier!

She straightened her back, placed one hand on his chest, and said word by word, "Three things. First, don't be greedy for merit. The family doesn't need you to get promoted; second, come back safely, don't come back with missing limbs; third…"

She said angrily, "Don't go around flirting. If you bring back a foreign princess or a general's sister, just wait and see if I'll spare you!"

Gu Tingye held Minglan close to his chest and laughed loudly. His laughter was so boisterous that it shook the window panes. In the dead of night, it was eerie, and the maid on night watch was suddenly awakened, looking at her companions in confusion.