Chapter 124 “Husband”.

Chapter 124 "My husband?"

Jiang Congyan hadn't expected herself to impulsively ask that question. As soon as she said it, she regretted it.

Her request was truly "excessive." Not only for someone at the pinnacle of power, but even ordinary noblemen couldn't resist taking a few concubines— that's just how things were.

She knew it was unrealistic. During the period before their marriage, she had never entertained such a fantasy. When the imperial decree was issued and she decided to marry him, she had even imagined herself scheming to compete with other women for favor and secure her position. Yet, to her great surprise, Tuoba Baxiao had never had any women before—she was the first.

Reason told her that the past didn't guarantee the future. Especially after experiencing such intimacy, there was no telling when he might crave something new. It was in men's nature to spread their seed far and wide.

But nearly a year into their marriage, he had never once suggested taking another woman. Even when she was indisposed and he was left frustrated, he would only vent his pent-up desire by frustratedly pawing at her.

To be fair, he had been utterly doting toward her, even to the point of obsession. Perhaps it was because he showed such devotion that she, too, became momentarily lost in it, forgetting reason—hence the question.

Jiang Congyan slowly lowered her eyelids, about to dismiss it as a joke, when she failed to notice the unnerving intensity in the man's eyes at that moment.

Tuoba Baxiao gazed at her, his mind filled with the two words: "husband."

After so long in marriage, this was the first time she had called him that. Not the impersonal "Prince of Mobei," nor the generic "Prince" everyone used, nor even the sometimes sweet, sometimes exasperated "Tuoba Baxiao." This was his rightful title—one only she could use.

According to Han customs, she should indeed address him this way.

The customs of the Mongolian steppe were vastly different. He rarely heard such a term—even Qiu Liju referred to Tuoba Wuxi by his name or as the "Sixth Prince." Even when mentioning the word "husband," the pronunciation was entirely unlike "husband" in Han speech, so he had never paid attention to the distinction before.

"Say it again," Tuoba Baxiao urged, his voice thick with emotion, staring intently at her.

Jiang Congyan looked at him in confusion, unsure where his train of thought had wandered.

"Call me 'husband' again," Tuoba Baxiao insisted.

Really? *This* was what he was fixated on? Jiang Congyan was stunned, momentarily at a loss.

Earlier, she had uttered the term without much thought. But now that he was making a point of it, a flush of embarrassment washed over her—especially under his burning stare, which made her cheeks burn.

"Say it again," Tuoba Baxiao insisted, his calloused fingers already gripping her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes with no room for evasion.

Jiang Congyan blinked. Judging by his demeanor, he wouldn't relent unless she complied.

Fine—it was just a form of address. They *were* husband and wife, after all; it was only natural. With this self-reassurance, she parted her lips, finally forcing the two stiff words from her throat: "Husband."

The man's expression instantly brightened, as if fireworks had exploded in his jade-green eyes, blindingly bright.

Then she was enveloped in his fiery embrace, her lips completely captured as he kissed and nibbled relentlessly, his tongue invading fiercely to drink deeply of her.

Blood rushed to her face with the rising heat, staining the girl's cheeks crimson. The man, too, was flushed, his brow glistening with sweat.

Like a ravenous wolf gorging himself on fresh prey, he couldn't get enough. Only when Jiang Congyan felt her lips tender from his hungry mouth did she finally push him away.

Tuoba Baxiao paused for barely a moment before closing in again. If he couldn't kiss her mouth, he would settle for the yielding curve of her cheek—so fragrant and tender, it was irresistibly tempting.

When she felt his hands at her waist tugging at her sash, Jiang Congyan quickly stopped him.

Tuoba Baxiao understood.

She thought he would go wash up, but instead, he pulled her back against his chest.

"You're the only one I want," he vowed. "No other woman."

His tone left no room for doubt.

Jiang Congyan paused for a moment before realizing he was responding to her earlier words.

She had thought his attention was entirely on the way she addressed him, and with everything that happened since, she assumed he had forgotten her initial question. She didn’t want to bring it up again, never expecting that he still remembered and even answered her.

It was as if every word she spoke was important to him—no matter how excited or overwhelmed he was, he never overlooked them. This feeling was hard to describe, yet it undeniably reflected how much he valued her.

“When I said ‘only me,’ I didn’t just mean the political marriage. I meant all women, including those servant women without status—you can’t get close to any of them.”

“Under those terms, do you still agree?”

“I said I only want you, so I only want you. I don’t want any other women.” Tuo Baxiao snapped, gripping her shoulders impatiently.

Hearing his promise, Jiang Congyan felt surprisingly little joy, though it was what she wanted to hear. She believed in his sincerity at this moment, in his genuine affection for her. But people change—she had already experienced it firsthand.

No, she shouldn’t be so pessimistic. Living well in the present was what mattered most. Before passion faded, he likely wouldn’t break his promise. She could treat it as warding off rivals and solidifying her own power. Even if he did break his word later, she would have enough leverage by then. Jiang Congyan consoled herself this way.

She reached out and wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her face against his warm neck. “Fine. You promised me. If you ever dare touch another woman, I’ll never forgive you.”

Hearing the girl’s soft voice utter such domineering, possessive words, Tuo Baxiao laughed, his lips curling upward in a way that made him look almost boyish.

After holding each other for a while, the cool spring night wrapped around them in the man’s warmth, and Jiang Congyan gradually grew drowsy, yawning.

“It’s late. Let’s sleep.”

The man suddenly looked up, his eyes gleaming. “You really think we’re just going to sleep like this?”

“…” She should have known a man like him wouldn’t let her off that easy.

Jiang Congyan closed her eyes. “Then go wash up quickly. It’s almost midnight.”

Tuo Baxiao carried her to the spacious bed before heading to wash up.

Jiang Congyan sat by the bed, leaning against the bedpost, her mind jumping from thought to thought until, inexplicably, his words—“only you”—resurfaced in her mind.

Just as she recalled his promise, she heard the sound of the curtain being lifted.

Tuo Baxiao walked over while drying his hair with a towel, tossing it aside the moment he reached her. His long arms gathered her up effortlessly, and she found herself pinned beneath him.

The man was unusually excited tonight—even impatient. He barely kissed her before wanting to take things further. Jiang Congyan couldn’t take it and had to stop him.

Forced to restrain himself, he lowered his face to kiss her instead, whispering between kisses, “Call me like you did earlier.”

Jiang Congyan shut her eyes and turned her head away.

The more she ignored him, the more persistent Tuo Baxiao became, nipping at her sensitive earlobes and the nape of her neck.

Driven to the edge, Jiang Congyan finally murmured reluctantly, “Husband.”

The moment the word left her lips, she frowned and let out a muffled whimper.

She reached out to pinch this infuriating man.

…

“The weather’s warmer now.”

In the middle of things, their bodies still pressed tightly together, Tuo Baxiao suddenly spoke.

Before she could understand his meaning, the man had already risen, reaching for the cloak hanging on the bedpost’s rack. He helped her sit up and wrapped it around her.

It wasn’t until Jiang Congyan was lifted from the bed by him that she realized what the man intended to do.

Her whole body flushed hot in an instant, and she struggled to get down, but her waist and legs were trapped in his unyielding grip, unable to move an inch.

She kept trying to break free midway, but when the man deliberately loosened his hold to tease her, the sudden weightlessness made her tense up in fright, instinctively clinging to his shoulders.

In the quiet of the night, the warm glow of candlelight filled the bedroom, casting the shadows of two tightly entwined figures, gently undulating, turning in circles on the floor.

In the end, the insatiable man forced her to call him "husband" many times before he finally agreed to put her back on the bed.

"You must call me that from now on."

"..."

"If you don’t answer me, we can try again..."

"Alright, alright, I’ll say it, alright?" Jiang Congyan said weakly, burying her face in the pillow, her earlobes already flushed crimson.

Tuo Baxiao found her irresistibly beautiful and couldn’t resist kissing her again.

——

The Xianbei were still locked in debates over the Rouran matter. Tuo Baxiao flatly refused the possibility of an alliance, but the others refused to give up and kept trying to persuade him.

Chigan Balie and Tuo Bahuai led the army out, while Tuo Baxiao personally boosted morale and began mobilizing troops from other tribes to reinforce the defenses along the borders with the Xiongnu and Rouran.

If the situation truly escalated to that point, he would have to step in himself.

The eldest prince and Aona were still imprisoned. Tuo Baxiao sent envoys to Rouran, warning them that if war broke out between the two peoples, he would kill these two as a warning first.

The eldest prince held considerable status in Rouran. As the oldest, he had long since won over many allies, and his maternal clan was one of the most powerful noble families in Rouran. If he were killed, it would undoubtedly affect their future interests. Thus, they spared no effort in persuading the Rouran Chanyu to find a way to rescue the prince. Meanwhile, the other princes egged it on, eager to see the eldest prince lose his life among the Xianbei.

Rouran was divided—whether to side with the Xiongnu or the Xianbei remained undecided.

The external situation was tense and worrisome, but Jiang Congyan received news that brought her enough joy to dispel the gloom of recent days—her Liangzhou team had come.

As early as last year, when her businesses and influence expanded, she faced a manpower shortage. Though she had recruited some Xianbei, they were useless for skilled work.

So, she had written to her maternal grandparents in Liangzhou, hoping they could send a group of people to assist her after spring arrived.

During her years in Liangzhou, she hadn’t been idle. After earning money, the first thing she did was train a group of youths from humble backgrounds in literacy and skills. With these foundations, her ventures could grow.

Upon learning the time of their arrival, Jiang Congyan rose early that day, washed, dressed, and took a party to greet them. She didn’t know who was leading the team—the letter didn’t say.

Seeing her glowing with excitement, Tuo Baxiao asked, "Should I go with you?"

"No, you’re the great king. They’re hardly worthy of your personal welcome. Aren’t you busy lately?"

Her words only made him more insistent. "Things are mostly handled. I can spare half a day."

Since he insisted, Jiang Congyan didn’t stop him.

The two rode to the southwest of the royal court to wait. In less than half an hour, a sizable caravan appeared in the distance.

Jiang Congyan eagerly approached, and when she saw who was leading the group, her face broke into a grin.

"Elder Brother, it’s you? You didn’t tell me beforehand!"

Zhang Xun grinned. "Thought I’d surprise you."

"Well? Surprised?"

"Yes!" Jiang Congyan nodded emphatically. "I’m so happy to see you."

Tuo Baxiao had never seen her express such open delight before. His gaze shifted to Zhang Xun’s face, finding that too-handsome face rubbed him the wrong way.