Chapter 56 Chapter 56 “Having a wife like you is the greatest joy in the world. …
The bright sunshine in the spring afternoon is so bright and scorching that it makes the warm room bright. The sunlight shines through the window screens onto people, which is just the right warmth. It can make people feel comfortable and lazy without the burning pain of direct sunlight.
The moist and fragrant scent from the bath in the room became even more intense and intoxicating under the warm sunshine. Ji Yanlang held Fang Ying and lay down on the kang, rubbing their ears and lips together, as if he was trapped in a beautiful dream that he didn't want to wake up from. He just wanted to hold her like this until the end of time.
Fang Ying was so breathless and dizzy from his kiss that she couldn't help but reach out to push him away. However, after two attempts, she couldn't move him away. So she had to change from pushing to pinching, grabbing the soft flesh on his waist and twisting it.
"Hiss!" Ji Yanlang stepped back a little, grinning, "My lady's strength is increasing."
Fang Ying pushed him away and sat up. She first wiped her mouth with a handkerchief, then stood up and tidied up her clothes that were messed up by him. She said, "Hurry up and pack up and come out." Then she quickly went to the outer room.
Her movements were orderly and her expression was calm and indifferent, as if they had just sat together and talked for a few minutes without kissing or hugging.
But she didn't look in the mirror, and didn't know that the blush on her face had spread to her ears, more beautiful than the most blooming peach blossoms in spring. The maids waiting outside only needed to take a look to know that they were not just talking.
Ji Yanlang chuckled a few times before slowly getting up, tying his belt, holding down his wet hair which was already a little loose and crooked and was wrapped in a dry cloth, and went out in his slippers.
A fumigation cage had been placed on the couch outside. Fang Ying stood beside her, her cheeks still flushed. Ji Yanlang was afraid that she would be embarrassed, so he walked over and sat down as if nothing had happened.
Fang Ying took over his wet hair. Ji Yanlang saw the remaining oranges placed aside. He was thirsty, so he picked one up and ate it.
"Xing Niang, take the people in to clean up." Fang Ying told the maids while she let his long hair down, "Xi Liu, come trim my husband's toenails."
Ji Yanlang was asked to sit on the couch, leaning against the incense burner, so that Xiliu could trim her hair and put her long hair on the incense burner. Lichun was asked to stand beside her, sipping osmanthus oil and combing her hair.
Fang Ying was not idle either. After he finished eating the orange, she picked up some facial cream with a silver spoon and applied a thick layer on his face. Then she wiped her hands clean, took the frostbite cream that Yue Qing'e had just sent, and carefully applied it on the injured area on the back of Ji Yanlang's hand.
He also asked, "Did you get the medicine back so quickly?"
"Since it's my mother's order, naturally no one dares to delay." Fang Ying replied casually.
"Yeah, that's true." Ji Yanlang yawned lazily. After rolling on the battlefield with mountains of corpses and seas of blood for several months, he finally returned home and lived a life where someone served him from head to toe. He was so comfortable that he felt a little drowsy.
But he still had something on his mind that he hadn't asked. "Are Aunt Deng and her daughter all right? Send someone to tell them later. I'll go see them tomorrow."
Fang Ying agreed first, then replied, "It's all good. I'm just worried about your safety. I've been dragging Yang San along these days and asking him questions repeatedly."
After hearing this, the comfortable and lazy look on Ji Yanlang's face suddenly disappeared. Fang Ying thought he was going to say something serious, so she stopped and looked at him, but he suddenly closed his eyes, sighed deeply, and said nothing.
"What's wrong?"
Ji Yanlang opened his eyes and saw Fang Ying holding his hand with a concerned look on her face. The grief that was surging in his heart seemed to be comforted and instantly subsided. He stretched his lips and tried to smile: "Nothing."
After a defeat, he even learned to put on a forced smile. Fang Ying pretended not to notice and continued to apply the frostbite cream, instructing him, "Hold your hands well and don't move. Don't rub it off. Wait until it's dry before moving again."
Ji Yanlang took a look at the back of his hands that were covered in oil, sniffed in disgust, and really spread out his hands, standing far away without moving.
Fang Ying got up to wash her hands, then came back with a coarse-toothed comb and gently combed his scalp. She was busy serving Ji Yanlang for half an hour, and the ointment on his hair and hands finally dried.
After getting up, combing his hair, and putting on his outer robe, Ji Yanlang looked in the mirror and said with a smile, "I do look more presentable than when I first came home."
Fang Ying stood nearby and saw the man in the mirror, dressed in a brocade robe and jade belt, with an upright figure. Apart from his still somewhat dark complexion, he truly looked like a young master from an aristocratic family. She smiled and urged him, "Hurry up and go! Mother must be getting impatient."
Ji Yanlang nodded, turned and walked out of the room. Fang Ying followed him and walked out of the courtyard along the corridor. He suddenly stopped.
"how……"
As soon as Fang Ying asked these two words, Ji Yanlang put his hand on her shoulder, gently pulled her forward, and said, "Let's go together."
“…”
"I can't see you if you walk behind me." Ji Yanlang leaned close to her ear and chuckled.
“…”
"We're going to see Aunt Deng tomorrow. Will you come with me?" Ji Yanlang walked towards his mother's yard.
Fang Ying walked beside him and agreed, "Okay, what time are we going? Are you going to the camp tomorrow?"
"I have to go check in, but I should be back soon. Wait for me at home."
The two chatted and soon returned to Li's room, only to see her third sister-in-law An and fourth sister-in-law Cheng both sitting there. Ji Yanlang greeted the two sisters-in-law and knew that they must be worried about their brothers and came to ask for news, so he sat down and delivered the message from his two brothers.
"At that time, my father had an imperial decree and the military situation was urgent. He was in a hurry to lead the troops back to Zhenzhou and had no time to write a letter. My third and fourth brothers asked me to pass a message back to reassure my third and fourth sisters-in-law." Ji Yanlang finally explained.
When Mrs. An and Mrs. Cheng heard that their husbands were safe, they both breathed a sigh of relief. Mrs. An then asked how long they would have to hold on to Zhenzhou.
"That's hard to say. We've had a feud with the Hu people since we attacked Northern Zhao. Then we besieged Youzhou for so long. Although we were defeated in the end, the general who led the Hu troops to support us was also seriously injured. I don't think they will give up."
After Ji Yanlang finished speaking the truth, he saw that his sisters-in-law all looked unhappy, so he quickly smiled and said, "But we are not afraid of him. We will defend the city and stop the enemy with our troops and block the water with our earth."
Li took over the conversation, "That's right. Sanlang and Silang have been by your father's side for many years and are considered seasoned warriors. They have nothing to fear."
Cheng quickly replied, "Madam is right. My son and my third sister-in-law are young, and we were frightened by the defeat in Youzhou. We've forgotten our father's great military achievements and that the Hu people are not good at attacking cities."
An Shi was displeased when she mentioned her in the same breath, and retorted, "Fourth sister-in-law must have misunderstood. I haven't forgotten that father was a skilled warrior. I'm just worried about Sanlang and want to know when they can return home."
"..." Cheng smiled awkwardly, didn't say anything back, and stood up to leave. "Sixth Brother has just come home. I think Madam has a lot to ask, so I won't add to the confusion."
Li didn't keep her and nodded to let her go. An deliberately stayed for a while longer, and only left when she thought Cheng had gone far away.
After Ji Yanlang and the others left, he turned and asked Fang Ying, "Haven't the Third and Fourth Sisters-in-law always been very close? Why are they so…"
Fang Ying smiled and said, "Even if a family has some bumps and bruises occasionally, it won't hinder our relationship."
"That's right." Li agreed and called Ji Yanlang over. She asked him if he had applied the medicine. After carefully examining his hands, she asked him to sit down and asked him in detail about the two battles.
Fang Ying sat nearby and listened for a while, realizing that although her mother-in-law only asked about when her father-in-law and Ji Yanlang had met, when the troops were divided into two places, how many battles each side had fought after the division, and how the results were, without involving anyone else, Ji Yanlang had been accompanying the emperor the entire time. After she finished telling the story, the entire process of destroying Northern Zhao had become clear.
"Father fought brilliantly in those battles. The Hu generals fled and never dared to come again. We no longer had to worry about the siege of Taiyuan. Those cowards in the city couldn't stand it anymore and finally left the city and surrendered."
Li smiled and asked, "Did your father also block reinforcements when we attacked Youzhou?"
"My father initially fought against a Hu people stationed in northwest Youzhou, some kind of Beiyuan King. After the Hu generals were defeated and retreated, they took a strategic position to defend themselves. The emperor then ordered the Zhangde Army to confront them and encircle Youzhou City. Later, when Hu reinforcements arrived, the Beiyuan King led his elite troops to attack, hoping to support them. My father led the Zhangde Army to intercept them, and a fierce battle ensued. Unfortunately, by then, the army was in disarray, its morale unstable, and they were ultimately defeated."
Ji Yanlang sounded rather annoyed when he said this, but Li remained calm. "Victory and defeat are common in war, there's nothing to be upset about. So, did you meet in Zhuozhou later?"
"Yes." Ji Yanlang recounted how he and the King of Qin rushed to Zhuozhou after rescuing the emperor. "Father entered the city later than us."
Just as she was talking here, the maid came in and reported: "Madam, Erlang is back."
Li nodded, and Ji Yanshou came in quickly. Fang Ying waited for him to greet Li, say hello to Ji Yanlang, and then bowed before taking his leave.
"Go ahead. I won't keep you for dinner today." Li said with a smile, "By the way, tell Er Niang that Er Lang is staying too."
Fang Ying replied "yes" and on her way back to her room, she stopped by Yue Qing'e to pass on the message.
"I guessed that mother wanted to keep the brothers for dinner." Yue Qing'e leaned on the couch and whispered, "After all, we are not returning home victorious. Father and Sanlang and Silang are still fighting the enemy. It is not possible to have a family feast like last year."
Fang Ying agreed and chatted with her for a while. When she was about to leave, Yue Qing'e held her back and said, "Why don't you just have dinner here with me? What's the point of going back and eating alone?"
"I eat a lot." Fang Ying joked.
"Don't worry, you won't starve."
Fang Ying didn't hesitate any longer and chatted with Yue Qing'e, playing with her two nieces for a while, and then returned to her room after dinner.
Ji Yanlang did not return until it was time to light the lamps. He entered the courtyard and saw the warm yellow light in the room. A slender and graceful shadow from the west room was reflected on the window. His heart was instantly filled with joy. He quickened his pace and entered the main hall in a few steps.
Fang Ying heard the noise and came out to greet him. Seeing his face smiling and his eyes sparkling, she asked with a smile, "What good news is there that makes you so happy?"
Ji Yanlang put his arm around her shoulders and led her to the inner room, whispering in her ear, "Having a wife like you is the greatest joy in the world."
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