It was late when Zhao Jingwen hurried back to the main house. He should have returned early to be intimate with Ye Suijin, but Ye Suijin had assigned him a pressing new task that required him to depart the next day.
This was the first time he would independently lead so many troops, so he had to finalize details with several leaders tonight to ensure a smooth deployment tomorrow.
What surprised him was Xiang Da's hesitation when he went to find him. Given Zhao Jingwen's relationship with him, even that brief hesitation was unexpected.
But Zhao Jingwen was not angry. He too wished to remain by Ye Suijin's side. It was unsurprising Xiang Da felt the same.
People always aimed high.
Now, Ye Suijin was the pinnacle of the Ye Family Fort, the apex of all Dengzhou.
"Brother Xiang is a captain now, congratulations," he said. "It must be due to your exploits at Fangcheng. We must go out and accomplish things to have opportunities for merit. Staying home will not make honors fall from the sky."
With that, the hesitation vanished from Xiang Da's face. "Exactly."
The family steward Ye Mancang revealed his envy, repeatedly rubbing his legs. "What a pity I wasn't called to Fangcheng. That brat Duan Jin is a captain now."
Zhao Jingwen had not seen the appointment list, nor had Ye Suijin mentioned anything to him. He only just learned of Xiang Da's captaincy from Ye Mancang.
He was intrigued but did not want to directly ask about his own appointment. He simply smiled approvingly, "Duan Jin performed remarkably at Fangcheng. My wife noticed too."
Xiang Da and Ye Mancang nodded. "Of course, Awang, Aquan, Fortune, Bounty, Celebration, they're all captains now!"
These were all household servants who had followed the campaign against Du Jingzhong at Fangcheng.
Hearing this, Zhao Jingwen grew more curious but suppressed it. After finalizing tomorrow's affairs, he calmly left.
But he did not return to the master bedroom. He went to Ye Suijin's study instead.
Since the new rules were instituted, the study required reports by day and was locked at night, with guards on duty for all twelve hours.
Arriving so late, it was naturally locked. Zhao Jingwen had the guard summon a clerk and asked, "Isn't the list of appointments in the study? Bring it out for me to see."
The boy replied, "Master Zhao, please wait while I fetch the key."
When the key was retrieved and the door opened, Zhao Jingwen stepped forward to follow him in, but the clerk blocked his path, "Master, no one may enter without the mistress' permission, those are the rules."
Zhao Jingwen laughed, "I'm not just anyone."
But the boy insisted, "The rules say no one."
With the guards watching, it would be unseemly to argue with a clerk.
Zhao Jingwen still remembered how Ma Jinhui's authority in Nanyang had collapsed. He could not let things escalate like that.
So he stepped back and gently praised, "You're right, go on, I'll wait here."
From the corner of his eye, he saw the guard also relax.
This document was not classified. Copies had been made and distributed today. Many people had it, since salaries would be issued accordingly. More urgent now was procuring official uniforms, name plates, banners, rosters, and so on.
The boy was quick. He swiftly retrieved a copy and handed it to Zhao Jingwen, "Here's a transcription, Master Zhao."
Zhao Jingwen folded it into his robe. He tossed the boy a silver coin and patted his head, "You did very well, guard the study diligently like this, don't let people in casually."
Delighted, the boy clenched the coin and puffed out his chest, "Never! Brother Jin repeatedly taught me, even if Master Zhao comes, don't let him in casually!"
The patting hand paused.
Then patted him again, and Zhao Jingwen left.
Once alone, he unfolded the list by lamplight to scrutinize it.
Third Son Ye had read it twice. Zhao Jingwen read it three times but could not find his own name.
Yet from the list, he clearly saw the contours of the Ye Family Fort's future power structure.
The main house Ye clan were favored, with uncles and elders granted posts, mostly the lowest roaming general, but that still merited the title of "General". The low rank was clearly to allow room for promotion.
The young masters of the same generation were made captains. Tenth Son had the lowest miridional captain.
Others were fruit captain, vice captain, or miridional captain, vice captain.
Two individuals stood out: Fourth Uncle Ye and Third Son Ye.
Ye Suijin had placed them in unique positions, clearly signaling that without her, the Ye clan would be led by Fourth Uncle and Third Son. A group's core succession ensured stability, preventing rapid collapse after a leader's death.
Fourth Uncle and Third Son, one had seniority, one was trusted. As father and son, together they offered ample stability.
Clients were similarly arranged. Mr. Yang was made march commander, clearly favored.
Finally were the household stewards. Those who had followed the Fangcheng campaign were all attending captains now. Lower than the young masters, but now had origins.
Among them was, unsurprisingly, Duan Jin's name.
Yet through it all, he, Zhao Jingwen, could not find his name!
His wife Ye Suijin had excluded him from Dengzhou's future power structure.
In the night, Zhao Jingwen badly wanted to crumple the paper, but endured and neatly folded it into his robe before hurrying back to the master bedroom.
Fortunately Ye Suijin was still awake.
Her cascading black hair draped over her shoulders as she leaned against the headboard reading something.
The goat horn lamp illuminated her face hazily, gentler than her looks by daylight. Her eyebrows and eyes were beautiful, her lips full.
Three years into their marriage, whenever Zhao Jingwen saw his noble, lovely wife, he still felt a deep intoxication.
What virtue or ability did he, Zhao Jingwen, possess to have won such a wife?
"What are you reading?" he asked, going over.
Ye Suijin looked up. "You're back? Got everything settled?"
"Don't you trust me to handle things?" Zhao Jingwen pretended to scold.
Glancing at the papers on the headboard, they were all routine reports from the four regions. Especially numerous from Nanyang and Fangcheng.
Rather than needlework and housekeeping, she spent her days pondering these matters of governance.
Ye Suijin smiled slightly. "Go wash up. I left hot water for you."
Zhao Jingwen spoke affectionately, "Wait for me."
Of course, to be intimate after their brief separation.
But after swiftly washing and getting into bed, Zhao Jingwen embraced her and kissed her hair, then held her and said, "Suijin, I saw the list of appointments, how could you leave me out?"
His tone was light, as if making casual pillow talk between husband and wife, both stating and complaining.
Flattery was easy.
But previously, Ye Suijin never needed to flatter anyone.
Exercising her skills now was amusing.
Zhao Jingwen forced a laugh. "Uncle, Third Son, everyone, they're your family. Why make distinctions?"
"That's different. As head of the Ye clan, all those surnamed Ye are public. Only you are private, only you are mine alone." Ye Suijin lazily reclined.
Zhao Jingwen was silenced.
He could not find words to retort.
All he could do was lie down.
Ye Suijin rolled over to face him. "What's wrong? Unhappy?"
She knew perfectly well.
But Zhao Jingwen had committed all kinds of unsavory acts. Ye Suijin had barely begun.
The apprentice had seen the master's tricks.
Zhao Jingwen stared at the tent ceiling, feeling dejected as he said, "Everyone else has an established background, yet I'm just a nobody. In the future, I'm bound to be looked down upon by others."
Ye Suijin laughed and said, "Who would dare look down on the bedmate of the military governor of Dengzhou?"
Zhao Jingwen felt utterly miserable!
With words like these, wasn't she just nailing him down in the identity of a mere "bedmate"?
Even worse was the implication in her words that not just this once, but for a long time to come, he could only ever be a "bedmate" and not gain achievements and reputation like other people in the Ye's stronghold.
Zhao Jingwen was extremely anxious.
It could be said that this was the first major problem he had faced since becoming Ye Suijin's husband. He had never felt so distressed before.
Yet Ye Suijin seemed to be in high spirits, running her warm palms over his chest and abs, caressing him.
Zhao Jingwen knew that at times like these, the best thing he should do was to make passionate love to her.
Making love was the best way for two people with no blood relation to become intimate and fuse their beings.
But Zhao Jingwen was feeling anxious inside, and though he tried to embrace Ye Suijin and kiss and caress her, he just could not get aroused.
Fortunately, Ye Suijin seemed tired as well, letting out a big yawn and patting him as she said, "Let's sleep."
Zhao Jingwen felt relieved inside, and carefully held Ye Suijin in his arms, patting and soothing her until she fell asleep before gently letting go.
Lying back down and gazing at the dim ceiling, he himself could not fall asleep.
If he could only ever be a "bedmate", then Ye Suijin would look down on him for the rest of his life.
How Zhao Jingwen desperately wished that Ye Suijin would see him as an equal.
He didn't even dare fantasize about being looked up to. Just being seen as an equal would be enough, truly enough. He would be completely satisfied.
But how could he achieve this?
Zhao Jingwen felt lost about the future.
