When Feng Yun woke up the next day, she noticed that people around her were looking at her sowhat strangely.
Daman and Xiaoman greeted her as she got up, more reverent than usual, and offered tea on bended knee.
"Congratulations to the young lady, wishing joy to the young lady."
Feng Yun had lost a ga of chess last night, causing her to have a restless sleep, and at this mont, her head was heavy; she didn’t react imdiately, and took a sip of tea from the cup handed to her.
"What joy is there? Has the Qi Army retreated?"
Xiaoman let out a snicker.
"If the Qi Army had retreated, this maid wouldn’t be here to congratulate the young lady."
Daman said, "This morning, I heard people in the camp say that the Great General used the Divine Cylinder to talk to the Qi Army, calling a ceasefire for three days until after the grand wedding before resuming battle. During these three days, even if the Qi Army provokes or challenges us, to ensure good fortune, we will not et the enemy..."
Daman’s eyes also held a smile, for with her master becoming the official wife, their status would rise along with the tide, no longer as awkward as before.
Feng Yun humd noncommittally, "Bring the breakfast."
She didn’t take it to heart.
It was, after all, a strategy directed by Pei Jue against Xiao Cheng, the result of a wager, and naturally should not be taken to heart.
After eating breakfast, she took Daman and Xiaoman with her out of the house, preparing to walk to the city wall to listen for herself to the so-called touching lyrics sung by the Qi Army, to hear the earnestness of young master Xiao San...
Of course, no matter how affectionate the lyrics, Feng Yun would not believe them again.
Once bitten, twice shy, whether it was Xiao Cheng or Pei Jue, in Feng Yun’s eyes, both warranted caution, only to differing extents.
Unexpectedly, at the door, she bumped into Puyang Jiu, who bowed to her upon seeing her.
"May I have a mont with Feng Ji?"
Feng Yun returned the courtesy and signaled for the Daman and Xiaoman sisters to wait where they were, following Puyang Jiu to one side.
"What instruction does dical Officer Puyang have for ?"
"Instructions is not the word..."
Just as Puyang Jiu began to speak, a patrol of soldiers walked by. He closed his mouth and gave Feng Yun an awkward smile.
When everyone had gone far away, he surreptitiously took out a small booklet from his bosom and handed it to Feng Yun with both hands.
"Since ancient tis, a healer’s heart has been as benevolent as parents. I have no intention of disrespecting Feng Ji. If I have offended you, please understand my good intentions."
"What do you an, dical Officer?" Feng Yun lowered her head to flip through the booklet, but Puyang Jiu reached out to stop her.
"Look at it after you return."
Feng Yun saw the uneasy look on his face and guessed there were unspeakable matters involved, so she put away the booklet and returned the gesture.
"I am enlightened."
Puyang Jiu bowed to her formally once again.
"The grand wedding is in three days; it would be best for the young lady not to leave ho anymore. Prepare yourself at ho."
Feng Yun hesitated for a mont.
This was rely a sche; why was everyone treating it like a big deal?
On her way back to the camp with her maids, soldiers they t on the way offered salutes to Feng Yun, and when she turned her back, they started murmuring among themselves. The implications in their eyes and expressions went beyond the simplicity of the grand wedding.
But Feng Yun couldn’t see through it.
Back in her room, she commanded Daman to find Ye Chuang and inquire about the situation.
Then, at a leisurely pace, she took out the booklet given to her by Puyang Jiu to examine it.
No wonder he had made that remark about a healer’s benevolence; the contents of the booklet were indeed highly offensive to a young lady.
Puyang Jiu had also tucked a slip of paper inside the booklet.
"Since the young lady has no parents or relatives by her side, surely there has been no one to guide you; therefore, I use the words of a healer to impart so knowledge to the young lady."
Puyang Jiu’s writing was very tactful, but Feng Yun understood the gist of it.
The essence was that Pei Jue suffered from an excess yang condition, often controlled with dicine. Puyang Jiu, though a dical practitioner, knew all too well that dicines can harm as well as heal. Even with his careful treatnts, it was often difficult to contain the condition. Then he proceeded to advise her on how to relieve the General’s stress, to be understanding that he was a "patient", to bear with him, before ambiguously alluding to sothing else, which Feng Yun found sowhat comprehensible...
"This man is sick."
Flipping through the booklet didn’t affect her much.
Because she had seen such material before; it was essentially an enlightening book used to teach young girls about "matters of the bedroom" prior to a grand wedding. To her, it was far too elentary, and after a brief look, she casually slid it under her couch.
At this ti, Daman returned.
Her cheeks were a bit red.
"Guard Ye said that it would be better for the young lady not to ask too much," she said.
Feng Yun was puzzled, "Why should I not inquire?"
Daman lowered her head, biting her lip.
"Guard Ye wouldn’t say. But just now, I overheard a bit near a corner of the wall; they said, said..."
Feng Yun couldn’t stand people hemming and hawing in front of her; her face fell to a frown.
"Said what? There should be nothing that cannot be spoken of."
Daman’s ears turned red, but seeing Feng Yun’s cold gaze, she felt it was her mont to step up, "Does the young lady know of a certain nickna for the General?"
Nickna? Feng Yun fixed her gaze on her.
Daman softly uttered three words, "Pei Daqi."
Feng Yun responded with an "Oh," "So what?"
Isn’t it a good thing to praise him for his grandness?
Daman saw that the young lady completely missed the point and said with downcast eyes, "I just heard two soldiers in the camp chatting idly, saying... the young lady has it tough, enduring such a hardship."
Feng Yun didn’t figure it out from Daman’s words, but from her flushed face, struggling to speak yet holding back.
She calmly said, "I understand, you may leave."
Daman said, "Should we let the General know about this? It’s not great to let people gossip about such things, after all."
"What’s wrong with that? Let them say, it’s none of my concern."
If it had been Feng Yun from her past life, she might have died of embarrassnt.
Now, these kinds of things didn’t affect her in the slightest.
Conducting military campaigns outside, the camp was filled with vigorous young n. It could be months, even years before they returned, naturally restless. And the Beiyong Army had strict military laws, unlike so camps which had camp prostitutes. With nowhere to vent and release their energy, it’s only too normal for them to spit and gossip.
Besides, others were only talking. Why pay them any mind?
She instructed Daman to prepare ink and paper and took the account books that Pinshu had written. She then began to settle accounts with the wealthy families in the city...
Her mother had said that the majority of the world’s wealth was in the hands of two percent of the people. In Bingzhou City, she realized the truth of this statent, thinking her mother was very remarkable.
She believed that this two percent of people could support the civilians of Bingzhou City and sustain the Beiyong Army...
-
Puyang Jiu watched Feng Yun leave. She didn’t go to the wounded soldiers’ quarters but instructed two dicine boys to change dressings and then went to the main camp.
Pei Jue was talking with Deng Guang when Puyang Jiu entered.
Without a word, she stood respectfully to one side.
Pei Jue asked, "Sothing the matter?"
Puyang Jiu clasped her hands together in a greeting, smiling faintly.
"After the General is done with administrative duties."
Pei Jue was silent, watching her for a mont, then instructed Deng Guang with a few words and ordered him to leave.
Once Deng Guang was gone, Puyang Jiu said, "Please, Great General, have everyone leave."
Pei Jue’s brow furrowed slightly, and he waved his hand, "You all may leave."
"Yes."
All the attendants in the room withdrew.
Puyang Jiu imdiately changed her expression, sweeping away the gentlemanly deanor, and put on a frivolous, playful smile.
"Congratulations to Wangzhi on becoming a groom soon."
Pei Jue said, "Thank you."
His reaction was much more normal compared to Feng Ji’s.
Puyang Jiu was greatly relieved, "I never expected Wangzhi to marry at such a critical ti. Things are rushed, and I haven’t prepared a gift, so I can only offer this..."
Pei Jue’s gaze fell upon Puyang Jiu’s hands.
Puyang Jiu took out two small porcelain vases.
Both were made of fine porcelain, one celadon and the other white. Such precious containers must hold valuable contents.
Pei Jue showed no expression, just watching her.
Puyang Jiu pushed the vases towards him, indicating that he look at the labels attached to the bodies of the vases.
"The celadon reads ’Pearl Charms’, the white reads ’Jade Gates’."
Seeing Pei Jue looking at her with cold eyes, Puyang Jiu touched her nose sowhat awkwardly, "I have been working on this concoction for several years, and since I learned of Wangzhi’s condition, I’ve been preparing it, planning to present it on his wedding day. When Wangzhi had an attack a few days ago, I thought it would be better to have so ready sooner. Isn’t it just perfect it’s now in use?"
Pei Jue asked, "What are the benefits?"
Puyang Jiu’s expression was subtle, "The benefits are significant. Forgive my frankness, but with Wangzhi’s physique, it’s difficult for ordinary won to endure..."
Pei Jue’s eyes darkened, and Puyang Jiu knew he understood her aning, then giggled maliciously, "If you force the issue, it will harm her body, and over ti you will not enjoy it either. Pearl Charms is precisely such a wonderful substance to enhance pleasure. This isn’t the place for details; you’ll understand the benefits yourself. I guarantee you’ll want to thank with a generous gift afterward..."
With that, she pointed to the white porcelain vase.
"Jade Gates is an ointnt for healing, to prevent chills and discharge. This is a secret recipe from the palace, to be applied afterward to spare the delicate girl from being hard beyond recognition."
As she spoke, Puyang Jiu’s feet were already preparing to back away.
She suspected that before she finished speaking, she would likely get hit.
But Pei Jue remained expressionless and calmly listened to everything, then said:
"The wedding is rely a temporary asure. It’s not ant to be taken seriously."
Puyang Jiu was slightly startled and looked at him in disbelief.
Pei Jue was no three-year-old child.
To treat a wedding like a play wasn’t sothing he seed capable of doing.
"I thought you were afraid we would lose the upcoming battle, that we couldn’t leave Bingzhou alive... and you wanted to experience being a groom before dying," Puyang Jiu said dejectedly, showing a hint of disappointnt. But her hands leisurely retracted Pearl Charms and Jade Gates from the table, "I’ll take these with then. We’ll talk about it when your wedding day cos, otherwise I’ll have nothing to give you then..."
"Leave them," Pei Jue said.
Puyang Jiu raised her head and t a pair of deep, dark eyes.
After a mont of eye contact, she sheepishly winked.
"I knew you’d say that... Fine, consider yourself lucky."
Pei Jue’s face was cold, "You can leave now."
Puyang Jiu, gritting her teeth with frustration, "If you weren’t my brother, I could hardly be bothered with you, allowing you to have countless wives and concubines but no joy in them..."
After uttering such a malicious curse, Puyang Jiu didn’t wait for Pei Jue to respond; she quickly made herself scarce.
Who made her the esteed divine doctor whom Pei Jue trusted most? She worried for him.
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