Chapter 63

Zhou Yinuo's eyes sparkled with amusement as he pinched Song Dingxiang's soft cheek, his thumb tracing the delicate curve of her jawline. She was so endearing, so utterly adorable, and his heart swelled with a warmth that was both comforting and exhilarating.

Song Dingxiang's face flushed a deep shade of pink as she swatted at his hand, her eyes downcast. She stood up, her movements graceful and fluid, and walked towards the kitchen. "I'll go see what's on the menu today," she said, her voice soft and a bit breathless. "Are you staying here tonight, or do you have to leave after dinner?"

Zhou Yinuo sighed, "I have to return to the Ministry of War after dinner. After all, I'm on leave and in the capital, so I have no choice. It will be better when I return home."

Song Dingxiang breathed a sigh of relief, gave Zhou Yinuo a blank look, and went to the kitchen of the inn.

Zhou Yinuo watched her disappear, sniffing the lingering fragrance on his fingertips, felt a surge of warmth and a pang of guilt. He was a man of a certain age, yet he couldn't seem to curb his restless desires. He was ashamed of himself for allowing such thoughts to linger, especially when he was finally reunited with his wife.

He thought back to the years they had spent apart, the countless nights he had dreamt of her. Now that she was finally within his reach, he couldn't help but feel a sense of urgency, a fear that their time together would be fleeting. He wanted to savor every moment, to make up for all the lost time.

Finally seeing his wife, it's really good.

The Song family members rested for an hour before getting up one after another, and they were all extremely delighted to see Zhou Yinuo sitting in the hall. Especially Fang shi, who held Zhou Yinuo's hand, continuously saying good words, and then tears couldn't stop flowing.

Her eldest daughter didn't marry well and left with her child, and if her second daughter didn't marry well too, her heart would be broken. Luckily, Zhou Yinuo came back, with all his arms and legs, nothing missing.

During the meal, Fang shi wanted to put all the delicious food in Zhou Yinuo's bowl, "You've grown taller, and you've gotten darker. Eat more meat, you look thinner."

Song Dingxiang said, "Where is he thin? Clearly he looks stronger than before."

"You don't understand, this is false fat. He fights outside all day, how can he eat any good food? Looks like he's strong, but inside he's hollow." Fang shi felt sorry for her half-son and kept saying, "Eat more, when you return home, we can take care of you properly. Luckily you came back now, if you came back when there had been a severe drought in the family these past two years, there wouldn't have been anything good to eat."

Zhou Yinuo knew about the drought in the north, when Fang shi mentioned it, he said, "I was very worried at the time, but couldn't inquire through letters. Later, I received a secret letter from General Zhong, who briefly mentioned it, and knew that you were okay, so I felt relieved. Have you been okay during the drought these past two years? Everything alright?"

Fang shi said, "Nothing, what could happen? It's just that we slaughtered all the pigs in the house, but this year we raised a few more. During the severe drought, wolves and wild boars came down from the mountains, but they didn't come to our village, they went to other villages causing trouble. Some even became bandits, a few families at the entrance of our village were robbed, their houses were burnt, and some people were killed. How could they be so heartless? Hmm..."

Zhou Yinuo said, "Mother, don't worry, I have already applied to the Emperor to be stationed in the North in the future, and the Emperor has agreed. I will build a house and settle down in our village, I promise that such things will not happen again."

"That's good, that's good... By the way, did Second Daughter tell you, we have moved, we moved to live in the county," Fang added.

Zhou Yinuo looked surprised at Song Dingxiang and asked, "We bought a house in the county?"

Song Dingxiang replied, "We made some money, and we were afraid that during a severe drought, it would be hard to protect the house, so we decided to buy a house. It's a three-entry courtyard, quite spacious."

"Why did we suddenly move to the county?" Zhou Yinuo was a bit puzzled.

Song Dingxiang glanced at Song Xingyi, who shrugged and said, "Why are you looking at me? It's nothing, it's just quieter in the county."

Originally, Song Dingxiang planned to tell her family about the rumor regarding Xu Qiang's wife with the surname Shi and discuss it with her family. But then she thought, after all, it's just a rumor, maybe it was mistaken.

If she mentioned it, it might cause unnecessary panic. Besides, even if it were true, it had nothing to do with their family.

Zhou Yinuo was right, no matter how much trouble Xu Qiang causes, he won't come to their house, but the Xu family might have some bad luck.

As tomorrow was to be a meeting day with the Emperor, the family dare not eat onions or drink alcohol, so they simply filled their stomachs and began to chat. Zhou Yinuo was no longer as shy and silent as before, having spent six years in the military, he had matured and changed a lot.

Zhou Yinuo's eyes sparkled with a newfound warmth as he recounted tales of the military and the capital, his voice filled with a contagious enthusiasm. His words were peppered with laughter and playful banter, and his frequent touches of Song Dingxiang's hand were a testament to his growing affection.

The night watchman's bell rang, a bittersweet reminder of the passing time. With a heavy heart, Zhou Yinuo pulled Song Dingxiang into a lingering embrace, his fingers tracing the delicate curves of her face. As he reluctantly let go, he promised to return soon, his eyes filled with a longing that mirrored the sorrow in hers before leaving the inn.

Before going to bed that night, Fang shi kept on nagging Song Dingxiang constantly. From her relief at finally being noticed by a man, to the hope for a better future with children, she could not stop talking about marital matters, until Song Dingxiang begged for her to stop.

"I couldn't bear the thought of him touching you when you were so young, but now you're a woman. Shouldn't he be able to? I'm only saying this because I care about you. Don't be afraid to let your feelings show. At your age, your sister was already a mother... Alright, please... go to bed. I'm sorry if I've upset you," Fang Shi said.

Song Dingxiang hurried back to her room, patting her cheeks, and saw Song Yulan's teasing smile.

Song Dingxiang's heart pounded in her chest as she hurried back to her room, her cheeks flushed and her hands trembling slightly. She slapped her cheeks a few times, trying to calm her nerves, but the blush on her face only deepened. As she entered her room, she met Song Yulan's amused gaze.

"Sister, please don't say anything, just go to sleep!" Song Dingxiang pleaded, her voice barely a whisper. She was hoping to avoid any further embarrassment, especially from her teasing sister. Song Yulan chuckled softly, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Oh, come on, Dingxiang. You're so cute when you're flustered," Song Yulan teased, her voice full of affection.

Song Yulan patted the sleeping child beside her, "I have nothing to say, do as you wish, what should I say."

"I'm just afraid of you nagging like our parents," Song Dingxiang brought in a basin of hot water, quickly freshened up, and soaked her feet. "Sister, are you nervous?"

Song Yulan said, "What's there to be nervous about? Anyway, I won't say much. If the emperor really asks me something, I'll just answer."

Song Dingxiang rubbed her feet and said, "I don't think the emperor will necessarily have all of us go over together. Grandpa will probably go, dad and eldest uncle too."

Song Yulan widened her eyes and said, "Then why bring our whole family?"

Song Dingxiang laughed, "Just to broaden our horizons. If it weren't for this occasion, sister, would you even have come to the capital?"

Song Yulan shook her head and said, "Forget about the capital, I rarely even go to the county town. This capital city is really big, with so many people. I just stood outside for a while, so many old folks, selling all sorts of things, it was really lively."

"Things are expensive too, a slightly nice-looking piece of clothing costs two taels of silver. It made me and my sister-in-law feel so bad, we ended up buying good clothes for grandparents, and parents and uncles and aunts, and for ourselves, we just bought plain ones." Song Dingxiang emptied the water after washing her feet, took off her clothes, and lay down on the kang. "Do people in the capital city all sleep on kangs? I thought they all slept on raised beds."

"Really? People in the capital city don't sleep on kangs? How can it not be cold in winter here? But those big officials' families probably have floor heating. I heard from the servants that the best inn in the capital city has floor heating in winter, with beds made of good wood, large and spacious." Song Yulan pulled back the covers and lay down, "Do you think so, Dingxiang, it's warmer in the capital city than back home."

"This place is in the south, how could it not be warm?" Song Dingxiang covered herself with a thin quilt, looking at the sachets hanging in the corners of the room, "There are not many mosquitoes here, probably because of those sachets. When we go back, I need to bring more back with me, or else the mosquitoes at home will devour me."

"Why are you so bothered by mosquitoes..." The two sisters chatted slowly until they fell asleep.

Early the next morning, Grand Wang Gonggong arrived with a group of people, a wide smile on his face. He flicked his whisk and said, "Did Master and Madam Song sleep well?"

Song Xingyi quickly replied, "Thanks to Eunuch Wang's blessings, we slept well."

"Everyone is up?" Wang Gonggong was dressed in his court attire today, looking a bit more imposing than before, but his face was still cheerful, with a hint of gentleness.

Song Dingxiang knew that this meant that their family was still considered decent in the eyes of the emperor, otherwise how could a eunuch from the palace personally come to pick them up and rush over early in the morning to take them to an audience with the emperor?

Song Xingyi said, "Everyone is up. We got up as soon as it was light. May I ask, Eunuch Wang, is our whole family going?"

The eunuch Wang smiled and said, "This is a great joyous occasion. The Emperor is happy, so naturally he will allow your whole family to go. If you are all dressed and ready, then come with our family."

The horse carriage parked at the door was marked with the symbol of the palace. The Song family members got on the carriage one by one. The inside of the carriage was luxurious and spacious, fitting six or seven people without feeling crowded. There was even a foldable small tea table with a few plates of pastries on top.

The accompanying young eunuch smiled and said, "If you haven't eaten, have a pastry to fill up. But don't eat too much, if you embarrass yourself in front of the palace, the Emperor might not be pleased."

After he said this, who dared to eat pastries? Even the children just stared, not reaching out to take any.

The Wang Gonggong glanced over and thought that this family had good manners, so he felt relieved.

The capital city was very large, and it took nearly two incense sticks' time for the carriage to travel from the inn to the palace gate. At the gate, the eunuch asked them to alight from the carriage and led them inside.

Song Dingxiang lifted her head and scanned the surroundings. The palace was similar to the one she had seen before, but surrounded by guards.

Occasionally, there were eunuchs and palace maids hurrying about, adding a solemn and dignified atmosphere to the palace, unlike the lively and bustling feeling of being jostled in a crowd.

After another half an hour, they finally arrived at the place where the Emperor wanted to meet them.

Wang Gonggong smiled and said, "This is the pavilion in the Imperial Garden. The Emperor was afraid you might feel uncomfortable, so he didn't arrange a meeting in the Hall of Yangxin."

Song Dingxiang bowed slightly and said, "Thank you for the Emperor's concern, and thank you, Eunuch Wang."

Wang Gonggong just smiled and gestured to the young eunuch next to him.

The young eunuch bowed and led the way to the pavilion with screens hanging with green gauze around it. After a moment, he returned and said, "The Emperor is having tea inside. Please let Master Song, Madam Song, Madam Zhou, and their family members go in to have a conversation."

Song Dingxiang and her group then followed the young eunuch slowly inside.

Before they arrived, Wang Gonggong had already warned them that it was most taboo in the palace to look around, lack discipline, and easily cause trouble. So, except for a brief glance from Song Dingxiang at the beginning, they all walked with their heads down.

Even the children held their breath tightly, gripping the hands of the adults nervously.

Although it was called a pavilion, it was extremely spacious inside. After Song Dingxiang entered and bowed under the guidance of the eunuch, she heard a deep voice ahead saying, "General Zhou, is this the wife you have been thinking about?"

“Your Majesty,” Zhou Yinuo’s voice, filled with a longing that seemed to echo through the hall, “My wife and I have been separated by distance for six arduous years. Each day, I find myself lost in thought, yearning for her presence. The absence of her love and companionship has been a constant ache in my heart. If it weren’t for her unwavering support, her belief in me, and the gentle encouragement she has always sent my way, I doubt I could have achieved even a fraction of what I have. Her love has been my guiding star, illuminating the path to success.”

The Emperor laughed heartily and said, "There's a common saying among the people, right? When marrying a wife, look for a virtuous one, isn't that true? I see that you have married a very good wife. Very good. Please rise and take a seat."

The young eunuch led Song Xingyi and Li shi to sit on the chairs next to him, while the others sat on the embroidered cushions behind. Due to nervousness, everyone sat stiffly, slightly lowering their heads, and dared not look around.

The Emperor said, "Please don't be so reserved. I have arranged this banquet here precisely because I didn't want you to feel constrained. Oh, Zhou Yinuo, I heard that your virtuous wife is eloquent. Why is she silent now?"

Zhou Yinuo replied, "My wife has always been busy working in the village. She just moved to the county town today and has never seen such a scene before, let alone facing the Emperor now. How can she not be nervous?"

The Emperor just smiled and after a while said, "Call your wife to come forward. I have something to ask her."

Song Dingxiang's heart raced as Zhou Yinuo guided her to the front. The young eunuch placed a chair behind her, but she hesitated to sit. Her palms were clammy, and her breath came in shallow gasps. She felt a mix of fear and excitement.

"Go on, the Emperor is just asking you a question. Answer whatever he asks," Zhou Yinuo squeezed his wife's hand and then moved to the side.

Taking a deep breath, Song Dingxiang lifted her head and looked at the Emperor. The Emperor, in his early thirties, had a handsome and graceful appearance.

She couldn't discern any aura of a true dragon, but she thought that if this Emperor were in modern times, he would be more handsome than the professional actors playing the role of an Emperor, and he was a real Emperor.

In her lifetime, seeing a real, living Emperor was quite fulfilling for Song Dingxiang.

"I want to ask you, you are just a mere woman, why did you decide to send those things to the Northern lands?"

Song Dingxiang stood up and bowed, but the Emperor waved his hand and said, "You can sit down to answer me."

Song Dingxiang then sat back down and said, "Your Majesty, actually, this humble woman didn't have any other intentions at first. At that time, we had sheep at home, and I just sheared a few pounds of wool. Knowing how cold it is in the Northern lands, I was afraid my husband might get frostbite, so I made some hand and foot warmers and sent them over. But then I thought, there are so many people in the North, so why not make more, it was just a small token of my sincerity. The wool was scarce, but luckily with General Zhong's help, I was able to make those gloves and send them over."

The Emperor chuckled and said, "Besides gloves, there were also woven armors, short caped shawls, leather covers for boots, and preserved vegetables and sauces. Later, I heard that even during a severe drought, you hurriedly made soft wool blankets from the wool General Zhong sent and sent them to the North lands..."

Song Dingxiang replied, "It was just a small effort. I chose soft sheep wool for the gloves, which were very warm and didn't prick the hands when worn. In addition to the gloves, I also made simple scarves and shawls with the remaining wool, but I didn't send them to the North lands. Instead, I sold them in the town."

After listening, the Emperor pondered for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter and said, "Interesting, interesting. Most people wouldn't know how to praise themselves, but you say you sold the remaining wool. Quite amusing."

Song Dingxiang smiled and said, "I hope Your Majesty won't blame me. My family is not wealthy, and making gloves required hiring help. After paying for the previous work, we were already tight on money. I saw that the remaining wool was a bit rough but still usable, and us folks in the countryside don't mind if the wool is hard or soft as long as it keeps us warm, so..."

The Emperor nodded with a smile and said, "I don't blame you. How did you make the woven armor?"

Song Dingxiang replied, "In the village's oil pressing workshop, they use rattan as ropes in many places. After being soaked in oil, the rattan becomes extremely tough and difficult to cut with a knife. At that time, my husband was conscripted, but he didn't even have a decent set of armor. I was worried about him, so when I saw the strong rattan, I suddenly had this idea, just to protect him from harm."

The Emperor said, "Armor is mostly made of copper and iron, but they are expensive and rare. Rattan, on the other hand, is readily available. Now, most of the Northern army uses woven armor for protection, thanks to the efforts of Madam Zhou."

Song Dingxiang stood up again and said, "I dare not take credit, but at that time, I just wanted to ensure my husband's safety. Even the food sent later was just because I thought my husband didn't have many acquaintances in the army, so I hoped that everyone would take care of him a bit after eating what my family sent."

The Emperor said, "You dare not take credit, but you have achievements. Those who are always thinking about taking credit... hmph! You have done well, and I am very pleased. If everyone were like you, like General Zhou, I wouldn't have to worry about the stability of the country. But does Madam Zhou not know? You were rushing to make gloves and blankets for the Northern soldiers, while someone was using your skills to profit enormously, disregarding the lives of the people."

Song Dingxiang knelt down and said, "The weaving method that I used was just something I stumbled upon by chance. With a few pounds of wool, I could produce a certain amount of woolen fabric, spin it into threads, and weave a certain number of pairs of gloves. All the gloves were sent to the North, and the ones worn by my family were just rough gloves made from mixed wool. If it is said that I profited from making gloves, I would never dare to do so."

The Emperor said, "Madam Zhou, do not be afraid. Naturally, I am not referring to you. The things you have done have benefited the country and the people. I am just angry that while some people are doing good everywhere, others are constantly trying to exploit and oppress the people. And that person... I think you should also recognize him."

Song Dingxiang just kept her head down and remained silent.

After a moment of silence, the Emperor continued, "Someone told me before that a county magistrate in Ganning had made something interesting using wool, and rushed to present it to me. Upon inspection, it turned out to be woolen gloves that the Northern soldiers were already using. Although they may be small, the weaving technique was exceptional. Ganning is miles away from Weixian, so why do they have similar items there? Out of curiosity, I sent someone to investigate... and indeed found some things. Bring that woman in."

Someone outside responded, and after a while, a frail-looking woman was brought in by a young eunuch. As soon as the woman entered, she knelt down and trembled all over.

"Madame Zho, do you recognize this person?" the Emperor asked.

Song Dingxiang looked up and glanced at the woman, who also looked at Song Dingxiang carefully, then widened her eyes, "Song Dingxiang?"

"Song Taohong?!?!" Song Dingxiang was extremely surprised. "Weren't you going to find Xu Qiang? How, how did you end up here?"

Upon hearing Xu Qiang's name, Song Taohong trembled even more, her voice hoarse and miserable, "Xu Qiang, Xu Qiang wanted to kill me, Jin Bao is already, already dead. My Jin Bao, he, he's dead!"

Song Dingxiang was simply stunned, she looked blankly at the Emperor, then at Zhou Yinuo, completely unable to understand what was going on.

Not only her, but Song Xingyi and the others also saw Song Taohong, each heart filled with shock and confusion—how could Song Taohong, who had already gone to Ganning County, be here?

What did she mean when she said Jin Bao was dead?

The Emperor spoke slowly, "I ascended to the throne at the age of twenty-one and thereafter liked to promote young and promising officials, hoping to bring a prosperous new atmosphere to my governance. Initially, I thought that impoverished students who faced difficulties in pursuing education would cherish the opportunity to serve as officials. Many young talents also confirmed this for me, such as General Zhou Yinuo. However, there are also those who, upon becoming a county magistrate, lose sight of their responsibilities, only seeking to exploit the people for personal gain. They would even go to the extent of sacrificing their own families for their own advancement, then marrying someone else. When I learned about this, I simply could not believe it!"

Not to mention that the Emperor couldn't believe it, Song Dingxiang couldn't believe it either. Xu Qiang may be greedy and lustful, but she never imagined he would stoop to such lows!

Zhou Yinuo said, "Your Majesty, please calm down. Xu Qiang was originally betrothed to my wife Dingxiang, but he had an affair with Dingxiang's cousin and even had a child with her. In order to cover up their wrongdoing, they even pushed Dingxiang into the river on a cold autumn day. Fortunately, I happened to pass by and rescued Dingxiang promptly. Who knew that Xu Qiang would immediately canceled the engagement between them on the grounds of her alleged infidelity and marry her cousin, Song Taohong. But I am also grateful to Xu Qiang for doing so, otherwise, I might have lost my wife forever."

The Emperor chuckled, "Well, he did you a favor. At that time, I saw that Xu Qiang was young and talented, coming from a humble background, and thought he had potential. Who would have thought... General Zhou, do you know why I am meeting your family here?"

Zhou Yinuo bowed and replied, "I do not know, please enlighten me, Your Majesty."

"You do not know? What is it that you do not know? Truly a talent, not wanting you or your family to suffer any injustice." The Emperor glared at him.

Zhou Yinuo, seeing trouble, immediately knelt down and bowed, "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty."

The Emperor chuckled again and said, "You are all from the same county, and you are all relatives. Yet, some people conduct themselves with integrity and uprightness, putting the soldiers of the north in their hearts, and are willing to donate two carts of grain during the severe drought. But some people... make me despise them and make my heart feel cold! Song Taohong, tell me, how did Xu Qiang harm you?!"

It was also Song Taohong's good fortune that the Emperor sent someone to investigate the glove matter. The official was also a kind-hearted man.

On his way back, he met Song Taohong wailing and holding her lifeless child in her arms. He got out of his carriage and kindly asked her what happened.

Who knew that this one question would uncover a shocking case!

It turned out that Xu Qiang had long been dissatisfied with marrying a village woman. He felt that he was an official, and his wife should be a young lady he could bring out.

The affair between him and Song Taohong had also become his dark history, and he was always worried that someone would dig it up. He had long been thinking about how to divorce Song Taohong, and later he heard that Song Taohong came to Ganning to find him, so he had a plan.

Song Taohong brought Jin Bao, along with the gloves stolen from Zhu shi and her skill in knitting gloves, eagerly went to find her man.

When she arrived, she was initially delighted to think of herself as the official's wife, but little did she know that Xu Qiang would not let her out, only saying that Ganning was unsafe and it was for her own good. He then asked her to teach others how to knit gloves.

When his trusted subordinate learned this skill, Xu Qiang's murderous intent arose. He began to poison Song Taohong and Jin Bao's food and drink, adding a little bit each time, so that when they fell ill due to the foreign environment, he could use it as a reason to get rid of them.

By this time, he had already started an affair with the daughter of a wealthy merchant named Shi in the county. Once Song Taohong died, he would have no more worries, marrying a beautiful young lady and having sons would be a piece of cake.

Song Taohong was feeling unwell, dizzy and lethargic every day. One night, she overheard the servants and maids outside gossiping.

They mentioned her and Jin Bao, their words filled her with fear. She wanted to confront Xu Qiang, but considering his willingness to harm her, she feared that questioning him would give him an opportunity to kill her directly.

So, she took advantage of Xu Qiang's relaxed vigilance and found an excuse to escape with Jin Bao from Ganning.

They were poisoned, and all their jewelry was traded for silver coins to pay for treatment and food. They hadn't gone far before they had nothing left.

She had to beg for food along the way, with Jin Bao being young and weak, unable to endure the lack of food, warmth, and poison, ultimately succumbed and died on the way.

Song Taohong was devastated, holding Jin Bao's body for several days until an official rescued her.

Upon learning of this, the Emperor was furious, ordering Song Taohong to be treated and a thorough investigation into Xu Qiang. Just then, news came of a great victory in the northern regions, bringing joy to the Emperor's heart, temporarily masking his anger.

However, upon hearing about Zhou Yinuo and Song Dingxiang, his anger surged once again.

The same land that produced Zhou Yinuo, a great general, and Song Dingxiang, an intelligent woman, also produced despicable individuals like Song Taohong and Xu Qiang.

With a plan in mind, the emperor summoned the Song family to the capital. He intended to reward Song Dingxiang while severely punishing Xu Qiang! This was also a way to show his subjects his impartiality and determination to root out corrupt officials!

Sobbing, Song Taohong recounted her ordeal. The emperor listened and then sneered, "You may not know this, but soon after you were taken away, Xu Qiang married the daughter of the Shi family."

Song Taohong's face turned pale, her tears drying up. Her eyes were filled with resentment and anger.