The household was lively for three full days. They didn’t receive outside guests, just living relaxed and carefree surrounded by family. He slept until the sun was high in the sky. The room was completely quiet, with only Na Rimu sitting on the edge of the kang, holding a needle and learning embroidery. Hands accustomed to wielding a shepherd’s whip could never quite master that tiny embroidery needle.
Yun Ye propped his chin on his hand, watching Na Rimu embroider. On the embroidery frame was a little lamb—plump with big eyes, looking very auspicious. Na Rimu would embroider a few stitches, then always furrow her brow and pull them out. Her furrowed brow looked endearingly simple.
He placed his hand on Na Rimu’s swollen belly, where the rhythm of a tiny life pulsed. Seeing Yun Ye had awakened, Na Rimu set down her needlework and grabbed Yun Ye’s hand, moving it around on her belly.
“Elder Brother, Sister Xinyue says in another ten days or so, this child should be born. Do you like it?” Na Rimu looked at Yun Ye’s eyes and asked earnestly.
“Of course I like it. It’s my child—why wouldn’t I like it? Not only do I like it, Grandmother will like it too, and the aunts, younger sisters—everyone will like it. Xinyue will like it too.”
“Elder Brother, after this child is born, let him come with me to the grasslands, alright? I haven’t seen the great grasslands in so long. I really miss those cattle and sheep, the green grass. I love milking mares and I love milking cows. Goat’s milk is hard to get—they always run everywhere. I also love sitting in big tents brewing milk tea, watching the men outside the tent roll felt, shouting ‘heave-ho, heave-ho’ in rhythm…”
Na Rimu belonged to the grasslands. Living in the Central Plains would kill her. Yun Ye understood clearly how unbearable the past year had been for her. With him missing and her pregnant with child, Na Rimu had forcibly suppressed her longing for the grasslands. Now that Yun Ye had returned, this longing was like an unrestrained wild horse, no longer controllable.
“You love the grasslands, and I love the grasslands too. I love the blue sky there, the white clouds, the pastures. Na Rimu, don’t wrong yourself. If you love the grasslands, go back. You are a gesang flower of the grasslands—blooming freely and unrestrained in the wilderness is your destiny. Don’t suppress yourself. A happy, joyful Na Rimu is my Na Rimu. Don’t learn how to embroider. You’re excellent at herding sheep—why learn things you don’t like? If you like embroidered goods, have those women on the estate help you embroider. Have them embroider lots and lots. Whatever style you want, have them embroider it for you. Pick the good ones for yourself, and reward the not-so-good ones to your sisters on the grasslands. They’ll surely like them too.”
The corners of Na Rimu’s eyes rippled with smiles. She cupped Yun Ye’s face and said, “Silly Elder Brother, the good ones are given to others, and the not-so-good ones can only be kept for oneself. This is the grassland’s rule. When guests come, there’s the best cheese, the fattest mutton. The guests eat their fill before the host can eat. This is the grassland’s rule. My Elder Brother, have you forgotten?” Na Rimu excitedly stood up, seeming ready to jump. Yun Ye quickly pulled her back—in her excitement, she had even forgotten about her big belly, this simple woman.
“After you give birth, when spring comes next year, you can go back. Otherwise, the child will be too small and the journey too dangerous. Our family’s child still needs to be inoculated with something before being taken away. You need it too. It will be successful soon. This thing is very important. With it, even the most terrifying demons of the grasslands will avoid him, letting him grow up safely.”
“What is that thing? A blessing incantation? The great shamans of the grasslands can also chant scriptures and dance. They dance beautifully! I’ll invite the cleverest shamans for our child—invite ten, no, twenty of them to dance around the child for three days and three nights, driving away all the demons.”
Yun Ye rolled up his sleeve, showing Na Rimu his shoulder, where there were three faint scars. Na Rimu asked in confusion, “What’s this? An injury from your childhood?”
“No, this is a preventive measure—to prevent a terrible disease. When I was young, my master injected countless of these things into my body. That’s why I could traverse the vast forest seas alone, accepting various trials without being struck down by some terrible diseases. Unfortunately, your husband is useless and can only inoculate the children with one of them. Trust me, Na Rimu, it’s very important. All of the Yun family’s children need to be inoculated—not one can be left out.”
Seeing Yun Ye’s solemn explanation, Na Rimu nodded in agreement out of her usual trust in her husband. If her husband said it was very important, then it must be very important.
“Elder Brother, Na Rimu will definitely give you a strong little man. He’ll become a hero of the grasslands, flying higher than eagles, stronger than bulls, cleverer than shamans, and he’ll be a handsome man too.”
Yun Ye was amused into hearty laughter by Na Rimu’s innocent charm. Sitting up shirtless, he said, “Good, good! We’ll definitely have a strong child who can protect his brothers and sisters in the future, and also protect Na Rimu.”
“He’ll protect you too, so no one can kidnap you again.”
“Good, good, good! While he’s at it, he can protect his useless father too. Hahaha!”
Na Rimu probably realized she had said something wrong and buried her head in Yun Ye’s embrace, bumping around. The two played and laughed merrily, both feeling it would be nice if such days could continue forever.
This world never lacked the existence of witches. After being happy for just a while, Xinyue’s head poked in. Seeing the two playing around mischievously, she immediately came in to intervene.
“Hey, hey! She’s still heavily pregnant and can’t withstand your roughhousing! Na Rimu, you’re not being careful either. What if you hurt the child? You’re both adults—have some restraint! You’ve already slept for three days. Shouldn’t you go out and make some visits? The houses of the several old dukes, the academy—don’t you need to visit them all? I’ve prepared all the gifts, and the carriage is ready for you. If you go to Uncle Qin’s house now, you can still make it for lunch. While you’re at it, settle Runniang’s marriage. She’s already a grown young lady—if she doesn’t marry soon, there will be gossip.”
She pulled Na Rimu’s ear upward. Seeing this, Yun Ye flew into a rage and pushed this mood-killing woman down onto the kang. He delivered two slaps to her bottom, then twisted and groped her all over. Na Rimu also quietly took the opportunity to pinch twice. Xinyue was very sensitive and couldn’t withstand Yun Ye’s roughhousing. Once he started, she immediately went limp all over. Now her face was flushed as she lay on the kang catching her breath.
He dressed quickly in three moves, dragging Na Rimu out the door and leaving the witch alone in the room to fume.
Knowing the Marquis’s temperament, the servants had long prepared a basin of ice-cold well water for him to wash his face. On such a hot day, plunging his head into well water felt indescribably refreshing.
In front of the servants, Xinyue always presented herself as a virtuous wife and good mother. She brought Yun Ye an embroidered towel and considerately wiped his face, while her other hand took the opportunity to viciously pinch and twist the soft flesh at his waist several times. Her strikes were ruthless.
Taking Old Qian, he left through the gate, driving four or five carriages loaded with nothing but large chunks and chunks of whale meat, all smoked with pine branches. Aside from a slight fishy smell, it was no different from smoked meat.
At the Cheng household, when Auntie saw Yun Ye, she cried her nose out, pointing at those nobles in the capital and cursing them all. She also wanted Yun Ye to bring back Cheng Yaojin and Cheng Chumo, saying those people would only be satisfied when the Cheng father and son couldn’t return.
Now Uncle Cheng had already achieved great victory, and Cheng Chumo was earning merit under Li Ji’s command. Gaochang had been trampled flat by the army, and now they were advancing toward Xueyantuo. Only Tuyuhun, for some reason, had reached an agreement with the Great Tang for mutual non-aggression, which Li Jing had vigorously promoted from the front lines. This was still classified information that Yun Ye didn’t know about. However, one hundred sixty thousand troops, all garrison soldiers from Guanzhong, had already converged and were charging forward in full force. Xueyantuo and the Nine Surnames of Zhaowu would all be washed into the dust of history by this torrent.
To reassure his frightened auntie, he specially came before the Cheng family’s sand table and stuck several small flags on it, roughly explaining the situation in the west. Only then did Auntie break into smiles through her tears.
Niu Jianhu had actually grown a short beard. The little mustache made Yun Ye laugh. He pulled out a jade pendant from his chest and hung it around little Niu’s neck. The little fellow had just grown two teeth and was drooling all over, with saliva dripping down his chin. He grabbed the pendant Yun Ye gave him and stuffed it right into his mouth. Auntie Niu was delighted. She took the pendant from the child’s hands and kissed him fiercely, not caring at all about the drool smearing on her face.
The two brothers prepared a couple of small dishes. The weather was too hot, so they had their meal with grape wine.
“What kind of position is this Lingnan Naval Commander of yours? Why is the title different from all the other naval force commanders? Everyone else is called this Administrator or that Administrator—rolls right off the tongue. You’re the only one called Commander. You’re not a member of the Bai Qi Si—only they use that kind of title.”
“Who knows? But what’s the deal with you being Vice Administrator of Quanzhou? I only just found out about it when Auntie mentioned it earlier. Did you molest a palace maid while serving as a guard in the palace and get exiled? How come you’re also holding some pointless titular rank of Grand Master of Palace Attendance? You’re from a military family. When you go to the provinces, you should be a commandant in a militia garrison. How did you end up as a civil official?”
“That’s exactly what I wanted to ask you. It’s not just me—Zhangsun Chong is a magistrate in Hengzhou Prefecture, Qin Huaiyu went to Wuyang, Li Deyu went to Cangzhou. I heard Li Jing specifically requested it for his son. The strange thing is, every single one is a civil official—not one military post. Since the imperial decree has been issued, we can only accept our fate. I heard that the only ones who can keep their military posts now are you and Chumo. I thought you knew—turns out you don’t either. So I’m asking you now: do you have a quick way to make Quanzhou prosperous?”
“Yes, but what’s it to you? You’re just a lowly vice administrator. There’s still the prefect above you. If I give you ideas and he gets the benefits, not you.”
Niu Jianhu nodded, drank a cup of wine, and said again, “Never mind my situation—I still have three months before I leave. What about you? Prince Lu has spread the word that he wants to finish you off.”
Yun Ye picked out a peppercorn from the vegetable dish, ate a big mouthful of food, and said leisurely to Niu Jianhu, “I’m planning to submerge, keep submerging until Prince Lu becomes Prince Fool before I surface. I also need to hide from those idle old men who want to publish books, and figure out why all the military families have been converted to civil officials. Could it be that the sons of civil officials are going to switch careers and become generals?”