Chapter 60

Chapter 60

◎First Watch◎

During the Dragon Boat Festival season, the humidity was oppressive, and after being outside for a short while, a fine sweat formed on the skin. Huiyin, who was naturally fuller figured, was particularly sensitive to the heat. Even though it wasn’t the peak of summer yet, she had two basins of ice brought in and had someone fan her before she finally felt cool.

When Li Cheng entered and saw her drenched in sweat, he took out his own handkerchief to help her wipe it, even pushing the maid aside. The servants, understanding the situation, discreetly left the room. Li Cheng said, "It's because you worry and think too much, which makes you prone to headaches and sleeplessness. You're deficient in both qi and blood, which is why you're always overheated and irritable."

"Whose fault is that? If you were by my side, I wouldn't have to worry so much," Huiyin complained, feeling that women shouldn't be too sensible, keeping everything bottled up.

Li Cheng thought about it and replied, "It's my fault, really. I'm sorry for always leaving you alone at home."

Huiyin knew when to stop and said, "You're doing it for me and the children. Never mind, let's have our meal."

Soon, the maids filed in, and the table was quickly laden with dishes: vinegar-steamed eel, braised yellow fish, roast duck, rich salted duck eggs, boiled and cold-tossed amaranth, and several kinds of soups, zongzi, and glutinous rice cakes.

Huiyin pointed to the small dish by her side and said, "These are the appetizers I made. They're not greasy at all."

Li Cheng, who often dined out, laughed and said, "Nothing beats a home-cooked meal. When you eat out, the food is fine for the first day, but after that, it's hard to swallow."

"That's natural. When people invite you out, they always go for the most expensive dishes. You end up eating the same things over and over, and even the most exotic delicacies would become boring. The dishes at home might not be as fancy, but they're made to suit your taste, so they're different." Huiyin then handed him a cup of iced drink in a painted high-footed cup.

What Li Cheng loved most about having meals with Huiyin was that they were both young and wouldn't be constantly told what not to eat or drink. He would joke, "Since I'm drinking that, do you think I'm planning to live a long life? We both love drinking iced honey water, especially when eating in the summer. A cup helps to open up the appetite."

The two clinked their cups before indulging in the feast.

After the meal, as usual, Li Cheng had his sons come over. Seeing that Jing'er had started learning to write large characters, he was very pleased. He advised against being too precocious, as it could harm the brain. Seeing his younger son's snow-white and adorable appearance, he felt that all his hard work outside was worth it.

He then looked at his wife and saw Huiyin yawn, as if tears were coming out. He felt proud, thinking, "As long as I'm by her side, she's always sleepy."

"Huiyin, take a rest," he advised.

Huiyin waved him off, saying, "I need to take a bath first to wash off the sweat. I can't sleep too much during the day, or I won't be able to sleep at night."

Li Cheng wanted to spend more time with her, but seeing she always had things to do, he came up with a plan: "Wait for me; I have something to tell you."

"What is it?" Huiyin, who was fond of cleanliness and felt uncomfortable with even a little sweat, urged him to speak quickly.

Li Cheng said, "It's about Jianye. Xie Jiuyi is now in charge of all affairs in Wei territory. But before he went to Nanjun, he returned the Cao family woman that the previous Prince of Wei had given him. My spies reported that Yin Liyi simply couldn't compete with this woman."

"Speaking of which, General Xie is a good man. Actually, as long as a man treats a woman well, a woman doesn't need to play games." Huiyin sighed, who wouldn't want to be innocent and straightforward, saying whatever comes to mind? But women aren't allowed to be like that.

Li Cheng held his wife's hand and said, "I think it would have been better not to agree in the first place. A person without trust cannot stand. The Cao family might not dare to be angry now, but who knows about the future? Xie Jiuyi, who is married to the Prince of Yuzhang's sister, holds a lot of power, which has upset many people in Wei."

This was what made Li Cheng different from others. If he accepted something, he would try his best to make it happen, just like what he did with Yin Lifang back then. If it didn't work out, he would feel guilty and make up for it.

Huiyin said, "Actually, a loving couple should not have room for anyone else. I wonder if the Cao family woman was helped to find a good match after being returned. Was she?"

Li Cheng shook his head, "That's the problem; it's not easy to handle. How do you find a good match for her? What is considered good? A high-status family might not be interested in a merchant's daughter, and if we just arrange any marriage, we could risk upsetting the Cao family."

"In the end, this is the Xie family's private matter and none of our concern." Huiyin didn't want to talk about these matters of concubine rivalry.

Li Cheng said, "But the Cao family wants to side with me..."

"Ah?" She looked at her husband, "I heard the Cao family is as rich as Deng Tong, even wealthier than the Jiang family. Are they siding with you so quickly? That's quite a surprise."

Although Xie Jiuyi had returned the daughter of the Cao family, she feared it was a trap and wouldn't be resolved quickly.

Li Cheng had been feeling rather pleased with himself. It wasn't that he wasn’t observant, but after capturing Qingzhou and then Yuzhou, his power had greatly increased, making it seem normal for others to ally with him. However, seeing Huiyin's expression, he asked, "What's the matter?"

Huiyin looked at him and said, "I know you're now a regional power and it's normal for people to ally with you, but I tend to think carefully and consider all possibilities. You've reclaimed Wujun, and the taxes from Wei have decreased by at least half. I imagine everyone thinks you're waiting for Wei to fall into internal disorder before taking it over in one fell swoop. If you're thinking this way, wouldn't Xie Jiuyi be thinking the same? You can't sleep peacefully when someone is right next to you. You've never been good at proactively scheming against others, but what if someone schemes against you? Who knows if the Cao family's alliance is genuine?"

Huiyin's words resonated with Li Cheng, who felt enlightened. "A wise wife's advice is worth its weight in gold," he said.

Seeing that Li Cheng had listened, Huiyin smiled. "I know that with the Cao family allying with us, our resources would be even more plentiful, but this is just icing on the cake. Our Xuzhou, Yuzhou, and Wujun are already sufficient. Why do we need them flattering us? If they're sincere, wait until you retake Jianye to accept them."

Li Cheng nodded. "You're right."

Normally, Li Cheng would find this suspicious, but now, after successfully taking several territories, he was confident. Huiyin didn't want to give him a wake-up call, but seeing that he had listened, she smiled and said, "As long as you don't mind my meddling."

"How could I mind? Few people dare to tell me the truth nowadays, but you always do," Li Cheng said, a little embarrassed.

In fact, when Huiyin spoke to him, she wasn't completely dismissive, because empathizing with each other, Li Cheng wouldn't casually meddle in her affairs either.

With Huiyin's advice, Li Cheng went out to consult with his advisors. Seeing that Li Cheng remained steadfast under such huge potential benefits, they all felt they had chosen the right leader.

However, Li Cheng did not reprimand the Cao family but said, "You, the Cao family, wish to ally with me, and I am pleased. You may conduct business on my land. I have always advocated for free trade. However, if you rebel against the Prince of Yuzhang and hold a grudge against the Xie family, I advise you not to go too far. I trust General Xie's character; he wouldn't take advantage of you for nothing."

The head of the Cao family had long heard of Li Cheng's righteousness, and seeing it for himself today, he found it to be true. Li Cheng was a man of integrity, which secretly impressed him, though he remained expressionless. "General Xie used and discarded my sister. She almost took her own life at home. I really don't want to ally with him. I ask that you, Prince, accept me."

Seeing the Cao family head's urgency, Li Cheng smiled slightly. "I welcome anyone who chooses to leave the dark side and join us. But I advise you for your own good: your sister is still young, and your family is wealthy. There are plenty of other options. I advise her not to despair. If you wish to find a young talented man for her, I am willing to be the matchmaker."

The Cao family thought Li Cheng would jump at the chance, but he didn't take the bait.

Soon, tea was served, signaling the end of the meeting, and the Cao family head didn't dare to stay longer, leaving promptly.

After he left, Li Cheng said to Yuwendang, "Send someone to secretly follow him and see where he goes."

After leaving Xuzhou, the Cao family head immediately went to Jianye and, three days later, disguised himself to meet Xie Jiuyi. The spy immediately reported back, and Li Cheng was surprised that Huiyin's guess had been correct. It seemed Xie Jiuyi understood him well and knew that when a person is in high spirits, they are most likely to lose composure.

He immediately returned to Huiyin and said, "I didn't expect you to be right. They are indeed putting on a show together."

"How I wish this weren't true. It would be nice to have an extra source of funds, and I always thought of General Xie as a truly devoted man. However, things often go against our wishes," Huiyin said.

Li Cheng was glad he hadn't been fooled. The Cao family certainly couldn't be fully trusted, but if they were used to transport grain and something went wrong, there would be trouble. Often, big plans are ruined by small characters.

Seeing Huiyin's kind heart and her refusal to take credit, Li Cheng felt even more that his wife was unparalleled and that his father-in-law, despite being tough, had produced a fine daughter.

Meanwhile, as Huiyin was deep in thought, she felt Li Cheng pinching her earlobe. Her face flushed slightly, and she turned away. "In broad daylight, what are you doing?"

"You know what I'm doing. You were too tired yesterday, and there were things to do. Today, shouldn't we spend some quality time together? It's better than you always saying I lack variety," Li Cheng said, his eyes fixed on his wife.

Huiyin covered her mouth. "You are really something. If someone hears this, what will they think of us? Those are private bedroom talks. Don't always say them out loud, or else, I won't be with you anymore."

If before Li Cheng was someone who couldn't say nice things, now he said all sorts of sweet nothings, just to make Huiyin's heart flutter, before carrying his feather-light wife to bed.