Chapter 611: - Untitled

“Marquis, the bath is ready.”

“You can go.”

“Yes, Marquis.”

The two serving girls withdrew.

Both girls counted as old hands in the household.

Years ago, back in Tiger Head City, Fourth Lady had taken in a group of young girls. Her original intention had been to train them into female retainers and agents.

But once she realized the Master did not especially like that sort of arrangement, she only taught them a few things.

After they reached marriageable age, about half were gradually married off.

A small number married officers.

Most of the rest married personal guards serving beside Zheng Fan.

It did not resemble the style of Qian’s Silver-Armored Guard.

Instead, it was somewhat closer to the relationship between the Regent of Chu and Nian Yao.

Nian Yao had originally been a household slave in the Regent’s residence.

His wife had also belonged to the household slave registry.

Marquis Zheng did not care for establishing “slave status” and similar formal distinctions.

But there was no denying one thing.

If you served as Marquis Zheng’s personal guard and married a woman who came from Marquis Zheng’s household, the character “Zheng” had effectively been branded permanently across your forehead.

Zheng Fan soaked in the bath barrel.

Demon Pill soaked beside him.

Ordinarily, unless he was fighting a war, his days were genuinely leisurely.

The problem was that once life became too leisurely, it inevitably became somewhat boring.

He had more or less stepped across the threshold into “middle age.”

No one urged him to marry.

No one urged him to have children.

Across two lives, he had never possessed elders constantly nagging in his ear.

There had been a time when Marquis Zheng thought living alone for an entire lifetime sounded perfectly good.

Forget arguing over DINK lifestyles or any such thing.

Wouldn’t living freely and carelessly for one whole life be wonderful?

Raising children for support in old age had never entered his calculations.

Who knew whether a child would simply become another burden?

But now, Marquis Zheng’s state of mind had changed.

He wanted to visit Qian’s Jiangnan, but for the moment he did not dare.

He wanted to travel west too, but it was too far.

Over the past several years he had charged north, south, east, and west, and had more or less established himself a household and estate.

As the saying went, once warm and well-fed, thoughts turned to certain other things.

Zheng Fan now felt life had simply become too boring.

So he wanted to introduce a little change.

Put simply, even if it meant gaining one more burden, at least that burden would give him something to do.

If he were busy with his career and foundation, that would be one thing.

But now he had actually fallen into the ridiculous situation of having to deliberately find something to do every day simply so he would not look too idle.

“Haaah...”

Marquis Zheng spread a bath cloth across his face.

At that moment, “Glub glub glub...”

Bubbles began rising around Demon Pill.

Zheng Fan moved the cloth away, stretched out one finger, and poked Demon Pill.

“I’m saying, when exactly are you planning to advance?”

He genuinely had not expected that the one dragging at the back would somehow be his own son.

So was this what they called the familiar stranger?

Zheng Fan reached out, lifted Demon Pill from the water, and held him in front of his face.

“Even if you told me you badly wanted to kill me, or wanted to torture me in every possible way, I could accept it.”

Demon Pill remained silent.

He seemed unwilling to engage with the subject.

Splash.

Zheng Fan tossed Demon Pill back into the bath.

All this time, Demon Pill had been his protective talisman.

At critical moments, allowing Demon Pill to possess his body had already saved his life several times.

If Demon Pill advanced, he could continue playing an enormously useful role.

But if he remained stuck at the rear, he would gradually become somewhat redundant.

“Marquis, do you need more hot water?”

“All right.”

It was Madam Ke’s voice.

Madam Ke pushed open the door and entered carrying a bucket.

The Princess and Ruqing had not arrived yet.

Madam Ke had been among the earliest to relocate.

Other maids in the residence could be married off.

Only Madam Ke could not be.

Nor would she be.

Besides, Madam Ke herself had no wish to leave.

She was content to remain in the residence as a managing matron and raise her child.

That was enough.

More importantly, she had, in a sense, served the Marquis before.

Not that kind of service.

But their relationship was not entirely pure and distant either.

The Marquis had never said anything afterward, but Madam Ke understood.

The residence maids were maids.

Most were reasonably attractive.

But this Marquis was actually very restrained with women in ordinary life.

Even so, no man would calmly give away a woman with whom he had once shared some sort of intimate connection.

So Madam Ke had nothing to worry about.

If there was no man, then there was no man.

She would not starve.

Besides, being a managing matron inside the Marquis Residence carried more prestige than being the wife of some County Magistrate below.

Madam Ke came over and added hot water to the bath.

Because the weather was cold, she was dressed thickly.

Besides, she no longer had any intention of seducing Marquis Zheng.

Back then, before Fourth Lady arrived, Madam Ke had indeed thought about seizing the opportunity.

Demon Pill had trapped her in a ghost maze.

She spent an entire night outdoors and nearly caught a severe chill.

Later, after seeing Fourth Lady, as a clever woman, she understood she could never compete.

Then the Princess entered the household.

At that point, Madam Ke completely abandoned such thoughts.

Of course, she herself no longer intended anything.

But if Marquis Zheng wanted her, she would still be perfectly willing.

As a household matron, she understood very clearly that although the Master before her had always restrained himself around women, he was absolutely not henpecked.

“Marquis, would you like me to scrub your back?”

“All right.”

Madam Ke moved behind Zheng Fan and began scrubbing.

There was no flirtatious atmosphere between them.

If anything, they resembled friends of a moderate familiarity.

“Marquis, are you very tired?”

“You’re someone from the residence. Do you think this Marquis looks tired?”

“The Marquis is a man who handles great affairs. The things you consider every day must be many and weighty.”

“All right. I’m tired.”

After that, there was nothing more to say.

She simply scrubbed his back quietly.

Madam Ke did not deliberately tease him.

Zheng Fan did not reach out to take liberties either.

Once she finished, Madam Ke asked softly:

“Marquis, are you thirsty?”

“Is there any of that left to drink?”

Madam Ke’s face flushed.

She pouted:

“The child is grown now. There isn’t any anymore.”

Zheng Fan smiled too.

“That really is a pity.”

“The child stopped drinking it long ago. I was fortunate to meet you, Marquis. Otherwise, in the chaos of those years, the two of us, mother and child, truly might not have survived.”

“Truthfully, my own situation was tight back then too.”

At heart, they had simply each gotten what they needed.

If not for the defense of Snow Sea Pass, when he had needed something to divert his attention, Marquis Zheng would probably never have noticed Madam Ke curled up outside his door.

Of course, not everyone could be as fortunate as Madam Ke.

Who told her to possess such good natural assets?

Marquis Zheng had stepped outside and his gaze had been caught immediately.

Madam Ke poured Zheng Fan a cup of tea.

“Marquis, do you have any other instructions?”

“Have someone prepare some late-night food and send it in. Oh, and go to the cellar. Bring me two bottles of the wine Mr. A’Ming stored there. Take the ones from the deepest part.”

“As you command.”

Normally, Zheng Fan did not drink with meals.

He had no addiction to alcohol.

And although he still carried that Zhonghua cigarette tin on him at all times, in truth his smoking habit had faded too.

At most, he occasionally lit one.

Or enjoyed the pleasure of having a genuine Princess light it for him.

Besides, every day he still set aside nearly half the day to practice the saber.

Thinking about it carefully, his life in this world was actually rather healthy.

Zheng Fan stood from the bath, wiped himself casually, and threw on a robe.

The room itself was not cold.

He walked to a chair, sat down, held his teacup, and half closed his eyes.

Not long afterward, Madam Ke returned carrying the late-night meal.

There was a small hotpot with mutton, plus two plates of side dishes.

After pouring the wine, Madam Ke quietly withdrew again.

Zheng Fan sat blankly for a while longer.

Then he walked to the table, lifted the wine cup, and took a sip.

He could not distinguish good wine from bad.

He drank it purely like a beverage.

A short while later, Zheng Fan returned to the bath, scooped Demon Pill out, and placed him inside a box.

After the lid closed, the box trembled several times to express displeasure.

But Demon Pill did not resist too violently.

Then

Marquis Zheng took out a talisman and pasted it onto the box.

Finally, he tapped the lid with one hand.

“Tonight, behave.”

...

Fourth Lady brought the work in her hands to a stopping point.

The complicated remaining tasks could be left to the people below.

Today, she left work early.

When she reached the residence gates, Fourth Lady’s gaze sharpened.

Rows upon rows of armored soldiers had surrounded the entire residence in three layers inside and three layers outside.

Standing at the entrance was Jin Shuke, currently the most trusted general under the Marquis of Pingxi aside from General Liang.

Jin Shuke wore a saber at his waist.

His expression was solemn.

His eyes continuously swept the surroundings.

With defenses like these, even a genuine expert would find it nearly impossible to force his way inside.

Then

Jin Shuke saw Fourth Lady.

He immediately came over and saluted.

“Greetings, Mr. Feng.”

Among the people under the Marquis of Pingxi, aside from Liang Cheng, who was addressed as General, the others were traditionally called “Mister.”

That was the old custom.

“What happened?”

Jin Shuke replied:

“Mr. Feng, the Marquis said his mind was uneasy tonight and he feared some disturbance might occur. So he ordered this general to lead three thousand armored troops and guard the residence on every side. The Marquis left these words: except for you, Mr. Feng, tonight no one else is permitted to enter the residence. Anyone who disobeys is to be killed without mercy.”

“Heh. Hehehe...”

Fourth Lady could not help laughing.

“Little Jin, you’ve worked hard.”

“This is my duty. Heh. And truthfully, getting a few more chances to guard the Marquis’s gate makes me feel secure.”

Jin Shuke was extremely capable.

But the most valuable thing about him, beyond his ability, was that he understood loyalty.

Then Jin Shuke stepped aside.

He waved one hand.

Immediately, the armored soldiers at the gate opened a path.

The residence doors swung wide.

Inside the inner wall, rows of crossbowmen were already standing guard.

What made Fourth Lady truly unsure whether to laugh or cry was that they had even brought in defensive equipment normally used atop city walls.

A great oil cauldron was already heating.

Clearly, Jin Shuke had carried out his Marquis’s instructions with absolute seriousness.

Fourth Lady continued inward.

At the entrance to the front hall, she saw a wicker chair.

Someone lay reclining on it.

Longyuan hung at his side.

The Sword Saint heard someone approaching and opened his eyes.

He looked at Fourth Lady.

“He told me an expert might attack tonight. But I keep feeling like he’s lying to me.”

“You’ve worked hard too.”

Every time the Sword Saint was asked to help with something, the price was not small.

Sometimes it was not even payment.

It was a favor.

And favors could not be measured in equivalent goods.

“He also told me this expert is skilled at disguises. He specifically warned me that except for you, no one else is to be allowed through this door afterward.”

“I’m real.”

“No, that isn’t what I mean. I just feel this time is different from before.”

“How?”

“There is something wrong in the air. Usually when he asks me to do something, whatever it is, the matter is straightforward. This time it feels like...”

“Like what?”

The Sword Saint sighed.

“Like my lifelong reputation is about to be ruined.”

“That won’t happen. If no powerful enemy appears tonight, no one outside will even know you were here.”

“That is true. There are so many soldiers outside as well.”

“You’ve suffered.”

“You’re too polite.”

The Sword Saint waved a hand.

Fourth Lady walked around him and entered the rear residence.

She pushed open the bedroom door.

Inside, Marquis Zheng was sitting beside the table, pouring himself wine.

Fourth Lady smiled.

“What an enormous display outside.”

“Heh.”

Zheng Fan stood, walked to her side, and helped remove her cloak.

“The bath was just topped up with hot water. The temperature should be perfect.”

“Thank you, Master.”

Fourth Lady was about to undress when she stopped and looked at Zheng Fan.

“Master, turn around.”

Although he had long since seen her body, today was different after all.

Zheng Fan turned around.

A moment later, he heard the sound of water behind him.

Only then did he turn back.

“I already sent Jin Shuke the order. Even if news arrives tonight that the Emperor of Yan has died, he is to cut down the imperial envoy before letting him in. Even if Old Tian personally comes, he is not allowed inside. And the Sword Saint is guarding the middle courtyard too.”

As for anything else, there was really nothing left that could interrupt him.

Even if the snowfield Savages suddenly elected a new alliance chief overnight, united in purpose, and attacked Snow Sea Pass; even if his elder brother-in-law in Chu suddenly ordered Nian Yao to launch another northern campaign; put plainly, neither of those things could interfere with tonight.

They could discuss and arrange a response tomorrow.

There would still be time.

“Master, isn’t this display a little... excessive?” Fourth Lady rested one hand on the edge of the bath and laid her head against her own arm as she looked at Zheng Fan. “If the soldiers outside and the Sword Saint knew what all these solemn preparations were actually for, who knows what they would think.”

“I don’t care what they think anymore. I even sealed Demon Pill this time.”

As he spoke, Zheng Fan pointed toward the side room.

Then he personally poured Fourth Lady a cup of wine and handed it to her.

“You don’t understand. The more badly you want to do something, the more the world refuses to let you finish it. It’s exactly like when I used to draw and design plots in my previous life. You deliberately hold things back. Keep the audience dangling. Every time the critical moment comes, you throw in some accident, some twist, some interruption. Absolutely hateful. Utterly infuriating. I have experience now. So this time I wrapped everything around myself until there isn’t a gap anywhere. I’ve prepared for everything. Unless lightning suddenly falls from Heaven tonight, and unless it kills me on the spot, even if it blasts a giant hole through the roof, I am finishing this today.”

Fourth Lady took a sip of wine.

“So the last great campaign against Chu happened because the Emperor of Yan and the Regent of Chu wanted to stop Master from finishing the deed?”

“Heh.”

Zheng Fan laughed too.

“If that’s true, then Heaven really gives me, Zheng, enormous face. Though if those two emperors heard you say it, one of them might drop dead from rage.”

“Oh, right. Want me to scrub your back?”

Fourth Lady rolled her eyes at Marquis Zheng with overwhelming charm.

“Move aside. I’ll dress myself. When I tell you to come in, then you come in.”

“All right, all right, all right.”

At a moment like this, even if someone asked Marquis Zheng to soak in a medicinal bath devised by Xue San for an entire month, he would definitely agree.

At such times, the brain governing a man’s body transferred from the one above to the one below.

Fourth Lady stepped out of the bath and entered the inner bedroom.

Zheng Fan did not rush in.

Instead he called:

“Once Fengxin City is finished, how about we hold a wedding?”

Fourth Lady’s voice came from inside.

“The Princess was formally married through proper matchmakers, and she carries an imperial title. There would be trouble.”

Marquis Zheng was just about to say that kind of trouble meant nothing, when Fourth Lady continued:

“Besides, a wedding is something held for outsiders. Ordinary people hold weddings and invite relatives they hardly see once a year. Then everyone has to smile and congratulate one another. It’s terribly boring. If we hold one, it should just be Master and the seven of us. Set up a small hotpot in the pavilion. Hand out a few wedding sweets. And collect one round of gifts from them. That is enough. Family only. Less trouble.”

“Mm.”

In the end, it was only a formality.

Fourth Lady genuinely did not care about that kind of thing.

Inside the rear residence, even the Princess behaved carefully before her.

“No matter whether I become Emperor one day or not, I’ll still take you to sit beside me on the Dragon Throne. Then we’ll have a painter make a portrait. We can call it making up for a wedding photograph.”

“That does sound good.”

Another little while passed.

Then Fourth Lady called:

“Come in, Master.”

Marquis Zheng walked inside.

Fourth Lady sat at the edge of the bed.

She was not wearing anything deliberately provocative.

Instead she was dressed rather solemnly, her hair properly coiled and pinned.

Zheng Fan sat beside her.

Fourth Lady leaned sideways and rested her head against his shoulder.

“Somehow, it feels a little plain.”

“That’s what life is. This plain flavor is what living is all about.”

“Is it?”

“It is.”

“At this point, there shouldn’t be any more accidents, right?”

Zheng Fan immediately interrupted:

“Hehehehe.”

Fourth Lady laughed.

Perhaps only the two of them could catch that particular joke.

“No...”

“Master...”

“Mm?”

Fourth Lady reached out, wrapped both arms around Zheng Fan’s arm, and leaned backward, pulling him down onto the bed with her.

“Master, be gentle with me.”

Outside the Marquis Residence, more than a thousand armored soldiers stood ready in the winter night.

It could be said that even a fly could not get inside.

In the middle courtyard, the Sword Saint lay on his wicker chair, eyes open, admiring the moon.

In the rear residence, another scene unfolded.

First:

The spring breeze softened emerald waters as willow branches danced;
Fresh green lotus carried twin blossoms on one stem.
A slender tree of ruby jade stood paired in grace;
Two stars intertwined beneath the trailing colored clouds.

Then:

Autumn waters murmured softly, gathering honeyed words;
Willow twigs leaned slenderly into the wind.
Wild sand whirled the phoenix while peach blossoms wept;
Within gauze curtains, paired luan flew through jade-white snow.

Then:

Her jade face lonely, tears crossed the railing;
A branch of pear blossom carried rain in spring.

And at last, soul-stealing, almost sobbing, soft and winding with lingering tenderness, sweet as an oriole’s cry, soaking deep into the bones.

Ten thousand words, all the countless words in the world, became only one:

“It hurts...”

[End of Chapter 611]