Chapter 125

Chapter 125

Tong Sui stayed in Lingshui Village for two nights. During the day, she accompanied the old man to distribute land, while Xiao Zhen went into the city to handle affairs. They would reunite at dusk in the eastern courtyard of the Xiao family.

The food and vegetables for the second night were brought back by Xiao Zhen from the city; they didn't go to the Sun family's place again.

When Tong Sui returned, Xiao Zhen was cooking porridge. On the cutting board lay sliced pork belly, dried beans, washed Chinese cabbage, vermicelli, and two pieces of tofu.

Xiao Zhen rarely cooked; he knew the general methods but whether the dishes tasted good or not was another matter.

To avoid wasting ingredients, he only cooked the porridge and left the dishes for Tong Sui to prepare.

Tong Sui stared at the two intact pieces of tender tofu and asked, "Did you bring these from the city too?"

Xiao Zhen smiled and said, "If I had, they would have been smashed to bits. I bought them from Uncle Ma in the village. He makes tofu."

With her doubts resolved, Tong Sui washed her hands and began to cook.

Xiao Zhen turned to help her stoke the fire in the other stove.

The wind outside was strong, so Xiao Zhen closed the door after Tong Sui came in. A lamp hung in the hall, and with the fires from the two stoves, the room was warm and cozy despite the dim light.

Before her marriage, Tong Sui often helped her mother, usually tending the fire. Now, the scene was similar, except her mother had been replaced by Xiao Zhen.

The sizzling sound of stir-frying pork belly was loud. When it came time to simmer the cabbage and vermicelli, Tong Sui asked Xiao Zhen, "Do you prefer this peaceful rural life or being a commander in the city?"

Xiao Zhen glanced at the bubbling broth in the pot, where the tender tofu pieces bobbed up and down. He gently pulled Tong Sui into his arms and answered slowly, "I like the tranquility of rural life, but I don't enjoy farming with my face to the earth and back to the sky. I like training troops to protect the local people, but I don't like the violence and bloodshed."

He was well-read and skilled in martial arts, with ambitions far beyond hunting or farming. His grandfather was the same, forced to hide in Lingshui Village out of necessity.

Only on the battlefield could one display true talent, and meeting a wise ruler could secure a bright future. However, Xiao Zhen disliked seeing soldiers die one by one and did not want his family to worry.

"If we lived in a prosperous era, both of my preferences could be fulfilled. In turbulent times, we are all forced to choose our paths, unable to make decisions for ourselves."

Tong Sui found that her preferences were surprisingly similar to his.

The Tong family were hunters with only two acres of land to cultivate. Tong Sui hadn't experienced much of the hardship of farming. She enjoyed hunting, but it was also a tough job, with difficult mountain paths, summer insects, and the uncertainty of success. A good catch could equal what villagers earned from farming for a year or two, but bad luck could mean days of fruitless effort.

Compared to hunting, serving as an advisor to the old man and earning a monthly salary of 2.5 taels of silver was much easier and equally enjoyable.

Xiao Zhen kissed her ear, "Life is about who you share it with. With you here, even tending the fire has its charm, and training troops becomes more spirited."

His parents had passed away, and he was deeply attached to his grandfather and Fourth Younger Brother. The three of them might drink together, but they wouldn't embrace like this.

Xiao Zhen liked holding Tong Sui and also enjoyed being held by her.

The stew in the pot was ready.

The couple served the dishes and sat at a low table. There were both meat and vegetables, and Xiao Zhen had even brought a bottle of wine, pouring it into two empty bowls.

Tong Sui said, "You drink it; I don't like the spiciness."

As a child, she had been curious about the taste of alcohol and why her grandfather and father always drank happily when they made a good catch. But when she secretly tried it, she coughed uncontrollably.

Xiao Zhen poured just a little into her bowl, "Try it. In the future, during military celebrations, some soldiers might offer you a toast. You shouldn't drink too much, but refusing entirely... never mind, if you don't want to drink, you don't have to. At least in these seven counties, you don't have to do anything against your will."

Saying this, Xiao Zhen poured the wine meant for Tong Sui into his own bowl.

Tong Sui glanced at the bottom of her bowl, where the remaining drops of wine slowly gathered into a small puddle.

The wine smelled very fragrant.

Tong Sui picked up the bowl and slowly drank the mouthful of wine. Having prepared herself, she didn't find it as spicy this time.

The warmth from the alcohol quickly spread through her body, dispelling the cold of the winter night.

Seeing this, Xiao Zhen said, "Let's eat; drinking on an empty stomach is uncomfortable."

Tong Sui nodded.

They ate and drank slowly, and eventually, Tong Sui ended up drinking half a bowl, with the rest going into Xiao Zhen's stomach.

After the meal, Xiao Zhen cleaned the dishes and heated water.

Tong Sui sat on the threshold to keep him company. She felt warm, while Xiao Zhen watched her cheeks turn from pale pink to a deep red, her clear eyes becoming even more lustrous and bright due to the alcohol.

Xiao Zhen held up four fingers and teased her, "How many is this?"

Tong Sui glared at him, thinking he was treating her like a child.

Xiao Zhen finished heating the water and moved the bathtub to the north room, which was warmer because the kang (a type of bed) had been heated for a long time.

Just as he finished mixing the water, he saw Tong Sui standing beside the bathtub, ready to undress. In the past, she would have insisted he leave first.

Xiao Zhen's throat tightened, and he tentatively asked, "Shall I help you undress?"

Tong Sui glanced at him and nodded.

Xiao Zhen: "..."

After a long session, followed by a nap, Tong Sui finally woke up from her drunken state, still a bit dazed. Looking at Xiao Zhen who was half-lying on top of her and then at the lamp on the cabinet, she pushed him away, "We haven't washed yet."

Xiao Zhen laughed, "I've already washed, and I helped you wash."

Tong Sui had no memory of it.

Xiao Zhen recounted what she had done in the bathtub.

Tong Sui covered her ears, refusing to believe a word of it.

Xiao Zhen leaned over her completely, doing something that could be considered bullying, yet he warned her with particular seriousness: "Don't drink outside in the future. Your tolerance is too low; you'll definitely get taken advantage of when you're drunk."

—

Finally, the land in Wei County was divided as promised, and the old man gave everyone a day off.

Xiao Zhen went to train his cavalry, and for two consecutive nights, Tong Sui, who had just been married, slept soundly and comfortably, waking up when it was already bright outside.

After washing her face, Tong Sui took out her face cream box and applied it meticulously. She liked working at the military camp but had no intention of roughening her skin like Xiao Zhen's. On the morning she guarded the city, there was no time to fuss, but now that there was no danger, Tong Sui never neglected to take care of herself, including her hands.

With frequent use, the face cream from the box given by her aunt before her marriage was down to half a box. As for rouge and powder, Tong Sui didn't need them; her complexion was good enough without needing rouge to add color or powder to whiten her skin.

When she arrived at the main courtyard, she found that Aunt Xiao and the others were just about to eat.

Aunt Xiao greeted her with a smile: "It's so rare to have a day off, why did you get up so early?"

Qi Yao called out in disbelief: "This is early? My mother was just scolding me, saying the sun was already on my butt and telling me to get up quickly."

Everyone laughed.

Xiao Yuchan poked her silly son's forehead: "If you grow up to be like Second Aunt and serve as an advisor in the military camp, your mother won't care if you sleep until noon."

A young maid brought a set of bowls and chopsticks, and Tong Sui sat next to Liu Chu and Lin Ningfang.

She asked the two women: "I want to go shopping later. Would you like to come along, Sister-in-law and Sister?"

Xiao Yuchan often went out with He Shi, so she didn't need to be specially invited.

Liu Chu glanced at Mianmian and said, "Sure, it's almost the twelfth month. I'll buy some small things for Mianmian."

Lin Ningfang simply nodded.

He Shi asked, "Is it something Grandfather asked you to buy, or are you just going to browse around?"

The former would be paid for from the family account, while the latter would be paid for from their private funds.

Tong Sui replied, "Just browsing around."

He Shi and Xiao Yuchan lost interest in joining, and Aunt Xiao had to stay home to entertain guests, only urging her nieces to have a good time.

Lin Ningfang returned to the western annex and put on a cloak.

The cloak was one that Xiao Yan had hurriedly bought for himself after Xiao Zhen had given one to Tong Sui. Lin Ningfang had only used it twice, once when she went out to order a leather armor for Tong Sui and once to make a leather case.

The water-red cloak, with its hood, immediately covered half of Lin Ningfang's small face with a ring of fluffy rabbit fur around the brim.

Liu Chu knew that Lin Ningfang disliked drawing too much attention, and since she couldn't control others' gazes, she could only cover herself.

However, when the three sisters-in-law walked side by side, Lin Ningfang's attire still drew attention.

She suggested to Tong Sui, "Should we wear cloaks too?"

Tong Sui's eyes showed a hint of surprise. Did Liu Chu also have a cloak?

Liu Chu smiled gently, "It was a gift from Mianmian's father when we were engaged. In the countryside, I've always been reluctant to wear it."

She had long since become accustomed to mentioning her late husband, but Tong Sui couldn't help feeling heartache. The deceased was not only Liu Chu's beloved husband but also Xiao Zhen and Xiao Ye's elder brother, the eldest grandson of the old man.

Both of them fetched their cloaks.

When the three sisters-in-law stood together, Liu Chu's cloak, though made nine years ago, was the most eye-catching. Its plum-red satin surface gathered light, shimmering like flowing water with each step she took.

Aunt Xiao glanced at them and found an excuse to naturally walk away, tears streaming down her face as she walked.

Behind her, He Shi's voice sounded carefree, "Liu'er's cloak is made of fox fur. Back then, our family was well-off, and the eldest son loved taking his brothers to hunt foxes in the mountains. He wouldn't settle for ordinary ones; he would climb mountains and cross rivers to find fox dens, saving the furs until he had enough to ask a tailor in the city to make a cloak. Then he happily went to propose to Liu'er."

"Ah, the sons of the Xiao family are all doting husbands. With this cloak, Liu'er's devotion to the eldest son is worth it. Ningfang and Aman, you two are in a fortunate position; remember to treat your husbands well."

He Shi concluded meaningfully, her gaze finally resting on her daughter-in-law, Lin Ningfang.

Lin Ningfang seemed not to hear, which was how she often responded to He Shi or Xiao Yuchan.

Tong Sui held one sister-in-law's hand in each of hers and smiled, "Let's go."

It was cold, so the three sisters-in-law didn't venture far, heading to the row of shops across the river behind the house.

Liu Chu bought new fabric and shoes for Mianmian, two silk flowers, and a new wooden comb.

Lin Ningfang bought similar items as Tong Sui, including face cream, and bought gifts for A Fu and Ah Zhen.

As they passed the fabric shop, Liu Chu reminded her younger sisters-in-law, "Second Master and Third Master have both earned merit, and it's almost the twelfth month. Why don't you make them new clothes?"

It wasn't because she cared about He Shi's sarcastic remarks; rather, in a marriage, it's about mutual care and affection.

Tong Sui looked at Lin Ningfang.

Lin Ningfang smiled, "Sister-in-law is right."

She led the way to the men's fabric section.

Liu Chu, holding Tong Sui's arm, followed behind. Although she was a widow, she still had the old man and her younger brothers to care for her. Intimate clothing wasn't appropriate, so Liu Chu picked out materials for three pairs of shoes, planning to make one pair each for the old man, Xiao Ye, and Xiao She.

After browsing and selecting, the three sisters-in-law returned home laden with purchases.