Chapter 109: Xu Wei Returns
After Gan Ning formed an alliance with Jiangdong, the first major change immediately appeared. Sun Ben’s army occupied the major salt fields along the coast of Guangling Commandery, thus cutting off the salt supply to Yuzhang Commandery.
Gan Ning had anticipated this. Their alliance with Jiangdong included a clause for unlimited salt supply. Yuzhang Commandery quickly made a switch, purchasing salt from Kuaiji Commandery instead, successfully evading Sun Ben’s salt sanctions.
Lujiang Commandery also calmed down temporarily. It wasn’t that Sun Ben backed down and abandoned Wan County, but rather that his troop strength was insufficient to deal with the combined forces of Taishi Ci and Xu Sheng’s thirty thousand soldiers.
Sun Ben hoped to persuade Cao Cao to send troops to help him recapture Lujiang Commandery. To this end, Sun Ben specifically dispatched his eldest son, Sun An, to Xuchang to deliver a letter to Cao Cao.
On this morning, Xu Wei’s passenger ship finally arrived at Nanchang County. After bidding a reluctant farewell to the boatman and his wife, Xu Wei, accompanied by Qin Yan, once again set foot on the land of Nanchang.
Although Xu Wei’s marriage had been obstructed by her family, she was by no means someone who resigned herself to fate. For her own happiness, she betrayed her family for the second time.
Xu Wei and Qin Yan arrived at the Wuchang Marquis Residence. Just as they reached the entrance, they encountered Xiao Qiao coming out of the manor with a cat in her arms.
“Oh~ Sister Xu! Why are you here?”
Xiao Qiao jumped up with joy. She dropped the cat and ran forward to take Xu Wei’s hand, exclaiming with delight, “My elder sister was just talking about you this morning!”
“Talking about me what?” Xu Wei asked with a smile.
“Elder sister said you would likely come!”
Xu Wei asked in surprise, “How did Elder Sister Da Qiao guess I would come?”
“I don’t know!”
Xiao Qiao pulled Xu Wei and ran into the manor, “Elder Sister, look who’s here!”
Da Qiao was in the courtyard instructing the housekeeper about dinner. She turned her head and saw Xu Wei. Her eyes lit up, and she walked forward, saying, “What a coincidence! I was just saying this morning whether Miss Xu would come!”
Xu Wei was genuinely worried that Da Qiao might not welcome her. Seeing Da Qiao run towards her with a full heart of joy, she quietly put her mind at ease and said with a slightly embarrassed smile, “I’ve come to visit again, Sister Qiao. You won’t drive me away, will you!”
Da Qiao took her hand and said earnestly, “What are you saying? I was even planning to persuade my husband to bring you over. Jiangdong has changed its mind, and I’m really worried about you!”
Xu Wei felt the kindness in Da Qiao’s heart. Her nose tingled, and she hugged Da Qiao, saying, “Sister Qiao, thank you for your concern.”
Da Qiao gently patted her back. “Let’s go! We’ll settle in first and stay in the original place.”
Da Qiao asked the housekeeper to make arrangements for Qin Yan and then led Xu Wei to the guest courtyard.
Xu Wei saw that all the furnishings in the room had not changed; they were exactly as they were when she had left. Even the quilt was folded by her before.
She sighed softly, “It’s as if I only left yesterday. Half a year has passed in the blink of an eye.”
“I told the housekeeper to keep everything as it was. I’ll get you a new set later.”
“No need! No need! This is fine,” Xu Wei waved her hands quickly.
Da Qiao touched the bed curtain. “Let’s change the curtain! It’s a bit dusty.”
Xu Wei nodded gently and sat by the window, as if in a dream.
At dinner, Xu Wei finally met Gan Ning. She was truly embarrassed, as her feelings were too obvious.
Gan Ning asked with a smile, “Does your grandmother know you’re here this time?”
Xu Wei shook her head gently. “They don’t know, but I left them a letter telling them I was home.”
“Where is your own home?”
Xu Wei sighed. “Actually, I don’t have a home. After my mother passed away, my father sent me to the Xu Residence. He was an official who moved around, never staying in one place for more than a year. He was even held under house arrest by Yuan Shu. I’ve never had a fixed home.”
Gan Ning nodded. “This is your home. You can live here with peace of mind from now on. You can live here your whole life!”
Xu Wei’s face flushed with shyness. After a long pause, she mustered her courage and looked at Gan Ning, saying, “You must keep your word!”
Gan Ning smiled. “Would a dignified Prefect of Three Commanderies lie to a young lady like you?”
“Gan Lang, dinner is ready!” Xiao Qiao called from outside.
“Let’s go! We’ll eat first.”
Xu Wei nodded gently and followed Gan Ning to the dining hall.
Da Qiao was directing the housekeeper to arrange the seating. She smiled at Xu Wei, “Let’s sit in our old places. We’ll be casual, no need for formality.”
“Thank you, Sister Qiao!”
As everyone sat down, Xu Wei, with her keen observation, noticed some changes. There were four more female guards around. Xiao Qiao seemed more composed and spoke less than before. The biggest change was in Sister Qiao; she was clearly more mature, more voluptuous, and more radiant than before. She suddenly had a realization: Sister Qiao and General Gan must have shared a room.
Gan Ning raised his cup and said with a smile, “Come! To our reunion today, let’s toast!”
“Cheers!” The three women raised their cups together, their faces blooming with smiles.
After dinner, Da Qiao asked the housekeeper to prepare hot water for Xu Wei’s bath and reassigned the two maidservants who had previously attended Xu Wei to continue serving her.
She then returned to the West Courtyard, where her mother and Xiao Qiao resided.
“Does Mother need me for something?”
Madam Yang put down her prayer beads and nodded, asking, “I heard that Miss Xu has come again?”
“Yes, she arrived today.”
“Was she sent by her family, or did she come alone?”
“It seems she came by herself! Mother, why do you ask?”
Madam Yang nodded and smiled, “This matters a great deal. If she was sent by her family, she would be the main wife. But if she came on her own, then she cannot be the main wife.”
“Why?”
“You are still too young and don’t understand the implications. Not seizing a good marriage alliance opportunity, but instead letting your child elope to find General Gan, how would the Xu family maintain its reputation if this got out? The Xu family would not allow her to marry General Gan again.”
Da Qiao felt uncomfortable. “Mother, if you have nothing else, I’ll take my leave!”
Madam Yang looked at her daughter and shook her head. “This foolish child, not thinking for herself but caring for others. She’s truly foolish.”
As night fell, Da Qiao lay in Gan Ning’s arms and said softly, “I didn’t expect Sister Xu to really come. I admire her courage so much, to break ties with her family to follow the one she loves. Does my husband intend to marry her?”
Gan Ning hugged her smooth, delicate shoulders and smiled, “You seem to be looking forward to me marrying her?”
“Of course! She is a main wife I can accept. Finding someone familiar, whom I like, with whom I get along well, and who has a good temper. My future life will be easier. Otherwise, it will be like Bu Lianshi, constantly being eyed with displeasure by the Marquis of Wu’s wife. That would be a difficult life!”
“Not necessarily!”
Da Qiao was startled and quickly looked at her husband. “Husband, are you not considering her?”
“It’s not that I’m not considering her, but that she may not necessarily become the main wife. There are too many variables. The Xu family’s attitude is crucial, as is her father’s attitude. Didn’t you feel it? Her coming to Nanchang this time was essentially an elopement. If the Xu family’s attitude is firm and they no longer recognize her, then she cannot be married with proper ceremony.”
Da Qiao suddenly remembered her mother’s words and felt a heavy weight in her heart.
“Husband, is there no way at all?”
Gan Ning pondered for a moment. “I will write a letter to the Xu family tomorrow to formally propose marriage. We’ll see how the Xu family responds. If they agree, there is still room for salvage. If they refuse, then there is truly no other way.”
“That’s not true!”
Da Qiao shook her head stubbornly. “Sister Xu’s status does not lie in her family, but in the position her husband gives her. If her husband believes she cannot be the main wife, then I have nothing to say. But if it is because of her family’s status, then I must say this: does the empire that my husband has fought step by step to build need to be consolidated through marriage alliances?”
Gan Ning embraced Da Qiao gratefully. “With that said, you can also be my main wife!”
Da Qiao hugged her husband’s neck and whispered, “I am not suited to be the main wife. If my husband loves me, then listen to my opinion and let Xu Wei be your wife. Believe me, I would never misjudge someone.”
Gan Ning nodded. “Regardless, I still must write to her family. At least I will have done my utmost out of benevolence!”
