Chapter 1051 – Climbing Flower (Part 1)
Wei Ci chuckled.
Though possessing a good heart, he wasn’t exactly a good person; only their Lord had the fortitude to say such blunt words.
“What does the Lord plan to do with those prisoners?”
Even though the prisoners hadn’t been allocated yet, preparations needed to be made in advance.
If this were an ordinary army, the soldiers captured mid-battle would most likely be tossed to the front lines as cannon fodder.
While this seemed cruel, it actually held its advantages. Firstly, it could increase the troop numbers, intimidating the enemy by sheer presence; secondly, it allowed for a “justified” way to eliminate the unfit; thirdly, it reduced the number of mouths to feed, saving on military rations; and lastly, they could serve as a shield.
Truly, it was a case of “making the most of what one has.”
Prisoners differed from the home troops—there was a varying level of quality, and if left unmanaged, they would become a burden to the army.
Those prisoners had eaten rice for over ten years—in a way, if they died without giving back to society, it would be a waste of resources. “Let’s transport them out in batches; there’s plenty of uncultivated land in the rear.”
Wei Ci nodded.
He was just about to pass Jiang Pengji’s orders down when he caught a glimpse of Feng Zhen’s figure disappearing into the military tent.
“What did Feng the strategist come for just now?”
The soldier replied, “Feng the strategist just ordered us to inventory our supplies.”
Wei Ci became even more curious; Feng Zhen was typically quite lazy—why would he willingly take on something outside his responsibility?
“Inventory what?”
The soldier answered, “Inventory the belongings of the Guard Commander’s widow. Feng the strategist said they should be returned to their rightful owner.”
Wei Ci twitched his lips; he knew Feng Zhen wasn’t so hardworking.
“Is there a list? Let me have a look.”
Wei Ci extended his hand, and the soldier quickly handed over the cleaned-up list.
On the bamboo slip were items marked in thick ink—all things Feng Zhen wanted. There weren’t many items: aside from clothing, jewelry, silks, and some plants, there were also a few property deeds within Cangzhou. There was hardly any money involved; overall, the list held little value.
Given Feng Zhen’s status, secretly keeping these things wouldn’t raise any eyebrows.
However—
This sort of behavior was negligible in small matters, yet could still be a blemish when viewed from a broader perspective.
Wei Ci furrowed his brow, unrolling the bamboo slip, and a note fell out.
“What’s this?”
The soldier responded, “A note written by Feng the strategist; he says he’ll make up for the missing items by converting them into silver.”
Wei Ci’s lips twitched.
He’d wronged that wasteful fellow; despite his slacker demeanor, he was careful and wouldn’t easily let others grasp onto his faults.
“What timing! Don’t you consider the place and occasion while chasing after beauties—”
In the military camp for two or three years, it seemed like a mother pig competing with Diao Chan.
From the preparations for war at the northern border to now, Feng Zhen truly hadn’t seen a pretty face in a long while, but that wasn’t an excuse for him to get all flustered over a beautiful widow, right? What “returning to the rightful owner”? It wasn’t a chance to score some points with her and see if there was an opportunity to sneak in, was it?
This misunderstanding about Feng Zhen aside, he merely appreciated beautiful women as a form of enjoyment—admiring was one thing, but it didn’t mean he wanted to claim them as his own. To whisper a secret, he also admired Jiang Pengji, but even if given ten lives, he wouldn’t dare to covet her.
After years of fighting, was he not allowed to take a few glances at a delightful woman?
“Wan Niangzi, please check if there’s anything missing?”
Wan Xiuer was caught off guard; even if she was ignorant, she knew that Feng Zhen was a strategist under Jiang Pengji. How could he personally come over without startling her?
Feng Zhen’s work ethic and his integrity were inversely proportional; from a glance, Wan Xiuer could see that nothing seemed to be missing.
“Liu Xi is kind-hearted; I’m grateful to Mr. Feng for making the trip. This little woman thanks you.”
Wan Xiuer couldn’t gauge whether Feng Zhen’s actions were directed by Jiang Pengji or something else, but seeing his warm expression without any impatience, she thought to herself that he should be easy to talk to. Thus, she carefully said, “There’s something that this little woman indeed wants to trouble Mr. Feng with—”
Feng Zhen tidied up his appearance, concealing his unruly demeanor; he looked quite presentable and dignified.
“Please speak, Wan Niangzi.”
Wan Xiuer pondered for a moment, hesitating as she spoke, “Well—this little woman has two Climbing Flowers planted in her courtyard. My late mother planted a whole garden before passing; when I got married, my mother gifted me a Climbing Flower seedling. After raising it for many years, I’ve developed a certain attachment…”
Climbing Flower?
Feng Zhen, well-versed in various aspects, had certainly heard of this ornamental plant.
It was said that in certain frontier areas, Climbing Flowers were even used as tokens of love between men and women.
When a mother gifted a Climbing Flower to her daughter upon marriage, it was filled with blessings—no wonder Wan Xiuer was reluctant to part with it.
“Are you hoping to move the Climbing Flowers in your courtyard?”
If they were relocated, the plants would struggle to survive.
Wan Xiuer chuckled, seemingly amused by Feng Zhen’s wild imagination; she explained, “With the army on the move and fighting, how could I possibly have Mr. Feng mobilize soldiers to dig up any Climbing Flowers for a little woman? I was merely hoping to take a seedling from the main plant to keep with me for comfort.”
Feng Zhen’s furrowed brow relaxed; if it was just to take a seedling, it wouldn’t be a problem.
Coincidentally, they were in a period of rest, and as a “free man,” he volunteered to accompany Wan Xiuer.
Feng Zhen wasn’t invisible; soon, news of him leaving the military camp with a lovely lady reached Jiang Pengji’s ears.
“Ugh—couldn’t you pick a better time to chase after women?”
Jiang Pengji’s expression twisted, her right hand snapped a brush in half.
She was busy as a bee, while Feng Zhen was off sweet-talking ladies; what use was he?
Feng Zhen remained blissfully unaware of Jiang Pengji’s resentment; he accompanied Wan Xiuer to her former residence, making their way to the inner courtyard.
Sure enough, several Climbing Flowers were growing inside the courtyard.
Climbing Flowers weren’t just any flowers; technically, they were trees.
Historical records stated that Climbing Flowers were about twelve feet high, with a trio of main branches, glowing at night when in bloom.
Additionally, there were mentions of “rooted like phoenix wood, flowering twice or thrice in spring before withering.”
Feng Zhen had heard rumors about Climbing Flowers but was seeing them for the first time since only a handful of nobles could afford to have them as ornamental plants at home. If it weren’t for Wan Xiuer’s late mother’s higher status, she wouldn’t be able to rear such a thing in her backyard—
Feng Zhen settled on the ground, tilting his head back to gaze at Wan Xiuer, staring for a while until his neck felt sore.
After days focused on battles, he hadn’t slept well, and leaning against the tree, he started feeling drowsy.
Wan Xiuer noticed his move, feeling a sense of gratitude that Feng Zhen had come such a long way to accompany her.
However, she had nothing of value to offer; he wouldn’t want anything she had.
Rather than gift something precious and have it deemed laughable, it was better to give something practical.
But as a widow, it felt inappropriate for her to gift something solely to Feng Zhen; she decided to also include Jiang Pengji and the others.
“Taking care of the Climbing Flowers could fill pillows; if you stuff some dried flowers to help with sleep, it’ll be more comfortable than a regular wooden pillow.”
“Oh?” Feng Zhen stirred from his drowsy state, responding, “It has that kind of effect?”
Wan Xiuer added, “I still have some left over, enough to make a few pillows.”
