Zhao Jingwen called out "My lady", and the young man turned around, hands hanging by his sides: "My lord."
It turned out to be Duan Jin.
Zhao Jingwen's confusion immediately dissipated, and he relaxed. He looked Duan Jin up and down: "Haven't you grown taller again?"
Not waiting for Duan Jin to reply, Ye Suijin already laughed in response: "Of course, he's at an age where he grows every day. In the blink of an eye, it's as if he's become a different person."
Zhao Jingwen said: "You're right."
And to Duan Jin: "You may go."
Duan Jin was very reluctant, but there was nothing he could do, so he had to leave.
Zhao Jingwen sighed to Ye Suijin: "Ah Jin has grown up. I remember when he was just a little boy."
"Back then" naturally referred to the year when Ye Suijin held her martial arts tournament for suitors.
At that time, Duan Jin was only twelve years old. His figure, bearing and gaze were still completely childlike. But now, looking at him from behind, he was completely a grown man.
Ye Suijin glanced up at him and sighed "Yes", before lowering her eyes to focus on whatever she was drawing.
Zhao Jingwen raised his hand to grind some ink for her, but seeing that Duan Jin had already prepared a whole pool of fresh ink, he could only lower his hand again. He paced to Ye Suijin's side and bent down: "What are you working on?"
Looking closely, Ye Suijin seemed to be drawing something, but he couldn't make out what it was. Little square shapes arranged in neat rows.
Ye Suijin resolved his puzzlement: "An army camp."
Zhao Jingwen's eyes lit up.
Glancing over the desk, there were also many sheets of paper with writing on them. He picked one up and read it, sucking in a breath: "This is...too harsh, isn't it?"
Ye Suijin snorted: "Are there any military laws in this world that aren't harsh?"
Zhao Jingwen sat down to look through them more closely, growing more astonished and admiring with each one. Raising his eyes, his gaze at Ye Suijin was even brighter than before: "My lady, you are truly remarkable."
It really was interesting.
Zhao Jingwen's gaze was so sincere, coming from the bottom of his heart.
Looking back at him, Ye Suijin was truly moved to ask: What were you thinking when you decided to marry Pei Lian?
Back then, Zhao Jingwen kept saying:
"It's for the sake of Ye Family Fort."
"Joining forces with the Pei Family will widen our path."
"You have to trust me."
Looking back now, Ye Suijin remembered Zhao Jingwen's gaze had been very resolute too.
At that time he was leading troops alone outside, and had experienced much discipline, with the air of being reborn.
Ye Suijin even half-believed now that at that moment, Zhao Jingwen had sincerely thought that way.
But later, bit by bit, everything changed.
What grew wider was Zhao Jingwen's own path, not that of Ye Family Fort.
Ye Suijin smiled wryly and shook her head.
Zhao Jingwen still thought she was being modest.
"It's only right that you lead the household," he praised. "Who in Ye Family Fort could be more suited than you?"
"That's not necessarily true," Ye Suijin said slowly as she sketched the lines. "Some people only show their scheming minds and capabilities when forced into shallow waters."
"Given the chance, their cunning and skill becomes apparent."
"People are like actors on a stage, they need the right platform to sing or dance as they wish."
Zhao Jingwen scoffed: "There is no such person in Ye Family Fort. Not just Ye Family Fort, in all of Deng Province, I'm afraid there is no one. If there were, they would have soared to prominence long ago instead of being stranded in shallow waters."
"That's right, Suijin, Master Xiang said you asked him about those hoodlums in Fangcheng? Are you thinking of recruiting them?"
"Recruit them my ass," Ye Suijin's voice turned cold. "That rabble of deserters turned to banditry, everyone has heard what they did in Fangcheng."
"If forced by circumstances to take to the hills, block roads and extract tolls to enrich themselves, I could still accept it. They could be considered for recruitment."
"But once a man has done such evils, there's no turning back. It taints their nature."
This was different from what Zhao Jingwen had imagined, but it made his eyes shine even brighter: "Suijin, are we moving against the Fangcheng mob?"
Ye Family Fort had always behaved too kindly and tamely, while the Fangcheng gang was too vicious. It made people subconsciously feel the latter were "tougher".
But Zhao Jingwen had married into Ye Family Fort for three years now, and understood their true strength.
Not acting against the Fangcheng mob was simply because they hadn't overstepped and infringed on Ye Family Fort's interests. Now that Ye Family Fort had waited long enough and wanted to transform from a snake in shallow waters into a soaring dragon, striking at them was perfect timing.
"Let me lead the vanguard!" he said, pressing both hands on the desk in his eagerness, leaning forward without hiding his thirst, "Let me take the first attack!"
Ye Suijin looked back at the past now, and saw everything clearly.
Zhao Jingwen thirsted so keenly for achievements and renown, thirsted to stand tall before her.
Later, before the empress's coronation, he had personally come to the imperial harem and placed the ceremonial robe on her with his own hands. She had watched him in the mirror as he draped the robe over her, the two of them standing side by side, how proud and accomplished he looked.
That moment was probably the young Zhao Jingwen's dream.
"We'll discuss it again tomorrow," Ye Suijin said without agreeing, lowering her gaze.
She didn't look at his disappointment, but finished the last few strokes of her sketch, weighed it down with a paperweight, and put down her brush. "Let's go, time to rest."
The two left the study together. Outside, the sky had darkened and guards were on patrol.
Duan Jin was in the corridor practicing handstands without anything to prop himself up - he had grown up in the residence since childhood, a clever and charming boy whom Ye Suijin had always doted on. She had personally taught him martial arts, training him to a solid foundation.
Seeing the two emerge, Duan Jin flipped back to his feet: "Master."
His forehead was beaded with sweat.
Ye Suijin casually fished out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat for him: "Look at you. Go and wash up properly, don't come tomorrow stinking of sweat."
Duan Jin quickly took the handkerchief to wipe his own sweat.
"Tomorrow, call Fourth Uncle, Mister Yang..." Ye Suijin pondered for a moment, "and Third Son too. Have Third Son come to the study to discuss matters."
After setting the time, Duan Jin acknowledged the order.
"Rest early," she exhorted him again as usual. "You've still got growing to do."
There was still more to come, more growth ahead.
The later Duan Jin was so tall and broad-shouldered, with a slender waist.
Outside, he was an iron-blooded general standing proud and erect, desired by countless young ladies in the capital as a husband.
But before her, he never stood on ceremony, always with a hint of an impish grin, as if he had never truly grown up, remaining the indulged brat at her side.
Duan Jin joked: "If I grow any taller, I'll be taller than my lord."
He even looked laughingly at Zhao Jingwen.
A very cute, innocent, harmless look.
Only Zhao Jingwen understood the discomfort in it.
- A provocation.
Between males.
Ye Suijin flicked his forehead, then turned to walk down the corridor.
Zhao Jingwen naturally had to follow her. But after a few steps he looked back.
He saw Duan Jin tuck Ye Suijin's handkerchief into his lapel before turning to tidy up the study.
The uncomfortable feeling grew stronger.
But Ye Suijin didn't even notice. Given his status, it would seem petty and jealous to make a fuss over a handkerchief, inviting ridicule.
With his standing as an adopted son-in-law, there were already too many people laughing at him. Thus at all times, everywhere, he had to pay attention to his own words and deeds.
The moonlit night was beautiful, filled with the chirping of crickets.
Ye Suijin was thinking about discussing plans with Fourth Uncle Ye and Mister Yang tomorrow, when her hand was suddenly grasped.
Glancing sideways, in the light of the colored clouds and moon, her sweetheart's eyes were gentle.
So it wasn't entirely unreasonable that she couldn't immediately cast aside Zhao Jingwen at that time and break ties on the spot.
Nor could Pei Lian be called stupid.
In their youth, people always have moments of weakness.
Later, didn't Pei Lian's heart also turn cold? She considered only the Crown Prince's interests, forcing her own son to kneel and call Ye Suijin mother.
"In future, when I'm gone..." she told the Crown Prince, "listen to the Empress."
But unfortunately they had struggled against each other for too long, and the Crown Prince was too deeply influenced, impressions of people are difficult to change.
So after Pei Lian died, he didn't exactly listen to her wishes either. There were also old retainers of the Pei clan whispering in his ear due to various interests.
In the end, the child hung himself in the place where Zhao Jingwen confined him.
When someone dies, all matters end.
So Ye Suijin wouldn't bother expending any effort investigating whether the death was by hanging, or by someone hanging him.
It was meaningless now.
In any case Zhao Jingwen wept behind his sleeve in the imperial harem.
In other places he could only be the emperor, but in the imperial harem, he could still be Zhao Jingwen, a man who was once full of anticipation for the birth of his eldest son.
A man's instinct to procreate is indeed strong.
In the night, Ye Suijin let Zhao Jingwen hold her hand and ask: "I cannot bear children, are you very regretful?"
This question came so abruptly amidst the tender atmosphere that it left Zhao Jingwen stunned. He quickly declared his loyalty: "Didn't you already tell me this before we got married? Why mention it again?"
After winning her hand in marriage, Ye Suijin had clearly told Zhao Jingwen that she could not conceive children, and Ye Manor would be inherited by the younger generation of the Ye family in the future.
What could the once impoverished and wifeless Zhao Jingwen say? Just being chosen to marry into the family was a blessing from the heavens.
Afterwards, he did not bring up the matter even once.
Until Pei Lian became pregnant.
He gripped Ye Suijin's hand tightly. "I want her to bear children."
"You are the wife, she is a concubine. Suijin, you are this child's rightful mother."
"She is giving you children." "Whether there are children or not is not important." Zhao Jingwen smiled and said, "In the future, we can choose the best among Sanlang's children to adopt over. He must be clever and good-looking. When the time comes, Sanlang will surely recommend the most beautiful and clever child to us."
Ye Suijin smiled without replying.
Zhao Jingwen had finished crying in the imperial study, but still stripped his eldest grandson of the title of Heir Apparent, demoting him to a commoner.
After all, he had other sons. There would be more grandsons in the future.
The Ye family still had the hereditary and irreplaceable title. But the Pei family was doomed to never rise again in the Mu dynasty.
"We should assign someone to the study now." Zhao Jingwen changed the topic. "Ah Jin has grown up. He shouldn't keep doing these things."
He was already so tall. It was time to find him a wife. Having him keep following Ye Suijin around, doing intimate tasks for her...made Zhao Jingwen uncomfortable.
Who is a person most prone to grow close to? Naturally, those who are intimate with them.
Once no longer intimate, they would not be as close either.
Ye Suijin fully agreed: "You're right. I've asked them to find someone for me."
She had only not gotten around to doing this yet. But removing Duan Jin from these trivial matters was something she would certainly do.
At Duan Jin's age, this was a crucial period for rapid learning and growth.
In this life, he would walk farther and faster.
In their past life, they had agreed that he must attain the position of Supreme Commander of Chariots and Cavalry.
Later, Zhao Jingwen did posthumously grant him the titles of Supreme Commander of Chariots and Cavalry, Duke Who Settles the State, Grand Minister Over the Masses, and the posthumous name "Jingwu".
But to her, this was all meaningless. Even if he was granted titles all the way to the heavens, or made into an immortal, what difference would it make?
Her Ah Jin did not return alive.
A slight itch on the back of her hand - it was Zhao Jingwen gently caressing with his fingertips.
Under the soft moonlight, the handsome gentleman secretly conveyed his feelings.
Ye Suijin glanced at him.
The two strolled leisurely towards the bedchambers in the shimmering moonbeams.
Regarding Duan Jin, Fourth Uncle Ye, Mr. Yang and others, Ye Suijin already had a rough idea of how their futures should unfold.
But Zhao Jingwen...
Ye Suijin still had not decided just how she should deal with her husband.
