Chapter 732

Chapter 732

Yan loved to watch her husband work.

The activity itself was unimportant, whether it be cooking breakfast over the campfire early this morning, sparring shirtless with Gerel after eating his fill, or even something as innocuous as taking a walk through the camp to inspect his retinue, Rains efforts were always a sight to warm Yans heart. It wasnt just because he was oh-so-pretty now that he let his hair grow longer than a fingers width from his skull and had enough meat on his bones to sink her teeth into, nor was it because hed ceded control of his wardrobe over to Luo-Luos ruthless mercenaries, the servants whod been hired to help with Lin-Lins wedding and now dressed Rain full-time with impeccable taste. No, fetching as his appearance might be in his tailored tunic and more form-fitting trousers, she loved seeing him now just as much as she loved watching him at his worst, when his Core was shattered and he struggled to walk even a hundred paces without stopping, because regardless of his physical appearance, his strength of spirit was wonderful to behold. Most of all, she loved watching him because every action and decision he made offered her a little more insight regarding who he was, and she wanted to know everything there was to know about the man she loved so dearly.

Mornings were best for this sort of husband watching, because so long as he found the willpower to drag himself out of bed, it meant Yan had him all to herself. Not that she begrudged sharing him, but a little selfishness wasnt out of line given their marital arrangements, and she relished the chance to follow him around during his surprise retinue inspection. It was touching to see the efforts he took to remember the names and quirks of his soldiers, as evidenced by how he added tiny personal touches to his tear-downs as he carried out his inspection. Yours is the shoddiest bunk Ive seen all day Ganju, he said, his stony expression lacking any and all amusement as he stared down the offending individual, a former Corsair whose face and body was covered in dark, swirling tattoos. Thats quite the accomplishment. Gather round everyone and gaze upon this slovenly spectacle. Engrave it into your memories, because I doubt anyone could replicate this mess even if they tried. Is that a sock holding your cot together? And how the hell is your pillow already moldy? Did you bring that from your bandit camp back in Sanshu? By the Heavens man, have some dignity.

An effective tactic, shaming Ganju in front of his squad mates, as a man like this would only take pride in any lashes or labour doled out as punishment. Better to make him squirm and watch as he lost the fear and respect of his peers, something he valued and would work hard to reclaim. Yan and Sutah used these same tactics with her own retinue, though it was more difficult now that she had five-thousand children to supervise, yet Rain not only remembered the soldiers in his retinue, he did the same for Yan and Milas retinues, the Stormguards, Death Corps, and Royal Guardians to boot, while making efforts to familiarize himself with soldiers from other units he came in frequent contact with. Yesterday afternoon, Rain greeted Ishin Ken-Shibus guards by name when they bumped into him at the market, and then made great strides with endearing himself to the Commander Generals loyal guards by offering compliments for their long hours worked, somehow having already figured out their schedules from less than a handful of meetings.

That was how Rains mind worked, ceaselessly gathering information even without trying to. Yans fool of a husband was even on a first name basis with Kanjook, the man selling spiced lamb skewers in the market yesterday afternoon, not because of any formal introduction or conversation, but because he overhead the vendor arguing with his neighbouring stall owner the last time they were here in the Citadel. This was why he loathed social interaction so much, because unlike others who wouldve just filtered out all the useless information and promptly forgotten it, Rain stored everything away in memory out of sheer hoarding habit. He put so much effort into being sociable that others would never see, to the point where they praised his natural charisma and leadership to the high Heavens, but Yan knew the toll it took on his psyche.

While his connection with his soldiers made them love him dearly, it also made their deaths weigh heavily upon his conscience. Early on his marriage, she once overheard him mutter the name Cham while caught in the grip of a nightmare, and when she asked about it the next morning, he told her Cham was part of the group of cripples from Shen Huo who signed onto his retinue. The man died in the battle of Sanshu more than three years ago, bled out from a cut throat while Rain held him in his arms no less, a death which still haunted Yans poor husband so. Kyung once told her that behind every Great General lay a mountain of corpses, but where others left the dead behind as they progressed further along in life, Rain dragged his mountain behind him like a cherished possession he could not bear to part with rather than the heavy burden it must be. Thats why he put so much stock in his Tombstone of Heroes, because he believed that if other people remembered the names of the fallen, then they would feel the same weight and responsibility he did, and while he wasnt entirely wrong, not everyone would care as much as he. They couldnt, not while continuing to lead soldiers in defence of the Empire, because where one death was a tragedy, ten-thousand deaths were merely a statistic. It wasnt possible to mourn every death equally, nor would Yan recommend anyone even try, for a commander needed some measure of indifference in order to lead. Losing soldiers in war was inevitable, and carrying those losses on ones conscience was a burden few could bear.

Not everyone was blessed with an Elemental Spirit and wholly immune to the Fathers foul minions, but Yan was glad the Mother Above guarded Rain so, because it meant he could keep his irrational yet endearing empathy.

Following alongside him as he completed his inspection, Yan found it difficult not to giggle at how well hed adapted to his new Office. Itd been so alarming when she first found out about his second personality Baledagh, but upon reviewing her memories, she realized that shed always known about the existence of Rains shifting personalities, just not how deep the changes went. Like right now, he wasnt being himself but instead playing a role, that of the confident and detached commander, a distant and demanding father figure who expected the best from his soldiers because he wanted them to come back alive. That was the truth of the matter, but the role he played wasnt really him, not entirely, because Yan could easily see where he copied this persona from. Straight back with head held high, bearing a stony, emotionless expression while his eyes positively smouldered with marked disapproval, this was Baatar in a nutshell. The only differences were that Rain spoke in complete sentences with a wry tone rather than terse and deadpan like his father, and he also lacked the tail to give away his true emotions, though he made up for it by being less practised at keeping the joy and approval out of his Aura and expression. Some might see this as a calculated failing, a means to subtly praise his soldiers without ever saying anything kind, but Yan knew Rain and doubted he cared to think so deeply about his own actions, as he was always too busy analyzing what others were thinking instead.

When he finished the inspection, he kept the mask on for a little while longer before switching over to the role of Legate, his back still straight, but shoulders relaxed with hands clasped behind him, a young noble with impeccable posture out for a stroll in the fields. He even adjusted his circlet to sit a tiny bit askew, though again, Yan wasnt sure if he did it on purpose or it just happened while scratching an itch hed been ignoring during the walk-through, but it had the added effect of making him look more laid back and approachable despite the odd, blunt-tipped long-sword slung over one shoulder and his shortsword and shield hanging off his hip. Soldiers needed a stern and dependable leader, a role Rain fulfilled for his troops to contrast against Joranis friendlier demeanour, but the commander of an army needed to be something else altogether. Calm and collected, that was what others wanted to see in their Legate, a confident and steadfast commander who wouldnt panic when things went wrong, because in war, things always went wrong. Calm meant everything was going according to plan, or at least not so out of hand that the commander wasnt prepared, and in this role, Yan could see how her husband built this image with his predecessor, Shen ZhenWu, in mind.

Noble and dignified, with an air of serene harmony and glad tidings, that was how Shen ZhenWu appeared, all smiles and handshakes even while demanding absolute fealty and obedience. Rain emulated the man well as he strode through the camp, taking large, exaggerated steps with a deliberate lack of haste as if he had nothing better to do than stroll about with his wife and the Divine Turtle Ping Ping, who scurried along behind them with unfettered glee. He didnt go so far as to extend his arm for Yan to take, but only because he knew she wanted to preserve her image as an aloof and cavalier warrior woman who need not rely on her powerful husband to advance through the ranks. There would always be rumours about the illicit acts she performed to get where she was now, first with Grandpa Du and later with Chen Hongji, but anyone with half a brain would hear those rumours for what they were; the mad ramblings of men who refused to accept a half-beast woman as their superior.

Those types were actually easier to deal with, since they were always antagonistic which gave Yan the excuse she needed to put them in their place. More difficult were those idiots who believed the rumours and joined her retinue hoping to do more than just serve, which was just awkward all around, to say nothing about the women who only came in two varieties. They either idolized her to an uncomfortable degree or loathed her with a passion, believing Yan to be the epitome of everything right or wrong with women Warriors respectively. Such were the pitfalls of joining the Army, since it meant she no longer had the option to pick and choose her soldiers and was instead saddled with close to five-thousand Army trained grunts who barely knew which end of the spear to hold and which end to point at the Enemy. Still, Yan was grateful her promotion to Major had gone through without a hitch, and she was determined not to let her career stop here.

Now that Rains inspection was over and done with, it was time to inspect Yans retinue, and he offered to accompany her which wasnt exactly ideal. Generous and warmhearted though he might be, he was also exceedingly jealous which Yan absolutely loved, but admittedly would probably be a liability to her military career if it became known to the world at large. No one would dare challenge her authority if they knew the Legate Falling Rain would come down on them like a bolt of lightning from on high once he heard of it, not unless they were already at odds against him to begin with. No matter though, as she merely Sent a request asking him to keep quiet and Concealed while she went about her work, and he was all too happy to comply, no doubt sitting in the grass to play with Ping Ping and enjoy the last few hours of peace hed have in the coming days.

Whether hed remain quiet was another thing, but Yan would cross that bridge when she got there.

Casually strolling into her retinues camp, Yan nodded without smiling in response to the salutes she received, careful never to let her gaze linger on any one particular soldier. Commanding men as a woman had so many nuances to be aware of, because too much attention could all too easily be mistaken for interest, while too little seen as playing hard to get. Gone were the days when she could sit on a balcony and ogle every pretty boy that walked by, a habit Yan admitted mightve had something to do with her less than stellar reputation in Central, but that was before she realized the stark differences in mindset. So silly, to be such sticklers for propriety that women werent even allowed to admire men from afar, yet still expected to wear all manner of scandalous dresses showing off the maximum amount of shoulder and cleavage without exposing nipples or underarms. Strange lines to draw, especially considering how they all reacted with such shock to the dresses Mila, Li-Li, and Yan wore for New Years Celebration some time back, though that same style of dress were all the rage nowadays, with women of bearing baring leg and thigh aplenty.

A fortuitous turn of events for Yan, who was sorely lacking in the breast department, but that did little to dampen Rains enthusiasm, a fact which did wonders for her self-esteem.

There were no leggy dresses for her today though, only a boring shirt and trouser to ensure legitimate advancement in her career as part of Centrals Imperial Army, though those prospects were looking bleaker by the day. While her husband had reconciled with the Commander General and they were now working together, to say Rain held a grudge was an understatement at best, and it was clear to everyone involved. It wasnt just a disgruntled attitude and pithy comments either, he treated his allies with the bare minimum of courtesy and gave all the best postings to people he could depend on without making an effort to hide it. Thus far, the Commander Generals people had yet to raise a fuss, but if things continued in this manner, then Yan feared for the fate of their campaign.

Trust, but verify was an often heard phrase when sitting in on Rains meetings, especially towards the end after the elements from South and Central were gone. Rain was putting his Spymaster to hard work keeping tabs on the General Officers of the outer provinces, his paranoid streak showing through as he guarded against betrayal from within. A valid concern given how theyd been all but ready to rebel against him, but Rain never did anything by half-measures. Not only was he keeping his possible enemies where he could guard against them, he also had spies everywhere reporting all manner of information back to him, from the habits of his generals and their illicit affairs, to the contents of various stores and warehouses as well as the comings and goings at certain properties. So far, none of his spies had yet to produce anything of value, but Rain memorized their collated reports regardless because, Better safe than sorry.

Except safe was driving away the very people he should be working to win over, or at the very least graciously accept their efforts to make amends. They were all marching to war together after all, and without unity, the Imperial Army would only find death and defeat in the Western Dunes, but at least now that they were in SuiHua, he could only suspect the Colonel General and Marshals from afar.

Major Yan. Prim and proper as always, Sutahs waxed mustachio quivered as he greeted her with a salute, alongside the rest of her retinue. Surprise inspection?

You know me all too well, Senior Captain, Yan replied, allowing herself an impish smile as she fell in line beside him. It took some doing to get him raised to his new rank, but he earned it more than thrice over, and with a little luck and a lot of hard work, he would go much further once he Formed his Natal Palace, a milestone Yan herself was still struggling with. How are the kids looking today?

The term stuck fast and many of Yans soldiers straightened with pride to hear it, but only for Sutah to break them down with the same familiar judgment. They look as they always do, Major. Disappointing.

Yes, marrying Seoyoon to Yong-Jin was the right decision politically, and being the sweet, filial girl she was, Yan understood why Seoyoon agreed to it. Even if Uncle Ryo were still alive, the Ryo Family might still not be enough to stand against Shuai Jiao without Mitsue Juichi to share the burden, so better to offend Rain, who had a proven track record of mercy and compassion, than to pit themselves firmly against the formidable Commander General. Though she understood it to an extent, Yan hated all these politics, because shed seen firsthand how cute Fung and Seoyoon had been together, sharing their poems and paintings with one another in such an innocent courtship. Then again, perhaps the fool of a romantic Fung would be better off far removed from the cutthroat politics of Central, where a promising prospective son-in-law learned about the love of his lifes engagement to another man through a public declaration. A cold way to go about it, and Yan burned with anger for Rain, Fung, Kyung, and Grandpa alike, but they were all willing to let matters lie for the sake of the greater good.

Well, for the most part. Rain was still miffed by the Ryos betrayal much like Yan was and refused to even meet with them for any reason besides official business, though he agreed to help Kyung with his romantic efforts towards Dain. Out of spite most likely, as he would so love the idea of stealing Dain away from the Ryos, even if it wasnt for his own harem. The only reason he didnt lash out and pressure the Ryo Family was because everyone advised him not to, as they were currently the second most powerful family of Central and the appearance of solidarity was vital to morale, not to mention how Rain himself spoke publicly about honour the families of the dead. Alas, Yan would much rather say this to those snakes who kept trying to take advantage of Rains better nature, but he was the Legate and thus expected to rise above such petty grievances.

Stopping out front of the restaurant theyd arranged to eat lunch at, Rain patted Yans hand and said, Why dont you head up first with my guards while I sneak away with Kuang Biao to collect Fung? Hes... in a house of ill-repute again, and I cant really leave the Death Corps waiting out front where everyone can see.

Of course. Where else would he be? Eyes twinkling with mischief, Yan grinned and said, Leave the guards here, but Im coming with. I always sort of regretted not joining you boys in the bath-houses way back during the Society Contests, and Id like to see whats so appealing about these sorts of places.

Not appealing at all, Rain replied, and his Aura positively glowed with warmth and affection. I could beggar myself buying company and it couldnt compare to five minutes with you at my side.

Silver tongued devil. Sneaking in a quick kiss, Yan broke it off before she let her emotions get away from her and said, Good, then you wont mind if I tag along. Which way?

Giving up on convincing her to stay behind, Rain left all of his guards save four who could Conceal without his assistance, and they all headed towards Fungs house of ill-repute. From the outside, it looked rather reputable and put together, not at all the gaudy affair shed expected. Neat, tidy, and tastefully decorated, it looked more like a high class, five-storey inn than anything else, except most inns didnt have scantily clad women posted at every window and balcony, calling, waving, and winking at prospective customers in the streets. The women were all mortal, but beautiful nonetheless, coming in all shapes, shades, and sizes with their hair done to perfection and make-up caked on thick to hide whatever minor imperfections might lay beneath.

Were Yan here for fun, she wouldve loved to find a seat somewhere nearby just to take it all in, as she already heard more than a few enticing propositions bandied about in her short time walking up to the door, though sadly, none were aimed at Rain since they were all still Concealed. Not bothering to stop to ask for directions, Rain took the stairs up to the top level without giving Yan the time to explore, though it was all much tamer than she expected. There were no women feigning reluctance as half-naked men forcibly stripped them, dancers undulating about while disrobing themselves slowly, drunkards making fools of themselves, or even a simple orgy taking place in the hallways. No, all the fun was happening behind closed doors, wood-frame paper doors that let plenty of sound through, but she could only see shadows and smoke from outside.

Tch. And here Yan thought men went to these places to really cut loose, but it seemed like most just wanted to have plain, simple sex with a woman. Prodigious stamina and appetite aside, even Rain wasnt all that difficult to please, but Yan thought he was hiding his more perverse desires out of some misguided notion of respect for his wives. What a shame.

As it wasnt Rains first time wrangling Fung away from the arms of a paid woman, he knew exactly which room to go to. Knocking before he entered, he asked, Are you decent?

Never, but come in anyways my good friend! Fungs slurred speech told Yan hed gotten an early start to the day, as this wastrel might well have been sloshed since he woke up this morning. After making sure Fung was clothed, Rain opened the door and stepped in while Yan followed suit, though the Death Corps stayed outside. While technically wholly covered, Fungs loose robes left little to the imagination as he sat at the tea table with legs spread wide, and it took an effort of will for Yan not to glance down to complete the picture. His bared chest glistened with sweat and alcohol as he spilled more than he drank while draining his cup dry. Attendant, Fung shouted, despite the presence of six burly thugs in the room all glowering at him in concert, each one so pretty Yan wondered if they were available for hire as well. More wine for my friend and his wife. Lowering his voice to a loud whisper, Fung added, Good thing youre here. Fu Zhu Li hid my coin purse and these stingy bastards wont let me play on credit anymore. Things were about to get ugly, but now we can have a real party.

No wine and no partying. In no mood for his antics, Rain glanced around the room and grabbed the rest of Fungs missing clothes before dropping it in the mans lap, though Yan wouldve thought twice before touching them. Your manservant has been nagging my ear off, so its time you got dressed. Ill pay the bill and bring you home to sleep, and maybe then hell stop bothering me.

If I wanted to sleep alone at home, I wouldnt have snuck out. Grinning like a fool and unable to read Rains mood, Fung dumped his clothes back on the ground with a giggle and added, Lend me enough to buy lovely Miss Rou out of her contract? She mentioned shes for sale and I dismissed all my lovely ladies some months ago, so Ive no one to keep me company anymore.

Only now did Yan notice Fungs companion sitting on the edge of the bed, and she did a double take when she noticed how gorgeous this Miss Rou was. There was beautiful and then there was Miss Rou, whose beauty rivalled that of Luo-Luos, who was easily the most beautiful woman Yan knew. Clad in a fine silken dress that covered everything, yet tastefully showed enough skin to draw the eyes to all the right places, Miss Rou sat with perfect posture to emphasize her best attributes. Long black hair, limpid autumnal eyes, pale, porcelain skin, full, kissable lips, and a bust so large and deep you could fall asleep nestled between those pillowy mounds, she looked like a fairy out of a dream rather than the prostitute she apparently was, and it was obvious why Fung was dead set on purchasing her. Hell, if he didnt want her, Yan was tempted to buy her, even before clearing it with Rains other wives, because this was a catch too good to be true. The gorgeous woman even had the gall to bat her long lashes at Rain, but he didnt even notice as he was busy picking Fungs clothes back up off the floor. Marriage had done much to fortify his resolve, not even caring for a beauty like Luo-Luo much less Miss Rou there, whose flawless complexion showed no signs of the caked on makeup visible on the women outside.

Fine, Rain said, his tone understanding, but firm. But no sampling the goods. You bring her home with you. Hurry up or Ill be late for lunch and will have to explain to your Mentor why.

That got Fung moving, or at least attempting to move as he lurched forward in his chair without standing. Huh, he said, eyes wide in confused wonder as he sank back in his chair. Cant seem to find my feet.

Alright. Yan, avert your eyes while I help him get dressed.

As if. Crossing her arms with a smirk, she ignored Rains pursed lips and rolled eyes as she leaned against the wall to take in the show. A mistake, because while she relaxed and Rain moved to lift Fung to his feet, the room burst into an explosion of movement. The six thugs drew their hidden blades with a snarl and Miss Rou leaped off the bed, her double-edged sword in hand and aimed at Yans husband while her beautiful features were cast in an expression of cold, remorseless determination.

Assassins! Yan called, but even as she shouted, she knew both she and Rains guards were too late to act. Live or die, Rain was on his own, his arms burdened by Fungs paralyzed body and his hands clutching discarded clothes rather than Spiritual Weapons as cold steel closed in on all sides.

All while he stood there smiling like the lovable fool he was, still yet to comprehend the danger he was in.

Chapter Meme