Liu Mian Tang paid no mind to how Shi Xiujin would complain to her father and sister upon returning home.
The next day, the Prince of Huaiyang’s carriages were ready. Mian Tang set out for the Northern Sea with little Yi’er and Cui Fujin. Unlike her secretive journey to the Northwest to avoid Cui Jiu’s discovery, this time Mian Tang openly followed the army in her carriage.
Though the journey to the Northern Sea was long, the postal roads built during the previous emperor’s northern expedition were well-maintained, making the march relatively easy. Mian Tang had worried about her young son enduring the hardships of long travel. However, little Yi’er spent his days eating and sleeping, occasionally being held by his wet nurse to soak up some sun, cooing contentedly.
Due to wearing armor, Cui Xingzhou developed a heat rash once they entered the Northern Sea region. Although he was leading a forced march, he occasionally found time during encampments to ride over on horseback for brief reunions with his wife and child.
Each time he removed his armor, his skin was red and irritated. Mian Tang’s heart ached to see it, but fortunately, she had brought plenty of medicines. She found an anti-itch and moisture-reducing lotion to apply on Cui Xingzhou.
If Cui Xingzhou was in this state, the common soldiers fared even worse. Most went shirtless without armor, resulting in severe sunburn and peeling skin under the scorching sun. If they were ambushed by enemies now, these soldiers would be as vulnerable as shell-less snails.
However, Cui Xingzhou noticed his son Yi’er was quite comfortable. The baby boy wore only a small belly band, bare-bottomed, eating fruit in the cool, ventilated carriage covered with a mesh screen. As he grew older, Yi’er began to taste more foods. He tried egg yolks and now soft fruits.
Mian Tang prepared mashed fruits for him, feeding him with a small spoon. The baby would lie on the grass mat, kicking his little legs excitedly like a happy dog wagging its tail.
While feeding her son, Mian Tang also popped fruit pieces into her husband’s mouth.
As Cui Xingzhou ate the sweet, crisp fruit, he noticed various local gazetteers and strange tales scattered on the cool mat in the carriage, some pages carefully annotated by Mian Tang. He wondered what she was up to.
Seeing Cui Xingzhou looking at her notes, Mian Tang smiled and said, “The Northern Sea region has many different ethnic groups and a history of conflicts. Reading these local tales helps me understand the customs and people. Look…” She pointed to a line of small text, “The local armor is often made from woven vines. Not only can it deflect blades and spears, but it’s also cool and sun-blocking, much more practical than iron armor.”
Cui Xingzhou had heard about this from guides along the way and had considered making such armor. However, being new to the area, just gathering the raw materials for the vine armor would take time, let alone arranging for people to weave it. It wasn’t an immediate solution to their pressing need.
Mian Tang was applying medicine to Cui Xingzhou’s back when she heard this. She said, “Didn’t you find my brothers? The materials for vine armor aren’t only found in the Northern Sea. When I heard you were coming here, I was idle at home and read about this. I sent a message to them, asking them not to return yet but to go south and collect vines, and hire skilled weavers locally. I also sent them armor-making diagrams. During our march, Lu Er’zi wrote to say they’d already made most of it. In a few days, they should be able to deliver some…”
Men and women often think differently. Cui Xingzhou had planned meticulously before the march but hadn’t considered the armor issue upon reaching the Northern Sea.
Liu Mian Tang, however, had quietly thought of and handled these seemingly minor details.
This made Cui Xingzhou realize once again that this soft woman who bore his son was indeed the formidable Lu Wen who had once been his equal opponent.
He remembered how, years ago, during continuous mountain rains, Lu Wen had anticipated that his soldiers would suffer from trench foot. She had launched a surprise attack while his troops could barely walk, achieving a great victory and nearly causing his generals to commit suicide from shame.
Later, when he went to Yangshan, he discovered that Lu Wen’s troops had been prepared for the rainy season, with each soldier wearing moisture-proof ash insoles in their shoes.
Moreover, the Yangshan bandits had disguised themselves as charitable merchants, delivering a large batch of woven straw shoes to his troops. These shoes were durable under normal conditions but prone to causing foot problems during the rainy season…
At that time, Cui Xingzhou thought such meticulous strategies for victory were vicious. He wondered what kind of scoundrel could come up with such ideas.
Now, thinking back, he saw the clever mischief in it. He should have guessed earlier that Lu Wen was a woman.
The Prince of Huaiyang, recalling past grievances and looking at the woman now holding his son, wasn’t sure whether to kiss her tenderly or spank her to settle old scores.
In any case, the concerns about armor and military supplies that emerged upon reaching the Northern Sea were successfully resolved.
When the Zhenzhou army arrived at Cangwu County in the Northern Sea, the Loyal Four Brothers also arrived just in time with dozens of carts of armor and supplies.
Besides the vine armor, they brought cool straw sandals and heat-relieving herbs. Mian Tang had written clearly in her letter that the Prince of Huaiyang didn’t look favorably upon them, so this military supply preparation was their chance to flatter the Prince and avoid being tied up and sent away in carriages again for displeasing him.
The Loyal Four Brothers respected only their leader and didn’t care to flatter the high and mighty Cui Xingzhou.
But since it was their leader’s order, they naturally put their hearts into it, wanting to show that they were a hundred times better than the likes of Fan Hu, whom Cui Xingzhou had assigned to their leader.
The task was beautifully executed. The Zhenzhou soldiers, now equipped with cool vine armor, no longer had to train under the scorching sun without protection.
However, besides armor, other tasks like building encampments and training the navy also arose. These were not issues that the unfamiliar Zhenzhou troops could handle alone.
Upon arriving at the county, Cui Xingzhou summoned local officials. The local governor was an old man with a graying beard named Su Xing, but unfortunately, Governor Su was overly fond of alcohol and spent most of his day in a drunken stupor.
He had once been a censor in the imperial court but had offended Empress Dowager Wu with his frank speech and was demoted to Cangwu County, where he had remained for thirty years. The sharp edge of his youth had been worn away by the miasma of the Northern Sea, leaving only weariness and indolence.
Cui Xingzhou frowned at the alcohol-reeking Governor Su and asked him several questions about local affairs. Su either claimed ignorance or said the matters were not under his jurisdiction.
Finally, the Prince of Huaiyang, filled with anger, slammed the table and said, “As the local official of Cangwu County, knowing that imperial troops would come to reinforce, you made no preparations and now evade responsibility. What kind of behavior is this? Are you just collecting a salary from the court for nothing?”
Governor Su lifted his eyelids, a rare glimmer of clarity in his eyes, and coldly smiled, “This official doesn’t want to collect a salary from the court anymore, but unfortunately, with the current emperor’s enlightened rule and all officials in the capital being so sensible, it’s been a long time since anyone was demoted to the Northern Sea. I’ve submitted petitions to retire and return home no less than ten times, but no one wants to take on this hot potato… Prince of Huaiyang, you have many capable people under you. Why don’t you petition the higher-ups to simply dismiss this useless old man?”
After saying this, Su excused himself, claiming his hemorrhoids were acting up, and left with a flick of his sleeve.
The Prince of Huaiyang hadn’t encountered such an uncooperative local official in a long time. If he had local administrative authority in addition to his military command, he would have immediately ordered the old drunkard’s arrest and had his hemorrhoids treated with a wooden board.
However, Li Guangcai advised the Prince: “Su Xing was once a great talent of his generation, but he’s spent half his life as a local official in the Northern Sea. What a waste… The Northern Sea region has many ethnic tribes, mostly governed by local chieftains. Though nominally submitting to the imperial court, they are largely ungoverned. Governor Su’s claim that matters are not under his jurisdiction isn’t just an excuse. Moreover, Cangwu County is poor, receiving almost no funds from the court annually yet still required to pay tribute. With the added trouble of Japanese pirates, many local people have fled. With vast land and few people, Governor Su has neither money nor manpower to accomplish much.”
Cui Xingzhou said nothing upon hearing this, but over the next few days, he led a group to make incognito visits to nearby counties. Unfortunately, their tall, robust builds stood out sharply against the short, dark locals. Whenever they passed low, thatched houses, they were met with strange looks. Some people, clearly barbarians, eyed them with unfriendly, almost predatory gazes.
Venturing further into areas governed by local chieftains, they were blocked by fierce guards and couldn’t get close. As Governor Su had said, it was impossible to quickly mobilize local people to build military camps.
After a long, hot, and frustrating journey, when Cui Xingzhou returned to the camp with Li Guangcai, they saw a beautiful woman in short-sleeved thin clothing under a newly built pavilion, calling soldiers who were constructing thatched houses to come drink cool tea.
Seeing Cui Xingzhou and his group return drenched in sweat, the woman smiled brightly and called out cheerfully, “The Prince and General Li are back! I’ve made a new heat-relieving cool tea today. It’s been chilling in the well for half a day. Come quickly and have a bowl to cool off.”
Her radiant smile was contagious, instantly lifting their spirits and dispelling much of their frustration.
Liu Mian Tang’s medical skills, learned years ago, found new use in the Northern Sea. Today’s cool tea recipe was the result of several trials. With the ample herbs she had brought, it was much more effective than local heat-relieving teas. She had also added plenty of licorice and honey, removing the medicinal taste and making it deliciously sweet. Soon, many local children were peering longingly through the railings.