Chapter 126 “Do you like him?”…

Chapter 126 "Do you like him?"...

Tuo Baxiao froze mid-movement but didn’t pull away, instead tightening his grip around her slender back. Their limbs remained locked firmly against each other as he stayed silent for a moment.

Jiang Congyan, squeezed too tightly by him, strained with all her might to tilt her neck back slightly. Her soft palms cupped his sharply defined jaw, and she blinked away the mist in her eyes, searching his face carefully.

"You’re actually jealous?" she asked in a hushed, slightly hoarse voice.

She had expected some jealousy—after all, he was notoriously possessive—but not to this extent. Worse, once he got jealous, he would go wild with her. If she didn’t find a way to stop him, she worried she wouldn’t be able to get out of bed tomorrow. With her third brother just arriving at the royal court, her absence would surely look suspicious.

Yet, seeing him jealous also gave her a private little thrill. Recalling the recent incident with Princess Ao Na—though he had no intention of marrying her and never showed the slightest interest—so many had even pushed *her* to convince him. Outwardly, she’d kept a straight face, but inwardly, she had been upset. Not exactly jealous, just resentful that men could rightfully take so many women without facing moral condemnation. It was unfair.

Now, making him jealous over her felt like balancing the scales.

Seeing his expression still rigid, she wondered—was he truly this jealous?

Gently cradling his face, she explained softly, "Third Brother may be my cousin, but we grew up together. To me, he’s no different from a blood brother. My feelings for him are purely familial. You’re overdoing the jealousy, don’t you think?"

"I admit, today I was so busy chatting with Third Brother that I neglected you. But we hadn’t seen each other in over a year. Can’t you understand how excited I was to see family again?"

Their faces were so close their breaths had long since mingled. She could see each distinct lash of his eyes and her own reflection in his pupils.

Noticing a slight softening in his gaze, she pressed her advantage, calling out in a tender voice, "Husband."

Tuo Baxiao’s eyes snapped up, almost melting at that one word—"husband"—and almost nodding in agreement before barely restraining the impulse at the last moment.

"I’ve never seen you so happy before," he muttered.

Of course, he could tell her relationship with Zhang Xun was purely fraternal. His jealousy was real, but what unsettled him more was the unfiltered energy and radiant joy she had displayed today—a side of her he’d never seen before.

Without comparison, it wouldn’t have mattered. But now, confronted with the stark difference, it needled him like a hook snagging a nerve.

Tuo Baxiao couldn’t clearly articulate this feeling, but instinct left him restless and agitated, making him desperate to mark her as his—as if only through this could he reassure himself she was truly his.

"You’re never like this in the royal court," he added.

She hadn’t expected him to be so perceptive. Reflecting on her behavior today, she had indeed been way more animated—she had simply been too overjoyed to contain it.

"It’s because Third Brother is family. At court, aside from you, I don’t have anyone that close. Of course you wouldn’t see me like this otherwise," she explained. Then, lifting her clear, dark eyes, she met his deep jade gaze with unwavering focus, blushing as she added, "See? With you, I’m different too. These words I’m saying now—I’d never speak them to anyone else. Much less like this..."

She trailed off, flustered, lowering her lashes, eyes half-lidded, the tips of her ears tinged pink. Her entire demeanor carried a bashful hesitation, like dew-kissed petals quivering in the wind—so tender it softened one’s heart.

Tuo Baxiao’s mood instantly brightened.

She had a point. Those in the royal court couldn’t compare to her family. As long as he remained the most important and special person to her, that was enough.

With this realization, the stifling weight in his chest dissipated, and his earlier hunger came roaring back.

Jiang Congyan, feeling him harden against her, quickly pleaded in a gentle voice, "Don’t be so rough with me. If I can’t get up tomorrow, I’d *die* of shame facing Third Brother."

But Tuo Baxiao thought—good. Maybe then I’ll have you so sore you can’t move.

——

The next day, Jiang Congyan forced herself out of bed early despite her exhaustion.

Though the man had restrained himself after her "warning" the previous night, the first two rounds had still left her utterly spent. Finger-shaped bruises from where he’d gripped her waist as he moved her up and down lingered on her skin, and the throbbing between her thighs made walking uncomfortable—though thankfully, not impossible.

After a night’s rest, Zhang Xun had fully recovered his vigor. A young man brimming with energy, he was at the peak of his vitality. Having carefully groomed himself, he looked even sharper than the day before.

He was dressed in a sapphire-blue round-collared narrow-sleeved robe today, with a jade belt and jade pendant at his waist, and a golden crown on his head. His handsome features and elegant poise made him look less like a frontier general and more like an aristocratic young lord raised in the opulence of the Central Plains. Yet, his bright eyes, seemingly upright at first glance, betrayed fox-like slyness. Anyone who truly believed him to be a gentle and refined gentleman would likely end up helping him tally the profits while still being sold out by him.

Early in the morning, after breakfast, he carried a ledger and went to find Jiang Congyan.

Tuo Baxiao had been busy lately with troop deployments, monitoring border activity, conscripting newly enlisted soldiers and warhorses, and keeping an eye on the Murong Tribe. The subsequent logistics of supplies were also tedious matters. Having lost a day yesterday, he should have gone to the military camp early today, yet he deliberately stayed a while longer to exchange a few words with Zhang Xun before leaving.

Jiang Congyan noticed the flicker of change in his expression the moment he saw her third brother—though fleeting, she caught it nonetheless. Hiding a smile, she traced his palm under her sleeve. The man tensed up instantly.

After Tuo Baxiao left, the siblings finally had a chance to speak privately.

Jiang Congyan shooed away the maids around her and sat with Zhang Xun on chairs on either side of a high table.

"Tell me honestly, how is your relationship with Tuo Baxiao?"

She hadn’t expected the first question from her third brother to still be about this. Jiang Congyan chuckled, resting her chin in her hand. "Did you think we were pretending for you yesterday?"

Zhang Xun: "That’s not what I meant. I’m asking—do you like him?"

Jiang Congyan froze, her smile faltering slightly.

Like?

Did she like him?

She had never really thought about this question—or perhaps had subconsciously avoided it.

"You don’t like him?" Zhang Xun narrowed his eyes.

Jiang Congyan shook her head, her gaze slowly turning pensive. "He treats me very well—far better than I initially expected. Unlike men who take multiple wives, he has only married me so far. Not long ago, when Rouran offered a political marriage, he refused outright. In daily life, he almost always humors me. The fact that I’ve been able to expand my influence in less than a year is entirely due to his support..."

As she recounted the past, Jiang Congyan realized just how much Tuo Baxiao had done for her without her even noticing.

"A man who would go to such lengths for me—I doubt there’s another like him in this world. How could I complain?"

Zhang Xun stared at her and asked again, "Do you like him?"

Jiang Congyan stared at him, uncomprehending.

He didn’t care how well Tuo Baxiao treated her—he only asked if she liked him.

She opened her mouth, then closed it.

Zhang Xun continued, "You know Grandmother only wishes for you to live happily, to marry a man you love, not to sacrifice your happiness for some greater cause. If not for the letter you sent back to Liangzhou, Grandmother was truly prepared to risk the Emperor’s wrath just to bring you home."

Her eyes suddenly grew hot again. Jiang Congyan struggled to suppress the welling emotion in her chest, her voice turning hoarse. "I’m content as things are. Even setting aside all those 'grand matters,' just considering how I feel when I’m with him—sometimes, I’m genuinely happy. If I were to live like this for the rest of my life, I think I’d be willing."

Though the man often did things that infuriated or exasperated her, she couldn’t deny that, deep down, she felt joy—even a sense of vitality that made her feel truly alive in this world, not like some disembodied spirit. Occasionally quarreling or bickering with him, though seemingly angry, had its own peculiar charm.

Zhang Xun’s expression finally softened. Chang Shengnu hadn’t said it outright, but he sensed that she must care for him somewhat—otherwise, she wouldn’t have spoken of spending a lifetime with him.

That was enough.

She had lost her mother at birth, endured calamity at a young age, dragged her sickly body through the years, and just as she finally grew up, was given away to a stranger by imperial decree.

At last, fortune had favored her, granting her a stroke of luck.

"If that’s the case, then I’m relieved."

All he could hope for was that, no matter how the world changed, their feelings for each other would remain unchanged by time.

Zhang Xun finally got to the main purpose of his visit to the Xianbei. He took out a roster from his pocket and handed it to her.

Jiang Congyan quickly scanned through it and looked up, "Why so many? How will Liang State manage if they're all transferred here?"

She had already learned about the size of the team the day before—nearly five hundred people—but she didn’t know the specifics. She had assumed most were apprentices, but to her surprise, they were all master craftsmen, battlefield medics, and overseers from various fields. Not to mention the literacy tutors sent over, who included almost all the scholars from humble backgrounds she had trained over the years.

"These people were cultivated by you over the years. Now that you need manpower, transferring them to you is only reasonable."

"But..."

"Don’t worry so much about Liang State. Didn’t they manage before you arrived? Besides, we can follow the same process to recruit and train people for three or four years, which will replenish the workforce."

Now that they're already here, sending them back doesn’t seem practical.

As her third brother said, Liang State’s medical, educational, and various technical training systems were gradually improving, open to all backgrounds. They even provided financial aid to some impoverished students. It was only a matter of time before talents were cultivated.

"Alright, then I’ll thank you, Third Brother."

Jiang Congyan carefully reviewed the list again. As she had requested, talents in smelting, agriculture, education, medicine, papermaking, and printing made up the majority. There was also a small but vital group specializing in exploration.

After all, the former territory of the Jie was a gold mine—coal and iron mines with vast reserves, high quality, and easy extraction. If fully developed, the Xianbei's power would at least double.

Jiang Congyan had a premonition that the alliance between the Xianbei and Liang State wouldn’t last much longer. Trade could be cut off at any moment.

After conquering the Jie last year, most of their men were relocated to Tumochuan for farming, leaving behind women, adolescents, and a few Han people who had been enslaved by the Jie. Tuo Baxiao left Su Li there to oversee the area, and Jiang Congyan later sent some people to pacify them. For now, the situation remained stable.

Especially the Han people, who were quick to pledge their loyalty. The Khatun of the Prince of Mobei was a Han Princess—taking orders from her was far better than being oppressed by the barbarians.

Some names on the list were familiar to her from before, while others had been trained in the past two or three years. Listening to Zhang Xun’s detailed introduction, Jiang Congyan got a clearer picture of the overall situation.

After finishing, Zhang Xun took a sip of tea to wet his throat and suddenly asked, "What are your plans now? If Tuo Baxiao grows dissatisfied with the status quo and decides to march south, what will you do then?"