"Huo Tingshan, you know nothing, understand nothing. Is marriage such a casual matter? How dare you describe it with just 'passable'?" Pei Ying was angered by him.
Huo Tingshan picked up the teapot beside him and refilled Pei Ying's cup. "Don't be angry, my lady. Governor Lei of Yuzhou says his daughter is very beautiful, enjoys a virtuous reputation within Yuzhou, and admires the heroes of Youzhou."
Pei Ying gave a light, dismissive hum. "He says it and you just believe him? Parents always see their children differently from others. Even if their child is a weed or a wildflower in others' eyes, parents can see them as sacred yarrow or a peony."
The corner of Huo Tingshan's mouth twitched.
Surely it wasn't that extreme. In his eyes, that thick-skinned, rough-and-tumble brat Huo Er really was more like a weed, capable of growing wild anywhere.
But now was not the time to argue, or she would get even angrier.
Pei Ying furrowed her delicate brows. "And how are reputations built? I think no one understands manipulation better than you do nowadays. If you and I were willing, we could craft an ordinary young lady into a top-tier, clever, virtuous, even seemingly blessed maiden. Knowing nothing, you're already thinking of having our son marry a young lady he's never met. Is that good for our son, or for that young lady? Blindly pushing them together, if their future life is unhappy and they become a resentful couple, what then?"
This barrage of words made Huo Tingshan's eyelids jump.
He had only said two sentences prior.
The man said helplessly, "My lady..."
Pei Ying shot him a sidelong glance. "Huo Tingshan, you haven't set your sights on something in Yuzhou, have you?"
Her gaze wasn't sharp, only tinged with displeasure and suspicious inquiry. But Huo Tingshan couldn't bear her looking at him like that. "You misunderstand me greatly, my lady. The marriage proposal was first mentioned by Governor Lei of Yuzhou."
Pei Ying pressed her red lips together, saying nothing.
"Wait a moment." Huo Tingshan rose from his seat and left the main chamber in a few strides.
After he left, Pei Ying lowered her eyes to the account book again but was lost in thought. She stared at the same page for a long time, unable to read a single word further.
Pei Ying pressed her fingers to her brow.
Creak. The door sounded again.
The man who had just left returned, holding a letter in his hand. Huo Tingshan pushed aside the account book in front of Pei Ying and spread the letter out in its place.
Pei Ying looked down, slowly reading this letter from Governor Lei of Yuzhou. Reaching the end, it was indeed the other party who first broached the subject of marriage.
Seeing her expression soften slightly, Huo Tingshan said, "My lady, the marriage matter was indeed first raised by that fellow Lei Chengshuang. I merely considered it and found it passable."
"Found what passable?" Pei Ying turned to look at him.
Her almond-shaped eyes were clear as water, like the smoothest mirror, reflecting his face and seemingly all his thoughts. Huo Tingshan averted his gaze from hers.
But some things still had to be said. "Yuzhou has many rivers and waterways, numerous ones intertwining into a network. The Yuzhou naval forces are brave and skilled in battle. Lei Chengshuang commands a fleet of warships. I've heard the largest among them can carry soldiers and officers, and even allow dozens of horses to board simultaneously."
Halfway through listening, Pei Ying already understood.
He had his eye on their navy.
Huo Tingshan continued, "Places like Jiangdong are rainy, with complex waterways. Their soldiers are all adept swimmers, moving through water like loaches in a pond. I know full well my Youzhou soldiers are far from comparable in this regard. In the future, when we advance south, we will inevitably face naval warfare. If we have an ally familiar with aquatic combat, many difficulties could be easily resolved."
Even though his Youzhou army had once fought all the way to the Xiongnu royal court in the north, Huo Tingshan was not arrogant in certain aspects. His northern troops simply could not match the southerners in the water.
"Must we use our children's marriages to exchange for benefits?" Pei Ying said seriously. "Marriage is a lifetime matter. A blind marriage, sharing a bed and pillow with a complete stranger you've never met and whose character you don't know, even sharing a roof and facing each other day and night for decades to come... Just thinking about it feels stifling. Mingji is your son. Don't be so cruel to him."
A dark shadow gathered in Huo Tingshan's eyes. "My lady, precisely because Mingji is my son, precisely because he was born into the Huo family, this is what he must do. He has been sheltered by the family since childhood. While sons of common cloth-wearing families toiled for their meals, even calculating the spending of the few coins in their pockets, he enjoyed fine clothes and delicacies, attended by servants. In the harsh winter, common families treated a few pieces of charcoal with utmost caution, never lighting them except in the most severe cold; he stayed warm in grand houses built by his ancestors, warmed by silver-filament charcoal. While ordinary children played with mud at their doorstep at age three, or perhaps gazed longingly at the gates of schools standing wide open, Mingji already had private tutors, studying classics, horsemanship, and archery without omission. If he were not my son, Huo Tingshan's son, how could he have all he has today? If all one had to do was obey an arranged marriage to enjoy all of the above, those clamoring to become my son would be as numerous as fish in a river. Knowing this, my lady, do you still think I am cruel to him?"
Pei Ying was rendered speechless.
Perhaps his thinking wasn't wrong, and neither was hers.
What was wrong was this era, this feudal age where common families had no surplus grain and struggled to survive the winter.
Seeing Pei Ying's pale face, Huo Tingshan took her cold hands in his, softening his tone. "As descendants of the Huo family, Mingji and Zhizhang understood this principle long ago."
This generation was like that, and his generation was the same. His own union with the daughter of the Ning family had also been driven by self-interest.
"But understanding is one thing. It will surely feel unpleasant in one's heart..." Pei Ying said softly. "What if later Mingji meets a woman he truly wishes to spend his life with? What will you have him do then?"
Huo Tingshan initially wanted to say, "He can just take her as a concubine," but then remembered that in her era, it was one husband, one wife, with no concubines, and she couldn't accept them either, so he swallowed those words.
Pei Ying thought of a solution. "The affairs in Youzhou should be lighter now than before, and with Sizhou just taken, the focus is on consolidating it. How about this: summon Mingji, have him stay in Luoyang for now to handle Sizhou matters. Simultaneously, send a message to Governor Lei of Yuzhou, asking him to send his daughter to Luoyang. Let the two young people spend some time together. If it doesn't work out, then switch to another young lady from the Lei family. After all, you only care that the lady is from the Lei family."
This man couldn't let go of Yuzhou's navy. Mingji, with his temperament, would likely listen to his father, willingly placing personal feelings after family interests. But she couldn't bear to see them become a resentful couple.
"Huo Tingshan, what do you think?" Pei Ying asked him.
Huo Tingshan just looked at her, saying nothing.
"Why are you looking at me? Speak. Say you agree." Pei Ying reached out to push him.
The moment her slender hand, adorned with a yellow jade bangle, touched him, he grasped it. His large hand enveloped hers, pulling her towards him.
Her sleeves fluttered, a fragrant breeze swept by, and the beautiful lady beside him was now in his arms, held tightly against his chest.
Huo Tingshan held the slender waist of the person in his arms with one hand, his jaw resting against her soft, pale cheek. "Alright, of course it's alright. It's rare for my lady to make a formal request of me. Though I am Mingji's biological father, I have not cared for him as much as you have. When he heads south, I will have him come and thank you properly."
The stubble on his jaw prickled her cheek. Pei Ying shifted uncomfortably to the side. "There's no need for him to come specially to thank me. After all, he calls me mother. I can't very well watch him marry a young lady he despises."
Huo Tingshan chuckled lowly. "My lady has always been kind-hearted. Tomorrow, I'll have someone send a letter back to Youzhou, summoning him to Luoyang."
Pei Ying silently calculated the time in her mind.
Sending a fast horse from Jingzhou back to Youzhou, and then having him travel south from Youzhou to Luoyang would take at least two months, at the very least.
Just as Pei Ying was about to speak, a rough, large palm suddenly cupped her chin, several fingers lifting it slightly.
A fervent kiss descended.
The lamps in the room burned as brightly as before, but from outside the table, a dark shadow stretched inward, engulfing the woman pinned against it, like a treasure being dragged deep into a dragon's lair.
The apricot-colored sash was undone by long, bony fingers. A darker hand, like a shark that had caught the scent of prey, slipped through the slightly parted seam of her garment.
It felt as if scalding sand had poured against her skin. Pei Ying instinctively whimpered, straightening her spine and leaning back, only to be swiftly pulled back by an arm of iron.
The night was still long.
After the Youzhou troops breached Chenyuan Pass, they did not immediately advance. Instead, they garrisoned themselves in the strategic pass like a crouching tiger, observing the situations at both Huaigu Pass and Dongmen Pass, while also using Chenyuan Pass as an anchor point to swiftly consolidate their control over the newly acquired Sizhou.
On the fifth day after Meng Congnan's departure, he came to visit once more. This time, he was not alone; his wife, Lü Hongying, accompanied him.
Huo Tingshan did not make an appearance this time. Pei Ying and Meng Ling'er received them together. It was Pei Ying's first time meeting Lü Hongying. The other woman had delicate features and stood only chest-high beside her husband, appearing quite petite.
As with the previous visit, Meng Congnan once again brought gifts.
Pei Ying glanced at the gift box; it seemed even more elaborate than the first visit, which surprised her inwardly.
The couple arrived in the morning, and Pei Ying invited them to stay for a meal.
Ice basins placed in the four corners of the main hall kept the room pleasantly cool despite the blazing summer heat. The table was laden with delicious dishes that whetted the appetite: neatly sliced roasted chicken, pork stir-fried with leeks, and a milky-white fish soup.
Meng Congnan had never eaten stir-fried meat before. His first taste astonished him, and he praised it profusely. "So pork can be this delicious! Having tasted this today, I feel the pork I ate before was a waste of both the ingredient and my time."
Lü Hongying smiled and said, "It's not too late to know now. Better that than to muddle through life and find, upon looking back, not a single delicacy worth remembering."
After speaking, she pursed her lips in a smile. "I still remember when my father was alive, every year for the New Year's Eve feast, he and my uncle would each have half a roasted pheasant, and two more would be chopped up, with the wings and legs given to us younger ones."
Pei Ying had no knowledge of this and could only smile in agreement, but the young girl beside her wore a look of reminiscence.
Meng Ling'er thought of her childhood. Her grandmother had disliked her and her mother, often secretly sending good things to the second branch of the family. After her father left for the capital, her grandmother didn't even bother to hide it anymore.
Treats like fried pastries or sour date cakes that her cousin had, she never got to eat. Only occasionally, when she went to play with Little Rou, the daughter of Uncle Nan next door, could she get a piece or two of pastry from him.
The New Year's Eve feast was the most sumptuous. Even her usually harsh grandmother would be uncharacteristically amiable. Both her grandfather's and her granduncle's families would gather together in the courtyard, a lively and bustling reunion.
The conversation at the table was all about the past. Lü Hongying's gaze swept over Pei Ying several times, seemingly unintentionally. Seeing that Pei Ying showed little inclination to join the conversation, she lowered her eyes, lost in thought.
After the meal, Meng Congnan said, "Madam General, I have a favor to ask."
Pei Ying: "Uncle Meng, please speak freely."
Meng Congnan glanced at his wife, then at his niece, and said with a smile, "To be frank, before coming to Chenyuan Pass, I had already discussed with my wife about staying here for a few more days. Firstly, it has been ten years since I last saw Ling'er, and I miss her dearly. I wish to spend more time catching up with her. Secondly, I wish to seek out merchants here with whom I might have potential business dealings. Therefore, I would like to ask Madam General to allow my wife to stay for another two hours while I go out to find us lodgings, after which I will return to fetch her."
Pei Ying thought it was something major, but it was just about staying at the temporary residence a bit longer.
Since they were her daughter's relatives, she said straightforwardly, "Why bother seeking lodgings outside? There are still many vacant rooms in the residence. You can stay here for a few days."
"It would be improper to impose on the General and Madam General," Meng Congnan said, shaking his head with a smile. "Moreover, my wife is naturally timid. Staying in the residence would likely make her anxious day and night. Also, my business matters are not accomplished overnight; I will need to go out frequently. If I were to stay at your esteemed residence, I would feel deeply guilty about coming and going so often."
Seeing his firm refusal, and as the latter reasons were based on their own feelings, Pei Ying understood that the couple truly did not wish to stay. "Very well then. If there is anything else I can assist with, please do not hesitate to ask."
Meng Congnan clasped his hands and bowed. "Thank you, Madam General."
He left first, while Lü Hongying remained at the residence for the time being.
With a guest present, Pei Ying and her daughter continued to keep her company. Perhaps because they were both familiar to Lü Hongying, she did not appear as timid as Meng Congnan had described.
Two hours passed in the blink of an eye. Meng Congnan returned as promised to fetch his wife. Pei Ying invited them to stay for another meal, but they politely declined.
"My wife may come to visit again during the days I am busy with business. I hope Madam General will not find it bothersome then," Meng Congnan said.
Pei Ying's tone was gentle. "It's no bother at all. You and your wife are now the only close relatives left from Ling'er's paternal line. She is overjoyed to see you here. If your schedule allows, do stay in the city a few more days."
Meng Congnan agreed with a smile.
That evening, Pei Ying mentioned the matter to Huo Tingshan, telling him that Meng Congnan had brought his wife to Chenyuan Pass to visit Ling'er and also to conduct business.
Huo Tingshan sat beside her, watching Pei Ying go through the account books. "How much does my lady know about this Meng Congnan?"
Pei Ying told the truth. "Not much. I only know his branch of the family went south to trade many years ago. They now seem to do business near the border of Yi and Jing provinces, residing in Linjiang County."
Huo Tingshan said calmly, "My lady, his family only moved to Linjiang County four months ago."
