Chapter 159 Twins?

Chapter 159: Carrying Twins?

Zhao Cheng's words about a beautiful wife and a young heir hit like a bolt from the blue.

It not only stunned the Beidi people, but even Cui Ji, standing on the camp gate, felt the veins on his temples bulge and throb.

The wolf-mark on Wuwei's face twisted as if it might leap off; a surge of fury shot straight to the top of his head!

This was even worse than taking a knife to the gut!

Cursing Cui Ji as childless and without descendants had been the Hunye tribe’s go-to trump card, always making those Zhou dogs see red.

But now... what the hell?!

A gorgeous wife? True love? A young heir? Crush the royal court?!

The huge info gap just wrecked his advantage, and he ground his back teeth to dust.

There were few insults to use to begin with, and now his sharpest tactic had been blocked? How was he supposed to play this?!

"That’s bullshit!" Wuwei suddenly spurred his horse, charging to the front of the formation.

Brandishing his saber and pointing at Zhao Cheng, spraying spit in the freezing wind:

"Zhao Cheng! You shit-talking Zhou dog! You say he's married?!

Did you see it with your own eyes?! Probably some whore he bought from some back-alley to pretend to be his wife! Who the hell does he think he’s fooling?!"

The more he spoke, the more convinced he became, as if he’d grabbed a lifeline.

His voice shot up a pitch, dripping with venom: "So what if he did marry?! Huh?! How can you be so sure she can bear a child?!

In your Great Zhou, those high officials and nobles fill their backyards with three wives and four concubines, yet how many are still shooting blanks?!

A cursed star like Cui Ji is destined to have no heirs! Childless! This is heaven’s punishment, don’t you understand?!"

"And a young heir? Inheriting his tiger might? Dream on, you idiot! Cui Ji’s never gonna have kids, ever!

He’s doomed to be the last of his line! The whole Cui Family Army will croak with him! Keep dreaming, asshole!"

"Bastard! Shut your stinking mouth!" Zhao Cheng felt a weird surge of excitement.

He reined in his horse, his long saber pointing at Wuwei.

His voice boomed above the wind and distant fighting, with a tone of undeniable "truth."

"Wuwei! You ignorant frog in a well know nothing! Our princess is a blessed star from heaven, blessed with boundless fortune!

She's personally registered with Guanyin, the Fertility Goddess! Not just one young heir, but two in three years, three in five—hell, she could pop out eight or ten tiger cubs without a problem!"

Zhao Cheng grew more animated as he spoke, "By then, our young heirs will be full of piss and vinegar and inherit the general's tiger might!

A single squirt of their kid-piss could drown you, you bastard!"

"Zhao Cheng, you traitor! I’ll kill you, you bastard!" Wuwei, forgetting all about formation and taunting, charged at Zhao Cheng with his saber raised! All he wanted was to slice off that shit-spewing mouth!

Cui Ji cast a weary glance at the officers below.

He silently raised a hand to rub his throbbing temples and, without looking back, walked down from the camp gate.

Riding on Wuwei's fury, Zhao Cheng lured him deep into an ambush, and Wuwei got caught in the Cui Family Army’s pincer attack.

In the end, thanks to his men throwing themselves in the way, he barely made it out alive with his mangy hide, and led his shattered troops slinking back to the Northern Di camp.

But the aftermath of this farce was only just beginning.

Deputy General Zhao’s bombshell words spread like a wildfire on wings across the entire Northern front.

In less than a day, they had even reached other Northern Di tribes.

"Did you hear? General Cui got married to a princess! An absolute bombshell from a classy family!"

"Not just that! Deputy Zhao says the Fertility Goddess herself set up the match!"

"Yes, yes! And they say the princess is already knocked up—with twins! The general has heirs!"

"I hear the Northern Di are terrified now. Finally, we get to show our might!"

...

Back in the capital, Cheng Ge still had no idea he was supposedly pregnant with twins.

"Don't say green hills are full of blocks—wind sharp, wind strong; white clouds over peaks can still carry love.

Don't say waters are full of changes—water clear, water still; tender as water, love endures."

Cheng Ge lounged in a chaise lounge, legs crossed, humming a tune.

A large red gift ledger lay open on his lap; in one hand, he held a small wolf-hair brush, frowning slightly but muttering to himself.

"A gold filigree hairpin inset with pearl... no, too vulgar. She's a scholar's daughter, must be refined..."

Sunlight streamed through the carved window lattice, warming him.

Occasionally, he would shake his head, cross something off the ledger, and add two more items, his expression as focused as like he was choosing his college in the gaokao rankings.

"Hmm... add two bolts of top-grade Hangzhou silk? The colors must be festive—pomegranate red and peach pink are good... oh, and fruits!"

His eyes lit up, and he dipped his brush to write: "Jujubes, chestnuts, peanuts, lotus seeds... good omens! Four-color capital fruits, can't skip..."

He muttered about early birth of children and abundant blessings, solemnly writing down "ten jin of red dates, ten jin of peanuts..."

His handwriting was bold and flowing, exuding an air of lavish wealth.

Feeling his throat a bit dry, he didn't even lift his eyes but lazily stretched a hand to the side.

Star Frost, who had been curled up on the table edge feigning sleep, immediately opened its crimson snake eyes.

With a nimble coil of its slender tail, it smoothly wrapped around the cup of perfectly warm honey water and silently placed it into Cheng Ge's outstretched hand.

Cheng Ge took it as naturally as can be, brought it to his lips, and gulped down a few big mouthfuls to wet his somewhat dry throat.

After drinking, he casually handed it back.

Star Frost's tail immediately extended, gently taking the cup, and soundlessly returned it to its place.

"And the bride price... Dad wrote saying the county tradition is ninety-nine taels. Isn’t that a bit stingy?"

Cheng Ge tapped his forehead lightly with the handle of his writing brush, muttering to himself, "Makes it seem like I’m not taking it seriously enough... Should I add a bit more?"

The more he thought about it, the more uncertain he became. His gaze drifted unconsciously to the side, and it just happened to meet Yun Xunyu’s eyes, which were filled with a smile.

This man had somehow lain back down on the stone table again, his chin resting on the surface, his jet-black hair half undone, making his complexion look somewhat pale.

He just quietly gazed at Cheng Ge, his gaze exceptionally focused.

Seeing Cheng Ge look back at him, the smile in his eyes deepened, and he reached out to tug at the edge of Cheng Ge’s clothes.

Cheng Ge felt a bit uneasy under his gaze and cleared his throat.

Though he knew this guy’s ideas were usually unreliable, at this moment his own mind was in a tangle.

Moreover, Yun Xunyu had been fairly well-behaved for the past couple of days, so Cheng Ge was willing to grasp at straws.

Still hesitantly, he asked, "In Nanling, what’s the usual betrothal gift for common folks?"

The smile in the corners of Yun Xunyu’s eyes deepened further, like ripples spreading across spring water after a stone is thrown.

He tilted his head slightly, his pale face took on a look of thoughtful contemplation.

His long lashes fluttered a couple of times before he spoke unhurriedly.

"Betrothal gift, huh..." He paused, his tone light and airy, but carried a hint of matter-of-factness: "I don’t need any betrothal gift."

Before Cheng Ge could react, he added another sentence: "If you're marrying me, dear, wouldn’t that be a better deal?"

Cheng Ge: "………"