Chapter 42

Chapter 42

◎Combined Two Chapters◎

Huiyin thought that despite Li Cheng's youth, his sense of responsibility outshone many men. For instance, he was currently accompanying their son, always holding Jing'er in his arms during the journey.

At first, Jing'er only sought closeness with his mother since he had spent most of his time with Huiyin, but now he would also open his arms to ask for Li Cheng.

"We'll arrive at the next place soon; it's called Yangping. After Yangping, we'll be even closer to our destination," Li Cheng said with a smile to Huiyin.

Huiyin put down the county records and topographical maps she was studying. Initially, she couldn't understand the maps at all, but now, whenever she encountered something unclear, she could ponder it herself and even ask Li Cheng, which made things much clearer.

"Yes, Yangping County seems to have many mountains. Look at the terrain here; it's layered and overlapping. I think we should rest on flat ground and avoid stopping when we encounter mountainous areas. I've heard that there are many bandits in these times who occupy the mountains and live by robbing others," Huiyin said.

Li Cheng nodded. "Don't worry, we've got two thousand crack soldiers with us. They're strong and capable."

Huiyin was still somewhat worried. "Let's still be cautious. Better safe than sorry."

Li Cheng, of course, agreed. They had a pleasant meal at an inn before entering Yangping County. Neither of them was particularly fond of extravagant displays. Jing'er ate egg custard and enjoyed it, but perhaps because of the strong sun the previous day and the long journey, he had developed diarrhea.

The doctor who was part of their entourage stepped forward. "This is diarrhea. If not treated early, it may lead to dehydration."

Li Cheng, anxious, said, "Please treat him. His mother has brought all kinds of medicine."

"Little Prince, in my humble opinion, we should stay here for a few days until the young master recovers before continuing our journey. The carriage is stuffy, and the wooden boards are hot, which may worsen the child's condition if his belly is exposed to heat," the doctor advised.

Huiyin looked at Li Cheng pleadingly. "Little Prince..."

Li Cheng nodded. "Alright, but staying in an inn won't do. I'll find a house, and we'll stay here for a few days." He then comforted Huiyin. "It'll be fine."

As new parents, they were always worried about Jing'er suffering. Huiyin felt even more guilty because Li Cheng was fulfilling her longing to return to her hometown, bringing such a young child along. If anything happened to the child, she would feel utterly responsible.

The usually energetic little one was now weak from the diarrhea, breaking Huiyin's heart.

Fortunately, Li Cheng not only found a suitable house within half a day but also arranged for meals. Huiyin was astonished. As she walked in and looked around, she noticed that even the floor was free of dust. Considering this was the north, where the wind and sand could be quite severe, this was no small feat.

"You're amazing," Huiyin praised sincerely.

Achieving this was not easy; it required more than just money—it needed coordination and planning. She whispered to Jing'er, "Your father is truly a good dad."

Jing'er had what the doctor called 'heat-induced diarrhea,' likely caused by overeating or eating something that didn't agree with him. The doctor prescribed medicine to clear heat, strengthen the spleen, and stop diarrhea. However, since Jing'er was not yet one year old, he vomited upon smelling the medicine. The doctor then suggested a folk remedy of fried flour. Sure enough, after taking this remedy, Jing'er's diarrhea stopped. Nevertheless, Li Cheng and Huiyin decided to stay for a couple more days before continuing their journey.

"Once we get to Jizhou, it will be cooler, and I'll feel better about leaving Jing'er at home," Huiyin said, gently stroking her son's head, feeling a sense of guilt.

Li Cheng's mother, Princess Wu, had a short fuse and would lose her temper over the smallest things, causing Li Cheng to grow up in a tense environment where he was quick to pass blame and deflect responsibility. If it were his mother facing this situation, she would surely complain and create a scene.

But Huiyin was entirely different. She was merely self-critical, actively sought solutions, and cooperated earnestly with Li Cheng.

"You're wonderful," Li Cheng couldn't help but smile.

Huiyin looked puzzled. "You're the one who's great. In such a short time, you managed to find a house and all the necessities. Honestly, you don't seem like someone who pays attention to daily life, but you're actually quite good at it. I've found a treasure."

Li Cheng looked at Huiyin. "Are we going to live a life where we praise each other every day?"

"We should focus on each other's strengths. Constantly nitpicking faults isn't the way to live. Besides, neither of us is too worldly. If we started playing games with each other, it might work for a while, but in the end, it would tear us apart. If our own family isn't united, how can we manage external affairs?" Huiyin believed that if Li Cheng were a bad person, she would have had to rely on their son to inherit the title and handle matters.

However, to her surprise, he turned out to be a good person, which is why she felt comfortable sharing so much with him.

After they set out, the couple spent every day together. Now, with their child finally asleep, Huiyin took a short nap on the bed, while Li Cheng read a book beside her. He rarely took afternoon naps. Seeing Huiyin's peaceful face as she slept, he couldn't help but smile softly.

Three days later, the couple set off with their son, heading into Pingyang County. Since they had decided not to rest along the way, they didn’t dare give the child minced meat. Even fruit mush was out of the question, as it might upset his stomach, so they could only feed him rice porridge.

In addition, there were two wet nurses to nurse the child, and as a result, he remained in good health.

Unfortunately, just as they were halfway into Pingyang County, it started to rain.

Li Cheng found a teahouse to take shelter from the rain. Huiyin got off, holding the child and wearing a raincoat. All the while, Li Cheng held an umbrella over her, ensuring not a single hair on her head got wet.

The shopkeeper brought over some hot tea, and soon the air was filled with its fragrant aroma. Li Cheng said to Huiyin, “Don’t worry, I had this tea made with the Jade Spring water from the house we stayed in.”

“I see,” Huiyin replied, no longer hesitating.

This was thanks to Li Cheng’s reflection on the previous incident with the egg meat paste, which had caused their son to have diarrhea due to uncleanliness. They couldn’t afford to be careless again.

The tea and snacks were a perfect pairing, but Jing’er, being a curious child, tried to grab some with his hands. Fortunately, Huiyin pulled him away in time. Li Cheng just smiled at the sight. However, when he looked back, he noticed a pregnant woman with a swollen belly, tattered clothes, stumbling through the rain, seemingly trying to approach the teahouse.

Some attendants and soldiers moved to intercept her, but Li Cheng found it strange. In such a deserted place, why would a pregnant woman appear? He considered driving her away but feared his wife would think him heartless.

Huiyin thought the same. After all, King Chu of Chu, a sovereign ruler full of ambition, was killed by bandits. One couldn’t let their guard down.

Perhaps she would never have that level of empathy.

The couple exchanged a glance, and Huiyin said, “In such a desolate place, the sudden appearance of a pregnant woman seems suspicious. As the saying goes, ‘when something is abnormal, there is bound to be something devilish.’ We shouldn’t let this person get close.”

Li Cheng breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s what I thought too.”

The pregnant woman was said to have fled after being beaten by her husband. Huiyin said to Nanny Nan, “Give her some food and silver, but not you directly. Have the soldiers do it.”

She knew Nanny Nan had a soft heart, but this wasn’t the time for that.

The teashop owner came over to refill the tea, feeling regretful. “That woman is from Xiaogou Village. She used to sell wine here and saved quite a bit of money to return home and marry. At first, her husband treated her well because she had money. But after she spent it all, he started to beat and scold her, which is why she was chased out even while pregnant.”

“Since she’s so pitiful, I gave her twenty strings of cash, enough for a year. People need to stand on their own feet. Once she has the child, we can ask the teahouse owner to employ her,” Huiyin said, not drinking the tea the teashop owner had poured.

As soon as the rain stopped, Huiyin urged Li Cheng, “The rain in the north passes quickly. We should move on.”

They left without delay. After all, the people following Li Cheng were soldiers used to marching, and Huiyin’s attendants were efficient as well.

However, once they were far away, the teashop owner, who had been so kind-faced earlier, discarded the toothpick he had been chewing and said to the pregnant woman, “Phoenix, your trick didn’t work.”

The pregnant woman, who had been looking miserable moments earlier, now slammed her hands on the table fiercely. “We waited patiently for a big catch, but they didn’t fall for it. The men following that guy are all tough nuts to crack.”

The teashop owner glanced at his tea. They hadn’t used their own utensils to brew it. Even though he had managed to pour a cup of water, the woman hadn’t drunk it.

The woman named Phoenix said, “Still, no need to worry. They’re carrying a lot of stuff. Just the white jade hairpin that woman is wearing on her head is quite valuable.”

The teashop owner quickly put down his crossed leg. “We can’t let such a big fish go. I’ll inform the brothers right away, set up roadblocks, and rob them directly. If we pull off this job, it’ll sustain us for years.”

……

Huiyin had the water stains outside the carriage wiped off. Fortunately, the sky cleared after the rain.

Li Cheng was riding his horse outside when he suddenly knocked on the carriage door. Huiyin lifted the curtain. “What is it?”

“We’ve entered the mountains now. I have a feeling something’s off. Huiyin, don’t panic, alright? You and the child stay here. I’ll handle everything, understand?” Li Cheng said.

Huiyin certainly wouldn’t cause any trouble. She couldn’t fight anyway, so what good would she be? But she did have a trick up her sleeve and quickly said, “Wait, I have something for you.”

Li Cheng asked puzzled, “What do you have for me?”

Is it a peace charm?

But then Huiyin removed a small white jade object from her hairpin and pulled out a packet wrapped in red paper. She said, "This is a highly toxic substance, colorless and tasteless. If the opponent is difficult to deal with, just force it into his mouth."

"Is this poison?" Li Cheng whistled, realizing how lucky he was to have never offended Huiyin; otherwise, he might not have known what hit him.

Huiyin pouted. "What's wrong?"

Fearing she was about to lose her temper, he hurriedly slipped away.

Inside the carriage, Nanny Nan was full of fear, but Huiyin smiled. "It's alright. We should trust the Little Prince."

However, she warned the wet nurse and the maids in the carriage, "We mustn’t leave the carriage or cause any unnecessary trouble."

As Li Cheng had expected, there was an ambush ahead. He did not underestimate these bandits. The bandits were preparing to roll stones down the mountain, but unexpectedly, those in the ambush were shot dead instead. Li Cheng saw that some people ahead were trying to rush up; they were attempting to trip the horses with ropes. But Li Cheng, on horseback, deftly used his spear to knock several of them down.

Outside, the sounds of battle were deafening. Nanny Nan was terrified, but Huiyin remained calm, covering her son's ears. Jing'er thought she was playing with him and stretched out his hand to touch Huiyin's face.

Perhaps it was the child's laughter that eased the tense atmosphere inside the carriage.

In less than an hour, Li Cheng came over and lightly knocked on the carriage door. Huiyin quickly pulled it open and popped her head out. Li Cheng didn’t expect her to come out so quickly and whispered, "The enemies are dealt with. Let's go."

"Are there any wounded soldiers?" Huiyin asked.

Li Cheng shook his head. "They were just a bunch of bandits and ruffians. No need to entangle further; we must hurry on our journey."

Huiyin looked at him. "In a while, you should calm the soldiers first, then we can talk."

Li Cheng loved talking and listening to Huiyin the most. He couldn’t help but nod.

Perhaps because Li Cheng had written ahead to Jizhou, just as they reached the border between Qingzhou and Jizhou, they saw a young man waiting there. Li Cheng's heart stirred.

The young man was tall and imposing, with bright, piercing eyes. The warm look he gave them carried a hint of familiarity.

"Are you the Prince of Huaiyin from Xuzhou?" the man asked.

Li Cheng clasped his fists. "That's me."

"Brother, husband, that's my brother," Huiyin exclaimed and quickly got off the carriage.

Pei Shuo, seeing his sister and then glancing at Li Cheng, immediately bowed. "General Pei Shuo, Commander of the Jianwei Army, pays his respects to the Little Prince."

Li Cheng quickly dismounted to help him up. "We're family; there's no need for formalities. I'll just call you brother. My courtesy name is Yunzhi; may I know your courtesy name, brother?"

Pei Shuo, seeing that Li Cheng was as excellent as his younger brother Zheng Wuheng had described, felt as if he had drunk a bowl of honey water. More importantly, he was a man of deep loyalty and righteousness, treating his sister so well. After his sister wrote about the effort Li Cheng put into making time for this trip home, Pei Shuo had already formed a favorable impression of his brother-in-law. Seeing how affectionate Li Cheng was being, Pei Shuo was delighted.

"My courtesy name is Yuanyuan. Prince, just call me Yuanyuan," Pei Shuo smiled.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Pei Shuo couldn’t resist teasing his sister. "You, where is the demeanor of a lady from a great family? Running down from the carriage like that, aren't you afraid the prince will laugh at you?"

"Brother, I hurried down from the carriage as soon as I heard your voice," Huiyin replied, feeling alive again now that she was back in Jizhou.

"Sister, did you have a smooth journey? I had planned to meet you in Qingzhou, but the He and Lü families should respect our father’s wishes, shouldn’t they?"

"Brother, you asked so many questions at once that I don’t know where to start. When we get home, I’ll tell you everything in detail."

Watching the siblings chat so warmly, Li Cheng felt a twinge of envy. After all, he was an only child. When he was younger, his mother had invited the Yin family sisters and other children of similar age to be his companions, hoping to provide him with more friends.

From here on, the soldiers no longer needed to maintain their disguises and returned to their usual uniforms.

They were arranged to wash and dress at the post house the day before they were due to arrive home. When Li Cheng entered, he saw Huiyin had just put on her night clothes and was sitting in front of the dressing table, arranging herself. He couldn't help but be drawn to her and leaned down on her shoulder. "We'll be home soon. Are you happy?"

"Of course, we women marry far away and rarely see our relatives. If it weren’t for you bringing me back, I might not have been able to see my parents and brothers again." Huiyin rubbed her cheek against his, involuntarily becoming more intimate and softening her voice. "I didn’t tell you much about my family before because I didn’t know if I could return to my parents' home. But now I should tell you, so you’ll be aware of the relationships in my family."

Li Cheng actually had some understanding of Zheng Fang's family and had even commented on them before he married Huiyin. But now, hearing Huiyin speak so openly, he felt that his wife had no secrets from him and gladly said, "Go ahead and tell me."

Huiyin stood up and said, "My father rose from humble beginnings. His father passed away early, and he was raised by his widowed mother, Madame Xu. He was originally a captain under Lu Ji, the governor of Gannan, and later earned successive military merits, gaining Lu Ji's trust. My father was rewarded and appointed to a fairly high official position. At that time, he married the daughter of the Xu family from Donghai, who was also a niece from my grandmother's side. Later, when Lu Ji rebelled, my father killed him but was then pursued by Lu Ji's subordinates. He ended up in Gaoyang, where my mother was recruiting a husband. My grandfather was the commanding general of Gaoyang at that time. Madame Xu deliberately had my father marry my mother to preserve himself, and even requested to step down from the marriage. But after my parents married, things changed unexpectedly. Therefore, besides my brother and I that you've seen, my elder sister, who married into the Eastern Palace, is of a different mother. She was born to the divorced Madame Xu."

"I see," Li Cheng said, listening attentively.

Huiyin smiled and continued, "My brother, Pei Shuo, is my mother's son with her first husband, Pei Ye from Hedong. My mother and Uncle Pei were deeply in love and had long agreed not to take concubines. Once, Uncle Pei encountered danger, and while my mother was pregnant, she lost the child trying to save him. The doctor said she would never be able to have children again. But unexpectedly, Uncle Pei took an external concubine, which my mother discovered, leading her to divorce him and leave with my brother. In recent years, when Uncle Pei passed away, he left all his estate to my mother and brother, but the illegitimate sons and clan elders of the Pei family disagreed. My mother helped my father secure the estate for my brother. Now, my brother works under my father, but my mother, fearing he might feel constrained, also arranged a separate residence and assets for him."

Li Cheng hadn't expected Madame Ji to be so resolute, a truly passionate woman, unlike what the Xu family said about her being fickle.

Huiyin continued, "After my mother married my father, my grandmother and Madame Xu were very hostile toward her. After all, Madame Xu believed my father married my mother as a mere pretense, and it turned into reality, thinking my mother had no shame. Fortunately, my mother gave birth to me and my brother, and eventually established herself firmly. Our family is divided into two factions: my grandmother and elder sister form one faction, while my mother, my brother, and I form another. So, if my grandmother says anything about me in front of you, please be tolerant and don't be angry. You know what kind of person I am."

She wanted to warn him because if Elder Madame Xu saw Li Cheng treating her too well, she might feel uncomfortable and say something negative. Who would think their own grandmother's words about their granddaughter were false?

Li Cheng sensed some unclear matters, such as why the Zheng family didn't help at all when the Crown Prince went south to fight. There might be family disputes involved. Huiyin's brothers were all in the military, and their strained relationship with the Xu mother and daughter meant they wouldn't support the Eastern Palace.

Li Cheng didn't know about such things and, recalling Huiyin's warning, realized she was likely worried about what Elder Madame Xu might say. He brightened and said, "Don't worry, no matter what she says, I won't take it seriously."

Huiyin nestled into his arms and said, "In the past, we were often apart, but you always protected me in your family. Now, in my family, if anyone gives you trouble, come to me if anyone gives you trouble."

In the past, Li Cheng would have been too proud to let a woman protect him, but now, hearing these words, he felt sweet and held Huiyin, saying seriously, "Now I'm a son-in-law living in my wife's family, so you must protect me!"

This made Huiyin a bit uncomfortable. This man usually spoke with such certainty, rarely with such sentimental tones.

She quietly tickled him, knowing he was ticklish, and Li Cheng restrained her hands as they had a playful tussle.

Meanwhile, the Zheng family was also in turmoil. Every time Elder Madame Xu saw De Yin, she noticed her becoming thinner and wanted Zheng Fang to bring his daughter back to recuperate. However, both Zheng Fang and Madame Ji disagreed. Zheng Fang's stance was that unless the Crown Prince accompanied her back, De Yin, not being the primary wife, couldn't casually return home. Elder Madame Xu was, of course, deeply troubled by this.

While De Yin couldn't return, Huiyin was back for a family visit. Madame Ji was extremely happy, bringing her daughter-in-law, Madame Xin, to arrange the new residence. "Indeed, our Huiyin is blessed. Look, even the Prince of Huaiyin is personally accompanying our daughter back."

Madame Xin felt a bit sour inside. Her mother-in-law had never been so good to her family, but remembering that her son-in-law was the Prince of Huaiyin, her sense of injustice dissipated, and she even offered, "Mother, I think this folding screen is too heavy, making the bedroom appear too dark. How about replacing it with a lighter-colored one?"

Madame Ji clapped her hands. "You’re right. You and Huiyin have great taste. I have a huanghuali screen embroidered with orchids. The color of huanghuali is lighter than that of purple sandalwood."

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law exchanged a few more words before Madame Ji asked Madame Xin to return first as she went to see her mother-in-law.

Madame Ji was well aware of why Elder Madame Xu called her over. With Huiyin and her husband returning, Elder Madame Xu was upset and resentful, often venting on family members, and her daughter-in-law was the primary target.

As expected, upon entering, Elder Madame Xu scolded her, "Isn’t De Yin your daughter as well? Don’t you feel heartbroken seeing her like this? Even if the palace isn’t safe and you can’t bring her back home, she’s still someone you’ve watched grow up."