Perfect Match – CH 074

Chapter 74

Through the battered and crumbling gate, Deng Ruyun heard Teng Yue’s voice.

“Everyone, lay down your weapons, or you will surely die!”

He repeated it, each word like an arrow piercing the hearts of Zhu Yijiao’s men attacking outside the gate.

Some immediately laid down their bows, arrows, swords, and spears. Surrounded, one after another, men surrendered.

Outside the gate, Teng Yue looked at Princess Rongle, Zhu Yijiao. He saw that apart from her and her closest guards, everyone else had already disarmed.

He looked over. “The rebel prince Zhu Zhenfan has been captured. There’s no point in your resisting any longer. Surrender now, and you might see your father and brothers one last time.”

Zhu Yijiao was arrogant and ruthless, yet she held her father in high esteem.

Teng Yue spoke, and she saw her lips pressed tightly together, the sword in her hand frozen in mid-air.

Seeing this, Teng Yue signaled his men to go and bind her.

However, at that moment, Zhu Yijiao suddenly raised the sword in her hand and hurled it straight at Teng Yue.

Like a heavy arrow, it aimed directly at Teng Yue’s heart.

“Teng Yue, you deserve to die the most!”

The shrill, hateful voice pierced the surrounding silence.

Inside the gate, Deng Ruyun could not see anything through the tightly closed doors, only hearing Tang Zuo’s urgent cry.

“General!”

Her blood nearly ran cold.

“Teng Yue…Teng Yue!”

She shouted towards the gate as well.

But the next moment, the sound of clashing weapons rang out, as if something had been blocked and crashed to the ground.

A man’s cold voice came, “Bind this woman!”

He was alright! Deng Ruyun breathed a sigh of relief.

After a chaotic struggle, she heard the man dismount and approach the gate. Through the door, she heard his voice.

“Yunniang, I am alright; do not be afraid!”

The guards inside immediately flung open the swaying gate.

The instant a gust of wind rushed in, the man, clad in blood-stained silver armor, appeared before Deng Ruyun.

The howling wind billowed the hem of his robes beneath the heavy armor, revealing him covered in blood, his stench overwhelming. She could not tell if it was someone else’s blood or his own.

But his eyes were as sharp as an eagle’s. The moment he fixed his gaze on her, Deng Ruyun, for some reason, suddenly took a step forward, throwing herself into his arms and hugging his neck on tiptoe.

The bloodstains from his silver armor stained her clothes, but she only held him tightly, burying her face in his neck.

“You are back…”

He was back safe and sound…

Hot tears slid down her neck, into Teng Yue’s collar, seemingly sliding down his chest, flowing warmly into his heart.

He looked at the person who had rushed into his arms, feeling the strength of her arms as she clung to him.

This was the first time, the very first time, she had willingly embraced him.

Teng Yue felt his heart pound heavily. He gripped her waist and pulled her tightly into his arms.

In that instant, the whistling wind swept away all tension and unease. In his arms, before him, there was only her!

In the courtyard of the Teng Mansion, ignited by the rocket-made straw, flames still flickered, thick smoke drifting along the walls and windows.

Deng Ruyun was hit in the nose by the smoke blown by the wind. Only then did she realize that she had tumbled into Teng Yue’s arms and in front of so many people.

She froze, trying to pull away from his embrace, but his arms around her waist were like iron, refusing to let go.

But then, Zhu Yijiao, who had been captured, suddenly took advantage of Teng Yue’s guards’ momentary lapse in attention, pulled a dagger from her sleeve, and stabbed it at the guard beside her.

“Let’s die together! I will make you all die with me!”

In an instant, chaos erupted, and some of Zhu Yijiao’s guards tried to break free.

In the chaos, Deng Ruyun suddenly felt the arm gripping her loosen.

Meng Zhao pulled her behind her, but before she could even regain her balance, Zhu Yijiao’s frenzied roar abruptly stopped.

The dagger she had aimed at others was now restrained and plunged into her own neck.

Blood spurted out. Teng Yue released his grip, and Zhu Yijiao, Princess Rongle, arrogant and domineering in Ningxia for years, collapsed to the ground, enveloped in her own blood.

Her subordinates, who had been struggling, fell silent. Only Teng Yue ordered his guards to bind everyone and drag Princess Rongle’s body back to the Prince’s Mansion, where she was placed with the others to await further instructions.

The guards extinguished the fire at the Teng Mansion, and the draft in the hall dispersed the smoke from the courtyard.

Deng Ruyun glanced at Teng Yue and saw that his tiger’s mouth was slashed open by Zhu Yijiao’s dagger, blood dripping from it.

But he seemed oblivious, only glancing at her face before calling out to Meng Zhao.

“Please look after Yunniang for me, sister-in-law. There are still remnants of Prince Enhua’s forces resisting the government army outside the town. I must go out to assist the government army in clearing out the remaining rebel forces.”

He finished speaking and only told Deng Ruyun, “You go with Sister-in-law to her mansion,” before turning to leave.

Deng Ruyun, surprised, followed him. “Your tiger’s mouth is torn! Are you not going to clean the wound?!”

He replied that there was no time: “We must annihilate the entire rebel army in one fell swoop!”

As he spoke, he had already mounted his horse.

Before Deng Ruyun could say anything more, she saw him and his men gallop out of the town.

The thud of hooves pounded on her heart. Deng Ruyun stood frozen at the door, watching him disappear into the chaotic streets.

Until Meng Zhao sighed softly, Deng Ruyun turned slightly and saw her also looking in the direction he had gone and heard her whisper, “For soldiers and generals, life and death have always been on the path, under swift blades, in the blink of an eye.”

She took Deng Ruyun’s hand, the summer breeze blowing between them.

“We soldiers’ families, the only thing we can do is get used to it.”

*

That night, the men who went out to attack the rebels did not return.

The Teng Mansion was burned and suffered considerable damage. Deng Ruyun ultimately went with Meng Zhao to stay at the Wang Mansion.

She had not expected that she was not the only one staying at Meng Zhao’s Mansion; her courtyard was filled with the families of Ningxia soldiers and officers. She had even brought over the wife of Wang Ying, the deputy commander who had initially led the troops to Hedong—Wang Fuxiang’s aunt.

Although her Mansion was full of people, she had managed it all very well.

Deng Ruyun first went to pay her respects to General Wang’s aunt. Seeing that the elderly woman, despite what had happened, remained calm, she personally poured her a cup of tea to calm her nerves.

“This time, the rebellion was quelled in just over half a month. Those of us who remained in the town did not suffer any major harm, all thanks to General Teng’s protection.”

She explained that such a rebellion would have inevitably left Ningxia Town devastated and bloodstained, but this time, only high-ranking officials were initially slaughtered; most soldiers and civilians survived the rebellion, successfully waiting for Teng Yue to rise up after a period of dormancy and then annihilating the rebel forces within a single day.

She nodded and smiled at Deng Ruyun. “Your General Teng has rendered great service; the entire town of Ningxia will remember his kindness in protecting us.”

For some reason, Deng Ruyun also smiled along with Old Madam Wang.

“He has indeed rendered some service, but…” Her smile faltered. “But he’s gone out of the town again and has not returned yet.”

Her eyes showed worry, which Old Madam Wang easily discerned, and she patted her hand.

“Do not worry,” she said, echoing Meng Zhao’s words, “We mothers, wives, and daughters must get used to these kinds of days.”

She then called to Meng Zhao, “Now that the rebellion has been quelled, we can finally breathe a sigh of relief. Why not have some fun to liven things up? It’s better than constantly worrying about those outside.”

Meng Zhao immediately agreed, saying that she could not afford a banquet at her own mansion, “But I still have a deer that Wang Mang caught earlier. Let’s roast the venison!”

She immediately ordered someone to fetch the deer. Old Madam Wang laughed and shook her head. “This child calls him Wang Mang again. He is a bit reckless, but we should hope he becomes steady and cautious. Simply calling him Wang Mang^(Reckless), would that not make him even more reckless?”

Meng Zhao replied, “Then what does Auntie think we should call him? Wang Wen^(Steady)? Wang Shen^(Cautious)? I dare to call him that, but would he dare to respond?”

Hearing this, Deng Ruyun could not help but want to laugh. She really could not associate those two names with General Wang’s burly appearance. Even Old Madam Wang paused, holding her teacup.

“…That does not seem quite right either…Never mind, I will not interfere in your young love affair.”

Meng Zhao giggled and took her arm. “Just enjoy your venison; I guarantee it will be delicious!”

After saying that, she pulled Deng Ruyun along, calling her to go to the courtyard to roast the venison.

Meng Zhao roasted the venison in the back garden. As evening fell and the summer heat dissipated, a cool breeze wafted from the shade of the trees and bushes. Meng Zhao summoned the female soldiers and their families who had been sheltering in the garden.

Having just survived a catastrophe, no one cared about formalities. The aroma of the venison filled everyone’s nostrils. Some stood, some sat, some stared blankly, and some chatted idly around the fire roasting the venison.

Meng Zhao chatted with each of them for a few minutes and also introduced her to several people she believed were compatible with Deng Ruyun.

Regardless of rank, everyone gathered around the fire. Those whose families had perished in the rebellion remained somewhat silent, but most of their families were either guarding the town’s defenses or still fighting alongside Wang Ying and Teng Yue. How could these generals’ mothers, wives, and daughters not worry about those outside?

But defending the borders and protecting the country was a lifelong duty for these soldiers and their families, and waiting for their triumphant return was a lifelong habit.

While those outside risked their lives to protect their country, those at home had to continue their lives as they waited.

Deng Ruyun watched them gather around the fire, the firelight illuminating their faces and revealing their calm and accustomed demeanor.

Looking at them, Deng Ruyun felt a sudden warmth in her heart, as if the firelight had ignited a fire within her.

But then someone suddenly brought a cup of wine to Deng Ruyun’s face.

Deng Ruyun assumed they were about to thank Teng Yue for protecting the town, but this time, the person bringing the wine spoke.

“We thank not only General Teng but also you, Madam. If it were not for your miraculous remedy precisely for this local fever, we might all have died at home before General Teng conquered Ningxia Town.”

She raised her cup, and Meng Zhao followed suit. Everyone around the fire stood up and raised their cups to Deng Ruyun.

As she drank the wine offered to her by everyone, Deng Ruyun found for the first time that the pungent wine was surprisingly sweet, as if the sweetness had seeped into her heart.

Before the torchlight, they ate meat and drank wine with gusto. Deng Ruyun was a little drunk, her face flushed. Meng Zhao, who claimed to be invincible, staggered and collapsed against her after only two steps.

“Sister, do you like Ningxia?” she asked.

A cluster of fireflies lingered around Deng Ruyun’s skirt, their light flickering as if intoxicated by the two of them.

Deng Ruyun laughed. “Ningxia is nice, but the rebellion was truly frightening.”

Meng Zhao patted his chest drunkenly, “Do not worry, all mutinies have been quelled, have they not? I will protect you. Anyway, your General Teng is going to lead troops in Ningxia, so do not stay in Xi’an; stay with us in Ningxia.”

The fireflies made Deng Ruyun’s vision blur. The summer night air was filled with the smell of wine, and the glittering Milky Way gathered above this important border town.

Under the embrace of heaven and earth, it seemed as if only this town remained in the world. Hearing Meng Zhao’s enthusiastic invitation, Deng Ruyun nodded somewhat absentmindedly, chuckling softly.

“…Alright.”

… …

The next morning, the troops who had led the army out of the town had not yet returned, and Deng Ruyun repeatedly went to the gate to check.

But in the afternoon, Meng Zhao received news from Wang Fuxiang that all the rebels had been suppressed, and the government troops led by the Shaanxi general had crossed the river; they would soon be returning to the town.

Upon receiving the news, Meng Zhao pulled Deng Ruyun onto her horse.

“They are coming back soon! Let’s go outside the town to welcome the triumphant army!”

Meng Zhao’s chestnut horse was very steady, and her riding skills were in no way inferior to Teng Yue’s. With Deng Ruyun in front of her, they galloped out of the town, all the way to a small hillside outside the town.

“This is high ground; we will wait for them here!”

She spurred her horse straight to an old elm tree on the slope. Deng Ruyun stood atop the high slope and looked down.

The azure sky was cloudless, the blazing sun shining on the vast yellow earth, like a thin veil woven with golden threads. Amidst the undulating mountains, the golden sand shimmered, seemingly rising and falling with the wind.

Fine sand blew at her feet as she looked towards the horizon where heaven and earth met.

Suddenly, a sandstorm swept up from the previously deserted horizon.

Deng Ruyun was filled with surprise and uncertainty, but Meng Zhao raised his arm and shouted.

“The army has arrived!”

Before Deng Ruyun could see clearly, she had already pulled her back onto her horse, whipped it, and charged downhill.

The vast army crossed the river, galloping across the yellow sands of the desert, rushing under the setting sun.

Deng Ruyun’s heart pounded faster with the sound of her spurring her horse. She suddenly saw the man leading a massive army at the very front.

That man also saw them.

But then, another burly man suddenly appeared from the side. Meng Zhao’s chestnut horse seemed to recognize him, turning and galloping towards him.

Before Deng Ruyun could even see Teng Yue clearly, Meng Zhao’s horse carried her straight towards Wang Fuxiang. She seemed to pause for a moment when she saw the man.

But the horse did not care, continuing straight to Wang Fuxiang.

“Zhaozhao! Zhaozhao…Huh? It’s Sister-in-law?!”

Deng Ruyun: “…”

A little embarrassed.

She quickly stepped aside, and Meng Zhao raised her hand from behind her.

“Wang Mang, I am here!”

She had barely reached out when Wang Fuxiang grabbed her, pulling her from behind Deng Ruyun and landing on his horse.

General Wang burst into laughter, said something to Deng Ruyun, and galloped off with Meng Zhao.

Although Deng Ruyun could ride, she was not very skilled. Now that the couple had gone, she was left alone on Meng Zhao’s chestnut horse. She tried to make the horse turn around, then stop, but the horse was confused, spinning a couple of times, unsure of where to go.

Soldiers on horseback laughed uncontrollably, and the chestnut horse, hearing the clatter of hooves, became even more disoriented. In its confusion, it simply carried its rider into the army.

Deng Ruyun: ?

She’d become part of the army?!

Suddenly, someone blew a whistle. Before she could discern its source, she felt her chestnut horse surge forward from among the thousands of horses.

In the sandstorm, before she could see anything clearly, she was grabbed by the waist and pulled from her horse.

A familiar scent enveloped her as they gradually separated from the herd of warhorses.

The shouts of soldiers rose and fell in Deng Ruyun’s ears. She only heard people behind her laughing loudly, yelling at the soldiers.

“What are you all laughing at? Hurry back to the town!”

“Where is the general? Where are the general and his wife going?”

Deng Ruyun’s ears burned from their shouts. She regretted coming with Meng Zhao. Now that her sister had abandoned her and disappeared, she had first embarrassed herself in front of everyone while riding, and now they were laughing at her even more.

But the person behind her seemed oblivious, continuing on their way.

“Do you need to worry about my affairs?!”

The soldiers’ laughter drowned out the thunderous sound of their hooves.

Deng Ruyun wanted to hug her burning head, and seeing the person in his arms like this, Teng Yue’s grin stretched even wider.

He led her away from the main army to the edge of a distant hillside until they reached a shady spot where the sounds of the army faded away. He slowed his horse and looked at the person in his arms.

Her ears were as red as pomegranate blossoms. Teng Yue had never seen such a rare sight before. He stared at her for a moment, then softly asked, “Why are your ears so red, Yunniang?”

Deng Ruyun: “…because it’s too hot…”

“Is that so? There’s a small river nearby. How about I take you there to take a bath and cool off?”

Deng Ruyun turned and glared at him at his absurd suggestion.

“Go wash yourself.”

The man lowered his head and chuckled. He did not ask the previous question again but instead asked her another one.

“Why did you think of coming to pick me up?”

His voice was not loud, but it landed squarely on her ears.

Deng Ruyun felt her ears heat up again, but she said no.

“I just came with Sister Meng to pick up General Wang. I did not expect you to be here too, General.”

Teng Yue wanted to pinch her waist upon hearing this.

She was so stubborn.

But then he suddenly remembered that day; the moment the gates of the mansion opened, she had rushed straight into his arms, her hot tears streaming down his neck and shoulders.

Even if her words were still lying, her actions and the tears that flowed—were they also deceiving him?!

In her heart, he also held a place, perhaps more than just a place, right?!

On horseback, Teng Yue suddenly picked her up.

In a dizzying spin, Deng Ruyun was turned around completely on the horse.

She had been sitting with her back to him, but now he spun her around, placing her face directly against him.

This strange, intimate position made Deng Ruyun feel as if she were burning under the blazing sun while he leaned close to her face, her nose, and even her lips.

She was held in his large hand, captivated by his handsome eyes.

He called her name, his voice low.

“Yunniang, from now on, forget that person.”

He looked at her.

“Only be with me.”

*

Eighteen days after Prince Enhua’s rebellion, Teng Yue feigned surrender and, with the help of those inside and outside, quelled the rebel army and welcomed the government troops into the town.

After this battle, the government troops were relatively easy to manage in terms of retaking the border defenses, comforting the soldiers, and providing relief to their families. However, reporting the battle to the court proved difficult.

Before the Shaanxi general arrived, a message had already been sent to the imperial court via urgent courier service. However, no one expected the rebellion to be quelled so quickly. The imperial messengers were probably still en route, but how could they truthfully report the reasons for Prince Enhua’s rebellion?

The reasons for Prince Enhua Zhu Zhenfan’s rebellion were clearly stated in his proclamation.

Besides his wolfish ambition, the biggest reason was the powerful eunuch Hong Jin, who had wreaked havoc on the court and stirred up unrest. Prince Enhua seized this opportunity, raising the slogan of “purging the Emperor’s corrupt advisors” and inciting the border troops to rebel.

Now Zhu Zhenfan could be quelled, but how many people in the land were still under Hong Jin’s oppression? How could they be guaranteed to be quelled as well?

In other words, if the eunuch Hong Jin were not brought down, there would be no peace in the land.

However, everyone knew this, but no one dared to mention it to the Emperor.

Beneath the Emperor’s nose, Hong Jin’s influence extended throughout the court and the countryside, closely monitoring all civil and military officials.

At this moment, Wang Ying, the deputy commander-in-chief of Ningxia, handed Zhu Zhenfan’s proclamation to the commander-in-chief. The commander-in-chief and a group of high-ranking officials from Shaanxi all read the document but remained silent.

Chief Eunuch Hong Jin knew that this rebellion was caused by him, and he had sent men on their way to Ningxia, hoping to downplay the matter and prevent it from reaching the Emperor’s attention.

Anyone who dared to submit this proclamation to the Emperor would be directly opposing Hong Jin.

Even the commander-in-chief of Shaanxi fell silent. After a long while, he had the proclamation taken away and said, “Let’s discuss this matter again when the high-ranking officials from the court arrive to quell the rebellion.”

Even he dared not directly send the proclamation to the capital; the others remained silent as well.

As the crowd dispersed from the government office, Wang Fuxiang clenched his fists, his fists cracking, about to utter some insolent words.

Kong Hui, who had just arrived with the general, quickly covered his mouth.

“Calm down, you rascal; do not talk nonsense.”

Shen Yanxing, who had originally been escorting firearms to Ningxia, had used them to suppress a rebellion before even reaching Ningxia, thus earning a meritorious service, and was also present.

He also advised Wang Fuxiang not to act rashly: “The general has his concerns. Right now, that eunuch is in the Emperor’s presence, blinding him to the truth. With him controlling this proclamation, it will not even reach the Emperor’s eyes.”

Shen Yanxing then looked at Teng Yue.

“You’ve rendered a great service this time. The court might even bestow a title upon you. But if you offend the Chief Eunuch now, you might lose that honor and title, and Shi Zeyou might even take the opportunity to kick you while you are down.”

His eyes showed worry, but Teng Yue smiled. He did not mention Shi Zeyou, only saying…

“Since no one dares to speak openly, spreading it secretly should work, right? If everyone spreads it by word of mouth, this proclamation will eventually reach the capital.”

Hearing this, Wang Fuxiang’s tightly clenched fist relaxed.

Kong Hui and Shen Yanxing exchanged a glance, both agreeing.

“That’s one way.”

However, its effectiveness remained to be seen. Kong Hui immediately whispered that he would send someone to spread the word among the Shaanxi army, “We really cannot let that Chief Eunuch become too complacent.”

The four of them settled this matter, and Wang Fuxiang became happy again.

“Now is the time to celebrate! What happens after that can wait. Tonight, should we not have a victory banquet? We, brothers, risked our lives to capture the rebel prince; should we not have a celebratory drink?!”

He spoke these words aloud, and everyone naturally responded with loud laughter.

But Wang Fuxiang’s eyelids twitched. He seemed to have promised someone something, but could not recall what it was for the moment.

He thought, “Never mind, let’s finish this victory celebration first, then we can think about it!”