Savage Divinity

Showered in waves of flower petals and coloured confetti, the golden wood carriage made its way through the northern gates to the sound of beating drums and the cheering crowd, and Luo-Luo’s heart swelled to see this genuine, fervent reception laid out for Lord Husband.

Considering his downright miraculous record of achievements and unbelievable levels of generosity, this level of acclaim was long past overdue, but Lord Husband’s disdain for fame, face, fortune, and reputation as well as his history of frailty and affliction made it difficult for the masses to wholeheartedly support him. Now, as he stood in full golden regalia on the roof of his carriage and waved to the crowd, Luo-Luo admired his complete transformation from afar. Gone was the gaunt, sickly, acne-riddled youth he’d been only a few months ago, and in his place was a fair-faced, clean shaven Warrior with a robust physique and flawless, jade-like complexion. His fine features haunted her dreams night after night during their long separation, and somehow he’d grown even more handsome in their time apart, looking the part of a regal and exotic Noble from lands afar.

It wasn’t just a superficial change of appearance either, though his tidy clothes, polished armour, styled hair, and flawless complexion did much to elevate his image. There was a marked change that revealed itself the more one studied him, for Lord Husband now held himself with a bold confidence and dignified poise that had previously been lacking. Luo-Luo could see it in the set of his shoulders as he accepted his accolades in front of the adoring crowd, his usual stiff inelegance of awkward embarrassment nowhere to be found, for he was now a man possessed with the brash boldness expected from someone of his high standing, yet lacking the haughty pride and distant disdain that incited wariness in the common masses. Then there was his smile, so bright and sincere it outshone even his dazzling armour as he greeted the crowd with his newly restored weapons sitting so naturally against him, more indisputable proof that he was a Martial Warrior once more. Yet another miracle to add to his long litany of accomplishments, most of which made him sound like a Warrior out of myth and legend on par with the First Emperor and the faithful companions whom he led to conquer the Azure Empire.

Oh how the people loved Falling Rain now, especially those who were present here in the Central Citadel during that fateful siege and saw how Lord Husband arrived at the head of an army of Experts to save them from Bai Qi’s formidable forces of Defiled, Demons, and Half-Demonic Warriors. The scene of their young Legate facing off against the traitor Colonel General was still fresh in everyone’s minds, a feat which firmly cemented Lord Husband’s place as not only the Number One young talent of the Empire, but as a rising dragon unlike any the world had ever before seen. Twenty two years young and arguably a Peak Expert already, this was a feat unmatched by anyone in history, and given the stories of how he’d single-handedly snatched victory from the jaws of defeat against Huanhuzi’s pirate fleet, there were even whispers that Lord Husband was fast approaching the limits of the Martial Path and destined to one day ascend to Divinity.

Not even the most talented Imperial Scions of the Eastern Province could match Lord Husband’s achievements, or at least none that Luo-Luo had heard of. Shen ZhenWu, the presumed heir to the throne whose talents earned him the title of ‘Divine True Warrior’, had become a Peak Expert at the age of twenty six, meaning Lord Husband’s potential even outstripped the most promising Warrior of the Imperial Clan. Such were Luo-Luo’s thoughts as Lord Husband hopped off the carriage and onto the stage, his warm smile radiating pure bliss as he greeted his mother with a hearty embrace. Such shows of affection were ‘unbecoming’ of a manly Warrior, but there were plenty in the crowd who appreciated his filial display, showing that even the Legate of the Outer Provinces was beholden to his mother. Luo-Luo herself found this trait of his rather endearing, to know that even with all his Martial talents, he was still a kind and doting man who valued family and relationships, though she would appreciate it more if he would direct some of his affections her way. Mother-in-Law Sarnai received a warm hug and wide smile, but all Luo-Luo warranted was a nod of the head, which sadly was still enough to set her cheeks to burning.

A man had no right to be so damned charming, with eyes so bright they made his polished golden armour seem dull and lifeless in comparison. Had he gotten taller? No, but he stood straighter and held his head up now, which made it so that his nose was no longer level with her chin and he could more easily look her in the eyes. His unwavering gaze held no burning desire, but there was a tender fondness and sentimental appreciation that she couldn’t remember ever seeing before, and her mind set to racing about all the implications.

Thankfully, sweet Mafu made his way onto stage just in time to keep Luo-Luo from making a fool of herself, abandoning his post at the pet wagon and interrupting the welcoming ceremony to deposit two, fuzzy quin pups in her arms. A proud father, this fattest of quins was, chittering as he rubbed his head against her arm and watched her coo and coddle the adorably curious pups.

Too curious it would seem, as one of the little darlings snagged poor Noodle when she poked her head out to say hello, but Lord Husband was quick to come to her rescue. “No,” he said firmly while putting his hand in front of the little pup’s fanged jaws, and the sweet fuzzy darling let go of the snake with the cutest, wide-eyed look of grievance Luo-Luo had ever seen. “Noodle is friend, not food. Isn’t that right my beauty?” Stroking the shocked serpent’s head, Lord Husband reached into his pouch and withdrew a tiny quail egg, one far smaller than the chicken eggs Noodle was now eating, though in his defence, the darling Emerald Viper had grown considerably in the last few months while still remaining slim and compact enough to hide in Luo-Luo’s sleeves. “Can I offer you an egg in this trying time?”

Chuckling as if he’d said something particularly clever, he beamed as Noodle graciously accepted his offer before turning his dazzling smile back to Luo-Luo and motioning for her to get on with the ceremony. Cursing herself for a fool, she shook off the notion of a more intimate reunion and raised her voice to welcome him before the crowd, handing over command to the Legate as was appropriate. The whole Citadel shook as they welcomed Lord Husband with such volume that they drowned out her Chi-enhanced voice, but Luo-Luo could hardly fault them for their enthusiasm. The people loved a young hero, and Lord Husband was a rising star brighter than any they’d ever seen before, so of course they were excited to see him again. Why would they not be? Lord Husband had shown them time and time again that he was the Mother’s Chosen Son, a man of many miracles sent here to lead them in the Eternal War against the Enemy.

That was the widespread sentiment at least, and over the past few weeks, his popularity had grown to such an extent that even the barest hint of negativity directed towards him was treated as blasphemy to the Heavens above, for the Mother’s Chosen Son could do no wrong. Alas, this level of admiration did not extend to his lovely wives trailing behind him, beautiful heroines one and all who deserved more than the crowds’ disapproval. In recent weeks, Luo-Luo had heard many a lamentation regarding Lord Husband’s love of ‘lowly’ half-beasts, for the people of Central were not so open-minded as the Bekhai when it came to matters of race. His upcoming marriage was a much anticipated event, but there was an underlying sentiment of dissatisfaction with his choice of brides and how his wives were ‘unsuitable’ for a man of his lofty status.

Hardly fair at all, considering Mila and Yan were heroes in their own right who deserved more than the derision of the masses. The Warrior women bore their burden well as they stood by Lord Husband’s side, though Luo-Luo lamented their lack of proper ceremonial attire. They would look oh so resplendent if adorned in golden armour to match Lord Husband’s own, or even the dark Khishig leathers Li-Li wore which were both stylish and serviceable, but alas, Mila and Yan arrived in casual travelling clothes, which made sense considering they only just arrived by ship. Despite their plain clothes, none could deny that they were both city-toppling beauties, and it was easy to see why Lord Husband was enamoured with them both. Flaunting her healthy, tanned skin in a loose long shirt that sat half off her shoulder, Mila carried her spear and shield with a casual grace that spoke volumes to her strength and confidence, while her faint freckles and fiery hair added a rarely seen splash of colour to her alluring features. Then there was Yan, who bucked so many norms with her short, boyish hair and manly choice of attire, a tight tunic and trousers that flaunted the womanly curves of her long legs and ample hips. Her flawless porcelain skin was envied by women all across the Empire, a feature augmented by the addition of a few subtle pieces of silver jewellery, accessories which were chosen to enhance her natural beauty rather than draw attention away from it.

Two vastly different women, yet none could deny their beauty, though some tried to spin it as a flaw and claim that the Legate was blinded by their exotic looks. As for the star of the trip, there was surprisingly little criticism directed towards sweet Lin-Lin, who was still nestled in Mother-in-Law Sarnai’s embrace and beaming from ear to ear as she whispered excitedly about something or the other. This was likely due to the fact that she was largely unknown to the general population, unlike Mila and Yan who’d been under heavy scrutiny to begin with for reasons which had little to do with Lord Husband. Mila was the daughter of the heroic Lieutenant General Akanai, who traded blows with the Traitor Bai Qi and emerged unscathed, while Yan was the Terminal Disciple and adopted granddaughter of the renowned Du Min Gyu. This alone was enough for Mila and Yan to both draw the ire of the noble elite, who deemed it necessary to disparage these potential rivals before their reputations grew too great to contest, and as far as Luo-Luo could tell, their efforts had borne fruit. While Mila had only one or two notable military engagements to boast of, Yan had proved her mettle time and time again, yet her accomplishments were largely overlooked by the masses in favour of more popular young Warriors like Yong Jin or Ryo Da’in, all because they were half-beasts who the public looked down upon.

To counter this with Lin-Lin, Luo-Luo had taken steps to preemptively raise the darling half-hare’s reputation, leaning heavily on her Medical Saint of a father and painting her as her father’s skilled student and Lord Husband’s more talented Junior Sister, but only in the realm of medicine. Time would tell if she would be accepted by the masses or denigrated like Yan and Mila, but Luo-Luo had high hopes for sweet Lin-Lin. There was something about the impish, honey-skinned half-hare that made it all but impossible to hate her, but whether it be her bright and cheery expression, her jovial, carefree mannerisms, or something else entirely, Luo-Luo was hard pressed to say. Her large eyes, rounded cheeks, and braided crown accentuated many of her girlish features while also showcasing her womanly charms, her beauty once again entirely different from Mila and Yan’s. Lin-Lin’s choice of clothing was of a similar conflicted nature, opting for a beautifully embroidered traditional, one-piece dress, a deep-blue silken affair that sat loosely about her slender frame and covered her from neck to ankle, with a number of not so minor modifications. Most notable was the removal of her sleeves which left her shoulders bare, likely done to offer her more freedom of movement when climbing trees, walls, and masts rather than out of any concern for fashion. For the same reasons, Lin-Lin also left the slits on both sides of her skirt unbuttoned all the way up to mid-thigh, while wearing tight-fitting trousers similar to Yan’s to avoid showing scandalous amounts of skin.

Add in her ever present white silk scarf and Luo-Luo had to admit that the end result was rather fetching, a light and breezy affair that lent much to Lin-Lin’s girlish charms. Already, the half-hare was winning over much of the crowd with her bright smile and forthright demeanour, especially with how close she appeared to Mother-in-Law Sarnai.

Alas, even poor Li-Li wasn’t exempt from the public’s contempt, and in many ways, had it even worse than Mila and Yan. Half-cats were a common breed of slave here in Central, and there were many nasty rumours regarding her ‘true’ purpose in Lord Husband’s social circle, rumours Luo-Luo would not deign to repeat even in the privacy of her own mind. There was also more of the same regarding how Lord Husband was failing to ‘uphold his responsibility’ to wed a ‘proper’ wife who could bear his children and ensure the propagation of his noble bloodline. Never mind how this sentiment completely overlooked Luo-Luo’s existence and mirrored Lord Husband’s own indifference to her charms. What irked her the most was how these complaints were likely coming from the same people who criticized his ‘savage’ upbringing among ‘uncultured tribesmen’, individuals who once clamoured about how this and that made him unfit for the ‘lofty’ office of Legate. Silly to see how quickly opinion could shift, especially when the facts largely remained the same. Even if one were to ignore his staggering Martial achievements and admittedly significant health issues, it was clear that Lord Husband had always possessed a brilliant and ingenious mind, but to be fair, even Luo-Luo had underestimated how far his discerning intellect would bring him. The proof was evident in the Citadel itself, for despite having been present for the entire construction process, she found it difficult to believe they’d come so far in so short a time frame. Only the Bulwark and Eastern Walls were left standing in the wake of Bai Qi’s attack, which meant almost half of the Central Citadel had been razed to the ground, but now, not even two months later, the transformation was almost as staggering as Lord Husband’s own.

Gone were the western walls and districts obscuring the Bulwark itself, and in its place was a massive concrete basin that glimmered in the afternoon light. The sluice gates had yet to be opened so the basin would remain dry until then, but there was a beauty to the smooth, greyish, uniform material that captured many a heart and eye, one made all the more astonishing considering it’d been completed in less than two weeks. While this was largely made possible by Eccentric Gam’s Earth-Blessed efforts to help clear away the rubble and excavate the giant pit, the concrete pour had taken less than three days in total and showed everyone just how essential Lord Husband’s inventions would be in the years to come. While concrete and cast iron had been used extensively in the construction of the Citadels and the Western Wall, there’d been few witnesses present to see it in action, but now the entire population of the Central Citadel had borne witness to the marvels of Lord Husband’s newfangled technologies. The giant basin was only the beginning, as dame Cixi’s construction company put their experience to good use and put together a sprawling docks, raising bridge, and no less than four imposing concrete forts to overlook the defences. Without cast iron and concrete, such an endeavour could have taken years to complete, but instead, it’d all been completed in a two month time frame, and there was still more in the works. The Citadel proper was in the process of expanding to the north, south, and east, and again, concrete and cast iron played a prominent role in their construction. Dame Cixi even had architects and artisans working to incorporate both materials into the aesthetics of the Citadel, with elaborate cast iron fences, towering columns, and ornamental concrete arches aplenty.

The end result was a practical and economical construction effort that did not sacrifice any of the beauty and elegance the people of Central so craved. Dame Cixi had learned much from building the Districts and put it all to good use here in the Citadel, to the point where Luo-Luo was able to leave most of the decisions to her. Lord Husband truly had an eye for talent, and the once lowly merchant was now one of the richest women in Central, one plagued by a hoard of opportunistic dandies hoping to charm the widow into parting with some of her staggering wealth. Thankfully, the woman kept a level-head and had yet to succumb to anyone’s charms, a dependable ally and stalwart partner to be sure.

Dame Cixi was not solely responsible for the Citadel’s speedy construction, for the rest of the Spring and Autumn Consortium had contributed greatly to the cause. Following through on Lord Husband’s insightful suggestions, the brilliant but awkward Cao Cuo reorganized the Consortium’s entire production efforts to develop an ‘assembly line’ of various different goods and fabrications. Everything from bricks and bearings to wagons and ships were now being manufactured en masse through these divided efforts, with certain factories focusing on a few select products which would then be delivered to the next factory down the line for further assembly, resulting in an exponential boost to productivity in all manner of industries. According to their correspondences, young Cao Cuo was attempting to do the same with the entirety of the Northern Province’s infrastructure, but alas, unlike the Spring and Autumn Consortium, the powers of the North were resisting his attempts to streamline their manufacturing capabilities. Then there was Gwangjong who had become an endless font of ideas when it came to the possibilities of concrete, the most promising of which were his newly constructed concrete ships that remained buoyant despite their considerable weight. Not only were these stone vessels both quick and cheap to manufacture, they were also less susceptible to fire and sturdy enough to bear more passengers and heavy weapons of war such as Lord Husband’s bolt-throwers and catapults.

Three such cement ships were already sitting in the new harbour, their decks festooned with as much heavy weaponry as space would allow, and Luo-Luo was quick to point this out and more as she rode alongside Lord Husband on their lively tour through the Central Citadel, complete with crowds of civilians lining the streets to watch them pass. Though he undoubtedly wanted nothing more than to head home to remove his armour and wash up after the long boat ride over, Lord Husband showed none of his typical impatience as they moved through the wide, paved streets and took in the sights of the newly restored fortifications, asking questions that revealed the depths of his interest and vocal of his approval for all that Luo-Luo had wrought. He even stopped every now and then to accept laurels of flowers or respond to the crowd whenever he deemed it appropriate, all smiles and waves for the younger children craning their necks or sitting atop their parent’s shoulders for a better view of the proceedings. He had a seemingly endless supply of candied fruits to share with the children, as did the rest of his wives, though Luo-Luo noticed sweet Lin-Lin eating almost as much as she handed out to the crowd, though Mila ate more than her fair share while Li-Li gave a good amount away to the animals as well. There was still plenty to go around, and Luo-Luo suspected Lord Husband spent the last few days preparing all these treats for this very reason. A minor detail that would go unnoticed by most nobles and merchants, but his personal touch was clear as day to the parents in the crowd, most of whom were impoverished and understood the value of hard work.

It wasn’t much in the grand scheme of things, and Luo-Luo doubted Lord Husband had done this with any ulterior motives, but this was one of his many qualities that endeared him to the common man.

Their grand tour of the Citadel took over three hours in total, and might even have lasted longer had Luo-Luo not seen that Lin-Lin was fast reaching the end of her patience. The last thing anyone needed was for the bride-to-be to throw a tantrum in the days before her wedding, so Luo-Luo cut the tour short and brought everyone back to the manor to wash up and rest. Only then did she allow herself to relax and greet the rest of the animals while everyone else settled in, her heart soaring as she embraced these much beloved floofs. Though she missed them all dearly these past few weeks, it amazed her to see how much they missed her as well, especially sweet Baloo who refused to leave her side even for a second as he pressed his heavy flank against her leg as if to pin her in place. His heavy chortles and rumbling chest was a balm for the soul, and she felt her stress and anxieties just melting away as she kissed his head and massaged his chubby cheeks, all the while wondering how she survived for so many years without a friendly animal companion to love and cuddle. Having grown bold in their time apart, Noodle was off meeting new friends to mixed results, with the rabbits treating her like a threat while Ping Ping and the wildcats greeted her warmly, and Luo-Luo’s spirits soared to see the sweet snake coming out of her shell and truly becoming a part of the family.

Mother-in-Law Sarnai similarly indulged her ‘furry grandchildren’, as she was wont to call them, and for the next few minutes, the courtyard was filled with the sounds of happy animals and two grown women making fools of themselves, but Luo-Luo was too happy to care. It wasn’t until Lin-Lin returned and threw herself into Luo-Luo’s arms that she tore her attention away from the animals, embracing the half-hare with all her strength in reciprocity to this warm greeting. “Hi Luo-Luo,” Lin-Lin declared, her smile so wide her eyes were hidden within her cheeks. “I missed you.”

“And I you.” So delighted by the warm reunion, Luo-Luo refrained from saying anything about how Lin-Lin was still wearing the same clothes, which smelled of fish and sea water due to her love of hanging over the ship’s edge to watch the quins swim. “How are you feeling after the ship ride over? Tired? Hungry?”

“Nope. Fresh as a daisy and ready for anything. Let’s go to the market, ya?”

The poor, naive girl took the bait without blinking, and Luo-Luo’s heart ached to do this, but Lin-Lin was famed for her ability to fob off her responsibilities, and there was still much to do before the wedding. “Maybe tomorrow,” Luo-Luo said, knowing full well there would likely be no time at all in the busy days ahead, “But first, let us pay a visit to the seamstress for a fitting, so that we might see if any adjustments need to be made to your dresses.”

“Poop.” Knowing she’d been tricked, Lin-Lin pouted for all of a second before the full weight of Luo-Luo’s statement hit her. “Wait? Dresses? Like more than one? How many do I need?”

“Seven.” Which was already a compromise down from a full dozen Luo-Luo initially envisioned, but she could tell Lin-Lin was ready to throw one of her famous tantrums.

Thankfully, Mother-in-Law Sarnai came to the rescue, reaching over to gently pinch Lin-Lin’s soft and pliable cheek. “No complaining. Luo-Luo worked herself to the bone planning this wedding because you couldn’t be bothered to offer any input at all, so you will thank her for her efforts and go along with her arrangements.”

“But sevendresses? We’re only having one wedding, ya?”

Counting off her fingers as she listed the dresses, Luo-Luo explained it all in detail for the bride to be. “You need a dress for the parade, the reception, the tea ceremony, the wedding itself, and three more for the banquet so you can change every four courses to ward off bad luck. You also need to pick out which exact dresses you want to wear, though you will be limited to certain choices for each function. The wedding dress is of course the most important one, but you’ll also want to pay special attention to the parade dress, because that’s the one most people will see you wearing, since you’ll be riding through the entire Citadel in it. If there’s still time after our visit to the seamstress, we can go visit the jewellers to pick out your accessories, then the confectionery and the...”

The longer Luo-Luo went on, the lower Lin-Lin’s face fell, until she was pouting something fierce and all but laid out in the grass. “But Luo-Luo...”

“No buts, young lady.” Again, Mother-in-Law Sarnai saved Luo-Luo from caving into the sweet half-hare’s demands, though it clearly took an effort of will to countermand her adorably pitiful expression. “If you wanted less fuss, you should have replied in more detail to Luo-Luo’s letters instead of telling her to do ‘whatever’. You should be thanking her with all your heart instead of complaining, for this will be a splendid wedding unlike any ever before, and you only need to show up and look pretty.”

Clearly Mother-in-Law Sarnai was pleased with Luo-Luo’s work, as well she should be since she’d given so much input into the process. Rain’s weddings with Mila and Yan had been grand affairs, but both happy occasions had been shrouded in a thin veneer of gloom due to his ailing health, so it was understandable for Mother-in-Law Sarnai to want this next wedding to be a joyous affair. Not only was Lord Husband stronger than ever, he also had the love of the people and the superficial support of the nobles, as they could no longer afford to openly oppose him. What’s more, now that the concept of transferable debt was widely accepted in the form of War Bonds, Luo-Luo was able to pay for the wedding using promissory papers stamped by the Office of Finance, officially documented debt Lord Husband so cleverly deemed Treasury Notes which the merchants were more than happy to accept. To take full advantage of this, Luo-Luo spared no expense to turn this wedding into an extravagant affair, one which would provide a much needed boost to the Citadel’s local economy as well as to the morale of all those who took part in the proceedings.

And to soothe Lin-Lin and Lord Husband over, Luo-Luo made sure to include a few surprises that would delight them both, such as arranging thematic costumes for all the animals to wear as they marched in the parade and having them seated prominently on stage rather than tucked away in a corner like in previous banquets. So what if the nobles felt that their honour had been slighted by being seated beneath beasts? To Lin-Lin and Lord Husband, the animals were family first and pets second, meaning they were far more welcome company than most of their wedding guests.

Poor Lin-Lin pouted and objected until Yan, Mila, and Li-Li emerged from their rooms and made clear that they were also accompanying her to the seamstress for their own fittings, though they only had three dresses each to try on. Lord Husband also needed to be fitted for his suits, but in the interest of his personal security, Luo-Luo had arranged for the seamstress to come to the manor and measure him there, which he accepted with only minimal grumbling. With Mother-in-Law Sarnai escorting the girls and the rest of the family slated to arrive on the day of the wedding alongside the majority of their northern guests, Luo-Luo was left to accompany Lord Husband on her own so that they could discuss matters of his Office once the seamstress was done. However, from the moment he removed his shirt and revealed his chiselled physique, Luo-Luo’s ability to form whole sentences abandoned her as it became apparent the seamstress had her work cut out for her. It was difficult to tell from over his armour and baggy clothes, but Lord Husband had filled out quite a bit since the last time Luo-Luo saw him, and she could scarcely tear her eyes away from his broad shoulders and sinewy muscles. All of Lord Husband’s outfits would need adjusting in the days to come, for he now possessed the muscular physique of a Warrior in his prime, so lean and svelte yet brimming with strength and vitality it seemed as if he’d been sculpted by the Mother Herself, a far cry from his formerly gaunt and angular self and a sight which set Luo-Luo’s hands to itching.

Oh how she yearned to trade places with the seamstress so that she might touch those firm muscles or run her fingers over his washboard abs...

It wasn’t until after the seamstress left and Lord Husband put his shirt back on that Luo-Luo finally collected her wits about her again, though his dazzling smile kept a good portion of said wits away. “You’ve worked wonders here in my absence,” he said, reaching out to squeeze her arm ever so briefly, and her knees threatened to give out beneath her. “I’m not just talking about the wedding either. The Citadel is a marvel to behold, and it’s amazing how quickly the construction has progressed, especially in light of all the opposition. Did you ever figure out who was responsible for buying up so much property?”

“Unfortunately, no.” Much like Treasury Bonds, Lord Husband’s promissory notes needed to be registered with the civil office each time they were exchanged, a feature Luo-Luo intended to use to ferret out the shadowy merchant syndicate who placed profit before all else. Their efforts to drive up the price of real estate had fallen through here in Central thanks to the widespread destruction of the outer districts, but the identities of the parties responsible remained a mystery. “I’d hoped that they might reveal themselves to claim their remuneration for their properties that would soon sit underwater, but alas, they were too clever to act so openly and sold their holdings to various noble families who then claimed the promissory notes in their stead.”

“A shame, but not entirely unexpected.” Shrugging, Lord Husband moved on to other topics and caught her up on matters up north, where Marshal Yuzhen was still grappling with the shadowy syndicate using a combination of clever tactics. A general land tax, vacant land tax, and a tax deductible for any and all land-owners who were renting properties at or below set market rate, one which Marshal Yuzhen herself decided upon, these were but some of Lord Husband’s ideas that they put to good use, but alas, all they could do was slow the rate at which property increased in value. Knowing who their opponents were would make all their lives much easier since they would then know who to target, but even MuYang was unable to uncover those responsible for these greedy schemes.

“How has it been working with the Commander General?”

In response to his innocuous question, Luo-Luo offered glowing praises out loud while speaking the truth through Sending, a skill that was as easy as playing two accompanying melodies at once. “He is a difficult man to read, and I am uncertain of his base motivations,” she sent, while speaking of his wisdom out loud. “There are times when I expect resistance and he gives way without any opposition, and matters which I feel are beneath his notice which he fights tooth and nail to deny me. The Citadel expansion plan for example. Liu Xuande insisted on keeping the avenues as wide and direct as possible for the sake of troop and supply movements, but the Commander General keeps insisting we return to the previous style of winding roads and dead end streets, using Brigadier Chen Hongji’s superlative defence as his key argument.”

“Well, he’s not wrong.” Shrugging, Lord Husband Sent, “Xuande’s proposal will work on paper, but the problem is the streets will remain open until we have need to lock them down. Unless we dedicate significant reserve forces to holding strategic choke points at all times, it’s highly possible for an Enemy force to break through and make their way past several layers of defence in one concentrated push. Personally, I still think Xuande’s approach is better, but you can’t say the previous layout wasn’t effective. He’s a soldier first, and a veteran one at that, which means he values tried and true tactics over new, experimental endeavours.”

Devastated by his lack of support, Luo-Luo stifled a sigh and asked, “Then you think we should go with the Commander General’s suggestion?”

“No, we just need to show him that Xuande’s plan will work. Invite the Commander General out to one of the training facilities and arrange for an exhibition, with a retinue of his choosing posing as the attackers while Irregulars hold down the defences. If the civilian forces can hold out long enough for army reinforcements to arrive, then it’ll prove to Shuai Jiao that we won’t need to devote too many Martial Warriors to guarding choke points and he’ll be more open to alternative tactics.”

A diplomatic solution that no one could argue against, but even then, Luo-Luo could not rest easy. Perhaps she was just being short-sighted regarding the Commander General’s motivations, but her gut instinct told her there was something off about the man. Shuai Jiao was a political animal like none other, a man who could turn a phrase and twist the interpretation until day turned into night and night into day, a wilier foe than any Luo-Luo had ever faced, but she could not for the life of her understand his motivations. He wasn’t self-serving like so many other nobles, nor was he as altruistic as he would have the public believe, but that was as far as Luo-Luo could read him. For what reason did he pursue glory and power? Upon what criteria did he choose his allies and enemies? Which category did the Commander General place Lord Husband within? Was this man friend, foe, or something else entirely?

“Lord Husband,” Luo-Luo began, unsure if she should share her thoughts on Shuai Jiao without any proof, but his attentive gaze and supportive Aura gave her the courage to Send her warning. “Be wary of the Commander General. His goals might run parallel to your own, but I fear he might not see it as such. It is subtle, but it appears his Disciple Yong-Jin is being painted as your greatest rival, and MuYang tells me that the young man has yet to showcase the full extent of his talents.”

“Oh? In what way is he my rival?”

“There are stirrings abound that hint the Commander General is seeking supporters for a cause that is yet to be unveiled, but aside from raising Yong-Jin’s status in the eyes of the people, I cannot offer a second guess.” Too scared to even Send this next part, she chose her words carefully. “Remember what role Yong-Jin was initially meant to play, for it is possible the Commander General has not yet abandoned this particular ambition.”

Thankfully Lord Husband understood her meaning without need for further clarification, or at least he appeared to. After refusing to work under Shen ZhenWu, the presumed heir to the Empire made some sort of deal with Shuai Jiao to have Yong-Jin lead the younger generation, and while Lord Husband’s personal strength had long since outpaced his peers, this meant the general population no longer considered him a young talent. This meant there was now a vacancy for Yong-Jin to step in, and if something were to happen to Lord Husband after the fact, then Shuai Jiao and his Disciple would be firmly positioned to take control of the entire outer provinces. Not just due to strength alone, but because Lord Husband himself had approved Shuai Jiao’s position as Commander General by not taking it away, which others would see as endorsing the veteran Warrior as next-in-line for command.

And as much as Luo-Luo loathed directing suspicion onto a seemingly honourable man without even a hint of evidence, the pieces were all falling into place far too neatly for her liking.

“Understood,” he Sent, after a long pause to think matters through, but Luo-Luo was unsure how seriously he took her warning. Out loud, he asked, “Now, walk me through the details of the day in question.”

“Well the parade is self explanatory, and should last two hours in total.” Back on firmer ground, Luo-Luo launched into her well-practised reasoning. “After which we hold a service at the docks to honour the fallen, before recognizing and rewarding the heroes who fought for the Citadel. Here is the list that we’ve put together, but if you see anyone missing, now might be the last chance to add them without giving offence, as leaving it too late to inform them would result in a loss of face for both parties. Might I suggest...”

To his credit, Lord Husband listened intently and followed along even while playing with his pets, though he did interrupt her to ensure he found time to bathe the animals before the wedding. Just going through the schedule for the wedding day took the better part of three hours, at which point he suggested they go ‘rescue’ Lin-Lin and the others from the ‘icy clutches’ of the ‘joyless and judgmental seamstress’. Once the animals were all packed into their wagon, Lord Husband turned to the tiger before turning back to Luo-Luo with a strange look on his face, his Aura one of contrition and confusion that set Luo-Luo to stewing in anxiety. “Um,” he began, and her thoughts raced to determine what the worst case scenario might possibly be. He only wanted three wives, no more no less, and had no room for Luo-Luo in his life. No, he received an offer to sell Luo-Luo too tempting to refuse, and she would move out once the wedding was over. No, he didn’t trust her anymore and intended to send her away so she couldn’t report his movements to the Empire, not that she ever did. “Are you... happy?”

Seeing her confusion, Lord Husband’s Aura turned to panic as he stammered, “I mean... I uh... dumped all this work and responsibility on you and then just ran away, which was pretty irresponsible of me even though you were already doing most of this stuff while I was in a coma. I haven’t even properly compensated you for your increased workload, though I have no idea what you would even want. You’ve earned a fair amount of coin from the work we do, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen you spend money on yourself, so I doubt more money would change anything.” Lord Husband was rambling now and he knew it, but for all his prodigious talents, his ability to spew rhetoric was sorely lacking. “Anyways, I just wanted to know if you were happy with what you’re doing, and if there’s anything I can do to thank you for all your hard work.” Turning beet red as he averted his eyes, he continued, “I can’t... you know... marry you as a reward, not that I’m saying marrying me is a reward, but that’s just not something I can do for the sake of a debt, you know? I’m not even sure why you would want to marry me, and I would like to say again that you aren’t uh... you know... my... possession in that sort of way, and that you’re free to do whatever you want. But um... yea. You don’t need to even answer me right now. Take some time and think it through, then get back to me whenever, okay? Great. Good talk. Rakky! Come on, let’s go for a walkie. You can’t be lazy all the time.”

Approaching the tiger so quickly he was almost mauled for his trouble, Lord Husband ran from Luo-Luo like a startled rabbit, but she would not let him escape so easily. Following at a slow and steady pace, she reined in her smile and moved so that he could see her watching him work. After leaving him to sweat beneath her scrutiny for long, delicious seconds while the tiger refused to get up, Luo-Luo sighed and shook her head to catch his attention. “Lord Husband,” she began, her tone serious as the grave even as her smile threatened to break free. “From a young age, I was raised to be an Imperial Servant. Back then, my teachers all told me that my greatest prospect was to become the companion and concubine of a powerful noble, to bear his children and carry on his noble and illustrious line. This was a sacred duty all female Imperial Servants aspired to, for in doing so, we would ensure the longevity of an outstanding bloodline whose descendants could continue to serve the Empire for generations to come. Thus, when my Patron presented me to you as your concubine, I believed it was my duty to lie with you and bear your children, while any love between us would merely be a pleasant bonus.”

“Yea, I figured as much.” Offering her what he likely believed was a supportive smile, she didn’t even need to feel his Aura to know his feelings were conflicted, for even though he had no desire to force her into his bed, no man wanted to hear that a woman was only interested in him due to obligation.

A good thing Luo-Luo was not yet finished. “You refused my advances, but I continued to persist in my efforts to win you over even after you made it clear that you needed time. I did this because I grew impatient and worried I would lose my place at your side, and thus fail at my most sacred of duties.” Cheeks colouring at the memory of her brazen attempts to entice him into her bed and the humiliating memory of being interrupted by the Abbot, Luo-Luo powered through the embarrassment and continued, “However, I eventually came to realize that you saw me differently. Where other men lusted after my beauty and saw me as a trophy to collect and conquer, you took stock of my abilities and put me to work. I helped manage your finances and grow your business endeavours, offered political advice you quickly forgot and taught lessons on etiquette you promptly ignored. Within a year, you saw fit to give me even more responsibilities and soon had me managing all your financial and political affairs, and even saw fit to have me train as a Martial Warrior. Now, I am a woman who has fought the Enemy and who serves as your Secretary of Office, someone authorized to speak with your voice as Legate and thus, in theory, the second most powerful official in all the outer provinces.”

Collecting an errant George who’d escaped from the wagon to resume cuddling with Rakshasa, Luo-Luo hugged the fluffy bunny to her chest and hid her face in his fur, unable to say the next words while looking Lord Husband in the eyes. “From the beginning, you have treated me as more than an Imperial Servant, more than a concubine, more than even a woman. You saw me as a person and helped me find my own place in the world, for which the depths of my gratitude knows no bounds. You speak of offering me compensation, but I have yet to repay you for showing me I possess value beyond my beauty and womb, and for this, I will support you from now until the day I die, but that is not why I yearn to marry you. Somewhere along the line, and for a vast array of reasons, I fell in love with you, and as such, I mean to become your wife, your concubine, or even just your woman without official title or holding, for no reason other than because you are a magnificent man who has stolen my heart.” Mustering all her courage, she straightened up and looked him in the eye as best she could, though in truth, she only managed to fixate on the space between his brows. “I have never failed to achieve a goal I set out for myself. I say this not to brag, but rather as a statement of fact, because if you will not have me in this life, then I will wait until the next and pray for better success there. Even if you toss me aside and order me away out of sight, I, Zheng Luo, will love you until my dying day.”

With that said, her courage was spent and she fled before his disbelieving gaze, but stopped short of actually leaving the courtyard once she realized there was still work to be discussed on their way to rescue Lin-Lin, mostly regarding ongoing military preparations for the oncoming offensive, a gambit the Commander General firmly opposed. Clearing her throat, Luo-Luo willed her cheeks to stop burning without any success and returned to stand behind Lord Husband, where she pretended like their conversation never happened, a farce he was more than happy to play along with. Though their journey was filled with stilted conversation and awkward silences until they united with Lin-Lin and the others once more, Luo-Luo was still glad she’d found the courage to speak her heart.

For she could tell from his stolen glances and conflicted Aura that Lord Husband was not entirely untouched by her affections, nor was he completely immune to her charms. These next few weeks belonged to Lin-Lin, and Luo-Luo would not do anything to step on the sweet girl’s toes, but someday soon, she intended to resume her pursuit of Lord Husband and find a place for herself in his heart, even if it meant sneaking her way into his bed once more.

Hopefully before the Abbot wholly recovered from his injuries, though with her luck, he’d return just in time to interrupt her next brazen attempt to seduce Lord Husband...

Chapter Meme