Chapter Seventy-Three

After dinner, Zhao Yelan went for a run in the courtyard after changing his clothes. 

Yan Mingting looked troubled, and while running with him, he didn’t want him to run for such a purpose.

After running a full lap, Zhao Yelan was out of breath and wanted to find a recliner to lie down, but was pulled up by Yan Mingting to walk slowly: “Don’t lie down immediately, first walk to cool the blood.”

Zhao Yelan wiped the sweat from his face and said exhaustedly: “I really invest too much energy for you.”

“En, en.” Yan Mingting was also very moved.

Zhao Yelan: “If you dare to find someone else behind my back in the future, I will definitely kill you first.”

“En, en. The atmosphere is so good, don’t tell these horror stories,” Yan Mingting said.

Zhao Yelan smiled and broke free from his grip, starting to stride again: “Look, does the motion meet official standards?”

Yan Mingting adjusted his movements, but couldn’t help persuading him: “Why don’t we rest earlier? You will be very tired like this, it is more appropriate to exercise step by step.”

“That makes sense, you should be fine waiting another three to five years.” Zhao Yelan was immediately persuaded, and the main reason was that he was a little tired from horse stance. Anyway, Yan Mingting couldn’t escape from his palm, so it was fine to delay him for a few years, and they would talk about it when he got stronger in the future.

Thinking this way, he went to take a bath and go to bed without any psychological burden.

Yan Mingting, on the other hand, was practicing the sword in the courtyard with a sad face. When he heard footsteps, he turned his head to see that it was Housekeeper Qin passing by with snacks. He walked over and sat down on the corridor railing in front of Housekeeper Qin.

Housekeeper Qin was taken aback, and asked: “General, do you have anything to tell me?”

Yan Mingting gestured to him, and Housekeeper Qin brought his ear closer.

“Is that picture book you prepared before the only one?” Yan Mingting asked furtively.

“I only bought that one, do you want something else? Shall I buy it for you now?” Housekeeper Qin asked in a low voice.

“Go, ba.” After saying so, Yan Mingting added, “Buy them all for me.”

That night, after Zhao Yelan fell asleep, Yan Mingting secretively lifted the blanket and went to the study on tiptoe. Lighting a few candles, he took out a large stack of picture books and began to study them carefully.

His eyes were red in the middle of the night. He read all the postures in these books and didn’t see any man with his problem. On the contrary, he looked at the people in these books who stayed up all night until dawn and couldn’t get out of bed for three days, and felt indescribably jealous in his heart! It made his eyes turn red, damn it!

At this time, footsteps sounded outside. He frantically put away these books and stuffed them into a drawer. Before he could finish stuffing them, the door was pushed open. Zhao Yelan walked in with a candle, wearing his white underclothes.

“What are you doing here instead of sleeping at night?” 

“I, I’m……reading a book.” Yan Mingting picked up the book in his hand and quickly stuffed it into the drawer, pushing it hard, but it got stuck in the crack and couldn’t be pushed further.

“You have such leisure and elegance?” Zhao Yelan didn’t believe his nonsense. He rarely came to the study, let alone snuck around in the middle of the night. There must be something wrong. His eyes narrowed. “You didn’t come to steal my account book, did you?”

“Do you think I’m that kind of person?” Yan Mingting said with a straight face.

Zhao Yelan approached and shone a candle on his face, revealing the guilty expression. He glanced down, accidentally touched the book by his feet, and picked it up.

“Don’t look.” Yan Mingting’s expression shifted, and he tried to grab it, but was a step too late.

Zhao Yelan turned around, opened a page casually, and saw two men entwined on it.

“This is the book you want to read instead of sleeping?” Zhao Yelan looked at him calmly.

Yan Mingting’s face flushed. He rubbed his face and simply broke the jar since it was already cracked: “Yes, yes, ah……what’s the problem?”

With a “snap,” Zhao Yelan tossed the book on the table and said: “Go back to sleep.”

“Oh……” Yan Mingting raised his head and suddenly asked, “Didn’t you fall asleep? Why did you get up?”

Zhao Yelan was silent for a moment.

He had turned over in the night and subconsciously reached to the side, but found that it was empty. He woke up, picked up a candle, and started looking for a certain person until he saw a light in the study, and came over.

As if guessing the reason, Yan Mingting suddenly smiled and took his hand, pulling him onto his lap. He buried his head in the other’s neck and took a deep breath.

Zhao Yelan had loved spices for many years, so there was always a faint scent on his body. Yan Mingting sniffed the faint fragrance and seemed to feel that it wasn’t enough, so he kept sniffing until it left traces on his neck, and Zhao Yelan pushed him away gently.

“What is that against me?” Zhao Yelan said, lowering his head.

“What is the deal with this?” Yan Mingting was already extremely puzzled. Looking down, he was so invigorated when he was being intimate, but when he was about to attack, he fell so fast that he really lost his old face.

Zhao Yelan frowned when he mentioned this matter and lost confidence, knowing that persuasion was useless. After all, a man’s dignity was involved. Even if he said a thousand times that he didn’t care, it was impossible for Yan Mingting to not mind at all.

He could only divert the other party’s attention. Grasping the other party’s chin, he lowered his head and kissed him.

Sure enough, in the blink of an eye, Yan Mingting was muddle-headed by this kiss and had forgotten his other troubles. He was only focused on responding and touching the other party.

Suddenly, he noticed something poking his waist and couldn’t help being taken aback, looking at Zhao Yelan with a smile. A blush dusted Zhao Yelan’s face. He turned his head and put it on Yan Mingting’s shoulder, saying in a low voice: “Help me.”

Yan Mingting helped him relieve it for a long time, and saw him huddling into his arms with a face full of satisfaction. There was a thin sheen of sweat on his forehead, but he was still fragrant. The blush on his face had not faded, and he felt an indescribable sense of satisfaction in his heart.

Only he could see this kind of unrivaled beauty.

Yan Mingting was about to take a handkerchief to wipe his hands, when he heard the other party put his arms around his neck and say softly: “This is very comfortable, ah.”

Suddenly becoming more energetic, Yan Mingting picked him up and put him down by the window, leaning over to embrace him. After holding him tenderly for a while, he heard the sound of the cock crowing and reluctantly carried him back to the room.

“Go back to sleep, ba, I’m going to court.”

“En……” Zhao Yelan felt drowsy and gave a weak response, turning over to expose half his shoulders.

Yan Mingting leaned over and took a bite, then covered him with a blanket and set off for the palace.

His state today was obviously different than yesterday. His colleagues couldn’t help but feel happy for him, seeing that he was in a much better mood. He really deserved to be a great general, ah. He worried about the common people’s problems first, then shared in their joy. He was really a role model for his generation.

Yan Mingting didn’t know that so many people were observing the changes in his expression, and soon he was a little dizzy from surprise.

The Emperor even rewarded him with the Chisa Sword!

Although he lacked interest in extraneous rewards, he had no resistance to swords and the like. Let alone the famous Chisa Sword, the most powerful sword in the hearts of all soldiers and the most respected Imperial weapon in the eyes of the common people and officials.

He took the heavy sword solemnly with both hands, his face full of joy. Hearing the congratulations from his colleagues, he couldn’t wait to show it to Zhao Yelan.

After court was over, he deliberately sought out the Emperor to thank him again, but Zhao Xuan said: “This is what you deserve. I hope you will continue to dedicate yourself to your duties and protect the peace of the nation, so that the trust that Zhao-qing[1] and I have placed in you is not in vain.”

“Zhao-qing?” Yan Mingting was stunned for a moment.

“What? Don’t you know that he begged for this sword for you?” Zhao Xuan was very surprised, because Zhao Yelan was never a person who did good deeds without leaving a name, ah. So he hadn’t informed Yan Mingting in advance?

Zhao Xuan looked at Yan Mingting’s back as he briskly walked away. His expression gradually sank, and his heart was inexplicably sour.

Yan Mingting hurried back to the General’s Mansion, but failed to catch him. Zhao Yelan had already set off for the Imperial Academy. He turned around and went to the training grounds, and showed the Chisa Sword to his soldiers, which made He Cuizhang and the others envious.

“The Emperor is wise! Only this sword is worthy of the General!” He Cuizhang cautiously tried to touch the sword, but was slapped away by Yan Mingting.

“Be careful, don’t break it.”

“……I won’t, I won’t.”

Those soldiers also gathered around, and each one of them seemed to be beholding a treasure, asking him whether it was the real Chisa Sword.

“How can there be a fake? The Emperor personally handed it to me!” Yan Mingting said proudly.

“That’s great, ah, when can I get a sword bestowed by the Emperor?” He Cuizhang said enviously.

“First of all, you must have a capable wife……you guys actually know that Zhao Yelan got this sword for me?” Yan Mingting faked a look of shock.

Everyone: “……..?” No, we didn’t know.

In the end, Zuo Ran was young and had few opportunities to be around him. She still didn’t know what kind of medicine he was selling in his gourd, unlike He Cuizhang and the others, who were already numb to it. She said in surprise: “What? Zhao-daren got this for you? Heavens, Zhao-daren is so capable, Zhao-daren loves the General so much!”

Yan Mingting was satisfied, and even praised her for being bright.

Everyone: “…….”

As if showing off wasn’t enough, he also specially wrote letters to Zhong Yuehong and his uncles who were far away at the border to inform them of this matter. After all, receiving the Chisa Sword was indeed a matter of glory.

It would have been better if he didn’t write so much about how much Zhao Yelan loved him. It made the teeth of those old uncles ache.

After doing all this, Yan Mingting began to think again. Zhao Yelan won such a big treasure for him, so what could he do to reciprocate?

On the other side, Zhao Yelan left at noon and went to the small liaison building, where Yin Pinglu was already waiting.

He handed over all the ledgers to Yin Pinglu and told her what was to be done, and Yin Pinglu wrote everything down one by one.

In addition, he planned to introduce Gu Niaoniao to her, so that it would be more convenient to do things in the future.

“Yo, why did you bring a beauty here today?” When Gu Niaoniao walked into the room, she saw a strange woman. When she got closer, she realized that she and the woman were wearing the same sort of clothes and sat down with displeasure. “Good on you, Zhao Yelan, I thought I was the only one who had this dress, but it turns out everyone does.”

“I wouldn’t pick out women’s clothes. I saw that she had a good eye, so I just bought those,” Zhao Yelan said.

Yin Pinglu blushed slightly and explained: “I’m sorry, I didn’t know that Gu-guniang would wear this dress today.”

“You know of me?”

“Zhao-daren just gave me a brief introduction.”

Gu Niaoniao glanced at Zhao Yelan, who introduced Yin Pinglu to her again. After listening, Gu Niaoniao was silent for a moment, and her tense expression relaxed: “Magistrate Yin’s daughter? Isn’t your family broken up and destitute? Why are you all right?”

Zhao Yelan glanced at her in surprise. After she became the madam of Hongxiu House, she became accustomed to having everything go her way, and always greeted everyone with a smile. It was rare to see her be so tit for tat.

Yin Pinglu’s reply was neither humble nor overbearing: “Yes, but the mistakes were all made by my father and brothers-in-law, and had nothing to do with me. Neither my brother nor my sister were implicated. I would also like to thank Zhao-daren for his help, and for being willing to find me some work to do.”

Gu Niaoniao took an unhappy sip of tea. The corners of her mouth twitched, but the smile didn’t reach her eyes: “Great, ah, it’s great to meet a noble person, and it’s good to be so knowledgeable……you can still do these jobs openly and aboveboard.”

Zhao Yelan understood, knowing that she was thinking of her past. It was difficult to comfort her. After all, this was a past that neither of them wanted to mention.

Fortunately, Gu Niaoniao’s mood came and went quickly, and she donned a smile again in the blink of an eye, speaking with them about serious matters.

After half an hour, the conversation was almost over. Gu Niaoniao stretched her waist and said that she wanted to go back and check on the situation at the building: “That nobleman came again last night. He obviously couldn’t do it himself, it wasn’t because our girls weren’t working hard. They couldn’t solve it after trying several times in one night. I wonder if he has the face to come tonight.”

Yin Pinglu’s face turned red upon hearing this, but Zhao Yelan blinked, picked up his teacup, and asked casually: “Can’t he?”

“Yes, ah. He still likes to come to play with girls even when he is advanced in years, but it has long since died,” Gu Niaoniao said.

“Advanced in years……what about when he was young? Was it okay then?”

“How would I know about when he was young?” Gu Niaoniao smiled and patted his shoulder as if she had heard some joke, spilling the tea in his hand.

Zhao Yelan stabilized the teacup, maintaining his composure as he asked: “Then are there any guests who can’t do it when they are young?”

“There are, some will come to try with our girls and if they fail, they will bully them. Did you forget Qingyan? She was tossed so fiercely in other houses before, so you asked me to take her to our building.”

Zhao Yelan only remembered that when he was passing by, he saw a certain brothel throwing a frail girl out. He asked Gu Niaoniao to find out what happened, and then Gu Niaoniao spent a lot of money to buy her for Hongxiu House.

“Why doesn’t it work?” Zhao Yelan asked with puzzlement.

Gu Niaonaio: “There are many reasons. Some are inherently bad, and others are broken later.”

Zhao Yelan thought about it carefully, and felt that neither of these fit Yan Mingting’s situation. He asked, “Then how should it be treated?”

Gu Niaoniao’s eyes shifted, and she suddenly approached, inquiring: “Why are you asking about this? Could it be you who can’t do it?”

“Pfft —” Zhao Yelan sprayed out the tea.

Yin Pinglu’s face was already flushed, and she covered her ears.

“What nonsense are you talking about?” Zhao Yelan said angrily.

“Then why are you asking these questions? It can’t be the General, can it? It’s impossible for him to be like that, ah.” Gu Niaoniao said sonorously.

“……” Zhao Yelan didn’t want to refute, and wiped the tea on the table with a guilty conscience.

“Actually, it’s not completely impossible.” Gu Niaoniao was certain that he couldn’t do it, so she said quietly, “A large number of people are too nervous and inexperienced the first time, so when they get excited, they encounter problems. There are many such cases.”

Zhao Yelan’s eyelashes fluttered. It seemed he had found the cause.

“Then what should be done?”

Gu Niaoniao said with an expression of ‘It’s really you who can’t do it, and you still want to quibble?’: “Usually at times like this, our girls will make some preparations first, then make the guests relax, tease them for a while, and let nature take its course……but in your situation, you should first see if the General is willing to tease you, ba.” After she finished speaking, she laughed to herself.

Zhao Yelan looked embarrassed but thoughtful.

In the evening, Zhao Yelan returned home from the Imperial Academy, and when he passed by the market, he heard commotion outside. He opened the curtain and asked: “What’s going on ahead?”

Xiao Gao raised his head and looked into the distance: “It seems that someone came out of Zhao Mansion……wait, isn’t that the General?”

Zhao Yelan stepped out of the sedan chair curiously and found that they had already arrived near Zhao Mansion, but there were many people around the door. Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Yan Mingting came out holding a box with two plaques inside.

As he stood behind the crowd, he heard people in front say: “I heard that the General is going to move the memorial tablets of Zhao Yelan’s parents to the General’s Mansion, so that they will enjoy the same standard of treatment as the old general and the old lady.”

“Ah? By the way, who are Zhao Yelan’s parents?”

“It must be a common family, otherwise why would no one know their names?”

Yan Mingting was followed by Housekeeper Qin and his servants, and beside him was an eminent monk. As soon as he walked out of the crowd, he noticed the person standing in the corner and immediately stepped forward, saying: “You’re back?”

“What are you doing?” Zhao Yelan lowered his eyes and looked at the two tablets in the box. After staying in a dark and humid place for many years, they were moldy and exuded a rotten smell, but now they had been wiped clean and held in a certain person’s hands.

“Didn’t you say that you wanted to bring me to see your parents? You hadn’t done so for a long time, so I asked this eminent monk to calculate the date. Today is an auspicious day for moving the memorial tablets. The next time will be next month, and I didn’t want to wait so long. I want to take our parents back to the General’s Mansion as soon as possible and enshrine them. I waited for you today, but you didn’t come back. When I saw that the auspicious time was about to pass, I came here first on my own initiative. If you disagree and feel it is abrupt, I will take our parents back now,” Yan Mingting said.

“Do you know who they are?” Zhao Yelan lowered his voice.

They were sinful slaves, people who would never see the light of day, people who had been branded as slaves for generations.

“I know, ah, they are our parents,” Yan Mingting said.

After a while, Zhao Yelan raised his head. His eyes were slightly red as he looked at him with restraint.

Yan Mingting panicked: “Are you upset? How about I go now and……”

Before he could finish speaking, Zhao Yelan opened his arms and embraced him.

Yan Mingting heard gasps all around, then heard Zhao Yelan laugh, his voice a soft rustle: “All right, let’s take our parents back.”

[1] The suffix -qing (卿) was used by the Emperor to refer to his subjects. It could also be used as a term of endearment between spouses. ⮐