Pei Ying fell silent for a moment, but ultimately couldn't resist speaking up. "Since when are you not busy? You're very busy too."
This man, both before and after military campaigns, frequently held small meetings with his strategists. On top of that, he had to handle urgent correspondence from three provinces, often spending entire afternoons sequestered in his study.
Huo Tingshan had practically become a local warlord, and given his own ambitious nature, it would be strange if he weren't busy.
He was clearly talking nonsense with his eyes wide open.
Huo Tingshan frowned, displeased. "The number of times I've accompanied my wife to the market is more than can be counted on one hand. Furthermore, our previous trips to Changling Temple and the winter hunt also count as traveling."
Pei Ying: "..."
Since when had he become so competitive?
Seeing her remain silent, Huo Tingshan held her close, planting occasional kisses on her hair at her temple. "Why is my wife silent? Could it be I'm mistaken? If not, perhaps my wife could enlighten me. How busy was your late husband? Was he mostly not at home?"
"Why are you so curious?" Pei Ying pushed him away slightly.
Huo Tingshan's reply was natural. "Having never been to my wife's world, it's only natural to wonder. I also thought that after the world is pacified, I might be able to reference some methods from later eras."
Pei Ying was first delighted, but then remembered that feudal times and socialism were incompatible. As long as there were emperors and the aristocratic class of powerful families for a single day, socialism could never come to be.
Still, it was good that he had such intentions.
Pei Ying spoke softly and gently, "In our place, there were many, many schools. Both men and women could study, starting from age six. As long as one wanted to and had the ability to continue, one could study even until thirty. Huo Tingshan, in the future, you could build more schools, funded uniformly by the government. Families who wish to send their children could contribute a small tuition fee, pooling resources to hire teachers together. We should no longer restrict young women from studying."
Huo Tingshan acknowledged with a sound. "And what about the working hours at the hospitals my wife mentioned?"
He had circled back to the earlier question.
Pei Ying: "..." Had he even been listening to her properly?
Perhaps because her silence lasted a bit long, Huo Tingshan said leisurely, "Building schools, is it? Fine. After I pacify the realm, I'll build schools in great numbers, allowing boys and girls to study together. After all, my wife rarely tries to influence me with 'pillow talk,' so how could I refuse?"
Pei Ying was stunned.
Pillow talk?
How was this pillow talk?
But the brocade pillow her head was currently resting on was indeed a pillow, so perhaps the term wasn't entirely off.
Pei Ying fell into deep thought.
Huo Tingshan asked again about hospital working hours, displaying a rather relentless persistence.
Pei Ying had no choice but to say, "In the future, the medical field becomes very specialized, with each practitioner focusing on their expertise. Some specialize in bones, others in various internal organs, and still others in skin diseases. But regardless of the specialty, young physicians are the busiest. When things get hectic, it's not uncommon for them to not return home for two or three nights. Sometimes, when Lingling missed her father, I could only take her to the hospital."
After hearing this, Huo Tingshan blurted out, "Marrying such a man, what difference is there for my wife compared to being a widow?"
Pei Ying: "..."
Pei Ying grew somewhat annoyed. "Don't speak like that. The medical profession is extremely arduous. If not for their support, how could the common people seek treatment whenever needed?"
Huo Tingshan let out a scoff.
In the darkness, Pei Ying couldn't see his face, but that sound somehow felt strangely sarcastic.
Pei Ying paused, sensing he was starting to act strange again. She simply turned over, giving him her back. "Time to sleep. You have to get up early tomorrow."
"Do I not get up early every day?" Huo Tingshan turned her back towards him. "Wife, tell me more."
Pei Ying closed her eyes to sleep, ignoring him.
After calling her twice and getting no response, Huo Tingshan clicked his tongue lightly. "Wife, this bad habit of refusing to communicate when angry really needs to change."
Pei Ying continued to pay him no mind.
If she responded to that, it would undoubtedly lead to endless discussion. So, let him think she had this bad habit.
The morning sun rose in the east, its light spreading across the land. The markets of the commandery were filled with bustling noise, and the several large military camps outside the city were no exception.
The clatter of hoofbeats sounded as a single rider entered the Youzhou army camp from outside.
"Whoa." Chen Wei reined in his horse, dismounted deftly, and quickly entered the main tent. "General, the fifth scouting team just reported that Li Sizhou has met with General Zhu and Governor Lei of Yuzhou."
Huo Tingshan stood before a large sheepskin map and frowned upon hearing this. "Have the Yizhou forces arrived?"
Chen Wei said they had not.
Huo Tingshan twisted the thumb ring on his finger. "What scheme is this Li Xiaotian plotting now?"
The representative of the Yongzhou army was Zhu Yanwu, a newly appointed general. Huo Tingshan hadn't heard of this man before; he was probably some minor figure Ji Xianbai had dug up from some obscure corner.
As for Lei Chengshuang, Governor Lei of Yuzhou, there were no past rumors of any association with Li Xiaotian.
Now, Li Xiaotian had visited these two alone without notifying Youzhou. Could it simply be casual socializing, trying to build good relations early to cover up the fact that he had already betrayed his ally and formed an alliance with Jingzhou instead?
Huo Tingshan looked at Chen Wei. "Keep investigating."
Chen Wei cupped his hands in acknowledgment and accepted the order.
The main tent also housed strategists like Gongsun Liang and Ke Zuo. Huo Tingshan asked them, "What do you gentlemen think Li Xiaotian intends with this move?"
Gongsun Liang stroked his goat-like beard. "Going alone without notifying our side certainly serves to conceal himself. Perhaps Li Sizhou still harbors resentment over your killing of his son and has no desire to associate with you, my lord."
The others voiced their agreement.
After a long period of contemplation, Ke Zuo proposed a different perspective. "My lord, perhaps we should disregard what we already know and consider things solely from Li Sizhou's standpoint. The poisoning incident has been kept secret, with no one returning to report its failure. Li Sizhou only knows that the team he sent was killed by our patrols."
Ke Zuo's expression turned grave. "My lord, gentlemen, what we know now is that corpses must be burned or buried quickly, otherwise they can easily cause epidemics. But I venture to ask: had we not been reminded by the lady of the house, would any of you have considered that plague could spread through water sources?"
The men looked at each other. Some shook their heads, others remained silent.
No, they would not have thought of it.
Previously, their army had no habit of boiling water at all, until the autumn of the year before last—
When Changping Commandery was struck by an earthquake, they, having already occupied Jizhou, went from Yuanshan Commandery to provide aid. The earthquake killed a great many people. While not exactly corpses strewn across the fields, the bodies still piled up into small hills.
Madam Pei, before she became the lady of the house, told their general that the army must boil water and absolutely must not drink raw water. It was from that time onward that their Youzhou army developed the habit of trying to drink cooled boiled water whenever possible.
When the general gave the order, most simply obeyed without understanding the underlying reason. The vast majority were unaware of what principle was at work.
Huo Tingshan answered Ke Zuo's question directly. "Without my wife's guidance, we truly would not have known."
"From Li Sizhou's perspective, the poisoning has succeeded. Now, the Youzhou army is practically a plague camp, with the disease spreading rapidly from one to ten, ten to a hundred." Ke Zuo twirled his small mustache. "The various provinces are allied against Jing. There will inevitably be joint discussions. In his view, perhaps the Lord has already contracted the illness, which is why he specifically avoided it."
Everyone had a sudden realization.
"That's right. We're all a bunch of sick people now. Plague, that's no small matter. It's normal for Li Sizhou to value his life."
"He'll meet with Governor Lei of Yuzhou and General Zhu first. By the time for the next meeting, he might just find any excuse not to come."
"Thank goodness the Lady informed us in advance, otherwise we would have been wiped out in one fell swoop. If the Lord, while unwell, went to meet with Governor Lei and General Zhu, wouldn't that spread the plague to the Yuzhou and Yongzhou armies as well?"
Everyone collectively drew a sharp, cold breath.
"What a vicious scheme!"
"Using plague to cripple three armies before the battle even begins? What happens afterwards would be entirely up to them. Then we'd truly be fish on the chopping block, at their mercy."
"This Li Sizhou is strange. Isn't he afraid of the fire burning himself?"
"As Quan Shui said, if I were Li Sizhou, I'd probably estimate the timing and lead my troops away."
"So sinister and poisonous! If you want to compete, fight fair and square. What kind of hero uses such underhanded methods?"
Amidst the chorus of condemnation filling the main tent, Huo Tingshan's own anger subsided slightly. He listened quietly as they first cursed Li Xiaotian, then expressed relief that the army had a knowledgeable Lady.
A long time later, the voices of condemnation gradually died down.
Ke Zuo bowed with clasped hands. "My Lord, I expect Governor Lei and General Zhu will soon invite you to meet. And if my guess is correct, there will surely be Sizhou scouts investigating the situation during this trip. Therefore, I must ask you to make preparations."
...
"Preparations aren't difficult. You can go by carriage then," Pei Ying said.
"No." Huo Tingshan flatly refused. "For a commanders' meeting, what kind of impression would I make arriving by carriage?"
Pei Ying was puzzled. "Huo Tingshan, did you even understand Master Ke's words? 'Make preparations' means making them believe you are unwell. If you don't even take a carriage and show no sign of illness, how will others believe you?"
Looking at him like this, he seemed capable of killing two oxen barehanded. Believing he was sick was less credible than believing the Governor of Jingzhou could fight one against five.
Huo Tingshan remained silent.
Pei Ying thought for a moment and suddenly smiled. "Actually, you can go on horseback too."
The plague needed time to spread, and this man had a strong personality. It was normal for him not to want to show weakness in front of others.
Huo Tingshan: "Does my Lady have a brilliant suggestion?"
"There is indeed a method. Come with me." Pei Ying suppressed her laughter, trying to keep her tone ordinary.
They were outside. After speaking, Pei Ying returned to the main tent with Huo Tingshan.
At first, Huo Tingshan didn't understand why she insisted on returning to the main tent to tell him. It wasn't until she pushed him to sit before the bronze mirror and dressing table, and he saw her take out a box of cosmetics, that he suddenly realized.
Then the man's expression changed.
He had already sat down, but now he abruptly stood up. "My Lady, this is not acceptable."
Pei Ying had anticipated this reaction. Seeing his dark expression and the chilling aura emanating from him, she wasn't afraid at all. Instead, she felt like curling her lips into a smile. "Huo Tingshan, why is this not acceptable, that not acceptable? Those who achieve great things do not fuss over minor details. You are going there 'unwell.' Do you understand the term 'unwell'? With your current complexion, forget looking unwell; you look ready to be sent to fight a tiger immediately."
Huo Tingshan: "..."
He said nothing, unusually silent.
Pei Ying couldn't help secretly delighting. This man, who often spoke arrogantly, was finally at a loss for words.
"It doesn't necessarily have to be this way," Huo Tingshan said, glancing at the cosmetics box before quickly looking away.
"Then what do you intend to do?" Pei Ying couldn't help but curve her eyes into a smile.
Huo Tingshan hesitated. "I could catch a cold."
Pei Ying was exasperated. She had known he was chauvinistic and cared about face, but she didn't realize he carried the weight of a thousand burdens. "Huo Tingshan, do you think catching a cold is a joke? The slightest mishap, and you could lose your life."
Seeing his silence, which seemed somewhat defiant, she added, "If the commander falls ill before battle, how can the army's morale remain stable? Now Sizhou has secretly allied with Jingzhou, and they might even be quietly planning other things. Huo Tingshan, if a cold impairs your abilities and something happens to you on the battlefield, and the Youzhou army loses because of it, I'd probably be forced to remarry then..."
"You dare?!" His reaction was intense.
He stared fixedly at the beautiful woman before him, like a fierce wolf locking onto its prey, not allowing her to escape nor anyone to snatch her away.
"Is this about whether I dare or want to?" Pei Ying brought up old grievances. "Marrying you back then was forced by circumstances. If you're gone, could a mere woman like me control such circumstances? If it truly came to that, and others used the children's lives to pressure me, what would you have me do?"
A vein throbbed on Huo Tingshan's forehead.
He didn't speak, a terrifying coldness churning around him. Husband and wife faced each other, a standoff forming.
Pei Ying wasn't afraid of him. After meeting his gaze for a moment, she pressed on his arm, making him sit down again.
Without a word, Huo Tingshan ultimately yielded to her pressure and sat back down.
Pei Ying knew he had consented.
Immediately, she opened the small cosmetics box while speaking to him. "It's not about putting rouge on your face, just applying some pearl powder to make you look paler. Don't resist so much. Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. When they see your haggard complexion, they'll surely believe you're unwell. Who could imagine you..."
She glanced at the man's taut expression and swallowed the last part about "applying pearl powder."
He was already bristling. If she said more, he'd probably shoulder all those burdens again.
Pei Ying usually couldn't be bothered with elaborate hairstyles, let alone makeup. But she was never short of the finest cosmetics. Whether she used them was one thing, but people around her always liked to collect jewelry, accessories, and rouge to give to her.
"Father, your son has a matter to report." Suddenly, Huo Zhizhang's voice came from outside.
Pei Ying clearly saw a distinct tendon bulge on the side of Huo Tingshan's neck. It seemed sheer willpower was all that kept him seated.
Pei Ying suppressed a smile and called out to Huo Zhizhang outside, "Zhizhang, wait a moment."
Huo Zhizhang outside obediently acknowledged.
Pei Ying said softly, "Later, go out and let our son see you. He'll definitely think you're unwell."
Huo Tingshan's expression was still sour.
It was just a simple layer of pearl powder, not a full makeup application, so it was quickly done. Pei Ying closed the box. "All done."
A bronze mirror sat before him, but unfortunately, the clarity of mirrors from this era was limited. He couldn't really see how his complexion looked, so Huo Tingshan had to let it go.
Huo Zhizhang waited outside. Hearing the sound of the tent flap being lifted, he instinctively turned his head. That one glance caused his expression to change drastically. "Father, where are you unwell? I shall go fetch Uncle Feng at once."
Huo Tingshan gave a light cough. "That is unnecessary."
Huo Zhizhang said worriedly, "But your complexion looks rather unwell. Could it be you caught a chill yesterday in that large cave?"
"No," Huo Tingshan replied tersely.
Pei Ying emerged at that moment. "Your father is fine. He has merely applied a slight illusion to his face."
Huo Zhizhang was stunned.
He couldn't help but scrutinize his father's face closely, only to avert his gaze under the other's sharp stare. But he understood now. Huo Zhizhang's face filled with admiration. "Father, you can stoop or stand tall as needed. Truly, you are a great man."
Huo Tingshan's expression remained impassive. "A gentleman should possess a heart of innocence. How have you learned to be as glib-tongued as those eunuchs in Chang'an?"
Huo Zhizhang: "..."
Two days passed in the blink of an eye. Just as Huo Tingshan had anticipated, Governor Lei of Yuzhou and General Zhu sent messengers one after another, conveying messages to Huo Tingshan and wishing to meet with him.
Huo Tingshan gladly accepted the invitations.
Time was pressing; the campaign against Jing was imminent. Therefore, these invitations were not like usual banquet requests, which would set the meeting date several days later.
On the day after the messengers arrived, Huo Tingshan led his men to the meeting. This time, only Chen Yuan accompanied him; he did not bring any other military officers.
After Huo Tingshan left the camp, Pei Ying, as she had the previous two days, went to her daughter's tent.
The amount of crystal they had brought back was not substantial, so selecting the raw material only took half a day. The remaining time was spent on grinding and polishing.
Sha Ying already knew she was making a telescope, so Pei Ying simply enlisted her as extra help. The subsequent grinding of the lenses and the polishing were all handled by Sha Ying.
"Madam, is this acceptable?" Sha Ying carefully handed over a polished lens.
Pei Ying took it.
The lens was somewhat smaller than a typical eyeglass lens. After polishing, this piece of crystal, ground into a convex shape, was remarkably clear and transparent. It still couldn't quite match glass, but it wasn't far off.
"Yes, it's excellent," Pei Ying said with great delight. "Please polish the other piece as well."
Sha Ying accepted the task.
A little over an hour later, the other small lens was finished.
