Four Seasons Brocade – CH 183

Chapter 183 ☆、

These past few days, Ah Wu had been a heavy sleeper. When Chu Mao entered, she woke up. Because a small lamp was always left on in the room, and Ah Wu was extremely familiar with Chu Mao’s figure, she cried out, but she was still somewhat frightened.

“Why is Your Highness here at this hour?” Ah Wu threw back the covers, trying to get out of bed.

“I came to see you.” Chu Mao walked around the screen and entered. “Do not get down; I will sit for a while and then leave.”

Ah Wu leaned against the headboard, observing Chu Mao in the dim light. He seemed to have lost some weight. “Would Your Highness like some midnight snacks?” Ah Wu thought that the food in the military camp certainly was not as good as home-cooked meals.

“No need,” Chu Mao stopped Ah Wu from getting up. “You’ve lost so much weight. Is it because the maid we bought is not taking good care of you? I will have Zou Mingshan come and check your pulse tomorrow. Just tell Bing-Shuang what you want to eat.”

Ah Wu found it amusing. Compared to when they first got married, Chu Mao was like a completely different person. Back then, he would only say a few words a day, but now he would speak fluently.

Ah Wu touched her cheek; she had indeed lost weight, and her cheeks were somewhat sunken. “Am I not pretty anymore?”

“Are you trying to get me to compliment your beauty in a roundabout way?” Chu Mao smiled and pinched Ah Wu’s cheek, a hint of tenderness in his eyes.

Seeing that Chu Mao was still in the mood to joke, Ah Wu figured the situation could not be too bad. “Your Highness, why did the Emperor appoint you to lead the western expedition?” Ah Wu had kept this question in her heart for a long time, but tonight, because they were so relaxed together, she finally asked. “Will this battle be very difficult?”

Chu Mao did not answer. He got up and opened the window. A bright moon streamed in, as clear as a jade plate, illuminating the ancient capital. “I hope my name will be prominently featured in the history books of the Great Xia Dynasty.”

This was the first time Chu Mao had so clearly stated his ambition in front of her. A strange emotion flickered in Ah Wu’s heart. She did not speak, only looked at Chu Mao, who gazed at the moon outside. For a moment, the room was quiet, with only the moonlight flowing through it.

Chu Mao turned to Ah Wu and asked, “Do you think I am being delusional?”

“No,” Ah Wu blurted out, “Your Highness is wise and decisive, blessed with extraordinary talent and compassion for the people. I believe Your Highness’s compassion is a blessing to the world, and you will surely become a restorer of the dynasty.” Compared to the Fifth and Sixth Princes ascending the throne, this was truly a blessing for the Great Xia Dynasty.

Chu Mao smiled faintly. “Ah Wu’s evaluation of me is far too high. How can you be so sure that I care for the people and possess extraordinary talent?” This was the second time Chu Mao had asked Ah Wu this question.

Ah Wu could not possibly tell him what she had seen in the past, so she could only say coquettishly, “I am just sure.”

Chu Mao sat back on the edge of the bed and gently pecked Ah Wu’s pink lips, so soft that it melted his heart.

“If Your Highness wins this western expedition, I fear you will not have much leisure time to spare after returning to court.” Ah Wu glanced at Chu Mao, thinking that in her previous life, Chu Mao had successfully sought to become a leisurely prince, but in this life, with this battle, he was standing on the edge of a knife, and it would be difficult for him to extricate himself. Although the Great Xia Dynasty had precedents of princes being enfeoffed in their fiefdoms, that was only possible if they posed no threat to the succeeding Emperor.

Chu Mao could only amass troops by becoming an enfeoffed prince, but judging from his current actions, it did not seem like he was planning in that direction.

Chu Mao kissed Ah Wu’s fingers one by one. “You do not need to worry; I have my own plans.” Chu Mao lowered his eyelids, recalling the exasperation of Elder Shen and Fu Yishi after he had completely disrupted his established plans.

Seeing Chu Mao’s reaction, Ah Wu could not press the matter further. Instead, she asked, “The town is in a state of panic; many families are starting to relocate. Is Your Highness confident about this battle?”

“Of course I am! If I were not confident, how could I have left you here? Rest well. I will come back to see you in a few days. It’s good to gain some weight. This place is close to the grasslands; there are many people raising cattle and sheep. I will have someone bring you a bucket of cow or sheep milk every day. You can use any of it for bathing or washing your hands; I’ve heard it’s calming and good for your complexion.”

Even though Chu Mao’s confidence was only mentioned casually, Ah Wu felt strangely at ease. It seemed she believed everything Chu Mao said; perhaps the future Emperor Zhengyuan had left a deep impression on her.

“Go to sleep. I will watch you until you fall asleep before I leave.” Chu Mao smoothed Ah Wu’s hair.

Ah Wu looked into Chu Mao’s eyes, gently hooked her hand around his finger, and then closed her eyes.

That night was the best sleep Ah Wu had had since arriving in Qianmiao Town. Upon waking in the morning, she pushed open the window that Chu Mao had closed the night before. Barefoot, without calling for a maid to serve her, she knelt by the window and deeply inhaled the morning fragrance of flowers.

The maid Ming-Liu, who was on night watch outside, heard movement inside and tentatively raised her voice, asking, “Madam, are you awake?”

“Come in,” Ah Wu said, sitting on the couch. Ming-Liu and Ming-Tao quickly brought in the water they had prepared.

Ming-Liu stared almost in a daze at the hands that were scooping water. So white and smooth, it was almost impossible to distinguish where the white sleeves ended and where the white skin began. Ming-Liu felt she had never even dreamed of someone so beautiful.

Ming-Tao nudged Ming-Liu’s shoulder, and the little maid snapped out of her reverie, wringing out a handkerchief to help Ah Wu wipe her hands.

Ah Wu took a sip of the mint water Ming-Tao offered, brushed her teeth with bamboo salt, washed her face with warm water, patted her cheeks with cool water, and gently dried them. Since arriving here, her demands had become extremely low. She was too lazy to ask Ming-Liu and Ming-Tao for some things; the two little girls were only thirteen or fourteen years old, and having grown up in a small town, they were still quite naive and not very good at serving others.

Before breakfast, Ah Wu sent Ming-Liu and Ming-Tao out and practiced a set of health-preserving exercises taught to her by an Indian monk in her previous life. She also stretched her waist and legs, which were a little stiff from riding in the carriage.

Days passed peacefully, and she could not tell she was on the front lines. One day, Ah Wu felt a surge of interest, dressed in men’s clothing, and took Bing-Shuang to the teahouse.

Surprisingly, the teahouse was doing much better business than before. It was only thanks to Bing-Shuang’s cold face and the powerful murderous aura in her eyes that Ah Wu managed to find a table by herself in a corner.

“Hey, Old Zhang, you are back too,” someone greeted from below.

“Yes, it’s true. Taking the whole family to another place would not provide a living. These days, the rent for a small courtyard in a neighboring county is enough to feed our whole family for a year. It’s better to come back and do some business with the soldiers here; who knows, we might even make a fortune.”

“At first, I thought that if the army came, the Tatars would suffer, but it would be us ordinary people who would suffer. But ever since Prince Qi beheaded a dozen or so troublemakers in front of him, no soldier dares to take things without paying. Even the women in the family dare to go out on the streets. Your return is just in time.”

Then someone whispered, “I have a brother who delivers vegetables over there every day. I heard that His Highness Prince Qi beheaded Bai Junqi.”

A murmur rippled through the crowd. Even Ah Wu’s eyes widened. The Southwest Army was commanded by Bai Junqi. Chu Mao beheaded Bai Junqi; was he not afraid of a mutiny within the Southwest Army?

“Impossible, Bai Junqi is a general leading troops.”

“Why not? I think only His Highness the Prince has the guts to kill a general on the battlefield.”

“Did General Bai’s troops not cause any trouble?”

“Of course they did! I heard they dug a huge pit in the back mountain, and many people died,” someone whispered.

“Blood flowed like a river! I heard His Highness Prince Qi is as handsome as a god, but I never imagined he would be so ruthless.” Actually, that day he probably wanted to say it was bloody and cruel, but he was afraid there might be spies from the Western Expeditionary Army in the town.

Ah Wu was not surprised by this. Chu Mao was such a cold-blooded and ruthless person. The Tatar army had been burning and killing all the way, and they would probably reach Huaila Mountain soon. If Chu Mao did not subdue the army with swift and decisive measures, he would probably only end up in defeat and retreat.

However, Ah Wu still could not bear to hear about the pit where people were buried, and did not dare to listen any further before going downstairs.

“Hey, when did such a handsome young man come to our town…” someone murmured behind Ah Wu, but before they could finish, a glare from Bing-Shuang startled them back to their original tone.

That night, Ah Wu soaked her feet in milk. In her hazy state, she seemed to hear distant sounds of battle. The next morning, she woke to shouts outside, “The Tatars have been defeated! The Tatars have been defeated!”

Ah Wu quickly called Bing-Shuang over. “Bing-Shuang, go and see what’s going on outside.”

Bing-Shuang remained unmoved. “The Prince ordered that I not leave the Princess’s side for even a moment.”

Ah Wu glanced at Bing-Shuang, seeing that she was completely unmoved by her cold gaze, and had no choice but to try a different approach. “Ming-Tao, go and ask around in town. What happened?”

“Yes, Madam!” Ming-Tao responded loudly. Ah Wu grabbed a handful of money and gave it to her; she quickly ran out.

When Ming-Tao returned, the courtyard was eerily quiet, as if no one was there. Ming-Liu was standing there, lost in thought. Ming-Tao quietly approached Ming-Liu from behind, intending to tease her. Her hand hovered above Ming-Liu’s shoulder, but before she could pat her, she followed Ming-Liu’s gaze and saw the person in the madam’s room.

Ming-Liu and Ming-Tao stood there, stunned, holding their breath, afraid to speak, as if afraid of scaring something away.

Inside the house, Ah Wu was held in Chu Mao’s arms, who kissed her cheek fiercely. “Do not go out these days. I’ve assigned thirty guards to the area. No matter what happens, do not be afraid; they will protect you.”

“Where are you going?” Ah Wu asked anxiously.

“The Tatars attacked our camp last night, and after being defeated, they collapsed into three groups. Someone saw Jinguo Erhan, one of the Tatars, in this group. I must catch up with him. If I can capture him alive, it will ensure that our Great Xia border will be peaceful for at least ten years.”

Chu Mao pecked Ah Wu’s lips again, jumped out of the back window, and disappeared from sight. He came and went in a hurry, saying only these few words; the time spent speaking was shorter than the time he spent kissing her.

Ah Wu stamped her foot, turned around, and saw the two dazed birds in the courtyard, and ordered, “Go wash the courtyard.”