Ch. 273 Returning to the Capital
Chu Lian didn't get out of the warm pen immediately. She simply lifted the curtain and watched.
It was only when she was sure that everything was working smoothly here that she sent the order to continue to the next spot.
Just like Chu Lian had predicted, they were already back in the He Estate by afternoon.
Chu Lian was so tired from the long trip that she quickly ate a simple meal and went off for her afternoon nap. He Sanlang took this chance to summon Laiyue in for some questioning.
Laiyue's excitement showed all over his face. The moment he entered the room, without any prompting from He Changdi, he immediately began to spill the beans.
"Third Young Master, Third Young Madam is amazing! This servant is starting to wonder if Third Young Madam is the reincarnation of the God of Wealth! She actually managed to find a business opportunity out here in the desolate north."
Hearing this, He Changdi frowned. He made a 'mm?' sound to prompt Laiyue to explain further.
Laiyue trembled and quickly held back his excitement to make a proper report.
When Laiyue finished reporting everything he had seen today, He Sanlang was dumbfounded.
With the convenience of the snowboats, Chu Lian had sent some men out to Suzhou to trade for large amounts of basic necessities. For example, coarse cloth, salted vegetables, coal, lamp oil, and assorted grain crops. Following that, they had divided the goods and brought them to a few designated areas.
The barbarians who lacked these basic goods could trade for them with their livestock: yaks, horses, and goats.
A single fat yak would get the barbarians only a single small jar of salted vegetables in return. Laiyue's eyes were about to pop out of his head from the absurdity.
If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he probably wouldn't have believed it.
Back in the capital, a single yak was worth at least ten taels of silver, and it was a rare commodity!
Even though their Third Young Madam was so 'ruthless', the barbarians were actually pleased with their trades. They even looked like they had just scored a great deal. It made Laiyue completely flabbergasted to watch.
The law in the Great Wu Dynasty prohibited the trading of important resources like salt and iron to other countries. Chu Lian was an upright and law-abiding citizen, so instead of selling salt, she sold salted vegetables! Anyway, the barbarians weren't picky about it; they were happy as long as it was salty.
He Sanlang hadn't expected Chu Lian to come up with such a brilliant money-making idea. Even if they didn't process the barbarians' livestock, they could still sell them as-is for at least ten times the original value of the goods they traded them for.
It was an extremely profitable trade.
He Changdi shook his head. When he thought of how their estate had been unable to gather a thousand taels for his mother's monthly medicine costs, he smiled helplessly.
However, as a man, he couldn't let his wife tire herself out trying to earn money for the family. It was time for him to start making his own plans now.
With that thought, He Changdi waved Laiyue over and whispered into his ear.
This time, it was Laiyue's turn to be stupefied. He froze.
Laiyue gulped hard. Trembling, he asked, "T-Third Young Master, what you're saying... is... is true?"
He Sanlang's expression hadn't changed throughout this exchange. He calmly nodded and said, "Bring Tang Yan here tomorrow afternoon. Tell him that I have something to discuss with him."
Laiyue nodded forcefully. "This servant will do as you say!"
The afternoon was the most idle period of the day for the northern border camp. Sima Hui was too bored to stay in camp, so she would frequently bring her guards along with her to the He Estate to look for Chu Lian.
Although she was never able to get a welcoming expression from He Sanlang, Sima Hui had already chosen to ignore it.
Meanwhile, Chu Lian had found an opportunity to explain the situation with the horse amulet to Sima Hui. As she could not accept it, her only choice was to return it. Sima Hui was a smart person and didn't reject the returning of the gift. She simply turned to her female adjutant, who then offered up a gilded jade headdress to Chu Lian that was even more valuable than the jade amulet.
He Sanlang was furious when he found out.
After the Lantern Festival had passed, the imperial decree sent all the way from the capital finally managed to reach the north.
Anyone in the army who had contributed to the war effort was given some sort of reward.
Only the ones who had achieved great merits like Great General Qian, He Changdi, Sima Hui, and Captain Guo were to receive their rewards back in the capital.
Everyone knew that the Emperor had bestowed the title of marquis upon He Changdi.
Although many of them were envious, they admired him first and foremost. It was He Changdi who had contributed the snowboats and gone to Su City with an elite group to bring back supplies and save them just in time. He had even gone up against the northwestern army and Xiao Bojian to do so. Without him, the northern border troops wouldn't have been able to come out victorious in the war.
Although transporting the supplies was a small matter, it had been the key to victory. The dangers he had faced while doing so weren't any less than facing the Tuhuns in battle. Furthermore, He Sanlang had killed just as many Tuhuns on the battlefields as they had.
Thus, his brothers-in-arms in the army were all happy and satisfied to see that he had been bestowed a noble title.
Since they had already received the imperial decree and their next set of orders, the worries of the northern border troops dissipated. Great General Qian then decided to bring all of the men who had contributed outstanding service back to the capital for their rewards.
Since her mother-in-law, Countess Jing'an, was still awaiting the Snow Mountain Mists flower to treat her illness, Chu Lian couldn't stay too long in the north either.
On the twentieth of the month, Chu Lian made preparations to return to the capital.
He Sanlang's injury wasn't completely healed yet, so they had to avoid jostling him too much on the journey back. This meant that he couldn't travel too quickly. Thus, Great General Qian ordered He Changdi and his wife to set off earlier than planned with General Sima and the others. In four or five days, General Qian would catch up to them with the rest of the men.
Although only half a month had passed, the simple market that Chu Lian had opened in Liangzhou was already quickly developing. She predicted that, with the support of the northern border troops, they would able to create a new trade route in a year or two as long as business went well.
By then, this trade route with the barbarians would likely become the best way to supply the army with good-quality steeds.
Even if they had to hand over half of the trade route's profits to the government, what remained was still a good amount.
Since the simple market was still in the middle of growing, Chu Lian left Manager Qin, Narisong, and Myeryen behind in Liangzhou. Once everything was stable and they found some suitable managers to take over, she would summon them to the capital.
After resting for a month, He Changdi's wounds were getting much better. Although he still couldn't walk normally, he could slowly move around using some crutches.
According to the doctor, He Sanlang was young and his body was in good shape. Although he had been wounded heavily this time, with enough nutrition during his recovery period, he would be able to quickly recover. After one more month, he would be able to walk normally. In two more, even riding wouldn't pose any problems.
The troops heading to Suzhou formed a long line, winding through the snow-covered grasslands like a little dragon.
He Changi was seated in a snowboat alone with an overcast expression.
Laiyue huddled in a corner of the warm pen upon seeing how his master was in bad mood. He didn't even dare to breathe audibly.
He Sanlang leaned against the wall of the warm pen with a book in a hand. Who knew if he managed to read any of it? Anyway, an hour had already passed but Laiyue hadn't seen him flip the page yet.
He Sanlang suddenly put down the book and, to Laiyue, ordered, "Go and ask your Third Young Madam what's for lunch later."
Laiyue quickly obeyed and jumped off He Changdi's snowboat. It wasn't until he had gotten off and switched to a horse that Laiyue heaved a sigh of relief. He shook his head helplessly and headed towards Third Young Madam's snowboat instead.
Right now, Sima Hui was chatting with Chu Lian. Their maidservants would interject with some jokes from time to time, so there were occasional bursts of laughter coming from within the warm pen.
When Laiyue drew close, he inwardly sighed. No wonder his young master wasn't happy. Third Young Madam had abandoned him in a snowboat all by himself to come chat with General Sima so happily. It would be crazy if Third Young Master was pleased about this.
In a short moment, Urihan had lifted the curtain covering the entrance and jumped into the warm pen. She passed Laiyue's words over to Chu Lian.
Chu Lian found it funny. She asked for the time and realised it was almost time for the midday meal.
She then ordered Wenlan to pass a small box of food to Urihan, who was to pass it to Laiyue outside and send it to He Changdi.
It wasn't easy to travel to Suzhou, even with the snowboats, so they wouldn't stop in the middle of the day, even for lunch. Thus, most of their midday meals were some dry rations. They would only make a warm meal when they stopped for the night.
Holding the small box of food, Laiyue didn't even dare to lift the curtain of his master's warm pen.
It was only when He Sanlang purposely coughed that Laiyue had to brace himself and enter.
As expected, he was met with He Sanlang's fist.
That night, they finally arrived in Su City. Some of the family soldiers had already gone ahead to book their rooms for the night.
He Changdi had specially made arrangements in private. He would naturally share a room with Chu Lian when they reached the inn.
This time, before Sima Hui could stick to Chu Lian, Chu Lian had already been dragged back to their room by He Sanlang.
Upon reaching their room, the wooden door slammed shut with a bang. He Changdi threw his crutches to one side and pressed Chu Lian up against the wooden door.
His strong arms were placed on either side of her body, trapping her within his embrace.
Chu Lian was still dazed from all the movement. She felt a pinch on her soft lips, then her mouth was open to He Changdi's plundering.
His demands were both sudden and forceful. Chu Lian couldn't fight against him with the tiny bit of strength she had. The hands she had placed against his chest slowly turned limp and slipped down to grasp the lapels of his tunic.
Once that domineering kiss was over, the two of them panted for breath. Chu Lian was especially flushed while her almond-shaped eyes were glazed over. Her warm, fragrant breath blew over He Changdi's chest in puffs. Although they were separated by a layer of clothing, it felt as if her breath brushed directly over his bare chest.
Chu Lian quickly covered up her burning face with one hand and frowned. She used her other hand to push forcefully at the strong arms He Sanlang had put on either side of her.
"He Changdi, let me go! Let me out!"
He Sanlang cast his eyes downwards to stare at the flushed woman in his arms. His eyes darkened but he didn't speak, as if trying to carve this moment into his heart.
Chu Lian couldn't push him away, but it was just too embarrassing to be in this 'kabedon' pose. She gulped nervously, subconsciously trying to hide from this intimacy.
She eyed the gap under his arms and prepared to squeeze herself out through that gap.
However, before she could move, He Changdi seemed to have predicted her actions. He moved his right arm so it was no longer pressed against the door. Instead, he wrapped it around her slender waist, trapping her solidly within his embrace. She wouldn't be able to escape now.
His hand started kneading her waist gently, tickling Chu Lian and making her want to laugh. She started struggling and trying to escape, but his hand shifted downwards and landed a sound smack on her butt.
Ch. 274 A Little Fatter
Chu Lian hadn't expected such a brazen action from him. She sent a fierce glare at him in warning.
But who could have known that He Changdi knew nothing of restraint? He continued to forcefully rub that soft, perky area.
He Sanlang leaned against Chu Lian, resting his head on her shoulder. He sniffed the faint sweet smell of her body and touched his lips to her reddened earlobes. In an overbearing manner, he requested, "Lian'er, you'll share a carriage with me tomorrow."
Chu Lian felt that her lunatic husband had suddenly turned into an extremely possessive child ever since he had gotten injured...
With what he just said, she was able to deduce the reason behind his actions.
Helplessly, Chu Lian asked, "What about Sister Hui then?"
Sima Hui was a lady after all; she couldn't just squeeze into a warm pen with the two of them. Furthermore, Chu Lian had a good relationship with Sima Hui. The female general had taken good care of her while she been staying at the border camp. It wouldn't be right for her to set Sima Hui aside just to accompany He Sanlang.
"She'll be fine in a carriage by herself."
After getting ignored by his wife the whole day, He Sanlang was starting to become obstinate.
Chu Lian could almost feel sweat drops rolling down her head. How had she not realised how stubborn and possessive this man was before? He was even getting jealous over another woman.
From what she understood about He Changdi, Chu Lian knew that if she didn't give him a proper answer now, there would be no end to this tonight.
Chu Lian put her hands on his chest and forcefully pushed him away to create some space between them.
He Sanlang looked at her with his head tilted downwards, obviously displeased.
Chu Lian stared up at his handsome face and broke out into a smile.
Her beautiful eyes formed into crescent moons. Watching her smile was like seeing a fragrant flower come into full bloom, and the sight dazzled He Sanlang.
Chu Lian suddenly hooked her arms around He Changdi's neck and forcefully pulled him down.
He Sanlang obediently bent over until his head was at the same level as hers. Their gazes met; Chu Lian could see every single eyelash of his clearly.
The smile on Chu Lian's face widened a little more. She set her lips next to He Changdi's ear and whispered something.
He Changdi's icy expression melted away, revealing a sparkling warmth hidden beneath. His pupils dilated until his eyes were like two black holes, doing their utmost to suck her into his soul.
With a husky voice, he asked "Really?"
Chu Lian refused to repeat herself, so she just continued smiling at him with her arms around his neck.
He Changdi lifted her up with one hand around her waist and the other under her butt. With just that small bit of effort, he managed to carry her like a child, scaring her into tightening her grip around his neck.
This was a lucky moment for He Sanlang. While Chu Lian was panicking, she unintentionally pressed her chest against his face.
When Chu Lian finally noticed what was happening, her face was red beyond belief.
He Sanlang's leg still hadn't completely recovered, so despite how excited he was, he didn't dare to make any more rash moves. After carrying Chu Lian for a while, he put her down.
He personally neatened up Chu Lian's disheveled clothes and then, in a deep voice, he warned, "You can't lie to me! Or else you'll face the consequences!"
The blush on Chu Lian's face hadn't receded yet, so when she heard what he said, she could only nod silently to gloss over it.
When it was time for dinner, Laiyue noticed that his master was in a much better mood than usual. He only dared to peek at him from time to time, wondering just what could have happened to make Third Young Master this happy.
Seated beside her husband, Chu Lian could obviously sense the change in him as well. The normally quiet and restrained He Sanlang was now breaking out into smiles occasionally while eating. She held up her rice bowl to hide the roll of her eyes she couldn't hold back.
She had only promised to consummate their marriage when they returned to the capital. Look at how happy he had become from just that.
The next day, they left Suzhou the same way they had arrived: with Chu Lian sharing a carriage with Sima Hui, while He Changdi sat alone.
Laiyue found it really odd. Third Young Master's good mood hadn't faded at all since he had boarded the carriage. Third Young Master didn't even order him to disturb Third Young Madam during lunch time.
When Chu Lian had initially set out on the journey to the north, she had taken small, desolate roads to get there as quickly as possible. Now that they weren't in a rush, it was noticeably different. She went shopping on the whole journey back to the capital. Furthermore, Sima Hui was someone who knew how to have fun, just like her, so they went around looking at all the shops and buying like crazy. She purchased plenty of local specialities along the way.
Sima Hui was from a wealthy family, while Chu Lian had never lacked for money since she opened Guilin Restaurant. Thus, during the journey to the capital, the two ladies spent at least three thousand taels between them.
The carnage completely shocked Laiyue into speechlessness.
He mulled over how the amount Third Young Madam had just spent was about the same as all that he and Third Young Master had brought when they had left for the northern border. Seeing how much of a spendthrift Third Young Madam was, he worried over whether Third Young Master would be able to support her lifestyle.
He Changdi, on the other hand, didn't seem to care at all. He even ordered Laiyue to follow Chu Lian, take note of what she liked, and report everything back to him later.
Their trip continued in this manner until Chongzhou, where Great General Qian and the other officers caught up with them.
From then on, the pace of their journey to the capital got even faster.
Even though the pace had increased, it still took approximately twenty days.
By the time they reached Zhangzhou, the closest city to the capital, He Sanlang was already able to ride a horse as per normal.
They bumped into Prince Jin and He Erlang there, who had just settled the corruption case in Zhangzhou, and decided to return to the capital together after some discussion.
Although Chu Lian and the others hadn't arrived at the capital, they had already sent letters ahead of them.
Everyone, including Matriarch He, Countess Jing'an, and Princess Duanjia, was eagerly waiting for the couple to return.
He Changdi shared a carriage with Prince Jin.
Though they hadn't met in a long time, they still got along like they had never parted.
Prince Jin seemed much more haggard than before. There was now a gloomy cast to his abnormal azure eyes. He had also become thinner.
He Changdi glanced at his close friend and personally filled his cup.
The alcohol warming up over the brazier today was milk wine, a local specialty of the north. Its alcohol content was low and it was nourishing for the body. They wouldn't get drunk on it either, so it fit this occasion very well.
"Your Highness, did you find anything while investigating the corruption in Zhangzhou?"
The gentle and refined Prince Jin kept his silence for a while. Then, he raised the small cup and downed the alcohol like it was a form of release. He then picked up the pot of wine and downed another three cups before he managed to calm his emotions.
"Ah-di, I found something."
He Sanlang's eyes were as dark as the boundless night sky when he looked towards his friend. Nothing changed in his expression, as if he had already expected the answer.
Prince Jin's brows drew together and he tightened his grip on the cup. "Ah-di, you knew this would happen a long time ago, didn't you?"
He Sanlang also downed his cup of milk wine in one go. His silence was as good as an answer.
"Back then, before you left for Liangzhou. You suggested that I should investigate this case because you already guessed what was happening."
The bottom of He Sanlang's heart was coated with a thick layer of bitterness. He hadn't guessed it at all- the truth was, he had experienced it for himself already! That agony was something he didn't want his friend to experience again. Since he had reincarnated, he had to let his good friend see for himself the true nature of that pair of mother and son!
"Even though I'm a close friend of Your Highness, there are some things that you wouldn't believe even if I said it outright," He Sanlang finally said.
The light in Prince Jin's azure eyes faded even more. For a while, all he did was stare out into nothingness. Then, he chuckled. "You're right. If I hadn't seen it for myself... If It hadn't investigated it myself... I wouldn't have believed it even if you said it right to my face."
However, now the ugly truth had been presented right in front of him. He had no other choice but to believe it!
What a joke!
So the people he had cared for the most had always thought of him as a chess piece that could be sacrificed at any time.
He was merely a shield for the Crown Prince.
In He Sanlang's past life, Prince Jin had been framed and sentenced to death because he had blindly trusted the ones he cared about so much.
Back then, even though He Sanlang had warned him, Prince Jin hadn't taken that warning seriously.
Much later, when the matter had been brought to light, it had been revealed that Prince Jin had been framed. By that time, despite wanting to save his best friend, He Sanlang had his hands tied because House Jing'an itself had been in imminent danger.
The two men fell into silence.
After a long period, Prince Jin finally said, "Ah-di, I feel terrible. Drink with me."
He Sanlang didn't speak a word. His only action was to personally pour more wine for Prince Jin.
Prince Jin finally recovered a little of his spirit after taking a nap in the carriage. He tidied up his hair, got off, and switched to horseback together with He Changdi.
The two handsome men, one dressed in black and the other in navy, riding side by side under the warm sun, formed an extremely eye-catching scene.
One of them had a warm and elegant aura, while the other was more cool and stern.
Prince Jin's smile evoked thoughts of spring, while He Sanlang's handsome features were cloaked in a cold yet remarkable air.
They were in the outskirts of the city where the roads were wide, and the weather was sunny today. Chu Lian couldn't take being stuck in the carriage any longer, so she asked Sima Hui to teach her how to ride a horse.
Sima Hui specially ordered her female adjutant to prepare a gentle chestnut mare for Chu Lian, as well as a proper saddle, before she began teaching Chu Lian the basics.
Chu Lian had always been both intelligent and daring. In less than thirty minutes, she was already able to use the reins to control the horse and was trotting down the highway.
Right at this time, they heard the sounds of fast hoofbeats from behind, so the two ladies turned around in confusion.
It was Prince Jin and He Changdi who were coming their way.
Although it wasn't Sima Hui's first time going to the capital, she had never met the Fourth Prince before.
From a distance, the man who was riding his mount had strangely coloured eyes. Although there was nothing reflected in them, Sima Hui felt as if she saw a shadow of herself in their depths.
Afraid that Sima Hui might not comport herself with the proper manners towards Prince Jin, Chu Lian hurriedly mouthed the words 'Fourth Prince' at her.
With the help of Chu Lian's hint, a trace of realisation dawned upon Sima Hui and she recalled the little that she had heard about him.
She had previously heard that the fourth prince was different from most people, but she hadn't thought that it referred to his eyes.
In the imperial family, different-coloured eyes weren't considered auspicious. Considering the fact that his birth mother, Concubine Xian, had passed away when he was still a child, one could imagine that his days growing up in the palace weren't easy.
Sima Hui had also lost her parents when she was a child, so she sympathised with Prince Jin's plight. A hint of kindness and tenderness showed in the gaze she directed at him.
Prince Jin's abnormal eyes aside, his looks were on par with He Changdi's. They were both extraordinarily handsome men that were hard to come by.
When He Sanlang and Prince Jin approached them, Chu Lian greeted the prince with a smile. "Greetings, Your Highness."
"Jinyi, it's been a few months since we last met. You've somehow gotten a little fatter in the north."