Once the carriage convoy crossed Twin Peaks Mountain, they passed Lotus Town, which A Sheng had been fondly mentioning. A Sheng seemed very familiar with this place, driving straight to Laifu Inn.
Wei Chenheng stepped down from the carriage first, extending his hand to assist Ning Wanwan as she gracefully alighted. To onlookers, however, the scene appeared peculiar—Ning Wanwan was dressed in a male pageboy’s attire while Wei Chenheng cut the figure of an elegant young master.
The sight of a young master helping his pageboy descend from the carriage immediately sparked discussions among the gathered crowd.
Manager Wang of Laifu Inn, upon hearing of Wei Chenheng’s arrival, hastily set aside his work and rushed to welcome them at the entrance. His enthusiasm was so pronounced that Ning Wanwan wondered if Manager Wang owed Wei Chenheng money.
“General Wei! What an honor to have you here!”
Wei Chenheng nodded slightly. “Manager Wang, my journey isn’t widely known. Please keep it discreet.”
Understanding immediately, Manager Wang smiled warmly. “Of course! Of course! This way, Young Master Wei!”
Acknowledging Wei Chenheng’s desire for low profile, Manager Wang directly escorted their party to a private seating area on the second floor and arranged their guest rooms. Noticing how firmly Wei Chenheng held the young pageboy’s hand, Manager Wang couldn’t hide his curiosity. “And this young gentleman is…?”
At the mention of Ning Wanwan, a faint smile softened Wei Chenheng’s typically stern handsomeness. “My wife.”
Manager Wang’s expression cleared with understanding. “So this is Lady Wei! My apologies for not recognizing you earlier.”
Ning Wanwan curtsied gracefully. “Pleasure to meet you, Manager Wang.”
After brief pleasantries, Manager Wang promptly had food delivered to their private room. Following their satisfying meal, Wei Chenheng decided to take Ning Wanwan shopping, feeling her coarse linen garments were unworthy of her.
A Sheng darted off to purchase Lotus Flower Soup while Wei Chenheng brought Ning Wanwan to the town’s most renowned tailor shop.
The shopkeeper recognized Wei Chenheng instantly and greeted him with beaming smiles. “General Wei! What brings you here today?”
“I’d like to purchase some outfits for my wife. Would you mind making some recommendations, Manager Ma?”
“Lady Wei! Both of you, please come in.”
Manager Ma escorted them directly to the VIP room. Soon, servants brought in batch after batch of various brocades, damasks, silks, and satins in dazzling arrays of colors and patterns for Ning Wanwan to choose from.
“Don’t judge my shop by its size, madam! We have Huanhua brocade from Shu, Song brocade from Suzhou, kesi silk tapestries, even Western Region silks—we have everything here!”
Ning Wanwan was astonished that such a small town like Lotus Town could harbor such hidden treasures. Yet these fabrics clearly came with hefty price tags, making her hesitate about such extravagance. Besides, with their journey continuing, such luxurious clothing would be impractical.
“There’s really no need for such luxury…”
Noticing her hesitation, Wei Chenheng asked softly, “Do you like them, my lady?”
“I do, but…”
Before she could finish, Wei Chenheng made the decision for her. “Then we’ll take them all. Manager Ma, please have some well-fitted outfits tailored for my wife.”
Manager Ma delightedly agreed.
Ning Wanwan quickly pulled Wei Chenheng aside, whispering urgently, “Husband, these fabrics aren’t cheap! As a general, if you spend so much on such luxurious items for me, people will criticize you for extravagance!”
He lowered his gaze to her, a slight smile curling at the corners of his lips as he said gently, “Is Wanwan worried for me?”
Ning Wanwan’s brow furrowed slightly, her expression tinged with concern. “You and I are family now. I share both honor and disgrace with my husband. I don’t want you to be gossiped about because of me.”
Hearing her say “family,” Wei Chenheng felt a stir in his heart, reinforcing his resolve to treat her well.
Tenderness swirled in his eyes as he spoke. “Over the years on the battlefield, aside from my salary, I’ve also received ten thousand taels of gold bestowed by the Emperor. I’ve hardly spent any of it. Wealth is but an external possession—you can’t bring it with you when you’re born, nor take it when you die. If it can buy what Wanwan truly desires, then the money is well spent.”
She was taken aback.
Seemingly sensing her unease, he added, “Wanwan need not worry about the source of this money. Every coin was earned through my struggles on the battlefield. Spending it on you brings you joy, and that brings me joy. Isn’t that more meaningful?”
The usually taciturn man spoke with such conviction that Ning Wanwan couldn’t argue. She had no choice but to agree.
Yet, deep down, she felt immense delight. It turned out that the sparkle in her eyes when she saw things she loved was impossible to hide—he had noticed at a glance how much she adored those beautiful brocades.
Seeing that Ning Wanwan no longer refused, Shopkeeper Ma immediately arranged for an experienced tailor to take her measurements. Following her preferences, they ordered several outfits in various fabrics.
“The fastest production time will be ten days to half a month. When will you be leaving, General?”
“We depart tomorrow.”
Shopkeeper Ma was surprised but quickly proposed a solution. “Once the garments are ready, I’ll have them delivered to you in the Northern Frontier by express courier.”
“Thank you for your trouble.”
“Not at all, not at all.”
Due to their imminent journey, Wei Chenheng purchased a few ready-made garments. Fortunately, Ning Wanwan had a good figure—even the sample clothes fit her perfectly and looked lovely. She selected several modest, everyday outfits.
She changed into a light purple soft smoke silk gown, returning to the delicate attire of a young woman.
Her waist was as slender as a willow, her smile charming as she lifted the hem of her skirt and curtsied to him. “My respects to you, husband.”
He smiled faintly and drew her into his embrace.
Ning Wanwan raised her arms to wrap around his neck, tilting her face up to look at him. Her eyes were as clear as spring water, stirring desire in his gaze as he recalled the feeling of pressing her down onto the bed and having his way with her.
“Wanwan, let’s return to the inn to rest.” He reached out to stroke her red lips. After all, this was someone else’s place—he couldn’t indulge freely.
Noticing the shift in his expression, Ning Wanwan knew his thoughts had taken a mischievous turn. Her cheeks flushed, and she pleaded softly, “We’ve rarely had a chance to go out. Could you accompany me for a stroll, husband?”
His eyes flickered, his expression unreadable as he asked, “What reward would I get for accompanying Wanwan?”
“What reward would you like, husband?”
The man’s slender fingertip lightly tapped her rosy lips as he asked hoarsely, “This?”
She understood immediately—what a wicked man.
“Hmm?”
His tone was light, less a question and more a command.
She lowered her lashes, her ears burning as she murmured coyly, “I’ve never tried that before.”
The man raised an eyebrow, his voice husky. “I’ll take that as Wanwan’s agreement.”
Ning Wanwan shoved him and said angrily, “I don’t want to! You’re truly awful. My husband wasn’t like this before—now you’re constantly thinking of ways to torment me. I’m afraid I’ll perish from exhaustion long before we even reach the frontier.”
The man could no longer contain the laughter in his eyes. He caught her small hand and kissed it tenderly.