Chapter 683: It’ll be an eventful autumn (1/2)

Tang Li had come to send them off, but Han Yunxi had already cloistered herself in the carriage and refused to come out. She’d given Long Feiye a warning glare that morning with the scarf wrapped around her neck–a clear sign that she didn’t want to see anybody.

Actually, Tang Li had wanted to secretly ask Han YUnxi for a few more medicines or poisons. Unfortunately, he didn’t dare call her out with Long Feiye blocking the way. Once the couple left, Tang Li hurried back up the mountain again. The first morning after her wedding day, the bride was supposed to offer tea to her parents-in-law. He had already discussed things with his mother to have her play the villain and torment Ning Jing while he played the hero protecting her. Even if he couldn’t subdue Ning Jing within a year, she’d at least stick to him for his protection alone. The tea offering ceremony would start with his mother’s bullying, so he had to hurry back and make preparations.

Meanwhile, Han Yunxi and Long Feiye were still keeping tabs on their situation despite leaving the Tang Clan. It wasn’t for the sake of gossip, but because she needed a definite answer on the status of Ning Jing’s dowry. As expected, Long Feiye’s agent in the Tang Clan brought them news by noon on the same day. Ning Jing really had made the arms trade agreements part of her dowry. Han Yunxi read the detailed letter without knowing whether to laugh or cry.

It had also included a meticulous account of Ning Jing’s greetings to her new in-laws this morning. Before Lady Tang had a chance to bully her, the girl had already carried out her dowry and given a show of force. It was nothing else but a Cloud Realm Continent approved arms trade token at the president’s level. Ning Jing had said she was capable of raising herself and didn’t need the Tang Clan’s support. After that, the two women had devolved into a war of words. Tang Li never had the chance to defend his wife against his mother because…Lady Tang had lost the fight!

“What is it?” Long Feiye asked.

“I don’t know if Tang Li can handle Ning Jing,” Han Yunxi said as she handed over the letter.

Long Feiye glanced over the contents before he laughed. “A good loss.”

“What do you mean?” Han Yunxi was clueless. “She lost on purpose?”

“Since she lost, Tang Zijin will treat this seriously and strengthen Tang Li’s seat as clan head.”

Han Yunxi immediately understood and sighed with emotion. “Just how many times must Tang Li have kowtowed to Buddha in his last life, to be blessed with a mother like her in this one!”

Since Lady Tang had lost to Ning Jing, Tang Zijin would undoubtedly fret and support Tang Li more. Whether it was authority or wealth–or even armed strength–he’d use it all to defend against Ning Jing. In this way, Tang Li would be the clan head in both status and name. Lady Tang had done everything like so just for her son’s sake.

Tang Li won’t suffer any losses with Lady Tang there, Han Yunxi mused to herself. Long Feiye simply went back to being quiet. Tang Li really was a lucky fellow. His mother had always cleaned up his messes no matter how many big mistakes or hot potatoes he’d touched. She would never allow Tang Li to fight or take something by force when she could ensure he had a peaceful and happy life.

“What are thinking about?” Han Yunxi asked. She never thought Long Feiye could space out, too.

“Nothing,” Long Feiye said, before drawing her gently into his arms. One of his hands patted her rhythmically on the back as he thought of other things.

“Something you can’t tell me? Or a person on your mind you want to keep private?” Han Yunxi teased.

“A person,” Long Feiye answered.

“Who?!” Han Yunxi grew serious. She didn’t think Long Feiye could make jokes like these in earnest.

“My master in the sword sect,” Long Feiye murmured. “The summer season is when he gets frequent bouts of insanity.”

Han Yunxi paused before she said, “Long Feiye, why don’t we bring Doctor Gu up Celestial Mountain so he can have a look at him?”

“No good,” Long Feiye’s tone made it final. Han Yunxi had never been to Celestial Mountain, so she didn’t know anything about its situation. She didn’t push the issue, but figured that things could wait until they saw him in person and gauged his condition. It wouldn’t be too late to re-open the topic then.

Once their carriage left the borderlands of Reclining Dragon Range, they headed straight south. Their ride was an intentionally unassuming one and Uncle Gao a very low-key driver. Chu Xifeng and the shadow guards protected them secretly from the sidelines, thus ensuring that nobody knew of Long Feiye and Han Yunxi itinerary.

Weather during the fourth month of the lunar year still felt like spring in the north, but had long settled into early summer temperatures in the south. The green mountains, and full streams mixed with the sounds of cuckoos and misty rains. As the fires and smoke of battle raged on behind them, Long Feiye and Han Yunxi headed onwards to the picturesque scenery of Southern Ning. Ning Cheng was probably too busy to worry about their whereabouts now, but someone had been keeping an eye on them the entire time. This was none other than Jun Yixie’s master, the former head of the Hundred Poisons Sect and member of the Seven Noble Families’ Wind Clan, Bai Yanqing!

Currently, he and Jun Yixie were staying in the Northern Li emperor’s side palace. The Northern Li emperor had gone on an inspection tour in the east to personally inspect the status of the three great horse farms. Bai Yanqing and Jun Yixie were accompanying him in secret. Though the farms belonged to the crown prince on paper, they were also under the complicated jurisdiction of the second imperial prince. Of course, after the plague attacked the horses, all three were now under Jun Yixie’s control. Or rather–his master, Bai Yanqing’s hands. Bai Yanqing had not only created the cure to the plague, but even developed a special type of forage grass that could be mixed with medicine to quickly recover the battle horses back to their normal conditions.

Typically, a foal needed four years to grow into a fine battle steed. Three years were spent on growth while training was reserved for the next six months. With this new and improved fodder, even newborn foals only needed two years before they were battle-fit. Thus, the Northern Li emperor had sent men to secretly trade in battle horses with Cloud Realm Trade Consortium while taking young foals from its own country’s herdsman. When they were fed the fodder, it’d only take a few months before they were ready to enter the battlefields. However, there had been no developments from Cloud Realm Trade Consortium lately. Horses had been bought from the herdsmen, but their numbers were far from enough.