Chapter 82
The streets were as bright as day, bustling with activities where one could guess lantern riddles or release floating lanterns. The young girl was having a great time and took Jiang Yao to guess the riddles. Being well-read from a young age, she was quite intelligent and won several beautiful lanterns. Then, together, they went to release floating lanterns, writing their wishes on them before gently pushing them into the Wishing River, watching as they slowly drifted away.
Song Muyun watched her lantern float away with a gentle expression. Holding a beautiful lantern each, she suddenly asked with a smile, “What wish did you make? Can you tell me?”
The girl looked over with her narrow, phoenix eyes, seemingly afraid Jiang Yao wouldn’t answer, and even grabbed her sleeve, shaking it coquettishly.
In the past, Jiang Yao would have shared her wish, but now…
Having experienced the soul of another world, she had begun to believe in the supernatural.
“If I say it out loud, it won’t come true. Yun’er, you must not ask.”
She wrapped her arms around Song Muyun’s slender waist, leading her back.
Seeing Jiang Yao unwilling to share, Song Muyun pouted and turned her head away, “Then I won’t tell you my wish either!”
She seemed a bit sulky. Jiang Yao pretended not to see and gently touched the woman’s soft hair, her eyes still smiling.
Being with Song Muyun always made her happy, even if they were doing nothing, just being close brought her joy.
Jiang Yao held Song Muyun a little tighter.
As they walked on the brightly lit street, Song Muyun, despite her blushing cheeks, remained silent, letting Jiang Yao lead.
After a long stroll, Jiang Yao found a dumpling and wonton stall and asked Song Muyun if she wanted to eat.
The young girl hesitated only for a moment before nodding obediently.
“Do you want dumplings or wontons?” Jiang Yao asked.
With a voice soft and delicate, carrying a hint of elegance, Song Muyun replied, “Wontons.”
“Alright, one bowl of wontons and one bowl of dumplings.”
“Okay, please have a seat for a moment.”
“Let’s sit.”
Jiang Yao cleaned the table and chairs before letting Song Muyun sit down, then fetched some hot water to sterilize their bowls and utensils.
Soon, a bowl of wontons was served first. Jiang Yao passed Song Muyun the chopsticks and spoon, and she carefully blew on the steaming wonton soup.
Then, cautiously scooping up a meat wonton, she blew on it for a long time before daring to bite into it, savoring the burst of broth in her mouth. Song Muyun’s eyes lit up, and she appeared quite pleased, “This place is also delicious.”
“Yeah, eat more if it’s good.”
When asked to eat more, she shook her head, solemnly saying, “I can’t eat anymore, could you help me finish some?”
She looked at Jiang Yao expectantly, knowing she wouldn’t refuse.
Sure enough, Jiang Yao simply ruffled her hair and easily agreed.
This indulgence made Song Muyun very happy.
She continued eating her wontons with a smile, thinking she must have been incredibly lucky to meet Jiang Yao.
Jiang Yao was so good to her, pampering her more than anyone else.
The Song family had always been strict, limiting what she could do.
But since being with Jiang Yao, she was allowed to do anything, and Jiang Yao would join her, making everything possible.
How wonderful…
Jiang Yao looked down, barely hiding her upturned lips.
A bowl of dumplings soon arrived, and Jiang Yao casually stirred them to cool off before eating heartily.
She ate heartily but silently, her actions appearing somewhat elegant to onlookers.
After finishing her bowl of shepherd’s purse and pork dumplings, she took out a handkerchief to wipe her mouth, waiting for Song Muyun to say she couldn’t eat any more.
It didn’t take long for Song Muyun to reach her limit, looking up at Jiang Yao with pleading eyes.
Jiang Yao, ever soft-hearted, took the bowl from her and continued eating with her chopsticks and spoon.
After their late-night snack, they returned to the Jiang residence.
It was late at night, and Song Muyun finally felt tired.
Not long after returning, the young girl lay drowsily on the bed, about to fall asleep.
She had been teased by Jiang Yao three times today. Despite having napped in the afternoon, walking around at night left her exhausted, especially her feet.
Barely able to keep her eyes open, Jiang Yao sat at her feet, silently lifting those weary jade feet into her palms, massaging them with just the right pressure.
Song Muyun’s feet were exceptionally beautiful, tender, and soft, making them a pleasure to hold.
Relaxed all over, Song Muyun made contented noises.
After tending to her, Jiang Yao released her feet, tucked them under the covers, cleaned her hands, and then returned to cuddle with her wife’s soft body to sleep.
Song Muyun felt comfortable and sleepy, but struggled to fall asleep without someone familiar to hold her.
As soon as Jiang Yao returned and held her, Song Muyun’s head gradually drifted off to sleep.
They slept in each other’s arms, only to be awakened the next day by a knocking sound like a storm outside.
Jiang Yao’s forehead throbbed with irritation at the relentless pounding, followed by Sima Jushan’s loud voice calling out,
“Jiang Yao, it’s time to get up for martial arts training. Your godfather asked me to supervise your training. Don’t think about slacking off. Are you stuck in the land of tenderness? If you don’t come out soon, I’m coming in!”
She was indeed afraid that this foolishly bold person would push the door open directly. Just as she was about to get up, the person in her arms woke up too because of the noise.
Song Muyun opened her sleepy eyes, still unaware of what had happened, looked at Jiang Yao blankly, and unconsciously snuggled closer, pressing against her arm.
“Why is it so noisy, is there something big happening today?”
After saying that, she cuddled into Jiang Yao’s arms, rubbing against her pleasingly, pouting her small mouth and saying she was sleepy.
Jiang Yao held her and soothed her to sleep, telling her she would handle the noise outside.
Song Muyun buried her face in Jiang Yao’s arms, not sure if she heard clearly, but nodded.
She was still very sleepy.
Jiang Yao carefully lifted her from her arms and placed her on the pillow, pulling up the blanket to wrap her fully, then dressed herself casually before walking out fiercely.
Simaju Shan, not receiving a response and about to shout loudly again, suddenly saw the door open.
Jiang Yao stood inside, with a cold expression, holding a whip in her hand. Without wasting words, she closed the door, stepped out, and pointed the whip at Simaju Shan, “Make noise again, and I’ll beat you until you shut up.”
She got up in a hurry, wearing only her clothes, her long hair not even tied into a bun. Simaju Shan, with widened eyes and feeling guilty, touched the corner of his mouth, “Not really, you were sleeping… Didn’t you used to get up very early?”
He remembered that Jiang Yao used to get up early to practice martial arts, but now she was still sleeping so late!
That can’t be blamed on him; he didn’t know!
Thinking this, Simaju Shan was about to justify himself when Jiang Yao gave him a cold look, instantly making him feel deflated.
Since he was young, he had been suppressed by Jiang Yao. His father, seeing he couldn’t beat Jiang Yao, would only get angry and wouldn’t help him. As a result, although he dared to be cheap in front of Jiang Yao, when she really got angry, he wouldn’t dare to let out a fart.
“My wife is sleeping, make noise again, and I’ll break your hands!”
Jiang Yao glared at him fiercely.
Simaju Shan stepped back half a step sheepishly, glancing left and right guiltily, “How can it be considered noise, it’s the righteous father who asked me to urge you to practice martial arts, and your wife, she sleeps too much, you…”
He stopped talking but promptly shut his mouth.
The reason being, Jiang Yao nearly whipped his legs, but fortunately, it only hit the ground, leaving a shallow white mark, which looked frightening.
She hadn’t slept enough, and the whole person was very irritable. If it wasn’t for her master’s face, she would have hit someone already.
“Don’t speak ill of her.”
Jiang Yao said coldly, her gaze also cold.
Simaju Shan had hardly ever seen her like this, got scared, shivering, realizing that she really liked that Song Muyun so much that even a few words were not allowed.
“Alright, alright, I won’t say anymore, isn’t that enough?”
Today, Simaju Shan wore a black and red outfit, his long hair still tied into a ponytail, unmarried, with a youthful spirit. Swinging his long ponytail, he said, “Since she is your wife, you should let me meet her, right? I’m also her half-brother, I’ll take care of her in the capital.”
Simaju Shan was very proud, especially considering himself important.
Jiang Yao looked at him annoyingly again, “Who needs your protection, I’m not that helpless, go away, don’t annoy me.”
“You’re chasing away whom, I really came on the righteous father’s command to urge you to practice martial arts!”
Jiang Yao had a headache and covered her forehead.
She really didn’t want to deal with him, but knowing her father, he could do such a thing.
“Wait here.”
“Oh.”
Jiang Yao turned back to quickly comb her hair into a simple, not easily scattered style, and came out again.
Simaju Shan waited boredly, already having the servants in her courtyard serve him tea and pastries, which he ate while waiting.
“You treat my place as your own home?”
Jiang Yao stood in front of him, looking down at him.
Simaju Shan argued, “We are brothers and sisters in martial arts, and as close as siblings, your home is my home, I have nothing to be courteous about!”
Jiang Yao: …
Really shameless, even more so than her, impressive.
“Get up, spar with me.”
Jiang Yao expressionless.
Simaju Shan almost spat out all the tea he had drunk, fortunately, Jiang Yao dodged quickly, otherwise, if it sprayed on her, she would definitely kick Simaju Shan out!
“Not, I’m to spar with you?”
The person with his mouth full of tea couldn’t believe he was pointing at himself.
Jiang Yao nodded, the corners of her eyes lifting, “Yes, you, didn’t my father send you over if not to be my sparring partner?”
Simaju Shan: …
“No, I’m pretty sure the righteous father only asked me to urge you to practice martial arts…”
“Oh, but I want you to spar with me.”
…
A quarter of an hour later, Simaju Shan lay on the ground, his sword weakly dropped to the side, emitting a crisp sound, “No more, no more, can’t beat you.”
He didn’t want to admit he couldn’t beat Jiang Yao at first, but after repeatedly falling under her sword, he finally had to admit it.
“Get up, train again.”
“Do you want to exhaust me, already said can’t beat you.”
He looked at Jiang Yao almost in terror, at that moment, Jiang Yao in his eyes, was no different from a demon.
Yet Jiang Yao seemed not to notice, impatiently tapping her sword twice, urging him to get up and take the sword.
Simaju Shan: …
Damn, had he known, he wouldn’t have come so early to seek abuse!
He had no choice but to get up and continue sparring.
The spring light was gentle and not hot, but Simaju Shan was still sweating profusely, looking as if he had been pulled out of water.
Both used swords, yet Jiang Yao’s swordplay teased him, neither winning over him nor letting him win.
Damn, so tiring, who will save him.
As he was desperately thinking, he seemed to hear a creaking sound of the door opening, and the person in front of him playing with his sword suddenly sheathed her sword.
The speed was so fast that Simaju Shan couldn’t help but be stunned.
Instinctively looking towards the door, there stood a frail woman in plain clothes, her eyes seemingly moist, softly looking over.
He was stunned.
Having followed his father guarding the city for many years, he hadn’t seen such a beautiful and pretty woman, oh, he had seen her, that day on the street, but always felt… she looked even more beautiful today, best in plain clothes.
While he was stunned, he heard Jiang Yao’s voice, unlike the impatience with him, instead extremely gentle.
“Why did you come out, it’s cold outside, you didn’t even put on more clothes.”
He watched as Jiang Yao went over and hugged the woman.
The woman didn’t struggle, obediently softened her body and leaned on Jiang Yao’s chest, even raising her head to kiss Jiang Yao.
Simaju Shan was slow to realize, Jiang Yao’s wife turned out to be such a stunning beauty, shocking!
Jiang Yao, a brute, what merit and virtue, to have found such a rare beauty in this world to be his wife?
Simaju Shan felt injustice and cried out in his heart against the unfairness of the heavens.
The next moment, Song Muyun’s gaze fell on him, her voice polite but also a bit distant, “Jiang Yao, this is…”
She had seen him the day before, only remembering his unpleasant words.
Jiang Yao also looked at him, Simaju Shan’s already tired body from martial arts practice suddenly trembled, then she shifted her gaze back, while holding that beauty, and said, “This is the son of the great general I mentioned to you yesterday, Simaju Shan, just call him Sima.”
Simaju Shan awkwardly greeted Song Muyun with a fist salute.
His attitude was a bit off, not like the unpleasant words he said on the street that day, Song Muyun returned the salute and then shyly hid behind Jiang Yao.
Jiang Yao’s face darkened, finally remembering, her nominal elder brother, who had never married, was because he liked extremely fragile women who depended on him, but the master always wanted him to marry a martial artist, so they could spar and support each other in the future. Neither of them would listen to the other, dragging it out until now.
“Look again and I’ll kick you out!”
Jiang Yao frowned, her expression angry.
Simaju Shan immediately corrected himself, “Won’t look, won’t look, see how angry you get, could I covet your wife?!”
The two were half childhood sweethearts, Jiang Yao was very clear about his preferences, to avoid misunderstandings, Simaju Shan immediately said.
“Go out, don’t come into my courtyard without permission!”
Jiang Yao gritted her teeth, furiously.
“Fine, fine, I’m going, I’m going, isn’t that enough?”
Staying any longer might really get beaten, Simaju Shan hurriedly left.
Song Muyun was still a bit confused, quietly tugging at Jiang Yao’s little finger, “What’s wrong, don’t be angry, guests should be treated politely, you should be more courteous.”
“Hmph, I was courteous enough, didn’t you say he spoke ill of you that day, so don’t bother with him, be good.”
She rubbed Song Muyun’s ear.
Song Muyun obediently nodded, she didn’t want to deal with that person either, for some reason that day he even implied she wasn’t worthy of Jiang Yao, today he just looked at her like that, anyway, she didn’t like him.
…
“Jiang Yao, I didn’t see you when I woke up just now.”
The young girl looked up at Jiang Yao, her eyes clear, seemingly containing shattered stars.
Jiang Yao understood and immediately began to explain, “You were sleepy and forgot, right? Simaju Shan has been knocking on the door outside, too noisy, you couldn’t sleep well, so I went out to tell him to shut up.”
Song Muyun leaned on Jiang Yao, still somewhat dissatisfied, “Then why did you go for so long, the bed has gotten cold.”
She couldn’t warm the bed by herself, and Jiang Yao had left her behind.
Hmph, really unreasonable.
She secretly blamed Jiang Yao in her heart, yet her face still showed a hint of dependency.
It was as if she hadn’t had the chance to hug and cuddle with Jiang Yao for a long time, and she was overly clingy these past days, unwilling to leave Jiang Yao’s side even for a moment.
“My father sent him to supervise my martial arts training, so I practiced for a while.”
“No wonder you’re sweating so much.”
Song Muyun picked up a fragrant handkerchief, gently wiping the sweat from Jiang Yao’s temples.
Jiang Yao grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips for a kiss, “I need to spend more time on martial arts training recently. With the conflict starting in the northwest, I’ll be heading there if nothing unexpected happens.”
She had decided to go as soon as she received the news. Now at eighteen, she wasn’t in a hurry before, but now she was eager to build up her achievements and marry a wife. She couldn’t marry her without achieving some status first.
Song Muyun knew that Jiang Yao was following the path of a military general and had mentioned that she would join the army if there was a conflict, but…
After hesitating for a moment, a pale, delicate hand grabbed Jiang Yao’s sleeve, “What about me when that time comes?”
She had already made up her mind to follow Jiang Yao, as they were in a marital relationship. She couldn’t bear the thought of being apart from Jiang Yao for long.
Unexpectedly, Jiang Yao said without a second thought, “You just wait for me at home, I’ll be back in a few months if everything goes smoothly.”
Song Muyun’s narrow phoenix eyes instantly narrowed, her voice laced with a hint of danger, “What did you say?”
Caught off guard, Jiang Yao repeated, “I said wait for me at home, I’ll be back soon.”
The next second, a sachet was suddenly thrown into her arms, and the little fairy, with slightly reddened eyes, glared at her and dropped a word, “Jerk!” before slamming the door shut.
The door was closed so forcefully in front of Jiang Yao that it almost hit her proud nose.
Jiang Yao: …
Damn, my wife suddenly got furious and even slammed the door. Jiang Yao instinctively wanted to push the door, but a cold voice from inside warned, “Try coming in if you dare.”
…
She didn’t dare to enter, not even a bit.
She immediately stepped back obediently and, after a moment, knocked on the door again, very cautiously, calling out to the person inside, “Muyun, when can I come in then?”
The person inside became furious, “Don’t come in ever again, I don’t want to see you!”
Jiang Yao was struck by lightning, her wife didn’t want to see her anymore? And even told her never to come in?
There was silence outside, and Song Muyun, frustrated and anxious, thought, She didn’t leave, did she?
I haven’t even made up with her, and she just left?
She just left like that?!
The more the young girl thought about it, the angrier she became, and fearing that she really had left, she suddenly opened the door, only to meet eyes with Jiang Yao, who was deep in thought outside.
Jiang Yao was stunned for a moment, and the next second, as she saw the door about to close again in her face, she quickly put half her body through it.
She looked extremely innocent at Song Muyun inside the room.
Song Muyun, furious, glared at her, “Get out, I don’t want to talk to you!”
“You say you don’t want to talk to me, but why did you open the door just now? Were you afraid I had left?”
Jiang Yao was quite confident, and her face also showed certainty.
Indeed, Song Muyun was afraid she had left, but she didn’t want to admit it. Feeling both angry and aggrieved, she turned her head away, and tears quickly filled her eyes.
The confident Jiang Yao suddenly lost her confidence, clumsily fumbling with the sachet in her hand, trying to appease Song Muyun by hugging her and gently patting her back, “Don’t cry, don’t cry, what’s wrong, did I say something to upset you?”
Now knowing why she was upset made her want to cry even more!
Song Muyun raised her red, watery eyes, glared at Jiang Yao again, then unceremoniously used her sleeve to wipe her tears, finally asking in a hoarse voice, “You’re going to war, leaving me alone in the capital?”
Jiang Yao confirmed without hesitation, “Of course, the battlefield is dangerous, and I’m worried I won’t have the time to protect you. It’s safer for you to stay in the capital.”
Then Jiang Yao was driven out, and before being driven out, her sachet was confiscated!
When Song Muyun snatched the sachet, she said fiercely, “I won’t make anything for you ever again, now get out!”
She didn’t let her back in until she was chased out into the yard.
Jiang Yao, while trying to soothe her, realized where she had gone wrong, but Muyun was too angry to listen to anything she said. If Jiang Yao didn’t leave, she would cry.
With no other choice, she had to leave for now.
Simma Jushan, who had been waiting outside, had keen ears and had heard everything. Now leaning against a tree, he looked somewhat schadenfreude, “What, had a fight with your wife?”
Jiang Yao gave him a brief glance and quickly climbed up to lie on the branches of a large tree outside, her eyes still occasionally glancing towards her own house, hoping to see some movement.
Simma Jushan, not wanting to miss out, followed her up, finding a spot to lie down too, curiously poking Jiang Yao.
Jiang Yao, annoyed, “Spit it out if you have something to say.”
“Hey, what did you say? I thought I heard your wife crying.”
The person who was lying on the tree trunk resting her eyes suddenly sat up, frowning at Simma Jushan, “Why do you keep an eye on her? She’s my wife. I warn you, don’t get any ideas, even my master can’t protect you.”
Jiang Yao had beaten Simma Jushan many times, not because he didn’t respect her, but because if he didn’t get beaten up once in a while, he would get too cocky. So, she used beating him up as a threat, not listening meant a real beating.
Simma Jushan wouldn’t dare to harbor any feelings towards her people. Initially, he was just attracted by the frailty of a woman, but now understanding she belonged to Jiang Yao, he dared not think further.
“No, no, no, I swear, I really have no intentions, just curious, maybe I could help you think of a way to appease her?”
The young man propped himself up on the tree trunk, sitting across from Jiang Yao.
Jiang Yao glanced at him, seeing the barely concealed schadenfreude on his face as if saying, “Hurry up and tell me so I can have a good laugh.” She snorted coldly and lay back down, “It’s none of your business. I can handle it myself.”
She didn’t lie on the tree outside for long before she heard some noise from the yard and immediately got up to look. She saw the window of her own room open, and a delicate woman standing there, frowning as she looked into the distance. After a moment, seemingly angry, she raised her hand as if to throw something but then hesitated. Finally, she threw a flower outside and closed the window.
Seeing this, Jiang Yao’s originally furrowed brows relaxed, and a slight smile appeared on her lips as she jumped down from the tree and walked away.
Simma Jushan was momentarily puzzled but quickly followed her, calling out from behind, “Hey, where are you going?”
“To buy something to appease my wife. She’s about to calm down, and I need to get back before she starts missing me.”
Otherwise, just as she calms down, she might get upset again.
