Chapter 157 General’s Wife

Chapter 157: General's Wife

The autumn wind in the northern frontier was bleak, the dew heavy in the dead of night.

Cui Ji handed his long spear to a personal guard; his heavy armor gleamed coldly under the moonlight.

He bent down and entered the central military tent, the wind from his entry made the candle flames sway violently, casting his tall silhouette on the tent walls.

Deputy General Zhao Cheng entered carrying a red lacquered food box, steam still rising as he lifted the lid. "The kitchen made a special mutton stew today."

Cui Ji's gaze remained fixed on the sand table; he nodded slightly in response.

His slender fingers traced across the map, the calluses on his fingertips scraping softly over it, producing a faint rustling sound.

"Remnants of the Northern Di Canglang tribe have retreated to the Blackwater River area, but scouts report that Southern barbarians' scout riders have appeared fifty li southwest."

Zhao Cheng's expression tightened, the scar on his temple standing out sharply under the candlelight. "If the Southern barbarians join forces with the Northern Di..."

"Order Blackrock Cliff to send an additional squad of crossbowmen." Cui Ji took a vermilion brush and drew a circle on the map, then turned to adjust several flags on the sand table.

"Also, dispatch a fast rider back to the capital, via the 800-li express urgent dispatch, and request His Majesty to probe the movements of the other Western Rong states."

Only then did he turn to the food box. Lifting the ceramic lid, a rich aroma of meat immediately filled the air.

On the clear surface of the soup floated a few bright red goji berries, strikingly vivid under the candlelight.

Cui Ji's stern expression softened slightly.

These were the goji berries Cheng Ge had given him last time; he always had a few added to every meal.

Suddenly, the sound of urgent horse hooves came from outside the tent.

A covert guard quickly entered and knelt on one knee, his armor clinking. "General, a letter from the capital."

Cui Ji set down his bamboo chopsticks and took the ink-scented letter, his fingertips gently rubbing the envelope.

His eyes fell on the words "To Cheng Xiao, personally open" on the envelope. The characters looked somewhat crooked and comical.

Cheng Xiao was Cui Ji's courtesy name; when Cheng Ge felt a bit of awe, he called him "Your Highness," when being familiar, he called him by his full name, but rarely did he use his courtesy name.

He carefully unsealed the letter. As the letter paper unfolded, a shadow passed over his eyes.

This was not Cheng Ge's own handwriting; if he wasn't mistaken, it was written by the butler for him.

"Cheng Xiao:

It has been long since we parted, and I miss you deeply. Since you left the capital, I cannot share meals with you every day; each meal is hard to swallow..."

Cui Ji's fingertips unconsciously tightened, creasing the edge of the paper.

"Whenever I think of you enduring the wind and dew, the frost and snow at the border, my heart is filled with constant worry, and I toss and turn, unable to sleep..."

Reading here, Cui Ji's Adam's apple moved up and down.

The candlelight cast swaying shadows between his deep brows, veiling the tenderness hidden in his eyes just right.

He couldn't help recalling the day he left the capital, when Cheng Ge stood on the city gate.

The dampness of that rain, along with an invisible gale, invaded his dreams day and night.

"General..." Zhao Cheng called softly.

Cui Ji seemed not to hear; his gaze lingered on the letter paper, afraid to miss a single word:

"The day before yesterday, the courier arrived, and the camel hump meat, sand date honey, beef jerky, and nine-jointed scorpion tail whip were all received, really satisfying my hunger.

As you instructed, I thinly sliced and roasted the camel meat. The flavor was indeed exquisite, and with the sand date honey water, I even ate three bowls of rice.

The beef jerky is especially rare—chewy and flavorful. I meant to savor it slowly, but before I knew it, I'd eaten most of it.

The scorpion tail whip is excellent! If you come across such divine weapons at the frontier, please be sure to keep an eye out for me.

Any swords, bows, or arrows, as long as they are rare and handy, I'd never refuse them.

I hear the Northern Di have recently made repeated incursions along the border. You are fighting hard in the cold frontier—please be sure to add more clothing in the morning.

Enclosed are two jars of loquat syrup, newly made by Lü Rou, which are quite effective for soothing the throat and relieving coughs.

Also, I have sent goji berries—remember to eat them daily; they have wonderful health benefits.

As for the position of assistant general, I look forward to it day and night, hoping to soon come to the frontier, ride side by side with you on the battlefield, and share meals together.

These words are brief but my feelings are deep. Take care and stay well." (The edge of the letter bore a few oil stains.)

Cui Ji's eyes lingered on the lines about each meal being hard to swallow and constant worry keeping him awake.

The corner of his stern mouth unconsciously lifted into a faint smile.

The candlelight flickered in his deep eyes, melting away some of the usual ice and revealing a faint, barely perceptible warmth.

Beside him, Deputy General Zhao Cheng was holding a bowl of water. When he inadvertently caught sight of that fleeting, gentle smile on the general's face, his hand jerked, nearly spilling the water.

Cui Ji, as if unaware of the deputy's loss of composure, read the letter two more times, from start to finish.

His fingertip even gently brushed over the characters "share meals together" before he carefully refolded the paper.

His movements were as delicate as handling a rare treasure, before he tucked it into his robe near his heart.

The cold armor couldn't block the warmth from the letter.

"Someone, come in." Cui Ji's voice regained its usual coolness, but upon closer listening, it seemed to have lost some of its former edge.

The covert guard who had delivered the letter slipped silently into the tent and stood with his head lowered, awaiting orders.

"Get me the red fox fur cloak I hunted the other day—have it cleaned properly," Cui Ji ordered.

After a moment's thought, he added, "Also, go to the kitchen and get the best beef jerky, along with the newly made milk cakes, and prepare plenty—make sure to add some honey."

"Yes!" The covert guard acknowledged the order and retreated.

Cui Ji saw the goji berries in the bowl and remembered Cheng Ge's advice in the letter.

He picked up a goji berry and put it in his mouth; the sweet taste spread on his tongue.

Zhao Cheng watched his general from the side, increasingly baffled, wondering if a ghost had possessed him.

Reading a letter could bring such a radiant expression, then ordering a precious red fox fur and specially prepared food.

This sure as hell isn't how you treat ordinary subordinates or colleagues in the capital.

Something's off, very off...

Thinking this, Zhao Cheng couldn't help but glance at Cui Ji a couple more times.

Then he saw Cui Ji staring blankly at a goji berry... grinning like an idiot?

Tsk! That expression... it was just like that dumbass under his command who received a letter from his wife?

His heart lurched. Could it be that the general was an old tree putting out new shoots???

Zhao Cheng sneaked a few more glances at Cui Ji. In the end, his nosy nature won out over his fear.

He mustered his courage and leaned half a step forward.

He slowly lowered his voice, asking as cautiously as he could and a hint of barely noticeable mischief.

"General... this... is it for the household... uh, for the General's Wife?"

The candle flame in the tent flickered abruptly.

Cui Ji, about to walk toward the sand table, paused mid-step almost imperceptibly.

He turned his face sideways, his features looking even more chiseled in the light and shadow.

He did not answer immediately; but his brows, which had softened for a moment, seemed in the candlelight to have regained some of their usual cold hardness.

But the warmth at the depths of his eyes, not yet fully faded, took the edge off that hardness.

The air hung still for a moment.

After a long moment, a very light, very simple sound escaped from Cui Ji's throat.

With a barely perceptible, subtle embarrassment at being caught, he admitted matter-of-factly: "Mm."

That single "Mm" was as light as a feather, yet it nearly made Zhao Cheng's eyes pop out again.

An even greater shock hit him—the general's estate... actually had a lady now?!

And it seemed she was a remarkable woman who could wrap Prince Zhenbei, that tempered steel, around her little finger?

Zhao Cheng was ecstatic! He'd originally watched Cui Ji, at his age, have zero interest in marriage.

He figured with that temper, the guy was bound to die alone.

The direct line of the Cui family had only this one remaining descendant, and it seemed there was no hope for an heir.

Unexpectedly, things took a turn. After returning to the capital, he actually had a General's Wife now.

Could it be that the old General Cui in heaven couldn't bear to watch anymore and suddenly decided to intervene?