Chapter 93: The Bridal Chamber

The beginning of spring has passed, and the weather has gradually grown warmer. After half a month of recuperation and healing, most of the garrison soldiers had returned to their homes, save for a few who were seriously wounded.

Having defeated the Tatar cavalry and received their rewards, the soldiers seemed reborn. They returned home with silver tucked into their tunics, some purchasing fields and others repairing their houses. Not only was the poverty of the past swept away, but their lives were becoming increasingly prosperous. All of this was thanks to Li Yi.

In just half a month, the name of Li Yi of Ganquan had spread throughout Yansui. Whether they were outlaws of the greenwood or wealthy gentry, everyone had heard that a "God of Slaughter" had emerged in Mizhi County. Li Yi, however, paid little heed to this. Taking advantage of the lull in activity, he decided to return to Li Family Village for a few days.

"Brother Yi, you've returned." Seeing Li Yi back, Yunniang was moved to tears of joy. She had heard that he had been wounded and fallen from his horse, and she had spent every day in a state of anxious worry. Seeing her haggard appearance, Li Yi felt a pang of pity and stroked her soft, delicate face.

"It's alright now." These three simple words caused Yunniang to lose her composure, and she collapsed into his arms, weeping bitterly.

Holding the soft, slender Yunniang, Li Yi said with a hint of remorse, "Yunniang, I must apologize. With the war so urgent at the time, I was only focused on scouting the enemy's movements and failed to marry you properly."

Yunniang looked at Li Yi, her face streaked with tears, and shook her head gently. "Brother Yi, say no more. As long as you have returned alive, that is enough."

Li Yi looked into her clear eyes, which were brimming with tears, and held her small hands. "After some time has passed, shall we hold a grand wedding?"

Yunniang shook her head. "The betrothal gifts have been received, and the villagers have already offered their congratulations. There is no need for such empty formalities." To her, the lack of a proper wedding was indeed a regret, but spring had arrived, and the villagers needed to work the fields. She did not want to be extravagant or put everyone to trouble.

"Brother Yi, I heard you were wounded. Let me see." Concerned for his injuries, she pulled him to a stool to examine the wounds. Li Yi removed his shirt, revealing his sturdy muscles. Yunniang covered her mouth at the sight of the gruesome scars, her tears falling once again.

Li Yi pulled her slender waist toward him and smiled. "They are just superficial wounds; they will heal in a few days." Yunniang reached out to gently touch the scars.

As her fingertips slid across his skin, the ticklish sensation made Li Yi’s heart beat faster. Looking up at the lovely Yunniang and holding her slender, soft waist, he was struck by her fresh, delicate fragrance, which stirred his spirit. He took hold of her small hands, a mischievous smirk playing on his lips, and gazed at her with undisguised desire.

Yunniang did not notice at first, her face full of tenderness as she touched his wounds, fearing she might cause him pain. But gradually, she realized his breathing had quickened, and he had firmly grasped her white wrists.

Yunniang froze. Looking down at the hungry expression on Li Yi’s face, her cheeks flushed bright red. Shyly, she said, "Brother Yi, let go."

Li Yi gazed at the heaving hills of her chest, then stood up abruptly and, amidst her exclamation, swept her up into his arms.

"Yunniang, since we are as good as married, shouldn't we fulfill our duties?"

"What duties?" Yunniang was slightly startled.

Li Yi smirked, "Why, to enter the bridal chamber, of course."

Recalling the lessons about the bridal chamber that Wang Sanniang had imparted to her, Yunniang’s face burned even brighter. She shyly closed her eyes, not daring to look at him. Watching his beautiful bride, Li Yi could hold back no longer. He leaned down and kissed her.

Amidst their soft, lingering embrace, Li Yi carried her into the room, his right hand skillfully exploring the peaks of her form. As each piece of clothing was shed, Yunniang appeared like a lamb awaiting the sacrifice, her skin as smooth and white as jade laid bare before his eyes.

In the warmth of the hibiscus-curtained bed, they spent the spring night. As their bodies intertwined, Yunniang’s face flushed with a rosy hue. Her raven-black hair was scattered across the bed, and she became lost in the waves of pleasure, her senses overwhelmed. Finally, seeing that she was weary from the night’s passion and unable to bear more, Li Yi held her gently and, breathing in the scent of her hair, they fell asleep in each other’s arms.

The next morning, as soon as Li Yi woke, he saw Yunniang dressing herself, looking at him with shy eyes. Li Yi grabbed her white wrist and smiled, "It is still early, let us sleep a while longer."

Yunniang quickly pulled her hand away, blushing deeply. "Brother Yi, moderation is key. I still have to go weave." With that, she walked out of the room with an awkward gait.

Without his beauty by his side, Li Yi did not wish to sleep further. He rose to practice martial arts, and after finishing breakfast, decided to go and look at the fields.

After Li Zicheng received his reward money, he returned to Ganquan to oversee the farming plan. He was now single-mindedly focused on leading the villagers to a good harvest so that when they paid their taxes next year, he could also settle the debts that had been heavy enough to work horses to death.

Li Yi rode his horse to the fields and saw the villagers working the land. Without improved seeds or chemical fertilizers, the yield per mu was less than one shi, and thus not very high. A household needed two or three laborers to farm twenty or thirty mu of land just to make ends meet.

The hard life of farming was already difficult enough, not to mention the burden of official corvée labor and serving as errand boys for the wealthy gentry. Furthermore, since the Wanli era, the "Liao tax" had been imposed, along with various other levies. If there was a bountiful harvest, after paying taxes and covering the costs of seeds, tools, and labor, the people could barely afford enough to eat for the year.

If a disaster year hit, not only were the seeds and labor wasted, but the taxes could not be paid. Even if they somehow paid, there was no surplus grain to last until the next harvest. At such times, they could only live on loans, or if they refused to borrow, they were forced to sell their wives and children. However, borrowing was merely drinking poison to quench thirst; the wealthy gentry were mostly greedy, and they would not stop until they had sucked the marrow from the bones of the poor and squeezed out every last bit of value.

Fujuan was one such victim. Thinking of his childhood sweetheart, Li Yi felt he should find time to see her.

Li Zicheng was patrolling the fields, and seeing Li Yi approach, he walked over to meet him. "Brother Yi, what brings you to the fields?"

"Nothing to do, so I came to have a look." Li Yi smiled and pointed to the fields by the river. "Whose land is that?"

"Those fertile fields by the river naturally belong to the Ai family," Li Zicheng said with indignation. "Those are good fields with a yield of one shi per mu, and they are easy to irrigate. They used to belong to Li Family Village, but after several years of famine, the Ai family used their schemes to seize them. And it doesn't end there—every time we need water, the Ai family takes it first, and only after they are done do they open the channels for us."

In recent years, the land had been dry, and fields near the river were precious precisely because they were easy to irrigate. Li Yi looked up and saw many villagers walking four or five miles to the river to carry water back, puffing and panting as they returned to their fields to irrigate them. They had to irrigate over twenty mu of land; carrying water bucket by bucket over such a distance would take forever.

Watching the thin, frail elders hunched over under the weight of their carrying poles, trying their best to water the fields, Li Yi felt an indescribable bitterness in his heart.

"Second Brother, come with me to dig a canal so that everyone can draw water from it," Li Yi said suddenly.

Li Zicheng was surprised. "Brother Yi, don't be impulsive. The Ai family had that canal built, so it is only right that they use it first. Besides, it has fallen into disrepair and the water doesn't flow very far; everyone still has to go to the river."

Li Yi thought for a moment and said, "Then we shall clear the silt and set up waterwheels. We cannot let the villagers carry on like this; it will work them to death."