Chu Yue was puzzled, wondering where Ren Ruyi was taking her. But when she saw Wei Tingyu's figure up ahead, she understood. The most awkward moment of her life was about to unfold. She was powerless to resist, her face flushed red as she was led closer and closer to Wei Tingyu.
However, a sense of relief washed over her, for with Wei Tingyu present, this woman surely wouldn't harm her.
Ren Ruyi "kidnapped" Chu Yue on horseback and rode to Wei Tingyu's side. With a slight push of her palm, she tossed Chu Yue toward him. Chu Yue was stunned to find herself thrown into the air like a sandbag. The next moment, Wei Tingyu caught her in his embrace, and she landed safely on his horse.
Wei Tingyu's steed, Xun Mei, snorted twice in apparent displeasure, as if complaining about her philandering master. "You can't handle your women, and now I'm the one suffering!" the horse seemed to say. It had carried Wei Tingyu and Ren Ruyi earlier, and now that Ren Ruyi was gone, another woman had taken her place. Though neither woman was particularly heavy, it was still a burden. Carrying two people at once was exhausting!
"She was following me," Ren Ruyi said to Wei Tingyu, her tone cold, as she looked at Chu Yue in his arms. "She claims to be the handmaiden of Princess Jin Ming."
Chu Yue, who had been enjoying the security of Wei Tingyu's embrace, blushed fiercely upon hearing Ren Ruyi's words.
"It seems she saw what happened between the Marquis and me," Ren Ruyi's earlier gloom had vanished after the lively scene. In a good mood, she looked at Wei Tingyu. "Please handle the rest. I'll be returning to the inn." With a cupped-fist salute, she turned, leapt back onto her own steed, and galloped away.
"Who was she?" Chu Yue, who had listened silently to their exchange, finally spoke after Ren Ruyi disappeared from sight. She turned to Wei Tingyu, her brows furrowed with jealousy.
"Why are you here?" Wei Tingyu didn't answer her question directly, but instead smiled and asked one of his own.
"I..." The fiery Chu Yue was taken aback, feeling embarrassed. How could she admit that she had followed him and an unknown woman on horseback because she was jealous?
"Are you jealous?" Wei Tingyu seemed to read her mind, gently lifting her chin to look into her eyes. "Did you follow us all the way to catch us in the act?"
"I'm not jealous... Mmmph!" Chu Yue's protest was cut short as he lowered his head and kissed her. It was her very first kiss, a genuine first kiss! In that scenic mountain path, Chu Yue's heart completely melted. She didn't resist at all, but instead, slowly closed her eyes.
...
The kiss lasted for a quarter of an hour. When they finally parted, Chu Yue was breathless, her face flushed a deep red. She wasn't sure if it was from shyness or lack of air.
"Marquis," after they stared at each other for a moment, Chu Yue finally spoke, a little embarrassed. "Could you... let me go?"
She was still held firmly in Wei Tingyu's embrace. With her martial arts, it would be impossible to break free, and truthfully, she had no intention of doing so. If Wei Tingyu wanted to continue holding her, she would happily comply with her husband's wishes.
"What's wrong?" Wei Tingyu blinked, a playful smile on his face. "Does the jewel of the West Shazhou have a shy side?"
In the past, Chu Yue would have adamantly denied her shyness. But now, all she could do was purse her lips and look away, unable to meet his gaze. Wei Tingyu was surprised. Was this really the untamable wild mare? In his arms, she was nothing more than a docile kitten.
"Oh, right!" Just as Wei Tingyu was musing, Chu Yue suddenly remembered something. She turned to him again. "That woman from earlier..."
The little vinegar jar hadn't run dry yet! Wei Tingyu sighed. The long, deep kiss hadn't made her forget. "They say ignorance is bliss. Do you really have to get to the bottom of this today?"
"Ignorance is bliss? I've never heard that." Chu Yue was confused for a moment, then nodded determinedly. "I am your future wife. Why can't I know?"
This must be the frankness of a prairie girl. Unlike his other wives and concubines, who would keep their questions to themselves if he didn't offer to explain.
"Her name is Ruyi. When you see her in the future, just call her 'Elder Sister'," Wei Tingyu said directly, seeing no reason to hide the truth. He had only been teasing the little wild mare.
"Ruyi... Elder Sister...?" Chu Yue understood the moment she heard the term. There was no need to ask further; she was one of Wei Tingyu's women.
"And will this 'Elder Sister Ruyi' also be... joining the Marquis's household?"
"She will," Wei Tingyu smiled. "So you must not be rude to her."
"Oh." Chu Yue was stunned for a few seconds before nodding her agreement. Wei Tingyu's words were so direct and sincere that she had no room to get angry. After all, compared to the other wives and concubines, she was also a newcomer. Since they were all "newcomers," there was no need to make things difficult for each other. Chu Yue understood this in an instant.
"So obedient?" Wei Tingyu was surprised, blinking before a meaningful smile spread across his lips.
"Marquis, you..." Chu Yue was confused, and then she saw him lower his head again, heading straight for her lips. Frightened, she quickly closed her eyes.
...
"Princess! You were out for so long, did you catch up to the Marquis?" As Chu Yue returned to the city of Andu, she met her handmaiden, who had been waiting for her at the city gates. The handmaiden had returned to the Duke of Chu's residence for a while, but feeling uneasy, she had gone to the city gates where Chu Yue had left. Her persistence paid off.
Chu Yue was still lost in a haze of sweet affection, her mind filled with the bliss of kissing Wei Tingyu. She hadn't even noticed her handmaiden. It was only when the girl spoke that she snapped back to reality. Startled, Chu Yue looked around quickly. She then remembered that she and Wei Tingyu had returned from different directions, and a sigh of relief escaped her lips.
"Don't ask about that!" Chu Yue quickly instructed her handmaiden.
"Oh." The handmaiden, unaware of the details, nodded and changed the subject. "Why do you look so happy?"
"I had a very beautiful dream," Chu Yue didn't shy away from the question. In fact, she wanted to share her joy. "I want to see if the dream is real!"
The handmaiden was confused by Chu Yue's vague answer, but seeing the genuine happiness on her face, she decided not to pry further.
...
"So... you've conquered the jewel of the West Shazhou?" That evening, Ren Ruyi walked leisurely in the courtyard with her arm linked in Wei Tingyu's, her conversation naturally turning to Chu Yue.
"Mostly conquered," Wei Tingyu thought for a moment, then smiled. "Just one more step to go."
"Hmph!" Ren Ruyi saw his smug expression and couldn't help but snort, rolling her eyes. He was showing off his skills at winning women... wasn't that a bit too much?
"Who goes there?!" Just then, the voice of a Golden Shadow Guard echoed from the courtyard entrance, startling both of them. This was a first. Spies had tried to sneak into the inn before, only to be dealt with by the guards. But someone attempting to enter openly from the front was unheard of. If it was an assassin or a spy, they were being far too careless.
Wei Tingyu and Ren Ruyi exchanged curious glances. Without a word, they rose and walked toward the entrance. There, they saw a woman in a light blue homespun robe, wearing a gauze veil over her face. A female Golden Shadow Guard was questioning her.
The moment he saw her, Wei Tingyu froze. His sharp eyes immediately recognized her, despite the veil. It was Princess Chu Yue.
"Ah, speak of the devil," Ren Ruyi, though a step slower than Wei Tingyu, also quickly recognized her. She had held Chu Yue in her embrace, after all.
Chu Yue turned to them, and upon seeing Wei Tingyu, she excitedly lifted her veil.
"Marquis!" she exclaimed, her face radiant with joy as she ran toward him, her eyes fixed on him.
With Wei Tingyu's nod, the Golden Shadow Guard stood down and resumed her post.
"Shh!" Wei Tingyu gestured for silence and ushered Chu Yue into the courtyard.
"Why are you here?" Before Wei Tingyu could speak, Ren Ruyi's voice, full of sternness, cut in.
Upon seeing Ren Ruyi, Chu Yue's smile faltered for a moment, but she quickly composed herself.
"Marquis and Elder Sister, please don't worry," Chu Yue, understanding their concern, quickly explained. "The innkeeper is one of us from the West Shazhou. He would never say a word. And I came in through the servant's entrance; I made sure no one followed me."
"Well, look at that, she's delivered herself to your doorstep!" Ren Ruyi chuckled. "If the Marquis doesn't accept her now, it would be a shame for Princess Jin Ming's devotion!"
At her words, Chu Yue's face turned beet red. She understood Ren Ruyi's meaning perfectly. After giving her first kiss to Wei Tingyu today, her heart and mind were completely filled with him. Anything he wanted from her, she would give without hesitation.
"Alright, you two talk. I'm going back to rest," seeing Chu Yue's bashful expression, Ren Ruyi knew she had hit the mark. She wasn't annoyed by the straightforward girl. After all, the incident earlier had been a misunderstanding. She waved her hand and returned to her room.
"Marquis... I..." Chu Yue was left alone with Wei Tingyu and immediately grew shy again. But before she could finish, Wei Tingyu interrupted her.
"Do you have something important you came to see me for?" he asked, his eyes meeting hers.
"Not really..." Chu Yue was taken aback and shook her head. The matter with the West Shazhou had already been settled. She had come simply because she missed him and couldn't bear to stay away.
"Understood," Wei Tingyu smiled and nodded. When a girl was so forward, he, as a man, couldn't be shy. With that thought, he bent down, swept Chu Yue into his arms, and walked toward his room.
Chu Yue hadn't expected Wei Tingyu to carry her off to his room so directly. But besides her nervousness, she felt no desire to resist or refuse. Her face flushed, she allowed him to do as he pleased.
...
The next morning, sunlight streamed through the half-open window, gently waking Wei Tingyu. He stirred slightly, finding the little Chu Yue sleeping soundly on his shoulder. He wondered what beautiful dream she was having, for her face was adorned with a sweet smile, her two dimples looking particularly adorable.
His thoughts drifted to the night before... This wild mare from the plains was truly something else, unlike any of the Han women he had taken before. Even women like Zhao Zhangru or Li Wuniang, the so-called "ferocious lioness of the East River," were far less wild than Princess Chu Yue. Wei Tingyu was more than satisfied with her untamed nature. Last night had been a truly unique experience!
[Congratulations, Master, you have unlocked the achievement: "Jewel of the Plains."]
Just as Wei Tingyu was contemplating another round of "riding the plains," the system's voice suddenly rang in his mind. He hadn't expected an upgrade from Chu Yue, as she wasn't a main character in the original plot. But it seemed he had an unexpected harvest!
[Unlocking this achievement requires conquering a noblewoman from the martial, nomadic tribes of the plains.]
[Achievement Reward: Recruit one thousand mounted cavalry for free!]
[Recruitment soldier level is the same as the current barracks level: Six!]
[Cavalry Combat Power:]
[Weapons: Scimitar, Short Bow]
[Armor: Light Armor]
[Recruitment quantity and soldier level can be increased with future system upgrades.]
[Losses cannot be replenished before the next system upgrade.]
Wei Tingyu blinked, an unexpected joy filling his heart. The mounted cavalry's greatest strength lay in their archery skills, avoiding direct contact with enemy formations and whittling them down with arrows until they broke. Then they would charge in with their scimitars to finish them off.
Ordinary nomadic tribesmen were typically herdsmen who became soldiers during wartime, at most a Level 1 or 2 cavalry. But the thousand he had just recruited were Level 6, the elite of the elite! They were masters of the scimitar and powerful bows, their horsemanship astounding. They were easily worth five thousand regular nomadic soldiers!
The only downside was that any losses couldn't be replaced in a hurry. He would have to be careful with them, not risk them all in a single battle, or he would be left with nothing but regret.
But now, with his thousand original Xuanjia Guards, and enough silver earned from Dou Zhao's perfume business to recruit another thousand, he had a significant force.