The Duke House's Ideal Daughter-in-law
Chapter 161
⚠ Content Warning
This chapter includes graphic battlefield violence and injury.On the Ninth day of the Fourth Month, the skies were clear.
“Xiao Zhao Jiangjun, Xiao Zhao Jiangjun?” Early in the morning, Zhao Huanxi was woken by someone patting his cheeks.
He groggily opened his eyes to see Qiao Shizhong squatting in front of him, looking worried.
After a moment of confusion, Zhao Huanxi suddenly widened his eyes and scrambled to get up, but the sharp pain from the wounds all over his body caused his vision to darken, and he staggered, falling to his knees.
“Xiao Zhao Jiangjun, the enemy hasn’t arrived. I only woke you because you wouldn’t wake up earlier,” Qiao Shizhong said, steadying him.
Although Zhao Huanxi was, apart from Tong Xiaohu, the least injured among the remaining seven, he was, after all, a noble-born son of a duke’s household. His physical condition couldn’t compare to these rough men who were used to enduring the storms of battle.
Zhao Huanxi felt slightly relieved upon hearing this and sat on the ground for a moment to recover.
Tong Xiaohu handed him a freshly roasted flatbread and then climbed up to the mountaintop on his own, gazing into the distance.
Zhao Huanxi turned to look at Lu Xiaolin, whose face was pale and bloodless despite his open eyes, and handed the flatbread to him.
Lu Xiaolin weakly waved his hand and said, “You eat it. I’ve already eaten.”
Zhao Huanxi glanced at Cao Sandao, who was lying nearby, along with the three other injured soldiers.
“Don’t bother looking. They’re still breathing, but if they don’t get medical treatment today, they probably won’t make it to tomorrow,” Lu Xiaolin said.
Zhao Huanxi silently took a bite of the flatbread. It was so dry that he couldn’t swallow it. Holding it in his mouth, he lifted his head and gazed into the distance.
The sky was a vivid blue, boundless and cloudless. Brilliant sunlight bathed the vast snowfield, so pure and pristine that it made this corner of the world feel like a paradise untouched by strife.
If there were no war, he would have gladly brought Dong Jiejie here to enjoy the snowy landscape.
In the distant sky, a powerful silhouette soared, it was the falcon. Perhaps only to it could this place truly feel like a sanctuary.
At the Jing Guogong Residence, hearing that Xu Nian’an had gone into labor, Guogong Yé immediately ordered Xiang Zhong to summon the imperial physician to oversee the delivery.
In Jiaxiang House, Yin Furen anxiously paced along the corridor, listening to the intermittent cries coming from the room.
From the second watch (around 1 to 3 am) last night until now, three hours had already passed, and the baby had yet to be born.
Yin Furen, having experienced this herself, knew how grueling the process could be. The longer it dragged on, the greater the risks became.
“What should we do? What can we do?” She clasped her hands tightly, glancing toward the room repeatedly as she muttered under her breath.
Before long, Chu Er Niang (the midwife) came out.
Yin Furen hurried to meet her and asked, “How is my daughter-in-law?”
Chu Er Niang frowned and said, “San Nainai seems a bit weak and lacking energy. It doesn’t look like it’ll go smoothly. What about the ginseng soup?”
Yin Furen replied, “It’s being simmered in the kitchen.”
“Bring her a bowl to boost her energy first.”
Yin Furen quickly instructed Qianhe to fetch it.
“Weak? How could that be? Wasn’t she perfectly fine before going to bed last night?” Yin Furen couldn’t understand, so she called over Mingli, who had been on night duty, and asked, “Did anything unusual happen before Nian’an went into labor last night?”
Mingli, already worried, thought carefully and replied, “Nainai seemed to have had a nightmare. She only went into labor after I woke her from it.”
“A nightmare? What kind of nightmare?”
“Nainai didn’t say.”
Yin Furen pondered. Recently, nothing unusual had happened in either the Jing Guogong Residence or the Xu Family. Everyone was fine, except for Huanxi being away from home. Most likely, Nian’an’s nightmare was related to him. Her restless state of mind must have left her lacking energy, unable to muster the strength to give birth.
This wouldn’t do, something had to be done.
After a brief hesitation, Yin Furen quietly instructed Jin Yin, “Go quickly and bring Xiang Guanshi here.”
Inside the room, Xu Nian’an was drenched in sweat. She could hear Chu Er Niang urging her to exhale, inhale, and push harder, again and again. But no matter how much effort she put in, it still wasn’t enough. The baby hadn’t been born yet, but she already felt completely exhausted.
The pain in her abdomen was unbearable, so excruciating that she thought she might die.
She had always prided herself on being strong, yet over these past few hours, the tears at the corners of her eyes had never dried. Her heart ached—she felt sorrow, bitterness, and helplessness for herself, for Zhao Huanxi, and for the child in her womb, who might never get the chance to meet its father.
“San Nainai, stay strong! Your belly isn’t large, and the child isn’t too big. Just a bit more effort, and he’ll come out, alright? Your mother-in-law cherishes you, and the Guogong Residence is so prosperous. Whether it’s a son or a daughter, there are wonderful days ahead waiting. Don’t let this momentary difficulty scare you off. Push, just a little harder…” Chu Er Niang could tell Xu Nian’an was in poor condition, and her heart grew increasingly anxious.
Xu Nian’an gripped the pillow tightly with both hands, her eyes fixed on the ceiling canopy. She felt as though there is no road to heaven and no door into the earth.
At that moment, the faint sound of Steward Xiang’s voice could be heard from outside.
“Taitai, Taitai!”
“Xiang Guanshi, why are you here?”
“News from Liaodong says that the battle has been won, and Xi San Yé and the others will be returning to the capital soon to report. Guogong Yé sent Laonu to hurry and bring you this good news!”
Yin Furen’s voice was filled with a mix of joy and excitement. “Really?”
“Would Guogong Yé lie to you? It’s true ah.”
“That’s wonderful! That’s truly wonderful. I must go tell Nian’an!” Yin Furen called out as she rushed into the room, her eyes brimming with tears. She approached the bed where Xu Nian’an lay, her voice trembling with emotion. “Nian’an, did you hear? Huanxi and the others won the battle and will be coming back soon! Heaven has blessed us, heaven has blessed us! Our family is truly experiencing double happiness!”
Xu Nian’an naturally heard it, and she didn’t doubt the truth of the news. In her mind, Yin Furen would never joke about something so serious as Zhao Huanxi’s safety.
Knowing that Zhao Huanxi was safe and would soon return to the capital, the dark cloud in her heart lifted in an instant. Her eyes almost immediately lit up with hope. She began to force herself to endure the pain, following Chu Er Niang’s instructions and trying her best to push.
In the Baishi Gorge, Tong Xiaohu spotted what seemed to be a cavalry unit entering from the entrance while standing atop the mountain. He hurriedly ran down and informed Zhao Huanxi and the others, “They’re here! They’re here! I saw a cavalry unit coming!”
Zhao Huanxi stood up and asked, “Did you see how many there are?”
Tong Xiaohu replied, “The column looks long, at least two or three hundred.”
Zhao Huanxi picked up the helmet beside him and put it on. Qiao Shizhong and Lu Xiaolin also stood up.
Seeing this, Zhao Huanxi said, “All of you stay back. They’re coming for me. I’ll handle this alone.”
Lu Xiaolin grinned and said, “A general charges forward while the soldiers cower behind? That doesn’t sit right with me. I, Lu Xiaolin, won’t stand for such a thing.”
Qiao Shizhong said, “Exactly. Better to die in battle than to live in shame.”
Tong Xiaohu added, “Xiao Zhao Jiangjun, you have to stay behind. You promised to take care of the families of our fallen brothers. Let me go instead. We’re about the same age, and the Tiele people won’t notice the difference.”
Zhao Huanxi shook his head. “You can’t replace me.”
“Why not?”
“Because you’ve never eaten sweet-steamed milk curd so your skin isn’t pale enough.”
Tong Xiaohu was dumbfounded.
Beside him, Qiao Shizhong and Lu Xiaolin burst into laughter.
Zhao Huanxi took out the list of fallen soldiers from his chest and looked at Lu Xiaolin and Qiao Shizhong.
Lu Xiaolin bit his fingertip, stepped forward, and said, “I’ll go first.”
“Duizhang, I can’t write. Can you help me add my name?” Qiao Shizhong said from the side.
“I can only write my own name. Ask Xiao Zhao Jiangjun to help you,” Lu Xiaolin replied as he clumsily scrawled his name on the cloth.
Qiao Shizhong then turned to Zhao Huanxi. “Xiao Zhao Jiangjun, please write mine for me. ‘Qiao’ (乔) as in ‘Beautiful Little Qiao’ (美人小乔), ‘Shi’ (世) as in ‘generation after generation’ (世世代代), and ‘Zhong’ (忠) as in ‘loyalty to the country’ (为国尽忠).”
Zhao Huanxi pressed the pad of his index finger lightly against the blade, then wrote “Qiao Shizhong” after Lu Xiaolin’s name, followed by his own name, “Zhao Huanxi”.
Watching them write their names, Tong Xiaohu’s tears streamed down uncontrollably. Stubbornly, he said, “I want to go too! I won’t hide in the back like a coward!”
Zhao Huanxi carefully rolled up the list of the fallen and handed it to Tong Xiaohu. “You can’t go. You’re responsible for taking this list back to the camp and delivering it to Zhenshou Daren. Request recognition for the fallen brothers. And the lives of Cao Duizhang and the other three are entrusted to you as well.”
“But…”
“I’m the general. You must obey me.”
Tong Xiaohu clutched the list tightly, choking back his tears.
Zhao Huanxi took a hand mirror out from his chest, adjusted his helmet in the reflection, and wiped some of the bloodstains off his face. Then he set the mirror on a rock, held the surface firmly with his hand, and, with a single stroke, cut off the mirror’s handle.
Zhao Huanxi tucked the mirror back into his chest and handed the silver handle to Tong Xiaohu with a gentle smile. “I promised to give you a silver hairpin. When you return, use this handle to have one made. If Erhua complains it’s too small, just tell her it’s from a stingy general. Tell her to marry you first, and you’ll replace it with a bigger one later.”
“Jiangjun.…” Tong Xiaohu held the silver handle in his hands and burst into tears.
Zhao Huanxi looked at him, his gaze turbulent with emotion, and reminded him, “Live well. Remember, Erhua is waiting for you.” Without lingering, he turned and led Qiao Shizhong and Lu Xiaolin down the mountain.
Behind them, Tong Xiaohu collapsed onto a rock, clutching the silver handle, wailing as he watched the three figures walk away.
Hearing the cries from behind, Lu Xiaolin shook his head with a wry smile. “What a foolish boy.”
Qiao Shizhong pulled a piece of dry grass from a crack in the rocks and stuck it in his mouth. “In my hometown, there’s a saying: those who die together will be reborn together in the next life. If that’s true, wouldn’t it be unfair for Xiao Zhao Jiangjun to end up as brothers with me and Lu Duizhang?”
Zhao Huanxi replied, “To have the honor of being brothers with the two of you, what a privilege that would be. How could it be considered unfair?”
Lu Xiaolin reached out and patted Zhao Huanxi’s shoulder.
Qiao Shizhong said, “Seriously though, if there really is a next life, what would you want to do? Would you still want to be a soldier?”
Lu Xiaolin said, “Not me. I’d study and take the imperial exams. Best case, I’d become a county magistrate and enjoy the thrill of slamming a gavel in court. What about you? What would you want to do?”
Qiao Shizhong raised his head and said, “I want to be a fabulously wealthy merchant, with ten or eight wives to make up for what I missed in this life. What about you, Xiao Zhao Jiangjun?”
Zhao Huanxi lowered his gaze to the ground and said, “I want to properly care for my mother and have a charming, adorable daughter with my wife.”
Qiao Shizhong laughed. “That’s perfect! In the next life, Da Ge can focus on studying for the imperial exams, I’ll go into business, and you can stay home to take care of our parents and carry on the family line for both of us.”
Lu Xiaolin said, “The rest sounds fine, but having a charming, adorable daughter isn’t guaranteed. My wife, to be fair, is one of the prettiest in our village, but somehow, our daughter ended up looking just like me-broad face, wide mouth, and eyes that make every boy in the village run scared when she glares. Sigh, I don’t know what kind of man will be able to handle her in the future.”
Qiao Shizhong said, “Stop worrying! As they say, a tiger father won’t have a weak daughter. With you as her father, there’s no way she’ll end up with a lousy man in the future.”
Outside the Baishi Gorge, on the snowy plains, the Qing Army and the Tiele cavalry were locked in fierce combat. Brigade General Yu Rongwei, under orders from Garrison Commander Li, was tasked with breaking through the Tiele cavalry’s blockade to reach Baishi Gorge and support Zhao Huanxi. But since Gudesiqin had already entered the gorge, how could the Tiele cavalry allow the Qing troops to follow? They fought with desperate ferocity.
In the midst of the bloody battle, Yu Rongwei spotted a young man who had just killed a Tiele cavalryman, seized his horse, and charged fearlessly toward Baishi Gorge. In no time, the young man cut down three or four more Tiele cavalrymen with fierce determination.
The young man struck down a charging Tiele cavalryman with a single blow. He (Yu Rongwei) then ran forward after him and shouted, “What a good young man! What’s your name?”
Zhao Huanrong, his face tense and worried, replied loudly, “Zhao Huanrong! Zhao Huanxi is my Tang Di. Please, Jiangjun, I’m begging. Please help me break through so I can save my Tang Di!”
Yu Rongwei wiped the blood splattered on his face and said, “The Tiele aren’t fools, they won’t just let us through. We’ll have to fight our way in!” With a shout, he led his men in a wedge-shaped charge, piercing through the layers of enemy troops outside Baishi Gorge.
Meanwhile, Li Ying’s forces in the rear kept Gudesiqin’s top generals occupied, preventing them from reinforcing the blockade. This significantly eased the pressure on Yu Rongwei’s group. Though it was a brutal struggle, with blood and corpses paving the way, the Tiele cavalry’s blockade at the entrance of Baishi Gorge was gradually torn apart.
Inside the gorge, Zhao Huanxi, Lu Xiaolin, and Qiao Shizhong stood side by side on the mountain path, watching the imposing Tiele cavalry approach like a black dragon, the thunder of hooves growing louder and closer.
The man at the front was towering and broad-shouldered, with a face both commanding and resolute. His eyes, sharp and bloodthirsty like those of a fierce beast, seemed to pin anyone under his gaze as though they were trapped in the gaping maw of a giant tiger.
As he approached, he led the cavalry behind him to a calm and deliberate halt, scrutinizing the three wounded soldiers standing on the mountain path. His eyes immediately locked onto Zhao Huanxi.
It wasn’t just because of the bright armor Zhao Huanxi wore, it was also his appearance and bearing, which wordlessly proclaimed his identity.
Zhao Huanxi returned the gaze. Even without the black bear cloak or the crimson saddle blanket, he knew exactly who this man was: the one his grandfather had spoken of as the most valiant warrior of the Tiele, and now their most ruthless king—Gudesiqin.
His aura and sharpness were impossible to conceal, and it seemed he had never intended to hide them.
Lu Xiaolin raised his curved blade with a shout, “The ones who are reborn first are the Da Ge! Xiao Zhao Jiangjun, Da Ge and Er Ge will lead the way!”
He and Qiao Shizhong charged toward Gudesiqin, like two moths flying straight into a flame.
Infantry were already at a disadvantage against cavalry, especially since one of them was severely injured and the other lightly wounded. And to make matters worse, their opponent was Gudesiqin himself.
With two muffled sounds, it was as effortless as snapping two blades of grass. Gudesiqin flicked the blood off his longsword and slowly revealed a smile toward Zhao Huanxi.
Zhao Huanxi gazed at Lu Xiaolin and Qiao Shizhong, who had collapsed beside his horse’s hooves. He remembered how they had been laughing and joking just moments before as they descended the mountain together. In the blink of an eye, they were gone from this world. His eyes welled up with tears, unable to stop the sorrow from rising within him.
“Da Wang, look, he’s about to cry,” the Tiele cavalrymen jeered in a language Zhao Huanxi couldn’t understand.
“Hahaha, is this really the grandson of Zhao Family’s Old Dog? Not the granddaughter?”
“Da Wang, should we capture him alive? He’s even more beautiful than the prettiest women I’ve seen in my life.”
“Yes ah, look at that delicate little figure, it’s so exciting!”
Gudesiqin raised his left hand, silencing his men with a gesture. Then, in broken and awkward Qing dialect, he addressed Zhao Huanxi: “You’re Zhao Kaishuo’s grandson? Zhao Mingcheng, who are you to him?”
Zhao Huanxi lifted his tear-filled eyes to meet his gaze, slowly raising his arm. He pointed his longsword at Gudesiqin and said, “You dare ask? If you have the guts, come down here and face the Zhao Family’s sword technique!”
Though the Tiele cavalry behind Gudesiqin couldn’t understand what Zhao Huanxi was saying, they could tell from his expression and gestures that he wasn’t saying anything pleasant. Immediately, they began shouting angrily, eager to punish him on Gudesiqin’s behalf.
Gudesiqin once again stopped them, his gaze fixed on the fragile-looking youth in front of him, who seemed as though he could be shattered with a single touch. With interest, he asked, “You also know the Zhao Family’s sword technique?”
“Absolutely, it’s the Zhao Family’s sword technique that nearly severed your dog leg!” Zhao Huanxi replied boldly.
Gudesiqin’s expression changed. The left leg that had been slashed by Zhao Kaishuo—the leg that was now permanently crippled, that would ache every winter and when he rode a horse—was the deepest humiliation of his life, the most painful memory he could never escape!
His face grew cold, and without a word, he dismounted, limping slightly as he walked toward Zhao Huanxi.
As Gudesiqin approached, he stopped and faced Zhao Huanxi. “The Zhao Family’s sword technique has nineteen moves. Let’s see what you’ve got. First move.”
Zhao Huanxi immediately rushed forward, swinging his sword at Gudesiqin. But as he got close, Gudesiqin casually swung his own blade to block, and with a sharp clang, Zhao Huanxi’s sword flew from his grip, his palms sliced open, blood pouring from the wounds.
Gudesiqin quickly followed with a slash, cutting across Zhao Huanxi’s back. Zhao Huanxi collapsed to the ground.
The expected result sent the Tiele cavalry into raucous laughter, jeering and mocking loudly.
“You’re the weakest Zhao Family member I’ve ever seen. Even Zhao Mingcheng managed to leave three scars on my body before I chopped off his head.” Gudesiqin circled slowly around the prone Zhao Huanxi, speaking with contempt.
Zhao Huanxi crawled over to pick up the longsword that had fallen to the ground, using it to support himself as he struggled to stand. Half of his face was scraped raw by the gravel, blood dripping down in streams.
“Ugh—” he took a breath and once again charged at Gudesiqin, lifting his sword high.
“Second move!” Gudesiqin called out as he effortlessly dodged Zhao Huanxi’s attack and drove his own blade into his shoulder.
The Zhao Family’s sword technique—his sworn enemy’s technique—was something Gudesiqin had studied for years. He could confidently say that every move was easily countered. But the opponent was too weak, offering him no sense of accomplishment.
The third move, the fourth move…
With each strike, Zhao Huanxi gained a new wound. He was knocked down, pierced, kicked, and slashed, each time seemingly unable to rise again. Yet, even as he wavered and faltered, he always managed to struggle back to his feet, determined to continue.
The scene left the surrounding Tiele cavalry in stunned silence, unable to laugh.
The young man’s combat ability was weak, but his will was incredibly strong. He gave the impression that unless you truly killed him, he would always drag himself back to his feet, no matter how broken he was.
Gudesiqin hated that feeling.
This had originally been a tiresome game. So what if the bug was tenacious? No matter how resilient, it was still just a bug. No matter how strong it fought, it couldn’t erase the fact that he had been toying with it for so long.
He spoke coldly, “The old dog Zhao is crippled, Zhao Mingcheng is dead, and the successor is no threat. Heaven favors Tiele, and the last enemy is about to fall! Come on, you son of dog, it’s time to end this. The Zhao Family’s sword technique has a nineteenth move, the backhanded slash. Come on, I’ll even let you turn your back to perform it.”
Zhao Huanxi’s battle armor was stained with blood, his hand slick with it, making it nearly impossible to hold onto the hilt of his sword.
Zhao Huanxi switched the sword to his left hand, wiping his right palm on his bloodstained armor before gripping the hilt again. His steps faltered as he slowly turned around.
Gudesiqin raised his long blade, preparing to run Zhao Huanxi through and finally end the decades-long feud between the Jing Guogong Zhao Family and the Tiele royal family.
As Zhao Huanxi turned halfway, without any warning, he suddenly spun back around, striking with a speed and power he hadn’t shown before, thrusting the sword straight toward Gudesiqin’s abdomen.
Gudesiqin instinctively tried to dodge, but his injured left leg hampered his reflexes. In a desperate move, he thrust his own blade at Zhao Huanxi.
They both struck simultaneously.
Zhao Huanxi grabbed Gudesiqin’s sword hand, pulling him closer with a sudden, violent motion. As he was stabbed deeper by Gudesiqin’s blade, his own sword pierced through Gudesiqin’s body.
Gudesiqin had never suffered such a severe wound in his life. The unimaginable agony caused veins to bulge on his forehead as he released the hilt of his blade and gripped Zhao Huanxi’s sword edge, trying to stop him from inflicting further harm.
Zhao Huanxi’s eyes were cold and unyielding as he pulled Gudesiqin’s shoulder toward him, applying more force. The tip of his blade pierced deeper into Gudesiqin’s body until it lifted the black bear pelt on his back. It was only then that the Tiele cavalry realized what had happened. One by one, they scrambled off their horses and charged toward the two.
“Zhao Mingcheng was my Wu Shu. Today, I, the weakest of the Zhao Family, avenged him!” Zhao Huanxi whispered in Gudesiqin’s ear, then forcefully shoved him aside.
Gudesiqin clutched his abdomen, where blood poured out, as he stumbled into the encirclement of his subordinates. His eyes, burning with hatred, remained fixed on Zhao Huanxi.
Zhao Huanxi stared back at him. Gudesiqin wouldn’t survive, and Zhao Huanxi knew where the vital points were on his enemy’s body, the first things he had learned when he began his martial training.
He withdrew the long sword embedded in his abdomen, stumbling back a few steps. His limbs lost their strength, and he collapsed onto his back.
As he fell, a flood of fragmented images flashed through his mind—his mother’s loving face, the sight of his sisters laughing together, his grandfather wielding his great sword… Finally, the image of Dong Jiejie, with her jade rabbit earring swinging delicately at her cheek. The white jade bunny seemed to dance in the air, so beautiful as it swayed.
A powerful figure soared across the sky above the gorge.
Zhao Huanxi, lying on the ground with his eyes closed, suddenly longed to become that eagle, free to soar through the sky, flying over the snowfields, crossing thousands of miles of mountains, returning to the capital, and hovering over the Jing Guogong Residence, if only he could see it one last time.…
The Tiele soldiers, filled with rage and grief, saw Zhao Huanxi lying there with his eyes closed. One of them raised his long sword, ready to strike down his head.
But just as he swung, a rock flew out of nowhere, striking him squarely on the forehead with a loud thud. He looked up, surprised to see a soldier from the Qing Army standing not far away, at the foot of the mountain.
Before he could move toward him to strike, the sound of thundering hooves filled the canyon, and the Tiele soldiers began to panic.
The Qing Army had arrived.
After the bloody battle in the gorge, the Tiele cavalry was either dead or surrendered. Upon discovering the body of Gudesiqin, Yu Rongwei, shocked, quickly sent word to the outside of the gorge to inform them of Gudesiqin’s death.
Zhao Huanrong anxiously searched through the piles of bodies. When he looked up, he saw a young boy kneeling on the ground, holding someone in his arms.
As he approached, he recognized that the blood-soaked person in the boy’s arms was none other than Zhao Huanxi. His mind went blank, standing there in shock.
“Xiao Zhao Jiangjun isn’t dead yet, save him, save him!” Tong Xiaohu cried out, pleading with him.
He’s not dead? Zhao Huanrong snapped back to reality, quickly running up to lift Zhao Huanxi in his arms. As he rushed toward the gorge’s exit, he shouted loudly, “Who brought the medicine? Who brought the medicine?”
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