Brocade Book
"Reporting to the Grand Preceptor, Tang Ying has already incorporated the two people you appointed into the army and given them considerable positions as agreed. From then on, our specialists are recommended to join the army every now and then. However, the Emperor has lost trust in him and often sends him to quell rebellions. The fewer people he has, the more of us can get in."
"You may leave," Fu Qinxiang said casually, flipping through the booklet that had been presented to her. "By the way, I have the least liking for the general of Lingze County. His only daughter was selected to enter the palace in the spring and I think she has already become a concubine. Just pin the poisoning on her and do it cleanly to prevent future troubles."
Watching the man leave, Heng Hui said, "Shuang Yue, are we not going to investigate who really poisoned us?"
“From now on, all of Tang Yao’s food will be provided by my manor and delivered by my people. There will be no more problems,” Fu Qinxiang stood up. “Let’s go and see her.”
The heavy snow has arrived.
"Make sure the windows are sealed tightly," Tang Yao said, putting down her pen.
Xiao Cai walked to the window and glanced out casually, squinting her eyes—a tall woman, accompanied by an even more imposing bodyguard, was coming this way. Could it be Fu Qinxiang?
She immediately panicked: "Sister, someone's coming!"
Before Tang Yao could put the letter back in its envelope, the door was pushed open. She had no choice but to raise her sleeve to cover the letter and pretend to casually fiddle with the inkstone.
"Are you feeling any better?" Fu Qinxiang came in alone, bringing with her a chill, but she deliberately moved closer, making Tang Yao tremble all over.
"...Thank you for your concern, sister. I'm feeling much better." Tang Yao shrank back a little.
"Look at your hands, still so cold. I had someone send you a hot water bottle, you should use it too," Fu Qinxiang pulled Tang Yao's hand and took it in hers. Unexpectedly, the letter under her sleeve slipped down her sleeve and fell to the ground. Tang Yao subconsciously tried to cover it, but Fu Qinxiang picked it up quickly. "What, do you have someone you like?"
Tang Yao's whole body tensed up, her back already soaked with cold sweat. She subconsciously frowned and pressed her lips together.
"Don't be nervous. You're young, it's perfectly normal to develop feelings for someone. Don't worry, I'll keep it a secret for you." Fu Qinxiang placed the letter face down on the table, her smug gaze never leaving Tang Yao.
Tang Yao forced a smile, her nose stinging with tears.
Each harboring their own ulterior motives, they exchanged pleasantries in a perfunctory manner, calling each other "sister" and "brother" until they were done, and then Fu Qinxiang made an excuse to leave.
Tang Yao watched Fu Qinxiang's retreating figure and quickly asked Xiao Cai to change the paper. Xiao Cai hesitated and said, "Sister, in my opinion, it's better not to send it. Fu Qinxiang must have already become suspicious. This letter will probably be intercepted halfway. If she sees it, both of you will be in danger."
Tang Yao smiled and said, "How do you know this new letter isn't a love letter?"
Xiao Cai asked in surprise, "Sister, what's going on?"
“That’s right. Since Fu Qinxiang said it’s a letter, I’ll write one out and let her find out nothing.” Tang Yao picked up her pen and wrote a few lines of poetry. She then tied her usual handkerchief with some perfume powder on it. “If I don’t send it this time, she will become suspicious.”
Xiao Cai's eyes lit up, and she quickly nodded and took the package.
—————
“Look! Isn’t that General Zhao over there?” Duan Houqi called to the others to look around at the village entrance.
The four men, each riding a horse, came from the hill covered in snow. Zhao Peiming saw the group at the village entrance and raised his arm to wave.
Gradually, people gathered at the village entrance, leaving a path in the middle as they went. As they approached, Jiang Heng dismounted first, led Ji Guang forward, and bowed: "I am Jiang Heng, here to visit you."
"Young Master Jiang!" "It's Lord Jiang!" "Brother Jiang Heng, please teach me to read!" The crowd stirred, smiles spreading across their faces.
"My lord! It's been a long time!" Duan Houqi struggled to push through the crowd, rushed forward to take the reins, and grasped Jiang Heng's hand, saying earnestly.
"Houqi has grown quite a bit and is becoming more and more presentable." Jiang Heng's eyes were full of satisfaction as he looked around and exchanged glances with everyone.
Duan Houqi chuckled awkwardly, "You flatter me, sir. By the way, the village has changed quite a bit lately. Let me show you!" With that, he led Jiang Heng into the village. The remaining three followed silently behind, leading their horses, while Zhao Peiming took the opportunity to disperse the crowd.
With the setting sun casting its light on his face, Duan Houqi pointed proudly at the irrigation ditch and said, "Look at this! This small ditch, which used to take months to fill with water, is now seeping forth sweet spring water as soon as General Zhao arrives. It's truly miraculous!"
Jiang Heng turned around and looked at Zhao Peiming with a smile: "General, you are truly a celestial being with extraordinary abilities."
Zhao Peiming suppressed a slight upturn of his lips and patted his chest. The two people behind him exchanged glances, about to burst into laughter, when Zhao Peiming turned his head slightly, startling them so much that they quickly covered their mouths.
Duan Houqi tied up his horse, leaped backward, and assumed a starting stance, which startled Jiang Heng. Once Jiang Heng was standing still, he said loudly, "My lord, please look! This is the self-defense technique taught by the general!" After saying that, he kicked his leg into the air, used his hands to support himself on the ground, and flipped over in mid-air. He threw out several punches with "heh heh ha heh" sounds. Then, he disappeared into the distance, found a dry tree branch to use as a sword, and performed swordplay with abandon on the open ground. Finally, he threw away the branch, clasped his hands, and bowed.
Jiang Heng couldn't help but chuckle and clapped his hands in approval, while Zhao Peiming was somewhat puzzled, thinking that there were a few moves he had never taught. Duan Houqi was immersed in joy and led Jiang Heng to see the training ground, vegetable garden, "grave mound," weaving house, and other places one by one, while Zhao Peiming followed behind, his eyes never leaving Jiang Heng.
Upon returning to the open space, Duan Houqi suddenly turned his head and asked, "General, did you have a conflict with Lord Jiang?"
"Friction"? Duan Houqi could even see that? Could a person's appearance really change because of that? Zhao Peiming was very surprised, but Jiang Heng spoke first: "There is no friction."
“No, when you came here, Young Master Jiang and General Zhao were quite far apart, even less so than those two gentlemen. You two didn’t look at each other or speak to each other. Nine out of ten things are not right!” Duan Houqi said logically. He suddenly leaned closer to Jiang Heng and teased, “General Zhao misses you a lot. He often sits at the entrance of the village with your previous letter in his hand, sometimes for a whole night. Tsk tsk tsk.”
"Hmm?" Zhao Peiming gave Duan Houqi a warning look, but the latter smiled apologetically and waved his hand.
Jiang Heng turned back again, beckoning to Zhao Peiming. Seeing this, Duan Houqi felt it was best not to linger, so he gave a wink to the two behind him and quietly slipped away. Zhao Peiming stepped forward and bowed slightly. Jiang Heng straightened his shoulder armor and wiped the dust from his face. Just as he was about to withdraw his hand, Zhao Peiming caught it, gently squeezing it in his palm. Jiang Heng lowered his head to pull away, but Zhao Peiming whispered in his ear, "Don't worry, they all know."
Jiang Heng's heart tightened: "How could this be..."
“I have been stationed here for a long time and have gradually become one with them. If you were to become the governor now, they would be wary of you, fearing that you would overshadow them and become a tiger under the emperor’s command. But if our relationship is extraordinary, it would eliminate their concerns and make them think that you are under my control and can be used as a tool for my connections. This would be beneficial to both of us.”
"Aren't you afraid that some of them might be Fu Qinxiang's people?"
“In this harsh place, Fu Qinxiang and her pampered group may not be able to survive. If they are, any messengers will be intercepted by my soldiers, and they will not be able to escape the sandstorms and pose no threat.”
Jiang Heng's tense hand relaxed slightly. He pondered for a moment and asked, "Have all the household registrations been compiled? Are there any suspicious individuals among them?"
“It’s been repaired twice already, and there’s nothing suspicious. I’ll have someone bring it to your room tonight so you can check it yourself; that will be more reassuring.” Zhao Peiming’s eyes, reflecting Jiang Heng’s white robes, seemed exceptionally devoted.
Jiang Heng casually reached out his other hand and traced it from Zhao Peiming's chest to his waist, finally hooking it around his belt: "I'm ordering you to deliver it personally, are you willing or not?"
Zhao Peiming, suppressing the corners of his mouth, bowed and said, "Then I shall respectfully accept your offer."
Zhao Peiming and his men were conducting their routine patrol around the village when Jiang Heng, passing by a small courtyard, was bumped into by a running child. He quickly helped the boy up and carefully wiped him with his sleeve, only to find a conspicuous stain on the back of his neck that he couldn't remove—a birthmark. Jiang Heng was stunned, recalling that this was the child he had carried during their initial half-day trek through the flowers. He couldn't believe how much he had grown up; he felt a little dazed. Wiping the child's arm, he noticed the delicate little hands were chafed and bleeding. Jiang Heng frowned, picked up the child, and called out from outside the door for a while without response. He then had to rely on his memory to find the military doctor's residence, as recommended by Duan Houqi, and knock on the door seeking medical help.
Gan Lin opened the door and gestured for him to come in. At this moment, the boy in his arms stretched out his hands and showed Gan Lin his wounds. Gan Lin had never met Jiang Heng, but he recognized Meng Bai's child. He took out the herbal powder he had prepared in advance and sprinkled a thin layer on the boy's hands, saying, "Huan'er, be good. Go play again, but be careful not to touch your wounds." After saying that, he made the boy open his mouth and took out a piece of candied fruit from his cloth bag for him.
The little boy's eyes sparkled, he smacked his lips in remembrance, thanked Gan Lin, and then carefully looked at Jiang Heng, thanking him as well. Seeing that he wasn't crying or making a fuss, Jiang Heng was also very pleased and reached out to gently pinch the boy's nose.
"May I ask which household you are from, young master? I have been practicing medicine here for several months and have never seen you before. It is quite strange." Gan Lin boldly spoke up because he saw that Jiang Heng had a kind face and was dressed simply.
"My name is Jiang Heng, the supervisor of this area, and I have been ordered to come here to investigate," Jiang Heng said, neither humble nor arrogant.
Gan Lin only understood the words "Jiang Heng" and "Prefect". He immediately realized what was going on and said with a smile, "It's Lord Jiang! I've heard so much about you. I've heard the General and the Minister of the Imperial Household mention you. Meeting you today, I can see that you are indeed extraordinary."
Jiang Heng followed up, saying, "Thank you for your kind words, Divine Physician and Generals. May I ask your honorable name, Divine Physician?"
“My Han name is ‘Gan Lin,’ which was given to me by the Minister of the Imperial Household when he led me into the army,” Gan Lin replied.
One could tell at a glance that he was from Xinjiang, and he would certainly be the least welcome among the people of the Central Plains, especially the Tiansong people. But his demeanor and manners were so similar to those of the Han people. Xiaohan had really gone to great lengths to keep him here. "'If there is a severe drought, I will use you to bring rain.' Truly a doctor's benevolence, a good name," Jiang Heng praised.
Gan Lin nodded: "If there is anything I can do to help in future military campaigns, I will do my best."
Jiang Heng looked at the boy in front of him with new respect—he seemed to be two or three years younger than the boy, but the flame in his eyes shone brightly.
"I have important matters to attend to, so I will have to trouble you to take care of this child." Jiang Heng placed the child on a small stool and prepared to leave.
Gan Lin nodded to him: "Take care, sir."
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