ChangNing’s Imperial Army

Chapter 72 – Let’s Keep In Touch Regularly
It was Shen Leng’s first vacation ever since he came back from the southern border. Before he came back, he specially brought his brothers to the Nanping River’s river bank to catch some fishes. After that experience, Chen Ran swore to never bring up catching fish ever again, and that if he ever did, he would crash into tree.

Shen Leng felt as though he was going to crash into a tree.

Master Cha smiled and went over to take the vegetables from Shen Leng. She smiled sweetly. “You’re back. Quick, go home.”

No matter how bright Master Cha’s smile was, it was of no use. Shen Leng clearly felt that she had not completed her sentence. After she told him to go home, she was probably going to say something along the lines of wanting to beat him up.

“Wait a minute.”

Shen Leng took down the embroidered pouch that was hanging on his waist and gave it to Master Cha. “I specially asked for it to give it to you as a gift.”

Master Cha narrowed her eyes slightly. “For me?”

Shen Leng spoke sternly, “Of course it’s for you. An exquisite pouch as such is meant to be given to girls.”

Master Cha smiled. “From the looks of it, it was given to you by a girl, right?”

A chill ran down Shen Leng’s spine. “Definitely not! General Zhuang Yong personally embroidered it for me!”

Right after he said that, Shen Leng regretted it.

Master Cha hung the pouch back onto Shen Leng’s waist. “Regardless of who gave it to you, it was out of kindness. It’s not nice to casually give it away. Even if it’s me.”

Master Cha suddenly had a serious look on her face. It made Shen Leng tremble. “It was really given to me by General Zhuang.”

Master Cha nimbly turned around. Her ponytail grazed Shen Leng’s face lightly, leaving behind a nice scent. “All the more you should keep it. When you go back, what if General Zhuang asks, “My darling, where is the embroidered pouch I gave you?” How are you going to answer?”

Shen Leng trembled. He took down the pouch band stuffed it into his backpack. “Scary. Have you been reading some books lately?”

Master Cha’s footsteps slowed down. “Recently, sir’s health is not too good.”

Shen Leng was taken aback. “Let’s go home first.”

After the three of them entered the door, they realized that Mr. Shen had already fallen asleep on the deck chair; he was snoring softly. Uncle Chen looked at him and his nose could not help but ache. “Every night whenever I got up to use the bathroom, regardless of how late it was, the light in his room was always on. It’s rare for him to get some sleep.”

After Shen Leng put down his things, he sat on the steps next to the deck chair. He was silent for a moment. “Stop pretending. Your snoring is still rather fake.”

Mr. Shen’s lips curled upwards. “Still a work in progress.”

Shen Leng replied, “Want to chat?”

Mr. Shen sat up. “Alright.”

Shen Leng looked at him. “What kind of tombstone do you like? What do you want to be engraved on it?”

Mr. Shen glared at him. “White marble, I guess. With gold rims.”

=

Shen Leng glared back at him. “If after your daughter is all grown up, and as a father, you become more tired instead, this only goes to say one thing – you raised your daughter for nothing. If you die from exhaustion, in the future when we get married, we will have to pay respects to an empty chair. Wouldn’t you be jealous of that chair?”

Mr. Shen thought about it for a moment; indeed, it was a scary thought.

Master Cha felt that Shen Leng wandered a little too far away from the topic.

Shen Leng acted like an elderly – he patted Mr Shen on the shoulders. “You still have a long way ahead of you. You don’t have to worry about us anymore. You are already getting old as well, you should spare a thought for yourself. We still have to make sure you find a beautiful wife and have children. Only after that, we won’t have to worry anymore.”

Mr. Shen replied, “This conversation is rather awkward.”

Shen Leng stood up and walked towards the kitchen, “You should ponder more about things like these.”

Mr. Shen sighed. “Mother hen is starting to manage me.”

Master Cha added, “You mean mother hen is starting to manage the supreme mother hen.”

Shen Leng suddenly turned his head around, “I heard that men’s bodies have six essential factors; simply put, a well-functioning kidney…no loose teeth, dark and full hair, good sense of hearing, no pain in the lower back and knees, an intelligent brain with a good memory, and moisturized skin that is not dry…how well do you fare, sir?”

Mr. Shen thought about it carefully. He lifted his hand and touched his hairline. “I’m done for…”

Shen Leng scoffed. He noticed Uncle Chen lifted his hand and touched his hairline as well.

The two elders looked at each other and nodded at the same time. “Time to do something about it.”

Shen Leng entered the kitchen and started to tidy up the vegetables, as well as the pitiful crocodile. Master Cha leaned against the door and looked at Shen Leng. “I heard that General Zhuang has one daughter named Ruo Rong. Apparently, she is a very beautiful woman, who is very sweet-tempered. She is also well-educated and well-versed in the four arts. She speaks softly and gently; and most importantly, her embroidery skills are matchless.”

Shen Leng lowered his head and washed the vegetables. “Help me tie the apron.”

Master Cha replied, “Ok, coming.”

She went over to help Shen Leng tie his apron. Shen Leng lifted his arms and turned around before looking at her in the eye. “How beautiful.”

Master Cha pulled hard; the apron almost suffocated Shen Leng.

She was thinking about how she was throwing a tantrum and yet that fella actually made her tie his apron for him. Hence, she decided to continue throwing a tantrum after she tied it.

She loosened the apron a little. She walked back to the door and leaned against it once more. “I heard that men fancy gentle girls – the ones who speak softly, and walk gracefully, like willow trees swaying in the wind…I also heard that making an embroidered pouch is an act with a special intent behind it. Did you hear about it before?”

Shen Leng said, “Pass me the wok, the second one that’s nearer to the left. The first one is too thin, it’s not as great to use. Next time, when it comes to buying things like these, leave it to be to pick and choose.”

Master Cha replied, “Ok.”

She went over and washed the wok before placing it on the stove on Shen Leng’s side. She returned to the door and continued leaning against it. “I’m angry.”

Shen Leng said, “Last time, we had those sweet and sour dishes at Deng Di Restaurant. I know how to recreate them. It’s Xishu’s way of cooking in the south. The chef in the military happened to be from Xishu as well, so I went to ask him. He taught me once; the taste should be pretty close to the dishes we had back at Deng Di Restaurant.”

Master Cha’s lips curled upwards. “In that case, cook more, I love to eat that…I am angry.”

Shen Leng asked, “Shouldn’t sir be eating something light and non-greasy?”

Master Cha replied, “How to make green eggs?”

Shen Leng’s hands stopped moving. He turned his head around and looked at Master Cha. “From your tone, I can faintly hear that you must be mistaken about what ‘qing dan’ is.”

Master Cha scoffed. She forgot that she was still mad. She went over to be Shen Leng’s assistant. After she washed the vegetables, she placed the condiments in the area where Shen Leng was used to. When she saw that Shen Leng’s clothes were dirty, she turned around and went back to her room, and placed the clothes that she had already washed into his backpack. If she did not do that, that fella would have forgotten about it.

He looked rather handsome, but his body always reeked of the smell of sweat. If she did not stare at him, he would not automatically take a shower.

Hmph, men!

Shen Leng turned his head around. “Go out, I am about to cook. The smoke will get really thick, and the oil will splatter everywhere. I don’t want them to hurt your skin…there’s a box of rouge and pearl powder in my backpack. I don’t know if I bought the right ones. The person at the store said that pearl powder is pretty expensive, but it is good for the skin.”

Master Cha replied, “The money I gave you is for you to socialize with people. You are not allowed to buy anything for me anymore.”

Shen Leng answered, “Oh, I won’t get to use it. And it’s more than enough.”

As he spoke, Chen Ran returned. He had two jars of aged wine and some cooked food in his hands.

He originally went back together with Shen Leng. Ever since Uncle Chen and Mr. Shen lived together, Chen Ran would accompany Shen Leng back on every vacation. Whenever they entered their town, he would buy some wine and food, while Shen Leng would buy some vegetables. It was farther for him, hence he returned home slightly later.

“Father!”

The moment he entered the door, Chen Ran cried out in joy.

Shen Leng extended his neck and stuck his head out of the window. Chen Ran stared at him. “Retract your head!”

Shen Leng replied, “Alright.”

Master Cha laughed out loud. She no longer remembered the matter about the pouch.

In truth, she was not truly angry. Being bothered and angry were two different things…Of course, she knew that Shen Leng would not lie to her. Shen Leng said that the pouch was given to him by Zhuang Yong, so it must have really been given to him by Zhuang Yong. Furthermore, Shen Leng did mention before that when he was making fun of Zhuang Yong, he almost took his pouch, that was personally embroidered by that daughter of his, away. Perhaps, it was still on Zhuang Yong’s mind. Since Shen Leng came back from the south and accomplished a huge meritorious deed, it was one of Zhuang Yong’s ways of rewarding Shen Leng.

Chen Ran had already placed the food and wine on the stone table on the outside. He first went to hug his father for a good amount of time, before saying to Mr. Shen, who was laying on the deck chair. “Sir, what happened to you? Let me cook some eggs with brown sugar (Note: it’s a food that is good for women on their periods) for you.”

Mr. Shen was about to tell him not to, but he suddenly reacted. “You brat, what have you been learning in the military.”

Chen Ran laughed before heading into the kitchen. He saw Master Cha standing next to Shen Leng. He lowered his head and said, “Hello, sister-in-law.”

Master Cha grabbed a few peaches from the plate and tossed them at him. “Shut your mouth.”

Chen Ran caught them and stuffed them into his mouth sand said in a muffled voice, “Ok, sister-in-law.”

Not long later, Shen Leng prepared a table full of dishes. The few of them sat around the stone table. Shen Leng poured a cup of wine for each and every one of them. “I’d like to make a toast – I shall be more direct and crude. The younger generation is getting better and better; the older generation should not worry too much. They should take care of their health and chase some girls…”

Master Cha was baffled. “Huh?”

Shen Leng replied, “Ahem, ahem…and rest well. I heard that when baby eagles are able to fly, their parents leave them be and let go of them. In that way, the baby eagles are able to fly higher and higher.”

Chen Ran added, “And then the adult eagles will seize the time to lay more eggs.”

Mr. Shen sighed. “Brother, you see – they have already turned their backs on us. Why don’t we look for something to do to pass the time and let them explore on their own?”

Uncle Chen replied, “You want me to teach you embroidery?”

Mr. Shen pondered for a while. “Forget it…”

Chen Ran lifted his cup of wine. “Here’s for a better life ahead.”

At the same time, on the other side of town. Mu Liu’er, who just bought a big house, frowned. She scrutinized the courtyard and looked very dissatisfied. “What kind of rundown place is this?”

Her subordinate quickly explained, “This place cannot be compared to Changan. We have already bought the best house in the entire town. First-in-command, if you are still unhappy with it, we can continue to look for another place and change once we find it.”

Mu Liu’er gestured. “Forget it, I will make do with this. None of the people we sent out earlier has returned. I must have underestimated that old prick. Keep an eye on him.”

“Yes, ma’am!” Her subordinate quickly answered.

At this moment, someone knocked on the door. Her subordinate quickly opened the door. Immediately, he was entirely taken aback. Subconsciously, he took a few steps back.

Hei Yan casually walked in. He seemed to be in a good mood.

He was still lifting the hand that he used to knock on the door. It seemed as though he felt that learning how to knock on the door was a skill that was worthy to be proud of.

However, in truth, he felt that brazenly knocking on his opponent’s door and entering their house was a class act.

He looked around. His gaze landed on Mu Liu’er. “I heard a long time ago that the first-in-command of Guan Tang Kou is a mysterious lady. Little did I expect to see you in person in Anyang.”

Mu Liu’er frowned. “Liu Yun Sect’s Hei Yan and Bai Ya are very well-known, but do you think I can’t kill you?”

Hei Yan casually shrugged his shoulders. “You can kill me I guess, but it’s also expected that I’ll slash you at least once too…but do you dare to touch me? If you do, Liu Yun Sect will cut every single one of your people and their children in Changan city. I’m sure you don’t doubt my words.”

Mu Liu’er had a cold look on her face. She asked, “Are you here to threaten me?”

Hei Yan turned around and walked out, “No. I just casually swung by. I bought the house next door. Come over for some tea when you’re free.”

A murderous look flashed across Mu Liu’er’s eyes.

Hei Yan had already walked out. “We are all neighbors. Let’s keep in touch regularly.”