Mi esposa se sube al muro

Capítulo 64

Yang Huan led his men on a hurried journey to Tongzhou Prefecture, where he found that the magistrates of the other counties had also arrived and were all gathered together. They waited there for a day, and the next day, they finally welcomed the Emperor's arrival. Grand Commandant Yang did not accompany the Emperor this time, but Yang Huan immediately spotted Xu Jinrong among the accompanying officials. Their eyes met, but before they could express their emotions, they quickly looked away. Although Emperor Renzong had ordered the simplification of all formalities, with the Emperor's arrival, no one in Tongzhou Prefecture, from Prefect Lin to Prefect Lu, dared to skip the proper etiquette. The ceremonial procession alone consisted of one hundred red, one hundred black, and one hundred white horses arranged in square formations, interspersed like colorful embroidered brocade from afar. The people along the way bowed in reverence, and every few miles, yellow-topped curtains were set up for the Emperor to rest. Fortunately, Emperor Renzong and Yang Huan seemed to be of the same mind, and they traveled without stopping to Qingmen County. It was already the fourth day since he left.

As Yang Huan accompanied the imperial procession to the site of the monument erected on the seawall, he was also thinking about his beloved daughter. Taking advantage of the initial rest period after their arrival, he secretly ordered Erbao to go back and gather information before standing solemnly in the procession.

At the site where the auspicious omen was observed, a tall, blue stone stele bearing rubbings of Emperor Renzong's own calligraphy had already been erected. Behind the stele was an altar, prepared by Yang Huan according to palace regulations. The altar was three tiers high, each with twelve steps, and a staircase leading to the top on the south side. At the top was a table laden with sacrificial offerings. Emperor Renzong changed into his sacrificial robes behind a large curtain beside the altar, wearing a twenty-four-tassel flat-topped crown, a blue dragon robe, an inner garment, red shoes, and a pure jade pendant. At the auspicious time chosen by the officials of rites, supported by palace attendants, he ascended to the top of the altar, loudly prayed, and after the ceremony, the courtiers shouted "Long live the Emperor!" The sound was so powerful it seemed to shake the earth.

After Emperor Renzong finished his worship, he changed back into his everyday clothes. Seeing the towering and majestic seawall, stretching out like a giant dragon, with lush green grass beyond and the tide lapping against the shore, he felt a sense of exhilaration and decided to take a stroll along the embankment. Since the emperor had spoken, his subjects dared not disobey, and they all slowly followed behind, praising the emperor's civil and military achievements, and his blessings upon the world.

Yang Huan was chosen by Emperor Renzong to be his personal attendant, much to the envy of the officials behind him. They followed a step or two behind the emperor, listening intently to his questions and answering with their own words, all recounting events from the time the dike was built. Emperor Renzong, accustomed to the deep palace, was hearing these things he had never heard before, and became engrossed in the conversation. Yang Huan, however, was preoccupied with his beloved wife at home, secretly lamenting his misery and wishing the emperor would quickly lose interest and return home, though he dared not show it on his face.

As fate would have it, Xu Shirong's belly, which hadn't shown any signs of labor earlier or later, suddenly started hurting very early that morning. Granny Sun calmly directed everyone, and although the entire back office was in a flurry of activity, things remained perfectly organized. In less than half a day, just before dawn, a baby's first cry came from the delivery room—the baby had been born.

Outside the door, Madam Sun held her breath. When she heard the midwife inside excitedly shouting that it was a boy, she immediately clasped her hands together and kept bowing to heaven, muttering "The old lady is blessed." Tears welled up in her eyes. Seeing Xiao Que grinning at her with a mischievous expression, she realized she had lost her composure. She hurriedly wiped her eyes with her sleeve and pretended to hit Xiao Que. Xiao Que quickly dodged, but the laughter continued.

Xu Shirong endured half a day of labor pains before giving birth to her son. She overheard the midwives praising her good fortune, saying her first pregnancy was so smooth, ending in just two or three hours, unlike some women who suffered through nights of labor without success. They then presented the swaddled infant, who had been wiped with warm water, to her. Xu Shirong saw that the baby's thick, jet-black hair clung damply to his forehead. Although his little nose and eyes were still wrinkled, he already bore a striking resemblance to Yang Huan. Seeing his tightly clenched little hands, she couldn't resist reaching out a finger to touch him. The baby immediately grasped her finger tightly, trying to put it in his mouth, his little lips smacking. A surge of tenderness welled up within her. She felt that even if she were in ten or a hundred times more pain, it would be insignificant compared to the emotion this little life evoked in her.

Erbao hurried back to the county office, arriving close to noon. Hearing that his wife had gone into labor early that morning and had given birth to a healthy baby boy, and that both mother and child were well, he cried out, and without even a sip of water, turned and mounted his horse again, galloping towards the sea dike. When he arrived at the dike, breathless, he found it heavily guarded, making it impossible to enter. He could only squeeze through the crowd of people who had come to pay their respects to the emperor, pulling a pre-prepared red ribbon from his sleeve and frantically waving it in Yang Huan's direction. But his hand was already lost in the crowd, unseen, so he could only jump around like a monkey. It turned out that Yang Huan had made an agreement with Erbao that if his wife had not yet given birth, he would wave a green cloth at the intersection of the seawall when he returned. If the birth was successful, he would wave a red cloth for a boy and a blue cloth for a girl. If there were any unforeseen circumstances, he would wave a blue cloth. At that time, even if it meant offending the emperor, he would make sure to get away and go back.

Yang Huan estimated that the time it took to come and go was about right, so he became somewhat absent-minded and kept looking towards the intersection. Sure enough, he saw Erbao's head bobbing up and down in the crowd, with a bright red cloth strip waving on it. He was overjoyed. If it weren't for the emperor standing by, he would have shouted and done a few handstands to vent his emotions. His face would have looked rather strange.

Emperor Renzong, still basking in the glow of his newfound fame, ordered several talented scholars and officials who had accompanied him to compose eulogies. As he was reviewing them, he noticed Yang Huan beside him, his face beaming, his eyes constantly darting outside. Following his gaze, he realized Yang Huan's eyes were fixed on a red ribbon waving in the distance. Curious, he asked Yang Huan what was going on. Yang Huan knelt down abruptly and said, "Your Majesty, I dare not conceal the truth. My wife is about to give birth, and just now my family sent word through the red ribbon that she has given birth to a son!"

Emperor Renzong chuckled and said, "Your son has come at just the right time."

Yang Huan kowtowed and said with a grin, "It is evident that Your Majesty is a benevolent ruler, for even the unborn child knows to emerge when Your Majesty arrives, so as to receive some of Your Majesty's blessings."

Although Emperor Renzong knew that Yang Huan was merely flattering him, he still felt pleased. Yang Huan seized the opportunity and said, "Your Majesty is highly talented; could you bestow a name upon my son? It would be a fitting reward for his keen eye." Emperor Renzong, who had just been intrigued by the poems, readily agreed upon hearing Yang Huan's suggestion. He inquired about the generational naming convention of the Yang family, pondered for a moment, and said, "The character 'Shi' is a generational naming convention passed down in your Yang family, and I should not change it. I will bestow upon him the name 'Kai,' hoping that the Song army will soon pacify the northwest border and return in triumph."

Yang Huan read out "Shikai" and praised, "The name Your Majesty gave is indeed a wonderful one. On behalf of my son, I thank Your Majesty for bestowing this name upon him."

The assembled officials were filled with envy when they saw the emperor personally bestow a name upon Yang Huan's newborn son, praising the name as excellent. Emperor Renzong himself was quite pleased with the name. Amidst the chorus of praise, Xu Jinrong, standing in the crowd, showed no outward expression, but his eyes betrayed an undisguised sadness.

Seeing that the sun had already passed noon, he ordered the emperor to return. Although Yang Huan wished he could fly back to the county office immediately, he had no choice but to follow the procession and respectfully see the emperor off as he left Qingmen County. He joined the people in shouting "Long live the emperor!" and bowing in farewell until the grand procession disappeared from sight. Only then did he suddenly jump up from the ground, grab a horse, mount it, and hurry back to the county office.

Yang Huan rushed back to the county government office, practically running into the backyard. He was about to push open the door, panting, when he was stopped by Granny Sun. The two argued at the door for a while, and then Xu Shirong's voice came from inside: "Granny Sun, tell him to wash his hands and change his clothes before he comes in. It's alright."

Even now, Granny Sun was hesitant to obey Xu Shirong's orders. Though still reluctant, she had no choice but to agree. Yang Huan, without a word, hurriedly ran to do as she was told, then returned like a whirlwind, carefully pushing open the door and entering. Passing through the side room, he saw Xu Shirong lying on the couch, a headscarf wrapped around her head, her clothes half-open, a tiny child nestled in her arms, nursing.

Yang Huan stared blankly for a long time, even swallowing hard. Xu Shi couldn't help but chuckle, saying softly, "Are you stupid? Why are you standing there so still?"

Yang Huan leaned over the headboard, staring at the little figure who was smacking his lips for a long time. He reached out and tugged at the little figure's soft, furry ears before grabbing Xu Shirong's hand and saying, "Jiaoniang, it's all my fault. You've been suffering here all by yourself giving birth to our baby, while I've been out there. You've really had a hard time."

Seeing his bright eyes looking at her, filled with undisguised heartache and apology, Xu Shirong felt a surge of warmth in her heart. She said softly, "It hurt a little before the baby came out, but I forgot all the pain after it came out. I didn't feel much hardship." Yang Huan kissed her hand, then stared at the baby in her arms with its eyes closed for a while. Seeing that the baby seemed to have eaten its fill, yet was still sucking on her nipple and spitting it in and out, making that area red and moist, she swallowed again and couldn't help but whisper, "Isn't there a wet nurse? You don't need to feed it yourself."

Xu Shirong smiled and said, "My own child, I want him to drink my own milk, so he'll know how to cherish his mother in the future." She didn't say that she simply didn't want her son to grow up on someone else's milk. Besides, the two wet nurses had come early, and although they had been milking her ever since, she knew it wouldn't be as nutritious as her own milk. That's why she refused Sun Mama's offer and insisted on breastfeeding herself. Sun Mama couldn't persuade her otherwise, so she had to let her have her way.

Yang Huan suddenly smiled and said, "I got a name for our child from the Emperor, and it sounds really good." Seeing Xu Shirong looking at him with some surprise, he said smugly, "Shikai, what do you think?" Xu Shirong read it once, and her face turned green. She was annoyed by his meddling and was about to suggest changing the name when she suddenly remembered that it was bestowed by the Emperor, and she couldn't change it. Seeing Yang Huan's face pressed against hers, waiting for her praise, she was depressed for a long time before finally saying helplessly, "Indeed... it's a good name. But since this name was bestowed by the Emperor, I'm afraid it will bring bad luck if we call him that in daily life. Let's give him a nickname. I think Auntie's Xijie and Qingge are good names, so let's call our child Pingge. I don't care what he will do in the future; a peaceful and safe life is the greatest blessing."

Yang Huan praised, "As expected, my wife is very thoughtful. How come I didn't think of that? Everything is as you wish." That evening, he stayed in the room and refused to leave.

Before long, Xu Shirong had finished her postpartum confinement. The Grand Commandant's mansion in the capital also received the good news from Granny Sun. Upon learning that she had given birth to a boy, the old lady and Madam Jiang were overjoyed. If it weren't for the long distance, they would have wished they could fly over to see it for themselves.

On this day, Xu Shirong received gifts from the Grand Commandant's Mansion in the capital and her own family. They were all tonics and items for the children, filling almost a whole cart. Some of the gifts were from the second branch of the family. They also brought a letter, saying that it was entrusted by Madam Gu to be delivered to her for her to open herself.

Xu Shirong took the letter and pondered for a long time, still unable to understand why her aunt would send her a separate letter. When she returned to her room and opened it, her heart was filled with turmoil. She remained stunned for a while, unable to recover from the shock. She felt joy, melancholy, and a complex mix of emotions she couldn't quite define. As she sat there lost in thought, she suddenly felt a sudden tightness in her body; someone had embraced her tightly from behind, and a pair of hands were already on her chest. Without even looking, she knew who it was.

"Jiaoniang, you're only thinking about that boy now and hardly pay attention to me anymore. I want to eat too."

As Yang Huan spoke, he scooped up Xu Shirong and tried to push her onto the bed. She was almost two months postpartum. Xu Shirong was still thinking about the matter in the letter earlier, and was somewhat absent-minded. Yang Huan thought she was unhappy, and inwardly groaned, thinking that ever since that boy was born, she seemed to have lost sight of him. Coupled with a sense of guilt, he stopped what he was doing and cautiously asked, "Jiaoniang, I just heard that you received a letter from Aunt Gu? What did it say?"

Xu Shirong then realized what was happening and hurriedly said, "Auntie was just mentioning some old things to me." Yang Huan felt even more guilty. He glanced at her face and probed again, "Does it have anything to do with me? Let me see what that letter said."

Xu Shirong glanced at him and shook her head slightly.

Her current demeanor only made her more suspicious in Yang Huan's eyes. Remembering his past entanglement with Gu Zao, could this letter be a way of revealing his past? Otherwise, what private things would they have to talk about? Looking up, he saw Jiao Niang's expression, seemingly sorrowful yet troubled. When asked, she kept shaking her head. The more he thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. A chill ran down his spine. He thought it best to confess now, lest Jiao Niang get angry and he face retribution later, which would be far from peaceful. He immediately pounced on Xu Shirong on the bed, whispering, "Jiao Niang, I really was a scoundrel before. Before Aunt Gu married my second uncle, I did consider her for a while, but I truly didn't do anything to wrong you. Now, my heart is entirely with you. If I've ever lied to you, may I be struck by lightning and die a horrible death!"

Xu Shirong didn't react at first, but once she understood the meaning behind his words, she pushed him away, sat up abruptly, and asked with wide eyes, "What did you say?"

Seeing her wide-eyed surprise, Yang Huan scratched his head and said, "That's exactly what I meant..."

Xu Shirong grabbed his ear with one hand and scolded, "You shameless bastard! How could you have done something like that back then! I'm ashamed for you!"

Yang Huan then realized that he had misunderstood. Judging from her expression, she had clearly only learned this from what he had said earlier. He wanted to bite off his own tongue, but seeing her still tugging at his ear and pressing him for what else he had been hiding, he dared not say anything more. Without thinking twice, he pressed her down again and forcefully silenced her with a kiss. At first, she struggled and mumbled, but gradually her face flushed, her eyes closed slightly, her eyelashes trembled, and even her breathing became heavy. He knew that his trick had worked, and he was overjoyed and about to take good care of her when he heard Ping Ge crying in the crib.

Seeing that the beautiful woman beneath him was half-undressed and her face flushed with desire, Yang Huan was unwilling to let go. He pretended not to hear her, but Xu Shirong pushed him away and said, "Ping-ge ate his fill before going to sleep. He might be uncomfortable because he wet himself. Go and take a look."

Helpless, Yang Huan climbed off the bed and went to Ping Ge's crib. He coaxed him while gently untying his diaper. Upon closer inspection, he found it was dry, so he said, "It doesn't look wet." Before he could finish speaking, a stream of hot urine flew out from his little bird and splashed all over his face, soaking him from head to toe.

Yang Huan cried out, stumbled back a few steps, and tasted salt in his mouth. He stood there, frozen, unable to move. Seeing the mess, Xu Shirong hurriedly covered herself with her clothes and got off the bed. She comforted the crying Ping Ge and put him back on the small bed. Turning to see Yang Huan's disheveled state, she couldn't hold back her laughter any longer, laughing so hard she couldn't straighten up.

Seeing that this had amused her, and realizing that the matter was about to be dropped, Yang Huan finally reacted, put his hands on his hips, and grinned, saying, "Our Brother Ping has a pure yang body, and his urine is the most nourishing for his qi and health. I can't keep such a good thing to myself, I'll share some with you too." As he spoke, he shamelessly tried to rub his face against Xu Shirong's. Xu Shirong cried out and hurriedly tried to run away. Yang Huan wasn't about to let her go, so he chased after her, and the two of them ended up circling around Brother Ping. This caused Granny Sun outside to keep knocking on the door, complaining that the two of them had startled Brother Ping while he was sleeping.

Xu Shirong laughed until she was completely exhausted, but Yang Huan grabbed her and pulled her back. Seeing that he was about to rub his face against hers, she hurriedly lowered her voice and said, "Stop it. Be careful, Mama Sun might hear you."

Yang Huan said smugly, "It's good that you've stopped. You have to call me 'good brother' in a soft, sweet voice."

Xu Shirong blushed but couldn't call out. Seeing that he was really going to press his urine-soaked face against hers, she hurriedly begged for mercy, "Good brother."

Yang Huan shook his head and said, "You did moan, but it wasn't sweet or mellow. I'll let you off the hook for now and teach you properly when it gets dark. If your moaning doesn't satisfy me, you can forget about sleeping tonight."

Mrs. Sun knocked on the door for ages, but all she heard inside was mumbling; the door wouldn't open. Frustrated, she could only shake her head and sigh as she left. After a few steps, she couldn't help but chuckle to herself, muttering, "These two are truly a pair of bickering lovers. Who knows how many more headaches they'll give me in the future?"

The author has something to say: The story has finally come to a happy end.

Extra 1 (Part 1)

The Lantern Festival falls on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. From before the Lunar New Year until after the winter solstice, Kaifeng Prefecture began constructing a temporary pavilion in front of the Xuande Tower in the Imperial Palace, its large beams facing the tower. On the fifteenth, as dusk settled, a steady stream of tourists gathered on the Imperial Street. The emperor, accompanied by his concubines and palace maids, had set up a colorful canopy of yellow silk on the upper floor of the Xuande Tower, inside which was his throne, signifying his intention to share the joy with the people. Along the two corridors lining the street, performances of magical arts, dances, and various theatrical acts unfolded one after another, the sounds of drums and music mingling with the clamor of voices, audible for miles around.

Amidst the bustling crowd, a young couple slowly walked out, both draped in fur cloaks. They looked like a perfect couple straight out of a painting, drawing admiring glances from passersby who couldn't help but admire them silently. The man, however, was preoccupied with speaking softly to the woman beside him, their eyes and brows filled with affection.

"Jiaoniang, I don't know when I'll be back. It's really unfair to leave you alone at home..."

Yang Huan grasped Xu Shirong's slightly cold hand and intertwined their fingers tightly.

Xu Shirong looked up at him, suppressing the sadness of parting in her heart, and smiled, "I have Ping-ge with me in the capital, living a life of luxury, so there's nothing to complain about. But you're going to that northwestern frontier. Although I've never been there, I know it's a desolate place, and the Western Xia people are wild and uncivilized. If you go there..." But she couldn't finish her sentence.

Yang Huan reached out and gently pinched her slightly red nose, perhaps from the cold wind, and chuckled, "Your husband is protected by an aura of malevolence, and the fortune teller said I'm born with a lucky star that can turn misfortune into good fortune. What are you worried about? Besides, didn't you used to respect Lord Fan the most? You've praised him countless times in front of me. Tomorrow, I'll set off for the Northwest with the imperial sword, wipe out the Western Xia, and return in triumph. Let's see if you dare mention other men in front of me after that!"

Xu Shirong rested her eyes on his shoulder and rubbed them against his shoulder before smiling again, "Yes, from now on, I'll only have eyes for you and won't dare mention any other man again. Are you satisfied now?"

Yang Huan smiled, about to say something more to coax her, when suddenly he heard cheers and thuds coming from the roadside ahead. He went to investigate and found a stall selling a game of Cuju (ancient Chinese football). Along one end of the wall were rows of archways arranged in order of size, each archway narrowing towards the end, barely allowing a single Cuju ball to pass through. The stall owner, spaced about ten meters apart, kicked the Cuju balls into the archways one by one. With the last one, he successfully passed through, eliciting thunderous applause and cheers from the crowd. After bowing in thanks, the stall owner proudly announced, "I'm known as the 'Unbeatable Kicker of Half the City.' Here I'm setting up a game of Cuju. The winner gets the prize behind the archway, while the loser has to leave some money to walk away. Ten coins per kick."

It turns out that Cuju (ancient Chinese football) was a popular game in the Song Dynasty, even played in the imperial palace, and was extremely popular among the common people. As soon as the stall owner finished speaking, many people eagerly tried, pulling out silver coins to kick the ball into the holes. However, most managed to kick it into the middle holes, but the smaller, narrower ones were impossible to get past, leaving them shaking their heads in frustration. The stall owner, having won quite a few coins, seemed very pleased with himself, constantly mocking those who had failed.

Xu Shirong found it amusing, but Yang Huan beside her couldn't resist the urge to pry open his feet. He whispered in her ear, "Open your eyes wide and look at your husband!" As he spoke, he took off his fur cloak and put it in her arms, then stepped aside and stood inside.

The stall owner, seeing yet another person arrive, took a closer look and recognized the handsome, elegantly dressed young man as coming from a wealthy family in the capital. He knew such young masters were fond of playing Cuju (ancient Chinese football), though their footwork was utterly terrible. Thinking he'd found a fat sheep, he hurriedly went to greet him, saying, "Young master, are you here to play Cuju too?"

Yang Huan grunted and raised an eyebrow, saying, "You've set up a football stall here, and I'm here to drink instead of playing football?"

The stall owner choked for a moment, then tossed the football aside and said with a forced smile, "This young master is truly amusing, and his footwork must be quite remarkable. Everyone, keep your eyes peeled and wait to be amazed."

Yang Huan knew that the stall owner must look down on him, so he didn't say anything. He took the football, juggled it about ten times, and instead of kicking the larger archways, he shot it at the smallest one. With a bang, it grazed the archway and bounced back against the wall behind it.

Everyone was astonished, and after a brief silence, thunderous cheers erupted. It turned out that many people had been defeated by the stall owner and mocked by him, and were already somewhat dissatisfied. Now, seeing that this young master-looking man's kick was so extraordinary and had immediately intimidated the stall owner, they all felt relieved and cheered even louder.

Yang Huan ignored everyone else and looked only at Xu Shirong. Seeing her standing there with a look of surprise and delight on her face, he felt smug and thought he would show off again. He asked the stall owner to throw the football over, this time using his left foot. He kicked the football through each archway in turn, and finally kicked the smallest one into the archway.

This time, not only the onlookers, but even the stall owner looked ashamed. After the cheers subsided, he stepped forward respectfully and said, "Young sir, you are indeed a master. I am truly impressed. Please take these prizes today."

Yang Huan tossed the football back to him, then chuckled and said, "I only came up to show off my skills because I couldn't stand your smug and sarcastic attitude. Who cares about your prize money!" With that, he turned around, took Xu Shirong's hand, and left. Amidst the cheers from the ground behind him, the stall owner lowered his head in shame.

Xu Shirong draped the fur cloak back over his shoulders and tied the ribbon around his neck before sighing, "You really are an expert in all things related to eating, drinking, and having fun. If I hadn't seen it just now, I really wouldn't have known you had this skill."

Yang Huan boasted, "Your husband knows a lot more; you'll have to discover it for yourself later."

Xu Shirong reached out and playfully pinched his nose. Yang Huan looked down and saw her smiling sweetly, her eyes filled with tenderness as she looked at him. He felt a surge of desire and lowered his voice, saying, "There's nothing interesting here. I'm leaving tomorrow, so we should hurry back. Every moment we spend together is precious."

He only said half of what he wanted to say, but Xu Shirong understood perfectly. She reached out and pinched his waist, and the two hailed a car on the street and headed to the Zheng Gate Grand Commandant's residence together.

The next morning, everyone in the Grand Commandant's mansion saw Yang Huan off at the gate. Grand Commandant Yang and Yang Hao naturally wanted to see him out of the city, where their personal guards were already waiting.

Xu Shirong stood inside the doorway, watching Yang Huan's final glance back at her before leaving. Recalling their passionate night together, and the image of him embracing and kissing his infant son Pingge this morning, her eyes welled with tears. Beside her, Jiang Shi muttered, "I thought the Emperor summoned Huan'er back to the capital because he was doing a good job as magistrate and wanted to promote him. Now he's been promoted quite a bit, but he's being sent to the Northwest, and there's no telling when he'll be back. I should have just kept him there as the magistrate of Taiping County."

Xu Shirong remained silent, watching as the riders gradually disappeared from sight. Madam Jiang muttered for a while, then, seeing the old lady's sullen face and fearing further reprimand, sighed and stepped forward to pat Xu Shirong's hand, saying, "Jiaoniang, I know you're sad. As your mother..." As she spoke, tears began to fall.

Xu Shirong sniffed and instead comforted Jiang Shi, saying, "Mother, don't worry, my husband will definitely be back soon. We can just stay home and wait for him."

The old lady then hummed in agreement, saying, "Go back inside. What kind of sight is this, women standing like this at the gate? I haven't seen my beloved great-grandson yet today, I'll go back and check on him..."

Jiang hurriedly stepped forward and, together with several maids, helped the old lady inside. Gu Zao, standing to the side, reached out and took Xu Shirong's hand, smiled slightly at her, and the two of them slowly followed her inside hand in hand.

"Jiaoniang, you and Ping-ge are my lucky stars. Thinking of you two, I would fly back no matter how far away I am!"

Xu Shirong heard the words he had repeatedly whispered in her ear during their entanglement last night, and she smiled slightly.

Author's Note: Please don't shoot me, another side story like this. I really want to take Comrade Yang to the battlefield for further tempering; only men who have experienced the baptism of war are true men, right?

82. Extra (Part 2)

Three years later. Spring has arrived and flowers are in bloom.

Since last month, everyone in the Zheng family mansion has been smiling, and even their steps have become lighter.

“Mother, I just heard Huan’er’s father say that the court just received a fast report that the army returned to the capital more than half a month ago. I estimate that Huan’er will be able to return home by the end of this month. It’s truly a blessing from our ancestors. After being away for several years, not only have we returned safely, but we have also made great contributions.”

A group of women from the household gathered in the old lady's north room. Madam Jiang, dressed in a newly made blue silk satin embroidered spring gown, spoke to the old lady sitting there, her face beaming with undisguised joy.

The old lady had aged considerably compared to a few years ago, and rarely left her room, devoting herself to Buddhism. Yet today, however, she was remarkably energetic, appearing as if she had become ten years younger. Hearing Jiang's words, she nodded and smiled, saying, "Huan'er has always been clever and resilient; I knew he would amount to something great. And now he truly brings honor to the Yang family. Poor thing, he's been gone for several years; I'm afraid even Ping-ge wouldn't recognize him now that he's back."

After the old lady finished speaking, everyone around her nodded and turned their gazes toward Xu Shirong.