"What, never leave?"
When these words leapt from the page, everyone reading the letter jumped up.
Among them, the young girl in the white dress and red skirt was the most agitated. "If third brother doesn't leave the frontier, how will he get a wife? How will he have children? How will he continue the family line?"
She counted on her fingers as she recalled, "The money given by the Wang family auntie, as well as third brother's military salary all these years, I've been saving it all for him, just waiting for him to get married and use it."
Some people couldn't help but chuckle, others gasped.
To put it this way, Jiang Sheng had started saving money for Fang Heng to get married five years ago already.
The best little sister in all of Dayu!
Zheng Ruqian couldn't help but give a thumbs up, grinning, "With Jiang Sheng's dedication, it wouldn't be right for third brother to not hurry back and get a wife, failing his little sister like that."
The others chorused their agreement, laughing merrily.
Only Jiang Sheng put her hands on her hips, pondering fairly and justly, "Come to think of it, eldest brother and second brother are older, they should get married before third brother."
The laughter stopped abruptly.
Zheng Ruqian, who had voluntarily set himself on fire, twitched his mouth. Xu Mo, who had been splashed by sparks, quietly took two steps back, panic rising in Wen Zhiyun's heart as he wished he could dive under the table.
"Eldest brother is twenty this year. Children have already been born to his peers. Qi Huai in Fengjing is already arranging a marriage, and An Jun's wedding invitations have gone out..." She counted on her fingers again.
Xu Mo cleared his throat. "They're both older than me."
Qi Huai: "..."
An Jun: "..."
"Only by two years," Zheng Ruqian quickly dismantled her argument. "Eldest brother is tall and handsome, it would be a waste not to have children. I think the young ladies of the Dou family are quite good. With the support of such a powerful family, eldest brother's career is destined to prosper."
And earned himself a death stare.
But as the old saying goes, better your friend dies than you go poor.
At twenty years old, Xu Mo was far ahead of the pack. Just as he had led his younger siblings before, it was now time for him to set an example in marriage.
And so Zheng Ruqian ruthlessly murdered that last bit of brotherly affection in his heart.
"Second brother makes a good point," Xu Mo suddenly smiled amiably. "We're only a year apart in age. If I'm getting arrangements underway, you can't afford to lag behind either. Do you still remember Miss Xiang who came calling recently? I wonder if there might be an opportunity for our families to become one."
Zheng Ruqian: "..."
When it comes to inflicting heart attacks, none surpass the current prefect of Anshui.
What can a businessman do against an official who fought his way up through cutthroat politics?
He lamented bitterly, but was helpless to retaliate. So he turned his gaze upon his trembling little fourth brother instead.
"Second brother, I won't get married. I'm still young," Wen Zhiyun quickly waved his hands. "I'm only seventeen."
Only!
How could he say that so shamelessly! Others were already fathers at seventeen!
But as soon as the words left his mouth, he might as well have sold out both his twenty-year-old second brother and nineteen-year-old self.
Zheng Ruqian rolled his eyes before finally gazing north with regret. "Actually, it's just a quick word between eldest brother and me since we're in the same city, and little fourth too. It's only third brother I feel bad for, all alone on the frontier with no one to dote on him."
"It would put our minds at ease if there was someone by his side to tend to him." Xu Mo uncharacteristically agreed.
The two brothers exchanged a look full of unspoken understanding.
"I... I agree too," Wen Zhiyun mustered his courage. "Third brother has it hardest. For marriage, he should be the priority."
With Jiang Sheng's emphatic nod, all three boys heaved a sigh of relief.
The bonds of brotherhood now turned them against each other.
Luckily, youngest brother bore all the responsibility in the end.
Although when he received the news, the man himself looked bitter, his hand trembling slightly as it held the envelope, at a loss for what to do.
"General, what is it?" Jiang Ba was mischievous by nature and stole a sideways glance. "Did the young lady send us food again? Or new cotton-padded jackets? Or could it be... a wife?"
Fang Heng hastily folded the envelope, glaring at him sullenly.
"Good heavens, the General is getting married!" Jiang Ba sank into panic. "General, you're getting married?"
Soldiers had loud voices that got even louder in shock.
The Jiangs guarding the door, Jiang One and Jiang Two, caught the words in their ears and couldn't help but exclaim, "The General is getting married?"
"Really? The General is getting married?"
"The General will have a lady wife."
"The General is not only getting a wife, but also bringing his wife to the frontier?"
Rumors spread swift as the wind, reaching every corner of the camp in an instant.
Needless to say the six Jiangs knew, even the guards and cooks were aware, from the vegetable washers to the wok fryers to the uncles and aunties.
Most outrageous was Jiang Chengyuan from the garrison headquarters, who specially rode over on horseback to congratulate, "Fang Three, you're taking a wife, congratulations indeed! Which family's young lady is it?"
Fang Heng's face was iron-blue as he ground out from between clenched teeth, "I haven't married anyone, it's my sister they're worried about."
His sister.
Their shared little sister.
Jiang Chengyuan's expression drooped. "Why isn't little sister worried about me getting married instead?"
"How would I know," Fang Heng said grumpily. "Maybe because you're not as close."
Jiang Chengyuan: "..."
That night, the entire Fang army saw Jiang's subordinate general leave in a huff.
Fang Heng tidied his emotions and made a special effort to clarify at dusk, emphasizing clearly that he had no intention of taking a wife or having a general's lady.
"But General, you'll have to marry someday," said one washer auntie with concern. "You're almost twenty, it won't do to have no one tending to you."
"I still have two elder brothers," Fang Heng gritted his teeth. "Whenever they marry, it'll be my turn."
There was no absolute order dictating which sibling had to marry first, but with regards to the younger following the elder, there could be no objection.
The rumors gradually subsided, with only some continuing to feel regret.
"It really would be better for the General to have a wife," Jiang One opined. "Twenty years old, the prime age for marrying."
"But the General has no time for that, his companions are swords and spears day after day," Jiang Two shook his head.
"It's not actually hard for him to find a wife, so many frontier girls are sweet on our General," Jiang Six grinned.
Jiang Seven and Eight were about to add some more, when two coughs sounded from within the tent, followed by a cold, extremely displeased voice. "Seems like you lot are keen to get married too. When the time comes, I'll have the uncles and aunties pay more attention for you."
The six Jiangs shrank like quails, not daring to speak again.
Only Jiang Five gripped the hilt of his blade, unable to keep from quirking up the corners of his lips.
While the man inside the tent now held a traveling brush, pouring all his grievances into the paper to send south.
"What? Third brother is unwilling to marry and says he'll wait until big brother and second brother do so first before worrying about himself?"
Jiang Sheng sucked her teeth as she held the letter from the frontier. "Every single one of you is reluctant—eldest brother avoids, second brother evades, third brother and fourth brother shrink back. Must I get fifth brother, the youngest, married first?"
She had just finished speaking when the sound of persistent bells ringing started drifting from the distant temple.
The monks of Anshui Prefecture were usually idle fellows who rang the bells no more than nine times a day. It had never rang this long and urgently unless... the Emperor had passed.
As if proving Jiang Sheng's guess, the front gate of the small courtyard was pushed open. Xu Mo, dressed in his official uniform, wore an anxious look. "Something's happened in Fengjing."
Zheng Ruqian and Wen Zhiyun followed close behind, faces solemn.
"The Son of Heaven has left this world, a new emperor will soon take the throne. We must make haste back to Fengjing." Xu Mo tightly gripped the official notice. "But little five sent word of a possible plague outbreak in the prosperous Jiangnan region. He cautioned us to be vigilant."
In times of dynastic transition, with power and authority in upheaval, how could the refined people of Jiangnan possibly contract plague?
"Could it be man-made?" Jiang Sheng's eyes were wide. "Should we go deal with the Jiangnan plague, or return to Fengjing to accompany fifth brother?"
"Obviously return to Fengjing," Zheng Ruqian gave his sister a knock on her head. "The imperial physicians will be sent out for certain. With thousands of doctors in the realm, we only have one little fifth."
With the discussion ending thus, all they could do was hurriedly pack up belongings to set off.
The whole family was caught up in busy preparation, full of fiery enthusiasm.
Only one person was the exception.
Clutching the small medicine case he always carried, seemingly struggling countless times before arriving at a decision— "I...won't be returning with you all this time."
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