Mian Tang poured a cup of cold tea for Cui Xingzhou and then noticed the children hanging on the railings. Smiling, she instructed Bi Cao and the others to cut the freshly made cold jelly into pieces and give it to the children.
At first, the dark-skinned little ones were shy and hesitant to grab the treats. Previously, soldiers had come here, claiming to eliminate the Wokou pirates. However, after arriving, they went door to door collecting money and conscripting people for labor to build trenches and camps. Usually, after causing trouble, these soldiers were scattered by the Wokou, never to be seen again.
This repeated cycle of disruption had left the local people exhausted and bitter, feeling that these soldiers were even more detestable than the Wokou. Now, more soldiers had arrived, outnumbering previous groups. The previously built camps were insufficient. Early that morning, the children’s parents had hidden what little rice, grain, chickens, and ducks they had left in the mountains, ensuring the soldiers would find nothing if they searched their homes.
If not for the sweet aroma of the cold tea, these children wouldn’t have dared approach. To their surprise, a heavenly beautiful older sister asked with a smile if they wanted to eat cold jelly.
For a moment, the children were torn. Seeing their conflicted faces, Mian Tang walked over and handed the large bowl to the oldest child, saying, “Go on, take it back and share it among yourselves!”
The child grabbed the bowl and immediately turned to run, followed by a swarm of children, disappearing in the blink of an eye.
Mian Tang watched the children run off with a grin, then turned to see Cui Xingzhou looking at her thoughtfully. She wiped his mouth with a handkerchief and asked, “Would you like another bowl?”
Cui Xingzhou tucked a strand of her sweat-dampened hair behind her ear and said, “If those children return the bowl, let me know.”
“Huh?” Mian Tang was momentarily confused by his words.
Cui Xingzhou smiled slightly, looking at her sun-flushed face. “The cold tea is good. Send more tomorrow, but have the servants deliver it. There’s no need for you to come yourself.”
Mian Tang replied, “Delivering tea is a small matter. The important thing is that I get to see you… Tomorrow, I’ll bring not only cold tea but also mung bean soup. I noticed many soldiers couldn’t eat today, so I’ll have Li Ma make some tasty cold noodles to bring along.”
The climate in Beihai was scorching. Although many soldiers lacked proper shelter, they could endure for a few days if it didn’t rain. However, if they couldn’t eat, their bodies would quickly weaken.
Many soldiers had already fallen ill due to the unfamiliar environment, with many suffering from diarrhea and showing signs of dehydration. Mian Tang had consulted experienced physicians in the capital and prepared ample herbs. The army’s physicians were also treating patients promptly, but many still couldn’t eat.
Mian Tang felt that since she was here, she shouldn’t be a burdensome family member. She wanted to help her husband by preparing palatable food, which was crucial. She also tried to prepare medicinal dishes to stimulate the appetites of the sick soldiers.
As they left the military camp, many soldiers were preparing to rest. Simple grass huts were lit with incense to repel mosquitoes as the men settled down to sleep.
The local insects were vicious. Without applying herbal repellents, a single bite could cause a swelling as large as a hawthorn berry.
It wasn’t just the soldiers who lacked proper shelter. Even the residence where Mian Tang and the others were staying was dilapidated. Cangwu County was too poor to provide suitable housing for a prince from the capital.
Originally, Lord Su had prepared his residence for Cui Xingzhou. However, Cui Xingzhou politely declined and moved into the house where Lord Su was supposed to relocate.
When Mian Tang returned to the residence after delivering the cold tea, the brothers Lu Zhong and Lu Yi were on the roof directing repairs.
Due to the humid climate in Beihai, building materials had to be soaked in lime for preservation. Without proper maintenance, buildings wouldn’t last long.
The main beam in Mian Tang’s room was visibly rotting and needed replacement. Lu Zhong and Lu Yi, shirtless, were personally overseeing the process of soaking new beams in lime water, smoking them, and then replacing the old ones once dry.
Mian Tang, thinking of Cui Fu and Li Guangcai’s upcoming wedding in Beihai, had given them the best room in the residence. After repairing the main beam, their room would be renovated first to ensure it could at least hold up for the ceremony.
Cui Fu, sitting in a nearby room, was stunned. When she initially came to Beihai, she had been pushed out by the Qing Guo Gong mansion. Although she knew it wouldn’t be like the capital, she never imagined it would be this bad.
Jinr had already cried three times upon seeing the dilapidated house. Being older, she was too embarrassed to cry with her son, but her heart was truly bitter.
When Jinr saw a cockroach as big as a finger perched on a roof beam, ready to fly, she screamed and burst into tears again.
Mian Tang, who was overseeing work in the courtyard, heard Jinr’s cry and rushed in. Following Jinr’s pointing finger, she hopped on one foot, took off her embroidered shoe, and with a smack, killed the cockroach.
Not content with just killing it, she picked up the cockroach by its antennae and, frowning at Jinr, said, “You’ll be a young master soon. How can you cry so much? Look how pale your mother has become! Next time you see these things, as long as they’re not venomous snakes, just hit them with your shoe. It’s not bigger than you, why be afraid?”
Jinr, his crying interrupted by his aunt’s scolding, stared at the cockroach with wide eyes and timidly asked, “Aunt… are there snakes here too?”
Meanwhile, little Yi’er, held by his nurse, stared intently at the insect in his mother’s hand, babbling and gesturing towards his drooling mouth, seemingly wanting to taste it.
Seeing that his little brother wasn’t afraid, Jinr felt too embarrassed to continue crying.
Lu Zhong and Lu Yi were working on the roof, while Lu Liang helped as a laborer. Lu Quan, tired with his hands on his hips, muttered under his breath as he watched the commotion in the next room, “They said marrying our boss would give her a life of luxury, but look at this! Living in this broken-down house, I bet even rural landlords have it better.”
Mian Tang, who was just coming out of the room, overheard him and gave him a light smack on the head. “Watch your mouth! Speak disrespectfully of the prince again, and I’ll give you a thrashing!”
Cui Fu, following behind her, also heard Lu Quan’s words. Feeling embarrassed as a member of the Cui family, she said softly, “You can’t blame him for saying that. Xingzhou has indeed made you suffer…”
With her brother’s military matters being urgent, the accompanying family members couldn’t cause trouble. But while they were all living in dilapidated houses, Cui Fu had only been stunned and idle for a whole day, while Mian Tang was managing everything inside and outside the house efficiently, showing no signs of distress.
Cui Fu had always thought she was better at managing household affairs than Liu Mian Tang, which was why she hadn’t fully trusted Mian Tang to manage the household in Zhenzhou. But now, away from the luxurious mansions, she seemed incapable of doing anything, clearly outmatched by her sister-in-law from a modest background.
To be honest, although the courtyard was a mess and everything needed renovation, Mian Tang found it more comfortable than living in the grand houses of the capital. At least here, there was no scheming or infighting.
However, hearing Cui Fu’s words, she realized that her sister-in-law was struggling to adapt. She smiled gently, took Cui Fu’s hand, and said, “It’s a bit hard now, but sister, think about it. How many women in this world get to travel across the empire like us, experiencing such diverse customs? They say men have grander ambitions and can endure more hardships than women, but that’s only because they have a desire to explore, eager to broaden their horizons rather than staying rooted in one place, counting days on their fingers. Naturally, for them, climbing high peaks feels like crossing a mound, and crossing great rivers seems like wading through a muddy pond. This kind of broad-mindedness has nothing to do with being male or female.”
Cui Fu blushed at her words, feeling that she had appeared narrow-minded in front of her sister-in-law, like a common village woman only concerned with daily chores.
She thought of herself as well-read in the classics and had once envied how ancient scholars could travel and study. How could she, now at the edge of the world, focus only on the newness of houses and the softness of beds instead of appreciating the landscape and customs?
With this realization, she gathered her spirit and displayed the dignity befitting a Cui family daughter. She said to Mian Tang, “Leave the house renovations to me. Aren’t you busy preparing medicines and soups for the army? Don’t worry about things at home.”
Seeing the worry dissipate from her sister-in-law’s eyes, replaced by a spark of light, Mian Tang smiled and said, “Once everything is in order, both at home and outside, while they’re off fighting their battles, we should take some time to explore and enjoy ourselves!”
Cui Fu saw her carefree attitude and pinched her nose playfully, saying, “You talk so glibly now, but I wonder if you’ll still be in the mood for fun when the real fighting starts!”
The next day, Mian Tang and Li Ma rose early to brew cold tea and mung bean soup and made several large bowls of cold noodles. They loaded everything onto a cart and headed towards the military camp.
As they approached the camp, Mian Tang spotted a group of dirty children gathered together, gazing at her cart. She instructed the driver to stop at the camp entrance and stepped out.
The children clustered around the cart, and one boy raised his hands high, offering a bowl to Mian Tang.
The bowl was made of fine copper, a valuable item from Mian Tang’s inner chambers. Even those who couldn’t judge its quality could tell it was expensive just by its material and craftsmanship.
Mian Tang looked at the boy’s hopeful face and smiled, saying, “Wait, there’s more food today.” She had Bi Cao bring out a jug of cold tea from the cart and hand it to the boy.
The children cheered, took the jug, and ran to a nearby bamboo grove. They cut a bamboo stem, split it into tubes, and used these to share the cold tea, gulping it down eagerly.