Chapter 124

Chapter 124

Ding County not only had the seven to eight thousand troops recruited by He Lianqing but also the military pay, provisions, and land registers that he had hastily organized after being spurred on by the old man. As a result, Xiao Zhen's burden was much lighter compared to the other five county commanders.

Upon arriving in Ding County, Xiao Zhen first supervised He Lianqing in distributing the compensation and rewards to the soldiers. Then, he selected the infantry and guards from the five thousand-household battalions, the thousand infantry guarding the two mines, and the cavalry transferred to the cavalry camp. Finally, he distributed land to the poor farmers.

By giving out the land, he won back the people's hearts.

This was something Xiao Zhen had to do personally, taking He Lianqing around the east, south, west, and north of Ding County. Because it was done earlier than in the garrison city, he managed to finish early and come over.

The couple had been busy for half a month without seeing each other.

"Why aren't you wearing a cloak?"

Hugging her, Xiao Zhen first pinched her winter coat.

Tong Sui: "Grandfather and the others aren't wearing them either, and I've gotten used to it. Besides, cloaks can be quite cumbersome sometimes, so I left mine at home."

Xiao Zhen tried to lift her by her armpits to carry her to the bed.

Tong Sui: "It's all dusty up there!"

Xiao Zhen paused, then lifted her up, forcing her to cling to his shoulders and wrap her legs around his waist.

A girl who had run wild in the mountains since childhood, with long, straight, and powerful legs.

At night, what Xiao Zhen loved most about her were these legs, which kicked like those of a wild and spirited young deer.

So close, Tong Sui saw Xiao Er's sharp, narrow eyes, his face roughened by the wind, the stubble on his chin left after shaving, and the obvious movement of his Adam's apple.

Turning, Xiao Zhen pressed her against the wall behind the door.

They seemed to have never kissed for so long before; in the past, they often hurried to do other things while still in bed.

This time was no different, but Tong Sui was preoccupied with the need to distribute land in other villages, and Xiao Zhen didn't want to delay her schedule or let outsiders guess what the couple was doing inside. His large hands touched her dress ties several times but restrained himself and let go.

"Alright, Grandfather should have finished his tea by now."

After separating again, Tong Sui was afraid he might try again, so she leaned on his shoulder to remind him.

Xiao Zhen put her down.

Just as Tong Sui turned to tidy her clothes, Xiao Zhen suddenly hugged her from behind, one arm around her and the other lifting the hem of her short shirt.

Tong Sui's face flushed red as if she had a fever, and his breath on her ear was like that of a wild beast.

"The northern village isn't finished yet. You'll come over again tomorrow, so we might as well stay here tonight instead of going back to the city. The bed is cold, and the blankets..."

Xiao Zhen: "I'll take care of it; you don't need to do anything."

Tong Sui: "Then you should also clean up for Grandfather; he might stay overnight too."

Xiao Zhen laughed: "Grandfather isn't that tactless."

After another quarter of an hour, the couple walked out of the door one after the other. Tong Sui continued walking outside, while Xiao Zhen picked up the broom leaning against the wall and swept the fallen leaves in the courtyard.

Tong Sui rode the big black mule as if nothing had happened and went to meet the old man at the Sun family's house.

When Xiao Mu learned that his daughter-in-law had returned, he bid farewell to Sun Xinghai and continued to the next village.

As the group left Lingshui Village, Xiao Zhen rode up alone and joined the old man on the other side, reporting the situation in Ding County.

Xiao Mu was very confident in his second grandson's work and asked, "How are the two mines?"

Xiao Zhen: "Both are underground mines. The frozen soil isn't as thick, so they can continue mining in winter, though the pace will be slower."

Xiao Mu: "Slower is fine. Make sure the miners pay attention to safety, provide them with enough food and warm clothing, and pay their wages on time."

Xiao Zhen agreed to everything.

After finishing the official business, Xiao Zhen said, "Grandfather, I just aired two quilts and did some light cleaning in the yard. Since we're coming back tomorrow, why don't we stay in the village tonight? We can get some noodles and meat from Uncle Sun for dinner and make dumplings together."

Xiao Mu looked at the new magistrate and others following behind and stroked his beard, saying, "You and Aman stay here. I need to return; there's a lot to do in the city."

Xiao Zhen: "Alright, you and Aman can continue distributing land tomorrow, and I'll return to the city early to help you with your workload."

The old man was clearly letting Tong Sui gain some of the people's favor by having her participate in the land distribution. If Xiao Zhen were there, he would take away much of the praise that should have gone to Tong Sui.

Thus, after confirming the accommodation arrangements for the night, Xiao Zhen turned his horse and returned to the village to continue cleaning, sweeping the bed, wiping tables and cabinets, washing pots, and collecting firewood—there was plenty to do.

Tong Sui accompanied the old man in distributing land in five more villages to the west, and it was nearly dusk.

The old man said to the north, "If we work for two more days, we should be able to finish. Then we'll give everyone a day off to rest properly."

The new magistrate smiled and said, "Following you in this task that earns the people's praise, even if it's tiring, it feels good, and I don't feel tired at all."

In the past, collecting summer and autumn taxes from the villagers was truly unpleasant, being cursed wherever they went, and encountering fierce households whose eyes seemed ready to eat you, making them anxious and fearful.

Xiao Mu smiled and instructed the eight guards beside Tong Sui, "We'll head back to the city directly. You take a detour and send Second Lady back to Lingshui Village first."

"Yes!"

—

When Tong Sui pulled the reins at the back gate of the Xiao residence, the sunset was as brilliant as fire, casting the nearby fields in a golden glow.

The back gate was open, and Xiao Zhen was collecting the bedding, quilts, and cotton blankets that had been drying on the clothesline all afternoon, along with two sets of clothes.

This was deliberately left behind during the move, old and not worth much if stolen.

Tong Sui locked the front door and then went to tie up her large black mule. The mule was well-fed and strong, running as fast as a fine horse, so Tong Sui didn't consider replacing it with a horse.

"Come over and smell it; I think it's thoroughly dried."

Tong Sui walked over to Xiao Zhen, pinched the quilt, and then leaned in to smell the scent of sunlight.

With too many items, Xiao Zhen carried the larger ones while Tong Sui took two sets of clothes. The couple passed through the main hall and went to the front yard.

Stepping into the eastern chamber, Tong Sui first noticed the spotlessly clean main hall. A large pot in the north room was boiling hot water, steam rising from it. Opposite it stood a low table, with dumpling wrappers already rolled out on the board, and a bowl of mixed cabbage and lean meat filling beside it.

Xiao Zhen said, "The dumplings I make don't look good; I'm afraid you won't have an appetite when they're cooked."

Tong Sui smiled, "I'll do it later."

The couple went inside to lay out the bedding. While doing so, Tong Sui heard Xiao Zhen's stomach growling.

She left the work to him, washed her hands, and went to make the dumplings.

After making only five or six, Xiao Zhen came out and sat opposite her at the low table, watching her movements and staring at her face intently.

Unable to bear his gaze, Tong Sui asked while working, "When you went to Uncle Sun for flour, did he ask about Sun Dian and his brother?"

Xiao Zhen replied, "He did. If I hadn't said we still needed to tidy up, he wouldn't have let me come back and would have insisted we join them for dinner."

Going to the Suns' for dinner would save trouble, but it meant more socializing. It was far more comfortable for the couple to be alone together.

Tong Sui said, "Sun Dian is the city commander, and Sun Wei, who manages weapons, also holds an important position. Now Uncle Sun is even more prominent than when he was just the Village Headman."

Tong Sui added, "The dumplings you make look better than Second Aunt's."

Tong Sui responded, "...We were talking about Uncle Sun."

Xiao Zhen said, "I don't want to talk about him. I'll go take a bath first."

With that, he went to the south room, fetched a wooden tub that had been pre-cleaned, scooped hot water from the pot, mixed it, and carried it back in.

He didn't even close the door, chatting with Tong Sui while bathing.

Tong Sui used all the dough and filling, and after counting, found she had made over a hundred dumplings—just right for tonight and tomorrow morning.

It was thanks to Sun Dian and his brother's positions in the city that Xiao Zhen felt comfortable asking for flour, and Tong Sui didn't feel embarrassed eating it.

Xiao Zhen finished his bath, changed clothes, and his handsome face glowed with a post-bath red. When he looked at Tong Sui, his possessive gaze grew stronger.

Tong Sui held a bowl and ate the dumplings in small bites.

The couple finished over fifty dumplings. Afterward, Xiao Zhen washed the pots and dishes and reheated the water, while Tong Sui took the key and went to the study in the middle courtyard, cleaning meticulously under the lamplight.

It wasn't that she was overly diligent; she was full and needed something to do to pass the time, otherwise, she might be carried off to bed by Xiao Zhen, which would be uncomfortable.

Xiao Zhen helped her prepare the hot water and came over in the dark as she was cleaning the third row of bookshelves.

Leaning against the desk, Xiao Zhen watched her focused side profile and asked, "Are you scared?"

Tong Sui's hand faltered, and she clarified, "I just want to digest my food. It's too cold outside; I can't go to the backyard to catch a chill."

Xiao Zhen said, "Mm, take your time; I'm not in a hurry."

Tong Sui replied, "..."

Whether he was really not in a hurry or not, Tong Sui diligently cleaned five rows of bookshelves. These books were treasures to both the Xiaos and herself.

After locking the door, Tong Sui suddenly picked her up and carried her to the eastern courtyard in large strides.

The northern region often had howling winter winds, rattling doors and windows, but this sound made the people in their warm beds sleep more soundly.

After washing, Xiao Zhen eagerly tucked Tong Sui into the warm kang in the north room.

He had burned wood for a long time in the afternoon, making the kang very warm, as if someone had been living there continuously for the past month.

"The neighboring courtyard doesn't have side rooms, so they live in the main house. You can call out freely tonight."

Xiao Zhen coaxed her while kissing her.

Tong Sui didn't want to call out; she preferred to be quiet, hoping Xiao Zhen wouldn't hear her.

But it wasn't under her control.

Whether it was because of their brief separation or the absence of others in the courtyard, Xiao Zhen introduced Tong Sui to several new experiences that she never could have imagined on her own as a Xiao family wife.

Xiao Er's various skills even reminded Tong Sui of some idle chatter she had overheard while washing clothes by the river. Later, she asked him, "Have you ever been to those places?"

Xiao Zhen asked, "What places?"

Tong Sui pressed her nails into his shoulder, "The kind men like to visit."

Xiao Zhen understood and said, "No, I've never been and never will."

Tong Sui asked, "Then how do you know so much?"

Xiao Zhen laughed, stroking her hair, "During those six years of war, we fought hard during the day and twenty soldiers slept in one tent at night. Some missed home and couldn't sleep, others were in pain from injuries and couldn't sleep. When they couldn't sleep, they liked to chat, mostly about women. Those who were married talked, and those who weren't boasted as if it were real. I didn't participate, but I heard a lot, whether I wanted to or not."

Tong Sui gritted her teeth, "You still listened, otherwise how would you remember all that nonsense?"

Xiao Zhen said, "I did listen; it was one of the few pleasures in the camp. Besides, I would eventually get married, so it would come in handy."

Tong Sui: "..."

The dignified and serious Second Master Xiao is like this in private.