Chapter 73 Self-cultivation Lu Tingwan, have you seen enough?
Lu Tingwan rested in Cheng's house for three days. No one came to disturb him during this period. Lu Tingwu heard in the Duke's Mansion that Lu Tingwan had returned to Kyoto with the bandit-suppression army, and was conferred the title of Protector in front of Hanzhang Palace.
Although it was only a nominal position of the sixth rank, she would no longer be just Cheng Xianzhi's concubine, but would be under his jurisdiction. As long as Cheng Xianzhi was willing to give her real power, Lu Tingwan, the Protector General, would be able to dispatch his soldiers at will, including that army.
Lu Tingwu's invitation was delivered to the Cheng residence. Before Lu Tingwan received it, Cheng Xianzhi had already hidden the invitation, saying that she was not yet healed from her injury and was not able to see guests.
Lu Tingwu didn't send over any more visiting cards, thinking that he would come to visit her after her injuries got better.
The bandit army was temporarily stationed in the parade ground outside the city. It was originally the site of the imperial guards, and some of the imperial guards' barracks had not been moved away. Now it has become a parade ground shared by the imperial guards and the bandit army.
The Imperial Guards all served under Cheng Xianzhi. With Cheng Xianzhi's presence, the Imperial Guards dared not disrespect these bandits. Although there were many children from aristocratic families within the Imperial Guards, most of these children were born out of wedlock or were from side branches of their families who were not valued by their families, which is why they were assigned to the Imperial Guards.
They had objections to Cheng Xianzhi's training methods but did not dare to disrespect him. If Cheng Xianzhi wanted to integrate this bandit army into the imperial guards, he had to integrate the two sides.
The bandit army's chivalrous deeds in Qingyao Mountain, robbing the rich to help the poor, made these imperial guards admire them very much. Han Zhou was originally worried that it would be a hot potato, but it turned out to be smoother than expected.
Lu Tingwan lay on a rattan chair in the courtyard to enjoy the cool breeze. It was still chilly in the spring night, so Feng Xin made a thin quilt for her. As long as she rested in Yansheng Hall, and with the superb medical skills of the imperial physician, her injuries would recover well. However, even if she felt tired and listless in Yansheng Hall, the whole courtyard was filled with the beauty of spring, and her decadent figure looked out of place in the yard.
Nightingale circled outside Yansheng Hall for a long time. She wanted to go somewhere to get some fresh air. She wondered how Xie Zhao and the others were doing. Cheng Xianzhi also went out early and came back late. She hadn't seen him since the night she returned home.
Before I knew it, I had walked into the study. The osmanthus flowers in the study yard were in full bloom with green leaves. The oil lamps and candles in the room were not very bright, and it was so quiet that it didn't seem like anyone was there.
Lu Tingwan just walked in. Cheng Xianzhi had just changed into clean casual clothes in the inner room. When he heard the noise, he thought it was Han Zhou coming.
The collar was not fastened yet, leaving half of the chest exposed. In the candlelight, Lu Tingwan could clearly see the spring scenery. There seemed to be bruises on the strong lines. After just a glance, Lu Tingwan turned her head and looked away as if nothing had happened. Cheng Xianzhi also slowly pulled up the collar.
The scars on his body were caused by accidentally triggering a roadblock while attacking the mountain. Although the pain has subsided, the bruises will not go away for a while.
"What's the matter?" The clear voice was covered by darkness.
Lu Tingwan suddenly felt a burning sensation on her cheeks. She stood at the door and let the cool breeze help the heat slowly dissipate.
He didn't blame himself for breaking into his study without permission, which surprised Lu Tingwan.
"Xie Zhao, what happened?" she asked after thinking for a moment.
"I've been recuperating in Yansheng Hall for three days without leaving the house. I came here tonight just to ask Xie Zhao?" Cheng Xianzhi shook off his long sleeves and sat down on a low chair.
Although Lu Tingwan was standing, he always felt that he was the one being looked down upon.
"Did the Imperial Guards give them any trouble?"
"Do you think my position as the Governor of the Imperial Guards and the Minister of the Six Ministries is just a decoration?"
"The Imperial Guards have no personal grudges, so why are they making things difficult for Xie Zhao and the others?"
The cold light shone from the side as she scrutinized the person. The light and shadow from the corridor, which had been blown into disarray by the wind, fell in and just covered her. Her alluring curves and figure were faintly visible through the light. She seemed to have grown taller, her figure more mature, and her proud breasts were faintly visible under the thin cloak.
Her waist is like a willow branch, with slender limbs, a look of pity between her brows, and an innocent look in her eyes.
It actually makes people want to pity.
"Is there anything else?" Cheng Xianzhi looked away, as if he was still a little unsatisfied.
"I want to go to the military camp and take a look," Lu Tingwan asked. Fearing Cheng Xianzhi might not agree, she added, "Didn't you say that the Guardian Marquis can enter and exit the military camp and the palace freely?"
Cheng Xianzhi was silent for a moment. "Tomorrow at 3:45 am. No waiting after that time."
After getting the promise, Lu Tingwan didn't stay for a moment, just said thank you and slipped away.
After the people left, Cheng Xianzhi turned his gaze back to where she had just stood, but the corridor lights had gone out, and that place was no longer covered by candlelight, leaving only darkness.
Before noon the next day, Lu Tingwan had already packed her clothes. She wore a misty purple sand outer garment with an emerald smoke silk skirt underneath. A water-colored magnolia hairpin was inserted diagonally into her bun. Her cheeks were pale pink, like a delicate and beautiful flower bud in spring, waiting to bloom with the arrival of the morning sun.
The carriages were ready outside the mansion. Cheng Xianzhi, considering her injury, ordered someone to prepare a carriage. Han Zhou was already waiting outside. Lu Tingwan was in a good mood and no longer had the hostility towards Han Zhou as before. She was the first to greet him good morning.
Cheng Xianzhi walked out of the mansion gate immediately afterwards, but he didn't expect that Lu Tingwan had arrived earlier than him. He then looked at the man standing in front of the horse, dressed in an exquisite outfit, which obviously took great care of.
The man glanced at him with a look of disdain, and wondered in his heart, is he dressed like this specially to meet Xie Zhao?
Lu Tingwan couldn't wait to get on the horse, but Han Zhou stopped her: "Second Madam, please take the carriage."
Lu Tingwan stared at him in confusion, and Han Zhou explained, "Your injury hasn't healed yet, so it's better not to ride a horse for now."
Cheng Xianzhi walked around the crowd and mounted his horse without saying anything.
The man on horseback looked down at him. Lu Tingwan didn't know where he got the strength from. Facing his expression, he felt quite dissatisfied. He turned over and climbed onto the horse's back.
Although she wasn't as neat and nimble as Cheng Xianzhi, she wasn't afraid at all when she pulled the reins. She clamped her legs around the horse's belly and rode out, her skirt and sleeves fluttering in the wind.
The morning mist had not yet dissipated when she left the city. She didn't know the way, so when she almost reached the city gate, she had to stop and wait. Cheng Xianzhi, however, was in no hurry and slowly caught up with her. When they passed by, he said lightly, "Do you know the way? Why are you running so fast?"
Lu Tingwan was in a good mood and was not annoyed. He waited quietly on the side, tightened the reins and followed behind.
"Are you so impatient?" Seeing that she didn't say anything, Cheng Xianzhi teased her again from the front.
Lu Tingwan said calmly, "I was the one who persuaded Xie Zhao to surrender. I naturally want to know whether they were treated well after entering Kyoto."
"So I'm a little nervous and anxious, right?"
"Oh? Just because of this?" Cheng Xianzhi said with a hint of sarcasm.
"How Minister Cheng wants to guess is your business." Lu Tingwan distanced himself from him, walked behind Han Zhou, and no longer gave him a chance to speak.
Cheng Xianzhi raised his whip, and the horse's hooves entered the forest and sped away into the distance, with the people behind him following closely.
Xie Zhao and his brothers had just finished their morning exercises on the training ground. The burly men were sweating profusely, and as the morning sun came out, their body temperatures increased even more. They even took off their shirts in a casual manner. The training ground was filled with naked men, all of them big and strong, and their roars were deafening.
The sounds of fighting and slapping filled the training ground.
Xie Zhao's physique was even stronger. He didn't feel it when he was dressed, but after taking off his clothes, his muscles were so thick that he could fight five or six people with his bare hands and not be at a disadvantage.
The old men in the imperial guards were unwilling to accept it at first, but after fighting with them more often, they had no choice but to accept it. Xie Zhao would make every stubborn man admit defeat in front of his fist.
Led by the captain of the army, Cheng Xianzhi and his companions went to the training ground. Unexpectedly, when they came over, they saw a group of naked strong men. Even though Lu Tingwan had never experienced sex before, his eyes widened when he saw such a scene.
Cheng Xianzhi stood beside her and felt that this woman was too bold. She didn't even have the slightest intention of avoiding him and was staring straight at the soldiers.
His body moved involuntarily, blocking Lu Tingwan's sight. Lu Tingwan turned his head away because his sight was blocked, thinking that he was an eyesore, and then he stood on tiptoe, looking into the distance with his eyes shining.
Cheng Xianzhi glared at her actions and frowned.
The figure he saw in his peripheral vision was getting closer. He could no longer bear it and said coldly, "Lu Tingwan, have you seen enough?"
Lu Tingwan's thoughts were exposed, and her face was a little embarrassed. She pouted and said understatedly: "Sigh, what's there to be afraid of?"
Han Zhou asked the captain to bring the person over. Xie Zhao was chatting and laughing with someone in the distance. Lu Tingwan saw him from a distance.
Xie Zhao was looking in the direction the captain pointed.
Lu Tingwan waved and called out to the crowd as if no one was around: "Xie Zhao, Xie Zhao."
The smile was as warm as the morning sun, shattering Xie Zhao's gloom and Cheng Xianzhi's unconscious feelings. However, this smile had nothing to do with him.
That was given to Xie Zhao by her.
"Jiang Yanli?" Xie Zhao murmured.
Lu Tingwan was about to go over when someone suddenly grabbed her wrist. Cheng Xianzhi was pulled back by her and stood beside her.
She looked confused, "What are you doing?"
Han Zhou took in everything and explained for him, "Second Madam, you can't wander around the training grounds."
Lu Tingwan patiently asked, "Can I go over and talk to Xie Zhao?"
Cheng Xianzhi looked straight ahead and did not answer.
Han Zhou said with a smile, "Second Madam, the training ground is full of men. If you, a woman, go there, it will be bad for your reputation. I will ask Xie Zhao to come to the military tent. Let's go back to the tent and wait."
Lu Tingwan suddenly realized that she was too excited to think about those details. Perhaps it was not that she couldn't think about them, but that she didn't care.
However, seeing that there was something wrong with Cheng Xianzhi's face, she could not care less, but she was afraid that this man was narrow-minded and that it would tarnish his reputation and make her hate him. That would not be worth it.
They have a long way to go and will have to work under him in the future. This man is emotionally unstable, sometimes cold and indifferent, sometimes easy to talk to. She is still not so sure of his true intentions.
It’s better not to provoke him for now.
After Cheng Xianzhi entered the tent, Lu Tingwan stood outside and did not go in.
Xie Zhao packed up and Lu Tingwan waited for half an hour.
The two met at a resting place outside the tent. Lu Tingwan smiled and asked, "How are you and the brothers from Baita Village doing in the army?"
A dozen people appeared behind him and shouted in unison, "Miss Jiang?"
Lu Tingwan was stunned for a moment. They were all familiar faces. He looked at Xie Zhao and then at them.
"Everyone is doing well." Xie Zhao greeted everyone. The people of Baita Village were very grateful to Lu Tingwan and smiled kindly.
"A Zhao told us that if Miss Jiang hadn't negotiated with Minister Cheng, we brothers would have died after we got off the cliff."
Xie Zhao scratched his head. He had never seen Lu Tingwan dressed like this before. She looked so beautiful that he couldn't help but take a few more glances.
"Everything is fine in the army. Minister Cheng is taking exceptional care of the men, just like the Imperial Guards. You came here specifically, presumably for this matter?"
Lu Tingwan nodded. She had been worried that these people would not get used to Kyoto and would refuse to obey discipline. But it seemed that as long as Xie Zhao was there, there would be no such worries.
Suddenly she felt relieved and patted Xie Zhao on the shoulder: "That's good."
"Why would Minister Cheng allow you to go to the military camp?" Xie Zhao asked after his brothers left.
Lu Tingwan patted his chest and said, "I am now the Guardian Marquis appointed by His Majesty himself. I can come here without his permission."
Xie Zhao raised his eyebrows in disbelief, but then he thought that her becoming the Protector General might be related to his surrender.
"Then if you have nothing to do in the future, you can come often."
The two seemed to have made an appointment. Lu Tingwan lowered his voice and said, "You have just joined the military camp, so it is inevitable that there will be some inconveniences. If you need anything, please send someone to send a message to me."
In the afternoon, Xie Zhao would join the army for training. Everyone in the camp was given new uniforms, boots, and weapons. The bows and arrows in the camp weren't very good, so Xie Zhao loved to study them after training.
From then on, Lu Tingwan went to the military camp every few days. There was no other way. She had nowhere to go. After searching for a few days, she found that Zhichunli had not unsealed the ban. Even if she had the courage to start over, she was afraid that she could not escape the surveillance of the Jiang and Lu families.
He had no choice but to stay in the house, waiting for the right opportunity to act.
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