Conquering the Military Governor's Daughter (1)
By now, the year had changed, and the second year of Xingping (195 AD) had dawned.
The conflict among the three major powers surrounding Jizhou had not yet been settled, but it had reached a point of relative stalemate.
With winter approaching, the three powers felt the need to reorganize their armies once again. They thus decided to conclude the war somewhat appropriately, promising to settle matters later, and each withdrew their respective forces.
Thus, Jizhou once again enjoyed peace.
I was at the heart of Jizhou, in Ye.
But why was I in Ye?
“Hey… Wearing this outfit, the big guy really looks like a new groom!”
“Hahaha! Anyone would think it’s a proper literary man!!”
“Whoosh—!! Whoosh—!!”
“…Shut up!! Aren’t you guys getting married?”
“Well, we’ll figure it out on our own… but for the big guy’s wedding, it’s a festival from our perspective.”
“Hahaha. I wonder how many nights my big guy’s first night will be intense.”
“……”
These crazy guys.
The Gold Sail Army fellows were laughing and teasing me when they saw the clothes I had to wear for the wedding.
The outfit I was wearing was a rather ornate Xuan Duan, a traditional black ceremonial robe.
Whether it was because the clothes were cumbersome or the patterns were too flashy, I felt a bit embarrassed.
And those guys were teasing me because I was embarrassed.
These damn fellows.
I quickly changed out of the clothes and left, giving them a good beating on the head, and immediately headed to the house of Taishi Ci and Tian Yu in the corner of Ye.
“Hey… I thought the house in the outskirts would be small, but this is like a palace. A palace.”
“Since the two of you are living together, the house would be cramped if it were small.”
“But why are the two of you living together? Is it because you don’t have money?”
“Well… even if it’s in the inner part of Ye, the mansion there is quite expensive.”
That was true.
Even in this era, good locations had high prices, so Taishi Ci and Tian Yu, who were eating and living on their meager salaries, would find it tight to buy a house in the inner part of Ye.
The house I had earlier was actually in my wife’s name, not mine.
Actually, if I wanted, Yuan Shao had said he would give me a separate house,
but since it was in front of the prospective father-in-law, asking for the wife’s house name or a new house would be too obvious, so I let it go.
“That guy’s personality is definitely a doting father, so why would I stir up a hornet’s nest for no reason.”
Originally, the stricter a person is with their son, the more generous they are with their daughter.
Anyway, our Taishi Ci and Tian Yu had saved up a bit and bought this house, and I was visiting as a house guest.
“It’s not as big as your house, but it has everything you need, so it shouldn’t be uncomfortable.”
“Well… our house isn’t that great either.”
“Still, it’s better than staying in the military camp all the time.”
“That’s true.”
Not long ago, the three of us really had no house, but thanks to the benevolence of the great enterprise Yuan Shao.
“Every day, I have to fetch water and bow three times towards the latrine direction. Really.”
I was still in awe of the generosity of our prospective father-in-law, as I always do these days.
The house, the carriage, the personal servants, the cook, the servants, even the land documents and various treasures near Ye to prevent me from starving my wife.
Actually, when I was young, I was quite wealthy, but the wealth of the Yuan family was endless.
Anyway, the three of us were happy to have a house and worshipped Yuan Shao,
when someone knocked on the door of the Taishi Ci–Tian Yu house.
Knock knock knock!!
“Hm? Who’s here at this time?”
“I don’t know. Hingpa, you go check.”
“I really don’t want to be called the youngest.”
“Then I’ll go?”
Sigh, these guys, I have to understand even though I’m young.
Kiiik.
So, opening the door, there was a young servant.
“Are you General Gan?”
“What?”
“Ah. Lord Yuan Shao is urgently looking for General Gan. Prepare and come to the government office.”
“Suddenly?”
“Then I’ll take my leave.”
“Hey! Hey!! Is that all? Hey!!!”
The servant delivered the message that Yuan Shao was calling me and immediately scurried away.
“What kind of guy is that?”
Flabbergasted, I scratched my head, told my older brother and Guoyang about it, and immediately headed to the government office in Jizhou where Yuan Shao was.
“Hingpa. You’re here.”
“Yes. What did you call for?”
“Sit for a moment. It’s not a short story.”
“…” I don’t know what, but I understand.”
By the way, my speech has become fixed like that since I started meeting Yuan Shao often in Ye.
It’s a mix of respect and casual…?
Somehow, the relationship with Yuan Shao feels like between a sergeant and a battalion commander.
Anyway, unlike the recent playful conversation with Yuan Shao, he had a quite serious face, thinking deeply.
I felt a slight tension at his expression.
“Is there something he wants to say to me?”
Now, it’s not like he’s asking me to cancel the marriage.
The wedding preparations were all done, and in a few days, the wedding was to take place.
In my mind, I couldn’t find any reason for Yuan Shao to call me like this and think so seriously.
How long had it been? Yuan Shao opened his mouth.
“…” Sigh. Indeed, raising children is not an easy task.”
“What… Raising children is hard in general, isn’t it?”
“Whether son or daughter, it takes strength for different reasons.”
“…” Is that so?”
What is he trying to say with all this setup?
I was starting to feel uneasy beyond tension.
Is it that someone complained about me giving too much to my carriage and house?
Or...
“Without beating around the bush, I’ll get to the point. It seems this marriage may not work out.”
“What?”
What is that...
“It’s not that we’re completely canceling the marriage… but that we should change it to a betrothal.”
“W-what? Suddenly?”
“Yes.”
“Why… what happened? You don’t look well.”
“…” Do I? Sigh. Yes. There was something.”
Yuan Shao sighed and told me the reason why we had to change the marriage to a betrothal.
“My daughter… says she wants to date.”
“What?”
“She wants to have a wedding with the person she loves… Sigh. I really have no face in front of you.”
“……”
So… the daughter wants a love marriage?
“So, I compromised with the child. We’ll change this marriage to a betrothal… and if you like it, we’ll have the wedding then.”
“No… doesn’t that mean I have no say in it?”
“I’m sorry… Instead, I’ll officially submit a memorial to the court to bestow upon you a proper general title. In addition to the things I’ve already given you.”
“Last time you said you’d give me a general title.”
“Not a minor general like Vice General or Assistant General, but a proper general title. Since your army is called Gold Sail Army, we’ll create the title of Gold Sail General, and the salary will be the same as high officials, and… I’ll get permission to open a general’s office. And since your army excels in naval warfare, you’ll also serve as the Navy Commander of the allied forces. Ah, of course, you’ll receive a separate salary.”
“……”
Are you trying to buy me with money and official positions?!
…But it was too much money and too good a position.
Damn. I was this greedy.
I wanted to grab Yuan Shao’s hand and receive the seal right then, but I held back and asked one question.
“Haha… But what if I can’t convince the young lady?”
“In that case, everything will go back to normal.”
“Back to normal, you say…?”
“You’ll live as you wish, and my daughter will live as she wishes. Did you think I’d take back what I’ve given you?”
“……”
Then…!
“Bring your daughter.”
“Why…”
“You said you’d seduce her, so from today on, you have to do whatever it takes.”
“…Hey, Hingpa, calm down for a moment…”
“I am a young man who works for what I receive. As long as you promise me the position of Navy Commander and the general title, I’ll do anything.”
“…Good. Then the deal is sealed.”
Huhu.
Hahaha.
Both of us thought we had gotten a good deal and smiled wickedly at the person in front of us.
And finally, the long-awaited marriage… or rather, the betrothal ceremony arrived.
“Hey, you said it was a wedding ceremony, right?”
“What are you talking about. I clearly heard it was a betrothal ceremony.”
“W-what? Did I mishear?”
People from far away thought it was a wedding because the news was slow, but when they heard it was a betrothal, they were confused, but...
On the contrary, when those from near Ye said it was a betrothal, everyone agreed.
It was because they didn’t mind their own slip of the tongue, but they couldn’t stand hearing that they were village folk with slow news.
Anyway, the betrothal ceremony of me and Yuan Shao’s daughter, Yuan Ye, began.
***
“Okay! Exchange the cups with each other!!”
Yuan Ye exchanged the cup her lips had touched with the one in front of her.
“Okay! Drink the exchanged cups!!”
“……”
After drinking this cup, I’ll be betrothed to that person.
Yuan Ye hesitated for a moment, looking troubled,
gulping.
She downed the wine in the cup in one go, shaking off her hesitation.
“Kuh… The wine is sweet. Sweet. Is it because it’s the wine that touched the flowers? It seems incredibly fragrant. Hahaha!”
“……”
But something has been slightly annoying me since earlier.
Click-!
“Aaaah!! Just staring silently makes my heart feel like it’s going to fall out! It’s sparkling like the moonlight reflected on the lake! This must be fate!!!”
“……”
The part that was slightly annoying was that the man in front of me, who was now my betrothed… was doing strange things to me.
His name was probably… Gan Ning.
“Sigh… What? Was it my father’s arrangement?”
Otherwise, sighing at Gan Ning’s suspicious behavior.
“They say he’s an outstanding general on the battlefield…”
- Hey… The big guy is really alive?
- As expected… A man to command the Central Plains beyond our army!
- Huzumurugu… If you don’t want to die, eat your rice and go...
- No need to be embarrassed! Big guy!! Ah, what was it? Moonlight on the lake? Fuha ha ha ha!!!!
- Really, am I not controlling my strength today? Drinking?
“…” What kind of outstanding general is he supposed to be.
His face is… handsome, but his words and actions are exactly like a jester, aren’t they.
“As expected, it was right to say it was a betrothal instead of a wedding.”
Yuan Ye thought her choice was right and stared fixedly at the back of that Gan Ning man.
Actually, she had never thought about dating or such.
She thought it was an unconsciencable act to enjoy everything as the daughter of the Yuan family and then do a love marriage.
But...
- Hhehe! Anyway, I have to be with my prospective sister-in-law for today. If you’re going to follow, follow.
- You have to announce it all over Ye. You betrothed to the daughter of Lord Yuan, and from the first day, following the man’s back?
- You’re dead. This bastard… Come here. Don’t run away. Fight back.
“…” Since I have to marry someone I don’t even know, it’s better to remove them first.”
Just in case I get a blank like that Gan Ning guy.
“…Hey, wait a minute! What is that…!!”
Whoosh-
- Whoosh—!!! Pulling out a sword at a betrothal ceremony!!
- Big guy!! You have to show that body to sister-in-law, why are you showing it to us!!
- Shut up!! I’m going to break your heads one by one. Everyone come in!!
It seemed like he was trying to spar with soldiers in the arena right next to the place where his betrothed was holding the betrothal ceremony.
Was he drunk? Why was he fighting without removing his upper clothes.
“M-my body is good.”
Yuan Ye peeked through the spread fingers and watched the bare, sun-tanned skin of her betrothed fighting energetically, pretending to be embarrassed.
“B-but… Even if the face and body are pleasing! The person has to be pleasing!!”
But...
gulping-
- Sigh… This is the eye level between you and me...
- Uuu… This drop of monster...
- I will definitely… definitely avenge this humiliation… Kk!
- Shut up. You’re just talking with your mouth.
Swish.
She realized her face was flushing as if it would burst at the sight of her betrothed flipping his wet hair, and she lowered her head to hide from others and muttered.
“T-tired… If he was ugly and fat… I wouldn’t even look!!”
This was all because of that betrothed.
“Hm? What are you doing here?”
“…!!!”
Ca-ca shock.
No, wait...
She knew her face condition well and couldn’t lift her head.
“S-sorry. I can’t lift my face right now…”
“Hahaha. What is there to be sorry about. No need to apologize. Sigh. I’m going to eat, so relax.”
“T-thank you.”
The place where the betrothal was held was clearly her own house, but for some reason, it felt like she had to listen to Gan Ning’s words.
Because of that, she eventually admitted it.
“M-maybe not without charm…”
That Gan Ning’s marriage partner wasn’t bad.
***