Chapter 91: Cherry
Within seven days at the Qin Manor, Cherry had adapted.
I would go to the wine shop, and she would follow me there. She called Zhu Xifeng “Uncle” and Hua Lian “Aunt.” When guests arrived and the shop assistants were overwhelmed, she would help out in a proper manner. She climbed the persimmon tree in the backyard, picked persimmons, and shared them with the shop assistants.
When I returned to the manor to rest, she would accompany me. Although I had ordered the manor staff to address her as “Eldest Young Miss,” she never put on airs in front of the servants. She called the elder servants “Grandpa,” “Grandma,” “Uncle,” and “Aunt.” When others served her tea or water, she would always stand up first and receive it with utmost sincerity.
She called Qin Mingxu “Godfather.” At night, she would carry a lantern and wait outside the manor gate for Qin Mingxu’s return, running to greet him when she heard the sound of carriage wheels. When the family had dinner, she would serve soup to Qin Mingxu and me in turn. Gradually, Qin Mingxu truly began to treat her as his daughter, keeping her preferences in mind. The silk that arrived at Tiansheng Tower was made into clothing for the Eldest Young Miss using the finest materials. Cherry loved tanghulu, so Qin Mingxu would hold her hand every day to buy it, and later, he even invited the tanghulu craftsman to be a cook at the Qin Manor. He dotingly said, “Whenever Eldest Young Miss wants some, we’ll make it for her.”
Everyone liked her very much.
She was truly a very sensible child.
Cherry’s favorite was “Dou Ya Uncle.” The connection between people is strange. She seemed to naturally get along with Feng Gao.
The matter of Recruit and Pacify was proceeding in full swing. During this time, Feng Gao descended the mountain several times.
When Cherry saw him, her eyes lit up like little suns. She climbed onto Feng Gao’s thin and gaunt body like a monkey climbing a tree. On a sunny afternoon, she rode on Feng Gao’s neck. They ran around the garden.
Once, they played hide-and-seek together.
Cherry covered her eyes and searched for Feng Gao. Coincidentally, a Guard under Feng Gao came to report something, and Feng Gao left for a quarter of an hour. Cherry couldn’t find him no matter how hard she looked, and she sat on the rockery, crying her heart out. She cried out, “Dou Ya Uncle, Dou Ya Uncle—”
No matter how others tried to comfort her, she refused to come down or take off the cloth covering her eyes.
Not until Feng Gao returned and leaped up, carrying her down from the rockery.
Cherry stopped crying, sobbing intermittently.
Feng Gao said, “If you can’t find me, you can sit down and wait for me for a while. I will always come back.”
Cherry said, “I was afraid Dou Ya Uncle wouldn’t see me when he returned. I sat on the rockery, in the most conspicuous spot, so Dou Ya Uncle could see me at a glance.”
A very gentle light poured from Feng Gao’s eyes.
Cherry asked, “Dou Ya Uncle, you will never lose sight of me, right?”
Feng Gao nodded, “That’s right.”
Cherry’s tears turned into a smile.
When I was young, if I got lost with him in a bustling market, I would stand in the most conspicuous spot and wait for him. This was an agreement between us. He never forgot it.
In Cherry, he saw a reflection of my past self. When he was with Cherry, his expression was exceptionally serene. He seemed like the frail little Dou Ya from the Acrobatic Troupe. Cherry was his niece and also his playmate. He found a crack in Cherry, through which the past ten years ceased to exist, and he returned to his childhood.
After a month, the bandits of Shenju Mountain were officially incorporated into the Imperial Court and given a designation.
In the eleventh year of Wanli, the Burmese army plundered Shidian and attacked Shunning and Zhanda, killing and looting without restraint wherever they went. The Burmese army attacked and plundered within Yunnan, burning and killing, penetrating deep into Shunning Prefecture, and eyeing Tengyue, Yongchang, Dali, Menghua, Jingdong, and other places.
The Ming court was shaken.
The Yunnan local authorities immediately took action to deal with the Burmese invasion. The Commander-in-Chief of Yunnan moved his headquarters from Kunming to Erhai. The Governor of Yunnan and the Censor also moved their headquarters to Chuxiong, mobilizing tens of thousands of troops, ordering the Assessor Zhao Rui to station in Menghua, the Vice Commissioner to station in Tengchong, the Minister of Jin to station in Yongchang and Zhaozhou, and to attack in separate routes with the Supervisor of Military Affairs, the Deputy General of Xin, and others.
At the same time, the Governor of Yunnan, along with the Inspector, memorialized the Imperial Court, requesting reinforcements to be sent to the front lines for a full counterattack.
At that time, someone in the Imperial Court proposed that since the bandits had just been recruited, and the court was in need of personnel, it would be better to send them to fight the Burmese army.
His Majesty agreed.
I held Cherry’s hand, and together with Qin Mingxu and Feng Gao, we went outside the city to see One-Eyed Dragon off on his campaign.
One-Eyed Dragon was no longer a bandit. He was conferred the title of “Commander of Yunnan,” dressed in military attire, and looked imposing.
Cherry hung a Buddha amulet around One-Eyed Dragon’s neck: “Uncle, you will definitely return safely.”
One-Eyed Dragon smiled and stroked her face: “Yes, little girl, you are right.”
One-Eyed Dragon looked at me and said, “Boss Zhu, thank you for taking such good care of Cherry. Although I, One-Eyed Dragon, have only one eye, I have never misjudged a person.”
I nodded: “May the Great Chieftain go forth, slay the enemy, defend the nation, and achieve great deeds.”
He smiled, flicked his robe, and mounted his horse: “What great deeds or achievements? My ambition is not there. I only act with a passionate heart to repel invaders and protect the people.”
“Return safely,” I said.
“The Wuling flowers on the hillside are waiting for me. I dare not not return.” As he said this, the banditry in his eyes transformed into a gentle elegance, like frost and snow.
Chivalrous spirit and tender heart.
The horses’ hooves galloped away, kicking up dust.
The military attire receded into the distance.
The troop led by One-Eyed Dragon arrived in Yunnan and issued proclamations such as “Share our hatred,” “Admire righteousness and show loyalty,” and “Strive to the utmost to face the enemy.” They traveled through dust and fought bloody battles. With the cooperation of the local Tusi, they decisively defeated the Burmese army south of Yao Pass in the Panzhihua area, killing the Gengma Tusi and capturing the brother of the Dianzhou Tusi.
For a time, the Southern Barbarian spirit was greatly dampened.
The son of the Gengma Tusi deployed over five hundred crossbowmen, relying on the treacherous mountain terrain, and resisted stubbornly.
One-Eyed Dragon learned of a small mountain path from the local Pu people, set up an ambush behind the mountain, and captured the son of the Gengma Tusi alive. Subsequently, they recaptured Wadian and Gengma.
In October of the eleventh year of Wanli, One-Eyed Dragon led his troops deep into the territory, approaching Longchuan, where the Burmese Prime Minister was stationed. The Burmese Prime Minister, realizing the situation was dire, surrendered, offering all the Burmese letters, Burmese silver, Burmese umbrellas, ceremonial robes, armor, weapons, saddles, and imperial robes he had received. Many Burmese generals fled on elephants.
As news gradually arrived from the border, Cherry and I brewed persimmon wine in the wine shop.
The winter in Jiangnan was unadorned, gentle and tender. The bluestone slabs were damp and cold. The faint sunlight struggled to penetrate the hazy tree shadows. The vibrant beauty was all subdued.
“Yuniang, Uncle won, didn’t he?” Cherry asked me with wide eyes.
I smiled and said, “Yes, he won.”
Outside the door, someone from the Cheng Family arrived with a calling card.
Third Miss Cheng Qingshi had given birth to a baby boy a month ago, and tomorrow, a full moon banquet would be held, inviting me to attend.
I took the card and smiled, “Please inform Third Miss and Old Madam that I will be there early tomorrow.”
The person agreed and left.
In the evening, on the bed, I told Qin Mingxu about this. He said, “Tomorrow, the Chamber of Commerce will have a meeting. Sang Yu, you go first. I’ll find you after I’m done.”
“Okay.”
The next morning, after I had washed and dressed, I took Cherry and Xiao Yin to the Cheng Residence.
Due to Lu Gui’s marriage into the family, Third Miss’s child would bear the Cheng surname. The Cheng Family finally had an heir, and Old Madam smiled with satisfaction and kindness.
Third Miss and Lu Gui were deeply in love. At the banquet, they held hands, inseparable for a moment.
I looked at the child, his little face was square, and he bore a slight resemblance to Cheng Huaishi.
Perhaps he had returned.
He couldn’t let go after all. As a son, his filial duty was not yet fulfilled, and through reincarnation, he had returned to the Cheng Family. I was willing to believe this speculation was true.
I smiled and placed a Ruyi knot into the swaddling clothes.
What was not fulfilled in the previous life, may this life be as one wishes.
Midway through the banquet, a Servant Woman, while serving dishes, accidentally spilled soup on me, staining my clothing significantly.
The Servant Woman was extremely apologetic and took me to a side room in the backyard to change clothes.
I followed her.
Unexpectedly, halfway through changing, Feng Gao pushed the door open and entered. Because of Cai Qingyao’s birthday, he had extended his stay in Yangzhou for two or three days while on duty. We had agreed to have dinner together at Qing Yue Pavilion that evening. Why was he here now?
“Sister, are you alright?” Feng Gao asked me anxiously.
I didn’t understand and asked, “I’m fine, what’s wrong?”
“You’re fine? Just now…”
Before Feng Gao could finish speaking, footsteps were heard from outside the door.
I picked up the outer garment from the tray and put it on. As the clothing rustled, something fell out.
A jade dildo.
