Cui Xingzhou had been fighting bandits for years, but he’d never encountered such blatant provocation right under his nose. If he didn’t teach this female bandit a lesson today, wouldn’t people look down on him?
Suddenly, Miantang’s coquettish voice came from behind the gauze curtain: “You’ve been away for days, and I’ve missed you terribly. Yet you return only to be angry with me… Ouch! Why are you biting me again?”
Soon after, the sound of giggles and soft laughter filled the air.
Meanwhile, Cui Fu watched her brother angrily kick open the door and drag Miantang away. She was worried and wanted to intervene, but Xingzhou had ordered guards to watch the door, preventing her from approaching.
As evening fell, neither Xingzhou nor Miantang emerged for dinner.
Li Guangcai returned from the military camp, so they decided to set up a table in their small courtyard for a family dinner of three.
While serving Li Guangcai, Cui Fu asked, “Why is Xingzhou so furious? He… he’s not beating Miantang, is he?”
Li Guangcai had seen the broken door when he returned, with servants repairing it. He knew some of the background, though not the details of Miantang’s seduction plan. Seeing the prince so angry, he guessed that the leader of the Lu clan had gotten carried away while rescuing Marquis Zhao, doing something unbefitting a princess.
Hearing Cui Fu’s concern about Miantang being beaten, Li Guangcai thought his wife was overthinking. He gently said, “The prince isn’t that kind of person, and your sister-in-law… isn’t one to endure a beating quietly. We haven’t heard any sounds of dishes being thrown or bowls being smashed from that courtyard, so there shouldn’t be any major issues. The evening breeze is pleasant today, you should eat more. You’ve lost weight since coming to Beihai…”
He then turned to Jinr, saying, “Jinr, eat less for now and save some room. I had some sea crabs caught for you during my sea trip. They’re steaming in the kitchen now. Your mother can’t eat them because she’s feeling under the weather, so they’ll all be yours!”
Jinr, who loved crabs, perked up at this news. Her eyes sparkled as she stopped eating and craned her neck, waiting for the crabs.
Cui Fu blushed upon hearing this. She was indeed having her monthly period and couldn’t eat cold foods. She was touched that her husband, a man, remembered such a detail.
Sometimes, marriage is like water – only those involved truly know its temperature. It was her second marriage that made her realize when a man has you in his heart and mind, he notices even the smallest changes about you.
When she first arrived in Beihai, she had moments of regret due to the unfamiliar environment. But sharing a bed with Li Guangcai and experiencing his constant thoughtfulness made even the hardships of their living conditions and food seem somewhat sweet.
Now Cui Fu began to understand why Miantang could face the dilapidated houses and courtyards of Beihai so calmly when she first arrived.
Living with someone you truly love and who supports you makes life generally bearable, no matter the circumstances.
With this realization, she felt more at ease, believing that nothing too terrible could be happening in her brother’s courtyard.
As for Miantang, she was beginning to wonder if Beihai’s environment was particularly nourishing for men, as her husband seemed increasingly vigorous.
That night, it was she who first became physically exhausted, crying out that she was just a little puppy and begging the prince to spare her.
Cui Xingzhou, drenched in sweat, pinched her cheek and said, “If I let you off easily this time, who knows? Next time you might be performing a seductive dance in thin clothes to lure enemies! Tomorrow, write me a thousand-word letter of apology, carefully considering how to be a virtuous and elegant princess!”
Miantang, utterly drained, fell asleep before he could finish speaking.
The next day, as Cui Xingzhou was about to leave, Miantang was still in bed. He nudged her, saying, “Didn’t you say you’d do my hair every day? Aren’t you getting up?”
Miantang peeked out from under the covers with one resentful eye, “I have to write that long essay today, so I can’t hold a comb. You’d better go quickly; you’re disturbing my sleep…”
Cui Xingzhou raised an eyebrow at the grumbling bundle under the covers, genuinely feeling that the thousand-word assignment he’d given might not be enough.
Cui Fu had been worried about Miantang. It wasn’t until nearly noon that she saw her sister-in-law languidly supporting her waist, picking flowers in the courtyard with little Yi’er.
Cui Fu hurried over to support her, asking, “What’s wrong? Why can’t you straighten your back?”
Miantang quickly smiled and said, “The bed was a bit hard, so my back is sore… Oh, I’m planning to get some pain-relief ointment from Marquis Zhao later.”
Cui Fu felt somewhat relieved and said, “We received a letter from Mother, asking how big little Yi’er is now. Why don’t you stay home and help me reply to Mother’s letter? We can invite Zhao Quan for dinner tonight, and he can prescribe something for you then.”
Hearing that she had to write again, Miantang felt as if the tendons in both her hands had been stretched, leaving her completely drained of energy.
Thinking of the ungrateful and disloyal Marquis of Zhennan, Miantang’s lips curled into a slight smile.
Cui Fu noticed her sister-in-law’s smile didn’t quite reach her eyes, making her feel a bit uneasy.
However, Miantang’s voice remained soft: “I’m afraid the Marquis might feel too formal with us. It’s better if I go invite him personally…”
Meanwhile, Zhao Quan, overcome by homesickness, was having his servants and newly hired manservant pack his belongings when Miantang entered, dressed in hunting attire and carrying a leather whip.
Zhao Quan froze at the sight of Miantang, quietly asking if the princess had eaten.
Miantang glanced at the boxes strewn about and asked, “Why is Marquis Zhao leaving so soon? Have all the patients in the medical tent been treated?”
Zhao Quan, shrinking against the doorframe, replied, “My mother is unwell, and I’ve recently become engaged. I should return soon to get married and bring some good fortune.”
Miantang nodded, accepting a cup of tea from a maid. “Saving one life is better than building a seven-story pagoda. If Marquis Zhao truly wishes to accumulate merit for the old Marchioness, merely getting married for good luck might not be enough. Treating the people of Beihai would truly bring blessings and virtue to the old Marchioness.”
Zhao Quan, who worked tirelessly in the medical tent until sunset every day, felt he had done more than enough. Hearing Miantang’s words, he quickly waved his hands, saying, “There are several good doctors in the prince’s military camp. Surely they don’t need me…”
Miantang deliberately leaned forward and said, “I’ve been studying divination lately and have gained some rudimentary knowledge. In my opinion, Marquis, you should stay. Otherwise, on your way back, you might encounter bandits who hold a grudge against you. If you’re captured again with no one to save you, wouldn’t you end up with your head hanging on a mountaintop?”
Zhao Quan replied dryly, “Of course, I’ll take the main road this time… Besides, why would a nobody like me have any enemies?”
Bicao, standing nearby, chimed in, “Marquis, you talk so much. After a few drinks, you spill everything, whether you should or shouldn’t. You might have offended someone without even realizing it. Don’t you think that’s possible?”
Zhao Quan knew he was being blackmailed by the remnants of Yangshan. Unfortunately, the Prince of Huaiyang, who used to fight bandits, was now completely under the spell of this female bandit and couldn’t be relied upon.
So, with tears in his eyes, he asked, “Then… how long should I stay to treat patients?”
Seeing that he understood, Miantang slowly stood up, supporting her waist, and said, “Until the people you’ve offended have calmed down!”
While Zhao Quan reluctantly stayed to do volunteer work, a great commotion erupted on Pirate Island in the East Sea about two weeks later.
Usually, the Japanese pirates who raided the mainland from Pirate Island would return within three days at most. After all, they specialized in sudden attacks and couldn’t engage in prolonged battles.
However, this time, the small leader Sōka Kotobuki had led his men out to sea many days ago and hadn’t returned, with no news at all.
When the subordinates reported this to Ōkuji, he frowned, sensing something was amiss.
Even if Sōka Kotobuki hadn’t managed to plunder any wealth, he would at least have sent someone back with news to prevent being caught off guard in case of an emergency. So, Ōkuji sent several capable Japanese men across the sea to find Sōka Kotobuki.
These Japanese men landed on the shore and trekked through mountains and valleys to reach the peak where Sōka Kotobuki had set up camp. However, when they climbed up, they were greeted by a horrifying sight: Japanese heads impaled on tall poles covering the entire mountaintop. Due to the hot weather, the heads were already infested with maggots, creating a terrifying scene.
The Japanese men only needed a glance to spot the heads of Sōka Kotobuki and several of his important subordinates. They didn’t dare to look closer, but judging from the densely packed poles covering the mountaintop, they knew Sōka Kotobuki’s entire force must have been annihilated.
Fearing that Beihai might have left troops in the area, they quickly turned and ran back the way they came. They hadn’t gone far when they suddenly heard a Japanese voice shouting, “My lords! My lords! Thank heavens, have you come to rescue me?”
They stopped and looked towards the voice, seeing a Japanese man emerging from a thick patch of grass and running towards them.
When the man reached them, they quickly asked what had happened and how many people had surrounded them, causing Sōka Kotobuki and the others to be unable to escape.
The Japanese man, still shaken, said, “My lord, it started well. Leader Sōka Kotobuki led us to raid several villages in succession. We captured many beautiful women and even caught a fat sheep. That night, Leader Sōka Kotobuki was in high spirits and set up a feast, having the captured women pour wine and entertain us. During the banquet, we discovered one exceptionally beautiful woman…”
He paused here, seeming to recall the woman’s face. The once beautiful woman now seemed like a demonic rakshasa in his memory.
“We sent that woman to Leader Sōka Kotobuki’s tent. After that, I got drunk and fell asleep while relieving myself in the woods. Later, I was awakened by Leader Sōka Kotobuki’s screams. When I came out, I saw that beautiful woman beheading Leader Sōka Kotobuki. Most of our men were in a drunken stupor, and then about a dozen people rushed in from outside. They… cut off everyone’s heads and hung them on poles, then took away the women and our loot. For the past few days, people have been patrolling the foot of the mountain, and only recently have their numbers decreased. I didn’t dare to go far and have been surviving on wild vegetables, waiting here for you, my lords.”
The Japanese men looked at each other in disbelief. They had initially thought that Beihai had sent a large force, and Sōka Kotobuki’s entire army was wiped out after a major battle. They never imagined that the enemy consisted of just one beautiful woman and a dozen men, with most of their comrades losing their heads while in a drunken haze.
So, they took this sole survivor and hurried back to the shore, boarded their small boat, and returned to the island to report to Ōkuji.