“A loss, you say. A herbalist coming to famine-stricken North. I’ve evaluated this thoroughly.”
“….”
No, Your Grace. The more calculating you act, the more my conscience will prick me. The more he rambled, the heavier the tip of her signing hand became.
But soon, the contract was finalized.
Kais energetically galloped again. Whether it was happiness at getting closer to the North, the magnificent black horse didn’t seem to tire.
Thanks to the aid of an ice spirit, the surrounding scenery changed at an unimaginable speed.
So, by the evening of the next day, they were able to reach the outskirts of Middle Trade City.
“It’s an honor to serve you, Your Grace. I didn’t expect you to arrive so soon.”
At the outskirts of the town, a jovial young man with brown hair was waiting for them.
He had rushed out; white steam was still billowing from the mouth of his horse.
“It’s been less than an hour since receiving the message. How did you manage to get here as fast as a pigeon?”
His name was Teddy Bell, the messenger Aidan had requested in the North.
Assigned to check and report whether ‘Brody had passed through Ferdan Fortress,’ he realized upon seeing the woman in front of Aidan that there was no need to report anymore, and he smiled.
He seemed to be a sharp and quick-witted young man.
Thanks to this messenger named Teddy, they were able to find a comfortable place to rest in the city quickly.
Teddy chatted with the hotel owner cheerfully, swiftly arranged a room, and guided the two.
He never stopped talking as they climbed the stairs.
“Your Grace’s popularity is skyrocketing in this town. Just because I’m a messenger from the North, people treat me very kindly.”
However, those chatters weren’t meaningless, so Aidan listened as if appreciating the talk.
Aidan had advanced to the capital but treated the village between the fortress and the imperial city humanely rather than ravaging it.
The occupied village was used as a supply base by the Northern Army, but the amount of supplies was no different from when the Imperial Army had stayed there, so nothing had really changed.
In fact, the disciplined Northern Army felt even better to the villagers than the unruly Imperial Army.
Though they had called a truce, the effectively victorious Northern Army didn’t have much ambition for the land south of Ferdan Fortress.
It was land that could easily be lost if advanced upon from the imperial city.
They planned to place a few administrators and collect light taxes. If the Imperial Army captured the village, only the administrators would retreat.
The villagers were satisfied with this situation.
If the Imperial Army came back, they would simply surrender.
The village profited from trade between the North and the imperial city, so they had no choice but to play both sides.
[Dash] “The Ice Wall Grand Duke had us so scared. Turns out he’s not only civilized but also reasonable.”The North thus gained the favor of the central villages.
“River is doing well,”
Aidan felt a little lighter at heart.
Upon reaching the North, he would have to tolerate some of River’s nagging, he thought.
“Anyway, Your Grace. This place is now like Northern land. You and the lady can stay here comfortably.”
“Thank you.”
Teddy cheerfully and quickly moved all the luggage, then exited the room with polite greetings.
“The Ice Wall Grand Duke is easier to deal with than rumors suggest, isn’t he?”
Perhaps it was because Brody appeared riding on words of affection. While her expression remained stoic, the Duke looked quite gentle.
Teddy left the room, his respect for the Duke burning even hotter.
Teddy would likely prepare for the North as Aidan had requested, if not more.
Satisfied with his efficient actions, Aidan turned his head.
In his sight was Brody, already sprawled out on the bed.
“Ugh…”
Even though she had felt light thanks to the priest’s healing and blessings, a day and a half of forced marching seemed to be too much for even a healthy body.
“Isn’t it natural to be exhausted?”
Feeling unjustly accused, Brody defended herself.
The one who could endure a day and a half without sleep is the strange one, ah!
Of course, she could only say this in her heart.
“Brody, how about you take a bath and then go to bed?”
Brody, lying diagonally on the bed and burying her face, shook her head.
Aidan spoke as he took off his cloak and disarmed.
“They said they can prepare warm bath water, you know?”
At that, Brody quickly turned her head to look at Aidan.
Her green eyes seemed to sparkle and shine.
“Warm water?”
Smiling at her reaction, Aidan responded.
“Yes.”
Can we really take a bath? It seems there’s still enough water in the South. As we move further North, soaking in warm water might become a luxury.
Torn between immediate sleep and a warm bath, Brody said,
“Ah… I can’t get up unless someone washes me.”
“…”
Hearing Brody’s reply, Aidan pondered for a moment before calling the hotel staff to prepare the bath water.
The hotel was flourishing due to trade and commerce, and the room Teddy had arranged was likely the best, with a bathroom as spacious as other rooms.
Aidan looked around the room while the bath was being prepared.
“Would you like assistance with the bath?”
A staff member asked.
“No need.”
Shaking his head, Aidan replied. The staff nodded silently.
“Have a good time.”
With preparations complete, the staff exited the room with polite greetings.
“A good time.”
It was a standard phrase, but Aidan’s face unknowingly reddened.
He approached Brody, who was lying uncomfortably on the bed with her feet hanging off the edge, still wearing her shoes.
Even as he took off her shoes, Brody didn’t move an inch.
“Brody, the bath is ready.”
He said, sweeping up the loose strands of Brody’s hair that had fallen over her face.
Only then did Brody slowly open her eyes.
“The bath?”
She rolled her eyes in confusion, as if she couldn’t grasp the situation.
After looking at the bed, then the ceiling, and finally at Ian, she seemed to realize where she was.
“Yawn.”
Brody yawned and struggled to lift her heavy body.
It felt as if rocks were pressing down on her entire being.
“I should bathe before sleeping, after all….”
He smiled and lifted Brody, who was rubbing her eyes.
“Wah!”
Suddenly, her position changed, and Brody naturally let out a quiet scream while clinging to Ian’s neck.
“Your Highness. What are you doing?”
Ian felt wronged by the genuinely puzzled look on Brody’s face.
He grumbled in response.
“Well, you said… you wanted me to wash you.”
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
