Chapter 20

Third Son Ye returned to Ye Family Fortress on June twenty-ninth. As soon as he returned, he asked, “Where is Sixth Sister?” He wanted to see Ye Suijin immediately to tell her that the group of bastards in Fangcheng must be killed. What a mess they made of Fangcheng! He still remembered that when he was little, Nanyang was just a county town, while Fangcheng was the superior county and produced abundant corn, quite prosperous. His father had taken him to the big fair in Fangcheng, which was very lively. Now there was no way it could be seen anymore, shocking to behold. At this time, he understood more profoundly what Ye Suijin said about first protecting their hometown and fellow villagers. If Dengzhou was also plagued by these mobs, the common people would suffer.He was told Ye Suijin was in the martial arts training hall, so without even washing up and changing from his sweaty travel clothes, he went straight there. When he arrived, he happened to run into his younger brothers coming out of the hall, one after another, all sweaty. Seeing him, their eyes lit up.

“Third Brother is back!”

“Third Brother, go see Sixth Sister quickly!”

“Oh my, Third Brother, you missed something!”

“Third Brother, where on earth did you go?”

His brother Fifth Son Ye grabbed him. “Brother! Go see Sixth Sister quickly. Sixth Sister taught us the Three Turn Back Horse Spear! Go learn it!”

Third Son Ye had originally returned full of things to say to Ye Suijin, but was shocked at these words. “The Three Turn Back Horse Spear?”

“That’s right,” Fifth Son said excitedly. “Luckily Second Uncle passed it on to Sixth Sister before he died. Sixth Sister said it’s best to learn early, so she’s taught all the boys of the main house. Even Eleventh Lady and Twelfth Lady are learning it!”

“Father said there was no need for them to learn. Twelfth Sister even quarreled with Father, saying that if Sixth Sister could learn it, how could she be told there was ‘no need’?”

Eleventh Lady and Twelfth Lady were unmarried sisters of the main house. Twelfth Lady was Third and Fifth Son's own sister, Fourth Uncle Ye's daughter.

Third Son Ye digested this information, and asked, “Where is Sixth Sister now?”

“Still in the martial arts hall. Ah Jin is there too.” Fifth Son said.

Third Son Ye found it odd that Fifth Son would specifically mention Duan Jin. Of course Duan Jin would be wherever Ye Suijin was, as her attendant.

“Brother, let me tell you,” Fifth Son lowered his voice behind his hand. “Sixth Sister has even taught the Three Turn Back Horse Spear to Ah Jin. Father was unhappy about it.”

Third Son Ye paused, then said, “Father didn't speak out of turn, did he?”

His father was sharp-tongued at times, and could unintentionally hurt feelings with his words.

“Hehe,” Fifth Son laughed. “Mr. Yang persuaded him. Mr. Yang asked, if we adhered to our ancestors' rules, would we have the chance to learn the Three Turn Back Horse Spear? Then he asked, if Father was the heir, would he be willing to teach the spear to all the boys of the main house? Father shut his mouth after that.”

In the previous generation, Ye Suijin's father had a younger brother who died before coming of age. They also had a cousin who died young.

So although Ye Suijin's father was second in line, he was actually the eldest of his generation, with Fourth Uncle Ye below him.

The contradiction between Fourth Uncle Ye and Ye Suijin was that Fourth Uncle believed since Second House had no son, Ye Suijin should marry out, and the Ye Family leadership should go to Fourth House.

But in the end Ye Suijin fought to gain control of Ye Family Fortress, protecting her position as the heir.

So although Fourth House was of the main line, they were not the heir line.

Putting himself in the other's shoes, Fourth Uncle Ye felt that if it were him, he would never have brought out the Three Turn Back Horse Spear to teach everyone.

He would only teach his own sons, Third and Fifth Son.

Mr. Yang said, "In these troubled times, when there is opportunity for great deeds, is it right to still... Fourth Elder Ye, think it over yourself. As an outsider I shouldn't say much, but your Ye family's Three Turn Back Horse Spear has been passed down for hundreds of years, yet has never made a great name for itself or shown divine power, and has nearly been lost several times, that is true."

Fourth Uncle Ye thought a great deal, and finally yielded to Ye Suijin's open-mindedness, no longer nitpicking.

Third Son Ye breathed a sigh of relief. "Fortunate Mr. Yang was there."

He clapped his younger brother on the shoulder and headed for the martial arts hall.

But there were family guards stationed outside who had to announce him before letting him in.

Inside, there were only Ye Suijin and Duan Jin. Both held long spears in hand, and despite the cooling basin in the corner, they were still sweaty, clearly just finished sparring.

"Third Son," Ye Suijin handed her spear to Duan Jin, "how did it go?"

Third Son Ye's first sentence was, "Sister Six, Fangcheng is in terrible shape!"

Though it bordered Dengzhou and wasn't far in truth, the trip there with Xiang Da felt like two different worlds from Dengzhou.

Though Dengzhou also saw many displaced refugees coming from north and south, the local villagers were still stable.

But Fangcheng--the villages Third Son Ye passed were empty, two in a row, good fields lying fallow. None of the prosperity he remembered from childhood remained.

Duke Jinzhong had taken over the estate of Fangcheng's wealthiest household. It was said that family had all been killed. There, Third Son Ye saw many more unspeakable sights.

Though Third Son Ye had maintained composure before Duke Jinzhong, he had been greatly shaken internally, so was anxious to confide in Ye Suijin.

Ye Suijin understood completely.

She could have sent someone else to handle this matter, but had deliberately chosen Third Son Ye to temper him.

Her eldest brother was kindhearted by nature. Though he would listen to her instructions, in his heart he surely harbored doubts like, "Fangcheng never offended us, if we take the initiative to attack Fangcheng, is it not quite right?"

Now looking in Third Son Ye's eyes, she knew he no longer had any reservations about taking Fangcheng.

"The world is like this nowadays. Actually, the central plains are still alright, only because the new and old dynasties have just changed over, so there is chaos for the moment. Give the new emperor two years to stabilize, and it will improve greatly," Ye Suijin said. "If you really want to see chaos, you have to cross the river south. Only there would you know what chaos is."

Third Son Ye was confused. "Then why are so many people fleeing south?"

"Because they are northerners themselves. With war and turmoil in the north, if they don't flee south, do they flee beyond the passes?" Ye Suijin retorted.

Third Son Ye felt confused. Sᴇaʀᴄh the ɴøᴠel Fɪre.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

Duan Jin thought for a moment and said, "Actually...isn't it like, they actually have nowhere to flee?"

If my home is on fire on three sides, and there is only one exit, I can only flee desperately in that direction.

Who cares if a flood awaits on the other side, right now, I can only flee the fires around me.

Third Son Ye was enlightened.

"So that's how it is," he murmured.

Watching those people dragging their children south, he had developed an erroneous assumption that going south would be better, would be safe, would have hope.

Now he realized it was not so simple.

"The south of the Yangtze is the granary, so even if they have to beg there after going, it is slightly better than the north," Ye Suijin said.

"Come, go wash up and change first. Notify Fourth Uncle and Mr. Yang that we will talk in the study later."

"I'm covered in smelly sweat," she complained. "Third Brother, you stink too. Go change."

Riding hard in the summer heat, of course he was drenched with sweat on the hurried ride back.

Third Son Ye scratched his head with a smile, said "I'll go do that," and swiftly departed.

Ye Suijin called after him, "Ah Jin, you go change too."

Like the other Ye boys, Duan Jin only wore a loincloth when training, bare above the waist. He pulled at his collar and sniffed it. "Still alright?"

Ye Suijin scoffed at him. "You're soaked through!"

After scoffing, she asked, "Do you have enough changes of clothes? I'll have Autumn and Peach make you some more later."

Duan Jin liked beautiful clothes.

Though influential and wealthy, he had no wife or family, eating his fill while the whole family went hungry. He wore new clothes every day, a different lavish robe each time he went out, riding his Ferghana horse through the streets.

He just loved to flaunt.

But the current Duan Jin was merely an attendant by her side, without so many clothes to change into.

These days of frequent training and washing, she didn't know if he had enough.

Though she wished to dote on him in every possible way, she had to restrain herself for propriety's sake, as he refused to be like a brother to her.

If it drew petty jealousy, it would inevitably be troublesome.

Duan Jin looked up at her. "They made me several sets of summer clothes in early spring. It's plenty."

"I've grown up now, and the mistress still dresses me like a child." He smiled.

His eyebrows and eyes curved charmingly, teeth gleaming white.

Lean and strong, the muscles of his arms well-defined.

Ye Suijin froze, staring.

To prevent peeping, the windows of the martial arts hall were flattened on top. Sunlight slanted in, partitioning light and shadow.

Ye Suijin's face was in the light, seemingly a exquisitely carved beauty cast in jade and porcelain.

Duan Jin said, "Mistress?"

Ye Suijin looked away.

"Yes, I like dressing you up..." she murmured. "I actually forgot..."

The petty quarrels and trivial matters of the Ye Family Fort era seemed like peaceful old times compared to the later turbulent waves and painstaking difficulties. In her memory, too many "big events" had squeezed those times into forgotten corners covered in dust.

Yes, she remembered now.

She liked dressing up Duan Jin.

Duan Jin was good-looking since he was little, and looked even better dressed in fine clothes.

Ye Suijin had played with knives and swords since childhood, and never liked playing with dolls, but she did like playing with Duan Jin.

Who could blame her when he was so adorable?

The young miss of the Ye Family Fort was generous, with no shortage of fabric for clothes. From a young age she had ordered people to tailor beautiful clothes for him to dress up and admire like a plaything.

"Mistress, don't I look beautiful today?" The dignified garrison general, returning from an audience with her, still wanted to show off his new clothes.

She laughed at him for being vain.

...

So that was how it was.

So that was how it was.

It turned out she had forgotten, while he still remembered.

"Of course, if Mistress wants to make new clothes for me, I'll take them," Duan Jin said with a grin as he put on his shirt. "I'll take them all! The more the better!"

Ye Suijin laughed too: "Alright, I'll make you...I'll make you..."

Her throat choked up.

Duan Jin's smile disappeared, taken aback.

"I'll make you..."

Ye Suijin wiped her face.

Then wiped it again.

Finally, she covered her face with both hands.

In her whole life she had rarely cried, but had never let anyone see it.

No one could.

Not Zhao Jingwen, and not Duan Jin.

Ye Suijin's weaknesses and regrets were always borne by herself alone.

Duan Jin was stunned.

In his life he had never seen Ye Suijin be weak.

Not even during the hardest days after the old fortress master had fallen ill and passed away.

The confused youth said, "Mistress?"

Ye Suijin lowered her hands, her face wiped clean. Her eyes were red but had regained the dignified, gracious smile ready to receive imperial concubines and accept their respectful bows.

"I'll make you many new clothes."

"I'll let you wear new clothes every day."

"Even more than Zhao Jingwen."

"Come, let's go change clothes. Don't keep Fourth Uncle Ye and Mr. Yang waiting."

She strode out briskly.

Duan Jin did not follow. He stood in the dimly lit martial arts room, somewhat distracted.

More...than Zhao Jingwen?

The youth was confused.

Since a few days ago when Ye Suijin had pressed her forehead against his intimately, he had vaguely sensed that something between them was different from before.

But what exactly was it?!