"I remember now!"
Ye Suijin suddenly rode up on her horse and blurted out, startling everyone around her.
Tenth Son asked, "Sis, what do you remember?"
But Ye Suijin ignored him and instead asked Third Son, "That man surnamed Ma, didn't he propose to me before?"
"Huh? That happened too? For his son?" Tenth Son asked.
Third Son's face, however, looked awkward. "How did you know about this?"
Ye Suijin would only know about this afterwards. It was after they had dealt with that Ma family and Fourth Uncle Ye spat, "That old fool, he even wanted Suijin to be a concubine for him, Bah!"
Ye Suijin was nonchalant. "I remember everything now, just tell me."
Ye Third Son said, "Yes, he did come to propose. But he was too old, and you were only fourteen that year. Second Uncle rejected the matchmaker right away."
"What?" Tenth Son was shocked, "For himself? Disgraceful old man! He's so old, how dare he covet my sister!"
He looked around angrily, spurred his horse, and rode up to Zhao Jingwen. "Brother-in-law! Let's go beat him up!"
But Zhao Jingwen just stroked his head. "Listen to your sister."
It was as if he was treating him like a child. Tenth Son angrily turned his head away.
But Zhao Jingwen didn't take offense. Instead, he pulled on the reins to ride closer and said, "That Ma fellow had ulterior motives. He wanted to get hold of our Ye Family Fort's troops, didn't he?"
Third Son and Ye Suijin looked at him at the same time. So did Duan Jin.
Ye Third Son said, "That was probably his intention. My father said at that time Second Uncle said that as long as he had a son of appropriate age to match Suijin, he would be happy to form an in-law relationship. But his unmarried sons were too young, and he himself was too old. Second Uncle only had one daughter. He was unwilling to marry Suijin off in this kind of match."
"Of course. My father loved me the most." Ye Suijin said lightly.
In fact, memories of her father were now very distant. After all, when people reached middle age, they cared more about themselves and the next generation rather than looking back.
Ye Suijin had no children. At that time, she only looked after Duan Jin and the few remaining members of the Ye family bloodline.
She hadn't thought about her father for a very long time.
Tenth Son seemed to understand a little. After all, he was no longer a child. But he was still indignant.
In contrast, Ye Suijin, Ye Third Son and Zhao Jingwen showed no sign of anger at all. As if they were talking about a very commonplace matter.
He looked left and right, spurred his horse to ride alongside Duan Jin, and whispered, "I'm so angry! Aren't you angry, Duan Jin? Should we go beat up that old man?"
Duan Jin helplessly said, "Don't be impulsive."
He said, "This is not a private affair between children, but a matter of whether the Ye Family Fort will form an alliance or enmity with another power."
How could Duan Jin not be angry? He was about to explode!
That old man must have been forty years old! To actually covet Ye Suijin back then!
Just thinking about it made Duan Jin want to explode.
Although Zhao Jingwen also looked at him unfavorably, at least he was a beautiful sight, and wouldn't embarrass them or be disgusting to look at.
The old man was too disgusting!
It was said that men of that age even peed in two streams!
But Duan Jin was not an unconcerned young master like Tenth Son. No matter how angry he was, he had to restrain himself.
Especially since Zhao Jingwen, as Ye Suijin's husband, explained the essence of the matter in one sentence, and blended into the conversation so naturally. He could not behave like Tenth Son, like a brat.
"That Ma fellow is up to something else." Ye Suijin said.
Ye Third Son was surprised. "What else?"
"I can't remember it for the moment. Let me think about it." Ye Suijin said.
After experiencing many storms and trials, looking back now, the matters in Dengzhou were just small disturbances. It wasn't worth the effort to remember every single thing.
In any case, that Ma fellow made trouble afterwards, gathering some people to rebel.
Where did he get those people from?
Ye Suijin felt that she really, really needed a real map!
She truly felt on this trip, not having a map gave her a feeling of empty-handedness.
How annoying. Where was the map?
She wracked her brains but still couldn't remember where the Ye Family Fort had obtained its first proper map from?
She only vaguely recalled that Mr. Yang had brought it, saying someone had presented it. But who was it?
That day after the meeting, she had specifically asked Mr. Yang. Mr. Yang was just astonished: "A campaign map? How would we have such a thing?"
There was a time difference. Mr. Yang obviously hadn't obtained the map yet at this point.
Campaign maps were military supplies, classified information normally.
In a military tent with maps, people of insufficient status were forbidden from entering, or they would be suspected as spies.
So who would have access to this kind of thing?
Her memories were just too fuzzy. She couldn't recall who this person was at all, only that he was an insignificant character.
As she rode, she looked up and saw Third Son looking down.
"Third Brother," she called out, "What are you thinking about?"
Ye Third Son raised his eyes, seeming somewhat hesitant. Clearly he was in a mood.
Ye Suijin softened her voice. "Third Brother, speak what's on your mind. What can't be said between siblings?"
Ye Third Son felt Ye Suijin had been somewhat strange lately. Sometimes overbearing and awe-inspiring, and other times like a spring breeze, making you willing to open your heart.
Although she was younger sister. Despite her superior martial arts skills, Ye Third Son had always felt that he himself was more steady.
But now, he no longer had that feeling.
He felt instead that she was more like an older sister, even an elder.
After a slight hesitation, he pulled the reins to ride closer, lowered his voice to speak, so that his words would not be overheard by too many people. If there were differing views, it would be a discussion between Ye Suijin and her brother.
He said, "I just feel that the refugees are quite pitiful too."
He glanced at Ye Suijin. She did not show any disdain or contempt, but listened attentively instead.
He continued, "Today I saw in the crowd a woman holding a child, collapsed on the ground. She was probably family of those we killed. I suddenly thought that before the refugee situation, they were also law-abiding citizens, just like us. Because of the chaos in the world, they declined to this state, and lost their lives in the end."
"I know that kindness does not command troops, but... I still feel... they are people too."
"Ah, am I...am I being womanly?"
Ye Suijin said solemnly, "Don't say womanly in front of me."
Ye Third Son scratched his head and let out a couple dry laughs.
Ye Suijin also laughed, very gently.
"Third Brother has a kind heart. I don't think it's womanly." She looked at Ye Third Son, "Just continue being like this, Third Brother. It's good. When Third Brother feels I've gone too far, speak up to remind me."
Ye Third Son also felt warmth in his heart.
He had always advised his father not to contend with Ye Suijin, actually because he knew his father's disposition was not suited to being the leader either. He could be second in command, but as the head of household, his father still lacked some boldness.
On the other hand, Sixth Sister inherited the decisiveness of Second Uncle. She was the one suited to be the leader.
"Suijin, whatever you want to do in the future," he said, "Us brothers will unite and fully support you. Our Ye Family Fort will definitely become more and more prosperous!"
Ye Suijin held back the tears that almost burst out, pointed her horsewhip at the wild grass by the roadside to change the subject. "Third Brother, look over there!"
She raised her voice, attracting everyone's attention over.
Tenth Son forgot his earlier displeasure, craned his neck to look. "What is it? What is it? I don't see anything!"
It was just green weeds and wildflowers.
Ye Suijin pointed at a "weed" and said, "That's edible."
Then she pointed at another, "That's edible too."
Tenth Son: "Huh?"
Ye Suijin then pointed at the trees along the road, "When extremely hungry, even bark can be eaten."
Ye Third Son looked thoughtful.
Ye Suijin said, "Tenth Son, look, there are still so many wild vegetables in the fields now. What does this indicate?"
Tenth Son scratched his head. Duan Jin spurred his horse forward, "It indicates the refugees have not yet reached utter desperation."
Ye Suijin looked approvingly at Duan Jin for a moment, but did not openly praise him.
Duan Jin's current status was still only a servant. He ranked under her younger brothers. A person like Ye Suijin would not cause unnecessary trouble for Duan Jin. Or rather, it would be akin to sending him to his death.
But her glance of approval was enough to delight Duan Jin.
He couldn't help but glance at Zhao Jingwen as well.
Zhao Jingwen just smiled silently.
Ye Suijin said, "Exactly. Although the refugees suffer, they have not truly reached the point of swapping their children for food."
"First, we must remember, their suffering is not caused by us."
"Secondly, we must understand that Dengzhou is the foundation of our Ye family. Protecting the safety of the people of Dengzhou must be put above everything else. We can never forget this," said Ye Suijin.
"The refugees are indeed pitiful. Today I killed over ten refugees, which seemed like a lot. But it was precisely to prevent more refugees from becoming violent, and to give them other options."
"You don't know how terrifying it is when the violent lead the masses astray. When it comes to that, people have no choice. Once the refugees kill their first person, burn their first house, or assault their first woman, they can never go back to being lawful citizens again."
"By killing people today, I'm preventing them from killing, arson, and committing crimes tomorrow."
"But don't worry, Third Son. This is just the first step," Ye Suijin said. "Establishing authority comes before appeasement."
Ye Sanlang's eyes lit up. "Suijin, what should we do next?"
Now that the rules of the Ye Family Fort had been made clear throughout Dengzhou, deterrence was sufficient. What next?
Ye Suijin raised his horse whip. "No matter what we do next, we have to harvest the summer grain first."
"Food in the left hand, knives and spears in the right."
"Then we can do whatever we want."
Ye Suijin whipped the horse's hindquarters and the healthy steed galloped forth.
The members of the Ye family hurried to follow suit.
In an instant the fields were filled with swirling dust and thundering hooves, mingled with the cheerful laughter of the youths.
