Song Yansi sat cross-legged, propping his cheek with one hand and hooking two fingers around Song Chengyu's collar. He was still a little sleepy, and his usually slightly upturned phoenix eyes were now narrowed into slits, as if he was dissatisfied. "Why are you here again?"
Chapter 47 My heart admires it
"Yu'er misses her mother." Song Chengyu said, lowering her big eyes and timidly stretching out her arm to Jiang Yuan. Her little face looked so aggrieved that it melted Jiang Yuan's heart.
A mother can't bear to see her son like this, so she quickly took him from Song Yanji's arms. The moment the little guy was held in Jiang Yuan's arms, his eyes crinkled with laughter, and all traces of his pitiful appearance vanished. It's hard to tell who he inherited this personality from. Song Yanji looked at the increasingly gentle Jiang Yuan, reaching out to stroke her hair that hung down her back. It felt so smooth. He was so well-behaved when he was little; Yu'er must have taken after A-Yuan.
"Mother, is Lin'an fun?" Song Chengyu squeezed between the two of them, looking at Jiang Yuan curiously. "Aunt Qingping said it's a lot of fun there."
"It was so much fun! There were lots of delicious snacks in the teahouse, and vendors selling beautiful clay figurines at the street corner. Green tiles and red walls, with striking eaves everywhere, it was lively even at night." Jiang Yuan recalled the bustling and prosperous city of Lin'an.
"That's wonderful. No wonder Aunt Qingping cried so much when she heard she could go home that her handkerchief was soaked with tears." Song Chengyu bit her chubby fingers, her desire to go to Lin'an growing stronger.
“But Yu’er, when we go to Lin’an, Daddy won’t be able to take you horseback riding.” Song Yanji couldn’t stand the little guy’s habit of looking for his mother in the middle of the night. He was more attached to him during the day, so why did he like to snuggle into Jiang Yuan’s arms at night? He immediately pulled him from Jiang Yuan’s arms to his side and said with a mischievous grin, “You also can’t go to the stream to catch loaches with Cheng Jun and the others, you can’t go to the training ground to watch Uncle Tian and the others train, and you can’t play hide-and-seek with the pretty young ladies.”
Cheng Yu, who was originally reluctant to struggle after leaving Jiang Yuan's soft body, froze when she heard Song Yansi say the rest. Her little mouth twitched, and her nose turned red as if she was about to cry, "Mother."
"Good boy." Jiang Yuan glared at Song Yansi, slapped away his hand that was holding their son, and then hugged Song Chengyu in her arms.
The little one sobbed twice in her arms, then finally burst into tears, "Mother, I want to ride a horse, I want to catch loaches, I want pretty ladies, I don't want to go to Lin'an anymore, waah—"
Well, she's crying again. Jiang Yuan kicked Song Yansi hard through Luo Jinbo, glaring at him while comforting the child, "Why are you, as a father, always bullying Yu'er!"
"What a grown man! Hiding in his mother's arms and shedding tears." Song Yansi clamped Jiang Yuan's little foot between his legs, squinted and poked his son's little bottom. "So embarrassing."
"Waaah—Mother—" The little one froze, and cried even louder.
Jiang Yuan's feet were still being held down by Song Yansi, so she couldn't get up. She could only pat his back and coax him, "Don't be ashamed, don't be ashamed, Yu'er is the best."
The noise was deafening, but the maids and servants in the courtyard seemed to have gotten used to it, and no one came to knock on the door. After he howled a few more times, Song Yansi opened his arms and pulled his son and Jiang Yuan into his embrace.
He lowered his head and rubbed Jiang Yuan's forehead, then kissed Song Chengyu on the back of the head. The little guy stopped crying without any spirit, whimpered twice in dissatisfaction, then nudged Song Yansi with his bottom, hugged Jiang Yuan's arm tightly with both hands, and squinted his eyes.
Children fall asleep quickly, and the sound of a kitten's breathing gradually came through. Song Yansi carefully pried open his son's tightly clenched fingers, carried him to the inside of the bed, and casually stuffed a soft pillow into his arms.
"Yu'er is still young, don't bully him anymore, he—" Jiang Yuan got up and covered Cheng Yu with the blanket. The little guy still had tears in his eyes and was sleeping like a kitten. Just as he was about to turn around and scold Song Yansi, his lips kissed him, like a feather, touching but not touching.
Jiang Yuan was suddenly kissed by him, and her face instantly turned bright red. Her son was still there.
"I never bullied him." Under the moonlight, he sat side by side with her. "I love him so much."
Jiang Yuan covered her smile and whispered, "You just made me cry."
“I’m teaching him to understand why he shouldn’t go into other people’s wives’ rooms in the middle of the night.” Song Yanji looked at his son and then at Jiang Yuan. “It’s one thing during the day, but why is he trying to take my place at night?”
"You're so unserious." Jiang Yuan, her face flushed, lightly pinched Song Yansi's waist before lying down. "Go to sleep."
Her hand was suddenly grabbed, and Song Yansi held her index finger, touched his lips with the pad of his finger, raised an eyebrow, and smiled sweetly.
This man.
Jiang Yuan's eyelashes fluttered slightly like summer butterflies before she leaned forward. She knelt on the bed, raised her chin, and kissed him. Then she quickly broke free from his grasp, lay down with her back to him, her face flushed like a persimmon in September.
Song Yansi chuckled softly, his hand encircling her waist, his head resting on her shoulder. His deep voice, filled with seduction, rang out, "A-Yuan is wonderful, I admire her greatly."
I adore you.
Her smile bloomed like a flower, her voice melodious and gentle. Jiang Yuan, in her youth, loved climbing to high places, and so did he. That day, she stood atop the Dengwang Pavilion, its towering structure rising majestically. A warm breeze caressed her face, and dappled sunlight bathed her features. She looked at him, her voice bright and radiant as she spoke those words. Later, on her first marriage, she was shy and timid. He looked at the empty General's Mansion and took her hand: "The courtyard is empty. Why not build another pavilion to the north?"
To this day, she has never explicitly expressed her love for him; and he, in turn, is unwilling to treat her as an equal.
The army marched south, but because Song Yanji needed to request permission from Li Sheng to lead his troops into Lin'an, they would be delayed for two days. Jiang Yuan then took his son back to the general's mansion to make preparations.
Throughout the journey, Song Chengyu could not hide his curiosity. He was held in Jiang Yuan's arms, and Bi Fan carefully lifted a corner of the window curtain for him. He stared with his big, curious eyes at the people coming and going outside the window. The vendors' cries came through the carriage wall and into his ears. Unlike the rough and rugged sounds of the North, they had a unique Southern accent.
"Mother, is this where we live?" Song Chengyu looked up at Jiang Yuan. "It's so big! Much, much bigger than Chaisang."
“Yes, Yu’er will be living here from now on.” Jiang Yuan stroked the little head in his arms, feeling a mix of joy and unease.
After entering Lin'an City, the carriage traveled for quite some time before finally stopping. The dark blue curtain was lifted from the outside, and a footstool had already been prepared and placed beside the carriage. Light suddenly shone into the carriage, where dozens of men and women had gathered at the entrance, quietly lined up in several rows. Luo Xiang and Zhang Nuan stood at the very front, their hands clasped together. As soon as they saw Jiang Yuan's face, they bowed with tears in their eyes, saying, "Welcome back to the mansion, Madam."
Zhu Chuan reached out and helped Jiang Yuan out of the carriage. Beneath her wide sleeves, her fingertips trembled slightly. She squinted and looked up. The plaque of the Lieutenant's Mansion had long been replaced by the Zhenbei General's Mansion. The red plaque with gold characters hung high above the vermilion gate, as if from a past life.
She returned, with her son, this time without any disarray or embarrassment.
Jiang Yuan stepped forward and took Luo Xiangzhangnuan's hand. When she left, they were just young girls in their teens, but now they were both over twenty. "You've worked hard."
"Madam, you're finally back." Luo Xiang's eyes were red, but she stubbornly refused to let the tears fall. On such an auspicious day, she couldn't cry.
The little guy who got off the carriage with Jiang Yuan clearly felt ignored and reached out to tug at Jiang Yuan's clothes, "Mother."
His soft, childlike voice caused the people in front to lower their heads. His appearance made Luo Xiangzhangnuan overjoyed. Looking at Jiang Yuan, whose eyes were smiling, she quickly bowed to Song Chengyu and gave him a half-bow, "Young Master."
“Chengyu is a lively person.” Jiang Yuan patted his little head and said to Luo Nuan, “You guys pick a few reliable ones to serve temporarily, and we’ll talk about the others after we’ve settled in.”
"Master sent a letter a couple of days ago, saying that Madam misses you terribly and asking when you would be free to bring Master and Young Master back for a visit." The servants stayed outside to pack things, while Zhang Xiang and the others followed Jiang Yuan into the mansion. The message was delivered by Steward Rui'an of the Jiang family. He always stayed by Jiang Zhongsi's side, and the fact that he came in person to deliver the letter showed how much the family missed her.
“After Master goes to the city to meet the Emperor in two days, we will return to the Jiang residence.” Jiang Yuan’s eyes reddened again when she mentioned her parents. “Go to the Jiang residence first and inform Father.”
"Yes, Madam." Zhang Xiang replied and immediately sent someone to deliver the message, without wasting a moment.
"Mother, when will Father come back?" Song Chengyu asked anxiously. In his memory, every time his father left, it would be a long time before he returned home. His mother had told him that his father was not only his father, but also a general, and that he was going to the battlefield.
He asked: What is a general?
Mother said: The general is the god of the frontier. He not only has to protect Yu'er, but also the people of this region.
He looked up and asked, "Has Father gone to war again?"
"No." Jiang Yuan squatted down to look him in the eye and casually straightened his little robe. "From now on, Father will spend more time with Yu'er."
"Really?" Song Chengyu's eyes sparkled like stars, clear and bright.
“When have I ever lied to Yu’er?” Jiang Yuan couldn’t help but tap her son’s nose and laugh. “Tomorrow, Yu’er, would you like to come with me to the street to see your father?”
"Yes!" Song Chengyu's voice was sweet and charming, which made Jiang Yuan touch his face and feel happy again.
The reply from the General of the North's Mansion arrived at the Jiang residence quickly. After Rui'an and his servant finished delivering the message, they withdrew, leaving only the two elders of the Jiang family and a few maids in the hall.
Madam Jiang wept with joy, clutching her handkerchief and wiping away her tears. "Yuan'er is finally back! She's been by my side since she was little. How much hardship she must have suffered all these years!"
"She's a mother now, don't treat her like a little daughter anymore." Jiang Zhongsi sipped his tea, his fingers constantly stroking the outside of the teacup, the raised bumps leaving a slight imprint on his fingertips.
"Wasn't it you back then? When you heard that your daughter and son-in-law were coming back, you sent Ruian to deliver a message long ago. Now you're acting like a strict father." Madam Jiang said with dissatisfaction, getting up with Yingtao's help. "Now that we've heard about it, Zhongli has made great achievements in the war. Who knows what kind of reward he will receive when he meets the emperor tomorrow? We should make plans early and not be negligent."
“What you say is absolutely right, Madam.” Jiang Zhongsi tapped his teacup, the tea sloshing slightly, using the act of drinking to conceal the emotions on his face. “We should make plans soon.”
Chapter 48 Arrogance
The next day, a light mist hung in the air, and the pre-dawn sky resembled a faint ink painting. Gray dew covered the flowers and plants in the courtyard. Jiang Yuan was being served by Zhu Chuan in the outer room, who was combing her hair. Zhang Xiang quietly helped her choose the jewelry and clothes she would wear later. She had just returned to the manor yesterday and hadn't had time to make new clothes yet. Most of the clothes she had at home were old ones from the first two years of her marriage. Zhang Xiang spent a long time choosing before selecting a suitable one that wasn't too flamboyant and suited Jiang Yuan's current status.
"Mother." Song Chengyu's soft voice came from the bed, still tinged with sleepiness.
When Luo Nuan saw that he had woken up, she quickly brought over a copper basin. The hot water inside had been cooled down for a while and was only warm now. She wrung out a cloth and gently wiped his chubby little face. "This servant will wipe your face first, and then we will go to see Madam later."
The little boy, still squinting, listened to her words without making a fuss. He just tilted his head back and remained motionless, letting Luo Nuan clean him up and put on his new clothes. His clothes were made by Rong An on the way, and although the material was not luxurious, it was made with rare embroidery skills. The double-sided white cranes piercing through the clouds and pecking at the moon were a needlework technique that even the top embroiderers in Lin'an could not embroider.
Once everything was settled, Song Chengyu leaned on Luo Nuan's shoulder and was carried by her to find Jiang Yuan.
The carriage for the journey was already prepared, and Jiang Yuan was accompanied by guards personally assigned to her by Song Yansi.
The street was cleared out, but the sides were packed with people. The crowds were huge, and the vendors had packed up their stalls and squeezed onto both sides of the street. The better spots in the teahouses and taverns nearby had been booked by dignitaries long ago.
As for Jiang Yuan, her position was snatched away by Li Qingping! This young county princess was like a wild horse as soon as she returned to Lin'an City. First, she went back to the princess's mansion and cried in the arms of Princess Yijia. Then she was beaten by the consort. That night, she ran out, rubbing her bottom, and openly snatched the best spot in Lin'an from the magistrate's family, which had reserved a private room in advance.
When Jiang Yuan led Song Chengyu there, Qingping had already ordered more than a dozen kinds of dried fruits and pastries, including steamed chestnut cake with osmanthus, rose walnuts, and steamed sugar cheese, filling the table.
"Ayu, have some snacks." Qingping asked Jiang Yuan while feeding him a small golden flower roll, "Where's Rong'an?"
“He’s staying at the manor. He’s been traveling a lot these past few days and is tired. I just asked Master Wu to check his pulse.” Jiang Yuan saw Song Chengyu reach out to grab the broken candy again and quickly stopped him, pushing the lotus seed tea in front of him. “You just ate jade dumplings this morning, you can’t eat any more.”
As soon as Jiang Yuan finished speaking, Qingping snatched the golden flower roll she had just given him back from his hand, saying, "Sister Jiang is right."
Just as the two were staring at each other over a piece of pastry, the crowd on the street began to stir.
As the deep sound of horns rang out, several ministers who had been ordered to come watched as the city gates opened. Triumphant music played, and a banner announcing the victory, a silk scroll symbolizing "spreading it throughout the world and revealing it to all eyes and ears," fluttered in the wind from a lacquered pole below the city wall.
Song Yansi wore a silver battle robe and rode a crimson steed. Behind him, a five-foot-long and three-foot-high banner fluttered in the wind, with a giant dragon soaring in the center and flame patterns intertwined around the edge.
The cavalry behind them were all in black armor and rode brown horses, while the soldiers marched in perfect unison, like a black tide sweeping across the mountains and city walls. The thunderous sound of hooves and footsteps echoed throughout Lin'an, and the entire street was enveloped in this powerful aura.
The city gate was shrouded in dust, which, under the sunlight, made it appear as if a thin mist was rising from the ground. The light shone on the cold armor, creating a somber and desolate atmosphere.
Jiang Yuan was looking at Song Yansi in the crowd when suddenly, as if he sensed her gaze, he quickly looked up and finally locked onto the private room where Jiang Yuan was.
Inside and outside, amidst the sights of silk robes and warhorses, Jiang Yuan couldn't see Song Yansi's expression, but she knew he was looking at her, just like back then. That year, she was still young, and the man in the crowd, clad in silver robes and riding a spirited horse, arrogant and domineering, had captivated her, winning her heart and leaving her forever unable to escape his gaze.
"A man who does not aspire to great things is wasting his life." She twirled the jade wine cup between her pale fingers, pointing at the man walking past her. "What a fine young man."
"Miss, please don't do this." The maid was startled and quickly stepped forward to lift the curtain. She breathed a sigh of relief, still feeling lingering fear. "Miss is still unmarried, while General Song already has a family. If someone sees this, who knows what they might say."
"I am a daughter of the Xie family. Even if I have taken a liking to General Zhenbei, who would dare to say anything?" Xie Jiayan casually tossed aside her cup, stood up, and the light shone through the thin bamboo curtain onto her face. A beautiful smile curved her lips. "Back then, when I was not in Lin'an, I had no idea that the Rakshasa people spoke of looked like this."
"Miss."
"Today the general returns in triumph, and there will surely be a banquet in the palace." Her eyes flickered slightly. "Suyi, you go and guard the gate tonight. When he returns to the mansion, send someone to fetch me!"
"Miss." Su Yi was almost crying with anxiety. She knew that her mistress had already broken the rules of the Xie family by sneaking out without a word today. Now, if she were to be asked to intercept the young master at the gate at night, "If Madam finds out, I will be beaten to death."
"Aren't you afraid that Madam will beat you to death, but aren't you afraid that Miss will beat you to death?" Xie Jiayan was beautiful, and her smile was like an autumn begonia. She stared into her eyes with a smile until the little maid trembled, then covered her mouth and patted her shoulder. "Don't worry, you are my maid. No one but me can do anything to you. Miss will always back you up, understand?"
"I understand...I understand," the maid's voice was barely audible.
That night, Song Yanji was kept in the palace. The officials drank all night. He was familiar with the hardships of the frontier, but even more familiar with the extravagance of the imperial city.
The ground was paved with fine white stone, and the dark eaves were carved with a hundred different kinds of Qilin. Twelve vermilion pillars with lifelike dragon patterns stood inside the palace. Crystal walls served as lamps, and pearls served as curtains. In the center of the palace, dancers performed a fan dance. Their vermilion dance costumes with wide sleeves trailed on the ground and were embroidered with a hundred-colored flowers sprinkled with pearls and silver threads. The silk music was melodious, and every step they took was like lotus blossoms. When the wind rose, the silk fluttered, as if they were falling into a cloud mountain and a dreamlike sea.
Song Yansi drank his wine. He had taken off his battle robe, his hair was tied up with white jade, and he wore a long robe with blue-gray embroidered cranes, with only a belt around his waist.
"General, how have you been?" the man beside him said, a jade thumb ring adorning his thumb, exuding an extraordinary air.
"Four years have passed since we last met. How are you, my lord?" Song Yanji raised his hand to touch the cup that was offered to him.
Xie Jiali drank a cup with him before starting to reminisce, mostly about court affairs, and occasionally sharing some interesting stories from Lin'an. Song Yanji occasionally chimed in, and the atmosphere was quite pleasant.
After several rounds of drinks, the atmosphere gradually warmed up. Li Sheng directly ordered a eunuch from the palace to send a message to all the ministers, saying that all the ministers would be staying overnight in the palace.
Jiang Yuan naturally heard the news as well. Song Chengyu was overjoyed and brazenly went into Jiang Yuan's room, where he snuggled into her arms and slept soundly.
The night was cool and still, but Jiang Yuan tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. Her fingertips traced the little boy's peaceful sleeping face, his nose, eyes, and eyebrows. This child looked exactly like Song Yansi, and she suddenly felt like crying.