It turns out that Zhao Huanxu is quite adept when it comes to dealing with women. Before evening, a woman who dressed up like a maid came to find Zheng Man’er. After speaking to her, Zheng Man’er unexpectedly left with the maid, carrying the child.

Whether Wu Taitai breathed a sigh of relief is unknown, but in any case, Zhao Huanxi himself did.

He was pacing back and forth in the main room of Shenhui Courtyard, hands clasped behind his back, muttering to himself: “I need to study how to write good essays. Once I return to the academy, I’ll consult the teacher on writing.”

“Why the sudden interest in writing essays?” Xu Nian’an asked while packing things up.

Zhao Huanxi replied, “In case, in the future, we have a daughter, and by some misfortune, she’s entrusted to someone like Zhao Huanxu, I’ll first bring her back home and then write an essay fiercely condemning that man. If my essay is good enough, it will spread by word of mouth, exposing his moral corruption to everyone. That way, our precious daughter can easily divorce him and find a better man.”

Xu Nian’an couldn’t help but laugh and said, “You’re thinking quite far ahead.”

Zhao Huanxi, feeling smug, replied, “As they say, when parents love their children, they plan for their future. Isn’t that how it should be?”

“People plan ahead for their sons so they can have a good life. But you’re planning for your daughter to divorce?” Xu Nian’an said with disdain.

Zhao Huanxi grew anxious and said, “I’m not hoping for her to divorce! It’s just a precaution, in case of an emergency! Why are you packing my clothes?”

Xu Nian’an replied, “San Jiejie said you only took a leave for two days, and today is already the second day. Aren’t you supposed to go back to the academy?”

Upon hearing this, Zhao Huanxi became upset. He walked over, grabbed her wrist, and said, “You’ve been gone for over twenty days, and we only just met last night. Now you’re already rushing me back to the academy today? Do you have no conscience?”

Xu Nian’an said, “I lost it. It accidentally fell into the Zhuo River while I was on the boat.”

Zhao Huanxi’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Xu Nian’an let out a chuckle and turned her face away, her smile lighting up her features.

Zhao Huanxi pulled her into his arms, pouting, “I’m not leaving. I’m staying home for two more days—no, three more days.”

“One day at most,” Xu Nian’an replied, reaching out to pinch his cheek, “and you’re not allowed to do that with me again.”

Zhao Huanxi lowered his head, looking downcast, and muttered, “Got it. You’re still in pain.”

At night, as the rain gradually stopped, the courtyard was enveloped in a serene stillness.

Zhao Huanxi held Xu Nian’an in his arms under the blankets. After a long while, he let out a soft sigh.

Xu Nian’an asked him, “Why are you sighing?”

Zhao Huanxi replied, “I once helped Zufu apply tiger bone ointment, and he talked to me about the current Tiele King, Gudesiqin. He said that eleven years ago, Gudesiqin was already the most formidable warrior among the Tiele. In the final battle back then, Wu Shufu died at his hands, and Zufu was gravely injured by him. Now, eleven years have passed. Gudesiqin is in his thirties, in the prime of his life, while Zufu is over seventy… I truly don’t want Zufu to go back to the battlefield and face him again.”

Xu Nian’an comforted him, saying, “Zufu has laid down his armor for many years and is advanced in age. This is something everyone knows. Unless it’s an extraordinary situation, the court is unlikely to send him back to Liaodong to take up arms again.”

Zhao Huanxi asked, “Extraordinary situation? What kind of extraordinary situation?”

“For example, if war breaks out again and our soldiers underperform, people like Cheng Guogong might use the guise of a recommendation to orchestrate a trap. After all, Zufu guarded Liaodong for decades, it’s fair to say no one in the court knows better than him how to fight the Tiele,” Xu Nian’an explained.

Zhao Huanxi fell silent.

Xu Nian’an herself felt a sense of unease. If the scenario she described truly came to pass, there would be no stopping it. And as a military man, Zufu would see sacrificing his life for the country and dying on the battlefield as a form of honor—he would never refuse.

But as things stood, who could support the entire Jing Guogong Residence without him?

In the next day’s afternoon, Zhao Huanxi returned to the academy.

A few days later, the rain that had persisted for over twenty days finally stopped. News came from Nie Guocheng that while there was no major warfare in Liaodong for the time being, the region was still unstable. The Tiele frequently sent small groups of soldiers to raid border towns.

Upon hearing this, Yin Furen let out a slight sigh of relief. No one in the household wanted Guogong Yé to return to the battlefield.

As the weather cleared, peace gradually returned to the household.

Ning Shi had not “passed away” from her illness yet. After all, Chengke had not married, and if Ning Shi were to die, Chengke would have to observe three years of mourning, a delay she could not afford. Instead, Ning Shi was moved to an estate outside the main residence to “recover.” Once Chengke was married, Ning Shi would likely “succumb to her illness”.

When the skies cleared, Zhao Jiaxian visited the residence with Ying Jie’er and Tai Ge’er. Yin Furen doted endlessly on Tai Ge’er, who was growing stronger and more robust by the day.

After Zhao Jiaxian left, Yin Furen began sighing heavily. She would frequently glance at Xu Nian’an with a resentful expression but said nothing, her gaze filled with quiet grievance.

Xu Nian’an: “……”

Unable to suppress her laughter, Zhao Jiazhen leaned in and whispered, “Even when my father let her down, Mother never looked this aggrieved.”

Xu Nian’an understood the reason. She and Zhao Huanxi had been married for a full year now. In other households, a wife showing no signs of pregnancy after this long would likely have already drawn complaints from her mother-in-law.

However, since she and Zhao Huanxi had now consummated their marriage, having a child was merely a matter of time. There was no need to pay too much attention to Yin Furen’s attitude.

As the Seventh Month approached, the summer heat grew more intense, and the household began preparations to move to Zhilan Garden again.

Xu Nian’an continued staying at Yifang Garden. On the day Zhao Huanxi returned home for his ten-day break, everything had just been settled.

That evening, after dining at Yin Furen’s courtyard, Zhao Huanxi used the excuse of needing to complete homework assigned by his teacher to drag Xu Nian’an back to Yifang Garden.

Once they entered the main room of the courtyard, he dismissed the maids and carried Xu Nian’an straight to the bed.

Xu Nian’an, never having seen him so impatient, asked, “What’s wrong with you?”

Zhao Huanxi, full of grievance, leaned in to kiss her and murmured between kisses, “I’ve been missing you so much these past few days it’s driving me crazy.”

“You can’t just… go take a bath first,” Xu Nian’an said firmly as she pressed a hand against his chest after he placed her on the bed.

“Can’t I bathe afterward?” Zhao Huanxi protested, craning his neck and nuzzling against her cheeks and neck like a puppy.

“No, that’s not hygienic. I might get sick,” Xu Nian’an insisted resolutely.

Hearing that she might get sick, Zhao Huanxi immediately stopped misbehaving. After kissing her for a while, he intended to call a maid to heat water for his bath. But when he looked down, realized how thin his summer clothes were, and there was something wrong down there that could not be concealed at all. His handsome face flushed crimson, and he hurried behind the screen, saying, “Dong Jiejie, you call the maids to heat the water instead.”

“Alright,” Xu Nian’an replied. She had inadvertently caught a glimpse earlier, and with her cheeks slightly flushed, she stepped out to call the maids to prepare hot water for the bath.

By the time the kitchen had heated the water and both of them had bathed one after the other, more than half an hour had passed.

Later, after spending some time being affectionate in bed, Zhao Huanxi finally got his wish. However, it was over in just nine strokes—he didn’t even manage to reach a round number.

Xu Nian’an held her young husband, who had unexpectedly beaten the gongs and withdrawn the troops, and it took her quite a long while to come back to her senses.

鸣金收兵 (míng jīn shōu bīng): Literally "beating the gongs to withdraw the troops." In ancient warfare, drums were used to signal an attack and gongs were used to signal a retreat. Here, it is a humorous euphemism for the act ending prematurely, in other word, quick-to-finish.

An hour of marching, yet the battle lasted only the blink of an eye. Well… that works too, she suppose.

Unlike Xu Nian’an, who quickly adjusted her expectations, Zhao Huanxi was utterly mortified, feeling as though he could die of shame.

Last time, he was still able to comfort himself by thinking it was their first time. After all, Qian Ming had said that the first times were always quick. But today, it was already the second time, why was it still like this?

With doubts about his own ‘incompetence’, he no longer had the courage to act strange.

The next morning, as usual, Zhao Huanxi was going to Master Shang’s residence to learn painting.

At the Si hour (around 9-11 a.m.), coming out of the Shang Residence, Zhiyi said, “San Yé, it’s still early. Would you like to go to Liuli Street?”

Zhao Huanxi lowered his head, feeling down. “I won’t go,” he said, then after thinking for a moment, added, “Let’s go to Huichun Street.”

Huichun Street was named after the Huichun Hall, a medical clinic located there, which was renowned for its very skilled physician, whose surname was Chen.

The medical clinic was filled with patients, and Zhao Huanxi obediently waited in line for quite a while before it was finally his turn.

“Gongzi, what seems to be the problem?” Physician Chen asked him.

There were people everywhere in the hall, and Zhao Huanxi felt too embarrassed to speak of his condition. Blushing, he asked, “Is there somewhere more private where I can inquire?”

Physician Chen immediately understood, stood up, and said, “Please follow me.”

Zhao Huanxi followed him into a small room in the back hall. Physician Chen picked up a glass mirror and turned back to him, saying, “Gongzi, please remove your lower garments.”

Zhao Huanxi was shocked. “…W-Why?”

Physician Chen replied, “There are several kinds of diseases from the brothels and pleasure quarters. Each illness has different symptoms, and the treatments vary. Simply feeling the pulse may not be accurate. We must examine the signs on the surface to prescribe the most appropriate treatment. Gongzi, since we are both men, there’s no need to be shy about seeking medical help, right?”

Zhao Huanxi took a long time to realize that Physician Chen had mistaken him for someone with a venereal disease. He quickly waved his hand and said, “Chen Taifu, you’ve misunderstood. I don’t have that kind of illness. I… how about you take my pulse first and then we can talk?”

Physician Chen was stunned and muttered, “If it’s not that kind of illness, then why were you hesitating earlier?” He put down the glass mirror and sat behind the desk in the room, carefully taking Zhao Huanxi’s pulse. After a moment, he looked at Zhao Huanxi and said, “Gongzi, your qi and blood are strong, and your pulse is firm. There are no signs of illness.”

“But I…” Zhao Huanxi found it hard to speak at first. After thinking for a while, he realized that since he was already here, he wouldn’t be satisfied unless he got an answer. So he quietly shared his concerns with the physician and asked, “Taifu, is this something that can be treated?”

Physician Chen’s beard trembled slightly, as if he were holding back a laugh. He reached up to stroke his beard and said, “From what I can see, Gongzi’s muscles and bones are quite strong. You must have practiced martial arts, am I right?”

Zhao Huanxi nodded. “I practiced for a year.” He thought to himself, Could martial arts training have an effect on this?

“May I ask, when Gongzi first began martial arts, what did you practice?” Physician Chen inquired.

“Horse stance.”

“When Gongzi started practicing martial arts a year ago, how long could you hold the horse stance? And now, how long can you hold it?” Physician Chen asked again.

“A year ago…” Zhao Huanxi began to speak, then suddenly realized something.

Physician Chen smiled faintly and said, “Young men should not be too eager for success. One must know that some things, like martial arts training, require no shortcuts to be done well. The only way is to practice more, but with moderation.”

Zhao Huanxi blushed again, stood up, and gave a deep bow to Physician Chen. “Thanking Xiansheng for the guidance.”

With a cheerful heart and a lively spirit, he returned to the Jing Guogong Residence, had lunch, and then dragged Xu Nian’an into the room, claiming he wanted to take an afternoon nap. However, he also ordered the kitchen to heat some water.

Xu Nian’an could see through his intentions and refused, saying, “It’s broad daylight, with people coming and going in the courtyard. How can we do this?”

Zhao Huanxi said, “The maidservants aren’t stupid. If they see us both asleep, won’t they slack off? Besides, I have to go back to the academy this afternoon, and I won’t see you again for ten days.”

Upon hearing this, Xu Nian’an softened and reluctantly followed him into the room.

Zhao Huanxi took the opportunity to practice twice, and indeed, each time was better than the last. His confidence grew, and he even thought about practicing a third time. However, Xu Nian’an, already feeling weak with sore bones and muscles, weakly resisted him and said, “Didn’t the physician say ‘practice more in moderation’? If you go on, it’ll be ‘excessive practice’.”

Seeing her as if she really couldn’t take any more, Zhao Huanxi finally gave up. He held her close for a brief rest, then got up to tidy himself before heading to the academy.

✦

Amidst the refreshing breeze and flourishing flowers of the Zhilan Garden, half of the Seventh Month passed peacefully. Suddenly, news came from Liaodong that the Tiele had formally declared war on the court.

Gudesiqin lived up to Guogong Yé’s expectation of him. Leading the elite forces of the Tiele, he won consecutive battles, capturing the border cities of Yanghe and Qushi in less than a month.

During the attack on Qushi, the local military and civilians fought to the death, causing the loss of one of his generals. After capturing Qushi, he massacred the entire city and arrogantly proclaimed, asking where the Zhao Family’s old dog was and why he wasn’t coming out to bite people this time.

The news spread back to the capital, stirring up the public, and the court was shaken.

Cheng Guogong and others immediately took action upon hearing the news. On one hand, they criticized General Li, who was in charge of defending Liaodong, for his poor performance in battle. On the other hand, they suggested to the Emperor that Jing Guogong, Zhao Kaishu, should once again don his battle armor and lead the forces to Liaodong to confront the Tiele.

The Emperor was troubled. He knew that Jing Guogong was capable in battle and had won many victories against the Tiele in the past. If it weren’t for the heavy damage he had dealt to the Tiele in previous campaigns, the Tiele King wouldn’t have specifically called for him to engage in battle.

However, even though Jing Guogong was once a formidable warrior, he was now well over seventy years old. If he were to go into battle and, heaven forbid, perish, the morale of the empire’s soldiers would likely collapse.

Just as the Emperor hesitated, the Jing Guogong took the initiative and volunteered himself in the court.