Chapter 133: Grand Wedding
“Alright, alright, it’s a day of great joy, why cry!” Bai Chongxi laughed heartily and helped the two women up.
“Alright, stop crying.” Sun Lianzhong also walked over, took out two brocade boxes from his pocket and handed them to the two women: “Don’t dislike them, I’m just a rough old man, I’ve got no other skills in this life besides leading troops in battle, this is a little token of my heart, don’t dislike it.”
Chi Fengcheng and a group of generals also presented gifts one after another, and the two women almost couldn’t hold them all.
Li Zongren kept smiling as he watched everyone, and after a long while he finally spoke: “Since Mingxi begged me to come propose marriage for him, today while everyone is here, I’ll make the decision and set their wedding two days from now.
After all, after this time, we’ll all be busy.”
Hearing this, everyone’s hearts tightened, and they all agreed in unison.
They were all sensible people, of course they knew what Li Zongren meant.
Abandoning Xuzhou was a plan set long ago, and in another two days the troops would begin withdrawing step by step according to plan, and there wouldn’t be that much time then.
In fact, it was just as Li Zongren said; starting from the next day, Xuzhou city began to bustle, and the troops started withdrawing in batches.
The well-informed wealthy families and gentry in Xuzhou city had long since started withdrawing to Wuhan using various means of transport, and for a time the roads from Xuzhou to Wuhan were packed with crowded streams of people everywhere.
April 8th, this day was also the wedding day for Su Yaoyang and Song Mei, and Little Dew; Li Zongren, Bai Chongxi, and the generals still in Xuzhou city all came to attend.
Su Yaoyang’s side also had quite a few people; Li Gaoyuan, Li Tao, Huang Guantao, Lu Shaobin, and other officers of various ranks were all gathered together, toasting and exchanging cups in great merriment.
This wedding banquet continued until eight or nine in the evening, before the guests gradually dispersed.
Su Yaoyang staggered to the bridal chamber.
Actually calling it a bridal chamber wasn’t quite right, because it was just a slightly larger tent.
Red candles burned brightly, filling the tent with a warm glow.
The coarse cloth tent blocked out the outside clamor, but couldn’t mask the newlyweds’ heartbeats.
Song Mei and Little Dew sat side by side on the edge of the bed covered with a big red wedding quilt, their two pairs of slender hands tightly twisted together under the covers, fingertips trembling slightly.
Su Yaoyang stepped over the peanuts and red dates scattered on the floor, the crunch of his boots crushing dragon eye shells startling the two women so their shoulders trembled lightly.
He reached out and lifted both covers at the same time, candlelight instantly flowing into their two pairs of downcast almond eyes.
Song Mei’s ear tips were red enough to drip blood, Little Dew bit her lip and stole a glance at Su Yaoyang’s figure, her eyelashes casting uneasy shadows on her cheeks.
When arms carrying a strong scent of alcohol pulled the two into his embrace, Song Mei’s pearl hairpin clinked against Little Dew’s silver one, mingling with two soft exclamations.
Su Yaoyang forcefully sat down between the two women, stretching both hands to embrace their slender waists.
His left finger rubbed over Song Mei’s fragrant shoulder, while his right hand touched Little Dew’s soft little belly.
The two women’s delicate bodies trembled at the same time, Little Dew went completely limp all over and collapsed into his arms.
Song Mei tensed up, then gave Su Yaoyang a coquettish glare, before slowly leaning into his embrace; the three of them just quietly nestled together like that.
After a long while, Su Yaoyang sighed: “Half a year ago, when Little Dew and I first stayed at the inn, I never imagined I’d marry the inn’s most beautiful proprietress.”
“Yeah.” Little Dew, nestled in his arms, also showed a look of emotion:
“Yes… back then, the young master and I had just fled from Rehe to Nanjing to seek relatives, we were both poor and starving.
The young master was even sick at the time; if Song Mei sis hadn’t kindly taken us in, we probably would’ve starved to death in Nanjing city long ago.”
Song Mei gave a light hum, “Back then I just couldn’t bear to see Little Dew so young and sleeping on the streets, so I took you two in, never thought I’d end up throwing myself in too.”
Su Yaoyang chuckled, “Amei, isn’t this what they call making a rod for your own back?”
Song Mei was both shy and annoyed, slapping his arm: “You’re the one making a rod for your own back, I just didn’t expect you this rascal to be so bad.”
Su Yaoyang chuckled, glanced at his watch and said in a low voice: “Amei, Little Dew, it’s getting late, let’s rest early.”
The two women nodded shyly.
Suddenly a night breeze swept past outside the tent, and as the candle flames flickered, the three shadows on the tent began to slowly merge…
Although it was their wedding night, Su Yaoyang still got up very early the next day and drove to the Xuzhou theater command headquarters.
“Mingxi… yesterday was your wedding night, how come you’re here so early? Not going to spend more time with your two wives?”
As soon as he entered the office, he saw Li Zongren and Bai Chongxi drinking tea, looking relaxed as if they were two leisurely retired old men.
Seeing these two still teasing him, he said irritably: “Then I’ll leave?”
“Hahaha…”
The two couldn’t help laughing, Li Zongren beckoned him to sit down and poured him a cup of tea.
After Su Yaoyang sat down, he picked up a folder from the tea table and handed it to him: “Mingxi… your commendation has come through.”
Su Yaoyang took the document and looked, displeasure appearing on his face, “Does the War Ministry think so little of people?
No substantial rewards at all, just an empty position as commander of the Shanxi militia brigade, are they treating me like a three-year-old kid? Not even pretending anymore?”
“Substantial rewards? What rewards do you want?” Bai Chongxi gave him a glance.
“Your security brigade was originally pulled together by you privately, by rights it should be ordered disbanded, last time the War Ministry already gave you a Nanjing security brigade establishment, and a colonel rank, that’s already giving you an official identity.
How about this, the 7th Army is still short a regimental commander, interested? If you’re interested, you can take up the post right away.
Su Yaoyang instantly fell silent, Guangxi is in a border area, with fierce folk customs since ancient times.
Moreover, it had long been controlled airtight by Li and Bai’s clique, he had no interest in going there to be a figurehead.
Li Zongren was generous, seeing Su Yaoyang embarrassed, he spoke to comfort: “Alright… Jian Sheng and I have discussed it, your position as militia brigade commander is actually pretty good.
Now most of Shanxi has fallen into enemy hands, the Chairman making you this brigade commander naturally has his considerations.
You’re a stubborn one, to put it bluntly unruly, and with your own connections, you’re a restless sort.
Making you militia brigade commander now is clearly letting you develop freely, how far you go will depend on your own fortune.”
