Guess, Guess, Guess Guess Guess
“The dowry from Qian Zhou raised Kang Yi’s standing. When the elder madam saw it, her eyes opened, and her attitude toward Kang Yi improved immediately. With young miss not at the manor, even if the Cheng shi sisters do their best to suppress her, they cannot stop Kang Yi’s momentum. She knows what to do, and the dowry brought by Qian Zhou filled up the communal funds. There was also a portion that directly entered the elder madam’s courtyard. One month ago, Kang Yi successfully received control of the Feng manor’s communal funds from the elder madam. Not long after young miss left the capital, she also consummated her marriage with Prime minister Feng. Han shi’s belly is getting bigger by the day. Apparently, Kang Yi is taking care of her very seriously. She invited ten childcare specialists to help provide care. Fourth young miss’ attitude towards her has changed, and Feng Chen Yu is becoming even closer to her. As for third young miss…”
“What happened with Xiang Rong?” Feng Yu Heng faintly felt that something was off. Not to mention Kang Yi, but with Han shi’s belly growing with each passing day, Xiang Rong had bumped into her in the middle of the night while her clothes were in disarray at the side of a lake. This matter became a burden that weighed on Han shi’s mind. Before, with her in the manor, she did not dare do anything. Now that she had been away from the capital for so long, it was inevitable that Han shi would have some bad ideas.
Wang Chuan sighed gently, “The matter of Han shi being poisoned by jelly ear powder was somehow pushed onto third young miss. She has now been locked up in Pu Du Nunnery for nearly two months.”
Feng Yu Heng was not surprised by this outcome. Before she left, the matter of spirit-altering drug had just occurred. In the eyes of the Feng family, An shi and Xiang Rong were unable to avoid responsibility. It was impossible for her to treat them well. A daughter of a concubine that had lost its support, would she not be bullied by everyone?
“Forget it.” She shook her head, “Xiang Rong should take this chance to refine her personality. If she does not experience some things, perhaps that child will never grow up. Either way, we will be returning to the capital in a few days. At that time, we will think of something.”
It had been over three months. When counting the months before entering seclusion, it had been a full four months. Four months was enough for many things to happen. Feng Yu Heng knew that there was more than what Wang Chuan had mentioned. It was just that she had managed to escape from that place and stayed away from it. But once she returned, she would not be able to avoid getting tangled up.
Huang Quan had already finished preparing the water, so she sat in the tub and enjoyed a hot-water bath. She then slept for a long, long time. When night fell, Huang Quan woke her up: “The feast is about to begin. Young miss must get up and get ready.”
Feng Yu Heng drowsily got up and looked at the gorgeous dress that Huang Quan had brought before her but was not interested in the slightest.
It was not easy for a woman to get into the military camp, but it would be best to behave a little. Do not wear red and green while wandering around everywhere. It was not that the soldiers disliked seeing it. They would just be left worrying over nothing, causing their bodies and minds to wander.
She pushed away the dress and said to Huang Quan: “I made preparations of my own long ago. I won’t wear this.”
Huang Quan did not think too much and happily went to prepare water to help her wash up. Feng Yu Heng, however, moved her consciousness into her space and opened up a cabinet inside her rest room. After looking around for a long time, she finally found a treasure that she had hidden away for many years.
It was a set of women’s camouflage clothes and a pair of military boots. The shirt and pants were long, and they were made of a thin material. It was most suited for this early Autumn. Although it was the middle of Summer, the night wind in the valleys of mountains was very cool. They would be even colder than the beginning of Autumn. These clothes would be perfect.
It was a gift that she had received from her father for her 15th birthday. After that day, she decided that she was destined to wear army green for the rest of her life. At the age of 15, she was still in middle school. Normally, she had to wear her uniform when attending school. As for the camouflage clothes, she could only enjoy wearing her favorite camouflage clothes for a few days during the holidays. After that, she grew taller, so she no longer fit into these clothes; however, because that was her first time wearing camouflage, she treated it like a treasure and put it away.
Who knew that the clothes that she had received when she was 15 would now have a place to be worn. In this current world, her body was a little taller than her body in her previous life. Although she had only just turned 13, she did not feel that the camouflage clothes did not fit. Wang Chuan and Huang Quan, however, were both dazed. Wang Chuan was troubled and asked her: “Young miss, will you not wear a dress on top?”
She helplessly and resolutely told them: “No need. These clothes are like this. Come and take a look.” She waved the two over and had them feel the fabric, “These clothes are called camouflage clothes. They are clothes specially designed for soldiers to be worn in training and in battle. Look at the colors. There are greens, yellows and browns. These colors form an irregular pattern with the goal of creating a new protective layer. These clothes will help with hiding in the forest and mountains. In certain special environments, it will prevent the enemy from noticing them by muddying their vision. You can think of it as being similar in reasoning to something like wearing dark clothes at night. Those clothes are suited to hidden guards. This sort of camouflage is suitable for military operations.”
At first, Wang Chuan and Huang Quan were a little dazed from what they heard, but in the end, mentioning dark clothes allowed them to understand. They immediately understood how wonderful camouflage clothes were.
Huang Quan praised: “This is really a great thing.”
Wang Chuan, however, was more delicate with her words, as she had grasped an important thing that Feng Yu Heng had said: “Young miss, you said that these clothes were specially designed. Who designed them? You?”
Feng Yu Heng nodded, “That’s right. It was me.” What else could she say? Sometimes, it was not good to have a servant that was too smart.
Fortunately, Wang Chuan did not continue to question it. After the two finished taking care of helping her wash up, they prepared to leave the tent. Upon pushing open the curtain, they saw Xuan Tian Ming sitting in his wheelchair heading towards them. The two servants immediately moved and allowed Feng Yu Heng out.
Feng Yu Heng’s clothes also caused Xuan Tian Ming’s eyes to light up. Over the past three months, he had seen this girl wear all sorts of weird clothes, but he had never seen this set. What could be said? Although the colors did not suit a girl, it did have a rather heroic image when worn. But the clothes were not the main attraction. The main attraction was the pair of shoes. What was the material? Leather? Could leather become so shiny and hard?
He reached out to the girl in front of him: “Dear wife.”
Feng Yu Heng ran over with a smile and placed her small hands into his palms, “There is to be a grand feast for the three garrisons. General, shouldn’t you also give me a reward? I performed a meritorious deed by producing steel!”
Xuan Tian Ming laughed, “What do you want?”
She tilted her head and thought for a long time; however, she was unable to think of what she wanted.
Xuan Tian Ming pinched her cheeks, “Damn girl, anything that I can give you, there is no need to ask. It all belongs to you. Even if I do not have it, if that thing is very good, I will go find it for you. Un, if it cannot be found, I will go steal it. Who cares who I steal it from.”
She felt very satisfied. This future husband was more and more reasonable. He was very much to her liking!
The bonfire and feast were already prepared. The wine began to flow long ago. The fragrance of wine could be smelled from far away. The 30 thousand soldiers sat around the empty field. All the lines made it look very spectacular. Someone had placed lamb and cow above a fire to cook. Someone else even brought out the game that they had caught during the day.
When Feng Yu Heng pushed Xuan Tian Ming’s wheelchair to the scene, everyone put down their preparations. Like old friends, they waved to them, and some of the younger soldiers loudly praised: “County princess is really beautiful!”
But someone immediately corrected them: “This is not beautiful, this is heroic!”
Xuan Tian Ming heard this and began to laugh, partially turning around to say to her: “In their eyes, you are a deity.”
Someone with sharper ears heard this and immediately said: “That’s right, county princess is a deity. Only a deity could bring something like steel to our Da Shun.”
With the matter of steel being mentioned, the topic reached the main reason for tonight’s feast. The blacksmiths that were participating in the feast all stood up and kneeled to Feng Yu Heng and Xuan Tian Ming. Someone took the lead and said: “Us common citizens have relied on working iron for our entire lives to make a living. We originally thought that being considered good blacksmiths by the people of our towns and provinces was already glorious enough; however, we never thought that a day would come when we could help produce steel for our Da Shun. When Deputy General Qian summoned us to the military camp, he already told us that the production of steel was a secret among secrets for Da Shun, but after we succeeded, we would not be killed to silence us. In truth, we wanted to say that even if county princess and the general killed us, we would be fine with it. After working with iron for an entire lifetime, for us to be working on steel now, if we can die in front of a steel-producing furnace, that would be our family’s pride for ten generations!”
Once this was said, someone in the back immediately expressed their feelings: “We wish to devote our lives to producing steel for Da Shun. Would the general and county princess please not worry. Us blacksmiths and our apprentices have already discussed it. We have decided to sign death waivers and not leave the military camp for a lifetime. We will keep the secret for Da Shun and continue to work on steel.”
Once this was said, all of the blacksmiths said in unison: “To protect Da Shun’s secret for a lifetime! To work on steel for a lifetime!”
The shout uttered by the old blacksmiths and young apprentices naturally could not compare to the volume of the shouts by the soldiers, but it was full of enthusiasm, and it caused Feng Yu Heng to choke up for no reason.
There was nothing more moving than a promise made using one’s life. She used the technology for producing steel to trade for their lives. With just a few words, their lives were sealed. She said to Xuan Tian Ming: “We absolutely must be sure to be worthy of them. To remain in the military camp and produce steel, that would make them Da Shun’s treasures, not slaves. Their families should receive better lives because of their efforts.”
Xuan Tian Ming nodded and loudly said: “County princess is right. From today onward, you are part of my Northwest Army. Whatever my soldiers have, you shall also have. Whatever the families of my soldiers receive, your families shall also receive. I, the ninth prince of Da Shun and General of the Northwest Army, Xuan Tian Ming, swear this: I will see you as family and friends. I will take care of your family. If your grandchildren wish to enlist, I will welcome them with open arms. If they wish to become scholars, I will personally recommend them to Yun Lu Academy in Xiao Zhou. Do not worry, Da Shun will definitely treat you well. I, Xuan Tian Ming, will also treat you well!”
Tears flowed down the faces of the old blacksmiths, and even the young apprentices were emotional, all of them cheering.
Some of the soldiers ignited a firework, causing it to explode into the air. Splendid flowers bloomed in the sky, as one of the soldiers roasting a lamb shouted: “The lamb is ready! Quickly come and eat!”
Everyone laughed and picked up their wine cups, walking over to the bonfire. Another soldier smiled and handed them two cups of wine.
Feng Yu Heng reached her right hand into her sleeve and squinted her eyes, saying to Xuan Tian Ming: “Take a guess, what will I bring out this time?”