Mentang was grateful for Fan’s repeated assistance and treated him like a brother. Upon learning he was still unmarried, she promised to compile a list of eligible young women in their neighborhood once they returned to Lingquan Town, intending to find him a suitable wife.
Fan Hu, not one for words and wary of revealing the prince’s identity, merely nodded silently to avoid further discussion.
Throughout their military expedition, Cui Jiu would enter Mentang’s small leather tent each night, his armor cold from the night air.
Since their sweet moment of medicine-sharing, her husband had become as affectionate as a newlywed, particularly fond of kissing her.
Mentang had forgotten much about their early marriage. Though aware that marital intimacy was necessary for conceiving children, she accepted her husband’s claim that her poor health made pregnancy inadvisable, and thus intimacy unnecessary.
To Mentang, inexperienced in marital matters, this seemed logical. However, she now found that such affectionate closeness, even without the goal of conception, was delightful.
One night, as her husband entered the tent, Mentang mended his clothes while voicing a question: “The blue jacket you wore yesterday was still new. How has it become so worn today? The elbows are torn…”
Cui Jiu paused, realizing he hadn’t paid attention to whose clothes he borrowed from the chiliarchs each time. He casually replied, “Sharing tents with comrades sometimes leads to mix-ups in the morning…”
Mentang nodded, accepting his explanation without a doubt. Back in Lingquan Town’s North Street, a husband returning in different clothes might suggest a secret lover. But in a military camp, sleeping among rough men who rarely bathed, she pitied her refined husband’s situation.
After clumsily mending the clothes, Mentang carefully advised, “It’s fine if outer garments get mixed up, but do keep track of your undergarments. Don’t accidentally swap those…”
Cui Xingzhou nodded silently, suddenly feeling his flimsy lies had run their course.
Mentang was a good girl, devoted to her loved ones. Why continue deceiving her? He decided to reveal his true identity but knew he needed to approach the subject carefully.
“What do you think of the Prince of Huaiyang?” he asked, after some consideration.
Mentang, preparing hot water for his foot bath, answered honestly, “For Great Yan, he’s undoubtedly a loyal and talented pillar…”
Cui Xingzhou smiled slightly, about to speak, when Mentang continued, “But as a husband? Any woman who marries him would be unfortunate!”
Resisting the urge to kick over the water basin, he asked through gritted teeth, “…Why do you say that?”
Feeling free to speak her mind in private, Mentang explained, “This prince has too many scandalous affairs. He toyed with a merchant girl in Lingquan Town without taking responsibility, leaving Miss He distraught. Now, merely for a battle, he breaks his long-standing engagement, making a show of virtue. Poor Miss Lian, what did she do to deserve being cast aside? If I were her, I’d throw chamber pot contents at that prince’s feet!”
She grew more indignant, believing the “dog prince” had corrupted local youths, spreading the misguided notion that breaking marriages was necessary for battle.
After she finished, the tent fell silent. When she looked up, she saw her husband’s face clouded with displeasure.
“Husband, what were you going to tell me earlier?” Mentang asked belatedly.
Cui Xingzhou, his long lashes lowered and the bridge of his nose glinting coldly, replied, “The water is a bit hot…”
Mentang hurriedly adjusted the water temperature. As she approached, Cui Xingzhou suddenly pulled her into his embrace, holding her tightly without a word.
Mentang closed her eyes slightly, peeking through her lashes, and asked shyly, “Husband… what are you looking at?”
Cui Xingzhou sighed softly and lowered his head to kiss her…
After their sweet interlude, Cui Xingzhou had to return before the night patrol. Leaving the tent, he saw Li Mama brewing meat soup nearby for the next day’s journey.
As they traveled northwest, the weather grew colder. The thick soup would congeal into a jelly, easy to slice and use for noodle soup later.
Li Mama, close enough to hear faint sounds of playfulness from the tent, wondered why the prince continued his charade now that they were far from Lingquan Town and potential rebels.
She suspected the prince had fallen for Liu Mentang’s beauty and intended to make their pretense real. Perhaps he saw her as an easy target – without strong family protection and alone, she would have no recourse if she discovered the deception later.
Li Mama never imagined the usually disinterested prince would harbor such intentions. She pitied Liu Mentang, who had followed her “husband” so far, only to potentially become a mere concubine in the military camp. Would the prince’s grand mansion even allow her entry when the war ended?
As Li Mama prepared to sigh, the prince, emerging from the tent, beat her to it with a long exhalation.
The tall, handsome young man stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the starry sky, seemingly pondering some complex military matter…
Cui Xingzhou was indeed troubled.
Usually decisive, he had found himself at a loss in the tent, unsure how to reveal the truth to Mentang.
Most frustrating was the misunderstanding caused by His family’s merchant girl in Lingquan Town, which had led Mentang to believe him a philanderer. Revealing his deception now would only confirm her negative impression.
Given Liu Mentang’s impulsive nature, she might immediately pack up and leave.
But Prince Sui’s men had their eyes on her. If she left his side, she could easily be captured and abused by the truly licentious prince.
After much deliberation, Cui Xingzhou concluded he had no choice but to continue the charade. He would have to wait until Mentang’s impression of the Prince of Huaiyang improved before gradually revealing the truth.
As for Mentang’s future after the war, he had decided to keep her by his side, bringing her into his princely mansion in a sedan chair for her safety.
Few knew of Mentang’s past indiscretion, making it easy to keep under wraps. He planned to restore her exiled brother’s rank, clearing the family name and establishing him as a minor official. With a respectable family to rely on, Mentang could be considered a noble concubine.
After all, their future children would need to be properly recorded in the Cui family genealogy.
Gazing at the stars, Cui Xingzhou’s thoughts wandered far, even speculating whether Mentang’s first child would be a boy or a girl…
These thoughts somehow improved his mood. He strode briskly through the frosty night towards the main camp, accompanied by his servant Mo Ru and a few close attendants…
Meanwhile, Prince Sui of Huizhou, Liu Pei, was far from content.
He had just received news that the group he sent to abduct Liu Mentang had been completely wiped out. According to scouts, their bodies had been horrifically mauled by wolves, leaving only bones.
The prince furrowed his brow, secretly shocked.
When he heard that Liu Mentang was following her nominal husband who had joined the army, he thought it the perfect opportunity to capture the fallen rebel woman. Concerned that his nephew Liu Yu might have similar intentions, he sent skilled fighters for the task.
Unexpectedly, the woman had proven formidable, binding the skilled men and feeding them to wolves. Hadn’t her tendons been severed, leaving her powerless?
The prince tried to send more men to follow her, but her carriage stayed close to the main troop. Two consecutive groups of scouts seemed to have been discovered by the cavalry searching for deserters in the Prince of Huaiyang’s army, never to return.
Left with no choice, Prince Sui had to abandon his plans for now. However, his curiosity was piqued, and a question arose – was Liu Mentang’s current husband just a merchant?
Despite his suspicions, he had no intention of investigating further. Regardless of her husband’s identity, joining the army meant a certain fate. The Golden Armor Pass was a gateway to hell, with no return.