016 The Simple Original Doctrine of Marriage
Half an incense stick later, Jiang Nan returned, dressed in women’s clothes, looking quite sullen.
Jiang Qingyun was greatly surprised. “So soon?”
She wore a red single-layer blouse and a black pleated skirt, beneath which she had a pair of pink trousers.
Ah~
She truly hadn’t applied any makeup!
Looking again, hmm, Jiang Nan’s flat plains had transformed into the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau—thankfully, confirming she was a woman.
Jiang Qingyun nodded with satisfaction and ended his scrutinizing gaze.
“Jiang Nan, how old are you?”
“Sixteen.”
“Have you ever been married?”
“No.”
“Have you ever considered marriage for yourself?”
“No.”
Jiang Nan’s cheeks flushed instantly, like a mosquito’s hum.
Jiang Qingyun nodded again in approval. When discussing marriage, a young girl should naturally be shy! If she wasn’t, then something would surely be amiss.
…
“How many people are in your family?”
“My mother died early. At home, there’s my father and my elder brother.”
“Have you ever studied?”
“I recognize one or two thousand characters! And I can write!”
Once more, Jiang Qingyun nodded with satisfaction.
“When did you start martial arts? Which weapons are you skilled with?”
“I began training at five years old. I’m best with the bow and arrow, and I’m also practicing the spear.”
“Stand up. I, on behalf of the court, will inspect your posture. We plan to form a female escort team dedicated to protecting officials’ families.”
Jiang Nan’s swelling anger vanished instantly; she obediently stood.
“Turn left, turn right, squat down, horse stance, raise both arms, punch forward, jump in place, spin around and deliver a flying kick—”
Jiang Qingyun nodded approvingly again!
A promising young talent!
…
“I am actually a man with ideals, ambition, and a grand future, around your age. I want to do something good for the people—to give the common folk land to farm, food to eat, clothes to wear, so they can live with dignity, free from wanton slaughter and oppression.”
“My lord, you truly are a good man.”
Having traveled with escorts, Jiang Nan knew well the hardships of the common people.
“Hmm~ but this path is perilous. Many corrupt officials and vicious bandits seek to assassinate me. Do you understand?”
“I do.”
“So, when I’m out saving the people, I need a woman like you by my side to feel secure.”
“My lord, what do you mean? I do not understand.”
…
“Follow me, protect me.”
Jiang Nan looked obviously uneasy, twisting her fingers and lowering her head.
Jiang Qingyun calmly recounted what he had witnessed that day at the orphanage in Huazi Camp.
Jiang Nan listened, tears streaming like rain.
Jiang Qingyun silently handed her a handkerchief and told her of his grand plans for the southern city: establishing an orphanage, digging wells, preventing smallpox, dredging ditches, and so forth.
Such patience stemmed from his practice of a simple marital principle—a wife should be healthy, kind, vigorous, faithful to the marriage, share in her husband’s honor without meddling, and always stand by him.
And she must be beautiful.
…
“I want to change this terrible world. Will you follow me?”
“I will.”
Jiang Nan lifted her swollen eyes, red as peaches.
“But after all, I am a woman—”
“A woman is even better for providing close protection around the clock. If you were a rough man, it would actually be inconvenient, wouldn’t it?”
Jiang Qingyun smiled and extended his fist; Jiang Nan mirrored it, their fists meeting as they broke into smiles through tears.
“By the way, tomorrow you will lead six people to escort me to Dingxing County, Baoding Prefecture.”
…
After Jiang Qingyun left, Jiang Nan, with a hidden dagger in her boot, went alone to the Huazi Camp alleyway. How could an escort not know the cruelty of society and the treachery of people? She wanted to verify for herself.
The couple in charge of the orphanage confirmed Jiang Qingyun had indeed visited and, along with friends, donated a total of 220 taels of silver.
Gazing at the pitiful abandoned infants, Jiang Nan left all the money she had on her and cried as she departed the courtyard. Though the sun was scorching, she shivered as if cold.
She spent the night awake, her mind racing.
The next morning—
Jiang Deshun couldn’t help but ask, “He didn’t bully you yesterday, did he?”
“Father, Lord Jiang is a man of integrity and honor. You must not slander him without cause.”
…
The journey from the southern city to Huangzhuang, Dingxing County, Baoding Prefecture was not far. But in this era of slow carriages and horses, the party still spent four days traveling.
“My lord, the county town is ahead. I wish to buy some supplies.”
“Go ahead.”
Zhao Zesheng was clearly a man who enjoyed life. In the county town, he purchased four donkeys, ten slabs of pork, fifty pounds of pastries, and various seasonings, then loaded the donkeys heavily and continued on.
Dingxing County was not famous but had produced many cultural luminaries, such as Gao Jianli, Jia Dao, and Wang Shifu.
Along the way, population was sparse.
The Qing army’s brutal slaughter during their entry had devastated the capital’s surroundings, which had yet to recover.
Looking out—
Fields and lanes stretched wide, but few were private farmland; most belonged to imperial estates or military land.
…
Xiaohuangzhuang Village.
Upon seeing a group of strangers dressed in fine clothes and riding spirited horses enter the village, a shirtless man at the entrance sprang up hastily.
“Master, I will go summon the village chief immediately.”
Jiang Qingyun waved his hand. “No need. We are here to visit family.”
The shirtless man cautiously asked, “Master, whose relative are you?”
“Lv Zhu, you explain.”
“Lv Zhu—”
Turning around, Jiang Qingyun saw that Lv Zhu was already tearful.
“Father—”
The shirtless man was stunned.
“Madam, who are you?”
“You are my father.”
Lv Zhu had left home at barely seven or eight years old.
Years had passed; her appearance had completely changed. Adorned in a fresh water-green silk jacket, silver hairpin, earrings, her eyebrows delicately drawn and lips painted, her father would never dare recognize her.
…
During the awkward reunion, many villagers gathered nearby.
Finally, father and daughter recognized each other. The crowd sighed deeply, remarking, “The old Huang family finally has hope. The girl has a good heart; though she became a concubine to a lord in the capital, she still remembers her family. They did not raise her in vain.”
The villagers set up a large iron pot over the grain-drying platform to cook meat.
The pork was bought in the county town; the vegetables came from their own fields. No culinary skill was required—just a hearty stew in a large pot.
Huang Dawu, newly dressed in his jacket, felt uneasy all over, sneaking glances at this unfamiliar daughter he could not recognize.
“Time to eat meat!”
The village chief banged an iron ladle against the pot’s edge, instantly drawing a crowd. Eating meat was truly a joyous occasion.
Huang Dawu received a bowl, noticeably filled with extra meat and vegetables, and devoured it greedily. It was so delicious he couldn’t stop.
The village chief kindly patted his shoulder. “Take good care of things from now on~”
…
Fifty paces away from the grand feast, by the Jumah River.
“Young master, in this life I am your person, in death your ghost.”
Lv Zhu’s head slowly leaned on Jiang Qingyun’s shoulder.
“Lv Zhu, what was your name before?”
“I don’t remember.”
“How did you come to my family?”
“That year my family suffered disaster and had no food. My parents sold me to a slave trader first, then the madam bought me from the slave trader.” Lv Zhu showed little interest in recounting her past. She glanced back toward Jiang Nan, who was patrolling seven or eight paces away, bow and arrows on her back.
“That female escort?”
“At night, you’ll share a bed with her and examine everything inside and out.”
“Ah.”
Lv Zhu’s eyes curved into a sly smile, like a little fox.