With a ruthless and insatiable Khan like Agu Shan ruling the barbarians, peace at the border was difficult to maintain.
Cui Xingzhou was deeply aware of this and prepared for a prolonged stalemate. Since Jin Jia Pass was secured, the imperial court wouldn’t be issuing edicts urging further battles for now.
It was said that Empress Dowager Wu’s birthday was approaching, and the entire court was focusing on celebrating this event. With the emperor busy showing filial piety, he likely had no time to concern himself with border matters. This allowed Cui Xingzhou to free up some time for other matters.
One thing particularly concerned him—Mian Tang’s ability to speak the barbarian language.
The fact that even Mian Tang herself didn’t know she could speak it suggested she had learned it during her time with Lu Wen while she was amnesiac… This was thought-provoking. What exactly had Lu Wen been involved in that required contact with the barbarians?
Cui Xingzhou reviewed the intelligence he had gathered recently. It only mentioned that the barbarian tribes had been trading with those within the border for the past few years. Some Da Yan merchants had opened iron mines rich in deposits in barbarian territory. Since the barbarians didn’t know how to smelt the ore, they cooperated with these merchants, who made a fortune through private sales…
Hearing this, Cui Xingzhou thought about the endless supply of money and weapons the bandits on Yangshan had during their uprising. He felt there must be some connection.
If Prince Liu Yu had indeed secretly contacted the barbarians and secured special rights to mine iron, he would have had frequent dealings with them.
It would be natural for Mian Tang to have learned some of the barbarian language if she had been managing accounts for Liu Yu and had contact with the barbarians.
But where exactly was the iron being transported to, and who was the mysterious merchant supplying Yangshan? These were still unanswered questions.
Whether or not Liu Yu was that mysterious merchant, Cui Xingzhou felt this trade shouldn’t be allowed to continue.
Once he realized this, Cui Xingzhou knew what he needed to do next. He arranged personnel to root out these mysterious merchants while he continued to recapture border towns and passes.
With this in mind, Cui Xingzhou cast a wide net, sending many spies to investigate the iron mine situation in the barbarian territory.
If the iron mines were indeed connected to Liu Yu, this grandson of the former crown prince was certainly capable. Thinking back to how Lu Wen had matched him so evenly in their confrontations, Cui Xingzhou felt the future challenge was something to look forward to.
However, whether Master Zi Yu was the villain, Lu Wen, or Prince Liu Yu, he ultimately couldn’t be allowed to live. Cui Xingzhou knew there could never be reconciliation between him and Lu Wen. If his former adversary truly became emperor one day, wouldn’t everyone in Zhen Zhou be slaughtered?
But for now, he could do nothing but quietly accumulate strength at Jin Jia Pass. Due to the wartime situation, he was no longer restricted by the limits on troops for enfeoffed princes. The number of Zhen Zhou’s native troops had expanded several times compared to when they were in Jiangnan.
He remained distant from both the imperial court and the jianghu, merely observing changes and waiting for the right moment to act…
Unlike her husband Cui Jiu’s grand schemes, Mian Tang’s thoughts were much simpler.
As the wife of a border military officer, she was fully occupied with taking care of her husband’s daily needs and earning some extra money on the side!
Her life in the border town was much busier compared to her time in Lingquan Town.
Mian Tang not only had to look after the pharmacy but also had the added task of caring for a nursing infant.
Because Lin Niang Niang had no fixed residence and poor nutrition before giving birth, her milk supply was initially insufficient. The baby cried hungrily, his forehead turning red from the effort.
Sheng Mama, who had been caring for Lin Niang Niang, felt she had done her duty and bid farewell, leaving behind the flustered new mother Lin Siyue.
Although Lin Niang Niang had a room at the pharmacy to stay in, she didn’t want to trouble the pharmacy staff to care for her during her postpartum period.
Seeing the baby almost crying himself breathless from hunger, she had resorted to feeding him rice water made from leftover rice.
Although Mian Tang had never given birth herself, she felt this wasn’t appropriate for a newborn.
So she instructed an assistant to buy a milk-rich mountain goat at a high price from town, ensuring the baby had milk to drink.
Of course, Mian Tang also urged Lin Niang Niang to drink plenty herself. With her body well-nourished, she would have ample milk, and the baby would grow best on his mother’s breast milk.
Lin Niang Niang had been worried that Liu Mian Tang would hand her over to the military authorities. She had discovered that Liu Niang Niang’s husband was a chiliarch under the Prince of Huaiyang!
But her stern-looking husband had never come to interrogate her, and Mian Tang never probed her about the barbarian tribes.
After realizing that Mian Tang was genuinely kind-hearted, Lin Siyue let down her guard and often conversed with Mian Tang in the barbarian language.
Although Mian Tang didn’t know how she had learned the barbarian language, she adhered to the principle of honing a skill and enjoyed conversing with Lin Siyue in it, thinking it might help her husband in the future.
According to Lin Niang Niang, although those beyond the border were all barbarians, different tribes had different mindsets. For instance, this time it was only Agu Shan’s royal banner causing trouble, with many tribes forced to follow along.
Mian Tang asked why she couldn’t understand two local settled barbarian merchants she had seen in the marketplace the other day.
Lin Niang Niang smiled and said, “Actually, people from different tribes speak with different accents. The accent you speak is pure Qiyu language, generally only spoken by people from the Great Banner tribe.”
Hearing this, Mian Tang curiously said, “Oh, I see. I didn’t know that before. But Lin Niang Niang, you said earlier that you’re from the Guli tribe, yet I feel your accent is very similar to this Qiyu language!”
Lin Siyue paused, then smiled awkwardly, “I just learned it later. My original accent was quite different from Qiyu…”
However, Mian Tang noticed another detail.
According to Lin Siyue, the people of the Great Banner tribe were authentic royal descendants from the grasslands, having migrated from north of the snow mountains. Therefore, with their high noses and deep-set eyes, they looked down on the flat-nosed barbarians.
The current Great Khan Agu Shan was said to be flat-nosed. Hearing this, Liu Mian Tang looked at the baby she was holding.
The baby had just finished a small bowl of goat’s milk and burped. His tiny face broke into a sweet smile, his nose bridge as high and straight as his mother’s.
Because the baby’s head was quite large, Mian Tang helped Lin Niang Niang give him the milk name “Little Walnut.”
Holding the fragrant, soft baby, Mian Tang took a moment to imagine what her future children with her husband might look like.
She thought her children would probably have high nose bridges too, since both their parents did!
Thinking this, Mian Tang smiled sweetly.
These days, while making clothes for Lin Niang Niang’s son Little Walnut from soft fabric, she couldn’t help but set aside a set of small clothes for herself. After all, her husband had said they would try for a baby when they returned home, so it was good to be prepared in advance.
As the pharmacy was about to close and the assistants were putting up the door panels, suddenly someone kicked the door open.
The baby in Mian Tang’s arms was just about to fall asleep but was startled by the noise. His little mouth puckered, and he began to cry.
Mian Tang looked over and saw two servants kick the door open, followed by a tall, thin young woman entering with a stern expression, supported by an old maid.
The old maid surveyed the surroundings and immediately noticed Mian Tang holding the child. She said to the tall, thin woman, “Young miss, it should be her…”
It turned out that this woman who had arrived with servants kicking down the door was the newly wedded wife of the Hu family’s second son.
When the border conflict was intense, the entire Hu family fled. Fearing that as a merchant family, they would suffer without protection during the chaos of war, Madam Hu had arranged for her second son to marry the daughter of a Deputy General surnamed Zhou from within the border.
By becoming in-laws, Madam Hu could shamelessly ask for military protection for the family’s safety.
However, they hadn’t expected the border crisis to be resolved so quickly.
Initially, everyone was panicked, thinking it would take three to five years before they could return home.
But who would have thought that the young Prince of Huaiyang, summoned from Jiangnan, would be more capable than the previous old generals? He not only lifted the siege of Jin Jia Pass but also pushed the battle lines forward considerably.
The barbarians were temporarily subdued, and the people who had left not long ago began to return in droves.
Large households like the Hu family naturally had many fields and large estates they couldn’t bear to abandon. So once the situation stabilized, after family discussions, they also made their way back home.
This newly wedded Miss Zhou had long heard that her husband previously had a barbarian concubine. However, before she entered the family, the concubine had already been driven out.
Thinking about how that concubine was pregnant when she left, Miss Zhou had long felt uneasy. Moreover, she discovered that after returning from their escape, her husband had secretly been inquiring about Lin’s whereabouts, intending to buy a house to settle the now post-partum Lin Niang Niang. This infuriated her.
Yesterday, she had already made a scene in her room, and her mother-in-law had scolded the second young master, Hu, making him kneel in the Buddha hall.
But the more Miss Zhou thought about it, the angrier she became. She suspected that the ousted vixen might be secretly seducing her husband.
So she interrogated her husband’s servant about Lin Niang Niang’s whereabouts, then brought her dowry maids and servants, along with two soldiers her father had sent, and furiously sought out this place.
When Miss Zhou entered the pharmacy and saw Mian Tang with her blue cloth headwrap, holding a newborn baby, and noticed her strikingly beautiful features and taller-than-average stature for a Central Plains woman, she immediately assumed this must be the abandoned wife, Lin Siyue.
After kicking down the door, the two soldiers guarded the entrance, creating a blockade.
The old woman turned to Liu Miantang and asked, “Are you Lin Siyue?”
Liu Miantang sensed their hostile demeanor and guessed their intentions weren’t good. She handed the crying infant to Fangxie, instructing the maid to take the child to Madam Lin. Then, she turned to face them calmly and asked, “Who are you?”
The old woman raised her eyebrows and said, “Our mistress is the new wife of the Hu family’s second young master. Shouldn’t you come to pay your respects?”
Upon hearing that it was the Hu family’s new bride, Liu Miantang smiled and asked, “Is there something amiss? Have you come to buy medicine?”
The old woman spat angrily and said, “You little harlot! How dare you curse our mistress with illness? Now that the first madam has driven you out, you’re no longer part of the Hu family. Who knows whose bastard child you’re carrying? You’re trying to cling to our young master and trick him into buying you a house. You’re nothing but a cheap woman!”
Zhou Shi had come today to vent her anger. Seeing Madam Lin running the pharmacy, she thought of all the money her husband had spent… Wasn’t it all her husband’s?
Consumed by rage, she wanted to tear Madam Lin apart and take away that illegitimate child. Her husband had used the excuse of not letting a Hu family descendant be abandoned to search for them, hadn’t he? Well, she’d bring that brat back and see how her husband could justify looking for this vixen!
Without further ado, she angrily ordered, “Someone, come and slash this vixen’s face!”
The old woman, having finished her tirade, lunged forward to slap Liu Miantang and teach her a lesson. She intended to twist her arm and cut her face. However, she had barely taken a few steps when one of the pharmacy assistants, who had been watching from the side with folded arms, suddenly threw a punch at her stomach. The blow sent her staggering backward with a yelp before she fell to the ground.
Seeing this, the two soldiers charged forward to attack the assistant. However, these pharmacy assistants were former secret guards, skilled fighters who had endured enough humiliation on their journey to the Northwest. If they couldn’t handle this rabble of old women and petty soldiers, they might as well hang themselves.
The two soldiers barely had time to cry out before they were taken down by several assistants who emerged from the back of the shop. They were swiftly tied up with ropes.
Liu Miantang took a sip of tea to moisten her throat before addressing the now-stunned Zhou Shi: “I thought the Hu family must have married some heavenly fairy as a virtuous wife to disregard family ties and cast out a pregnant woman. But looking at you now, with neither beauty nor virtue, you’re indeed a perfect match for the conscienceless Hu family – rotten fish and spoiled shrimp in the same pot. How dare you come here to snatch a child and threaten to scar someone’s face? Are you feeding or clothing the child and me now? What right do you have?”
Zhou Shi had heard from Hu’s family servants that although Madam Lin could speak Chinese, she wasn’t particularly eloquent. But now, she found this concubine Lin sharp-tongued and cutting. With her cool, raised eyebrow gaze, she looked more like a legitimate first wife, which was infuriating!
Caught off guard by Madam Lin’s boldness, Zhou Shi angrily retorted, “My father is Deputy General Zhou of Linguan. These two are his subordinates. Do you dare to strike officers of Da Yan? Prepare to be imprisoned!”
Had she been intimidating ordinary civilians, this threat might have worked. Unfortunately, everyone in the room who had subdued her men was far from ordinary. In terms of rank alone, Fan Hu far outranked Zhou Shi’s father. How could a minor military official from a frontier granary town scare them?
Before Liu Miantang could respond, Fan Hu spoke in a deep voice: “We are in a time of border defense. Soldiers within a hundred li of the military camp are not allowed to leave their posts or move about freely. Moreover, Linguan has grain supplies, and its soldiers should be on constant alert. How powerful is your father, Deputy General Zhou, to dare assign soldiers to leave camp at his daughter’s whim, smashing civilian shops? According to Da Yan law, you’d better prepare for your father’s funeral!”
Zhou Shi hadn’t expected a mere pharmacy assistant to be so well-versed in military regulations. She vaguely realized he might be right. As Liu Miantang called for her assistants to take them to the authorities, Zhou Shi panicked and shrieked, “I only came to buy medicine and exchange a few words with you. Why are you restraining my people? They’re just servants, not soldiers… Release them immediately. We won’t dare buy medicine from you anymore.”
Seeing Zhou Shi back down, Liu Miantang had Fan Hu release the soldiers, allowing them to leave in shame. However, the resentful glare Zhou Shi cast back suggested she might cause trouble in the future.
After dealing with the shop’s disturbance, Liu Miantang went to find Madam Lin, only to discover her packing her belongings and wrapping the infant tightly in a small blanket.
Liu Miantang frowned and asked, “What are you doing?”
Madam Lin replied softly, “Today’s trouble was caused by my son and me. We shouldn’t bring you more problems. That woman’s father is a military official. If they accuse me of collaborating with the enemy, won’t it implicate you all?”
Liu Miantang knew Lin Siyue’s concerns weren’t unfounded. If Zhou Shi decided to make an issue of Lin Siyue’s foreign ancestry, it could indeed be troublesome. It wasn’t that Liu Miantang was afraid, but she worried about implicating her husband in the military.
However, she couldn’t just watch Lin Siyue leave. The weather was cold and windy, and where could a weak woman with a newborn child go without any connections?
After pondering for a while, Liu Miantang decided to have Fan Hu escort Lin Siyue beyond the border.
Coincidentally, the soldiers at Jinjia Pass were on rotation the next day, and there would be troops coming and going on the road outside the pass. So, Lin Siyue set out early the following morning.
Some towns outside Jinjia Pass had been reclaimed. The border residents there were a mix of Han Chinese and barbarians. Lin Siyue settling there wouldn’t stand out too much. As for food, clothing, and settlement money, Liu Miantang had prepared everything, including four thick, homemade quilts for little Hetao. Although the stitching was a bit crooked, the cotton padding was sufficient, providing enough changes even if the baby soiled them.
As Li Mama loaded the two large packages onto the cart, Lin Siyue watched silently. Suddenly, she spoke to Liu Miantang: “In our grassland tribes beyond the border, we remember one thing from childhood: great kindness needs no thanks. I will engrave your help to my son and me in my heart, Lady Liu, and will surely repay your kindness many times over in the future… Also, in our tribe, children have a custom of recognizing a godmother from a young age. Would you be willing to be my son’s godmother?”
Hearing Lin Siyue’s words, Liu Miantang smiled casually: “I’m not helping you expecting repayment. If you can raise little Hetao safely, that’s better than anything. I’d be happy to have such a cute big son out of the blue. From now on, he is my godson!”
As a godmother should give a welcome gift, Liu Miantang took off a small jade pendant from her neck and hung it around little Hetao’s neck.
Lin Siyue smiled at Liu Miantang, hugged her child, and boarded the cart, letting Fan Hu escort them out of the past.
Watching the milk-scented little Hetao leave, Liu Miantang felt a great deal of reluctance. She stood in front of the shop, gazing for a long time before turning back.
At that moment, Cui Xingzhou also arrived on horseback outside her pharmacy.
Liu Miantang turned and smiled at her husband wearing a conical hat, thinking he was so considerate, not wanting other young women to see his face, always wearing a hat when returning to Wuning Pass.
After Cui Xingzhou dismounted, Liu Miantang went over and affectionately took his hand: “Husband, are you here to take me home?”
Cui Xingzhou looked at her face, glowing white in the morning sun, and reached out to smooth her temples: “A subordinate just reported that there were suspicious individuals near the town. I was worried about you, so I came to check…”
Liu Miantang turned to look and indeed saw squads of officers patrolling. She said, “Since you’re on duty, husband, why don’t you come into the shop for a drink of water before you go…”
Cui Xingzhou nodded and led Liu Miantang into the pharmacy, holding her hand.
Liu Miantang was focused solely on her husband and didn’t look around. She failed to notice a man wrapped in a thick scarf standing at the corner across the street, staring at her in disbelief.
After Liu Miantang returned to the shop, the man watched Cui Xingzhou sit down to drink tea while Liu Miantang worked the abacus at the counter. He carefully memorized the name of the shop, then turned and quickly left.
He didn’t go far. After leaving Wuning Pass, he ran to an abandoned temple in the suburbs. Inside the dilapidated temple, three people were resting on a mat, and one was lying down. The newcomer addressed the middle-aged man lying down: “Young… Young Master, I just saw Miss Liu in the market street of Wuning Pass…”
The man, named Lu Xian, seemed to have an injured leg and couldn’t stand. He half-raised himself and stared wide-eyed: “What did you say? Who did you see?”
Liu Kun, the old escort from Shengwei Escort Agency, gasped for breath and said, “I said I saw the young miss’s daughter – Liu Miantang.”
Lu Xian’s eyes widened: “Nonsense! Didn’t Yangshan send a letter saying that Miantang fell into the river… and died?”
Liu Kun said urgently, “I was afraid I had made a mistake, so I pinched my thigh and looked again for a long time. Miss Liu looks exactly like our young miss. How many people could look that outstanding?”
Hearing this, Lu Xian’s eyes filled with hot tears: “Sister, if you can hear in heaven, your daughter Miantang is still alive, she’s not dead!”
In his excitement, he tried to stand up, but the pain in his leg was too severe, and he couldn’t straighten up. He could only ask urgently, “Then why didn’t you go recognize Miantang and bring her to see me?”
Liu Kun replied, “Today, Wuning Pass was full of officers and soldiers. I don’t know if they were there to arrest us. Moreover… Miss Liu was very affectionate with a chiliarch, holding hands. I… I didn’t dare approach!”
Lu Xian heard this and became uncertain: “Are you sure you didn’t mistake someone else for her? Miantang was so devoted to that Ziyu gentleman, how could she be affectionate with someone else?”
Liu Kun wished he could gouge out his own eyes to show the Lulorde: “It’s true. It was Miss Liu, in a pharmacy in the city… If necessary, I can pretend to buy medicine and send a message to Miss Liu, letting her know you’re here.”
Although Lu Xian was happy to know his niece was still alive, easing some of his discomfort, he still cautioned Liu Kun: “Be very careful when you go to deliver the message. Remember, we’re being hunted by both Agushen’s forces and the Sui Wang’s spies. Don’t bring any trouble to Miantang.”
Liu Kun nodded repeatedly. He took an inkstone, paper, and brush from a nearby luggage bundle. After preparing the ink and considering it for a moment, he quickly wrote a note.