Chapter 14: The Slap of Reality
The return to Jianghe City was a sight to behold. Li Wei'an didn't ride back like a conquering hero; he was sprawled across the back of a supply wagon, being literally carried by his guards because his legs had turned to jelly the moment the adrenaline wore off.
Behind him marched the remnants of the mountain force: his 25 "buff" mercenaries, the 150 Shen guards, and the 70 loyal veterans under Commander Sang. The other 80 traitors had been left in the mud or scattered to the winds.
When the gates of the Shen Estate swung open, Shen Yao was there, still wearing her "grieving daughter" robes. She looked at the blood-stained Commander Sang, then at the massive troop of veterans, and finally at her husband, who was currently snoring on a pile of empty grain sacks.
"He actually did it," she whispered, her eyes wide. "He bought an army."
The "Napped" Hero
Hours later, the estate had settled into a wary peace. The veterans were being fed in the barracks, and the "terminal illness" of the Patriarch was being maintained with strategic coughing from the master bedroom.
Wei'an had been moved to the bridal suite, where he was currently out cold.
Shen Yao stood by the bed, looking down at him. The moonlight caught the sharp line of his jaw and the way his hair, usually so meticulously tied, was now a chaotic mess across the pillow.
"He looks so... peaceful," she muttered. Against her better judgment, she reached out. Her fingers brushed against his hair, tucking a stray lock away from his forehead. "He really is good-looking when he isn't opening his mouth to talk about profit margins."
She lingered for a second, a small, genuine smile forming on her lips. Then, her brain caught up with her hand.
What am I doing? I'm playing with the hair of a man who jumped out of a window to visit a pavilion!
The smile vanished. Her hand turned into a palm, and—SLAP!
"Wake up, you scoundrel!" she hissed.
Wei'an didn't wake up. He just groaned, his head lolling to the side. He began to mumble in his sleep, his voice thick with a dream-induced haze.
"Lian'er... don't worry... 2,000 silver... it's a bargain..." He let out a goofy sigh. "Wife... dear wife... give me a loan... I need to buy a beauty... it's an investment... high ROI..."
Shen Yao's face went from pale to beet-red in three seconds. Her hand, which had been reaching out to apologize for the slap, now balled into a fist.
"A loan? To buy a beauty?" she whispered, her voice trembling with a mix of fury and something that felt dangerously like hurt. "I'll give you a loan, Li Wei'an. I'll loan you a one-way trip to the bottom of the garden pond!"
She stormed out of the room, slamming the door so hard the vases rattled.
POV: The Jade Pavilion (Lian'er)
Across the city, Lian'er was in the middle of a delicate zither performance for a group of wealthy merchants. Suddenly, she stopped mid-note and let out a loud, ungraceful sneeze.
"Bless you, Lady Lian'er!" the merchants cried in unison.
"Thank you," she said, dabbing her nose with a silk handkerchief. She looked out the window toward the Shen district.
That handsome scoundrel, she thought, a small smirk playing on her lips. He's probably back in his noble cage now. I wonder if he's actually stupid enough to try and gather 2,000 silvers to buy out my contract. If he does, the whole city will burn from his wife's temper.
The Morning After
Wei'an woke up the next morning with a splitting headache and a very mysterious red mark on his left cheek.
"Old Chen," Wei'an groaned as his steward entered with a basin of water. "Why does my face feel like it was kicked by a horse? Did Sang try to kill me again?"
"No, Master," Old Chen said, looking at his feet. "The Young Madam visited you last night. She seemed... energetic when she left."
Wei'an touched the bruise. "Energetic? She slapped me while I was sleeping? That's a violation of the Geneva—I mean, the Marriage Convention!"
"Actually, Master, you were blabbering about loans and buying courtesans in your sleep."
Wei'an froze. "I said that out loud?"
"The guards three doors down heard you, sir."
Wei'an dropped his head back onto the pillow. "Well. I suppose I'm back to being 'Useless Heir #1.' But at least I have a General now."
He sat up, his eyes turning serious. "Tell Sang to get the men ready. The Count won't stay fooled by a 'fainting spell' for long. The second front of the challenge—the Test of Arms—is coming. And this time, it won't be with wooden swords."
Next Chapter Hook:
The Count's elite champion arrives at the gates, demanding the duel for the Silver Mine. Wei'an has to decide: Does he send the "Greedy" Commander Sang, or does he use a "Merchant's Trick" to win a fight without ever drawing a blade?