The Young Lady of the General’s House

Shen Jin was on the verge of tears, Chu Xiuming saw her shrinking into the blanket, he reached out to rub her head, said, “You heard I was so scary, why are you still here?”

“Couldn’t not marry ….. ” Shen Jin sniffed. She very carefully watched Chu Xiuming but he didn’t look angry, she glanced again a few times to confirm, then stealthily moved upwards raising her head, neck and shoulders above the blanket. Braced herself to ask, “When were you at the door?”

Chu Xiuming sat sideways on the bed. Only this little fool would still be honest at this kind of situation. It was as she said, marrying here was because she had no choice, however truths were often not comfortable to the ears. He knocked her forehead, “From the Top-Scorer parade.”

It was from the beginning! Shen Jin’s eyes went round, her eyes were full of rebuke, how could someone eavesdrop that long! He looked like a nobleman but behaved like a lowlife.

Shen Jin didn’t say anything but her thoughts were all reflected on her face. Chu Xiuming couldn’t resist dropped his finger on her forehead, pressed her head down until Shen Jin lied back down on the bed, with a finger mark appeared in the middle of her forehead. It didn’t hurt but felt a bit bizarre, Shen Jin stupidly looked at Chu Xiuming.

“Close your eyes.” Chu Xiuming spoke.

Shen Jin unwittingly closed her eyes, Chu Xiuming’s voice was very soothing. “When you wake up, you can tell them again how I broke into a bandit’s den and killed 786 at once.”

Red flush creeped up Shen Jin’s cheeks, she grabbed the blanket, tightly closed her eyes and shrank under the blanket. It was very embarrassing to get caught talking behind someone’s back by that person himself……

“Oh right, even if someone keeps swinging sword all night, it’s impossible to kill 786. Not only it’s too tiring, also the sword will bend.”

Chu Xiuming stood next to the bed, he finally stopped roasting Shen Jin. She either choked to death in the blanket if she kept shrinking deeper, or died of embarrassment.

“I am also not that brave to go alone into a den of 786 bandits.”

He lightly pinched Shen Jin’s face, carefully lowered the curtain, and left.

Shen Jin heard the door closed, only then she rose a bit from her nest of blanket. Blinking her eyes she rubbed the middle of her eyebrows, and touched her slightly hot ears. The General’s voice was really nice to hear, but why did he kept on mentioning number 786? Was he unhappy because it was only 786?

She sat up and removed the cushion behind her back, then shrank back in the blanket. Yawned a few times, she dazedly thought the General came today must be because he was satisfied with her dealing with the envoys. So as he was happy then she wouldn’t the number 787th….

This time Shen Jin slept until she woke up by herself. Zhao Momo was guarding outside, hearing her moved she let An Ping go to the kitchen to get a bowl of warm goat milk. It had some almonds in it to remove the smell. The border town had now resumed activities, so the quality of food in the Mansion had also improved, Shen Jin could now order variety of meals again.

Shen Jin got up after finishing the milk. The sun had started to go down,  so Zhao Momo took a coat for Shen Jin, then they slowly headed to the front courtyard.

The two envoys hadn’t written yet, and whether it was the staff’s negligence or some other reasons, no one had given them a chair. They had been standing since morning, almost couldn’t stand anymore.

Seeing Shen Jin their faces were not good, even carrying some traces of humiliation. Shen Jin saw their 4 dishes and 1 soup were all cold now. Three of the dishes were meat-based, the other one was stir-fried cabbage and meat, the dishes were barely eaten.

Shen Jin frowned, “Have you written your letter?”

“Junzhu even if you torture us, we would not submit.” One of the envoys spoke up, the others showed agreement on his face.

Shen Jin was still frowning, “Don’t call me Junzhu, after I am married you can call me Countess Yongning.”

“Countess, do not change the topic, ” the envoy darkly said, “When we are back at the Capital, we would definitely report the truth to His Majesty.”

Shen Jin bafflingly looked at the seething officers, she didn’t feel herself mistreat them in anyway. They had 4 dishes and 1 soup, previously they had only 2 dishes of 1 horse-meat and 1 vegetables.

These officials from the Capital really couldn’t bear any suffering. Shen Jin sighed, “The border town is not rich, 4 dishes 1 soup and you are still not satisfied?”

“Alright, since you don’t want then clear it.” Without waiting for them to speak, she said, “Right, have two Masters finished the letter?”

“You….. ” The envoys were mad with anger. Shen Jin saw them angry, but she looked at them as if they had been stupid children who were picky with food.

“Food should fit for human to eat, and …. ”

The last part was silently swallowed under the gaze of the Mansion staff. These men and women had all been on the battlefield, unlike Capital people they had seen blood in person.

Shen Jin’s face sank, “How dare you! Everyone here from Fujun to the guards eat like this.”

Count Yongning ate these? The envoys looked at each other in disbelief. Shen Jin was really angry looking at the cold dishes and soup, she turned to Zhao Momo, “Didn’t I ask someone to write a letter for the Masters to copy?”

Zhao Momo calmly said, “I gave it to the two Masters myself. It is on the right side of the desk, on top of the letters from Madam to Rui Wang mansion.”

Shen Jin looked at the two envoys whose faces were pale and hardened, “I understand now.”

What did you understand? Not only the two envoys, even Zhao Momo and the others were confused as to what Shen Jin was talking about.

“No wonder you are not willing to write, Mother Consort said literary people wouldn’t copy others’ writing.” Shen Jin felt she knew where she was wrong. With very good manner she said, “I was inconsiderate, but still you shouldn’t waste food.”

The two envoys were so mad they felt like vomiting blood. The point was not about copying, but whether to write at all. If they wrote the letter, they would be chewed by the Emperor later, but looking at Shen Jin’s sincere face ….

It was so frustrating, now they could empathise with those military people who were unable to explain their difficulties at the Court. If they were lucky enough not dropping dead of anger today, they would be treat military people better.

“Forget it. An Ping, have someone send the two Masters back to the inn….. “

Shen Jin now remembered the envoys had moved to the inn because they disliked the poor condition of the relay station. She heard Zhao Momo mentioned it, but couldn’t remember the names so she left it vague.

The envoys thought Shen Jin genuinely regret (T/N: forcing them to write letter), their eyes lit up, “Countess, there is a saying ‘knowing one’s mistake will greatly improve one’s way’.”

“That’s right.” Shen Jin nodded approvingly, “Since two Masters now know that wasting food is a mistake, so An Ping, wrap up the 4 dishes and 1 soup for the Masters to bring to the inn, the Masters do not want to waste food.”

An Ping quickly had the maid pack the dishes, she also chose a few sturdy men to escort the envoys back.

The envoys had their own people but border town residents were all half soldiers, any random peddler could turn into a soldier in a blink, and with all the experiences from frequent battles at border town, one local man could easily took down five of Capital guards.

Shen Jin said to the men, “Have to trouble you all to wait a while at the inn. When the letter is done please bring it to relay station, then post it together with the letters to my family.”

“Madam don’t worry, leave this small matter with us.” The leader of the men said with a serious face.

Shen Jin sighed again, “It was my oversight the two Masters suffered, so please you all help me make it up.” She turned to An Ping, “Take a few taels of silver for them.”

“You don’t have to stand around waiting for the two Masters, literary people have to think for long time to write letters, so please use these few tails for wine, take it as I treat you all to drinks.”

An Ping quickly responded with clear voice, “Madam please don’t worry.”

Shen Jin thought a while, she felt everything had been done thoroughly, as there was nothing else, she said, “That’s it then.”

In the study, after listening to the reports, Chu Xiuming and Chu Xiuyuan didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry. Shen Jin thought herself doing it well, but the two envoys must be full of hatred at this moment.

Chu Xiuyuan said, “Brother, before you were back, Sister-in-law was not this…..” This what? He couldn’t find a word to describe.

Chu Xiuming slightly lowered his eyes, finished writing down the last word, he put the brush on the side. Had his hands not adorned by calluses, they would have been fit for the hands of a noble young master living a leisurely life, “It was because she didn’t speak.”

Chu Xiuyuan thought again, it was correct. Prior to Chu Xiuming’s return, Shen Jin and him had only spoken less than five times. Only recently that his impression of this Sister-in-law developed. Before that? He only remembered a bundle silently shrinking besides the maid, “But Sister-in-law has thinned a lot.”

Thinned a lot? Chu Xiuming remembered the smooth feelings on his fingers, a bit fat would make it even more velvety. He should ask Zhao Momo how to make her fatter….. make her healthier.

Chu Xiuyuan saw his brother deep in thought, but he didn’t ask any difficult matter, “Brother, what are you thinking about?”

This wife of his seemed to be afraid of cold. There were a few sheets of white fox skins in the Mansion, but not enough for a body-length suit. Next year’s winter he should hunt or exchange some more. He would wrap his little wife with thick and fluffy white fur…..

Chu Xiuming’s eyes flashed but his expression didn’t change, calmly said, “Tonight have the kitchen roast a rabbit for dinner, and add some honey on it.”