Pei Ying was kissed until her head spun and her mind grew somewhat oxygen-deprived, so much so that when she first heard his words, she didn't react at all.
After catching her breath in his embrace, Pei Ying finally managed to utter a "What?"
She felt terribly wronged. This man had told her to spare no expense, alright. It was just the two of them in the small private room; stealing a kiss wasn't entirely out of the question. But she hadn't expected him to later show signs of losing control, and after it was all over, to cap it off by stamping her with the label of 'seducer'. Heaven knew, apart from his initial remark about his daughter going to freshen up—after which he also left—she had received no other information.
"What did they say next door?" Pei Ying asked again.
The bribe had already been given; surely there should be some result.
Huo Tingshan lifted the person in his arms a little higher and, close to her ear, whispered what he had just overheard.
After listening, Pei Ying was stunned.
Was the young lady that brave?
This was laying everything completely out in the open with Mingji.
Pei Ying sighed softly, a touch of pity welling up in her heart. The other party yearned for the warmth of a mother, now lost. Perhaps because she had glimpsed a trace of that former tenderness in her, that's why she wanted to marry Mingji.
Who knew what kind of hopelessness had driven the young lady to lower her stance so profoundly, even to the point of staking everything on a desperate gamble? After all, they had only met once, at the banquet on the first day.
"What did Mingji say?" Pei Ying asked curiously.
Huo Tingshan gave a light, scoffing laugh. "That boy is playing it deep and mysterious with her."
Pei Ying understood.
That meant no concrete answer had been given.
"If the Third Lady of the Lei family takes no action, your eldest daughter-in-law will most likely be this Second Lady," the man said, his tone inscrutable.
Huo Mingji, this eldest son, had largely been raised under his guidance. Having watched him grow up under his very eyes, he, as the father, knew his son's nature all too well.
The Huo family members were all profit-oriented in their youth, especially the heirs. Their position and the responsibilities on their shoulders destined them to habitually trade anything expendable for personal or familial gain. And the benefits offered by the Second Lady of the Lei family were enough to stir the eldest son's heart.
She was Governor Lei of Yuzhou's only legitimate daughter, her status arguably even higher than that of the legitimate daughter of Governor Lei's own younger brother. Moreover, with her promises and self-analysis laid out first, Mingji could thereby seize absolute initiative.
Pei Ying extricated herself from his embrace, her delicate brows furrowed. "What kind of tone is that?"
The words themselves weren't problematic, but his tone sounded somewhat sarcastic again.
Pei Ying had originally been sitting opposite him, her bowl and chopsticks also placed there. Huo Tingshan reached out his long arm and simply moved her place setting to his side, so they sat side by side. "I'm merely pleased."
Pei Ying looked at him with suspicion in her eyes.
"If Mingji's wife sincerely respects and admires you, Madam, that would be a fine thing," the man said lightly.
In the future, when the eldest daughter-in-law gives birth to a legitimate son, she will undoubtedly teach him personally, leading by example. Mingji's legitimate son would then genuinely revere his own grandmother, even if she wasn't his father's birth mother.
Pei Ying hadn't thought as far ahead as he had. She suddenly felt a pang of melancholy. "Initially, inviting the Lei family young ladies was to let Mingji develop feelings for one of them. Later, by some twist of fate, two young ladies came. I thought, fine, two it is. Having one more for Mingji to choose from isn't bad; he could always pick the one more to his liking. Who would have thought that after all these twists and turns..."
After all these twists and turns, it still came down to profit.
"Children have their own fortunes. The path he chooses himself, let him walk it," Huo Tingshan said, picking up his jade chopsticks and placing a serving of stir-fried young chives into Pei Ying's bowl. "As a mother, you have already done more than enough for him, Madam."
Pei Ying lowered her gaze without speaking.
Huo Tingshan picked up the teacup beside him and took a small sip, his narrow eyes slightly lowered, his gaze fixed on the cup.
Lei Jingque had laid herself bare so thoroughly. Ordinarily, Mingji should choose this woman as his wife. But if he were to go against the grain and instead pick the Third Lady of the Lei family, who had expressed no stance towards her future mother-in-law...
The man's lips curved into a smile, but there was no trace of amusement in his eyes.
Tap. The cup, still containing tea, was set back on the table.
A moment later, a bead of tea that hadn't been there before seeped from a tiny crack on the outer wall of the cup. It meandered down the fine fissure and finally touched the tabletop soundlessly.
They had arrived earlier than the party next door, so naturally finished their meal first.
However, it wouldn't do to leave immediately after eating. They had come to the market district without attendants or guards, just the two of them taking a carriage directly to the restaurant entrance. After they entered, the carriage drove off to a side area where it wouldn't block traffic, estimating the time before returning to pick them up. In short, only the couple themselves had entered the restaurant to dine.
The party of four next door were out together. The four masters traveled in two carriages, followed by several servants in attendance—quite a procession. It was possible servants were waiting outside their private room as well. Those servants would recognize them. Leaving now would be equivalent to telling the four youngsters they were right next door.
Meng Ling'er and Lei Wusi would probably just think it a coincidence. But Huo Mingji and Lei Jingque, who had just discussed an agreement, might well think one layer deeper, especially since Huo Mingji was also well aware his father possessed exceptional hearing.
So the couple simply decided not to move yet. They sent a young attendant to tell the carriage to come later and also to fetch a set of chess.
After finishing their meal, they brewed a pot of light tea and played chess in the small private room.
Time passed slowly. The sky gradually donned a layer of grey-black darkness, swallowing the brilliant sunset glow on the horizon.
The party next door finished their meal, and the four left with their servants. The small private room was by the window. Pei Ying watched two carriages depart into the distance and knew they were returning to the estate.
"Huo Ting—" She turned, about to call to him, only to find the man standing right behind her. As she turned her head, she nearly buried her face in his chest. Pei Ying started, unable to hold back a chiding remark, "Why must you walk without a sound?"
"It's Madam who is too focused," Huo Tingshan lowered his gaze, a smile captured in his eyes. "Why be so nervous about being discovered? It's as if we were having a secret affair."
Pei Ying: "..."
This man and his unrestrained tongue again.
They typically returned late, going straight to the main courtyard upon arrival, so aside from the soldier driving the carriage, no one else knew that Pei Ying and Huo Tingshan had ever been to the Qingyang Restaurant.
Time slipped silently by for several more days. It had been nearly half a month since the steel refining first began.
In ancient times, the time required for iron smelting varied greatly depending on equipment and technology, ranging from a few days to several months, or even years.
The drawings provided by Pei Ying greatly improved the equipment, and the general steelmaking process was also outlined, essentially pointing the blacksmiths in a clear direction for experimentation. The blacksmiths gathered for this task were all experienced and intelligent individuals. Thus, in just half a month, the first batch of steel was produced.
The molten iron was first cast into steel billets. These billets were then forged by the blacksmiths into various types of iron tools as needed.
The ring-pommeled sword Huo Tingshan was accustomed to using had been damaged in his battle with Li Qiongqi. The first batch of forged tools included a set of blades.
There were long swords, short swords, and ring-pommeled swords. The quantity wasn't large, only fifteen in total.
Huo Tingshan picked up the brand-new ring-pommel saber, his gaze sliding from the hilt up to the gleaming point of the blade, his eyes constantly revealing amazement.
He had handled no fewer than a hundred weapons; whether a blade was good or not, he knew as soon as he held it. This newly forged ring-pommel saber was a cut above even that iron-spine serpent spear from the other day.
"Bring the blades," Huo Tingshan called out loudly.
Guo Dajiang hurriedly brought forward two ordinary blades. Removing their scabbards, he placed the two blades side by side. Huo Tingshan raised his arm and brought the saber down in a fierce chop.
"Clang—"
Even though Guo Dajiang and the other soldier were prepared for a heavy impact, when the blow landed, they were still shaken to the core by the tremendous force. Numbness spread rapidly from their fingers to their forearms. In the end, they didn't drop the blades, but they couldn't maintain a horizontal grip either, forced to let the points tilt down to the ground, using it for support.
Huo Tingshan glanced over. The two blades showed no obvious cracks on their edges. "Again."
They switched who held the blades.
After the third deafening crash of metal, a series of "clatter-clatter" sounds followed, the noise of broken blade fragments hitting the ground.
Beside them, Xia Xuan's breathing grew noticeably heavier.
After losing two fingers on his right hand, he could no longer grip a blade tightly, unable to return to the battlefield to spill blood and sacrifice his life. He had sunk into despondency for a time. Later, the General transferred him to the Armory Directorate, putting him in charge of supervising weapon manufacture.
It was an important post, and he was grateful for the General's trust and confidence in him. But perhaps because he had stepped away from the fierce battles of the front lines, life had become too placid. Unable to recapture the fervor of the past, a thread of loss and restlessness always lingered in his heart.
Until now—
Watching these divine weapons, capable of cleaving metal and stone, come into being under his supervision, his long-cooled blood seemed to be reignited.
A long-lost exhilaration.
Pei Ying was also looking at blades, but at daggers.
The edges were already sharpened, their keenness fully revealed. She had selected three daggers, planning to take them back for the younger members of the family. The task was complete; the subsequent steel-making only needed to strictly replicate the previous process. So, Pei Ying summoned Xia Xuan to give him final instructions.
"I shall strictly follow the Mistress's orders," Xia Xuan said, restraining his excitement.
After giving her instructions, Pei Ying looked at Huo Tingshan and asked if he would return to the residence with her. All the necessary data was now recorded, and her involvement in this preliminary phase of steel-making was temporarily concluded. She could return to the residence to rest.
"I'll return," Huo Tingshan said, sheathing the ring-pommel saber and leaving the steelworks with Pei Ying.
They finished work early today, the couple arriving back at the residence just before the end of the Wei hour (around 3 PM).
"Have Mingji and Ling'er come here," Pei Ying said to the guard at the entrance of the main courtyard. The guard acknowledged the order and hurried off to find them.
Pei Ying had brought back three daggers. She set aside the one belonging to Huo Zhizhang first. After a moment's hesitation, she decided against having Xin Jin fetch a gift box from the storeroom.
Just give them directly, no need for such formalities.
Huo Mingji and Meng Ling'er arrived not long after, coming together, suggesting they had been together beforehand.
"Father, Mother."
"Father, Mother."
Huo Tingshan gave a casual grunt in response.
Pei Ying beckoned the siblings over, then picked up the daggers from the side. "These are made from the recently produced hundred-refined steel. They can slice through iron as if it were mud and cleave metal and stone with ease. Take them to use."
Both were taken aback.
Huo Mingji was well aware of hundred-refined steel and had personally witnessed his father casually hand that iron-spine serpent spear back to Li Qiongqi.
It would be false to say he felt no regret, but if a divine weapon could be exchanged for a loyal and capable military officer, then the trade was worthwhile.
So, the regret was merely regret.
He never expected...
There was more hundred-refined steel!
Freshly produced, didn't that mean they had mastered the technique for refining hundred-refined steel?
Recalling his parents' early departures and late returns these past days, Huo Mingji suddenly understood.
So that was it.
"Slice through iron as if it were mud, cleave metal and stone?" The young girl took the dagger, drew it from its sheath, and a cold gleam caught her eye.
This blade was anything but ordinary.
A light flickered in Meng Ling'er's eyes. "Mother, can this hundred-refined steel be mass-produced in the future?"
Pei Ying nodded. "Yes. The entire process has been mapped out. Once we build more steelworks, production volume can increase."
A production cycle of half a month per batch might perhaps be shortened to ten days. Shaving off a few days was secondary; the main point was that with more steelworks and more blacksmiths, steel output could be easily boosted.
Seeing her daughter looking down at the dagger in her hand, a slight smile at the corner of her mouth, Pei Ying's eyebrow twitched. She had an inexplicable feeling that at least half of her daughter's thoughts were not in Luoyang at the moment.
"Father, Mother, regarding the matter of the Lei family's daughters, your son has reached a decision," Huo Mingji suddenly said.
Pei Ying was startled, not expecting the person involved to volunteer an update.
Beside her, Huo Tingshan looked up from the chessboard on the table. "And?"
Huo Mingji: "The Second Miss Lei is as beautiful as she is intelligent, gentle and refined. Your son favors the Second Miss Lei."
Huo Tingshan immediately laughed.
Pei Ying's eyes held complexity. "Although an alliance with the Lei family is practically settled, I sincerely hoped you could choose someone you like within the greatest possible range of options."
Huo Mingji suddenly bowed deeply. "Mingji thanks Mother for your concern. Your deep affection, Mother, your son will remember for a lifetime. Second Miss Lei has a calm temperament, and our interests align. Your son sincerely favors her and wishes to marry her."
Huo Tingshan laughed. "Alright, as long as you like her yourself. Since you've decided, handle the subsequent matters yourself."
What needed to be done next included discreetly informing the woman of his choice and assisting with her preparations for the return journey.
Although he had chosen the Second Miss of the Lei family, she would not be staying directly at the Governor's residence in Luoyang. Both Lei Jingque and Lei Wusi would first return to Yuzhou. Then, Lei Jingque would marry from Yuzhou, traveling far to marry into Youzhou.
All the proper procedures, all the necessary wedding banquets, none could be omitted. To omit any would be an affront to the honor of both the Huo and Lei families.
After the two juniors left, Pei Ying began calculating the timeline.
Yuzhou was not extremely far from Luoyang, but it was separated from Youzhou by a thousand li. From betrothal to marriage, it would likely take about a year.
Remembering Lei Jingque's age, Pei Ying nodded to herself.
Just as well, wait another year.
An early consummation would be inappropriate.
With the steel-making matter temporarily concluded, both Pei Ying and Huo Tingshan had some leisure time. Added to the fact that Huo Mingji had made his choice between the two Lei daughters and personally declared his favor, the couple did not dine out again for the next two days, instead eating at home with the younger generation.
Pei Ying didn't know how Huo Mingji had spoken to the other party, but she keenly sensed a slight change in the atmosphere between the two young people.
They had grown closer.
Beside them, Lei Wusi seemed unaware.
On this day, after the noon meal, Lei Jingque looked towards the elders at the head of the table and requested to take her leave. "My father sent a letter yesterday, stating there are matters at home and ordering me and Wusi to return. We are deeply grateful for the care you, Huo Youzhou and the Governor's Lady, have shown us over these past half a month."
Everyone present understood perfectly well that "family matters" was mostly a pretext. Their purpose for this trip had been accomplished, and there was no need for them to stay in Luoyang any longer.
They had to return home to prepare for the wedding.
Pei Ying had long anticipated this day. So, when the two young women of the Lei family departed, she had them take along two carts of gifts she had prepared in advance.
Huo Mingji and Meng Ling'er personally saw the Lei sisters off at the gate.
Two carriages rolled side by side on Luoyang's broad streets, their wheels pressing over the bluestone slabs, axles making a steady rumbling sound.
After they had completely left the Governor's estate behind, Lei Wusi suddenly lifted the curtain of her carriage. "Lei Jingque."
Hearing her name, the occupant of the opposite carriage also lifted her curtain.
Lei Wusi gave a soft snort. "You've finally seemed a bit more human these past few days. Keep it up. Don't go back to being all lifeless and gloomy in the future; it's annoying to look at. The Huo family is good, but you have to marry all the way to Youzhou. It's too far. I hear it's terribly cold there, cold enough to freeze one's ears off. So, it's not that I couldn't compete with you; I just didn't want to marry so far away later on. I still prefer the gentlemen from the water towns."
A slow smile spread across Lei Jingque's face. "I know."
Lei Wusi averted her eyes. "If that eldest young master Huo ever bullies you in the future, write back to Yuzhou. We'll always find a way."
"Alright!"
